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.
Dowry system
The dowry [sadq, mahr] is the gift from the groom to his wife. It is not the payment from the wife’s father to be consumed by the groom and his family. The dowry is not a fine paid to get rid of garbage. It’s a small offering to obtain a treasure. Many things are said about the wisdom of the dowry and how it ennobles, enriches and enables the new bride-not her groom or in-laws. (taken from another update)
From bride’s side dowry is basically the cash, jewellery, furniture and other appreciable items given by the bride’s family to the bride groom and his parents during their marriage ceremony. This system has been prevailing in India since centuries. This is one of the evil systems. Many cases of bride’s being tortured physically and emotionally for not being able to bring enough dowry have come up. Sometimes the bride’s turns to her family to meet the demand of her in-laws while other ending up giving their lives to end the torture. Girls become mentally affected and parents lose their self-respect under the burden of dowry. The foremost reason for exercising dowry is greed. Middle class is the most involved class in dowry system as compared to high or lower class.
In Pakistan, since 2008 Dowry and Bridal Gifts (Restrictrion) Bill has been in vogue. The bill restricts dowry to PKR 30,000 while the total value of the bridal gifts should not exceed PKR 50,000. This is the time that Government of Pakistan should take strict action to stop the evil practice of excessive dowry, being demanded by the groom’s in-laws.
FATIMA MUNEEB ABBASI
Via email
Revamping education curriculum
Firstly, the private educational institutions are completely like money minting industry. Secondly, such institutions are exploiting the worst deplorable conditions of government institutes lacking in the quality of material, expired curriculum and no heed towards the utmost improvement of the books’ content. Thirdly, education and books covering material must have uniformity throughout the country.
Fourthly, the bold step must be taken for a public-private partnership to renew the course on the local as well as national level. Fifthly, the highly trained and qualified teachers need to be appointed who can educate and understand the level of students mentally and psychologically. Last but not the least, the education committees should be attentive and careful in developing new content or groomed material in books as students can take it interestingly. Finally, teachers also have a practical aspect approach to boost their creativity towards any specific subjects.
SHAH JAHAN SOOMRO
Larkana
Country facing problems
Of the many problems facing Pakistan at the moment, ranging from political instability to national security/foreign policy concerns, the state of the economy and the corrective measures being undertaken to fix it are what concern the common man the most for that has the most direct and detrimental effects on them. The PTI-government, depreciating the rupee in an abrupt and aggressive fashion within a matter of months by close to 27% since it took over, resulted in input costs to skyrocket leading to record inflation.
Households can cut down their expenses, tighten their belts but when it comes to the basics, staple food items, for example, there is not much that can be done. Wholesale vegetable markets have hiked prices of onions and tomatoes from Rs. 90 up to Rs300 per kg leading to smaller vendors in the city to sell at higher rates. Vegetables, like chicken and other meat, therefore too have become a luxury for the lower income groups. Some of the hike is also seasonal while others can also be attributed to a supply side problem. Nonetheless, a serious food affordability problem has now set in. The government has attempted to provide some relief in the form of placing price controls at markets, that is good, but still much needs to be done.
Vendors who are genuinely applying fair cost-plus pricing might be unfairly penalised by the government. That is not to say that the government should not crackdown against hoarders looking to make a quick profit. But it needs to do more to provide relief, as most of this is the result of the government’s economic policies that have brought a financial crunch on the common man.
AZFAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Hunger in Pakistan
As we all know that nowadays Pakistan is facing a problem of high inflation. Due to this, high prices of commodities and constant level of income have created the hunger in Pakistan. Also, food security may cause political instability or even unrest.
In previous years, Pakistan has become a food surplus country and a major producer of rice and wheat. Then slowly it decreased. In the last year, approximately 60 percent food insecurity was recorded. As previously, Pakistan was ranked 106th out of 117 countries in the world. But now it has been ranked 94th in the index. It has been scored that 20.3% of people are undernourished. It can cause high commodity prices as well as devaluation of currency which is led through money laundering. But now it is improving through like PM Langar Program. Though it is not an adequate solution, yet, to some extent, it works.
