| July 19, 2002 | Friday | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1423 |
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Resetting the priorities
Prayer and good deeds
BA part II examinations
Correcting the structural flaw
Why humiliate the girl?
PTCL vs mobile phones
Testing politicians
Increasing prices of cigarettes
Nadra: the long wait
The laws of jungle
Of ‘chattering classes’ and interference
THE need for a better and more sympathetic understanding of Islam and the West was never as important as it is today. As the world shrinks under the impact of technology, the interdependence of nations, cultures and economics increases. This development demands greater mutual understanding of ideas, values and lifestyles of the peoples of the East and the West.
For centuries the Christian West and the Muslim East confronted each other. It is indeed ironic that neither the Muslim nor the Christian world appeared to be aware of the fundamental religious perceptions they shared in common.
Despite temporary alliances, it is evident that the West has largely lost the confidence of the people in the Islamic world. A breakdown in communication is never the mistake of one party. If the West is to regain the sympathy and respect that it once enjoyed in Muslim society, it must seriously re-examine its role.
In the Islamic world today, many Muslims are trying to discover a new identity and to return to their roots. In recent years, this has been a theme in the so-called fundamentalist movements. The Muslims felt humiliated, disoriented and completely lost because their own traditions seemed to be swamped by the dominant western culture.
The western media often give the impression that the embattled and occasionally violent form of religiosity known as ‘fundamentalism’ is a purely Islamic phenomenon. This is not the case. Fundamentalism is a global event and has surfaced in every major faith in response to the problem of modernity. There is fundamentalist Christianity and fundamentalist Judaism. Of the three monotheistic religion, Islam was in fact the last to develop a fundamentalist strain when modern culture began to take root in the Muslim world some four decades ago.
When judged in the full context of Islamic activism today, those who have the recourse to violence represent only an extreme minority of Muslims who by their ruthless and violent methods have gained for themselves the suspicion of the non-Muslim world. Undoubtedly, those who equate Islam with terrorism take their cue from the practices of the extremists who out of desperation have lashed out lately against the United States for its biased behaviour in parts of the Islamic world.
The world has not yet succeeded in building a bridge between Islam and the West. Peace-making is often dangerous and frightening; it requires all possible resources of imagination and originality.
SYED WARIS SHERE
Winnipeg, US
THE federal minister of finance deserves appreciation for raising the minimum taxable income limit from Rs60,000 to Rs80,000 and, also, for abolishing withholding tax on cars that have been in use for over 10 years.
I will not have to pay income tax in the assessment year 2002-2003 due to the kind courtesy of the minister. That does not mean that I will not be participating directly in augmenting the country’s economy. Indirectly I will by paying more tax than what was ordinarily due.
Mr Abdul Hafeez, in his letter (June 29), had called upon the finance minister to use his imagination and produce a monthly budget for a family of six whose income was Rs3,000 a month. If I were to draft a budget for a miserable family, to begin with I would suggest:
Vacate rented dwelling forthwith and move to any vacant plot and settle down gradually. That resolves one of the major problems, housing.
Use single kunda to light a bulb. Gradually broaden the scope to include cooking; mind you I am paying 300 per cent more than actual for forlorn people in the shape of additional surcharge.
Make judicious use of depleted water supply lines in the vicinity to quench thirst and for ablution. Do not tamper with the new lines being laid by the city administration.
Telephone: just forget about it.
Motorcycle or motorcar: dare not think of it.
Withdraw children from schools and put them in nearby madaris; many employ them on odd sorts of jobs.
On the average Rs100 a day will be available to keep the makeshift kitchen going. Spend Rs80 on two square meals a day and save the balance for unforeseen expenses and other essentials.
Health care: each individual to take four glasses of water an hour before breakfast for a healthy look.
Now regarding the construction of a world-class recreational enterprise, ‘The Royal Palm Golf and Country Club’, at Lahore, it may be asked: what percentage of Lahore’s population will prosper from golf and a country club? Prosperity of the people of Lahore would have been better achieved by the mass-transit system or any other people-friendly project. I wonder whether the common man will ever prosper.
During the 1960s Pakistan served as a model for the Republic of Korea when it first embarked on the industrialization process. It is high time Pakistan emulated ROK or Singapore and reset its priorities.
LT-COL SYED AHMED
Karachi
EVERY morning before Radio Pakistan’s news bulletin, repeated later in the day many times, we hear a lengthy dua, praying to Almighty Allah to grant us wisdom and save Pakistan from the enemies. But we do not make any commitment, as individuals and as state, that we shall be good Muslims, tell the truth, protect the life, honour and property of the people, deliver justice to all (irrespective of their status), mend our ways, feed the hungry, refrain from corruption and adopt simplicity.
