The way to fight terrorism

WHEN thousands of Americans (read: immigrants also) were killed on that fatalistic Tuesday, everyone around the world watched and listened to the events that kept unfolding. What was galling to note was the fact that America’s hurt was being televized like a tear-jerking soap opera in order to gain sympathies from around the globe.

Why does the same media stay silent when atrocities are committed in Palestine by the American-funded Zionists or when children die in Iraq because of American sanctions - why are these innocent people faceless and worthless for the media? Where are the prayer sessions and candle-light vigils, where are the world leaders then? Why the silence on loss of human lives in the Third World?

Let’s not forget what America has done around the world - if the recent attacks have killed many innocent people, the American government has destroyed a whole generation in Afghanistan, it has terrorised nations into silence, and sponsored the merciless and callous killing of innocent people around the world for its own gains. The monsters created by the CIA at the behest of the US government are turning against the creators (the story of Dr Frankenstein comes to mind) now and in order to root them out, it means the sanctioned killing of more innocent people.

What is important to note here is that the cold war tactics of a by-gone era will not work in a globalized order for there are certain demands to be met in the tightening and well-knit communication circle that we all live in. The discourse on terrorism has to take a new turn. The proponents of terrorism have to be brought to justice.

Terrorism will continue in its present day form should policies stay the same, whether on the domestic front or on an international level. It is high time, the unjust policies that have for many years wreaked havoc in the Third World countries and suppressed the voices of the masses be changed. Justice can only be served when humans are treated as such and not sacrificed for gains.

The polarity drawn by US of “either with us” or “with them” does not solve the problem. There is a grey area in-between, the alternative voices that do not side with the religious extremist or with the current US stance. It is precisely these voices that have to come to the fore to take charge of the discourse and expose the true nature of injustice being committed the world over. Our hope lies in using this alternative weapon at this juncture of history. The tide is turning, let’s ride it.

FATIMAH IHSAN

Karachi

US designs

THE US is using Osama bin Laden and the Taliban as an excuse to bring seven aircraft carriers into the region. The CIA was quite capable of accomplishing the job on its own, with a little help from the ISI.

A Palestinian editor, talking to the BBC, has put us wise to the actual US intentions. This massing of firepower is being done as a prelude to an attack on Iraq. All the protests from the Arab and Muslim states have never bothered the US.

The anthrax scare could very conveniently be pinned on to Iraq. The US coalition partners, (camp flowers), will keep intoning-yes sir, yes sir, three bagsful, go for Iraq, we are with you.

The latest perfidy is that the United Nations is being asked to join in the battle, the same UN whose permission is not required for the criminal acts of genocide and establishing no-fly zones in Iraq, the same UN which is not considered fit enough to consider the Osama bin Laden case.

Yet the United Nations is being asked to bring the many nations on its charter to fight America’s battle, because America is afraid of the sight of body-bags, but only of its own sons. I suppose, if and when US troops are required to go physically into Iraq, the UN will again be asked to join in.

US intentions have never been exposed as clearly as now, but will it make any difference? Perhaps another lot of suicide bombers are called for to put the fear of God into the hearts of the vengeful crusaders.

KHURSHID ANWER

Lahore

Dictating to the Taliban

MORE than anything else, the terrorist attacks on the US have divided the people of Pakistan into two broad categories — pro-Taliban and anti-Taliban. Neutrality has been made impossible by the US itself which requires each and every country to take sides.

Those who do not subscribe to the Taliban’s style of governance have the right to do so. But to question their sincerity to their country is simply outrageous. The Taliban know well what is right for them and what is not. We need not dictate to them.

Those who talk of a broad-based government in Afghanistan to replace the present set-up tend to ignore the basic philosophy behind democracy. Democracy means majority government and a majority government may or may not be a broad-based one. Broad-based governments are usually based on weak coalitions which threaten the unity and political instability of a country.

Those who castigate the Taliban and call them evil and barbarous tend to forget that the Taliban brought stability to a war-torn Afghanistan. However, the high priest of human rights — the UN — did not recognize their government. Perhaps the US did not want the Islamic emirate in Afghanistan turn into an Islamic caliphate.

It is generally said and believed that everybody is innocent in law unless proved otherwise. For the US and Britain, however, everyone seems to be guilty and to talk of evidence and proof is simply to challenge their authority. What the West fears is the rise of Muslim nationalism and to check it with all the means available is the top priority of its governments. What they fail to realize is that colonialism of any kind is simply impossible in the 21st century.

