| June 2, 2003 | Monday | Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1424 |
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Morbid approach to purity
Pensioners’ plight
Showing hostility at Wagha
HBFC: relief in mark-up
Why is Iraq so important?
Speed humps
Qualifications for company secretary
Gun licences
Poor Karachi
Judicious use of Fata water resources
Administrator,
The Institute of Corporate Secretaries of Pakistan,
FOR the past few days newspapers and news bulletins in the country have been carrying headlines about the mannerism of the legislators of the Punjab Assembly, which is not only inappropriate but also extremely appalling, to say the least.
Many experts and analysts are busy commenting and writing about how shocking and embarrassing this ongoing fiasco is and how the legislators being the people’s representatives are doing a “grand” job of debasing the nation as a whole. With all the prudent and judicious opinions of the experts being given, I still feel the need to comment on the demeanour of our legislators because not very long ago, when these members were elected to the legislative assemblies, I wrote an article on the appropriate and correct way of conduct/mannerism that is to be observed by the members of a legislative house when in session.
The main reason for my writing such an article was the fact that for the first time in Pakistan an all-graduate legislative body was to form Parliament and, despite all misgivings and uncertainties, I was willing to hope that such an educational background would prove to be a steady basis/platform for a more progressive and forward-thinking class of lawmakers.
However what is happening in the Punjab Assembly these days not only proved me wrong but also provided me with another illustration of how contradictory/conflicting our actions are from the prescribed rules laid down in the books. Thinking back to my months of long research about the recommended rules of conduct for the legislators, I now feel that I had not only wasted my own time and effort but also the time and facilities of the extremely helpful staff of the Punjab Assembly.
To substantiate this argument, I would refer to only one of the many outrageous events that have taken place in the Punjab Assembly in the past few days. Dawn in its May 29 issue carried the news that about 27 of the opposition members, including women, got on top of the Speaker’s desk in an attempt to hinder/stop the business of the House. If one was to look at the recommended rules of conduct that have to be followed in a legislative house, this kind of behaviour would make the offenders liable to disqualification, least of all being dismissed from the proceedings, only for that day, as was the case in the current situation.
So, my point here is that if the lawmakers are going to find it so easy to evade following the rules applicable to them, then why are such rules there in the first place? To conclude, all I can say about the events that followed this initial show of boorishness by the members and about all the reactions and counter-actions that were triggered by it is that this incident is yet again another harsh aide-memoire to those of us who are naive enough to think that a positive change is a possibility in this country.
For me, I do not think I would ever again go as far as to think that a change can be brought on by an organ of the government, least of all by the legislature because our legislators have made us realize that for changes you need dignified and focused leaders to say the least, and not immature individuals who have yet to learn how to conduct themselves, let alone a country.
NATASHA HASSAN
Lahore
IT is shocking to learn that objections have been made to certain “un-Islamic” and “unethical” portions of the syllabi of English literature. One such word pointed out is ‘rape’, besides any references to sex. One wonders whether the word rape is un-lslamic or sex is un-lslamic. The word rape here is not used in the sense in which it is published so glaringly in our national press every day and which all the old and the young read here. It is the rape of the lock, not of a woman.
There was a time, some two decades ago, when a similar (purifying, puritanical) exercise was ordered by the then government. One of the expurgations made was in On Liberty by J. S. Mill. When the teacher who was assigned this job of expurgation in the board of studies for English in the Punjab University was asked whether liberty was un-Islamic, he answered that in the prevailing circumstance it was not appropriate. He further informed the board that China had also dropped Mill from the curriculum. What an authority to quote in support of Islam! He made it clear that the government simply wanted to show its authority. Thus, the advice of the board of studies was ignored.
A cousin of mine was doing Munshi Fazil from the Oriental College. One day he complained that they were taught Akhlaq-i- Nasiri and Akhlaq-i-Jalali, but these were all full of immorality.
Manto was told that the word ashiq was pornographic.
I wonder when we will grow to maturity as a nation. If we go on deleting words from our languages like that, half the vocabulary and almost all sense will go out of education and culture. What will happen to the books of law or to the Shariah Ordinance is anybody’s guess. Is it not the intention that the word rape is outlawed, though not the act of rape?
In 1958, a member of the Anjuman-i-Himayat-i-Islam raised an objection that English literature should be purged of paganism and Christianity. Prof Hameed Ahmad Khan, the chairman of the board of studies for English at that time, replied that English literature was half paganism and half Christianity. It cannot be purged of these. However, English literature can be dropped from the curriculum. Such an objection coming from a common trader, who is not an academic, may be pardonable. But coming from the university authorities, it is a shame.
When shall we stop making cosmetic reforms in our education? Also remember that English literature is written by the English, who are not Muslims.
I wonder if Dr Shahbaz Arif, pioneering this campaign, is really a student of literature.
