| January 14, 2003 | Tuesday | Ziqa'ad 10, 1423 |
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Reformed university law
Civil societies on the defensive
NSS: cut in profit rates
Dr Hamidullah
US-Pakistan relations
Imported buses
Over-size cabinet
Sanctions on Iraq
Dr A. Q. Khan and IBS
THIS is to draw the attention of President Pervez Musharraf and the ambassadors of foreign countries in Pakistan to the attitude adopted by American and European embassies in respect of their visa-issuing policies for Pakistanis.
On the one hand, Pakistan is considered a friend of the West in the war against terrorism, on the other, Pakistani traders, students, businessmen and common visitors are being refused visas on illogical grounds. While talking of trade enhancement, doesn’t the West realize that the traders need to attend export festivals and approach the buyers to attract business?
In spite of being aware of the fact that the level of education here is not satisfactory, Pakistani students are not given visas to have better education abroad. Besides general education and training, there are many other professional qualifications which are either not available in Pakistan or are not of international repute.
How sad it is to note that an individual’s career/ profession depends on the mercy of a visa-issuing officer, who is generally guided by political considerations and can jeopardize an applicant’s career with a simple ‘No’.
If The Chartered Institute of Bankers was not in London but in Kenya and the British Mariner’s Exam passed candidates were not given priority over the other marine certificate holders, the bankers would prefer going to Kenya and mariners would love to go and sit their examinations elsewhere.
Another visa policy says that if you don’t have a history of travelling in the past three years, you are disqualified for the issuance of visa. Don’t they realize that an individual who just started his career/business did not need to visit the West earlier? But now since his profession requires it, he needs to travel.
If the West does not welcome Pakistanis as students in its countries, why doesn’t it establish modern universities and institutes in Pakistan? If such an attitude continues with the Pakistanis, the coming generation will not be able to cope with the demands of times.
At the time of the refusal of visas the following excuse is generally given by the visa officer: “Due to the current unstable economic situation in Pakistan we are of the opinion that you will recourse to employment and will not return to Pakistan, besides your sponsor would not be able to survive here after paying your fee and expenses.”
This excuse is found in almost all the cases regardless of the required balances shown in the bank statements. This is nothing but a biased approach to Pakistanis.
FAIZ-UL-RAHMAN
Karachi
AFTER facing continued resistance from all academic quarters against the promulgation of the Model University Ordinance, reformists are devising other strategies. They have come to the conclusion that it will be a real disaster to directly impose the reforms on the academic structures of public sector universities. Therefore, new designs appear to be in the making.
These reformists are trying to convince the people that the ordinance is not, after all, anti-student, anti-teacher, and anti-academic. The success in implementing the ordinance at the recently-formed Urdu University at Karachi and at other places is a step in the direction to get a foothold for its advancement in other areas.
However, the cautious ways in which the reformists are working involve their presumption that announcing scholarships for social sciences, nominating Dr Manzoor Ahmed for the promotion of social sciences, and bringing out the 16th version of the ordinance will pave the way for the implementation of the World Bank agenda. There are reasons to think that this strategy will not work.
If the reformists are really sincere in their zest for upgrading higher education, they should re-think their criterion to judge the productivity of public sector universities. The process of learning must be given precedence over the much noisy demand for productivity.
It is clear to all that productivity criteria are essentially oriented towards maximization of technology and information and minimization of theoretical pursuits of knowledge of basic natural sciences and social sciences. One must bear in mind that it was only after the formation of an information technology centre that the Urdu Science College at Karachi was given the status of a university. Simultaneously, the Model University Ordinance was implemented there.
This shows that the much-demanded Urdu University has been used as a smoke-screen for the advancement of the ordinance. The breeding grounds were created and the seed has been planted. And so it seems that the scholarships for social sciences will soon be made conditional on the possibilities of reforming the faculties on the model of the Model University Ordinance harbouring various de-constructive designs such as increased fee structures and contractual appointments of professors and researchers.
Z. H. BABER
Karachi
For various reasons, political trends in India and Pakistan following Election 2002 in Pakistan and BJP’s landslide victory in the Gujarat poll indicate the consolidation of religious forces as an important player in the emerging power equation. The success of the MMA in Pakistan is a departure from the previous pattern of politics.
On the one hand, this symbolizes the failure of our mainstream and supposedly liberal political parties in meeting the aspirations of the people, on the other, it heralds a new era in the political culture marked by radicalization.
Likewise, in India the forces of bigotry and intolerance epitomized by the Hindutva ideology are on the rise. The recent election in Gujarat after the Hindu-Muslim riots at a horrendous scale was a litmus test of this ideology.
Given these trends, it becomes certain that the vested interests and the forces representing conservativism and fundamentalist ideologies have hijacked the mainstream views of civil society. A small section of people have rendered the majority in both countries impotent by excluding them from the decision-making process.
For the South Asian region, which remains mired in poverty, unemployment and ignorance, these are certainly not encouraging developments.
