| August 1, 2003 | Friday | Jumadi-us-Sani 2, 1424 |
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The ice-pits of Allahabad
Rain or no rain, it hurts either way
Why use the word mosque?
Irregularities in seed corporation
Identity document
Mushaira in Toronto
Blocking Kashmir Point
NSS for widows
Regulating hospitals’ working
ON July 9, US Defence Secretary Rumsfeld told the Senate: “The coalition did not act in Iraq because we had discovered dramatic new evidence of Iraq’s pursuit of weapons of mass murder. We acted because we saw the existing evidence in a new light, through the prism of our experience on September 11.”
Rumsfeld’s comment places the Bush administration in a difficult position: it is impossible for both the secretary’s recent claim and the administration’s extensive presentation of new information to be true. Either officials were exaggerating when they said they had startling, new evidence or Secretary Rumsfeld is being disingenuous when he now backs away from these earlier claims.
To start, uranium from Niger. President Bush, in the State of the Union Address, said: “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.” While the administration has since renounced the forged evidence associated with this claim, at the time, the president presented it to the American people as a key piece of new evidence.
In fact, the United States rested its case for war in part on the notion that Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear weapons programme. The administration claimed that Iraq had tried to obtain aluminum tubes for centrifuge enrichment to build a nuclear weapon. The IAEA rejected this claim before the Security Council in March and concluded that Iraq had neither the intent nor the capability to use the tubes to make a nuclear weapon. In the face of this rebuttal, US Secretary of State Colin Powell invoked “new information” from an unnamed European country, which demonstrated that Iraq could not have required the tubes for conventional rockets, thereby affirming the administration’s claim.
Powell’s invocation of new information did not stop on the nuclear front. He drew from his “thick intelligence file” and informed the Security Council in February that he had “first-hand descriptions of biological weapons factories on wheels and on rails”. “Another little piece of evidence,” indicated that Iraq had recently finished building the largest engine test stand in its history of missile production. He cited sources that claimed Saddam “recently [had] authorized his commanders” to use chemical weapons. Powell presented a veritable cascade of new information, or so it seemed, with Central Intelligence Director Tenet by his side.
The Bush administration drew heavily from Tenet’s portfolio. For example, senior officials often cited an October report from the CIA that claimed Iraq had “begun renewed production of chemical warfare agents”. But only one month before, the Defence Intelligence Agency had produced a study that said “no reliable information” existed of weapons production or stockpiling. If the CIA finding was not based on new evidence, on what was it based?
Finally, Secretary Rumsfeld, himself, cited new intelligence to confirm US knowledge of Iraq’s arsenal. When George Stephanopoulos asked him why troops had yet to find major stockpiles of weapons in Iraq, he responded in no uncertain terms: “We know where they are. They’re in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat.” No weapons caches have yet been found in “the area around Tikrit and Baghdad.”
Rumsfeld’s recent retreat from the administration’s prolonged campaign to present new evidence of WMDs is most troubling given the nature of the war in Iraq. The United States has always gone to war as a response to a clear breach of sovereignty or international law that the American people can understand and assess. But in a pre-emptive war, like that in Iraq, our country’s decision must be based primarily on our trust in the decision-makers and the information they provide us. To claim that the United States went to war not because of new evidence but because of a shift in perspective belies the method of justification employed by the war’s advocates. Had the US administration laid out its case for war on the basis of a new perspective alone, would the country have moved to war so quickly — or at all?
DIPALI MUKHOPADHYAY Washington,
USA
“THE ice-pits of Lahore” by Majid Sheikh (Dawn, June 29) has prompted me to write the following which may be of interest to some of your readers:
Soon after her marriage in England about 1822, Fanny Parks joined her husband in India. Her husband was posted as collector of customs at Allahabad. The collectorate was located at Phaphamau on the bank of Ganga a couple of miles upstream of Sangam (meaning Prayag or confluence) of Ganga and Jumna. She used to write down memoirs on the life around to be sent back home to her mother whenever an opportunity was available. When she returned home towards the middle of the century, these memoirs were published, in two volumes, under the title In search of the picturesque.
