| August 7, 2002 | Wednesday | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 27,1423 |
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Treatment of MDR-TB cases
Waste of public money
Abusing women: a shameful act
Hockey debacle and nepotism
Democracy
Exporters’ call for relief
Views on women’s rights
Access to books, newspapers
Phone transfer
Elections in Karachi
Horrors
Polls: are we mature enough?
THIS is with reference to Mr Khalid Mehmood Hashmi's letter 'A PhD aspirant's dilemma' (Aug 4). He has raised two issues: "Is a column published in a newspaper considered a 'research article'? And, second, since no research journal is published in Punjab University, it was not possible for him to get his work published in some professional journal.
To keep the record straight, I would like to clarify the above points.
As a matter of fact, Mr Hashmi presented before the interview committee (in which I was a member) his various columns/articles published in some Urdu and English dailies (except Dawn) with the hope of getting some credit of his work for PhD admission in Business Administration, University of the Punjab.
During the interview, it was pointed out to him that newspaper articles cannot be considered 'research papers'.
There is a technical difference between 'research paper' and 'newspaper article'. A research paper is published in professional journal after an anonymous review process carried out by renowned subject specialists (usually editorial board of the journal).
They evaluate the paper on the basis of its theoretical and methodological innovations, references, review of literature, statistical analysis and conclusions drawn from the empirical evidence. Further more, the paper is meant for specialists and is written in a highly technical and professionally shared language and terminology. However a newspaper article is meant for general public and is not expected to follow the mechanics of a professional writing.
Mr Hashmi has written that newspaper articles have "wider circulation" than research journals, so his newspaper writings are at par with the research papers. But, is circulation a criterion to evaluate the quality of a research paper? Certainly not.
For instance, Time magazine has much wider circulation than the American Sociological Journal. But the former is not a professional journal (notwithstanding its global circulation) while the latter is (though its circulation is limited to university libraries and professional forums).
Mr Hashmi has also written that no research journal is published in IBA or Hailey College, Punjab University. So he could not publish his work in journals.
It is factually incorrect. There are more than ten research journals regularly published in various departments of Punjab University which accommodate interdisciplinary contributions.
DR MUHAMMAD ZAKRIA ZAKAR
Punjab University,
Lahore
IN his letter (Aug 3) Dr Nadeem Rizvi has done well to highlight the plight of multi-drug resistant or MDR-TB cases in our society but I may clarify a few points.
Firstly, the TB control programme at the federal, provincial or district levels is run purely through governmental resources and the role of WHO is only to provide technical support and act as a catalyst in the entire process of training personnel, case detection and management using the DOTS methodology for the control of tuberculosis.
Now that Dots coverage has been brought to a respectable level, its expansion plan approved, and universal Dots coverage well within sight and only three years away (one year in case of Sindh), the programme can at least begin to think of MDR-TB cases.
Needless to say even by definition DOTS-Plus which is the programme for MDR-TB can only be implemented once Dots is in place in all districts of the country.
Furthermore, once the state of Dots-all-over is achieved, we will begin to gauge the true magnitude of the MDR problem in the country.
The establishment of referral laboratories for tuberculosis at federal and provincial levels through direct government spending of Rs60 million is indeed the first step in this direction.
Through these laboratories we will be able to monitor the quality of our laboratories in TB diagnostic centres in various districts, provide a training ground for laboratory personnel and carry out sophisticated investigations free of cost for an early diagnosis and management of MDR-TB cases.
The governmental health systems do have limitations as Dr Rizvi points out, but given the magnitude of political commitment for TB control this should not be difficult.
Over a period of two years, the federal and provincial governments have been able to spare Rs800 million from their meagre resources only from the development side, not to mention the cost of running major TB institutes and hospitals, and the provision of anti-tuberculosis drugs from the recurrent budget.
Dr Rizvi is correct in maintaining that MDR-TB cases occur due to a failure to treat tuberculosis in an organized way and in our case can be rightly attributed to the lack of a Dots programme in most of the country until recently.
DR GHULAM NABI KAZI
WHO Programme Manager for Sindh
Karachi
THIS refers to a news item (June 20) about the emergency landing of a chopper which was flying our information minister Nisar A. Memon from Muzaffarabad to Islamabad on June 19. Thank God, the crew, minister, his staff and journalists travelling with him and the aircraft itself remained safe.
But I fail to understand as to why our provincial governors and federal ministers travel in chartered helicopters which are meant for disaster relief operations. Isn’t it a sheer waste of resources and a joke with this poor nation?
