Seafarers’ agony at foreign ports

I WOULD like to draw the attention of President Musharraf and the relevant ministry to a serious matter concerning Pakistani seafarers serving on foreign flagships.

Following the 9/11 event, certain countries have imposed severe restrictions on cargo ships and their crew landing at their ports, especially with Pakistani nationals onboard.

This is understandable but some of the countries seem to have over-reacted, particularly in the light of the role played by Pakistan in the ‘war on terrorism’.

One such example is Singapore. Any ship docking at its port with Pakistani seafarers is required to go to special anchorage on its arrival and departure where immigration authorities board the vessel in order to carry out immigration check.

The Pakistani seafarers at the special anchorage are detained onboard as long as the ship stays at Singapore. That is still acceptable as no one wants to go to the shore but what irritates is that this procedure causes unnecessary delay and upsets the ship’s schedule causing monetary loss to the ship-owner. As a direct result of this, shipping companies are becoming reluctant in employing Pakistani staff for their ships.

Then recently, the US authorities have introduced profiling and finger-printing of visiting Pakistani nationals. This will also surely cause delays to the ships with Pakistani staff and consequently undermine their job prospects.

Since bulk of the sea-trade involves ships calling the USA and Singapore, regulations of these two countries have been creating major problems. There are many other countries (even friendly Muslim ones) which have also imposed discriminatory regulations on Pakistani nationals.

As a matter of fact, Pakistani seafarers remit a significant amount of their wages (often in foreign currency) through banks only and thus contribute handsomely to the national exchequer.

Thus, the new regulations and discriminatory attitude will not only cause loss of job to the seafarers and loss of business to the ship-owners but also a heavy loss to the Pakistan exchequer.

I sincerely hope that the government would take up this matter with the governments of certain countries, particularly the US and Singapore. I further appeal to the government to work out a procedure as to protect the interests of all the parties involved.

NOOR-UL-QAMAR

Karachi

Defence spending & security

THIS refers to Dr Amjad Waheed’s article, ‘Defence spending and the national security’ (Sept 16), and the letter on the same subject by Mr Muhammad Faisal (Oct 1). They have stressed the need for allocating more funds for education and for a drastic cut in our defence expenditure. They have also advised us to forget about Kashmir and save Pakistan.

The writers have rendered their advice little realizing the intentions and concerted efforts of our arch enemy to wipe us out from the world map. It is India which has imposed on us the compulsions of excessive spending on defence, right from the inception of our country.

Separation of East Pakistan through naked aggression of India, actively supported by paid agents, remains a classic example of our enemy’s designs to destroy us. At present, Pakistan is facing an extremely dangerous situation wherein our external enemies in close collaboration with their agents, are at work to finish us once and for all, or make us a satellite state of India.

We should see the situation in its correct perspective and be resolute and determined to face the heavy odds created by our enemies and never let them succeed.

LT-COL (R) MUKHTAR AHMED

Karachi

What should US Muslims do?

THIS is with reference to Dr Khalid bin Sayeed’s article, ‘What should US Muslim do?’ (Sept 30), which was written with a great deal of sincerity and reflects his genuine concern about the condition of Muslims living in North America.

At the very outset, he rejected the suggestion that Islam cannot respond to the challenges of modern society, and proposed launching of a social movement based on Islamic principles.

Elaborating the reasons of the backwardness of Muslim society, he discussed the role of military dictators, including, amongst others, Kamal Atta Turk.

While examining his role, the author also referred to his secularism, implying that any policy based on this principle cannot be successful.

I agree with most of the points raised and remedies suggested for the uplift of the Muslim ummah. However, one question keeps agitating my mind. If any social movement, based on secular principles, cannot succeed, how come an overwhelming number of advanced countries could achieve outstanding success when their polity was based on secularism?

I request the learned author to enlighten me on this question.

SHAMIM AHMED

Islamabad

Politicians’ TV interviews

THE interviews of party leaders, being telecast by the PTV, are watched by a large number of people. Syed Talat Hussain, Mujahid Barelvi and Bibi Shaheen Salahuddin are doing their job — most of the time admirably well.

The politicians are the same old chips of the infested wood making tall promises as they did in the earlier election’s campaign and never fulfilled. They have not learnt any lessons. They have nevertheless adopted a new political strategy of entering into electoral alliances and are busy negotiating ‘adjustments of seats’. Old and deadly enemies of yesteryear have suddenly become friends and political allies.

Those political heavyweights who cannot participate in elections have sponsored their sons, brothers, in-laws, nephews, even daughters, wives and sisters. Such unscrupulous political experiences and manipulations will not serve the interests of democracy.

