METRO BUS WOES: The hike in petroleum prices has forced many to curtail the use of their vehicles.

As such, a large number of people in Lahore have turned to local transportation for their daily commute. Metro Bus is general considered a decent option as it passes through most commercial and educational hubs of the city. What the commuters find irritating is the growing tendency among bus drivers to keep the air conditioners off, converting the bus into a large simmering pot on the wheels. The chief minister of Punjab had recently paid a surprise visit during which he had instructed the management of Metro Bus to keep the air conditioners functional. The chief minister should know that his visit and instructions have made no difference. What next?

Mohsin Mumtaz
Chiniot

HARE AND HOUND: The leading political party in Sindh, which has been heading the provincial government for God knows how long, has had a change of heart recently related to the timing of the general elections. One would do well to remember that the party has a history of putting its eggs in as many baskets as possible. Owing to such a tendency, it has lost ground to other political forces in the country except in Sindh. It continues to dominate Sindh because there are no vibrant alternative political forces in the province. The people really want the party to return to its roots and to do away with the habit of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.

Gulsher Panhwer
Johi

TRADE AGREEMENT: The recent $5 billion trade agreement between Pakistan and Iran is a welcome step in the right direction. Such agreements will bring home investment and will further improve bilateral ties between the two countries. Moreover, this will help Pakistan in resolving a lot of long-standing economic and political issues with Afghanistan, too.

Shahid Hussain
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2023