| January 30, 2003 | Thursday | Ziqa’ad 26,1423 |
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Signboards in Punjab varsity
Violence in Gujarat
Dr Salam’s call
Killing of Frenchmen
Unbridled tribal powers
Report on rural poverty
Tobacco advertising and PCS
Looking for help, not war
Stray dogs
Exam schedule for MBBS students
(Sindh Zone), Consul General, Islamabad
THE Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Sindh Zone) would like to comment on some inconsistent observations made in a news item (Jan 25) on sugar exports.
The support for sugar export by the government would not be something unusual. All sugar-exporting countries, including the United States, Cuba, Brazil, India, Thailand, and the European Union do invariably subsidize sugar exports in volumes, values and rates.
Sugar is not an exception in support modalities to manage and promote its exports. Such facilitation is provided to the export of almost all food crops. It is particularly inevitable for the developing countries which are prone to higher cost of production. Sugarcane is subject to mandatory support price mechanism in Pakistan, as in several other major sugar-exporting economies. But in Pakistan, ironically its end-product — sugar — is not covered by similar insulation, though cost of sugar production squarely depends on the sugarcane price structure.
In the cost of sugar processing, the sugar industry is left with little manoeuvrability, since 80 per cent plus of the cost is influenced by the government policy format.
As the sugar industry is a processing industry, the result of its performance is dependent primarily on the quality of sugarcane, its harvest and crushing sequence and the allied elements.
Since sugarcane is subject to support price payment aiming to protecting the farmers, the support in sugar export for the disposal of the surplus is directed for the benefit of the sugarcane farmers.
This time around, the sugar industry is not to undertake sugar exports, but the Trading Corporation Pakistan, a government enterprise, and, as such, to attribute the sugar cost-price differential as subsidy to “rich sugar millers” is a fantasy, not a fact.
Customs duty on imports and support in exports are two driving wheels of the external trade. So to brand it explicitly as drain on taxpayers money is a misconception.
That the promised sugar support package will raise budgetary deficit to five percent of the GDP, as observed, a not a fact but mere miscalculation.
If as estimated budgetary deficit of Rs180 billion is publicly stated to be 4.7 per cent of the GDP, additional six billion rupees in sugar export support will workout 0.15 per cent.
Similarly, to specify “subsidy” amount at six billion rupees without identifying the material points of the volume and cost-price differential renders the entire structure of the news item a myth.
As the sugar industry has called for the export of 500,000 tons surplus sugar and if it does take place, then at a support of Rs6,000 a ton on the proposed quantum of export, the support will work out at three billion rupees, half of the amount stated.
SECRETARY, PSMA,
Karachi
THIS has reference to the news report, ‘PU squanders thousands on signboards’ (Jan 23).
The main argument in the report is that, since the Punjab University has installed 140 signboards and the cost incurred on these signboards has eaten up the major chunk of the university budget, a little amount is left for research and development.
I want to put the record straight here. I cannot figure out as to how tin-made 140 signboards can put a serious strain on the budget of the country’s largest public-sector university. The fact is that the university vice-chancellor wanted to display translation of some verses of the holy Quran which stress the need of social justice, self-discipline, sense of duty, importance of knowledge, tolerance and scholastic behaviour.
Admittedly, we cannot build our national character by just writing verses of the holy Quran on walls. But the effort is commendable. Such an exercise may not eliminate corruption from society, but it may work as a constant reminder to corrupt people, subtly pricking their conscience (if it exists at all).
In the last three years, the university has witnessed an unprecedented increase in its academic and research activities. This fact has been acknowledged by various independent national and international institutions.
Moreover, the Punjab University has markedly improved its functioning: its libraries have got more books and research journals, and its laboratories have received more computers and equipment. The overall governance of the university has substantially improved, and corruption has been reduced.
It has been pointed out in the report that the university hostels are overcrowded. Yes,
they are overcrowded due to limited resources. However, the PU administration has been trying its best to solve this problem.
There are seven public-sector universities in Lahore alone. And the number of private universities is difficult to count. There is a competition among these universities. And if PU is attracting more students and thereby its hostels are overcrowded, it is an evidence of its popularity and competitiveness.
DR MUHAMMAD ZAKRIA ZAKAR
Lahore
THIS refers to Mr Banerjee’s letter, ‘Violence in Gujarat’, wherein he writes that Pakistani non-Muslim minorities “have been all but eradicated.”
Let me enlighten him that Hindus, Parsis and Christians enjoy senior positions in the military, civilian, educational and judicial services of Pakistan. Moreover, they have also been carrying on very successful and thriving businesses over here for generations.
The writer calls the systematic violence and carnage of the minorities in India as “incidental” and carried out by “vested interests” despite the HRW’s and even some Indian organization’s reports of these pogroms being state-organized.
