People are talking about—

— the horrifying news that the plaza mafia is planning to demolish the 85 years old Quaid-e-Azam House in Peshawar as Director of KP Archaeology department has said that the house was built in 1940, so as per KP Antiquities Act it is not yet hundred years old. People say it does not matter how old the house is but what value it holds as a heritage site and such buildings should not be demolished without taking that into account.

— the alarming trend of renting out many parks in Lahore for wedding events People say parks are shared public spaces that are used for exercise and various recreational activities and they are common assets of society, serving the purpose of reducing pollution; enhancing biodiversity and providing a window to citizens to escape from stressful urban life. Parks should not only be safeguarded from commercialism but should be given special attention to make them more beautiful and accessible to the public.

— The alarming surge in daily motorcycle theft is creating unrest among the people of Rohri. Despite several complaints, the authorities have failed to curb the rising menace. Most incidents occur in the night, between 8pm and 10pm, when there is load shedding in the town. There is a need for strict police patrols, better surveillance systems, and penalties for the offenders. It is time law-enforcement agencies prioritised public safety and took a decisive action to restore peace and security.

— honour killings, a dangerous and deeply harmful action that continues to claim the lives of thousands of women every year, not only violating human rights but also keeping gender inequality and violence alive in society and often happen when a woman chooses her own partner; seeks a divorce or refuses to follow strict traditions. People say to stop this menace, the government must make stricter laws, punish those responsible severally; educate the public about women’s rights and provide better protection for victims.

— the ban on kite flying and the fact that the passion and enthusiasm surrounding Basant, though undeniably beautiful, cannot overshadow the responsibility towards the safety of citizens. Kite flying, if done safely, is an inexpensive recreational activity and one alternative to the ban, as well as the defiant attitude of enthusiasts, is strictly limiting where kites can be flown to ensure that errant strings cannot go anywhere near motorcyclists; other persons; property and infrastructure that kite strings can harm.

— the main issues plaguing agriculture and how these problems can be resolved by adopting different strategies and implementing reforms. Experts say the use of technology; high quality and climate resilient seeds and improved agricultural markets; reducing farmers’ crop price risks; encouraging contract farming; increasing farmers’ financial liquidity; adopting dynamic remote sensing processing are essential steps. These measures will resolve its agricultural challenges and ensure the sector’s growth and sustainability.

— the fact that in this day and age, when technology has made many things easier, our authorities are still using old fashioned methods for verification etc., People wonder, for instance, why it is not possible for our traffic police to have driving license and car registration verified online through a simple link with the relevant departments, or that we can keep a photocopy of documents in the vehicle. In case they are lost or stolen, as the process of lodging an FIR and other legal matters are not easy to deal with. I.H.