| April 29, 2003 | Tuesday | Safar 26, 1424 |
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World at the crossroads
Student unions
Computer syllabus
Promotions without qualification
One-man formula
CSS candidates’ domiciles
‘Stolen car’
Safety of children
Army officials at KESC
Transport fares
Economic revival
THE third generation of Pakistan is of the view that the Indian government is not serious about harmonizing relations with Pakistan because of the Kashmir dispute. Peaceful nations want the two nuclear powers to resolve this 55-year-old dispute, which has caused three wars between them.
The issue needs to be resolved once and for all, so that the tension, which has kept the region in its grip for over half a century, de-escalates and peace prevails in the region.
Innumerable meetings have so far been held between the officials of the two countries, but in vain. Even an important opportunity to sign a declaration between Pakistan and India was missed by the Indian government at the Agra summit in July 2001, despite the best efforts made by President Gen Pervez Musharraf to
persuade the Indian leadership to hold serious talks on the issue.
During the last Saarc summit, President Musharraf extended his hand of friendship to the Indian prime minister, but Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee did not reciprocate the goodwill gesture of his Pakistani counterpart.
A few days back the Indian premier extended to Pakistan an offer for talks. There is no harm in holding talks for friendship and peace, but the Indian government must prove its sincerity and, for that, it should spell out the agenda on which Mr Vajpayee would like to talk with the Pakistan government.
Mr Vajpayee should first build trust between the two countries. The first step in this regard would be to bring to a complete halt the atrocities being perpetrated by India’s armed forces against Kashmiris on a daily basis. Secondly, the Indian government should also completely restore law and order to the occupied-Kashmir before requesting Pakistan to hold talks. It will be better if Mr Vajpayee visits Pakistan this time.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
YOUR editorial, “Vajpayee’s talks offer” subject (April 20), reminded me of the hardship that I faced on my recent trip to the subcontinent.
I have loved ones on both sides of the border. Some of us are getting in the age bracket that we may not see each other forever unless things change between India and Pakistan. It is utterly ridiculous for one to go to a “neutral third country” such as Dubai, Nepal, or Bangladesh in order to visit your relatives in India and Pakistan on a single trip from the United States.
It is my suggestion that we start the rail, bus and airline services as soon as possible and start issuing short-term visas to the nationals of both countries.
On a lighter note, I understand that Pakistan runs a daily steam train from Mirpurkhas to Khokrapar towards the Indian border town of Monabau. That service could be extended further into India and can be made a tourist experience. That will be a win-win situation for many old “steam buffs” and the young ones who only know about steam engines from the books and museums.
G. A. SHIRAZI
Edmond, OK, USA
THE arithmetic of power is ambivalent. Depending on its management it can equally lead to destruction or beneficence. Mere rhetoric, bluff or empty slogans do not change its realities. If anything can alter its kinetics, it is sound situational analysis, creative imagination and realism embedded in clinical objectivity.
The lingering image of the havoc that even modern conventional weapons can wreak is still fresh from the recent happenings in Iraq. The world indeed is at the crossroads.
There is a path leading to hubristic preemption without exhausting all avenues of peaceful resolution of concerns and perceptions available in terms of time and action and another calling for disciplined, problem solving restraint in conformity with principles and procedures of international law and the spirit of the UN Charter, which deserves to be held in high esteem as the one instrument which enshrines this spirit in actionable and settled form.
The choice is hardly complicated, if not obvious. Nevertheless, given the unquestionable historical infatuation with naove aspirations to global hegemony, it demands the responsibility-driven will of the P5 and the G8 to adopt the second course for both civilized survival and prospering world societies.
This will, on their part, supported by over 180 member states of the UN, must insist, for the welfare of their peoples, on the determination to recognize, uphold and enforce:
a) the centrality of the freedom, dignity and individual worth of the human being;
b) the spirit, principles and procedures of the UN charter;
c) a harmonized mix of national and world interests, free of avarice, in the larger good of humanity;
d) speedy international accountability for violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights domestically;
e) measures seeking the revamping of the UN to cope with the emerging realities in a spirit of collaborative beneficence urgently.
In short, the new world order must subscribe to the UN charter internationally and the Declaration of Human Rights domestically.
M.J. AS’AD
Karachi
THIS refers to letters that appeared recently in these columns with a request to the government to restore students unions in colleges. The plea taken by the letter-writers was that in the absence of any union activities the students fail to employ their time gainfully, rather spend it in gossip.
It is a matter of surprise how quickly people tend to forget the deaths of students (in Karachi University and Dow Medical College) and the recent violence on the campuses of Karachi and still plead for the restoration of students unions.
Are the killing of fellow students, disruption of studies and destruction of property a better use of time? I request the government to crack down on all those who have no role in educational institutions and let the students there to study in peace.
