SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) used to give scholarships to the students of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) and Balochistan in different medical colleges. However, the programme was rolled back in 2020, and it was resumed after widespread protests. This year, again, the students have been protesting for days, but no one is paying any heed to their demands. The government would do well to resume the scholarship.

Muhammad Arif
Islamabad

UNNECESSARY TAXES: The government has been promoting information technology (IT), but its latest plans outlined in the recent mini-budget will make it difficult for people to make much progress on the IT highway. If the government is serious in its vision of digitisation, it should reduce relevant taxes. Else, the IT industry will witness a serious decline.

Syed Adeel Hussain Shah
Karachi

HAZARDOUS PRODUCT: The paraphenylenediamine (PPD), commonly known as Kaala Pathar, is a highly toxic ingredient of hair-dye formulation, and has a history of being used during suicide attempts because of its easy availablility. PPD ingestion can cause multiple organ dysfunctions. It is allergenic and tubulotoxic and causes angioneurotic oedema and rhabdomyolysis, which leads to renal failure. Some countries, including France and Germany, consider PPD a great hazard and have banned its use in hair-dyes. The authorities concerned should restrict its use in Pakistan as well.

Rabia Irshad
Mian Channu

VAPING OUTLETS: The opening of vaping outlets is an alarming state as vaping is not totally harmless as it is made out to be by many. Nicotine is heated in e-cigarettes along with other chemicals to produce an inhalable aerosol. Increased incidence of lung cancer and heart attack has been noticed among those habitual of vaping. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has prohibited the use of e-cigarettes. Vaping outlets need to be banned.

Dr Nazia Qidwai
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2022