| October 14, 2001 | Sunday | Rajab 26, 1422 |
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Accountability full of discrimination
Afghanistan’s future set-up
Consumers to finance Wapda projects?
An opportunity to curb violence
Nipping the evil
The Muslims and the moderates
Minimum wage
Hats off to Qazi
Giving the camel an inch
Commercial discipline
The use of DU missiles in war
ASKING the right questions is a move in the right direction. Let us see if we can ask ourselves the right questions. Have we learnt any lessons from the Sept 11, events?
Do we realize that it should not take a crisis to discover that being united as one nation is important for survival and if our economy had been better managed and no debts to worry about, we could have been treated with more respect and not browbeaten with, “if you are not with us you are against us?”
It is a mere coincidence that the individual at the helm in the country happened to be a balanced and sensible person, but shouldn’t we rely less on elusive coincidences and more on stable democratic institutions?
Islam is a misunderstood religion, mostly because of its exploitation for political motives by the Muslims themselves. The ordeal that Muslim families are going through in the West is indirectly also because of bad governance in their native countries, and that Muslims have a poor PR and global media coverage.
Fire-breathing orators who use our children as battle fodder leave shahadat to be pursued by others. If the energy and resources spent in brainwashing and then throwing our youth into cross-fire were spent on enriching their minds with education, we would have more respect and prosperity.
What kind of a nation those children would make who were displaced 20 years ago from Afghanistan, spent their childhood washing cars and scanning trash-cans for living, while growing up in refugee camps? And what about the children being displaced today?
Technological progress and financial-management capabilities determine the final victory. The west explores most of the Middle Eastern oil, consumes most of it, and also attracts back most of the oil profits in the form of investments in the western economies.
There is a need for soul-searching before we attack each other and let emotions rule our minds, oblivious of the world around us, and of the future we are creating for our children.
IMTIAZ PIRACHA
Karachi
GEN Amjad Hussain once said it was he who would decide as to who would be subjected to accountability. He exempted the judiciary and the press from accountability for the vague reason of upholding their stature. The armed forces have already been exempted despite the promise of an across the board accountability “both horizontal and vertical”. It appears that the rest of the people — the politicians, the industrialists, the bureaucrats, the bankers and others are not citizens of this country.
An ex-ambassador has, in an open letter to the Chief Executive, hinted at “the growing animosity towards the military regime because of its campaign against civilian bureaucracy, assuming every serving and retired government functionary, not dressed in khaki, to be a crook.” He continues that: “In this day and age, no law-abiding citizen is in awe of a fellow countryman just because he wears a uniform. Mao’s dictum is hopelessly outdated. Law-abiding citizens should not fear their government, they should assist it.”
Mr Shaukat Aziz is also being selective for his own reasons, when the asks the NAB to keep away form the industrialists. What about the others who may be equally important for the revival of the economy?
The NAB prosecutors, too, relish sadistic arbitrariness. They can make people disappear for months on end and not tell even the courts of law about their whereabouts. What hope do we have of ever being considered a society where human rights have any value?
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
THIS IS with reference to the editorial (Oct 9) which said that “at his press conference yesterday, the president dwelt at considerable length on two more vital points. One was his warning that the Northern Alliance should not be allowed to exploit the post-Taliban vacuum. The Northern Alliance, he said, must be kept in check, otherwise Afghanistan could return to anarchy.”
The editorial added: “The Alliance consists mostly of Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras and other minority ethnic groups. Any government formed by them would not be acceptable to the Pakhtoons who are the single largest ethnic group. For this reason, the president was right when he said what Afghanistan needed was a ‘balanced’ government.”
Could any one please explain how sidelining minorities and forming a government with the majority constitute a “balanced” government? Will it be a right move to appease a section (albeit majority) after a decade of anarchy? Doesn’t this mean discrimination on the basis of race? How will this bring stability to the war ravaged state?
Afghanistan is not a province of Pakistan, so on what claims and basis does the Pakistan government want to have a say in forming a new government there? It is time the local people of Afghanistan were given the right to choose their government.
ABHISHEK
Albany, USA
A LOT is wrong with Wapda’s plan to force future consumers to finance the establishment of new grid stations Sept 6. No one can dispute that customers ought to pay for the services they get but not for the projects.
If Wapda needs funds to develop or expand its services, then it must find it from the normal sources. Demanding funds from land developers as a condition for supplying electricity to them amounts to outright coercion. Recovering the cost of meters from consumers is also coercion, even though Wapda managed to get away with it in the past.
To make matters worse, there is no mention of returning the money thus extorted, either in instalments or as deductions against the energy consumed.
The reason for this approach is not hard to find. It is well known that Wapda is deeply in the red. It is also well known that it reneged on payments due against its bonds. This means that Wapda does not have the credit rating necessary to borrow funds from banks or investors.
