USELESS CAMPAIGN: An anti-beggary campaign has been recently launched with a lot of hype by the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) in Karachi. However, there hardly seems to be any improvement on the roads. For example, at the intersection of Khayaban-i-Shujaat and Khayaban-i-Shahbaz in Phase V, a wheelchair-bound woman continues her normal course of business from morning till late in the night. I have lodged several complaints against this particular beggar in the last three years, but the DHA staff has failed to do anything. It seems that this anti-beggary campaign will not be successful in eliminating the powerful mafia of professional beggars, and will merely be a waste of taxpayers’ money.

Aamir Malik
Karachi

GHOST INFRASTRUCTURE: The Chowk Lashari village in Thul tehsil of Jacobabad district continues to suffer from severe administrative neglect. The most critical issue is the road connecting the village to Thul taluka. Due to its dilapidated condition, a journey now lasts three times of normal. This delay is life-threatening during medical emergencies. It appears that contractors may have listed this road as ‘completed’ in official records, while no work has actually been done. If so, this suggests a case of ghost infrastructure and misappropriation of development funds. The authorities should audit the development projects in the area.

Inamullah Lashari
Jacobabad

COSTLY FLIGHTS: Flights from Quetta to Islamabad and from Quetta to Karachi are surprisingly very costly, even more than some international routes. With only two major airlines operating, the demand is high and flights are scarce. The bigger issue is the unsafe N-25 Highway, which mostly remains blocked by protests, making air travel the only option. Government officials and politicians hog seats, citing security concerns. The government should address these soaring prices. Tackling the root causes — more flights and fair access — would also help in this regard.

Zaid Baloch
Khuzdar

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2026