| December 10, 2002 | Tuesday | Shawwal 5,1423 |
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‘Mischief in low turnouts’
Forex remittance card
Shortage of qualified teachers
Promoting higher education
Streetlights in Karachi
Sale of kidneys
Condition of Lyari hospital
Politicians and democracy
POL prices
‘Rocking the CPLC boat’
THERE is a hue and cry against the proposal that Friday be observed as weekly holiday. The arguments put forward are:
(i) This would result in loss of three working days as Saturday and Sunday are observed as weekly holidays in other countries.
(ii) The Quran does not bind the faithful to have a closed holiday on Friday.
(iii) If Friday is observed as weekly holiday, our exporters will be out of contact with the rest of the world for three complete days. This would be disastrous for the country’s external trade of $20 billion.
(iv) Businessmen, particularly exporters, in order to be competitive, have to conform to the international norms of trade and commerce, which require continuous and instantaneous communication between exporters, importers and middlemen.
(v) Friday as weekly holiday will be against the national interests of Pakistan.
Let us analyse these claims one by one:
First, The fear that there will be a loss of three working days is incorrect, because there will be loss of only one working day, as Saturday and Sunday are already holidays in Western countries.
Second, if we consider the timing differences, the loss of actual working hours is minimal. Further, this loss will be towards the countries in the West, but may be equalized by exports to the countries in the East.
Third, it is true that the Quran does not bind the faithful to have a closed holiday on Friday, but the Quran is also silent about the holiday on Sunday.
Fourth, we will have to do research on the apprehensive loss of $20 billion in the light of figures of trade during the period when Friday was a holiday.
Fifth, why only Pakistan businessmen have to conform to the international norms of trade and commerce? Businessmen in the Middle East are doing roaring business without conforming to the so-called international norms of trade and commerce. They are observing Friday as weekly holiday and in some offices Thursday also.
Moreover, owing to Internet, e-mail, mobile and fax, nobody is out of touch with any country on any day of the week.
EMAD-UL-HASAN
Karachi
THE only good legacy left behind by the Nawaz Sharif government was the closure of offices on Sundays, allowing the business community to work five days a week with the outside world and, from what the papers say now, one understands that we are going to revert to Friday as weekly holiday.
The Western world with which Pakistan has business relations closes on Saturdays and Sundays and if we add Friday to that we are left with four days in a week, out of which Monday is lost anyway because by the time we are ready to close on Monday the offices in the West are about to open.
If the government decides to revert to the erstwhile system of Friday as weekly holiday, it will be detrimental to our traders’ community because only Middle Eastern countries have holiday on Friday and there is no worthwhile business between Pakistan and the Middle East. One hopes that better sense will prevail, and Sunday will remain the weekly holiday.
When people are in offices on Friday, the gatherings in mosques for Friday prayers are much larger than otherwise. So, it really makes no big difference whether offices close on Friday or not.
S. M. JUNAID
Karachi
THIS refers to the article, ‘Mischief in low turnouts’ (Dec 3) by Shahid Javed Burki. The writer has suggested that in an election wherever the turnout is low, the religious groups are more likely to get elected.
However, the fact is that it is the Pakhtoons, wherever they live in Pakistan, who have voted largely for the maulvis. That is why the MMA has swept the polls in the NWFP. Four of the six seats not won by the MMA are in Hazara, a Hindko area. In Balochistan, the region’s returning MMA men are almost exactly those where Pakhtoons are in the majority. According to a report in Dawn, the Pakhtoons in Karachi voted for the JUI-F.
Even in Afghanistan, the Taliban held sway over its southern and eastern parts which were Pakhtoon-dominated. And when the Taliban ventured into Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara pockets, they faced resistance. Mr Burki could have easily arrived at the conclusion that the Pakhtoons voted for religious persons and parties, had he analysed facts correctly.
Mr Burki terms religion-based politics as rightist. Right was a term used to denote a pro-capitalistic and anti- proletariat attitude. But Islam is far from that. Even those hostile to Islam would bear out that it has an agenda which supports the depressed. The leaders in the religio-political groups also come mainly from the lower-middle income groups.
Finally, the contention that the recent changes in Pakistan and Turkey are not “affecting political development in the entire Islamic world” seems to be meant to put at peace those who may have been upset by this change in the political trend.
The truth is that Muslims all over the world predominantly aspire to live according to the principles of their faith and they are striving for it.
TARIQ MAHMOOD
Peshawar
I WOULD like to address the higher authorities in the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation about delays in the issuance of foreign exchange remittance card.
I applied for a forex remittance card through the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai, UAE, on June 15. The card has not been delivered to me yet even after the lapse of five months and 20 days.
