| January 27, 2002 | Sunday | Ziqa’ad 12, 1422 |
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Demand for a secular state?
A must for politicians
Eviction of tenants
Strange logic
Manto’s writings
Child labour: government view
Media cooperation in South Asia
Real test
Private colleges and PMDC
Child labour: government view
Baltistan, not Hunza
FORMER American president Bill Clinton recently participated as guest of honour in the BBC’s lecture series, “the Dimbleby Lectures”. His speech, delivered with masterful oratory, balanced great learning and awareness of the major issues facing the world today with puckish humour and was very well received.
Concentrating entirely on the world after the events of September 11, he dwelt at length on how the wealthy nations should carry on the wider campaign to prevent terrorism in future. The areas he covered, however, had more to do with the problems facing the world generally than with, to my mind, one of the major roots of terrorism: the denial of political rights.
One sat, waiting for him to mention this, at least as one of the reasons for dissatisfaction among sections of the population in many areas of the world. But in vain. After hearing him wax eloquent on the subjects of world poverty, AIDS, and the environment, one had to try and convince oneself that all this had something to do with the terrorist attacks in America. Well, to be fair, he did say something to the effect that wealthy nations have to try and get some governments to adopt better internal policies in their own countries. But that was just one sentence, no more.
But try as one might, one couldn’t believe that the alleviation of poverty, AIDS and environmental problems, commendable as this would undoubtably be, would be the best defence against future acts of terrorism. Consider the profiles and backgrounds of the terrorists: most of them came from a rich Arab country, and none of the others had a poverty-stricken background. None came from a country where AIDS was widespread. None of them were born Europeans, therefore did not belong to the continent most vocally critical of the US policy on environmental issues.
While there are all sorts of theories and conjectures, it is actually impossible for the common man - and even the political analyst - to pinpoint exactly the reasons why so many men were prepared to undertake such a violent and destructive act at the cost of their lives. However, it may be pointed out that human beings everywhere, and not just in the West, need to be able to express their political ideas with some degree of freedom from repression. Even in the richest societies, a high standard of living is not necessarily a substitute for political freedom.
The other major belief to have been turned on its head is the notion of American impunity. As an astute American colleague pointed out recently, what the Americans lost on September 11 is not their innocence, but the feeling that Americans could do whatever they wanted in the world without it touching them in any way. The blatant hypocrisy and double standards evident in America’s dealings with the world are not going unnoticed. It is considered unjust to secure as many rights as possible for your own population while actively engaging in policies worldwide that deny those very same rights to others.
So, all this considered, Clinton’s speech was rather disappointing. One can only hope that, since questions of national interest reign supreme in American policy-making, more fairness and justice in its dealings with the world is perceived by American leaders as only serving that very interest in the long run. The astounding thing about the September 11 attacks is how easy it is to see the justification for them. And this is possible while being, at the same time, repulsed by those acts.
PALVASHA VON HASSEL
Hamburg, Germany
I would like to refer to the article of Iqbal Akhund (Jan 23) in which he says that “once Pakistan came into being” Mr Jinnah made “his view clear” that Pakistan would be “a democratic secular state.”
As I am writing a doctoral thesis on the Pakistan Movement in a University in the West and as my father was martyred in East Punjab in the 1947 Partition riots by Sikhs because of his faith and devotion to the Pakistan goal, I request Mr Akhund to quote to me any speech or public statement of Quaid-i-Azam Jinnah between 1935 and Sept 1948 in which he declared that Pakistan would be a secular state.
I have read and re-read the 11 August, 1947 speech of Mr Jinnah and I can’t find it in his declaration (as alleged by the secularists) that he said Pakistan would be a secular state. If Mr Akhund is so sure that Mr Jinnah wanted Pakistan to be a secular state, why did Mr Akhund serve for many years as the “Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan”? This nomenclature, as declared in Pakistan’s current and earlier constitutions, made Pakistan an Islamic State.
If Mr Jinnah wanted Pakistan to be secular, as alleged by Mr Akhund, why did my father and millions of other Muslims like him fight for the creation of Pakistan wherein Muslims would be able to live according to the tenets of Islam and the sayings and commands of our Prophet (PBHU)?