He also talks of crimes against women in Pakistan without realizing how these have crept into our society? Yes, by following the age-old primitive Hindu customs of Satti, Karo-kari and other such practices have been inherited by our rural and illiterate population. Thank God, we do not face their present day problem of dowry resulting in bride burning and female infanticides by poor parents.
I appreciate his sense of shame and guilt on Gujarat and Babri Masjid. He is too young to remember Gujarat of 1995, Bombay of 1993, Delhi of 1984, East Punjab of 1984-1988, Sri Lanka of 1982-2000, East Pakistan of 1969-1971 and Kashmir 1989-2002 in the not-too-distant past.
M. AHSAN HAFEEZ
Karachi
PROF (Dr) Abdus Salam, the Nobel laureate of Pakistan, lived a life wholly committed to science. This was his lifelong passion. Every conscious moment of his life was devoted to the spread and peaceful use of scientific knowledge for the betterment of the downtrodden of the Third World.
On the occasion of his birthday (he was born on Jan 29) we may recall what Dr Salam said at the Nobel Foundation award-giving ceremony. He said: “The creation of physics is the shared heritage of all mankind. East and West, North and South have equally participated in it....I am saying this, not only to remind those here tonight of this, but also for those in the Third World who feel they have lost out in the pursuit of scientific knowledge for lack of opportunity and resource.
“On this occasion, let me say this to those whom God has given His bounty: Let us strive to provide equal opportunities to all so that they can engage in the creation of physics and science for the benefit of all mankind. This would exactly be in the spirit of Alfred Nobel and the ideas which permeated his life.”
Dr Salam did everything possible to use modern science and technology for the right cause of a peaceful life for the whole mankind.
MUNAWAR S. KHALID
Lahore
In an article published in Dawn of Jan 25, one of your correspondents, Arman Sabir, states that the members of the French police team who arrived in Karachi to probe into the investigations carried out by their Pakistani counterparts regarding the Sheraton bomb blast of May 8, 2002, left the metropolis dissatisfied with the evidence.
I regret to inform you that, contrary to the general journalistic practice, Mr Sabir did not take the trouble to cross-check his “facts” with the Consulate General of France before filing his story. This corroboration would have saved him from writing whatsoever.
I wish to affirm that the French team comprised two persons, not five. They were accorded a very warm welcome by Sindh Home Secretary Aslam Sanjrani and IGP Syed Kamal Shah. These two gentlemen, in spite of their very busy schedules, were kind enough to personally brief the delegation about the progress made by their investigators and the latest status of the case.
It is the prerogative of the Pakistani police to conduct the investigations and the local justice system to judge the accused according to the evidence presented in courts.
The French team never expressed any wish to meet or interrogate the suspects arrested by the police. Contrary to the views expressed by Mr Sabir, this now falls within the ambit of the local justice system. The hallmark of this visit were feelings of mutual trust, confidence and genuine professional respect which prevailed between the two sides.
After their return, the French police team will submit a report about their mission to the competent authorities, and by drawing their own conclusions from it, the relevant French police and justice officials will take appropriate follow-up action.
GEORGE DUPUIS
Karachi
Arman Sabir adds: The story was based on information provided by some senior officials of the Sindh Police Department who cannot be identified. It is correct I and my colleagues did not contact the French Consulate in Karachi this time because of our past experience. On the day (May 8 last year) the killings took place, we tried to contact the French Consulate in Karachi and the French Embassy in Islamabad, but regretfully neither was prepared to give out a version.
IT appears that the government is unable to stop tribal clashes between the Bugtis and the Mazaris who have hindered the repair of gas pipelines which were recently damaged in the ongoing tribal clashes. The weapons being used in these clashes include battery-operated missiles, AK-47 rifles and other light weaponry of this category.
This event highlights the strong hold of feudalism in our country. Though we got rid of the British rule over 55 years ago, unfortunately we have not been able to free ourselves from the shackles of feudalism.
There is no law and order in tribal areas and peasants are treated like serfs. There is no education and development in these areas because the feudal lords consider them as a threat to their power. The government has been neglecting these areas for a long time. Balochistan provides Sui gas to other provinces but its own people are deprived of it.
It is hoped the government would initiate development programmes in Balochistan and take steps to curb the power of the feudal lords. The police cannot interfere in their matters and most of the criminals get scot-free. The government spends billions on defence to protect the citizens from foreign aggression. But who will protect them from the threat which they face within their own country?
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the article titled “Rural poverty highlighted in Mahbub ul Haq Centre’s report” by Zafar-ul-Hasan Almas published in the Economic and Business Review (Jan 27 - Feb 2).
Somehow the writer feels that he must be seen to be critical about the report, and thus he plunges into an area about which he knows very little. Towards the end of the fourth column, he makes a very sweeping statement that “quality data is missing in the report.” He goes on to say that “the report has used data from controversial sources like PIHS which has recently come under serious attack even from official circles of Pakistan.”
