People are talking about —

-- the shocking news that dozens of pilots with fake degrees have been flying planes of the national carrier and how this seems improbable but if it’s true then a judicial enquiry should establish whose tenure/government these pilots were inducted. Now it has become the biggest scandal in aviation history and even genuine, trained Pakistani pilots are facing shame and suspicion which does not bode well for the country, which already has the reputation of being corrupt.

-- the continuous point scoring by the opposition over government actions, especially by the Sindh government, over the virus pandemic and how it does not behove an established political party to behave in such a manner just for the sake of political expediency. People say it would be better if the opposition also exhibits a greater sense of responsibility towards the general public when the country is facing economic hardships and fighting a pandemic.

-- the news that some teenagers are committing suicide after failing a challenge in an online game, as well as the fatal accidents that take place while filming videos for the popular Tik Tok videos. People say surely there must be some way to block/ censor internet content that is put out by greedy and uncaring game developers and has such an adverse effect on teenagers that it makes them desperate enough to take their own lives.

-- the news that both the PM and the President have cut the expenditure of the PM’s secretariat and the presidency by over fifty per cent and how they have set an example which other persons in high places could follow so that the money saved could be used for a better purpose. People say it’s sad to think that previous rulers in these positions lived lavish lifestyles, while always shouting at the top of their voices that they were worried for the underprivileged.

-- the Karachi Circular Railway revival project which includes the transformation of the old Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) into a mass transit system, covering an estimated distance of 50 kilometres. People say the railway land that had been encroached on during the tenures of previous governments has not been recovered in its entirety as yet, despite the courts orders, so who will be responsible if the project stalls because of this lax attitude of the provincial government.

-- the anomalies existing in the civil pension system of the country and how they need to be streamlined so that the government as well as those who are truly deserving benefit. People say there are many cases where a pensioner has left this world; his beneficiary (if any) has also departed for his/her eternal abode but the families are claiming their pensions by false means and underhand dealing with those who dole out funds with no questions asked. – I.H.