| September 19, 2002 | Thursday | Rajab 11, 1423 |
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A retired worker’s appeal
Doctors’ deputation abroad
Philanthropic ventures
Pathetic conditions at PIMS
Price control
Those days in Arab Hotel
Road safety
Noisy songs
Pen-Pricks
Workers & poverty alleviation
Mosques and Madaris
MPhil fee
Sindhi cricketers & PCB
Fake degree
THIS refers to the front page story, ‘Ramzi, four others flown out of Pakistan’ (Sept 17). The very next page (Page 2) quotes the Interior Minister, Moinuddin Haider, as saying that the Al Qaeda men (the same suspects) will be tried in Pakistan. He elaborated that under a treaty with the US, Pakistan may hand over the suspects to the US authorities. But, at the same time, he asserts that this will be done after all the formalities are completed.
The minister’s statement and the handing over of the suspects came within a few hours. The interior minister was well informed, at the time he spoke, about the whereabouts of the arrested suspects and the intention of his high-ups regarding their extradition. And the intention came to light within hours after his statement when Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi announced that the suspects had been handed over to the US authorities.
This clearly shows that our government and law-enforcement agencies have become fully capable of completing ‘all the formalities’ within hours (no surprise if it is within minutes or seconds).
This is a kind of ‘governance’ President Musharraf has in his mind to introduce in Pakistan and wishes it to prevail forever and perhaps for that very reason he insists on a few more years to remain in his office with all the powers he enjoys at present. Maybe the US authorities endorse his idea.
T. SHIWANI
Karachi
BY capturing Ramzi bin Al Shibh, Pakistan has once again proved itself to be Washington’s most reliable ally in the war on terrorism. Just like old times, however, the US remains unappreciative of our efforts and sacrifices. Our foreign debt continues to be almost where it was before, our exports are still taxed and Pakistani immigrants and visa seekers continue to be humiliated.
Washington’s reluctance to write off Pakistan’s debt and to eliminate tariffs on Pakistani goods would prevent us from being able to allocate sufficient resources needed to win the war on terror. Moreover, if the only help Washington is willing to provide is for capturing terrorists with designs against America, why should Pakistan cooperate? What’s in it for us other than more bloodshed on our soil.
Pakistan should have demanded all trade barriers lifted and foreign debt written off in exchange of the wanted figures and further cooperation in the war on terrorism. The US and its allies should also realize that if they fail to invest massively in the well-being of their number-one ally in this war, they might not be able to achieve their goal of eliminating the possibility of further terrorism on their own territories.
JAMAAL HASSAN
Houston, USA
I SERVED Pakistan Security Printing Corporation (PSPC) from May 16, 1965 to Oct 15, 2001 (over 36 years). Five years before superannuation, I suffered a heart stroke, and was paralyzed as a result of which the medical board declared me ‘100 per cent permanently incapable of active service’ and retired me from service. But the corporation has been unable to pay me the group insurance compensation despite a lapse of 10 months and my persistent requests for the same.
As late as April 20, 2002, the General Manager of the Corporation, Lt-Col (r) Parvez Hasan Khattak, replied that the corporation had taken up the matter with the Postal Life Insurance (PLI) for an early settlement of the claim and that the amount would be released to me as and when received.
The group insurance claim is the right of the victim. The corporation should have made an accurate foolproof insurance agreement so that the victim gets the sum assured within a month or so. However, the corporation is silent ever since April 20, 2002 about the outcome of its efforts to realize the claim.
As far as I am concerned, I have spent the last rupee I had on my huge medical and family survival expenses. My meagre monthly pension of Rs3,421 is insufficient for buying foodstuff and paying for my children’s school fees and books, not to speak of my huge medical expenses.
I, therefore, appeal to the President to intervene and issue an administrative order to the PSPC authorities to disburse the sum of my claim at the earliest irrespective of the settlement of this claim with the PLI authorities.
Group insurance is the duty of the employer. Hence, it is the responsibility of the employer to pay for the claim even if it fails to recover the amount of the claim from the insurers.
MANZUR H. AKHTER
Karachi
LAST year, the Ministry of Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, Islamabad, invited applications for some medical/paramedical slots in Saudi Arabian hospitals.
A small number of doctors who had applied through proper channel were granted a year’s deputation although they had signed foreign employment contracts the duration of which was more than a year.
They are anxiously waiting for extension as per terms of contracts. They also took their families with them and got their children admitted in schools there.
It is advisable to extend the period of deputation as admissible under the rules so that the deputationists continue to work and earn a good name for them and for Pakistan.
If they leave their assignments mid way, the foreign employers may be constrained to fill these posts through fresh recruitment from other countries.
