DEARTH OF VENTILATORS: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and the Polyclinic lack adequate number of stretchers and ventilators. Critically ill patients in need of life support through ventilators are left waiting. My younger brother died recently due to this lack of critical care facilities. Staff at these hospitals indulge in vain talk with the attendants of patients, and waste time in unnecessary formalities. Critical care facilities and equipment should be provided to the two hospitals, otherwise innocent patients like my younger brother will continue to die premature deaths.

Kalsoom Abro
Islamabad

SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS: Kharan is the only district in Rakhshan division to have a nursing college. Disappointingly, there is a serious shortage of teachers in the college. The students have held several protests to highlight the issue, but no action has been taken by the authorities so far. The college administration does not pay heed to the students’ grievances. It is imperative for the higher authorities to take notice of the issue at the earliest, and appoint qualified teachers to improve the standard of education.

Dostain Raskohi
Kharan

DEVIL’S PROPAGANDA: Foreign media outlets continue to churn out malicious propaganda to damage Pakistan. I came across a report on a foreign website that focussed on the security steps Pakistan had taken as it prepared to host the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Unfortunately, the report skewed the narrative, portraying a predominantly negative outlook of the country’s overall security situation. Moreover, while focu-ssing exclusively on ‘security concerns’, the report missed discussing Pakistan’s positive role in hosting such a prestigious international event on its soil. Undoubtedly, it is essential to cover all dimensions of an event, including security, but it is also equally important to present a more com-prehensive view. In essence, it is incumbent upon media in Pakistan to counter and challenge such biased reporting.

Seemar Babar
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2024