Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Quarantine facilities
The quarantine facilities in Pakistan are not properly run, and people are complaining about the bad behaviour of health workers. In fact, even health workers are complaining about not being properly equipped. An important issue which the government should consider is the psychological health of quarantined people. Quarantine can cause many psychological problems.
To overcome theses outcomes, government should properly train the persons taking care of quarantine places. The government should also give people as much information as possible by telling them what and why this is happening and when it will end, provide them meaningful entertainment/activities, educate them, provide adequate supplies of food, medicine, internet and a safe space for meeting relatives.
ARISHA ANSAR
Karachi
Corona Virus woes
I saw a photograph which really broke my heart and left me with tears in my eyes. In the photo, a father, who looks like a farmer or daily wage worker, says his children that “Due to Corona Virus I got no labour, everything was closed”. This is real story of every lower class family. About half per cent of our society depends on their daily income for food.
Now as lockdown is done, then how they will have food. In this time of trial, it’s our responsibility to help the downtrodden lot. There are many people in our neighbourhoods whom we know well that they are very poor; so it’s time to help them and give the real massage of humanity to all. I request everyone to please help your needy neighbours and let nobody sleep without food because being human it’s our responsibility to care our neighbours as Jesus Christ said “Love your neighbours like yourself “.
ANTHONY SAHOTRA
Larkana
Prov & Fed Govts to be on one page
Government of Sindh is taking all possible measures to fight and keep the masses of the province safe from deadly epidemic corona virus which includes closure of marriage halls, restaurants, parks, shrines, shopping centres and all the public places. Even public sector organizations would now remain close for 15 days while organizations working under federal government would remain operative which could spoil provincial government’s safety measures.
Need of the hour is to be on one page by both governments to fight and keep the masses safe from the monstrous disease as it is the collective responsibility of all of us.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
Globalisation & battle against Corona Virus
Many people blame the corona virus pandemic on globalization, and they say that the only way to stop more outbreaks is social distancing and to de-globalize the world, stop working or going to offices and universities, restrict travel, build walls and reduce trade. However, short-term isolation is important to stop epidemics but long-term isolation will lead to economic collapse and downfall without offering any real protection against this diseases.
We need to keep one thing in mind that the actual antidote to epidemic is not isolation, but rather cooperation.? Decades ago, epidemics like Spanish flu, Plague, Ebola and Cholera killed billions of people and it was long before the current age of globalization. The history of epidemics teaches us that we cannot really stop these epidemics from spreading just by closing borders and get isolated because even in the middle ages, they spreaded rapidly so we don’t have to go full stone age.
The real protection comes from sharing the scientific information which is reliable and it comes from global unity. When one country suffers from pandemic, it should be able to share the true information about the outbreaks without fear of economic calamity while other countries should trust that information and provide a helping hand rather than showing cold shoulder to the victim. Lock downs are essential for stopping the spread of virus but it could also lead to economic collapse. Humanity needs to guard the borders between human world and virus-sphere but not borders between countries.
If the epidemic results in closer global cooperation, it will be a victory not only against the corona virus, but against all future viruses.
MARYAM NOOR
Wah Cant
Write off school fee
Schools would remain off till May 30, 2020 on the direction of Sindh government and new academic session would start on June 1, 2020 as summer vacation would not be given this time and this closure would count as summer vacation. Usually summer vacations are given for two months from June to July but owing to outbreak of pandemic corona virus schools were shut down on February 27, 2020 which makes total period of closure of schools around three months.
In this scenario schools fees should be written off at least one month as no academic activity was taken place in schools since February 27, 2020 to onwards as people working on daily wages might suffer to pay the fee. Government of Sindh should consider this request and direct school-administrations to write off fee of at least one month.
Karachi
Pakistan Day
Every year, Pakistan Day is celebrated enthusiastically in all the cities and towns in the country. However, this year due to global emergency of Corona Virus, government has decided to cancel the much awaited parade in the federal capital in order to save public from attracting the fatal disease.
Undoubtedly, it will be devastating moment for all the Pakistanis but as responsible citizen it is a duty of all of us to respect our government’s order and avoid unnecessary public meetings. Furthermore, in this time of national calamity, we all need to stand together and support each other in order to fight this threat.
HADIA AZIZ
Islamabad
Trucks:
Major cause of accidents
Every day, hundreds of road traffic accidents occur across the country. Some of the most accidents on roads today are caused by huge commercial trucks. Statistics show that about five hundred thousand accidents on the road per year are caused directly or indirectly by commercial trucks.
Out of these, five thousand lead to death. To avoid these type of accidents the government needs to implement changes in traffic management. There must be separate routes for commercial trucks and vehicles. The public also needs to follow traffic and driving rules more strongly and strictly so they may save their lives.
MALEEHA SHOAIB
Rawalpindi
Justice for Nirbhaya at last
The four Nirbhaya rapists deserved what they got. Other {would-be} rapists should learn a lesson from this incident and not treat women like sex objects in order to satisfy their carnal desires. Now that they have been executed, March 20 should be celebrated as Nirbhaya Divas every year as a remembrance. But what about the juvenile who has raped Nirbhaya too.
Why was he left with just a light warning? Besides giving him a light warning, why has he been hidden in an isolated place where no one knows where he is? Is there an answer to this? How much money has he bribed the court to let him off with just a light warning?
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
