LEMON PRICES: Pakistan is an agricultural country with its economy largely depending on agriculture. Farmers having large areas covered with lemon plants end up shedding tears every year for not getting proper prices. This year, the lemon market scenario is different as a box of 10kg of lemons is being sold for Rs6,000 compared to around Rs2,000 last year. Those farming lemons will likely have lemonade this year!

Khalique Zaman Kalhoro
Kandiaro

SPIRITUAL CONVICTION: The social media scene these days is abuzz with comments drawing parallels between a political leader and certain revered personalities of Islamic history and faith. The unfortunate fabrication of spiritual conviction may end in a futile disintegration of society into a new class or sect or at least a cult. There is clearly a need for spiritual training and awareness among the masses to keep them on the right path.

Tariq Hameed
Lahore

STATE GIFTS: I remember reading a news story about how our ex-rulers had played havoc with the gifts that they initially had to deposit in the Toshakhana. From earlier rulers to the present ones, nobody has left any gift worth its while in the Toshakhana. While past rulers have also taken advantage of the mechanism in place, no one is clarifying if any other ruler had sold such gifts in the open market, or was the recent incident the lone such episode.

Akbar Jan Marwat
Islamabad

DIESEL SHORTAGE: The shortage of diesel in Punjab, ahead of the harvesting season, is alarming. It has raised fears and worries among the farmers as it is the peak time for the cultivation of cotton. The farmers cannot work on their lands without diesel to keep their mechanised equipment functioning. If the government does not take immediate steps to end the shortage, it will affect the crop cultivation. The government should facilitate the farmers at all costs.

Chaudhary Hinza Ajmal
Bahawalpur

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2022