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.
COVID impact on world economies
Everyone is facing a decline in their living style and economic style due to Covid-19 but the third world countries are affected more because of their underdeveloped economies; most of them face malnutrition, which is causing incomputable deaths. Poor nations are at greater risk of contracting the virus and may suffer the devastating effects of economic shock. They have little power to meet people’s pressing needs, from identifying and managing cases of the virus to supporting low-income communities and businesses.
Most people living in the third world countries are employed in the unregistered sector and do not receive subsidies, sickness or other benefits. The health facilities of the third world countries like Pakistan won’t be able to cope because of the lack of capabilities and resources. The effect of economic slowdown is scary as the countries might end up having more poverty and hunger. International support has been declining at a time when it was most needed. The rich countries seem to be busy with its health and economic problems. World community must think of some sort of a debt write-off for such countries that are very vulnerable so they could cope with it and prevent more outbreaks in future.
MARYAM KHAN
Islamabad
Pakistan’s dismal civil aviation
People pay to travel safely and it is the responsibility of CAA, as Regulator and Federal Government to ensure that this is done. If it takes a few hundred or thousand individuals to be screened out of PIA and CAA, let that be. Welfare of a few ones cannot take precedence over the lives of citizens.
Pakistan CAA has a dismal record with a series of accidents involving airlines under its jurisdiction, and no meaningful investigation conducted as per international industry practice. What can be more distressing that in 2000, CAA cancelled Bhoja Airline’s License, only to restore it in 2012 and first flight crashes killing all 128 passengers on board. Did somebody question anybody responsible?
The most recent crash involving PIA A320 occurred on 22 May 2020 which on initial approach executed Go Around after both engines touched runway only to crash while making a second approach hardly KM from airport. This A320 collided with multi-storied residential buildings. The ATC must have watched A320 engines scratch the runway. Did ATC follow SOP to meet any emergency and alerted rescue agencies? There are conflicting reports about the pilot’s training record and whether he had taken proper rest and was fasting, in violation of recommendations. Question arises whether CAA, which is licensing authority and regulator, while PIA the operator had ensured that safety was not compromised. Reports about irregularities in pilot recruitment date back to 1994 when an investigation headed by AVM Mushaf Ali Mir was ordered by the Defence Ministry. What action was taken for these gross criminal irregularities?
CHOUDHRY RIAZ
Canada
Importance of agriculture
Agriculture is considered the backbone of Pakistan’s economy which relies heavily on its major crops. There are vast gaps between the acquired and actual output of produce which suffers due to a lack of appropriate technology, use of inputs at improper times, unavailability of water and land use and inadequate education about insect pest control, which not only negatively affect the produce but also significantly reduces the amount of produce.
Farmers mainly use synthetic chemicals for the control of insect pests, but these are used unwisely. To emphasize the major shortfalls and actual performance of major field crops, this study investigated the relationship between agricultural GDP and the output of major crops, including wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize and cotton, in Pakistan over a period of 65 years from 1950 to 2015. Time series data were collected from the Economic Survey of Pakistan (various publications).
Crop data were analysed using the ordinary least square method and the Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, and the results were interpreted using Johansen’s co-integration test. Our study finds that the output of wheat, rice and cotton has a positive and significant relationship with the agricultural GDP of Pakistan while the output of sugarcane has a negative and non-significant relationship with the agricultural GDP of Pakistan. Therefore, I recommend that the government of Pakistan should launch new funding programmes for the development of the agricultural sector.
TAIMOOR BASHIR HERL
Faisalabad
An actor gone too soon
Sushant Singh Rajput was a very good actor and I don’t think he has committed suicide. Hope all investigation into his death is carried out swiftly. Only then we will know the exact cause of his death. May his soul rest in peace.
Sushant was best-known for his work in the TV show ‘Pavitra Rishta’ and for starring in films such as ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’, ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy’ and ‘Chhichhore’.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Political men
We should think about political men correctly. They are serving people because of their mind and ability. They are like parts of the puzzle in the world. Every part has the different shapes from the others. Now, they are looking at each other strangely because they are ugly in point of their view. We imagine that they are right but they don’t know who bring them to power. They forget the Lord give them the power on the base rules of the universe. The Lord is merciful to give them the opportunity to serve people but, unfortunately, we see there isn’t any peace in the world.
All people are not satisfying with their government. Anyway, I am respecting them because I understand that what a difficult position they have. I am looking at the puzzle correctly. Every part is in bad shape but the whole puzzle is beautiful when you look at from the sky.
The Lord is trying the best to put them altogether until the world works correctly. Therefore, the World Beater Council is the only way for political men can live with each other in peace because it makes the unity in the world.
MOHAMMAD FARNUSH
Tehran, Iran
Inflation is on the rise
Pakistan’s economy is facing serious challenges on the fiscal front. The main challenges are insufficient revenue generation and high fiscal deficit exports and insignificant growth as well as fear of a slowdown in remittances. PTI government is trying to overcome the fiscal challenge in several ways but the relevant departments are not assisting government appropriately.
There is a little scope for encouraging imports of industrial raw material to lift the country’s large-scale manufacturing sector out of recession. This, in turn, means industrial growth may remain stalled in the near future. There is also no room for the rupee to become strong enough in the short term to create demand for the import of even consumer goods. Consumption of domestically produced stuff is also dwindling because of falling income levels and high inflation. Inflation is stubbornly high and is on the rise.
Agriculture is not growing at the desired pace and industries are producing less. The PTI government is hoping for the export-sector revival. But failure to accelerate revenue collection and boost export earnings is pushing the government to continue to borrow from domestic as well as external resources. The resultant increase in the debt is pushing up the cost of both domestic and external debt servicing.
SAQIB ISHAQ
Azad Kashmir
