| June 15, 2002 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1423 |
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Religious persecution
The mess in Mansehra jail
Idle education funds
The ball is again in Indian court
Indian spy plane
Sustained humiliation
Specialization in education
Voltage fluctuations
Environmental hazards and food
Recycled water
Coaching centres
Point to ponder
An Easter agreement for Kashmir
ON a perpetual path of illusion to play a leading role as heir of the British Raj in South Asia, India should have a glance at its own domestic problems, which are of greater concern, than to tread on the deadly path of eclectic endeavours.
India internally is facing threats, which are indigenous in nature, caused by inept leadership, the current as well as the previous. None has made the effort to address the issues of corruption, poverty, injustice, intolerance and governance. How is it possible for a country with internal issues so momentous, to even think of attaining a status in the region, let alone in reality attain it? How long will it be able to retain the status it is trying to achieve, even if it is hypothetically facilitated by a greater power for the latter’s interest? Do they think that the size of the country and the population are the only determinants in attaining the top slot?
Most of the Indians live well below the poverty line and sleep on the sidewalks of the polluted streets of the busy metropolitan cities. These masses are deprived of their basic rights, which a state owes to them. Is it at the cost of the masses that India will attain the status it so cherishes to attain? Has a nation before done so and attained it?
Injustice to the people of other faiths is no hidden secret in ‘secular’ India. The massacre of Sikh’s in the eighties, the killing of Christians and the injustice to the Muslims are some examples.
Under POTA anyone can be easily picked up and tried. This new tool has been carefully crafted out to coerce people of other ideas or beliefs. Kashmiri leader Ali Shah Gilani is the latest victim.
Over a dozen or so insurgencies clearly spell out what the people want. The Christians and the scheduled castes who are against the Hindu supremacy are the ones leading some of these insurgencies. They include ULFA, Bodoland, Nagaland, Manipur, Maghlya, Arunachalpradesh, Talangana, Ghorkaland. How could a state deeply embedded in the problem of separatist movements even think of attaining a high status when the people residing in it are not content with being in that state?
The demise of the former Soviet Union is an example where one can see how internal problems facilitated the demise. If state building is ignored, could it be possible to rise to a status so long dreamed for? India does not need to worry about threats from outside. The internal threats it faces are enough to hit it. It would be better at the moment for India to assess the situation realistically rather than live with ominous illusions.
RAFEH A. MALIK
Islamabad
I FULLY endorse the views expressed by Mr Muhammad Ishaque Sufi and Mr M.A. Mahmood (May 31). The fear expressed by Mr Sufi is not far-fetched. Old politicians are spending huge amounts of money to destablize the present regime. Before the referendum, a news item appeared in the press according to which Rs30 million had been distributed among intellectuals, journalists and maulvis to start a campaign against the government.
The maulvis who disappeared from their mosques and hujras after the crackdown following the president’s speech of Jan 12 have since reappeared. They tried to sabotage the appeal made by the president for unity and tolerance at the annual Seerat Conference. The president should have been bold enough to tell those maulvis that the electoral system had nothing to do with our religious beliefs and that the 1973 Constitution provided for joint electorates. Gen Ziaul Haq had no right to change it unilaterally.
I am an Ahamadi and my jamaat has been persecuted in the name of religion since 1974. We are equal citizens of Pakistan but we are being denied our basic rights. The administration, the judiciary and the law-makers have always ignored us. After all the sacrifices made, and the services rendered, by the Ahamadis they are still being treated as third-class citizens.
We saw a ray of hope in the leadership of Gen Pervez Musharraf who is trying to weld us into a single nation as the Quaid had done. But now he is trying to appease the mullahs. I request him to beware of them.
HAMEEDULLAH K. MALIK
Daska
THIS is with reference to your editorial, ‘Prison conditions’ (June 10), in which you have mentioned the miseries and difficulties faced by the prisoners in the jails of the country.
An ugly incident took place in Mansehra sub-jail on June 7 when the police had to resort to aerial firing to disperse the inmates who were protesting against the behaviour of the guards who had injured one of their companions during a strife on the use of water.
This sub-jail was actually a judicial lock-up used for accommodating prisoners when they were brought here to be presented before the court. But in 1977 it was up-graded to a sub-jail with a capacity to accommodate about 140 prisoners. Around 350 prisoners are lodged here currently.
The inmates cannot even sleep properly due to the non-availability of sufficient space. The number of lavatories, too, is not adequate. As a result of this, the danger of some kind of epidemic breaking out is imminent.
In 1989, the NWFP government had released funds for the construction of a district jail over an area of about 153 kanals. But even after the lapse of 12 years, this jail has not been completed due to the criminal apathy of the construction and work (C&W) department.
