F.P.S.C. PERFORMANCE: There is a dire need to upgrade many government institutions of Pakistan, including the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) which does not have any specific criterion to uniformly assess the performance of the candidates in the written exam. The interview phase is even more interesting. As for the psychosocial test, the performance of the psychiatrists hired by the FPSC to assess the students can be clearly seen by meeting any bureaucrat because they are the ones who were declared ‘fit’ at some point!

Faysal Hayyat
Lahore

C.S.S. PREPARATION: Out of 17,240 candidates who appeared as candidates for a Civil Superior Services (CSS) slot, only 364 passed the written examinations. It is time the candidates realised that CSS examinations require grammatically correct English writing skills and a wide knowledge base. Hundreds of private academies ‘train’ the aspirants who then follow the same techniques and read the same material provided by the academies. They attempt the questions in the same manner as well. Being one’s own self is critical in such exams.

Anwar Sayab Khan
Bannu

PAKISTAN ZINDABAD: This refers to the report “Balochistan govt orders employees to set their ringback tones to ‘Pakistan Zindabad’” (Sept 30). In a province that inhabits greater, but surmountable issues, one wonders how the government can even think about such trivialities. Notifications like these amidst protests triggered by the failure of the government stir many questions. Is it an act of proving loyalty to someone, or is it a stunt to circumvent its incompetence?

Naveed Baiyan
Buleda, Kech

SALE OF SPARROWS: Sparrows are increasingly being sold at public places across Punjab. These beautiful creatures are kept in small cages and sold at hefty prices. This practice needs to be banned as these harmless and lovely creatures help in pollination of flowers and spread of seeds.

Shahnaz Khanum
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021