| March 14, 2002 | Thursday | Zilhaj 29, 1422 |
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Steps to uproot terrorism
No syllabus for FPSC exams
Friday sermons
Inter-provincial admissions
Let us make toys
Nadra and the post office
Lack of monitoring of private schools
The need to grow up
Emulating US
Liaquat-Nehru Pact
Giving TV viewers a wider choice
Why people continue to stay poor
WHEN hundreds of innocent citizens of Karachi were murdered brutally and the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) did the vigil in front of the Press Club for peace in the city, very few doctors showed their concern.
When Dr Chippa, a lovely family physician and a great human being, was murdered, the PMA and the College of Family Medicines organized a condolence meeting. Very few doctors could spare their time from private practice and other commitments to attend that meeting.
When my class fellow, Mohammad Hussain, was shot dead, very few doctors visited his house to express sympathy with the bereaved family.
When Raza was murdered and we lighted the candles in front of the Press Club, we were small in number and only journalists and some women came to show their solidarity.
When Naveed of Shehri was attacked by builders and Dr Shafi Qureshi was paralysed by the mafia, no concern was shown by the citizens for whom they were fighting.
When I.G. Sindh and DIG Sindh came to the PMA House to talk about the killings and murders in Karachi, a great number of doctors did not bother to turn up.
When the PMA organized a combined meeting with lawyers against the killing of lawyers and innocent citizens, very few doctors were interested.
The killing of citizens of Karachi rose in number and now they have killed my dear friend Safdar and on the very next day, they murdered Muzaffar. The responsibility for these murders also lies on all those doctors who never showed their visible concern on the killings and murders of doctors, lawyers and other innocent citizens.
The citizens, too, are responsible because they failed to protect their doctors, lawyers, journalists and many brilliant people. It is the failure of the civic society and the writ of the government.
We all will live (if we do survive) with this burden on our shoulders.
DR SHERSHAH SYED
Karachi
FOR the past many years our country has been fighting terrorism, particularly in the name of religion. Hundreds of people have been killed, many of them in mosques, while other places of worship have even been demolished. People are fed up of this wickedness and the present government seems determined to uproot this evil.
In my opinion the following measures can effectively bury terrorism forever:
1. Mosques must only be used for the purpose for which they are meant — worship of Allah. So far as the sermons are concerned, they must be restricted to Islamic teachings only. No mullah should be allowed to criticize or spread hatred against any other sect or religion; any one who violates this law must be punished without delay.
2. Every mullah must be taught to respect the religious sentiments of all other sects and religions.
3. The press, particularly the Urdu press, must be forbidden to publish hate-generating statements given by any mullah.
4. The cases of terrorists and religious extremists who have been arrested must be decided quickly and, if found guilty, must be punished speedily.
5. All discriminatory laws, particularly those introduced by Ziaul Haq, must be abrogated forthwith because it is these laws that are keeping sectarianism and religious extremism alive.
6. The premises of the banned religious organizations must be thoroughly searched and illegal weapons must be recovered from them. So far this has not been done properly.
7. All books of any sect or religion which teach and preach hatred against any other sect or religion must be proscribed.
M. ISHAQUE SOOFI
Rabwah
IT is heartening to note that the Federal Public Service Commission has decided to hold competitive examinations for the various posts lying vacant in the Northern Areas. The FPSC is holding this type of examination in the Northern Areas for the first time since its inception. It would certainly help reduce corruption, particularly nepotism and bribery, in the neglected areas where no previous government has taken as much interest as the present regime is taking.
The above mentioned competitive examination was advertised on Jan 15 and the last date for submitting the forms was Feb 14, 2002. The examination will begin on Apr 16, 2002. The given span of time is too short to make preparations for the examination. The most significant thing towards which I and many other candidates want to draw the attention of the newly appointed chairman of the FPSC, is that no detailed syllabus has been given for any subject. Only a list of subjects containing various groups is available with the admission form.
We candidates are anxiously waiting for the syllabus but there has been no response from the FPSC. I request the higher authorities to issue the syllabus for the said examination at the earliest.
FIDA HUSSAIN
Skardu
THE Friday sermons delivered at a majority of mosques are really inspiring and thought provoking. But at some of the mosques, persons delivering such sermons are neither properly educated nor do they possess adequate knowledge. They just waste the time of the people at the congregation by their insipid and irrelevant talk.
It may be mentioned that Friday prayers are a good forum to educate people of all the strata of the society and could be used to bring revolutionary changes in the lives of the people, if used intelligently.
It would be in the fitness of things if, apart from the mosque’s maulvi sahib, some other highly educated person of the area, having a good grasp of the religion, were also to be a given a chance to speak on Fridays. This would have a salutary effect on the lives of the people and would serve as a harbinger of better social values for the society.
