DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS: I visited the Pakistan Railways Reservation Office at the City Station in Karachi to reserve a seat in air-conditioned business class to Lahore. Aged 72, I was surprised to know that only one train, the Taizgam, gives discounts to senior citizens. It is a shame as the elite class in Pakistan has all the privileges. On the other hand, in our neighbouring country, males aged over 60 years and females over 58 years get a number of concessions. They even have a seat quota on all passenger trains. Pakistan Railways should immediately offer discounts on all its trains for every person aged 60 years or above.

Zafar Ul Huda Abbasi
Lahore

POLICE CHECKPOINT: The police checkpoint on the Islamabad Expressway right after crossing the Faizabad Inter-change towards Islamabad is causing serious inconvenience to thousands of daily commuters. During rush hours, long lines of vehicles stretch all the way to Khanna Pul. A journey that used to take 20 minutes now takes an hour or even longer. Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, are often seen stuck in traffic. The entire mess is caused by the police checkpoint as the road becomes clear right after the barrier. The authorities should find a better solution that ensures public safety without making common people suffer every day.

Muhammad Anfal
Islamabad

OUTDATED CURRICULUM: Outdated curriculum has become a serious barrier for students in Balochistan. Textbooks, syllabi and teaching styles used in government schools are based on old ideas that do not match the needs of today’s world. Students miss important skills. They fall behind their peers from private schools. The absence of topics, like climate change, digital skills, financial literacy, mental health and entrepreneurship, makes the situation even worse. Rote learning is common, while real skill development is ignored. It is time for the government to update the curriculum so that students may be prepared for the future.

Mehrdil Haider
Absor

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025