| November 5, 2002 | Tuesday | Sha’aban 29,1423 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Unrealistic PIA timings
Improper shutdowns
Our ‘liberal’ TV
Bush’s policy: an Indian view
Hard pressed
Condition of Korangi industrial area
Of cleanliness
Cattle grazing
Identity of women MNAs
Breach of our sovereignty
Lessons of history
CHANGE towards better is always welcome, but it is a good idea to think before rushing into anything. The government has come up with the Model University Ordinance and the intentions are no doubt very good. After all we all want to be at par with the international universities.
However, to be able to do that, did we really need some Pakistanis living in Boston to instruct us? Their recommendations, which have caused a furore in the academic institutions throughout the country, are shortly to become law. Throughout this exercise, teachers have been agitating and protesting that they have not been consulted and their opinions have not been taken into consideration.
A false impression is also being created that the teaching community is not interested in working and that it is resisting the change because its members are all slackers.
The Model University Ordinance talks about performance-based evaluation of teachers and students, but does not indicate how this will be done.
How can we be sure that the bodies which are supposed to be doing this are free from prejudice? What is the guarantee that the various nominating/representation committees (an undemocratic idea to say the least) will not be influenced by other factors and considerations in awarding contract appointments?
Chances are that there would be a scramble for membership of nominating committees and then rampant pressurizing in admissions, appointments, etc. This will lead directly to favouritism and politicization (which the ordinance claims to remove).
Although, the new version of the ordinance (version 10!) has incorporated some of the demands of the teachers, it is also unacceptable. Among other things it states that the President of Pakistan will be the chancellor of the university and preside over the senate (meetings held twice a year!). Will he have nothing else to do? And what function will the deputy chairman of the senate have? His only job seems to be to preside over the senate in the absence of the chancellor.
These are only a few of the questions that come to mind. There are no clear answers. What is, however, very clear is that the ordinance has been rejected by the teachers and students throughout the country.
Despite the assertions made by the government, the teaching associations throughout the country have still not been consulted.
As a concerned teacher, I appeal to President Musharraf and Dr Ata-ur-Rehman to involve the teachers and university administrations in the process of revamping higher education. Change must be evolutionary.
SIMA ZAMAN JALIL
Karachi
DUE to some strange reasons, PIA non-shift office workers are these days required to follow 9am to 6pm office hours.
It has been established that human beings are more alert during early daytime hours because stimulating hormones are released with the day-break, our core body temperature goes up and brain activity gets to its peak.
After about six hours of peak activity, as afternoon hours approach, the core body temperature drops, a hormone (melatonin) is secreted into the blood stream, and brain activity slows down.
This process, medically known as circadian rhythm, is controlled by a tiny area of the brain that sends out signals to many control centres in the body.
This “biological clock’ manages such functions as core body temperature, release of hormones into blood, cognitive ability, as well as the alert and productive time of an individual on a daily basis. Workers’ productivity has been measured to be as much as 30 to 40 per cent lower than it is during the fore-noon hours.
All over the world this pragmatic rule of thumb to begin the day as early as possible is used in time management to maximize productivity when mental faculties of the workers are at their best.
With the 9 to 6 timings, a part of the most productive time is lost and employees are fatigued even before half of the duty-time passes. As the day progresses, reaction times are slowed significantly and productivity is impaired.
It has been experienced by the employees of PIA that, due to the current timings, they are experiencing more fatigue at and after work although the working hours remain the same.
The employees are facing additional problems in the evenings in obtaining public transport when they have to overstay or break their homeward journey due to prayer timings. Normally, they reach their homes so late that they have no time left for their domestic responsibilities.
I request the management to take notice of this loss of efficient productive hours and chalk out a strategy to check negative consequences (of duty-time schedule). Moreover, a reassessment of general duty timings should be carried out to obtain optimum productivity, and suitable changes should be made after Ramazan.
AN AFFECTED EMPLOYEE
Karachi
THE performance of our country is just like the operating system of a computer. No matter how many times we format the hard disk and install the software, the system will not run smoothly unless the basic hardware is replaced.
So many times, there have been improper shutdowns resulting into files’ deletion and we end up with corrupted windows. We are already running the beta version of the software. Gen Pervez Musharraf is making all his efforts to install the proper version of windows but we all know that the hardware is not good and, therefore, our system would keep on crashing.
We do not even have any reliable anti-virus to make our system safe. We always have to rely on live update (rescheduling) against the alien viruses.
The poor masses can just see the monitor and the attractive desktop. They do not have access to the setup files to make things better for themsevles.
NEHAL ALVI
Karachi
RECENTLY I watched a discussion on a private Pakistani TV channel. Five people belonging to different professions had been invited and one of them was Prof Ghafoor Ahmad. The others were a TV actress, a singer, a surgeon performing plastic surgery and a fashion designer.
