| November 4, 2002 | Monday | Sha’aban 28,1423 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Are we a sovereign nation?
Will we ever get our NICs?
Taxes on savings’ schemes
KESC’s apathy
Induction of cadet pilots
Rice imports by Sri Lanka
Pathetic condition of hospital
Clarification
Taj Company scandal
Dictation from abroad
Who was Mohammad Ali Bogra?
‘The auditors would not bark’
Sweden
I REFER to a letter, “Should we leave Pakistan?” (Oct 31), and want to address all those young persons who constantly spend their energies on trying to leave the homeland on the slightest pretext.
This type of “patriotism” of earning “foreign exchange” was initiated by the PPP government in the 1970s when hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis went to work in the Middle East. They went there purely to earn money for their families. That was not migration.
However, the inflow of dollars and the overnight richness, which followed in the shape of transistors, stereos and expensive watches not only in the cities but also in the rural areas, had a tremendous impact on the psyche of the people.
During the military rule of Gen Zia, there was another category of people who left Pakistan. They were mostly workers of the PPP and leftist groups. They left Pakistan for political reasons.
During the 1980s, there was yet another group which left Pakistan for “religious” reasons. They were Ahmadis who got asylum in Europe and Canada.
It was during the 1980s and 1990s that leaving Pakistan and migrating to the USA and Europe “at any cost” became the dream of every youngster. “American lottery” was sold on the roadside to distract the youth of Pakistan from their studies and careers.
We all know what the conditions of workers have been in the Middle East, but very little is known what happens to those who left Pakistan because “MMA” or any other “military dictator” has taken over. Those who leave their “motherland” must be prepared for the worst. And what is “the worst”? That has been exposed after the 9/11 incidents.
In spite of all claims of democracy and human rights, Europe and the USA have different set of rules for immigrants from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa.
I was forcefully exiled from Pakistan in the 1980s. I have personally gone through the humiliations from moment to moment which an immigrant has to face in these “lands of opportunities”. As such my advice must carry some weight.
To all those who are dreaming of leaving Pakistan, I would say: you might be able to gain materially, which I doubt, but you will die spiritually many times every day. At least in our motherland, we all are spiritually alive. So, those who left Pakistan for whatever reasons, must pack up and get back to their motherland.
CDR (R) MUNIR
A. VARRAICH Pimpinellagatan 24,
I DO not agree with the views of Khawar Islam and Mustansar Khurshid Thori (Oct 31).
They should realize that the MMA wants to form a government in Pakistan resembling that of the Taliban. God help us if such a disaster strikes our country.
Afghanistan was completely devastated by the Taliban who made the lives of poor Afghans miserable by enforcing their strict version of Islam. They confined women into the four walls and deprived them of the opportunity to play an effective role in the development of their country.
If such a government is formed in Pakistan, I am afraid we will all have to leave our beloved homeland. If we want freedom, we should take a lesson from Afghanistan and must not repeat the mistake.
I am sure that not only I but also all the open-minded people do not want a Taliban-style government in the country. Let’s make efforts to keep Pakistan free from the clutches of the extremists elements.
ANWER BAIG
Karachi
ARE we a sovereign nation? I think otherwise because the “kidnapping” of Dr Amir Aziz by the FBI in Lahore is tantamount to infringing on our sovereignty. It further exposes the imperial mindset of President Bush and his hawkish administration, which has been thriving on its policy of jingoism.
In violation of all rules and laws, Dr Aziz was allegedly pushed out of the operation theatre and whisked away by FBI sleuths.
He is suspected of having links with the Taliban and the Al Qaeda network. Almost two weeks have passed, but the FBI has failed to produce any evidence against him. No one, not even his family, has been informed of his whereabouts.
Dr Aziz is known for his compassionate views and philanthropic activities. When the US attacked Afghanistan in October last year, he went there to treat the wounded and sick Afghans, putting his own life at risk.
How could a man on a humanitarian mission be accused of helping “terrorists”? If there was any proof against him, it should have been produced in a court of law. Instead, he is being detained in disregard to all norms of civility.
It’s time for us to think and act. We should not allow anyone to trample on our fundamental rights. We must, as one nation, raise our voice against such inhuman and uncivilized behaviour of a foreign agency against our respectable citizens, or else, we will be condemned to be free.
KHURRAM MUSTIKHAN
Karachi
THIS refers to a news item (Nov 1) that said the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal observed a day of protest on Friday against the arrest of Dr Amir Aziz and Dr Gharat Bashir by the FBI with the assistance of Pakistani intelligence agencies.
As a citizen of Pakistan, I am as concerned and shocked as all my country men are over the interference of foreign agencies in the internal
affairs of the country and the arrests of many Pakistanis in the so-called ongoing war on terror.
I wonder if our is a sovereign country or it has become a state of the USA.
Mohammad Rafi
Karachi
I submitted three applications to Nadra under serial No. 7128924 on June 18, 2001, for getting computerized national identity cards for myself and for my two sons, Raza Arif and Jawad Arif.