PARVEZ AMIN
Karachi
LOOK at the demonstrations in Quetta, Peshawar, Karachi and Islamabad in favour of the Taliban these days. The only flags waved were those of JUI and Taliban. Not a single flag of Pakistan was visible. That is one indication of the state of loyalty of their leaders to Pakistan.
Every citizen of course has the right to express his or her opinion in a peaceful and rational manner. But nobody should be allowed to indulge in acts of violence.
President Pervez Musharraf has taken the wisest decision under the circumstances in the interest of the country and deserves full support of the patriotic Pakistani majority. It is a God-given opportunity for him to do something immediately to curb the tendency towards violence and intolerance in this country. Some steps are listed here to rein in the extremists in our society.
Use of loudspeakers even at religious meetings should be banned. At the Friday prayers, the use of loudspeakers should be limited to azan, khutba in Arabic and the prayer, and disallowed for speeches in Urdu or local languages preceding the khutba.
Public processions which may promote ethnicity and sectarianism should be banned and in case of loss of life and damage to property the culprits and the leaders of rallies should be picked up and immediately tried in a court of law.
No mullah should be authorized to issue any fatwa. Religious guidance should be made available to the individual seekers by certified scholars who have acquired both religious and secular education.
The income of all religious, political and ethnic leaders should be scrutinized immediately. Their sources of income and outlets of expenditure must be made public.
The collection of hides of sacrificial animals by organized bands of any type of organization should be banned. Only the charitable establishments like the Edhi Foundation, which have no affiliation with religious, political or ethnic parties or their leaders should be allowed to collect the hides.
The government should declare a ‘Pakistan Flag Day’ (without holiday), when every building, house, shop, vehicle, ship, and aircraft should hoist a Pakistani flag for the day. Those who cannot afford even a small flag should be provided one through their neighbourhood leadership. The same day children and civic leaders should visit churches and religious places of all the minorities to promote the ties of brotherhood that our Quaid-i Azam wanted.
A. HAMID
Karachi
I WOULD like to highlight the importance of preserving the canal road from Thokar Niaz Baig towards Defence Road, Lahore.
There has been a mushroom growth of pucca structures along the road, which is likely to make it more dangerous for the commuters, which may also jeopardize the future expansion of the road, keeping in view the large number of housing societies situated on the canal side.
Recent action taken by the LDA is commendable because pucca structures have been put up in violation of all Highway/PWD rules. There is need for permanent vigilance to nip the evil in the bud.
S.A. FARRUKH
Lahore
DAWN’s issue of Oct 8 carries two very interesting articles on the centre page. Mr Javed Jabbar, in his ‘Missing: Muslim Media’, talks about the dire need for a ‘strong Muslim dimension’ with reference to the media. He laments that what little there does exist of the Muslim media, it speaks only to ‘those who are already converted’. And here I might add that sometimes it manages to unconvert the converted because of its rigid and unappealing stance.
On the facing page, Bernard Haykel informs us about ‘Avoiding Bind Laden’s Trap’. Mr Haykel’s advice is: ‘The West must provide moderate Muslims a way out of Bin Laden’s trap’. What, according to him, constitutes a ‘moderate Muslim’, he does not clarify. Nor does he propose how the West will help the ‘moderate Muslims’. He goes on to elaborate: ‘Muslims do not hate America,’ citing a number of reasons in support of this. ‘Only 4,000 Muslims actively seek to destroy America,’ he further claims. One wonders where he got this figure from, and who these Muslims might be.
The word ‘moderate’ finds more space with the author who wants ‘to encourage Muslim countries to lead the fight against Bin Laden, to support the Northern Alliance ... and to work on the Pakistani moderates to get involved in the fight.’ Notice, the Pakistanis are no longer ‘Muslims’. Here there is a clear division between them and the ‘moderates’ who are not even called ‘Muslims’ anymore. He also wants ‘scholars’ (not Muslims this time) from ‘Makkah, Madinah and Riyadh’ to ‘issue fatwas (legal opinions) declaring Bin Laden’s teachings and actions illegal’. Mr Haykel’s article is clearly an attempt at creating a divide amongst the practitioners of Islam: the ones he, and by implication the West, favour need saviours. the other deserve fatwas.
People like Mr Haykel are writing and being read only because we, the English speaking and reading Muslims, are so dependent on the media of the West. Mr Jabbar has said: ‘Muslim countries have no one to blame but themselves for the absence of a Muslim global media’.
He goes on to say that ‘Even though listening regularly to the western global media carries the risk of imbibing of the inherent bias of these media...’ Muslim audiences ‘still stick to the western media largely because their own media lack balance and believability.
One has to agree with Mr Jabbar.
SAMEERA RAJA
Islamabad
THE federal government’s decision to increase the minimum wage (Oct 4) for the unskilled workers is appreciated by the industrial sector. However, the concerned authorities should implement this new law to all alike, keeping aside the number of employees in any unit.