AIR-CDR (R) AZFAR A KHAN
Chaklala Cantt
THE Sindh health department has nominated some of the already selected candidates against the reciprocal seats allocated for the Sindh province for admission in the first year MBBS in the medical colleges of Punjab. When these candidates reported to the concerned colleges for admission, they were refused. The reason given for this was that reciprocal seats are no longer available, after the decision of the Supreme Court regarding cancellation of reserved seats in medical colleges.
It is surprising that the health departments of the two provinces had not come to a consensus on the subject, probably due to lack of interaction between them, which has resulted in this embarrassing situation.
First of all, reciprocal seats do not come under the category of reserved seats, as those who are nominated on this account for admissions in Punjab and Sindh are already selected on open merit in their provinces of domicile and the selection on reciprocal seats is done on merit-cum-choice on the integrated merit list.
Therefore, nominations under this provision, do not adversely affect the rights of deserving candidates. This provision actually serves the purpose of creating inter-provincial brotherhood, harmony and understanding among the people of the two provinces which is very much in our national interest.
If the refusal by the Punjab health department is in accord with the decision of the court, then it should be officially communicated to the Sindh government.
On the other hand, if the nominations are in order and the health department of Punjab has failed to include this provision in their admission prospectus for 2002-2003, and has not asked the candidates from Punjab to avail this provision for admission to the colleges of Sindh, then it is the department’s fault. In that case, they should accommodate the candidates nominated from Sindh, who should not be made to suffer for an omission made by the authorities in Punjab.
The ministry of health, government of Pakistan, should take an immediate notice of the problem and take necessary steps to prevent any harm being done to the students involved. It may be mentioned here that two months have already elapsed since the commencement of the classes of first year MBBS in the medical colleges of Punjab.
SALEEM ULLAH
Nawabshah
THE Japanese were once known as a toy-making nation. From toy-making, they moved on to making heavy industries, cars and electronic goods. Toy-making then drifted towards Hong Kong, and some other adjacent areas. Gradually, Hong Kong also lost interest in making toys, as they too shifted to big industrial and trade activities.
The mantle of toy-making then fell on China. It became the biggest supplier of toys to markets and homes all around the world. Whether you are on the streets of Karachi or in a shopping mall in New York, the most visible thing is a toy made in China.
Now China is also changing its role. It has already come up as a big economic giant. Like Japan once, China has now begun to dominate electronic appliances markets every where. Obviously, China has now to give up toy-making. But toys will always remain heavily in demand all over the world.
Then who should pick up this job of toy-making? I think, Pakistan can and it should. Pakistan should become the supplier of toys to the world.
In this regard, it can acquire the technical know-how from its ever reliable friend, China. I fervently appeal to those at the helm of affairs to give some thought to this suggestion.
SAYEF HUSSAIN
Islamabad
A MARCH 6 news item said: ‘Nadra to issue ID Cards through post offices’. In the same issue of Dawn a letter was published under the heading ‘Broken letter boxes’, in which Mr Iftikhar Ahmed from Lahore said that letter boxes placed in his locality were broken and that one could easily take out letters and other postal material from them. He also mentioned a number of localities of Lahore where similar conditions exist.
This is also a common complain in Karachi.
Nadra is advised not to depend on the Pakistan Postal Service for the distribution of ID Cards, otherwise the whole exercise would end up in a fiasco.
ZAFAR UMER ZUBERI
Karachi
THERE has been a mushroom growth of private education institutions in Lahore and they are making vast fortunes by fleecing parents without let and hindrance. Since a monitoring system is non-existent in these schools and this business does not need a licence, it is considered the easiest way of minting money. These institutions (including professional colleges) are being run purely on commercial lines.
In this context, two of my friends got their son and daughter admitted to an English-medium school because of its good reputation. When they checked their son and daughter after three months, they were forced to withdraw them on account of the very poor standards of teaching there.
No one can imagine that schools housed in rented units of four or five rooms without playgrounds and having a very low-paid staff can play any role in maintaining and raising the standard of education.
Officials of the education department are not taking any interest in private educational institutions. There must be some rules governing the fee structure and other rules relating to private schools and colleges. In case of the nonexistence of such rules, they can be framed and enforced through an ordinance.
It is proposed that the government authorities concerned should strictly monitor private school and college managements. In future, only trusts, foundations and autonomous bodies should be allowed to set up new schools and colleges. This will help the teaching community to get reasonable remunerations and other benefits. In this way, education can play a nation-building role.
S.A. KHOKHAR
Lahore
AS there are Muslim extremists, there are also Christian, Hindu and Jew extremists. Whatever the kind, extremism always leads to terrorism.