EZRA RAUSHANAK
Karachi
IT has been two years since the HSC syllabus of Computer Science changed. Since then the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education has issued neither a textbook nor a teacher’s guide.
Compared to the FBISE, the Punjab Board of Information Technology has issued three books, i.e. Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 for Part I and another book for Part II. At least teachers have the idea what is to be taught and how much has to be taught for all topics.
No doubt the FBISE has a pool of educationists and all the expertise available. Unlike other subjects, Computer Science, which is a top demand, should also be given some attention and, like the other Punjab Textbook Board, the Punjab Information Technology Board should be recommended so that the confusion among the students may end.
INAAM HUSAIN
Murree
IN 1987 a new scheme of promotion to grades 21 and 22 was started for those in technical cadres of the federal and provincial governments. A 12.5 per cent quota was reserved for these types of promotion for each cohort.
Apparently, it was meant to be an opportunity for those in technical posts where no promotions were ordinarily possible and, so, it was meant to be a real promotion, specially financially, for the person not leaving his current post.
However, since the person carried his new grade of 21/22 to any other place if he wished, so it was a type of promotion not different from other promotions except that it could be availed of only once.
Detailed regulations were made only in 1987 — vide memorandum No.F.2(3) R.3/86 — which included, of course, the possession of the minimum requisite qualification as one of the requirements.
As it often happens in Pakistan, that did not suit the unqualified, so on Dec 29, 2001, a new regulation (D.O .No 812197-P5-5) was circulated by the establishment division in which the requirement of possession of technical qualification necessary for the post was done away with and, consequently, the persons from then on who were promoted were not eligible in view of the minimum requisite qualification. By 2003 they were starting to form the majority.
Now that is a wrong of enormous proportion and far-reaching consequence for the country and it was committed by none other than the establishment division. This condition of having the minimum requisite qualification for the post was an integral part of the original 1987 criterion, as well as the bedrock of civil service of Pakistan as incorporated in the Constitution.
It is time for the apex court, as well as for the president, to take notice of such mischief and undo such promotions made by fraud.
M.I. SHAIKH
Islamabad
I AM aware of the various statements and comments being made by government functionaries and politicians about the LFO. I could only make out that there could be no legal or moral way to permit a single man “to amend the Constitution at his will” when the 1973 Constitution was only in abeyance and not cancelled and an election was to be held.
Nobody knows under what circumstances Justice Irshad Hasan Khan permitted Gen Musharraf to amend the Constitution as it is quite logical to say that you cannot give away anything to anyone when you yourself do not have authority on that particular thing.
Will PML-Q chief Shujaat Hussain step into the president’s house as president
of the country if the apex court passes an order to that effect?
Certainly not. Then how are he and the likes of him trying to make others accept this quite illogical order? Secondly, if the amendments made to the Constitution by a single authority are accepted at this moment, there was no need to hold the election and spend billions of rupees on it.
WAQAR KHAN
Karachi
NOWADAYS, a discussion is on in the press while a case is under the Supreme Court’s consideration regarding the FPSC rules about domicile of candidates in these Superior Civil Services examinations.
Competition in Punjab and the NWFP is high whereas in Sindh, Balochistan and AJK it is not so. For this, CSS candidates from Punjab and the NWFP go to the AJK, Sindh and Balochistan to get their domiciles from these areas. Owing to this, the number of civil servants from Sindh, Balochistan and AJK has come down with time.
For example, in the CSS-2000 batch there was only one genuine candidate from Balochistan, three from Kashmir and 30 from Sindh out of the 206 who qualified for training.
Moreover, the army quota had no candidate from Sindh, the AJK and Balochistan. This is creating a sense of deprivation among the people of smaller provinces as the practice is repeated every year.
The current press discussion is: either the FPSC should accept the domicile of the candidate as source of his permanent residence regardless of his father’s domicile or the commission should accept the father’s domicile as a standard for allocation of seats. The latter formula favours the people of smaller provinces and is also just.
The FPSC should adopt this and ensure that facts in this regard are strictly checked by the IB or the ISI.
MOHAMMAD SIDDIQ BUTT
Muzaffarabad
I AM a regular reader of Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee’s columns, which most of the times are very interesting and informative.
However, for the past two weeks, Mr Cowasjee’s target has been one of the political parties and its members. And these members include the governor of Sindh and a senior minister of the province. There are certain accusations which Mr Cowasjee has levelled against some of the party members.
I have also read the clarifications from Mr Sardar Ahmed and Mr Kunwar Khalid Yunus. I agree with Mr Yunus’s point that the allegations levelled by Mr Cowasjee in his column were read by a large number of people in comparison to his clarification which appeared in the letters to the editor page in the normal week days.
