| November 21, 2002 | Thursday | Ramazan 15, 1423 |
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Violence against women
Performing Umra under new rules
‘Married’ to holy Quran?
MMA and co-education
Stadium in residential area
Transportation of crude oil
NED’s merit list
NHA in a slumber
Appeal to philanthropists
Low literacy rate
Paying protector of immigrants tax
AS reported in Dawn on Nov 18, the government has amended an anti-terrorism law allowing the police to detain a suspect for up to a year without any charges. We frequently read about humiliations of Pakistani visitors which they experience at US airports but this amendment provides for a much more severe humiliation of Pakistani citizens in their own country.
If the suspect is detained for a year, who would look after his family, specially if he is the sole bread-winner? And who does not know that the Pakistani police are highly inefficient, non-professional in their working and, above all, highly corrupt? This amendment would only open another door for extortion by the police.
I strongly appeal to the government to withdraw this amendment.
NUSRAT ALI THAKUR
Frankfurt, Germany
THE government has amended an anti-terrorism law allowing the police to detain a suspect without any charges for up to a year, instead of the previously permitted one month. It appears that the government keeps on making laws without realizing its consequences.
Everyone in Pakistan is fully aware of the fact that our police are notorious for extortion of money. This amendment would only provide them with more opportunities for extortion. So, why make laws that would only be misused and would simply add to the miseries of the common man?
Amendments, such as this one, are just cosmetic changes that would not solve the problem of terrorism. We must address its root-cause. No person is born a terrorist, it is society which makes him/her one.
We must identify the factors that give birth to terrorism and then take appropriate steps to eliminate this menace.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Karachi
UNDER the amended Anti-Terrorist Act, 1997, the police can now detain suspects for a year without any charge, and can inquire into the assets and bank accounts of the entire family. The term of detention had previously been a month.
If the country is to be ruled by the police, why have a parliament?
It takes Rs700 to keep a patient in a general ward for a day. How much of my tax money is spent on keeping a suspect in jail for a day? How much will it cost to keep the suspect for a year? If he is found innocent after a year, who will pay for the misery, humiliation, families’ starvation and social stigma?
Will the police pay for the detention of the suspect and compensate for the loss of his earnings? Can the victim declared innocent sue police after one year? As for our police, the less said the better. They have become violators, instead of protectors, of the citizen’s rights.
DR ZARINA KHAN
Islamabad
IN his letter, “Violence against women” (Nov 19), Dr Abdul Wajid has attempted to prove that crisis centres are useless as they cannot check the growing violence against women in Pakistan. He has observed that the only true course that can check this menace is to understand the teachings of Islam.
This type of thinking is tiresome. It reveals the limits of our imagination and lack of appreciation of the severity of violence that women in Pakistan suffer.
There is no doubt that Islam preaches equality and respect for women. Unfortunately, our country abounds with countless misogynists who claim that they follow Islam strictly.
I believe that understanding and appreciation of the true message of Islam will go a long way in alleviating the plight of women in Pakistan. But why should we limit our attempts at helping the abused?
There are many who will always be abusive towards women, and those who will never respect the Islamic message of compassion because they lack basic humanity. It is to provide protection from them that these crisis centres are developed. These centres provide aid and counselling. They heal and grant strength. They boldly face frightening extremists while carrying out the true Islamic practices of humanitarian aid and social justice.
Rejecting them because they are an institution that may have originated in the West is ridiculous, to say the least.
The point that these crisis centres are a remedy with limited scope is logical and acceptable but, at least, they are an attempt to do well, to help those who need help. Such endeavours should always be applauded and encouraged. That is Islam.
SYED SAMI ULLAH SHAH
USA
I WAS astonished to see the naivety shown by Dr Abdul Wajid in analysing the role of crisis centres to check violence against women.
Having such centres for women or, for that matter, any disadvantaged groups with the intention of protecting them and alleviating their plight is totally Islamic.
What could be more in line with the teachings of Islam than removing inequity and institute a just society. The West or any other civilized society continuously addresses such issues and tries to find solutions instead of engaging in meaningless slogans.
I am saddened to see how Muslims invoke Islam without ever following Quranic teachings of social justice and introspection. I wonder why we are so hung up on women’s clothing and ‘freedom’ when there are so many other finer attributes which make a person a productive member of a society. Please let women breathe fresh air like other creatures of God!
SANOBER HAIDER
New Jersey, USA
IT was a horrible experience when I accompanied my mother to perform Umra recently. As per new rules, we went to Saudi Arabia through a travel agent and paid him Rs57,000 covering travelling charges, lodging in Makkah for seven days and transportation from Jeddah to Makkah.
