| July 15, 2002 | Monday | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 4, 1423 |
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People’s choice is paramount
Promotion blockade
Extremists of a different kind
Libraries in Sindh
Overhead bridge needed
No respect for citizens
Coaching centre menace
PTCL clarification
Gen Rani’s death
PIA’s recruitment policy
PTV’s old and new programmes
Oily mess
Please explain
A step in the right direction
JPMC clarification
ONCE again the junta in Pakistan is set to tinker with the constitution of the country. The National Reconstruction Bureau has floated part one of the package to bring true and genuine democracy in the country. What an irony, a military dispensation claiming to bring in true and genuine democracy.
Even a child would know that democracy does not come in packages. It sprouts from the grassroots in a society where there is rule of law, freedom of expression and people have access to justice. All these basic ingredients are missing in our polity.
Though, the government may make claims of a free press in the country, everyone knows what it means. The electronic media including Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television and the agency that feeds the print media, Associated Press of Pakistan, are still under strict control of the government. Political parties are not allowed to carry out their normal activities and only those parties receive television exposure that are collaborating with the junta.
The slogan of accountability is also a farce. Those known corrupt persons who opted to become tools in the hands of the junta have been spared by the long hands of the law. The National Accountability Bureau is only hounding those politicians who refuse to coalesce.
The proposed package of amendments in the constitution is only an attempt to bring in an all encompassing President with a compliant prime minister. Let us not forget that only an elected parliament can make amendments in the constitution. If the junta is sincere with the country, it must allow all the political parties to prepare for elections under the 1973 Constitution, then hold free and fair elections under a new and non-controversial Chief Election Commissioner and transfer power to the majority party. Finally, the military should go back to its barracks and should only defend our frontiers.
Let this country be free from future military interventions and bureaucratic control. The only thing that can save democracy is the sanctity and respect for the mandate of the people given to a political party. The party wining elections must be allowed to complete its term and no one should pack up the legislature.
If a party does not perform, the masses would not elect it in the next elections. But the military should not be a judge of the performance of a government.
If the military continues to be a player in the political arena, the country would never be able to progress and take the path towards development.
BUSHRA SYED
Islamabad
THE government through an executive order has announced that twice-elected prime ministers or chief ministers are barred from holding these offices for the third time.
There are some more constitutional amendments. One is that the President will regain powers to sack the serving prime minister. Through the amendments, it seems the present government would like to establish a democracy in the country where graduate candidates will be allowed to contest in the general elections, so that new faces could emerge in the assemblies.
What has been going on in the country for more than half a century is that successive governments have accused their predecessors of malpractices and corruption, due to which a proper system in the country could not be evolved.
This has created a political vacuum in the country and Pakistan has lost millions of dollars of foreign investments due to uncertainty in government policies. The foreign investors think of Pakistan today as a country that does not have consistencies in its policies and this is one of the reasons why foreign investors are reluctant to invest in Pakistan.
The question arises as to how long will the people of Pakistan have to suffer due to the experiments made from time to time by different governments? And what is the guarantee that the amendments which are made today by the present government will not be reversed by the successive government, once General Pervez Musharraf retires from his job?
The government should allow democracy to flourish in the country. There is no need to debar or disqualify any prospective candidate from contesting the forthcoming elections. Let the people choose their candidates, whether they are graduates or non-graduates, whether it is this person or that person.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
RECENTLY, the Central Selection Board met in Islamabad and recommended a number of promotions from BPS 20 to BPS 21 for officers belonging to various occupational groups.
Strangely enough, the case of the Police Service of Pakistan which was experiencing the worst-promotion blockade in its history was deferred at the instance of three provincial police chiefs for reasons best known to them.
It may be mentioned here that officers who joined the police service on the basis of the competitive examination of 1971 are still serving in BPS 20 and have not been considered for promotion although their juniors by two to three years in other occupational groups, like accounts, income tax, customs and the DMG, have been promoted to BPS 21.
Similarly, quite a few officers who have put in more than 24 years of service are in BPS 19 and have been promoted only once — from ASP to SP. Although, the Establishment Division and the Chief Executive’s Secretariat tried to partially remove the blockade by sanctioning 15 extra posts for the PSP in BPS 21 to bring it on a par with other occupational groups, even though the requirement was for at least 30, the same was foiled by the three police chiefs.
The seriousness of the police chiefs’ contention that benefits should trickle down to junior officers can be judged from their contribution in restructuring the force in the wake of recent reforms where they had ample chances to expand the police cadre.