If Mr Jinnah’s goal was a secular Pakistan, as alleged by Mr Akhund, what was the need there for the 1947 Partition. We Muslims would then have lived in Hindu-majority bondage in a united India. This is what the pro-RSS Indian rulers want - Akhand Bharat under Hindu Raj.
S.I. MALIK
Karachi
IN this age of glamorous and pretentious private productions, kudos to PTV Lahore, the director Sajjad Ahmed and the playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed for giving us something close to reality in the tele-serial “Saza aur Jaza.” This serial depicts the stinking face of our corrupt politicians and civil bureaucracy. (We can only wish that our PTV could be that brave to expose the malpractices of military bureaucracy, too).
In this serial, the writer has highlighted the corruption, abuse of power and hypocrisy - the necessary ingredients of our politics in a very subtle way. Here, PTV should also be given some credit for its openness, which was considered to be a stigma in the myopic Nawaz regime.
In the end, I would like to recommend the politicians ‘saza aur jaza’ a must watch as nowadays they have not many things to do. Specially, for those who are in jails facing corruption charges or under a self-exile (... or an escape from the NAB?), it would be a treat to see themselves in a free state.
SYED IRFAN
Karachi
THE government of NWFP has launched a totally ill-advised campaign to evict hundreds of tenants from the fields they had been tilling since the seventies of the last century. The right of the tenants for tilling this land in Hashtnagar (Chaharsadda) was fully recognised by the governments of Ziaul Haq and those of the civilian prime ministers and cheif ministers that followed him. The present government has no right or justification to disturb the status-quo.
The outrageous attempt of thousands of policemen to carry out the eviction of poor farmers, their women and children can only be condemned in the strongest terms possible. The orders to carry out the eviction should be withdrawn forthwith. Also the cases made against the farmers should also be withdrawn.
The government of General Pervez Musharraf must not act against the poor and in favour of the rich and powerful.
DR MUBASHIR HASAN
President, PPP (SB), Punjab
Lahore
Kuldip Nayar, in his article, “Breaking the Ice?” (Jan 19) says, “Kashmir has got communalized. Hindu majority Jammu wants to integrate with the rest of India giving up the special status the state enjoys. Ladakh, a Buddhist majority state, is keen to become a Union territory, directly administered by New Delhi”.
The writer goes on to say, “This leaves the valley having a predominant Muslim population. Can secular India allow the valley to secede on the demand that it has a Muslim majority?”
On the one hand, Nayar gives credence to the will of the people of Jammu and Ladakh on the basis of religion and, on the other hand, he is not prepared to give the same credence to the will of the people living in the valley by quoting India’s so-called secularism. This is, “heads I win, tails you lose” approach.
BATUL MASRUR AHMED
Karachi
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article on Manto by Ariel (Jan 23). While reading this article I remembered a comment by my late father, Prof Karrar Husain. One day we were discussing obscenity cases on Manto and he made a remark, I will never forget. He said that Manto was not obscene. Manto only told us that we are obscene, and when he did, people got very angry, because it was the truth.
I thought I would share this with the readers.
HAIDER KARRAR
Karachi
Please refer to the a news story by Ms Shadaba Islam stating that the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has alleged widespread incidence of child and bonded labour in Pakistan (Jan 24).
The Ministry of Labour clarifies, in this regard, that the allegations are baseless. The figures quoted in the news story are not based on proper study and research. A survey is still to be undertaken in this regard. A nation-wide survey has, therefore, been planned in collaboration with ILO to evaluate the magnitude of bonded/forced labour in the country.
The figure of 200,000 families in bonded labour in the brick kiln industry’ is incorrect. The APFOL report says that about 200,000 workers are engaged in the brick kiln and not 200,000 families.
All those engaged in the brick kilns are not necessarily bonded workers. The government understands that the work system in brick kilns does not any longer involve the peshgi system and so the labourers in brick kilns cannot be termed as bonded labour.