We were told that the accommodation arranged for us was within 300 yards from the Khana Ka’aba. On arrival there, however, we were shocked to find that our place of accommodation was two kilometres from the Haram Sharif. As my old mother could not walk this long distance, I had no option but to book another hotel room near the Khana Ka’aba, incurring an extra expenditure of Rs5,000.
As for the role and performance of our Muallim, I endorse the views of Justice (R) Salahuddin Mirza as expressed in his letter (Nov 18). I only want to add that the Muallim had seized our passports and was refusing to return it. It was only through the intervention of a Jeddah airport officer, a friend of mine, that we got our passports back.
DR A. SHAHZAD MALIK
Karachi
ARDESHIR Cowasjee has written in his latest column (Nov 17), quoting an unnamed source, that four sisters of PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim are ‘married’ to the holy Quran. As far as Mr Cowasjee is concerned, he is a reliable person but I do not know how far his source can be trusted.
Anyhow, I found it difficult to digest that a liberal, educated and, above all, a poet, like Mr Fahim, could also follow this inhuman tradition.
I have anxiously been waiting for a denial from Mr Fahim, who has, unfortunately, not clarified his position even after several days of the publication of that column.
This tradition has been prevalent in Sindh’s feudal society since ages. But it is unbelievable that an enlightened family which has produced distinguished persons like Makhdoom Talibulmaula, could also be involved in such an unethical and un-Islamic practice.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim should clarify his position with regard to this allegation at the earliest because there are hundreds of people like me waiting for his denial.
DR G. M. AWAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter, “MMA and co-education” (Nov 8), by Dr Mahnaz Fatima.
I should like to emphasize the point that segregation of men and women has not been devised by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal but it is a principle of Islam.
It is indeed workable here on this very planet, earth. There is no need to send women to any other planet.
We must open our eyes to what is happening in the so-called developed and powerful countries where a “mixed society” is causing a steady downfall of these nations. It is time we accepted this fact with an open heart and stopped being emotional.
DR FARHANA MASOOD
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter, “abolition of co-education” (Nov 15) by Arsalaan Ahmed Siddiqi.
I think that the real issue is not co-education but the question whether adult Pakistani men and women are capable of studying and working together? I think the answer is yes.
Of course, secondary school education should be in an environment where girls and boys can go through their difficult years of puberty separately.
However, once they are adults and begin going to universities, there is no reason that they should be segregated. Consider a female medical student who is studying in a women’s only medical college. During her third year she is expected to see patients in the hospital. Would there be no male patients or male doctors in the hospital?
Mr Siddiqi writes that interaction with women comes very much lower in the list of priorities. There is much else to be done before we can think of leaping into the next millennium”. Is it not surprising that he thinks that more than half the population of Pakistan is irrelevant when it comes to leaping into the next millennium?
I believe it is the responsibility of parents, teachers and society to teach men to respect women rather than locking women up so that they are ‘safe’.
DR AZRA MAHMUD
Dublin, Ireland
I WANT to draw the attention of the relevant authorities to a blatant violation of neighbourhood peace by the management of Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, located in the residential area of North Nazimabad.
It is not uncommon for night matches to be organized in this stadium that start just before midnight and continue till the early hours. During these matches, floodlights invade our bedrooms and loud absurd commentaries over powerful sound systems reverberate throughout the night, making it impossible for anyone in the neighbourhood to sleep.
The management ignores the fact that the stadium is located in a residential area where children have to go to bed early for school, and people like me have to catch some sleep after a tiring day to wake up early for Sehri and office, while elders might be suffering from some illness and longing for peaceful moments of sleep.
I hope that the administration would show some consideration and put a stop to this violation of neighbourhood peace and tranquillity.
AN AFFECTED CITIZEN
Karachi
I ENDORSE the views of Saeed Javed on the issue of transportation of crude oil (Nov 16).
Such gross and naked corruption must not be allowed by a government committed to combat it. Imagine the misery of hapless consumers who are likely to be robbed of more than half a billion dollars over the next decade.
Strategic shipments cannot be entrusted to a highly corrupt, inefficient and rotten shipping company which has a track record of bleeding the nation white.
The ministry of petroleum owes an explanation to the nation about this horrendous blunder. I urge the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau to take notice of this serious situation.
SAEED AKHTAR
Lahore
THIS refers to the letter, “Discrepancy in merit list” (Nov 16). I would like to shed some light on the assertion made in the letter.