Fanny’s description of ice-making at Allahabad has some interesting details. The icemaker was Akbar Khan, (I hope I remember the name correctly because I read the book some years ago). During the ice-making season, in a most appropriate night, hundreds of workers with water in earthen pots held on their shoulders would be arrayed around the pits. Akbar Khan would position himself on a vantage point and keep smelling the air. The moment he felt that the air had the right smell he would give a nod and the workers would immediately pour the water into the pits and cover it with mats. Overnight, the water would freeze into ice which would then be transferred to large well-like pits.
However, if he felt that the air did not smell right, the exercise would be called off for another night. Orders from the European community and those of the ‘natives’ who could afford it were booked in advance and the ice was rationed throughout the season.
The industry died after ice started being imported from the US. The cargo would land at Calcutta (now Kolkata). By that time small steam boats had appeared on the scene. These were called aginboat, agin being a corruption of the Hindi word agni meaning fire. Ice was quickly transported upcountry on these boats along the waterways of Ganga and Jumna.
Incidentally, Allahabad is a corruption by the British of Ilahabad as it is correctly written in Urdu and Persian. Colloquially, the name is pronounced as Ilhabad or Elhabad.
Food for thought for researchers: The city formerly known as Prayag was renamed by the Moghul emperor Akbar-i-Azam when he built a fort by the river Jumna at the Sangam. Could the word Ilah in llahabad be, somehow, connected with the word Ilahi in ‘Din-i-Ilahi’ introduced by Akbar’s courtier Mulla Abul Fazl or in ‘Zill-i-Ilahi’, the common form of address of the Mughal emperors?
SAGHEER AHMAD SIDDIQI
Karachi
whether it rains or not, in both conditions the people have no relief. When there was no rain, they prayed for it because the mainstay of their economy, the Indus, had begun to recede catastrophically. The whole of Sindh had turned into a depressed area. The people of this once prosperous land were reduced to subsistence level.
When it started to rain on this parched land, they came out on the roads and streets to welcome it. The growers hoped for more crops. Unfortunately, the hopes were shattered as the rain brought about a calamity . At least 60 people have so far been killed during the current monsoon. Many more have been forced to lead a miserable life.
Now the people are praying for a respite because their sufferings have multiplied. The breaches which occurred in the weak embankments of the canals inundated their villages and crops. The embankments of the Indus are posing a threat to thousands of people. Spurs near the Makhdoom Balawal Bridge on the Indus have been washed away. The embankments made to control floodwater are eroding at many places.
Even the frontline bunds of the Indus at Qadirpur, Bhanote and Sajawal are not protected. If the pressure of floodwater did not decrease soon, they may break and submerge many more areas of the province.
When there were no barrages and dams on the Indus, the Manchhar served as the natural levee. It absorbed all the floodwater. Now it has been turned into a dumping place to briny water from Punjab, while preparation are being made to store the floodwater of the Indus into artificial dams upcountry.
The Sindh minister for irrigation visited the bund near Hala where the mighty river was eroding embankments on which the government had spent million of rupees. While talking to reporters, the minister held the rain responsible for the trepidation.
He said the work on weak points of the bund was in progress when it started raining.
When there was a shortage of water, the rulers were saying that it was because of drought. When there is a flood-like situation, they are saying that it is natural. That means it is nature which is not happy all the time with Sindh.
MANZOOR CHANDIO
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter that I read on your website by “A Muslim”, titled “Why use word mosque?” (July 23).
Let me correct my “Muslim” brother from Karachi. First, the Spanish for mosquito is mosquito. It means “little fly”, mosca being “fly” and -ito being a diminutive suffix.
Mosque first came to English in the late 14th or the early 15th century from French mosquie, and the French got it from Italian moschea. The Italians got it from Arabic masjid, which is derived from sajada, i.e. “to worship”.