Pakistan has put in place a policy and plan of action for abolition of bonded labour with the approval of the Cabinet on Sept 5, 2001. The action plan provides for a number of measures for the rehabilitation of freed bonded labourers including training, micro-credit facilities, shelter and health services, etc.
Regarding child labour in Pakistan, the news story says that “Approximately five million children are currently working in Pakistan, other estimates put the figure at ten million”. It is clarified that “the survey carried out by the Federal Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the ILO in 1990 estimated the volume of child labour at around 3.0 million. Since then the government has taken a number of measures to address the issue of the child labour, which has impacted in bringing down the number of working children. Pakistan is also actively involved in the ILO-IPEC programme since 1994 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the ILO for the elimination of child labour from the employment sector.
A number of action programmes including policy development advocacy, institutional capacity building, and direct intervention with the working children have been undertaken in this regard. Major bilateral/multilateral projects have also been undertaken under the IPEC, in sectors namely, soccer ball, surgical instruments, carpet, hazardous occupations and street children.
M.S. JAMAL
Labour, Manpower ‘Overseas Pakistanis Division
Islamabad
THIS is with reference to recent news reports and articles by Javed Naqvi, M.H. Askari and Sultan Ahmed that have been published in Dawn during the past two weeks.
All these items deal with the proceedings of a conference held in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 1-2 January 2002 organized by the South Asian Free Media Association.
While it is a welcome step to see that this new body has held a second conference after its first one held in Islamabad in June 2000, it is unfortunate that none of the three above noted items refers to the earlier process which brought together editors and media persons for the first time in South Asia.
This happened about 10 years ago in April 1991 in Colombo. At the end of a regional seminar on the role of media in conflict situations, participants decided to create the South Asian Media Association ( SAMA ). This was also the first forum to bring together specialists from both, print and electronic media as well as the film-makers. Participants unanimously elected Mr Javed Jabbar of Pakistan as the founding chairman. Other office-bearers were elected at a second meeting held later the same year in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in December 1991.
Between its founding in 1991 and December 1995, when Mr. Javed Jabbar handed over as chairman to Mr Enayatullah Khan, Editor-in-chief of Holiday weekly of Bangladesh, SAMA organized over 20 training workshops for young and mid-level journalists in different countries of South Asia, and seminars on a wide range of subjects of regional concern. In December 1995, a round-table was held in Lahore on the subject: “Making peace out of pieces: role of media in conflict resolution in South Asia”. These workshops and seminars were held in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. Representatives of Bhutan and Maldives also participated.
Several eminent South Asians were associated with SAMA, including the doyen of Indian journalism (now deceased) Mr Nikhil Chakravartty.
In 1996, SAMA presented a comprehensive “Media charter and media agenda for South Asia” to SAARC governments. The statement adopted by the SAARC information ministers in Dhaka in 1998 reflects several inputs first defined in the SAMA document.
Major political leaders of South Asia who interacted with SAMA included Benazir Bhutto in November 1992 in Karachi and I.K. Gujral in Islamabad in April 1995 when he participated in a SAMA seminar which dealt with the unusual subject of: “Resolving bilateral conflicts through regional co-operation”. The former foreign minister of Malaysia who is considered to be one of the architects of ASEAN, Tan Shree Shafi Ghazali, also participated in this event. Serving prime ministers and other leaders also attended SAMA events. Ironically, when the chairmanship of SAMA passed to India in 1998, regional SAMA events declined.
In June 1999 in Colombo and in November 1999 in Kathmandu, SAMA helped develop and support the South Asian Editors’ Forum, aimed primarily to bring together editors of indigenous language newspapers which reach over 80 per cent of the newspaper readership of South Asia. Kazi Aslam, editor of the leading Sindhi daily newspaper of Pakistan, Kawish, is the present President of SAEF for 2001-2002.
As the minister of information in June 2000, Mr Javed Jabbar supported the SAFMA inaugural conference with, amongst other measures, hosting a reception for all guests and requesting General Musharraf to also address the gathering.
Thus, SAMA played a critical role in preparing the framework for extended media co-operation in South Asia.
