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.
Tezgam train inferno
Life of common citizens seems to have no relevance in this country, given non-serious attitude and fate of numerous investigations ordered, following such incidents where scores of innocent citizens of Pakistan lost their lives. Whether it be January 2013 Baldia Town factory fire where over 289 people lost their lives or Peshawar APS massacre on 16 December 2014 in which 149 including 132 students were gunned down by six TTP gunmen, or recent cold-blooded massacre at Sahiwal, other than messages of condemnation, no concrete investigations were done and guilty punished. Primary function of State and its institutions to protect life of citizens, no longer seems to be a priority.
Even after six years of Baldia Town Factory inferno, nobody has been prosecuted, nor has anybody been held responsible for security lapse of Peshawar APS massacre. Political exigencies and short-term benefits prevail. However, when State has the will, as displayed when extremists made an unsuccessful bid to assassinate former military dictator Musharraf in December 2003, those responsible including Niaz Mohammad, a former junior technician of PAF were punished. The crime scene was secured for almost six weeks to gather forensic evidence.
Over 74 passengers have been burned to death in Tezgam inferno and 45 injured. Within hours of tragic incident and no investigations, Minister for Railways had the audacity to blame passengers for using Gas Cylinders and stoves, forgetting that it was duty of staff to prevent carriage of restricted items on board the train.
Compare this with 14 December 2012 tragic incident in Newtown Connecticut USA, where 26 innocent children including six adults were killed by a 20-year man at Sandy Hook Elementary School. National mourning was declared and flag flown at half-mast at the White House and other federal government facilities worldwide.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
FBR industry partnership
FBR and Industry are two rivals in Pakistan. FBR is currently struggling to revamp the Tax Rules and Policies to enhance the Government revenues but Industry is opposing many of them and their grievance from FBR is growing day by day. This situation is not good for the Pakistan economy as investors are afraid and reluctant to further invest in their business. There is a dire need for FBR to develop a best fit which can balance the Government revenue requirements and Industry expectations but through current FBR structure this seems to be unachievable.
FBR Board is headed by the Chairman working along with twelve members managing different functions. All of the members are usually those who have been doing the job in their past carriers having no business experience therefore no business sense can prevail among the FBR Board members naturally. Therefore it is necessary to change the FBR Board structure in such a way that each sector of the Industry has the proper representation so that such policies can be developed which are acceptable for both government and the Industry. This idea is not new and the same is adopted by the Public Listed companies of Pakistan where each shareholder has the right to participate in decision making.
This new FBR Board can be beneficial in much more ways like transformation of FBR in to a paperless environment which could not be possible unless all industry and FBR is on the same page, likewise training and development of industry for better understanding of tax laws and their adaptation, compliance with tax reporting etc. so this new structure will be a win-win situation for both the Government and the Industry.
Rafi Ahmed Siddiqui
Islamabad
Parents forcing children for their career
Sadly, I want to draw attention of parents about the most neglected issue. It is unfortunately thought as a taboo for the teenagers or youth to select career for themselves according to their own choice. Parents usually complain that each year only 1300 to 1500 seats are opened for the medical students and most of their children are left behind due to extraordinary rush and high merit and this way their child is prone to waste a year again for the same test.
I genuinely disagree with their stance. It’s true that the seats are limited and lesser as compared to the three times aspirants of medical, but this fact can also be not neglected that the major reason of saturation is not due to limited seats but due to over aspirants of medical. Why parents are not accepting the fact that every field has its own worth? Most of them do not focus on their child’s ability rather they are in race with the other people’s proclamation of bringing their child to this field. The world has gone far beyond the fields of engineering and medical. Today, every field has got its own worth and is acknowledged for its role in progress in terms of technology and innovation.
Parents despite not knowing a bit against any field, they just give their verdict of their being wasteful. On the other hand, children are losing their interest, self-confidence and courage to talk to their parents, eventually committing suicide or getting addicted to drugs. This has become a serious issue over the other issues and government now needs to play due role. It needs to initiate awareness campaigns among the parents and children to letting their children to select a field themselves so that their power to take decision, self-esteem and role in country’s progress becomes fruitful.
SHEHLA INAM
Wah Cant
Garbage or health
Cleanliness has an important role in our life. We cannot neglect it. Even in Islam it is mentioned that ‘cleanliness is half of faith’. Cleanliness helps you keep away from many diseases. We have seen so many diseases are occurring in our society just because of un-cleanliness of our surroundings.
There is no proper way to clean the garbage that is taken away from houses. Most of the cities of Pakistan have no proper system of destroying such garbage. Relevant authorities are requested to make sure that such garbage is taken far away from the society and destroy it as well as from the respectable citizens of Pakistan to throw garbage at such places that are designated by the government.
KAMRAN MURTAZA
Islamabad
Lawyers
Lawyers outside a court can be seen thrashing a woman mercilessly. This is how they provide their services to citizens. What good and what justice they would plead for their clients whose own moral levels are much below the mark. Even an illiterate man cannot display such behaviour in public; what to speak of law graduates.
The weakening of our moral fibre can be gauged from this event where no body dares to intervene and save the woman from relentless thrashing. How long we will tolerate this behavior from the lawyers’ community. Who will frame moral code for these people or they will ever remain at the mercy of these lawyers?
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