AAMIR FAYYAZ

Lahore

Focus on quality

IT has been reported that the government has allocated an amount of Rs 23 million to Pakistan National Accreditation Council for creating awareness about quality and imparting training in quality management to the exporters, industrialists and suppliers of services.

At present, little care is taken to ensure quality in any sector of our industries. And the fault is not entirely of our businessmen or of our manufacturers only. What is missing is a commitment from the top hierarchy of the government about this issue of national importance. Let somebody tell our exporters, manufacturers, factory owners, and even the heads of our educational institutions about the importance of quality.

The best way to create such an awareness is through lectures, workshops and seminars and also by conducting organized courses. The businessmen should not wait for the government to undertake this project. They can do it themselves in the premises of their own organizations.

Creating awareness about quality in the general public through PNAC is good for the country. In this world of cut-throat competition, only the fittest can survive and the survival of the country’s economy depends to a great extent, on quality.

AIR CDRE (R) AZFAR A. KHAN

Karachi

Some unanswered questions

THERE are many a questions that arise with regard to the unfortunate incident which occurred in New York and Washington on Sept 11, last. It seems that none has been answered so far, or I had the misfortune of having missed them.

As time passes by, the relevance and importance of such questions gathers more momentum. Some of them are: Why did Ariel Sharon cancel his trip to New York only one day before?

In a situation of security lapse, generally, inquiries are conducted and any negligence on the part of those in charge is censured. After the lapse of more than one month, no one knows whether any such inquiry has been initiated. Why so?

The time difference between the strikes of the planes on tower one and two was about 18 minutes, and between the first strike and the Pentagon almost one hour. How is it that the most sophisticated surveillance system in the world did not move quickly enough to intercept the second and third attacks? Even the crash of the fourth plane after about one and a half hours of the first strike, was caused by the internal cabin brawl between the passengers and the hijackers, and not by any outside action.

The local TV channels started showing the burning of the first tower within 5-6 minutes of the first strike. They showed the second strike ‘live’ from every conceivable angle. How come the TV cameras were in place within minutes to show the tragedy ‘live’, whereas the interceptor air force planes were nowhere in sight?

All these questions are agitating the minds of ordinary Pakistanis and call for explanations.

M.I. HUSAIN

Karachi

Afghan children

THE photograph of Afghan children receiving charity bread in Islamabad (Oct 19) is too depressing. These children have fallen victim to the policies of their own government.

The international community should take care of the Afghan children by rehabilitating them in Afghanistan.

The war going on for the last 20 years should now be stopped. It is time for Afghanistan to review and change its policies. The international community, along with Pakistan, can play an important role in developing the basic infrastructure in Afghanistan.

SYED A. MATEEN

Karachi

Increase in power tariff

THE recent increase in power tariff in Pakistan is yet another crushing blow to the pensioners, widows and other people in fixed income groups. Their miseries due to reduction in purchasing power of the rupee to almost half during the last two years, are being compounded by increases in tariffs and taxes.

Power rates in Pakistan are already two to three times higher than those in Bangladesh and other developing countries. Now people are being punished for the inefficiency of and the corruption in the WAPDA and the KESC. The progress in eliminating the ‘Kunda’ system and other forms of power thefts has been dismal.

SHAH N. KHAN

Karachi

Quite astonishing

APROPOS of Kaiser Bengali’s article on the Taliban (Oct 15), I would like to refer to my painting ‘Scarecrow’ reproduced by Prof Ijaz-ul-Hassan in his book ‘Painting in Pakistan’. People were curious to know the significance of red crows over green fields.

Kaiser Bengali’s article (enlisting the Taliban regime’s virtues and the freedom that women enjoy), elucidates and justifies my comments as painter on Pakistani variety of so-called progressives.

Mr Bengali missed mentioning that in pre-Islamic days a girl child used to be buried alive, whilst mercifully the Taliban have allowed women to breathe freely in Burqa. Realizing the need for producing future warriors, there is no ban on the birth of a girl child, a fact that escaped Mr Bengali’s admiration list.

A.R. NAGORI

Karachi

Doctors not available

THE other day I went to the district hospital, Okara, for medical treatment. After getting registered as an outdoor patient, I sat along with a large number of patients including old men, women and children outside the doctor’s room. All of them were anxiously waiting for their turn.

However, the concerned doctor was not present in his room. On inquiry, the laconic response of the gatekeeper was that Sahib was busy in a meeting. From 9am to 2pm the doctor could not be available.

