— how those at the helm need to understand that you cannot endlessly squeeze the majority for the benefit of a few. People sat the annual tax exemption should be raised and anyone earning above this uniform threshold must pay direct income tax irrespective of whether they are salaried, traders, farmers etc: but instead of doing this, the state has resorted to indirect taxes, unlike other countries which only resort to indirect taxation after exhausting all other options.
— the recent, nerve wracking incident of medical students who had to return home leads to the question why so many had gone there, probably because of the exorbitant costs of pursuing a medical education in the country, particularly in terms of the fees charged by private medical colleges. People say more and proper MBBS training colleges should be established in Pakistan and the fee structure of some of the existing one should be reviewed and controlled so students do not have to go elsewhere.
— the careless disposal method that results in huge heaps of garbage lying everywhere which causes many issues since decaying waste attracts hordes of insects that are extremely dangerous to people’s health while also leaving an unpleasant smell, making life difficult for the residents of the area. People say this reflects lack of responsibility both by the citizens and the civic authorities, while also endangering public health as well as taking away the attractiveness of the towns and cities.
— the fact that the inhabitants of the Katcha or riverine area are living in fear as they are subjected to all kinds of crime and are often caught in tribal confrontations, while every other day there is news of kidnapping followed by demands of high ransom. It is despairing to note that the government and the law enforcement agencies have left these people at the mercy of criminal and tribal leaders but the situation warrants firm action, enabling the local population to live in peace.
— the report that pointed out more than 108 officials belonging to the civil service, food, police, revenue, and counter-terrorism (CTD) departments are involved in smuggling activities as facilitators and are part of a network, facilitating smuggling of essential commodities, compromising the integrity of several government departments. People say it is really upsetting that officials who are supposed to set an example, are tempted to resort to corruption, a malice which has become a way of life in Pakistan.
— the suggestion by experts that local IT vendors should be given priority over international ones and the fact that the government and leadership never understands the importance of local talent. People say it is very sad that we don’t realise the importance of our own people’s talent even though they have the capabilities to do things far better than most because outsiders can never do our jobs better than us since they cannot understand local circumstances and dynamics.
— the claim by the government which asserted that inflation has come down though the truth is, apart from basic items of daily use, prices of drugs; medical tests and private treatment are beyond the reach of the common man, while the cost of a necessity like electricity is sky high. People say spokespersons should stop claiming that inflation is going down as there is no hope of any action against unscrupulous market forces because regulators are also part of the problem. — I.H.