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.
Tax on Tobacco
It remains to be seen whether this government has moral courage and capacity to impose heavy taxes on cigarettes and all other tobacco products, as has been done all over the developed world. Pakistan continues to be amongst few nations where cigarettes are cheapest and their sale unrestricted. It has become a haven for cigarette manufacturers because of its friendly regulations and policies and susceptibility to pressures from powerful groups and conflicts of interest of those at the helm. Given the economic crunch that Pakistan faces, it is high time to impose heavy taxation on tobacco sales.
The PTI government and its predecessors failed to impose Sin Tax on tobacco sales to discourage its consumption and addiction amongst the youth. The powerful Tobacco Lobby has employed powerful retired bureaucrats and generals as lobbyists, who have succeeded in prevention of levying heavy taxation, enough to fund medical expenses incurred by the state to treat cancer and other ailments associated with cigarette smoking, apart from launching a public awareness campaign. It has been scientifically established by international medical research institutes and organizations affiliated with UN all over the world that cigarette smoking and tobacco products are major cause for cancer, lung and cardiovascular related infections.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Economic instability
Pakistan is nowadays going through a serious political crisis after the removal of (former) Premier Imran Khan. Not only the political crisis, but the energy crisis is also a main cause of economic loss in the country.
Inflation in Pakistan is at its peak, the common man has been bearing its brunt. Most companies are afraid of investing in Pakistan. The government should take good and immediate decisions which help our economy to revive again and get rid of this economic crisis.
MUZAMMIL ABRO
Larkana
Shootout
in Texas
The shootout in Texas on May 24 which claimed the life of 19 school kids and two teachers in a school, besides injuring others, was very unfortunate indeed. This is not the first instance of a shootout.
But such incidents will haunt the survivors for the rest of their life. It is reported that the gunman used a licensed weapon for killing the children and the teachers.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
Digital media
The word “media” applies to many things in the 21st century; from mass media to news media, and traditional media to the many emerging forms of digital media. While you can come up with several different examples –– and almost certainly you take in some forms of media in your everyday life –– it can be difficult to succinctly define the word. It comes from the Latin medium, which means “the middle layer.” Media is an expression that brings some type of information or entertainment from one body to another.
Before the advent of the digital age, the most popular forms of media were what we now call analogue or traditional media: radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, journals and the like. Since then, the technological revolution has brought with it many new types of media that now play a major role in disseminating information and entertainment to populations around the world. But what is digital media? What does it encompass, how did it evolve and where is it headed? Read on to learn more about digital media, including different types, major companies in the field and digital media job markets. We’ll also unpack what kind of educational background can position you to embark on a career in digital media.
Unlike traditional media, digital media is transmitted as digital data, which at its simplest involves digital cables or satellites sending binary signals –– 0s and 1s –– to devices that translate them into audio, video, graphics, text and more. Anytime you use your computer, tablet, or cell phone, opening web-based systems and apps, you’re consuming digital media. Digital media might come in the form of videos, articles, advertisements, music, podcasts, audio-books, virtual reality or digital art.
SAJAL HAFEEZ
Via email
Fresh polls, not grand dialogue
This refers to the news report ‘Fresh polls, not grand dialogue, a remedy to country’s problems: Farrukh’ (June 6). Actually, PTI’s Farrukh Habib is right when he says that a ‘grand dialogue’ is not a remedy for country’s problems. However, his demand for early election is simply unrealistic.
With nearly all significant parties forming part of the present coalition government, the only outsider is PTI, which refuses to talk unless an early election date is announced first. However, with country already near-bankrupt, we can’t afford uncertain state to linger on for another few months, which fresh elections will entail. That rules out early election.
Another hurdle is that PTI’s sole decision-maker, Imran Khan, happens to be a firm believer in the politics of agitation, rather than the Parliamentary process. This is why, despite being the largest single party in Parliament, he ignored the advice of many of his own Assembly members and ‘ordered’ them all to resign.
With the coalition government having only razor-thin majority, staying in the Assembly would have been a better option as it could enable PTI to try to turn the tables on the coalition government, or at least to keep it under pressure.
Also, dwindling support for PTI was clearly visible on May 25 when, despite using resources of the KP government, Imran Khan could not bring to Islamabad even a fraction of the promised 20 Lakh people which forced him to cancel the sit-in. Even his subsequent promise to overwhelm Islamabad if the government did not announce fresh election date within six days has failed to materialize. And with passage of time, reports of various wrong-doings are surfacing. So, Imran Khan better accept that for him, the ‘party is over.’
The country can’t be held to ransom by amateurish, impatient adventurers. The only option is to let the coalition government continue but with strict control – like seems to be underway – over temptation to take corruption-friendly measures
S RH HASHMI
Karachi
