People are talking about —

— the business concept known as multi-level marketing which allows participants to make a profit by selling goods or services and enlisting new members. People say although some of these companies are legitimate, many of them are dishonest and resemble pyramid schemes, which are prohibited in many nations because they are exploitative as people at the bottom of the pyramid find it difficult to regain their initial investment, while those at the top of the pyramid reap the greatest benefits.

— the report that a new university is being built. People say instead of this plan there is a more cost-effective, firmly anchored and sustainable model to use the funds allocated for it based on better resource utilization; spreading the fixed costs of existing universities over larger variable costs through the provision of competitive research grants and optimizing the underutilized capacity of these universities due to the paucity of funds -- and still the incremental capital costs would be negligible.

— the Dhee Rani Programme, which aims to enable deserving parents to fulfil the socio-religious obligation of their daughter’s marriage in a dignified manner and how despite its apparent intent of goodwill, it has come under fire for indirectly promoting the vice of dowry, which is a major cause of women’s subordinated status in the country. People say it is not the government’s job to get girls married, it should focus on imparting education and skills to them so that they can become economically independent.

— the report that interest rates, which have dropped to 12%, have had negative impacts on the silver economy and its stakeholders, mainly pensioners, life insurance policyholders, widows, and weaker segments of society. People say the drastic reductions in their savings are marginalising them further, leading to social alienation, structured discrimination and, above all, an even wider gap between the haves and the have-nots, so the government and the central bank should devise a protective interest rate mechanism for these segments of society.

— how the Federal Shariat Court’s ruling that it is un-Islamic to deprive a woman of her right to inheritance is a watershed moment in Pakistan’s struggle for gender equality. People say for generations, women have been denied what is rightfully theirs, through coercion, social pressure and criminality, even though religious injunctions and legal protections exist, exploitative customs rob women of their share in property because they have been forced to sign away their inheritance in favour of male relatives.

— the report that 6,000 contract and daily wage workers will be laid off by the Utility Stores Department, according to a briefing provided to the Senate. People say with unemployment already high, this planned lay off will cause a lot of distress and frustration among those who are already finding it difficult to make both ends meet and it is no wonder that boatloads of desperate men and women are risking their lives to leave the country for greener pastures.

— the sad fact that a significant portion of workers do not receive the legally mandated minimum wage, exacerbating their economic hardships. People say in this era of increasing inflation, survival on anything less is almost unimaginable and even when it comes to the minimum wage, it is insufficient to meet basic living standards, so it is exploitation to make anyone work for lower wages. Additionally, a more reasonable living wage should be announced and strictly enforced. — I.H.