| August 12, 2002 | Monday | Jamadi-us-Saani 2, 1423 |
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Cut in profit rates
Why dual citizenship?
Research and journalism
Sponsoring a bad habit
Retrieving foreign wealth
Plots case
Car scam
Ehtesab of politicians & elections
Helpless helpline
Murree attack
University land
Article-58(2)b
Timings of wedding functions
Water supply
Security to armymen
Hudood Ordinance
Mianwali tribal culture
In East Africa, may be at other places as well, a system exists through which water for irrigation can be lifted from a small stream flowing at low level, to a height enough to work the sprinklers placed in a field at higher level. In this system no source of power, like electricity, gas, oil, etc., is required because the hydram pump works on its own mechanical arrangement of valves. It can work round the clock and keep filling the over-head reservoirs, non-stop. The hydram pump will be of immense use in our hilly areas like those in Balochistan, Sarhad and Sindh.
To save the national heritage of forests by providing fuel gas in each home-stead in rural areas is highly exigent. As a substitute of natural gas kerosene oil gas can be produced economically and very easily in each village and supplied through pipes to where it is needed.
Before the discovery and availability of Sui Gas, each laboratory of each college, university, etc., in our country was equipped with a gas plant of its own. It was very effective and much capital and paraphernalia was not required except some suitable fuel to heat the retort and evaporate the oil, and a couple of tanks to store the gas thus produced.
it is possible that some laboratories where Sui Gas has not reached as yet, are still holding on to this plant of their own and kerosene oil gas is being utilised in a variety of burners and heaters used therein.
There is no natural gas in England, yet every home and office has round the clock supply of this koersene oil gas prepared in large volumes and stored in huge tanks that are quite a land-mark of the cities there.
Wastage of natural gas through indiscriminate consumption in our country can be minimised by installing plants to produce gas from kerosene in each village to be available right at the door-steps of the consumer.
Since the system has existed in our country from the British times, our Engineers must be familiar with it. The expertise needs to be revived only.
We have the great gift of an ocean that shows tides upto two or three metres twice in 24 hours. It is an unlimited power that can be harnessed to produce electricity at least for coastal areas. Along the western shore of Europe, enough electricity for domestic purpose is obtained from the rise and fall of tides. We can also avail of this magnanimity of nature and produce power in small amounts but enough to feed the homes situated on the shores of Balochistan and Sindh.
It is highly satisfying that measures are already in hand and we may soon start generating power from the wind. To avail of the more than necessary sun light for this purpose appears to be beyond our approach.
DR. SAYEDAIN JAFFERY
Karachi
THE director general of National Savings Organization has stated (July 20) that the reduction in NSS profits was made for the sake of the survival of the banks and finan-cial institutions and that it would not affect the common people.
I do not know which ‘common people’ he has referred to. As far as I know, this cut has caused a lot of anxiety and sleepless nights for a pensioner who, I am sure the director general would agree, is a common man.
In the span of three years, Regular Income profit on Rs100,000 has been reduced from Rs1,600 to Rs782 per month and that of SSC of the same amount, from Rs8,800 to Rs 5,500 half-yearly.
Everybody knows how much the cost of living has increased during these years. Perhaps with the exception of our policy makers, everyone knows that the only source of income for the retired ones is the profit from investment made in the NSS.
It is also widely understood that normally, at the time of retirement, one is burd-ened with the maximum of liabilities like marriage of children, cost of higher education of children or the purchase of a house.
I appeal to the government to think not only for the survival of the banks but also for the survival of common man including a pensioner or a widow.
For this, I suggest that there should be two kinds of profit rates for the NSS: one for institutions and the other for pensioners and widows only. For the second category, the following should apply:
One, pre-1999 profit rates; two, no tax on profit; three, no limit on investment; four, submission of documents of retirement and amount received from gratuity and provident fund should be made a pre-requisite to apply for pensioner’s profit rate.
I hope the government would consider these suggestions to provide relief to the senior citizens.
