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Senior citizen card
The Sindh senior citizen card, launched by the Sindh Social Welfare Minister Mir Tarique Ali Khan Talpur, to facilitate 3.7 million citizens aged 60 and above. It will facilitate medical facilities, ease in travel and other basic amenities to senior citizens. Sindh is the first province to launch the Senior Citizen Card, a groundbreaking initiative designed to ensure the welfare and well-being of our elderly population. This innovative program provides our senior citizens with the respect, care and dignity they deserve, while also granting them seamless access to essential services.
Our senior citizens are the embodiment of our rich culture and it’s our moral obligation to guarantee that they spend their golden years with comfort, dignity and pride, which leads them to independent and less expenditure life after retirement.
By launching this card, Sindh is taking a massive step towards building a more compassionate and inclusive society, where our elderly population is valued, respected and empowered to live life to the fullest. It’s the responsibility of the government to ensure its benefits provided to all senior citizens of the province.
AREEBA ALTAF
Larkana Sindh
Ethnic discrimination
I am writing to express my concern about the ethnic discrimination faced by Baloch students, particularly in Islamabad. As someone from a Balochi background, I have personally witnessed such discrimination. Recently, while on my way to university at NUML Avenue in Islamabad, I was approached by an ununiformed military personnel.
Judging by my traditional Balochi attire, he asked me to show my ID card. I declined, explaining that there were many students around and that I didn’t understand why I alone should be singled out. He then asked for my phone number, but I refused to provide it to an unknown person, especially since he was not in uniform. His insistence eventually led me to show my ID card. Upon inspecting it and noticing my Sindh residency, he continued to treat me in a dismissive manner. This treatment reflects the challenges faced by Baloch students in Islamabad. I urge higher-ranking officials to address this issue.
SADAM BALOCH
Ghotki, Sindh
Dowry
Marriage in South Asia, especially in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, often transcends personal consent, becoming a union of families. Dowry—comprising cash, gold and other valuables given by the bride’s family to the groom’s—remains a troubling custom. But do our daughters really need such “favours”?
During Pakistan’s wedding season, exchanging gifts between families is seen as a harmless tradition, starting from engagements and escalating to extravagant expenses by the wedding day. The bride’s family spends millions on dowry, wedding feasts, gifts, and ceremonies to appease the groom’s family, often taking loans to meet these demands.
This financial burden disrupts the family’s economic stability, particularly when younger siblings are still in school. Fathers struggle to repay debts, while brides feel guilt for the hardships caused by their marriage.
The pressure to marry daughters at any cost perpetuates this toxic system. Reports suggest over 2,000 annual deaths in Pakistan are linked to depression caused by dowry-related struggles. This harmful tradition, deeply rooted in culture, robs families of resources that could instead be invested in daughters’ education and independence.
Social media exacerbates the problem by showcasing extravagant weddings, fueling greed among groom’s families. They exploit the bride’s family’s resources, further normalizing this alarming practice.
It’s time to prioritize daughters’ education and empowerment over outdated customs. Parents must invest in their daughters’ independence and groom’s families must reject greed and embrace compassion. Breaking this cycle requires societal effort to redefine norms and uplift equality.
ABDUL AHAD BHATTI
Via email
MD-CAT retake
Last Sunday, thousands of aspiring medical students across Pakistan retook the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MD-CAT). The retake was a testament to the government’s commitment to ensuring transparency and merit-based admissions. The first MD-CAT exam was held earlier and got marred by cheating cases and irregularities. The results were cancelled and orders were issued for retakes. It was a stern message that only merit was going to be the factor for entry into medical or dental colleges.
The retake exam was held with very strong security measures, where students and invigilators alike were thoroughly checked. Questions were designed to test students’ knowledge, skills and aptitude for the medical field. Hats off to the Vice Chancellor of Sukkur IBA University and whole team and Siba testing service who stood against mafias and continue their legacy of merit quality and excellence. In the end, the MD-CAT retake is not just about an exam but about upholding the values of merit, transparency and fairness.
AFFAQUE AHMED
Hingorja
