Smoking and tuberculosis

THE combination of cigarette smoking and tuberculosis appears to be far deadlier than previously believed. Half the male tuberculosis deaths in India are caused by smoking. These are the conclusions of a major new study, led by the Epidemiological Research Centre in Chennai, India, and primarily funded by the UK Medical Research Council and Cancer Research, UK.

The finding has important public health implications in developing countries, specially Pakistan where both smoking and TB are major public health problems. Smoking and tuberculosis are two huge and two preventable epidemics in Pakistan.

The study found that in India male smokers are about four times as likely to become ill with TB as non-smokers and, consequently, four times as likely to die of the disease. The study also showed that the smokers had higher death rates from heart disease and various types of cancer.

This is the first major study to be completed on how smoking causes death. It compared the smoking habits of 43,000 men who had died of various diseases in the late 1990s with the habits of 35,000 living men. More than 4,000 of these deaths were from TB, but if the smokers had had the same low risks as non-smokers, there would have been fewer than 2,000 TB deaths.

Few women in south India smoke, so the study was only of men. Almost 200,000 people a year in India die of tuberculosis because they smoked, and half the smokers killed by TB are still only in their 30s, 40s or early 50s when they die. The main way smoking kills people is by damaging the lungs’ defences against chronic TB infection.

About a billion people worldwide are carrying live TB infection in their lungs, but if they do not smoke then most will never become seriously ill with it. Smoking increases the danger that any TB infection already in the lungs will get out of control and cause clinical TB, which can kill and can easily be spread to other people.

Tuberculosis still causes about 1.6 million deaths a year worldwide, including more than a million in Asia, 400,000 in Africa and 100,000 in the Americas and Europe, and in some countries like Pakistan. It is now becoming more common. Tobacco companies are intensifying efforts to increase the market for cigarettes in Third World countries, particularly among women.

In Pakistan, and elsewhere in Asia, the vast majority of smokers are men. “Asian women are the No. 1 target of the tobacco industry. There are about a billion women in Asia, where about 30 per cent of men smoke. If cigarette companies could get the same smoking rate among women, that’s another 300 million smokers and a lot of money for the tobacco companies. This will certainly increase the number of TB cases, as well as the number of TB deaths, among women too.

The Pakistan government should do more to ban cigarette advertising, increase cigarette taxes, educate the public about the hazards of smoking, limit free samples of addictive cigarettes and monitor cigarette sales. The strong message from this study is that smoking is a cause, and an important cause, of death from tuberculosis. This should be prevented in order to reduce the deaths from TB and should be an integral part of a TB control programme in Pakistan.

DR ZUBAIR SHAHEEN

Multan

Women in crises

SINCE the beginning of ‘civilization’ (I wonder what it means), one section of humanity has suffered and suffered endlessly. I refer to the fairer sex, the better half — in all respects.

Now don’t start thinking that I am a believer of female chauvinism when, in fact, I do not agree to any form of chauvinism — it is basically a very useless trait in people.

But anti-feminism manifests itself not only in times of peace, but at times of war, crises, political imbalances, etc. Countless forms of tortures are meted out to women in the shape of physical abuse, mental stress, kidnapping, honour killings, rape and what not. None of the places in the whole wide world is immune to these atrocities and each passing day comes as a struggle for every female and ends with thankfulness. Has anyone ever really cared for the plight of these victims? These creatures themselves crave for peace, freedom, liberty, brotherhood, etc., and ironically they themselves are the worst victims of male wrath, vengeance and hatred.

Hearing and seeing cases of such brutalities makes one shudder. Can a victim be ever happy in life? How can a rape victim ever find life in herself again? She is already a dead being. All the dreams, wishes and aspirations she had some time ago are already ashes. She moves (if ever) only mechanically, with no feeling, no thoughts, no anything — a walking grave.

Looking around, evidence is not hard to find. Apart from children, women are the worst victims in conflicts. What happened at partition? Of course, every Hindu was against every Muslim and every Muslim hated the sight of every Hindu, but even there the first and worst targets were women and children. During the Iraq war, there were some reports revealing how soldiers mistreated Iraqi women. I ask you why?

The debate on this topic will continue because one major reason is that a large part of our society does not see women as equal partners, as competitors, but rather as larger-than-life objects of pleasure, desire and as necessary to keep families and households going. And while life for you and me will continue at the same pace, somewhere in the world where we all live and breathe someone is being made a victim this very moment. But there is hope. Each one of us can contribute something — by altering our thinking and by respecting and loving women for who they are rather than the ‘what’ label society has so conveniently thrust upon them.

SADAF SIDDIQUI

Lahore

AJK’s official website

RECENTLY, the AJK government has launched its official website which gives historic facts about Kashmir, the freedom struggle and the phase of development in Azad Kashmir.

I congratulate the Azad Kashmir government, specially President Sardar M. Anwar Khan and Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, for launching the website, which can rightly be used for promoting the Kashmir cause all over the world. It can also reduce burden on the national exchequer for sending delegations of Kashmiris for highlighting the Kashmir issue at world forums.