We must not forget that the colour of blood is red no matter where we go; we all eat, breathe, reproduce and sleep the same way; and the basic philosophy of all religions is peace, love, friendship and justice. Then why can’t we live in peace and harmony?
In short, we all need to grow up and to start understanding and appreciating others.
BRENDA WELLS
Baltimore, USA
INDIA takes great pride in emulating the US in tackling the issue of terrorism. However, the US is the biggest contributor of funds, not only to Afghanistan but also to Pakistan which is having to look after the refugees from Afghanistan as a result of the US war on terrorism.
By its own logic, India should also emulate the US by contributing funds to the Kashmiris as well as to Pakistan which is bearing the burden of the displaced people who have been forced to flee from the Indian held territory of Kashmir.
RAFIQ AHMAD
Lahore
IN 1950, an agreement was signed by the prime ministers of Pakistan and India to check and control communal riots. It was called the Liaquat-Nehru Pact.
But the anti-Muslim forces in India, obviously worried by this agreement, tried to wreck it. As a result, two ministers of the Nehru cabinet resigned in protest and anti-Muslim riots erupted in the Indian Bengal and Assam. Thus, a good beginning was ruined.
Now there is an ongoing massacre of Muslims in Gujarat. What should be done? Apart from diplomatic moves, the Liaquat-Nehru agreement should be revived. Even if India denies continuation of this agreement, diplomatic practices can be quoted. Unless an agreement itself calls for its end, it remains alive.
A. ABDUL HAQ
Islamabad
THE Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance can go a long way in enhancing the quality and reach of the broadcasts from the private electronic media.
The new law is aimed at developing the broadcast media to enlarge the choice for people at all levels — international, national, provincial and local. The thrust will emanate from the urge to ensure availability of stuff that not only meets social, cultural and religious norms but is also suited to the genius of the people, helping them to catch up with the fast changing world.
Despite progress made by the state-owned electronic media on the technical side, the content of broadcasts leaves much to be desired. The new approach is aimed at correcting the old pattern, beginning with the primary function of the media, that is to keep people well-informed through objective coverage of events and views.
The evident deviation from this central task has been responsible for the loss of its credibility over a long period of time, prompting the listeners and viewers to switch over to foreign sources. Now, with the growth of indigenous private radio and television, the adverse impact of an ever-increasing number of foreign television and radio channels, might be diluted.
The need to regulate private broadcasting seems to be quite genuine, because so far private broadcasts in this country have been evidently running without any clear sense of direction.
NADEEM IKRAM KHAN
Rawalpindi
THIS is with reference to the article by Tasneem Siddiqui, ‘Why poor people continue to stay poor’ (March 10).
Tasneem Siddiqui has touched the heart of the problem of the so-called market solution advocated by western countries, especially by the United States and Britain. The market solution has even failed to eradicate hunger and poverty in the world’s richest country, the United States.
“At the peak of the longest economic boom in our history, over 30 million Americans live in households that experience hunger and food insecurity...,” said Larry Brown, director of the Centre on Hunger and Poverty at Tufts University, Massachusetts, in a recently published study.
Some 20 to 30 per cent of the workers earn so little that “they’re making choices between rent and medical bill and adequate diet...,” minimum wages have not kept up with inflation, and most jobs no longer include paid benefits, Brown said. Children are disproportionately burdened by hunger, the study showed: 15.2 per cent of all households with children are hungry and 16.3 per cent of households with children under 6 years of age don’t have enough to eat.
Why are millions of Americans going hungry in the world’s richest country during its greatest boom? The answer is not far to seek. As Prof Barry Schwartz, of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, points out: “The richest 1 per cent of Americans have almost 50 per cent of the nation’s wealth. The next 9 per cent have about a third. And the remaining 90 per cent have about a sixth.”
Prof Schwartz further points out: “What do we do about the great economic ‘boom’ we are living in the midst of? The income of the average wage-earning workers in 1997 was 3.1 per cent lower than it was in 1989. Median family income was $1,000 less in 1997 than in 1989. The typical couple worked 270 more hours in 1997 than in 1989.”
The United States, with its extreme poverty and obscene income inequality, shows that the so-called market will not take care of the problem of poverty and hunger. Dependence on the market, without proper safeguards to protect the poor, will only enrich the rich and impoverish the poor. This calls for progressive taxation, raising the minimum wages, affordable public housing and increased unemployment benefits — all taboos in an America where tax cut for the rich remains the priority.
It is, therefore, imperative that developing countries like Pakistan should follow a balanced policy in which the government should play an active role in alleviating poverty. Private sector and NGOs should play a supportive role, but it is the government that must play the pivotal role in combating hunger and poverty. Market forces alone will not do that. Ask 30 million hungry Americans.
MAHMOOD ELAHI
Ottawa, Canada
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