The topic under discussion was the increasing liberalism on television. While Prof Ahmad explained what was allowed in Islam and what was not, the other four participants tried to justify their own professions.
Of course, the arguments put forward by the professionals did not hold much water, but what angered me the most was that after the fashion designer and Prof Ahmad had had a heated discussion, a model was brought in to display the designer’s revealing clothes. She not only walked in the usual provocative style but also pointed in the direction of the professor, who was visibly feeling uneasy.
Perhaps the censorship policies for these channels have been eased, but this show was quite indecent. The professor is a respectable person and to put him in such a situation and showing it on the television was certainly not good.
ALIYA MUSHTAQ
Karachi
AMERICA, a truly great country, is also an enigma. All its presidents since the second world war, (Jimmy Carter is the sole exception) committed troops outside America to fight senseless, counter-productive battles the world over, often in concert with Western allies.
“Bush represents a greater danger to the world’s economic policy,” warned Prof Joseph Stiglitz, the American Nobel Prize winning economist, recently. How true!
“Whenever Bush speaks out to boost investor confidence, stocks hit new lows,’ remarked an observer. The index of consumer confidence, the steam engine that drives the American economy, touched 79.4, the lowest in nine years.
Yet, Bush loses no sleep. In true Texan cowboy style, he threatened at Denver on mid-term election eve: “If the United Nations does not have the will or the courage to disarm Saddam Hussain...,” the US “...will lead a coalition and disarm Saddam Hussain” in concert with its allies. Why this campaign against that man? “He planned to kill my father” was his interesting primary schoolboyish answer.
Fifty years ago, the US warned the then Persia’s (now Iran) prime minister, Dr Mossadeq, against upsetting US-British interests controlling Persian oil.
In 1956, it went back on its promise to build the Aswan high dam in Egypt because Gamal Nasser would not succumb to its dictates.
In retaliation, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal Company, jointly owned by Britain and France, with Egypt getting only a pittance as its share. Nasser became a hero the world over and ruled for several years.
Saddam should be grateful to the Bush father and son duo. They made him an enduring hero. Even those opposed to Saddam in Iraq have to rally behind him! Thanks to Bush Jr., Saddam will survive him, since he may also fail (like his father) to win his second term.
N. NARASIMHAN
Bangalore, India
FINANCE Minister Shaukat Aziz has almost ruined the common man, particularly the retired people, by his atrocious policies.
In the civilized world, people get benefits after retirement, such as pension, social security, free medical care, etc., in return for the taxes paid by them during service. In our country, however, a retired person not only has to pay for everything, but also various taxes, such as withholding tax, on savings and retirement funds.
On the other hand, all our savings have been diverted to multinational and national commercial companies by bringing down the interest rates by four to seven per cent in the banking sector. Consequently, these companies and even public sector undertakings like PIA and the Pakistan Railways have earned profits in billions of rupees.
Despite this, these two organizations have been continuously increasing the cost of services provided by them. Thus, the government and the government organizations are pressing us hard from both sides: they have reduced interest rates on our savings and have increased the cost of services provided. Where can we go?
JAMALUDDIN PIRZADA
Karachi
IT IS very unfortunate that we, Pakistanis, have developed a habit of neglecting and, eventually, ruining everything, and even those things that matter in our national life. Among such important things is the Korangi industrial area that has been neglected by the civic bodies.
The industrial zone has been facing a host of problems, including power breakdowns, poor sanitation and battered roads.
For the last six months the main road of the industrial zone is in a dilapidated condition because of the countless potholes that cause damage to vehicles and great hardships to motorists and commuters.
To make things worse, sewage has been overflowing from a nullah and choked gutters for a couple of months, flooding a big portion of the road. Now labourers, who come from far-flung areas, have to wade through the dirty water to enter their factories facing the main road. This constant overflow of sewage also affects the flow of traffic, specially during the peak hours.
Although the Karachi City government has announced several “ideal city” programmes, it has not done anything to help achieve the task. The town Nazim and the councillor also do not take any action to solve the problems, citing lack of funds as a reason for inaction.
I request Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and the other concerned authorities to ensure that the problems of the Korangi industrial area are solved on priority so that it can help boost our economy.
NAZIM-UD-DIN
Karachi
IN the morning, before the opening of the shops, sweepers sweep the roads clean of all the garbage, mainly polythene bags. Then, as the day starts and till late in the evening, customers and shopkeepers keep on littering the roads so that sweepers have something to do the next day.
