| January 13, 2002 | Sunday | Shawwal 28, 1422 |
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ITTMF affairs and students
Inflamed people with lathis
Over-projection of IT
Exploration for oil and gas
A piece of advice
Using mobiles during flights
A novel way to win freedom
Incompetence
Beggary at shrines
NADRA, late as ever
Peaceful confusion
Solid waste management
THE reasons for Pakistan’s ever-growing economic mess, political mockery, social morass and now the Indian military build-up have been discussed by the Pakistani pundits over the years, and continue to be discussed even today. The numerous conclusions drawn, weird assessments attempted, various logics applied and private “guilty” verdicts passed would not have been required if we had paid heed to what David Ben Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister, said long ago (as printed in the Jewish Chronicle, August 9, 1967).
“The world Zionist movement should not be neglectful of the dangers of Pakistan to it. And Pakistan now should be its first target, for this ideological State is a threat to our existence. And Pakistan, the whole of it, hates the Jews and loves the Arabs.
“This lover of the Arabs is more dangerous to us than the Arabs themselves. For that matter, it is most essential for the world Zionism that it should now take immediate steps against Pakistan.
“Whereas the inhabitants of the Indian peninsula are Hindus whose hearts have been full of hatred towards Muslims, therefore, India is the most important base for us to work therefrom against Pakistan.
“It is essential that we exploit this base and strike and crush Pakistanis, enemies of Jews and Zionism, by all disguised and secret plans.”
Considering the economic influence of the Jews worldwide and their ability to conspire, Ben Gurion and his successors deserve to be heard and paid attention to.
ARSALAN SIDDIQUI
Karachi
THE Institute of Textile Technology and Management Foundation is a joint venture of the Export Promotion Bureau and the Pakistan Silk and Rayon Mills Association. It offers Bachelors programme in textile technology and computer science.
According to the new management (which took over in July 2001), the previous management not only gave admissions against rules but also admitted students who were not eligible for particular courses.
This was revealed to us when the new team took over the administration of the college and thus after 1-1/2 years around 50 students of about 6 batches were told the bitter truth of an uncertain future.
These students are suffering only due to the wrong policies of Mehran University of Engineering and Technology. How was a programme (not passed by the syndicate of the university) launched and the ITTMF permitted to start the academic session. Mehran is regarded as Pakistan’s second best engineering university and has many colleges of Karachi affiliated to it.
The first semester exams of the 2000 batch were delayed by six months and the results are yet to be announced! Our institute refuses to refund our fee (that sum up to Rs40,000 per student) or refer us to any other college for admission. Isn’t there anyone in Pakistan who can question the policies of such institutions responsible for the future of thousands of students?
CONCERNED STUDENTS
Karachi
THIS refers to Mahir Ali’s article ‘Ancient wounds’ (Dec 22) in which alarmingly false and prejudiced perception of the events aided by exaggerated death toll figures will only misguide the public.
One day in March 1971, I was on the way to the Nawabpur Road in Dacca. The rickshaw driver slowed down his vehicle on seeing a group of about 500 Bengalis, each one of them carrying a large lathi. When I reached home, he told me that thousands of such groups carrying lathis had come to Dacca from the countryside to surround the National Assembly when it meets and demand the acceptance of Awami League’s six points. On refusal, the Awami League will declare the establishment of Bangladesh. The driver clarified that he, being a member of Jamat-i-Islami, did not subscribe to that view.
Mujib’s armed Mukhti Bahini insidiously would have also entered the assembly compound along with the crowd; aggressive and intimidating crowd influenced by virulent and venomous speeches can become violent and dangerous.
Considering the mood of the inflamed public with lathis, the life of the entire West Pakistan members of the National Assembly would have been in great danger and only a few would have survived the massacre.
On March 7, Mujib in his public oration had made clear his intention of creating Bangladesh. This would have culminated officially in “declaration of independence” in the National Assembly.
The article does not refer to the atrocities perpetrated by close and trusted Bengali colleagues on West Pakistan officers in the Army units, inhuman treatment of wives and daughters of West Pakistan Army and civilian personnel and genocide of Bihari (Urdu-speaking) population. Victims of killing by Pakistan Army were only saboteurs and Indian terrorists.
Mujib’s perfidy in connivance with Indira Gandhi to break Pakistan was given shape secretly. Mujib betrayed Pakistan and his kinsfolk, who had achieved Pakistan after a long struggle and a large majority never wanted to break away.
M. SALIM
Karachi
HAS any body cared to notice the great harm the recent over-exposure given to Information Technology (IT), especially by the print media, is causing to the students of other fields? Their serious looks and gloomy faces tell the sad story. Due to an over-projection, people have begun to believe that IT is the only field which offers a bright and prosperous future for young men and women. And, therefore, those who have for some reason, taken up the study of some other subject feel that they have made a wrong choice and begin to suffer an inferiority complex on this account.
