People are talking about —

— the Facebook post that claimed Pakistani students of a college had created petrol from plastic. If this is authentic then people say the students should be encouraged and their efforts should not be wasted or buried because of pressure from oil companies. There have been numerous instances when talented students invented or created something that would benefit the country but they were not encouraged or sponsored by anyone, including the government, a sad reflection of how good initiatives are treated in this country.

— the report that Muhammad Din, a dedicated and disciplined martial artist, has recently achieved the prestigious rank of Black Belt 1st Dan in Taekwondo, the culmination of years of perseverance in mastering the art. A child of SOS Village Dhodial, his achievement is a testament to his growing up in a supportive yet challenging environment and overcoming numerous obstacles to pursue his passion, highlighting the positive impact of the SOS Village community in nurturing the talents and aspirations of its children.

— the fact that as more people in Pakistan adopt solar energy, reducing their dependence on the national grid, with fewer consumers relying on conventional electricity, utility companies face declining revenues. People say to recover these losses they redistribute costs to non-solar users, forcing them to convert to solar, further eroding revenue. The government should implement policies that promote fair cost sharing as addressing this issue proactively will help ensure a balanced transition to renewable energy, while protecting the interests of all consumers.

— how recent studies on mental health have shown a rise in anxiety and depression among the youth, predominantly shaped by the fear of failure and societal pressure. People say encouraging children to gracefully accept setbacks helps them to persevere and develop critical life skills, so instead of fixating on grades, accolades and comparisons, we should reward efforts and learning through challenges, as defeat can be a powerful teacher if we allow children to reflect on their shortcomings and learn from them.

— the fact that whenever there is any positive movement in the stock market it is thought to be a positive development that the economy is going in the right direction but when it is noticed that most of our industrialists and businessmen are moving to other countries with their liquid assets, leaving behind unproductive idle ones, these positive indicators look a lot less impressive. People say it makes one wonder if markets trends are being manipulated to fetch huge profits.

— the numerous constructions in the Margalla Hills National Park, although it is a protected area where all types of construction had been declared illegal by the courts. It is distressing to learn from news reports that 80 to 132 constructions are still there including more than 50 kiosks and neither the municipal authorities nor the CDA were taking any action on the courts orders. People say this is what happens when court orders are not followed from the top.

— the sad fact that it’s been three months since Pakistan’s most decorated para athlete won a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics but there have been no cash prizes, no congratulatory calls, nothing. It’s been this way since his international debut in 2006. Now he no longer yearns for success, its recognition and respect from the nation and the government that he craves - his athletic career has been a bright, illuminating Pakistan’s sports scene but it has not been recognised. — I.H.