HELPING THE DESERVING: With the arrival of Ramazan, professional beggars, as is the case every year, have started roaming the streets seeking alms. These beggars tarnish the essence of charity as a majority of them is not even deserving of one’s Zakat. Besides, genuine and deserving individuals, who may be struggling but keeping their dignity alive, often go unnoticed and are left without the support they need. The relevant authorities should take swift and decisive action against professional beggars, ensuring that people’s charitable contributions do reach those who are truly in need and actually deserve to get social support.

Ayesha Ehtisham
Karachi

DENIED DEMOCRACY: This is with reference to the editorial “Demo- cracy’s decline” (Feb19), which called for significant reforms aimed at ensuring electoral integrity and dismantling the influence of the establishment in political affairs. In almost all true democracies, the establishment remains within its constitutional limits. Unfortunately, Pakistan has remained unlucky in this regard. The involvement of establishment in political affairs of the country dates back to 1950, when a great folly was committed by president Iskandar Mirza, who inducted army chief Ayub Khan as the defence minister in his cabinet. Since then, the military has enhanced its leverage across the board.

Abid Mahmud Ansari
Islamabad

MISPLACED EXPENDITURE: Various student bodies are popular in parts of Balochistan. Recently, a couple of these organisations spent Rs110,000 to arrange a welcome party for new students at the University of Karachi. Instead of organising this party, the amount should have been donated towards the relief activities being carried out for the flood affectees in Gwadar and other areas. The people of the affected areas are struggling for their lives, and it does not reflect common sense on the part of the organisers.

Anayat Abid
Turbat

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2024