| June 10, 2002 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 28,1423 |
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Peace initiative
Transfer of technology
Cultivating tasty melons
Time pendulum on Kashmir
Suffering democracy
Need for quality education
Land scam
Indian secularism
Commuters’ sheds
Needed: a spine
National government
Retirement age
Sales tax or consumer tax?
Clarification
Media war
THE clouds of war are getting thicker in spite of efforts for mediation between the two countries being made at many forums.
Our President has not failed in extending his initiative to diffuse the tension with India. That is no doubt a humble effort in view of Indian signals of waging the war at the front of their choice i.e. Kashmir.
Despite the gravity of the situation a number of our politicians are still highly critical of the President’s role in the country.
Their immediate concern with the replacement of Election Commission, re-election of the president in October and such other measures to be given priority over other matters cannot be supported by the nation.
I wish to ask the politicians the justification of the demand of re-election of the president in the face of his massive mandate in the referendum.
The attitude of our dissenting politicians is nothing but lust for a chance to undo what the president and his government have tried to do in the last couple of years for the good of the country.
I am limited by space to count all the good deeds of this government but a few of them are: the cleaning of some 1300+ kms of canal for the support of our irrigation by using army jawans.
Did any agriculture minister in a civilian government undertake such a step before? And the struggle to reverse power generation in the country from thermal to hydro in an attempt to use indigenous coal and gas and save the country from importing billions of dollars of oil that goes in thermal generation of power. These efforts need to be remembered rather than ignored.
In appreciation of such deeds, the nation should reject the misleading politicians and biased press columnists by not listening to them and by ignoring to attend their assemblies, which are nothing but conspirational moots against a good government.
A tactical president who has been a source of discomfort for Indian politicians and prime minister since the Agra meeting is the need of our country especially at this time when India is threatening us with war.
M. M. KHAN
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter ‘A people’s initiative for peace’ (June 3). It is heartening to receive tremendous response from the people across the border. We want to pay our thanks to all those who contacted us and offered their services for the cause of peace in South Asia.
We do acknowledge the remarks of appreciation by Noam Chomsky, Dr Manzoor Ejaz and Dr Farukh Saleem. However, we feel encouraged in the real sense by messages of support from common people, particularly from India. This strengthens our belief that people, both in India and in Pakistan, do not want war; only the vested interests on both sides have been thoughtlessly pushing them towards nuclear madness (collective suicide).
In addition, people are mindful that instead of addressing genuine public issues, war drums are beaten to cover appalling failures in good governance and problem-solving. As an Indian citizen from Ludhiana puts it: “For the last 52 years people are being fed on Kashmir. It is shameful that the literacy rate as per unofficial reports is 33 per cent in Pakistan and about 50 per cent in India. Both the countries have failed to provide adequate irrigation facilities for agriculture, which is the backbone of survival of people on both sides of the border. People are longing to switch on the lights in their homes. The roads are in pitiable conditions on both sides of the border. The nuclear weapons will not provide roti, kapra and makan.”
These messages demonstrate quite emphatically that despite the partisan propaganda, the common people see reason in universal values of peace and harmony.
SHAHID ANWAR
AND OTHERS
Toba Tek Singh
DURING the last few days, we have been seeing large advertisements in newspapers of a prominent local car assembler displaying the locally manufactured parts of the cars sold by them. They show car seats, plastic mouldings, radiators, batteries, brake linings, exhaust silencers, electric cables, tool kits and arm rests.
The display is pathetic in terms of technology transfer as it is totally devoid of hi-tech components like engine parts, gear boxes or even carburettors.
Will the ministry of production kindly clarify if deletion means the number of parts of a vehicle manufactured in Pakistan as a percentage of the total number of parts of the vehicle, or the value of such parts as a percentage of the total cost of the vehicle?
KHURRAM MUZAFFAR
Rawalpindi
THIS refers to the letter (May 26) in which the writer wants to know as to why melon and watermelon are losing their sweetness and taste.
In my opinion, the prolonged drought condition in the country and depletion of organic matters in the farming fields are the main factors that have affected the quality of these fruits.
It may be mentioned here that mangoes have also been losing their taste due to scarcity of water.
Rain water is the tonic for all plants but as a result of drought, they have been deprived of the natural source of water, which contains a number of minerals required for the growth of plants and fruits.
Timely irrigation of crops, including melons, and the use of fertilizers with special emphasis on organic matters will help in improving the taste of melons and watermelons.
