| March 11, 2003 | Tuesday | Muharram 7, 1424 |
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Foreign exchange reserves
Bullying at schools
Issue of signing CTBT
Need for judicial reforms
G. T. Road
Depoliticizing the police
Migrating to Canada?
Law & order situation
Herbicide
Air passengers’ complaint
What went wrong with our team
BASHIR AHMED WALEED MOHSIN
THE latest US/UK demand for a Security Council resolution to invade Iraq on March 17 demonstrates again the contempt of these governments for their allies and for human life.
Given the inconclusive nature of Dr Blix’s inspection report, the US-UK demand for a second resolution also demonstrates the unwillingness of these governments to maintain the international solidarity that was laboriously constructed with UN Security Council Resolution 1441.
It is clear from this request for a new resolution that the goal of the US and the United Kingdom in Iraq is not disarmament or even regime change, but the invasion and occupation of Iraq. America and Britain, through their request for Security Council authority to invade Iraq on March 17, are showing their unwillingness to keep their word.
No fair-minded person can accept this disregard for the lives, property and rights of others that the Bush-Blair coalition has demonstrated with regard to Iraq. This is why millions of people are protesting against their invasion plans on the streets of US and UK cities.
Pakistanis should be proud of their government’s assistance in the war on terrorism, but their pride is far more justified in their government’s opposition to the US-UK plan to invade Iraq.
ROBERT CHAPMAN
New York, USA
PAKISTAN should take a firm stand on this issue in keeping with the standards of international justice. We should propose a new UN resolution seeking authorization to deploy a UN peacekeeping force in Iraq. This force should consist of soldiers from neutral countries.
Iraq should be placed under the UN control and a fair and free referendum should be held to know the will of the Iraqi people vis-a-vis a regime change in their country.
This way, without bloodshed, the international community can deliver justice. The United Nations force can then carry out their deweaponization programme.
NAJAM MAHMUD
Hong Kong
LET parliament decide whether Pakistan should support or oppose the second US resolution on Iraq in the UN Security Council? After all, we have democracy in Pakistan.
UAE
IN his letter titled ‘Foreign exchange reserves’ (March 4), Mr Arif Qamar Khan points out that most of our foreign reserves are being spent on our defence and thus other needs of the country are being neglected. It should be noted that the major part of our budget is spent both on debt repayment and on meeting our defence requirements.
Debt repayment is unavoidable, but the defence expenditure can be reduced. We have foreign reserves of only $9.5 billion while India’s foreign reserves are $70 billion. We must, therefore, utilize our reserves judiciously. Doesn’t this fact make it quite clear that Pakistan cannot enter into an arms race with India.
It is time we concentrated on making Pakistan a sovereign country economically. In order to make proper use of our forex, we should focus on the following steps:
1. Pakistan should cut down on the imports of consumer products, as they do not provide long-term utility, nor do they add to the productive capacity of an economy.
2. The defence spending should be brought down so as to save our foreign reserves for capital investments.
3. The savings should be utilized in paying off our foreign debts as quickly as possible, thereby incurring a lower cost of the debts.
4. The reserves should be spent on importing latest machinery and production equipment to facilitate the production process in the country, thus improving the local industrial sector in order to make local products competitive, both in the local market and in the foreign market.
5. It is important for the government to market the products and to create a positive image of Pakistan’s exports.
6. Investment should be made in such capital products as would lead to ‘capital widening’, thus yielding long-term benefit.
Similarly, it is important that the budget is used for (a) creating jobs, (b) improving the standard of education, (c) alleviating poverty, (d) improving the infrastructure (e) subsidizing the local industry (f) providing tax relief to the the public (g) subsidizing the prices of utilities (h) and providing protection against the sky-rocketing of gasoline prices.
I hope the authorities concerned will consider the above-mentioned suggestions.
Lahore
BULLYING has become one of the most dreaded problems for students all over the world. According to CNN, a new report has found that bullying and teasing top the list of children’s school troubles. Unfortunately, little is being done by schools and parents to address the problem of bullying.
In our society, bullying is often ignored and not thought of as a big issue. As a result, children become depressed, and lose self-confidence. The agony brought about by bullying seems to have played a role in recent fatal school shootings in the United States.
Bullying includes name calling, taunting and stealing school supplies, among other things. Bullies pick on perceived differences like shyness, being overweight, really liked by the teacher, possessing a different skin colour than the majority or being too clever or attractive.
According to a Readers Digest poll for bullying in Asia, 60 per cent of the people thought that bullying was a serious problem, 15 per cent of the children suffered physical injuries and 27 per cent needed counselling.
Bullying needs to be taken more seriously because of the physical and psychological damage it causes. Unfortunately, very few schools have anti-bullying policies in our society. Bullying can be put to an end if the bully is punished and then undergoes counselling. Shaming tactics usually work with younger bullies aged 7-12. Making the bully apologize in front of his classmates may prevent him from bullying others any longer.