The result is complete demoralization of police officers from top to bottom.
May I request the President, who is keen to improve the law and order situation in the country, to order a re-convening of the board to reconsider the case of PSP on the basis and criteria applicable to other occupational groups and services.
FARMAN SIDDIQUE
Multan
THIS is with reference to the article ‘Extremists of a different kind’ by H.N. Akhtar (Dawn, July 6).
In his article the writer tries to express his point of view by mentioning Turkey in an unfair and biased manner. By claiming that “in Kemalist Turkey, an array of ‘secular’ generals had to sack the assembly because a lady member insisted on covering her head (but in spite of this show of conformity to the value of free west, Turkey is far away from EU membership, although it is always called to the frontline in the battles of the west from Korea to Afghanistan),” the writer gives the impression as if Turkey is ruled by generals.
Turkey enjoys a vast experience on the state affairs inherited from a long history and is a modern, democratic, secular country which is governed by the rule of law.
In Turkey, like in any other individual or institution, ‘the generals’ have their own role in the establishment and are performing their duties as stipulated by the constitution. Needless to say, ‘the generals’ are not ruling the country nor they are interfering with the assembly or any other political process.
Regarding the ‘lady member’ of the assembly the writer should recall that as she had tried to disrupt the rules and had insisted on appearing at the assembly with her head cover contrary to the rules and tradition of the assembly and the political history of Turkey. Not ‘the generals’ but the members of the assembly did not allow her to disrupt the rules.
The writer irrelevantly connects the internal political developments to the European Union membership candidacy of Turkey and the rate of Turkish military in peace keeping missions as a partner of international coalition. I would like to remind Mr Akhtar the fact that Turkey does not assume any internal or external role with the aim of proving that it is for ‘the West’, nor does it blindly accept ‘the values of Free West’.
MUHSIN OZCAN
Turkish Embassy,
Islamabad
IN Sanghar district, there are very few libraries. Even the libraries in colleges and higher secondary schools have a small number of books. There is no post of librarian in high schools.
Actually what is needed is that there should be a district library and taluka library in each district in Sindh. Sindh is famous for its old libraries. At some places people have their own libraries. I fully support the views expressed by Hafeez R. Khan in his letter (July 8) regarding promotion of libraries.
I request the Sindh education minister to take immediate steps to provide libraries with librarians in higher secondary and high schools in the province.
At least Rs10,000 and Rs5,000 per year be respectively sanctioned for purchase of books for higher and high schools in Sanghar district.
The subject of library science should be introduced in colleges to produce qualified librarians for public government libraries. The post of district officer, libraries, be created in each district to look after the libraries in the district colleges and schools.
A SENIOR CITIZEN
Sanghar
RABWAH is an expanding town. There are scores of private cars, dozens of wagons and trucks besides hundreds of rickshaws and taxis.
The town is situated on both sides of the railway line which passes through it for trains from Sargodha, Faisalabad and Lahore.
There is only one main gate here which is closed several times for passing trains and it blocks the traffic in such a way that it causes great inconvenience and delay; particularly it is very irksome and annoying when, in an emergency, a seriously sick person has to be taken to the hospital which is across these railway line.
There is a very natural and suitable place for the construction of an overhead bridge only a hundred yards from the Rabwah Railway Station towards Sargodha.
The ground on both sides of the railway track is much higher than the track itself and as such it will not be difficult to construct the bridge.
In view of the recurrent times closures of the main and the only gate connecting both sides of the town, it is imperative that an overhead bridge be constructed here by the railway administration in order to avoid traffic jams.
MUHAMMAD ISHAQUE SOOFI
Rabwah
A COUPLE of mornings ago while driving to my office, I was reminded of a picture on the front page of Dawn (July 10) showing the Indian army personnel carrying out body search of Kashmiris in Srinagar.
What I saw was that several vehicles had been stopped on the Boat Basin Road in front of the KGS complex and our Rangers were carrying out a body search of the occupants of the vehicles. The scene was quite similar to the photograph in the newspaper. I wish I could have taken a photograph.
Are our Rangers and police any less rude than the Indian occupation forces in Kashmir? I feel there is no respect for the ordinary citizen in the eyes of our security forces. But it must be remembered that the Rangers and the police are public servants and must give full respect to every citizen.
ABDULLAH H. HUSSAIN
Karachi
I WANT to draw the attention of the intermediate board to a very serious matter. The intermediate students belonging to the science group have to knock at the door of coaching centres in order to get good marks in their exams. But why should they do so when they are regular students of colleges? In my opinion, the teachers are mainly to blame. They want to earn more money this way.
