“Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable.” – Franz Kafka

Black Friday sales have become a norm

Black Friday sales have now become a norm in Pakistan. Recently, almost all brands took the opportunity to lure more customers. However, some shops cunningly raised the prices of their ‘sale items’ before offering a discount. It is sad how many brands and shopkeepers failed to be honest with their customers and instead, used the opportunity to deceive them. What’s more upsetting is that many people ended up buying things in haste before taking a closer look at the price tag. Luckily, I had already compared prices of a few electronics on my wish list and was able to get a great discount. However, it was commendable how brands tactfully catered to the masses and opted for campaigns such as ‘blessed Friday’ and ‘white Friday’ to celebrate the day. This just goes to show how important it is to keep the consumer’s sentiments in mind before introducing an offer. Last year, many brands faced backlash for offering ‘black’ Friday sales.

Azmat Ghous,
Karachi

Outdated textbooks

It is shocking how outdated our government text books are and that the education sector is doing nothing to introduce new text books. In order to succeed and prosper in the world of science and technology, our students need to be equipped with the most recent and up-to-date course materials. The concerned authorities should take the time out to scrap out old content from course books which are no longer relevant in today’s world. Furthermore, children must be taught quality literature that will help promote tolerance in our society. In my humble opinion, our children should also be given moral education in school so that they learn how to treat one another with compassion and respect. If we do not take immediate action to improve our education sector, we will end up raising a whole generation of rigid adults who are unable to show empathy to people of different backgrounds.

Faisal Ameen,
Jamshoro

Better medical facilities

It is commendable how the Punjab government is taking measures to improve healthcare facilities throughout the province. The government is signing an agreement with international pharmaceutical companies to provide free medicines to people suffering from respiratory diseases, diabetes and heart diseases. It is estimated that about 3.5 million patients will benefit from this agreement as the province will be provided with free medication worth $6 billion. Such measures should be taken all over the country so that everybody can benefit from improved healthcare facilities. Countries all over the world offer a number of health plans which make it easier for the elderly or the sick to benefit from free or affordable medication. We also need more maternity clinics in rural areas for better childcare and to lower infant mortality rates. Countries such as Finland offer free maternity packages that include clothes and other items for the baby. This ensures that all mothers are able to provide their newborns with the most important necessities. Our government should also step up and take similar measures to aid its citizens.

Nageen Ahmed,
Lahore

Stereotyping in Pakistani dramas

The public really enjoys watching Pakistani dramas but lately I have grown frustrated because almost every drama portrays female characters as the damsel in distress, whereas educated and independent women are always viewed as immoral or viciously cunning. The entertainment industry needs to branch outside of its comfort zone and stop stereotyping women. We need to stop perpetuating the image of successful women as deceitful and rebellious. Dramas should instead focus on how challenging it is to be a working woman and why we should appreciate these ladies for all the sacrifices they make to juggle with family and office responsibilities. We have already had enough of the saas-bahu dramas and would like to see better content on TV. Our drama industry lacks inspiring characters that could help motivate and encourage women to pursue their dreams. This is especially important because a large number of young girls watch Pakistani dramas and are influenced by the characters they watch on television.

Sumbul Khan,
Karachi