INAPPROPRIATE comments on the social media and out-of-proportion cricket victory celebrations from the President downwards prompt me to pen these lines.

Cricket was a gentleman’s game of healthy competition promoting goodwill and friendship. Now, it is no longer a sport but a highly publicised commercial event, frequently tarnished by scandals.

Once the moral standard of players was kept high and winning a match was not the only objective. Now, even someone convicted of moral turpitude is welcomed if he can help win a match and be our hero.

The cricket victory over India is overblown to create a false sense of superiority over the adversary without realising that the game is played only in a few states out of 200.

I appeal to my compatriots to get over their ecstasy and think of matching India in space and other scientific and industrial fields. A cricket victory is fine but there are fields to conquer.

M. Akram Niazi

Rawalpindi

(2)

PAKISTAN won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 beating traditional rivals India convincingly. The young and exuberant Pakistani team outclassed the Indian giants in every faculty of the game: batting, fielding and bowling.

What a match it was! Pakistan batted superbly and its bowling and fielding were also incomparable. The Indians were awe struck by the young Pakistanis scintillating performance.

The professionalism and control demonstrated by every team member would be remembered for a long time and always be a part of the history of international cricket.

The entire nation salutes them for they have truly made Pakistan proud. Congratulations!

M Fazal Elahi

Islamabad

(3)

HEARTIEST congratulations to the nation and cricket lovers all over the world on Pakistan’s — almost — one-sided victory against defending champions India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final.

This is not just victory of a better team, but the triumph of a country that has been engaged in fighting a war against terror for the last 16 years and a frontline state since 1981 — a country that no foreign cricket team has visited for a series since 2009, a country whose team was the lowest ranked in the trophy line-up.

Yet it has comprehensively beaten the top-ranked world teams like South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and India to emerge as world champions. This speaks volumes about Pakistan’s sporting talent.

Nothing unites our nation like sports. It has the power to change Pakistan as it speaks to the youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the nation where there was only despair, despondency, lawlessness and economic hardships.

The time has come to invest in sports and the youth of our country, which can catapult Pakistan to become a top sports power of the world.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore

(4)

THE whole country rejoiced over Pakistan’s cricket victory. Unfortunately, some people rejoiced in the wrong manner. There was a lot of aerial firing, and a few precious lives were lost while scores of people received injuries. A young child in Karachi and another in Peshawar died. Another child lost his eye. The families of these children will grieve forever.

No arrests have been made after this. Aerial firing is also done at weddings, New Year, etc. This inane practice must be prohibited completely and the culprits arrested. Unlicensed firearms must be confiscated. Many people with clout have armed guards at their residence and in their vehicle. This should not be allowed. Firearms licences must be issued in a limited quantity and with a purpose.

We must put an end to this trigger-happy culture. Otherwise, such tragedies will continue to occur.

Dr Yasmeen Kazi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2017