Think 100 times before you take a decision, But once that decision is taken, stand by it as one man. – Jinnah

Traffic woes

Being the most populated city of Pakistan, Karachi demands extra care and planning which is unfortunately missing out rightly. But a very critical issue is the unorganized transport system that has grown due to poor planning. The roads have become narrow as compared to the number of vehicles running on them. Majority of the people in Karachi travel in buses, minibuses and coaches, which speed on the roads carrying passengers beyond their capacity, as many are often seated on the roof of the buses. Typically, an urban resident spends more than 36 hours a week, driving of which 30-40 per cent occurs in congested conditions. In Karachi, the main reasons of traffic jams are numerous vehicles on the roads. This is an area which the government should examine closely and sort out.

Iqra Fayyaz,
Karachi

Of encroachments and bribes

The growing number of makeshift shops such as push carts, roadside vendors and encroachments have increased manifold in the metropolitan, particularly Karachi. The area of Saddar and Banaras have been affected most by push carts and roadside vendors, while situation in other areas of the city, including Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Orangi Town, North Karachi, Landhi, Korangi and the industrial areas, looks no different. It has been reported that authorities have been collecting amounts ranging between Rs 200 and Rs 1,000 as a bribe from each roadside vendor to allow them to carry out their business on roads. According to small traders, these illegal activities being carried out on a large scale suggest that influential hands are behind them. The matter is rather alarming and needs attention from authorities at the earliest.

Iqra Fayyaz,
Karachi

Court Intervention

It is admirable that the government has reduced the prices of petroleum products to provide relief to the public. However, disappointing aspect of the said move is the intervention of the highest court of the country without which the decision would not have come. In Pakistan, this has become a general practice where the courts intervene to correct the government’s conduct, though government functionaries on their own should prioritise providing relief to the masses. My question remains, why do the courts intervene on such matters?

Omar R Iqbal,
Hyderabad

Putting the nation first

The government has announced a donation of 40,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan as a goodwill gesture. The first consignment of 280 tonnes has been handed over to Afghan authorities in the past weeks. Perhaps, the government feels it will help improve our relationship with Afghanistan. It is flabbergasting that a food surplus country has excess food to donate but its most vulnerable communities cannot afford to eat.

Although Prime Minister Imran Khan in his maiden speech clearly spoke of hunger and malnutrition – especially in rural Sindh, Fata and in many districts of Balochistan – unfortunately, no policy seems to be on the cards, for no coherent steps have been announced or taken by the PTI led-government to overcome malnutrition and hunger.

Muzzamil Shahzad,
Karachi