| September 25, 2002 | Wednesday | Rajab 17, 1423 |
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Petroleum prices and poverty
SPSC exams for Revenue Department
‘Policemen still at large’
Listen to bishops, Mr Bush
Tailoring democracy for us
Muslim identity
Growth through value addition
Internet telephony
Exchanging suspects with US
Unauthorized slaughtering
Security for President
Peasants: losing hope for justice
THIS refers to the editorial, ‘Red-eyed Washington’ (Sept 21). When an intercepted subversive message sent to its chancery in Washington by a foreign state was put up to the then Secretary of State (1929-1933), Henry L. Stimson, for instructions, he reportedly scribed on the message slip: ‘Gentlemen don’t read each other’s mail.
The world has travelled far since, but only adversely and indeed honed intelligence to a fine art. The two factors largely responsible for this were the justifiable compulsions of the World War-II and the totally unforgivable greed for political and economic ascendancy on the part of the ‘Big Five’ of the UN in flagrant disregard of the pledges they made at San Francisco in 1945 when signing the UN Charter.
But the tragedy is that the victors of the World War-II, instead of giving beneficent direction to the world towards peace and prosperity, promoted a culture which placed a premium on deception and selfishness when the horizon to move towards was being clearly marked by the beacon of inter-dependence and, to quote Kofi Arman, ‘multilateralism’.
And, on account of this unhappy approach, the international community today finds itself faced with the makings of a catastrophe in the US-Iraq ominous reality.
It does not require much imagination that had the ‘Big Five’ played their part as envisaged, mainly as guardians of peace and promotion to the lofty principles, and fair and equitable procedures of the Charter, the World would be far better and happier than we know it today.
It is still not too late; all that is required for the ‘founders’ to discipline themselves to hold world interest higher than self-interest dictated by avarice and hegemony and ensure that as envisioned by the Charter, they would get into a huddle on major world issues to reach consensus, in mode and effect like the ‘conclave of the cardinals’, and then proceed to impalement it in concerted fashion.
One can hardly be dubbed an alarmist if one said that failure to do so might sooner than later implode the civilization of science we are so proud of and set back humanity many centuries. Of course much before that the world will have to celebrate the requiem of the United Nations.
M. J. AS’AD
Karachi
THE Oil Companies Advisory Committee again increased the prices of petroleum products by 20 to 34 paisa per litre which in fact is the sixth increase in the petroleum products in a row.
So far the present government has already increased price of motor spirit (super) by 33 per cent from its price in Oct 1999. Similarly prices of high-octane blending component (HOBC) appreciated to 37.3 per cent, kerosene oil 77.2 per cent, high speed oil diesel (HSD) 79 per cent and light diesel oil (LDO) 99 per cent during the period.
The OCAC maintains that the petroleum prices are adjusted fortnightly in view of the fluctuation in prices of oil in international market but does not disclose the earnings from the heavy taxes on petroleum products.
When asked, the government reportedly told the Lahore High Court that the taxes constitute more than 50 per cent of the retail price of petrol and over 33 per cent of the retail price of HSD.
According to the formula submitted by the DG in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, taxes totalling Rs17.28 are levied on every litre of petrol sold by the refinery only for Rs13.01 per litre. The petroleum development tax, general sales tax, custom/excise duty, dealer commission and oil companies’ distribution margin appear to be the major taxes.
Why does not the government realize that the goal of economic prosperity cannot be achieved until and unless the arrest of accelerated prices of petroleum products. Merely accumulating a few billions rupees through levying taxes on petroleum products cannot serve the purpose of achieving economic growth for which the government has been striving hard.
It is an undeniable fact that a nominal increase in the prices of petroleum product results in an unjustifiable increase in the prices of consumer products and thus seriously affecting the common man’s budget.
If the government is really interested in providing relief to the common man, it must bring down the petroleum prices by reducing taxes on petroleum products.
MUHAMMAD ASLAM
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the clarification (Sept 21) by the controller of examinations, Sindh Public Service Commission, Hyderabad.
According to the controller, the written tests were conducted in three cities, Hyderabad being one of them. This may be mentioned here that Hyderabad is the head office of the SPSC. It was informed late, just imagine.
The reason for the delay mentioned by the controller is ‘logistical problems’. The examination centre is located at a distance of just two kilometres from the SPSC office. If the controller himself had tried to walk to the centre, it would have taken him a few minutes to come to the aid of the candidates in trouble. After all, it was the typing errors by the SPSC which had landed them in trouble.
Neither the controller nor anyone else from the SPSC reach the centre in time. One may rightly call it height of lethargy.
MOHINDIS KAHARBAI
Hyderabad
THIS refers to the news item, ‘Policemen wanted in rape cases still at large’ (Sept 20).
