Timely Cover Story

Probably no one thought about this but your cover story on Battle for the Punjab was timely and relevant. The Punjab is Pakistan’s biggest province in terms of population and it can be said that without the Punjab, there is not much else. Even the Pakistan armed forces are based on a majority of Punjabis. It can, therefore, be said that who rules the Punjab, rules Pakistan. When the PTI swept the by-lections, it came as a real shock for the main ruling party of the Punjab, namely the PML-N, which thought no other force could make a dent in their dominance of the province. They are so piqued now that they want rule of the province back - by hook or by crook!

Zawar Hussain,
Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Challenge and Opportunity

The effects of the twin phenomena El Niño and El Paso on the environment were forecast four or five decades. Responsible nations took suitable steps to mitigate the challenges. In Pakistan, however, we are still fighting for Kalabagh and other direly needed projects. Dams would have helped fight this natural catastrophe and lessen its harmful effects.

Let us open our eyes and start working sensibly as the climate change is not going to go away. The recent deluge is due to cloud burst and is recurrently happening in little time lags.

The threat of current rainfall and floods with computer-aided permutations was worked out in relevant quarters but the government did not pay much heed.

An economic loss of 13 billion dollars has been worked out. This gives a very good understanding of the tragedy and the loss in the kind of effort required to undertake the resettlement plan. It would be very useful if it is also highlighted that during this catastrophe, an amount of approximately 35 MAF of water, equivalent to six or seven Tarbela or Kalabagh dam projects would be ultimately lost to the Arabian Sea. 35 MAF is roughly worth 100 billion dollars of economic value. Therefore, the nation must shun the political differences and rise to the challenge by urging the government to start constructing Kalabagh and all other reservoir projects, already identified but lying in cold storage. It is reemphasized that Pakistan is fast becoming a water starved country, though a huge resource in the shape of glaciers and now the changing trend of increased rain water is available.

Proper mapping and construction of dams would solve the bigger problem of water scarcity in the country. This challenge provides opportunity to solve rapidly depleting water table in Baluchistan, Sindh and lower Punjab. This challenge can be used to create an opportunity for solving the water scarcity problem just knocking at the door.

Khalid W Khan,
Atlanta, USA.

Great Serial

In a space of 10 years, 'Friends' became one of the most popular TV series in history. It tells the story of the sometimes complicated, and always funny, everyday lives of six close friends - Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, and Joey. In all, 236 episodes were produced, all of which can be watched on Netflix. Monica’s neurosis, Rachel’s passion for fashion, Joey’s charming stupidity, Chandler’s sarcastic jokes, Ross’s bad luck stricken love life, Phoebe’s timeless songs such as Smelly Cat... Each character has their unique qualities. Friends' fans essentially grew up with these characters, often relating to them and their complicated, crazy lives. Despite the humour and sarcasm that mark the series, each Friends episode essentially ends with a life lesson. “I’ll be there for you (‘ Cause you’re there for me too)”... It’s impossible to mention Friends without mentioning these iconic lyrics, which I’m sure we’ve all heard a few hundred times. This refrain from The Rembrandts, written exclusively for Friends and composed by Allee Willis, who passed away on 24th December 2019, is still stuck in our heads even 17 years later. Only a few hours after the song’s completion, the Friends cast filmed the opening scene, which was shot in the heart of Warner Bros Studios. A great serial indeed!

Ghufran Ahmed,
Lahore, Pakistan.

Innings to Remember

What an inning! Have you ever witnessed each and every member of the national team contributing his bit towards making a collective cricketing suicide? Starting from the best player and captain (he has been rather persistent in making a hash of his talent during the just concluded Asia Cup in UAE), almost every member of his team made sure to follow the leader and tumbled and fumbled in a hurry to get back to the pavilion, enabling the Sri Lankans to lift the coveted trophy.

They say winning and losing is part of the game, but it added to the depression being suffered by fellow countrymen on account of the dirty game their leaders are playing on the political grounds, at the same time trying desperately to save their and their family’s life from drowning in the deluge sent by Mother Nature. The debacle in the UAE only added to their pain.

S.M. Shahid,
Karachi, Pakistan.

OTT Blessing

Media services have not become popular overnight or just in one year due to Covid-19 pandemic. But the impact of OTT platforms in the Hollywood film industry has been for a decade. OTT or Over-The-Top media platforms are now almost the best way we stream new shows online. The main reason OTT platforms have become so popular is that viewers can directly access these platforms on the go. Since you can access these platforms from your mobile or laptop, you don’t need to find a television set to watch your favourite TV show. All you need is a stable internet connection, and you are good to go. OTT content is delivered to your hardware devices through the internet, and there is no hassle for cable connections or broadcasting channels.

A decade ago, everyone in a family used to gather and sit together in front of the TV to watch whatever was showing on the channel. But today, you can choose your own show and device where you want to stream content with your group. The most wanted names in OTT platforms are Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus. But there are also some other streaming platforms that regularly provide viewers with new content.

Muhammad Yusuf,
Islamabad, Pakistan.

Checks and Balances

A recent investigation has revealed 840 cases of fake degrees in state-owned enterprises. It is a matter of great concern that fake and bogus degrees are ruling over qualified, deserving minds of the nation. There is a reason why our beloved Pakistan is in the condition it is in today.

When worthless people with fake degrees are given positions of power in the governing bodies of the country it erupts and implodes as a result of socio-economic injustices in society. This in turn creates a trickle-down effect and urges people to adopt unfair means, even for getting their legitimate rights. Institutions are selling fake degrees by charging heavy sums of money and the same degrees are being cashed to grab high profile positions at prestigious institutions. This unjust practice is one of the top drivers of stagnant growth. Corruption in every matter has become our way of life. Such immoral and unlawful tactics have taken on the status of a social custom and is considered a tool to achieve vested interests.

A foolproof system of checks and balances must be adopted at all levels to ensure institutional reforms. Only then will institutions be strong enough to pave the way for the development of a nation that has long been suffering.

Yusuf Raza,
Multan, Pakistan.