ENGLISH LANGUAGE: By the time students of government schools reach matriculation level, their English-writing skill is often below average. This is because not much attention is paid to this critical subject, and teachers simply pass students without any strict evaluation. Consequently, this weakness translates into poor results in board exams. At the college level, the problem gets worse. The sudden shift from Urdu medium to English medium is overwhelming for young minds. They fail to translate their understanding in a language that is still foreign to them. The matter needs urgent attention.

Ahmad
Rawalpindi

WAITING AREAS: Outside the Civil Hospital in Sargodha, patients’ attendants can be seen sitting on pavements late into the night, exposed to extreme weather conditions. It is a routine reality for those who rely on public healthcare in Punjab. At a time when the provincial government is investing heavily in infrastructure projects, road expansions, urban beautification and governance reforms, the neglect of basic human needs remains stark. Overcrowded hospitals, insufficient waiting areas, and the absence of basic shelter force families to endure heat, cold and dust while caring for the sick. The right to health, dignity and humane treatment is not a luxury, but a constitutional obligation of the government.

Ali Asad Ullah
Lahore

EXPLOITING PATIENTS: One of my family members went to a medical centre in Hub for childbirth. She had no complications at all, but the doctor concerned refused to conduct a normal delivery and forced the family to opt for a costly operation. It appeared that the demand was made only for financial gains as there was no medical emergency to deal with. Such a conduct is disgrace to the medical profession at large, and a grave injustice to patients and their families who cannot afford heavy charges. The relevant authorities should keep an eye on such practices.

Imran Aslam
Hub

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026