MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: Every year, the United States allocates hundreds of billions of dollars for defence spending, which directly benefits arms-producing companies, private contractors and research institutions tied to the defence sector. As a result, the military-industrial complex creates structural incentives for prolonged conflicts, since instability and war ensure a continuous global demand for weapons and military services. From this perspective, American taxpayers’ money is not used solely for national defence. It helps sustain a global system of arms production and military engagement. Understanding the military-industrial complex is essential to understand modern world politics and why cycles of war and intervention continue to reappear across the world.

Zahid Marri
Kohlu

INFLEXIBLE POLICY: Traffic con-gestion in Hyderabad has become a massive headache for daily commuters. No matter how early families leave to drop their children to their schools, it is the gridlock that decides who shall arrive ‘late’. As for the school administrators, they seem to be living in a different world because they have an inflexible ‘no-late’ policy, which has a serious cut-off with reality. Students who arrive late are denied entry and made to stand outside school gates. Traffic jams are unpredictable, highways are mismanaged, and safety concerns are real, but the ‘no-late’ rule remains gloriously inflexible. The authorities concerned should address both the worsening traffic conditions and the rather clerical ‘no-late’ policy of schools.

Shamshad Junejo
Hyderabad

ILLEGAL ACTIVITY: Recently, I witnessed a disturbing incident outside a bank where an alcohol shop is located. A teenage boy arrived in a car, entered the shop, and returned holding illicit liquor. The ease with which a minor was able to buy the stuff was shocking. There is no effective restriction or monitoring in place. Other than the authorities, are parents unaware of what is going on?

Shahque
Mashkay

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2026