| May 25, 2002 | Saturday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 12,1423 |
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Indian and European propaganda
Locally assembled cars
Going back on words
Control of mosques
Critical issues
An unsympathetic caricature
Crime and punishment
Lawrence College
Lawrence College
A ‘progressive’ PTV
Political role for the military
Article 58(2)-B with a twist
An American’s plea
POLITICIANS are a strange breed. How far can they go to satisfy their whims and fancies is beyond imagination. The pitiable condition of the masses and their hopes for a better life carry no value as against a leader’s lust for power.
For creating a deadly confrontation between the two nuclear powers in the region, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee appears to have gone mad. He has made his anti-Pakistan phobia, hatred for Muslims and the war hysteria as the manifesto for his re-election. To achieve his political objective, he broke trade relations with Pakistan, suspended the train and bus services between the two countries and deployed his huge army on the Indo-Pakistan border with repeated threats of launching an attack on Pakistan. By showing the door to Pakistan’s high commissioner, he has violated all norms of diplomacy.
Why does not the veteran politician realize that mere deployment of forces on the borders for a prolonged period can cripple a country’s economy and if the war breaks out, how devastating it would be for the two countries? One really fails to understand, how callous a PM can be to disregard the plight of his own countrymen, millions of whom are living below the poverty line.
I am sure such acts of fanaticism are not going to help Mr Vajpayee in his re-election. There are sane elements in India who understand that their PM is not only destroying the people’s peace of mind but also bringing the poor Indian population on the brink of bankruptcy and disaster if the war does break out. He wants to achieve his personal objectives at the cost of the aspirations of the Indian masses who want friendship and peace with the people of Pakistan.
Mr Vajpayee unjustly blamed Pakistan for a recent act of terrorism in Jammu. It was clearly the re-appraisal of atrocities committed by the Indian armed forces and other militant groups on innocent Kashmiris. The assassination of APHC leader Prof Abdul Ghani Lone is an act of vengeance by members of the terrorist brigades, let loose to deal with the freedom fighters.
Considering Mr Vajpayee’s presence in the occupied state on the day of occurrence and his current mental state, it would not be wrong to assume that the ghastly act had his blessings. His anti-Muslim stance is proved by the unchecked wave of communal riots in Gujarat in which around 5,000 Muslims have been killed and their houses and shops put to the torch. How can Mr Vajpayee escape responsibility for all this?
RAFI NASIM
Lahore
LISTENING to Indian propaganda and also to the European Union’s comments about Pakistan not doing much about infiltration, I ask them: there are 1.3 million strong military and para-military Indian forces at the Pakistan-India border, out of which about 0.6 million are based in Kashmir only, then how is it that the Indians have not been able to stop the infiltration?
This fact points towards either of the two possibilities: (a) the Kashmir struggle is indigenous and not a work of Pakistan. Or, (b) the Indian armed forces and their government are both totally incapable.
The European Union is demanding Pakistan to counter the Al-Qaeda and other terrorists from Afghanistan. Pakistan has fought for more than ten years in Afghanistan for the cause of the US and Europe. Today Pakistan is facing troubles and anarchy within its borders because of that. What else do they want now?
We are today feeling the brunt of the dirty war that the West had launched against Communism. It has been reported widely, and in the American press as well, that the Afghans were provoked against the Soviet Union by the West by exploiting their religious sentiments. Handbills were distributed among Pakhtoon school children to drop their studies and pick up weapons to fight the atheist Soviet Union. Today those very children are religious fanatics possessing military training. And it is because of them that Pakistan is facing sectarian violence and jihadi movements.
I would like to say to the Indians: Pakistan is neither Palestine nor Afghanistan that it can be dominated by Indian bullying. We have the capability to give a convincing reply to any Indian mis-adventure.
To the West I would say: Leave us alone, as you have done enough damage to us and to the rest of the world.
SYED ALI ZAIDI
Karachi
EVERY now and then we hear complaints about the high prices of locally assembled cars but, surprisingly, after a few days the matter is forgotten and everything is quiet again as if nothing had happened.
I have reasons to believe that every car assembler producing 10,000 pieces a year is earning at least Rs150,000 extra per car. That makes it around Rs1,500,000,000 or a cool Rs15 billion annually for each assembler. Obviously, a right-sized amount must be going into the many pockets whose owners must be providing protection to the car assemblers. Is this the reason of this mum attitude of the government on this issue?
If the government does not believe this or has no guts to find out the truth, there is a short cut. Just announce that if the price of every car is not reduced by Rs150,000, the government would allow the import of used cars at the same rate of duty as applicable to the assemblers. This action will inoculate the assemblers to give a relief to the customers.
I do not think that anyone will be harmed by this, because the prices will go down immediately and there will be no need to shut down the industry.
A CITIZEN
Karachi
THE words of President Pervez Musharraf are still ringing in our ears when he said at a public meeting on April 26 at Karachi that the price of kerosene oil would not be increased as it would hurt the poor section of the population.
