Media Matters Pvt. Ltd., an affiliate of Grayling and one of the leading PR agencies in Pakistan, celebrated International Women’s Day with a webinar attended by a host of prominent female figures from the country’s corporate sector. The session was moderated by Najma Pirzada – Managing Editor at Global Village Space. The speakers included Farah Yasmine Shakir – Director Organizational Development, Telenor Pakistan, Kulsum Rashid – Head of Finance, Hutchison Ports, Umber Tanya Ansari – GM – Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications, Engro Corporation, Subul Naqvi – Head of Corporate Communications, Telenor Microfinance Bank/Easypaisa and Farah Sayeed – Chief Marketing Officer, TPL Corp.

The webinar shed light on the rapidly diversifying role that women play today. Expressing their views on the challenges that women face in the corporate sector, the participants emphasized that females today have to be assertive and stand for what they believe in. Women still remain a minority which is due to various reasons but the barriers that exist to their progress can be eliminated through passion and hardwork. In every corporate environment, there are deliverables and as long as these are achieved effectively, it becomes irrelevant as to which gender achieved them. It is also important not to stereotype women with certain roles because this limits their growth as intellectuals and professionals.

Another important point raised by the participants was regarding the biological difference and challenge that women face as part of the corporate culture. As they approach the mid to late 30s, women take a hiatus due to marriage or pregnancies but fail to return to their respective jobs effectively. This is why we witness the relation of women with the corporate sector dipping after the 30s. This is an issue that needs to be highlighted and tackled both on a personal as well as professional level.

At the execution of a successful webinar, Executive Director, Media Matters Pvt. Ltd. Natasha Durrani said while sharing her thoughts; “The idea behind bringing together a panel of women who hold senior roles in prestigious organizations was to build an effective platform from where aspiring female professionals can gather insights, motivation and much needed knowledge about pursuing their dreams. We wanted to show what women can and have achieved especially in the corporate culture today. At the same time, our aim was to allow and empower future professionals to gather what they need towards fulfillment of their future goals.”

Media Matters Pvt. Ltd. is part of a distinct group of organizations that have women at the helm personifying the notion that with the right balance of expertise and hardwork, the future of Pakistan in terms of gender development looks promising.

In a country riddled with a plethora of problems, one may find it easy to forget about minor dilemmas and their long-term consequences. These seemingly unharmful situations are obscured by the shadows of much more dangerous, demanding and drastic issues. A good example of this is the traffic congestion in major cities of Pakistan.

In recent years due to rapid urbanization, traffic congestion complications are frequently observed in large cities such as Karachi: The City of Lights, where road facilities operate at maximum capacity. This is both dangerous and frustrating for the individual as precious time, fuel and energy is being wasted.

When a car enters an intersection on a green light without there being enough room on the other side of the intersection for it to go all the way through, a gridlock is created. If the same situation was to simultaneously occur in multiple intersections, then these cars can be trapped indefinitely. This causes a pandemonium of noise due to excessive starting and stopping of vehicles. Moreover, this also increases air pollution. In many jurisdictions, drivers are therefore prohibited from entering an intersection at a green light if there is no room for them to clear the intersection. If all the drivers could follow this rule than the creation of a gridlock would we impossible.

However, it is an established fact that roads in major metropolitan cities are a victim of reckless driving. A fickle system of ensuring whether or not anyone is qualified to drive has been set up; the driving license is even given to those who lack civic sense. The traffic police are nowhere to be seen, roads are abandoned and traffic conditions are miserable. Constant violation of traffic rules and laws has resulted in the loss of human lives, painting a grim picture.

One of the eminent problems faced by all classes of the population is that of road transportation. The roads are too compact and in poor condition to facilitate the movement of cars, taxis, buses and other vehicles. Moreover, constant construction projects in cities also contributes to massive traffic jams! At first glance this may seem like an inescapable and seemingly insignificant problem that has ingrained itself into our monotonous routines, however this affects us negatively in the long term. It is already known that traffic congestion has unfavorable effects on the environment and on our health, and it continues to be counterproductive for a number of economic activities in various cities. Analysts believe that PKR 1 million are lost daily due to the traffic congestion which is extrapolated for the whole of Karachi. The country overall loses 1.5% of its Gross Domestic Product. This is the effect of only one city; these problems are common throughout the country and the populace is still apathetic to finding a concrete solution to this issue.

Many efforts have been taken to accomodate the ever-increasing traffic in urban areas, with the construction of new roads, overpasses and underpasses. Several roundabouts have also been constructed as it is a much safer way to control traffic. However, half-hearted implementation of short-term solutions will not be enough to solve this problem. Overall attention needs to be given to this issue; proper planning and careful consideration needs to be given to this problem by the relevant authorities to help improve traffic management. Improved road designs and future urban planning will help in improving the efficiency of road transportation and will not only satisfy the individual but will also improve the economy and the countries financial position.

The rise in population and ever increasing rural to urban migration has resulted in increased motorization. This has led to crippling traffic congestions in overpopulated cities causing nearly daily gridlocks on the roads. This problem is getting worse with every coming day making it a necessity that new technologies and smart solutions lead the way forward to a more efficient use of our time and resources. This will require significant investment and time, both of which the government will struggle to provide. Until it is finally given the attention it deserves, this seemingly small problem has firmly integrated itself into every individual’s daily routine.

Written by:

Miangul Saad Sikander

Miangul Saad Sikandar is a student of Aitchison College and is passionate about the environment and global warming.