Pashtun resentment
Madam,
Pashtuns are an ethnic group of about 49 million people and many of them live in Pakistan. Here, they mostly live in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan along with tribal areas on the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. Pashtun make up the second largest ethnic group in Pakistan but unfortunately, they have only been associated with negative stereotypes, the most common being the perception that they are war-loving, barbaric people. Pashtun areas are the poorest ones in Pakistan and social indicators reflect 70 years of neglect. Militancy wrecked KP’s infrastructure and traumatised its population. The economy of the province is very weak. What little industry exists is concentrated in Peshawar only. The economic, social and educational disparity between Pashtun areas and the rest of the Pakistan is wide. Since 2001, sufferings of Pashtuns were further aggravated by the War on Terror and they found themselves caught in the crossfire. Because of these reasons, Pashtuns feel alienated in Pakistan. The Pashtun movement has spread from tribal areas to other parts of Pakistan including big cities. It clearly indicates that Pashtuns across all party lines are lining up for a common cause. They should be given towards sustainable employment opportunities through rehabilitation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), investment mobilization, and institutional capacity building. It would be unwise for Pakistan’s policy makers to perceive Pashtun resentment as a nationalist cause for separation from Pakistan and use force to curtail it. A disaster looms in Pakistan, if the demands of the Pashtun population remain unaddressed for long.
Manish Rai,
Via email.
Bad habit
Madam,
Smoking kills. This fact cannot be negated as its effects are destroying Pakistan’s environment slowly. We see how men, women and even kids nowadays indulge in the activity. Drugs destroy a person as well. Drug use not only hurt the people who take them, but also the people around them. I humbly request Prime Minister Imran Khan to ban smoking and drugs as soon as possible.
Nasra Naseer,
Kech.
Drive safely
Madam,
Many people lose their lives everyday in road accidents. Most of these accidents occur due to speeding. Recently, five people lost their lives and 21 others were critically injured in two accidents in Gwadar. I urge the government to take this issue seriously and roll out road safety programmes.
Meherunisa Ashraf,
Turbat.
Load shedding
Madam,
Us, the people of Turbat city have been experiencing power shortage for a very long time. Whether it is summer, spring, autumn or winter, load shedding remains an unsolvable problem. During the winter season, we did not have electricity for eight hours each day. With the arrival of summer, the power shortage increased to 10 hours per day. We suffer without electricity. The government must solve the issue as the city of Turbat is one of the hottest cities in Asia.
Adnan Maqsood,
Turbat.
Water shortages
Madam,
Turbat faces a severe water crisis due to which residents of the city installed bore-tube wells to meet their needs for everyday life. Almost every house owns a tube-well with the ground water decreasing day by day. The water retrieved from inner layers consists of toxic radioactive metals, such as lead which is a cancer-causing agent. The installation is not only a threat to the environment, utilizing bore water is also becoming a health hazard. Therefore, I request the government and the concerned authorities to look into this matter and take measures concerning water shortage in the city.
Tilyan Aslam,
Turbat, Kech.
Cell phone use
Madam,
People use their mobile phones while driving which becomes the cause of road accidents. It is highly common as there is no strict enforcement by the police. Many people have lost their lives due to such accidents. I want to request the government to enforce laws and regulations to put an end to this.
Mazhar Khan,
Multan.
Vaccination
Madam,
Hundreds of children die in Pakistan due to new diseases spreading rapidly. Recently, 13 children were diagnosed with AIDs in Larkana between the ages four months to eight years. The government of Pakistan provides free vaccination to seven million children against 10 preventable diseases, yet the mortality rate of our country has not decreased. A report shows that Pakistan has been subjected to a million cases of malaria annually. The health of our children should be the priority of each government because they are our future. Every parent should ensure that their children have been vaccinated to protect them from dangerous diseases in such a young age.
Myra Arshad,
Lahore.
Importance of education
Madam,
Education plays a vital role in one’s life, shaping one’s future. Along with this, education grooms us and allows a country to prosper. Thus, it can be said that it is an essential part of one’s life. We cannot deny the importance of education. Napoleon once said: “Give me an educated mother, I shall promise you the birth of a civilieed, educated nation.” I urge every citizen to receive proper educated that will open their minds and allow us to progress.
Mahlika Anwar,
Quetta.