NASIM AKHTAR
Karachi
I WAS amused at the suggestions put forth by some people through their letters in Dawn advocating the Pakistanis’ right to hold dual nationality and the right to run for parliamentary election.
Is it really beneficial for Pakistan to allow its ex-citizens the right of Pakistani citizenship? Looking at the unemployment rate and the general economic indicators, it is perhaps a boon for the country that some percentage of its nationals have opted to leave Pakistan.
If they had stayed in Pakistan, they would not have got a chance to play a positive role in an already saturated and overpopulated society and would have just drained the already over-strained resources.
The next question is that can these people help the country economically when given the dual citizenship? Although, a major chunk of the GDP of Pakistan consists of remittances by expatriate Pakistanis, 90 per cent of this has been coming from people who still hold Pakistani passport and not from those who have become US citizens.
And then even the remittances can have negative effects, like the social imbalance created by the lavish spending of families enjoying an expatriate’s remittances. We still have to see any big project, either social or commercial, funded by ex-Pakistanis.
Still another question would be how to define the moral code of conduct of dual citizens, in case a conflict arises between their two host countries.
Yet another issue is of taxation. American citizens have to pay a tax on all the incomes earned outside the US if it exceeds a certain threshold. Are the potential dual citizens ready to pay tax to Pakistani government even after getting another citizenship?
SYED ANZAR
Medan, Indonesia
UNDER the caption ‘A PhD aspirant’s dilemma’ (Aug 4) K. M. Hashmi asks, “Do the articles contributed to newspapers merit some weight?” and “are articles published by research journals more important than those carried by a prestigious newspaper?’
His contention lies in the fact that newspapers have larger circulation than research journals.
In his letter titled ‘PhD: setting the record straight’ (Aug 7) Dr M. Zakar rightfully replies that the newspaper articles cannot be considered ‘research papers’ no matter how wide circulation of a newspaper or a non-professional magazine.
During more than 35-year experience in research and teaching in the UK, USA and Venezuela, I got published more than 100 research papers (apart from reference books) on animal parasitology in the prestigious scientific journals of Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, USA and Venezuela.
Upon the submission of a research paper to the editor of a professional journal, he sought the independent opinion of at least two specialists before a paper was accepted for its publication.
I had some harrowing experience as well because the editor of a particular journal, upon the observations of a specialist, would return the MS to me asking to clarify or modify some points.
Once taken care of, I would resubmit the MS and I used to be happy that it was all over with. To my dismay, many times the editor won’t be satisfied, even the paper would be turned down with the polite remark: “Please submit it somewhere else.”
It used to be an unwritten rule not to enter into controversy with the editor. Newspapers, irrespective of their circulation, are not scientific media as there are no scientific peers to critically analyse a research paper. Non-professional articles are a different story.
And the maxim ‘publish or perish’ used to be the call of the day without which one could not climb up the higher academic level.
PROF (DR) P. NASIR
Gujrat
EVERYWHERE in big cities, one can see big billboards with pretty colourful pictures.
The disturbing fact, however, is the commodity being promoted. They must have paid a fortune for the prime spots to hire. Not only that, these same billboards are ubiquities in all sizes at main thorough fares lurking kids and some adults oblivious of adverse affect the betel nut could have on their health.
This pass time cost as little as one rupee to a pack and sometimes even less which means that the betel nut companies are making a killing selling it by big volume to kids mainly of underprivileged households.
The kids don’t buy toffees like they used to with their pocket money. Because once the habit is developed the kids are hooked on to it. At least the milk candies have little nutritious value unlike pan masalas.
The kids have gotten addicted to these masala-chewing habit that their teeth are rotted beyond irreversible treatment and subsequently various critical health maniac.
Is the health ministry looking the other way to such business playing with the health of our future generation or what? Or are they not competent enough to realize the hazards of betel nut eating among kids.
The pan-chewing among nation is rapidly growing and if steps are not taken in time to this mind-boggling situation then we have danger looming over our heads.
SALEEM K. LALANI
Karachi
PRESIDENT Musharraf, while speaking at the inaugural session of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy workshop organized by the National Accountability Bureau, has appealed to the world community to recover for us our nationals’ foreign wealth to enable us to pay our debts.
