| October 27, 2003 | Monday | Sha’aban 30, 1424 |
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Ferry service to Mumbai
‘What is Pakistan afraid of?’
Planned family insurance
‘UN censures Israel’
Plight of Hesco consumer
Nato and terrorism
Shabbir’s selection
Study abroad scheme
Fighting crime
Ghundan village
Moral responsibility
BY reading some letters published in the last few issues of Dawn, one gets the impression that either the number of crimes in our society has increased or the reporting of such things has surged in the media. If the latter is the case, it is a healthy sign in our set-up.
It takes a degree of cumulative courage to point to symptoms of deep-seated malaise in society. Prescribing the punishment for a crime without cause identification is treating the disease without diagnosis. The crime can better be controlled by a two-pronged strategy comprising (a) prevention and (b) cure.
THE WHO figures of the disabled population in Pakistan is shattering. These are 4.2
million physically-disabled owing to polio. Deafness and dumbness account for another 4.2 million. The blind are not included in these figures, but 2.8 million persons are categorized as mentally handicapped.
As the majority belongs to poor families, they suffer from malnutrition etc. The population of the mentally-handicapped appears to have been underestimated. Local surveys put them at five million. Mental illness is another disability which can be corrected by removing the causes — there are a number of them, such as economic deprivation — and providing proper medical care.
All told, at least 10 per cent of our population falls in the category of the disabled. If our population is 140 million, the disabled account for 14 million. It is not advisable to ignore this large segment of population.
It’s unfortunate, however, that no cure has been found so far for reversing the process of mental retardation, which occurs in pregnancy and at birth. Once the growth of brain is affected adversely, the process cannot be reversed.
In Pakistan, no distinction is made between mental illness and mental retardation. The two are different and each needs separate attention and treatment. Moreover, while mental illness can be cured through medicine, mental retardation does not lend itself to medical treatment. The mentally-retarded need constant care, attention and guidance throughout their life. According to conservative estimates, five million families are involved. It is only after we address the problem of iodine deficiency in the same way as we are doing for polio that we can hope to avoid addition to the population of mentally-retarded persons.
The idea of providing a barrier-free working environment for the disabled has gained full momentum in many countries and the disabled are being provided, according to their needs, wheel-chairs, artificial limbs, transport services and special education, including training at no cost.
In Pakistan, if we have to achieve any progress in this field, much work lies ahead of us. First, we must access special children of schoolgoing age. Not much progress has been achieved in this regard so far.
Research shows that the disabled, including the mentally- retarded, best grow and develop in association with their normal peers. Thus, the present system of having separate education and training centres will have to be replaced by their induction into mainstream education and training institutions.
We should open the doors of primary schools for normal children for the disabled. These children should be provided with material and expertise on special education. With some training, members of the families of the disabled should be encouraged to work as volunteers in the schools.
It is time we reviewed all the problems of the disabled and took corrective action through comprehensive legislation.
MOHAMMAD ANWAR KHAN
Karachi
THE Pakistan government should not take too long to accept the proposals the Indian government has made to normalize relations between the two countries. In all these years whenever the two governments have taken one step forward they have moved two steps backward. If the Pakistan government is serious about improving its relations with India, it should grab the offer with both hands. It would be in the interest of the people from both countries, who have suffered for 56 years.
The proposal about starting a ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai takes me back to the pre-1965 days when Scindia Steamship used to run a weekly service between the two seaports. Every Saturday evening, a ship (either SS Sabarmati or SS Saraswati) sailed from Mumbai and reached Karachi on Monday morning. It picked up anchor on Monday evening and moored at Princess Dock, Mumbai, on Wednesday evening. During the non-monsoon period, when the sea wasn’t rough, the Scindia ship dropped anchor outside Kutch Mandvi (which had no port in those days) and passengers — from Mumbai, and on the ship’s return journey from Karachi — boarded sail boats that carried them and their luggage to Mandvi.
The British India Steam Navigation Company’s ships SS Dwarka, SS Damra and SS Damra (which sank on the Balochistan coast in the 60s) also had weekly runs from Mumbai to Basra via Karachi. But these larger and slower ships did not drop anchor in the open sea close to Mandvi.
As one who made many trips to Mumbai, including one of the final voyages that a Scindia ship made (August 1965), I must say it was economical and convenient not only for those who went to Mumbai but also to those travelling to South and Central India. The last fare that I paid was Rs40 for deck class. That was when I was a student. First class cabin fare was around Rs200 and second class around Rs120. Unfortunately, the service stopped with the war between the two countries in 1965 and was never resumed.
