The future of Thar

This refers to the article, ‘The wonders of Thar’ (Aug 18), by Dr Ramesh Kumar. It was heartrending to read about the serious issues being face by residents of Thar. A majority of children are dying because of the shortage of food and lack of medical facilities. The region lags behind in almost all fields.

According to the writer, a current study shows that the region has almost 4,045 schools and a total number of teachers at these schools is 5,230. Around 164,974 children attend these schools. On its surface, the numbers are good. However, in reality, thousands of children are unable to even read their name in Sindhi. The chief minister of Sindh must take steps to resolve these issues.

Adnan Dost (Makran)

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The writer has rightly asserted that the Thar Desert has the potential to become the regional hub for peace and prosperity. According to the writer, the mere mention of Thar automatically evokes the image of an underdeveloped, backward, remote and deserted place where newborn children are dying because of famine, hunger and the lack of food. However, with proper planning this region can be turned into a developed one. World history tells us that all positive developments have been made possible through skills for value addition. Some of the characteristics of the people of Thar are that they are honest, hardworking and highly skilled in the art of sewing, stitching and embroidery. So many young people from Thar are working in garment factories in Karachi and tailoring houses in Thar.

To achieve this objective, the following measures must be taken. The government should conduct a comprehensive survey to prepare lists of people from Thar, working in tailoring houses in Thar and garment factories in Karachi. On the basis of survey data, the government should enter into mutually beneficial technical cooperation agreements with the governments of South Korea, Italy and China to establish garment export industry in Mithi, Nagarparkar and other places in Thar. The government should make an effort to get concessions on import duties for products manufactured in Thar that are available to the least developed countries (LDCs). The government should establish special economic zones with power-generating facilities of their own that have the status of export processing zone, in Mithi and Nagarparkar, enabling the investors to import machinery and equipment for garment factories duty free.

Muhammad Essa Jalbani (Karachi)