| March 22, 2002 | Friday | Muharram 7, 1423 |
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Doctors, police and society
People without physicians
PTCL clarification
Telephone directories
Message from terrorists
An unpleasant air journey
Post office in Blue Area
Nadra and new ID cards
Sectarian killings
Train routes and dining cars
Rickshaw and taxi meters
Menace of reckless driving
The Saudi way
THE degradation of the Indus delta ecosystem as a result of reduced water outflows is already a visible phenomenon. The present level of silt discharge, estimated at 100 million tons per year, is a six-fold reduction from the original level before the rivers were dammed. Unfortunately, at that time the decision-makers did not take into account the ill-effects of damming on coastal areas.
It does not in any way mean that dams or barrages should not have been built in our country. Building dams and barrages has, of course, played a decisive role in our agricultural and industrial progress. But what we ignored during damming of the Indus and are ignoring till now is that we did not do anything to prevent imperative sea intrusion which was caused after the reduction of river inflows towards the sea.
The combination of saltwater intrusion (some reports show this as 30km inland), and reduced silt and nutrient flows has changed the geomorphology of the Indus delta considerably. Over the years the area of active growth of the delta has reduced from an original estimate of 2,600sq-km to about 260sq-km. Fresh water reaches only a few of the creeks and others have become blocked.
People living near the Indus estuary — where the river water flows into the sea — say that over the years the discharge of fresh water into the sea has been reduced to a trickle — and that too for a few days during the year only. Consequently, the sea is intruding northwards to desertify hundreds of thousands of acres of otherwise fertile agricultural land.
Undoubtedly, people living in the coastal area are faced with an extremely difficult situation. But life is only marginally easier for people downstream Kotri barrage. They were compelled to cut down cultivation by 50 per cent for the last Rabi crop and they do not expect more than 50-60 per cent sowing for the Kharif crop. The Sindh irrigation department record shows that during the six months of Rabi 2000, not a single drop of water flowed downstream Kotri barrage.
The issue of fresh water release below Kotri barrage for saving the ecosystem has always been tackled politically or administratively, rather than environmentally. For the last seven years the Indus delta has not got even the minimum amount of 10 MAF. Government officials believe the flow of fresh water into the sea is wastage of water. They don’t know that it is a must for keeping the coastal environment alive.
It is apparent that the current water situation is not sustainable. The impressive development of the conventional irrigation system in the last two decades has proved to be insufficient for facing successfully the extreme climatic conditions of the last five years. So our water policy should become more imaginative, creative and flexible. The change in approach should ensure sustainability.
A substantive evaluation of the downstream effects of dams and barrages in Pakistan, both constructed and proposed, will promote the formulation of a sane water policy. Such an evaluation is also needed to restrain the World Bank and other multilateral development agencies from funding water projects in the presence of alternatives that are financially more cost-effective as well as substantially less destructive for people and nature.
The substantial amount of Rs10 billion rehabilitation aid, committed by the President during his recent visit to Sindh, should be spent on the management of coastal areas of Sindh by addressing the sea intrusion problems. Our goal should be to manage coastal areas wisely.
AAMIR KABIR
Karachi
THE brutal and senseless killing of doctors continues unabated. Despite repeated meetings of the Sindh police officials with the doctors’ representatives, nothing has come out of this apparently useless exercise. The brutal murders continue.
The kind of ‘efficiency’ the police have shown so far in the investigation and prevention of these deplorable and inhuman acts, exposes their inability and complete lack of responsibility.
No doctor would ever discriminate among his patients on the basis of religion, sect, race, colour or ethnicity. Yet we are witnessing the worst kind of ‘professional cleansing’.
The administration seems to be busy with everything except devising means and ways to stop these killings. There are said to be about 19 different agencies working against crime, terrorism and subversive activities in this city. Every reasonable society treasures its youth, educated people and professionals, but what are we doing to our treasure?
My heart bleeds when young doctors want to leave the country and the doctors working abroad ridicule the idea of coming back home. But can we blame them?
The general public must stand up in support of their messiahs. In the not very distant past when the whole city of Karachi used to be paralyzed by politically motivated strikes, the doctors risked their lives by attending public hospitals and clinics.
The religious leaders must break their criminal silence, stop spreading hatred and help create an environment where peaceful co-existence is promoted.
And to the government, I would only like to say that when they or their near and dear ones fall ill, they need a doctor. None of the 19 odd agencies would be of any help if they ever have an heart attack.
DR SARWAR JAMIL SIDDIQUI
Karachi
IN Pakistan, the total allocation of funds for health is one per cent of our GDP, the lowest in the world. With a population of 140 million, the money spent for a sick person comes to Rs12 per year!