To my dismay, I came to know that all such applications were to be resubmitted as the old ones had been lost by the department.
It took me three hours in a long queue to submit fresh applications with new photographs on May 28, 2002. This exercise once again cost me some money.
After five months when I called the Nadra headquarters, an official asked me to call 9203981 on which another official asked me to wait further for the cards.
It seems I and my sons are being punished for applying for new NICs well in time. Can any responsible person at Nadra let us know as to how long we are supposed to wait for our cards?
MUHAMMAD ARIF CHUGHTAI
Islamabad
MY family applied to Nadra for seven new National Identity Cards in September last year. We were told that the cards would be delivered to us by March 2002, but we kept waiting till September when we received six cards. However, five of the cards contained significant errors: two cards bore wrong names; two had incomplete names and the fifth card contained wrong name of the father of the applicant.
This really left us agonized. Now once again, we shall have to go through the same ordeal to get these cards corrected. This is nothing but a sheer wastage of time and energy. Nadra should have handled the task with great care and attention.
I urge the concerned authorities to redress our grievance and relieve citizens of the unnecessary hassles which they have been facing just to get an NIC.
RAIHAN A. K. LODHI
Karachi
This refers to Ziaur Rahman Rizivi’s letter “Inefficiency of Nadra” (Oct 26).
My family applied to the National Database Registration Authority for computerized identity cards in June 2000. My wife and I received our NICs after one year.
However, my son, who applied to the Karachi office of Nadra for a new NIC in August, 2000, has not received his card yet. We have contacted the office several times, but in vain.
Will somebody in authority let us know the reason for this inordinate delay?
S. KHURSHID HUSSAIN
Karachi
AN economy is developed by savings and judicial investment. People save and deposit in banks which lend to businessmen and industrialists to promote production and trade. Now savings depend upon two factors — power to save and the will to save. The power to save is dwindling due to inflationary pressures and the cost of living is going sky-high. The number of the jobless is on the increase.
Commercial banks offer disappointing rates on both savings accounts and term deposits. In the past, the trend was to invest in savings schemes which offered up to 16 per cent profit payable half-yearly together with other channels. But its profit has now been reduced to 11 per cent. There was no withholding tax of 10 per cent on profits. But now if deposits exceed Rs300,000, this tax will be levied. In the banks, 10 per cent tax is levied on profits — God knows why it is termed a‘withholding’ tax.
An increase in profit rates would serve two ends. One, more money would find its way for utilization in development projects and, two, there would be less money in private pockets which would curtail spending and serve as a check on prices. We must attract more deposits for investment if we wish the economy to prosper.
SULTAN A. CHOWDHRY
Lahore
WE, the residents of DHA Phase VII, Khayaban-i-Bahria, have been living a miserable life because of the highhandedness of the KESC for over a month.
Not a single day passes without loadshedding. Hats off to the KESC for once again misleading its customers. In the Sunday issue of Dawn (Oct 18), the power utility published a shutdown notice, clearly mentioning date and time for each affected area.
According to the notice, we were to be without electricity on Tuesday from 10am to 6pm, but we were shocked when instead of Tuesday, the power supply was cut off to our locality on Monday, a day earlier, without any notice. Why does the KESC waste money on such false notices?
It is time the KESC learnt to organize itself, and stopped annoying its customers.
MOHAMMAD ENAMULLA
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the previous letters on this subject (Oct 11 and 21).
Almost 10 months have elapsed since the final interviews of the short-listed 32 candidates for cadet pilots were conducted, but the PIA management is still holding back the final results. This is in spite of the numerous appeals of the concerned pilots.
It is high time President Pervez Musharraf took notice of this unfortunate delay. Hopefully, a timely intervention on his part would save the careers of these talented young persons.
MAJID RASHEED
Karachi
THIS is with reference to a news item, “Sri Lanka lifts ban on import of rice” (Nov 1), saying that with effect from Oct 30, 2002, Sri Lanka has lifted the ban on the import of rice and that the import duty for rice has been reduced from seven rupees a kilogram to five rupees a kilogram.
Only the latter part of the above story is true. There was no ban in recent times on import of rice in Sri Lanka. Anyone can bring in rice but import duty is required to be paid. In fact, during the current year, Sri Lanka imported 74,594 metric tons of rice up to end of September.
BEDGAR PERERA Imbulgasdeniya,
Sri Lanka
I ADMITTED my mother to the cardio coronary unit (CCU) of Civil Hospital, Hyderabad, after she had suffered a heart attack last week.
As I entered the CCU, I found the department in a very unhygienic condition. Bathrooms were so dirty that I felt like nauseating.
The quality of treatment and service was another shock for me. I was advised to purchase medicines on my own and there was no staff to drop test samples at the official lab. A poor attendant was supposed to do all the jobs himself.
For all lab facilities, people are charged heavily as if one were being treated at some private hospital. At night, there was no doctor available to attend a patient in emergency. Even nurses were found absent and only a guard and a wardboy were representing the management of the CCU.
