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.
Security check
Carrying a valid CNIC in original and driving license if driving a vehicle or a motor bike are imperative. Because once a citizen is stopped by traffic police personnel to see his/her valid driving license to know whether he/she is licensed to drive or not means whether he/she has qualified written and physical driving test or not and issued a license, one has to show a valid driving license in hard form to traffic police personnel otherwise challan is registered against him/her. To err is human and sometimes people forget to keep the valid driving license and a CNIC to prove their identity.
Traffic police personnel should be given an access to see online data of those who are licensed to drive means possess a valid license while security officials should have an access to see online data of NADRA to see anyone’s identity whether he/she possess a valid CNIC or not to avoid inconvenient to citizens. If anyone forgets to keep a valid driving license but possess the same should not be registered for challan after verifying the status of driving license online.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
Ties with India
Pakistan has always wanted friendly relations with India. Friendly relations not only would be beneficial for these two countries, but also would be a reason for a peaceful and a stable region. However, both of the countries are fighting hard against poverty and some other social problems, no doubt, trade between them could enhances the economy of both countries and trade would bring opportunities with it for the people to work easily.
Furthermore, friendly ties could diminish the increasing threat of instability in the region by improving the relations through trade both of them would be curious to fight against any security and social challenges which they are facing. Finally, Pakistan has always wanted peaceful relations to negotiate and resolve the issues, but India should also realize the importance of neighbouring countries and should have stronger ties with Pakistan.
IKRAM HASSAN
Turbat
Embedded begging
Being a developing country, Pakistan has around 39% population living in destitution, driving numerous individuals to beg. Approximately 2.5-11% of our population is associated to beggary. According to the West Pakistan Loitering Ordinance of 1958, begging is illegal in Pakistan. Begging can result in a three year prison sentence. But these laws remain unpracticed because the individual beggars as well as the begging mafia pay an agreed and reasonable amount of money to the ring leader who has developed personal ties with the police by giving them a share in amount too.
Poverty is one of major causes of beggary in Pakistan. Poor people, instead of educating their children, make them beg on the street. This leads to an increased illiteracy rate and child labour and many other criminal acts. In the big cities, organized gangs kidnap the children and make them beg or literally buy them from their families, promising a safe shelter and food thrice a day. The poor uneducated parents feel relieved as they get money and their responsibility decreases. They trust the gangs to actually give their children food and shelter as promised. Also, when people having no or negligible education don’t find jobs, they find themselves left with two possible options. Either they think of committing suicide and ending their misery or to start begging in order to fulfil their requirements.
This issue needs our serious attention. Many NGOs are already there to address this issue but they need to be effective in their work by spreading awareness and providing a platform for the children to study so that child beggary can be minimized. Government needs to take serious action against it by strictly implementing the law. Mutual cooperation of the government as well as the public is needed to ensure no children end up in the hands of Begging Mafia.
AYEZA ASGHAR
Lahore
Respite from feudalism?
Though world has changed considerably, we are still stuck in the slough of toxic feudalism sans any respite being in sight. Generally in Pakistan and particularly in Sindh, feudalism is tighting its paws ceherently. Coherence occurrences and injustice of ‘feudal lords’ since increased, never got dwindled, creating chaos in life of unsophisticated individuals.
How long the province has to suffer and when will they take a breath of sigh of relief? The people of the country and province have to awake their conscience to shatter the chains of toxic feudalism as succinct as possible.
NISAR AHMED BANGWAR
Kandhkot