For God’s sake leave the emergency relief cell’s choppers for the poor people of Pakistan who are often hit by disasters. If our ministers and governors continued to use choppers so wantonly there would not be left any chopper to evacuate people from calamity zones or drop food during floods.
BUSHRA SYED
Islamabad
I COULDN’T resist writing this letter when I read about another shameful act of humiliating and abusing women (Aug 3) along with the recent chain of gangrapes and forced marriages.
This time a brave but unfortunate teenaged girl went to some local influential’s house in a village near Rawalpindi to complain about their boys’ behaviour towards her 10-year-old brother. Instead she was stripped off, abused and beaten up in the open by that influential person.
Some people have forgotten the basic Islamic teachings like “Heaven is at the feet of mothers”, “O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness (4:19)” or “The best of you are the kindest to their women” is a saying of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him).
Although the district Nazim was sympathetic to order the police to help the grieved party, will we ever read or hear that the culprit is being punished accordingly?
AKIF
Karachi
IN the recent Commonwealth Games at Manchester, the unexpected defeat, in fact the complete rout of Pakistan hockey team at the hands of an insignificant New Zealand team, was not only shocking but most humiliating for one of the best hockey teams of the world.
The New Zealanders defeated the stalwarts in every department with a big margin victory of 7-1 goals.
In a hockey match, a lot of planning and strategy is involved to defeat the opposite team, especially at semi-final and final levels. I am sure Pakistan hockey officials must have watched the New Zealand team playing their pool matches till they reached the semis.
Why did they not evolve a strategy and prepare their team for this crucial match in the semi-final? This match must be shown on the TV for the aggrieved nation as we fail to comprehend such a disgraceful defeat.
We expect that the government would hold an inquiry and fix responsibility for this defeat.
All officials who had perhaps gone for a joy ride and shopping must be sacked as they would not resign themselves (this is not the practice in our country).
There are some parasites in our sports managements who go abroad to attend meetings and always accompany teams as officials having no interest in the teams’ performances.
I know a big name in the Swimming Association who has never been near the swimming pool in his young days (perhaps he may be a non-swimmer).
Similarly we have directors in various organizations who have never been sportsmen/women in their life time.
There is yet another example in the Cycling Association where one senior official has never been a cyclist himself but is holding an important portfolio.
All these people tour along with the sports contingents within the country and abroad. Such officials must be removed immediately. Nepotism must end and let people on merit only be appointed.
MOHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA
Lahore
I am in complete agreement with the views expressed by
Mr M.J. As’ad in his letter (Aug 3). There is a clamour for a so-called return to democracy from all quarters, external and internal, without any debate whether or not unqualified parliamentary democracy is suited to our particular and peculiar circumstances.
We must bear in mind that western democracy developed in a colonial context, with the system providing unlimited resources for trial and error. We can afford no such luxury, and definitely not after the Benazir-Nawaz combine having toyed around with our destiny for a decade.
We must also bear in mind that in the post colonial or the post-WWII era, the countries which achieved tremendous levels of development were those which had a strong leadership and which did not flirt around with high flown notions of western style democracy. Singapore, Korea, Malaysia and even China are prime examples of successful indigenously developed systems of governance. We must, therefore, give the Naqvi package a chance.
Whatever President Musharraf’s faults, he has emerged as a magnanimous, open minded and strong leader. The politicians have so far proved themselves to be opportunists and it is, therefore, imperative for President Musharraf to guide our destiny through the challenges that lie ahead.
NAELA HASAN
Oakville, Canada
WE, the small exporters, fully agree with Mr Muhammad Iqbal’s appeal (Aug 4) for a review by the State Bank of Pakistan regarding imposition of fine on exporters whose orders were cancelled following the Sept 11 event.
In addition to the heavy losses, suffered by the exporters, the SBP imposed an 18 per cent interest on consignees. In fact the cancellation of orders had resulted from the 9/11 tragedy and the situation was beyond the control of human being.
We request the Governor of SBP to favour the exporters by waiving the fine and interest.
ABDUL SALAM
Karachi
IN her letter (July 28) Asma Jahangir expressed her belief that the state had no business to sit in judgment on public morality.
In justification of her belief, she further said that their interference gives a handle to self-styled custodians of public morality to dominate the lives of women.
According to her, the problem is not the immorality of women, but the hypocrisy of confused men. In my view, Asma Jahangir has very wisely and cleverly avoided the answer the actual questions posed by Dr Rehman in his letter (June 30) and instead further obfuscated matters by giving vent to her strange views.
By making such comments, Asma Jahangir is propagating that women should throw all morals to the wind and thus should step forward to flaunt and use their bodies as they like.