Thus Pakistani doctors would be deprived of lucrative foreign assignments and the country’s exchequer would lose the much needed foreign exchange they contribute towards pension/gratuity and other funds.
The health department is, therefore, requested to accelerate the cases of those doctors whose substitutes are readily available.
The cases may be disposed of on the basis of first come first served. Horizontal mobility of labour can’t be checked in the name of patriotism, particularly when there are harsher curbs on vertical mobility/promotions.
Let us expand job opportunities within Pakistan by allowing the deputationists to continue in Saudi Arabia as long as the host country is willing to avail their services.
CONCERNED
Lahore
ONE reformatory measure that can change the economic and social scenario in the Muslim world is philanthropy. In effect, institutionalized philanthropic ventures lend stability and strength.
To put it simply, one such measure is planting trees — a well-known Sadqa-i-Jaria feature and a dire need for the region inhabiting the bulk of Muslim Ummah. People are not generally aware of the positive effects of vegetation on human being and environment and how badly the region is deprived of this. Meaningful tree plantations, that is trees with nutritional values as well, can save the region from under-nourishment at a far less cost and time.
Meaningful tree plantation encompassing herbal and medicinal varieties, a somewhat technical aspect of regular horticulture, also boosts the economy. The trend in the West is more and more towards herbal cure of diseases as well as human body nourishment.
Mosques exist virtually at every nook and corner of the Muslim regions, equipped with basic resources of adjoining land and required water. A large number of people come to mosques five times a day for prayers. Only a fragment of their attention to this basic Sadqa-i-Jaria feature, is needed.
All needed infrastructure is at hand. Only the will to do good, to identify the scope of charity has to be created. Community mosques can lend a helping hand.
“War against waste” is yet another avenue of charity. To learn the true implication and application of war against waste, one needs to go to China which on liberation made “war against waste” the national goal.
So the solution perforce lies in institutionalizing philanthropic ventures that would win the hearts of friends and foes alike. Measures that can ensure economic emancipation, as well as are heartwarming are abundant in nature. The saying goes, “Sitting still and wishing, makes no person great. The good Lord sent the fishing but you must dig the bait.”
CAPT (R) RIAZ AHMED
IL, USA
THE other day I had the opportunity to visit one of the most prestigious hospitals of our country, PIMS, Islamabad.
I took my father to the emergency department for an ECG, since he was experiencing chest pain. I filled up the entry pro forma and went to the doctor on duty. He asked us to wait outside the ECG room. To my sheer disappointment, the room was locked. I went back to the duty doctor and told him that the room was locked. The doctor said that the attendant must have gone to the ward and I should have waited till his arrival. Every single moment seemed like a century to me. We were not the only ones who were going through that agonizing exercise; a lot of people were also restive in the queue.
After an excruciating wait for half an hour, somebody pointed out that the attendant was busy gossiping with some one at the reception. The sight gave me an infuriating pang. The nonchalance of the doctors and attendants was simply indescribable; as if they were the merchants of death.
This kind of appalling attitude is a stigma on the medical profession. I request the concerned authorities to kindly probe into the matter and alleviate the afflictions of poor patients.
KHAWAR ISLAM
Islamabad
THE prices of petrol and petroleum products are being regularly increased or reduced in Pakistan in the same proportion as in the international world market, for quite sometime. Now the government is looking at an option of linking the price increase of the medicines with the rate of inflation.
The present government ought to know that the problem of inflation and variation in prices of petroleum in the world market was always there but our past rulers preferred to manage it themselves as they had a genuine consideration for the welfare of the people.
The auto-set plus or minus in prices is an accountant’s approach where not the mind, but the mini-machine called the calculator, is used.
Z. A. KAZMI
Karachi
THIS is to thank Lahori for reproducing in his column (Aug 26), Maulvi Mohammad Saeed’s piece on the Arab Hotel. I belong to the vanishing generation who saw the twilight of that club of poets, journalists, politicians, professionals and students. Nasir Kazmi, Tabish Siddiqui and I spent innumerable evenings in the Arab Hotel in 1942. That was the time when Akhtar Shirani, Maulana Chiragh Hasan Hasrat, Maulana Salahuddin Ahmed and Dr Ashiq Husain Batalvi had departed from the Arab Hotel. Abdul Majeed Bhatti and columnist Abdullah Butt were permanent residents of the club.
Syed Shabbir Hussain Shah (Tahira Syed’s father) wrote an interesting article on the Arab Hotel, which was published by Akhtar Shirani in his magazine Rooman in January, 1936.
