TWO massive explosions rocked Beirut on Aug 4 flattening much of the port and severely damaging buildings across the capital. One’s heart goes out to the Lebanese people at this time.

The explosions come at a time when Lebanon is passing through its worst economic and financial crisis in decades. It also comes amid rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along Lebanon’s southern border.

Commenting on the incident an Israeli government official said that Israel had nothing to do with the blast. One hope this is so otherwise this unfortunate country is in for another round of unrest.

I urge the Pakistan government to provide emergency aid to the Lebanese people in their hour of need.

Syeda Ruqiya Fatima
Karachi

(2)

ONE has all sympathy for the Lebanese people who were the victims of two massive explosions in Beirut that came in the same week that a jury is to deliver a verdict on the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, who was killed in a massive car bomb in 2005 in the same city.

Lebanon has been crippled by an economic crisis, while its hospitals are trying to cope with the rising number of coronavirus cases.

Irma Yousuf
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2020