Monsoon remedies for itchy feet

By Zahid Karim It is true that terrorism remains one of the most serious national security challenges of Pakistan. It has blighted the plant of peace, progress and prosperity. Although, time and again efforts have been made to eradicate this cancerous evil, it has deeply embedded ideological, political, and socio-economic roots in the society. It has not only weakened the socio-economic fabric of the society but also tarnished the image of the country across the globe.  At the moment, Pakistan is experiencing a resurgence of terrorism, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. There is no place or aspect of life where terrorism and extremis has not shown its ugly face. No one is safe either in office or home from militants, extremists and terrorist. It is evident from the recent deadly attack on rangers installation in Karachi. Before it, a suicide car bomb targeted a passenger train transporting military personnel and their families at Chaman Phatak station in Quetta, killing at least 24 people and injuring over 50 others. Besides, the suicide bomb attack at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area of Islamabad killed at least 31 people and injured 169 others. In fact, the widespread, coordinated terrorist atrocities across the province of Baluchistan including Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Nushki, resulting in significant casualties. Sadly, the car bombing at Mir Ali Area of North Waziristan which led to the loss of some 13 soldiers and 3 civilians added further fuel to the fire. Similarly, the bold daylight attack of Sorab, Baluchistan, Khuzdar school bus suicide and fatal hijacking of Jafar Express reveal the helplessness and haplessness of the security agencies of the country. Interestingly, many security operations have been carried out but their gains are not so encouraging. Indeed, the lasting peace requires more than military might. It needs social justice, education, economic development, and strong institutions.  As a matter of fact, without paving the way for political stability, economic prosperity, social justice and religious harmony, sustainable peace remains only a daydream. It requires social healing, reconciliation, and national unity. It is not just military operations, airstrikes, and crackdowns that can resolve the daunting issue. Of course, the root causes are deeply entrenched in social, economic, ideological, and political structures, not merely in armed insurgency. These may include poverty and unemployment, illiteracy and radical education, social injustice and political exclusion and Religious intolerance and sectarianism. Thus, Pakistan needs social reforms—not just military solutions—to effectively eliminate terrorism.  More importantly, military solutions are not alone sustainable and viable. Military action may abolish imminent threats, but it cannot address the root causes. Besides, force is necessary only to dismantle militant networks but long-term stability requires deep social reforms to address the root causes of radicalization. Military operations like Zarb-e-Azb, Rah-e-Rast etc have only degraded militant groups but failed to eradicate them completely.  Education is the foremost remedy to discourage radicalization in the society. Promotion of education infuses tolerance, peace and critical thinking.  It has capacity to augment intellect, widens vision and produces a refined and cultured human being. It equips the poverty-ridden youth to become productive part of the society. In this connection, curricula should be modernized. Besides, madrassas education should be regulated to prevent the spread of extremist ideologies. It is through quality, inclusive, and modern education that radicalism can be discouraged. Furthermore poverty alleviation and provision of economic opportunities is another panacea for extremism and terrorism. Ironically, insufficiency of economic opportunities creates frustration, deprivation, and anxiety among the youth. It makes them vulnerable to fall prey to the extremist and militants for financial incentives. Undoubtedly, investing in economic development, job creation, and vocational training provide them a peaceful path. In addition to this, provision of social justice is another cure to win hearts and minds of the people. Rampant violation of human rights and extra-judicial killings imparts resentment and revenge. An inefficient and corrupt criminal justice system erodes public trust. It leads individuals to seek alternative forms of “justice” to address their unsettled grievances. Thus, sustainable peace can also be achieved through fair, accessible, and efficient justice system and police frameworks.  Moreover, since her inception, Pakistan has been witnessing poor social cohesion and interfaith harmony among its population. It has led them towards violence and terrorist activities to get accepted their different vendettas.  Indeed, national integration and cohesion should also be fostered among the disgruntled sections of the society. Steps that foster dialogue, understanding, and respect among different communities, sects, and religious groups should be taken on war footing basis. In turn, it helps to dismantle the sectarian and ethnic divisions that extremist groups exploit. This builds a stronger national identity that transcends narrow affiliations. Additionally, prolonged military operations also cause political instability and adverse repercussion, especially when tangible improvements in security mechanism are not attained. Since, inception Pakistan has been witnessing widespread political instability. In turn, this phenomenon foments terrorism by creating governance vacuums and weakening of law enforcement apparatus. It allows militant groups to exploit social, economic, and political grievances of the masses. Ironically, frequent regime changes and civil-military discord distract authorities from security. It provides safe havens for groups like the TTP and other so-called terrorist organization. This contaminated environment of political polarization allows extremist groups to fill the void by promoting sectarianism and radicalization, which further destabilizes the state.  Political stability is essential to knock down the terrorism in Pakistan. It provides the foundation for effective governance, the rule of law, economic development, and social cohesion. Political stability allows the state to address the fundamental causes of terrorism, including poverty, inequality, sectarianism and ideological basis of terrorism.  It is also a matter a fact that when the state fails to provide justice, security, or basic services, people may turn to non-state actors. Lack of rule of law, poor governance, unbridled corruption, has added fuel to the fire. Strengthening of rule of law, police reforms, and transparent governance reduce extremism. It has capacity to manage the anger and disillusionment

Haleema Abdul Rauf I am writing to inform you that, due to the lack of electricity, we are facing many problems in our area. Without electricity, we cannot use fans, lights, the internet, or many other essential facilities. Nowadays, almost everything depends on electricity. Many poor families cannot afford solar panels because they do not have enough money or stable jobs. They also cannot afford appliances such as refrigerators. As a result, many people suffer from extreme heat, and some even become unconscious because of the high temperatures. We are facing many difficulties due to the electricity shortage. Refrigerators, lights, fans, and many modern devices all depend on electricity. Therefore, I request the government and WAPDA to ensure a proper and regular supply of electricity. Reliable electricity is very important for people’s daily lives, education, health, and work. I hope my request will be considered, and the electricity problem in our area will be resolved as soon as possible.

