Punjab government’s populist vision

Multiple stories, published in various newspapers, about Punjab government’s much-touted yellow cab scheme cast dark shadows on its success. According to latest reports, the provincial government has once again lowered the criteria for eligibility of applicants for the scheme. The decision was reportedly made after it was discovered that most of the applicants did not meet the current criteria. The government has now waived the requirement of having a valid driving license for one year prior to applying for a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license.

Channelling the power of sports

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal agencies of Fata have become a regular feature of daily news for all the wrong reasons. Crumbling under massive militancy, good news from the region are far and few. With such a gloomy scenario, the announcement that 50 sports academies will be established in Fata and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by Malik Saad Memorial Sports Trust, in collaboration with the provincial government and USAID, is much welcomed.

Jail reforms: need of the hour

According to a recent news report, inmates at the Karachi women's prison are now learning the art of yoga as part of their daily routine. The project was initiated almost two years ago. Women prisoners have gradually shown interest and credited it with providing a calming influence in their lives while they remain confined behind the bars. This is not the only innovative initiative undergoing in the cells.

More provinces: tread this path carefully

Former Federal Minister Senator Raza Rabbani has urged Pakistan People's Party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to be more cautious in his decision to pursue a demand for another province carved out of Punjab. At a time when the debate for new provinces has gained momentum, Rabbani's advice to President Zardari is sound and reflects the senator's decades of political experience.

The cost of oil drilling

On a planet primarily covered by water, marine life and polar ice caps are essential to maintaining our fragile ecological balance. However, unchecked and unregulated industrialisation has started tipping the balance against us. Deep-sea oil exploration is yet another industry, which has greatly damaged the native ecology. Latest reports of an underwater oil pipeline rupture in UK's North Sea has again raised the debate on the cost we are paying for offshore drilling.

[Bottled] Water Woes

In a society where the health or well-being of ordinary people comes only as an afterthought, it is no surprise that the basic of all necessities, drinking water, poses a grave risk to consumers. This reality was highlighted by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in its quarterly report.

Mental healthcare

The launch of a local community-based mental healthcare initiative in Karachi has been a source of sorely needed good news from the city. The project, appropriately titled "Shamil" (inclusive), will initially start its operation in Korangi, and focus on providing information on mental healthcare via lady health workers, who will move from door to door and identify patients in middle and lower income communities.

Cue the curtain on Pakistani minorities

On 28 May 2010, two Ahmadi “places of worship” were attacked simultaneously during Friday prayers in Lahore. As the siege went on for hours, news channels across the board were strewn with live footage from the scene of attack. For the first time in Pakistani history, Ahmadi community, and the persecution they had faced since the time they were declared non-Muslim in 1974, started being discussed openly on television. Sane people watched the drama unfold amidst increasing horror. In the middle of all this mayhem, a friend at a news channel overheard a colleague begrudgingly say “its live television, so we can’t do anything about it. But we will make sure the issue dies by tomorrow.”