| March 6, 2003 | Thursday | Muharram 2, 1424 |
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Migrating to Canada?
Need for judicial reforms
Restarting the schools
Pakistan’s Kashmir policy
Muslim world’s duty
Cricket blues
Ways to prevent AIDS
Collection of ‘abiana’ in NWFP
Clarification
Govt policies and NSS small investors
I AM sure Shahid Javed Burki could be an expert on financial matters, but I think his knowledge of historical facts has many flaws (‘The Iraq quandary’, Feb 11). Let me count a few of them:
1. Pakistan does not have the “second largest Muslim population” after Indonesia, it is Bangladesh. Pakistan has the third largest Muslim population.
2. Al Qaeda was already there in Afghanistan before the start of America’s Gulf War in 1991. Sheikh Osama bin Laden started Al Qaeda to prepare the legal accounts of the people killed and the properties lost as a result of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. It was never meant to be a military training or fighting movement.
I am sure Mr Burki would be aware of the fact that in the 1980s the CIA and the ISI were very proud to call Osama their “trusted friend”. Mr Burki should read some articles written by Gen Hamid Gul, former ISI chief, and others to find out that “secularists” are not the only honest persons.
3. Gen Powell’s “proofs” presented to the UN Security Council were found to be “mostly fabricated” as soon as the general stepped out of the UN building. A British intelligence report which he used and praised is now revealed to have been a fraud, cribbed largely from the out-of-date work of a US graduate student.
Gen Powell’s satellite photos, while riveting, proved little, except to those who are convinced that every factory with a guard hut and truck is a chemical weapons dump. Even Gen Powell’s selective phone intercepts are open to interpretation.
Washington’s ‘common sense’ suggests that Iraq has chemical and biological weapons hidden somewhere. But the Gen Powell tapes do not prove or disprove that, nor do they address
the more telling question: does Iraq have the means to deliver these weapons any significant distance except, maybe, ‘defenceless’ Israel? (The conclusion of the United Nations weapons inspectors on this latter question, incidentally, is a qualified no).
4. The US Zionist-controlled mass media did give more coverage to the seven astronauts than the coming war against Iraq and the plight of the Palestinians at large. And there was ‘reasons’ for that great ‘tragedy’ — one of the astronauts killed was an Israeli colonel, who played his part in the killing of thousands of civilians in the refugee camps of Shatila and Sabra in Lebanon.
History is not economics which could be played by the ‘numbers’.
SHAUKAT KHAWAJA
Canada
THIS is with reference to Peter D’Souza’s letter (Feb 18).
First, nobody begged or forced Mr D’Souza to migrate to Canada. It was his choice. One does not need to listen to, buy or consume whatsoever is advertized on TV or in newspapers until he wishes to.
No doubt, the initial days of settlement in a new country could be rough and tough. However, hard work if supplemented by good luck can take you from rags to riches in no time. Here dedication and motivation are accounted for and rewarded very often. Canadian culture is generally free from nepotism and racism as we face it every day back in Pakistan.
To mix and mingle with other ethnic communities or locals is up to oneself. There are hundreds of opportunities available to join a social/volunteer group, club or organization to work for any common good cause or just for social meetings. This is a good way to communicate or come in touch with the locals, if one wants. Most of the locals are nice and friendly people. However, generally immigrants confine themselves to their own community groupings and expect others to call upon them. Taking initiative is the key to developing a friendly environment.
To bring in money in Canada is not only good for the Canadian government but also a necessary tool for one to survive during the initial settlement period. How could one expect to settle in a foreign land without adequate funds available in hand. It is an investment in oneself which pays off in the later years.
Canada promises a citizenship in three years’ time. On the other hand, you may live your whole life in the Middle East and will get nothing like this in return. Other Western countries have already almost closed their doors to newcomers.
Yes, one gets an odd job in Canada, at least — better than getting nothing, I guess. Through an odd job, one may earn minimum wages which are good enough for all the basic needs of life. Seldom people take these jobs as careers, rather these are good launching pads for individuals until they get a decent income. No doubt, having a North American degree is desirable for good positions. And why is it humiliating to be a cab driver or a labourer? Aren’t they humans like us? At least, they don’t steal or earn briberies like many in Pakistan.
This discussion can go on. However, we must try to resolve any problems by becoming a part of its solution-making process or, at least, stop complaining for something for which we are ourselves responsible due to lack of knowledge or foresight.
ADNAN QURESHI
Ontario, Canada
THE judiciary needs to be reformed to provide speedy justice to everyone. To make it independent, the following steps may be adopted:
— Attention be paid to recruit judges on merit alone, and then to train them properly and to promote them on the basis of seniority, excluding all political considerations.
— The salary package of the judges must be attractive. They must also be paid handsomely so that they do not have any worries and are thus enabled to give healthy decisions.
— Removal of judges should be on specific grounds like incompetence, moral turpitude and corruption.
— Workload should be made manageable and time limits enforced to dispose of cases. For quick disposal, more judges be appointed at every level.