S. AFZAAL HUSAIN ZAIDI
Islamabad
A FEW days back, yet another accident took place near the Punjab University where a public van hit a female student who died after remaining in a coma for five days. There may be many more like her losing their lives on city roads.
Time and again, suggestions and recommendations have been put forward to the government to scrutinize properly the mental health of those seeking driving licences but to no avail.
In a report submitted to the Punjab governor by the provincial Ombudsman, it was recommended that only those should be given driving licences who are at least matriculates. This needs to be implemented in letter and spirit.
NADEEM HASSAN GOHAR
Lahore
I WOULD like to draw attention towards a problem we have been facing these days. Since the political activities have begun, songs are played by the workers of political parties at a high volume.
They start in the evening and continue till late night. It is so noisy and irritating that one cannot bear it, particularly if there is a person in the house who is ill.
The Election Commission has already said that they don’t want parties to create problems for the people. But I would strongly request that Election Commission should do something to stop this.
MOHSIN
Karachi
AFTER having seen the Pen-Pricks (Sept 15) highlighting the ‘seat adjustment’, I cannot help pen down a few lines about it. It was really so amusing and hilarious that started my day with a big laughter. The cartoonist deserves due appreciation for his novel and innovative ideas and presenting even an ordinary point in such a subtle way that one enjoys going through it.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
UNDOUBTEDLY, concentration of poverty is in the labour category of workers — agricultural, industrial and general — such as masons, electricians, plumbers and machine operators. They represent a very large number of the country’s population. Their way of living is far below the subsistence level in any country. The agricultural labour living in villages is no different from those working for industries and living in towns.
Mostly due to their large family size, the workers have no savings. They spend before they earn in repaying their short-term credit purchases from area shops. And in this condition of hardship if the worker, the bread-earner for the entire family, meets with any accident at work or on the road, he has no money to call at a trauma centre for his proper treatment which may cost him thousands of rupees.
Some good employers treat their workers with generosity in time of their sickness and accidental inability to resume work, but such generosity is limited in number and quantum.
So there is a dire need to take concrete measures for poverty alleviation.
M. M. KHAN
Karachi
SOME time back, it was reported that there are 69 unauthorized mosques in Islamabad. How could these get constructed without the knowledge or connivance of the authorities? Now there is a report about a dozen ‘illegal’ Madaris in Islamabad that also pose security risk.
An interesting aspect of such reports is that there has never been any news about the action taken or being taken against such establishments.
H. U. HASNAIN
Islamabad
THE Political Science Department of the Punjab University has been charging Rs17,500 as the fee for the MPhil programme against Rs13,420 prescribed by the university.
There are 17 students who were admitted to the M.Phil programme and made to pay the higher fee. The Chancellor is requested to look into the matter.
KASHIF JAVED VIRK
Lahore
THIS is with reference to Ali Nizamani’s letter, ‘PCB decisions’ (Sept 17). I would like to clarify that cricketers everywhere in the world are selected in the national team on merit and not on the basis of territorial quotas.
A case in point is the West Indies, an amalgam of a dozen or more independent political entities. And there is South Africa, too, where 10 years after the end of apartheid, there are still not many blacks in the Proteas team. Though ‘tokenism’ was lately encouraged as a South African government’s policy but had to be abandoned because of it being impractical.
So raising the question of no Sindhi player being in the Pakistan team is not only unfair but also divisive. In all fairness, what the PCB could have done was adequate opportunities to the teams from Sindh to feature in the first class cricket so as to enable the cricketers join the national team. This Board has the distinction to address this issue.
In addition to that, infrastructure projects in Sindh have been given a priority and as many as 17 new grounds are being developed in the previously much-neglected province. Quite a few of them are meant for the interior Sindh with the construction of two stadiums at Hyderabad (Niaz Stadium and Rani Bagh) and creation of grounds and stadiums at places like Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Shikarpur and Sukkur.
As for the question of Saeed Anwar being sidelined, the fact is that everybody is given a fair chance by the PCB selectors. Nobody can be allowed a slot in the team forever despite non-performance. Anwar has been given a decent run after his return from injury. Since his form and fitness are under a serious question, it is indeed fair to allow him rest. Form and fitness are the basic premise of every selection.
KHALID BUTT
Media Manager, PCB,
Lahore
NAWABZADA Nasrullah Khan is out of the election process as he is not a graduate. His son, Nawabzada Mansoor, is out because he submitted a fictitious B.A. degree. What does Nawabzada Sahib say about it?
It is also to be seen as to what punitive action is taken by the Pakistan Election Commission against junior Nawabzada for attempting to cheat it.
FAIZA BASHIR
Lahore
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