| May 31, 2003 | Saturday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 28, 1424 |
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Imported democracy
Measures for saving Tarbela
S&T policy priorities
Charged parking
Denial of visa
A glaring wrong
A common citizen
POL prices and OCAG
Travel facilities
Busy police
Differences between US and Europe
Road to Simla went through Murree
ROADMAP is the latest neologism added to the political jargon of conciliation efforts. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to recount how India and Pakistan went about reaching the Simla agreement in June 1972. It may help the two countries hold negotiations.
HAVING led a quiet private life after the demise of the Quaid in 1948 except for occasional public statements in September and December each year, Fatima Jinnah was the first leader in Pakistan to stand up to a military dictator at the height of his power and oppose him in the election for President of Pakistan. There was no question that a woman could not be president of this country.
Fatima Jinnah was determined, courageous, outspoken, popular and acceptable but lacked a practical political platform and a practical political approach and support from her team of advisers and workers. As rightly stated by the late Mushtaq Ahmad, her manifesto promised restoration of parliamentary democracy, representative rule and collective leadership which could only have been achieved by dismantling the 1962 Constitution and the Basic Democracy system that President Gen Ayub Khan had put into place to ensure his election by the electoral college of Basic Democrats.
In other words, she told them that they would become redundant for the time being if she won the elections but could once again become part of a democratic political process. In spite of this bold and courageous but impractical political strategy from the Basic Democrats’ point of view, she almost won and some political analysts stated that she, in fact, did.
What then did Fatima Jinnah achieve? She set an example of courage and faith in democracy for Pakistan. She set goals for other politicians to follow. The only unfortunate part was that she waited too long to come out into the political arena. Had she done this immediately after Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated, the story may have been quite different and Pakistan may not have seen repeated military interventions as the alleged consequence of failures and disasters by political governments. Democracy would have developed firm roots and political parties would have developed and matured instead of becoming fragmented.
Fatima Jinnah, as the main beneficiary under the Quaid’s will, did not leave a valid will of her own but did leave behind the Khatoon-i-Pakistan Education & Welfare Board and the Khatoon-i-Pakistan Girls School. The latter was and still remains nationalized.
In addition, she left behind the Muslim Ladies Technical & Industrial Home in Nanakwara, Karachi, but the Mohatta Palace, which was given to her in lieu of the Jinnah House at Mount Pleasant Road, Bombay, was left without any indication about its use or disposal and, therefore, became subject matter of litigation when she passed away. Ultimately, Shirin Jinnah gifted the Mohatta Palace and all that was left by Fatima Jinnah to the Shirin Jinnah Medical Trust, which has not functioned to date and the sale proceeds of the Mohatta Palace, which was purchased by the Sindh government and converted into a museum, are lying deposited in the high court.
She was undoubtedly a great lady with much of the intelligence, personality and iron will of the Quaid as well as a vision for Pakistan but she either did play not or was prevented from playing a more positive role in the affairs of Pakistan. This could only be attributed to inadequate support and planning on the part of those political and other leaders who wanted her at the forefront but lacked political vision and a practical approach.
Incidentally, her book My Brother also remained incomplete so the entire story remains untold and we do not have an authentic version of what transpired in the Quaid’s life, personally and politically, between August 1947 and September 1948.
The federal government has declared 2003 as the year of Fatima Jinnah. I would suggest that as a befitting tribute the government should denationalize Fatima Jinnah’s School (Khatoon-i-Pakistan Girls School) and hand it back to the Khatoon-i-Pakistan Education & Welfare Board, and also set up a Fatima Jinnah wing at the Quaid-i-Azam House (Flagstaff House), a proposal already made by me to the prime minister as a part of an overall plan under which the Jinnah Society would establish and operate at its cost Jinnah Library and an audio-visual centre at the Quaid-i-Azam House in perpetual memory of the founder of Pakistan.
We have in President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali admirers of Mr Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah and a PML-Q government in power. It must be now or probably will never be if this opportunity is lost.
LIAQUAT MERCHANT
Karachi
DESPITE the active support of the peace-keeping forces, Hamid Karzai has failed to bring an iota of democracy, peace or prosperity during his 18-month-old rule in Afghanistan. He has failed to exert his authority over the provinces refusing to pay state revenues. Hardly a day passes without any casualty.
