| April 5, 2002 | Friday | Muharram 21, 1423 |
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How much time can we save?
India & Indus waters treaty
Architectural compromise
Wapda’s unrealistic claims
Water shortage in Buner
Foot in one’s mouth
Ban on doctors
Decline in banking service
Containing extremism
Two-way street
Dilapidated road
PTA management’s response
I AM a Pakistani married to an Indian Muslim girl and we have settled in the US for the last several years.
Because of my wife’s nationality, I have had the opportunity to socialize amongst Indians and be a part of many of their social functions. My wife’s Indian circle includes friends that are Hindus, Christians and Parsis. We also socialize in the Pakistani circle where I have quite a few friends and acquaintances. I have noticed stark differences in the mentality, attitude and overall thinking of the people of these two countries.
While discussions in the Indian circles range from current affairs to movies, and from politics (Indian, American and Indo-Pak relations) to cricket, the discussions in our Pakistani social group is generally confined to Pakistan and Islam. Pakistanis are more interested in my wife’s attitude towards Hindus and how Islam is treated in India.
There is a lot more focus on the fact that ours is a Sunni-Shia marriage and that my wife does not wear the traditional Muslim dresses. In short, I have noticed that the people in various Pakistani circles we move in, seem to be obsessed with Islam, Kashmir, India-bashing, as well as America-bashing, in spite of the fact that they have made it their home.
Almost 80 per cent of our Pakistani friends are convinced that Israel and the Jews do have some hand in the WTC attacks and it has all been done to malign Islam as it was becoming a fast growing religion in the world. The recent Gujarat riots in India are, in the opinion of most of them, a part of a conspiracy by the Indian government to eliminate Muslims in India.
Very understandably, my wife does not enjoy our social involvement with the Pakistani circles although she is otherwise an extrovert. While this does cause occasional tension between us, deep down inside, I myself find the conversations in the Indian groups more stimulating and multidimensional. There is no petty mindedness there. ‘Assalaam-o-alaikum’, ‘Namaste’, ‘Hi’, ‘Hello’ and ‘What’s up’ are all equally accepted forms of greetings.
The long-winded point that I am trying to make is that as Pakistanis, we certainly seem to be paranoid about our country, religion and beliefs. When it comes to India or Hindus or Kashmir, we seem to lose all objectivity and let our paranoia govern our thinking.
We must give up this kind of petty thinking. Urdu and Pakistan and Islam are not that weak so as to be threatened by such transient cultural influences.
The early we break such shackles of insecurity, the faster we will progress.
MOHSIN KHAN
Detroit, US
DEAR me, we are in for another culture shock. So now, from Sunday 7 April, we are to go on to Daylight Savings Time.
Eight am yesterday is going to become 9 am today. But hang on, let us be sure of this: or is it going to be 7 am today? What does it mean to ‘set the clock forward’ and what ‘back’? This is all very confusing.
I am, you see, many, many ordinary Pakistani people. I live in a village. I live in a rural town. I am a poor and a middle-class schoolboy and schoolgirl. I am a sugarcane grower who has to deliver his crop to the sugar mill at a given hour. I am an ordinary shopkeeper.
You must understand that in this age of cheap imitations, I too possess a watch. But no one has instructed me in the ways of the new cultural ‘technologies’. What is all this about Daylight Savings Time? What is all this about saving energy?
Even in the towns and cities, many like me use only the barest minimum of light bulbs, and perhaps the odd fan.
If I am a shopkeeper, I keep my shop open during the hours when it is convenient for my customers to step out for shopping. Believe me, in this I am no different from my peasant brothers and sisters. I live and work by the rising and setting of the sun.
Who will teach me, the culturally confused Pakistani, the new cultural regulations about ‘saving time’? For me, time has always been in Nature, not something outside of it. I neither save time nor spend it. I simply live in it.
And now I, the writer of this letter, think back across my historical memories, and I recall 1954. Mr Mohammad Ali Bogra, then lately our ambassador in Washington and intoxicated with Western practices, had returned to become prime minister of Pakistan. The fashion was for ‘modernization’. He decreed that we would henceforth change from the decadent practice of driving on the left side of the road to driving on the right side.
My late father, A.D. Azhar, who was endowed with visionary wit, commented: “It has taken our bullock cart five thousand years to move from the middle of the road to the left. How long will it take now for it to learn to move from the left to the right!”
Happily, that momentarily inspired reform was soon abandoned. But then I think: how many of our ‘reforms’ are inspired by a complete divorce from the cultural realities of our land and its people.
ASLAM AZHAR
Islamabad
MR B. A. Malik has provided very illuminating historical background on the Indus basin dispute and the subsequent treaty between India and Pakistan. However, he dismisses the idea of India being able to rescind the above treaty, because of international obligations and the absence of physical infrastructure in place for interrupting river flows to Pakistan.
This may be true in the near future, but Dr Adam Nayyar (Dawn, Jan 10) had earlier raised some long-term apprehensions in this regard.