The politicians routinely complain that they were not ‘allowed’ to complete terms of office by the army. The army’s repeated intervention has been unfortunate, but is there any doubt that the politicians themselves literally asked for it? Who can, for instance, forget the culture of horse-trading, every time an unnecessary vote of no-confidence was about to be moved by the opposition? Members of central and provincial assemblies were, more than once, hijacked, bribed and kept hostage for weeks in five-star living accommodations at the taxpayers’ expense or the funds from Baitul Maal.

These are the points which needed to be hammered during the TV interviews. It is felt that the politicians have not been fully exposed as they deserved. The interviewers have been very soft. We would have liked to ask Maulana Noorani, Dr Tahirul Qadri, Qazi Hussain Ahmad and Professor Ghafoor Ahmed as to how they intend to deal with the un-Islamic, totally unforgivable practice of ‘honour killings’, where many girls are mercilessly killed every year in Pakistan by their own fathers, husbands and brothers.

M. H. JAFFERY

Karachi

Promotion of civil servants

THE federal cabinet has decided to change the promotion formula of civil servants working in grades 19 to 21.

In my opinion, the criterion for promotion to higher posts should be the latest ACRs of an officer regarding his capacity/intellectual level and output. ACRs beyond 10 to 15 years should not be considered because they will not present the correct picture.

At the time the officer is in grade 19, he has more experience and greater responsibilities. So the ACRs of the latest post in which he is officiating, should be taken into account while considering his fitness or otherwise for promotion to the higher post.

In Zia era, the quantification formula for the civil servants, as was practised in the armed forces, was introduced. The annual performance evaluation Report form was also altered, considering only four columns ‘practical’. These were:

(i) overall grading (ii) output and quality of work (iii) integrity moral (iv) integrity intellectual.

Other columns of the report were considered to be ‘theoretical’ in nature.

Many civil servants suffered due to this newly introduced formula as juniors were not supposed to differ with their (honest or otherwise) seniors’ opinion.

The present government has come out with a new formula but even more frustrating for the junior civil servants. It seems that the new formula would benefit the ‘blue-eyed’ only.

Some senior officers have recently been caught by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the charge of not having the moral courage to resist their seniors’ illegal orders.

How could someone, under the new criterion, feel encouraged to resist such an order while his senior sits on the Central Selection Board?

The established practice should not be changed at the personal whim of an individual. There may be some proposals, schemes, formula that may be suitable for one institution but harmful if applied to some other institutions.

It would be fair to consider the ACRs of the latest post, in which one is officiating, for promotion to the higher post.

ANEES AKHTAR RAJPUT

Mirpurkhas

Performance of SLIC

THIS is with reference to a recent report in Business pages on the improvement in private insurance companies’ performance.

It is the efforts of the sound field force and its potential that has made possible the significant improvement in the State Life Insurance Company’s performance.

However, the same field force has been left to join the private sector as the corporation has reduced the commission and thus made it very difficult for the senior workers, having long association with the SLIC, to continue their efforts with the same zeal.

The corporation has also shown around 40 per cent increase in business. No doubt an achievement of the gallant field force which never wanted the SLIC to collapse as, it seems, the management does.

The management again is forcing the field workers to enter into the new unfair contracts. The workers have been associated with the SLIC for the past many years, some of them for three decades.

OVAIS ALI SHAREEF

Karachi

Communal harmony

THIS refers to Mr Qazi Nazim Naeem’s letter ‘Communal harmony’ (Sept 30). I appreciate his views but unfortunately nothing has been done till date.

It is the moral duty of every citizen to protect the rights of minorities. This is really the sorry state of affairs that the government has failed to maintain law and order in the country.

The Father of the Nation had said that “the first duty of every government is to maintain law and order.” The government should take strict measures to counter terrorism effectively.

ZULFIQAR ALI DOMKI

Karachi

UNSC membership for Pakistan

CONGRATULATIONS to Pakistan for winning the vote of Asia to become the UN Security Council member for two years starting from January 1, 2003.

It is interesting to note that while Pakistan staged a comeback to the UNSC within eight years, its biggest eastern neighbour, who also proclaims to be the ‘largest democracy of the world’, failed to get elected even after persistent and vigorous attempts for over 12 years. This has bewildered not only the Indian foreign ministry officials but has also sent shock waves to the hundreds of ‘think-tanks’ and other similar forums in and out of India, who are desperately trying to know “why don’t they like us?”

The answer is simple. Asian countries, especially the neighbours of India, are scared of its hegemonic designs in the guise of peace, democracy and human rights. They know that India has problems and feuds with each and every country in its neighbourhood. Therefore, they have been using very quietly their ‘power of vote’ in the UN to keep India out of UNSC for over a decade now.

India may try to contest the election for UNSC seat on its own. But the records of the UN show that this unilateral policy of India might not succeed because in 1997, it suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Japan when it decided to go solo in the UNSC elections against the will and decision of the Asian countries.

