People are talking about —

— how, in addition to religious and cultural limitations; lack of permission from parents; little or no sports facilities and zero support from the government, rising temperatures are one more barrier for Pakistani women wanting to play sports or train for tournaments. Sports have been an unaffordable luxury for girls from low-income households in Pakistan as it costs money to get to the few sports clubs available and even eating well, so philanthropists here is a golden chance to do something for them.

— the report that two traffic officials who issued a ticket to an MNA were suspended by their superiors and an inquiry was ordered against them -- just for doing their duty diligently. People say besides causing discontent among the traffic force and rightly so, the incident points out the inconsistency in standard directives that while the traffic police are encouraged to issue tickets for traffic violations, they face punitive measures for carrying out their duties when influential individuals are involved.

— the sad story of how a journalism student, was expelled from his hostel late at night for the trivial offence of playing a Rabab and tragically met with a fatal road accident and eventually died. People say apart from the lack of medical emergency services available, what is shocking is that he was forced to leave the hostel for playing a musical instrument which he could have been stopped from doing and then dealt with according to rules, if any, in the morning.

— the order by the courts that women are allowed to retain their father’s names on passports and CNICs regardless of their marital status and what a welcome step this is as this decision prevents unnecessary government interference in women’s personal choices and facilitates their participation in public life without additional bureaucratic obstacles. People say it is important for the government to promptly implement this ruling and ensure public awareness so that women feel empowered to retain their names as they choose.

— what happens on local TV channels in the wake of the T20 world cup and the national team losing matches, is the last thing we need under the prevailing political polarisation. People say a few former cricketers who are invited to analyse the situation pass very irresponsible comments about ethnicities, biases, prejudices, favouritism and unfortunately, their choice of words is completely devoid of any civility and affability and viewers lose respect when a few celebrities speak in such a manner.

— how the peacock, a symbol of beauty and the fact that these magnificent birds add to the region’s natural charm are being eliminated at a fast rate because a viral disease has killed hundreds of them and unfortunately the relevant department has not taken any measure to prevent these deaths. People say immediate action is needed from higher authorities to save the birds and protect the remaining flocks against any further harm to save the natural beauty they provide to locals and tourists alike.

— the fact that the forklifts used to remove vehicles parked in prohibited areas lack registration plates – almost as though they are exempt from being considered vehicles themselves. People say it is a rather paradoxical scenario where these forklifts, intended to enforce no-parking zones, are themselves parked in these no-parking zones and this indicates not only a disregard for the law but also undermines the credibility of the city’s traffic police, so a solution should be found to this anomaly. —