Our rulers exhort the people on various occasions such as Milad-un-Nabi to follow the tenets of Islam but do they do so themselves. They are not prepared to hear the voice of dissent against their wrong policies; they do not care if people die of hunger or commit suicide.
Last year a judge in Hyderabad paid surprise visits to police stations and got released many people detained without FIRs. No action was taken against the police, but the judge was transferred (and perhaps posted to a safe corner), because he had walked into the domain of the mighty police. Now the government is thinking of giving still more powers to the police, as if they had little.
People too, are seen, indulging in blackmarketing, hoarding, asking for dowry, and wasting money on marriage functions. There is also lack of tolerance in society.
The Holy Quran says: “Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. But when (once) Allah willeth a people’s punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect” (13:11). So the duas will not be answered till the rulers and the people of this country mend their ways and ensure social justice and follow Islam, in letter and in spirit.
ZAFARUL HAQ MEMON
Karachi
MY daughter, Shehla Fatima, bearing Roll No. 26613, a student of PECHS College, appeared in BA Part-II examinations held in November 2001. After a lapse of eight months, the results were announced on June 25 but it did not include her roll number.
Naturally, she was shocked because she had worked hard and prepared well for the exams. She received another shock when she received her marks sheet which declared her absent in English (optional) paper.
The fact is that she did appear in the English (optional) paper. I had myself dropped her at the centre, Govern-ment Khatoon-i-Pakistan College, at 9:30 am on Nov 16 and picked her up at around 1:15 pm, as was my routine.
It will not be out of place to mention here that my daughter’s educational record has been excellent throughout, right from primary.
She passed her Matric in grade A-1, Intermediate in grade A and BA Part-I with 64 per cent marks. Her BA Part-II marks also speak of her ability because even without any marks in English (optional), where she has been wrongly marked absent, she has secured 68 per cent marks.
I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the genuine concern of my daughter and request them to investigate the matter. Owing to the indifferent and callous attitude meted out to her, her future acade-mic career has been put at stake.
SIRAJ HUSAIN JEHANGIR
Karachi
PAKISTAN has a structural flaw. One province has almost 58 per cent of the population while the other three combined have 42 per cent. This makes for a most lop-sided federation.
To correct this structural flaw, Pakistan should be reconstituted into 20 to 25 provinces with a sensible balance in area and population. Issues of a Seraiki province, Hazara in NWFP, Baloch and Pashtoon belts in Balochistan, north and south Sindh, etc., would be well addressed by this method and would respond to the wishes of most people (except provincial bigwigs and similar vested interests).
Among the many other advantages of this configuration would be:
a. The federation would be strengthened;
b. The local government would be buttressed (if the provinces retain their present sizes, there will be a perpetual tussle between the Nazims and provincial legislators. If the provinces become smaller then these two groups would reinforce each other.
Such are the dynamics of the situation. Indeed, with the present set-up, local government would not find it easy to function. Battles on the question of ‘whose turf’ between the Nazims and provincial MPAs would put too much energy into squabbling and take away the needed effort for good governance);
c. Every area of the country would be developed; if at present provincial capitals eat up an inordinate amount of funds;
d. Burgeoning towns will have the pressure taken off them, and so on. No parliament will ever be able to make this change. Provincial legislators would never allow this to happen. The present government should bite the bullet and make Pakistan structurally more stable.
MUZAFFAR A. GHAFFAR
Lahore
ACCORDING to press reports, DIG Asaf Nawaz of D.G. Khan stated before the Lahore High Court that the victim in the Jatoi rape case and her family are being asked to come to the police station in connection with the investigation of the case and no harassment is intended.
The question arises as to why the Investigating Officer cannot go to the residence of the victim to conduct the investigation. Why are the tortured girl and her family being made to suffer the humiliation and ordeal of sitting in a police station for long hours and quite frequently?
It is very disgusting that the police officials show such indifference to the sensitivities of a poor victimized girl and have no qualms of conscience or sympathy for her.
QAISER JEHAN
Karachi
IT was interesting to read the statement (July 4) of PTCL member (business development), announcing the initiatives being taken by PTCL to modernize its network and the introduction of as many new services as possible.
I would, however, like to recount my experience with PTCL which has been quite bitter. I applied for a simple shifting of my telephone (number 583-3053) on May 7, 2002, from Block-7, Clifton, to the adjoining Block-5, which was received by the Clifton Division-I, Customer Services Centre, on May 8, 2002, and given a registration No. C8(C5)/5833053/5/2002 dated 8-5-2002. Though my telephone was promptly disconnected on May 10, I have not yet been provided with a telephone at the new place.
