REPULSIVE POLITICS: The president, talking to some journalists in Lahore, said there should be a political dialogue in the country. In less than 24 hours of the suggestion, however, the chief minister in Punjab publicly talked about arresting the federal interior minister and having him hanged to death. He thus became the prosecutor and the judge. This is an alarming situation and needs to be checked.

Prof Khalid Hassan Mahmood
Karachi

UNHELD EXAMS: The students of Associate Degree of Science (ADS) and Associate Degree of Arts (ADA) at the Shah Abdul Latif University in Khairpur are having serious administrative issues. The batch of 2019-20 submitted examination forms last year, but the exams have not been conducted. The university is delaying the process for some reasons that the students are not aware of. Their peers in other universities are completing their second year, while they are stuck in a quagmire.

Aaqib Ahmed Abro
Larkana

JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS: In a democracy, decisions are taken with the consensus of all stakeholders for better transparency and inclusiveness. All state organs are supposed to share the responsibility of advancing democratic norms, and consensual decision-making is one such norm. Before the 18th amendment, the chief justice of Pakistan used to nominate judges against the vacant seats in the Supreme Court on his own, but the 18th amendment redefined the mechanism, as outlined in Article 175-A of the Constitution. The legislature would do well to make the matter of parliamentary oversight unambiguous in this regard.

Asad Aziz
Khushab

UNCOVERED MANHOLES: The frightening incident of Shadman Town where a woman and her children fell in an uncovered manhole not too long ago continues to haunt me. I see numerous manholes without lids that may repeat the tragedy anytime. It indicates apathy on the part of authorities concerned that have failed to maintain the system in the metropolis.

Yusra Arshad
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2022