Amid propaganda of the local government for Basra and Baghdad, the neo-colonial civil administrator of Iraq has dissolved several ministries and sacked 450,000 employees. The UN Security Council has legalized the criminal occupation of Iraq. Neither the UN inspectors nor the occupation forces could find any WMD.
The story of the wolf and the lamb has been repeated. Iraq was disarmed under the pretext of the WMD and then invaded and run over. The Iraqis are feeling that the devil (Saddam) they knew was better than the devil of neo-colonialism / imported democracy. The rich oil resources of Iraq will enrich the US rather than rebuild Iraq. Both Iraq and Afghanistan have been left at the mercy of the donors.
Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Pakistan and North Korea too need American democracy. Some will import, while others will have it thrust upon them. Pakistan’s indigenous democracy does not qualify for Commonwealth membership. It may perhaps require Pakistani troops for the security of the occupation / neo- colonial forces in Afghanistan and Iraq for which a few dollars may be doled out to it.
The occupation forces know the science and art of deploying the Muslims against Muslims and disintegrating the caliphate into nation-states during and after world wars. The present occupation of Iraq is in continuation of the unfinished agenda of early wars. There are provocative signs of changes in the geography of the Middle East with the sword of Greater Israel hanging over their heads.
Inimical European nations are uniting while the Muslim states are forgetting the concept of Ummah because of petty national concerns. If united, they can still avert the disintegration of Iraq by demanding a native Iraqi administrator through ballot at the earliest.
A. RASHEED
Lahore
SYED Shahid Husain has rightly pointed out (May 12) that Tarbela reservoir “happens to be our last hope of survival. And it is important to operate the reservoir in a sustainable manner by flushing out its sediment inflows on a regular basis. At the design stage of Tarbela the facilities required for flushing out the sediments were incorporated in the project.”
The American consultants, TAMS, designed Tarbela in the 1960s, when there was very little experience of flushing out the sediments from the large water reservoirs. However, in 1997 when Wapda recommissioned the services of TAMS for the management of the sediment, TAMS decided to associate with HR Wellingford, a British organization which had carried out an extensive research in the flushing of the sediments from the reservoirs.
Some of this search was carried out by HR Wellingford with the help of the UK government’s department for international development, which included the development of a very effective computer programme called “RESSASS” for evaluating the extent of sustainable or perpetual storage capacity by flushing the sediments. RESSASS was used by HR Wellingford to conclude that sustainable operation of Tarbela reservoir was feasible provided the sediment is flushed out regularly, as TAMS had envisaged in the original design.
This conclusion should not leave any doubt about the success of sustainable operation of Tarbela.
The measures suggested by Syed Shahid Husain for the sustainable operation of Tarbela offer a far better option than the construction of new mega works comprising underwater dyke and four additional tunnels as recommended by TAMS. The suggested measures would use the sediment flushing facilities already incorporated in the project. We should not delay the implementation of these measures and, as recommended by Syed Shahid Husain, a team of experienced engineers should be asked to review the impact of these measures and submit a comprehensive report to implement these measures, as appropriate.
ENGR AKRAM KHAN
Lahore
MR Athar Osama in his article captioned “What should be the top 10 S&T policy priorities for Pakistan?” published in Science Dotcom of May 24 has made some valuable suggestions for incorporation in the science and technology policy for Pakistan.
However, it is important to point out that the ministry of S&T is without a minister for the past six to seven months. The active programmes started by the ministry during the last three years for the development of S&T now seem to be slowing down again, whereas governments around the globe, recognizing the key role played by science and technology and its unprecedented impact on economic growth and social development, are giving it top priority.
A recent issue of the Nature quoted the Brazilian president as saying that the new government was going to identify science and technology as the key area to develop the country and restore its shattered economy.
Unfortunately, in our country, it seems that we are back to square one, since the government has not even considered science and technology important enough to have a full-time minister. The fate of the ministry is going back to where it had been.
Although a late start was made by the previous government for creating and promoting a scientific culture, but now even that late start would go to waste unless provided continuity. The scientific community is very much concerned over this and has raised the issue on many occasions.
It is time the government appointed a minister for S&T to show its political will and commitment to promote an activity so crucial for the future economic growth of Pakistan.
