| February 13, 2002 | Wednesday | Ziqa’ad 29, 1422 |
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Anti-terrorist courts
Central Prison, Hyderabad
Pakistanis in Afghan jails
Petroleum policy
Musharraf’s statement
Computerized card
Telephone cables
Official residences
Honour killings
KESC losses
A silly ad
PMDC affairs
Abolition of syndicates
WHEN the government took the ‘principled stand’ that anybody wishing to contest elections to the assemblies would have to be a graduate, many of us who are functionally literate applauded.
Not that this would ensure sensible patriotism or cause corruption to cease being valid tender but at least the ensuing quality of the corrupt and the scale of their shenanigans would become more sophisticated and in keeping with an elite status. We can see evidence of this in some of the literati who lately have plea-bargained their way to continued happiness.
Almost unanimous and highly raucous in their denunciation of this ‘principled stand’ were the re-cycled lot of worthies whose actions and guidance have brought Pakistan to its current state. This was to be expected.
Presumably to end the argument at the highest level, the President chaired a meeting of the four governors, top military brass, NRB chairman and the law minister where cogent reasons were given to buttress this ‘principled stand’ and ensure the front page headline, “Govt won’t waive graduation condition” (Jan 23).
The MQM and JI, which have the larger number of educated unemployables, were ambivalent and the PPP and PML with the larger number of thumb-imprinting version of the same species were distraught.
In all fairness, a JI spokesman acknowledged that, “there is no match between the two members - the under matriculate and the highly qualified one,” (Jan 26).
Final confirmation of being immutably welded to the ‘principled stand’ was the “Decision irrevocable, says minister,” attributed to Shahida Jamil, (Jan 26). Rightly noting that the assemblies, unlike local bodies, were primarily responsible to handle affairs relating to policies, laws and the overall management of the nation as part of a world body, she stressed the need for more than citizenship or piety as an important qualification to those bodies.
To suddenly hoist oneself upon one’s own ‘principled stand’ is a seemingly national trait and it came as no surprise to read on the front page, “The government in principle has decided to withdraw the condition of graduation...” (Feb 7)
For far too long the country and its leadership has spun like tops on every ‘principled stand’ we ever took.
It is now time to begin to learn and espouse some of the principles that have made other countries of the world achieve socio-politically and economically what we are still struggling to begin.
We need to pause and verify which of our numerous and varied ‘principled stands’ need to be strengthened and which need to be buried altogether.
DR MERVYN HOSEIN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news item titled “Bar Council endorses LHCBA strike call” (Feb 7). Under the new ordinance, the existing anti-terrorist courts are also to have, in addition to the judge, a lieutenant colonel and a special magistrate.
But it would be unfair not to recognize that the existing system can work and can be made to work even better without the presence of army, officers. After all, the military men do not have the required legal knowledge.
By the foisting military men on our judicial system, what kind of message is the government sending to all the judges of the lower courts, in general, and the existing judges of the anti-terrorist courts, in particular? That by themselves they are incapable of performing the duties they have been assigned; that men trained in warfare must be a substantive part of their courts in order for justice to be smoothly dispensed. How will the Supreme Court react to these changes, in view of its own judgement declaring military courts to be illegal and unconstitutional?
The need for the overhaul and empowerment of our judicial process is the crucial aspect of justice and its dispensation that successive governments overlook. The pitfalls of seeking quick fixes rather than sustained change are only too apparent. The injecting of extraneous elements into our court rooms will serve only to further damage our judicial process — a detriment we can ill afford.
KAMAL K. JABBAR
Karachi
I WOULD like to draw the attention of higher officials regarding the situation in the Central Prison, Hyderabad.
According to the law, a central prison must have the capacity to lodge in more than 1,000 prisoners. The so-called Central Prison at Hyderabad has a capacity of about 800 prisoners only but around 1600 prisoners have been made to lodge therein.
Such prisons were constructed by the British government to reform the culprits. But they have become torture cells for both the young and the old prisoners.
They are so harassed that they are now afraid of telling their dreadful experiences even to the journalists and human rights workers when they visit the prison.
The Superintendent and the Deputy Superintendent, are themselves a party to the inhuman treatment given to the prisoners. Even the political prisoners are treated like ordinary criminals.
I request the District Nazim and the DCO to kindly pay a visit to the prison and restore the rights of the prisoners.
M.A. MANGRIO
Karachi
EVERY Pakistani with human feelings was sad to read the news that about two thousand Pakistanis are being held for ransom by Afghan landlords. These are the same Pakistani young men who were allured to go for so called Jihad in Afghanistan by the Jihadi organizations.
