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.
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Beautifying the culture
British Prince William and his wife Kate have paid a visit to Lahore in Pakistan. This has largely attracted the attention of the world, seriously rekindling historical and cultural importance of Pakistani cities like Lahore. Touring is a beautiful act in itself, shedding light on historical and interesting things out there.
As a person who has long been talking/writing about the positive sides and beautiful culture of Pakistan, I was happy seeing the positive news of William’s visit to Pakistan. There have been so many interesting spots to visit in my native areas like Korkai, Tiruchendur, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Countries should speak well of the beautiful aspects of their fellow/neighbouring countries. This will induce many positive changes to the world order.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Mumbai, India
Child abuse
Children who are victim of this menace lead a difficult life as they have to deal with this trauma for the rest of their lives. Child abuse is a very important issue. This is wrong we need to put a stop to it. The scenario of Pakistan regarding child abuse in 2018 was quite alarming. Compared to 2017, child abuse cases increased from nine cases per day to twelve cases per day. 80% of children that are abused suffer from some sort of mental disorder.
Two-thirds of drug addicted people are reported to be abused or neglected as children. There are many things linked with child abuse such as drugs and depression, suicide attempts. We cannot let people do this to children; they are innocent and cannot defend themselves. No wonder depression is associated with abuse. Some children who died from abuse or neglect were already known to child protective services. Most children are abused by people they love and trust. Child abuse is a serious topic, people should take more time to think about abused children and if parents would care for their children suicide rates could possibly decrease.
AROOJ NAEEM
Rawalpindi
Tit-for-tat
The joint candidate of Grand Democratic Alliance and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Moazzam Ali Khan Abbasi was declared victorious in PS-11 Larkana-II by-election by bagging 31,557 votes while Pakistan Peoples Party Jameel Ahmed Soomro could secure 26,021 votes. The GDA candidate also enjoyed support of many other parties.
It is said that the people of Larkana have taken revenge from PPP for not providing them even basic necessities of life. Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda said that PPP had lost Larkana by-poll despite using state machinery. PTI leader Ali Zaidi took to twitter saying, “Democracy is the best revenge, and today the people of Larkana have taken their revenge”. Though win and defeat is part of democracy but PPP’s defeat in Larkana should serve as an eye opener ie if you serve people, people will serve you and if you don’t, then result is before us.
SIKANDAR SAJJAD
Larkana
Hindi not national language
India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah could’ve easily avoided the controversy of what he said. Now, after a backlash from the Southern States of India where Hindi is not compulsory, he says, he had no intention of making Hindi a compulsory language throughout India. Without thinking twice, his hasty decision and later regretting it, looks very ludicrous.
While it is important to preserve our national language, a dogmatic imposition of it on non-Hindi speaking States is not likely to unite the masses. The ‘One nation, One language’ approach does not ensure harmony at all. Also, Hindi is not the national language of India; it is just an official language.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Road safety
Road safety is primarily meant about the protection and security of all those who travel on roads. It encapsulates all — from pedestrians to animal-drawn vehicles and from two-wheelers to all types of multi-wheel transport. Everybody will have to honour other’s rights to see his own respected. At least 25% of the total number of accidents involves motorcyclists riding without helmet and youths showing off by performing stunts. General public, parents and youth can be briefed about the dismal consequences of this with the help of illustrations or documentaries.
This segment of drivers can benefit by being told about the following road-safety tips:(i) Cockpit drill and basic awareness about the vehicle in use. (ii) Defensive driving in different weather and road conditions. (iii) Proper use of lights and horn. (iv) Road sense. (v) Right of way. (vi) Advantages of wearing a seat belt. The issue of road safety can be emphasized by creating awareness through telecasting documentaries on TV.
AROOJ NAEEM
Rawalpindi
Kashmore is at its worst
Pakistan is among the top countries with higher stunting rates, especially, Sindh with 48%. Tharparkar was at the top with 66% back in 2017-18. Unfortunately, despite being decreasing, the stunting rate increased in some districts of Sindh in 2018 and 2019, in which Kashmore is one of them with a rate of 66.2%. It is because of none other factors but the failure of institutions in controlling the fertility rate, malnutrition, waste, poor drainage system and non-qualitative staff in hospitals.
Growth rate in Kashmore is jumping up because of two-wife concept among most of Balochs – a dominant element of Kashmore. Furthermore, due to higher birth rate and limited resources, parents are unable to provide their infants nutritious food because most of the mothers are suffering from different kinds of diseases which cripple them to feed their infants. Consequently, Kashmore is at the top in rice production in Pakistan, that’s why there are lots of rice mills so their waste is left on open land nearer to the city which affects children with fatal diseases.
Kashmore population consists of 76.7% rural and 23.3% urban, in ruler areas of Kashmore there is a 0% drainage system. All the villagers have an open space for a bath, and in urban areas, Kashmore city has a poor drainage system, in most of the societies, has open drainage. Last but most important Kashmore city has an only civil hospital where doctors were appointed on favouritism basis. Additionally, doctors are most of the time busy in private clinics that are the reason behind highly infected districts from multiple diseases has a lower return in the government hospital. With all these facts, how can the government attract foreign entities to invest here for human development which is only limited to paperwork?
KHUDA DAD
Kashmore
Propaganda and Islamophobia
The rise of Islamophobia has become a great threat and a major challenge for the world today. One must not forget that the act of 9/11 is itself a huge example for adding more fuel to the fire in spreading the fear of Islamic extremism in the hearts of all non-Muslim communities. It is rightly said that “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind” and that is why the situation becomes more alarming when we see a crystal clear picture of the media propaganda done by the West which misrepresented and manipulated all the actual facts and figures of 9/11 and diverted the attention of the citizens by changing the concept of the Islamic term from “Religion of peace” to “Religion of Islamic Terrorism” and “Arabophobia”.
Furthermore, the term Islamophobia climbed one more step of the ladder when certain tactics were used by the media such as framing Muslim names more frightening, making comics and drawing animated pictures of the Islamic messengers, moulding the term of “Jihad” and expanding its misconception in other parts of the world, generating negative slogans, promoting the ban of veil (Burka), creating a stereotype thinking against Muslim women and their rights, anti-Islamic celebrities hosting talk shows against Muslim world, the solid misuse of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to spread hateful speeches and much more. In other words, as a citizen, we need to be more careful in blindly following the footsteps of media and think more rationally and logically before swallowing inappropriate information on such political matters.
YUMNA ZAHID
Via email
