People are talking about —

-- how the growing number of suicides in Balochistan has become a serious concern, while the fact that younger persons are more involved in such cases than their elders is alarming. People say though there may be several factors behind these cases like unemployment, childhood trauma, depression, etc., it is the intensity rather than the problem itself that is causing such inescapable darkness in young minds, so the province needs to establish a team of experts to look into the issue.

-- the news that on a petition against the release of a Pakistani motion picture film that has been the subject of unnecessary debate, the SHC’s division bench said that unnecessary censorship suffocates a society, stifling its creativity and growth, while also observing that they were confident that Islam, being the great global religion that it is, is strong enough to withstand a cinematic work portraying a purely fictional account. People say it is heart-warming to hear such wise words.

-- the unbridled construction of high-rise buildings in the town of Karimabad in Hunza which will soon lose all its charm, not to say anything about the view which is one of the main reasons tourists from all over the world want to visit this beautiful place. People say in their greed for filling their coffers, developers are building higher structures to accommodate the growing number of local tourists who do not care enough about preserving Hunza’s natural beauty.

-- the many thousands of tax cases involving an amount of Rs2.611 trillion which are pending in different courts according to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) data which was revealed after the Senate Standing Committee on Finance gave the FBR 15 days for submitting the details of cases awaiting adjudication in various courts. People say this is a cause of great concern as the delay in settling tax cases was causing a huge revenue loss which could be avoided through timely decisions.

-- the Punjab government's initiative to introduce sports tournaments at the college level, a much-needed step since despite having one of the largest youth populations, we lag behind in youth sports. People say initiatives like these allow us to catch up to other countries and also enable our young people to live healthier lives as sports teach the importance of unity, discipline, hard work and much more, which is beneficial for one’s physical well-being and teaches skills that benefit both studies and careers.

-- the floods which destroyed Ghulam Mustafa Jarwar village located in Sindh which has remained submerged since then, so its residents who had been evacuated are unable to go back to their homes. People say the situation in relief camps is miserable owing to the lack of health facilities causing a number of diseases to spread, yet no official has visited the villagers and nobody appears to worry as to how long it will take for life to get back to routine.

-- the lack of awareness that makes the public afraid of being income tax filers as it is considered to be a trap. People say the government needs a comprehensive awareness policy about the rules and regulations of income tax returns that will eventually increase the number of filers, assure them that it is neither a trap nor a strenuous exercise and unless this awareness is raised, the revenue is not likely to increase - in fact a shortfall in overall revenue may occur. – I.H.