BREASTFEEDING WEEK: The week fromAug 1 to 7 is marked as the World Breastfeeding Week. Working women around the world are forced to choose between their work and breastfeeding their child due to lack of support at workplace. Very few countries have made it mandatory for employers to facilitate nursing mothers. In Pakistan, the Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill 2020, passed recently, is a ray of hope. Though there is a long way to go, one can hope that this piece of legislation would be extended to cover breastfeeding facilities at workplaces.

Mariam Khan
Lahore

NATIONAL TRAGEDY: Advocate Aadil Hussain was one of the 10 people who died in the recent fire incident in Lahore’s Bhaati gate area that destroyed a whole family. As per witnesses, the fire broke out at 2.15 in the night, and multiple phone calls were made to the rescue service, which claims to have a response time of seven minutes, but arrived on the scene quite late. The narrow streets might have caused the delay, but a rescue service is expected to be equipped to handle all situations. Apart from having more rescue stations to cover the entire city, there is a need to raise public awareness regarding evacuation plans and fire safety training.

Dr Aaisha Khan
Lahore

PUBLIC NUISANCE: During the day hours when I try to study, vendors and hawkers selling their wares frequently pass through the street, making it just about impossible for me to keep my focus. Of course, they have as much right to earn a living as I have the right to study, but what is not their right is to use microphone and loudspeakers to tell potential clients about their grand arrival on the scene. I am sure I am not the only one who feels disturbed. There are other students as well as the elderly, the infants and patients who need rest and peace of mind. The local administration should take due action in this regard.

Abdullah Qureshi
Muridke

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023