HURDLES IN EXPORTS: This is with reference to the editorial ‘Growth transition’ (Oct 4). The prime minister’s call to focus on exports is welcome, but the hurdles are well-known. Our exports depend on a few products, mainly textiles, so any shock hurts us badly. Energy costs and high taxes on raw material make our goods expensive. Exporters also wait long for refunds, which strangles their cash flow. The government should offer competitive energy tariffs, clear refunds on time, and facilitate the import of raw material. Moreover, it should also help small firms move into several other sectors.
Abdul Rehman Gohar
Rawalpindi
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: The vast majority of youngsters in Pakistan are using social media primarily for entertainment and short-form videos rather than education and skills development. During a visit to a private school, I found that most of the students spend an average of 4-5 hours on social media aimlessly and ineffectively. This aimless focus of young minds can be productively driven towards entrepreneurship to secure their future and boost the country’s economy. The government needs to introduce digital literacy and basic entrepreneurial skill programmes in schools and colleges. These programmes will guide students to turn their digital skills into employment.
Aliza Khalid
Hyderabad
NEGLECTED FARMERS: Sky-rocketing fuel costs, rising prices of seeds and fertilisers, heavy tax burdens and exploitative middlemen leave farmers with virtually no return on their labour. When transport workers strike, wheels stop turning, and when teachers strike, classrooms go silent, but if farmers take that route, millions would face food insecurity and starvation. Safeguarding our agricultural community demands decisive actions, such as establishing fair flour prices, regulating supply chains to eliminate the predatory middlemen, providing targeted subsidies on essential inputs, and enacting policy reforms that truly reflect the value of farming.
Agha Muhammad Atlash Khan
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2026
