RECENTLY a father burnt himself to death in Karachi because he failed to fulfill his son’s request for warm clothes.

As temperatures fall across the country, the affluent class rushes to buy new, comfortable warm clothes for themselves and children. On the other hand, the underprivileged class rushes to roadside kiosks.

But there is another class which can’t even buy clothes from the roadside vendors. Obviously, there is a huge difference in price and quality of stuff from malls and roadside stalls. Still, there are some who can’t afford to buy even from roadside stalls and the deceased father was one of them.

All of us who can afford to do so, should distribute our used clothes each time we find our closet full. I know it needs a big pocket and a bigger heart to buy and distribute the new ones to the poor but at least we can distribute our old clothes among those who are needy.

Soaring unemployment is worrying but at least those who can afford can save lives of by emptying their closets at the right time.

Lalarukh

Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2020