I am, however, afraid of those professional visitors who may hatch conspiracies to ruin this website for their vested interests. The website must, therefore, be updated at appropriate intervals.

SYED MUZAMMIL HUSSAIN

Islamabad

Putting people to trouble

THE Mall/Canal bank underpass is finally being constructed. Thank God. It was really long overdue. But what is happening to the people of Lahore is another example of the callous attitude of the bureaucracy, which treats the general public as vassals and low caste humans.

Going from cantonment towards Assembly chambers, (in case The Mall/Canal bank crossing is blocked) the most logical detour would be to go through the GOR, take a short diversion and come out of one of the several exits from the GOR, on to The Mall. However, someone in their exalted brilliance has found it fit to seal off the GOR to all kinds of traffic, to the extent that walls have been built across the road at some places, thus pushing the entire Mall traffic on to other roads.

Now while the privacy of a few government officers has been preserved, tens of thousands of ordinary people who commute daily on the Lahore roads are being made to suffer, not to mention the national resources that are being wasted because of the huge traffic jams being caused.

The real mayhem will begin once the schools and colleges have re-opened and I dread to think how people will manage to get to Atchison College etc on time and what route they will take. Someone should look into this matter and get traffic restored to its logical detours.

HAMID ZAMAN

Lahore

What about Lowari Tunnel?

MORE than half a century has passed since Pakistan came into being, but the Chitrali community still remains deprived of one of the most basic things, i.e. an all-year access to other parts of the country. At present, we have access to the rest of the country only for six months of the year.

The Chitrali community always looks forward to construction of Lowari Tunnel. In the first half of the seventies, prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had taken interest in the construction of Lowari Tunnel and initiated the project but, unfortunately, his government was changed before completion of the project.

Since then the project has been ignored by successive governments, thus making the people helpless. When President Musharraf came to power in 1999, he made announcements for developing infrastructure and highways, specially in remote areas. He also made a commitment to re-start the Lowari Tunnel project. This rekindled among the Chitralis new hopes only to be dashed on Aug 14 (the likely date of reopening of the project) as the day passed off quietly.

In these circumstances the Chitrali community would like to ask President Musharraf and the government: is Chitral not a part of Pakistan? Do we not have any right to use a road to access areas abutting onto our district and to the rest of the country?

If the government can build motorways and Kohat Tunnel, why is it ignoring the Lowari Tunnel project? Who will ensure its completion? The government has to realize that this project is not only important for Chitral and other northern areas, but it is also a gateway to our neighbours, i.e. Afghanistan and the Central Asian states, in terms of easy communication and trading.

This is a golden chance for the MMA to pressure the authorities concerned and get credit for construction of the Lowari Tunnel.

The Chitrali community is waiting for the next immediate step from President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali’s government in this regard. We are hopeful that both would take necessary action and play their due role to fulfil the dreams of the people of Chitral.

MOHAMMAD AFZAL

Chitral

Soldiers’ number

MR Irfan Hussain’s article of Aug 16 carried a major factual error which I have seen in Dawn many times. Not only this is an error but also a distortion of history.

The worthy writer’s statement that more than 91,000 soldiers were captured in 1971 is incorrect. The correct figures of the prisoners as counted by the captors in the 1971 war in East Pakistan are: 56,694 from the armed forces, 12,192 paramilitary personnel from the police, Frontier Constabulary and scouts, and some 22,000 civilians. (Reference page 359 The Indian Army since Independence — Lancer-Delhi, 1990).

A. H. AMIN

Lahore

Gang-rape ordeal

I WAS flabbergasted to read the news about the gang-rape incident that took place in Karachi a few days ago. Some time back the news of kidnappings near the Aladin Park was in the air and schools were warned not to take their children to field trips to this park.

The unfortunate couple mentioned in the news must never have dreamt that a leisure visit to an entertainment park will end up in a nightmare. Our heads hang in shame when we hear that such ghastly incidents occur in a country which is an Islamic republic where, it seems, everything is practised except Islam.

The chastity, honour and modesty of the unfortunate girl has been tattered by inhuman souls. The agony and pain that she has gone through will haunt her forever. She has lost something which can never be returned to her even if the culprits are brought to book.

There are thousands of such incidents in our society which always go unnoticed and unheeded. The little concern shown by the chief minister of Sindh is nothing but a mockery of justice.

FATIMA H. GORE

Karachi

The Swiss verdict

THE PPP leadership thinks that the Swiss findings against Ms Benazir Bhutto are fabricated and the verdict has no legal value because the due process of law has not been followed. This observation may be correct, but the course being suggested to Ms Bhutto to fight out the situation is worse, and is definitely not going to help her.

She is a very popular political figure within and outside Pakistan. She must come to Pakistan and fight out her cases in Pakistan courts. Allegations of corruption against her and her spouse are related to Pakistan. She might feel that justice may not be given to her by Pakistan courts. She must keep faith in God, in her country and the people she ruled twice as prime minister.