Parents need to build their children’s self-confidence if they are being bullied and help them make new friends. In extreme cases, they should also get expert help and should talk to a counsellor. Let us try to put a stop to this problem which seems to be getting out of hand. After all, every child has the right to a safe and protected school environment.
HINA MITHANI
Karachi
I READ with mounting exasperation Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri’s statement (Dawn, March 6) that “Pakistan is not considering signing the CTBT as it has no prospects of implementation.”
Many Pakistanis like myself, who care about the future interests of our country, cannot understand the government’s persistent refusal to sign this treaty. The decision seems to stem from an emotional and ignorant standpoint rather than rational. After Pakistan’s testing on May 28, 1998, it would be logical and beneficial to Pakistan if it signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
The signing would put us on a higher moral ground with the international community without in any way sabotaging our nuclear programme. This fact is expressed repeatedly by our Islamabad-based nuclear physicist, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, who has asserted, without being contradicted, that for the technology we possess, Pakistan need not conduct any more tests and that the CTBT does have a clause saying a signatory can test under “extraordinary” circumstances.
Since everything we do is in reaction to what India does, it can be presumed that the only time we would need to test again is when India does so, in which case the clause pertaining to extraordinary circumstances can be cited. In any case, the CTBT cannot come into force until every country that possesses nuclear arsenal has signed it.
Pakistan, for once, would do well to make a morally correct decision regardless of what India is doing.
MISBAH SAADAT
Washington, USA
THIS refers to Mansoor Ali Shahani’s letter titled ‘Need for judicial reforms’. I agree with the writer when he says that there is a lack of public confidence in our judicial system. Public confidence cannot be restored by merely bringing a few changes in the service structure of the judges.
The components of a judicial system include the legislature, the prosecution and the bar councils, which equally share the legal, moral and social responsibility with the judges. Today, we see the lawyers seeking unnecessary adjournments because of excessive workload.
I believe the bar council should fix a limit to the number of cases a lawyer can take up at a time; frivolous litigation needs to be discouraged. The legislature should also encourage extra-judicial arbitration which can amicably resolve petty disputes and drastically curtail the pendency of cases.
Lastly, effective measures need to be taken to improve the working of the prosecution, which often does not make the necessary preparations before presenting a case in court.
ABDUL REHMAN WARRAICH
Lahore
G.T. Road between Peshawar and Nowshehra has deteriorated to such an extent that it has become very difficult for motorists to travel on it.
I cannot comprehend as to why public representatives are oblivious of the callous attitude of the NHA in this regard. The situation is all the more deplorable because motorists are subjected to heavy toll taxes at various points on the road.
Road users would also like to know as to why a bridge constructed a long time ago on the River Indus at Khairabad is not being commissioned.
SYED ABBAS SHAH
Peshawar
I WRITE with reference to Anwar Syed’s article, ‘Depoliticizing the police’ (March 9). He aptly describes the role played by our legislators in the degeneration of the police force. Our politicians see the police as an instrument to intimidate their rivals, to secure political gains for themselves, and to hide their wrongdoing.
When politicians order a police officer to carry out an illegal act, they compromise their own integrity and morality and that of the police by offering them bribes and by corrupting them. More often than not, the police obey these MNAs and MPAs, and the rule of law becomes a casualty at the hands of lawmakers and law enforcers.
So the very idea of giving the right of surveillance to the police as and when assigned by an MPA is ill-advised. I think that the Nazim and the District Police Officer (DPO) watching over the police force is a better idea. Although there are grey areas in the new devolution plan and the new police ordinance, but so far they are not doing badly.
As for an MNA and an MPA, the legislature is the best place for a legislator. It is high time politicians learnt to abstain from politicizing the police force. Instead, they should concentrate on giving us better laws and thereby saving this country from becoming a police state.
MOHAMMAD IMRAN HASHMI
Peshawar
THIS refers to a number of letters published in Dawn in the last couple of months about the Canadian immigration.
There is no doubt that Canada is a land of opportunities and is really an heaven on Earth, but it depends on how people perceive things and how they prepare themselves for acquiring jobs in foreign countries. Just having degrees such as MA, MBBS, FRCP, PhD in dentistry, engineering and pharmacy does not guarantee that you will get the job you like; it is rather the skill that you have which is considered and given top priority in this country, or for that matter in any other developed country.
In Canada, things are decided on merit, including one’s skills and experience. Teachers are selected on the basis of their qualifications, skills, knowledge, aptitude, know-how about student psychology, and certification by the Canadian education system.
I request my countrymen not to start any business without doing some home work and without familiarizing yourselves with the system. Jumping directly into any business can lead you to bankruptcy.
I also request my countrymen to be very careful of fraudulent consultants while considering utilizing migrating to Canada.
