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.
Common people face miseries
Quaid-i-Azam created a country with the support of the people, who gave him strength and power to force British Colonial Raj to agree for an independent sovereign Pakistan. In this political struggle, common citizens were involved. Even after seven decades, the people are still not considered as major stakeholders, although the constitution accepts that the will of the people must prevail through their elected representatives in free and fair elections. It seems to be the least of priorities for those at helm that astronomical escalation in basic food items and utilities has made life miserable for common citizens, although the lifestyle of the paid elite is far better than those in the developed world. Whether gas is available or not, the government refuses to accept it as their failing.
After MAJ’s death, the politicians who helped him wage the struggle for independence were systematically sidelined by remnants of the Raj and banned in 1958 from politics under the controversial EBDO. Pakistan became hostage to palace intrigues. MAJ’s vision of Pakistan being a sovereign modern democratic welfare state stood derailed. What MAJ had referred to on 11 August 1947 as the cancer of corruption, which we inherited from India, such as allotment of lands has increased and so has hoarding and smuggling.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Poverty graph
Pakistan’s poverty challenge is getting bigger by day and the government is struggling hard to get a firm handle on the problem. According to report submitted by ministry of planning and development in the National Assembly of Pakistan, nearly 29.5% percent of total population is living below the poverty. According to Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2015 24.5% of the Pakistan total population lived below the poverty line. This shows that the poverty is increasing year-by-year and it will have grave consequences if effective steps are not taken.
A large number of people don’t have proper access to basic necessities of life. They don’t have basic shelter and home to live. Slow economic growth greatly affected the poor population. Heavy duties and taxes on basic items have made it difficult for people to afford necessities. Most of the government hospitals are non-functioning and people are forced to seek help from private hospital and that is costly. To fulfil family necessities, children are forced to work on low wages instead of getting quality education. Moreover, due to Covid-19, there is an increased poverty as mostly people lost their job and had no sources of income for months.
Government should devise some action plan to overcome difficulties faced by the poor population. Government needs to provide credit facilities and use labour intensive techniques of production to reduce poverty.
SANIA SHAHZADI
Rawalpindi
KPT affairs
I am writing this letter to express my concerns about ensuring smooth functioning of Karachi Port Trust’s (KPT) everyday operations. Strained relationship between Chairman KPT and Ministry of Maritime Affairs, have grown to the extent where ports’ operations are being seriously compromised. Owing to lack of tugboats, cancellation and delayed vessels’ movement have become the norm. KPT owns total five tugboats not to mention in dilapidated state and that could become a real hazard for vessels’ operations as well as for employees.
Furthermore, it is also increasingly difficult to understand the unreasonable restrictions being placed on KPT. Every proposal sent by KPT is rejected. Port Qasim Authority has been favoured and got the permission to buy four ASD tugs that will be delivered to them within one year and to hire another four tugs for use during this period. KPT’s request for buying same was denied by Ministry of Maritime Affairs, due to unknown reasons. Due to rift between both authorities, daily operations in Karachi port are facing lot of problems.
AMMAR MUZAFFAR
Karachi
Smoking in universities
Smoking is not only problem of Pakistan, but it is also for other countries to curb it. It has been a menace for decades and has been spreading alike pandemic across Pakistan. Pakistani youth is more addicted to it. Smoking is mostly common among college and university students, it resultantly causes their failures in their personal and professional lives. In hostels, there is common practice of smoking without any restriction.
Recently, researches show that about 15 percent boys smoke in Pakistani universities, while six percent of girls are addicted to smoking. Researches also show that workload in educational institutions plays a role too as students are required to do a lot of assignments, presentations, quizzes and case studies. They use smoking as a source of ‘entertainment’ and facing depression bravely. Therefore concerned authorities are requested to take steps to eliminate smoking addiction in educational institutions, especially in universities.
IMTIAZ ESSA HALEPOTO
Sehwan Sharif, Sindh
