CASH PAYMENTS: During a recent visit to an eatery on Tariq Road, I was informed that neither card payments nor online bank transfers were accepted. Instead, the cashier asked me to visit a nearby bank or ATM to withdraw cash. This was surprising, considering Tariq Road is one of Karachi’s busiest commercial areas. Such practices inconvenience customers and undermine national efforts to promote digital payments and financial inclusion. Businesses operating in major commercial centres should adopt basic payment facilities, such as debit and credit cards, Raast and other digital payment options. A truly cashless economy requires all merchants to keep pace with changing consumer expectations.

Yousuf Rashid
Karachi

UNPAID TEACHERS: Despite per-forming their duties with dedication, 78 government school teachers, appointed in Larkana district on Feb 28, 2025, have not received a single salary for the last 18 months because their appointments have been placed under administrative objection. No public servant should be expected to work for this long without getting paid. Such a treatment not only undermines the dignity of teachers, but also reflects poorly on the government’s commitment to public education. This prolonged delay has caused immense financial hardship, leaving many teachers unable to meet even their families’ basic needs. The government must immediately resolve the objections and release all outstanding salaries of the teachers.

Mohammad Bilal
Larkana

HOUSE IN FLAMES: This is with reference to the report ‘Pakistan pushes ahead with peace efforts as Mideast tensions spiral’ (July 14). A saner advice to the leadership would be to focus on our own country. Trying to put out the fire at a distant place — when one’s own house is ablaze — is not a recommended strategy. The people of Pakistan are surely craving for their government’s attention towards the plethora of internal challenges that are spreading like wildfire.

Arif Majeed
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026