I sent an e-mail to the OPF on Nov 19, about my case, but till the writing of this letter I have not received any reply from them nor has my card been delivered to me.
Now I have sent another e-mail to the forex remittance card department of the OPF and its managing-director. I hope that I will not be disappointed this time.
AYAZ BADER
Sharjah, UAE
THIS is with reference to the news item (Nov 26), saying that over 2,000 educational institutions in Sindh are short of staff. Similar reports appeared some time back about Punjab as well.
It appears that this shortage is partly due to financial constraints but mainly due to the non-availability of qualified teachers. It is unfortunate that education is suffering, particularly in rural areas and at the primary level.
At present, there are in the country hundreds of thousands of educated people who are living a retired life and are available for re-employment. These people should be asked to come forward and take up teaching assignments in their respective areas of residence in schools and colleges, according to their educational competency.
This would require flexibility in government’s employment rules as these people would be employed on a contract basis. Such a scheme would not only remove the shortage of teaching staff but also provide a source of income to the retired.
BRIG SALAHUDDIN
Karachi
THIS refers to Aftab Mohammad Khan’s letter (Nov 11) wherein he asked for comments on how to promote higher education in Pakistan.
What we see today is that commercialism has entered the field of education, specially the higher education. Quantity has guillotined quality. So I suggest the following steps for improving the quality of education:
(i) The government should take education as its own responsibility and give preference to this important sector in its priority list.
(ii) The government should regulate the working of all higher educational institutions by forming small regulatory committees at all levels. These committees will chalk out different plans in close collaboration with the management of such institutions to make them more workable.
(iii) It is said that too much government is bad government. So the authorities should try to give liberty to these institutions to take immediate steps on their own to deal with the problems of immediate nature.
(iv) PhDs in our higher educational institutions are in a small number as compared to our neighbouring countries. This affects our overall performance. Our students often fail to prove their worth in an open competition. People at the helm of affairs should try to cope with their situation. Scholarship should be advanced by both public and private sectors.
(v) Budget allocation for higher education should be increased considerably.
(vi) Without adequate input desired output is impossible. Teaching staff in these institutions should be handsomely paid. Their social status should be raised.
(vii) Universities should develop contacts with recognized foreign seats of learning. This will promote exchange of ideas.
(viii) Private sector should also contribute by financing foreign educational trips for Pakistani students and teachers.
(ix) Merit should be observed strictly and needy students should get financial support.
SYED ALI NASIR RIZVI
Lahore
I have recently noticed the efforts that the new town governments are putting in for the development of the city. In this regard, beautification and lighting of major roads and crossings seem to be one of the top priorities of the administration.
In the past, many such projects were executed but, unfortunately, in most cases the fixtures used were of inferior quality with substandard enclosures. So, a lot of these lights quickly went out of service and huge funds were wasted.
Now with the new administration in place, we are looking forward to a fresh and constructive approach in the development process through selection of quality products.
We also expect that the suppliers who provided the substandard fixtures will made accountable. They should not be allowed to market their cheap and inferior products again.
MUJEEB UR REHMAN
Karachi
THIS refers to the news item (Dec 1) regarding the sale of kidneys by farmers of some villages in the Sargodha district.
According to the news item, the farmers who work as bonded labour are paid by their landlords minimal remuneration in lieu of their 24-hour duty. This amount is not sufficient for these people and they have to take loans. The loan when not returned in time goes on multiplying due to interest and, in the due course becomes a huge liability for the poor farmers.
Taking advantage of the situation, a kidney centre, in the area, through its agents, persuades the poor farmers to sell their kidneys so that they could repay their loans.
This is the worst type of exploitation. The kidney centre is also guilty of violation of medical ethics by taking undue advantage of the people’s poverty.
In developed countries, people donate their organs like kidney and eye through a will made in the presence of their attorney/relatives. Their will is applicable immediately after their death or in the terminal stages of their illness. This is an honourable and dignified way of saving lives of other people, purely on a voluntary and philanthropic basis.
It is high time this trade of human organs stopped. The kidney centre should be taken to task for indulging in unethical practice, and the landlords compelled to pay adequate remuneration to the farmers for their services.
The government and NGOs should start a scheme for advancing small loans to these farmers to establish cottage industries for increasing their income.
DR ABDUL HALEEM QURESHI
Hyderabad
THIS refers to a news item (Dec 4) which said that Sindh Chief Secretary K. B. Rind had ordered an inquiry against former medical superintendents of Lyari General Hospital for non-utilization of eight dialysis machines.
Under-utilization or non-utilization of equipment on one pretext or the other is a normal practice in government hospitals. This practice must be checked as it is a crime against humanity. The chief secretary has, therefore, taken a right step by ordering an inquiry into the matter.
