| December 30, 2002 | Monday | Shawwal 25, 1423 |
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Railways’ poor performance
Are we a sovereign country?
Pakistan’s interests first
‘Silence of moderate Muslims’
Motorway police
Savings schemes for pensioners
INS issue: Musharraf must act
Traffic signal timing
Nadra’s poor performance
SBP’s instructions
Customer support centres
Development funds for lawmakers
MNA,
Noshahro Feroze
THE government must assess the situation in the country before it lists its priorities. A number of issues and problems related to education, economy, poverty alleviation and law and order await its urgent attention.
South Africa, after ridding itself of its white minority government in 1994, introduced a single syllabus in schools, but in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, two different systems exist; one for the ruling minority and the other for the poor majority.
There is nothing wrong in adopting either English or Urdu as the medium of instruction, but it should be one and the same for all. If a single syllabus is introduced in the country, a large number of talented youths in rural areas will be able to prove their abilities and become an asset for the country.
Under the present system of education, youths in rural areas hardly get a chance to achieve anything in their lives, whereas children in urban areas, specially from affluent families, have access to better educational institutions and facilities.
An appreciable part of the annual national budget must be spent on education, rather than on defence, so that educational facilities can be provided to students in rural areas as well.
Perks and privileges, granted to the MNAs and the MPAs, most of whom come from affluent feudal families, must be reduced and the amount thus saved should be used to improve the quality of education.
Another important issue is corruption, which has not only given birth to bad governance, but also weakened public confidence in civil institutions. It has also stopped the economic growth of the country and an equitable distribution of resources among the people.
As Pakistan continues to remain in the clutches of poverty, slum-dwellers are fighting for survival. They have no access to basic amenities like clean water and health care.
Deadly diseases have made slums their permanent abode. It has also been observed that slums become a heaven for criminals, drug-pushers and prostitutes. The lot of these slum areas has got to be changed.
The country’s law and order situation has deteriorated so much so that people feel unsafe in their own houses. Has the Jamali government prepared itself to face these challenges?
S. A. KHOKHAR
Lahore
ON Dec 21, my son-in-law and daughter with children were travelling from Rawalpindi to Karachi by the Khyber Mail. I was to meet them at Sadiqabad railway station.
I inquired from the railway information office about the exact time of the train’s arrival at Sadiqabad. I was told it would reach the station at its scheduled time (8:15pm).
When I reached the station, I was told the train would arrive at 9pm. On inquiry at 8:45pm, it was learnt that the train was arriving at 9:30pm. When I again came from my residence, I was told that the train would reach the station at 10pm. I went back home.
On inquiry at 9:50pm, I was told that the train would reach the station at 10:30pm positively, but as I reached the station at 10:20pm, I was surprised and shocked to learn that the train had departed at 10:10pm.
This is the state of affairs in the railways. The situation is going from bad to worse and there seems to be nobody to set things right. The authorities concerned must look into the matter and take necessary steps in this regard.
SAFIA BEGUM
Sadiqabad
I HAVE read with deep concern news reports about arrest of doctors and their family members in Pakistan by the FBI. Five of those detained are still in the custody of the FBI.
I thought we were citizens of a free and sovereign country. Who gave the FBI the right to arrest Pakistani citizens on Pakistani soil?
I would like to bring it to the knowledge of Dawn’s readers that Dr Shaukat was arrested in Quetta more than two months back. His family has not been informed about his whereabouts yet, nor has it been told as to why Dr Shaukat was arrested.
The practice of involving foreigners in the internal affairs of Pakistan is tantamount to wilfully undermining its sovereignty. Keeping people in custody without due process of law and not informing family members of the whereabouts of the persons arrested also amount to both denial and violation of human rights.
Doctors who serve people sincerely and without discrimination seem to be special targets of the FBI and the CIA. The civil society must take serious view of the situation. If this trend is not checked, foreign agencies will feel free to harass law-abiding citizens of Pakistan.
PROF (DR) TALAT A. WIZARAT
Karachi
THIS has reference to B. A. Malik’s letter, ‘Pakistan’s interests first’ (Dec 25), about a statement by a leader of a politico-religious party offering 4,000 volunteers to fight, should America attack Iraq. He is right in advising Pakistanis to keep their country’s interests first.
It has been rightly pointed out in the letter that Iraq has been neither a great defender of Islam nor a steadfast friend of Pakistan. Have we forgotten that arms and ammunition were recovered from Iraqi diplomatic baggage during Mr Bhutto’s tenure? That baggage was not brought to support the government of the day in Pakistan but to destabilize it.