I wish to tell them that there is scope in every field if the person concerned is hard working and devoted. IT is only a tool to help a professional in making use of his skills in a faster and better manner. IT is there just to serve the professionals in other fields such as engineering, commerce, accounts, management etc.
Youngsters in any field should not, therefore, be disheartened. The national economy and the society as a whole, needs them.
S. ABRAR HUSSAINI
Karachi
THE news item ‘Deal signed for oil, gas search in Balochistan’ (Jan 7) made pleasant reading to a person who as Secretary Oil and Gas in 1967 had faced frustration in this matter.
When I was appointed Secretary for Industries and Natural Resources and called on President Ayub Khan, he told me he expected of me to fulfil his two dreams, namely to make Pakistan self-sufficient in oil and gas and to set up a steel mill.
A delegation from France had earlier called on President Ayub and had offered collaboration in exploration of oil and gas. I was sent posthaste to France to hold discussions with the Institut Francis due Pecrole, who told me that Balochistan was floating on a sea of oil and gas and if we could assure them of security, they would join us in oil and gas exploration in Balochistan.
On return, I apprised President Ayub of my discussion in France and he asked me to meet the then Governor of Balochistan, General Moosa. I visited Quetta and met the General but he expressed his inability to rein in the tribal chiefs to guarantee security to the personnel involved in oil and gas exploration in Balochistan.
On return from Quetta, I called on President Ayub and told him of my discussion with the Governor. He nearly shrugged his shoulders and thus ended a hopeful effort.
Later, it was reported that Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had accepted the Shah of Iran’s amateurish demand not to explore oil in Balochistan, which, according to him, would drain off the oil reserves of Iran. The matter rested there till Saleem Saifullah Khan became minister and he made some loud pronouncements to explore oil resources in Balochistan but nothing came out of it.
It has been left to my friend to make some real progress in the matter by making an agreement with Nawab Bugti. It is sincerely hoped the federal government and the corps commander, Quetta, who have been assigned the task to conclude similar agreements with Sardar Ataullah Mengal and Sardar Khair Buksh Marri, will succeed in their efforts. I can only pray and hope that our dreams of 1967 will find fulfilment now.
S.S. JAFRI
Karachi
FOR Pakistanis travelling to New York for a short stay (of, say, three months), here is some useful information regarding the accommodation problem.
The lowest rent for a single-bed separate room in a least expensive hotel is $50 per night.
Dormitory-type hostels having six to 30 bunker-beds per room cost $17 per person per night and booking has to be made at least seven days in advance. Low-grade separate rooms in a flat on a three-month lease cost $350 per month (utilities not included, which cost $50 a month extra). To obtain such a room, efforts must be made eight weeks in advance as no such facility can be found at short notice.
Special advice for students: find a friend or a relative living in New York to put up with for the initial six weeks and then try to find a room in some university colony where again shared accommodation will cost no less than $250 per month. The daily expenses for fast foods are $10 and travel costs $5 daily.
The best bet would be to stay 100 miles away from New York where life may be cheaper. And each dollar amounts to any where from 60 to 70 rupees for us Pakistanis.
ZAHID MAJEED
Muzaffargarh
THIS is with reference to a letter from Mr Umar Riaz (Jan 5) regarding the use of mobile phones by passengers on PIA flights.
I fully agree with him about the dreadful consequences to which such a practice could lead. But, being a member of the cabin crew, I would like to ask the readers that up to what extent should a cabin crew go in this regard, because most of the passengers switch off their mobile phones on request, but as soon as the cabin checks are completed and the cabin crew gets busy with other chores, they switch it on again. Some of them also unfasten their seat belts as well and yet others start smoking knowing fully well that it has been banned.
I request Mr Umar Riaz to kindly get the relevant authority’s permission for the cabin crew to handcuff those who violate the safety rules on board because that is the only way to stop them from doing so.
M.A. KHAN
Karachi
LIKE other common Pakistanis, I was stunned to read a news item on Jan 1 that the army-run National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has accepted an unprecedented offer from the former Naval chief, Admiral (Retd) Mansurul Haq, to pay about Rs457.5 million (US $7.5million) — an equivalent of 1,270 years’ salary of an admiral or two years’ salary of all personnel of Pak Navy — in exchange for his freedom and closure of all corruption cases. However, he has not been deprived of rank, service benefits, and other illegally acquired assets worth several millions of rupees.
As such, the NAB has proved the following:
Admiral Mansur would not have been questioned had the former Ehtesab Bureau chief, Saifur Rehman, not probed and unearthed documentary evidence about his corruption and embezzlement of national wealth.