This is in spite of the fact that I have been following the case personally. Private mobile telephone companies are doing roaring business owing to the fact that they give new connections almost on the same date, while PTCL has taken more than eight weeks for a shifting in an adjoining locality.
In my view, the miseries of the subscribers will come to an end only when PTCL is privatized.
BAHAUDDIN SIRHINDI
Karachi
HAVING educated legislators is definitely a step in the right direction.
However, ideally, there should be an entrance test for the prospective candidates, who should be given a draft bill and asked some questions to ascertain whether they understand the proposed law.
After all, this is supposed to be their main job.
S. KIZILBASH
Karachi
RECENTLY, I saw a full page advertisement of a cigarette, which said, ‘introductory price Rs16’.
If a person gets hooked on to cigarettes, he would always buy them without caring for the disbalance it would cause to his family budget.
The price of a cigarette should, therefore, be increased through heavy taxation, so as to make it out of the reach of students and other young people.
Also, it is about time that newspapers and TV channels discontinued accepting cigarette advertisements. Instead, the government’s health department or concerned NGOs should insert advertisements emphasizing the fact that a person can still have fun and look glamorous with-out a cigarette between his fingers.
NADIA ZAIDI
Karachi
I SUBMITTED completed forms for new identity cards at the Nadra office, Hyderabad, for myself and four family members on Oct 11, 2001. The receipt numbers are from 680721 to 68075. I was supposed to get the ID Cards on Feb 11, 2002, as mentioned on the receipts.
I was told that the cards would be delivered to me at my house for which Rs35 per form were charged. Almost nine months have passed and I have still not received them. During the last five months, I visited the Nadra office at Hyderabad twice.
The reply given to me by the Nadra staff was: “Please wait at home. The cards will be delivered by post.”
How long will I have to wait?
S. NAFEES-UL-HASSAN HUSSAINI
Hyderabad
MR M. Peerbhoy (July 12) has recalled an observations by Mr Justice Saiduzzaman Siddqui, in which the former chief justice of the apex Court had said that the latter could not suspend the 13th Amendment as it had been passed unanimously by the parliament.
The writer has a question: how can an unelected government restore the discretionary powers of the president? Mr Peerbhoy should know that whenever a country is reduced to the status of a big jungle, the laws of the jungle prevail and everything impossible becomes a distinct possibility.
When Mr Justice Saiduzzaman Siddiqui refused to take the oath of office under the PCO, he was shown the door unceremoniously.
K.A. WAHID BUTT
Lahore
IN his weekly articles in Dawn, Mr Ayaz Amir often makes a mention of ‘chattering classes’ with sarcasm and taunt. Although the dictionary meaning of the word ‘chatter’ is ‘to talk idly or rapidly’, the context in which he uses the word appears to be different.
According to my understanding what he means is a class residing in big towns like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, which, being totally unaware of the ground realities, lives in utopian bliss. They leisurely discuss the government in power and international politics in their drawing rooms and social gatherings, but their views are far from reality. They are capable of creating only rhetorics and do not happen to be worthy of making any positive contribution to the cause of the country or its people.
For instance, in his article entitled, ‘All politics (or most of it) is local’ (July 12), he writes: “For the chattering classes it is hard to realize that ordinary people are less concerned about who the chief of the army staff is than about their local Station House Officer (SHO).” If Mr Ayaz thinks that by living in Chakwal, he is more knowledgeable and familiar with the problems and difficulties faced by the ordinary people, he is wrong.
If by ‘chattering classes’, he means the elite comprising senior executives of companies or businessmen, then it is naive to believe that they are clueless about what hardships people have to endure for getting petty things done from government functionaries. They have not attained these positions overnight. Most of them have toiled hard to achieve this status and gone through all those difficulties which a common man faces in Pakistan. It is only that luck favoured them more.
Nevertheless they have every right, like Mr Ayaz Amir has, to talk about and express their opinions on local and international politics or other serious matters. I just wish to remind him that he is as much a part of the chattering class as the people he refers to so frequently. The only difference is that they speak and he writes.
PARVEZ RAHIM
Karachi
I OFTEN read Ayaz Amir’s column. Recently, he wrote about police officials of Chakwal in his article titled ‘All politics is local’. He is right when he says that honest police officials can serve people effectively only if they are allowed to work without interference from politicians and other influential people.
In rural Sindh, several competent, honest and young police officers were working very well, but they were sidelined when they refused to take dictations from waderas, cantonment chiefs, assembly members and Nazims. This is the main reason why the interior of Sindh is in the grips of lawlessness.
If the government seriously wants to curb crime in rural Sindh, then honest police officers should be deputed and allowed to function without any interference from the above mentioned people.
DR MUNEER BHURGRI
Nindo Shaher, Badin
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