LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
UNHOLY SMOKE
If you drive through Zamzama in Karachi, you can see the cafes and restaurants that have sprung up because now, for residents of the city, eating out is the second definition of entertainment. Their entertainment programme is incomplete unless they eat out, be it with family or friends. Restaurants, when eating out with the family, and cafes when hanging out with friends.
The point of concern is that there are more cafes in Karachi than there are restaurants, and almost all of these cafes sell sheeshas. Numerous articles have been written on their harmful impact on our health by doctors and health specialists, and yet smoking sheesha continues to be a common practice with our youth. Unlike cigarettes, they come in different flavours. You name it, and these cafes will have that particular flavour for you. The objective is to sell whatever is in demand.
Youths comprise 35 per cent of Pakistan’s total population. The nation is already dealing with a lot of other menaces; now it has to face this new danger. Till recently, it was the hobby of boys. But now girls have joined them too. The number of teenaged girl smokers has increased rapidly. They belong to welloff families and consider smoking as a fashion, unaware of the medical complications they might have to face during pregnancy after marriage. The government should ban the sheesha to safeguard the future of youngsters.
REINING IN ROADHOGS
It is alarming to see the hike in road accidents due to carelessness and negligence. Reckless driving is endangering the lives of those behind wheels as well as other road users. Violation of traffic rules, such as speeding, flouting signals, careless changing of lanes, driving while under the influence of alcohol and talking on mobile phones are some of the reasons for the rise in road accidents.
The authorities should take more strict measures, like increasing fines, blackmark- ing rash drivers’ licences and beefing up patrolling.
MENON MENACED
This is regarding the recent incident in Kerala, in which actor Swetha Menon retracted her allegation of sexual misbehaviour by a Congress MP a day after she made it. What is fishy here? Whenever there’s an allegation against a politician or anyone associated with the ruling party, either the case will be withdrawn or the investigating agencies will give the accused a clean chit. Congress party activists have already started a smear campaign against Menon. She is an artist and makes a living by acting and anchoring programmes. She was told that her career may get jeopardised if she proceeds with the accusation.
The actor was under immense pressure from various quarters ever since she made the disclosure to the media. The pressure came in the form of advice (her own industry colleagues close to the ruling party warned her about the possible consequences and openly said if she pursued the complaint, it would affect her film career) and threats (that her finances needed to be investigated by the income-tax department).
That’s how power works against women in India.