MUCH AT STAKE: The opposition is threatening the peace, security and, indeed, the economy of the country by forcing the government to shut down highways and roads. What is at stake is people’s security, their peace of mind and everyday lives. The common man is not interested in politics. All he wants is his ‘right of movement’ in search of two square meals. When he is unable to go to work, his children are unable to attend school, and his family is denied access to medical help when needed, then he and only he happens to be the sufferer. The country belongs to the people and their interests should get priority over anybody’s wish-list.
Khayyam Durrani
Karachi
PROTECTING MOTORWAYS: Motorways, built at an enormous cost, are exposed to premature deterioration due to unchecked overloading of commercial vehicles. The problem is not merely the existence of weight limits; it is their weak enforcement. There are also persistent concerns about the functioning of weighing stations and measurement points. The government should strictly implement the axle-load policy, modernise weighing stations with tamper-proof digital systems, introduce electronic monitoring, and ensure that overloaded vehicles are off-loaded before onward movement. Enforcement staff and contractors must be independently audited, while penalties should apply equally to transporters, operators and officials facilitating vio-lations. Protecting roads is not simply a transport issue; it is an economic necessity.
Mubasher Mir
Karachi
IMPORTING POLLUTION: While passing through cities, one cannot miss the carts selling plastic toys, broken household items and assorted junk. Much of this merchandise is discarded waste from developed countries, resold here as usable goods. This practice is a hypocritical form of waste colonialism. It allows wealthy nations to externalise the environmental cost of their overconsumption, while our communities bear the ecological burden. We are not importing goods; we are actually importing pollution.
Amjad Iqbal
Karachi
Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026
