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.
PML-N -PPP meeting
Two oldest political parties of Pakistan, PPP and PML-N had been in power since decades. Both the parties saw many ups and downs during their respective tenures. They have exchanged hot words for each other as well in the past. But now, scenario is totally different, opposition leader, Mian Shehbaz Sharif and former president of Pakistan, Asif Ali zardari have a joint meeting in Karachi.
This is very common in politics because sometimes you are not on the same page due to certain differences while the next moment you have no issues and have many similarities as well. As both the parties have many differences, despite that they met, the then CM of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif used to say openly that I will never welcome the president of Pakistan in Punjab. Such were harsh relations between them and even they used abusive language for each other.
During 2018 general election campaign, PML-N leadership often said that “Zardari-Imran Bhai Bhai”. Maryam Nawaz even said that if you cast vote for Zardari, ultimately it will go for Imran and vice versa. But things were changed when PTI won general election and came into power. Imran Khan’s govt has paved way for PML-N and PPP to come closer. Now, they themselves are Bhai Bhai and PTI-led govt is an enemy for them. It is a common belief that in politics everything is done for personal interests.
As there are the cases of corruption and money laundering against leaders of both the parties, therefore, they joined hands together to protect their assets. Some critics say that they have now same agenda to work on, which is how to derail the incumbent government while others believe that it is the ultimate victory of Imran Khan as both parties have to save themselves from corruption cases.
SHAHZAD PANHWAR
Sukkur
Abductions
in Zimbabwe
The scale of abductions in Zimbabwe has reached insanity. Who on earth can challenge the careless, clueless and corrupt President Mnangagwa and his rogue government from embarking on massive abductions of innocent citizens who are expressing their constitutional rights? Recently a student journalist Tawanda Muchehiwa was abducted and severely tortured by his captors at an unknown location and suffered kidney failure before being released following a ruling by a High Court judge who ordered his release within 72 hours. The world should not be silent when evil regime murders its citizens. When the world remains silent, it is clearly on the side of the oppressor. The world should challenge, expose and condemn the rogue government of Mnangagwa and demand stability in Zimbabwe before Zimbabweans flee to countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, UK and USA in search of sanctuary.
KUDZAI CHIKOWORE
London
Vandalism
The hopes of Karachites from their elected leaders have been dashed. Politicians malign one another and war of slander and blame game is continuing. In these trying times, do still people believe in so marvellous slogan “Bhutto zinda hai”?
Do they still vote for reckless and selfish rulers who indulge themselves in triggering hot arguments instead of rectifying the loopholes? It’s a wakeup call for slumbered souls to open their eyes and realise the difference between right and wrong. Each and every one of us has the responsibility of casting one’s vote to the right person for the rightful purpose.
ZUBAIR AHMED RIND
Via email
MPs focus
on massive corruption
I am happy and thankful to Zimbabwean opposition MP of Glen View North Kennedy Dinah who recently donated 11 wheelchairs to disabled people in his constituency. This shows that MDC Alliance opposition MPs truly represent their constituencies wholeheartedly. ZANU PF members of parliament are interested in increasing their wealth rather than helping people in their constituencies.
The greedy ZANU PF Gokwe MP Mayor Justice Wadyajena bought an expensive Lamborghini car whilst thousands of his constituency members are starving because of hunger. ZANU PF members of Parliament and their leader Emerson Mnangagwa are not interested in developing Zimbabwe and bring prosperities that benefit Zimbabweans but are interested in building huge expensive houses, driving expensive cars and living abnormal luxurious lives using embezzled funds. They should be removed from power and arrested for failing to discharge their duties effectively.
TAPIWA MUSKWE
United Kingdom
A story of negligence
Being at a clean city with absolutely beautiful weather comes with a lot of guilt when we see Karachi’s situation. The city has finally given up on its failed provisional and central administrations. The over-flooded gutters, the house filled with water and waste tell a story of long due karma of negligence.
Situations like these don’t happen overnight. It has put many lives, wealth and infrastructure to a great extent of risk. Moreover, the filthy water welcomes plethora of diseases and viruses. Amidst of all this, the beautiful city of lights has been reduced to rubble. I’d request Karachi Administration to finally step up their game and try to ameliorate people’s woes and miseries.
MARIA MUKHTAR
Islamabad
Wildfires in California
A few months into the Covid-19 lockdown, I had bumped into a crucial newsflash on CNN of raging wildfires in California in the USA. Incidentally, CNN had been reporting the fire incident back-to-back. The Amazon fire and bushfires in Australia have now set off a wake-up call for protecting our natural environment around like those beautiful dense forest areas, failing which “Real Armageddon” will appear on the horizon. All the plants and trees growing on Mother Earth have unique features, giving a new lease of life to the whole world having already been affected by so many crises.
My native areas like Korkai, Tuticorin, Tiruchendur, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, and Tirunelveli, all in Tamil Nadu have long been home to various water-bodies like Thamirabarani River, big trees, coconut groves and agricultural activities like growing bananas and paddy cultivation. Such natural flora and fauna must be protected at all costs like serious water conservation and many more green initiatives in order to keep on feeding the international community over millions of years into the future.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Mumbai
