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.
No shelter in winter
There is no denying the reality, it is the state’s duty to give shelter to the homeless. Prime Minister Imran Khan had made good on his promise of ‘turning Pakistan into a welfare state’ by making a decision to build shelter home “panahgah” for homeless in November last year.
But the whole year has passed and, unfortunately, walking on the footpaths of Golra Mor or even Saddar and passing by any bus stop in Rawalpindi, you will see countless young and old men lying on roadside wearing rags and, in most of the cases, smoking drugs. They are the ones who have no home, no family, no work and no proper food. These footpaths, streets and roads are their homes while garbage is their food.
I feel dreadful, and think it is a sickening reflection of society that such a significant number of people have no place to go, no family and no support to turn to. And it is really heartbreaking. As winter is upon us, I urge elected representatives to address the problem and build an emergency shelters for these people or come up with some other solution as fast as possible.
M SEERAT NAWAZ
Islamabad
Old age homes
Old age home, a place which is considered abode only for those who have no family, or the ones abandoned by their families at an age in which they desire nothing but love and a pinch of care. From those, for whom they sacrificed all their lives, often they’re called “children” and the abandoned ones in the old age home are called “Parents”. It is a bitter reality of our times, the relations of ‘in-laws’ or even their own daughters and sons desert them to these shelters.
Parents sacrifice their whole life for their children, their youth, desires, wishes, careers and always put their children first until they learn to stand on their own feet. When people grow up, why do people tend to forget the deeds their parents did for them? Why do they think they know better what to do and what not to do when experience is the key to life? Old people always know the best, their reasons or pieces of advice always have a cause.
Seniors in the family should never be sent anywhere not even to these shelter homes. They don’t belong anywhere but with their children. Their wrinkles do not want to see another roof without their children. I request to all the readers to stop considering shelter homes for their seniors. Keep them with you, because that’s all they desire the most. Love them take care of them. Do not abandon them like so for they did not abandon you when you were weak.
MARYAM SHAH
Islamabad
Pakistan needs you
Globalization is a worldwide process of gradual change in all areas of life, including education. Students now prefer travelling abroad for higher education to broaden their horizons. There are hundreds and thousands of Pakistani students who travel abroad each year in order to attain higher education. Every year, nearly 10,000 student visas are granted in Pakistan. But while studying in a foreign country has many advantages, it has some drawbacks too. According to various reports, there are nearly 10,000 Pakistani students studying in the United Kingdom.
Between 2017 and 2019 as many as 42,000 Pakistani students were admitted into the UK. From 2017 to 2019 more than 5,000 students travelled to the United States for studies every year. Several thousand students from Pakistan also go to China every year. Easy and fast access to technology has made people more aware, and everyone is trying to grab opportunities for themselves. But these students forget sometimes that their country needs them too. If they return to Pakistan after they complete their programs and contribute to the Pakistani society and economy, they would help their country develop.
M WAQAS KHAN
Dera Ismail Khan
Open Letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan
With extreme sense of regard and due reverence, it is submitted that I am a College Teacher by profession and writer by passion. In literary world my recognition is known as short story writer, novelist and columnist. Many books, columns and essays are on my literary credit. I am also recipient of “Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai National Award” given away under the auspices of the “Pakistan Academy of Letters” Islamabad. This is a very difficult letter for me to write but many avenues seem to have been closed upon me, so I hope you can take the time to read my story.
As I have a family of six members, I am the only breadwinner in the family, being my profession I was a “Primary School Teacher” since 1990 to 2014, so due to my limited income in years 2007 and 2014, I had made a home for my children by taking two-time different loans from “House Building Finance Company, Limited”, now a huge amount from my salary is being deducted in the shape of monthly instalments. My wife has been suffering from a liver disease “Hydatid cyst” since 2015 but it is not possible for me to get her treated due to my hard and tough financial troubles.
Education is the road that children follow to reach their full potential in life but due to my crisis, I am not capable to provide the quality education to my four kids. Two years back, my elder son {Ahmar Khan}, who had obtained top grades in his Matriculation and Intermediate examinations was selected in Pakistan’s most famous university “COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad” for the course of “BS Software engineering” I paid his admission and five semester’s fees by selling the gold of my wife and taking the loan from my relatives and friends but in spite of that I will not be able to pay the expenses of remaining portion of my intelligent son’s education. Therefore, through this letter I request you, Mr. Prime Minister, to look into this matter on compassionate grounds.
MAZHAR ABRO
Khairpur Mir’s
Kidnapping and return
Parents around Pakistan, especially in Sindh, felt a sigh of relief when Dua Mangi, a student kidnapped from Khayaban-e-Bukhari in Karachi on 30 November 2019 returned home safely after one week. Her parents appeared on television to confirm her safe return and thanked everyone who prayed for her safe recovery. Dua’s parents did not thank Sindh government or Sindh police, which is a clear indication that Sindh government and police did not play any role in Dua’s recovery.
We all know that once kidnapped, nobody returns home safely without paying hefty ransom but in case of Dua’s abduction, her parents said that no ransom of any sort was paid, a claim difficult to digest. Who kidnapped Dua? Where was she kept? How did she return home? These are some of the questions which Sindh government and police failed to find the answers to in full 7 days.
Kidnappers in such cases are no ordinary people. If Sindh Government and Police couldn’t arrest a woman whose video went viral on social media, who not only jumped a traffic red light but also publicly humiliated the uniformed traffic cops just because of her political affiliation, nothing was expected in Dua’s case from Sindh police and government.
It is high time that Federal Government takes concrete measures to bring about the changes in18th Amendment and make provincial government accountable in such cases. If the law and order situation does not improve, especially in Sindh, people will start doing justice on their own in streets. Dua’s abductors should not only be arrested but given the most exemplary punishment. Prime Minister Imran Khan is requested to act before it is too late.
M RAFIQUE ZAKARIA
Karachi
Child marriages
Child marriage is a deeply harmful practice that disproportionately affects girls and has been likened to a culturally acceptable form of slavery that perpetuates or even legalizes child rape under the guise of marriage. Not only are young girls unable to pursue their fundamental right of completing their education, they are also subjected to difficult household work and responsibilities before they have even developed their full mental and physical capacities.
Moreover, underage girls go on to face health complications during and after childbirth. Seen as a financial ‘burden’ on their families, they are married off early to escape oppressive poverty, or they are used to settle disputes as if they were the property of adults to be bartered and sold, and not vulnerable individuals with rights of their own that need to be fiercely protected.
AATIF KHAN
Islamabad
Water problem in Thar desert
The desert area of Sindh, Tharparkar district, has many issues but drinking water is on top of them. Most of the population of the area is living in rural areas and there is almost no drinking water facility. According to the residents of villages Udani , Raryaro and Pochando Jopar there is only one Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant of Village Udani for the population of 20 thousand people, installed by Sindh government, and that too has been out of order for the last five months and ironically no remedial step has been taken by the concerned authorities in spite of a number of complaints.
The entire Tharparkar faces the same problem and no one takes the matter seriously. The Sindh government claims that it has installed 700 RO plants in the area and those all are functional. But ground realities are different, most of them are out of order after working for a month or so. Therefore, we appeal to Sindh Government to take steps in order to get rid of water problem of Tharparkar.
ABDULMAJEED DOHAT
Tharparkar