DR ANSAR MAHMOOD DURRANI
Toronto, Canada
LIFE in Karachi is once again being disturbed by the terrorists and miscreants. A series of recent incidents in the city point to the incompetence of our law enforcement agencies. When the newly-elected government took charge, it promised to create a healthy and safe environment but nothing has changed.
What is the sin of the innocent people that they should become the target of terrorists and angry mobs? The latter recently damaged public property setting alight shops, petrol pumps, motorcycles and cars. The young men must think first and then react. All this violence only increases tension and instills a sense of feeling unsafe in the citizens.
We must work out a plan to save ourselves from this destructive behaviour of some mean people, whose intentions are not good. All the town Nazims and the local bodies’ members must work together and chalk out an action plan in their respective areas to stop such unpleasant incidents in the future.
NOORUL ISLAM KHAN
Karachi
THIS refers to an article by Nadeem Saeed, “Agri dept finally smells a rat in herbicide” (Feb 28). Mr Saeed has quoted a source in the agriculture ministry stating that a certain product has a monopoly in a specific herbicide market segment for ‘jangli jai’, a weed. This is totally incorrect.
Currently, there are many products registered by hundreds of companies with the same authority for the control of this weed. The laws governing the agricultural pesticides do not empower any agency to break or bypass the system of registration related to import, manufacture, formulation and sale of pesticides.
ZIA-UL-HAQ
Karachi
ON Jan 26 and Feb 18, I and my semi-disabled wife travelled by PIA on Karachi-Dubai-Karachi route. The return tickets were purchased in Dubai in foreign currency and a request for a wheel chair was endorsed on the tickets.
At Karachi airport, on Jan 26, a wheel chair was provided to my wife for PIA flight PK213. However, on our return journey by PK-214 on Feb 18, two PIA agents at Dubai airport demanded 110 dirhams for a wheel chair. Both the officials were rude. This was shocking and against IATA protocol and courtesy. Since I did not have any foreign currency, I had to drag my wife, supported by a walking stick, along with hand baggage of about 15kg, all the way to the plane gate.
I am about 72 and my wife is 65. We cannot use mechanical crawlers at the airports. PIA should improve its service.
DR SANAULLAH QURESHI
Karachi
MERCIFULLY, for millions of cricket fans in Pakistan, mental torture has finally come to an end, with the humiliating exit of the Pakistan cricket team from the Cricket World Cup 2003.
Many experts and pseudo-experts have started gunning at the Pakistan Cricket Board and some are specifically blaming Gen Tauqeer Zia for the debacle.
There is no denying the fact that the best possible team was selected and sent to the World Cup; a team loaded with talent, experience and achievements, yet it performed miserably poorly. The team’s failure to perform well can be attributed to two main reasons:
First, there was no unity in the team. Bickering and groupings emerged after Wasim Akram failed in his ambition to lead Pakistan in the World Cup, which probably explains the poor performance of Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq. Personal and group interests took precedence over national interest.
Secondly, there is no denying that in such a high profile tournament, betting in billions is at its peak, which was perhaps used successfully for influencing the loyalties and performances of players. How much the betting factor influenced the poor performance of our team must be investigated in depth.
Over the years cricketers were awarded and rewarded and were held in high esteem by the people of Pakistan. They had great hopes and expectations. But alas, for personal reasons and interests, all hopes were mercilessly dashed to the ground.
Cricket fans are deeply hurt. They feel they have been deceived. Seething with anger and resentment, millions of cricket fans across the country are demanding immediate corrective and punitive action against the defaulting players who brought such humiliation and disgrace to Pakistan.
KHAWAJA FARIDUDDIN
Karachi
IT was sad to see the chairman of the cricket board defending the inept selection committee on TV. The general may be a good administrator but he is a poor reader of the technicalities of the game. If the country has 11 outstanding openers, should they all be selected?
The selection committee selected four openers, three all- rounders, five specialist bowlers and only three middle-order batsmen.
Did the tour selection committee have a replacement for out of form Inzamam-ul-Haq? Or, in case one of the three got injured? Maybe the general and the selection committee think an opener or an all-rounder can be a replacement for a middle-order batsman. So much for their cricketing abilities.
This does not absolve the tour selection committee of its mistakes, persisting with the show-boy Shoaib Akhtar and ignoring Mohammad Sami, and chopping and changing the batting order. It seemed they were experimenting on a trial and error basis. Heads should roll starting with the chairman of the selection committee, the captain, the coach(es), etc.
Shoaib Akhtar should no longer be considered for ODIs. We need to have Javed Miandad as coach and Wasim as captain for a year to rebuild the team, clear the mess created by the present management and groom a long-term captain. What is the harm in paying Miandad what we are paying Pybus: he is definitely far superior to Pybus.
Heavens will not fall if the entire management is shown the door. We could not have performed any worse than we did.
UMER HAYAT
Karachi
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