It is to clarify that the case took place in the jurisdiction of Gizri police station where acid was thrown at a woman’s face. In no way does it concern the police. The accused mentioned in the FIR were Pir Baba Yousuf, Aslam and Liaquat — none of them a police officer. Nevertheless efforts for the arrest of the accused are underway.
The second case referred to had taken place on Sept 9 in the jurisdiction of Mehmoodabad police station. The only accused nominated in the FIR was Jabbar. Fahim, a police constable, was included in the investigation but not proceeded against since he was not an accused and there was no evidence of his involvement.
The investigation is in progress and the police are looking for Jabbar.
As for the April 1 rape case, which took place in the jurisdiction of the Nabi Bux police station and in which two sisters were raped, all the policemen involved have been brought to the book. Malik Hasnat is the only suspect who is at large and declared a ‘proclaimed offender’. He is not a police official and has not been nominated in the FIR.
SHAHID HANIF, PSP, ADIGP (INV),
Capital City Police Officer,
Karachi
LEADERS of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops are questioning the moral legitimacy of a war with Iraq and have urged President Bush to ‘step back from the brink’.
In a letter to the White House made public on Sept 17, the 60-member Administrative Committee of the Roman Catholic bishops conference drew a sharp line between US military action over the last year in Afghanistan and a pre-emptive war with Iraq.
Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the conference, said Catholic bishops have “serious questions about the moral legitimacy of any pre-emptive, unilateral use of military force to overthrow the government of Iraq.”
“Given the precedents and risk involved, we find it difficult to justify extending the war on terrorism to Iraq in the absence of a clear and adequate evidence of Iraq’s involvement in the attacks of Sept 11 or of an imminent attack of a grave nature,” Gregory wrote in the letter.
He ended with a plea: “We respectfully urge you to step back from the brink of war.”
The letter was the latest warning by religious leaders over such a war. Last week, 48 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican clergy challenged a first strike against Iraq by the US, calling talk of a pre-emptive blow alarming. Their letter was sent through Churches for Middle East Peace, which in the past has raised objections to the US policy in the Middle East.
Among those signing that letter were the presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, leaders in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Methodist Church, the National Baptist Convention’s president, and the general secretary of the National Council of Churches.
The Catholic statement was approved before Bush’s speech at the United Nations in which he urged the world body to join the US in taking action against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
LARRY B. STAMMER
New York, USA
THIS refers to Nazim F. Haji’s letter, ‘Tailoring democracy for us’ (Sept 18). Having no experience of tailored democracy, I can say with confidence that the values enumerated from ‘a’ to ‘g’ in the letter, are a distant possibility in Pakistan, let alone any other Muslim country.
The tailoring experiments in the past have cut us by half and there is hardly any hope in future.
The author has a question: can Gen Musharraf tailor these values in the democratic set-up that he has in mind? The only thinking that the general has in mind is how to rule the country for seven years. Time alone will tell the outcome of his tailoring.
K. A. WAHID BUTT
Lahore
THIS refers to the letter, ‘Is Muslim identity embarrassing?’ (Sept 18). My father is a senior cabin crew in PIA and has a beard. On June 15 this year, he was removed from his flight to Birmingham and Toronto by the then General Manager. He still remains removed from all international flights.
It is a shame that in a country made for Muslims and proudly claimed as an Islamic republic, PIA is victimizing its staff for having a visible Muslim manifestation.
If only commercial interests are foremost, then there should be no Dua-i-Safar before departure, Tilawat channel and Janamaz on the plane.
SALIMA MUSHARRIF
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Yusuf H. Shirazi’s article, ‘Growth through value addition’ (Sept 9). He has come out with proposals of fresh initiatives in investment, production and export.
But, unless the Engineering Development Board and the Central Board of Revenue come out with positive step, there is no question of growth through value addition. Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association and Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers have jointly and severally represented to the government against the ‘brief case assemblers’ pointing out that it is the country’s vending industry, which is the loser.
With 800 units, employing 1.1 million people and with an investment of Rs22.6 billion, the vending industry has entered the export market.
All these efforts would be in vain unless the government promotes growth through value addition through manufacturing and not assembly and that, too, through these assemblers.
Luckily, while approving the ‘engineering vision’, President Pervez Musharraf has come out with a policy of growth not through traditional simple manufacture, including the ‘brief case assembly’, but through industry, particularly hi-tech value-added industry.
It is in this perspective that the ‘brief case assemblers’ must be discouraged. It is manufacturing that will add value and not packaging or assembly — much less, through the ‘brief case assemblers’.