The President has referred to the Swiss banks where, he claims, all the money is lying there. This is stretching our muscles too wide.
Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were let off without impelling them to return our country’s looted wealth.
To recuperate, the middle class is being over-taxed, made to pay higher rates of utilities and higher price of essential commodities, including kitchen items.
If the President becomes pragmatic and takes one step forward to urge our friendly countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Gulf states to unravel the bank accounts of Pakistani residents with dubious deposits and withdrawals, immense wealth could be retrieved.
Politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen would thus come out with the siphoned wealth. Mere rhetorics would not entail any result and the world community may not be conscientious to salvage our submerging economy.
SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR
Karachi
WHILE the courts are taking suo motu notices, hundreds of thousands of cases are pending a verdict or hearing for decades.
Ours is the one such case pertaining to the possession of plots in F-11 sector, Bheka Syedan area, in the jurisdiction of the Capital Development Authority.
The CDA had allotted these plots 19 years back against full payments.
The unauthorized occupants, through litigation, have succeeded in delaying the transfer of the plots to the genuine owners. We are still waiting for justice.
I fervently hope that someone in the Supreme Court, CE’s secretariat, the concerned ministry or the CDA itself, would take cognizance of the inordinate delay to alleviate sufferings of the allottees.
AYAZ M.A.
Islamabad
SIX years back, a motor company had defrauded 18,000 people attracted by its new model of car. A large number of the victims appeared to be retired government servants.
Now the victims of Kia scandal have been expecting that they would also be compensated the way the case of victims of earlier car scams had been entertained.
MAJOR (R) M ASIF RAJA
Rawalpindi
AFTER giving a list of the political luminaries who received ‘grants’ from the ISI in 1994, Ardeshir Cowasjee has raised the following question in the last but one paragraph of the second instalment of his article, ‘We never learn from history’ (Aug 4). He says:
“Should not all these corrupt, bribed political people who shamelessly accepted the people’s money for their own political ends, and who have never denied having received such payoffs, stand disqualified for life?”
He has ended the article with the following words:
“Air Marshal Asghar Khan is still waiting to have his petition challenging the corrupt and clandestine use of public funds (pending since 1996) heard by the Supreme Court, as is also Gen Naseerullah Babar. Both have much to reveal. They are prepared to face the judiciary.”
Is the Supreme Court prepared to accept the challenge and decide the case before it gets busy in examining another extra-constitutional change of government?
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
THE Aug 5 issue carried an advertisement by the CPLC with the caption ‘Save yourself from hassles during vehicle checking’. Two telephone numbers are also given as ‘Helpline’. I sought their advice on my problem and the answer was a blunt “Contact the ETO, Motor Wing, Civic Centre.”
My problem is that the front number plate of my vehicle has been torn apart due to regular parking on the roads, close to raised footpaths. I always carry with me my original registration documents with taxes duly paid, my driver’s licence, one original number plate on the car boot and one hand painted number plate on the front bumper. Now what should I do if only the front number plate is not original?
The CPLC’s Helpline does not have an answer to it, nor can they throw any light on this kind of eventuality. Surprising.
AKBAR MERCHANT
Karachi
SIX people were killed and three wounded on July 5, when terrorists attacked a Christian missionary school in Murree.
It is the prime responsibility of the government to protect the life and property of the citizens .
Such incidents not only tarnish our image but also discourage foreign investment, which is badly needed to revive the economy which is the prime objective of Gen Pervez Musharraf’s government.
This is the first incident of its kind in Murree. Eyewitnesses claim that the local police failed to reach the school in time and also no government ambulance was available.
Severe actions by the Punjab governor against the police and health departments will show his commitment to his prime responsibility to protect the life and property of citizens.
ENGR S T HUSSAIN
Lahore
I AM a student of the International Islamic University, Islamabad. I want to draw the attention of the authorities towards the CDA’s behaviour.
As per the authenticated maps of Islamabad, the whole sector of H-10 is meant for our University. But the CDA has given the university even less than a quarter of this land.
