JUSTICE DELAYED: Vacations stretching up to one month are common in parts of the world, but courts in Pakistan remain closed for way longer during the summers. Are the judges too overworked? Or is the summer season too hot to handle? The litigants in search of justyice are the ones who suffer the most. We should remember that justice delayed is justice denied.

Khurrum Fiazuddin
Karachi

ILLEGAL DEDUCTIONS: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) provides financial assistance to the deserving recipients, and any illegal deduction of money from the programme is a legal violation. The government should take strict action against those engaged in such activities. The victims should report the matter to the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on its helpline, 0800-26477. It is important to raise awareness among the vulnerable sections about such activities.

Shoukat Lohar
Jamshoro

TOSHAKHANA AFFAIRS: All the gifts received by high officials are not ‘purchased’ by the recipients, and some find their way to the Toshakhana stockroom. Some of these gifts are made available to government servants of grade 17 and above through auction. The method of auction needs to be reviewed to ensure transparency. We should try our best to keep the affairs of Toshakhana alive till detailed legislation is in place to govern the sensitive matter.

Aleem M. Ahmad
Lahore

WOMEN FARMERS: Women play an active role in the agriculture sector. According to reports, 90 per cent of sowing and 70pc of harvesting is done by them. Yet, they have no rights in terms of decision-making and market access. All the activists who raise slogans of women empowerment mostly belong to the elite class to which the poor women farmers do not belong. We should educate them, and give them what they deserve to have.

Ali Murtaza Nizamani
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2023