| February 4, 2002 | Monday | Ziqa’ad 20, 1422 |
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India’s paranoia
Plight of prisoners
Derecognition of medical colleges
16 years for a bachelor’s degree
Neglected road project
Demand for a secular state?
Provident & gratuity fund investment
Forgive and forget
Tarbela dam picnic point
Chaghai mountain
Steps for peace
Coaching centres
Putting the record straight
THE Chairman of NCHD, as head of President’s task force on human development, reportedly presented the main features of the proposals at a meeting of the board of advisers on Jan 28. The task force has proposed two concrete 10-year programmes, namely “literacy and sustainable livelihood programme” and “non-formal basic education programme” with an initial ramp-up phase of three years in the field of elementary education.
In the initial ramp-up period, the proposed literacy and sustainable livelihood programme will provide 1.5 million illiterate adults between the ages of 15 and 34 years with literacy, numeracy, and marketable skills, besides arranging micro-credit for selected trainees to help them build new sources of livelihood.
Under the non-formal basic education programme, some 750,000 children between the ages of 5 and 14 will be provided a condensed primary education course to enable them to re-enter the mainstream education system or enrol in skills’ development programmes.
Overall, these programmes appear beneficial for the common people of Pakistan and therefore are fully supported. However, in order to make these programmes better suited to the needs, and to the following proposals are submitted for consideration:
The lower age limit at 15 years for the proposed literacy and sustainable livelihood programme needs to be raised to 18 years. Let this programme cater to the needs of illiterate adults.
Similarly, the lower age at 5 years for the non-formal basic education programme needs to be raised to 9 years. At 5-year age the child is just ready to pursue the formal primary education and at this age has not suffered loss of any academic year. The programme should appropriately cater to the children who were not enrolled in the primary school at age 5 or 6 years, and now cannot pursue formal education being overage for the start of primary education at class one.
The children studying in a large number of Madaaris that provide purely religious education may also be considered for enrolment and assistance under the proposed non-formal primary education. It is important that such children are brought in the mainstream education system as well. The number of such students might be large.
Under the proposed literacy and sustainable livelihood programme, arrangements for specialized courses may be made separately for women and men. The technical and practical training may start from day one. Condensed education courses alone in the initial years may not be attractive to these young people. Their preference at this time in life may be to improve technical skills and thus enhance their capability to earn more and at the same time by putting in less hard labour. This is natural to all human beings.
These programmes appear exclusively for literacy and skill development of the illiterate adults and children. In Pakistan we have large number of boys, girls, women and men who are dropouts from the middle or high schools. Most of them now repent but find no supportive programmes to help them get the middle level or matriculation certificate after undergoing one or two years part-time condensed coaching. This will help them to continue formal education at higher level or to join technical training courses requiring middle level or matriculation qualification. In Pakistan the number of such people is large. The payback from this group may be quicker and better than any of the other groups. Therefore, the government might consider specialized educational programmes for rehabilitation of this group as well.
MUHAMMAD BASHIR CHAUDHRY
Karachi
THE article of Omar Kureishi “India’s paranoia” (Jan 29) is very convincing. His logical conclusion of events in India during the past few months is a statement of facts. He is correct in stating that “nothing violent happens in India without Pakistan being blamed for it”. I would add to it that India believes that there is an ISI agent behind every bush, responsible for wrongdoings. How funny is the perception of the largest democracy of the world.
India’s reaction and interaction to world terrorism could be classified in phases. The initial phase was the period just after Sept 11 when India presented all services to the US, as one columnist wrote “she continued gyrating her hips classically but could not attract US attention” rather the US decided to use Pakistan’s assistance for the operations. This caused psychic humiliation to the BJP government.
The second phase started after the Dec 12 incident at Delhi in which not ‘a single member of parliament or civilian employee was injured except some members of the security staff were killed’. This unwarranted incident has been thoroughly exploited by the BJP government in calling world attention to involve Pakistan in the act of terrorism. India immediately banned air, land and diplomatic movements. It started beating war drums and mobilized the armed forces on war footing. The launching of Agni missile is the final show of muscle flexing. The incident of firing at the American Centre in Kolkata is the beginning of the third phase.
The gimmicks played by the BJP government incriminating Pakistan and apportioning blame for every bloody incident in India would not influence Pakistan’s strategy for peace as explained by the President that he believes in dialogue to resolve issues.
In case BJP hawks enter into a military adventure, it could lead to complete devastation and disaster as Ayaz Amir has correctly pointed out in his column the other day that there are “monkeys with nuclear razor”.
It is an old saying that “there is a very thin line between sanity and insanity.”