Now we learn that quite a large area has been allocated in this sector for a graveyard. Imagine, a graveyard next to an International University of repute!
TANWEER ISHAQ
Islamabad
IF at all the Article-58(2)b is to be revived, it must also be ensured that in case the opinion of the President is not found valid by the apex court, he must quit.
Already, never so far in Pakistan, has the extreme step of dissolution of the assembly and dismissal of the cabinet been taken by any President without the tacit approval of the military leadership.
Therefore, the gimmickry of broadening the presidium through the NSC, to save the ‘decision’ from judicial review, will not work.
ANWAR-UL-HAQ AWAN
Gujranwala
ATTENDING a wedding function nowadays has become more of an unpleasant visit rather than a gesture of love and happiness.
I have attended two weddings in the past couple of weeks and I was the fifth person to arrive in the marriage hall by 10.30pm. And there was no sign of the hosts on both the occasions.
This situation is very inconvenient to those who have to attend to their work or go to school early next morning.
I request the city authorities to enforce a law to restrict the function timings to midnight. This would also help conserve electricity.
AHMAREEN JAUHAR
Karachi
THE statement of the Deputy Director of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board about the supply of muddy water to Karachiites is very disturbing and alarming.
We are already consuming all sorts of impurities, including the industrial wastes, in the water.
The Governor of Sindh, who is soon to relinquish his job, has done a good job in inspecting the Pipri purification plant and directing the Board officials to set the plant working with minimum loss of time.
It is hoped that the Board will expedite the work before the situation gets out of control.
S TAHIR HASNAIN
Karachi
SANDBAG bunkers are not new to Karachiites. However, it is strange to see such bunkers having been set up outside the military and naval facilities on the main Sharea Faisal where the Rangers stand guard round-the-clock mainly monitoring movement of vehicles.
Do the army and the navy feel unsafe in their own country?
On the other hand, the Home Secretary of Sindh in his statement (Aug 7) has rejected the general perception that Karachi is unsafe. He has termed the perception ‘exaggeration’.
ZAHID F. EBRAHIM
Karachi
THIS has a reference to the letter, ‘Repeal Hudood Ordinance’ (July 20). Many people, including myself, think that this ordinance has made our nation a laughing stock. I fully support the writer’s appeal to repeal it.
If a General can promulgate it, why cannot another General repeal it? The ordinance has made women vulnerable to injustices.
S M KAZIM NAQVI
Karachi
THE much publicized Vani case in Mianwali has drawn the attention of the whole world towards the tribal culture of the area. Nobody may condone the inhumane traditions of this kind but it would be pertinent at this point of time to look into the causes that led the people of the area to stick to their culture.
The Pathan tribes in Mianwali are of Afghan origin. Mianwali and Isa Khel were part of Bannu district before they were transferred to the Punjab about 100 years back.
The district has remained a backyard of the province. The posting of an officer to Mianwali is regarded as ‘punitive action’.
Mianwali is an area rich in resources and a mighty river flows through its mountains. Its water is channelled away to the politically influential areas and much of the district has barren lands.
It has plentiful steel and coal deposits and silica sand, china clay and gypsum are transported to big cities to meet the requirements of various industries. Local industry is not feasible because natural gas pipeline ends 30km away from the area.
Women have to travel miles to get drinking water which is contaminated. Education and health facilities are pathetic. The school building in Abbakhel is being used as an animal shed.
Similarly, the Technical Training Centre building is also decaying away. Bandits and fugitives have established “No Entry” zones of their own. Drugs and arms smuggling from Darra Adam Khel is an economic opportunity for the people. Drug addiction has already destroyed unemployed youth.
How can anyone expect evolution of an enlightened society under such circumstances?
We are collectively responsible for the bleak social state of our country, especially when such cases surface to shock us. We must reflect upon our failure to produce a more enlightened society in 55 years.
We have not invested in our human resource and nothing has changed for the people of Mianwali and in their tribal way of life over the last 350 years.
DR M Z K NIAZI
Islamabad
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