Today civil societies in both countries are thoroughly outsmarted by certain vested interests. All means of communication have deliberately been discarded. The fact is that although the people in both countries do not want war with each other, there is a touch of antagonism that has come to characterize their relationship.
It is an open secret that only those societies which are vibrant and motivated by the will to better the condition of their people can make real progress.
We, the peoples of India and Pakistan, have many common goals to work for. Let us identify them and start our work to improve the conditions of millions of people who have been condemned to lead a miserable life.
AMANAT ALI CHAUDHRY
Lahore
IT was made public on Jan 1 that interest rates on the national savings schemes, reduced from 17 to seven per cent during the last three years, would not be increased, as the national exchequer cannot afford it for reasons of inflation.
Senior citizens and pensioners, adversely affected thereby, were consoled with the hope of a compensatory relief to be given to them soon. Two days later, it was announced that profit rates on these schemes had been slashed by one per cent.
The pension benefits of retiring employees were alarmingly curtailed, despite the ever-rising cost of living. One the one hand, salaries and allowances of all the federal/provincial rulers at the helm of chief executives and of superior judiciary were increased by 100 per cent, on the other, the pensioners have been let off with a charity relief of seven per cent and that, too, on their initial pensions.
Consequent upon the dawn of democracy with effect from 10/10, the honoraria of the federal/provincial legislators were increased by over Rs10,000 each. Besides, each of them is going to be given Rs10 million/five million in the name of development grants. Such funds were seldom utilized honestly in the past.
Similarly, microscopic relief of 12 paisa per unit was miserly extended to electricity consumers on the plea that the national treasury was much too impoverished, but all the rulers and politicians themselves enjoy royal living and paradisial facilities at expense thereof.
Unfortunately, the rulers and the politicians together caused the parting of ways between the eastern and western wings of the country. Some of them even smuggled the national wealth into foreign banks and buried the nation under foreign loans.
Instead of bearing the burnt of their own lapses, the rulers and the politicians always target their countrymen to suffer like sacrificial goats for them.
MIRZA GHULAM HAIDER
Multan
THIS refers to your reporter’s brief write-up (Dawn, Jan 2) on the life and scholarly works of Dr M. Hamidullah, an eminent scholar of Islam, who died abroad recently at the age of 94.
The news report has given concise information but missed to mention Khutbat-i-Bahawalpur, which were delivered by the scholar at the Islamia University, Bahawalpur, in 1980 when the university revived the tradition of Madras lectures delivered in the first quarter of the 20th century by such luminaries as Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Syed Suleman Nadvi.
The Bahawalpur lectures, which were delivered and published in Urdu, have since been translated into English by the Islamic Research Institute, Islamabad, under the title Emergence of Islam. The institute has also brought out a revised edition of Khutbat-i-Bahawalpur in Urdu.
Dr Hamidullah spent the greater part of his creative life in Europe, propagating Islam, lecturing in universities and doing research in hitherto unexplored fields. He spent 20 years at the National Centre of Scientific Research, Paris.
The sweep of his scholarly activities was as extensive as the range of his linguistic ability in seven languages — Eastern as well as Western. The number of his papers and monograms, apart from regular volumes, runs into thousands, but the only university in Pakistan where he gave a series of lectures is the Islamia University, Bahawalpur. I had the honour, as the then vice-chancellor, to host the great scholar in Bahawalpur.
ABDUL QAYYUM QURESHI
Lahore
THIS refers to a letter by George Singleton published in your daily on Jan 4.
In 1960, when I was 10 years’ old, I was playing on the Sandspit beach with my family when an American lady approached us with greetings (she was in her 70s at the time). We invited her over to our Quraishi Manzil House in the heart of the city.
My mother dressed her up as a Pakistani bride. At her request we proceeded to the then US embassy in Karachi. She handed me a box of toys from the children of the American Junior Red Cross. We reciprocated by sending Pakistani toys to the American children. I still retain photographs of the event which I could send to Mr Singleton if he so desires.
I vividly recall her son, who was an officer at the embassy, being pulled up by a superior officer on our visit. It was quite embarrassing for him.
I still remember the visit of President Eisenhower in an open horse-drawn carriage and also that of the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, in an open limousine. On both occasions I stood with my mother waving to them in the streets of Karachi. Mrs Kennedy waved back to my mother as she was the only lady in the crowd.
I am sure Mr Singleton, as do I, must be reflecting on this vast change that has occurred in the cordial and friendly relationship that once existed between American and Pakistani citizens.
ABDUL NAEEM QURAISHI
Karachi
I am reading with interest reports and letters in your newspapers about the introduction of new imported buses on Karachi roads.
May I ask whether it is graft or plain stupidity as, in spite of having local assemblers of buses, we are importing duty-free buses, thereby generating employment in Sweden? If we had opted for local buses, it would have created job opportunities for our own people.
In the case of the NLC, too, we have created employment in Germany, Sweden, Italy and Japan while our local bus manufacturers were winding up their business because of lack of work. Why cannot we standardize a make for the NLC and produce it in Pakistan?
AMJAD MEHMUD
Karachi
THE locality of Defence desperately needs Metro buses, which have been running in other parts of the city for about two years.
