AI’s quiet takeover

Apropos of ‘AI and the Great White-Collar Recession’; the writer rightly captures the unsettling truth that artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool — it is a quiet takeover. For years, we believed that automation would replace only repetitive blue-collar jobs. But now, as the article highlights, even desk-bound executives and team leaders are realising they are not indispensable. AI neither tires nor negotiates a salary; it performs swiftly, accurately and without emotional baggage — a combination that makes even the most “secure” professions vulnerable. Instead of fearing AI, we must rethink our skills. The future will belong not to those who compete against AI, but to those who collaborate with it — using emotional intelligence, ethical judgment and human intuition where machines cannot reach.

Ashok Singh Guleria, Hamirpur

From smog to sustainability

Refer to ‘A green idea fails’; crop residue can be a raw material for making biodegradable utensils and other sustainable products. Treating farm waste as a renewable asset rather than a nuisance could fuel a circular rural economy. To translate this potential into practice, the government could engage students from the IIMs, IITs in the region and the PAU with projects to “buy, build and sell” solutions using crop residue. These young minds can devise economically viable and innovative models for biomass power, bio-CNG, industrial applications and eco-friendly products. Simultaneously, rational taxes, timely payments and state-supported logistics networks are essential to ensure regular straw supply.

Harsh Pawaria, Rohtak

West Asian diplomacy

Pakistan has been silently building bridges with the US and Saudi Arabia. To ace up, India should strengthen bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan extending beyond merchandise trade into infrastructure and even knowledge services. An enduring relationship would serve the interests of both countries and also maintain the balance of power in India’s favour. India should also expedite groundwork to revive the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor which was proposed during the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi.

Chander Shekhar Dogra, Jalandhar

Pak trained Afghan mujahideen

Apropos of ‘Af-Pak clashes’; Pakistan trained, armed and planned mujahideen in Afghanistan and coordinated direct attacks on its cities like Khost, Jalalabad and Kandahar. Help from Pakistan in terms of intelligence, logistics, armour, artillery, transportation and advisers transformed the mujahideen from guerrillas into soldiers. Now, Pakistan faces a dangerous situation, especially with the recent counterattacks by Afghanistan. India has always kept dialogue open with Afghanistan, and the present move to deepen its engagement with the Taliban can prove fruitful in countering Pakistan diplomatically and securing its strategic interests.

Vaibhav Goyal, Chandigarh

Affection wrapped in boxes

The Middle ‘A box full of sweet memories’ deeply moved me, for it mirrored moments from my own childhood. My late father, too, would arrive home on his bicycle, carrying boxes of sweets every Diwali and on our birthdays. Those simple gestures sweetened our lives. Even when illness dimmed his physical strength, he never gave up that ritual of love. Reading the piece transported me back to those fragrant evenings when affection was wrapped in boxes and sincerity in family bonds. Today, the rustle of a mithai box still evokes his memory — tender, timeless and soul-stirring.

Sunita Sikri, Yamunanagar

Intellectually engaging articles

It is truly commendable that The Tribune still devotes two pages to editorials and authored articles. At a time when most newspapers, particularly in Hindi, have drastically reduced or sidelined the space meant for intellectually engaging articles, the newspaper stands apart. These pages help readers understand complex issues and encourage rational thinking.

Naresh Kumar Nijhawan, Karnal