| April 15, 2003 | Tuesday | Safar 12, 1424 |
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HSC computer science course
After Iraq — what?
Nadra’s new prescription
Soiled currency notes
Trans-Afghan Pipeline project
Random police checks
Hypocrisy
Will MMA go beyond rhetoric?
Equivalence certificate
Payment of LPR money
CPLC: change of leadership
AN Indian court’s order to excavate beneath the present detrited site of Babri Masjid to find out whether a temple existed under its foundation is against common sense. Besides setting a wrong precedence of digging up a monument on a whimsical accusation, this exercise is futile for the venue in question involved.
The fertile and alluvial Gangetic soil around Ayodhya must have seen the existence of layers and layers of many races, dynasties and civilizations over thousands of years. Most of these may have had their own places of worship. It will, therefore, not be possible to establish that just one temple named after god Rama existed there. There could easily be foundations of various places of worship or whatever on the stratum therein. This excavation is a recipe for disaster and will invite claims from other religious denominations also.
Moreover, the contents of the following will left by Emperor Babur to his son and successor Humayun, who became the emperor of India, would make one think many times if a thoughtful king, such as Babur, could have destroyed a temple, that too of Lord Rama, to build a mosque there instead. This should be food for thought for saner elements, though may not be for the kowtowing archaeologists:
My son, Hindustan is inhabited by people belonging to different religions. It is Almighty God’s great mercy that he has made you the king of this country. During your reign you must pay heed to the following:
1) Don’t ever let religious bigotry enter your heart. Keeping the religious sentiments and rituals of the people in mind, do full justice to them without any fear or favour.
2) Particularly refrain from slaughtering cows so that you may find a place in the people’s hearts and they become subservient and remain enchained to you through gratitude and mercy.
3) You must never demolish the place of worship of any people. You should always dispense full justice to all so that there exist a friendly relationship between the ruler and the ruled, ensuring peace and tranquillity in the country.
4) The propagation of Islam can better be achieved with the sword of nicety and graciousness rather than with the sword of tyranny and cruelty.
5) Go on ignoring the differences between the Shias and the Sunnis as it will weaken Islam.
6) Treat the various peculiarities of your subjects like the annual changes of seasons so that the government may remain protected from illness and weakness.
NB: Translation from Indian Islam (Titus). A copy of this still exists in the state library of Bhopal.
M. REZA PERVAIZ
Karachi
THE recent reversal of the decision by the education ministry to discontinue Computer Studies at the HSC level is another example in a long line of considered, sound educational action being overridden by what one can only imagine are political pressures.
It is no secret that the Computer Studies course and examination, as have stood for the past six or so years since its introduction, have nothing to offer students in the way of preparation for the real-world of information technology needs. If anything, it cripples whatever natural ability students might have by fostering a rote-learning approach to even something as conducive to creativity as programming.
What can be said for a ‘practical’ examination that involves the memorization of 14 sections of code (mostly brain dead themselves) is beyond my imagination. Neither does the ‘theory’ section inspire much confidence, with a needless emphasis on the history of computers, and outdated or dubious categorizations of these machines.
There is practically nothing dealing with the profound and pervasive influence of computer and communications technologies on our daily lives. The emphasis seems to be unduly on just the ‘computer’, which, strictly following the course material, one could be excused for thinking is limited to the desktop variety.
Of course, as with other subjects, there is nothing either to encourage student initiative or use of imagination. In fact, these qualities might be punished.
Choosing Computer Studies in class nine is a double whammy for unsuspecting students, for not only they are being fed the false promise of a useful basis in computer science, they are also deprived of the knowledge, be it through rote or otherwise of more useful subjects areas — biology in the Science group and a variety of optionals in the General group.
One would hope that the computer studies course, now reintroduced, is revamped drastically so as to not rob the students of their valuable time, and schools of their resources. However, such measures presuppose courageous political will and sound educational vision. Alas, the two are hardly ever found to co-exist when it matters.
PATRICK AMANCIO
Karachi
AFTER the massive bombing of Iraq, intended to achieve a regime change, we are left with anarchy and chaos but no weapons of mass destruction were found. Dr Blix has now stated that weapons inspection and disarmament were not the US intention.
So here we are with the US — the most powerful nation in the world still on a war footing after alleged success in Iraq - a claim which the world has not appreciated. Saddam’s track record has been bad, and his punishment is because he is seen a threat to those whom the US seeks to protect.
There must also be some method in the madness. The US first destroys and then seeks to rebuild. Both will cost billions of dollars. The cost of rebuilding will be borne by the Arab satellite states and Iraqi oil revenues itself as the war was intended to liberate the Iraqi people while the cost of destruction by the US.
The war outcome was never in doubt. Saddam and his Ba’athist regime have evidently been crushed but so has the confidence of the people of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan and Turkey. The people of Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain will also suffer much uncertainty as members of the OIC. Egypt which spoke out against the war and Turkey whose democratically-elected government showed great courage in opposing the war will no doubt face troubled times.
