| October 13, 2001 | Saturday | Rajab 25, 1422 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
PTV’s lack of merit
Textile quota
Tax officials running loose
Benefiting from our natural resource
Armymen in civil services
A matter of shame
Historical monuments
Old is gold
Land for overseas Pakistanis
Picking up the pieces
Pak consulate in UAE
Life in the US after Sept 11
THE war in Afghanistan reminds me so much of the French invasion of Vietnam in 1946, in which they bombarded Haiphong and killed thousands of people, drove the new government of Ho Chi Minh out of Hanoi and the other cities of Vietnam and plucked Bao Dai off the French Riviera and made him their puppet king, expecting all to be well. But he just didn’t look too credible in Vietnam surrounded by French paratroopers.
Now my country proposes to pluck Mohammed Zahir Shah out of his comfy home in Rome and install him in Kabul at the head of a coalition of American choosing to carry out every American whim there. Are Afghans accustomed to gratefully receiving colonial overlords and the native rulers these overlords choose for them?
That will demand an American commitment to an ugly colonial war for a long time, and if Pakistan continues to support the American war in Afghanistan, that’s what Pakistan will get. Leaving aside for the moment questions of honour and decency, is this an outcome Pakistan can live with? President Musharraf, will that work for you in the long term?
Dangerous as it is to do so, Pakistan must simply say no, and quickly. This effort is not about quelling terrorism anyway, because the United States has never had a problem with terrorism in its own interests, and never will in future. The United States is at this moment engaged in one of the great genocides of the century in Iraq, in which, Osama bin Laden quite rightly points out, the United States has already annihilated over one million Iraqi civilians. All that the United States is trying to do here is to establish its own monopoly on terrorism.
A world in which only the United States and its allies are permitted to engage in terrorism will not be any safer for anyone, least of all for Pakistan, because American terrorism is performed on a grand scale, restrained only by the prospect of bad public relations which can lead to painful consequences like the Vietnamese debacle and the WTC bombings. With absolute power, and armed with invincible self-righteousness, the United States would be completely unrestrained in its oppressiveness to all, and not least to Pakistan, which the United States has felt quite free to handle roughly at moments when Pakistan does not seem useful.
The WTC bombings no more justify American demands than the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand justified Austrian ambition to devour Serbia in 1914, which resulted in World War I. Bombing the World Trade Centre was an evil deed, but when we persistently act that way towards others, the first remedy is to consider our ways and amend them, since the decree of God is that the measure we measure out to others will be measured again back to us.
PETER ATTWOOD
Chino Hills, California, USA
ONE must admit that PTV has always come up with the changing conditions within the country and without. Its current affairs’ department usually tries to go with a given situation. It is meant to keep the people aware of the socio-political developments. But, by watching the PTV programmes in detail, one is constrained to say that programmes prepared and telecast by its Lahore centre do not leave any impact on the viewers.
Perhaps the reason is that a few participants like Dr Ajmal Niazi, Afzal Shahid and a few others have been hired on a permanent basis. A compere like Mr Raj and one Dr Qureshi are put to work for which they do not homework. The authorities will appreciate that current affairs’ programmes must be well managed and be rich in quality. The participants and the comperes of these programmes should be selected on merit and not at the producer’s whim. Reliable sources say that the PTV Lahore wants to make money out of Soch Wichar and other current affairs programmes.
DR ANWAR ALVI
Lahore
RECENTLY, a delegation led by the Commerce Minister, Abdul Razaq Dawood, left for Washington to discuss with the US Commerce Department the allowing of free export of textile (without quota) and duty free import of textile by the US.
The textile industry is of the opinion that in view of the present crisis, the American government will consider and probably allow for this, so that the economy of Pakistan can be given a boost.
However, those selected to go with the Commerce Minister are top shots in textile industry and holders of very high textile quota.
So, how can one expect these top people to honestly guide the minister against their own interest. As quota holders, they would never want it otherwise as they earn millions of rupees every year through this quota. This will adversely affect the small textile exporters of Pakistan who are not quota holders.
It is requested of the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the quota is removed and the duty withdrawn.
IQBAL AZAD
Karachi
SOUTH Korea was doing great economically, posing a serious competitive threat to the western business interests until a few years ago when its national assembly (to the delight of foreigners) passed a law empowering its income tax officials to investigate anyone who opened a new business, advertised, or even threw a big party. As a result of this law, economic activity came to a standstill and many big corporations collapsed suddenly. Korea is now a country in deep economic depression. A similar situation also exists in our country.
The government had declared that from the current year, the income tax officers would not harass any person or business unless their names turned up in a ballot drawn for detailed scrutiny. But the tax officials in remote districts, such as Muzaffargarh, don’t seem to like this order as it closes the doors to any ‘personal opportunity’ for them and they continue to bother tax payers who have already submitted their returns.
