| March 22, 2003 | Saturday | Muharram 18, 1424 |
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Well done, driving licence office
Kashmir & third party mediation
Revival of KCR
Maisoon’s death — a great loss
India and Malaysia
Fascism on the campus
‘PTCL customer’s complaint’
Non-payment of stipend to doctors
US: love and hate
Victim of AIOU
Sabzimandi park
DAVID L. Yarkony (letter, Feb 23) in response to my letter, titled “How Israel fleeces US” (Feb 20), does not agree with the observations that I made about water robbery by Israel. He maintained, “It seems that the writer is not fully conversant with the relationship between the US and Israel.” I would like to elaborate more on water theft and US-Israel relations.
Rebecca Trounson (Dawn, April 20, 1999) remarked that a few issues are as emotionally or politically sensitive in the parched Middle East as that of water. Flowing through ancient limestone aquifers beneath the disputed lands of the West Bank, water has been central to Israel’s renowned agricultural success and its industrial development. Israel still controls nearly all water resources in the West Bank. And this is in spite of a 1995 interim accord in which the Jewish state recognized “Palestinian water rights in the West Bank”.
Israel now obtains one-third of its water consumption needs from groundwater sources in the West Bank. These sources produce 650 million cubic metres a year for five million Israelis and the 2.4 million Palestinians, of which only 130 million is destined for the latter.
The Golan’s 170 water resources go a long way in explaining Israel’s reluctance to hand the Golan Heights back to Syria. Israel points to the fact that 30 per cent of Israel’s supply of potable water currently comes from these sources to justify not applying the land-for-peace formula on the Syrian track. How come Mr Yarkony asserts, “We didn’t grab water supplies from Syria since no water was diverted to Israel?”
Scott Peterson (Dawn, April 20, 2002) stated that the search for peace in the Middle East is never far from search for water. It was a prime reason President Clinton failed to restart Syrian-Israeli peace talks. Syria demands that Israel return “every inch” of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights — which means access for Syria to the Sea of Galilee, which Israel has now made its main water source.
And there is another issue. “One of the wrinkles for Israel,” says Tom Stauffer, a Washington-based water and energy expert, “Israel has been siphoning off Palestinian water for a generation from an aquifer beneath the occupied West Bank.” It is water robbery.
As for the US-Israel relationship, M. S. Alam (Dawn, ‘Encounter’, Feb 22) quotes Stauffer, who added up all of the costs (loans, written off loans, bribes paid to Egypt and Jordan in support of USA’s Israel policy, subsidies to Israel’s military R&D, boost in oil prices, losses due to trade sanctions imposed on Israel’s enemies, etc.) and concluded that since 1973 Israel has cost the US about $1.6 trillion. In per capita terms, this amount is $320,000 for every Jewish citizen of Israel.
PROF (DR) P. NASIR
Gujrat, Punjab
ONE reads about the malfunction of the government departments more often than about their good performance, specially the customer service experience. I am writing to record an astonishingly pleasant experience of my wife and myself at the driving licence branch (DLB) of the Karachi police.
My first licence was issued in 1979, and since then I have been in periodic contact for renewals etc.
We were visiting Karachi in the end of 2002 when my wife lost her licence. We went to the DLB with a lot of apprehension and set aside whole day to complete the formalities for a duplicate.
The paperwork, including lodging an FIR, took us around one and a half hours, mostly for the FIR and typing of affidavits, etc. We then entered the premises of the DLB having prepared for a wait of the rest of the day.
However, things looked very different from 2001 when we got the new card licences. Within a few minutes we found our way to the office of the district superintendent of police in charge of the DLB. The papers were processed without delay or outside intervention of brokers etc., and within one and a half hours my wife’s license was issued.
Throughout our stay, we were treated with courtesy and were even offered tea by the DSP!
MOHAMMAD AZIMUDDIN
Casablanca, Morocco
RECENTLY Imran Khan was in New Delhi to attend a seminar organized by the India Today group of publications. There he was interviewed by the BBC radio to know his views about the current Indo-Pakistan relations.
His instant answer was that Kashmir is the only bone of contention between the two countries, and the problem should be solved through talks. He also wanted the two countries to cut their defence spendings, saying the money so saved could be spent on the poor in Pakistan and India.
At the end of his interview, Mr Khan suggested that with the help of a third party like Mr Nelson Mandela, the two countries can reach a decision amicably. And this suggestion does appeal to reason.
We have seen that, despite fighting wars and holding dialogues which resulted in the famous Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, we have been unable to find a solution to the Kashmir issue. So, the best option for India and Pakistan is to invite a third party who should undertake the responsibility of finding a solution to this issue.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
IT is heartening to see some letters and articles on the above subject, which greatly affect the future health and economy of this city of 14 million people. Under the article titled “Transport imbroglio” (Dawn,, Feb 17), Mr Anwer Mooraj rightly summarizes that the rehabilitation of the circular railway should be the government’s first priority.