It may be pointed out that every students does not have the means to pay the fees of coaching centre. Furthermore, if the student will give two hours to the coaching centre, then when will he/she study at home?
So what is needed is proper teaching in colleges.
JAVERIAH KHAN
Karachi
THIS refers to the complaint of Mr Sultan Shah Rashdi under the heading ‘Hopeless telephone enquiry’ (July 5). In this regard PTCL would like to clarify as under.
The PTCL has established telephone enquiries at exchange locations in Karachi with state-of-the-art and fully computerized systems, with the facility of recording callers’ conversations with operators and their telephone numbers.
The telephone numbers of Radio Pakistan, 9215610-13 and 9215620-24, are available with enquiry ‘17’ in the name of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation as furnished by the Director National Telecommunication Corporation.
However, on the complaint of our valued customer, the name of Radio Pakistan has been included additionally with Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and is now available in the data base of enquiry ‘17’ for the convenience of customers. We are thankful to the customer for his feedback.
PUBLIC RELATION
OFFICER
Southern Telecom: Region-III,
Karachi
THERE was a letter in Dawn (July 8) criticizing the publication of the news of Gen Rani’s death in this newspaper.
To avoid the mention of Gen Rani’s name is to forget the blunders of our past. But, as I read somewhere, ‘those who fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.’
FARAH GUL
Islamabad
RECENTLY, PIA placed an advertisement in Dawn through a firm of chartered accountants for hiring finance professionals on contract basis.
This is quite unnecessary as PIA has a large number of well-qualified professionals working in its finance department in lower grades. They can prove to be helpful and productive if their services are properly utilized.
These employees are MBAs in the relevant field. As everybody knows, aviation is a specialized field and a person who has spent a long time in this field can be much more useful as compared to an outsider.
SADAQAT ALI
Karachi
MR EAS Bokhari (July 5) has labelled PTV programmes as junkyards at the very best.
The only change in PTV programmes easily noticeable is that the young artistes of yesteryear have to dye their hair black to look younger whereas these very characters when cast as old people used white dyes to look older.
Most of the artistes in the older age group in the early days are being cast as grandparents in the current series. Perhaps PTV follows the old proverb: old is gold.
KA WAHID BUTT
Lahore
IN mid-2000, the price of oil was $28.31 a barrel, at times it was higher and petrol was Rs30 per litre. In mid-2002 the price of oil is $28 per barrel and indeed not so long ago was even less and petrol is Rs34 per litre.
I am sure OPEC is not selling to the West at less than $28 per barrel. We also get some of our imported oil at concessional rates.
It appears a fit case for NAB to look into because someone is minting money.
MASOOD HASAN
Lahore
WILL Mr Kofi Anan please explain under which provision of the United Nations can a country invade a neighbouring state with its full might including tanks, armoured cars and bulldozers, day in and day out, kill people, devastate buildings and get away with it?
Or is the UN dependent on Israel for its bread and butter that it does not act.
Enough is enough. Wake up UN.
RAFI NASIM
Lahore
THIS is just to put on record my great appreciation — nay admiration — of Babar Sattar’s article ‘Faith and responsibility’ (Encounter, July 13).
What he has done is the crying need of the moment.
Congratulations Mr Babar Sattar!
PROF RAZIA YAQUB
Karachi
THIS is with reference to a news item (June 23) and a letter by Mr Altamash J. Lone (June 28). The facts in this regard are stated below.
A patient named Bali alias Khursheed was brought to the accident and emergency department of the JPMC following a road accident, as alleged and registered vide slip no. 68429, at 4:20 am on June 22. On examination, he was found deeply comatose on arrival, as a result of severe head injury. Initial treatment and management was promptly carried out. However, the injuries were fatal in nature. The X-ray of the skull revealed a depressed fracture. The neurosurgical team examined the patient and confirmed the clinical and X-ray findings.
The patient succumbed to his injuries in about an hour of his arrival at the JPMC i.e. at 5:30 am on the same day. The news item stating that there was a delay in medical help due to the absence of medico-legal officers is incorrect. The fact is that at the accident and emergency departments, doctors never wait for medico-legal officers. It is pertinent to note that the MLO has no role whatsoever in the treatment of patients, which is carried out, as was done in this case, regardless of the MLO’s presence or absence.
DR SEEMIN JAMALI
Deputy Director, JPMC,
Karachi
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