| September 17, 2002 | Tuesday | Rajab 9, 1423 |
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Honouring the oath of office
Let there be a stable govt
9/11 — a change for the worse
‘Image of a general’
PCB decisions
OIC and Iraq
Self-interest, not national interest
Unbearable income tax
For special citizens
Wrong place to affix posters
Overload on children
Indifference
PTV and media policy
THE editorial, ‘Not by rhetoric alone’ (Sept 10) is instructive to the political leadership of the country. Military takeovers are almost invariably the target of attack of the rhetoric of our leaders but they need to do a little introspection and assess what has been their role in the interruption of democratic process.
We cannot blame only Ghulam Mohammad for starting the process that can be termed as political malaise. The facts are that the first legislature came into being in August 1947 and its prime business was to frame the country’s Constitution. Seven long years went by and the assembly did not do its duty. It was dissolved in October 1954. This body invited its death by its own failure.
It can also be said that it had lost its representative character as was indicated by the elections of the provincial assemblies, particularly of the East Pakistan Assembly to which the United Front was voted to power.
After the action of the Governor-General was held valid by the Federal Court, elections to the assembly were held through the members of the provincial assemblies. This new body started its work in the middle of 1955 and completed the task of constitution-making within a few months. The Constitution came into force in March 1956. This achievement of the new legislative body proved that the dissolved assembly had become useless.
This assembly, too, fell prey to the machinations of the politicians whose hobby was to change the governments. One of the prime ministers held office only for a month.
The political leaders did not have any idea what the people were thinking about them. All were fed up with their intrigues. Iskander Mirza abrogated the Constitution and dissolved the central and provincial assemblies which eventually brought Ayub Khan into absolute power.
I am old enough to remember that the people welcomed assumption of power by the military.
There were three takeovers by the military after that. Our political leaders were mainly responsible for that. Fair elections were held by the military government in 1970. Power could not be transferred to the civilians only because one of the leaders lost his head for getting about 56 per cent of the seats and the other threw out challenges to him. Both were at each other’s throats. The conflict culminated in the breaking away of East Pakistan. In fact it was the doing of politicians.
We clearly remember what led to military rule in 1977. Results of general elections were rigged. This led to an agitation that was unprecedented in the history of the country. It went on for four months. Since administration had completely broken down, the military had to step in. Politicians were responsible for that.
There is much to say about political leaders who came into power in the 1990s. The people know about the politicians who brought the country to the verge of bankruptcy. Political leaders have not learned a lesson from all these happenings. They have no idea of the people’s opinion about them. It is the political leadership that has shaken their faith in democracy.
PROF MUKHTAR ALI NAQVI
Orlando, USA
THIS refers to Mr Ghulam Kibria’s letter, ‘Formula for democracy’ (Sept 12).
Democracy is the product of a constitution. A mandate is a sacred trust given by the people to their elected representatives to govern the country in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Constitution.
A constitution is an organic whole. All its articles have to be interpreted in a manner that its soul or spirit is given effect to by harmonizing various provisions.
Constitutional safeguards are, as a rule, directed against the state and its organs. Accordingly, by virtue of their oath of office ‘to uphold the Constitution’ and under the doctrine of state necessity, the members of the armed forces are under obligation to take over the state apparatus for the enforcement of constitutional safeguards.
Unfortunately, the legislature and the executive disobeyed the Constitution. The members of the armed forces, instead of enforcing the constitutional provisions, abrogated them and the judiciary, with little regard for any principles of justice and fair play, validated the abrogation, thereby, instituting the spoils system.
The Constitution, to which each and every member of the legislature, the executive, the armed forces and the judiciary were under oath to preserve, protect, defend and uphold it. Thus, they all did not bear true allegiance to the Constitution.
To honour and respect an oath of office needs moral courage. Moral courage is an attribute of greatness. This greatness was not present in those, who were not faithful to their oath of office. Their faithlessness to the Constitution undermined the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of Pakistan.
GHULAM RASUL
Lahore
WE need an economic upsurge to take us out of the long and dreary winter that we have had for the last 50 years. Economic impetus needs sound and sustainable policies which can only be given by stable governments which in turn can only come about through a process of fair elections.
Gen Musharraf has a golden opportunity to go down in history as a leader who made a difference. If he gives the parties a level-playing field there is no rational reason why there should be no stable government after the October elections.
Two or three full-term civilian governments and subsequent elections would ensure the weeding out of the politicians and the parties that fail to deliver.
Simultaneously, if the president and the prime minister work hand-in-hand to strengthen the judiciary, the executive and the legislature and let each of the three institutions work independent of the other, we would see the emergence of a stable Pakistan.
