People are talking about —

 
December 15, 2019

-- the lawyers assault on a hospital and how it has shocked onlookers not only at home but all over the world as indicated by remarks on social media. People say the fact that a number of senior lawyers are defending their colleagues is like pouring oil on flames and even if the lawyers were provoked by the irresponsible behaviour of some doctors, they should have resorted to other means of protest instead of destroying a medical facility where patients were under treatment.

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-- the lengthy discussions on all forums about whether the rich and powerful -- who have been incarcerated and suddenly get afflicted with a mysterious illness -- should be given special treatment and be released on bail, while underprivileged prisoners who are suffering from cancer linger on in crowded conditions despite having appealed to be released on medical grounds. People say an unjust society differentiates between the haves and have not’s and there needs to be a change in this mindset.

-- the accountability process and whether it will yield positive results or just be something that makes headlines and scandalous news items then fizzles out. People say how can a system work or deliver justice when investigating officers are forced to vitiate the case and if they refuse, they are either transferred on demoted on flimsy charges by persons in power, who try to coerce decent and upright officers not to follow the law and let the wrongdoers go unpunished.

-- the video going viral on social media which shows a student carrying a revolver while riding pillion on a motor bike to go to school. People are shocked to see this open display of arms by an underage person who was obviously given permission by an elder person in the family and they wonder what effect this foolishness, or show of false bravado, has had on the boy and whether he was allowed inside the school premises?

-- the news that a minor girl was stoned to death by order of a ‘jirga’ in a remote area of the country and how the electronic media sensationalized the case on hearsay and without ascertaining the facts. After exhumation, the medical board has already ruled out stoning as the cause of death and the reason why she lost her life has still to be established, so there should be a proper mechanism whereby media persons make certain of the veracity of their news.

-- how the growing number of resorts along the fringes of the Margalla National Park are destroying their ecology and what are the steps being taken to control this unlawful development that has been sanctioned by the civic authorities on political pressure by members of previous governments. People say the purpose of having rules and regulations is to see that such infringements do not take place and is there anyone who is willing to order action against these developments? -- I.H.

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