High ranking officials can plunder this poor and bankrupt country and, if caught by a civilian set-up, win freedom on surrendering a fraction of illegal assets.
The economy can never be revived no matter how much taxes are imposed on the hapless 140 million people of Pakistan who are being fleeced and thrown out of jobs to save money for the corrupt.
SHAKEEL AKHTAR
Rawalpindi
I POST about seven or eight letters every month to various people in Karachi. All the letters are posted personally at the Defence Post Office, Karachi. Full and correct addresses are type-written and also include the relevant Karachi postal code numbers. On an average, only 75 per cent of this mail is delivered. The rest never reaches its destination.
This shows the utter incompetence and apathy of the postal department which has recently raised its charges by 100 per cent. Either the postmen are so poor in English that they cannot read the addresses, or they do not take their responsibility seriously.
The higher authorities in the Post Office department seem to be sleeping over this poor performance of their workers.
QAZI NAZIM NAEEM
Hyderabad
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards what I saw recently at a holy shrine.
Distressed by their frustrations, people often visit places of spiritual significance, the shrines of the auliya-i-karam. I too had the privilege of going to Sehwan Sharif in Sindh.
It was disgusting to find that the place was infested with professional beggars who bothered the visitors a lot. These beggars are so nasty and interfering that they often do not let the zaireen have an opportunity to perform their prayers in peace.
It is felt that special arrangements should be made by the police at such places to protect the visitors from the clutches of the beggars.
MUHAMMAD ALI SHAIKH
Hyderabad
HATS off once again to NADRA for a job well done. It has now been more than 165 days late since I had submitted my computerized ID card form and it has only been 72 days since my last letter regarding this issue was published in Dawn.
I just hope that my form is also not resting in a garbage dump as was reported in Dawn a few days ago.
AYAZ ZAIN NOORANI
Karachi
THE photograph published in Dawn (Jan 8, 2002) of Karachi University’s Dr Riaz Ahmed being beaten up by the Karachi police at a ‘peace demonstration’ is distressing. It is sad that Musharraf’s handshake initiative for peace at Kathmandu draws world acclaim, yet similar peaceful proclamations by peace activists only draw lathis from a nervous and ignorant Karachi police.
ZAHID F. EBRAHIM
Karachi
SOLID WASTE management is one of the most challenging problems facing Karachi. Probably it is the only city of this size that has not been able to address this problem adequately.
In spite of huge expenditure, hardly 50 per cent garbage is collected at a time. If the system is properly organized at all the three levels — collection, transportation and disposal — not only the expenditure can be reduced but money can also be generated through recycling and composting. In the bargain, lifting of hundred per cent garbage would also be ensured.
At a meeting presided over by the Karachi City Nazim, and also attended by the Chairman of the Task Force on Municipal Services, and other experts, various options, including public-private partnership, the role of the communities and privatization, were discussed for collecting garbage. The main focus was on reorganizing and creating new landfill sites. Karachi needs at least half a dozen landfill sites. Improvement of sanitation and proper solid waste management in cost-effective and sustainable manner were said to be of highest priority.
City governments in Pakistan and other authorities may consider the following proposals for managing solid waste:
Karachi some twenty years ago had in the private sector a compost plant located near New Karachi. The plant was using municipal waste and producing compost fertilizer that was marketed in and around Karachi. It is said that the plant faced shortage of solid waste and other problems and so was closed down. Compost, if prepared properly, is said to be a quality fertilizer. To my mind this is still a better option for solid waste management. Other methods for disposal of municipal waste are not environmentally so safe. Landfill method often pollutes ground water.
City governments in Pakistan may join hands with the private sector to implement and operate modern compost plants. City governments on their part shall have to provide to the plant all the solid waste generated in the area. The Nazim of Lahore City reportedly has introduced some incentive system and now maximum solid waste is collected and delivered at the dump sites. Such experiences can be shared for mutual benefit. As part of the arrangement with the private partners, city governments may obtain specified percentage of the compost produced for use as fertilizer in various parks in the city limits.
Largely organic matter available in the municipal waste is turned into compost. Other matters such as glass, iron, wood, stones, plastics, etc are searched and taken out by the scavengers. Solid waste is also screened in the plant to take out such matter. Let the private partners handle and deal this issue with the scavengers.
Foreign funds might be used for importing essential plant and equipment only. All other expenditure including the purchase of dumpsites, landfills, etc may be financed locally.
People generally raise serious objections to the location of landfill sites near their villages. The installation of compost plants will drastically reduce the need for such new sites.
MUHAMMAD BASHIR CHAUDHRY
Karachi
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