Wullar Barrage, upstream of where the Jhelum river enters Azad Kashmir, would give India control over not only stopping river flows but also in flooding the lower riparian. India had already attempted to construct this barrage some years ago but was stopped from doing so because the treaty was in place along with the Indus Water Commission, a watchdog body. This barrage would also allow India to flood the Kashmir Valley at will.
Khapala Dam on the Shyok River in Indian occupied Kashmir (a tributary of the Indus entering Baltistan) would seriously affect flows in the Indus and proportionately increase the effective silt load from the Gilgit River into the Indus downstream from the Rondu Gorge. This dam would also impact on the current design of the proposed Basha Dam.
Only a few months ago, according to press reports, India was able to effectively reduce the flow into the Chenab River for a short period. It was not explained how and why.
It is important that a thorough debate be initiated on this important issue.
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
THIS refers to the interview of architect Nayyar Ali Dada (Dawn, Gallery, March 20). I am afraid the interview does not portray a man who has reached the pinnacle of his professional competence, but not without compromising on the principles of his vocation.
I remember him carving out a “VIP gate” at Emperor Jehangir’s mausoleum in 1998 during the reign of Mian Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, and his brother Mian Shahbaz Sharif as the Punjab’s chief minister. The Sharifs wanted a VIP entry through this gate for which a helipad outside Shahdara Town and a link road was being developed.
The northern wall of the Mughal monument in Shahdara was broken for the gate though the existence of such a gate in the north part of the building has not been mentioned by any Lahore historian.
Mr Nayyar Ali Dada was the architect and, as a Dawn report of that period shows, he lost no time in producing historical evidence to the effect that the gate did form part of the original scheme of things.
SADIA MARYAM
Lahore
LAST week the chairman of WAPDA in a television interview aired on Khabarnama claimed that the performance of his organization was more than satisfactory, to such an extent, that there is no loadshedding throughout the country.
Ironically, from the very next day — rather from the same night — various blocks of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, especially blocks 1, 2 and 5 were subjected to loadshedding. This couldn’t happen at a worse time, especially for students who are busy these days preparing for their matric exams.
In fact, nowadays, there is loadshedding for an hour and a half in the day, when the temperature is on the higher side, and then again for an hour or so at night.
This practice has been continuing for the past week or so. Officials at the KESC complaint centres have no answer when you call and ask them either the reason for the outage or when it will end. Senior officials of the power utility are requested to look into the matter urgent. Also, it would make sense if the top management refrained from making tall claims since later events usually prove these wrong.
The loadshedding schedule, if at all necessary, must be announced in advance for the convenience of everyone.
SYED ABRAR HUSSAINI
Karachi
I WISH to draw attention to the problem of my village in the hope that the SDO of the public health engineering department of Duggar in Buner will take notice.
Our village Bampokha is thickly populated, it has a population of around 15,000. Water is an important source of life. I regret to say our village has no proper arrangement for the supply of water to residents. There are pipelines but they leak in many places, and much of the water is lost. In fact, many of the leaks are such that the water flows on to the roads damaging them in the process, and this also reduces water pressure.
The village has only one tubewell which was installed many years ago. Clearly, Bampokha’s increasing population means that there is now a permanent shortage of water for its residents. People want to reach the moon and beyond but here we don’t even have water.
Perhaps, the district Nazim will be kind enough to look into the matter.
M. IJAZ BUNERI
Doha,
Qatar
LONG years ago, Lahori had quoted Ann Richards from the book, Parliament of whores. Commenting on George Bush, the present president’s father, she had said: “Poor George, he can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”
Then, naming some of our own politicians, Lahori had said: “Well Richards might have said the same about them (the politicians he had named) and still she would be bang on target. There is one difference, though. George Bush had this ability to take the silver foot out of his mouth from time to time but the gentlemen named above can’t do it because they think it wouldn’t be in the national interest even to make the attempt.”
The politicians named by Lahori are alive even today and they are still stuck with silver feet in their mouths. Such is luck.
TALAT ALI SYED
Lahore
THE step taken by the NWFP government to ban private practice for doctors in government service was commendable. But I was surprised when I visited the Lady Reading Hospital for the treatment of my uncle and paid the same fees which I paid when I visited a private clinic for my own treatment.
What’s the point of having a policy when it isn’t implemented? In order to make this plan successful and win the support of the people the government has to look in this matter and ensure that people get the intended benefit of lower fees.
KABEER KHAN
Pirpai, Nowshera
WHEN I see the working of banks these days and the behaviour of their staff, I think of the days when they dealt with clients in a more civilized manner. Does anyone remember that when crediting a cheque in one’s account for collection, a stamp was put on the pay-in-slip, indicating that the cheque would not be sent forward the same day because it was too late?