If introduced on DHA roads, these buses will benefit both transporters and commuters. First of all, they will help reduce traffic congestion on busy arteries. Secondly, they will rid commuters of the other public buses and minibuses, which are often driven recklessly. At present, most DHA residents prefer to go to work or bazaars by their own vehicles mainly owing to rash driving by the drivers of public transport.
Thirdly, metro buses will help reduce noise and air pollution.
TAHA ALAVI
Karachi
I AGREE with every word of your editorial, ‘Over-size cabinet’ (Jan 5), and would like to add a few words to it.
During the last three years, the National Reconstruction Bureau, after engaging hundreds of experts and spending millions of rupees, came to the conclusion that the provinces should have only 12-13 departments. The question arises: could 13 departments be headed by 33 ministers? This is like three husbands keeping one wife.
One should not be surprised to learn that six members and a chairman of a board of governors run an autonomous hospital over the shoulders of a principal executive officer. This is a good way of employing retired civil and military officers.
Recently, I happened to come across a book, Twenty Years of Pakistan — 1947-67. I was surprised to know that the combined Pakistan of 1967 had a cabinet of 10 ministers under a president while West Pakistan was run by 12 ministers under the direct control of a governor.
Maybe, this was one of the main reasons of the dismemberment of Pakistan. One must look into this aspect of the creation of Bangladesh so as to avoid similar tragic happenings in future.
The irony is that the present cabinet is still to be expanded in two phases, as stated by the chief minister of Punjab. If things continue like this, one may suggest that education ministry be split into ministries for primary schools, secondary schools, higher secondary schools, engineering universities, other universities, private education, etc.
An exercise like this can be made with other departments to accommodate more elected/non-elected representatives.
HAFEEZ AKHTAR
Lahore
WHILE the UN team is still inspecting suspected sites in Iraq, the United Nations Security Council has adopted another resolution enlarging the list of a number of goods which Iraq cannot import without seeking prior approval of the UN. And it all seems to be part of a plan to bring Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to his knees.
Iraq, which has refused to sell its oil, is now being compelled to withdraw its decision by halting the flow of food and other humanitarian supplies to it. The sanctions are part of a move to force Iraq to sell its oil.
Some people are of the opinion that the threat to wage war against Iraq is meant to satisfy the lust of the United States for oil. The US wants to rob Iraq of its oil resources by imposing sanctions and hurling threats of war.
Moreover, the attitude of the UN inspectors is most disgusting. They behaved like gangsters during one of their inspections some days back.
MOHAMMAD SALEEM SAHIKH
Larkana
IN his letter, ‘Dr A. Q. Khan and IBS’ (Jan 6), S. H. A. Naqvi has completely missed the point in repudiating the “allegations” made by Irfan Hussein in his article. No one is contesting Dr Khan’s “priceless contribution towards the safety of our motherland”. The point is: does it behove such a great personality to lead a party to raid a place? Does his greatness lie in building his controversial “palatial house at Islamabad”? There are well-known attributes and conduct of eminent persons, which identify their eminence.
It is too basic, and hence needless, to mention the signs of greatness of great people. The signs are: humbleness, respectfulness, piousness, simplicity and so on. Numerous examples could be quoted, say, the late Dr Abdus Salam, Nobel laureate, a simple and proud Pakistani, who benefited several Pakistani physicists in higher education, and the late Dr Hamidullah, who passed away recently, a renowned religious scholar, most pious, unassuming and humble, who did not bother to receive even a single penny in royalty for his innumerable Islamic publications. These are the signs, which made them resplendent for ever.
I remember the hue and cry that was raised when Kunwar Idris wrote in Dawn comparing the lifestyle of the India’s missile-specialist, President Kalam, with that of Dr A. Q. Khan, and mentioning therein the controversial house in Islamabad. Now it appears that Mr Idris was not that much wrong.
I would request Mr Naqvi to repudiate Irfan Hussain and Mr Cowasjee, when they defined the raiding of the hospital as being in “bad taste” and “degrading”.
To me Dr A. Q. Khan is an icon of which Pakistan could be proud. For younger generation, he is a model of dedication and courage in achieving insurmountable objectives. I pray that this icon may live and prosper for ever and be a star in our firmament for all to proudly see and follow.
(Engr) A. RAHIM
Karachi
THE article “Dr Qadeer suspected of links with ‘axis of evil’ states” (Jan 8) is the most objectionable statement issued in Los Angeles Times which proclaimed: “If one man sits at the nuclear fulcrum of the three countries President Bush call the ‘axis of evil’, it may well be Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.”
It shows that whatever a Muslim scientist does in favour is an act of spreading terrorism and whatever a non-Muslim scientist does for his country or his friendly countries is an act of peace and protection.
As far as the most respected Dr A. Q. Khan is concerned, we as a nation do not want to hear a single word against him.
Because after Quaid-i-Azam, he is the only person who gave Pakistan a lifetime protection against evil eyes.
S. ABBAS HUSSAIN
Karachi
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