The argument that the hospital authorities did not use the dialysis machine owing to non-availability of water does not carry weight because the hospital has got special water storage facilities to meet any emergency.
I want to point out another problem being faced by ailing children of the areas surrounding the hospital. The hospital has a paediatrics ward which was functioning very well in the past as it was manned by dedicated doctors and professionals.
The doctors managed donations for costly medicines and equipment. Then a biased health secretary transferred those competent and devoted doctors and professional staff somewhere else. If they could be brought back to this hospital, it would be a great blessing for the poor residents of this area.
ARIF BALOCH
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter, “Let democracy take root” (Nov 23). Is it not unfortunate that after 55 years of independence, we are still worried for democracy to take root in our land?
The only reason for this sorry state of affairs is that we do not learn from history and repeat mistakes. Politicians are in the habit of accusing the military establishment of derailing democracy. Have they judged their performance when they are sent to assemblies?
In the October election, people have voted for the politicians to have their say in the affairs of the state. But what is going on nowadays?
A struggle for power is the prime objective of our leadership. Even the parties which have failed to achieve the maximum numbers in the provincial assemblies are reluctant to compromise with anybody.
Political parties are not serving the interests of the people. They are just serving their own interests.
They do not realize that it is a transitional phase and if they really want to serve the people, they must make compromises regarding some decisions of the military government. They cannot bring about a change in haste. It demands a continuous struggle.
If the politics of vested interest continues, the future of democracy in our land will be bleak. People want democracy to take root, but our politicians are least interested in it. Let them continue their struggle for democracy with compromises and understanding.
SOHAIL KHALID
Toba Tek Singh
IT was nice to see the new minister for petroleum, Chaudhry Nauroz Shakoor, declare on PTV that in future the prices of petroleum products would be regulated if and when international prices are decreased and increased. The latest reduction in the POL prices is a step in that direction.
I would request the minister to let us know the basis or method of calculating any reduction or increase in the POL prices in Pakistan in consonance with the international prices.
This step, if taken, would enable us to find out for ourselves whether a much-trumpeted reduction is commensurate with the reduction in international prices or just an eyewash to extract political mileage.
R. AFZAL
USA
THE CPLC has done a good job since its inception in 1989. Both the former and the incumbent chiefs have contributed to the success of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee.
However, its success should not mean giving a blank cheque to any person, whosoever he/she may be. Instead of playing up the matter, it would be wise if the focus remains solely on addressing the issue.
The governor of Sindh, the controlling authority of the CPLC, should appoint a new honorary chief for a fixed term of five years and the incumbent head of the committee must leave on completion of his tenure.
The chief or any of the CPLC members must not have any interest in the business of vehicles’ satellite tracking. It is pertinent that there should be no conflict of interests of any sort.
SALEEM A. HABIB
Karachi
I AGREE with the views of Javed Habib and Syed Qaiser Ali about the CPLC and its chief (Dec 4 and 5).
It seems that our national moral character is undergoing a transformation. We continue to tolerate corrupt bureaucrats and other high government officials even after their retirement.
We have now inducted into parliament as rulers a horde of corrupt politicians after protecting them through selective accountability.
We do not want honest, dedicated and committed citizens like Jameel Yusuf who is not only offering his unblemished voluntary and honorary services, but also risks his life in serving the people, bringing happiness to many families, which become victims of kidnapping, extortion, illegal detention, trespassing, rape, incest, illegal occupation of plots/houses/ apartments, torture, carjacking and theft, domestic violence, etc.
REHAN AHMED
Karachi
IT was shocking to learn from the editorial, ‘Rocking the CPLC boat’ (Nov 26), the indulgence of vested interests even in institutions like the CPLC which has been assisting Karachiites, the poor and the rich alike.
Our life was shattered on learning the kidnapping of all our five children together on Feb 18, 1991. Within hours Jameel Yusuf, the joint chief of the CPLC, was in our house, gave us hope and guided us to overcome that gruesome crisis.
He trained us to negotiate with such ruthless people who do not even spare innocent children. The ordeal lasted nine days and the area chosen for the payment of ransom was near the Sindh-Balochistan border.
So committed was Mr Yusuf that he insisted on accompanying me and indulging in covert photography of the kidnappers.
After the children had been recovered, he asked me to leave while he himself waited for the back-up scheduled to come later. However, the force did not unfortunately turn up in time and he alone engaged the kidnappers in an encounter, injuring one and apprehending the others.
His exemplary deeds continue justifying his presidential award of Sitara-i-Shujaat as most befitting.
MOHAMMAD SAEED
Karachi
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