About 26 districts in Balochistan and Sindh provinces are affected by drought due to crop and livestock losses and high level of food insecurity. It had created difficulty for meeting basic needs and lacking sufficient water and fertilizer for crop cultivation, and diseases in livestock. Many areas in Sindh and Balochistan are backing of livestock like Tharparkar where cattle are catching diseases. Thus, for overcoming the hunger in Pakistan, government can take steps to subsidize the farmers providing seeds and fertilizer to them.
SURESH KUMAR
Sukkur
Vulgarity
There is something very straightforward about the terms of use on social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, where people of all ages can register, and that is the outright ban on posting pornographic and perverted images, but that doesn’t mean dignity is held on these sites. The line that determines what we see as “correct, ethical or moral” is becoming increasingly thin.
Countless posts and memes are constantly being posted (pictures of anything with a message on any topic that adds a touch of humour), available for any user to see. Some, however, scratch the edges of the obscene. These include pictures of a taunting nature that ridicule people who are badly dressed, in an embarrassing situation, with unattractive mechanics or even normal photographs that are turned into a degrading montage. Ultimately, I would like to note the nonsense of “having more likes” that are not offensive to the eye, even though they are very childish.
Unfortunately, the most common are those kinds of things that catch fire and become viral on the internet. Therefore, if something is published about a serious issue, it is ignored, especially if it encourages a debate or people to think a little about what they are going to put in their comments. Vulgarity is encouraged without signs of stopping; we could almost suggest it replaces innovative and intelligent ideas. Not only in depth, but also in morality, everything is gaining a nasty, cruel voice.
MISBAH IMTIAZ
Islamabad
Ambush
Five policemen were killed in an ambush by fugitives in Rajunpur. It is sad to note that in the present era of advanced technology law enforcing agencies face casualties. Proper screening of the area can be done through aerial devices, very common nowadays, to prevent any attack in the area. Similarly, two-tier, three-tier defence mechanism should be maintained to overcome any untoward incident.
The police vehicles having appropriate navigation facilities can easily foresee and block such heinous attacks. Non-presence of intelligence work also harms movement in fugitive’s area. Police must look for proper protection of its valiant staff members who put their lives at stake to establish writ of the State.
IFTIKHAR MIRZA
Islamabad
Avoid stepping on wrong foot
Power-hungry Maulana led JUI (F) leadership is seriously and sincerely advised to avoid stepping on wrong foot, keep on staging dharna in Islamabad as long as they want and do not give their protest any ugly turn.
JUI(F) workers are sitting in the federal capital for many days and realizing that the federal government headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan is unmoved are now trying to give rather an ugly turn to their protest by blocking major highways throughout the country in furtherance of demand of PM’s resignation and stepping down of his government thus paving the way for new mid-term general election.
According to the reports on electronic media, they have already blocked a highway in Balochistan province by creating obstructions thus stopping transit trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan besides blocking the way for hundreds of passenger buses, cars and trucks on the roads.
They are resorting to such unconstitutional, illegal and anti-people extra-ordinary step without realizing that by resorting to this not so welcome step they are creating problems for hundreds of thousands of people including men, women and children travelling in cars and buses and blocking supply line of essential daily use articles between major and small cities ad towns across the country more than causing problems and difficulties to the federal and provincial governments established under the law.
People had rejected the Maulana’s Party in the last general election and these anti-people activities would create more hatred against them among the masses at large. Prior to start of the Azadi March, the roads were blocked by the provincial governments and the superior courts had got these removed through their orders. The superior courts are requested to take suo motto notice of what the protestors are doing to create problems for the people at large throughout the country.
M Z RIFAT
Lahore
Negative effects of advertising
I am writing this letter to express my deep concern over the problem of negative effects of advertisements on children. Companies spend millions of dollars on advertisements only because they are the most effective tool to promote sales and earn huge profits.
The products and services shown in the advertisements are presented in such an appealing way that the people watching them feel tempted to buy them. The target of these advertisements are children and adolescents. They are too young to think logically the pros and cons of the products advertised. These advertisements are made to attract them.
MIAN DAWOOD
Wah Cant
