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.
Save Karachi
Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan, the financial and industrial hub, a city which generates 65% of the total revenue of the country, and yet it doesn’t have proper roads or traffic system, a 70-year old drainage system, it does not even have a quick response force.
The citizens are forced to live with broken roads, gutters overflowing, streets covered in dirt, bundles of trash in almost all the streets of the city and people of Karachi have accepted this situation as the new normal because people can’t do anything until government shows some responsibility towards this city before it’s completely ruined. It’s high time now to give Karachi what it truly deserves, a better and developed infrastructure, proper roads and drainage system so the city can be saved from the flooding next time.
MARIUM ALI
Karachi
Reimagining the society
Being an erudite individual is considered as an ill and amorphous to the norms of the society and thus acknowledged as an iconoclast by the fatuously feckless individuals. Having characteristics of being contrary to the cultural folkways and mores is equal to ignobility. Shakespeare has rightly pointed out in his one of the finest play “Oedipus Rex” that “when wisdom brings no profit, to be wise is to suffer.”
Shakespeare’s aforesaid dialogue encompasses a universal taste for all the times and for all the people. However, it’s human nature when someone, genteel and well versed individual, try to outperform one in his professional, educational or political surroundings, other consider it as an grandiose backlash to his reputation and thus would burn candle from both ends to bring that person down.
Envy and jealousy has totally undermined the ability of the present generation and would endanger the similar capability of the generations to come. Realistically, such mindset can never be rejuvenated until and unless the young wouldn’t set aside their traditional and pseudo norms. We need more iconoclasts rather those who love to be the staunch followers of their norms and values.
LAL BAKHSH SOOMRO
Sindh
Looting passengers
Since majority of Pakistan’s population falls in the category of lower or lower middle class, so they travel locally wherever they want to go. But due to lack of check and balance they have to suffer. Whenever price of patrol is raised, fare of local busses is raised too. Not any single government official seems to monitor prices raised and transporters get unfair advantage.
Likewise, during journeys, people are looted for having lunch and dinner on the way. A thing which a person can get at the price of 100 rupees in hometown or city would cost him 400 rupees during his journey. I, being a student, have to travel locally from Kashmore Sindh to Islamabad throughout my journey of four years of studies. I experienced myself the things for eating, drinking were too much expensive as compared to those locally purchased. Therefore, govt should take some serious action against the hotels situated alongside highways and motorways for unfair charges so that common/poor people have something to eat at an affordable price.
SANAULLAH KALWAR
Kashmore Sindh
Need for mental health awareness
It’s unfortunate that Pakistan is among countries with the highest number of mental health cases yet it’s barely discussed. We hardly see any public service message or campaign tackling the problem. One of the most common mental health problems is depression. More than 264 million people of all age groups suffer from it throughout the world. Mental health issues can adversely affect the daily chores in people’s lives. They find the simplest tasks equivalent to moving mountains.
In our country, the plethora of problems and crimes make the situation worst for these people. If this problem persists, I’m afraid that we might face mental health crisis all over the country. I’d request social and traditional media platforms to make content regarding the problem. I’d also request my fellow citizens to not to radicalise these people and comfort them to come out with their plights before they choose to end their lives in silent.
MARIA MUKHTAR
Islamabad
Accountability and Naya Pakistan
In Pakistan blaming every politician for corruption has become a custom now. Almost every politician has been victim of it. Since Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf has come into power it’s been famously known for “NRO nahi denge” {won’t give NRO to any politician). They started criticizing the previous governments for damaged economy, low GDP, unemployment and corruption.
When Prime Minister Imran Khan took oath of his office celebrations by his party likewise as followers begin, they believed that count had started now towards the achievement of “Corruption free Pakistan” a dream about which their leader had been asking repeatedly in election campaign and rallies.
As accountability may be a good sign for strong democracy, people throughout Pakistan supported the move. But unfortunately, it resulted in an exceedingly political victimization instead of accountability. Every opposition leader has been victim of it. Therefore, PTI should revisit its policies, speeches and manifestos during which they talked about accountability across the board.
SANAULLAH KALWAR
Kashmore, Sindh