These strong institutions can ensure that political office-bearers do not transgress the powers conferred on them by the Constitution.
In may opinion, there is no reason why any party strong enough to form the next government would not give the military top brass amnesty for the 1999 coup and the next tenure to Gen Pervaiz Musharraf as President.
So why make a mess of this opportunity and not be content to take five comfortable years with honour and respect together with peace of mind for stability and progress for the country?
VIQAR A. KHAN
Lahore
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, has often been called ‘the day the world changed’. One year down the road we know that it has been a change for the worse.
If indeed it was an attempt on the part of a frustrated and misguided group to bring the US down to its knees, it has proved singularly counterproductive. Their efforts have resulted in the ‘sole superpower’ shedding all garb of diplomacy and following a blatantly chauvinist policy of ‘with us or against us’. The Americans have now realized their age-old dream of establishing military bases in central Asia and thus taken a step further in the direction of establishing complete ascendancy over south and central Asia and the oil-rich Gulf region.
The 9/11 event levelled the ground for Sharon to go on a killing spree in Palestine and for Bush to do the same in Afghanistan and presumably in Iraq. We are still guessing at the identity of the next target, although the US State Department has dropped quite a few hints.
Muslims all over the world have been made targets of an unprecedented backlash not only by the Americans but also by all those conforming to the so-called western ideals of liberty and freedom.
The nightmarish prospects of the post-9/11 global political situation continue to unfold and the world has found itself exceptionally helpless to mend the situation.
NUSRAT BOKHARI
Islamabad
THE learned writer of ‘Image of a general’ (Sept 8) has built his entire theme around one sentence out of my letter with the same headline (Sept 4). I never meant what he got. He seems to be as myopic as emperor ‘J’ who ordered bombing upon a newly-constructed bridge only because the engineer had told him that the bridge would endure even if any bomb ever hits it. But, the bridge collapsed. Fault lay not with the design but with the emperor who could not discern that a metaphorical hypothesis composed of ‘even’, ‘if’, ‘any’ and ‘ever’ means only a trait, not an act. In case of the bridge, that trait was ‘strength’.
Similarly, when I wrote that even if any land was ever sold at lower rates, that was solely to benefit the poor, I only meant ‘clean-handedness’ as a trait of Gen (r) Javed Nasir. That is how the learned writer erred for what he had misread.
Misreading is wilful when it is rooted in bias. Eventually, that bias culminates in two questions, one painted with malice and the other tainted with prejudice. The venomous climax comes when he writes: “Answer to both questions is yes.”
Perhaps, we would have to tolerate such remarks in the name of freedom of expression. Had not we tolerated those who made a symbolic grave of our benefactor Dr A. Q. Khan in broad daylight in Islamabad and then kicked the same with their joggers?
M. WAQAR ASLAM
DCO, Dera Bugti Agency
THIS is with reference to Ali Kabir’s article, ‘Likes and dislikes ruining cricket team’s performance’ (Sept 12). I fully endorse his views.
Looking at the current set-up of the PCB, one is surprised to observe how some decisions are being made, most recent being the decision to send Yousuf Youhana back on disciplinary grounds. Saeed Anwar, one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever produced, is being sidelined. I am a cricket enthusiast and more than that I love to see Pakistan perform but a feeling of being left out surfaces when I don’t see a single Sindhi player in the national team.
My question here to the PCB chief is a simple one: why is there no Sindhi player? With high hopes that my question is answered and that this feeling of being left out fades away, I wish all the luck to the Pakistan cricket team.
ALI NIZAMANI
Selangor, Malaysia
IN this hour of need, the OIC meeting should be called to discuss the possible threat to Iraq and other Muslim countries from the US and UK. If we will continue to remain silent then the next target could be our own country for which the pretext of some recent attacks on foreign missions and foreigners may be used. We must raise a single voice against the threat to our Muslim brethren.
MUNEER AHMED MIRJAT
Hyderabad
EVER since Pakistan came into being, we have been hearing leaders claiming that this has been done in the national interest and that has not been done in the same spirit. Governments have been overthrown ‘in the national interest’ but this required interest has deteriorated more and more with every change. One thing is clear. All talk of national interest is dubious.
Self-interest has been reigning supreme and the people have been constantly befooled. This policy or that policy in any field and this government or that government all are intended for the benefit of self-seekers.
So they should discontinue all talk of national interest and instead unabashedly declare this or that has been done or not done for self-interest and that if the nation does get some benefit, it is not our fault.
Don’t be twisters but be outspokenly rash to save the nerves of the people which they would damage by interpreting their intentions correctly.
