| November 1, 2001 | Thursday | Shaba’an 14, 1422 |
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No excuse: bombing the Taliban
Exploring new markets
18,000 miles to Lahore
Cowardice or simple stupidity
Bahawalpur incident
A suggestion to Pentagon
BBC ethics
Nothing less than a write-off
Illegal Afghan ‘basti’
A precious life lost
Continued domestic and sectarian violence
THE unabated and relentless bombing and the killing of innocent citizens of Afghanistan continue. Thousands of displaced men, women and children are being driven from their homes to save themselves from the bombs. To make their deaths more humane, food parcels are also being dropped with the bombs, so that the dying do not die hungry.
According to the media, there are no targets left in Afghanistan to bomb and destroy. And yet the war continues and might continue into the holy month of Ramazan. So what will there be left to bomb and kill in the already dead and dying cities?
Terrorism must be eliminated and the terrorist of the WTC bombing must be tracked down and punished, but through the rule of law and judicial procedures, of which America has always been a champion.
Do the Americans really think that Osama bin Laden will give them the satisfaction of catching him alive and be humiliated and ridiculed in front of the world, especially in front of the Muslim world? And do they really think that his death will be the death of terrorism?
Even now, the USA and its allies have not realized or understood as to what led to this desperate act of terrorism. In the debates and discussions on the electronic media, the question that is being constantly asked with arrogance and contempt is: why do they hate us? The answer is simple: frustration, anger and desperation. America is not being hated for its freedom, prosperity or affluence, but because of the unjust world order and biased foreign policy for which they feel America, as the only superpower, is responsible. As the saying goes: Heavy is the head that wears the crown.
The question that they should be asking is: what makes a terrorist? It is hard for the first world to imagine such single-minded despair, which comes from living for decades in a refugee camp. A despair that your life and the lives of your loved ones count for nothing. The despair from having to search each morning for scraps of food with which to survive another day. The despair that in this legal wilderness, no rights exist. The despair that over the years, nothing gets better, but only worse. The listening to a thousand promises which are broken and the humiliation of not being able to change anything. The helpless frustration, anger and despair as you hold dear ones in your arms and watch them die.
America must examine the causes that have lead to this fury of rage and fix them. If terrorism is to be eliminated from the face of the earth, then eliminate the refugees camps and launch a crusade against the unjust economic world order, poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and bigotry.
They must share knowledge, prosperity and wealth with the underdeveloped nations so that disease, hunger and famine are eliminated. They must establish a just world order, where smaller nations and minorities can stand shoulder to shoulder with the developed nations with pride and confidence. Bombing and killing of innocent men, women and children will not stop terrorism, but will give birth to more terrorists.
Till such time as a just world order and a fair foreign policy is established by America and its allies, the bells will continue to toll and the terror of terrorism will continue to haunt us in our skies, our seas, our cities, our streets and our homes.
A.H. MAKER
The Helpline Trust
Karachi
GEN Musharraf missed another golden opportunity in his interview with Larry King. He talked about terrorism without delineating terrorism from freedom struggle. When asked about the feelings of the people about America, he dilated on the aftermath of the previous Afghan war but completely missed the point about the very strong resentment of the people against the US on the happenings in Iraq and Palestine.
What its the point of these interviews, two on the BBC and this one on the CNN, if we cannot even state the simple truth about the ‘reality on the ground’.
Also, the religious fringe may be more vociferous but every Pakistani is critical of the bombing in Afghanistan. The Taliban are not terrorists but have earned the wrath of Mr Bush only for not handing over Osama bin Laden to him. Not excuse enough to blast a whole country to smithereens.
But who is going to tell the BBC and the CNN the unpalatable truth?
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
PAKISTANI exporters need to explore new markets around the world as, after Sept 11, a number of US companies previously importing various items from Pakistan are reluctant to place import orders. In fact, orders already placed have been cancelled.
Even otherwise, imports by the US have taken a downward trend due to recession in their economy.
This trend is temporary, but it will take many months before the business resumes normalcy. Unfortunately, Pakistani exporters were not prepared for any cancellation of export orders by the US companies.
Under these circumstances, instead of waiting for improvement in our trade with the US, it would be better if our exporters try to explore new markets in the European Union, Middle East and Africa.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
IN 1965, India launched an attack on the internationally recognised border with greatest thrust at Lahore. They did succeed in advancing a few miles but were stalled just short of a milestone on G.T. Road that said ‘Lahore 18’ (miles). A western journalist reported that some Pakistani had added a few zeros in blood to make it read: Lahore 18000 (miles).
In 1971, India on the pretext of ‘overwhelming’ refugee problem helped the Mukti Bahini, and dismembered Pakistan. The brutalities perpetrated by the Mukti Bahini over non-Bengalis have been well documented by the journalists of that era.
