| September 30, 2002 | Monday | Rajab 22, 1423 |
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Income tax on expatriates
‘Be Pakistani, buy Pakistani’
President’s performance in US
Cemented roads
Communal harmony
‘An inane exercise’
Theft of land and electricity
Beauty of Karachi
Unjustified presumption
Indian visa
Learning from birds
Let us be fair to television
Jinnah’s viceregal role
HISTORY is strewn with examples of nations and communities embarked upon a ‘mission’ and accomplished it, no matter how hazardous the task.
Isn’t it true that the Egyptian pyramids are the product of collective responsibility? A multitude of slaves hewed huge boulders, to the bewilderment of modern day engineers, to build an edifice thousands of years before, which will last for all times to come.
Another classic example of collective responsibility in the more recent times is the long march across the length and breadth of China under the dynamic leadership of Mao Zedong who, in the end, attained the goal of replacing colonial imperialism with Communism.
Today, we as a nation are in a dire need to identifying our collective responsibility and the goals it can achieve for us.
Right from childhood, both consciously and unconsciously, emphasis is laid on ‘individual development’. Parents and most institutions rarely inculcate the spirit of collective responsibility in children.
More often than not, we encourage and profess individual and personnel progress, which in turn produces selfishness and greed. This is the precise reason for the unavailable position in which we have landed ourselves.
The net result is that each individual pulls the available resources in his/her direction. We do not believe in ‘sharing’, which is the raison d’etre of collective responsibility.
In our over five-decade-history, we have been unable to build any new institutions. In fact, at times there was the deliberate destruction of the existing ones.
Numerous problems have confronted us in the past, exacerbating rather than dissipating hunger, diseases and ignorance, which have become our hallmarks.
No leader has been able to provide a panacea for any of these ills. Rather, they have only compounded the problems. The golden words of the Father of the Nation ‘faith, unity & discipline’ seem to have lost all meaning.
We are neither united, nor do we have any faith nor do we adhere to any discipline. We are trying to steer the destiny of the nation on the basis of ad-hocism. To cut a long story short, unless we become aware of what our collective responsibility is, we are doomed for a certain failure.
GULZAR WAZIR
Janikhel Wazir
SAUDI Arabia has been planning for the last couple of months to impose income tax on expatriates. Under the scheme, all expatriates who are earning more than SR3000 will be liable to pay a 10 per cent tax, except for nationals of countries who have a double taxation agreement with the Saudi government.
A couple of weeks back, there was an article in your paper which stated that the ministry of finance was following up with the kingdom to sign an agreement on the subject. I would request the concerned ministry to let us know the developments on the subject, as the new law would not only affect the savings of the individuals but would also be a setback to the incoming remittances that has helped the country’s foreign exchange reserves to reach an all time high.
NADEEM KAZMI
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
THE slogan, ‘Be Pakistani, Buy Pakistani’ was raised many years ago and people had really started showing interest in Pakistani brands. This trend is changing for some time which is attributed to the massive advertising campaigns by the multinational companies promoting sales of their products. Pretty models, effective display tactics and lucrative offers are their tools to lure consumers.
It will be unfair to blame the multinationals for the change, obviously harmful to Pakistani merchandise. Pakistani products have, in fact, failed to compete in terms of standard against what the multinationals have been introducing.
It came as a surprise that our commerce minister has reportedly urged the people to get rid of ‘Made in Pakistan obsession’ arguing that everything cannot not be produced in Pakistan. While his argument is true, but it is not advisable to ask people to get rid of the ‘obsession’. The remedy lies in launching campaigns to improving quality of our products as acceptable nationally and internationally.
The minister also uttered: “Don’t be apologetic for offering TV sets of foreign made components.”
These remarks do not appear to reflect the policy of self-reliance being pursued by the government. The least that the minister could have urged was that the importers should try to produce the equipment within Pakistan.
His intention to provide “every household in Pakistan TV, washing machines and other essential necessities of life” and remarks that the government wants to improve quality of life and for the purpose extend banking finance facility are laudable.
But, it has to be borne in mind that electrical and electronic appliances require adequate electricity which is not available in the entire country. Moreover, frequent breakdowns and intermittent interruption, cause damage to the appliances.
It may be pointed out further that in a country where average per capita income is hardly Rs2,00O, about 40 per cent of people may not be able to benefit from the policy.
We have first to address the vital issues of poverty, population growth, closure of industrial units, law and order situation, illiteracy, etc.
It is hoped that the minister’s remarks would not send negative and wrong signals to the entrepreneurs.
MOHAMMAD ANWAR KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Mr S. Asif Alam’s letter, ‘President’s performance in US’ (Sept 23). He seems to be pretty impressed by President Musharraf’s speeches in New York and at Harvard University, Boston.
