| October 31, 2002 | Thursday | Sha’aban 24,1423 |
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For better results in cricket
AKU’s rising fee: a rejoinder
Should we leave Pakistan?
Overbilling by KESC
PTV quiz programme
Deduction of Zakat
Killings in Moscow
America’s Iraq policy
PTCL’s apathy
Why should we oppose MMA?
CSS exams
Predicament of state-owned universities
ROLAND DE SOUZA
The promulgation and effective implementation of the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 will enable all of us to obtain information about the system that we own and pay for with our taxes. While some wrinkles in the ordinance need to be ironed out and some tears darned, at least Pakistan has made a start.
Many advocacy groups and citizens’ bodies have been campaigning over the years for a free access to information in the government. They maintain that the “owners” of this country, its citizens and taxpayers have the right to free access to information on the working of their “managers”, that is, the ministers, bureaucrats and other public servants. This is not a concession given by the “managers” to the “owners”, but an elementary prerogative.
The citizens of Karachi have some experience with ‘access to information’ inside one provincial government department, the KDA/Karachi Building Control Authority. The KBCA “Public Information Counter” at the Civic Centre Annexe has provided (at nominal cost) innumerable documents and plans to whoever applied for them. These public records have helped thousands of people to understand building laws and procedures, and have prevented them from being cheated by unscrupulous builders.
The KBCA has also been educating the general public about their duties and rights in matters of the built environment, and has been inviting citizens to visit the counter and obtain relevant information before purchasing flats, shops and offices.
With the coming of the FOI Ordinance 2000, we see great possibilities in the future for Pakistan. Citizens must actively pursue access to information in the government departments that affect their lives such as police, education, tax, city/district governments, public utilities, building control, land administration and health.
There will always be corrupt officials with vested interests who will try to block access and defeat the purpose of the ordinance because crooks do not benefit from openness and transparency. But we must continue to fight for our rights.
Karachi
THE recently-promulgated Freedom of Information Ordinance is being criticized on two counts: for containing certain flaws, including giving powers to the bureaucracy for hiding and denying access to information; and for having been implemented at a time when an elected government is about to be formed.
I think that we can start with an ordinance having some flaws, which could later be corrected to improve the law.
As far as its promulgation by an elected government is concerned, I am sure that it will never be able to take such a step.
M. ARSHAD SIDDIQUI
Karachi
LAST week, Pakistan’s cricket team was announced. Surprisingly, Saeed Anwar and Moin Khan have been excluded although they hold exceptionally good records in both one-day and Test matches.
With the World Cup just three-and-a-half months ahead, our selection committee is experimenting with new players. These two players have been out of form and this was the series which could have given them the opportunity to restore their confidence and form.
Senior players would, in any case, be included in the team for the World Cup. And, therefore, the selection committee should have given them a chance to brush up their performance prior to that important event.
OWAIS QUDDUSI
Karachi
I think that the PCB should, without any delay or hesitation, appoint Wasim Akram captain at least for the one-day side. Wasim Akram has an edge over Waqar in terms of the number of one-days played as well as in respect of having the capability to exercise an effective control over the team. Waqar may continue as the captain of our Test squad.
I think this is the best possible solution to the problems that our cricket team has been facing for quit some time now.
UMER RAZAQ
Karachi
Gen Tauqir Zia’s resignation in acceptance of his responsibility for the debacle in cricket was indeed a dignified step.
Perhaps now it is time to request Air Marshal (R) Noor Khan to take charge of the Pakistan Cricket Board. We have witnessed his unblemished and triumphant association with our cricket and hockey teams in the past and there is no reason why he cannot do the same now.
SYED AHSANULLAH
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter “AKU’s rising tuition fee” (Oct 26). The Aga Khan University would like to clarify its position in this regard.
A fundamental principle at the AKU is that entrance to its academic programmes is based solely on merit. The university also ensures that no meritorious student admitted to it is denied education purely due to lack of funds.
The tuition fee for the MBBS programme at the AKU covers on an average only 25 per cent of the cost of education. Of the balance, the bulk is met out of income from endowments and grants. Over and above our subsidized fee structure, through our financial assistance programme, over 33 per cent students at the medical college receive financial aid through scholarships and/or loans. In 2001, Rs46.5 million was given in financial assistance.
A comparative study of fees at other leading private-sector medical educational institutions shows that the fee charged by the AKU is equal and not the highest. Since its inception, the university’s programmes have continued to expand, often being the first of their kind to be offered in this country.
Furthermore, international and leading national faculties have been attracted to the AKU by its high academic standards and research environment. This has led our students to achieve distinctions in their respective disciplines with their counterparts both here and abroad.
