People are talking about —

— the fact that while Parliament undoubtedly has the power to make laws it has no power to change the basic structure of the constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression as a basic right of the citizens. People say the more the citizens are gagged their frustration will grow, especially in those who are responsible for keeping checks and balances on the wrong doing and poor performance of not only the government but everyone that controls’ the destiny of the country.

— the government’s alarming proposal to close the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST) as it risks dismantling a vital pillar of Pakistan’s scientific and technological framework. The PCST has significantly contributed to advancing science, technology and innovation in the country despite the challenges it faces, including leadership instability, resource shortages, limited autonomy and lack of funding, so addressing these issues and upgrading its status should take precedence instead of closing the institution.

— how the country is experiencing a mounting environmental and public health crisis owing to inadequate waste management because mountains of organic waste in landfills release methane – a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide – having a considerable effect on climate change. Our outdated waste treatment systems are not equipped to handle the ever-increasing volumes of garbage, leading to unsanitary conditions, water contamination, and disease and the responsibility lies not only with the government, it also lies on us as individuals.

— betting apps and how they prey on human psychology, offering small initial wins to hook users, lead them to addiction and substantial financial losses, resulting in strained relationships, mounting debts and even mental health issues. Furthermore, the legal ambiguity surrounding these apps allows them to operate freely, often without oversight and many of these platforms are linked to fraudulent activities, draining money from unsuspecting users and sending it out of the country, contributing to economic losses.

— the fact that many public service companies/ins­titutions refuse to accept the signed waiver from 65-year-old persons, stating that their CNIC had expired. As per existing regulations, individuals aged 65 years or above do not need to obtain lifetime validity of their CNICs even if the expiry date mentioned on their CNIC has already passed. Heads of public service companies are advised to instruct and train their employees to read the relevant notifications carefully before harassing senior citizens.

— the transfer of the officer who reported that influential persons, builders and the land mafia have acquired government land that is worth billions in many districts of Sindh through forgery; bribery and tampering of official revenue records. People say according to highly placed sources, the ruckus over the report was created as the provincial government is under intense pressure from the powerful land mafia to stop the inquiries into land grabbing of state land and this is why the official has been removed.

— the sad fact that our post offices are outdated and wear a deserted look because their way of operating has not changed with time. People say in many countries post offices are hubs of activity processing mail; parcels and even sell small items which can be purchased or sent as gifts right there and then. These places are outsourced but under a general authority; do good business and are manned by a small team of friendly and efficient staff. — I.H.