AIR CDRE (R) IQTEDAR A. KHAN
Karachi
THIS is what I saw in District Jail, Jang. On arrival in the jail after judicial remand or conviction in a case, one has to face two warders (constable in rank). They try to snatch money as well as other things from the prisoners on the pretext of search. Similarly, there is rampant corruption at the warrant office.
When prisoners are released on bail they are asked to give bribe; otherwise delaying tactics are used. The present staff of warrant office was posted in Jang jail a number of years ago. To control the prevailing corruption, it is necessary to transfer them to other jails of the Punjab.
When prisoners contact the warrant office after the completion of their confinement in jail, delaying tactics are again used. The authorized capacity of the jail is 700 prisoners whereas about 2500 prisoners are at present confined. Due to the congestion in barracks most prisoners fall ill and the only medicine is Disprin.
The food supplied to the prisoners is of very poor quality.
There is a constant complaint by the visitors that they have to wait for the whole day to meet their relatives in jail.
There is no arrangement for religious education for prisoners.
AFZAAL ASLAM
Toba Tek Singh
I WANT to inform the public at large about the news item on PMDC derecognizing various private medical colleges in Karachi (Jan 17).
In this respect, I have to say that the Hamdard College of Medicine and Dentistry was inspected by the PMDC back in October 2000. Some deficiencies, which were pointed out by PMDC, were corrected by us immediately and the PMDC was informed accordingly vide letter No HCM&D/Admin-642/2001 dated 1st October, 2001. Since then, there has been no official communication from the PMDC to us.
PROF RAJA G ASGHAR
Dean, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Hamdard University
Karachi
THE government’s recent decision to lengthen the duration of the degree programme has rightly been criticized widely. The reasons cited against this decision are based on economic factors. It is obvious that this step would further burden the low income people, particularly of the rural areas.
One of the reasons put forth by the government for this step was to conform to the practice in the west. But it is not known if the foreign universities will now accept the Pakistani graduates of the 16-year degree programme without any SAT/GMAT test. I am afraid Pakistani students will still have to undergo these tests.
The other reason for this decision was stated to be an improvement in the quality of our education at the graduate level. Only time would tell if the extended programme achieved the desired object.
It would be worthwhile here to see if the increased duration three-year LL.B. programme was a success. Has it improved the quality of our lawyers? I am not sure it has. One does recall Pakistan’s brilliant and globally recognised lawyers like the late Mr. A.K. Brohi, and many others who were not the products of our extended LL.B. programme. On the other hand, Pakistan has produced students of the original 14-year degree programme who have distinguished themselves in various fields both at home and abroad. They were the products of dedicated and committed teachers and achieved distinction despite heavy odds against them and a lack of support facilities.
The upshot of the education scenario is that Pakistan needs to emphasize on upgrading its teacher training programme so that quality education is imparted to our students.
Lastly, and perhaps the most important imperative is that investment in human resource development be allocated a larger share of the GDP as compared to its present abysmally low share so that education facilities are vastly improved in content. This is the only way to survive respectably.
NAZAR SHAIKH
Karachi
THIS is with regard to a discarded road project.
The road in question starts from Niaz Beg Thokar Chowk on Canal at Zero Point and passes between Jauhar Town and Judicial Colony. It passes on to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and then crosses over through PIA Society, Wapda Town, Nespak, and onward to Township and then touches Ferozpur Road. Land has already been acquired.
For some reason, people in the government prefer to forget about this project for which tender was floated some time in 1996 or 1997. What is the crime of the people of this area?
MOEEZ EJAZ
Lahore
NUMEROUS articles have appeared in which the writers have claimed that Jinnah wanted Pakistan to be a secular state. Those who have expounded such views have missed the basic fact that Pakistan was not meant to be just a geographical entity.
Those of us who took part in the Pakistan movement, whether as school children chanting slogans in the street or as young college and university students taking part in organizing meetings or as mature persons taking part in elections, vividly remember the wishes and sentiments of the people at that time and no amount of quotations from the speeches of Quaid-i-Azam will obliterate that memory.
An Islamic state is not a theocratic state in that sense. It is another matter that some persons, in their own interest, want to use Islam for spreading sectarian or religious intolerance.
S.M.A. ASHRAF
Karachi
IN the past, the provident and the gratuity funds of various organizations were allowed to be invested in the National Savings Schemes.
Later, this option was withdrawn and the Funds were invested in Wapda TFCs and Bonds, Pakistan Investment Bonds, Federal Investment Bonds of SBP and certificates issued by certain financial concerns from time to time.
The process of reinvestment of the funds is normally delayed for reasons of choice and the situation prevailing in the market. Such delays cause huge losses in the returns, as the principal investment is mostly in millions. Further, purchase of TFCs from the open market is subject to additional payment as commission or interest payable.
