Necessary Antibiotics
his is with reference to the cover story that appeared in the December 2023 issue of SouthAsia. In all countries, elections are fought based on performance and delivery. However, in Pakistan, institutions are openly criticized for no good reason, and in the given scenario political stability cannot be brought even after the elections. Coordination is essential among the institutions as it leads to the political and economic stability in the country. Unfortunately, it has become a fashion to criticize the institutions on behalf of some political parties, a deplorable trend that needs to be stopped.
Safdar Advocate,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Harsh Reality
Afghanistan is our neighbor and an Islamic country housing over 98 percent Muslims. Pakistan has an old-long ethnic and linguistic relationship with Afghanistan. After the establishment of the Taliban government, there was a strong expectation that this relationship would be strengthened and a message of friendship, cooperation, and peace would come from the north-western borders. Unfortunately, a new wave of terrorism has raised its head once again in Pakistan. Mainly, the TTP, according to analysts, is behind the current wave of terrorism with the tacit support of the Kabul government. Its terrorists infiltrate Pakistan from their hideouts in Afghanistan and target civilians as well as security forces. Regrettably, it is a harsh reality that must be addressed immediately.
Sami Ullah Jan,
Quetta, Pakistan.
Gaza is Burning
Israel and the US together are killing the people of Palestine. The number of martyred Palestinians has increased to 11,000, and the number of injured has risen to 30,000. It is essential to hold an Islamic summit as soon as possible to counter the threats that Islam and Islamic countries are facing at this time. These anti-people and anti-Islamic forces have mainly targeted Palestine, the brave land of the Arab and Islamic world. These oppressive forces are bombing Palestine day and night. At the moment, Israel and America are responsible for these anti-Islamic movements, and this matter is not hidden from anyone.
Salma Bakhtiyar,
Larkana, Sindh.
Foreign Direct Investment
Pakistan has been suffering from economic depression for the past several years. Still, due to the tireless and sincere military and political leadership efforts, global investors are gaining confidence in Pakistan. If the data of the past few months is to go by, Pakistan has laid the foundation for a bright future. In the first five months of the current financial year, external funding of Rs. 4 billion 28 crores was received, while foreign investment increased by 21 percent. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, 69.45 million dollars were invested in the country’s private sector from July to November, in which 65.61 million were directly invested and 3.84 million were portfolio investments. The good news for the economy is that foreign investment has increased, and the current account turned surplus for the first time in six months. I believe establishing the Special Investment Facilitation Council is bringing out the apparent effects of foreign investment..
Dr. Rehan Murtaza,
Wazirabad, Pakistan.
Rise of Poverty
Pakistan has a high poverty rate, with more than 40 percent of the population living below the poverty line. Unemployment is another significant economic challenge, with many educated youth unable to find jobs. Corruption is the biggest obstacle to Pakistan’s development. Corruption has to be tackled to overcome the challenges facing the country. According to PILDAT, during the last five years of the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan, the average cost of one day of the National Assembly was six crores 65 lakhs, and the average cost of one hour of the meeting was two crore 42 lakh rupees while the attendance of the members was 61 percent. A poor nation cannot afford such lavish expenses. Around 25 crore people of Pakistan have seen how they are being robbed with both hands. The tragedy is that people are committing suicide because of inflation, unemployment, and other economic constraints, but our national institutions are suffering from incompetence and indifference.
Seema Arsalan,
Lahore, Pakistan.
Return of Afghan Refugees
The decision to return the illegal Afghans from Pakistan was made with the consent of the Kabul government, but it later started protesting the decision. As things currently stand, countries like the U.K., U.S., Italy, France, Germany, etc., are suffering from the problem of illegal immigrants, and it is feared that Europe may soon become a refugee camp. The number of immigrants coming to Pakistan has become equal to the total population of Ireland. Among them, there are a large number of people, due to which Pakistan paid a heavy price in terms of its socio-economic vulnerability and security challenges. Many illegal immigrants do not pay any taxes and are in touch with terrorist organizations active in the region. In a word, no responsible government can ignore such concerns. The Pakistan government is no exception.
Saima Ali,
Islamabad, Pakistan.
Dance of Death
Unicef says that only 10 percent of the water children need in Gaza is available. It also says that children and their families in Gaza are forced to use contaminated water and are likely to die due to a lack of clean water supply. On the other hand, the spokesman of the Palestinian Ministry of Health has said about the situation at Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza that the Israeli forces have turned the hospital into a military barracks. Israeli forces detained 240 people at al-Awda Hospital, including 40 medical staff members and 80 patients. It should be noted that the total number of martyrs in Gaza has increased from 19,600 and still counting. Is there an end in sight for Palestinians?
Saad Ahmed,
Hyderabad, Pakistan.
Road to Recovery
It is still a challenge for the Pakistan government to keep the import of goods and services at a low level. As soon as they increase, the current account will again go into deficit. There has been foreign investment of two lakh dollars in the public sector. In November, the current account had a 90 lakh dollar surplus. The current account deficit recorded a significant decrease of 64 percent and a trade deficit of 28 percent annually. Domestic exports have increased by 5 percent, while imports have decreased by 16 percent. The volume of domestic exports was 12.511 billion dollars, and imports’ importance was recorded at 21.281 billion dollars. The current account surplus shows the improvement in the export of technological solutions, government services, low-interest payments, and non-disposal of profits by foreign companies. To keep things going this way, the government will have to maintain an increase in exports and a decrease in imports.
Jamal Ahmed,
Karachi, Pakistan.