A lot of people must have missed the other side of the coin. So, this is every columnist’s responsibility that whatever assertion he or she is putting should be based on facts, as it has to do a lot with the repute of the concerned person (persons).
MUDASSIR HUSSAIN AZIMABADI
Karachi
PLEASE refer to Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee’s column headlined “Causa sine qua non” (April 20).
Mr Cowasjee deserves my as well as my colleagues’ thanks for letting us know why Mr Yusuf has been sent packing unceremoniously. It is a great tragedy that whenever anyone shows some courage to do something good for the nation, he is removed from the scene.
M. KHIZIR FAROOQI
Karachi
HATS off to Dawn for publishing the report, “Killing of little boys goes largely unnoticed” ( April 6).
The report compiler has rightly criticized the role of our NGOs in this tragedy, though they claim to work for the cause of the poor. What have they done, specially after these incidents? Did they visit the houses of those children? Did they offer moral or monetary help to the affected families? Did they arrange a protest rally or meeting? Sadly enough, no real work.
I may clarify that I am not writing this to offend them but to appeal to them because we all expect from them some very concrete and solid protest, because whatever they have they own these in the name of these poor children.
The role of our city government and other related people, including the area people, is also very demoralizing. We all are thinking of ourselves, or of myself, my family and my children. We have closed our eyes and ears to others, becoming more and more selfish.
I advise the children, parents, teachers and all to develop a habit of helping yourselves. We must ourselves take great care to look after the well-being and safety of our children, and not leave much for them to decide. This is just because the children have a tendency to be easily misled. By offering a small gift of toffee, biscuit, toys or a book, or lift on bicycle, motorcycle, car or buses, anybody can kidnap or abuse them. So be careful, and do not trust strangers.
SYED JAWAD-UL-HASAN RIZVI
Karachi
WITH reference to a news briefing by the KESC, it seems that the utility company has been transformed into a full-fledged military organization. Going through the complete story as reported in Dawn (March 27), one finds the names of colonels, majors, etc., speaking for the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation.
The KESC is now managed by persons who definitely lack the “proper eligibility” for its professional engineering functions (i.e. generation, transmission and distribution of power).
The deployment of military personnel at the decision-making level of the KESC is simply deplorable. Professionals must be given these jobs to achieve the goals of a utility company.
A CONCERNED CITIZEN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the decision taken by Sindh Transport Minister Adil Siddiqi (April 20) regarding the reduction in transport fares. A reduction of Re1 only is allowed to passengers of buses, mini-buses and coaches. Now, mini-buses will charge a minimum of Rs5 and coaches Rs9 — a difference of Rs4 has been noted.
The decisions reveals that the prime responsibility of the government is to help the transporters but whose responsibility is it to provide relief to the public? Would the minister, the Nazim of Karachi and the officials of the Regional Transport Authority define the facility-wise difference between mini-buses and coaches and justify the difference of a minimum fare of four rupees?
SHAHID MEHMOOD
Karachi
ON April 23 Dr Atta-ur-Rahman was interviewed in the News Night programme on PTV World. He gave GDP examples of countries like Norway with a population of four million and its GDP manifold higher than Pakistan.
The GDP, in very simple words, is money changing hands. One of the reasons Pakistan has always been in crisis, despite so much potential, talent and capabilities, is the “know all” attitude of our people.
In developed countries, organizations are dependent on each other, rather it would be better to say that they outsource their work, thus giving opportunities to people for specialized businesses. For example, if they want to give cars to their employees, they would prefer rent-a-car.
This attitude creates business opportunities for others and a source of income for many. Although there are other interests of the organization in this type of arrangement like hassle-free transport facilities and replacements in case of breakdown etc., but the net result is creation of business opportunities.
In Pakistan it is a trend, specially, among the businesspeople that they want to do everything which is associated with their business, thus creating low-paid jobs and diverting profits to few selected hands. Attitude in general is not looking at what they are earning but it is of looking at the extra buck which their subcontractor is making. And all efforts are diverted to save that buck which the contractor or the supplier is saving so that the profits can be increased.
In this bargain they not only destroy business opportunities, but in most of the cases they damage their own interests. All of us should keep two things in mind. First, one person cannot do everything. Had this been possible, there would not have been specialized areas.
Secondly, if one person can do everything or attempts to do everything by himself, the person is creating obstruction in the path of economic development. Such attempts reduce the flow of money from one hand to another and thus a practice contrary to the Islamic economic system comes into play. It is a quantifiable assessment which can be verified by comparing the business practices of developed and underdeveloped countries.
A fine example of development of economic strength through distribution of business segments is of China which has ensured that the manufacturers outsource their work to the cottage industry and when it comes to selling, they have ensured that the manufacturer operates through buying or selling agents of their own country, in most of the cases. Thus it is essential to share when it comes to economic revival of any nation.
SHAHID SALIM
Karachi
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