| July 4, 2003 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 3,1424 |
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Europe and global poverty
FM 100 radio service
El and Allah (Al Ilah)
Woes of Gulistan-i-Jauhar
Loose prize bonds
MMA’s bid to ban gambling
Markup rate on car financing
Action — not mere statements
Water shortage
Benazir at 50: ‘so much to celebrate’
THE ‘world should take notice of Iran’s nuclear programme’; ‘US reserves its rights to take military action against Iran on its nuclear programme’; ‘Iranians like all other people have a right to determine their own destiny. The US fully supports their aspirations to live in freedom. It is our hope that the voice of Iranian people and their call for the rule of law and democracy will be heard and transform Iran into a force for stability in the region.’
Such statements are being issued by the White House from time to time. After victory over Afghanistan and Iraq at the nominal cost of the lives of a few hundred American soldiers, the US is not finding it difficult again to show its military muscles to another Muslim country, Iran.
It has warned that Iran may face pre-emptive strike if it fails to prove transparency in its nuclear programme. Moreover, the US is voicing strong support to the student demonstrations in Tehran, claiming it a “pro-democracy movement”. Such demonstrations are not new for the Islamic revolutionary regime but perhaps the time is appropriate for the US to hammer the hot iron.
Some quarters believe that the US is meddling in the internal affairs of Iran just to divert the attention of its people who are more critical of the US decision to go for war against Iraq as they feel betrayed and believe that their rulers had lied and exaggerated intelligence report about the issue of WMD just to use it as a pretext to attack Iraq.
The US has already established itself in the Middle East by stationing its troops in Iraq, and the US soldiers are not far from the Iranian territory. The US dream of world domain will remain unfulfilled without occupying the Iranian soil and oil. So, America is desperate to bring about regime change in Iran and wants a Shah-like puppet regime again that could safeguard American interests and help establish its hegemony in the territory.
During the last two decades America has shaped up and distorted many concepts and terms of international relations. First, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, it started using the terminology of “the new world order” to push the world from multipolar to unipolar and, then, came up with the idea of ‘globalization’ to safeguard its various interests, especially economic ones, as an American senator said they had touched the culture and economy of other countries through globalization.
And now with the attack on Afghanistan and Iraq it has completely distorted the concept of ‘sovereignty’ of an independent state in the world politics. America has said it can attack any country if it feels threatened and would not bother to seek a UN approval.
America reserves its rights to take pre-emptive measure just on the basis of “suspicion”. So, it was not very difficult for it to attack Afghanistan as it ‘suspected’ that the Taliban regime was protecting the Al Qaeda which had engineered the 9/11 attacks. The Us attacked Iraq because it ‘suspected’ the latter had WMD which could be used against the US.
Now the US is ‘suspecting’ transparency of Iran’s nuclear programme . The suspicion never needs proof or evidence. So, Iran will be left with no choice but to comply with the US demands and roll back its nuclear programme or what...? Did you hear what North Korea said ? ....deterrence .... retaliation .... Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has claimed that Iran could develop nuclear weapons within three years.
If Iran could manage to boost its nuclear programme with maximum speed, it would be able to reply America in the same fashion and in the same language.
ADEEBA AKHTAR
Islamabad
THE goals set by the developed nations and international financial institutions (IFIs) to halve the global poverty by 2015 does not seem to be achievable.
This is due to lack of commitment and hypocrite behaviour on the part of the developed world, in general, and Europe, in particular. The New Partnership for African Development (Nepad) is yet to take off. The difference between haves and have-nots is ever increasing. This is a great cause for concern for every peace-loving and conscience-driven person. We need to know the reasons and try to act on remedies.
This is appalling that a human being in sub-Saharan Africa earns less than one dollar a day while a cow in Europe gets two dollars, thanks to the huge farm subsidies. Europe spends 40 billion euros, nearly half the European budget, to keep alive and active the inefficient farm sector of the continent.
