Civic education

Many problems ordinary citizens in Pakistan encounter may be due to limited awareness or indifferent attitudes towards civic responsibilities. For a long time, no one in power has seriously thought of educating the public to improve their quality of life. Some of the glaring examples are healthcare and cleanliness. Pakistanis are suffering from alarming levels of diabetes, heart problems, and other diseases due to the consumption of unhealthy foods and the sedentary lifestyle creeping into every segment of society. Similarly, the cleanliness of our surroundings is perceived as the sole responsibility of municipal bodies.

Better education and awareness campaigns would help people make better choices in both these areas and reduce the burden on government services. Besides the government, the religious scholars and media should also come forward to educate the public on civic responsibilities. This would end in significant savings in the expenditure on healthcare and other facilities offered to the public.

Dr Najeeb A Khan

Islamabad