The massive scale of chopping down trees to arrange firewood in the Soan valley of Khushab district has failed to catch the attention of the relevant authorities. Home to 150,000 people living in 32 villages, the valley has no supply of natural gas, compelling the locals to cut down forests and use the wood for cooking and heating purposes. The authorities must address the critical issue immediately.

Asad Aziz
Khushab

POWER OUTAGES: While the world has progressed towards development, our area has regressed, forcing the people to live without electricity and water for hours. The situation has worsened over the last two months. Powere breakdowns not only disturb domestic life and water supply, but also affect industrial activities. The outages are believed to be caused by old, faulty transformers that keep breaking down every now and then. The authorities concerned are requested to restore regular power supply without any delay.

Maryam Sajid
Rawalpindi

ENERGY OPTIMISATION: This refers to the editorial ‘Energy crisis’ (June 8). I agree that poor planning on the part of government has paved the way for the current energy crisis in the country. However, we, as individuals, need to take initiatives to improve our situation. Monitoring and minimising energy usage, choosing efficient devices and regular maintenance of appliances can help us optimise electricity use.

Rabia Khan
Karachi

SOCIAL PREDICAMENT: The case of a young girl who married a boy of her choice has captured the attention of many in the country. Some have been quoting the constitution and religious injunctions related to the matter, while some others are pointing out the prohibition related to underage marriages. It is strange that the data and details provided by the girl’s parents have been ignored. Letting a girl marry according to her wish is great, but so is protecting a minor from marriage.

Syeda Hadia Bakhtawar
Nankana Sahib

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2022