These huge subsidies are playing havoc with the lives and economies of the developing world. The increased EU farm production plays a major role in bringing the international prices of major commodities down. It is also very difficult for the developing world farmers to compete in world market amid export subsidies.
The EU is required to do away with these subsidies that are fuelling global poverty, as it is a signatory to the WTO and a staunch supporter of free trade. The EU did discuss the gradual removal of the subsidies but shelved its plans because of strong opposition from France, backed by Germany. As both the countries are major beneficiaries of the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy.
There lies a great responsibility on the EU to play its role in the fight against global poverty. Fair trade is better than aid for developing nations. People with hunger and pessimism want to see some actions, as mere words cannot feed them.
ADNAN LODHI
Rawalpindi
USUALLY, while driving I enjoy listening to music. A few days back, nearly after a lapse of three or four years, I happened to tune in my radio to FM 100 Pakistan.
The experience was both embarrassing and frustrating. During my whole journey of three hours all I heard was the unbearable English accent of the DJ, the most irritating callers with a strange desire to introduce their whole family to the DJ and, worst of all, the most unethical thing, the ever repeating advertisements of some homeopathic doctors. My prime reason for tuning in FM was not fulfilled at all.
Nearly no music was played except for some which was either interrupted by an advertisement or the CD was in such a bad shape that it couldn’t complete the whole song.
Perhaps, the standard of the DJs and the overall performance of the channel have fallen. I hope the authorities concerned would do us a favour and improve the standard of the channel.
ALI FARAZ HAQUE
Karachi
TIME has come for the Muslims all over the world, particularly in South Asia, to re-examine the background of their religion. According to Bishop Usser, the Earth is only six thousand years old. If one supposes that one generation of human beings takes up thirty years of human history, then 200 generations would have lived on the globe since the time of Adam. Supposing that there have been 50 nations (qaum), major and minor (at present there are about 200 in the UN), it would mean that if each nation has had a prophet, there could not have been more than 10 thousand prophets in all. His makes the number of prophets a lot fewer.
From the beginning of their history, the Jews have used the name El (Jaweh) for God and “El Ilaha” is the Arabic for El; the names Isma(e), Gabrie(el) (Jibraeel) relate to El like the names Abdullah, Samiullah and Ruhullah and are similar names that were introduced in the holy Quran very much after the Torah.
It is the writer’s contention that the Jews and the Muslims have always been closely related and they should learn to live peacefully in the Holy Land of El Quds, just as they were living together everywhere in the world between the battle of Khyber in AD 628 and the battle for El Quds in 1948, 1967, 1973 and now during the intifada.
AHMAD JAFAR FAROOQI
Karachi
GULISTAN-I-Jauhar, KDA Scheme No. 36, Karachi, can rightly boast of the highest number of economy and luxury flats in the city. It is now buzzing with the people from all walks of life, despite the longstanding problems. But the people are living here on hopes that their difficulties may possibly be solved in near future.
It is heartening that the city administration is providing an electronic signal at the intersection of Rashid Minhas Road to Gulistan-i-Jauhar, and the Cantonment Board, Malir, is repairing service lanes within its jurisdiction. But the main road named after the great poet Hafeez Jalandhari, which is in dire need of repairs, seems to have been ignored.
The road has developed potholes and is very annoying to drive on. Moreover, water supply to Gulistan-i-Jauhar is not commensurate with its growing population, which needs an urgent review for reallocation of water according to the actual needs and to rid the people of the tanker mafia, which is not only fleecing the consumers but also providing water of poor quality.
Gulistan-i-Jauhar is getting dirtier day by day, though it is under the control of the Cantonment Board, Malir, and the KDA, which are realizing the various taxes. It has become a paradise for the encroachers to carry on their trade of small wares in service lanes, at parking space and also on the footpaths at some places. The city nazim and the authorities in the Cantonment Board may like to visit the area for themselves to assess the future needs of Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
In some parts of the city a number of roads are being repaired or widened, footpaths are being given new look and beautification programmes are being carried out. Gulistan-i-Jauhar will be fortunate if a few ‘public conveniences’ and ‘shaded bus stops’ are provided and Zebra crossings on busy roads marked.