The above two Trust Funds should be allowed to be invested once again in the National Savings Schemes. These are secure as well as easy to manage and the reinvestment process is simple and less time consuming, with no extra charges incurred.
SYED ABRAR HUSSAINI
Karachi
PEOPLE are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.
M. A. KHAN
Faisalabad
THE other day I happened to visit Tarbela dam with one of my friends and his family.
When I reached the picnic point after a journey of almost three hours, I found that the building which consisted of two rooms and used to have a restaurant as well was locked. A vendor was selling tea and few stale articles. He had stocked up all his filthy utensils in the veranda of the building.
When I asked him to open the locks of the building for the ladies to use the washroom, his reply was that the authorities of the dam had locked it up this is how it remains. What is our ministry of tourism doing?
I hope that this will galvanize the ministry into action and they will hire some professionals rather than depend on its own staff.
MAJOR ANWAR PASHA (R)
Lahore
THIS refers to the photograph with the caption: ‘This replica of Chaghai mountain after Pakistan’s nuclear blast is a victim of neglect as no effort has been made to maintain the monument, (Dawn Jan 25).
In my view, it is in the best interest of the people of South Asia, particularly Pakistan, to forget about such monuments instead the authorities should replace it with the replica of a dove.
ZAMAN KHAN
Lahore
THE Kashmir American Mission (KAM) urges the leadership in the region comprising India, Pakistan and Kashmir to move away from brinkmanship and take confidence-building measures.
KAM calls for withdrawal of forces from borders, tripartite talks for reconciliation and a permanent peace among the people of this region.
ALI M. KHAJAWALL
USA
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the authorities towards the sorry state of education prevailing nowadays in schools and coaching centres. Big schools are charging exorbitant fees for the grand building and expensive fixtures inside the schools. Parents are attracted by big school buildings, believing that their children would receive the best possible education there.
But when the students start going to the school, they are disappointed with the standard of education imparted there. Even the best students cannot comprehend the course or the subjects taught. And, therefore, they have to turn to private tuitions. Unfortunately, the tuition centres too fail to give real education and only help the students to pass their examinations.
Teachers do not pay proper attention towards teaching as they want the students to seek tuition at their residence or at the tuition centres where they work.
DANIAL
Karachi
THIS refers to ‘stating the facts’ by Maj-Gen (Retd) Ghulam Umar (Jan 31). I would have hated to join issue with Gen Umar regarding the unfortunate circumstance in which he was removed from his command and retired (etc) on Dec 20, 1971. However, the record must be put straight. I must submit that he was placed in command of the 23 Infantry Division (about 9/10 of Dec) in the aftermath of the fatal helicopter crash (6/7 Dec) in which Maj-Gen Eftikhar Janjua lost his life in the Chaamb area. Thus he would have been in command of the 23 Division for less than a fortnight.
The area he claims to have been in his possession at the time of ceasefire had been actually captured by Gen Janjua in the first three or four days of the outbreak of the war. Thereafter, except for sporadic artillery fire and stray infantry / armour moves, there had been hardly any concerted action in the general area. To the best of my knowledge, no ground of any tactical significance was either lost or gained.
It may be recalled that Gen Umar returned to what turned out to be a brief spell of active soldiering amounting to less than a fortnight. Prior to assuming his divisional command, he had been the head (Vice Chief / Secretary) of the National Security Council (NSC) reporting directly to President General Yahya Khan. In his capacity as the NSC head he functioned mainly as the country’s intelligence / political affairs chief and had little to do with active soldiering.
His role as the NSC Chief had been the subject of much critical and unflattering comment - practically in every serious work by Pakistani and foreign writers, on the East Pakistan crisis. Rather than quote from the various works about his role through 1971 to embarrass Gen Umar publicly, I would restrict myself to naming the following books - for the general to look up, if he likes. The names of authors / publishers and the number of relevant pages are noted against each.
1. The Hamoodur Rahman Commission Report (Hardbound, Vanguard, page 124 out any number of pages concerning him).
2. The End & the Beginning: Pakistan 1969, 1971, Herbert Feldmen (OUP, Karachi, 1976, pages — 81, 146, 147 — 8, 151).
3. Memoirs of Lt-Gen Gul Hassan Khan (OUP, Karachi, 1993, p.269).
4. Pakistan’s Crisis in Leadership (Fazal Muqeem Khan, DD, National Book Foundation, 1972, p.23, 30).
The above is just a handful from the vast published material on the subject detailing Gen Umar’s role through the crisis.
As regards the removal of Gen Akhtar Malik from his command in the Chaamb sector during the 1965 war, it is a different story altogether except for the change of command — Yahya vice Akhtar — on Sept 2, 1965.
BRIGADIER (R) A.R. SIDDIQI
Karachi
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