Our eastern neighbour spends six per cent on health services, the USA 20 per cent and the UK 15 per cent of their GDP. Forty per cent of our population lives below the poverty line, cannot afford private health care and has to depend entirely on public health services that are obviously quite inadequate.
There is one specialist for every 25,000 patients in each of the special fields. It takes 15 years to make a specialist. The salary scale of a government employed specialist is 1/10th of what they would earn in the UK or the USA, where they were initially trained at their own expense without any assistance from our government. These specialists are making a sacrifice by choosing to opt for a developing country on a meagre salary.
In the Punjab and the NWFP, the provincial governments are trying to pick the pockets of such doctors by depriving them of their private practice. In Sindh, 60 doctors were shot dead in the last year-and-a-half for unknown reasons. Neither the culprits were caught nor security is in sight for the future.
So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that 20 specialists left the country last month. People are poor when the country’s capital flies out, but people without physicians are as good as dead.
DR ZARINA KHAN
Islamabad
THIS refers to the letter (March 7) by Raymond S. Jones with the title ‘A British investor’s experience’. Mr Jones has stated that during his visit to Pakistan he was not able to use his mobile phone because his roaming facility had stopped working. In this regard, PTCL would like to clarify that the international roaming service for cellular mobile customers is operating through PTCL international switching network for the past few years.
The PTCL has established dedicated signalling links with most of its international carriers partners for its own voice traffic and also shares the same signalling link for international roaming facilitations for the cellular mobile operators. Recently due to the rapid growth of PTCL international traffic, the traffic on signalling link with the UK has also gone up. Simultaneously, the growth in mobile messages for international roaming and Short Messaging Service (SMS) after introduction of Calling Party Pays regime (CPP) in Pakistan resulted in additional traffic.
The PTCL till recently had one 64 kbps signalling link to the UK with British Telecom (BT). To cope with the increasing traffic and messages, British Telecom was requested to open a second 64 kbps circuit. The BT only recently agreed for this enhancement, which became operational in the first week of March 2002.
The international roaming traffic is now passing without any congestion. The PTCL is committed to facilitating cellular customers within Pakistan and from abroad for a quality service including international roaming. Any inconvenience to the cellular customers using International roaming for this period is regretted.
SULTAN AHMAD HASSAN
General Manager, Public Relations PTCL,
Islamabad
IT is clarified that the work of printing telephone directories 2001 has been awarded to two printers to speed up the work.
The distribution of directories is in progress in accordance with the day-to-day supplied quantity from the printers. About 5,000 directories are being distributed daily by the linemen of PTCL in their respective exchange areas to customers at their doorsteps. The line staff of STR-III Karachi has delivered 350,000 directories so far in more than 40 exchanges and the balance distribution will be completed in the next two months.
In the first phase, PTCL has distributed Directories 2001 to newsmen, government offices and corporate clients and it is not a fact that the directories are being distributed only to VIPs.
A toll-free telephone No. 0800-00800 has already been opened for lodging complaints regarding non-receipt of directories by the valued customers.
ATHER JAVED SUFI
PTCL, H/Q
Karachi
THE attack on the Protestant International Church in Islamabad is another act of terrorism which must be condemned. It is also another challenge for our law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The law and order situation has gone from bad to worse. Whenever there is a killing, whether of a local doctor, a foreign journalist, the wife and daughter of a diplomat, or an ordinary citizen, the message from the terrorists is that the killers are more powerful than our law enforcement agencies.
Today, peace loving people feel more insecure than ever before. This unfortunate situation has got to be dealt with an iron hand.
Unless the killers are brought to justice, the killing of innocent people will not stop. There is an urgent need to revamp our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to achieve this end.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
WHILE travelling from Karachi to Islamabad on March 5 morning by flight No. EU-100 the passengers had an unpleasant experience. The plane made a dreadful landing at Islamabad airport. It taxied on the runway with tremendous speed. As the pilot applied the brakes with great force the plane rattled giving the passenger a fright.
However, on the return journey the same night, the plane (another one) taxied placidly on the runway at the Karachi airport. But it had one defect. The toilet door was not functioning properly.
The owners of Aero Asia should take immediate steps for the proper maintenance of their aircraft and also improve the catering service by charging about Rs100 more per ticket to provide good food.
SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR
Karachi
WITH the closure of the only post office in sector G-7, commercial establishments, offices and the general public are facing a lot of problems.
The nearest post office is in the Sitara Market. The one franchized post office is not located at a good place and does not offer all the services required by customers.
It is requested that a Model Post Office be set up in the Blue Area rendering all kinds of services to the public.
