RAIN AND RUIN: The recent rain spell in Lahore turned roads into rivers, basements got flooded, and localities were left in darkness for several hours. I fail to understand how a city of Lahore’s scale still lacks basic resilience. It is the same story year after year. This is not just about inconvenience anymore. It is about human dignity and safety. Lahore deserves better than this cycle of rain and ruin.

Mona Alam
Lahore

STREET FOOD: Lahore is widely known for its rich food culture. However, many street food vendors work in un-hygienic environment that raises serious health concerns. In several parts of the city, basic cleanliness is often ignored. Recently, I witnessed a vendor serving tea right under a leaking shelter through which the rainwater was constantly dripping and most likely getting mixed with the tea in the boiling pot. Food safety standards should be improved.

Syed Rehman Hayder
Chiniot

SHOE-KEEPING: During my recent visit to Lahore, the shoe mafia operating near the Badshahi Masjid gate caught my attention. These individuals demand a fee of Rs50 per person for shoe safekeeping, with an additional Rs50 for bag storage. This practice can be frustrating for tourists visiting the Lahore Fort and Badshahi Masjid. The authorities should look into the matter to facilitate the visitors.

Ghulam Rasool
Nawabshah

LAUGHABLY INSENSITIVE: When you see an increase in the general sales tax (GST) on a common man’s car and decrease in the duty for an elite’s jeep; when tone-deaf politicians approve massive salary hikes for themselves in the middle of an economic crisis; when the common man sees lawmakers enjoying free electricity units while subsidies for protected consumers are withdrawn under the guise of uniform tariff; and when the elite continue to benefit from the net-metering policies, only two words describe the situation; ‘laughably insensitive’.

Sohaib Arif
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2025