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Modi’s 3rd term
India’s election, with over 600 million voters, was the largest in democratic history. Although Narendra Modi secured a third term as India’s leader, his party lost its majority in parliament. During the election campaign, he claimed his party would win 400 seats, but they failed to achieve even a simple majority of 272 seats. To form a government, Modi will need to rely on coalition partners that do not share his Hindu-nationalist agenda. This could lead to challenges in governing smoothly and potential deadlocks in implementing policies.
Modi’s victory may also pose challenges for India’s diverse population. Before the election, he expressed intentions to amend the Indian Constitution. With his renewed mandate, he might pursue these changes, potentially aiming to establish a Hindu state. This could involve constitutional amendments and initiatives to convert followers of other religions to Hinduism. Such moves could alarm minority communities, who fear marginalization and the erosion of their rights.
For Pakistan, Modi’s victory could mean a challenge, as no improvement in relations is expected. While people in Pakistan hope for positive relations, believing that Nawaz Sharif and Modi have good ties, this seems unlikely given Modi’s campaign rhetoric targeting Muslims and Pakistan.
QURRAT UL NISA CH
Rawalakot
United for Palestine!
Thinking of Pakistan and any other Muslim country as two separate states is surely the wrong idea! This may sound childish, old-fashioned, and typical, but it is a FACT. Claiming Pakistan as an ‘Islamic Republic’ and then engaging in actions that clearly do NOT align with Islam would make even a child question many things. People can make all sorts of silly and weak arguments to justify the behavior of politicians, the ‘establishment,’ and even civilians, but this only proves the level of hypocrisy we are practicing.
Eight months and 75 years later, we as a nation, we as a Muslim Ummah, have failed the people of Palestine. Is Pakistan to be blamed for this? Definitely yes! When we say that we are a Muslim country, we should not operate or function based on mere personal or national interests. Instead, we must consider the interests of the entire Ummah, bear the responsibility of the entire Ummah, and hence, we must be held accountable for that.
To be very honest, I admit that I have a severe lack of information regarding this issue, but one thing I am certain about is that what we are doing currently is surely not what we are supposed to do. Boycotting and calling for a ceasefire may be enough for the non-Muslim community, but for us, at least a threat to Israel must be the bare minimum. We don’t want just a ceasefire; we want our people to pressure our government, politicians, and defense forces to at least pose a threat to Israel and intervene in Gaza. We want this genocide to be stopped as soon as possible in such a way that these eight months and 75 years of suffering will never be repeated in the future. Muslim countries are not separate states; they are one land! The joy and misery of one must be shared and felt equally by all.
MASOOMA IRFAN
Lahore
Shield salaries from taxes
Dear Members of the National Assembly and Senate,
Assalam-o-Alaikum
We write to express our deep concern regarding the proposed increase in taxation on salaried income in the upcoming 2024-25 budget. This measure will cause significant hardship for a segment of society that already shoulders a significant tax burden.
We urge you to reconsider this proposal and instead advocate for the reallocation of unnecessary government expenditures. In particular, we recommend reevaluating the proposed budget allocation of Rs 75b for parliamentarians. Additionally, we propose a review of plans for increased spending on new cars and renovations for government residences and offices, including those of the president, prime minister, governors, and governments guest houses.
Reallocating these funds would provide much-needed relief to salaried individuals and families. Unlike other segments of society, salaried workers can not pass on tax increases to consumers.
We implore you to prioritize the well-being of this vital group and ensure a more equitable distribution of the tax burden. Your this gesture will enhance your dignity and respect in the eyes of the masses and strengthen belief in the democracy. Thank you for your time and consideration.
SYED NAYYAR UDDIN
Lahore
