Transgender issues in Pakistan
One of the most sensitive social issues in Pakistan is discrimination and violence against the transgender community. Trans people, also known as the “third” gender, are considered an abomination by society. Transgender people are frowned upon and are considered to be degenerates, being treated as if they are not even human. Due to the controversial nature and the typical uptight and backward mindset of people, the subject of transgender rights in Pakistan is not widely discussed.
The transgender community has been rebuked all over Pakistan and not considered equal to other members of society. As a society fostering a number of stereotypical taboos and inhumane norms, the Pakistani transgender society has always suffered from oppression and scepticism. They are ignored in every walk of life including, education, government jobs, health care and even security for their life. In 2013, the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave certain rights to the trans community, but these rights are still not properly implemented. Even their own families do not accept them. There is an ingrained fear of transgender people amongst the “normal people” and this fear is developed in children from an early age.
Pakistani parents are insecure and believe it is inappropriate for their child to interact with a transgender person hence developing this feeling of reluctance towards them. I’ve often thought about why there is a general hatred for transgenders in Pakistan. The term carries different meaning for different people, but one basic meaning is that a transgender person is someone who is born not knowing which gender they belong to.
MAHA SALEEM,
Karachi.
Internet addiction
Educational institutions have remained closed since March due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Students are more addicted to social media and are not reading books. No doubt the internet is a great way to gain knowledge at a global level, but it is a shortcut. It is better to read the whole book and find its true essence. We waste our whole day scrolling through our Facebook newsfeeds. Even though it provides us with knowledge, we should still limit our time on social media and focusing more on reading up on history, literature, etc.
ENGINEER MEER WAQAR
BADAR KANDHRO,
Larkana.
100 years of Aligarh Muslim University
“Taught Man What He Knew Not”, is a verse from the Holy Quran and the motto of Aligarh Muslim University. Upgraded from Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1920, the University has completed a 100 years of excellence in the face of huge challenges.
Hindu College Calcutta was the first college established in India in 1817. It was established by Raja Ram Mohan Rai and was exclusively for Hindus. Almost sixty years later, Muslims established their first college (thanks to the efforts of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan) in Aligarh. But the damage had been done and Hindus had moved up the social ladder of progress and modernity in a big way. Many believe that Indian Muslims of the late nineteenth century was synonymous to backwardness and orthodoxy. So much so that historian that W.W. Hunter had to report that in 1871 in Calcutta not a single Muslim was appointed above the rank of Naib Qasid.
The situation would have remained the same, if not for Sir Syed. He condemned the morbid notion of the Anglo-Hindu alliance against Muslims and set out to challenge the system through educational reforms and enlightenment. After the establishment of MAO College Aligarh, things started to improve in favour of Muslims. A series of Muslim/Islamiya school and colleges sprung up all through the sub-continent and the renaissance of the Indian Muslim started.
Shah Zaman,
Lahore.
Karachi: A deprived city
Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan. It is home to an estimated 20 million people and is famously known as the financial capital and industrial hub of Pakistan. But there is a growing perception among the people of Karachi that they are being deprived of their fundamental rights. A city which contributes a gigantic 70 percent revenue to the national exchequer is still deprived of basic necessities i.e. electricity, gas and clean water.
With the passage of time many governments expressed concern for Karachi, putting its problems at the top of their manifestos. Every leader claimed Karachi as their own but when it required action, no one paid heed. Karachi has given a chance to almost every party. In the last election on the 25th of July, 2018, it gave a mandate to the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf which grabbed 13 seats out of 21 in the National Assembly. Now all eyes are on PM Imran Khan. The people have suffered a lot from such deadly problems. Therefore, proper will and determination can help the PTI led government to address these issues.
SANAULLAH KALWAR,
Kashmore.
Overeating
A proper diet has enormous benefits in one’s life. However, ignoring one’s diet and overeating causes huge repercussions on human health. Dr Yuval Noah Hurrari said in his bestselling book ‘Homo Deus’ that for the first time in history, more people die from eating too much than from eating too little. Indeed, in most countries overeating has become a bigger problem than famine.
Moveover, overeating and an unbalanced diet also cause various diseases and problems. Hurrari said that in 2014 more than 2.1 billion people were overweight compared to 850 million who suffered from malnutrition. He said it is expected that half of humankind is to be overweight by 2030. Consequently, health insecurity would cause more issues and more deaths. In 2010 famine and malnutrition combined killed about one million people. On the other hand, obesity killed 3 million people.
Thus overeating is the enemy of human health. Therefore one should not overeat but have a b balanced diet. As said by an intellectual saint that eat to live, not live to eat. Thus the government should also do its best in raising awareness in this regard.
IMTIAZ ESSA HALEPOTO,
Jamshoro.