After my letter of Feb 16 some interesting news articles have been analysed. In spite of a railway wagon manufacturing plant, existing in our country for a very long time, where substantial transfer of technology has taken place, we have gone ahead and imported 1,300 wagons from China at a cost of Rs3 million per wagon.
Is there nobody to even inquire whether substantial technology already exists in the country? By way of comparison, what is the cost of a wagon built by the Islamabad factory? We would be employing persons and utilizing an existing facility and not spending our precious foreign exchange.
Certainly some modifications may be necessary for the locally- manufactured wagons to cope with today’s demands of door opening and closing activation by the engine driver. But for such things, the existing technical staff can usefully visit and solve the matter, rather than import wagons, which also may not have this facility.
We have spent Rs322 million on studies for mass transit. There are ‘certain flaws’ in the KCR system as recently pointed out by the provincial transport minister. The most glaring one is the systematic robbing of the railways of revenue by unscrupulous elements. Entry to and exit from stations must be through purchased tickets available at vending machines at the stations. No entry to the stations should be possible from tracks or for any persons other than travellers or documented railway staff.
The staff using huge offices and other perquisites should be able to formulate a coherent and viable solution to bring back the circular railway as a profitable unit.
DAUD ANSARI
Karachi
IT WAS distressing to learn about the death of Maisoon Hussein, a highly professional journalist and human rights activist.
Whether it was the mildness of her manner, her inner strength, extreme politeness or her passion for human rights, our conversation immediately turned to the late-distinguished jurist, Justice Dorab F. Patel. I will never forget what she said about him, which was something to the effect that even when Justice Patel was vehement he was not forceful enough!
Coming from such a young person, this comment for a sober and reserved British-trained jurist who very carefully chose his words was not surprising at all. Nevertheless, at that point I knew that this soft-spoken lady with a frail exterior would rise. Not in the worldly sense though, but an ascension as envisaged by the scholar who remarked, “Unless he rises above himself—- what a poor thing is Man!” And rise she did.
Perhaps the cancer developed by Maisoon Hussein was in response to the various forms of cancer she encountered in our society daily during the course of her professional life. The first thing that came to my mind on reading about her untimely death was the Greek saying, “Whom the gods love, die young”. So let it be said of Maisoon Hussein who traversed greater heights yesterday!
DR GHULAM NABI KAZI
Karachi
I AM deeply shocked over the death of your former staff member, Ms Maisoon Hussein. May Allah rest her soul in peace, and give patience to her family and friends.
ABDUL HAQUE
Hyderabad
RECENTLY about 200 Indian information technology professionals were mistreated by the Malaysian police. These professionals possessed valid documents and were working up the invitation of the Malaysian Government and private sector organizations.
As news of this filtered out of the media, the Indian government reacted swiftly. A scheduled visit by a Malaysian minister was cancelled, India revoked certain landing rights to Malaysian Airlines in Calcutta, pulled out of the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament and there is talk now of revoking import benefits given to Malaysian soya oil.
Every day we hear news of our countrymen being harassed in different parts of the world, in spite of being labelled a “frontline” ally in the war against terrorism. Yet our government and our foreign embassy staff have not been able to react and show the nation’s displeasure. Our citizens are being hounded out of the US, Canada, the Middle East, Afghanistan, yet the government keeps quiet. It is time we took a leaf out of India’s book and show our annoyance. Otherwise the world will simply ride roughshod on us.
KADHAR KHAN
Via email
THE re-emergence of fascist tendencies on university campuses is highly regrettable. The ever deteriorating educational system coupled with the rise of fascist forces at the universities of Pakistan is likely to jeopardise the survival of the progressive elements who are keen to ensure the resumption of the culture of intellectual disputation which once used to be the hallmark of university life.
Recently the student wing of a religious party terrorized the members of the Progressive Youth Front (PYF) at the campus of Karachi University. It seems that the university is no more safe for those who speak sense and believe in a culture of tolerance and democracy. Universities are thought to be places where the most literate section of society resides.
The tendencies of extremism date back to the dissolution of student unions during the dictatorial regime of Gen Zia in the 1980s. With these representative student bodies having been got out of the way, it has been rather easy to foster the myth that politics is another name for corruption, hypocrisy, deception and brutality. Sections of the media have played their part in promoting this myth.
Reputed universities in the world today as ever are the centres where the younger generation is encouraged to learn the norms of democracy and to gain political consciousness. It hardly makes sense to deny the younger generation the opportunity to learn the skills they will need to run the political society in the days to come.
AMIR HUSSAIN NIHAL
London, UK
THIS refers to the letter by Mr Talat Khurshid (March 17) regarding excessive billing by the PTCL.