Pakistan has handled the situation with diplomacy, while allowing public opinion to be expressed. Did we have a choice? Muslim countries must realize that the only guarantee of international respect and acceptability is a democratically -elected government having the full backing of the people.
Did the US break away from the UN and attack Iraq unilaterally in its quest for control over Iraqi oil or was it to prevent the oil-producing countries from switching to the euro as a trading currency - a beginning already made by Iraq and was this one of the reasons why Europe disagreed with the US? Food for thought.
The UN has rather become obsolete unless re-structured with an enlarged Security Council and with more powers to the General Assembly. He who has the bigger weapon can subjugate those with smaller or no weapons at all. Intellectuals all over the world must unite to create understanding and harmony in dealings between sovereign states pending a re-structuring of the UN.
LIAQUAT MERCHANT
Karachi
THIS refers to the news item headlined “CNICs to be issued from point of applications” (April 10).
It appears that to cover its failure in managing the issuance and delivery of CNICs to the public, Nadra has been, day in and day out, issuing new prescriptions to the public, thereby harassing them by making them run from pillar to post for obtaining CNICs and by repeatedly submitting forms for this purpose.
What prompted me to write this letter is that I, being the head of my family, personally submitted on July 25, 2001, at the provincial headquarters of Nadra, Karachi, six forms for issuance of CNICs for myself, wife, son and three daughters, under duplicate R.G-4 receipt Nos. A-812938 to A-812943.
Subsequently, on March 21, 2002, an article, “Nadra in perspective”, was published in the press by Brig (retd) Saleem Ahmed Moeen, in which he mentioned loss of numerous forms booked between May and August 2001. I immediately wrote to the director, Nadra, Karachi, giving details and requesting for an update, but got no response.
However, out of these six forms, one CNIC for my son against receipt No. A-812940 was received some time in the mid-2002, while two more CNICs against receipt No. A-812938 for myself and against receipt No. A-812943 for my youngest daughter were received just before the presidential referendum.
For the remaining three CNICs, I visited the Nadra provincial headquarters where I was directed to submit fresh forms at the district registration office which I did on Nov 13, 2002. Against these three forms, only one CNIC of my wife for receipt No. A-812939 was received only a week back and two (02) more CNICs for my daughters against receipts No. A-812941 & A-812942 are still awaited.
Concluding my plight in obtaining CNICs for my family, my question to Nadra is, what do I do for obtaining the remaining two CNICs in the light of their latest prescription?
ABDUL AZIZ
Karachi
I FULLY endorse the views expressed by Mr S. M. A. Rizvi about the dirty and soiled currency notes in circulation (April 4). It is deplorable that, despite the appearance of several letters in these columns and a convincing report filed by your correspondent under the headline “Currency notes spread diseases” (Dec 10), the relevant authorities of the State Bank of Pakistan have taken no notice of this evil.
The report says that according to a study conducted by the Microbiology Department of Karachi University, the use of contaminated currency notes could cause diarrhoea and urinary tract infections, besides skin burn and septicaemic infection. According to this report, the contaminated notes may act as a potential source of infection with antibiotic resistance.
Many new currency notes are sold daily outside the State Bank branches at a premium by brokers. These are mostly bought by traders who use them for making wedding garlands. The government must ban this practice to increase the supply of fresh currency notes for use by people at large.
May the finance minister take the trouble to direct the State Bank authorities to immediately withdraw dirty and soiled notes and open a counter at every branch of the bank for their exchange with the new currency notes?
R. R. ALVI
Lahore
ONCE again India has been invited to join the Trans-Afghan Pipeline (TAP) project during a ministerial level meeting of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in Manila. India’s response is reportedly as cool as ever, clearly due to its anti-Pakistan mindset. Also, the fate of Indo-Iran gas pipeline via Pakistan has hanged in balance for the same reason.
Can’t the TAP project be feasible without India? If the answer is “no”, why is India implored time and again to partake in the project?
Our constant chorus of “talks and participation with India” has, indeed, made India more and more intransigent and overconfident in its dealings with us. It has also emboldened it to crush the Kashmiri freedom struggle as well as to get Pakistan declared a rogue state by raising the bogey of cross-border terrorism even more vigorously in the recent months.
Therefore, please stop keep begging peace and coexistence from India through such useless offers and overtures. If you want peace, please learn to assert yourself. Don’t be diplomatic to the extent of stupidity.
RAJA YASIR IMTIAZ
Rawalpindi
ON April 3, I was going towards Frere Hall from the Clifton bridge. As my car came to a halt at the Hoshang Road traffic signal, two policemen approached my car. One of the policemen told me to open the boot of the car. I gave him the key to inspect it.
The other policeman started to interview me with a register in his hand. He asked me my name, the make, model and the colour of the car — the last, as if he were colour blind.
After the signal turned green, I moved ahead and observed through my rear-view mirror that several cars behind me passed without being checked. I wonder why I alone was subjected to this kind of search and harassment.
