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.
Education and pandemic
England didn’t close its nation-building institutions during WWII. Although Germany bombarded its school buildings, killing students at a large scale, teachers and faculty members also lost their life but they (UK) continued imparting education ceaselessly by following SOPs and keeping their nation building institutions functioning.
They knew the only way to ward off after-war effects was a literate mind not ravaged soil. Resultantly, the entire world witnessed England’s remarkable victory in World War II.
On the flip side, our educational institutions are forced to be closed under any unhygienic circumstances owing to the Corona pandemic.
Is this situation harder than the situation of WWII where the loss of life and breaking away was unpredictable and only a matter of seconds? Here the nation is deliberately kept in a fool’s errand. Under this guise, nation building institutions are intentionally closed.
Therefore, any sagacious mind cannot shy away from saying a pandemic may not kill a nation, but illiteracy, categorically, ravages the nation.
ANEES AHMED GILAL
Via email
Working women issues
Working women have and still are facing numerous problems. Had it not been for their role in the continuation of human race on earth, would they have gone into extinction considering the magnitude of hazards facing them.
The problems faced by working women are not confined to gender biasness; they also face gender discrimination in Pay Gap, race and ethnic, climbing the career ladder, setting the room temperature, appearance, work life balance, harassment, pregnancy decimation, ego clashes, fear, office favouritism, unsupportive managers etc.
Working women participate in a country’s economy and make half of the nation. One way or the other, they are discouraged and disheartened by gender discrimination.
Men have to change their perspective and accept the parity of women in working places with respect to all traits i.e.
learn ability, agility, creativity, problem solving, leadership, negotiation, technology etc. Women have to be emancipated and empowered through administrative, legislative, political, social and economic means which will definitely lead to a nation’s prosperity.
SHIZA IMDAD
Karachi
Demographic terrorism in Kashmir
05 August 2019 depicted the horrific episode of the bleak drama held in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir as the Modi regime revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by abrogating Article 370 and 35-A.
With each passing day, India’s barbaric behaviour in the occupied valley is becoming more rigid and violent.
Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir has been locked down for many years and the never-ending atrocities by India have been continuing with its full swing.
But, unfortunately, the tension escalated when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP took the office in 2014.
The RSS-motivated leaders, especially Modi added more salt to the wounds of the already-suppressed Kashmiris. However, the Hindutva-backed policy of Modi became more offensive, suppressive and crude.
The story does not end here but the irony of fate is that after the revocation of Kashmir’s special status, the fascist Modi tried to drastically alter the demographic composition of the disputed territory by passing the domicile rule which merely aims at changing Muslim majority into minority.
Ironically, right after this undemocratic measure, around 400,000 people from India have acquired domicile certificates.
This measure grants a right to residency and government jobs to anyone from India who lived in the state for 15 years or more, and studied there for seven years.
This unilateral and undemocratic measure in Jammu and Kashmir unabated human rights violations, denial of basic facilities and property-confiscating are hostile to international law, United Nations’ article 49, international community’s nature, India’s own constitution and India’s commitment to Kashmiris. However, this shows the Hindutva, RSS and nationalism-motivates policy of India.
NAVEED MAHAR
Sukkur
Strict lockdown
in Sindh
The dreadful covid-19 is emerging with new warnings as the world is battling the fourth wave.
Pakistan is also facing an alarming situation as the NCOC declared the Indian variant to be affecting the masses. On the other hand, Sindh reported the highest number of infected patients.
To cope with such a situation, the Sindh government has imposed a strict lockdown in the province encouraging people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Covid-19 cases in Sindh are surging.
This chaotic situation is the reason behind the increase in covid-19 as a plethora of people queue outside vaccination centres, ignoring SOPs such as social distancing and wearing masks. Their aim is to get vaccinated and secure themselves from danger.
Contrarily, although the provincial government forces shopkeepers from opening their shops, due to famine risk, shopkeepers sell their items by dropping half shutters.
Therefore, in this chaotic situation, the Sindh government should take serious measures and impose a smart lockdown instead of a strict lockdown so that the denizens of Sindh don’t die of hunger.
Like other developed countries, Pakistan’s government should educate people about the compulsion of following strict measures to counter this deadly disease.
Hence, instead of creating a hectic situation, it should be dealt with patience.
KISSA ZAHRA ZAIDI
Karach