— Public confidence must be restored because, according to a rough estimate, 70 per cent of people who visit courts feel disappointed, and 40 per cent litigants, who have legitimate cases, show lack of faith in the current judicial system.
— An annual report on the state of the judiciary should be published, calling for discussion on broad aspects of judicial discipline, including accountability in its midst and to cover issues of governance and discipline within the judicial set-up.
— And the government must ensure the impartiality of the judiciary, and should make efforts to resolve the various problems faced by it.
If the judiciary is working smoothly, the law and situation can be improved vastly.
MANSOOR ALI SHAHANI
Karachi
THIS refers to a news item saying that during the question-answer session in the Sindh Assembly on Feb 26, the provincial education minister stated that in the province, 1,834 schools were closed, and that the Nawabshah district is the worst affected with the highest number — 204 — among the 16 problem-facing districts.
Replying to another question, he said that there were 6,370 one-room schools without boundary walls. He also said the government intended to construct boundary walls to protect these one-room schools, subject to availability of funds.
I feel deeply sorry on this pathetic situation prevailing in our province. While the government has been planning to give education to every child of schoolgoing age since last year and the parents have been advised to send their children to schools, otherwise they would be arrested, the existing situation is disappointing.
The federal education ministry is establishing model schools and spending huge amounts to motivate parents to send their children to school, there are so many ghost schools in this province. I think that before establishing model schools in big cities like Islamabad and Karachi, the closed school be made functional.
NUSRAT ZAIDI
Karachi
THIS refers to Ghulam Kibria’s letter, ‘Pakistan’s Kashmir policy’ (Feb 20). The Kashmir issue is a matter of determination of the future of the 13 million citizens of the Jammu and Kashmir state, spread over 84,000 square miles, where the Kashmiris are the real party to the dispute. Their rights to choose their national future must be recognized.
Pakistan must recognize the Kashmiris by recognizing the “Azad government of Jammu and Kashmir state” as representative of the Kashmiris as Turkey has recognized the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or as the PLO has established itself as the Palestinians’ representative without holding any land or declaring itself as exile government for many years.
The Pakistan government should now review or modify its policy on Kashmir. It should take the stand that the whole of the Jammu and Kashmir state should be given to the “trusteeship of the United Nations” for 20 to 25 years, and after which the Kashmiris should be given their right to self-determination through a plebiscite, which will be conducted on three options: (i) accession to Pakistan or (ii) accession to India or (iii) independent status to the Jammu and Kashmir state, as provided to princely states as per the June 3 partition plan under the Partition of India Act, 1947.
According to the UN trusteeship scheme, troops of both India and Pakistan will quit the Jammu and Kashmir state and “international peace forces” will take over the control of the Jammu and Kashmir state. Under the UN trusteeship, a UN administrator and trustees’s council will look after the affairs and administration of the state for 20 to 25 years.
I believe the idea of UN trusteeship is more in favour of Pakistan than the UN resolutions dated 13-08-1948 and 05-01-1949.
SAALIM SALAM ANSARI
Karachi
IT may seem like clutching at straws, but given the gravity of the Iraqi crisis, here are a few suggestions for the movers and shakers of the Muslim world, specially Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
1. Iraq’s territorial integrity should be protected, i.e. no changes in its borders must occur.
2. Helpless Iraqi women, children as well as unarmed men should not be made collateral damage in this US-led aggression, which is seemingly against one man.
3. Saddam Hussain must not be allowed to sacrifice his people at the altar of his ego.
4. The solution to the Iraqi crisis lies in forming urgently an Islamic Rapid Reactionary Force (IRRF), comprising contingents numbering 50,000 from the aforementioned countries, and deploying it in Iraq to ensure that Iraq complies with UN demands.
5. President Saddam should be induced to step down by these Muslim countries so as to stop a war against Iraq.
6. Under all circumstances, Iraq’s wealth should belong to its own people and future generations. The proposed IRRF should also protect the oil wells and important installations of the country.
7. A motion should be tabled in the UN through the OIC without any further delay, followed by aggressive canvassing by the NAM countries.
M. ABRAR AMEEN
Karachi
WE have no grievances as to why Pakistan lost in the Cricket World Cup. Our only complain is why it lost so badly. How come, that a world class cricket team should decline so fast? Who is responsible for this decline?
Initially, the defeats were permissible because one made an allowance for the new management to take charge of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Now what is the justification for the big bosses occupying purely technical posts? Should the team’s foreign coach have been allowed to extract a huge sum for bringing down our once world class cricket team to the level of a street cricket team?
The recent performance of our team should be an eye-opener for all. It is time some long-term positive decisions were taken with regard to improving the quality of our performance in international tournaments. Or else, we should resign ourselves to watching some of the worst cricket being played for Pakistan.
DR ABID RAUF ORAKZAI
Hangu
THIS refers to a letter, ‘Ways to prevent AIDS’ (March 2) Dr Bushra Rehman. I agree with the writer as far as the major causes of the spread of AIDS are concerned.