About a week ago, I was sitting in a doctor’s clinic in Muzaffargarh when an income tax inspector appeared, driving his brand new car, tore a page from doctor’s prescription-pad and started bombarding him with incisive economic and personal questions, which the doctor continued to answer under protest with the inspector expressing doubts about the veracity of all his answers. In the end, the inspector got his own handwritten ‘statement’ singed by the doctor and left mumbling that he would hear soon from the tax department. The doctor, who is working in a poor area for nominal fees and already on the verge of economic collapse but is paying his taxes regularly for the last 25 years, may now be forced to close down his clinic.
Muzaffargarh is already well known for its unfair share of crooked tax officials and no wonder the business activity here has always remained abysmally low.
AHMAD ALI
Muzaffargarh
THIS IS with reference to a news item saying that the natural gas prices would be increased every quarter and also to the remarks of the secretary of our petroleum ministry to the effect that gas prices would be linked with international prices of oil. The question is why? Do we buy gas at international prices from the international market, or is it a natural resource that comes out of our own wells?
Do the people of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait etc., pay international prices for petrol that they buy in their own countries? The answer is no. Then should not the people of Pakistan, too, be allowed to benefit from at least one natural resource which is in abundance in this country?
It is being said that the prices have to be raised every quarter and also to be linked with the international oil prices because it is necessary for attracting private investment in the gas sector. It may be mentioned that even the US is suffering from the consequences of privatization of the gas sector.
The companies did not invest in the expansion of the infrastructure for distribution, resulting in a ten-fold increase in gas prices within one year. The prices were reduced after the government stepped in, but the industry is still suffering from its consequences. Incidentally, gas prices in the US remained at the 1982 level for more than 18 years.
We are already suffering on account of the deregulation of oil prices which has left us at the mercy of the ‘Oil Companies Advisory Committee’, a cartel of oil companies operating in Pakistan, which is now increasing prices at will.
About two months ago, the Australian government prevented the sale of a major Australian oil company to a foreign corporation, as they considered it to be against their long-term national interest. I wonder when our own bureaucrats and politicians would start thinking on the same lines.
MUHAMMAD ZAHID
Lahore
WHILE the civil servants cried over the unjustified induction of ‘lateral entrants’ during the ‘70s, Gen Zia, like his many other ‘blessings’ to this poor nation, introduced a fixed quota for young military officers in various groups of the Civil Services.
These young military officers, mostly of the ranks of Captain and Major, are selected only on the basis of interviews and then receive training at the Civil Services Academy with other probationers, who are selected on the basis of a tough all Pakistan competitive examination conducted by the FPSC.
I do not have much knowledge of the performance of those inducted in this manner in other services, but being an insider in the Foreign Service, I can surely tell about the non-productive role of these ‘military diplomats’. Right now, the Pakistan Foreign Service has a large number of them. In the past, these military men were accommodated against administrative and protocol assignments in the Foreign Office. But, due to increase in their supply and their ‘zeal’ to serve in the best Pakistani missions round the world, they are now being posted abroad as Pakistani diplomats.
But their output there is nil as they cannot be given assignments where a real diplomatic skill is required. Yet, they are very active in proceedings like diplomatic parties and going on the ambassador’s personal errands.
In the present circumstances, when the government is taking measures to curtail the country’s administrative expenditure and about 40,000 government employees have been declared as surplus, is there any justification for the induction of these military officers in the Civil Services when they are well placed in the armed forces? Civil bureaucracy does not need this talent, particularly when unemployment is on the rise and a number of CSS qualified candidates are left out due to this quota system.
JAVED RANA
Islamabad
A FEW days ago I had to go to the Karachi office of the Sindh Public Service Commission to submit an application for the post of a ‘Lecturer’. I was happy to find that there were not many people around. That saved my time.
After some time, I again went to the same office and found it overcrowded. A very large number of young men were there to submit their applications for the post of ‘Sub-Inspector’ in the police department.
We all generally dislike the police department, still many of our young men aspire to get a job in it. Perhaps this is so because of the power and the money, of course most of it illegally earned, that they hope to enjoy there. On the contrary, the profession of teaching which requires people with high morals and devotion, does not find candidates in adequate numbers because it has little to offer in terms of money.
Isn’t it a matter of concern and sorrow?
RAIHAN A. K. LODHI
Karachi
NAIRUN KOT, now Hyderabad, is the second largest city of the province of Sindh. It is situated on the left bank of the river Indus. In the past, it was the capital of Sindh and enjoyed considerable importance. Apart from Pucca Qila, there are many other historical places such as the Kutcha Qila, Tombs of Talpurs and Tombs of Kalhoras etc.
