Celebrate wisely

The independence day of Pakistan is near and the celebrations have already started. Vendors selling flags, badges and balloons at small stalls can be seen at various places across the country. These celebrations are part of our beautiful and unique culture and must be encouraged since they promote our national spirit. Among these celebrations, the use of fireworks is a thing to be worried about. Fireworks can contribute to the spread of pollution. They can terrify or harm animals and, if not handled properly, can cause fire which can lead to a large-scale destruction. They can also cause harm to people having respiratory, auditory, and especially cardiac diseases, and can cause severe burns if mishandled.

Every problem can be tackled by a solution, and so can be the above mentioned possible dangers. Children must be kept in supervision and must not be allowed to handle the fireworks. An open, flat site, as far as possible from residences, clear of flammable material, including dry grass, debris, wood, trees, bushes, and fossil fuels of any kind, etc., would be appropriate for fireworks. The larger role needs to be played by elder members of the house as their measures – in this case – would be more effective than that of the government’s.

Mian Talha Zahid (Islamabad)