There is no doubt that President Musharaff is an eloquent speaker, but is it enough to merely deliver a good speech, to make us proud of him? In my opinion, a person’s action should speak for him, rather than his words.
It has been more than three years since Gen Musharraf has been ruling the country and I fail to see any improvement in the overall situation. There have been no judicial or land reforms. Neither there has been any significant effort to curb corruption nor to improve the economy.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Karachi
THE roads built in our country do not last long, perhaps because the material used is not strong enough to take the weight of the traffic passing over the roads.
Asphalt used in the carpeting of roads becomes soft when it comes into contact with water due to rains, sewer leakages or for any other reason. It is then easily displaced by the moving vehicles giving rise to holes and pits. Roads are also damaged as a result of frequent cutting for laying pipes and cables by the various utility services.
A solution to all these problems can be found if the roads are constructed using cement, concrete and steel. Such a road would be much more durable. Also, since special tools and equipment would be required for digging, it would be done only with proper planning and much less frequently.
The cost would be higher but since it would last longer and would not need much of repairs, it would still be economical in the long run. Moreover, it would give a boost to our cement and steel industries.
H. FEROZ SHAMSI
Karachi
SEVEN members of a Christian charity organization have been gunned down in Karachi. Such events take place periodically, especially in Karachi. The police chief has conveniently been describing every such attack as an ‘act of terrorism’.
The police never bother to conduct a thorough investigation so as to arrive at a realistic conclusion and satisfy the people by arresting the actual culprits.
The Christian community enforced a three-day closure of all the community institutions to mourn the killings and staged demonstrations to condemn the attack. However, it is disappointing to note that neither the president nor the Sindh governor took part in the Christians’ rallies to condemn the heinous act of brutality and share their grief.
All the religious parties of the country should have organized demonstrations, rallies and public meeting to express solidarity with the Christians and other minorities in Pakistan.
Ulema should make the followers of all the religions understand that Islam provides for equal rights to all the communities and this should be told publicly in the Friday sermons with an aim to isolate the criminals who have nothing to do with their religion or belief.
If the teachings of Islam are not made public properly and effectively, such incidents would continue to strengthen the false and malicious impressions that have been creating a hostile gulf between Muslims and the followers of other religions.
The government should act swiftly to expose and arrest the attackers and award them an exemplary punishment. Adequate measure must also be taken to protect all those associated with the humanitarian services like the Christian charity organization.
QAZI NAZIM NAEEM
Hyderabad
THIS is with reference to the editorial, ‘An inane exercise’ (Sept 21). You have correctly pointed out the magnitude of the problem of corruption. However, your trivialization of the effort by this foreign-based organization is totally unjustified, and may have uncovered one of the contributing cause of this scourge i.e. inability of the media to fully recognize its role and identify causes and solutions to corruption problem.
We need outside help in our healthcare sector, so we import medicines. We need foreign help in education, defence, etc. So what is wrong if a concerned organization is highlighting this problem and putting to debate this important issue so that we can start dealing a blow to corruption?
We need help on this matter and should seek it from all avenues. Please look out for all such endeavours and encourage them.
M. ALI KHAN
MD, USA
RECENTLY, there has been a mushroom growth of puncturewalas, mechanics, panwalas and many more on the left side of the road linking University Road with Jauhar Chowrangi. They all have electrical kundas through the connivance of the KESC staff and are very well illuminated after dark.
This road is constantly patrolled by all types of law enforcing agencies, and of course the KESC higher-ups must have also been passing through it quite often. But no one has taken notice of these unauthorized structures and theft of electricity.
What can one conclude from this except that they all are a party to these illegal activities.
O. MASOOD
Karachi
IT is indeed welcome news that the building control authority in Karachi is instituting a prize for beautiful buildings in the city. However, it should not be limited only to the Sharea Faisal or M. A. Jinnah Road, but should be for all parts of Karachi.
I would suggest that there should be a strict regulation regarding the appearance of the exteriors of the huge apartment complexes. These complexes are usually built with cheap finishing because of financial considerations. But, with the passage of time, their exteriors give an ugly weather-beaten appearance as the residents get repainted just the interiors only. We have countless such buildings standing all over Karachi.
There are certain cities in the world where it is compulsory under law to use permanent material like stones, tiles or bricks on the face of apartment complexes, as these do not erode like the distemper, with time and humidity. If used imaginatively, these do not necessarily cost more than the paints. On the contrary, they are more cost effective in the long run as they do not need to be repainted. When it rains, the dirt gets washed off and the city gets a clean and fresh look. More than anything, it makes the city look beautiful.
I can only wish that the concerned authorities also consider implementing this idea in our cities.