DR S.A. JAMIL KHAN
Director, CDRI, PARC
Karachi
THE Indian propaganda about ‘cross border terrorism’ gained maximum credence after Sept 11, when the US declared its own war against terrorism. It suited Indian policy to time it to exert maximum pressure, both militarily and diplomatically, to whisk away the core issue or to, at least, ensure its being frozen for the time being. War hysteria and gun firing across the LoC is a part of this pressure strategy.
Under the present situation, when the pendulum of time is swaying at equal-distance between war and peace, maximum exercise of cool and restraint is the best part of valour. It is better to keep our options under control even if it is necessary to down slide the existing policy priorities. Ultimately a negotiated settlement of Kashmir dispute would be the only choice and that also through a third party mediation, even against the Indian overt proclamation and vocal rigidities.
All efforts must be made to rub off the blame of armed interference in Indian held Kashmir. It is not only in our own strategic interest, but it is also in the interest of the Kashmir cause.
SHAHID NAQVI
Islamabad
THE reason why democracy could not take root in Pakistan is that the politicians were not well-equipped for the job and lacked maturity.
If the ruling party started a project to improve the country’s economy, the other party scrapped it when it came to power. Their personal jealously cost very dearly to Pakistan.
The politicians seem to be more interested in gaining power than serving their country’s people. Some of the politicians go to such an extent that at the time of crisis, their statements create problems for Pakistan.
The people are right in saying that if such politicians come again in power, what’s the use of democracy?
SHAH AFFAN
North York, Canada
THE present education system poses the most serious threat to our future as a nation. The marked overall decay and deterioration has led to a growing demand for institutions which could provide quality education in the tertiary sector.
It is generally said that college education is suffering because of bad management and on apparent lack of commitment by teachers.
There is an urgent need to motivate teachers and make them aware of their role in society.
After the nationalization of colleges the quality of education went down the drain, mainly because of bad management. According to the Sindh Services Appointments, Promotion and Transfer Rules 1974, the government normally transfers its officers/ officials after they complete a maximum of three years of normal tenure to be served at a place.
In the case of college teachers this rule has not been followed. Lectures and professors serve at the place of their posting for an indefinite period. They remain there and dream of becoming principal of the same institution.
This is administratively undesirable and is an example of bad management on the part of the education department. No transfers and continuous posting at one place are not good for teachers.
CHAGHTAI MIRZA
EIJAZUDDIN
Karachi
IT is most gratifying to note that your newspaper has published a news report of public interest on the front page of your Metropolitan section. I am referring to the usurpation of National Stadium land by the civil and military land mafia. Usually such news is relegated to some inside page of a newspaper.
I congratulate and commend Dr Arif Alvi for highlighting this important subject of public interest. All the open spaces in Karachi are being methodically eaten up, and probably not without the connivance of at least some officials.
Let’s now see what governor of Sindh and the president of Pakistan do about this.
KHALID MANSOOR
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Rahul Malhotra’s letter ‘Death of reason’ (June 2). The writer dwells upon what he calls the ‘self-destructive jihadi policies’ of Pakistan.
I would like to draw his attention to the fact that America itself was the instigator of the jihadi movement in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as a force against an expansionist Soviet Union. It is now America’s responsibility to help Pakistan detach itself gradually from the jihadis.
Mr Malhotra is very critical of the jihadis in Kashmir. But he is silent about the ethnic cleansing of Gujarat through a genocide of Muslims in which thousands of innocent Muslims have been burnt alive by extremist Hindus, particularly the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists.
Mr Malhotra talks of the ‘death of reason’ in Pakistan. Well, one would like to know his opinion about the ‘death of secularism’ and the brutal violation of human rights in India.
Before making such criticism, the writer should have examined the situation in his own country.
SANIA GUL
Karachi
A LOT of money has been spent on the construction of sheds at wagon and bus stops in Lahore but the locations have been so selected that these cannot be used by the commuters.
These sheds have invariably been erected at places 100 meters or so away from the old bus stops. If you seek shelter under these sheds, you can never board a bus because they pick up passengers only from the old stops. So, while commuters continue to wait for buses in the scotching sun, the sheds at some distance away lie deserted.
The bus drivers take passengers from the new stops only when a traffic police constable is around. However, they cannot be there all the time. So, the ordeal of the commuters continues.
The only remedy that can be thought of, is to take strict measures to make the drivers use the new bus stops. It is suggested that the vehicles of those drivers who do not follow the instructions regarding the use of the new bus stops, be impounded and retained with the police for three days.
This might help relieve the commuters of their agony.
