People are talking about —

a— the fact that many of our hospitals are in a sorry state; lack many facilities and are often understaffed, with whatever staff serving seemingly untrained and unprofessional, so patients suffer and a trip to the hospital becomes an ordeal. People also complain that there are some cases where even doctors do not live up to the standards one expects of medical professionals and the health authorities have not taken meaningful steps to improve the situation for suffering citizens.

— the archaic and bureaucratic practice of asking four million customers to visit National Savings branches every month. People say two reforms could solve the problem while enabling the department to cut down its expenses - every customer should be asked to choose one of the three options - a bank transfer; mobile payments, or self-collection. For those choosing any of the first two options, the monthly profit should be sent directly and automatically to their respective accounts, with no visit to any branch.

— that celebrating ‘Culture Day’ is meant to express unity, appreciation and respect for one’s culture but instead a display of aggression, guns and negative acts are displayed, leading us to wonder what lessons are being taught by such behaviour. Instead of engaging in such activities, we can foster a sense of community and cultural pride by shifting the focus from aggression to positive engagement so we can truly honor and preserve our cultural identity in an inclusive and meaningful manner.

— how parent-teacher meetings are proving to be counterproductive in an educational system like the one we have, especially when parents are educated enough to point out discrepancies in the method of teaching in the institution. People say given the low levels of education and qualification of teachers at most schools, when parents complain against poor checking of homework notebooks; wrong answers or capability gap between the dictated notes and students calibre, the teachers take it as an attack on their ego.

— the privatisation of critical infrastructure and how it raises concerns about national security and control, because entrusting essential sectors to private entities, driven by profit motives, can pose risks to the nation’s sovereignty and stability. People say as a society we must reconsider the implications of privatization, striving for a balance that put the good of the public first, while recognising the importance of efficiency, while safeguarding essential services and infrastructure for the collective benefit of all members of society.

— the reality that the rich biodiversity of the nation is under severe threat, with numerous species facing the risk of extinction because of deforestation and the clearing of land for agriculture and human settlement, which leads to habitat loss for the animals, while hunting and poaching has also led to a significant decrease in their population. People say the government, environmental organizations and citizens need to unite and implement strong conservation strategies since this natural heritage is at stake.

— the World Bank report pointing out the sad fact that Pakistan’s development has disproportionately benefited the elite class and the country’s progress in terms of poverty reduction has reversed because of the price hike of utility services and consumer goods, making it difficult for the working classes to manage their household expenses. People say the solution lies in curtailing privileges of the elite with a more equitable system that will help to facilitate poverty alleviation and make life better for all citizens. — I.H.