Proposal for referendum

THIS is with reference to M.P. Bhandara’s article, ‘Military rulers’ quest for legitimacy’ and Anwar Syed’s article, ‘The general’s intentions’ (March 3).

Mr Bhandara has beautifully analyzed and summarized the reigns of the military rulers of the past and suggested the course to be adopted by the present one. While I must congratulate him on his wonderful analysis, I like to differ from him on two points.

Firstly, his contention that no tears were shed for United Pakistan in Bangladesh. In 1976, I met a Bangladeshi gentleman in London who introduced himself as Secretary of East Pakistan Association. At that time, like Mr Bhandara, I also thought that no tears were shed in Bangladesh. One problem with tears is that only the sufferer knows the cause and quantum of the agony. Some Pakistani citizens whom we like to call Biharis are still suffering and crying.

Secondly, the point about fairness of 1970 elections. Let us not forget that in East Pakistan, Awami League was given an absolutely free hand and coercive techniques were employed to get votes. In most areas nobody could dare to vote against their wishes. This we have seen in our part of Pakistan in certain areas in recent times.

Mr Anwar Syed has done well to advise that the model of Ataturk is obsolete in the present times, especially in Pakistan.

The proposal for holding a referendum needs serious consideration. I had earlier written on this point and my views were published under the following headings: ‘Timeframe for democracy’ (Nov 22, 1999) and ‘Next President’ (April 22, 2000).

It would be of interest to mention here that referendum for inclusion of the NWFP in Pakistan was held from 6th to 16th July, 1947. This means that about a month earlier than 14th August 1947, we did not know whether that would be an autonomous region or part of Pakistan. Similarly, a referendum was held in Assam to let Sylhet join East Pakistan. In the present times, Quebec remains with Canada with only 0.5 per cent more votes to preserve the existing integrity of Canada.

Holding a referendum for the present President and approval of his various policies will end an unnecessary debate on many issues once the political process is started for holding elections. I think it is not a question for legitimacy but it is a matter which deals with acquiring greater strength.

General Musharraf has navigated the ship of this nation in very turbulent times. He can hope for a victory in the referendum.

KHALID HASSAN MAHMOOD

Karachi

US and Middle East conflict

THERE can be no peace in the Middle East until all parties involved talk about the core issues and the real reasons behind this conflict. It seems that the United States wants to keep mistrust among Middle East neighbours by allowing Israel to commit atrocities in order to keep its presence and influence in the region. This will allow the US to sell conventional arms to oil-rich Arab countries and ensure smooth flow of Gulf oil to America.

Continued US presence and influence in the region does guarantee Israel’s security. Arabs need to understand and study cautiously what has been going on around them.

The Arabs should ask themselves the following questions before coming to any conclusion:

If the conflict between Palestinians and Israel is resolved, will the United States have any reason to keep its presence and influence in the region?

Will US weapons remain a hot commodity in the region?

If the United States leaves the region, will Israel feel secure?

Are the United States and Israel protecting each other’s interests?

Do the US and Israel have interest in keeping the issue between Palestinians and Israel alive?

Based on the above arguments, do the US and Israel have any reason to stop this bloodshed?

If the Arabs can answer these questions wisely then they will be able to offer some solution. Otherwise, it is a shot in the dark like the Saudi proposal.

MOHAMMAD ALI

Washington DC, USA

There’s nothing without love

THE first step in establishing an armistice is to nurture in people the desire for the cessation of conflict. Love has always been the bridge that makes possible the coalescing of objects of seemingly different qualities. Society needs the positive role models of people who have learned to channel creative energy for the common good. The truly affluent people of the world are those who have shared the innate capacity to love.

Provided the opportunity and the means, all people have within them the ability to achieve the greatest good.

The process of research and reporting requires that we find regularities and patterns from our observations. In a system of open criticism it should be possible to identify biases and selectivity in expression. This is not possible where disciplines or ideologies are so rigid as to ensure that conclusions precede analyses. If all were to be interpreted using the same template, the world would lose its variety and vibrancy.

Failure to develop in each and every individual their unique capacities means that young people may never grow to achieve their destined role in saving others. Combinations and permutations of individual qualities expand potentialities exponentially.

Death and destruction are no prettier in Manhattan than they are in the Middle East. We should treat others as we would have them treat ourselves given the same circumstances and opportunities.

The countries of the world need to become partners in strategic peace and goodwill. We cannot afford anything if we cannot afford love.

BRUCE TERRY

Tasmania, Australia

Ladies section

THIS is with reference to Raihan Lodhi’s letter on the above subject (March 1). Here are some measures which might curb the menace of misuse of ladies section by the male passengers.