By Dr. Naveeda Katper Human beings live in a world of countless needs and wants, but the resources available to meet those needs are limited. Food, shelter, education, health and a sense of belonging are among the basic requirements of life. Because resources are scarce, individuals, organizations and governments have to set priorities, make choices and use available resources wisely. Resources can broadly be divided into natural and human-made resources. Natural resources such as land, water, forests, minerals and energy come from nature. Human-made resources, including machines, buildings, technology and infrastructure, are developed by people using natural resources. Natural resources can be depleted, while human-made resources can depreciate through use and time. Human beings, however, are different from other resources. A person is not simply a consumer of resources. With education, training, health and appropriate opportunities, a person can develop knowledge and skills and become an important form of human capital. This is why human capital is often considered more valuable than other resources. Human beings discover, develop and manage resources. They create technology, improve production, solve problems and generate new ideas. Among the traditional factors of production—land, labour, capital and entrepreneurship—human effort remains central because it activates and combines the others. Education and skills are therefore essential for economic and social development. A person without education or employable skills may have limited opportunities to earn a stable income. A skilled person, on the other hand, can use available resources productively and create value for both themselves and society. Skills can take different forms. Hard skills include technical and professional abilities. Soft skills include communication, teamwork, discipline and problem-solving. Transferable skills can be applied across different occupations and workplaces. All of these can improve a person’s ability to participate productively in the economy. Developed economies provide useful examples of how investment in people can contribute to national development. Countries such as Finland, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland, Japan and South Korea have invested substantially in education, vocational training, technology and workforce development. Their experience shows that economic progress is not based only on natural resources or physical infrastructure. The knowledge, skills and productivity of people are equally important. Skills development should begin early in life. Children should not be taught only to memorise information. They should also be encouraged to ask questions, solve problems, make things, experiment and learn from mistakes. An education system that allows children to try, fail and try again can help develop confidence, creativity and practical thinking. Schools, vocational institutions and workplaces all have a role in this process. Young people need opportunities to connect education with practical skills. They should be able to understand how knowledge can be applied to real problems and employment opportunities. The challenge is particularly serious in developing and least-developed countries, where many people have limited access to quality education, technical training and decent employment. Weak educational systems, inadequate infrastructure and limited opportunities for formal employment can prevent large sections of the population from developing their full potential. The problem is not simply unemployment. It is also the gap between what people know and what the economy needs. Many young people complete some level of education but do not acquire the practical or technical skills required by employers. At the same time, businesses often struggle to find workers with the right skills. Pakistan faces a similar challenge. The country has a large and relatively young population, which can become an important economic advantage if the right investments are made. But population size alone does not create economic growth. A large population becomes an asset when people are healthy, educated, skilled and productively employed. The World Bank’s Human Capital Index has repeatedly highlighted the importance of investments in education, health and skills for Pakistan’s long-term economic prospects. Pakistan’s human-capital performance remains below that of many countries that have made stronger and more sustained investments in these areas. Improving the quality of education, expanding vocational training and increasing opportunities for productive employment should therefore be treated as national priorities. Formal education, however, should not be considered the only route to developing human capital. Many adults who did not receive adequate schooling can still acquire useful skills through vocational and technical training. Short courses in areas such as construction, agriculture, livestock, tailoring, information technology, electrical work, plumbing, mechanics, hospitality and other trades can provide people with opportunities to earn a livelihood. Such training should not remain concentrated in major cities. Local training centres and mobile skill programmes can take practical education to towns and villages. Community-level training can help women, young people and adults who cannot easily access conventional educational institutions. Pakistan can also benefit from stronger links between education and the labour market. Training programmes should be designed after identifying the skills actually demanded by local and national economies. Employers, educational institutions and government departments should work together to ensure that training leads to real opportunities rather than certificates alone. The private sector also has an important role. Businesses can provide apprenticeships, internships and on-the-job training. Young people can gain valuable experience when they are given opportunities to learn directly in workplaces. Human capital development should also include lifelong learning. Technology and the nature of work are changing rapidly. Skills that are valuable today may become less relevant tomorrow. Workers therefore need opportunities to update their knowledge and acquire new skills throughout their careers. The central lesson is simple: people should not be viewed merely as consumers of a country’s resources. With proper investment, they become producers, innovators, entrepreneurs, teachers, technicians, researchers and problem-solvers. They create value from resources that might otherwise remain underused. For Pakistan, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. The country’s young population can become a powerful economic resource if it receives quality education, healthcare, practical skills and meaningful employment opportunities. But if these needs are ignored, population growth can increase pressure on already limited resources. Human capital is therefore not a secondary concern. It is one of the foundations of sustainable development. Roads, buildings, machines, technology and natural