Role of youth
Madam,
People all over the world are dealing with an unforgiving third wave of coronavirus pandemic. It is my view that in these difficult times, young people must set a precedent by rendering services in different walks of life. There are countless roles Pakistan’s youth should be performing during these challenging and unprecedented times.
They must educate their families, friends and community members by disseminating authentic news online and offline. Unfortunately, fake news spreads like a wildfire in such desperate times so people should show some maturity and be responsible when sharing information. They must verify news and information before sharing it with others. They must also be a source of courage and fortitude in this situation.
From the beginning of this pandemic, medical experts had warned us that senior people and immunocompromised community members would be at a greater risk of developing severe symptoms and that there would be far fewer chances of recovering from the virus in case they contract it. The World Health Organization (WHO) back in April last year issued a report and warned in these words, “although all age groups are at risk of contracting Covid-19, older people face significant risk of developing severe illness.”
Our youth must find opportunities to volunteer in their communities. They can help out vulnerable people by providing them with some services. For instance, they can pick up and drop groceries and medicines at their doorsteps out of goodwill.
Every time a lockdown is imposed, poor people suffer the most. Many are daily wage earners and these lockdowns destroyed any means of making a stable income.
The World Bank predicted in October last year that this pandemic would push nearly 150 million people to extreme poverty in 2021. That prediction stands true today. However, during the previous two waves, the youth have been very active in collecting donations to help. This time again, as the situation is grave now, they can help many families by reaching out to them.
Usama Malik
Via e-mail.
Covid-19 in India
Madam,
We are shocked and dismayed to see the tragedy unfolding in India. Hundreds of thousands of people are testing positive for coronavirus and this uncontrolled spread has completely overrun the healthcare system, particularly in BJP-run states. Only a few weeks ago, we were reading reports of an encouraging vaccination drive in India but these were completely forgotten in the wake of a massive spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. We can only pray for those who are facing this difficult situation and hope that scenes from India are not repeated in Pakistan. The situation over here is not too great either; only recently the government was compelled to enforce another lockdown when there was a noticeable spike in cases over the last few weeks. It is in these difficult times that we look towards our governments for decisive leadership. One hopes that our rulers are taking this issue as seriously as everyone else.
Myra Shah,
Via e-mail.
Violence in schools
Madam,
Schools are the places where students are guided on what to do in life. But in some parts of Pakistan, teachers are so violent with their students. They not only verbally abuse them but also harass them physically. Students are badly beaten by the school staff and fellow students also bully them. These instances of violence affect learning and focus. Recently, a bill was approved by the government which says that a teacher beating a student in class may lose his/her job. But it was only limited to Islamabad. The act was not approved for the other parts of the country.
So, I urge the government to approve such laws for all other parts of the country as well.
Anwar Mohammad Iqbal,
Turbat.
Interference
Madam,
The military has been deployed across the country to ensure the implementation of SOPs pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic. This decision has simply exposed the failure of the civil government in ensuring implementation of basic rules to contain the spread of a highly contagious virus. Many times, our politicians bemoan interference of the military in civilian matters, but each time they call in the army to handle the situation, it demonstrates which institutions are better organized and more efficient. This is a serious issue for our civilian leaders to think about. How long can they fall back on the army for the smallest things and then complain about interference?
Shehzad Arshad,
Via email.