I was told that people do this because they do not find any dustbins around to through the garbage in. So, I would ask the concerned authorities why they cannot provide some dustbins and make a law penalizing those who throw the garbage on roads and pavements
We have not only adopted a bad habit ourselves but have taught the same to foreigners by setting an example. The other day, I saw a foreigner throw a plastic water bottle on the relatively clean road near the Schon Circle. I was quite saddened to see that even those who are very strict about cleanliness in their own country have begun to litter our roads. AYESHA MALIK
Karachi
WE have observed cattle freely grazing and roaming around in the city limits. The owners let them loose so that they eat whatever is lying around. These cattle often cross roads in flocks and cause great inconvenience to motorists. They also eat up plants alongside the roads, depriving the city whatever greenery it has.
I request the authorities concerned to take up this issue at the earliest. Laws must be framed to confine these animals to areas outside cities where their diet would be more natural and healthier.
QAZI NAZIM NAEEM
Hyderabad
THIS refers to a news item, “Women who made it to National Assembly” (Nov 1).
It was disconcerting to read “w/o” (wife of) and “d/o” (daughter of) in the list of women MNAs-elect.
These are accomplished women and need not be identified in term of their marital status.
ZIA AHMED
Burlington, USA
I HAD the privilege of working as a house officer in Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, when the renowned orthopaedic surgeon and philanthropist, Dr Amir Aziz, was appointed its chief executive. Upright and committed, he made his presence felt by introducing many revolutionary reforms in the hospital.
Although we felt a bit uneasy by the strict discipline introduced by him, there was no doubt in any one’s mind that all that was in the interest of the hospital, its staff and the patients.
One morning, we came to know that he had tendered his resignation in a protest against undue interference by the provincial government.
That gesture enhanced his prestige in our minds and we always remembered him as a person who valued principles.
The news of his arrest by the FBI was really shocking. The action was in flagrant violation of human rights and also against the sovereignty of our country.
His detention has alarmed all those professionals and intellectuals who have Islamic leanings. This act is also an indication that none of us Pakistanis is safe even in his own country.
It is a moment of extreme agony to see our senior teacher, who was a role model for us, being detained in that manner.
We appeal to our leaders not to go that far to please the US. There should be some difference between joining anti- terrorism efforts and a complete capitulation.
Our leadership must also remember that in the recent elections, three out of every four Pakistanis have voted against the pro-government parties, rejecting the policies of the regime.
This case should not be seen in the smaller context of Dr Amir Aziz alone. It is now the question of the restoration of the dignity and sovereignty of the nation.
HAMZA EHTASHAM
Islamabad
NOW that one of the members of that dubious club — “Axis of Evil” — has admitted, even bragged, that it has been developing nuclear weapons, the response of the superpowers is specially noteworthy, given the background of noises involving Iraqi’s alleged “weapons of mass destruction” and a threat of US-led invasion of that sovereign nation.
North Korea even claims to have “more powerful things” as well, presumably chemical and/or biological weapons — no less devastating than what Iraq is accused of possessing.
In 1968, North Korea attacked a US navy ship on high seas, killing one and taking 82 crew members hostages. Lyndon Johnson, the then US president, was furious but was mired in a messy war in Vietnam and could not divert resources towards a second front in South East Asia. So, this incident was reduced to a sideshow, finally resolved when the US meekly issued an apology to the North Koreans to secure the release of its servicemen. That could have been humiliating enough for the US, but it also lost a war in Vietnam along with 25,000 American soldiers.
But then again in 1969, a US navy reconnaissance plane was shot down by the North Koreans in international airspace. Thirty-one Americans died in the incident. Once again, the Americans, now led by Richard Nixon, did nothing, since it seemingly had few options as the war in Vietnam had intensified.
So, now this new revelation from the North Koreans. And what has been President Bush’s reaction to this latest outrage? Like Johnson, he seems to have little to say. This commander in chief, who otherwise prides himself on the “moral clarity” towards evil, and wants to lead another war against Iraq, ironically said earlier this week:
“I believe we can deal with this threat peacefully”. What could inspire such pitiful bleats from a man who himself had labelled North Korea as a threat and representing “Axis of Evil”?
Just as Johnson could not afford to be distracted from a war in Vietnam by an attack from North Korea, so Bush apparently will not let a threat from the same country, which shadows the 30,000 odd US military personnel stationed in South Korea, get in the way of the war he is threatening against Iraq.
Talk about confused policies. If Bush’s national security priorities seem odd, they should at least seem familiar. Four decades ago, a Texan gambled his presidency on one all-consuming war. Johnson lost along with the spirit of the nation. And now it’s George W. Bush’s turn to bet all his money on a single enemy, even as other great dangers proliferate.
As the old proverb goes, “Those who forget the lessons of history, are condemned to repeat it.”
M. IFTIKHAR MALIK
Via email
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.