WAITING AREA: The lack of a seating facility for patients’ attendants at the emergency department of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) causes great discomfort to the people as they are compelled to stand for hours and have to sit on the floor when exhaustion becomes overwhelming. Being one of the largest public hospitals in Pakistan, the JPMC receives a large number of patients from across the country. A functional waiting area is essential for the atten- dants accompanying the patients. The hospital administration should set up proper seating arrangements outside the ward for convenience of the public.

Samra Anwar
Karachi

UNMANAGED WASTE: Kotli and its adjacent localities are suffering from a growing issue of unmanaged solid waste. Piles of uncollected waste are choking streets, drains and public spaces. The matter was recently highlighted when the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly constituted a bipartisan committee to specifically address civic issues in Kotli, including waste disposal, clean drinking water as well as sewerage. However, in neighbouring AJK areas, infrastructure exists on paper, but ground reports show glaring gaps in functionality and execution of development projects. The people of Kotli deserve clean streets, functional drains and a system that works daily.

Khateeb Khan
Kotli, AJK

OFFICIAL EMBLEM: Recently, I needed to use the official Government of Sindh emblem. However, my search led to confusion, as I was unable to determine the correct version because no official website or authority, including the Chief Minister House, could provide guidance. As such, some feature ‘786’ inscribed in Urdu/Arabic within the star at the top, while others show three dots instead. Can someone help me understand which version is correct? It would be helpful in easing the confusion if a detailed description was made available on the official government website.

Zulfiqar Ali Ramzi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2026