ENCROACHED AREA: There have been significant encroachments around the Sadiqabad Haji Chowk in Rawalpindi, causing severe traffic congestion, with vehicles frequently stuck for hours, making it nearly impossible to pass through. Being a busy marketplace, it is a crowded area already, and encroachments add to the problem. The government had resolved the issue by widening the road and removing encroachments, but shopkeepers and vendors have occupied the area once again. The issue must be addressed again, with consistent and effective supe-rvision to prevent further encroachments.

Rubaysha Imran
Rawalpindi

UNIVERSITY IN HUB: There is a dire need to establish a university in Hub district. Currently, students are forced to either move to other cities for higher education, travel a long distance, or quit studies altogether. Many parents cannot afford to send their children, especially daughters, to other cities. The presence of a local university would ease the concerns of these communities. Additionally, some students travel some 100km from Hub to Uthal daily for the purpose. The long and exhausting journey takes a toll on their health, causing them to leave their studies soon afterwards. The government must establish a university in Hub to make higher education accessible to local students.

Shahque
Hub

LYARI EXPRESSWAY: I commute daily through the Lyari Expressway and see hundreds of plastic bags filled with garbage. The area residents throw these bags without thinking about the damage they cause to the environment. Besides, large heaps of garbage are dumped on the sides of the tracks and into the Lyari River. The residents and all the relevant stake-holders should come forward to keep the expressway clean, and convert the riverbed into an urban forest, with sports facilities, parks, museums and such places. I am sure timely intervention will not only preserve this important road, but will also help improve the environment of the city.

Dr Syed Ali Salman
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2025