In October 2001, Pakistan is beset with turmoil on its 1,560-mile long north-western border, and is busy tending to three million Afghan refugees. But instead of playing a constructive role during the current crisis, India has once again decided to use this occasion to promote its own agenda to embarrass Pakistan.
First, they tried desperately and unsuccessfully to label Pakistan as a terrorist state. The case in point was the cooked fiasco of Indian airplane hijacking, which has all the appearance of a low budget Bollywood movie plot rather than a real event. Then came the announcement that the struggle for Kashmir freedom is also part of Al-Qaeda and therefore Pakistan, a supporter of Kashmiri freedom struggle, needs to be placed in the camp of terrorists.
It is important to remind India that the fight against terrorism must not be used as an excuse to suppress the rights of Kashmiris. It has to be reiterated that the brutal suppression of Kashmiri population is state terrorism.
Or it may be that India is somehow upset over the new dynamics of relationship between Pakistan and the West. To get some attention from the West and create more problems for Pakistan, India is now mobilizing troops and has claimed to have ‘destroyed’ 11 Pakistani posts along the line of control. These posts were merely observation posts, with one Pak jawan at each post glued to his binoculars behind a few camouflaged sandbags. Perhaps these misfired shots across the LoC were another Bollywood flop, produced on the eve of US Secretary of State, Colin Powell’s meeting with the President of Pakistan. Keep trying... Lahore is still 18000 miles away.
DR MANSOOR AHMAD
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
THE events in Afghanistan are disconcerting. The Americans are bombing indiscriminately, rendering millions of Afghans homeless. The Afghans have no infrastructures left to be destroyed. The sophisticated cruise missiles and smart bombs are being wasted in demolishing the mud houses.
I can see the courageous Afghans after the bombing raids trying to put together their minimal belongings: a few pieces of wooden rafters and cobbled stones and start reconstruction of their dwellings that once were thatched hutments.
Are there no qualms of conscience in America while they use highly destructive weapons against people who cannot retaliate in the same measure? Is it bravery or cowardice to avoid ground action or fly beyond the range of anti-aircraft fire and throw bombs indiscriminately to annihilate innocent civilians? Is it sufficient compensation for loss of human life when you say, “we know some bombs went astray and may have killed civilians?” Americans disbelieve the numbers of causalities reported in hundreds. They believe and accept only that which serves their purpose.
When Americans dispute the civilian causalities they are only losing morally. Lesser the casualty, higher the average cost of securing a dead body of an innocent Afghan. If 400 are accepted dead with 400 cruise missiles, the average cost of killing a civilian is not less than $3 million. And if you account for the total cost of the overall operations and mobilization, the cost is likely to cross $10 million a piece (an Afghan dead body). What a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money? Do the Americans know how they are being impoverished in a mad act of aggression?
There were better options to resolve this issue of bin Laden. The Americans thought they were mighty and could force the issue and subjugate the Afghans. They were mistaken. They are poor students of human history. They better read the history of Afghanistan since the time of Alexander the Great. They should be told about the failure of British expeditions in Afghanistan. The recent history of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is well known to the US.
GULZAR AHMED QURESHI
Lahore
THE vicious killing of Christians in a Bahawalpur church is the worst ever incident in the history of Pakistan. Certainly, this was condemned by everyone and was also highlighted across the globe.
President Musharraf not only condemned it in strong words but termed it as an act of terrorism and declared that the assailants would not be allowed to go without punishment.
What the President is going to do will be, as he himself said, decided after the entire nation is taken into confidence. But it should be done as early as possible so that the nation does not have to experience more crimes of this nature.
BARKATULLAH MARWAT
Kuwait
THE cover story in Science Dot Com (Dawn, Oct 26) relating to spy satellites says that there are satellites like Elint and Sigint which can view features as small as 4 to 5 inches across. Also, there is the ‘Keyhole Class’ satellite which can observe newspaper headlines from above.
If it is true the Pentagon officials must be aware of this. I would suggest that they should use these incredible machines when they bomb Afghanistan so that they do not drop bombs on civilian areas, hospitals and ICRC warehouses ‘by mistake’.
ALTAMASH JAVED LONE
Karachi
BBC correspondent Christina Lamb has been turned out of Pakistan for having tried to book an air ticket from Quetta to Islamabad in the name of O.B. Laden (Osama bin Laden).
I have all the sympathy for Ms Lamb who has missed a great opportunity for an ‘exclusive’ news story for the BBC and the world. The news would have been something like the following:
“Christina Lamb, BBC correspondent, reports from Pakistan that Osama bin Laden has travelled from Quetta to Islamabad and has been whisked out of Pakistan with the connivance of the Pakistan government.”
When caught Christina Lamb said she was just ‘joking’. What a joke and what journalistic ethics!
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
DESPITE our strong support to the so-called war on terror, what we have received is:
Ban on visas for Pakistanis by USA, UK, UAE and other countries.
Increase in shipping charges for shipments in and out of Pakistan, making our imports and exports expensive.