RAZI ABEDI
Lahore
THE old pensioners are thankful to a noble soul in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, who, considering the pitiable condition of pensioners, took the initiative to dig up their case dumped nine years back and placed it before the bench for hearing. The case could not, however, be discussed for the absence of a lawyer and was adjourned to an unspecified date in May 2003.
A big disparity exists between the pension rates of old and new pensioners. Despite a verdict by the Wafaqi Mohtasib and a decree issued by the Federal Shariat Court in 1989 to equate the old and new pensioners, no government was kind enough to alleviate the suffering of the old pensioners. The people in power even did not realize that such a disparity between old and new pensioners was in violation of articles 25 and 38 of the 1973 Constitution. The case went to the Supreme Court where it was dumped.
Now when the case has come to surface, I on behalf of the Defence Forces Veterans Association request the registrar of the Supreme Court to place the same before the bench for regular hearing till the final verdict. At the same time, the government must realize that the petty amount of pension received by those retired before 1986 is not enough even to pay the utility bills, let alone the running of the household.
LT-COL (RETD) RAFI NASIM
Lahore
THE flag-lowering ceremony at the joint checkpost, Wagha, is getting increasing attention in the electronic media after the recent statements emanating from Pakistan and India regarding the reduction of tensions between the two countries.
However, the sickening display of fake hostility shown by the Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force, and the cosmetic rage with which they slam the gates closed are nauseating, to say the least. The inanity of the situation is further exacerbated by the ‘patriotic’ chanting by the civilian onlookers on both sides of the border.
What are both countries trying to project with this daily display of hostility? After the Iraq war, we know that such ‘Sultan Rahi’ demonstrations of masculinity mean nothing in the 21st century warfare. Even a delicate and finely manicured fingertip can blow the smithereens out of any moustachioed ‘Gabroo’ that the Rangers or the BSF can produce.
So, as a first step towards reducing tensions between Pakistan and India, let us get rid of this absurd show of hostility at the joint checkpost at Wagha that takes place at sunset every day. The Rangers and the BSF personnel at the checkpost can be better utilized by doing some constructive work elsewhere.
KHALID HYDER
Islamabad
THE question of charging exorbitant rates of mark-up on house-building loans is brought to the notice of the prime minister and the finance minister.
Quite a large number of Pakistanis have obtained house-building loans from the House Building Finance Corporation, banks and loaning agencies. The majority of those who take loans are from salaried class and low-income groups who have constructed the houses for their own dwelling. They have to pay exorbitant rate of mark-up ranging from 17 per cent to 22 per cent per annum on such loans.
On the other hand, banks, leasing companies and loaning agencies have floated a number of car-purchase loaning schemes at a very low rate of mark-up. A brisk competition is going on among these agencies to get more and more business. Most of these banks/agencies are offering car-purchase loans at 9-1/2 per cent mark-up.
The disparity in the rate of mark-up between the two kinds of loans is quite apparent. Whereas the house-building loan is obtained to fulfil a basic human need of the people who have no roof of their own, the car-purchase loan is mostly a luxury.
The high rate of mark-up on house-building loans is not justified by any stretch of the imagination. Needless to state the salaried persons and the people belonging to low-income groups are under great financial stress in these hard days. Major portion of their income goes to the payment of heavy instalments of loans and ever increasing utility bills. They are mostly white-collar people. They deserve sympathetic treatment because they cannot make a hue and cry.
As preparation of the budget 2003-04 is in process, this is the time that the discrimination in the case of house-building loans was removed.
The following suggestions may be considered by the authorities:
1. The rate of mark-up on house-building loans, both old and new, should be brought down in line with the mark-up of agricultural loans/car-purchase loans.
2. In cases where house-building advance does not exceed Rs1 million, the rate of the mark-up should not be more than 5 per cent.
3. Persons who have obtained loans and have paid the instalments for so many years at heavy rates should be given special relief in addition to reducing the rate of the mark-up.
SH. GHULAM RASUL
Lahore
THE recently-published article headlined “Why is Iraq so important?” By Afzaal Mahmood has strange comments makes a funny reading. In the first place, the Sumerian civilizations is extinct and Sumerians are not the ancestors of the present day Iraqis.
The author then muddles into issues like shia/sunni, post-war reconstruction, award of contract to ‘Bushies’, all of which have no bearing on the captioned subject.
PRAKASH IYER
Andhra Pradesh, India
THIS refers to Mr Jawed Iqbal’s letter (May 8). Recently I travelled on 26th Street, DHA, and found that the speed-breakers still existed.
Here I may mention four other illegal speed-breakers on main Karsaz Road between Sharea Faisal and the National Stadium having two each in front of PNS Karsaz and PNS Johar. Thousands of commuters face problems every day when they suddenly encounter speed-breakers on the main road. But when the president comes to Karachi and has to pass through Karsaz Road all speed-breakers are removed. They are re-erected once the president leaves.
Are the lives of the citizens so cheap? Nobody seems to care about the miseries of the public.