MUHAMMAD ARIF CHUGHTAI
Islamabad
I RECENTLY saw an advertisement on PTV which tried to convey the message that our old national identity cards would become null and void after June 30, 2002. This message could only be taken as a joke.
I had submitted my forms in June, 2001, in Islamabad. The Nadra staff had mentioned 6 weeks as delivery time. I have yet to receive the cards and it is already way beyond 6 months! What about the people who are submitting the forms now?
JAWWAD ZAKI
Islamabad
THIS refers to the editorial ‘Stop sectarian killings’ (March 16).
We have heard and read in the print media so many times that religious extremists have been governing the country. So you have very aptly said that “one even begins to wonder if these sectarian militants have infiltrated the intelligence agencies.” It will, therefore, be advisable to remove those who have failed in maintaining law and order. Enough is enough.
DR SYED ABU JAFFAR
Karachi
THE Shalimar Express, running between Lahore and Karachi, was a fast train. Due to unknown reasons, its route has been shortened and now it runs only between Multan and Karachi.
Because of this, passengers travelling between Lahore and Multan have been deprived of a good and relaxing train. There is no such service between these two stations now. People have to travel by road because of the non-availability of a rail facility between the two points.
The dining car was an excellent facility and people really enjoyed it. Now, after paying thrice the amount of an economy ticket, passengers have to bring their own lunch and dinner boxes for the journey or eat the stuff available on the platforms.
The higher railway authorities are requested to reintroduce the previous route and the dining car facility.
DR MUHAMMAD IRFAN
Multan
WHILE there is a general complaint against the rise in fuel charges, it is interesting to note that there has been no complaint whatsoever from the taxi and rickshaw owners. The reason for this is that the metres of both have been tampered to such a great extent that even with this rise in petrol prices, the owners are left with huge profits.
Then there are others whose meters are always out of order. They charge a fixed amount settled beforehand, without any consideration for the rates fixed officially.
The authorities are least bothered about checking the metres unless, of course, the cop wants to make some money for himself.
SYED ABRAR HUSSAINI
Karachi
ACCORDING to reports, traffic accidents have increased in Karachi. The main cause is reckless driving. For earning more money, drivers particularly those of buses and minibuses do not bother about traffic rules. The result is accident and loss of innocent lives.
Everyday newspapers report that motorcyclists, pedestrians and school-going children are crushed to death by a speedy bus or minibus. The traffic situation in the city is getting worse and the number of vehicles has increased, but the police have miserably failed to control reckless driving.
A law should be passed requiring public transport drivers to be at least matriculates and fully trained. This would considerably reduce the number of accidents on roads.
SABA AKHTAR ALI
Karachi
THE column about Saudi Arabia, ‘The Saudi way’ (March 18), is based mostly on hearsay rather than actual facts. It looks biased and totally irrelevant.
The writer should not have based his article on information provided by taxi drivers and film actresses but should have talked to the highly educated professionals from all over the Islamic world who have opted for Saudi nationality and live there.
IQBAL HYDER
Karachi
KHALID Hasan hit the nail on the head in exposing the Saudi way of governance and the treatment they give to visiting foreign nationals, especially Pakistani ‘brethren’ and expatriate workers.
His column reminded me of the arrogance and boorishness of two Saudi students, who used to study in Pakistan in the not too distant past. They claimed to enjoy a diplomatic status equivalent to that of a consul.
In their own country, the Saudis behave like true despots, having no regard for the rights of visiting foreigners or expatriate workers. The irony of the situation gets further accentuated when Pakistani officials treat erring Saudi residents or visitors as royal guests and ignore all their weaknesses.
SAEED MALIK
Lahore
THIS refers to Khalid Hasan’s above captioned article (March 18). The writer has ruthlessly criticized the Saudi system, basing his views mostly on hearsay. For the last two decades or so I have been regularly visiting Saudi Arabia.
I have never had any complaints of the kind, referred to by the writer, against government officials or the public at large. I honestly feel that the living conditions here are far better than those in my country. There is complete peace here and so far as one abides by the law, he or she is absolutely safe.
It is correct that those found guilty of smuggling drugs or contraband items are beheaded when found guilty, because it is the law of the land. It is unfortunate that the persons found guilty of such offences are very often Pakistanis.
The writer has also lamented the alleged rough dealing of women in Saudi Arabia. This is also far from the truth. I have seen a number of times that if a woman is crossing a road, every motorist stops to facilitate her. No such courtesy is accorded in Pakistan.
The Saudi women wear abaya to cover their head because it is a requirement of Islam. A Muslim worth the name cannot object to such a tradition for the simple reason that in Pakistan we Muslims have been flouting the teachings of our religion.
WASIM H. RIZVI
Dhara,
Saudi Arabia
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