This is related to your December 2019 cover story on the topic ‘Who Owns Karachi?’. Karachi was known as the cleanest city in Asia, most commonly the city of lights and also the largest Muslim city in the world. Today, it has become a governance nightmare as neither the city government nor the provincial government is willing to take ownership of what is Pakistan’s largest metropolis. The city has been left rudderless leaving its population of over 2 million surviving on its own. Karachi used to be the capital of the country until 1960 and continues to be Pakistan’s commercial and industrial capital. It has grown at a very fast pace and its problems have also multiplied. In my view, Karachi and its problems need ownership as the city cannot be left to survive on its own.
Fahim Ahmed,
Karachi, Pakistan.

It gives me immense pleasure to express my gratitude for the kind of work SouthAsia magazine is doing. I can’t thank it enough for interviewing Dr Farrukh Iqbal, the Executive Director of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, who is a gem of a person. Being a current student of IBA, it felt great to see him in the magazine, sharing his views regarding the institution, his tenure at the centre and some future plans. Talking about his journey, Dr Iqbal was of the view that he had advanced initiatives started by hispredecessor, Dr. Ishrat Hussain, along with setting some new initiatives of his own. He had a guiding role in a great social and intellectual transformation. He also emphasised the lack of schools producing good managers and leaders that could take Pakistan forward.

Amna Ilyas,
Karachi, Pakistan.

With each passing day, people who can write with veracity are decreasing in numbers but your magazine dares to unveil the bleak face of the society. After reading the article ‘Paradise Lost’ in which you discussed the kidnapping of Maldivian journalist Ahmed Rilwan, I can say that you are making attempts to uncover facts. We should not remain silent and should speak in favour of human rights and against deadly corruption, just like Rilwan did. But his endeavours to fight corruption and unlawful decisions cost him his life. I hope you are still ambitious enough to unveil more hidden facts. Your work is praiseworthy and I wish you the best of luck and expect that people belonging to your fraternity will continue to work hard.
Asfer Sajjad
Multan, Pakistan.

The Indian grab of Jammu and Kashmir and endless atrocities against the people have constantly been confirmed by numerous independent watchers of human rights. There are continued reports about rising human rights violations and the killing and maiming of Kashmiri men, women and children over the recent past. Many concerned quarters around the world and major international media have urged the UN to take decisive action but nothing seems to budge.

In fact, it looks like the killings and the cruelties against the Kashmiris are a matter of tradition for the Indian army. Children and women are abused and Indian security forces conduct extrajudicial executions and disappearances and rape women all the time. These human rights violations are being carried out under total freedom and without any punishment. For the world, it seems there are other expediencies that prevent it from taking any action against India for this continuing mayhem.

Mukhtar Ahmed,
New Jersey, USA.

There have been reports that Pakistan’s economy is reviving but, in my opinion, things have to go a long way before it can be said with any conviction that the economy has really been put back on rails.

For the moment, Pakistan’s economic growth is expected to decelerate to 3.4 percent in FY19 and 2.7 percent in FY20, as fiscal and monetary policies are tightened to address macroeconomic imbalances. Domestic demand is expected to contract while at the same time export growth will be gradual. On the supply side, services growth is projected to decline while the agriculture and industrial sectors will grow at a significantly lower rate. Remittances flows are likely to support the current account balance in 2020.

To unleash Pakistan’s export potential, the government’s finance team needs to implement an ambitious range of reforms that can improve exports. Efforts should include trade liberalization, spurring entrepreneurship and equipping citizens with the skills they need to compete in the global market.
Saeed Ahmed,
Karachi, Pakistan.

Planting trees is a quick and cost-effective way of trying to tackle the climate crisis. In 2019, many young people got fired up about the climate crisis like never before. In September, children in 150 countries took part in a Global Climate Strike. Led by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, four million protesters joined and called for urgent action to stop runaway climate change, while an estimated 100,000 people attended a rally in Central London. The coming generation will never forgive us if we fail to curb our reliance on fossil fuels. A survey of 1,000 eight to 16-year-olds revealed that almost eight in ten children worry about climate change at least once a month. That’s why the #PlanTree campaign is so vital. It aims to plant 12 million trees – one sapling for every child. Children around the world are crying out for change and in 2020 we must honour them by making tree-planting an urgent priority.
Mushan Ahmed,
Addu City, Maldives.

This is about the tribute to Stephen Cohen titled ‘A Sane Voice Goes Silent’ in your December issue. Cohen left the world at the age of 83. He was an American political scientist and professor of South Asian Security Studies. He was one of those few Americans who were best known in India and Pakistan for his objective analysis of the region’s security options. His 21-year association with Brookings Institute earned him the title of senior fellow emeritus in 2017. He wrote several books and papers on security and foreign policy in South Asia and was among America’s 500 most influential people in foreign affairs. He also trained and mentored many leading analysts and security strategists during his 50-year career. It’s true - the world has lost a gem.
James Andrew,
Chicago, Illinois.