BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS: Seven times in the last seven years, a ‘complete’ ban on plastic bags was announced by the Sindh government. Sadly, none of these attempts were successful in containing the use of hazardous plastic bags. While we have grown accustomed to the habitual disconnect between announcements and actions, citizens must not relent in pressing for rational reforms — from ensuring lawful wages for sanitation workers to enforcing a ‘complete’ ban on plastic bags. An actually complete ban on the manufacture, import, sale and use of plastic bags can unclog half of Karachi’s drainage woes — a city perpetually strangled by billions of plastic bags blocking every vein, artery and outlet.

Naeem Sadiq
Karachi

PAINFUL BANKING: I am 84 years old, and usually visit the bank twice a month to draw money from my account. Often, I sit in my car and my driver goes inside the branch to collect the cash. It is quite a painful process for me. In the neighbouring country, banks are always considerate towards senior citizens. As such, their employees visit the ageing clients’ home to pay them their money, and save them from the hassle of visiting the banks themselves. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should consider making similar arrangements, easing the banking woes senior citizens continue to face.

Inayat Ullah Sheikh
Lahore

MISMANAGEMENT: According to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), the Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) is in violation of rules related to performance standards as it carries out loadshedding based on aggregate technical and commercial losses. Besides, feeders have not been improved for four years. Consumers are subjected to long outages even after paying their monthly bills regularly because of Sepco’s mismanagement. A fine of Rs50 million last year and now Rs100,000 daily should have been enough to change Sepco behaviour, but, sadly, that has not been the case.

Sara
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2025