This is related to last month’s cover story ‘Same Page Saga’. In Pakistan, two parallel political narratives have evolved: one civilian and the other military. The current state of civil-military relations needs to be addressed if the country is to be governed and transformed into a modern democracy. As per its track record, civilian rule in Pakistan has miserably failed to provide better governance. The reasons are endemic poverty and deprivation, massive misuse of public funds and corruption, the patriarchal nature of party politics, and much more. Civil-military relations have become a complicated matter that does not allow for a productive discussion. Hence, the Same-Page phenomenon cannot be taken as a policy imperative.

Fatima Sohail,
Karachi, Pakistan.

Pakistan has been through many ups and downs but Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken several initiatives for the country. One such initiative is Digital Pakistan. A senior Google executive and MIT graduate, Tania Aidrus, is leading the initiative that the Prime Minister has initiated to herald a technologically-driven environment. In an interview with SouthAsia magazine, Tania explained Digital Pakistan as an overarching vision that aims to unlock the potential of Pakistan by architecting the foundations of its digital future. She was of the view that soon a few big successes out of Pakistan will bring regional and global attention to the massive opportunity that exists in the country.

Hafsa Batool,
Lahore, Pakistan.

Labour costs are rising across Asia and Bangladesh is no exception. This has put the textile industry there in a bind, as Western customers, faced with online competition from Amazon and others, are demanding that prices of textiles exported by Bangladesh be kept under control. Garment makers in the country have therefore been forced to make major investments in building safety, following a factory fire that killed 117 in November 2012 and the collapse of a building known as Rana Plaza in April 2013, which left more than 1,100 dead. Since then, Western brands do not buy from Bangladeshi suppliers unless the latter are certified to comply with stringent fire and building safety regulations.

Factories in Bangladesh have grown haphazardly, some even operating on the upper floors of office and residential buildings. Western apparel makers feel more secure buying from countries where manufacturing is better planned and organized. These issues need to be tackled on a long-term basis if Bangladesh is to maintain its position in the world as a major textile garments supplier.

Rahul Deshpande,
Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Tuition centres in Pakistan which were initially meant to be a choice for students have now become a necessity. Previously, tuitions were considered to be providing help to students who were academically behind but now even the brightest of them have succumbed to the routine of unnecessary and pointless tuitions. This is a result of secondary educational institutions changing their teaching methodology which incorporates tuition centres into the mix in a way that omitting them becomes detrimental for the students. The reason for doing this is the promise of profits for institutions due to the increasing number of students. Instead of focusing on a better business model, institutions should shift focus towards providing a more comprehensive and productive experience for students to optimize the system and reserve tuition centres for those who really need them.
Bilal Siddique,
Islamabad, Pakistan.

This is regarding the article ‘Return to Autocracy’ by Taha Kehar about the corruption and nepotism that prevails in the Sri Lankan government. The Rajapaksas have a history of giving key positions to all their siblings, making the clan’s dynastic ambitions more obvious. During their previous regime, nepotism was deeply embedded in the polity and meritocracy was dealt a critical blow. In their second innings, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has won the presidency by exploiting the people’s sentiments. They have elected Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Sri Lankan Prime Minister. He dismantled constitutional provisions that stipulated term limits in his first tenure. Abuse of power and the cycle of bigotry are likely to increase and threaten democratic survival in Sri Lanka as accountability in the Rajapaksa government is hard to expect.
Neha Pensai,
Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The Maldives may be a paradise for tourists but now it has many issues about the environment. These include dwindling freshwater supplies and inadequate sewage treatment. Recent estimates indicate that the nation's water supply may be exhausted in the near future as population increases have created a sanitation problem that threatens the waters surrounding the island nation. Another significant environmental problem is the rise in sea levels due to global warming. The islands are particularly susceptible to flooding. Environmental preservation is complicated by these unique problems that affect a nation consisting of 1,200 islands spread over 510 miles of the Indian Ocean. Preservation of the desert island’s ecology, protection of marine life and coral reefs and coconut tree rehabilitation are additional environmental goals. It is hoped the Maldives government will be up to the task or soon, there will not be a country called Maldives anymore.
Sami Abdur Rehman,
Malé, The Maldives.

Nepal is booming with athletes making a mark for the country. Gaurika Singh, a 17-year old, claimed her second gold at the 13th South Asian Games when she clocked 2 minutes 17.73 seconds to win the women’s 200m backstroke swimming competition. With another top of the podium finish, Singh, who has a new moniker as the ‘Nepali Mermaid’, has become one of the most decorated Nepali athletes at the regional sporting spectacle. She has won two individual gold medals and a team event silver so far. She was appropriately praised by the President of Nepal Swimming Association Ashok Bajracharya. Watching her go from strength to strength, Nepal’s swimming officials cannot help nurturing Olympic hopes.

Milan Sajit,
Kathmandu, Nepal.

The Sindh Excise and Taxation Department doesn’t seem bothered about the suffering and harassment of owners of newly-registered vehicles whose number plates have not been issued for years despite registration. The authorities collect Rs. 1000 upfront at the time of car registration and a challan is issued duly stamped with the statement ‘Original number plates not issued’. According to Mukesh Kumar, Minister of Excise and Taxation in Sindh, thousands of number plates have not been collected and are lying in storage. If this is to be believed, why are number plates not being issued to the existing buyers?
Shabbir Ali,
Karachi, Pakistan.