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.
Great people to fly with
There was once a time when PIA was well known for its graceful service and friendliness all over the world and our pilots were popular for the smooth landing that passengers could not realise whether the plane had landed or not. Other than that, our pilots used to go aboard to impart technical training due to their expertise especially in landing and taking-off.
It is noted that on one occasion, the First Lady of the USA , Jacqueline Kennedy arrived in London via PIA and on arrival, she thanked the pilot and when someone asked her how was the flight she replied, “great people to fly with”. Since then, it became PIA’s logo. In spite of that, it was really an honourable moment for the whole country that the First Lady of the USA opted to travel on our national airline.
Over the years, the service of PIA has gone down extremely as the aircrafts’ condition became very bad and unreliable. In any case our pilots are even greater and experienced who operate the plane even when the technical fault is highlighted but risk their precious lives along with lives of many people and unfortunately which makes the new logo of PIA as “great people to die with”.
May all the departed souls rest in peace and courage to families to bear this huge loss but how long will this continue? It is so unbearable to see a brilliant student as a total failure. I would request Mr Hassan Nasir Jamy, Secretary, Aviation Division, that we want to take the logo back once our PIA team was known for.
MOBEEN KHAN
Islamabad
Afghan refugee crisis
I would like to highlight the crisis in Afghan refugee camps which are increasing day by day due to prolonged lockdown amid the Coronavirus outbreak. People have starting to starve because they have no money left to feed them. The government should raise funds for helping out Afghan refugees lodged in the camps due to lockdown.
Prime minister Imran Khan should also announce a special relief package for the Afghan refugees despite financial difficulties being faced by the country. “If Pakistan can release a special funded relief package for Afghan refugees, why can’t developed nations come to the rescue of the refugees? Afghan refugees had to migrate due to the Afghan war under the UN umbrella. Now it is the responsibility of the UN community to help these refugees.”
Pakistan has and should keep on doing its bit by lending a hand to these refugees despite the fact that Pakistan was not a signatory to the UN Convention on refugees and its protocols. Also the government representatives should pressurize the UN officials to immediately divert funds to Afghan refugees on a war footing as the refugees were without food for the last two weeks.
ABDULLAH BIN NAWAZ
Islamabad
Mismanagement of streets in Karachi
Sir, I would like to express my thoughts on the mismanagement of streets in Karachi through your columns. Karachi was once called the ‘City of Lights’ , but due to the mismanagement of streets, it has now become the ‘City of Trash’. I, one of the citizens of Karachi, feel downhearted whenever I compare previous condition of Karachi to the current condition.
Streets of Karachi used to be tidy in previous days; even in rainy season, water used to flow down the streets into gutter or nullah. Roads of Karachi have become a disaster for the last few years. There is not only trash but also digging everywhere. Unplanned construction is being done because of which the foundation of this city has been decimated.
On account of this circumstance, roads keep on causing large mishaps, vehicles are getting damaged and traffic jams have broadened rapidly. Precious lives are on stake. Due to accidents, 20,000-40,000 people die every year. The condition is even worse in some of the smaller areas as heaps of trash keep on gathering. Government and the authorities should take this condition seriously and take tangible steps for the solution of this problem.
ANOUSHAY NAEEM
Karachi
Is My Job Safe?
It’s a fact, the workplace has grown exponentially due to technological updates driving companies to the next level. In fact, we have come to the point, where everything gets done at the click of a button.
Day by day, technology is growing, so is their power to replace us. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, for every job lost to a machine at least one new job was created. Technology has also replaced the need for physicians to be present x-ray records and making diagnoses, from doctor to accountant to deliver food and drones to deliver food or other goods. Soon enough, human drivers would no longer drive a car, there would be driverless cars. Technology is replacing the need for humans and adding to the economic scale.
Government regulation can successfully block new technologies even if they are commercially viable and economically lucrative. Although the question “is my job safe?” can be answered by the government, if they want to answer.
