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Tuesday March 19, 2024

People are talking about —

July 21, 2019

-- the news that a team of scientists in Islamabad has been able to isolate a species of mold capable of breaking down at least one type of plastic and the fact that it did not get much media attention, although it is a big breakthrough in the battle against plastic. Pakistan generates about 48.5 million tons of solid waste yearly, most of it plastic and this is a problem since plastic takes a long time to decompose, so the discovery needs to be appreciated.

-- the increasing cases of polio being reported around the country and the fact that there is not enough effort being made to counter the propaganda against vaccination - the only way to control the virus. While the present management has stated that data on vaccination was ‘manipulated’ by previous governments and if the numbers were correct there would not have been a spike in cases, they should stop the blame game and step up efforts to convince parents that vaccinations are necessary.

-- the Model Criminal Courts (MCC) and their good performance in the short time they have functioned, which is a blessing for those who have access to them. People say many citizens do not go to regular courts for justice because of the lengthy process of fighting a case, whereby litigants have to wait for years for a case to be resolved, while MCCs are applying the latest mechanism and information technology for swift disposal of murder trials and narcotics related cases.

-- the appalling scenes shown on the electronic media of Lahore and Rawalpindi cities after heavy rainfall and how they looked like a downtrodden version of Venice with water flowing on the roads and streets. People say those who claim that they have built good roads should take a look at the mess that has resulted from improper planning as no drainage system has been installed anywhere and citizens have to flounder around in dirty water until it recedes naturally.

-- the shocking statistics on the growing population of the country and how an action plan is needed on controlling this trend as it will create major problems as time goes by. People say the mindset that more children are necessary to ensure that aged parents are looked after should be debunked as in this day and age it’s happening less frequently, so parents should be encouraged to save for their old age instead of depending on their offspring.

-- the winning of the Parliamentary Cricket World Cup by the Pakistani team and how it did not create even an iota of interest or excitement in any quarter, which is somewhat disappointing for those who made up the team. People say while there was an uproar by political opponents that the PTI was spending money on this ‘foolish’ event and a clarification that team members went on their own expense, it is after all a win and should be acknowledged. — I.H