PRESSURE OF MARRIAGE: Many women in Balochistan face pressure from their families and society to get married at a young age. They have limited auto-nomy in deciding about their future. The pressure can take a toll on their mental health, causing stress and anxiety. Many people believe that women are made for homes, to take care of their children and family members. It is important to understand that women are human beings who should be free to choose their paths. Families need to change their mindset and encourage women to pursue their education and career. Marriage and its timing should be a person’s own choice, not an obligation.

Noorzaib Hasil
Hub

TAX ON SOLAR PANELS: The pro-posed 18 per cent general sales tax (GST) on solar panels in the 2026-27 budget will crush Pakistan’s shift to clean energy. With K-Electric (KE) tariffs at Rs65 per unit and 12-hour loadshedding being a matter of routine, middle-class families installed solar panels to survive. Taxing it means punishing people. Instead of taxing solutions, the government should subsidise local solar manufacturing. Both climate change and power crisis demand incen- tives, not harsh penalties. Let citizens breathe without having to pay for it.

Areeba Rehman
Karachi

HORIZONTAL SPRAWL: We continue to observe the unchecked transformation of agricultural land into a concrete jungle. The magnitude of this horizontal sprawl is astonishing. Out of approximately 8,700 housing societies across the country, at least 6,000 are functioning illegally, frequently on agricultural land. In Lahore alone, nearly 70 per cent of surrounding farmland has been sacrificed to real estate speculation over the last 20 years. By substituting carbon-absorbing orchards with heat-retaining concrete, we are worsening the urban heat island issue, which can elevate temperatures by an additional 2-7°C. The government must halt the conversion of fertile land and promote vertical urban development.

Laraib Fatima
Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2026