People are talking about —

— the resilient spirit of the devotees of the shrine that witnessed a terror attack which took the lives of so many of their fellowmen with a view to cause chaos and panic among the simple folk who patronise Sufi shrines. People say it was heartening to see the devotees back in full force as soon as they were allowed to enter the shrine in defiance of those who wanted to frighten them away by their cowardly act.

— the defacing of the murals of 'women of substance' painted on the walls of the KPC and how it indicates the unreasonable dislike some individuals have of women who are empowered. People say the walls were painted to pay tribute to women and men who have contributed to the betterment of society as a whole and to paint hate speech over the faces of the women shows a lack of confidence and fear that women will excel.

— the case of the disappearing lake and how it may soon sink into oblivion if the government does not get over its apathy and take steps to bring back its former glory. People say Haleji Lake is a man made reservoir for water; the biggest sanctuary for birds in Asia and a source of livelihood by fishing for the local population but it is neglected and there is no upkeep of the resources that had made it a favourite picnic and recreation spot.

— the brave young woman from KPK who has defied the traditional concepts of what a female can or cannot do by organising street theatre to highlight social issues faced by women in her hometown. The initiative by this young woman and her team ought to be recognised and encouraged as she has received a tremendous response from the people who are being made aware of how to deal with the issues they face.

— the lack of a paramedic system in the country and how the government should concentrate on making it functional just like it in many countries around the world. People say state of the art hospitals and thousands of doctors are not enough to run a healthcare system since it ignores the needs of those living in far-flung and inaccessible areas where paramedics could go and deal with those who need medical attention for their common illnesses.

— the women's football team and how it is neglected but continues to prosper, mainly because the girls are determined not to let all their hard work go to waste because of a social environment that tends to keep women away from the sporting field. People say that the women's team which only came on the international scene a few years ago is surprisingly ranked better than the more experienced men's side and must be supported by officials and fellowmen. — I.H.