People are talking about —

— the fact that despite the orders of the supreme court, trees are still being chopped in many parts of Islamabad and no one appears to care, except for a few environmentalists. The courts are usually busy and do not have time to check whether all their orders are being obeyed, while the concerned department of the civic authority says that widening roads is part of the original plan and is adamant in going ahead with the cutting.

— the threats being received by barbers in KP to stop trimming beards and how these have resurfaced after many years of letting them do their work according to the wishes of the customers. People say this is probably either because the provincial government is not serious about ensuring the safety of its citizens, or it is sympathetic towards those who issue threats of dire circumstances if their threats are not taken notice of.

— the rise in prices of petroleum products and the after effect which has increased the prices of consumer items, especially those which are bought on a daily basis. While rulers and the elite are not affected, the general public has now been burdened with additional expenses and has to tighten its already tight belt even further to make ends meet. People say it’s a political tactic and prices will come down before elections to win votes for the incumbent party.

— the hype over the election for senate seats and how wheeling and dealing have been going on for the past few weeks, with rumours and innuendos providing grist for the mill of public discussion and debate. People say it is interesting to watch the power play going on between political parties; the manner in which old rivals become new friends; the promises made and broken and how nothing is certain until the voting takes place to keep everyone guessing.

— the Malam Jabba Ski Festival and how it was welcomed by residents of the area and local tourists, both of which attended in considerably large numbers despite the biting cold. People say the resort has been a victim of bad luck combined by a lack of will by the government to make this beautiful spot a tourist attraction and this is a step in the right direction to make the festival an annual event that will attract foreign tourists.

— the hoopla over the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and how aficionados of other sports lament the fact that games like hockey and squash, of which we were world champions at one time, are more or less ignored by those who have the power to do something about the decline in their level of excellence. People say while it’s heartening that cricket keeps us on the world map of sports, efforts should be made to regain our glory in these other games.

— the sad fact that our police force is politicized and cannot perform its duties according to its mandate and the oath it has taken, so much so, that police personnel who are under investigation are absconding and cannot be found because rumour has it that some force other than theirs is helping them. People say because of this and other incidents reported by the vigilant media, this force is not trusted by the general public to solve their problems.