ZAFAR MAHMOOD
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter of Mr Raisuddin Shaikh (May 20) on the above subject. We would like to clarify certain points which the writer has alleged in his letter.
At the outset, we would like to point out that we do not propose to get into any sort of controversy on the subject. However, in order to put the record straight, we refute the charge that the Institute of Corporate Secretaries of Pakistan (ICSP) had ever approached the ICSM or any other body for merger of the two institutes. The merger of the ICSP with any other body had never been on the agenda of its council.
The grant of permission by a regulatory body, namely the SECP, to form a company limited by guarantee, as is the case with both the ICSP and the ICSM, does not, ipso facto, give recognition to the relevant qualifications. Recognition depends on independent evaluations by the competent authority only on the basis of many considerations rather than exerting force through the media.
Competence and capabilities can be claimed when others recognize them. The ICSP has such recognition in abundance. The recognition and granting substantial exemptions to the ICSP members by the institutes of renowned stature, such as the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), UK; the Association of Chartered Certified of Management Accountants (ACCA); the Association for International Accountants (AIA), UK; the Institute of Certified Internal Auditors (CIA), US; the Institute of Financial Consultants, Canada; and the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan, is a standing testimony to the outstanding credentials of its members and the institute as well.
The CPE hours credit is granted by the ICAP and the ICMAP to their members who attend seminars/workshops organized by the ICSP. Membership is granted only to those persons who qualify in the ICSP’s examinations except those who are members of Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, UK.
The members of the ICSP are qualified to be secretary of the listed companies after detailed scrutiny of its curriculum, examination system and the professional working of the Institute.
ABU OBAIDA SIDDIQUI
Karachi
THIS refers to a recent statement by our chief minister that gun licences will again be issued at the discretion of the senators, MNAs, MPAs and Nazims for self-protection of the people.
We can never have investments coming in with 18 million illegal weapons in the country, according to a handout issued by the interior ministry. Law and order will always remain a problem with rampant thefts and dacoities.
NAVAID HUSSAIN
Karachi
A REPORT in your paper said recently: “The Punjab government will soon launch a number of multi-million-rupee projects in Lahore in an attempt to outmatch the previous governments in performance.”
Why is this “competitive spirit” missing from the government of Sindh? Is it because at the election time they would again buy a party and would not have to worry about Karachiites?
A KARACHIITE
Chicago, USA
THE tribal area situated in the northwestern region of Pakistan constitutes a hilly region where innumerable ravines form the catchment area for a large number of hill torrents, streams and watercourses. Some of these have a perennial flow of water generated by the melting of snow on the peaks and shady slopes of the hill ranges within the catchment area. Each of these streams carries a small quantity of water during the dry season.
However, during the rainy season a huge quantity of water goes down and falls into the Indus, thus adding to its bulk discharge that irrigates vast areas in southern Punjab and the province of Sindh. In years of excessive snowfalls/rains, the river gets flooded and causes extensive damage not only to crops but also to human lives and property. This particular phenomenon dictates the need for controlling the flow of water in these streams that flow in all the tribal agencies known as Fata (Federally-Administered Tribal Areas).
If means are created to make even a part of this water usable in the tribal areas, it can give a tremendous boost to the agro-economy of the area, as well as save rivers from flooding. This will consequently increase food production in the tribal agencies and generate considerable employment for the local manpower, raising the standard of living of the people. Investigations can lead to identification of sites for building dams for storage of water and constructing hydroelectric power stations.
The other side of the picture is that by utilizing a portion of the water within the tribal region, the quantum of flow in the Indus will be reduced.
It is for the authorities concerned to study the implications in detail and prepare a plan to make optimal use of the water for the benefit of the people living in tribal areas. A critical balance will have to be reached between the quantity of water needed for irrigation in the tribal agencies and of that to be allowed to flow onwards.
The use of the water flowing down the tribal streams will depend on the availability of the means of measuring the flow of water in each of these streams throughout the year, as well as impounding the quantity that can be utilized locally. The surplus quantity will have to be allowed to add to the flow of the Indus. The need, therefore, will be to establish gauging stations as well as constructing weirs to hold water for irrigation purposes.
In addition to the gauging stations, weather observatories will also be required for forecasting purposes so that flash floods may be avoided and timely action is taken to store water in the event of heavy downpours.
It may be interesting to note that in the Derajat districts, the system of building water-retaining bunds has been a centuries-old custom, but not so in the tribal areas. These bunds are earthen structures erected by the locals without any consideration of the technical aspects. But they prove useful and create sufficient storage of water for local crops. This can provide food for thought for the authorities concerned to plan with a view to making the optimal use of water flowing perennially, as well as that coming in the shape of flash floods.
In any case, the aim should be to enhance agriculture in the tribal agencies as well as prevent damage caused by heavy floods during the rainy seasons in the plains of Punjab and Sindh.
ENGR WAJAHATULLAH KHAN LODI
Karachi
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