“We are all continually embarking on first drafts, in every aspect of our lives.” –Jules Feiffer

Cry of mistrust

Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), considered the most incorruptible institution of Pakistan is where candidates from all over the country apply for various posts such as CSS and other general recruitments. 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 the 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.

Majeed Alam,
Islamabad

Role of tech in tax evasion drives

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 of 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.

Farhan Irfan,
Karachi

Menace of ‘ghost tecahers’

Can you recall a time when getting admitted in a government school or college was considered prestigious and honourable? Fast forward to recent decades, it has become a seal of deprivation and deplorability. The state of government educational institutions is pathetic. But what angers one more is the absenteeism of teachers and presence of ‘ghost teachers’. These ghost teachers are hired by government schools to teach students, but they never show up; yet receive designated salaries of the duty they are otherwise meant to fulfil. It is not just branded as dishonesty and injustice, in fact, it is a crime. But to whom should one complain about this? The black-money earners are filling their pockets with illegal earnings while our children suffer in silence, deprived of one of their basic rights – education.

Rameez Khan,
Quetta

Kashmir Hour

Kashmir Solidarity Hour was observed from 12:00 to 12:30 hours, last week on Friday during which sirens were sounded all across the country and national anthems of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were played. Special ceremonies were held at President House and Prime Minister's Secretariat to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Ministers, MNAs, officials, public servants, students of schools, colleges and universities and people from various walks of life gathered outside the two executive offices, waving both Pakistani and Kashmiri flags. All the people and vehicles came to a standstill.

Mariam Karim,
Karachi