The government should make it compulsory for every passenger transport to provide separate entries for male and female passengers. The two compartments should be separated through an opaque partition. All the existing grills, nets and flexible doors etc., should be removed forthwith. The height of the partition should be upto the standing man’s armpit. The entry of even the conductor into the ladies compartment should be banned what to say of males accompanying ladies. The conductors should collect the fare from the ladies while standing behind the partition. He may seek help from the lady passengers, if necessary.

The traffic police should provide a noticeboard in the ladies compartment declaring a ban on the entry of male passengers and asking for violations to be reported to them at the earliest opportunity with full details.

In case there are no lady passengers, the compartment should remain vacant and in no case, should the males be allowed to enter this compartment.

The above measures are necessary in view of the growing goondaism, not only among the male passengers but among the conductors and drivers as well.

M. U. AKHOOND

Karachi

Ban on private practice

THE governments of Punjab and NWFP have decided to ban the private practice of government doctors, with a stroke of the pen. They did not take the doctors, consultants, PMA and public representatives into confidence before taking this step.

Since I joined government service in the seventies till the time I retired a few years ago, the question of banning of private practice by doctors has appeared at regular intervals, but nothing concrete was done so far.

To compare a military hospital with a civilian one is wrong. The civilian hospitals are grossly overburdened with the increasing number of patients requiring admissions and operations and that too at a very meagre annual grant (comparatively) and with inadequate resources.

It must also be borne in mind that that an operation theatre cannot be run round the clock as they (operation theatres) require ‘breathing space’ and ‘rest’, otherwise, the rate of infection (and therefore the failure rate) of operated patients rises steeply. Under these circumstances it will be highly unwise of the government to consider that the private patients be accommodated in addition to public sector patients in the same very hospitals where the facilities are already inadequate.

The only possibility is to construct separate blocks (earmarked for private patients only), with separate operation theatres, labs, etc., and expect doctors to start their private practice in the government hospitals (in those blocks only) which will not only generate funds for the hospitals but will also provide additional remuneration for the lower staff.

PROF DR ASLAM PIRACHA

Islamabad

A matter of life and death

SOON after independence the Government of India started annexing the independent princely states located well inside India which had opted for Pakistan by ordering their army to invade and occupy them.

Next came Kashmir, a Muslim majority state, having 80 per cent Muslim population and being adjacent to Pakistan. In 1947, Pakistan was created on the basis of Muslim majority states. The Kashmiri Muslims wanted to join Pakistan. But the Indian army invaded it and took a large chunk by force. There was a war in 1948 and the Indian government, sensing defeat, went to the UN and asked for a cease-fire and promised a plebiscite under UN supervision. Pakistan accepted this. But India, after some time declared the whole of Kashmir as part of India.

Going back to partition time, we can only ask one question. What would have been the fate of the subcontinent had Kashmir been made part of Pakistan? It would have certainly given a sense of security to Pakistan and both India and Pakistan would have lived peacefully thereafter.

In fact, Kashmir as part of Pakistan would have been open to Indian tourists like the rest of Pakistan. South Asia would have been like Europe today with open borders and much more. But this was not to be.

The simple message for us Pakistanis is that India has not accepted the creation of Pakistan. Therefore, Kashmir is a matter of life or death for us. If we give up Kashmir, we are giving up Pakistan.

JAVID YUNUS

Lahore

Acts of barbarism

I WANT to condemn in the strongest possible words the ongoing killing of doctors. Islam, being the religion of peace, teaches us tolerance and does not allow for such barbaric acts. I am sure that the people behind these heinous acts are not Muslims. In fact, they are a blot on the humanity.

It is such a pity that doctors who work day in and day out to serve the poor ailing humanity, are being killed in their own homeland in broad daylight. It is most unfortunate that the authorities have so far failed to arrest any of the culprits.

If this state of affairs continues much longer, I am sure a time will come when the doctor community will be forced to leave the country for their own safety and for that of their families.

A CONCERNED DOCTOR

Karachi

Helping the Afghans

THIS refers to Taha Noor’s letter which he wrote in response to Muhammad Azhar’s letter. Mr Taha says that Mr Azhar is wrong to say that the money spent on Basant celebrations should be spent on feeding the Afghans instead.

People were going crazy over Valentine’s day and Basant without a thought to the Afghans. Would it have been such a problem for us if we just for once didn’t celebrate Basant and instead gave all that money to Afghanistan? Are we so morally dead?