It is now their moral duty to rescue these young men, whom they misled, with billions of rupees they collected in the name of so called Jihad from mosques, collection boxes in many shops all over Pakistan and through other similar means.
GHULAM KIBRIA
Karachi
INCONSISTENCY thy name is Pakistan government, irrespective whether past or present. This dubious quality has once again been displayed by the recent announcement of the government to raise petroleum prices. It was only a short while ago that the same government had endeared itself to the masses by announcing deregulation and fixation of prices on the basis of international market place.
The question is if this was not a workable proposition why were the public’s hopes raised unnecessarily? Why do we keep harping on good governance when major policies do not stand the test of even a short period of time?
The reason proffered for raising of the prices by about 15% by July this year is to assure 40% return on acuity to Managing Oil Companies. Again, the obvious question would be that where in the world does one receive 40% annual return on investment? Nowhere that I know of.
And look what has been done to the income of pensioners and small investors by cutting down on the rates of return drastically and then further eroding it by taxing the profit. Under the circumstances, how does anyone in a right mind justify or accept the 40% rate of return for large conglomerates, is indeed mind boggling.
Further, these companies are exporting the same petrol at Rs 10 per litre. If they are not making good money by selling to the public at 30 Rupees a litre, how are they content on selling at such a low price.
Another angle to the problem is the inevitable increase in prices of all commodities. Very high fixed tariff of electricity on increase of consumption above 1000 kilo watts, has already bent the back of the middle class.
Is the intention to finally break it and push up the poverty line, below which are placed 34% Pakistanis.
This is not the end of the story. Gas companies are clamouring for an increase and should be getting it soon, further adding to the woes of the common man.
From a careful analysis of the happenings it appears that the managers, at all levels, government or otherwise, suffer from target fixation. The target being improvement of the health of sick organizations through recklessly burdening the public.
Target fixation is not good. People in the Air Force know that we have lost many a fine pilots to this phenomenon. I earnestly request all managers, no matter where, to think about practising better and benevolent management to overcome difficulties. Raising prices and taxes may help once in a while but not always.
A. WAJID SALIM
Lahore
THIS refers to a report (Feb 6) about President Musharraf’s claim that power had been bestowed upon him by God. History is privy to the fact that all rulers in Pakistan have used this justification to save their governments. I must tell the President that rulers are a test for the people they rule. Only time will tell whether Gen Musharraf deserved to rule or not.
OMAR MALIK
Lahore
THANK you Nadra for delivering my computerized card a few days ago, although it was due in the first week of August 2001.
I noticed that the card issued on December 01, 2001, is due to expire on October 31, 2009, instead of December 01, 2009. Again, my computerized card is valid for only eight years although the validity period of my neighbours’ cards varies from 5 to 14 years.
The old cards did not have any period of validity. Why has it been introduced in the computerised cards?
And even if it was considered necessary for some reason, why not the same period for everyone, say, ten years?
I thought the new computerized card would also give some useful information with respect to healthcare matters of the holder such as whether one is diabetic or not.
But such data has not been included in the card.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
A FEW days back the telephone staff dug up my street for laying the cables. Instead of taking the trouble to fill up the ditch properly, they just filled it up loosely with earth. On the night between 6th and 7th February, while driving home in rain in my van, the loose earth caved in and my van turned upside down. Luckily, some people were around to help me out and no one was hurt. But my van got badly damaged on one side.
Why is such negligence allowed by the department? Who will compensate for the damage caused to my vehicle?
I do hope someone responsible will try to explain or at least tender a meek apology on behalf of the department.
SHAKEEL YOUSUF
Rawalpindi
DURING the colonial days, salaries were poor but retirement benefits were generous which at least allayed employees’ fears of dying poor and, therefore, they maintained a degree of honesty in service.
It is sad to note that the present government is always boasting about having stamped out corruption at the ministerial level but is adopting an ostrich-like attitude in the case of its employees’ dishonesty which is much more damaging to the public than ministerial corruption. In fact, the government servants are being encouraged to become more fraudulent by depriving them of their retirement benefits.
The government is requested to allow its employees to keep their official residences for two years after retirement to minimize their primary fear of finding themselves shelterless immediately upon giving up work.
A case in point is an eye-doctor who never did any private practice and is thus penniless but about to retire at the DHQ Hospital, Muzaffargarh. He is already being pestered by the administration to vacate his residence, which is quite unjust as even according to the present rules, he can keep it for eight post-retirement months with special permission from the government.
The Punjab government is requested to take pity on him and allow him to retain his residence as per rules.
MUHAMMAD SHOAIB
Muzaffargarh
THIS is with reference to a Larkana story titled “Three killed over Karo Kari” (Jan 21). “Karo Kari”, is not an English word. A better known English term is “honour killing”.