NISAR AHMAD KHAN
Mansehra
IT has been revealed by the Public Accounts Committee that during the last few years, funds to the tune of millions of rupees allotted to the Ministry of Education have been lying idle and are surrendered at the end of the year. Nobody has ever bothered to utilize them for the spread of education in a country like ours where the literacy rate is abysmally low. This is another glaring example of the inefficiency pervading in our governmental set-up.
The track record of the ministry as disclosed by the committee is as follows:
* Rs419 million surrendered in 1996-1997
* Rs886 million surrendered in 1998-1999
* Rs660 million surrendered in 1999-2000
* Rs2.5 billion surrendered during the last two years
The interesting feature of the whole episode is that on the one hand, the ministry had been sitting on the funds allocated to it which had ultimately to be returned to the government as unutilized, while on the other, it asked for a supplementary grant of Rs20 million from the finance ministry.
This is an extremely sorry state of affairs which should not go unnoticed. Can we think of making any viable progress in the wake of such lethargic attitude of various ministries?
AIR CDRE AZFAR A. KHAN (R)
Rawalpindi
TERMING Indian moves of resumption of air links and posting of a high commissioner as cosmetic measures, President Pervez Musharraf urged India to initiate a process of dialogue with Pakistan particularly on the core issue of Kashmir for the establishment of a lasting peace in the subcontinent.
India is facing a virtual slap on its war rhetoric that was mounted to scare Pakistan but failed. Since the Agra Summit last year and the Kathmandu shakehand early this year, it appears that the Indian leadership dreads the prospect of discussing anything with Pakistan’s President lest he again makes the headlines.
India dreads any talk on Kashmir because if it did the whole fabric of its union would fall down like a castle of sand. Ever since its independence, various ethnic groups within the Indian territory have demanded independence.
While the smaller separatist movements in India have little or no support from the outside world, the case of Kashmir is singular in that Pakistan is a direct party to the issue. India thinks that to let Kashmir go by the wishes of the people, it would lead to India’s inexorable Balkanization. Such fears are not misplaced given the texture and composition of the Indian state. For instance, a region of some 60 million Tamils, who ostensibly have little in common with their Hindi-speaking northern neighbours, have since long nurtured separatist feelings.
In spite of all these ground realities if India thinks it can afford to spurn offers of talks with Pakistan on Kashmir, it is reading the wrong chapter from history.
KHALID MAHMOOD
Karachi
ALTHOUGH the incident was reported as a lead story in CNN, FOX and other TV news channels, the recent downing of spy plane by PAF well inside Pakistani territory did not make any noticeable ripple among our top military brass. Blatant violations of our air space have been going on with impunity for quite some time by Indian pilot-less drone fitted with high definition video cameras.
It is only now that we have taken serious notice of this continuing menace at the height of present stand-off.
Obviously, Indians are spying on our troop deployment, noticing pockets of concentration all along the border in order to obtain tactical advantage in the event of a war between the two countries.
The United States — now a greater friend and ally of India — already has the capability to monitor our troop movement through numerous spy satellites to which the Indian high command has undeniable access.
The vital question, therefore, is: do we have a pilot-less surveillance plane of our own to match the capabilities of the Indian spy plane? To the best of my knowledge we don’t.
Will the concerned authorities in our armed forces and the air force chief look into the possibility of acquiring these not so very expensive and high-tech spy planes without further loss of time from friendly countries or develop them locally.
NUSRAT R. SIDDIQI
Karachi
A BLASPHEMER was shot dead in the jail. Earlier, a court sentenced a woman to ‘death by stoning’ for adultery. Another day, we heard that an honourable court acquitted that woman. Then somebody was slain for belonging to a certain sect.
So the world keeps on hearing from the land of the ‘pious and pure’ the news of strange convictions and senseless killings. It seems that our legal and social systems ensure a sustained supply of the kind of news that would malign Pakistan’s image abroad. And then we, innocently, complain that the west is discriminatory towards Pakistan.
We must think where are we heading to?
DR MUHAMMAD ZAKRIA ZAKAR
Lahore
THIS refers to the interesting and timely letters by Prof Z.H. Babar, ‘Reforming higher education’ and Prof Dr Abdul Qadeer, ‘Revamping the education system’ (June 1 and 3 respectively).
I would like to point out that all activities of life are interlinked to such an extent that no development is viable in isolation of other sectors such as transport, housing, health and recreation etc. As such it seems odd to establish a separate commission on higher education with the domination of sciences and then try to reform higher education only, without even referring to primary and secondary education.
