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.
GT Road,
a neglected road
The Grand Trunk Road, often abbreviated as GT Road, is one of the oldest roads in the subcontinent that once started from Bangladesh and ended in Afghanistan passing through what is now India and Pakistan. Today, a large portion of this road lies in Pakistan and is one of the most crucial roads in the country allowing thousands of transports to move through carrying goods and people each day.
However, the current situation of the GT Road is miserable with no proper maintenance. While travelling on the road, you will notice some huge uncarpeted chunks, deep potholes and large portions of the road have no proper lighting or signboards. Moreover, the situation of the road is getting worse each day that not only destroys the cars but also puts the life of passengers in danger. Through the columns of this newspaper, I would like to inform the travellers and relevant authorities to focus on the matter as it is not something that should be neglected for a long period.
M ABUBAKKAR
Askari XIV, Rawalpindi
Australia cricket
With Australia winning the Ashes in Hobart, the cricketers were posing with the ‘urn’ in front of the camera amidst a champagne shower. Noticing the absence of Usman Khawaja in the huddle due to his religious reservations about alcohol, the captain Pat Cummins instructed others to put the bottle away and invited him to join the whole team in the celebrations!
And now the frame has no trace of champagne bottles, rather Khawaja is being seen to be embraced right in the middle of the front row just beside the captain with all heartily laughing and sharing the joy unitedly! Can there be any better picture of divinity, humanity and brotherhood in these communally-vitiated times!
Recently Ajaz Patel has praised the ambience of the New Zealand cricket team and the whole country where his religious sentiments are taken special consideration with the right of offering Namaz wholeheartedly respected. While Patel had taken birth in Mumbai as an Indian Muslim, Khawaja was born a Pakistani in Islamabad ! Yet, how they have got embraced into Australian/New Zealand society warmly with provision of due rights and equality !!
The noble gestures of Aussies/Kiwis towards these Muslim cricketers of “alien” origin transmit a strong message that national unity should not be pursued through dominance of majority by usurping the identities of minorities so as to make a “homogeneous whole”; rather it needs to be pursued through sincere nurturing of heterogeneity where irrespective of numerical strength, people of all demographic backgrounds can enjoy equality in all respects right from honour dignity work opportunity to pursuance of respective culture with head held high.
Yes, democracy does not mean “dominance of majority” by overriding sentiments of minorities; rather its essence lies embedded in “equality of all” with sentiments of even a single minority being adhered to.
KAJAL CHATTERJEE
Kolkata, India
Stray dogs
Stray dogs have become a headache for people everywhere in Pakistan and our city in Balochistan is no exception. These stray dogs are source of spreading rabies when they attack humans.
Moreover, there is also lack of first aid facilities in dispensaries and hospitals. Shockingly, concerned departments are not taking serious actions in this regard. I therefore request higher authorities to take practical steps to eliminate these stray dogs on priority basis.
SIMRUN FAQEER
Turbat, Balochistan
GIMS
Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) is the only institution of its kind in the country which is doing wonders and bringing miracles in the field of liver-transplantation. The Management deserves applause and appreciation for running such an institution in a most promising and befitting manner.
This miraculous institution is rendering free health services to all, especially the downtrodden. This service rendered by this institution is not confined to Sindh only but it’s benefitting all across the length and breadth of the country.
The state-of-art facilities are testimony to the credibility of its Management, which has selflessly been devoting incessant endeavours for the uplift of this institution since its inception.
Liver transplant was an absurd dream before the establishment of this institution. All the masses of our country were in the state of dilemma to deal with such an ailment. They needed huge amount of money to spend on transplantation which was only possible from abroad. But GIMS brought this facility at the doorstep.
All the people are getting benefitted out of this. In addition to this, the institute has made a world record of 550 successful liver-transplantations, for which we salute them and pay them our heartfelt felicitations.
SAJJAD CHEEHANI
Agra, Sindh
