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.
TikTok ban
What a coincidence that Pakistan imposes a ban on Tik Tok within weeks of similar restrictions imposed by USA, India, Saudi Arabia etc on grounds that these social media sites are being used for sharing indecent/ immoral short videos etc. The question arises, whether Tik Tok is the only Application on which immoral videos are shared and similar videos are not being shared by other Internet based social media sites.
The US administration has embarked on a selective banning and restrictions of Chinese companies starting with Huawei and now TIK TOK citing that these companies are involved in activities detrimental to US national security interests. India has followed suit and imposed restrictions. Internet based social media sites owned by companies located in USA, Europe, Singapore etc have been involved in propagating Islamophobia, blasphemous and immoral videos against Holy Prophet (PBUH) and other prominent religious individuals etc.
Banning them is not the solution as effective regulation of such applications requires that government employ best and most qualified people at helm, instead of politicised appointments or retired civil or uniformed bureaucrats. It is the role of Electronic regulatory agencies to regulate and control the information shared on them instead of banning them.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
*****
This refers to recent decision of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) about banning Tiktok application in Pakistan. Tiktok undoubtedly spread immoral and indecent content in society. There were several negative impacts on society. However, it was highly popular video-sharing app among youth. Mostly, unemployed youth was involved in making videos on it and they often violated people sentiments by using abusive language and offensive video clips. While it was being banned in Pakistan, many have appreciated the decision taken by PTA. Even a famous tiktoker Mansoor Chandio, followers in million, appreciated and said it was being unethically used by people.
Tiktok had also negative repercussions on university students. Mostly students used to make videos and spend less time on their studies. Consequently they either got low marks in examinations or failed causing great anxiety to their parents. Sexual content causes lust among youth that resultantly aggravates situation. PTA should also look after other applications violating community standards and norms. There should be no sexual lust spreading application.
IMTIAZ ESSA HALEPOTO
Jamshoro, Sindh
Nobel prize for WFP
The latest Nobel Peace Prize has been announced now. According to news sources, the World Food Programme (WFP) has been awarded this prestigious prize. It has been reported that efforts to fight hunger the world over have been richly rewarded with the coveted prize. Mainstream news channels like BBC and CNN highlighted this news.
As we know, Nobel Prize institution has been a great platform, having been encouraging many a person and so many big personalities from diverse areas like social domain and science up till now. More to the point, the number of people from such interesting yet intense fields should go up given the various problems facing the world now. Great doses of encouragement and enthusiasm should go into such humanitarian activities as fighting hunger. True to form, such coveted prizes have indeed been great panacea for world conflicts. The recent CNN interview clearly shows that people from the World Food Programme including the WFP Director have all been a happy lot enthusiastically working on their project. Time is not far away when handling the spectre of hunger will get even better with far-reaching solutions to world conflicts and climate change and through sustainable plans of action for agriculture.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Mumbai, India
Food and water security
Pakistan is one of the world’s largest producers of wheat, rice, livestock and a number of other agricultural products. It is a food surplus country with stable food availability. Food security is poor, however as access to food is limited by poverty and high levels of inflation. As a result Pakistan has alarmingly high rates of malnutrition, particularly among women and children.
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has included a new chapter of “food security” in economy report (March 2019). In Pakistan 65% people are getting their full repast. However 35% peoples are not getting full repast that means every 4th people are not eating full food. As a result these peoples are not in a position to do their full work. Nearly half of the children experience stunted growth and most of them suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. In world production of agriculture products, Pakistan ranks seventh in wheat production, fourth in cotton, sixth in sugar, thirteenth in rice and twelfth in maize production.
Pakistan’s water security is also under considerable pressure. Much of water sources have been over-exploited due to increasing population, old agricultural practices and poor management. Climate change would put additional pressure on water resources.
SAFEER HUSSAIN MAHOTO
Larkana, Sindh
GB protests and media coverage!
How much an ordinary person knows about Gilgit-Baltistan? What are problems people of GB have been facing since 1947? What do majority of populace of Pakistan know about GB except its beautiful valleys, lakes, glaciers, mountains etc.? Most likely majority does not even know the limbo status of GB. How many news from GB does one hear on mainstream media barring a weather report?
There has always been a media blackout when it comes to reporting protestations and sit-ins the people of GB stage for there due rights and issues they face. One can never get to hear any news, which highlights ordeals and woes people of this region face. And if some media coverage is allowed rarely here, it is done so to serve a pre-orchestrated propaganda program.
Similar media’s oblivion approach of ‘zero coverage’ could be witnessed in the ongoing sit-ins staged in Hunza-Nagar Valley. Sit-ins are staged against the unduly imprisonment of 14 rights activists, including Baba Jan—leader of leftist Awami Worker Party—who raised their voices for afflicted ones of Attaabad landslide disasters in 2011, when two affected, father and son, were killed during protests in police brutality. Government should promptly address the demands of sit-ins and release those languishing for 10 years..
ZAHID ALI ZOHRI
Gilgit-Baltistan
