People are talking about —

— how mere enactment of laws by legislature is not the remedy for instances of rape, harassment, child abuse and other brutalities which are on the rise due to the lack of implementation of laws. People say a thorough screening of all those recruited by the state to serve in the lower judiciary, law enforcement and civil bureaucracy is necessary as they decide the fates of millions and should not have any tolerance for violence and abuse of the underprivileged.

— the fact that despite several laws prohibiting children under fourteen from being employed for any kind of labour, the authorities have failed to curtail incidents of child exploitation and give them protection so they are safe from abuse. People wonder why the government does not take action against those who hire children below this age limit and for how long will the state continue to overlook this serious issue before it puts an end to the menace of child labour?

— the fact that discouraging creativity has permeated the entire social fabric and how we are stifling it in our children who are born to have multiple creative skills, so apart from our rote learning education system, parents are most likely to force their children to opt for subjects that they themselves prefer instead of focusing on what their children desire. People say children should be allowed, if not encouraged, to pursue their dreams, not the wishes of their parents and family members.

— the Punjab government’s prison reforms and the one significant decision in this regard which is the introduction of telephone communication between prisoners and their families for the first time in history. People say denying prisoners the right to talk to their families on the phone not only violated their human rights but also caused distress to their loved ones, so the installation Public Call Office booths in the barracks of women and juvenile prisoners, along with those on death row, is commendable.

— the fact that scams and cheating have become part and parcel of everyday business practices with new ones surfacing regularly, the latest involving mobile phones. People say buyers of brand-new phones should be careful because they find out that these become ‘unregistered,’ preventing them from using local networks after a few days and this is because some of the wholesale vendors are not registered with the PTA, leaving buyers puzzled as to who all are involved in this racket.

— the fact that though the government has increased the minimum wage from Rs25000 to Rs32000 but other than a few well-established companies, most firms do not comply. People say many companies are still paying some of their employees less than the old minimum wage, which is a crime, so the government must ensure that the minimum wage regulation is actually implemented by all companies so that struggling workers are not deprived of their rights in this time of high inflation.

— the distressing report that the number of suicide cases is rising, with frustration, depression, anxiety, harassment, exploitation, forced marriages, drug addiction and social transformation being some of the many reasons why individuals resort to such an extreme step. People say besides these issues, many youngsters have ended their lives due to forced marriages, domestic conflicts and unemployment, so parents need to change their mindset and the government should mitigate the problems of the poor instead of increasing its own perks and privileges. —