Letters to the Editor (February 2019)

The Lost Humanity

Humanity plays a great role in bonding the humans together but sadly to say that no state of the world is willing to give due respect to humanity and human rights. It is no secret that in today’s world, we can find people but we can’t find humanity in them. If today humanity would exist in the world, thousands of people would not die in Palestine, Myanmar, Kashmir and other areas and regions. The peace of the world is lost because a woman is not safe even in her own house, children fear going to schools, men are brutally murdered, there is no security of human life, and because of a prevailing sense of insecurity, people are afraid of leaving their homes. It is a dream which we wish to be fulfilled in the near future.

It is high time we worked for humanity because if we do so today, our upcoming generation will not face these problems tomorrow.

Durdana Shakeel (Turbat, Kech)

The New CJ and the Challenges

In the recent past, horrific tragedy of Model Town, cold-blooded murder of the young Shahzeb Khan, stabbing 23 times of a law student Khadija, manufactured, fake encounter of Naqibullah Mehsud, brutal assassination of Ali Raza Abidi, and most recently, the fatal shooting of four people in front of kids by CTD officials: these are the incidents that raise some thought-provoking questions that are yet to be addressed as where we, as a society, are going. Even if we don’t doubt the intention of CTD officials, what about their professionalism? These harrowing incidents depict how broken is our judicial system, and how critically it needs a radical reform.

Excessive judicial activism – always uncalled for – coupled with outdated procedural methods, unnecessary litigation, paucity of erudite judges, increase in population, chronic backlog and frequent adjournments are some of the causes that have brought our ailing judicial system to the brink of collapse.

It is earnestly hoped that Honourable Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, the new Chief Justice of Pakistan, will live up to his words that he wanted to build dam against fake cases and return the debt of old cases. To take the task by horns, he will have to devise a pragmatic and forward-looking approach in tandem with the legislature and executive for fast dispensation of justice.

For this, incorporating e-system, increasing number of the judges, updating procedural method, time-bound hearings, effective legislation, avoiding judicial activism and discouraging unnecessary litigations are the measures that should be implemented to ensure speedy justice to all.

Aamir Khan Wagan (Larkana)

Educational Policies

Since its inception, Pakistan has suffered from various problems in the sector of education. However, the country adopted its first education policy that was presented by the Sharif Commission on Education (1959). But, unfortunately, the Commission could not complete its tasks due to ineffective administration and management. No doubt, the policy was really relevant, and if adopted properly, it could have been very efficient for education in Pakistan. Later, some other policies were also introduced between 1970s and 1990s, but they remained largely unsuccessful in achieving the goals set therein. And, what could be more solid evidence that the fact that the educational sector in Pakistan is still in a steep decline. Like other developed nations, Pakistan should prioritize its education. Apt management, oriented schedule, technical and modern equipment, proper training and other necessary tools are the need of the hour, if we want to improve the bad condition of education. The country needs to follow the pathway of developed countries.

Wajahat Ali Abro (Shikarpur)

Build Bridges, Not Walls

It is well known to all that managing migration has become a political tension all over the world. However, there is constant discussion in USA on how to control migration and how to stop the immigrants who are coming from different parts of the world. As the incumbent President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, has said he wants to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico, since several people from Mexico have entered the America illegally. However, the United States is not the only country facing the challenges of migration, Pakistan has also hosted some seven million Afghan refugees over four decades, and still up to two million remain in the country.

Since the debate on the impact of refugees on a country’s economy is not settled yet, it is hard to predict whether the migration can be beneficial for the host country’s economy. However, one thing is clear; if Europe is a developed region today, it is mainly because migrants played a significant role in that through their hard work. Our very own overseas Pakistanis are almost eight million in number spread all over the world, with over four million in the Middle East, one and a half million in UK, close to half a million in USA, and sizeable numbers in many European countries. So, migration has got a multitude of positive results. So, it is high time the walls be converted into bridges for people to migrate internationally.

Nizar Jan (Turbat)