FUNCTIONAL BANKING: While travelling on the Jhang Road in Muzaffargarh, we stopped to refuel our car. I tried to pay through a credit card, but could not do that due to some machine error. We had no cash in hand and had to arrange payment through someone. Afterwards, I visited several ATMs on the Jhang Road and even in our town, Shah Jamal, but all were out of service. Residents are forced to withdraw money from local shops through digital payment services, for which shopkeepers charge Rs30 for every Rs1,000 withdrawn. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should take due notice of the repeated failure of ATM services.

Mahar Muhammad Hanzla
Muzaffargarh

TANKER MAFIA: Based on the recent statement of a legislator, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) is currently supplying five million gallons of water per day to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) against the requirement of 20 million gallons; 25 per cent of the requirement. The deficit is met by water tankers. The current rate of supply is Rs4 per gallon, thus generating a business worth millions per day for the tanker mafia. This amount is shared among those in power. It is, therefore, hard to believe that the Damloti water supply scheme, designed specifically for DHA, will be completed in 18 months. The people benefitting from the current status will never allow this to happen.

Saleem Adil
Karachi

UNAFFORDABLE LUXURY: This refers to the letter ‘Poultry prices’ (Sept 16). A similar crisis is confronting the residents of Mashkay in Awaran district where chicken is currently being sold for up to Rs1,000 per kg. For low-income families, chicken has now become an unaffordable luxury. Local shopkeepers often attribute these exorbitant rates to supply chain disruptions and high transportation expenses. The fact is that there is little oversight to prevent unjustified price hikes. The local administration must immediately step in, enforce strict price controls, and hold profiteers accountable.

Shahque
Hub

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2026