GAS-DEPRIVED: The residents of Airport Housing Society, a populated area in Rawalpindi, receive no supply of natural gas even during the hours announced by the government. Despite government warnings, there are some area residents who use compressor machines, depriving others from the supply. Several complaints have been lodged with the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), but no official has ever visited the area. SNGPL should take notice of this adverse situation.

Abid Hussain Aajiz
Rawalpindi

DARK SIDE: A YouTuber gained massive following and views after he started showcasing his wife in vlogs. This couple, along with others, is setting a bad example for people. They display their personal lives and showcase their loved ones as tools to attract attention. Such content is meaningless. The worrying part is that most of the consumers of such content end up comparing themselves to these YouTubers and feeling inferior. We should promote modesty in society.

Masroor Ahmad
Islamabad

BANKING MISERY: The automated teller machines (ATMs) in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, mostly remain non-functional. They are either out of cash or down due to technical issues. I recently had to rush to more than 10 ATMs before I could carry out a single transaction. Given the large population in the city, banks should install more ATMs to facilitate the people.

Asim Khalid
Quetta

POLICY CONFUSION: While the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is pushing for complete conversion of conventional banking to Islamic banking by 2028, its recent mandate requiring Islamic banks to pay 75 per cent of the gross yield on savings accounts has raised concerns. This will increase deposit costs, squeeze margins, and limit competitiveness, slowing down growth. The move risks making Islamic banks less attractive than conventional banks, creating several challenges with regard to the 2028 target.

Muhammad Ahsan
Nowshera

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2024