ROAD SAFETY: Recently, I was driving my car home on the Clifton bridge when suddenly I faced a thick cloud of smoke in front that blocked my vision. I then saw a dilapidated bowser a few meters ahead of me, going without any lights. I immediately applied the brake and swerved to the left. The driver of the car coming behind me also had to do likewise to avert a collision. Vehicles that pose danger to others’ lives should be impounded by the traffic police till they become roadworthy or are scrapped.

Parvez Rahim
Karachi

CLIMATE THREAT: Across the globe, it was the youth who took to the streets to vent their anger against the immobility of the world powers, or, say, the leading polluters, to take the necessary corrective measures in order to mitigate the ominous climate risks. Against this backdrop, the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change recently adopted the slogan ‘Action for Climate Empowerment’ that aims at involving all society members to press their respective governments and authorities to take action to protect the climate. It is rather important for youth in Pakistan to stay abreast of the gravity of the threat, and move forward to ensure a resilient Pakistan in the years ahead.

Misbah Zainab
Rawalpindi

PATIENTS’ WOES: The seemingly never-ending queues of patients waiting to get tokens at the outpatient departments (OPDs) of state-run healthcare facilities portray a rather pathetic image of the skills and competence of hospital managements in the country. Patients start flocking in front of the OPDs early in the morning. There are people who actually spend the whole night on pavements close to the hospital so that they may get the elusive token in the morning. By 8am in the morning, when the staff starts distributing the tokens, the rush at the counter is beyond description. It has to be seen to be believed. There should be proper arrangements to save time and effort for both patients and staff.

Hareem Sarfaraz
Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2023