People are talking about —

-- the unauthorised creation of plots by illegal housing societies in the right of way of natural streams that cost damages to the life and properties of the residents in Islamabad and the administration's statement that action was being taken against the management of these societies and other state departments responsible. People say five housing societies had been declared illegal by CDA from time to time but a careless attitude, or possible graft, resulted in no action being taken.

-- how the Olympic team of ten persons -- seven men and three women -- were accompanied by as many officials, for which there is no rational reason and in their place more athletes could have attended. People say it is mind boggling that the sports board spends money on the travel of officials but has no funds to support our athletes by giving them proper training and it is shameful that smaller countries have sent bigger contingents than Pakistan.

-- the focus on cricket while other sports have been ignored completely, one such example being of weightlifter Talha Talib, who earned the limelight after he recently came close to a rare Olympic medal as he trained without any backing and encouragement from any official agency or individual. In addition, people say the pride Pakistani viewers felt at seeing Talha’s heroic efforts were dampened when the TV cameras caught a view of his attendant’s borrowed T-shirt. Its logo read ‘Palestine’ and not Pakistan!

-- the various threats that both the federal and provincial governments make from time to time so that the public is motivated to get vaccinated and how they cave in after protests by those who are affected. People say the only threat that worked well was that of countries where the labour force wants to earn an income, so thousands of persons rushed to vaccination centres because they knew they could not enter those countries at any cost.

-- the delayed appointment of presiding judges in three accountability courts in Lahore, as a result of which the hapless accused are either languishing in judicial custody or bearing the agony of a delay in trial. People say they wonder if the relevant ministry has heard of the axiom, ‘justice delayed is justice denied,’ so the matter should be expedited because it is not fair for those who are waiting for a decision, especially if they are not guilty.

-- the news that the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) will complete its feasibility study by the end of this year to identify sites to build ponds for the purpose of recharging groundwater level. People say since water shortage is not a recent reality, the council should have prepared the plan before the monsoons, which have caused flooding in many areas and this water could have been harvested if some kind of reservoirs had been built in time. — I.H.