NAGEEN AIMUDDIN
Islamabad
THIS is to bring to the notice of the authorities concerned the behaviour of the contractors of the charged-parking towards the owners of the cars. They force them to park their cars fender to fender so that more vehicles can be accommodated in a given location and they earn more money.
Sometimes, this adjustment does not even leave a room for a driver to come out of his car easily or re-enter it, and in doing so the opened door of one car touches the body of an adjacent car scratching its paint. And if any owner is bold enough to protest, the agent threatens him of getting his car clamped.
I suggest that the city government make it mandatory for the contractors to mark the parking space clearly, as is the practice in other countries.
JAWED SIDDIQ
Karachi
MR Asghar Ali Engineer, a well-known scholar of India, was invited to participate in a seminar organized by the institute of regional studies, Islamabad. Taking advantage of his presence, the Adara Amn-o-Insaf (Institute of Peace and Justice, Lahore) planned two of his lectures at Lahore.
Asghar Ali was very much interested to come to Lahore not only to deliver lectures but also to meet friends to boost good and friendly relations between the two countries. There was widespread publicity of his lectures and the people were anxiously waiting to hear him. But Asghar Ali Engineer informed the organizers that he was not granted visa for Lahore and therefore had to leave for India without visiting Lahore.
It is really very sad that on the one hand both governments are announcing measures to ease tension, but on the other they are not allowing the intellectuals to share their views with each other. The people of all walks of life have strongly resented the government’s decision and condemned it.
MUBARAK ALI
Lahore
A WELL-KNOWN commercial bank has apparently encroached upon the only narrow strip of the service lane meant to serve as a footpath for the large population of the Hassan Square area.
The residents, commuters, schoolchildren and others are now left with no choice but to walk, at the cost of their lives and limbs, right on the road already clogged by vehicles.
The congested place is not suitable for any respectable business whatsoever, what to say about encroaching upon whatever little was there for the people to walk on. The irony of it all is that a glaring wrong has been committed right under the nose of the nazim-i-aala of this city and the nazim of Gulshan Town.
RESIDENTS OF HASSAN SQUARE CONDOMINIUMS
Karachi
WHAT I feel as a common citizen, M. Rafi has expressed in his views published on May 5. I belong to a middle-class family and travel mostly by bus to save money and help reduce the burden on my parents. They pay a huge amount of taxes but I cannot see it being utilized by the government properly.
SARA AHMED
Karachi
MR Shafiuddin from Texas, US, has quite accurately pointed out in your issue of May 18 the sly tactics of the petroleum companies (through the Oil Companies Advisory Committee) in Pakistan to obstruct the government policy to benefit petrol consumers from any decrease in prices.
One commonly practised way is that whenever the prices are revised downwards,the announcement by the government is made one day ahead of its implementation. Conversely, when the prices are raised, the announcement comes exactly an hour before midnight.
As soon as the prices go up, petrol pump owners start charging higher prices from 12.01 O’clock midnight; but when the prices go down, the pump owners adjust their meters at 10pm. Thus in case of decrease they keep on selling petrol at higher prices for another 10 hours. The unorganized helpless consumer has to subject himself to this unethical profiteering because both the government and the oil companies fail to take note of it.
It is the duty of the local authorities to safeguard the interest of the consumers. They should fan out their inspectors every first and 15th night to make sure that the benefits of lowered prices are passed on to the consumers from the moment they become effective.
SIRAJUDDIN
Hyderabad
REFERRING to Major Yusuf Ali’s letter in your esteemed paper of 25 May, which is quite apt, may I suggest that senior citizens, over 60 years of age, be allowed to travel without visa. At the moment they are exempted from police reporting.
This would further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and Pakistan, which is so necessary to reduce the tension between the two countries.
C.M. MATIN
Karachi
THE number of people kidnapped in Pakistan last year was 2,340. Fewer than 400 of them were recovered (Dawn, Review, May 15).
The low rate of recovery does indicate that the problem is not getting proper attention of the police high-ups. How can anybody really blame them, as they are so busy in their post-9/11 duties while society remains in agony?
Z. A. KAZMI
Karachi
THIS refers to Mr Henry A. Kissinger’s article (May 4) on the ongoing estrangement between the US and Europe.