A RESIDENT
Karachi
THIS refers to my extremely depressing experience at the Karimabad branch of a reputed commercial bank. I went to the bank on June 21 with Rs1,400. I wanted to buy seven bonds of Rs200 each. On my request for the bonds, the cashier said: “We do not sell loose bonds but sell only in the form of bundles of Rs20,000”.
When I asked him whether this was a policy of the State Bank, he said: “Hamari marzi”. I received similar reply from the branch manager. Is there any such regulation by the State Bank for the commercial banks to follow?
If the people like me who can save a very small amount of money — but who are in a very large number — are denied the opportunity of investing in prize bonds by commercial outlets, there seems to be little point in the concept of ‘open market operations’.
MOHAMMAD ARIF
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news ‘MMA fails to ban gambling’ (June 25). The MMA has failed to get its order implemented as regards the ban on gambling, use of liquor and stopping music at public places.
This shows that the people in the NWFP voted for the MMA because of their resentment against the Americans. They did not vote for the MMA because they agreed with their perception of life.
The religious parties were able to muster so many votes in the NWFP because of the slogans they raised against the Americans. During their election campaign they did not claim that they would ban gambling, liquor and music at public places.
It is time the MMA focused on issues which will get it the support of the entire nation. They should start a campaign against poverty, unemployment and other issues concerning the common man. Let the NWFP become a province which other three provinces will envy.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Karachi
ATTRACTED by a nationalized bank’s advertised low annual markup rate of 9.5 per cent and other free “goodies” on car financing, I applied for the lease of Alto VXR (Model 2003) at a price of Rs496,000
Subsequently, I received the bank’s monthly lease rental payment schedule which I fed into my financial consultant calculator to verify the advertised markup rate.
Based on this payment schedule, I was shocked to find that on: (i) a net debt of Rs446,400 (net of down payment of 10 per cent), (ii) with monthly rental payment of Rs10,986 and (iii) lease term of five years, the effective markup rate, according to my calculator, that the bank would charge me is 17.21 per cent per annum!! Eighty-one per cent more than the advertised rate of 9.5 per cent!
I immediately wrote to the finance manager of the bank with a copy to his senior vice-president of auto finance for a clarification of this apparent huge difference in the markup rate as calculated by me and the one advertised by their bank. It has been over a month now and I am still waiting for a response.
I have the uneasy feeling that my calculations are right. If these are so, then why has the bank (and others like it) been allowed by the ministry of finance (MoF) and the State Bank of Pakistan to mislead the public?
Will someone in the bank or the MoF or the State Bank of Pakistan please respond to allay my concern?
KIRAN PIRACHA
Karachi
THE prime minister has said, “Pakistan is an Islamic state but not a religious one.” That is exactly what the Quaid-i-Azam had striven for and envisaged Pakistan to be. Again, it is what our founder had assured the whole world press before his final departure for Pakistan from New Delhi. He clearly said: “Pakistan shall never be a theocratic state.”
Unfortunately, however, the unexpected has occurred and the theocracy or mullahism has nowadays got a firm hold in Pakistan. It happened because the selfish and unprincipled politicians cared little for the objectives for which Pakistan was created.
Now, the extremist mullahs have formed their own organizations and started issuing fatwas of kufr against each other. So far as the Ahmadis are concerned, the issuance of the Qadiani Ordinance by Gen Zia proved a licence for the mullahs to kill them. Many Ahmadis have been killed since then but not a single culprit has been hanged so far, nor even awarded life imprisonment.
In view of the foregoing, the statement of Prime Minister Jamali will have no effect on our society if it is not backed by some concrete action. I would suggest two measures which, if taken by the authorities, will go a long way to prove that the government is indeed serious about delivering our nation from the hegemony of the mullahs.