IRFAN TARIQ BHUTTA
Lahore
NAHID HUSSAIN (June 2) has drawn attention to America’s attempt to arm-twist President Musharraf to demand more concessions from Pakistan. The writer has hopes that God will give the leaders of Pakistan the spine to withstand such pressures.
The writer must be aware of the fact that God has ordained very clearly that He instals rulers of the kind that the people themselves are. Hence to the spineless people, spineless leaders!
K A WAHID BUTT
Lahore
IN a recent telephone interview on a private TV channel, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) said that since the LoC in Kashmir was not an international boundary there was no harm if mujahideen from Pakistan crossed it to help the Kashmiris in their freedom struggle. On the other hand, Ms Bhutto is persistently advising the Pakistan government to stop what the infiltration of militants along the LoC.
How could a national government, so keenly demanded by the ARD and others, function smoothly when its top leaders hold divergent views on perhaps the most crucial issue at hand? Should not the ARD first develop a policy consensus on vital national issues before demanding the establishment of a national government?
WASI SIDDIQUI
Karachi
IN our country, a person is retired from service on attaining the age of 60 years. Previously, as far as I can recall, this age limit was 58 years.
The fact is that though an employee in Pakistan is retired at 60, he is still very much active and his expertise and experience could be utilized for at least another five years or so. Especially, in the field of education, we come across many professors and teachers who, after their retirement, are re-engaged by private institutions and are working full time. Such institutes greatly benefit by their knowledge and experience.
In the business and industrial sectors also, the number of retired persons being offered contract jobs is on the rise. This is just to utilize the skill and expertise gained by these individuals during their long careers in those sectors.
What I conclude from all this is that in Pakistan, a person is normally useful and productive upto the age of more than 65 years. So, could the age of retirement be increased to 65 years, with an option to retire at 60 in case of ill-health or some other personal reason?
SYED ABRAR HUSSAINI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter by Mr Zulfiqar Ahmed Sheikh ‘Sales tax or consumer tax” (May 17). I fully agree with him. The actual tax payer is the consumer and not the seller, then why should it be called sales tax.
But I would like to add that a gentleman taking dinner at Rs750 might not have much difficulty in paying another Rs112 as tax.
But think of the plight of a poor man suffering from a disease, who cannot afford the cost of the medicine itself, being made to pay an additional 15 per cent.
Just for example, the previous retail price of insulin injection, Humilin 70/30, was Rs395. Now the pharmaceutical company has, with the government’s permission, raised it to Rs406.54 while a GST of Rs60.98 has also been imposed. The retailer chemist now charges the purchaser Rs467. Thus, there has been a sudden jump of Rs72 in the price which is hard to afford by a person of average means who has to use it regularly.
SYED MAZHAR HUSSAIN
Karachi
This is with reference to a news report in your newspaper on May 23. Bashir Ahmed Soomro, D.E.T., Dadu, and Zulfiqar Ali Solangi, D.E.T, Larkana were suspended due to the inordinate delay in the settlement of Wapda’s electricity bills.
In this regard, this region is trying to get the dispute settled amicably with Wapda. It is further clarified that there is no embezzlement of funds as alleged.
The matter pertains simply to a dispute with Wapda because of excess billing of Rs 14 million with reference to the Thana Bula Khan exchange in Dadu district. PTCL is making efforts to get the Wapda bill revised on the basis of actual consumption.
MUHAMMAD ASHRAF BHATTI
Pro, STR-V, PTCL
Sukkur
BOTH the BBC and CNN are following what seems to be a set pattern for telecasting news on Kashmir. They start with news of cross-border shelling and firing by both sides, showing smoke billowing from villages in the hills. They then show women and children crying for their dead or injured relations. But this is shown only on the Indian side of the border.
No such scenes are shown from the Pakistani side. Both the BBC and CNN have extensive and effective worldwide coverage and keep hammering their version of the news every hour. However, giving only one side of the story creates a negative and damaging impression of Pakistan in the world. Perhaps, the Pakistan government should take this matter up with these two news channels.
COL (R) RIAZ JAFRI
Rawalpindi
INDIA is already at war with us in different ways. Nowadays, fighting a war in a battle-field is taken as the least preferable option. India wants to keep us under continuous pressure and fight on different fronts: diplomatically, politically, intellectually and through its media.
Pakistan is constantly being labelled as an irresponsible state brimming with religious extremists and, now, as a sponsor of terrorism. Unfortunately we have been unable to mobilize our intelligentsia to counter Indian propaganda especially in the media. At this particular time it is important to do this.
SHAKIRUDDIN
Karachi
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