However, I totally disagree with the idea of levying an AIDS prevention surcharge at the rate of one rupee a syringe on the companies manufacturing and marketing syringes in Pakistan. This surcharge would be passed on to the end-users, who are already economically burdened.
With an increase in price, those who are collecting and selling used syringes would be further encouraged. This would lead to further deterioration, and perhaps a wider spread of not only AIDS but also hepatitis, which, in Pakistan, is a bigger threat than AIDS. To stop the reuse of syringes, I suggest the following measures:
1. The government and NGOs should join hands and subsidize the price of syringes (as is being done for contraceptives), so as to leave no profit margins for those selling used syringes.
2. Pharmaceutical companies marketing injectables should be asked to provide high quality disposable syringes along with their products.
3. Although the ministry of health has banned the use of multi-dose vials, many different products are still available in multi-dose vials, specially those used by GPs and quacks, including multi-vitamins, etc. The ban should be enforced firmly on an across the board basis.
4. Reallocation of the available funds and resources is very important. Instead of arranging awareness programmes in five-star hotels to get media coverage, such programmes should be arranged in areas where poverty and illiteracy are rampant.
I am certain that by enforcing these measures with sincerity, we would prevent not only the spread of AIDS but also that of hepatitis and other killer infectious diseases.
DR HASAN THARANI
Karachi
THE irrigation and power department of the NWFP would collect abiana from the start of the current Kharif season, relieving the provincial board of revenue (BOR) of this responsibility (Dawn, Feb 15 & 18).
Here are the recorded facts:
The assessment of land revenue and water rate (abiana) remained the responsibility of the revenue department since their very inception. It was during 1964 that the BOR, Lahore, issued a directive that the assessment of one canal from Sindh be transferred on an experimental basis to the irrigation and power department for one year. Accordingly, the BOR, in consultation with the department, transferred the assessment of water rate of the Rohri Canal to the irrigation department with effect from the Kharif season 1970, commencing from July.
It was also stated that if the results were found satisfactory, the question of continuing the experiment with other canals would be considered. In 1972, the Sindh governor decided that the assessment work of land and abiana be re-transferred to the revenue department from the irrigation department from Rabi 1971-72.
The experiment proved to be a failure, leaving millions of rupees as arrears which could not be recovered till today. The irrigation employees are neither trained, nor do they know anything about how to maintain accounts, which is a cumbersome process because not only the number of land-holders is large but millions of rupees are to be accounted for.
The NWFP does not have a good track record of the recovery of land tax and agriculture income tax. The province should learn a lesson from the previous experiment of the Sindh government. It is in the interest of the government to reverse its decision, otherwise it is bound to miss the target.
M. SIDDIQU G. MEMON
Hyderabad
THIS refers to the new item (Feb 28) under the caption “PARCO pipeline blown up”. We wish to clarify that the pipeline that was blown up belonged to an oil marketing
company, and not PARCO.
AAMIR ABBASI
Corporate Communications
Department,
Pak-Arab Refinery Ltd.,
Karachi
SO much has been said in the print media about the sufferings of small investors in the NSS (national savings schemes) during the last three year or so, but the authorities concerned have remained unmoved. They refuse to accept the fact that such schemes were welfare-oriented and not purely mechanical.
The finance minister and the SBP governor rather mistook it as a burden on state. Instead of evolving some innovative policies to improve the economy without harming the interest of the poor, they preferred to follow an easy way out to increase revenue by reducing profit rates on the NSS, thus increasing the prices of essential items, imposing the general sales tax and other taxes. These measures have resulted in increased cost of living, mass unemployment and increased poverty in the country.
The authorities also take credit for higher foreign exchange reserves. Reserves have no doubt gone up but not because of any efforts on the part of the rulers, rather as a direct consequence of the post-9/11 global economic scenario, resulting in increased remittances, aids, loans from donor agencies, deferred payments and heavy local buying of dollars by the SBP.
It is also claimed that the economy is in much better shape than before, but to whose advantage? When the treasury was empty, inflation was high and the economy was a shambles, the poor were suffering. Now the inflation is low, treasury is full, the economy is in good shape, as claimed by the authorities, but the poor are still suffering; they are in fact getting poorer day by day.
The Pensioners Benefit Scheme, announced recently, is a classic example of open discrimination between pensioners and non-pensioner senior citizens, between government and non-government employees, although they are all Pakistanis.
Well, according to the finance adviser, the interest rates all over the world are coming down and he cited the example of labour which has come down from five per cent to 1.6 per cent. What about the social benefits available to senior citizens in the countries where labour is practised?
Senior citizens enjoy free access to many facilities such as medical, transport, education and unemployment allowance. As such, the comparison is misleading and has no relevance to the issue of slashing income of small individual savers in NSS. They have been made an easy target for showing “good performance” of revenue generation.
It is hoped that the government, while announcing various relief packages for the poor and the needy, will also take into account the plight of senior citizens and small savers in the NSS whose income has been reduced by almost 50 per cent in the last three years.
ABDUL RAZZAK
Karachi
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