1. The joint electorate system must be established permanently in Pakistan.
2. The Qadiani Ordinance must be repealed without any further delay.
MOHAMMAD ISHAQUE SOOFI
Rabwah
CURRENTLY, there is massive water shortages in Block 8, Clifton, Karachi. I would strongly request the Karachi Water and Sanitation Agency to release more water for the area so that bare minimum requirements of drinking water are met.
UZAIR HUSSAIN
Karachi
IN the article headlined “Benazir at fifty: little to celebrate” (June 26), Dr Iffat Idris begins by finding fault with the poem written by Ms Benazir Bhutto on her 50th birthday, blames her and her father for all the ills of the country during the past 50 years and, finally, laments “she would eventually return to resume her political career in Pakistan”.
Dr Idris is not alone in suffering this dilemma. Most critics of the Bhuttos after heaping on them all accusations of misgovernance, corruption, lack of patriotism and even being a security risk finally grudgingly concede that if given a chance to freely exercise their right to choice, the people of Pakistan will return a Bhutto to power yet again.
The Bhuttos are now even accused of commanding unmatched loyalty. “Such is the dependence on the Bhutto name that Benazir has instilled into it (the party),” says the writer that “without her (or a Bhutto) at the helm the party is nothing.”
In a stinging verdict on ZAB, the writer says, “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto left Pakistan much worse than he found it” and that “this is supposedly the democratic legacy that Benazir is so proud of.”
Yet Z. A. Bhutto is the leader who today is regarded by Pakistani leaders of different persuasions ranging from a politician from Balochistan, Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali, to cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan as an exceptional leader worthy of emulation. Can a leader who gave the country its unanimous Constitution, the nuclear capability and an inerasable consciousness of democratic rights be accused of having left Pakistan worse than he found it?
What appears to the writer ‘supposed democratic legacy’ of ZAB is believed by many in Pakistan as the only enduring legacy. It is a measure of this enduring legacy that in the last election the party secured the highest number of popular votes despite massive rigging and gerrymandering and keeping the leader out in exile.
Corruption? The trial judge who convicted Ms Bhutto of corruption was reprimanded by the Supreme Court, ‘the bias of the judge floated on the surface of the record’ forcing the judge to quit the bench in disgrace. As of today she has not been convicted of corruption.
Anti-Pakistan tirade as the writer accuses Ms Bhutto of? Yes, Ms Bhutto has been saying that Kargil was a monumental blunder and an absolute disaster. The architect of Kargil, Gen Musharraf, on the other hand threatens more of Kargils and refuses to see the military humiliation which was next only to the surrender in Dhaka in 1971.
Yes, Ms Bhutto has been saying that she vetoed a Kargil-like plan presented by Gen Musharraf when she was the prime minister because ‘ultimately we would have been asked to go back to where we were and that’s exactly what happened’. But the architect of Kargil believed and still believes that it would put the flag of Pakistan on the Srinagar assembly.
Why not hold a parliamentary inquiry into the Kargil and probe who planned it and whether the motives were patriotic or personal? Yes, Ms Bhutto has been saying even before the events of 9/11 that the non-state actors in Kashmir have done the greatest damage to the genuine liberation struggle of the Kashmiris: that the homegrown militants should not be allowed to dictate the foreign policy agenda.
It is a pity that no one believes Gen Musharraf when he now says the same things which Ms Bhutto has been saying. It is because people suspect that he says it only to secure international acceptability of his dictatorship and not as a result of a change of heart or for the love of Pakistan.
Exposing Gen Musharraf’s militant agenda and his retreat from the past rhetoric is not absence of patriotism. It is a measure of patriotic courage of Ms Bhutto to continue to challenge him despite his holding and even flaunting the state’s coercive apparatus.
FARHATULLAH BABAR
Islamabad
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