It seems that the doctors and other concerned staff of the unit prefer doing private practice, and put patients’ lives in danger. The medical superintendent of the hospital is always seen busy in welcoming VIPs, including the health secretary and the governor. I ask him and the doctors of the hospital if their personal interests are more important than the lives of innocent human beings?
TANWEER AHMED
Karachi
THIS refers to Najeeb ul Haq Ansari’s letter, “PTCL’s apathy” (Oct 31).
PTCL would like to clarify that telephone number 6983987 is working in the name of Najeeb-u-Haq Ansari at Flat No. 67, Anarkali Complex, Bab-i-Arif, Sector 15/B, New Karachi.
As per the CFMS report, the last fault was registered on Oct 15 and the complaint was attended on the same day. The drop wire was replaced on Oct 28 as per request of the customer received through e-mail to eliminate the noise on the customer’s line as presumed by him. Now the telephone is working satisfactorily as confirmed by Mr Ansari.
As far as the late delivery of telephone bills is concerned, the Director Revenue-II has said that the bill for the current month were delivered on Oct 20 against the due date of Oct 25 and the same has been confirmed by the valued customer.
ATHER JAVED SUFI Media Coordinator, PTCL
Karachi
THOUSANDS of people had invested their hard-earned money in Taj Company in the hope of earning handsome profits. They were mostly retired civilians, defence personnel and widows. It has been now more than 10 years since the government appointed a tribunal to look into the affairs of the company and arrange for the return of the invested amounts to the investors.
Perhaps an understanding was reached with the company management to the effect that the assets of the company would be sold out to return the money to the affected people. Though several letters have been published in Dawn in this connection and the chief executive was approached through the print media, nothing has happened yet and people are still waiting to get back their money.
In view of its excellent recovery drive, the National Accountability Bureau is urged to take appropriate action to recover the amount from the owners of the Taj Company. The governments of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto did not care to resolve this issue and all hopes are now pinned on the present government.
PROF DR AKHLAQ AHMED
London, UK
CHAUDHRY Shujaat Husain will not talk to the PPP and the PML-N because these parties take dictation from their exiled leaders.
In fact, the PPP and the PML-N should not talk to Shujaat and the PML-Q because they take dictation from the intelligence agencies.
A. KHALIL
Islamabad
I AM grateful to Mahmud Ali that he has found my article on the constitutional development in Pakistan (Aug 14) an elaboration which would not only add to the extent of awareness of our constitutional history amongst the new generation but would also serve as a reminder to those who have lived through it.
However, in his letter (Oct 23), he has corrected a few “inaccuracies” in the article, attributing them to “oversight”.
The first relates to my describing Mohammad Ali Bogra a civil servant when he was chosen prime minister. Mr Ali has given a brief bio-data of Mr Bogra to show how much a political being he was.
The theme of my article was that, due to the failure of the then parliamentarian-cum-politician, bureaucracy came into prominence and a cavalcade of civil servants moved into the corridors of power to hold political positions. In this respect I had cited the examples of Ghulam Mohammad, Iskandar Mirza, Chaudhry Mohammad Ali and others.
In the same strain, it was stated that Mr Bogra who had earlier opted out of politics to hold an ambassadorial assignment, was called in to become prime minister. Since he was then ambassador in the United States, I preferred to describe his status as the holder of a civil post.
Mr Ali, too, has stated the same thing, albeit, in his inimitable way. He has said that Mr Bogra “managed, at first, to secure an ambassadorial slot in Burma. Later, he was appointed ambassador of Pakistan to the United States of America”, and finally “succeeded in stealing the high office of the prime minister of Pakistan”.
Mr Ali has also pointed out an “omission”. He writes that I did not mention that in March 1969, Ayub Khan, instead of handing over power to the speaker of the National Assembly, asked the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to take over. Mr Ali is of the opinion that if Ayub Khan had honoured his own constitution, our political history might have been different.
Because of space constraint, I did not discuss all the details of our tumultuous constitutional history, but I did indicate that Ayub Khan, having agreed at the Round Table Conference in March 1969 to go back in history to the point from where he had chartered out a new course, had, in fact, abandoned his own constitutional dispensation. Thereafter, he did not think of complying with its requirements. I wrote in my article that “notwithstanding this reversal, the agitation did not abate — and an unnerved president wrote to his C-in-C to undertake his constitutional responsibility.....”. Thus, a seal was put on the possibility of any return to presidential form of government.
I may mention that I had already resigned from the cabinet on March 23, 1969, before President Ayub Khan wrote this letter to Gen Yahya.
As to whether or not the course of history would have been different, my view is that if all the political leaders had endorsed the decisions arrived at the Round Table Conference and controlled the movement, history would have certainly been different.
S. M. Zafar
Lahore
This refers to my article titled, “the auditors would not bark” published in the EBR, Dawn (October 21-28). My seniors and colleagues of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan have taken exception to this title.
I wish to tender my unconditional apologies to the members and my seniors for this unintentional offence.
Syed Aftab Haider,
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address:
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.