REVIVING HOCKEY: Pakistan’s hockey team suffered a shocking defeat to China in the semi-final of the recent Asian Champions Trophy. Pakistan began the tournament well, and even the loss to India was a close call. However, the loss to China exposed the underlying issues that need to be addressed. Pakistan hockey requires serious introspection. Despite occasional flashes of brilliance, systemic problems hold back the progress. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the government must prioritise better infrastructure, improved player welfare, and high-performance training centres. With dedication and reform, Pakistan hockey can still be revived.

Talal Rafiq Rind
Turbat

CRICKET NUISANCE: Every time there is a major cricket match scheduled in Multan, the local administration and the government prioritise the interest of cricket enthusiasts over everyone else. Road closures and traffic jams make life in general difficult. The government must ensure that cricket does not happen at the expense of the people.

Dr Muhammad Mehboob Hassan Khan
Multan

ELECTRICITY WOES: Turbat is the second largest city of Balochistan. It records searing temperatures in summers, with only 2-4 hours of electricity supply every day. As per the relevant authorities, the supply has been cut off from Iran. There is no alternative arrangement in place. The issue has been reported frequently in the last few years, but nothing concrete has been done in this critical regard.

Bilal Ahmed
Quetta

KALAT COLLEGE: The Government Postgraduate College in Kalat is the only institution providing higher education to local students. The college faces several problems related to electricity, internet and multimedia facilities. There are only a few departments offering graduate-level programmes. Ghost faculty has destroyed the college. Strict action needs to be taken to fix the problems on an urgent basis.

Jafar Qambrani
Kalat

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2024