On Nov 6, 2002, the NED University published a notice that a list of students, with their percentages, would be displayed on its website. The percentage of my daughter, Sana Frahim, was recorded as 81.64 per cent, the same as two other students’ percentages (including Syed Muhammad Hasan, s/o Mr Muhammad Asghar) in the list.
With percentages being the same, the NED authorities must have considered other options to come up with the merit number.
Hence, my daughter secured the fifth place and Syed Muhammad Hasan secured the third position in the merit list.
Included in the list was a notice addressed to the students that if they find discrepancies in their percentage, they should inform the university by Nov 7.
Seeing that her percentage had been misreported, my daughter informed the university authorities, which took appropriate action and corrected her percentage to 81.67 (equivalence percentage issued by the registrar of NED before the submission of admission forms, as required by the university).
In the provisional merit list, she was offered a seat, based on the corrected percentage, in electrical engineering. Syed Muhammad Hasan, however, did not take action in the given timeframe and thus was offered civil engineering, being fourth in the list.
MUHAMMAD FRAHIM KHAN
Karachi
LAST week I went to Bahawalpur by road. I was stunned to see lots of death traps in the form of potholes on the edges and even in the middle of the National Highway.
This shabby condition of the National Highway, specially from Khanqa Sharif to Bahawalpur, is the main reason of frequent traffic jams. Besides, these potholes cause a great damage to vehicles.
I cannot believe my eyes to see this pitiable condition of the highway. One can well imagine what the condition of service roads would be in a country where highways stand neglected. It seems that only some serious accident will awake the NHA from its long deep slumber.
M. ALI USMANI
Daharki
I AM struggling for life in Cardiovascular Hospital, Karachi. The only hope for my survival is a heart pace-maker, but I do not possess the means to purchase a pace-maker which costs more than Rs100,000.
I, therefore, appeal to philanthropists and NGOs engaged in such noble causes to kindly help me.
BARKAT MASIH
Karachi
ACCORDING to a recent Unesco report, the learning gulf across the globe is deepening, with schooling systems in some countries actually regressing.
Eighty-three countries were on track to deliver by 2015 the “education for all” (EFA) target set by the World Education Forum in Dakar two-and-a-half years ago but, at the same time, 70 other countries would fail to meet the target and some were actually going backwards.
The report says that 28 countries, accounting for 26 per cent of the world’s population, might not meet any of the three measurable goals set at Dakar — universal primary education, gender equality and the halving of illiteracy rates. Most of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa, but the list also includes Pakistan and India.
Unless a much greater effort is made, a total of 78 countries, including Pakistan, will not be able to halve their rates of illiteracy by 2015.
The government says that it has education on top of its agenda and politicians do not get tired of promising to improve the standard of education in the country but no substantial achievements have been made yet in this regard.
Let us hope that the new government will tackle this issue with all sincerity before all is lost.
AFTAB MOHAMMAD KHAN
Karachi
I AM a Pakistani living in the US. I often hear and read stories about how visitors from Pakistan are detained at foreign airports, asked unnecessary questions and have to get themselves fingerprinted and photographed before being allowed to enter the country. Well, what can we expect from a foreign country when in our own country we have to face humiliating hurdles to get anything done?
Since I am working in a foreign country and as I am a law-abiding citizen, I wanted to pay the protector of immigrants tax during a visit to Pakistan. I was told by my travel agent that there was a branch of the National Bank near Nursery on Sharea Faisal, Karachi, where I could pay the tax, but at the bank I was told that I had to pay the tax at the office of the protector of immigration.
On reaching there, I was asked if I had a computerized identity card. I explained that I had been out of the country for the past four years and had the old identity card.
I was told to pay Rs1,500 at a Habib Bank branch for a computerized ID card if I wanted to pay the protector of immigration tax. When I came back with the receipt, I was asked to see an officer of the protector office.
The officer questioned me in detail about my employment abroad and asked me to produce a number of documents. The logic of these questions was beyond my comprehension. I wondered as to who in his right mind would want to pay a tax that is not applicable to him.
After the officer was satisfied, I was given three challan forms for three different banks, namely National Bank, Habib Bank and the State Bank of Pakistan. I was asked to deposit different amounts, totalling around Rs6,000 at these banks. I could deposit the amount after wasting hours in long queues at each of the branches. Then I submitted these challans with my passport at the protector office and was advised to pick up the passport in the afternoon.
So, if in my own country I am treated like a third-rate citizen, how can I expect any other country to pay me any respect? My advice to those complaining of rude behaviour at foreign airports is that, as long as they are letting you into their country, answer all their questions, fulfil all their requirements and bear it with a grin.
FAISAL GHAURI
Clarendon Hills, USA
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