ENGR. M. M. SIDDIQUI
Karachi
FURTHER to the letters on the above subject, I have a question for the PTCL to answer.
Is there any other country in the world that has taken steps to curb the use of the Internet for telephony? It seems like a step backwards in this age of great technological advancements.
Further, if the PTCL gets its profit up at the expense of depriving many Internet users of this technological advancement, then the postal department must also move to stop all e-mail traffic because the e-mail has caused a drop in the postal revenue.
The PTCL should not be just after millions in profit, it should also let the people of Pakistan enjoy the fruits of advances in technology.
AIR CDRE (R) MAHMOOD CHOONARA
Karachi
The government of Pakistan is continuously supporting the United States in the war against terrorism. The arrest of Ramzi and his group and their extradition to the US is fresh proof of this support. But what about the US cooperation with Pakistan?
What about ex-chief minister of Sindh, Abdullah Shah? When his extradition to Pakistan was requested, we were told that he was a political victim and has been given asylum in the US.
How long will this one-sided support continue? The government of Pakistan must demand the extradition of Abdullah Shah in exchange for Ramzi.
FAWAD SHAIKH
New York, US
WE, the residents of Mohalla Mehrpura, Baradari Road, Begumkot and Shahdra, Lahore, request the authorities concerned to take notice of unauthorized slaughter.
Initially, the butcher involved used to slaughter only a couple of animals but of late quite a good number of butchers from the surrounding areas have started bringing animals to his place for slaughter.
This unauthorized exercise starts early in the morning and continues till 8/9am, resulting in unhygienic condition in the whole vicinity.
G. H. KHAN
Lahore
ONE of your correspondents writing under the above caption has described the pain in the neck of the citizens of Karachi on the President’s visit to his city (Sept 22).
But may I bring it to his notice that most of the areas along The Mall, Lahore, have to face this ordeal even more frequently because the dutiful police of Lahore follow this exercise of closing the roads even on the passage of far less important persons.
So you can well imagine the constant pain in our necks. Is someone listening?
SEHAR HASAN
Lahore
IN his letter ‘Security for President’ (Sept 22), Mr Aslam Minhas has expressed his extremely biased and crude feelings about the President.
He has gone to the extent of saying that he would not pray for a long life and lengthy reign for the President.
He should not forget that in the past, too, such security measures used to be taken for the heads of the state, heads of governments, VVIPs, VIPs, etc. even during the so-called democratic regimes.
Mr Minhas should know that millions of people around the world pray for the safety and security of President Musharraf who has been doing an outstanding job for the country and we all are proud of him.
SAMI KHAN
Wilmington, USA
SAFEGUARDING human rights is the fundamental responsibility of the government which pays all the expenditures from the public funds to run the machinery made available by it. These expenditures include the perks of civil servants, who are supposed to discharge their duties honestly and efficiently.
Regretfully, most of the cases of human rights violation reported in the country are either committed by civil servants or patronized by them. Or, at least, they fail to discharge their duties to the satisfaction of the government and/or the public which really matters. There are two reasons for their failure — duress/intimidation and corruption — the second one being more appropriate in most of the cases.
Usually, only those human rights cases are tackled which get leaked out and draw attention of the press. It is pity that some of these ‘special cases’, too, are dumped in cold storage when the press pays less attention.
One such case is the action taken against peasants belonging to the rural agricultural cooperative societies throughout Pakistan. It was tackled by the Regional Directorate of Human Rights, Karachi. The directorate conducted a thorough investigation and examined the relevant laws besides going through the official instructions and press reports. It prepared a detailed report and submitted it to the relevant ministry with comments on May 19, 2001.
It observed that the case was of a sensitive nature involving human rights violations and requires attention and consideration at a higher level and further inquiry at the federal level.
The correspondence from the office of the Regional Director, HR Wing, Karachi, highlights the attitude of the Punjab government, which failed to provide security to the activists and organizers of Pakistan Down-Caste Front, a forum that pursued the case and succeeded in proving the injustice done to the peasants. Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool, the then Corps Commander, had sent this case, duly investigated by a deputy commissioner who held certain civil servants responsible for the injustice, to the director of the Anti-corruption Department for action in April 2000.
What happened next was a murderous attack on the director’s life. Later, the organizer of the Pakistan Kamzat Mahaz, also striving for the restoration of justice to the peasants, was forced to leave Lahore and seek refuge in Sindh. The case-file disappeared from the office of the Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights.
The aggrieved parties have now been told that the case has been referred to the same officers against whom the aggrieved had made complaints and the Punjab governor as well as the HR Wing had recommended legal action.
One can easily predict the fate of the case when justice is supposed to be restored to the aggrieved by their opponents.
MIAN AFTAB AHMAD
Karachi
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