The Centre takes serious note of these remarks which are not based on facts. The Centre mainly uses data from international sources for its annual reports. Data from PIHS has been used in the report exactly once, in one line, on page 15, and that, too, as an end-note. The writer, therefore, is totally wrong in making that sweeping statement about the quality of Mahbub ul Haq Centre’s report.
It seems that he is more interested in his article to criticize the Federal Bureau of Statistics and the PIHS data than in presenting an accurate review of the Centre’s latest report. The ongoing debate about the credibility of the PIHS data has been brought into the forefront after the recent release of the World Bank’s Pakistan Poverty Assessment Report.
The writer is more interested in participating in this current debate while using this Centre’s report as his launching pad.
KHADIJA HAQ
President, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre,
WITH reference to a letter by Murad A. Khan about the stance of the Pakistan Chest Society (Centre) on tobacco advertising, I would like to correct his perspective.
For one decade or so, the PCS has been relentlessly trying to create public awareness about the hazards of tobacco smoking. In this regard, tobacco days are commemorated. Besides, a number of programmes have been launched with a view to make the public aware of tobacco-related diseases.
The PCS has urged the officials concerned and even members of tobacco companies to take notice of the problems caused by tobacco advertising. Besides, data on tobacco-related diseases and side effects of smoking have been highlighted by the Society. These efforts were one of the major reasons for the recent decision taken by the Pakistan Tobacco Company to stop its TV and radio advertising.
It is, therefore, unfortunate that Mr Khan has considered our thanking the company for stopping its advertising and
the Punjab government for
disallowing the sale of cigarettes to youth under 18 years of age, as a dent in our credibility.
If he had read the whole press release, he would have noted that we urged tobacco companies to stop using
billboard advertising as well. We also requested other provincial governments to follow the legislation adopted in Punjab.
We are confident that this task is achievable but will need time and patience.
DR NASIR HUSSAIN
Finance Secretary,
Pakistan Chest Society,
Karachi
THE photograph published on the front page of Dawn on Jan 25 of young Iraqi girls standing in queue at a food distribution centre calls for help from the US.
A war on Iraq will kill countless children, including these young girls who have not seen anything in the world at this age. Before attacking Iraq, the US must reconsider its decision as war will increase hatred and ill-feeling among the Iraqi children. For the sake of saving the future of young Iraqis, diplomatic channels should be used to resolve the US-Iraqi issue.
When the US wants a dialogue to be resumed between India and Pakistan, why is the US itself not taking any initiative in starting a dialogue with Iraq? These Iraqi children need love and food, not bombs.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
THIS is to draw the attention of the local authorities to the increasing number of stray dogs all around the streets, parks and roads of Hyderabad.
The worst case is that of Qasimabad, where some prestigious schools are located, besides other important offices and buildings. From dawn to dusk and throughout the night these dogs are found on the streets and roads, and their number is increasing rapidly, hindering the traffic flow.
The city administration should take the necessary steps to tackle this situation.
NAYYAR HUSSAIN MIRJAT
Hyderabad
WE the students of MBBS third year at the Dow Medical College and the Sindh Medical College are facing a crisis, i.e. the Karachi University is subjecting us to a crushing examination schedule.
The date announced by the university for the second professional MBBS examinations is Feb 15. This schedule has been opposed by a majority of the students. Our point of view is appreciated by some teachers and professors who understand our problems.
Our academic session started late. Classes in the SMC began on May 13, 2002. In the DMC, too, classes for the third year commenced by the end of May. Thus, the academic session lasted between eight and a half and nine months only till February 2003 — one month less as compared to the last year’s batch.
Moreover, the results of the first professional part B were announced very late, i.e. on Aug 19. This delay was attributed to illegal admissions to these colleges, specially to the SMC. Now, are the students to blame for these alleged illegal admissions?
The fallout of the late results was that in the SMC clinical rotations for the current third-year batch did not start until Sept 1, when we had to rotate in each ward for a meagre period of six days. We faced a tough and demanding ward schedule with ward tests after every six days. This left us with no choice other than to completely allocate our time to study for the ward tests. We also had to devote extra time to the wards during evening postings.
The KU website displayed May as the month in which all MBBS professional examinations will be held this year. But this schedule was removed from the website in a hurry. It shows how credible the website. It also gives a picture of the credibility of the Department of Medicine at the university.
If the authorities concerned wanted to hold the examinations early, they should have announced it beforehand with ample time left. More importantly, the results of the last year’s examinations should not have been delayed and clinical rotations should have started on time.
When the students of the SMC contacted the principal of the college, he expressed his inability to assist them. He told them that all matters were in the hands of the Dean.
We would like to request our Dean, Dr Tipu Sultan, the vice-chancellor and the controller of examinations of the university to postpone the examinations at least by a couple of weeks. Otherwise, results this year will be worse than the last year’s pass percentage of 55 per cent.
THIRD YEAR STUDENTS
Karachi
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