Later, it was known that most doctors prefer to have a chat with their colleagues under cover of these so-called meetings, instead of giving medical treatment to sick people who come from remote areas of the city. This is a flagrant violation of professional ethics.

The district nazim and the Punjab health minister should take note of such irregularities.

ZAHEER OMAIR SAYAL

Okara

Discriminatory?

PROTESTS in Muslim countries are referred to as ‘anti-US’ protests and protests in Europe are called as ‘anti-war’ protests.

Is the media being cautious or discriminatory?

YASER MAQSUD

Lahore

Collateral damage

IN 1985, when Americans bombed Libya, they killed a six-year-old daughter of Colonel Muammar Qadhafi.

In 1991, the American military targeted bunkers and fired missiles during the Gulf War. Consequently, 300 people were killed in Baghdad.

In 1992, when Israel fired American-made missiles on the car of Syed Abbas Moussawi, head of Hizbollah guerilla army in Lebanon, Moussawi’s 10-year-old child was killed.

In 1999, in Kosovo, a refugee convoy was bombarded by a NATO aircraft.

Recently, Mullah Mohammad Omar’s 10-year-old son was killed when American planes attacked Mullah Omar’s car in which the boy was travelling.

More recently, a missile went astray and killed four UN mine cleaners in a village in Karam in Afghanistan.

These are just a few examples of atrocities committed by the US-led coalitions over the years. Going to war involves killing innocent people. That is why the military invented that clever but shameful phrase, “collateral damage”.

RAJAB ALI

Karachi

Passport renewals

I was astonished to read the reason given for production of foreign exchange remittance receipt for the renewal of a passport as stated by Liaquat Ali Khan, Press Counsellor, Pakistan Embassy, Abu Dhabi, UAE, (Oct 22).

Is this a local consulate policy for expats in the UAE or is it the requirement of the government of Pakistan? If the latter, then is there any written policy or guideline issued by the relevant ministry? The Press Counsellor has also avoided to mention the minimum amount required for this purpose.

He has also stated that “This is also necessary to verify bona fide Pakistani expatriates from a large number of non-Pakistani nationals in possession of Pakistani passports and ID cards.”

But if such a person can manage to have a Pakistani passport and ID card and can also manage a work visa in the UAE, then he can very easily send 500 dirhams to any one in Pakistan and get the so-called verification.

My humble submission is that the emphasis should be on facilitating matters for the expatriates and not on creating more problems for them.

SAMEEN MAZHAR

UAE

Rangers in KU

THIS is with reference to a letter (Oct 18) from Ghulam Murtaza Shah Nagari. Let me tell him that the reduced number of clashes in KU — two or three in two years — is because of the presence of the Rangers in the University.

Before the Rangers took over the security in the campus, clashes between the various student groups such as the APMSO, the Jamiat, the PSA, and the ISO, were routine. An exchange of fire was a regular feature in those days and quite often classes had to be suspended and the examinations delayed, due to such clashes.

I request my friend not to simply criticize but also to recognize the ground reality.

EJAZ AHMED

Karachi

Widening of military action

IT is fairly clear now that military action in Afghanistan will be extended to Iraq, Lebanon and Syria in varying stages. In the long run, Iran may be the target.

The ostensible purpose of invasion of these countries will be to support a tiny country of the region and embolden it to flout the resolutions of the UNO and to violate the Oslo accord. This small country is the primary source of tension and bloodshed in the region and will continue to be so if it is not reined in by the world community.

Although there is not the slightest evidence of Iraq being involved in the terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, there is massive military build-up in the Gulf region. For military action against Afghanistan and to give support thereto no such build-up is necessary. The obvious purpose is to proceed against Iraq.

If there is no effective opposition from the neighbouring countries, the stationed forces may come into action in the first half of January following which the forces may move to east Mediterranean to take up its mission against Syria and Lebanon which are charged with harbouring ‘terrorist’ groups in their territories. There is vigorous propaganda particularly against Lebanon where the centres of Hizbullah and others are located. The destruction of these groups would mean a death blow to the Palestinian struggle for an independent state.

The resolutions passed by the Arab foreign ministers in Doha followed by a resolution of the OIC seem to have fallen on deaf ears. It is, therefore, necessary that the OIC take a tough stand that no action against any of the countries of the region will be acceptable.

The gravity of the situation demands that an emergency meeting of the OIC be convened and a unanimous decision taken to thwart action against any country of the region. The two major players in the coalition must also realize that their intended misadventure will irreparably hurt their interests too and the country they are propping up will eventually suffer.

PROF MUKHTAR ALI NAQVI

Orlando, USA