Mr Kissinger thinks that if the current scenario of transatlantic crisis prevails, there will be a fundamental change in the international status quo, whereby Europe would be divided over dealing with Washington; Nato deviate from its original composition and the UN will be tugged between the forces of unilateralism and multilateralism. Since Mr Kissinger’s juicy interpretations have bypassed some stark facts giving rise to the present crisis, I would make a few comments here.
The whys and wherefores of this decay in international-cum-regional systems lay in power-intoxicated Washington’s policy over the Iraq issue and its treatment of the world community, showing utter contempt for the UN, and annoying its Nato partners and members in the EU, in order to dominate the role of these bodies.
In Washington’s view the present America is not so much an old-fashioned imperial power: it is a hyper power with no equivalent. It also believes that the world is America and America is the world. If the world is America, then it follows as a natural corollary that the interests of America should be the interest of the world. And those who act against its interests, or culture, or policies are against the welfare and security of the world.
The same has been the logic of American military interventions across the world, for over half a century, challenging the sovereignty of the states. The US invasion of Iraq is by all means the fulfilment of the doctrine of “hyperpower” in the Mideast.
The US has been taking the UN as its sole property, and through intimidation, threats and the use of its veto, it manipulates the world body for the benefit of its own interests. Whenever, it suits the US, it uses the UN to seek legitimacy for its actions, to build coalitions and impose sanctions on ‘rogue’ states. When the world opinion goes against it, the US ditches the UN and adopts a unilateral course.
In general, the US takes little interest in the UN’s social agencies such as UNDP, Unesco and UNHCR, except with the interest to control the affairs of the World Trade Organization — a major instrument for promoting and maintaining American “neo-imperialism”.
We must note that the old relations between the US and Europe were already strained over the issues of global warming, the international criminal court, the import of steels, the Kyoto treaty and the currency tussle of the dollar versus the euro. The fissures are now more engulfed over the US policy of pre-emption against Iraq.
Whereas, Washington’s warning of settling the accounts with those who had opposed the US policy over Iraq, its denial to give due place to the UN in reconstructing Iraq and Mr Rumsfeld’s prejudicial bifurcation of Europe into old and new have further poisoned the situation.
The growing Franco-German honeymoon and the establishment of defence union of the four, i.e. France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, in Europe and Eurasian alliance of Russia with five former Soviet republics in Asia are the reflections against the imperious tendencies lately characterizing America’s attitude and policies towards the rest of the world.
Neither friends nor allies now trust America, for they are convinced that in fulfilling its unilateral design, the US makes no difference in betraying its friends or foes — and hence windowing this schism between the US and Europe.
S. Q. AFZAL RIZVI
Karachi
After 30 years of embargo, the records are now available to tell what transpired between D.P. Dhar, India’s representative, and Pakistan’s Aziz Ahmed, before the meeting between Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The modalities were worked out by the Swiss embassy which was looking after the affairs of both countries following the snapping of diplomatic ties. How they went about their business is relevant as efforts are afoot to fix the talks between Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf.
The first two-day session between D.P. and Aziz was as calm as the climate in hilly Murree where they met. The discussions were in English — though Dhar wanted to switch over to Urdu to make them more informal. Aziz frankly admitted that even though Urdu was the official language of Pakistan, he for one found it difficult to use it, especially in talking to Dhar who, like other Kashmiri pandits, spoke chaste Urdu.
Both of them had different briefs. A durable settlement was on top of the tentative agenda that Dhar carried from New Delhi. But he was specifically directed to include Kashmir in the items for discussion at the summit meeting. From the Pakistan side, Aziz had been told to give top priority to the 90,000 Pakistani POWs and the territory which came under India after the Bangladesh war in December 1971.
In the opening speech itself Aziz talked about the need for a step-by-step approach and also referred to reports in some Delhi newspapers that D.P. would “demand” recognition of the ceasefire line in Kashmir as the international border. In reply, Dhar said that the past history of Indo-Pakistan relations should itself indicate that the step-by-step approach had not succeeded and that they could turn over a new leaf by having straightaway a durable peace. He contradicted press reports that he had come to dictate anything.
Aziz said Pakistan’s proposals were essentially India’s own case in a “capsule form.” Dhar said the point to note was whether it kept in view the “total concept.” Raza Ali, who was Aziz’s aide, said that what India wanted was a “protective umbrella” for the summit meeting while Pakistan was seeking “guidelines for subsequent developments.” Dhar said India was willing to prove its bona fides about seeking a permanent peace with Pakistan by decreasing its defence expenditure. His government would agree to consider a proposal of joint inspection or any other to satisfy Pakistan on this point.