Subjecting all Pakistani outbound cargo to the US to strict scrutiny at New York for Anthrax tests.
The only favour we are getting is rescheduling of our debts, spreading them to a period of 20 to 25 years. This means that we are passing on our debts accumulated because of our misdeeds to our future generations.
We do get a few million dollars in aid but it is off-set by much heavier losses arising out of the fact that we are the front line state in the present war.
Our imports have reduced considerably and exports have come to a complete halt as no new orders are being received by our exporters. Consequently, many of the export houses have resorted to lay offs which would add to the already alarming unemployment rate.
Our much publicized privatization plan is affected as overseas investors do not find the present state of affairs conducive to any investments. We have witnessed capital drain as well. Daily strike calls by various quarters are inflicting heavy damage to daily trading activities.
No one realizes the long-term negative impact on our economy. The countries which now show sympathy and offer a few million dollars will stop their aid once their objective is achieved.
So, we should be bold enough to insist on a complete write-off of our debts in return for our cooperation. Rescheduling or small aid should not be accepted.
In case the donors do not agree to this, we must also reconsider our decision to support the war.
A. AHMED
Karachi
IT IS not understood as to how the Afghan refugee have sneaked into Karachi and built a large Afghan basti on the main Super Highway. These people have been creating law and order problems quite frequently.
This basti has sprung up on a vast plot, the allottees of which are perhaps not aware of this encroachment. If effective steps are not taken right now by the Sindh government, the entire area would be grabbed by the occupants. If this matter is not handled in time, it could lead to a permanent and serious law and order problem. As this camp is situated on the Super Highway, the main artery of the country, it would always pose a problem to the transportation of goods from Karachi to the rest of the country.
The Sindh government and the Karachi city administration should take immediate measures to remove this illegal settlement and transfer the inhabitants to the Afghan refugee camps set up by the UN.
A. RAZZAQUE
Karachi
A MONTH has passed since the tragic accident in which a young student of Karachi University lost his life due to overloading in the bus. After the incident, the KU authorities, as usual, made tall promises about solving the problem but, as usual, nothing has been done. The problem still persists, forcing thousands of students to risk their lives by travelling on these vehicles.
I request the relevant authorities to look into the matter and take appropriate steps to save further lives from being lost.
SAMER BANO
Karachi
AFTER the WTC carnage it came to light that the forces that perpetrated that heinous act were the same ones that sponsor acts of sectarian killings in Pakistan. Recently some extremist Sunni and Shia groups were banned, but despite that the killing of Shias continues and the terrorists are able to essentially scoff at a military regime and defiantly go on with their killing sprees.
Clearly banning those groups was of even less than token effect. Now we have a church in Bahawalpur sprayed with gunfire, killing 16 worshippers. Americans of Pakistani descent hang our heads in shame, our words of condolence can only sound trite. Though we are so hurt by this madness, we have enough of a collective voice to demand of the Pakistani government what in Allah’s name has it been doing to stop this?
My mind fails to fathom that a military government ever since its coming to power has not been able to make any dent in the flagrant lawlessness that plagues Pakistan, especially Karachi. In nations the world over whenever a crisis, especially related to law and order occurs, the army of the concerned nation is brought out to help. And here Pakistan faces the paradox that a military regime is in power and Shias and Christians and Hindus are attacked and President Musharraf is only able to give your cursory standard little statement condemning the act and condoling with the families! How entirely ludicrous and what an insult to the families of the people that have lost their loved ones to these senseless killings.
Musharraf’s is not an elected government but has no hesitation putting its finger in numerous pies from nabbing the corrupt to supervising elections and appointing itself President. What kind of confidence does it expect to inspire when it cannot do what it is trained to do: establish law and order.
Musharraf has done a great job handling foreign policy during this war that America is conducting in Afghanistan. I would urge him to take definitive action in regard to domestic terrorism. If Pakistan’s army can combat an outside enemy, it cannot be rocket science to effectively punish and disarm citizens that it governs and do everything it takes to ensure that not a single soul
in Pakistan need fear for
its life. President Musharraf must leave this legacy for Pakistan.
The very forces that now terrorize innocent civilians will, if left to grow unchecked, be the ones that could destabilize the government, for the government does not march in tune with their extremist agenda. I would go so far as to say that the culprits after their apprehension must be placed on the fast track of court proceedings and be given the death penalty. Pakistan’s priorities are so misplaced, that its judges bow to political pressure and, fearful for their lives, hand out the death penalty to non-violent individuals for supposedly being blasphemous and it stands by impotently as terrorists kill and maim. If Pakistan’s ultra-right so doggedly insists on the imposition of Islamic law in the land let it not forget that capital punishment is part and parcel of that Shariat that we all hold so dear. And Allah in His infinite wisdom commands its imposition. And I think I know why: it works.
DR MAHJABEEN ISLAM
Founder United Muslim Association of Toledo
Ohio, USA
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