The current practice of using “Karo Kari” for such killings occurring in Sindh, and “honour killings” for similar incidents occurring elsewhere, has created a misconception that “Karo Kari” is a custom exclusive to Sindh.
Honour killings are not exclusive to Sindh in any way. The curse of honour killings is widespread throughout the Muslim world, to the extent that up to 70 per cent of all murders in Jordan are said to be honour killings. It is thought to be an ancient Arab custom which was brought to our region by Arab conquerors.
NADEEM JAMALI
Chicago, USA
THE federal privatization minister has informed the people about the government’s resolve to bear the Rs 92 billion or US$ 2 billion KESC losses in order to attract more buyers.
He, however, does not dilate on the list of existing buyers or as to how the government plans to reward those responsible for these colossal losses stemming from mismanagement and corruption in the KESC during the last three years.
MRS SABINA CHEEMA
Lahore
IN a PTV ad designed to promote the sale of a new brand of vegetable ghee, a woman tells the shopkeeper “I am a mother and not a mother-in-law, the family health is dear to me, give me the right stuff”.
This remark is highly derogatory to the status of women who happen to be mothers-in-law, especially those who give their daughters-in-law all possible love and affection along with full independence of movement and action.
They are not only perturbed but also feel insulted by such a silly ad.
I request the company concerned to withdraw this ad immediately.
SURRIYA NASIM
Lahore
THIS is with reference to the news item (Jan 17) that the PMDC has taken action against private medical institutions.
But was it not the same PMDC which gave recognition to these colleges, knowing fully well that they had no proper laboratory facilities and no modern teaching appliances? Some professors visit the institution occasionally, yet these colleges were given recognition.
The surprising part is that the government-run medical colleges are no better. Nawabshah and Larkana medical colleges are understaffed. Professors who are posted there quite often do not report, and if they do report, they do not teach. This is within the knowledge of the government and the PMDC as it has been mentioned in the national press several times.
This very PMDC looked the other way, when a person with a degree in soil chemistry was appointed as professor in human biochemistry. To add insult to injury, he became the head of the department and was appointed the chief examiner. Another person with a speech handicap was appointed to teach medicine, to the great disadvantage to students. He was even given several extensions.
The PMDC has given recognition to a medical college established in an improvised poultry farm in Mirpurkhas. A recent decision by the provincial ombudsman declaring the appointment of the examiner in gynae in Nawabshah college as illegal, should also be an eye-opener.
PROFESSOR ABDUL GHANI SIDDIQUI
Hyderabad
APROPOS of the report of the Task Force on the Improvement of Higher Education (Feb 2), I take exception to its recommendation for the replacement of universities syndicates and senates with governing boards.
When the syndicate is renamed as a governing body, why should it make all the difference? There is no point in renaming the Vice-Chancellor as Chief Executive Officer, Rector or President, the UGC christened as Higher Education Commission (HEC), would hardly make any difference. Why a national testing service for monitoring quality education? The boards and universities are responsible for producing quality education. There was a time when engineering or medical graduates, after obtaining one of the three coveted positions in the exams, were not only given jobs even before confirmation by the Commission but were also given advance increments as well.
The Task Force on Improvement of Higher Education is also a new entity - depriving the Ministry of Education of its duties and responsibilities. It has rejected National Education Testing service (NETS) and in the same breath rejects National Commission of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (NCAQA) and suggests it to be replaced by HEC. But what is in a name?
The Task Force recommends inclusion of general education to prepare students for a critical and moral reasoning, effective communication and self-directed lifelong learning - a wisely worded phrase indeed. What kind of package general education will bring for students is still a mystery. It may be the inclusion of a few more subjects and a heavier bag for students.
The Task Force recommends that the tuition and other fees should significantly reflect the high cost of education but not to allow it to become an impediment for the poor and deserving students. Ironically, it is silent on self-financing scheme. It recommends that the appointment of Chief Executive Officer Rector or President be identified and recommended by the governing body through a formal search process - easily said than done. Where would politicization be then?
It has been reported that examinations test the candidates in memorization skills and promote rote learning. The students take to rote learning because of their difficulties in writing effectively in English. They are not to blame as even most of the reputed public schools teach the English subject in Sindhi and Urdu and dictate summaries in English to students to learn by heart. This was not the state of affairs up to early 60s and even late 60s to some extent.
Let effective teaching in educational institutions and effective work in the offices be done without politicization, without greed and without personal aggrandizement. Let us not change systems so frequently but bring about a real change in our hearts and minds and we would surely be able to make life better.
PROF DR. K.M. LARIK
Jamshoro
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