People are talking about —

— the report that preliminary results of the 2023 census show that Pakistan has been growing at an inexplicably high population growth rate since 2017. People say the country’s demographic statistics present an alarming picture and these statistics merit serious introspection and discussion regarding the behavioral patterns of the population, as well as government policies and believing that a higher population size equates with political and economic power, which contradicts evidence that high population growth rates impede economic prosperity.

— how animals are an important part of our world and deserve to be treated in a humane manner but, we appear to have forgotten this as municipal authorities across the country are culling the stray dog population in the most cruel way imaginable despite the fact that there are more humane solutions available. People say the Rabies Free Karachi Project vaccinated 30,000 dogs and neutered over 10,000, a much better way of confronting the rabies problem but the government has not renewed the program.

— the news that traders have reacted sharply to the government’s decision regarding early closure of markets and business premises under its energy conservation plan and have vowed to defy the order in case they are forced to down shutters by 8pm under the energy conservation policy. People say this tactic has been tried before by previous governments and proved to be an exercise in futility as they was unable to enforce the law, especially in crowded localities with small businesses.

— the troubling trend of fake job schemes preying on the desperation of job seekers which are often found on social-media, coming in various forms, including fake advertisements, fraudulent company profiles, scam interviews and requests for payment as processing fees. People say victims invest time, effort and savings into pursuing these fraudulent opportunities, only to realise they have been deceived, eroding their trust in genuine prospects, so this issue should be dealt with effectively by the government and social media platforms.

— how, despite being largely an agrarian country, Pakistan has not been able to meet the local needs related to wheat, a staple food item, and this could be because of many reasons including shrinking production area; a rather sluggish adoption of modern knowhow; lack of incentive; low support price and change in weather patterns. People say just increasing wheat production will not suffice and the authorities will have to curb hoarding, smuggling and black marketing of wheat, and ensure its smooth supply.

— the National Savings System and how it requires expats to physically visit Pakistan in order to invest their money in the country, significantly reducing the value of the investment. People say this is tantamount to telling expats to keep their money where it is and discouraging them from investing in their home country, so a better and more convenient system needs to be evolved whereby this requirement is not compulsory, as this change could

help in bringing investment

into the country.

— how recurring floods are one of the highly negative aspects of the climate change phenomenon, though the human element of the crisis, owing to negligence, lethargy and inefficiency, cannot be denied as it has negative impacts on the vulnerable population, unleashing a vicious cycle of never-ending suffering in the rural areas. People say they had expected the relevant authorities to learn a lesson from past disasters but efficiency and empathy are not the attributes one generally associates with public service departments. — I.H.