Readers’ Thoughts

April 2023

Goodbye General!

This is with reference to last month’s cover story appeared in SouthAsia. Adding my two cents, many aspects of General Pervez Musharraf’s personality were exemplary. He was a brave man, a brilliant soldier and a man who ruled Pakistan for nine years with unparalleled success. Ironically, the late general, who had never lost a personal battle, succumbed to a debilitating incurable disease called Amyloidosis. He freely issued broadcast and print media licenses and permits and directed his government to pursue a policy of enlightenment. His vision for Pakistan was a progressive and moderate Muslim state committed to pursuing its national interests unscathed by international criticism. He tried to restore confidence in the civil society and institutions of Pakistan. May his soul rest in peace.

Ruqayya Saleem,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Remembering Gen. Musharraf

Notwithstanding the fact that General Pervez Musharraf was a military ruler, he was able to give good governance to the people, restore national self-confidence and morale, remove inter-provincial disharmony and restore national harmony along with truly a democratic culture. He worked to revive the economy and restore investor confidence. Early in his tenure, he instituted an open media policy for the country, a principle that was easily broken by many democratic rulers before him. It is painful to write after his demise that Pakistan has lost a sincere leader who could have done much more for the country if given the right time and opportunity.

Hasnain Ali,
Lahore, Pakistan.

Future of Karachi

It is no secret that there are black sheep in the government institutions who support criminals and lawbreakers. If the accused are arrested, bribery becomes their support and sometimes the accused go scot free due to lack of substantial evidence and witnesses. Along with all these reasons, rising inflation and unemployment is also a major concern. It has also become very difficult for people to get two meals a day with dignity. Sadly, even in today’s digital and advanced age, there are many undocumented and unregistered people living in Karachi. A large number of these people are foreigners. Not all but a large number of them are involved in such crime and law-breaking activities. If Karachi is left in the lurch, business will once again start shifting from to other countries, which will prove to be very dangerous for the sinking economy of the country.

Noorwali Bangash.
Swat, Pakistan.

Economic Crisis

Change in any society comes in many ways and forms. In the past, when the monarchy system was strong, the royal families who came to power used to patronize the noble class by making them their counterparts in order to stabilize their government system. Officials of the empire were appointed on the basis of their loyalty. If we examine the modern democratic era, we can find out the same historical signs persisting even today. The same few families seem to rule us and a special class of nobles are rewarded for their loyalty. Divided into classes and social groups, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. There is neither any attention nor any corrective measures taken to mend the situation. Going from bad to worse, this economic disaster is being discussed not only in Pakistan but also in other countries as well. Now the chief concern is how the common man will get two meals a day.

Saima Alvi,
Lahore, Pakistan.

No End in Sight

Today, the purchasing power of the poor people has gone down. On the other hand, the inflation rate which has been continuously increasing for five years has now reached a record level in Pakistan’s history. Even middle-income families seem to be worried. Therefore, no person is free from worry and anxiety. It is not surprising that the common man’s sufferings are increasing due to the trend of hoarding and artificially increasing the prices of essential commodities, particularly before the arrival of Holy Ramadan. For instance, opportunists flouted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s orders against overpricing, while the price control committees at the national level appear to be inactive.

Syed Farzan Ali,
Peshawar, Pakistan.

Reverse Progress

According to the latest data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, the inflation further increased by 0.96% to 47.97% in March and during the last some days, the prices of 28 items, including potatoes, sugar, tomatoes, meat, cooking oil, flour, tea, rice, fresh milk and yogurt, have increased. In the month of fasting, consumers try to arrange the necessary rations, but in the current situation, it does not seem possible. There is a trend of unusual rush or shortage of goods at utility stores. All over the world, the prices of food items are reduced on special occasions, while the reverse takes place in a country like ours.

Ahmed Jameel Naqwi,
Mardan, Pakistan.

Importance of Female Literacy

Equipping women with education and professional skills can bring about a positive change in the society, the country and in the entire world. Education is essential for women’s personal development and prosperous life. It also helps women to increase their economic, employment and business opportunities and to participate more in their social activities. According to UNESCO, one year of primary education can increase a woman’s future income by twenty percent, while an additional year of secondary school can increase her income by twenty-five percent. Moreover, compared to men who spend an average of thirty to forty percent of their income on their households, women invest ninety percent of their income back into their families. Thus, economic prosperity comes in families.

Farman Ali Khan,
Swabi, Pakistan.

Flood Crisis

There are many factors behind floods and the main reason is climate change and global warming. There is no doubt that Pakistan is currently among those vulnerable countries where climate change is directly affecting and the abnormal increase and decrease in the duration of different seasons is enough to confirm this fact. But along with this, the negligence and carelessness of the government, the breakdown in the administrative structure and the lack of national unity are also among the major reasons. A report says that in hilly areas that were most affected by the floods, local people had built houses and commercial buildings on the river crossings, which caused huge financial losses and displaced a large number of people. However, no special planning has been done to avoid calamity like floods in Pakistan. By the way, there are many institutions that came into existence for the purpose of preventing a disaster or calamity, for example, the «National Disaster Management Authority» and its subsidiaries at the provincial level. This institution was founded to protect the country from irreparable losses in case of natural calamities. Therefore, its basic manifesto includes pre-preparedness and taking timely measures to avoid potential threats. Similarly, there are some institutions working with the aim of helping to formulate an effective flood prevention policy, such as the Federal Flood Commission in Islamabad and the Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore. But unfortunately, none of these institutions have been fully functional. Thus, the plight continues.

Anjum Akhtar,
Karachi, Pakistan.