I have visited many industrial units and related institutions where women, children and even men are hired at the rate of Rs40 to Rs60 per day. Moreover, these under-privileged employees are not entitled to perks like bonus, earned leave, medical facilities, pension, transport allowance, etc. which are enjoyed by a regular employee.
ISPHANYAR BHANDARA
Rawalpindi Cantt
AS A Pakistani I was heartened to read the statement by Qazi Hussain Ahmad, chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, that his party would not take to streets during the current emergency.
The Jamaat is a national party and must act with responsibility.
Street agitations lead to violence, destruction of property and loss of innocent lives.
I do not know how a religious party can resort to agitation which amounts to ‘fitna’. The Jamaat should, therefore, use its influence with other political parties to persuade them not to take to streets.
Any upheaval in Pakistan will go to India’s advantage. In the present situation, India would like to see nothing more than violence, disturbance and agitation in Pakistan.
The Jamaat has correctly decided to help ensure peace in the country. I congratulate Qazi Hussain Ahmad on his correct decision.
RAFEEQ ZAHEER
Karachi
I, LIKE many others, fully endorse your views on the US representative’s letter to the UN of his government’s intention to extend the armed anti-terrorist campaign beyond Afghanistan. The dastardly attack on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon was universally condemned and many Muslim countries joined the coalition to combat terrorism. The coalition was formed to take action against the Taliban and the Al Qaida only. The coalition had not given a blank cheque to any member to extend the armed campaign to any other country. If a particular member of the coalition now wants to take action against some country other than Afghanistan, it might do so individually. But it should neither seek nor expect cooperation from other members of the coalition.
The US representative’s letter to UN threatening further action with respect to organisations other than Al Qaida and countries other than Afghanistan gives rise to the possibility of an aggravation of the situation leading to the break up of the coalition. The foreign secretary of Britain, the strongest ally of the US, had assured the world community that ‘the agreement at the moment is that the strikes are confined to Afghanistan. That is where the problem is.’
The terrorist threat was discussed in the Security Council too, and action was approved specifically against Afghanistan. Now a permanent member of the Security Council wants to extend the military action to other countries. It seems that Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and, perhaps, Iran are on the target list. This will clearly mean support to Israel that has itself been guilty of state terrorism.
The Arab foreign ministers’ meeting in Qatar has given a timely warning that they would not tolerate any action against an Arab country. And the OIC has also refused support to such a victimization of any other Muslim country.
PROF MUKHTAR ALI NAQVI
Orlando, US
WHEN I was told on August 10 that my ID card would be given to me on Sept 26, I felt here was an organization that understood commercial discipline. However, I have yet to receive the card. It is necessary for those who attempt to implement any plan or project to ensure that the requisite systems analysis is done. Obviously not so by NADRA.
MASOOD HASAN
Lahore
THIS has reference to “Our lives are worthy too” by Aileen Qaiser (Oct 9). Though I share her concern for anticipated use of depleted uranium (DU) by American forces in Afghanistan, I would like to point out that depleted uranium is not a weapon itself but a heavy metal used in production of armaments. It is slightly radioactive heavy metal used in anti-armour munitions for its extra penetrating power. DU smashes through a tank’s armour better than anything else. All flying bombs (Tomahawk, JDAM, etc) are made of DU metal. Depleted uranium is 1.7 times denser than lead and this means that it can form the core of a shell which will easily penetrate steel armour of tanks and other military vehicles.
DU is a by-product of the process that is used to make nuclear power fuel or nuclear weapons. Although ‘depleted’ of its powerfully radioactive component, DU does still contain minute traces of radioactivity.
The problem is that when a hardened missile strikes target, around 70 per cent of the DU burns and oxidizes, bursting into minute particles that can be inhaled or ingested as dust. This can be harmful because of the residual radioactivity of the DU, possibly leading to cancer, but also because uranium itself, as a heavy metal, is toxic and can lead to kidney failure and other health problems.
Un-oxidized DU metal in a downed craft and in unexploded ammunition, rockets, bombs and missiles rusts away into a very fine black dust. This dust, too, spreads around through air, water and via people, animals and mobile objects that move over it. Staying in a contaminated area is risky because one never knows how one might ingest a particle of DU oxide, and one particle is all one needs to become sick. The radioactive and toxic DU-oxides don’t disintegrate. They are practically permanent, with a half-life of 4.5 billion years. DU is toxic only if the dust is inhaled or ingested, or if DU-contaminated shrapnel enters the body.
The amount of DU used in the Gulf War was approximately 100 times greater than that used in Kosovo. Many suffered from cancer because of the use of DU missiles in the Gulf War.
NATO planes fired 31,000 rounds of depleted uranium, ammunition into Serbia and Kosovo during the NATO air war in 1999. Here too including 18 soldiers who served with the NATO alliance in the Balkans have died of cancer.
It is hoped that the US would not use DU missile in the Afghan war.
DR ALI AHMED RIND
Karachi
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