The question arises: if the state does not sit in judgment on public morality, who will? To simply call men evil and expect no good from them is to go far beyond what most women have experienced.
Similarly, it is not at all fair to brand the Hadood laws as draconian in nature because they are strictly based on the Holy Quran and Sunnah and if any flaw exists relating to procedure and its implementation or conduct of fair trial, it can be amended accordingly by the jurists.
It is worth mentioning that many offenders, especially men, have been sentenced and punished for rape, sodomy, abduction, elopement, etc. under the provision of the Hadood laws.
Hence, why should a woman be excluded if she is also proved to have indulged in adultery, fornication, etc? There is no doubt that Asma Jahangir is properly angry at injustice against women.
But in all these circumstances she should not lose her rationality or logical approach by expressing her views on crucial issues in a manner which does not behove her.
MUHAMMAD AKMAL QURESHI
Ex-sessions judge
Lahore
ON the one hand there are seminars on why there is no ‘book culture’ in our country, yet no one is allowed to enter a library without a membership card on the other. No need to hold seminars.
The reason is too obvious. My recent experience is about that Quaid-i-Azam Library, Lahore, where even newspapers are not accessible without membership cards.
KAMRAN ALI
Multan
THIS refers to the letter of Mr Bahauddin Sirhindi (July 19) under caption ‘PTCL vs mobile phones’.
According to the PTCL inquiry, shifting of telephone number 5833053 was delayed due to the incomplete address of the applicant. After receipt of correct address on July 15, the telephone was shifted at the new premises as specified by the subscriber.
ATHER JAVED SUFI
PTCL headquarters
Karachi
THE Election Commission has geared up its preparations for holding the October elections with the claim of fairness and impartiality. However, ground reality contradicts the claims.
In Karachi, the most sensitive city, election arrangements have been entrusted to the municipalities working under Nazimeen.
It is anybody’s guess what will be the level of transparency, neutrality and impartiality if the arrangements are left at the mercy of these functionaries. The Nazimeen are very much political figures and thus the municipalities are no neutral bodies.
The Nazimeen have their own political agenda and ambitions.
I must recall that the same procedure was adopted for the presidential referendum and President Musharraf had to apologize for the ‘overzealous’ attitude of these people, though only after the announcement of results.
If the EC really wants undisputable transparency, it must not repeat the mistake that had created doubts over the fairness of referendum.
I suggest that the EC should acquire the services of non-political bodies e.g. Revenue Department (formerly DC office) as has been done in other parts of the country.
This department is free from the direct interference of the Nazimeen and councillors and has the experience of election arrangements.
Karachi will, as usual, remain in focus during the coming elections and, therefore, should not be regarded by the EC as an easy-to-handle area. Any miscalculation may put the whole exercise in disrepute.
ASIM AHMED
Karachi
THE horror of horrors in Palestine is the thought process of Sharon, the butcher of Sabra and Shatila, and its complete absence in George Bush. How many horrors will the mindless thinking of these two produce?
The Israelis can put a stop to all suicide attacks if they only vote Sharon out of power.
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
IS Pakistan ready for elections? With more than 50 per cent of the population illiterate, how can anyone expect them to elect someone who will be good for the country?
Most illiterate people simply follow their gut feelings. I know someone who has been voting for the Muslim League blindly. I know some people who vote for politicians who are religious without thinking whether they can handle the intricacies of managing this country.
These illiterate people get easily carried away by the big promises that the politicians make in their election campaign speeches. They also care only about themselves. They want a government which will lower the prices of utilities such as electricity, gas, telephone, etc.
They don’t appreciate what are the interests of the country and who can achieve them. Some politicians bribe these people or provide them with temporary perks which are enough of a favour for them to vote for a particular political party.
This is very clear from the experience of the past decade. Both the PML and the PPP were blindly re-elected even though everyone knew about the massive corruption their governments had engaged in and how they had plundered the country.
I don’t know how these new politicians and political parties are so sure that this nation will now choose new people to lead the country in the 21st century.
Pakistan lacks proper and strong institutions which are necessary for democracy to function well. The judicial system is in pathetic shape. The accountability mechanism is handicapped at best. The politicians don’t practise democracy in their own parties.
The same old people keep coming back and new people are not able to come up. The educated people are disillusioned to see the same politicians standing for elections and so do not vote.
The silent majority thus remains silent while the illiterate extremists get the same old people re-elected.
Our politicians are not aware of the ethics of democracy. If they lose, they simply claim that the elections were rigged. They would malign the new government, try to destabilize it and ask the army to overthrow it.
I would like to ask that is this a conducive environment for elections?
UMAIR ALI
Lahore
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