A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. – Winston Churchill

Low voltage woes

While Karachiites were just getting accustomed to the frequent load shedding in many areas, more power woes awaited them. After prolonged hours of power cuts, many residents complain about persistent low voltage, followed by breakdowns of power transformers. This has led to the malfunctioning of home appliances and other electronic devices. As the frequency of these complains mount in number, KESC has stopped processing complaints in this regard, demonstrating an irresponsible attitude towards the situation. Citizens hope the problem will be tackled at the earliest without situation getting further deteriorated.

Seema Hussain,
Karachi

The Internet takes over

Gone are the days when children were encouraged to spend time with their families and advised to indulge in co-curricular activities. At present, the ‘quality’ time which was to be ideally spent bonding with family after a tough day of work has been sucked in like a vacuum by the devices in our hands, by social media and by the ever-present Internet. Have real-time interactions with friends and family taken a backseat to the more ‘fun’ social media chat rooms? Have WhatsApp groups with families replaced the engaging lounge fun-banters with cousins and aunts? Come to think of it, it has even replaced our all-time favourite board games of carom, ludo, monopoly and scrabble! As an avid user of the Internet myself, I confess to be swamped by its existence too, but often I miss the comfort and tangibility of relationships and people around me. Has the Internet, really taken over?

Sadaf Maryam Ahsan,
Karachi

A different independence

Over the past years, as an observant citizen I have noticed a sad indifference and a diminished fervour for patriotism, specifically on the day of independence. However, this year there is a change of hearts and soaring spirits in the post-election Pakistan. With a new government now manning the reigns of the future of the country, optimism, passionate display of patriotism and glimmer of hope is breathing in the country’s atmosphere. To citizens who are quick to complain and rise to heated debates about the deplorable status quo of the nation, this sudden change is a breath of fresh air. The buzzing energy, hope and positivity ushered in by ‘Naya Pakistan’ has encouraged the nation at large to rejoice this 14th August.

Sheroz Minhas,
Islamabad

Aftermath of sacrifice

With Eid ul Azha lurking just around the block, it’s time for relevant authorities to make necessary arrangements and launch a cleaning drive spanning countrywide during the days leading to Eid and after. Residents who will be offering their sacrifices should responsibly ensure a thorough scouring of the streets, home or backyards were the animals are sacrificed. The local authorities should also enforce a stringent check and mandate the post-sacrificial cleaning during Eid. Culminated heaps of animal waste harbours deadly ailments detrimental to health and is unpleasant to the environment.

Muhammad Askari,
Karachi