— the good news that a premium olive oil brand from Lorelai in Baluchistan has brought recognition to the country after winning a gold medal at the London International Olive Oil Competition 2026, picked from over 1,200 global brands from different countries by a panel of experts. People say this news has become viral on social media in different videos but there does not appear to be any mention of it in the electronic media, so many are doubting its veracity.
— the report that Pakistan’s food import bill surged 11.66 per cent, largely led by higher purchases of sugar and edible oil. People say they wonder why the government imports sugar when mill owners want to be allowed to export the commodity as they have an excess of it but it transpires that since sugar mills are owned by the powerful of the country, basically the government is caught between the influential sugar lobby and the pressure to protect local consumers.
— the fact that we are a nation blessed with immense sporting talent including passionate football lovers eager to embrace the world’s most popular game but it remains far from inclusion in world events as it does not have a world class team like it had many years ago. People say the question is why have we failed to build the foundations required by international standards like world class stadiums; accredited training facilities and a long term commitment to developing football from the grassroots level.
— how a silent and toxic crisis flows entirely unaddressed beneath our feet — the absence of safe drainage and sewage processing which has turned streets into open canals as millions of gallons of untreated waste water pours daily into natural rivers and vital underground aquifers and every monsoon this systemic failure erupts, drowning urban centres in disease ridden filth. People say we construct housing developments ignoring basic, life—saving sanitation infrastructure and cannot claim development when our citizens must navigate toxic, overflowing gutters.
— the poor condition of government hospitals which are meant to provide affordable healthcare to the public but lack basic facilities including clean wards, proper sanitation and essential medical equipment, while long waiting hours; overcrowded conditions; the unavailability of medicines and a shortage of qualified staff further affects the quality of treatment. People say such conditions put patients’ lives at risk and it is deeply concerning that those who cannot afford private healthcare are left with no reliable option.
— the news that the Rawal Lake park site has lost fifty per cent of its tree cover over the last two decades and images shared by Suparco compare the densely covered Lake View Point in 2004 with the present view. The stark difference highlights Islamabad’s environmental degradation, driven by unplanned urban expansion and the impact of large quantities of sewage flowing into Rawal Dam, while a cleanup drive by EPA found hazardous material, highlighting the severe pollution threatening the lake’s ecosystem.
— the fact that the government always opts to shift the burden of increased global oil prices onto the people, while considerable reductions in oil prices translate only into minimal reduction in petrol and diesel prices. — I.H.