These historical places are not being maintained properly. These tombs are in a very dilapidated condition. The concerned agencies are requested to take prompt action to save these historical monuments.
FAYAZ A. SOOMRO
Karachi
PAKISTAN Hockey Federation (PHF) has made a surprise move by recalling the old-timer Shahbaz Ahmed to join the camp together with 29 probables for the forthcoming Champions’ Trophy scheduled to start from Nov 3, at Ratherdam, The Netherlands.
Hanif Khan, the camp in charge and one of the selectors, has indicated that if Shahbaz Ahmed proves himself at least 80 per cent physically fit, he can make the party.
With the untimely exit of some of the best players, Pakistan has been unable to win a major tournament in the recent past. We should learn from our past mistakes and should not force a good old player to make way for a younger one unless the substitute is a better player in all respects.
One must appreciate the PHF for believing that ‘old is gold’.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
AFTER the Sept 11 attacks things have changed and America may not be the same for people who go there for better quality of life.
Many Pakistanis settled there would like to return to Pakistan with their earned money because of the fear of rapid recession in the USA. Already there has been a loss of billions of dollars and the American government has declared national emergency to make available resources for the stabilization of the economy.
It is high time the Ministry of Labour and Oversees Pakistanis and the Ministry of Housing and Works, working jointly with the CDA, set apart plots in Islamabad and offer them to overseas Pakistanis for a good price in dollars or in equivalent rupees.
The same should be done in Lahore, too. D13 and D14 was announced by the Nawaz Sharif regime but later abandoned because of a lukewarm response. I think the scenario has changed, this scheme should be revived again. I foresee a tremendous response. The government can earn billions in foreign exchange this way and in turn can do good service to Pakistanis who may now want to bring in their money from the USA, Canada and other countries.
NAUMAN HASHMEY
Karachi
THIS IS with reference to a letter published under the above heading (Oct 6). I would like to add the personal experiences of a friend, a senior citizen, who returned from India on his way back from USA, only about a month ago.
In India, even without identifying himself as a senior citizen on the basis of any document, he enjoyed the following facilities because of his appearance only: a 50 per cent concession on air and train fares and a priority in all ques. In other countries, including the US, even bus fares and entrance tickets at cinema houses and other places of entertainment, are on reduced rates for senior citizens.
NISAR AHMED KHAN
Karachi
THE Pakistan Consulate in the UAE is not entertaining applications for passport renewals unless accompanied by receipts of foreign exchange remittance to Pakistan, citing an order from the Pakistan Ambassador in the UAE.
I would like to know if there is any legal and constitutional basis of this action which is tantamount to denying citizenship rights to a bonafide citizen. And this, too, apparently on the orders of an ambassador. Does he have the power to issue such instructions to the consulate?
ALI AHMAD
Dubai, UAE
I HAVE been living in the US for quite some time. It is time I shared my thoughts with fellow Pakistanis about how things are here in the wake of the Sept 11 terrorist attacks.
We did get a few “looks” in the week following the tragedy, but we kept a very low profile and stopped going places if we did not have to and stopped riding our bikes. I have stopped wearing shalwar-qameez, because even if they do not mean harm, people “look” at you, which becomes uncomfortable.
On the other hand, people are realizing what really happened, and that Pakistan was not involved in any way. Earlier, they thought that since Pakistan recognized the Taliban government so in a way we were connected. But now a common man is trying to find out what Afghanistan is all about, and what is its geographical location and what is Pakistan.
There have been lots of TV shows clarifying Pakistan’s position and making people realize that Islam is a religion of peace. Sometimes, people criticise American foreign policy and have developed a different perspective on things now. Nevertheless, there have so far been 625 hate crimes and our lives have changed in many ways for sure.
Sometimes people go out of their way to be nice to us, realizing that the fear we are living under is not right. Recently, our neighbours came and cried with us and said that they were so sorry about the way things were, because they had noticed that we were not going out of our home as much as we used to.
Our immediate neighbour said: “I will lay down my life for you, before I let anything happen to you guys.” So this was a matter of relief to know that our neighbours do not think ill of us, and people are trying hard to spread love and unity, no matter what your religion or colour of the skin is.
Yet we are confused and feel guilty for a crime we have not committed. An American co-worker showed me the pictures of her son-in-law, who is a social worker and goes to Pakistan off and on and who was seen standing with Pathans. He looked like them. She sighed and said: “What’s the difference? When he changed his clothes he looked like them. Are we really that different?”
Life that we took so much for granted has changed now. Silence is now eerie and a slight knock makes us jump out of our beds. Then we think of Dave, Becky, and Cindy, who promised to be there for help. This keeps us warm, even though cold all around.
MONA K. SHAH
Minneapolis, USA
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address:
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.