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Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAWW)
Rabi-ul-Awal in the Islamic calendar is the 3rd month in which Muslims around the world celebrate the birth of the Last Prophet (SAW).
Preparations for the celebration of Eid Milad-un-Nabi are almost complete for the ceremony which is falling today (October 19 this year).
The ceremony is going to be held at the mosque in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Bani Gala home.
PM Imran Khan has shared an image of his Bani Gala home on his Twitter in which the building is decorated with white lights and flowers and on the panels top inscribed with Ya Allah, Ya Muhammad (SAW), Haq Fareed and Ya Sabir.
At a meeting under his chairmanship, PM Imran Khan announced that the celebration of Eid Milad-un-Nabi will be marked in a befitting manner and the ceremony will be the biggest in Pakistan’s history.
Such celebrations are a source of respect and highlight the worthy suggestions of our prophet’s life, give awareness to the generation regarding Islam and the Islamic scholars.
I’m wordless to praise the worthy commitment of our PM but of being a Pakistani and a Muslim.
MUNA MANZOOR
Turbat
*****
There are several Islamic events that have their own significance, but Eid Milad-un-Nabi is the holiest event in Islam. Each year, Muslims in Pakistan make special arrangements to celebrate this event.
Eid Milad-un-Nabi is known as the birthday of the Last Prophet (PBUH). Special prayers are offered in mosques, where religious scholars shed light on the Prophet’s teachings of tolerance, serving mankind, peace, love, forgiveness and his practices which lead us to become a better person.
His life was indeed a picture of what Islam stood for. Eid Milad-un-Nabi celebrations are also held in other countries and vary from place to place.
Moreover, it is one of the most sacred and blessed festivals in the Islamic calendar. People in Muslim countries warmly welcome this event and celebrate it in amazing ways. People express their love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by decorating their house, offices, malls and buildings.
On this occasion, everyone recites Darood Shareef and Naatia Mushairas to show their respect and reverence for tje beloved Rahmat ul Lil Alameen.
Shehnaz Majeed
Turbat
Petrol bomb
People were attacked with a “Petrol Bomb”, as the prices of diesel and petrol increased up to Rs 10.49 and Rs 12.44 respectively.
Expensive fuel will spark across-the-board inflation, in all sectors and all items, since it makes up for a significant portion of input cost in just about everything.
Therefore, naturally question arises that how ever rising inflation will be controlled if everything is going to become even more expensive.
Now, for the first time in recorded history, all major petroleum products – petrol, diesel, kerosene and light diesel – are being sold at above Rs.100 per litre in the country.
There’s no denying that the rush in Brent crude has a lot to do with this hike. It is undeniable fact that prices have been a problem ever since this government took office.
First, it blamed special interest groups and mafias for manipulating markets and making illegal windfalls at the expense of the common man.
Later, when it was blaming Covid-19 for everything, there was also the odd suggestion that inflation, too, was stoked by it.
The government needs to be very careful, though, because inflation is not just a price bomb for the people, it can also make the ruling party’s hopes of staying in power blow up.
And the next election is not too far away. Since fuel prices are on the rise, it must look to make fiscal space for the people elsewhere.
AZFAR SIDDIQUI
Azizabad, Karachi
FBR poor performance
This year while filing my tax return, I first collected the tax I had paid on my banking transactions, salaries, mobile bills, dividend income and utility bills.
After adding them all up, I found out that I had paid 30% more advance tax than what I had to pay at year end.
I was once again due a refund from FBR but as usual FBR never gives refunds on taxes to individuals.
FBR recently reported that almost 2.2 million Pakistanis filed their taxes, which is 1.17% of Pakistan’s population.
This is pathetic performance for FBR, especially considering that most of these 2.2 million tax filers are already paying their taxes through advance tax charged on their banking, mobile and utility bills.
Why cannot the data for advance tax paid by each citizen be updated automatically in our tax accounts each month? Since all these transactions are made under CNIC, therefore, this task should be easy with the current technology.
This would make it easier for citizens to file their taxes, while it would also reduce FBR workload on these sectors.
The FBR can then be mandated to concentrate on collecting taxes from the undocumented sectors, that is, gold, foreign currency, real estate, mining and agriculture sectors. And stop harassing the current tax payers.
Similarly, provinces are responsible for collecting agriculture taxes, but the Federal Government can calculate the estimated tax to be collected based on actual or previous year agriculture production data.
Federal Government can then demand that the provinces pay these taxes or simply deduct an equivalent amount from the provinces federal budget.
Pakistan tax authorities need to change the way they are currently operating and instead start checking the undocumented sectors.
Otherwise, they will only see same results and only the 1% of the population would be taxed, audited and harassed in Pakistan.
SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar
Women’s rights in peril
Nowadays, women discrimination is taking its pace in Pakistan. Routinely, we come to know through social media about fiery incidents of torturing, raping, honour killing so on and so forth, but the government has miserably failed to cope these issues with earnestness.
Now, it is high time to cast a close glance at the rights of women being grabbed by the alleged miscreants.
Much long-lasting issues need to be addressed in due course to curb this monster of discrimination i.e. equitable access to education.
The government must collate policies to brush aside the inequitable policies regarding jobs.
Lack of proper medical care results in alleviating poverty and this so-called issue needs to be solved too.
Another factor is pertaining to lack of legal protection against the domestic violence for which country bore this menace to a great extent and plebiscite demand prompt, exemplary steps to suppress these issues without further delay.
ALI ZAMAN
Kandhkot