It was Aziz who first gave Dhar a draft agenda: a) Elimination of the consequences of war — return to peace: 1. Repatriation of POWs and civilians, 2. Withdrawal of forces; b) Normalization of relations: 1. Resumption of diplomatic relations, 2. Cessation of hostile propaganda, 3. Restoration of post and telegraph services, 4. Restoration of air and sea links, including overflights, 5. Opening of border posts; c) Improvement of relations: 1. Resumption of trade, 2. Cultural exchanges; d) Long-term measures: 1. Ways to solve disputes, 2. Economic cooperation wherever possible, 3. Cooperation as far as possible in international organizations.
Dhar said that the draft had some good points but was lopsided in its priorities. He gave his own draft: a) Elements of a durable peace: 1. Renunciation of conflict and confrontation and adoption of a policy of ensuring peace, friendship and cooperation, 2. Non-interference in the internal affairs of each other, 3. Settlement of disputes by peaceful means, 4. Non-use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of each other, 5. Reaffirmation of the obligation arising out of the UN Charter, 6. Inviolability of the frontiers and boundary between India and Pakistan, 7. Prevention of the formation of private armies aimed at subversion of the legally constituted authority of the two countries;
b) Withdrawal of forces and repatriation of prisoners; c) Normalization of relations: 1. Resumption of diplomatic relations, 2. Settlement of properties seized by either party during the conflicts of 1965 and 1971, 3. Resumption of air and sea traffic, including overflights, 4. Resumption of postal and telegraph facilities, 5. Opening of border posts, 6. Adequate travelling facilities, 7. Prohibition of hostile propaganda, 8. Promotion of trade and commerce and cooperation in economic matters, and 9. Exchange in fields of science, culture and sports.
Even though there were some common points in the two drafts — Dhar listed them — the priorities were different. No progress seemed possible. D.P. told Aziz that he would send for the plane and return to India. When Bhutto heard this, he invited D.P. for a meeting. Bhutto agreed that a peace settlement should have priority over the POWs and other problems. He thought that a step-by-step approach was the “best one.” He concurred with D.P.’s proposal to have a durable peace as the number one item.
When the two came to discuss Kashmir they did not talk about any particular formula. Bhutto only said that the solution should be such as would be acceptable to the people of Kashmir. He promised that he would have detailed talks on Kashmir with Mrs Gandhi at the summit meeting.
Bhutto told D.P. what Nehru had said to him in November 1961 in London: “Zulfi, I know that we must find a solution for Kashmir. But we have got caught in a situation which we cannot get out of without causing damage to the systems and structures of our respective societies.”
D.P. assured Bhutto that India was anxious to hold negotiations with Pakistan without any loss of time because it had a stake in ‘the continuance’ of Bhutto, an elected leader, in office and in the integrity of Pakistan. “We do not want you to fail and get another Yahya Khan (martial law chief during the Bangladesh war) or any other military man,” added Dhar. He also said that India honestly believed that a weak Pakistan would be a danger to India’s security, but added that first things must come first.
The document the two signed to facilitate a meeting between Mrs Gandhi and Bhutto enunciated 10 principles which would govern the talks. They were: 1. Need to normalize relations. 2. Willingness to think afresh, casting aside the shackles of past policies. 3. Recognition of the underlying desire of peoples in both countries for peace and harmony in the subcontinent. 4. Need for establishment of durable pace. 5. Need for ending military conflict, and starting a new chapter of good neighbourliness. 6. Desirability of diverting resources towards development; 7. Necessity that the summit should not fail. 8. Cooperation in other agreed fields. 9. Desirability of adequate travel facilities to both sides. 10. Cessation of hostile propaganda.
Kashmir as such was never discussed between the two sides. However, Dhar wrote a letter to Aziz saying that he hoped that Kashmir and the settlement of firm borders between India and Pakistan would be discussed at the summit meeting. The Simla agreement listed steps to normalize relations between the two countries on the lines of documents exchanged at Murree. “A final settlement on Jammu and Kashmir” was included in a clause relating to the “establishment of durable peace and normalization of relations.”
The writer is a leading columnist based in New Delhi.
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