The word mosque is actually a French adaptation for the word masjid.
Interestingly, the Arabic form masgid or masjid was occasionally used in English in the 19th and 20th centuries, and one can find masjid in English-language sites on the Internet today.
It would be advisable if you research or give references before spreading this kind of information and causing an unnecessary outrage and spreading misinformation among people.
Also, below is the meaning of the word mosque in a dictionary:
Mosque, n. [F. mosqu[‘e]e, Sp. mezquita, Ar. masjid, from sajada to bend, adore.] A Mohammedan church or place of religious worship.
Last but not least, in my opinion let’s try to use the word masjid as often as we can.
MOHAMMAD FAISAL UMAR
Via email
IN response to the news-item “Irregularities in seed corporation flayed” (July 24), I would like to point out a solution:
Farmers should use mother seeds (foundation or non-hybrid seeds) which they can save for generations after generations without losing productivity. This is the only way they can get out of the monopolies by seed corporations, be it local government or multinational companies.
Some farmers are still using mother seeds (desi seeds) which they have been preserving for generations. I remember one family in Multan which would save and grow local cotton seeds (which produced, naturally, brown cotton).
Many countries like India, Bangladesh and Cuba are promoting heritage seed banks to conserve diversity and release farmers from the clutches of corporations.
AKBAR KHAN
Scarboro, Ontario, Canada
THIS refers to the letter by Mr Sajjad Ahmed, director-general, Immigration and Passports, Islamabad (July 16).
There is no uniform practice followed by passport issuing officers in the country. In spite of clear instructions, they either refuse CNIC as valid identity document or refuse to accept the manual NIC. This situation has created agony for the people.
The ground reality is that the CNIC is more authentic than the manual NIC due to the security features it possess and that is why it is difficult to be replicated. On the other hand, thousands of bogus manual NICs are in circulation, which have not been issued by the registration directorate.
Nadra has twice drawn the attention of the director-general, Pakistan Passport and Immigration, in January and June, 2003, to take cognizance of this situation and ensure that the CNIC is accepted as a valid identity document for processing of passports.
SOHAIL ASIF
Islamabad
THE annual mushaira of Bazm-i-Fanoos, Canada, organized in Mississauga on July 25, was the biggest-ever in Canada. Dr Shanul Haq Haqqee presided over the function and the chief guest was Pakistan’s Shahida Hasan. Syed Muneef Ashar played the pivotal role in organizing and making the mushaira a success. Shahid Hashmi, Chairman of Canpak Chamber of Commerce, Canada, presented him an award in recognition of his dedicated efforts. The award was also given to Sardar Ali for graphic designing, selection and placement of poems and their presentation in a very informative and attractive souvenir brought out on the occasion.
The mushaira continued till 3am. The audience was delighted and enthralled by the recitations. The guest poets present also included Talat Ishrat (Philadelphia), Ishrat Afrin (Houston), Masroor Javed (New York), Hamid Amrohvi (Chicago), Urooj Akhtar Zaidi (Windsor), Wali Alam Shaheen (Ottawa), Umang Bali (Ottawa), Abdur Rahman Siddiqui (Virginia) and Rasool Ahmad Kaleemi (Pakistan).
Over 600 people attended the mushaira. There was a $15 entry ticket. A raffle draw was also held which included two $50 cash awards by Bazm-i-Fanoos Canada and gifts by Western Union and Promobility.
Here is a lesson for other organizers. Some unruly elements managed to get seats and indulged in undesirable behaviour. Syed Muneef Ashar, however, controlled the situation tactfully.
Much time was also lost because of the dinner. Many poets could not perform as a result of the delay caused by the dinner arranged for such a large gathering.
The organizers must keep this in mind so that their valuable time is saved and all participants are able to perform. The audience must not be deprived of the intrinsic charm of such events.