On May 15 his government increased the price of kerosene oil by 17 per cent and about 8 per cent in other petroleum products. This is a clear case of bringing hardship to the poor people, as any increase in prices of oil products or other essential items has a double impact on consumers.
I hope the President has not been led to believe that the lot of the poor section of the population has changed for the better within a fortnight of his referendum campaign.
The marginal increase in world prices of petroleum products should have been absorbed by adjustment in high percentage of taxes and levies instead of making the people suffer more and more.
K.M. SHARIFF
Karachi
IT was 1964 when I visited Cairo. At that time, too, it was beautiful, disciplined and well managed. I had a chance to see President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev driving in an open car through the main street on way to the airport where Nasser was to see off Khrushchev. Not many outriders and minimal security showed President Nasser’s mass popularity.
I also noted that although in the vicinity of my hotel there were at least four mosques, only one aazan was heard. I asked the hotel receptionist about it, and he said that in the whole of Cairo you would hear only one aazan for each prayer.
All the mosques in Egypt are controlled by the Ministry of Awkaf and Religious Affairs. They issue timings for each prayer in different areas according to the meridian. Only from the central mosque of each city, the aazan is relayed through each mosque. Imams are appointed by the ministry.
In Pakistan, perhaps, only in Wah Cantt. and DHA, Karachi, imams and moazzins are appointed and paid by the authorities.
A fellow Rotarian from Abbottabad informed us that they have been taking part in the campaign for the eradication of polio since his area was badly affected. The campaign in the urban areas was going fine, but in far-flung areas, a negative campaign was being carried out, especially from the pulpits on Fridays, alleging that we were trying to make the new generation impotent through drops or injections. How long will this nation remain hostage to illiterate maulvis?
It is high time all mosques were taken over by district governments and the negative campaign against population control was stopped once and for all.
S.M. ZAKERYA KAZMI
Karachi
TWO very critical issues pertaining to Pakistan are being widely discussed these days in editorials and articles in the western press. Unfortunately, I have yet to find any response from the government that would negate such allegations.
1) Kargil issue: I have recently come across various editorials which give the impression that the then prime minister was unaware of the strategy being used, specially that pertaining to the use of nukes. I strongly believe that this needs to be cleared in a forceful manner by the government of Pakistan.
2) Zafran Bibi’s case: this case is also very important as it is being looked upon as a litmus test for the present government in its stand against religious extremism and in support of the women’s rights. Zafran Bibi should be released immediately and cleared of all charges.
Pakistanis residing abroad have become vocal in replying to the points raised in articles and editorials in the western press. Yet it is absolutely necessary for the government to back it up with facts and decisive authenticity through substantial media presence.
S. ASIF ALAM
New Jersey, USA
THIS is with reference to the caricature on page 14 of Dawn (May 21) regarding the independence of East Timor.
On behalf of the Indonesian Consulate General in Karachi we would like to express our deep displeasure with the caricature, in which the representatives of other countries were depicted as humans, but Indonesia as a crocodile.
The holding of a referendum in East Timor in 1999 was initially based on the proposal by Indonesia. Both the government and people of Indonesia accepted and respected the result of the referendum which lead to the independence of East Timor. The Indonesian Consultative Assembly also accepted the result of the referendum.
On behalf of the government and people of Indonesia, President Megawati attended the ceremony of independence of East Timor on May 20, 2002, in Dili as a reflection of the sincerity of the people of Indonesia in welcoming the birth of East Timor (Timor Lorosae) state.
No Indonesian newspaper has ever published anything unfriendly or derogatory against the Pakistan government or people, both of whom are held in highest regard and esteem by the government and people of Indonesia. Although Dawn published an unfriendly caricature about Indonesia, we firmly believe that the government of Pakistan and the vast majority of the Pakistani people believe in the friendship between Pakistan and Indonesia as two brother Muslim countries.
TEMU ALAM
Consul, Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia
THIS is with reference to the letter by Lt-Col (R) Rafi Nasim (May 12) on the judgement of the Supreme Court converting the death sentence to the assailants of the Mominpura massacre in Lahore into life imprisonment.
It is due to the judgments like this that our society has not only learnt to condone extra-judicial killings, but sadly even appreciate them as witnessed during the mid-nineties.
Such acts, which should not be acceptable to any civil society, are today being seen as acts of nobility by the terrorized citizens, the credit of which should solely go to our honourable courts.
MRS S. JAMIL
Karachi
THANK you very much for giving a prominent place to Lawrence College, Ghora Gali, Murree, in your esteemed newspaper, in the Metropolitan section of the Sunday edition of May 19 under the heading ‘As we enter our second year in Islamabad Dawn means a determination with distinction.’
The name of the current Principal has been printed as ‘Noor Mohammad Khan’ whereas the current principal is Air Commodore (Retd) Farooq H. Kiyani. He assumed the office of the Principal on Feb 16, 2002.