SULTAN A. CHOWDHRY
Lahore
I HAVE been working at a local university on a faculty position. I had a chance recently to visit the Income Tax Department for filing my annual returns. I got the IT forms from the people sitting close to the main gate of the building. Then I proceeded to the salary circle to get information about how to fill it up. I found a guy who did all the calculations for me. But the figure he got for me was Rs77,000 which appeared to be 1/7th of my annual income. This also means that I have to pay more than Rs6000 per month as income tax.
This is highly exorbitant and in no way within my reach. I feel that government must revise these tax rates and make them in accordance with our domestic culture.
In our country, we follow joint family system and normally one person has to support a family of at least three-four persons excluding himself and it is not possible for them to pay such a big chunk of his income as just one tax. And that, too, without getting something reasonable in return.
ZULFI KHAN
Karachi
THE Punjab governor is requested to ensure a two per cent quota of employment for disabled persons in service, specially in the education department, as the relevant 1981 ordinance and the Punjab government directives on this subject stand intact and have not been amended a bit. Only the ignorance of the newly inducted DCOs and EDOs (education) stands in the way of eligible disabled candidates.
HUMAYUN AKHTAR
Multan
IT is terrifying to see that activists of various political parties affix posters on traffic signboards that guide drivers and most of which vital to avoid accidents. They are equally important for the smooth flow of traffic.
It is so dangerous, in fact, to change the traffic signs into political messages or advertisements as such a practice may result in a major loss of human life and property.
We live in a civilized society and those contesting elections may also be educated enough to realize the harm that may be caused to the people. They must direct their workers strictly to refrain from hiding the traffic sighs with posters. The concerned authorities also should keep a check on such a practice and take stern action against the culprits.
NAUMAN
Rawalpindi
PROF A.H. Subhani has rightly suggested some changes at the primary school level in his letter, ‘Overload on children’ (Sept 11).
This needs immediate attention from the authorities concerned as it would go a long way in improving the deteriorating system of education.
I have had the privilege of getting my early education in a foreign country where education system up to primary level is run on the lines as suggested by Prof Subhani. If we run our primary education system on these lines, not only would the students and their parents feel a lot of mental and financial relief but the dropout ratio would also fall to a great extent.
Moreover, our students would get rid of the deep-rooted habit of rote-learning, since the proposed system of examination based on oral and objective-type questions demands comprehension and understanding of the subject which is the main objective of education.
NAZRA PARVEEN
Lahore
I WATCHED the remembrance of the 9/11 tragedy in New York on the local television. At this ceremony the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, was handing out candles lit by the flame of the fire from the World Trade Centre to the representatives of people who perished in this tragedy.
Included in this candlelight parade were the representatives from many countries whose citizens had perished. Among them were Hamid Karzai, Tony Blair and A. B. Vajpayee. But no one from Pakistan was there to honour our countrymen. President Musharraf was in New York at that time.
How we can gain anyone’s respect when we cannot even honour our fallen countrymen.
AZAM BAIG
Maryland, USA
THE electronic media in Pakistan today is enjoying an unprecedented freedom. The addition of several private channels has made the Pakistani cuisine, particularly the news and current affairs part of it, more palatable for Pakistani viewers.
Gen Zia’s military rule and 10 years of obscurantist democracies had relegated the role of our media to that of mere puppets in the hands of the government. But now that phase seems to be over. The Musharraf government has since introduced a media perestroika.
However, this change is not a welcome development as far as showbiz and plays are concerned. This freedom is being abused there by a handful of directors, artists and advertizers. What irks the most is that Pakistani woman is being portrayed as something which she is not. She is shown in dresses that most Pakistani women would never like to wear and she can be heard talking on subjects none of them would be pleased to talk on, in presence of children and male members of the family.
There is a big difference between ‘reality’ and ‘vulgarity’. PTV was presenting much better and realistic plays before and that was without any resort to the current shameful openness. Indeed we need openness in the projection of the social problems of our society as one play Raj Hans has been doing boldly.
Another embarrassing part of this media policy is the permission granted to show foreign movie channels on the cable system. These channels are presenting intimate scenes which can prove to be disastrous for our youth and children. Ironically, on the one hand, the government has allowed exposure to such seductive stuff and, on the other, it has retained laws like the Hudood Ordinance.
SANAM NOOR PECHUHO
Karachi
PTV’s news policy is galling. On PTV World, there is an unnecessary interruption of news bulletins every hour which is not only monotonous but also irksome. It is time PTV changed its boring pattern and showed a variety of programmes, including those in English which are rarely shown nowadays even when we have three TV channels as compared to one. Some time ago, there had been a better variety of English programmes.
Will PTV ever change its negative attitude and become an interesting channel to watch?
ARSHAD ALVI
Lahore
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