THE Utility Stores Corporation (USC) was established in the 1970s with the aim of providing essential items at affordable prices. Yet, the success of Utility Stores remains debatable. The cost of running the stores on an outdated model, coupled with the slashing of government subsidies, has made the stores financially unviable and unsustainable.

People in urban areas now prefer weekly sasta bazaars where they have more variety available at a lesser price. In the rural areas, people living away from the highways avoid travelling long distances to buy items from these stores.

There are more than 5,000 such stores across the country and about 14,000 employees running them. One can imagine the financial loss in the deal.

Is there really a need to continue with these stores or should we think about reforming the USC to make it an important instrument of price moderation?

Cdre (retd) Sajjad Ali Shah Bokhari

Islamabad

REXER BRIDGE: The Old Golimar Rexer Bridge is in a state of disrepair. The bridge is badly damaged for mobility. People, including students, have to risk their lives while using the said bridge. In the rainy season, the bridge becomes even more dangerous for those using it. The relevant authorities would do well to repair this bridge as soon as possible.

M. Saleem Ghani

Karachi

PAUCITY OF CEMETERIES: The paucity of graveyards in Karachi is severe. The problem has now become a serious one as for long the city administrators have paid no attention to it. The existing graveyards are unable to cope with the increasing death rate, especially in these Covid-hit times. Moreover, the government has very little control over the graveyards, and people manning the cemeteries demand exorbitant charges, which the common man cannot afford. But there are no choices in this regard. One has to pay what is demanded by those in charge.

M. Shafique Ahmed

Karachi

JUSTICE DELAYED: The appointment of presiding judges in three of the five accountability courts in Lahore is awaited for several months. As a result, the hapless accused are either languishing in judicial custody or bearing the agony of delay in trial. The relevant ministry should expedite the matter because ‘justice delayed is justice denied’.

Rana Frass Hameed

Lahore

DEPLORABLE SITUATION: This is with reference to the letter ‘Car number plates’ (July 24). Things at the Excise and Taxation Department of Sindh are even worse. I have not received the official registration plate for a car that I bought back in 2017! My driver has to keep bribing traffic police simply because of this issue. Now, when I am trying to sell the said car, I am facing difficulty getting its actual worth because of the very same reason. I wonder which door I should knock to get this lingering issue resolved.

Shahid M. Murtaza

Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2021