SAMRA MASOOD

Lahore

Pakistan and West Asia

THIS is in response to Shahid Javed Burki’s article titled ‘Pakistan and the stans’. I find Mr Burki’s articles very informative and constructive. I hope that the people in the upper echelons of the power structure in Pakistan are paying attention to what he is writing.

His idea about forming a bloc consisting of all the ‘stans’ is a very sound one. In a way, his idea is raising the idea of Pakistan to a higher level. Whereas Pakistan was created as a nation consisting of Muslim majority provinces of India, Mr Burki’s West Asian bloc will consist of all the ‘stans’ (all of Muslim states) in West Asia.

M.N.A. JAWAID

Houston, USA

Dialling 17

DIALLING 17 for telephone inquiry has always been a frustrating experience. The operators usually pick up the phone and then disconnect it.

Besides this, the operators also fail quite often to provide information regarding the telephone numbers of the subscribers. Perhaps the information with them is not updated.

Do the authorities in the telephone department have any system to check this inefficiency and the negligent attitude of the operators at 17?

NAZIM NAEEM

Hyderabad

The likes of Nazis

THE Hindu fundamentalists of India are suffering from the same delusion of Aryan superiority as the German Nazis. The Swastika may not be on the Indian flag, but it is there in every Hindu temple.

If Hindu fundamentalism is not contained now, it would result in the carnage of religious minorities including Muslims, Christians and others. It would be another holocaust.

NASEEM MAHNAVI

Karachi

Why no reaction?

I FAIL to understand as to why there is almost no condemnation by the English-speaking intelligentsia of Pakistan of the atrocities visited upon the Muslims of India over the past ten days or so. I would like to know why the illustrious columnists like Irfan Hussain, Khalid Hasan, Ayaz Amir, Intizar Hussain and Cowasjee, who, quite rightly, lose no opportunity to condemn bigotry, prejudice and religious intolerance amongst Muslims, have been mum about the carnage of Muslims in India.

Is the VHP not a terrorist organization? Have the Indian law-enforcing agencies no complicity in the murder and live incineration of Muslims? Is the BJP government of Gujarat not guilty of a crime of omission, if not actually of commission? Has the Indian government not encouraged by word and deed the always present anti-Muslim feeling in India?

All unbiased observers agree that the answer to all the above questions is in the affirmative. Then where is Asma Jehangir’s condemnation? Why has she not uttered a word of protest? Have the human rights of Muslims of India not been violated?

SAAD H. BASHIR

Karachi

Banning Indian channels

LET those who make such pathetic policies realise that what they are doing is nothing but shielding the incompetent and, in that process, depriving the masses of genuine entertainment.

Secondly, if the policies for the rich and the poor are to be alike, then let them remove all the dish antennae from the affluent people’s homes.

M.M. KHAN

Karachi

Fashion shows

THE extensive coverage given to fashion shows organized in Karachi by the ‘Images’ section of Dawn every Sunday leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Other items of general interest are left out because of this reason and as far as I know the said magazine is fast loosing its readership.

The wide coverage given to such useless shows should be discontinued, at least by the major national dailies.

SYED ABRAR HUSSAINI

Karachi

Deteriorating law and order situation

WITH the brutal killings of doctors, businessmen and other innocent citizens in Karachi and the heinous crime committed in a mosque in Rawalpindi, law and order has virtually collapsed. Many cars and motorcycles are being snatched every day. Can we really say that we live in a civilized society or the state is providing genuine protection? Security of the citizens has been put on the back burner. The criminals simply outfox the law enforcement agencies (LEA).

There are no check posts at night to block the way of chase-away cars, motorcycles, etc. As a corollary, the criminals take it for granted that their escape will pose no problem after they have committed the offence. On numerous occasions the terrorists have struck at traffic signals, but virtually nothing concrete has been done to prevent recurrence. I find no sense of urgency, nor did I find heavy presence of LEA at critical traffic intersections.

It is stranger still that after the gruesome murders of an eminent journalist, doctors, businessmen and scores of citizens, nobody has been taken to task, no heads have rolled nor has any responsible person offered to resign.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can be cited as a crime-free society. The Saudi police are very effective. One can drive fearlessly with his family across the peninsula in the middle of the night. They after all control two million pilgrims every year without any law and order problem. They excel in controlling their vehicular traffic as well. Defaulters are immediately punished.

In Pakistan, the murderers of Hakim Saeed and many eminent personalities could not be brought to justice, what a pity? The lack of resolve only emboldens the perpetrators. We must remember what our great leader Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had said: “The first duty of a government is to maintain law and order, so that the life, property and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the state.”

SAFIR A. SIDDIQUI

Karachi