People are talking about —

— the education crisis and we are wondering what the ‘educated’ class has done for the betterment of the country, as it lacks the skills that come with quality education. People say instead of investing Rs75 billion for the enrolment of 25 million children out-of-school, the government should invest this substantial amount for the purpose of quality education. Once the government ensures quality education, the other problems, such as poverty, unemployment and inflation will be automatically resolved and the country will prosper.

— how the collection of various taxes via electricity bills actually underlines the fact that the government has more faith in private entities to collect taxes. People say the inclusion of taxes in utility bills raises the payable amount within the due date and increases the late payment surcharge. Electricity tariffs have gone up manifold over the last few years due to a variety of reasons and to increase the already high payable amount by including various taxes in bills is unfair.

— the warning by the Saudi authorities regarding the increasing number of beggars from Pakistan going there. It is time for introspection and action as we need to build a Pakistan that is respected abroad not for the hardships of its people but for their skills, resilience, as well as contributions to the global community. People say the government must act punitively against all those involved in begging abroad bringing a bad name to the country and its citizens living there.

— the increase in fraudulent investment schemes promoted through social media platforms which often involve unauthorised groups and individuals falsely claiming to be registered professionals or affiliated with legitimate companies. These gangs use various tactics, including AI technology and impersonation of regulatory bodies, to deceive investors with promises of unrealistic returns and insider tips, as well as garner personal information which can be used for nefarious purposes. To stay informed regularly check the official websites and social media pages of genuine businesses.

— the fact that in most cases authorities act without thorough planning, for instance government agencies spring into action to combat dengue only after adult mosquitoes have emerged as active carriers of the disease. People say the most effective time to intervene is during the breeding season, which begins with the monsoon rains. Once mosquitoes reach adulthood, they become harder to control, hiding in hard-to-reach areas and developing increasing resistance to commonly used insecticides that are applied without adhering to proper guidelines.

— how given the opportunity, our girls can shine at sports. Twin sisters Manisha Ali and Maliha Ali won gold and bronze medals at the 6th Asian Taekwondo Championship in Indonesia. Pakistan’s squash stars Mehwish, Sehrish, and Mahnoor Ali bagged two gold and one silver at the Hungary Junior Open continuing their dominance having previously won gold, silver and bronze at the Danish Junior Open - not forgetting the many successful mountaineers etc., - yet they find themselves overlooked by government authorities.

— amending the constitution than actually living up to its values and principles and protecting the rights it enshrines. Our leaders should pay more attention to problems like the lack of any uniform EOBI registration among our workforce, depriving around 95 per cent of the workforce of the security of even a modest pension. Article 25A of the constitution provides for free and compulsory education for all children aged five to sixteen year but currently, around 26 million children are out of school. —