SYED TARIQ ALI Karachi
THE real test of the Ulema’s sincerity to the cause of Muslim unity would be a joint declaration by them that all mosques should be open to all the sects, just as the Masjid-ul-Haram and the Masjid-e-Nabavi are open to all Muslims.
S.M. RAZA
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news item regarding private medical colleges and PMDC (Jan 17) and the letter of Prof Ahar Ahmed (Jan 22).
Ziauddin Medical University has not received any comunication either written or verbal from PMDC regarding a de-recognition or suspension of the institution. The first batch of MBBS students graduated in April 2001, who were registered with PMDC and currently doing their house jobs. a number of them have taken their USMLE part 1 examination and the Medical College is provisionally listed in the WHO Directology.
All the graduates of the first batch have been given registration by PMDC. The final examination of the second batch is proceeding as per schedule. In the council meeting at dec 28-29th, 2001, we were asked to rectify certain deficiences which were of a minor nature which will be rectified in the given time.
DR ASIM HUSSAIN
For Ziauddin Medical University
Karachi
Please refer to the a news story by Ms Shadaba Islam stating that the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has alleged widespread incidence of child and bonded labour in Pakistan (Jan 24).
The Ministry of Labour clarifies, in this regard, that the allegations are baseless. The figures quoted in the news story are not based on proper study and research. A survey is still to be undertaken in this regard. A nation-wide survey has, therefore, been planned in collaboration with ILO to evaluate the magnitude of bonded/forced labour in the country.
The figure of 200,000 families in bonded labour in the brick kiln industry’ is incorrect. The APFOL report says that about 200,000 workers are engaged in the brick kiln and not 200,000 families.
All those engaged in the brick kilns are not necessarily bonded workers. The government understands that the work system in brick kilns does not any longer involve the peshgi system and so the labourers in brick kilns cannot be termed as bonded labour.
Pakistan has put in place a policy and plan of action for abolition of bonded labour with the approval of the Cabinet on Sept 5, 2001. The action plan provides for a number of measures for the rehabilitation of freed bonded labourers including training, micro-credit facilities, shelter and health services, etc.
Regarding child labour in Pakistan, the news story says that “Approximately five million children are currently working in Pakistan, other estimates put the figure at ten million”. It is clarified that “the survey carried out by the Federal Bureau of Statistics in collaboration with the ILO in 1990 estimated the volume of child labour at around 3.0 million. Since then the government has taken a number of measures to address the issue of the child labour, which has impacted in bringing down the number of working children. Pakistan is also actively involved in the ILO-IPEC programme since 1994 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the ILO for the elimination of child labour from the employment sector.
A number of action programmes including policy development advocacy, institutional capacity building, and direct intervention with the working children have been undertaken in this regard. Major bilateral/multilateral projects have also been undertaken under the IPEC, in sectors namely, soccer ball, surgical instruments, carpet, hazardous occupations and street children.
M.S. JAMAL
Labour, Manpower ‘Overseas Pakistanis Division
Islamabad
THE venerable Mohammad Hussain, whose picture was printed (Jan 3), does not belong to Hunza valley. Instead, he belongs to Sordas village located some 35 kilometres from Skardu city in Baltistan. This picture appeared at page 119 of the famous book “Journey through Pakistan,” jointly authored by Mohammad Amin, Duncan Willetts and Grahum Hancack, published by Paramount Book (Pvt.) Ltd. Karachi during 1982. In this picture, the dress particularly the cap is typically Baltistani.
What I mean to point out is that the picture should have been shown to project Northern Areas and particularly Baltistan, which has many more tourist attractions than Hunza because of its second highest peak in the world, K-2 and a cluster of peaks above 25,000 feet like Mashabrum, Gashabrum, Broad Peak etc and the longest glaciers after the North Pole like Siachen, Baltoro etc besides the well known Deosai plan, the largest in the world at 14,000 feet.
If the PTDC authorities have some personal or particular interest in projecting only Hunza valley, leaving all other attractive tourist areas aside, as it is evident from PTDC’s publicity campaign for many years, they should have chosen to publicize typical features of Hunza valley. Is it their ignorance or wrong intentions?
HAMID HUSSAIN
Skardu
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