DR ILMANA FASIH
Saudi Arabia
THE present government has been tinkering with Constitution for curtailing powers of the future parliament and the prime minister. The formation of a National Security Council (NSC) and transfer of significant powers, including the power to dismiss the PM and dissolving the NA, to the president just aim at this objective.
The simple question is: who will check a president who will simultaneously be the head of the army and of the NSC?
The champions of ‘controlled democracy’ seem to have assumed that such a powerful president will be infallible and would always use his powers in the supreme national interest.
But even a cursory reading of our turbulent political history leaves little ground for such an assumption.
KHALID MAHMOOD
Islamabad
CAN someone please tell me if the Indian government has stopped issuing visitor’s visa to Pakistani nationals wishing to go to India to see their relatives there? I have been waiting for nearly three and half months for my visa, to visit my mother in India but there has been no intimation about it, either way.
Now that the Koreans in South and North Korea are meeting their relatives after a long period of 50 years, are we in India and Pakistan on the verge of a similar ordeal? The thought frightens me.
I hope and pray that peace prevails in this region for a long time.
MOHAMMAD SHARIF
Karachi
DURING a recent visit to Karachi, while staying on the 12th floor of a building near the beach, I witnessed an interesting phenomenon: wild pigeons were having a drink of sweet water from the drops flowing out of the ducts of the airconditioners installed there. It was amazing to observe that since the vast body of nearby water was salty, the pigeons had devised a plan to drink sweet water from condensed AC water.
It appears even birds have greater sense than us humans in Pakistan who cannot yet figure out how to store additional sweet water from the Indus which we desperately need both irrigation and drinking water for our growing population.
Pigeons do not dabble in politics and follow their natural instincts to find sweet drinking water. We could learn a lesson or two from these humble birds. Since sweet water on the globe is only 2.5 per cent of the total (the rest being saline), it behoves us to ensure every drop of it for human use. It is a shame that we do not have even a pigeon’s sense to find and exploit our sweet water resources in the face of our growing needs which, if not met, would lead to disaster in the shape of famines in the coming years.
DR M. YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
TELEVISION in Pakistan, like so many other things, has become a victim of our extremism and unfair reservations.
Why must we Pakistanis take everything in its most negative aspect? Everyday, we read or hear that TV is responsible for the waywardness of the younger generation, it is promoting western culture and has been destroying our religious values, etc. The government’s decision of banning the Indian channels was welcomed and people even suggested to the government to ban all other foreign channels too because they were allegedly very provocative.
Even our poor PTV, whenever it tries to bring a little change in its conventional and pathetic way of presentation, faces hell of a criticism from the public itself, leave alone the so-called religious scholars.
It is high time for us to change our conservative and narrow-minded outlook. We should welcome good changes brought about by the local TV and also open our doors to all foreign channels.
SAKINA QAMAR
Karachi
I HAVE keenly read Mr S. M. Zafar’s letter (Sept 12), especially the last three paragraphs, in which the learned jurist has a ‘cavil’ with the last paragraph of Brig Siddiqui’s letter (Aug 30) where he asserts that Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah chose to exercise his viceregal power vis-a-vis his prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan.
I am surprised at Mr Zafar’s cavil because he doesn’t seem to have read Rabbani’s book, I was the Quaid’s Aide-de-Camp (OUP 1996).
Here I quote from page 132 of that book:
“It was all quiet and everyone looked tense when Nawabzada Sahib broke the silence. He had hardly uttered, ‘Sir, I think’ when the Quaid-i-Azam snapped, ‘keep quiet Liaquat, you cannot think of anything’.”
No constitutional head of state, at that time a governor-general, can snub an elected prime minister like that, only a viceroy, i.e vice-king, could do it.
If this is not enough proof then I would request the learned jurist to read McGrath’s book, Decline of Democracy in Pakistan. According to this book, Jinnah clearly told Mountbatten that I as governor-general, not the prime minister, would wield power. In case that book is not available then Mr Zafar would read Aziz Siddiqui’s review of that book (Dawn Jan 14, 1997): “When Mountbatten reminded Jinnah that as governor-general he would only do what the prime minister told, he replied that in Pakistan it would be he who would tell the prime minister what to do.”
If this, too, is not a proof that Jinnah acted like a viceroy, Mr Zafar, a very senior constitutional lawyer, might kindly tell us under what democratic dispensation could a chief minister (in this case Dr Khan Sahib, the chief minister of the NWFP) and his cabinet, enjoying majority in the provincial assembly, be dismissed by the head of state? For that matter, Ayub Khoro, chief minister of Sindh, too?
While Jinnah was undoubtedly a very great man, he was not an angel. Let us not gloss over his shortcomings. I admire Brig Siddiqui’s courage for telling the truth.
GHULAM KIBRIA
Karachi
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