This is apropos a Business Recorder editorial “The ‘Little Boy’ next door” carried by the newspaper yesterday. Interestingly, the title of the editorial brings to mind a Hollywood blockbuster “The Boy Next Door”.

The movie starred, among others, Jennifer Lopez. In that movie a woman (Lopez), separated from her unfaithful husband, fell for a younger man who had moved in next door, but their affair took a highly dangerous turn.

Be that as it may, the “Little Boy” or El Nino appears to be very close. We have been witnessing untimely rains, so to speak.

As the world, including Pakistan, warms, rainfall will surely increase overall but changes in distributions, according to scientists, will increase droughts as well as floods. Last year’s devastating floods that inundated at least a one-third of Pakistan is a strong case in point.

The newspaper has concluded its argument by saying that “In sum, both the excessive rains and heatwaves are due shortly in Pakistan, but timely actions and well-planned programmes can reduce their negative fallout”. So “timely actions” is the key phrase.

In my view, there should be a ban on polythene bags from now till September. Moreover, rainwater harvesting must be made mandatory. In urban areas in particular, storm-water drains must be examined and quickly cleaned.

Hidayatullah Ranjha (Lahore)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023