| April 9, 2002 | Tuesday | Muharram 25, 1423 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Need for a ranking system
Schools without staff
Regularization of plots
Producing more doctors
Medical college in Mirpurkhas
Protecting trees
Disappointing US policy
School fees during vacations
Reckless driving
Why not beautify Karachi?
PAF plane crashes
It’s our fault
Double standards
Misleading ads
‘Sham’ democracy
A new political structure
PAKISTAN’s political system, since the Ayub era, remained stuck either with army martial law or civilian martial law. In both the systems, democratic institutions could not take root, as in the former case efforts were made to evolve a system which never materialized, and in the latter, to uproot whatever system existed.
The opposition parties in the former case struggled tooth and nail for restoration of democracy, while in the later case, mustered support of the armed forces for dethroning the ruling junta.
Due to instability, chaos and lawlessness, corruption continued unabated, human rights violated and the economy made to cripple. Democracy never dawned in its true manifestation on the poor people of this country.
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a head of state, although in uniform, has behaved democratically showing tolerance, statesmanship, vision and respect for human rights than any of his predecessors.
His government showed the writ of good governance, transparency, accountability, and departure from nepotism and corruption.
It believes more in systems, concrete plans and improvement in the infrastructure, human resource development and economic revival, rather than ad hocism.
It has adopted a bottom-up and people-oriented approach for solving all issues at the grassroots level.
His promises have not been empty words. They have been translated into visible action. It is not a mean achievement by any standard.
In order to feel the pulse of the nation on any important issue, he has thrown it to the media for thorough discussion and deliberation. The issue of referendum has also been discussed threadbare. In democracy, only the people have absolute power to decide any issue of national importance. Let them do it through the referendum.
RAFIUDDIN AHMAD
Karachi
THE referendum trumpet is sounding and Pakistan is once again being taken to the political altar for an arranged marriage with a general. Forced marriages are nothing new to our society. We are cursed with this tradition even in the political arena.
We still have a glimmer of hope that this union of General Musharraf with the hapless masses of Pakistan can be avoided.
How many more generations have to pass before the generals realize that they are not welcome in our chambers of politics.
The press has an obligation to speak out. Silence today will only mean more silencing tomorrow.
General Musharraf, please look beyond your own vision of Pakistan. Look at the vision of this nation and listen to its hopes.
The people yearn for their voices to be heard. You have the moral obligation to place Pakistan’s interest ahead of your own. You are choosing a path that will prolong the pain of this generation and the hopes of the children of our country.
You will leave this earth as we will all do one day, but your actions will haunt our children for generations. Ayub Khan has been gone for 34 years. There are adults among us who were not even born when he left. Yet they are suffering from his actions.
Zia returned to his maker 14 years ago. There are children nearing adulthood, born after his death.
They are suffering from his legacy of forced rule and intolerance.
SALIM AKBANI
Illinois, US
THIS is with reference to a letter by Sobia Talha titled ‘Frustrated degree holders’ (March 25). An alternative solution to the government regulation of MBA programmes would be the annual publication of a ranking system. This would include information on the programmes, faculty, students, job prospects etc, and would allow potential students to make more intelligent decisions.
Such tables should be published even if the University Grants Commission is regulating the MBA programmes, as the standards of each institution will fluctuate over time. Not only will this prevent students from wasting their time in fraudulent institutions, but it will also aid in matching the best students with top institutions.
A consistent influx of the finest talent will help our universities develop into world class institutions.
FAHD BEG
USA
THE slogan ‘Education for all’ seems an eyewash as five higher secondary schools and 11 high schools of Sanghar district were without principals and head masters/mistresses for the year 2001-2002 and no teaching staff was posted from other schools as there was ban on appointments. Thus there was no proper education in these schools.
The Sindh Education Department should take immediate steps to appoint the heads and teaching staff in all these 16 high/higher secondary schools of Sanghar district so that the students do not lose the academic year 2002-2003 which started from April 1.
Scholarships may also be given to the students who have passed their IX-X and XI-XII annual examination 2001, and sought admission in higher classes for the academic year 2001-2002.
These scholarships will help the hardworking students to pursue their studies.
ABDUL HAQUE SOOMRO
Sanghar
THE Chief Ministers of Sindh had in the past allotted several plots to the people in KDA Scheme 36, Gulistan-i-Johar, Karachi, which were sold and re-sold/ purchased and repurchased by several persons subsequently. Many have already built their houses on such plots but, unfortunately, so far, the KDA has not transferred these plots in their names.
The government of Sindh is requested to regularize the ownership of these plots, and direct the KDA to transfer them to the respective current owners without further delay.
AZIZ AHMED KHAN
Hyderabad
THIS is with reference to a news item ‘Australian help sought for medical versity’ (March 23).
The Punjab health minister has expressed his intention to produce over 3,000 doctors from the province annually, against the current figure of 1,500.
It is simply ridiculous, as the government has badly failed to manage them even when there is one doctor for 4,500 people as compared to one for 250 people in the US. But can the government match the benefits that the US provides to doctors in return?
By producing so many doctors, we would only increase unemployment.
One should not forget that the largest export from the country today is its brains. I fear that most of the doctors will flee to greener pastures. And since the countdown has begun in Sindh, where more than 90 doctors have been killed, the flight might be accelerated in a quest for safer places.
I suggest the concerned minister to visit some medical colleges to assess how many fresh medical graduates are willing to serve the home country. The results might be quite different from his expectations.
DR LAEEQ AKBAR MALIK
Lahore
THE residents of Mirpurkhas are grateful to the founder of Muhammad Medical College, located just near Mirpurkhas city. The college is imparting medical education of good standard to the students of this area.
At the same time, I must express my regret that the political heavy weights of this area did nothing for the people of thei