July Issue 2013

Apropos Shahzada Zulfikar’s article on the PML-N’s deal with Baloch nationalists in the troubled province, it may appear that the Punjab-based party is respecting the aspirations and rights of the Baloch people. However, by granting members of PkMAP and NP key positions in the assembly, the PML-N might just be watching out for itself.

If five years from now little headway is made in the province, and sectarian attacks continue, the PML-N can conveniently put all the blame on the nationalist parties and evade responsibility. Alternatively, if any positive changes are made in the province, PML-N would certainly tout it as a personal success since they were in the coalition government. The same theory also applies in KP. PML-N has made the right choice by respecting PTI’s mandate and turning down JUI-F’s proposal for a coalition government. However, with all the problems plaguing the province, the PML-N might just want to set PTI up for failure.

Azam Saleem
Islamabad

King or Coward?

Now that PTI is heading the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Imran Khan seems to have suddenly disappeared from the public eye. While he continues to talk about peace, even calling a Taliban commander “pro-peace,” the Taliban keep attacking the people of KP and Pakistan. It seems the death of two of their own party leaders isn’t enough to stir them. Even if ANP was weak, ineffective and corrupt, they still had the moral courage to stand up to the nihilist, barbaric Taliban.
PTI is a party of cowards, for cowards. Call me a cynic, but the future looks bleak.

M. Ali
Via Email

Good Riddance

Apropos Mohammad Shehzad’s ‘How the Mighty Fall,’ the PPP’s defeat is hardly a surprise. After five years of widespread corruption, looting and plundering of the country, I’m glad the people of Pakistan have finally woken up. Good riddance to bad governance.

Iqbal Raza
Lahore

Reflection Time

Zahra Shahid Hussain’s death was a stark reminder of the moral and intellectual poverty that has gripped our nation. Our lack of regard for the sanctity of life is appalling. Newsline did well to recognise the admirable woman, especially by painting her as a well-rounded personality rather than merely highlighting her political position. This death could, like so many others, end up being another unfortunate statistic, but one hopes that her memory will live on and perhaps galvanise some reflection and change in our society.

Hina Amjad
Karachi

Shocking Conditions

I was quite shocked and saddened to see the image of the couple underneath the rubble of the Savar factory in Bangladesh in Newsline’s last issue. Equally shocking was the fact that the minimum wage in Bangladesh is less than the price of the clothes being sold in many of the western countries. I believe the blame must ultimately fall on the multinational companies that turn a blind eye to the conditions of their workers. However, until we as consumers pressurise these companies to improve the working conditions of overseas labour, I’m afraid that we will not see any improvements in the lives of workers in third-world countries.

Razia Ali
Via Email