ISRA ABDUL QAYYUM KHAN
Islamabad
Smart lockdown in Islamabad
The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan’s federal capital has significantly decreased in the wake of the smart lockdown in the city. The number of virus infections have been reduced by 90 percent in the areas that were sealed last month. The daily emergence of new cases has come from 700 to 300. The Deputy Commissioner informed that the COVID-19 hotspots were identified in the city by geotagging the positive cases. COVID-19 was rapidly spreading in sectors G-9, I-8 and I-10, but smart lockdown helped contain the problem to a great extent. The influx of COVID-19 patients in PIMS has reduced in the last couple of days due to the smart lockdown. This smart lockdown should continue for the safety of capital’s residents.
FAHEEL TAHIR
Islamabad
Street crime and our system
The surge in street crimes — mobile snatching, money-grabbing, kidnapping for ransom — with every passing day and round the clock in our country is alarming. Right to life, property and liberty are the most basic rights our Constitution grants us with. But no one can now roam without any fear in the streets of Karachi, Lahore and even in the safe city Islamabad. The unchecked population, illiteracy, poverty, unequal distribution of wealth, avarice, alienation from Islamic teachings and last but not least our failing police system to intercept such crimes on a daily basis. These incidents could be avoided in case the following steps are taken: Every street be patrolled with two policemen, poverty be eliminated on a priority basis, Ulema exhort the citizen to fear Almighty’s justice and punishment hereafter, and last but not the least the motorbikes be registered on a most priority basis. If found unregistered, they be forfeited heavily.
MUHAMMAD WAQAS KHAN
Dera Ismail Khan
Performing Hajj 2020
The overall unprecedented change in world affairs has left everybody stunned. The contagion Covid-19 has disrupted prayers patterns worldwide. The Muslims religious obligation of performing hajj reamine hanging in balance for want of decision for quite some time until KSA decided that only locals nearing 1000 will perform Hajj this year. Pakistan has a different scenario for Hajj. Here people spend their lives accumulating money for Hajj and then for their names to appear in the draw list. The whole activity is time consuming and asks for an immense amount of patience. Those who were selected this year are now being asked to take their money back, an unjustified act on the part of government. It would be appropriate if willingness is obtained from these aspirants if they could wait till next Hajj 2021, these will happily defer their Hajj to next year and the government’s huge effort and money to be spent on replicating the exercise will definitely be saved.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
Parasites and sycophants
In Parasites and Sycophants (Sept 14, 2008), Mubarak Ali has highlighted one of the important facts of life.
I agree with his point of view that flattery or sycophancy is not only the problem of today’s world but it has been there all along. Being a student of English literature, I have gone through some masterpieces; some of them were dedicated to monarchs. These works are now thought to be tributes to kings or queens of Europe, but as far as my views are concerned the authors of these poems or novels didn’t know the meaning of ‘tribute’. Their creative endeavours simply contain sycophantic ideas.
For example, Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene (dedicated to Queen Elizabeth) or John Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel (written in honour of King Charles II) are all works of flattery.
MAHNOOR TARIQ
Wah Cantt
Pakistan and 2020: A year of natural disasters
The year-2020 has brought a serious pandemic COVID-19 for whole world and for Pakistan it seems like a year of natural disasters. Firstly, COVID-19 hit a very hard blow to Pakistan and caused a serious damage to every sector in Pakistan especially economy. With this pandemic Pakistan has faced unusual rains which caused damage to wheat crop all over the country and reduced the production of wheat, now we need to import wheat.
In the start of May, crops in Sindh and Punjab have been attacked by locust and experts are predicting a second wave of attack after monsoon. Of course, we also have to face flood in monsoon, which will also cause damage to crops. However, through this letter I want to draw the attention of authorities towards a serious issue that Pakistan may face food shortage and we need to prevent this before time. Authorities should prepare to control the infestation of Tiddi Dal and government should stop the illegal export of food to the neighbouring countries to prevent food shortage in Pakistan.
SAAD KHAN
Islamabad