I would like to suggest to the Sindh IG to post educated policemen, who are not colour blind, at this sensitive location, so that the objective of proper security is achieved, instead of doing a mere “kaghazi karvai”.
AZAM SULTAN AHMED
Karachi
THE United States, possessing the world’s largest armoury of inter-continental ballistic missiles and undeclared nuclear and bio-chemical weapons, has no right to push the disarmament of any nation.
This is sheer hypocrisy. Despite global dissent, the unilateral attack on Iraq’s sovereignty by the United States must be regarded as “international terrorism” and condemned accordingly.
If this arm-twisting goes on, then the sovereignty of any nation weaker than the US would be at peril.
DR PATRICK E. GALLAGHER
Cerritos, CA, USA
WITH reference to the article titled “Will MMA go beyond the rhetoric?” by Babar Sattar in ‘Encounter’ (April 12), I have to agree with the writer that we need to debate the desirability of an Islamic regime.
While the Islamists throughout Pakistan’s history have advanced the argument that the founders of Pakistan wished an Islamic state as opposed to a Muslim state, Jinnah’s references to that effect are very few.
It seems that till Ziaul Haq came into power, the majority of leaders saw Pakistan from a modernist perspective. With the shift to the Islamist perspective, it seems sectarian violence has increased tremendously. The various factions see each other as “kafir” and one can only conclude, as Jinnah asked in 1946, “whose Shariah?”
I would argue that any attempt to decrease poverty, increase education, provide jobs, and decrease corruption are inherently “Islamic” and can occur in a secular state. Separating religion from the state is probably the single most important step Pakistan can take today.
NAVEED AFRIDI
Fargo, ND, USA
MY daughter, after passing the GCE O’level examinations in eight subjects (Islamiat, Urdu, Pakistan Studies, English, physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology) applied to the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen, Islamabad, for the issuance of an equivalence certificate.
The equivalence certificate, bearing No.4497, Ref. IBCC/2-1/2001(88) dated Oct 10, 2001, issued by the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen, Ministry of Education, Islamabad, under the signature of Secretary Dr Parveen Shahid, shows 502 as total obtained marks out of the total 850 marks of the SSC examinations.
On going through the details of the marks’ calculation, I came to know that the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen had not taken into account the paper of biology. Moreover, the 502 marks obtained by my daughter in seven subjects were compared against the total 850 marks of the nine subjects.
The paper of biology is included in these nine subjects. I fail to understand as to why the marks of the biology paper were not taken into account.
I request Federal Education Minister Zubaida Jalal to look into the matter and direct the official concerned to issue a revised equivalence certificate, taking into account the 68 marks of the biology paper, as the exclusion of these marks has drastically reduced the overall percentage of my daughter.
AQUEEL AHMAD
Karachi
ONCE it was a practice in Sindh that in an LPR (leave preparatory to retirement) case, a person would get payment for 180 days the very second day of retirement. This was just to enable the person to pull on in the absence of any monthly salary.
I have still not been paid that money, though I retired on June 14, 2002. I hope the government would do the needful.
PROF GHULAM HUSSAIN PANWEHAR
Hyderabad
A LOT has been written in the print media lately about the recent development at the CPLC. We at the CPLC have been following the expressions of appreciation of the services of Mr Jameel Yusuf and also the anxiety about the continuity of the CPLC by concerned citizens and friends of the CPLC. To quell some misconceptions, we feel obligated to state the following:
The CPLC was created in 1989 during the tenure of Mr Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, the then Governor of Sindh. Mr Nazim F. Haji and Mr Jameel Yusuf were nominated as chief and joint chief, respectively, with a number of nominated members. They contributed immensely in building the organization and giving it an identity and recognition that we are all proud of.
Following the denotification of Mr Nazim F. Haji by the government in 1996, the CPLC continued to serve with Mr Jameel Yusuf as the chief. The strong succour of the citizens, coupled with the steadfast support of the members of the CPLC, nurtured the organization and developed it into an institution. Consequently, Mr Jameel Yusuf trained and groomed a number of members for future leadership.
It is quite doleful that much has been written and said, forgetting that there are many “unsung heros”, working behind the scenes in the organization, who too have voluntarily devoted 14 years of their lives, their family time, energy and efforts in the field, combating heinous crimes like kidnapping for ransom, terrorism, extortion, dacoity, etc., unwaveringly at the risk of their lives and without any personal projection or reward, except from Allah Almighty. The good reputation of the CPLC is also due to these selfless and daring members who make themselves available round the clock to serve the needy and helpless without any distinction as to caste, creed, religious affiliation or status.
Undoubtedly, the departure of Mr Jameel Yusuf has left a big void, but we are confident that the institution will continue to perform with the same zeal and enthusiasm, and strive to establish CPLC offices in other parts of Sindh. We request our fellow citizens, benefactors and friends to continue supporting the CPLC as this will give us the courage and valiancy to fight the crime, and serve the citizens as always.
SHARFUDDIN MEMON
T.I. Chief, CPCL,
Karachi
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