17 November 2009

This is in response to the letter, ‘Why the Opposition’, (Letters to the Editor, KT, November 12). The stiff opposition shown to the Kerry Luger Bill is justified.
It’s not the $1.5 billion bill, but the harsh conditions attached which are being opposed. If the US, the so-called champion of world peace, is so sincere in defeating terrorism, then it should help Pakistan whole-heartedly without any conditions. For example, the aid is linked to the continuation of the drone strikes which, obviously, is unacceptable to more than 90 per cent of the Pakistanis.

That way, the sovereignty of the country will be at stake, subsequently making Pakistan a slave obliged to obey commands, instead of a frontline state involved in the war against terror.

17 November 2009

The news about the fire in Sharjah (‘Big Financial Losses in Sharjah Fire,’ KT, November 12) was heart-rending.

I would like to know who will pay the person who had to suffer the losses. I would urge the Sharjah civil defence and forensic authorities to find the cause of the fire and extend help to the people involved.

17 November 2009

Is there a benefit to the reader or society in general in knowing the nationality of those involved in a crime? Perhaps it helps the general public identify probable criminals when we know that the person stealing from the Atlantis restaurant was a Filipino, the man selling heroin was a Pakistani and an elevator molester was Egyptian. Do we also need to know that the molestation victim was from Myanmar and the gang rape victim was European?

If identifying nationalities serves the purpose of raising awareness, I wonder why in the most serious case of rape by a gang impersonating police officers, the nationalities of the suspects were not mentioned. If the paper is going to give one nationality a free pass, they shouldn’t call attention to the others.

17 November 2009

I agree with the letter, ‘RERA and Rents Increase’ (KT, November 12). Indeed, RERA should rethink about rents. The average salaries have dropped due to the global crisis, but rents are going up, thereby providing little opportunity for spending on the retail and entertainment sector.

It is not possible for private businesses to make profit under the current costs and therefore to sustain balanced opportunity for both real estate and retail sector. Hence, there is a definite need to bring down the rents substantially.

17 November 2009

Due to time constraints, parents these days are not able to sit down and talk to their children. Gone are the days when parents and children used to sit around the dining table to have lunch and dinner together.

Now, with the exposure to the modern world, children prefer to spend time with friends.

People have become like machines. In the morning, parents need to get to work, while children are in a hurry to go to school. Parents are in a hurry all the time. They do not find time to spend with children. And in due course, children lose respect for their parents. They do not understand that they need to show love towards their parents.

Parents need to somehow find time for children. They have to be corrected whenever they do something wrong. You may need to spank them when they do wrong and pat them at the back when they do something good.

Remember, children are the future and it is the parents’ responsibility to see that they take the right path.