In recent times, home delivery services have become a booming industry across Pakistan....
The plight of delivery riders
Dear Editor,
In recent times, home delivery services have become a booming industry across Pakistan. Having food, medicine, makeup, or even bread and eggs delivered to one’s doorstep is such a luxury – that too at such a convenient price. Grocery delivery, which is picking up pace in Pakistan, is still a relatively costly service in a country like Canada where I live; hence, people would rather visit the store themselves.
I am in Islamabad nowadays, and during my evening strolls down the streets of the city, I often see delivery riders waiting and ringing the phones and doorbells of patrons to accept the delivery. Sometimes, they have to call several times before the items are received. As a result, they are made to wait outside longer than necessary, often in harsh weather.
Especially now that winter is coming to an end and summer will soon be upon us, kindly remember to keep your phones close by when expecting a delivery so you can receive it promptly. Also, make sure to have the expected amount ready, along with a tip. Let’s make things a bit easier for these hardworking delivery riders.
Ayesha Pervez, Islamabad
Scholarships for Baloch students
Dear Editor,
Compared to other provinces, Balochistan offers fewer scholarships, leaving many deserving students without the financial support necessary to pursue higher education. Scholarships should be allocated to students indiscriminately. Regrettably, however, there have been instances where scholarships are awarded to individuals with connections, rather than merit. For example, some students who sought guidance from educational authorities found their names omitted from scholarship lists, leading to widespread disillusionment among students across colleges and universities. Even when students excel in scholarship examinations, they are sometimes placed in departments with limited prospects, undermining their potential.
Notably, programmes like the UST scholarship, which are intended to be merit-based, see a disproportionately low number of recipients from Balochistan. Despite over 200 scholarships being available, only about 10 students from Balochistan benefit annually, accounting for a mere 1 percent of the province's student population. This low percentage is partly due to high merit thresholds, especially in fields like medicine, resulting in only 1 to 2 percent of applicants securing these opportunities. Students invest multiple years preparing for these scholarships, and failure to obtain them leads to significant time loss.
I think that the Government of Balochistan must increase the number of scholarships for the province's youth; it is crucial to ensure that deserving students receive the support they need to succeed.
Noman Aslam, Turbat
Editor:
Lubna Khalid
Sub-editor:
Sameen Amer
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