With such highly-qualified faculty and modern facilities, the AKU imparts international standard education at a much lower cost than is possible for comparable programmes in other countries.
ASIF FANCY
Senior Director, RDPA, AKU
Karachi
I FAIL to understand why some of the contributors to these columns want to quit Pakistan in protest if Maulana Fazlur Rahman is appointed prime minister. Have people gone so apathetic to their homeland and towards their own kith and kin as to leave them all for ever if a person of their own choice is not elected as head of the government?
I am not an ardent supporter of the MMA but I do not see any cataclysm in the offing if that group is given a chance to prove its worth. At least, this makes more sense than giving another opportunity to rule to those who belonged to those regimes that had already availed of two chances in which they simply looted the tax payers’ money.
I humbly request these whimsical writers to keep their opinion to themselves instead of getting them published in the national press because their writings might mislead others to think in the same terms.
KHAWAR ISLAM
Islamabad
A brave person, when placed in a difficult situation, tries to face it. He does not run away from it. I would, therefore, advise Mr Ajmal and all others who feel like him to stay in Pakistan and to contribute towards its progress and development in their own way.
In a democratic setup, one has to develop the ability to tolerate the success of those who might not be holding the same views as one does. People like Mr Ajmal should remember that here they have the right to choose and criticize but when they go elsewhere they might not have any rights, not even the usual human rights.
MUSTANSAR KHURSHID THORI
Lahore
IN addition to energy charges, the KESC has been overbilling consumers under different charges, including fuel adjustment charge, surcharge, additional surcharge and general sales tax. While surcharge and other charges are relatively low, additional surcharge is very high, i.e. almost three times of the consumed energy charges.
I fail to understand what the surcharge and additional surcharge are and why any additional surcharge should be levied. Moreover, why the additional surcharge should be higher than the amount of consumed electricity charges and surcharge itself.
I request the KESC to let its customers know as to why it overbills them.
G. RAZA
Karachi
WATCHING the Oct 25 episode of “Jo Jaanay Woh Jeetay” on PTV was a horrifying experience. There was a bunch of ‘brilliant’ people selected from various parts of Pakistan who were to try their luck for a prize money of Rs5,000,000 by correctly answering 14 questions each. But no one could go beyond answering three questions and that too was achieved by utilizing all the three lifelines.
It was too disappointing to find that a guy from Lahore did not know where the grave of Asif Khan (Queen Noor Jehan’s brother) was located. Worse still, a final year student of Business Management did not have any clue about Kremlin and Red Square. A college principal from Quetta, a woman with a PhD, was asked five questions but could not answer any of them. Yet she was able to pocket Rs15,000 through the use of three lifelines.
We are told that the contestants qualify for this show after going through a written test. When and where does this test take place is in itself a million-dollar question.
One has the right to ask PTV as to who is providing the prize-money for this show. If that is coming from the public exchequer then, I am afraid, PTV has no right to squander it on these ‘brilliant’ brains. And the qualifying procedure for this type of shows should be crystal clear and open to all.
Under the existing circumstances, the name of the show should be changed to “Jo Producer Ko Jaanay Woh Jeetay”.
ADNAN HASAN SYED
Karachi
THIS refers to a letter regarding the deduction of Zakat by banks (Oct 27). I fully agree with the writer that such a deduction is unjustified.
In fact, I had lodged a complaint with the federal Ombudsman’s regional directorate at Multan in September last year against the deduction of Zakat by the national savings officer, Dehli Gate Branch, Multan. Although my complaint was received by the office and was also allotted No. M/572/200, no action has been taken yet even after the elapse of one year.
I request the concerned authorities to direct the office to take up my complaint for a decision at an early date because many people have such complaints and are suffering due to inaction by the relevant departments.
BILQUEES AKHTAR
Multan
RECENTLY, the Russian government acted ruthlessly to get freed hostages held in a Moscow theatre. They used a poisonous gas that killed 118 while 150 had to be hospitalized to help them recover from the aftereffects of the use of a toxic gas. This action has been highly commended by western leaders, including Tony Blair.
I wonder what their reaction would have been if an identical situation had been dealt with in a similar manner by one of the ‘axis-of-evil’ countries, say Iraq.
SOHAIL ANSARI
Westcliff on Sea, UK
I DO not agree with the viewpoint of Rehan Ahmed when he said in his letter, “Why US talks war” (Oct 22), that the US wanted to attack Iraq to control its oil.
This is a common misperception. In that case, US Vice-President Dick Cheney or Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld or any other senior US official could have made a call to Saddam Hussein and tell him that the US was lifting all sanctions against Iraq and, in return, it wanted his country to sell oil to America (even below the market prices). I have no doubt that Iraq would have accepted such US terms without a moment’s hesitation.
