— the decision of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) related to the grant of certain licenses, as arguably, background of virtual capacity investment and technology seems to have been ignored. People say surprisingly, some who have been given the license are known to be actively planning to quit the Pakistan market; some have no presence in the country and are reducing their footprint regionally, while in some cases there is a clear conflict of interest, making the award rather questionable.
— the fact that while there is no shortage of problems in Pakistan these days, there are some serious social issues which have been completely ignored by our governments and institutions, online loan application scams being one in which fraudsters gain illicit access to the applicant’s personal data in order to blackmail and extort money from innocent people. People say it is shocking that these fraudsters are operating so brazenly right under the noses of the concerned institutions.
— how a country with negligible forex reserves and unbridled inflation, unemployment and debt cannot afford to have its ruling elite continue with a business-as-usual attitude. People say it was expected that all political parties would realise the gravity of the crisis and rise above petty political agendas to focus on the economy, because the economic crisis that engulfs Pakistan is the cumulative result of decades of poor governance, financial indiscipline, conflicts of interest and abuse of power.
— the news that the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) announced on its website that the result of the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2020 would be released as per the court order to maintain transparency. People say the candidates who passed CCE in 2019 have been waiting for more than three years to get their appointment letters and postings despite having their offer letters in hand, so one wonders what kind of ‘transparency’ the SPSC wants to maintain.
— the news that the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has claimed that the 7th census will take place digitally, i.e. by collecting data through electronic devices. People say while this is a good idea on paper it may not prove to be practical or include all the adult voting population of the country because not everyone has ‘electronic devises,’ or the motivation, especially those living in remote and inaccessible places, even if there was ‘help’ available through official sources.
— the recent constitution of a committee to recommend austerity measures and how it is laughable, to say the least. People say there is no need for a committee as austerity measures at every level of government, regulatory bodies, and state-owned enterprises can be kick-started without spending a penny or a minute on a committee, as the people directly responsible for running the affairs in any given government office or body are the best people to decide which expenses need to be cut.
— the sad fact that Pakistan is juggling myriad challenges, while the worsening economic situation and political tensions have raised frustration among the public and divided people based on political preferences. People say the population has been divided along socio-economic class and ethnic lines; polarisation has risen to an extent that people no longer tolerate differences of opinions or ideas, lacking a sense of unity and cohesion, which is needed to drive the country towards development and growth for the betterment of the country. — I.H.