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 to
Taka Tak
After a huge success of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) against the obscene which was being jacked up through the worst app “TikTok” Now our neighbour friend-cum-enemy country India has introduced another way to continue the second wave of inauspicious act through its newly launched app “Taka Tak”. India never wants a Muslim to follow his religious path. From the very beginning the intentions of Indian extremist Hindus were not good for the Muslims.
They always try to demolish the name of Islam and they always fail. But regretfully, our own Muslims prefer erroneous goals of enemies by using their vulgar apps. Not only children but also adults are victim of it. Indeed, a true and loyal Muslim should never forget the lesson which was taught to us by Our Holy Prophet (PBUH). In short, the Government of Pakistan should remove these apps for good and make sure that the nation will not follow any other activity which can be the cause of nastiness.
HASNAIN ASAD MEMON
Sukkur
Beware wrath of hungry desperate millions
Whatever maybe the priority of the Federal Government, the astronomical rise in home grown basic food items, their hoarding and black marketing, further aggravated by unchecked smuggling to Afghanistan, has led to desperation of angry millions who see no relief in sight. Mere empty assurances by government, with the PM taking notice, while profiteering by a few continues unchecked, including some within his own party, is no longer music to the ears of millions, who once supported PTI.
The political parties and other stakeholders of this country seem to have forgotten that Pakistan was created through a political struggle led by Quaid-e- Azam who promised the people a modern democratic welfare state. MAJ emphasized on 11 August 1947, that the first priority of the Constituent Assembly was framing a Constitution and to function as a completely sovereign Federal Legislature of Pakistan, with all powers. He termed bribery, corruption, black marketing, nepotism and jobbery (corrupt employment practices) as evils that should be eradicated so that the nation could prosper. He emphasized upon the importance of a “system of control and regulation of foodstuffs and essential commodities” to prevent “wholesale starvation and want and even death”.
Today millions of poor in Pakistan face starvation and hunger, with an incompetent system of governance dominated by mediocrity and the modern democratic welfare state promised by MAJ, replaced by a country hostage to greed of a few, craving for profiteering, who want to cling on to the remnants of the British Raj, which used allotment of lands and titles to bribe its paid bureaucracy, for performing tasks that are detrimental to the collective welfare of majority, with negative impact on state sovereignty. A nation and all its institutions exist to serve and protect life and welfare of citizens and this was what MAJ promised.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Sikhs’ suppression
in India
Recently, BJP government passed agricultural reforms. Three contentious bills that will change the way India’s farmers do business have roiled the country’s parliament and sparked protests that have spilled onto the streets. New agriculture reform bill of Modi government is an economic attack on Sikhs. Sikhs of Punjab are at forefront of protests against the said bill. 5000 Sikh families in UP are facing eviction from their prized land. Scuffles took place between police and Sikhs wherein Sikh’s sought help from Akali Dal on political front. Sikh’s comprise 20% of Indian defence forces. They need to be reminded that they are being used whenever India is threatened but back home their land is being plundered by RSS. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana, the richest agricultural states, which also account for the highest share of government procurement in India, are at the forefront of these protests. Both states are infamous for levying a large commission on sale of produce in Agricultural Product Market Committee (APMC) markets. In a nutshell, Sikh-Hindu relations have worsened recently due to the rise of Hindutva.
Several Hindutva groups have engaged in violent actions and hate speeches against the Sikh community. The ongoing campaign of hatred and killing may as well be the cause of a renewed Khalistani insurgency inside India which is already experiencing a wave of religious terror inspired by Hindutva groups. Sikh community leaders are showing grave resentment and anger over RSS wicked designs of Hindutva, aimed at establishing hegemony of Hindus over India. New trend emerged in Sikh community wherein Sikh music (Bhangra, Punjabi Rap) is being designed to support freedom. Veiled reference to separate homeland and standing up to suppression has gained popularity in the Indian Punjab.
AFIA AMBREEN
Rawalpindi
Stumbling blocks
I fully understand that every child has the right to education, yet there are many barriers to learning, particularly for girls and the most vulnerable. Worldwide, 262 million children and youth, of whom 130 million are girls, are denied education. This is due to gender discrimination, disability, conflict, natural disaster and a lack of government spending. I strongly believe that structures and systems that disadvantage and stop girls and children from learning and getting prepared for dynamic and unknown future should be eradicated and permanently removed.
Some girls are exposed to early marriages and forced child marriages. Some children experience the horrific female genital mutilation (FGM) which is the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It’s also known as female circumcision or cutting. It can be extremely dangerous and can cause severe pain, shock, bleeding, infection such as tetanus, HIV and hepatitis B and C, organ damage, blood loss and infections death in some cases. Politicians and religious leaders should use their positions and influence to educate the society on the health and psychological effect of the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
HANDSEN CHIKOWORE
London
Plastic pollution
I would like to draw the attention of higher authorities that plastic pollution has became a major issue in Pakistan and it is increasing day by day. It is too much harmful especially for the sea habitat. People use plastic too much and throw it into the sea. More than 3.3 million tonnes of plastic is wasted in Pakistan each year, and most of it ends in landfills, unmanaged dumps or strewn about land and water bodies across the country.
We dump this waste collectively together; it can go as high as 16500m making the height of two of world’s second highest mountains in the world (K2 Mountain). Pakistan has the highest percentage of mismanaged plastic in South Asia. There are several countries that have banned the use of plastic bags. It is my request that Pakistan should learn from them and should ban the use of plastic to reduce plastic pollution in the country.
PARIGUL ZAHID
Turbat