The reason why the United States is so keen to attack Iraq is that the latter is the only Middle Eastern country that still has a large army (almost 450,000 troops), with the capability to invade Israel. The other country which has such a military might is Egypt with whom Israel has signed a peace pact through US mediation.
Although Iraq has been considerably weakened by the Gulf War and the UN sanctions, Israel and its lobby in the US still consider Iraq to be a potential danger to its existence.
This fact can hardly be emphasized that with the exception of Russia, there is no country in the world with the military capability to attack the US. Iraq will not be able to attain that kind of superiority even in the next 30 years.
During the Gulf War, Iraq fired a few missiles at Israel without causing any significant loss. Israel and its supporters in the US, however, want to make sure that Iraq’s defence capabilities are reduced to such an extent that it could never dare attack Israel.
ZAKI MALIK
Texas, USA
MY telephone has become noisy because of rusty telephone wires and junction-box, making it difficult for me and my family to easily talk to callers. I am also unable to use the internet because calls to my internet service provider often get disconnected.
I have intimated the New Karachi Telephone Exchange (application No. 33 dated 18-10-02) and the STR-3 GM about my problem, but to no avail. It seems that the PTCL authorities do not consider noise in the line a fault. They do not replace old and rusty wires with new ones and choose not to rectify faults in the wires for months.
Moreover, the company fails to deliver my bill at my doorsteps well before the due date. That this happens in a modern and big city like Karachi is very deplorable. I regularly pay my bills and I expect quality service from the PTCL.
I request the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to look into the affairs of the phone utility and improve its performance. We can only hope that it will do so, for we have no alternative.
NAJEEB UL HAQ ANSARI
Karachi
THIS refers to Ayesha Tariq’s letter “MMA’s Taliban connection” (Oct 24). She has asked why people are opposing “a group of people who want to implement Islam” in Pakistan which was founded on that premise.
Well, the reason that we are opposed to “this group” is because it is the same group that opposed the creation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. They are also on record as having said that anyone who went to Pakistan would be a “kafir”. However, they themselves migrated to Pakistan. How ironic!
Most of the members of this group were a part of the anti-democratic government in the 70s and the 80s and have a bad record in enforcing their views through violence. These people are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Islam dislikes hypocrisy. So do we.
BABER KHAIRI
Karachi
THE Central Superior Services examinations 2001 were held in December 2001.
The CSS 2002 examinations and their schedule have not been announced yet by the Federal Public Service Commission. I request the FPSC to announce a complete schedule of the examinations for the convenience of the candidates without any further delay.
MOHAMMAD ALI SHAIKH
Karachi
THIS refers to the news item “Varsity law changed to suit teachers” (Oct 27).
The federal education minister has said that the basic aim of the University Model Ordinance is to grant autonomy to the universities and that there has been no change in it.
Since quite long, teachers of Pakistani universities have been agitating against the University Model Ordinance, terming it detrimental to the interests of the teaching community. However, one should contemplate the merit of the assurance given by the minister about providing autonomy to the state-owned universities. Is the government really serious about changing the fate of public universities or is it mere rhetoric?
One can see total apathy on part of the policy-makers concerning the predicament of the centres of higher learning. It is not only a question of shortage of funds, corruption, orthodox teaching methods, incompetent and dishonest elements in the university administrations and faculty, shameful requirement of No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for attending conferences, but a general tendency at the universities to resist qualitative change for improving academic standards.
If the minister is really serious about granting autonomy to the public universities and about improving their overall administrative and academic standards, he should make sure that teachers are liberated from the restrictions that the government has imposed on them for seeking an NOC even if they are not asking for any funding from the government. It is highly shameful for a teacher to wait for weeks for permission to attend a seminar or a conference abroad and then denied such an opportunity because of the red tape.
As it happens in the universities of other South Asian countries, an NOC should be granted by the head of the institution, vice-chancellor, and not by the provincial government or the agencies of the federal government.
The policy-makers should take a firm stand against patronizing mediocre or below-mediocre elements who, on account of their personal contacts and sycophancy, are able to get positions which they do not deserve.
One can publish several white papers on corruption going on in the public universities of Pakistan. If the disease of corruption is not cured, the day is not far when the so-called centres of higher learning will cease to exist.
Finally, at the lower level, it is the duty of the university authorities to discourage politicization, whether among students, faculty or other staff. How would a foreign visitor feel if he read political slogans written on the walls of the classrooms of a major public university of Pakistan?
DR MOONIS AHMAR
Karachi
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