Mr Noor Mohammad Khan was our former Principal.
ARJASAB KHAN ZAFAR
Public Relations Officer, Lawrence College, Murree
THANK you very much for giving a prominent place to Lawrence College, Ghora Gali, Murree, in your esteemed newspaper, in the Metropolitan section of the Sunday edition of May 19 under the heading ‘As we enter our second year in Islamabad Dawn means a determination with distinction.’
The name of the current Principal has been printed as ‘Noor Mohammad Khan’ whereas the current principal is Air Commodore (Retd) Farooq H. Kiyani. He assumed the office of the Principal on Feb 16, 2002.
Mr Noor Mohammad Khan was our former Principal.
ARJASAB KHAN ZAFAR
Public Relations Officer, Lawrence College, Murree
IN our society, the yardstick for measuring the level of progress and of education is the extent to which the English language is used by the person or the institution concerned. PTV has learnt this lately. They have since introduced fresh faces speaking Urdu mixed with English, thus becoming a ‘progressive’ TV channel.
By this standard France, Germany, China and Japan have not progressed at all. They are still living in a primitive society because they
keep their national languages and values dear to their hearts.
AYUB JAVED
Rawalpindi
PRESIDENT Musharraf seems to believe that the smooth running of democracy can be ensured by allocating a permanent political role to the military. It is an assumption that does not stand on sound footings.
The military is considered to be a sacred institution because it performs the task of defending the motherland. But if it indulges in other activities, its sanctity gets affected adversely.
The strength of the armed forces depends, among other things, on extraordinary discipline. Ideal discipline requires neutrality. But when the army gets entangled in politics, its neutrality is certainly compromised. Resultantly, the professional efficiency of the military comes down.
Reformation of political institutions must be left to time. Such an agenda needs a consensus among all the actors which can be arrived at through the process of dialogue.
The military is the only compact and intact institution at hand and its compactness should not be destroyed at any cost.
NASIR ALI SYED
Toba Tek Singh
ARTICLE 58(2)-B of the Constitution should be revived but with a few amendments:
The elected parliament should complete its five-year term under all circumstances.
The election of the president should be by the public. The contestants should not be ‘member’ of any political party, though parties may back a certain individual or the contestant may have political leanings towards a certain political party.
The president should be given the powers to dismiss an administration and refer to the parliament for the election of a new administration.
He should cite clearly, the reasons for dismissal. If there are corrupt ministers in it, their names should be stated.
There should be a provision that no one, who has been named, can be given a post in the new administration. Also, that the head of administration will not be the same person, again.
Another provision should allow all administrations to work for at least one year before the president can dismiss them. In all, there can be a maximum of five administrations in the five-year term of the parliament.
The head of the administration will be elected by the parliament.
The parliament or a committee of the parliament should approve all members of cabinet.
The army should be banned from interfering in the political process.
The judiciary should be completely put under the parliament.
Appointment of the judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts should be done by the parliament, ‘not’ by any committee of the parliament. The financial disbursement for the judiciary should be through the parliament as well.
The minimum education requirement for a member of parliament should be graduation plus ten years of work experience in a particular field. If the person is not a graduate he should be at least a matriculate with 25 years of experience in a particular field.
This requirement should be for the national as well as provincial assemblies.
Minimum age requirement for member NA will obviously be 33 years in case of graduates and 43 in case of matriculate.
For senate, the minimum qualifications should be graduation plus 15 years of experience. Ten years in a particular field and five years of national or provincial assembly experience.
The minimum age for senator will be 38 years.
AHMED IQBAL
Rawalpindi
I AM a retired Air Force Colonel (Reserve) who from 1963-65 was stationed at the old US embassy (now our consulate) in Karachi.
Pakistan has repeatedly asked the US and Britain to help resolve the half-century-old Kashmir issue with India. I think a special effort by President Bush is needed now. The President could visit both New Delhi and Islamabad after he signs the nuclear disarmament agreement in Moscow. This would be very helpful, above and beyond other US efforts at the working level. President Bush would thereby encourage the cooler heads in both Pakistan and India.
An immediate military disengagement, followed by a UN-brokered plebiscite inside Kashmir, is the most sane course of action and has long been sought by Pakistan. India, by now, must realize after 50 years that such a plebiscite is inevitable.
India’s image as the biggest democracy in Asia is up for terrible world review and reaction at present. The overall collapse of modern day India as we now know it could ensue if the religious murders springing up inside India and associated shelling on the Pakistan-India border continue. The power and prestige of a US Presidential visit now to the subcontinent during the ongoing war on terrorism would help. The time has come to end and resolve intelligently the half-century-old Kashmir issue. India then will have the opportunity to demonstrate what it can do that it heretofore has not done to positively and effectively work out a permanent resolution of this matter with its neighbour, Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan can then ‘stand down’ their armies now shelling each other.
GEORGE LIGHTFOOT
SINGLETON
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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