During the occupation of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990, the Iraqi government singled out Pakistanis for maltreatment. While Iraqis allowed Iranians to cross into Iran, with all their baggage loaded on to trucks, Pakistanis were forced to cross the whole of Iraq into Turkey and then back to Iran. And quite frequently, Iraqis used to close a border checkpost at Zakhu for days and even for weeks. So, those Pakistanis who gathered there suffered great hardship. The three-day trip to Pakistan via Basra in normal days was thus transformed into a minimum of 10-day journey, which often got extended up to one month.
Indians, too, were allowed to board Dubai-bound ships at Basra for evacuation. They were also permitted to fly out of Baghdad to Jordan. Pakistanis could never even dream of doing so.
But I must say that my personal experience with common Iraqi people was very positive. I had quite a few Iraqi friends in Kuwait, prior to 1990. Even during my journey to Pakistan, people throughout Iraq treated us with respect and compassion. But this cannot be said about the Iraqi government.
The people of Iraq have my sympathies, but their troubles are mostly due to actions of the ruling junta that keeps its interests supreme over national interests.
So, for God’s sake, let us act in this extremely undesirable crisis, keeping our national interests supreme. Other governments should also realize that we are not pushovers. If they want our friendship, they should act as our friends.
K. ABDUSSALAM
Kuwait
THIS refers to the article, ‘Silence of moderate Muslims’ (Dec 2), by Bernard Haykel.
Muslims’ moderation during such a critical period is nothing but an act of timidity. Instead of asserting themselves with the strength of faith behind them, they have only managed to come up with some skin-deep intellectual examination of the whole situation.
I would put up a question to the writer: what would be your response if somebody tried to crush you under the wheels of his car? Obviously, you would retaliate and teach him a lesson for such a provocative behaviour. But, sadly, in our case we are quite contented to be on the receiving end.
There are situations when radical action becomes justifiable, specially if the aggrieved party is weaker and has been pushed to the wall. Aggression against innocence often meets with unpredictable responses which cannot be condemned for their overdose of violence.
After the 9/11 incidents the US failed to react responsibly. It must have made a serious attempt to discover the causes of the attacks but it could not figure out its dynamics due to its overdependence on materialism and underdependence on spiritual feed.
One other point which Mr Bernard has made needs to be corrected. Salafis or Wahabis cannot be brushed aside only on the basis of their strict approach.
If their sayings are based on truth and validated by the holy Quran, we cannot question their authenticity by virtue of the propaganda being made against them across the globe.
Islam is a religion of peace but it does not instruct us to turn the other cheek. It is a food for thought for the Muslims of today and the misguided people of the West.
SHAHZAD AHMAD
Lahore
DURING my recent visit Pakistan, I was pleasantly surprised to observe efficiency and behaviour of the motorway police.
On Dec 24, while going in my car from Rawalpindi to Lahore, I had a flat tyre about 80km from Lahore. The spare tyre, too, was flat (silly me!).
So, I called the motorway police for help and, to my surprise, a police car arrived within five minutes on the other side of the motorway. Two policeman came over, picked up my the tyre and gave me a lift to the Sukheki rest station, about 20km back.
After I had got both flat tyres repaired, the policemen brought me back to my car. I wanted to reward them for helping me, but despite my insistence, they refused to take anything from me and went away.
In a hurry I forgot even to ask their names. All I remember is that their call sign was ‘Tiger’ and they were on duty from 0600 to 1400. I would like to thanks these two gentlemen who were polite, kind and honest.
QASIM ALI KHAN
Bahrain
WHILE talking on a private TV channel recently, Dr Ishrat Hussain, governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, stated that a scheme was under consideration to allow separate profit rates on national savings schemes for pensioners, widows and small investors. This is exactly what millions of people are waiting for.
The government has taken some quick and appreciable steps like reducing electricity and fuel rates. It would be highly admired if separate rates of profit on national savings schemes are announced soon for widows and pensioners.
MIRZA RIAZ BAIG
Hyderabad
THE Pakistani community in the US would not have been facing arrests, deportations and the hassle of reporting to INS offices if the Musharraf government had interceded with US authorities on Pakistani immigrants behalf in the first place.
Mexican President Vicente Fox came to the US and informed President Bush that the Mexican economy would suffer if all illegal Mexicans were sent back home. He requested and made the Bush administration agree to wait until a proper solution could be worked out. The United States government now will not take any legal action against Mexicans who are living illegally in the US.
Gen Musharraf could and should make the same request. Pakistan is an important partner in the US-led war against terrorism. It has taken great risks by letting American forces and intelligence operate from Pakistani soil. The country’s economy, as well as goodwill towards the US, will suffer if any scheme to make Pakistani expatriates leave America succeeds.
Gen Musharraf must ask the US and Pakistan governments to work out a peaceful solution to the problem of illegal immigrants, and until such a solution is worked out, the Bush administration should not take any action against both Pakistani legal and illegal immigrants.