Higher education today is much more involved, particularly after the advent of ICT. It is not only limited to education but extends much beyond and takes care of the socio-economic development of the society as well.
Mr Babar is, therefore, justified in expressing fear that the purpose of higher education should not be limited to science and technology only. The proposal of IT universities has supported this fear further.
This is an era of specialization, and education is a very specialized field, which should be managed and looked after by educationists.
ENGR AFTAB MUHAMMAD KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news item (June 12) regarding the performance standards for power distribution companies being formulated by Nepra.
These standards, if implemented, would be most welcome.
However, these should not be restricted to interruptions of electricity only, but should also cover the menace of voltage fluctuation which causes much damage to electrical appliances.
ARIF KHAN
Karachi
IT has been observed in some areas that shops dealing in glass-panels, wood-works, spray-paints and motor workshops are located very close to shops selling food. This is something very injurious for the health of all those taking food items from these shops.
Imagine the dust of glass settling down over the food items when the edges of glass-panels are grinded. Similarly, the food is spoiled by wood dust, fumes of paint and carbon dust from the nearby workshops. The same is being consumed by the ignorant people, putting their health to extreme hazards.
The food inspectors and the civil authorities should look into these very important environmental matters seriously.
S. ATHAR
Karachi
IT is appalling to face the fact that selling recycled, dirty and infected water is a profitable business in Karachi. This practice has been going on unchecked and unfortunately the current water crisis is encouraging this illegal business.
The recent increase in kidney, stomach and skin problems could be directly linked to our water consumption. The city administration is doing nothing about it.
DR HOSHANG RUMI SUKHIA
Karachi
TILL a few years back, it was necessary for a student to attend at least 75 per cent of the classes held during the term.
However, now a visit to any of the government-run colleges would show that the classrooms remain empty all the time. Neither the teachers care to hold classes, nor the students attend them. Teachers actually prefer to teach in their coaching centres where they are minting money. The net result is that the parents have to suffer the burden of additional expenditure for the education of their children.
I request the education authorities to look into this matter seriously and sincerely.
M. M. ALAM
Karachi
PAKISTAN has rolled back its Afghan policy. Now it seems that we will turn our backs on the Kashmir policy too.
The losses that we have suffered over the long years that these policies were being followed are tremendous. And it was not only financial losses, we also lost a large number of human lives on account of this.
What have we achieved so far? Nothing, obviously. So, who is responsible for all this mess? Our army, politicians or the common man?
RIAZ BADRASHI
Peshawar
THOUGH the tension has eased along the Indo-Pakistan border, the crisis is likely to flare up again if no lasting solution to the Kashmir problem is found.
In this context, it may be interesting to take a look at the Easter Agreement concluded in 1998 to end the conflict in Northern Ireland.
The Easter Agreement can provide a practical blueprint for the resolution of the seemingly intractable conflict in Kashmir.
Though the two situations are not exactly alike, Northern Ireland and Kashmir share certain characteristics. In the case of Northern Ireland, it is the desire of the Catholic minority to join their compatriots in the Republic of Ireland that is at the heart of the problem. The problem has been complicated by the fact that the Protestant majority remains adamantly opposed to cutting their links with Britain.
The confrontation between two communities made the crisis in Northern Ireland as intractable as the crisis in Kashmir. The Easter Agreement tried to resolve this by addressing the concerns of both groups. The concerns of the Protestant loyalists have been addressed through the Irish Republic giving up its constitutional claim on Northern Ireland. The aspirations of the Catholic nationalists have been addressed through formation of cross-border institutions in which the Republic of Ireland will have a say. This way, Northern Ireland will become a self-governing body with links to Ireland while nominally governed by Britain.
The same formula could be applied to Kashmir. Kashmir could become a self-governing body within India while Pakistan will have a say in cross-border institutions established under the agreement. A joint India-Pakistan Kashmir commission, on the lines of Anglo-Irish commission in Northern Ireland, could provide an advisory role in the administration of Kashmir. The Line of Control (LoC) will become an international border, but it will be an open border and Kashmiris on both sides will have free mobility across the border.
Provisions will also be made for Pakistan to have a share in the tourist development, which has tremendous potential in the scenic Kashmir valley. In this way, both India and Pakistan would have a say in Kashmir and Kashmir would become self-governing with links to Pakistan. Instead of becoming a bone of contention, it could become a source of cooperation between two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Both India and Pakistan should take a look at the Easter Agreement, which has brought peace in another troubled spot in the world. Former US Senator George Mitchell and former Canadian Chief of Staff Gen De Chastalein, who were instrumental in negotiating the Easter Agreement, can help broker a similar peace agreement between India and Pakistan.
MAHMOOD ELAHI
Ottawa, Canada
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