As the government of Zafarullah Khan Jamali has the interior minister from her own party, there could hardly be any chance of injustice to her. She may ask for special courts, comprising judges with clean and honest records, to try her.

Mr Jamali is an honest leader. This is an opportune time for her to return to Pakistan and face the charges. Running away and not facing the charges creates doubts, rather provides reason to the people to believe that the charges of corruption are correct.

The best course for her is to come to Pakistan and face it.

MOHAMMAD YAMIN

SIDDIQUI

Islamabad

A warm welcome

I WAS extremely delighted, rather emotional, to see a picture in Dawn on page 12 (Aug 13). How nice, memorable, historic! Our girls welcoming and embracing the visiting Indian girl students in Lahore who were on a peace mission.

Irrespective of their sect, race, language and colour, they have broken the barriers of hate and bitterness which had been continuing between Pakistan and India for the last 50 years. This is a shining example of humanity, love, friendship between the two peoples.

After all, we belong to the subcontinent and have shared things for centuries. I salute all Indian and Pakistani girl students who are beckon light for our present generations. My thousand thanks to Indian girl students for coming to our beloved Pakistan.

SYED SIBTEY ABID NAQVI

Karachi

Grace marks policy

THE decision of the board of education to allow two per cent grace marks to those who have not cleared their examinations is yet another poor step towards grappling with the sinking system of educational in Pakistan. Instead of improving the condition of colleges, the board goes around giving grace marks to those who are not serious about their studies.

Both the students and teachers have been demanding a revision of the syllabus that should meet the international standard, but no heed has yet been paid to it. The board’s non-serious attitude is bound to hurt whatever system of education we have. Instead of ensuring 75 per cent attendance, proper teaching and eliminating cheating in examinations, the board officials go on giving orders that could further worsen the education system.

It is about time we realized our duties towards our youths. Textbooks should be revised and libraries in colleges and universities be provided with new reference books. Students should be asked to go to public libraries to develop a habit of reading books, besides the ones prescribed in their syllabi.

These are the steps that could enable us to achieve the international standards of education.

SIDRA RAFIQUE GOODA

Karachi

KPT’s complacent attitude

DAWN’S cover stories, “No damage to life: minister” and “Government withholds facts in national interest” (Aug 17), carry sketchy remarks of our minister and uniformed personnel on the oil tanker disaster.

The main problem arising from this criminal neglect is the playing down and not owning responsibility for this lapse by the authorities concerned. The reluctance of the KPT and the ministry of communications to share information with the citizens of Karachi is to be abhorred. It has been three weeks and it is about time the powers that be spilled the can of beans to the public, that can save them from further embarrassments.

Statements from the KPT secretariat that “all is well and things are under control” and “the worst is over and there is going to be no more oil spill”, or, worse, the KPT chairman’s remarks “that by the time the situation turns critical” and all such utterances point to the sheer callousness of the officials. Mr Chairman, the situation was critical on July 27, when an incompetent pilot lost his bearings and ended up in shallow waters in front of “Thandi Sarak” on the breakwater mouth. The direction of the vessel leaves much to be desired.

The incorrect and irresponsible remark by Mr Ahmed Ali, federal minister of communications, that “the shore of Karachi is so polluted that it is devoid of any marine life” and his statement on the TV channels umpteen times would make the environmentalists laugh and the common citizen wonder as to wherefrom he got his preposterous information.

Although illegal netting goes on with impunity right under the nose of the uniformed personnel, for the knowledge of our ill-informed minister here is a list of some fish species and the rich marine life found off the Clifton shores — mullets, sole, threadfin, ladyfish, snapper, seabream, butterfish, sicklefish and queenfish, with other crustaceans, and mollusc, crabs, babylonia, starfishes, jellyfishes, sea worms and weeds.

Ardeshir Cowasjee points out that “no one can or should take seriously whatever is said by the ministers or advisers of the government — let them continue to expound and tell us and the world, what it is they think they know”.

The KPT’s claim of Rs10 million as damages looks paltry, considering the comprehensive damage done to the marine ecosystem.

As for Minister Ahmed Ali’s remarks that “a very negligible strip and that too used for recreational activities along the coast has been polluted”, I would like to say that Sea View area in Clifton is the only developed recreational area of the Karachi coast which he sadly calls “a very negligible strip”. His statement has hurt Karachiites immensely.

It’s about time some agency owned responsibility for this criminal neglect and apologize to the people of Karachi for the city’s worst man-created environmental disaster that has inconvenienced the lives and disturbed the peace of this metropolis. Some heads must roll.

Karachi is bleeding again. This time at the cost of the marine environment. What next?

Mr Ibad, Mr Mehar, Mr Jamali and Mr Musharraf, is anyone listening?

SYED AZIZ AGHA

Pakistan Representative of the International Gamefish Association,

Karachi