“Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.” William James

Paradise Papers – another Panama Papers

The country has seen and suffered much at the expense of Panama Papers and as if the show was not enough for Pakistanis to yell about, next in line were Paradise Papers – another global investigation that has revealed offshore holdings of some of the world’s most powerful people, as well as companies, which also include names from Paksitan – yet again released by The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), recently. The most prominent name in the papers is that of the former Prime Minister of the country, Shaukat Aziz, who allegedly set up businesses in the name of his family members and never bothered declaring them as his assets to any Pakistani institution in the documents submitted between 2003 and 2006. Looks like another spell of the brouhaha that followed Panama Papers is about to begin with the leak of Paradise Papers.

Yasir Khan,
Peshawar

PIA has become a mess

Once, PIA was one of the finest and most popular airlines around the world. Sadly, nepotism and corruption has taken over the airliner over time. It is no more the celebrated entity it used to be; instead it has become a laughing stock in the aviation world. Numerous international airports have banned PIA following its dissatisfactory performance, which eventually puts the country and Pakistanis to shame throughout the world. Most PIA chiefs retire only to start their own airline, and magically have the money to do so. It is no surprise how they manage to fund their airline business, considering it is easy for anyone to use government held organisations for their own monetary good. However, this trend should not be ignored and action must now be taken against those who have misused government institutions. Federal administration needs to take swift actions against the culprits of corrupt officers who have led PIA towards the mess it has become.

Beena Khan,
Lahore

Students against injustice at university

The management of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) should be ashamed of what they have done to their students. The only crime they committed was to stand against the injustice being done to them in the form of an appalling increase in fee prices that they weren’t expecting at all, for the university had informed them of a 44 per cent increase in fee after two years, but in just one year, they have increased it by 22 per cent. The fee hikes did not go too well with students, who had no option but to protest against the unjust and unreasonable behaviour of the university’s administration. The protests turned into riots, as security personnel started beating students, and severely beaten up a female student, leaving her critically injured. The students were also protesting against the deceiving behaviour of the university which claimed the provision of quality education and faculty to lure students into taking admissions. At the end of the day, it is the right of students to demand what they had been promised against the fee submitted. The ministry of education must look into this matter and be just towards students.

Rahima Mateen,
Islamabad

Surging prices of fruits and vegetables

Pakistanis are slowly being deprived of basic necessities, such as the provision of food items, vegetables and fruits, with the inflation rate increasing at a quick speed. A recent hike in prices of fruits and vegetables has led to burning holes in consumers’ pocket. The country’s exploited consumers were already facing much unlawfulness by traders and shopkeepers. Federal, provincial and local governments have failed to curtail their own greed and deliver to the masses. Even after several official orders, government has time and again been negligent towards the implementation of fair prices of food commodities. Consumers, in such a situation, are faced with just two options – to either buy basic commodities for the demanded price or completely starve. When prices are lowered and curtailed, hoarders tend to come into action and create a false scarcity of vegetable and fruits, which eventually lead to an increase in their price after some time. This is where the responsibility of the administration lies, they need to impose their authority over those responsible for the price hikes and drag them to courts to be fair towards the masses.

Sahir Usman,
Karachi