SURVIVAL CHALLENGE: The holy month of Ramazan is not too far away, and just the thought is making many people jittery. The month of blessings for Muslims every year becomes a survival challenge for a large number of Pakistanis. The soaring prices of food and other commodities further increase the problems manifold for the common man. They are unable to afford most items and have to suffer while fasting. Regardless of which party, or coalition of parties, ends up forming the next government, the decision-makers must take due actions now so that people may have the peace of mind that is necessary for carrying out the religious rituals during the holy month.

Safiullah Faisal
Sheikhupura

IME FOR DISCUSSION: The new generation of ours has access to a bulk of information, and it needs proper guidance to deal with sensitive details. Schools should educate children about practical realities of life just like they teach them academic subjects. Parents cannot keep their children away from technology. Hence, the smart choice is to equip them with the information they need to deal with it. Since early grades, schools should have a separate course for topics that children would face in the future. Practical and techno- logical maturity is as much needed, if not more, as any academic subject.

Huda Abbas Kazmi
Karachi

MODERN ART: It goes without saying that modern art has been reduced to nothingness. Art pieces are now created as fodder for capitalist society. While art was once used to display emotions and experiences, it has only become a source of making money. Artificial intelligence (AI) has now polluted the very essence of artistry. As the world proceeds to a more advanced and ‘modern’ way of living, we are increasingly becoming deprived of the core values and essence of humanity. When the creation of art is left amusingly at the hands of computer bots, we, as a society, are bound to get doomed.

Sania Nasir
Karachi

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2024