| January 28, 2002 | Monday | Ziqa’ad 13, 1422 |
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Foreign policy
Rights of Kashmiris
Pakistanis in the US
Outbreak of skin disease
Pakistan’s offer for talks
Promoting water sports
Advani’s queer logic
Another bid to mislead the world
Doctors’ fees
Advance increments
PTV dramas
Remembering Patras Bokhari
The Nazim of Karachi has reportedly distributed cheques for Rs50,000 and allotment documents of plots of 80 square yards to those affected by the Lyari Expressway (Jan 22).
The Nazim said compensations would be paid to the affected people the same day to prevent hardship, adding that the survey of the Lyari River had been undertaken three times after which a list of 14,000 families living in the area had been prepared.
Speaking to the affected people, he said alternative plots being given in Baldia Town were more valuable than the ones on which they had been living and assured them of providing all basic facilities. Demolition of the buildings comprising houses, shops, business units, cabins, places of worship, schools, etc, to clear land for the Lyari Expressway has created big disruption in the lives of a large number of people. The relief offered by the government, through the Karachi city government, will be better appreciated if other steps are also taken which might reduce the sufferings of the displaced people and help them restart their lives in the alternate land in the quickest possible time.
The rehabilitation of the displaced persons can be facilitated by the immediate commencement of development work such as demarcation of plots, construction of roads, laying of water and sewerage lines, electricity and gas connection, etc., on the pieces of land earmarked in Baldia and other towns, for the affected people. This may enable the displaced persons to undertake construction of their houses at the earliest ensuring that the cash grant from the city government would be put to a proper use.
The city government may help the displaced persons by furnishing them with a standardized construction plan in consultation with the concerned Town Council. Plot size is known (80 sq yds). Four to five plans may be approved from which every displaced persons can select one and start construction. This would enable displaced persons to start the building of their houses right away without loss of time in formalities.
Schools, places of worship, basic health facilities, etc., may also be developed by the city government in these areas. There should be minimal disruption in the education of small children who may not go to far-off schools to continue their education. Also, families need health care at nominal rates or free which should be provided.
The cash relief offered may not be adequate for the family to build a proper single-storey house as the cost of construction material is very high. The government may consider additional grant of funds. HBFC may be asked to give loans to them on easier terms.
In case there are plans to commercialize part of the land vacated through the city government operation, the displaced persons may also be considered for starting such commercial activities in the newly developed areas as a large number of them will lose their existing businesses and would be in need for alternate means of livelihood.
MUHAMMAD BASHIR CHAUDHRY
Karachi
THE foreign policy of Pakistan on the whole is unfortunately not quite responsive to the need of the hour and the circumstances. Decisions are made from time to time as and when the need arises and there is no standard norm or a policy guideline in place. The result is that our opponents have tried to convince the world that they are the victims, whereas this is not true.
The hard fact is that the people of Kashmir are suffering at the hands of occupying Indian forces. More than 80,000 innocent Kashmiris have scarificed their lives. More than 750,000 Indian troops have been terrorising men, women and children and burning their homes. Many Indian military/police officers are committing the worst kind of crimes and are definitely war criminals. This is one of the worst kind of state terrorism in operation.
Pakistan should have a forceful foreign policy. The world media should be told about the true aims of Indian leadership against Pakistan. Our embassies/high commissions should be more active.
We are a peace-loving nation, we have no ill intentions against any other country. We want to live in peace and harmony with all our neighbours, we wish to attend to more crucial issues of masses uplift, hunger, ignorance, disease and poverty.
Let the people of India realize that Pakistan shall remain intact, Inshaullah, and no evil doer can destabilize it. Let us try to learn living peacefully, we wish India to flourish and prosper. Hatred and enmity will end up in destruction.
N.M. ABBASI
Lusaka, Zambia
THIS refers to the report (Jan 23) that “Kashmiri opinion is missing in the Arab world”. Arabs in general and north African Arabs (from Egypt to Morocco in particular are not even aware that there is a Kashmir problem. I can safely add that the same pertains to many other countries.
A benign explanation for this state of affairs may be that the world information media are national-centric.
A few enlightened or serious information organs in different countries which might cast a wider net are read, watched or listened to by only a very few people.
Nevertheless, lack of awareness of the Kashmir problem at the world level is an indictment of the Kashmiris abroad and I am one of them. We are to be found in all corners of the globe. Sadly very few of us make an effort to inform the people of the countries we inhabit that Kashmiris are being denied the right of self-determination.
ZAHUR ZAMAN
Leuven, Belgium
THIS is with reference to the letter from Ahmad Faruqui entitled “US media’s bias” (Jan 23).
For the past 22 years I have been in the US and have always tried to promote Pakistani causes here. But what is unfortunate is that I don’t see any Pakistani getting involved in the political process of this nation. I have observed that Pakistanis generally stick together and do not venture out of their enclave.
I would like to believe that the US media is not biased against Pakistan. In a democratic society, to get recognized, one has to come forward and contribute to the society at large. Pakistanis do not do that. They are isolated in their communities and insulated from the US society.
In Pakistani communities, there is constant bickering about how bad the US is. This negative attitude permeates throughout the community.
For those of us, trying hard to be good ambassadors of Pakistan in this society, it becomes extremely difficult to deal with such an attitude. Let us change our general attitude towards the US.
BEHRAM B. ATASHBAND
Austin, USA
THE outbreak of skin disease leishmaniasis is playing havoc with the lives of thousands of poor people in one of the most backward areas of Sindh, Kacho. It is said the disease has come from Afghanistan via Balochistan.
This disease is spread by sand fly. One bite of this fly is enough. When infected, people of Kacho could not afford to get complete dose of ten injections of glucatime, an antimony injection. A single dose of this injection costs seventy rupees and ten doses are required for cure.
After much hue and cry the health department has done one favour to the affected people. The district executive officer (health) has announced that the disease is not lethal and that it subsides automatically after the illness period of three to four months. But the psychological trauma that this disease has inflicted upon the minds of the people has left every second man in the grip of intense fear. People choose to remain aloof from the affected, who otherwise need immediate help.
We are a relatively small non-governmental organization working in this backward area for the betterment and social uplift of the people. We have accepted the challenge of providing information to the peo