Then, if a cheque submitted for encasement had to be returned, the reason was ticked on a printed slip — ‘Effects not cleared’, ‘may be presented again’, ‘Refer to drawer’, etc., and handed back, quietly. These days, while returning the cheque, the counter clerk shouts for the person who has presented it, making him feel quite small.
In those days, the banks made sure to inform the account holder if any amount remitted from somewhere had been credited to his account. These days I have to visit the bank to find out if some foreign remittance has been received in my account.
Why have these simple courtesies disappeared from the banking sector?
ASHFAQUE NAQVI
Lahore
THE ministry of the interior has presented to President Gen Musharraf a report containing seven points to the effect that all such laws and books which generate hatred and spread religious extremism and sectarianism must be rescinded and proscribed. As a matter of fact, this recommendation was long over due.
In my earlier letter (March 17) I had listed some evils of sectarianism and religious extremism and had requested the government to adopt certain measures to contain these evils. I am, therefore, quite pleased to note that the recommendations of the ministry of the interior are almost the same as I had made in my letter.
It is time the recommendations of the ministry of the interior were accepted in toto. Only in this way can sectarian menace and religious extremism be contained. Let, therefore, the cruel laws enforced by Gen Zia be repealed. Only because of these laws, we have suffered international ignominy for the past 18 years.
MOHAMMAD ISHAQUE SOOFI
Rabwah
THIS is in reference to Mr Shafique Ahmed’s letter titled “The Muslims of Gujrat”. In his letter, Mr Ahmed says that “If Hindus want Muslims to respect them, then as a majority they should take the first step and learn to respect the Muslims and their religion”.
Hindus have historically been tolerant of to people of different faiths. India’s secular constitution is ample evidence of our pluralistic society. However, respect along with tolerance is a two way street. Perhaps if Hindus in Pakistan could get equal status, then Mr Ahmed’s appeal would carry more weight.
If Mr Ahmed wants Hindus to respect Muslims in Pakistan, he should as a member of the majority community try and make Pakistan a secular republic.
ANSHU DEWAN
Chicago, US
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the Nazim of Karachi towards the dilapidated road situated on Shahrah-i-Ghalib from Ziauddin Hospital Block VI in Clifton to the oil terminal area in Shirin Jinnah Colony.
If I am correct the honourable Nazim had said that repairs to the damaged roads of the city would be carried out. Unfortunately, nothing of the sort has happened. Is the area being neglected because poor people live there?
The Nazim is requested to visit the place or direct the Nazim of Saddar Town to look into the matter and start the construction and carpeting of this road since at least 1000 heavy oil tankers use it every day.
MALIK SAFDAR AWAN
Karachi
I HAVE seen your editorial on the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) in your issue of March 30. The PTA is a public body and remains accountable for its activities. It is fully conscious of its mandate and responsibilities and tries to come up to public expectations. We value your reports and endeavour to take corrective measures. There may be some truth in your editorial, nevertheless I think it may be useful to highlight some of the measures taken by the PTA with regard to payphone services — the subject focused in the editorial.
The PTA has started a systematic campaign to deal with those card payphone operators who overcharge or who do not display rates or provide substandard quality of service. As a result, during the last three months we have issued show-cause notices to 21 card payphone operators for overcharging, and fined two of them up to Rs 200,000. The present system of monitoring consists of a limited number of inspections plus follow-up of complaints. In the PTA headquaters we have recently installed a help line to redress complaints.
Incidentally, the same day, your newspaper carried a supplement on the PTA for which one of your staff reporters interviewed me only a few days earlier. He could have raised these concerns in his interview, affording me an opportunity to put facts in proper perspective and also enabling you to make more fair and objective comments in your editorial.
The PTA has been quite active in promoting the public interest. For example, the PTCL wanted to raise local call charges, but the authority refused this request. On the PTA’s intervention, the PTCL reduced installation charges from Rs 4390 to Rs 2000, and NWD and ISD charges by about 33 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. The PTA has also played an active role in persuading card payphone operators to reduce their NWD and ISD charges from Rs 4 to Rs 3.47 per unit. It has also reduced the call charges in Northern Areas under the operation of the Special Communication Organization by about 10 percent apart from some other relief to the consumers.
During the last few months the PTA was able to reduce its own royalty charges to zero from the previous 5 per cent of gross revenue on all type approval certificates; to 0.66 percent of gross revenue on Internet service; and to two per cent of gross revenue after deducting PTCL charges on card payphone revenue, from the previous four percent. As a result, we were able to significantly reduce the burden of levies on these licenses. The PTA follows a due process of consultation with consumers, holds public forums and invites discussion on its proposed decisions. It has always kept in view the position taken by various consumer groups and the general public. The PTA publishes advertisements in newspapers regarding tariff charges. For example, the card payphone approved tariff was widely published.
An objective analysis would reveal that the authority has recently undertaken several significant measures to improve telecommunication services in Pakistan.
MAJ GEN (R) SHAHZADA ALAM MALIK
Chairman, PTA
Islamabad
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