| February 10, 2002 | Sunday | Ziqa’ad 26, 1422 |
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Seedless fruit
Jihad for nation building
Anti-terrorism ordinance
Ruttie Jinnah grove
Improvement of Hill Park
CR’s enduring message
Khushhal programme funds
KU’s transport system
Credit card
Innocent refugees
Banana republic
PTV ad
Lyari Expressway
PROPOSALS relating to the coming elections to the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies were announced by the Chairman, National Reconstruction Bureau last month. There is no news about their approval by the National Security Council which is essential.
The next stage will be to give legal cover to the proposed changes. This matter is quite complex since the proposals cannot be put into effect without amending the Constitution. Increase in the number of seats of the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies can be provided legal cover by amending Articles 51(1) and 106(1) respectively. The said articles have fixed the strength of these bodies. Proposed reservation of seats for women and technocrats will need some addition to the constitutional provisions.
An abolition of separate electorate will necessitate scrapping the relevant article. The controversial proposal about the educational qualification of the legislators can be put into effect by amending Articles 62 or 62 and 13. The National Reconstruction Bureau chief has not given any indication whether the establishment plans to bring about amendments to the fundamental law or does it consider the issuance of merely an executive order by the Chief Executive sufficient?
The Supreme Court, in its judgment legitimizing the take-over by the military, had also said that the Chief Executive can amend the Constitution to achieve his declared objectives. We do not know how far the constitutional amendments fixing the increased number of legislators or prescribing educational qualification for them are relevant to his declared objectives.
The Supreme Court might consider them as irrelevant. To avoid such a situation the apex court should be consulted before amending the fundamental law. Increasing the numerical strength of the federal and provincial legislatures and to disqualify non-graduates from being elected is not as important as preserving the sanctity of the Constitution.
PROF MUKHTAR ALI NAQVI
Orlando, USA
AMONG the new developments in agriculture is the growth of seedless fruit like grapes, navel oranges and water melons. While we produce excellent large grapes, kinoos and water melons, these all contain unpleasant seeds. Seedless fruits could be developed by a trait called parthencarpy. Such fruit has advantages over seeded fruit: longer shelf life and greater consumer appeal.
Our moribund agriculture research institutes and universities ought to develop seedless fruit like that developed elsewhere in the world. What are we waiting for?
DR M. YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
FOR a long time there had rightly been much concern in Pakistan and abroad about the activities of the Jihadis and so-called extremist organizations operating in this country. Last month the government finally initiated action against them in the manner it deemed fit.
However, I feel that instead of creating another rift within the already much splintered Pakistani society that is resulting from the manner of the action being taken, the services of the Jihadi organizations could be converted into nation-building activities.
After all if these organizations could motivate thousands of Pakistanis to sacrifice their lives in support of people of Kashmir and Afghanistan, I am sure when taken into proper confidence, the abilities of the Jihadi leaders to motivate people could be equally put to other uses that would bring benefit to the country and its people.
I hope the President and the Minister of Interior would be able to give consideration to this suggestion.
IQBAL F QUADIR
Karachi
THE promulgation of Anti-terrorism Ordinance 2002, wherein army colonels have been deputed alongside the Sessions Judge to preside over the trials, reminds me of an incident dating back to 1607. The English monarch of the time, King James I, had also developed the pretence that he alone could properly dispense justice in his own right without reliance on the judges.
The case of Pr