JAVED ZAHEER
Toronto, Canada
IT is 6.15pm when I move down to the Kashmir Point, Islamabad. I come here every evening to walk, as the round is level without any uphill walk.
Recently, my wife and I were stopped from going for a walk round the hilltop, as I was staying at the state guest-house. A police officer stopped us from going on the round as a VIP was staying at the state guest-house. Despite our repeated requests we were not allowed to have a walk.
When the police officer was asked to show the order, he said he had verbal orders to stop all citizens from walk on the round. I wish someone could take note of this situation and help restore citizens’ rights to use public roads as and when wished.
FAZAL-I-AHMAD
Islamabad
AN ad which appeared in the July 1 issue of Dawn about the new Bahbood Savings Certificates that the government has introduced for widows shows a young girl with her daughter. God forbid one hopes the government does not want young women to become widows to take advantage of the scheme.
AYESHA MAHMUD
Karachi
THE state of health care in Pakistan is a downhill affair. With the growth in population and the consequent increase in demand for health care, there has been a mushrooming of clinics, hospitals, medical centres, etc. However, these facilities are often run like factories that are built to generate money, with little regard for their patients.
I would like to cite a recent experience at the Doctors Hospital in Lahore which illustrates the appalling state of health care in Pakistan. The Doctors Hospital is described as one of the most professionally-run medical facilities. The hospital is owned and operated by the country’s prominent doctors, including Dr Shahryar and Dr Javaid Asgher. It is not an inexpensive facility, specially since the medical practitioners claim to have foreign degrees and experience.
Recently, my father, a 75- year-old retired government officer, was diagnosed with a severe spinal cord injury. This injury caused him to lose movement of his limbs. He also had a heart-bypass surgery three years ago. Dr Anjum Habib Vohra, a consultant-neurosurgeon at the Doctors Hospital and Professor of Neurosurgery at the King Edward Medical College, was chosen to perform the surgery to cure this problem.
Dr Vohra scheduled the surgery and his staff took care of the arrangements for admission. On the day of his admission, I accompanied my father to the hospital. When we arrived, we were surprised to learn that the hospital had no idea about the patient’s scheduled admission. My ailing father had to sit in a wheelchair for about three hours. Finally, we were told that only one room was available, and it would cost Rs5,000 a day. The exorbitant price was justified by the hospital due to their claim of it being a VIP room. There was no question of choice, so we accepted it.
My father was told to fast for the surgery, which would be performed later that day. He followed the doctor’s orders, and did not eat or drink all day. However, because of poor scheduling by the hospital staff the operation-theatre could not be available on time. My father’s surgery began four hours behind the schedule. At this point, my father had been without food or water for about 20 hours, following the doctor’s instructions. Dr Vohra performed the surgery.
When the doctor came out of the operation-theatre, he told us that the surgery was successful and my family was deeply relieved. I asked the doctor if the patient should be kept in the ICU, because of his previous medical history and age, Dr Vohra felt that there was no need for this precaution, and provided no further explanation. Instead, my father was taken to the hospital’s recovery room for a few hours.
Following this, he was taken to the VIP room. The room did not have any monitoring equipment, or the facility of a nurse. My family and myself were the only ones keeping an eye on his condition. Later that night, my father suffered a cardiac arrest while we desperately ran looking for help. The hospital members tried to revive him, but he did not survive.
The hospital informed Dr Vohra about the tragic incident. His immediate instructions to the hospital staff were to ensure that the patient’s outstanding balance was settled. No regrets were expressed at his passing away. Only the monetary issue remained prevalent.
These doctors who are educated abroad and have practised medicine in western countries are taught to deal with patients with care and compassion. However, soon after arriving in Pakistan they seem to lose sight of all this. Perhaps this is because of arrogance, resulting from freedom from lawsuits or from losing their medical licenses — unheard of in the West.
It’s time the health-care system in Pakistan was regulated by internal hospital boards and external auditors, appointed by the Pakistan Medical Association or the government.
SHAHEEN SYED
New Jersey, USA
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