“Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.” – Rumi

Ban on the sale of lose cigarettes

After much debate, speculation and struggle of two years combined, Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations recently imposed a ban on the sale of lose cigarettes across the country. This step can largely impact the consumption of cigarettes countrywide, and is highly laudable. Since lose cigarettes are easily available and do not cost much, its sale was thriving amongst the young consumers. The reason behind the ban is to control and generally discourage smoking and also restrict young generation from consuming the life-threatening poison.

Mani Akhtar,
Quetta

Women bikers on the go!

First it was a rare sight which you got to cherish on the roads of Karachi; a woman bike rider. With great pride and wonder, I can now say that such sights in my city are not rare anymore. Women have really trumped the fact that motorbikes are a man’s domain and have taken to the streets, doing their regular outdoor tasks, unchaperoned and on their own. While we already have a large number of female drivers operating cars, women should also be greatly encouraged to ride motorbikes.

Ahmed Butt,
Karachi

Careem-Uber peak hours surcharge

The cab-hiring services have made travelling very easy, comfortable and safe for many of us, but the recent surcharges in fares is uncalled for, especially the peak factor surcharge. As people are becoming increasingly dependent on these services and have begun using them regularly, the hike in prices has proven to be heavy on the pocket. ‘The peak factor’ feature, which calculates a usually higher fare during rush hours, for instance, has been the deal breaker for many users. The chief reason behind the increase in charges is due to the shortage of vehicles and abundance of users. The private companies are already getting many complaints from the customers. They may lose them if such high fares prevail.

Ishant Mehra,
Lahore

Overpriced lawn season is here

With summers just around the corner, designers and textile companies are bidding their time to release their overpriced lawn collections. But, what is more unsettling is the fact that there are scores of privileged people willing to splurge thousands in the quest of single, overpriced lawn attire. For many women, lawn fever has become less about the product and more about buying a ‘privileged’ lifestyle. There was a time when the fabric was considered to be one for everyone, irrespective of one’s class. But, the changing dimension of fashion has deprived the lower strata of the only happiness that used to come with the advent of summer season, with overpriced lawn becoming all the rage.

Fatima Bashar,
Lahore