People are talking about—

— the fact that while the world is making efforts trying to go back to its roots, we are bent on completely eradicating ours, obsessed with the idea of rapid construction, losing the important essence of communities, folk wisdom, and cultural heritage. People say this is another step back for our country which has rich cultural and traditional roots, so considering the pace at which we are ‘developing,’ we could perhaps change its name to the ‘Islamic Republic of Housing Societies of Pakistan.’

— how Changa Manga, a wildlife preserve in Punjab, the largest man-made forest in Pakistan, is being destroyed by the illegal cutting of trees because of a lack of regulation and the absence of guards. People say poachers also hunt the animals in the forest threatening the wildlife population, so the country has already lost many endangered species due to this neglect, and the relevant authorities must take notice of the problem and implement strict laws to protect the forest and wildlife.

— the report that children in all provinces of Pakistan are being exploited socially, morally, mentally and physically due to child labour, which is toxic and harmful to their progress and that of and the nation. People say according to estimates, the majority of children in Pakistan are victims, the major causes being poverty, illiteracy, and the high cost of education, so the government along with other organizations like ILO and SPARC must work effectively to save children from this curse.

— the fact that Pakistan has immense potential to become a strong economy but it is riddled with a range of social issues that are hindering its progress and development, mainly poverty and gender inequality. People say around 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, unable to afford the basic necessities of life, leading to a wide range of problems, including malnutrition, while women are often marginalized preventing them from contributing to growth and development.

— the reports that authorities are looking for a free range for three elephants based in Karachi People say an ideal location is Rani Kot, a remarkable fort and one of the wonders of Sindh, sprawling over mountains and valleys and its walls cover a huge area of 32km; it has two manned gates and a stream. Inside there’s a proper fort, along with tourist facilities, so the fort could become a popular tourist destination for those interested in wildlife and history.

— how unfortunate it is that Pakistanis have a very short memory and any latest news or story of corruption disappears from the screens and is forgotten very quickly and instead of getting punished, the culprits resurface under some other banner to promote their agenda. People say the sanctity of the written word has been compromised and the pen has been replaced by a microphone or a mobile keypad so the outcome has been very negative in almost every sense of the word.

— the suspension of mobile internet services and how it affected e-commerce, online services, home delivery and ride-hailing apps, etc. with the government suffering a loss of Rs570 million in revenue from telecom companies as well as other tax-generating services. People say while this action may have been necessary, the fact is that mobile phones whose service was not suspended have Apps that allow persons to communicate to some extent, so the suspension did not really serve the purpose. — I.H.