ENGR. AAMIR A. SALARIA

Missouri, USA

Better water

FOR Dr M. Yaqoob Bhatti (‘Learning from birds’, Sept 30), my advice is that the airconditioning drip water should be collected and used to top up motor car batteries and be used in steam irons.

This water is of much better quality than the ‘distilled’ liquid purchased in bottles.

MASOOD HASAN

Lahore

Internet cafes

THIS is with reference to the news item, ‘Internet cafes being misused’ (Sept 29). This is happening not only in Karachi but also in smaller cities including Multan.

Unfortunately, this advancement in technology is being widely used for the wrong purposes. Almost every internet cafe offers Indian and Western movies, including the triple-x rated movies. Although a large number of these cafes are being run by educated persons, they do not care as to what sordid effects would their commercial venture produce on the young generation.

I would suggest that the government should have a strong check on all internet cafes and it should be made compulsory to obtain a licence for opening an internet cafe.

M. AAMIR ASLAM

Multan

Killer Malir Bridge

FOLLOWING my letter ‘Killer Malir bridge’ in Dawn (May 15), the authorities have strengthened and refurbished the bridge. I would like to offer a few more suggestions:

a) The road leading to the bridge is a double road on both sides of the bridge. But there is no partition on the bridge itself. This may be provided to prevent head-on collisions of vehicles.

b) The bridge should be illuminated by powerful sodium lights.

c) All the bridge walls have been littered with the slogans and election symbols of political parties. The local Nazim should take measures for preventing this.

PERWAIZ KIZILBASH

Karachi

Poor civic conditions

I DRAW the attention of relevant authorities to a large lake of stagnant sewerage water spread over an area of at least 500ft immediately adjoining the Jinnah Foundation building in Bhitai Colony, Korangi, Karachi.

On the other adjoining side of the building is a plot, also owned by the Foundation, where a secondary girls school is proposed to be constructed.

This plot also remains filled up with sewerage and drainage water with green grass growing freely and buffaloes enjoying bath all the day.

The Foundation runs a school which has a strength of 800 students and 28 teachers, which is located between these two sites, who are definitely prone to diseases. All the complaints made in this regard to the relevant authorities have so far gone unheeded.

The Foundation operates a medical and diagnostic centre, on the ground floor of the same building, which has been designated as the official vaccination centre for prevention of diseases.

There are encroachers everywhere around the site while law and order, policing and civic sense and duty are non-existent. I cannot complain too much because Bhitai Colony started as a Katchi Abadi and the Foundation went there to serve and we continue to do this but the area is now under the control of the KDA, Deputy Commissioner (East) and the Korangi Cantonment Board. Overlapping or division of functions is the cause of the lack of governance and carelessness.

I appeal to these institutions as well as higher authorities to look into this public health problem in the interest of thousands of people who visit or pass through the health hazard site every day.

LIAQUAT MERCHANT

Karachi

Pakistan products and export volume

WHERE do we stand in this era of 21st century with just US$9.5 billion exports annually? China has US$30 billion exports per month and Taiwan has US$26 billion per month. Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia are also not far behind in the race.

Anybody can imagine the condition of our industrial infrastructure, economic situation and policies. We see no new industry emerging as successful as yarn and textiles fabrics (what to talk about textile machinery and dyes) on which we have been relying over the half century. Have our policy makers thought of a great competition in the world markets in the next decade starting 2005?

I would like to point out the great potential in some value-added products like automobile, ship-building and steel, for which infrastructure is available. Why shouldn’t we consider manufacturing of electronic products and parts, chips, dyes and toys also?

Regretfully, we wait for and rely on foreign investment to see our ideas materialized. Instead, we should locate and exploit our own resources and mobilize local investment. The Steel Mills can be upgraded as export-oriented concern where products like light-gauge HRC, CRC, TMBP and tin-plate may be produced and foreign ship-building orders handled.

At least 25 per cent of our automobile, electrical and electronics industries’ produce can be exported at present while there is an ample room for increasing this percentage gradually.

The electrical and electronic products include refrigerator, TV, VCDs, computer monitors, power supply appliances, hard disk, floppy drive, printers, ribbons, cartridges and cellular phones. A nominal investment, coupled with modifications, is required to compete in the world market.

There are many other items we can export to other countries with a little effort to upgrade them as per the international standards. Office stationery is one such example.

In spite of our high-standard products, we still import foreign-made blankets, ceramics, automobiles and hundreds of other items of daily use.

It is time our embassies mobilized importers in their respective jurisdictions in exploring our market instead of merely looking for foreign investors and exporters that results only in boosting our imports and flooding our markets with foreign goods.

The relevant ministries, with the help of the Export Promotion Bureau, should design a fool-proof marketing strategy for our trade missions abroad to ensure a positive response that would ultimately benefit our industrial sector.

ABDUR REHMAN LILGAR

Karachi