“Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”
– Rumi

Teens that kill

Increasingly in recent years, the world has been facing what appears to be senseless mass murders. Murder can be an act so horrific and inconceivable that many of us fail to understand why someone would do it – some of us even forget that there is no age limit to becoming a killer. Often, the perpetrators of such murders are teenagers. Why would high school students murder their classmates and teachers? What do such events say about our society? Recently, a 19-year-old boy Mohsin Saleem, was arrested in the murder of his tuition teacher, a mother of three. Mohsin slit his teacher’s throat in a failed attempt to rape her. Now what are the factors that increase the likelihood of a teenager committing murder or even rape? I believe that the absence of a moral compass is a major contributing factor. In past generations, religion and customs were important influences on children and youth. While these influences are still here, they are not a part of the lives of many teens.

Rizwana Iqbal,
Karachi

Firefighters – the unsung heroes

Whenever there is a major fire that risks the lives of hundreds, the firefighters are there to help. Working hard to keep millions of people safe around the clock, firefighters often put the lives of others before their own. Last week, Teen Hatti area of Karachi was engulfed in a massive fire and hundreds of slums burned to ashes. Firefighters immediately reached the location and got busy in extinguishing the raging flames. The quick response of the fire and rescue services department in this situation needs special mention. They successfully retrieved people from the slums and rescued them to safety. They are truly our unsung heroes. Their contributions and sacrifices deserve the appreciation and recognition of the authorities. This will go a long way to boost their morale and further enhance their performance.

Ameed Ahmed,
Karachi

Zoos: Pitiful prisons

Almost all of us grow up with fond memories of visiting the zoo with our parents, grandparents or friends. I wouldn't have listed zoos under animal cruelty, if I didn't think that they were bad for the animals that live in them. Zoo and wildlife in Pakistan are being mistreated on almost a regular basis. Recently, an incident from Karachi Zoo sparked outrage from the public as a picture of two crocodiles covered in blood-red spots of paan and gutka went viral. Not just Pakistan, zoos around the globe are mistreating animals. A few days back, photos of starving lions in a Sudanese zoo created a stir on social media. The photos showed severely malnourished and underweight lions living at a zoo in Khartoum, Sudan. People should stop visiting zoos so the authorities stop profiting and the torture on these creatures finally comes to an end. It is simply not right to enjoy seeing these animals while they live in captivity.

Rabiha Shamsie,
Lahore

Shocking rise in child abuse cases

Crimes against children have been a cause of great distress to Pakistan’s developmental efforts. Childhood is reflected as a developmental age with high susceptibility to psychological and physical risks. Sexual assaults and rapes are such violent crimes that not only leave the victims physically assaulted but also emotionally traumatised or even dead. According to reports published in various newspapers, the number of such incidents has jumped from 1,746 in year 2017 to 2,327 in the year 2018 registering 33 per cent rise in a year. Despite being a taboo subject, children must be taught about good and bad touch and should never be shamed if they are subjected to sexual abuse. It is, therefore, very important to create mass awareness about this heinous crime so that incidents can be reduced, if not completely eradicated and it is high time that the government takes serious actions against the offenders.

Maheen Tariq,
Islamabad