Pakistan has also failed to inform the US government that legal Pakistani immigrants have already submitted forms, photographs and fingerprints to the State Department. There is no need to make them waste time and energy by submitting the same information to INS offices again.
South Asian Muslims’ concerns relate to civil rights and economic opportunities in the US. While we should continue to cooperate with the FBI, we must not let Pakistani expatriates be arrested, harassed and abused for no fault of theirs.
(Mrs) SEEME HASAN
Colorado, US
I FAIL to understand why traffic signals in Lahore, particularly those at busy junctions like Kalma Chowk, allow only four or five cars to pass through before the light changes from green to red again.
It is very frustrating when this happens as soon as one’s car has managed to edge forward in a mile-long line. I do not understand why one side of the traffic cannot be allowed to go through for at least one minute instead of the standard 10 seconds at this chowk.
On average, it takes at least 20 minutes to cross this traffic signal. This is very irritating.
SOBIA ASLAM
Lahore
MANY letters have appeared in these columns in the last couple of months about Nadra’s poor performance in delivering computerized national identity cards to applicants.
I, with my family members, submitted NIC forms to a Nadra office in August, 2001. While other members of my family received their cards in April, 2002, I have not get my NIC yet.
On inquiry in the first week of September, Nadra officials told me that my application form had been lost. I applied again through a swift card centre but did not receive my card until the third week of October.
I applied to Nadra for the third time in the last days of October, but I am still waiting for my NIC. Will Nadra let me know as to when I shall receive my NIC?
NISHAT NAQVI
Karachi
DEC 26 was the last date for the payment of PTCL bills for November. To avoid late payment surcharge, I took a one-hour leave from my office at about 3pm and visited a number of branches of different banks for paying the bill, but all the branches refused to accept it, saying that the timing for the payment of utility bills was over at 1pm.
Outside all these branches, there was a notice which read, “Utility bills are accepted here from 9am to 5pm.” Obviously, the notice was there in accordance with the instructions of the State Bank of Pakistan, but unfortunately, these instructions were not being followed by the banks that I visited.
Will the SBP do something to get its directions implemented?
SYED IRFAN
Karachi
MANY American and British companies have set up customer support call centres in Bangalore and India is expected to earn $25 billion annually in the next five years — three times more than what the software industry in the country earns today.
Just two years ago, virtually no such call centres existed in India, but now multinational organizations like General Electric, British Airways and Dell Computers have set up shops in Bangalore. By doing so, these MNCs have cut down their customer support expenses by 40 per cent.
It does not take much in terms of technology or finances to establish a customer support call centre. The key components of a call centre are leased international telephone links, which are connected to toll-free telephone numbers of foreign MNCs, computer networks and local workers who are good at the English language.
In urban centres all over Pakistan, there is a large number of people who can communicate effectively in English. This segment of the country’s population, with better communication skills through training, can be transformed into an efficient workforce, each earning between $200 and $300 a month, thus making millions of dollars available at the national level.
The Pakistan government, too, should offer incentives to local and foreign companies to establish customer support call centres in the country.
T. N. KHAN
Lombard, USA
MANY letters have appeared in these columns, questioning an announcement by the government that parliamentarians would get a fixed amount for development schemes.
The letters which appeared on Dec 23 criticized the allocation of funds to legislators because, as a letter writer said, “only a few development projects were launched and completed. In most cases billions of rupees went into the pockets of members of the assemblies.”
This and such other views seem to have been projected without appreciating historical and political realities about the development of the parliamentary system in Pakistan.
We should not be oblivious to the fact that members of the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies have been put to severe screening tests. Through the 8th amendment and the LFO 2002, candidates faced a large number of qualifications and disqualifications that perhaps exist nowhere in the world.
Besides, unlike their peers in hallowed district governments or more appropriately unlike district Nazims, members of the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies are directly elected. Yet their ability to identify development schemes in their constituencies is questioned.
I am sure that there are a number of urgent needs that have not been either felt or fully fulfilled by successive governments in the provinces. The federal ADP is prepared mostly for big projects. It does not take into account small projects, nor does it take care of urgent needs in the provinces. Furthermore, under this plan, it is for the president or the PM to pick up any project or scheme in a locality.
If the problem is with the expenditure, the public sector expenditure is part of the development strategy and is to be approved by the houses concerned. Those ought to be and are normally examined by public accounts committees. It is another matter that assemblies are dissolved before the completion of their terms. That was why so many projects failed to materialize.
One should like to find out why, since the 1973 Constitution was passed, except the assembly elected in 1970, no other house could complete its stipulated term. This and other much-vaunted but really untenable steps against the federal and parliamentary system of government in the country have put into jeopardy the respect and reliability of parliament in Pakistan.
SYED ZAFAR ALI SHAH
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