INDEPENDENCE Day is being celebrated today, but the leaders and the privileged class spend lavishly on each independence day without realising the bleak economic situation.

We live on borrowed money and want to borrow more in order to retire previous debts. The extravagant spending by our leadership on these events to celebrate the so-called progress and prosperity of the people of Pakistan is a joke with the underprivileged sections of society.

We need to rethink our celebration pattern of Aug 14, because the poor continue to suffer and lack the basic necessities of life while the rich and privileged classes spend billions.

As responsible citizens we should shun overspending and pledge to celebrate the day with simplicity.

Qazi M. Shahzad Khalil
Dera Ghazi Khan

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August is a special month for Pakistan, but it is important to remember that our festivities must be shared with children who are unable to buy badges and flags. As a nation we need to arrange activities that include the under-privileged and orphans too. Happiness is meaningless if it is not shared with others, and the most meaningful thing to give these children is education.

Every child has the right to education and it ought to be made freely available. I, being a student belonging to a middle-class family, do not have the budget to open a school for orphans but through these lines I request those who have high incomes to kindly do something to help those who are having trouble getting education.

Vikram Togo
Bhit Bhaiti

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2018