GREEN PAKISTAN: As is always the case, Independence Day celebrations this year were full of colour and pride. However, they could have been more meaningful had we introduced a tradition of planting trees. With our climate challenges growing each year, Pakistan needs practical acts of love, not just sym-
bolic ones. If each of us had planted even one tree on Aug 14, we could have added millions in a single day. There is no reason to wait until next year. Communities, schools and offices can start this tradition now, and keep it alive every year. A green Pakistan is always the best gift we can give to our future generations.
Fatima Mushtaq
Dera Ghazi Khan
BANK SERVICES: The automated teller machine (ATM) installed at the Civil Secretariat, Muzaffarabad, frequently malfunctions and operates at a very slow pace, causing inconvenience to a large number of users. The Civil Secretariat is the central workplace for over 4,000 government employees, most of whom depend on this ATM facility daily for withdrawals, bill payments, and other transactions. The recurring delays and breakdowns not only affect the efficiency of these employees, but also reflect adversely on the quality of services that are associated with the bank concerned. The existing ATM needs to be replaced.
Babar Minhas
Muzaffarabad
UPLIFTING KARACHI: Some of the root causes of the chaos in Karachi are uncontrolled population growth and illegal settlements. To address the issue, there is an urgent need to consider actions that are critical, but are avoided because some may find it extreme. A starting point could well be a digital land and utility verification system that may digitally map and verify every single piece of property in the metropolis. People can play their part by buying or renting only verified properties, and reporting encroachments in their neighbourhoods. Karachi needs to be decongested, digitised and decentralised through planned satellite towns, population quotas, and smart enforcement.
Ayesha Almz
Karachi
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2025