The PTCL management has taken stock of the complaint of Mr Khurshid. The matter has been thoroughly investigated, and the complaint will be discussed at the upcoming meeting of the divisional vigilance committee concerned.
The company would like to clarify that there are three forums available to PTCL customers for registration of complaints, i.e. divisional vigilance committees, regional vigilance committees and headquarters vigilance committees. These committees on a monthly basis entertain excessive billing complaints regarding local calls, nationwide and international, and mobile and premium rate calls.
The PTCL would like to advise its valued customers to avail themselves of the code barring facility provided by the company free of cost. This can help them avoid excessive billing.
Moreover, the PTCL charges one single call while dialling internet dial-up connection, i.e. 131.
The company has time and again clarified that there is no multi-metering on internet calls.
SULTAN AHMAD HASSAN
General Manager (Public Relations), PTCL,
Islamabad
JINNAH Hospital is situated in Karachi and so is Civil Hospital. Jinnah Hospital, which comes under the federal government’s jurisdiction, pays stipends to its post-graduate doctors, whereas Civil Hospital, whose affairs are run under the Sindh government, post-graduate doctors, including my niece, are made to render free services.
Not a single day goes by when one does not read in the newspapers that millions of rupees have been misappropriated in one government functionary or the other.
Instead of eliminating corruption and curbing lavish expenses by high-ups on themselves, they are depriving the doctors of their legitimate rights for no fault of theirs.
However, one would also agree that every government official cannot be seen in the same perspective. Hence commission of illegal acts does not necessarily apply to everybody.
It is worthy of note that except for Civil Hospital, Karachi, the post-graduate doctors of Jinnah Hospital, Karachi, and other provinces are enjoying their rights. On at least two occasions the medical superintendent of Civil Hospital informed these doctors that the hospital had sufficient funds to meet their requirement relating to stipends, but lamented that stipends could not be given without approval by the provincial government.
Will the authorities concerned redress the grievances of the affected doctors?
MRS TAHSIN RAIS
Karachi
I HAVE been reading Dawn since the Sept 11 incidents in an attempt to understand how people in Pakistan think. I am puzzled that so many people there fervently hope to get into an American university or emigrate to America, when those very same people express their bitter hatred of America on your pages.
I also find it odd that America-haters would expect us Americans to welcome them to our shores.
We Americans have always welcomed immigrants, but we do expect them to love America and not to come here to slaughter our citizens.
If you hate America, do us a favour and don’t come here.
WILLIAM WORSLEY
Washington, USA
I STUDY in the Allama Iqbal Open University. Two weeks ago I submitted my second semester form with a bank draft of Rs535 through the courier service, UMS.
I was shocked when the university authorities concerned returned my form after one week, with the objection that the required bank draft had not been attached to the form.
I wonder why the bank draft, which I sent by the courier service along with my form, did not reach the authorities while the form did. I fear the admission and information departments of the AIOU have misplaced my bank draft somewhere. I have a photocopy of the draft and the UMS mailing receipt.
These days it is very difficult to earn money, and so is acquiring education which is becoming very costly, beyond the reach of the common man. I wonder if I will be able to pay the same amount again for my education.
Will the authorities concerned investigate the matter and do the needful to redress my grievance?
NAVEED EHSAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to your editorial on Sabzimandi park (March 13).
The land vacated by moving the old Sabzimandi is approximately only 18 acres, which now belongs to the City Government. How can the City Government hand over 38 acres to the army for the purpose of building Askari Park?
Surrounding this area there are several commercial and industrial units operating in an area comprising another 20 acres. We are one such unit holding leasehold rights on five acres executed in 1935 even before Pakistan’s existence!
My father purchased this property when he migrated to Pakistan in 1947. Our lease expires in 2034. We ran a textile industry for 40 years on the same premises. We have paid millions of rupees in the form of government taxes, land rents, commercial conversion charges, etc., in the last 68 years.
One fine day (August 19, 2002) without any notice and intimidating dire consequences and threats, the City Government, under the protection of the Rangers, bulldozed their way in and took over all the industries in the vicinity.
It is regrettably stated that the City Government acted in total disregard of all the provisions of law and principles of natural justice as well as the terms and conditions contained in the lease.
This action was challenged by all of us through constitutional petitions filed before the High Court of Sindh. After hearing the petitions the learned judges were pleased to declare the action taken by the City District Government as without jurisdiction, arbitrary, unwarranted and by its very nature malafide, illegal and unsustainable in law.
The City Government has become the land grabber! Your observation that “some litigation proceedings being carried out against the civic agencies by certain land developers and builders who wanted to commercialize the land vacated by the shifting of the old sabzimandi” is neither correct nor factual. The City Government is more than welcome to build the proposed park on the land vacated by moving the Sabzimandi, but it has no right to usurp our land.
SUBAK MAJEED
Managing Director,
Phoenix Mills Ltd., Karachi
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