PATRIARCHAL MENTALITY: Simone de Beauvoir, in her book The Second Sex, rightly claimed that “humanity is male, and man defines woman not in herself, but in relation to himself”. The province of Sindh seems to exemplify this very attitude of man. In Sindh, women are ignored, harassed and even killed. It not only happens in underprivileged areas, but also in urban centres. Weak imple-mentation of laws makes reforms impossible. The issue lies in patriarchal mentality, as men perceive women as their property. The government must invest in awareness campaigns to activate social sensibility.

Abdul Qadeer Chachar
Pano Akil

TRANSPARENCY GAP: Public confidence remains shattered despite the rollout of the Track & Trace System (TTS). Short measuring, leakages and uneven enforcement persist in the petroleum supply chain. This highlights the importance of operational transparency. Its effectiveness depends on broader supply chain integrity. Institutional frameworks enable real-time data feedback, predictive oversight and accountability across transporters, depots and retailers. The government’s vision to implement TTS for tankers, automatic tank gauging and petrol pump digitalisation reflects its focus on curbing smuggling. Following this vision, Saudi Aramco has set a great example, benefitting consumers through operational transparency. We also need to focus on the transparency part.

Qasim Haider
Karachi

YOUTH POWER: As recent history shows, youth cannot be silenced. Once they gather, armed with awareness, unity and purpose, they can topple entire political systems. Recently, a young man from Tamil Nadu mobilised the youth and achieved historic success in his very first election. Similarly, rage over the Indian chief justice’s harsh remarks against the youth turned into the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’ movement, a serious threat to India’s upper echelons. In nations where youth are politically aware and conscious, no unaccountable power persists for long.

Umer Aziz Tariq
Lahore

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026