People are talking about —

— the Lohi Bher Wildlife Park and the pathetic condition it is in. First, out of the 1,050 acres of forest land, after a free-for-all by land mafia over the park’s land, its area has shrunk to just 450. Then the free roaming animals were caged and their numbers depleted through lack of proper nutrition; the lake has dried up; land grabbers are waiting like vultures, while the authorities are busy doling out freebees to their favourites to win favour in case new elections are held.

— the report that embezzlements to the tune of millions of rupees have been detected in the Zakat fund and the corrupt practices in the Islamabad Zakat and Ushr Committee. People say if this is what happens in the capital, what must be going on in other cities and small towns. Efforts should be made to verify the beneficiaries through biometric records in consultation with Nadra to ensure transparency in dispensation of the Zakat funds to deserving people for whom the funds are collected.

— the plastic bag menace and the failure of the state authorities to address the root cause behind their continued sale, so hefty fines imposed on shopkeepers are shifted to the customers through increased prices. People say there are two ways of dealing with a leaky faucet - the first is to cover the tap with duct tape, while the other involves recognizing and addressing the root cause of the leakage so the manufacturing of plastic bags should be addressed.

— the sad fact that those women who are fortunate enough to have familial encouragement are often celebrated and viewed as role models, while those who lack such support face immense resistance and judgment from their own families but also from the community. People say families, as the foundational unit of support, play a critical role in shaping an individual’s confidence and resilience, meanwhile, society must learn to celebrate the courage to pursue one’s passions, irrespective of circumstances or outcomes.

— the decision to install electric charging stations with electricity at subsidized rates for electric vehicles. Ordinary people do not understand for whose benefit these charging stations are being installed and who is advising our decision makers to undertake such ventures, because those who can afford to keep electric cars do not need cheap electricity -- it is just another act of facilitating the country’s elite both by letting some influential persons install these stations, as well as those using the electric cars.

— the report that the government has announced free solar panels for people living in rented houses and how there appears that no one thought out the scheme properly, as the facility should only be extended to low-income house-owners. People say the rented houses do not belong to the tenants, therefore the owner of the house would be the actual beneficiary and he can terminate the tenancy contract at any time and even misuse it for his own benefit.

— the 40 minute display of fireworks to usher in the new year in Karachi and the fact that while celebrations are important, this extravagant display came at a time when the city is grappling with far more pressing issues. People say leaving all such issues aside, public resources were allocated to an event that contributed to air pollution and wasteful spending and in these difficult times for the marginalized persons of society, the government should have used the funds for more meaningful initiatives. — I.H.