“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln

FPSC and cry of mistrust

Considered the most incorruptible institutions of Pakistan, Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) is where candidates from all over the country apply for various posts such as CSS and other general recruitment posts. But an unsatisfactory process of general recruitment test is its cornerstone too. After taking general tests, the FPSC takes about half a year to declare only successful candidate names. No marks are disclosed for the successful or failed candidates. Moreover, The FPSC does not upload answer keys of any test on its website. That spreads a climate of mistrust and frustration among candidates. Thus, it is requested to the FPSC’s chairman to ameliorate the process of general recruitment tests. And upload answer key of every test, so that candidates may tally their marks.

Rehmat Alam,
Karachi

Peace for Afghanistan

The foreign ministers of the Russia and Pakistan, namely Sergey Lavrov and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in recent meeting held in Moscow have decided to give Russia inclusion in the Afghanistan peace process. Also, in a big breakthrough move Pakistan has reportedly convinced Afghan Taliban to enter into dialogues with Afghanistan government which were refused earlier. However, ‘acknowledging’ Pakistan’s diplomatic move, they have ‘conditionally’ agreed to negotiate with the government. Pakistan remains committed to peace process in Afghanistan. Af-Pak peace is essential for regional stability. Pakistan is facilitating Afghan led peace process with seriousness to see peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan in the neighbourhood.

Neha Elahi,
Lahore

Employ technology in tax evasion missions

In a bid to identify tax evaders, ‘house to house’ visits by tax officials is reportedly on the cards. The plan will commence from Sector E/7, Islamabad and will then cover all posh areas in the country. The apparent aim of this effort is to locate property owners and establish whether they are tax filers and if so, are they paying appropriately. In this case, technology needs to be used in a historical perspective to identify tax evaders. Going ‘house to house’ can be adopted subsequently to plug gaps. The ‘house to house’ approach was used during General Musharraf’s tenure with dismal results. Repeating a failed exercise will only let down the Government and waste precious resources and time.

Jahanzaib Khan,
Islamabad

Protecting polio workers

The polio epidemic has been Pakistan’s long nemesis and it is again on the rise in the country. And the many efforts of the concerned authorities to help eradicate this virus are appreciable. The horrible irony is that lives of those workers who are administrating polio vaccination are in danger! Recently, a female polio worker was killed in Quetta’s Bhosa Mandi. In January 2018, a mother and her daughter were vaccinating polio drops were also killed during a brazen attack in Quetta’s Hazara Ganji area. In April 2018 a female polio worker was injured in Nawan Kalli area of provincial capital. The government and concerned authorities should take a great step to protect the polio workers who are always present to make Pakistan a polio free country and it is also the responsibility of every citizen to support the workers who put their lives in danger to save children from this virus.

Aleem Ansari,
Quetta