Such a service, if revived, will help a lot of poor people travelling to and from Karachi. A trip via Lahore or even across Khokrapar (one hopes that route opens too) would remain expensive and time-consuming, unless one can afford air fare. But in order to make the ferry service viable both countries will have to be liberal in giving visas.
ASIF NOORANI
Karachi
MR Ayaz Amir’s writings are always thought-provoking and one of the main reasons I await to read the on-line Friday Dawn issue. His is always the clear-eyed view of Pakistan, its foibles and, frankly, its clumsy attempts on the foreign stage and its eagerness to please the US and keep up with its big neighbour to the east.
Mr Amir in his article “What is Pakistan afraid of?” makes the point about Pakistan having to grab India’s latest peace gesture by constantly alluding to the troglodyte attitudes each country has adopted. Maybe equating India and Pakistan to “sell” the peace process works, as if they were equal either economically, politically, militarily, administratively, demographically. Not that Indian governments have been the bastions of democracy over the last 50 years. But democracy it has been and as President Clinton said on his brief stop in Islamabad some years ago “a bad democracy is better than no democracy”. India has had a lot of experience with this basic human right need; Pakistan has negligible and sad experience over the years. India’s human, material infrastructure has been constantly nurtured over the years. Pakistan has squandered them.
The Pakistan military has played a insidious role in the life of Pakistan ever since independence. They are busy, among other things, in the civic arena. They are busy painting a picture of happy progress with the US. India has far outstripped Pakistan in every measurable index over the past decade and for Pakistan (in Mr Amir’s piece) to pretend that it is on the same playing field is .. well, delusional. Although I agree with the basic message of the writer, his supporting arguments still seem to imply that the “ball game” is the same as it was a couple of generations ago.
I wish his message had an urgency for Pakistan to grab the peace offering because the alternatives are worse. A strong economic bridge between India and Pakistan will augur well for both countries.
RUDY SHANKAR
Charlotte, NC, USA
THERE is an urgent need for a planned family insurance scheme for the low-income groups. This scheme should incorporate clauses and features of the ordinary insurance scheme, if necessary, to cover family planning such as a bonus on vasectomy and adoption of children.
Ideally, the population growth should be zero to make economic gains felt in the day-to-day life of the people. A trial should be given to a planned family insurance scheme in large cities and overpopulated areas to see that it works.
Carefully thought out, its clauses and features should be introduced to cover every aspect of difficulties that may arise.
There might be some small financial mismanagement but it should be possible to check it with greater vigilance.
KHALID HUSAIN
Karachi
THIS has reference to your editorial “UN censures Israel” (Oct 24).
The United Nations has done its job. But the million dollar question is, can it change the policies of Israel? Assured of the unwavering support from the US, Israel continues to build a wall in the areas it has illegally occupied to the detriment of besieged Palestinians.
Recently, a BBC report showed how tormenting it is for Palestinians to face army pickets and barbed wires every day as and when they need to go to areas under Jewish control. Israeli soldiers harass not only daily-wage workers but also schoolchildren in the name of maintaining law and order.
In today’s world where ‘might is right’ has become a rule, something more than mere reprimanding is needed to put a curb on Israel’s continuous defiance of the UN warnings and bring peace to the Middle East.
MISBAH NOMANI
Karachi
I AM a consumer of Hesco’s Gari Khata Sub-division, Hyderabad, and have been paying my electricity dues regularly. In October I received a bill showing electricity arrears to the tune of Rs11,000. When I contacted the relevant staff and showed them all my previously paid bills, they said that I had consumed only 66 units of electricity in the last billing month which, they claimed, was illogical.
I also produced a documentary proof that as I was admitted to a Karachi hospital where I spent the whole month of October, and there was no one at my house to consume electricity. But my efforts failed and the staff penalized me for consuming less power.
I get a meagre salary and cannot pay this huge bill. The higher officials of Hesco are, therefore, requested to look into the matter.
ISHTIAQ AHMED
Hyderabad
“TO fight terrorism, Nato eyes Middle East, Africa and elsewhere”, so said Nato’s top general, American James Jones. (Sept 30). A 9,000-strong Rapid Force was subsequently inaugurated on Oct 15. The small sentence is, in fact, a kind of Nato’s unilateral determination for many wars and conflicts in the pre-determined regions of the Third World countries. This pre-supposes a question, what is the source of international legitimacy for Nato or any other regional organisation’s self-imposed responsibilities involving deaths and destructions? I am not a lawman to know, but do have reasons for doubts.
It is not difficult to understand that justice and fair play demand that solutions to all international problems need to begin with dialogues. I would insist on saying so though I have not yet heard it from any quarter. This is civil: Nato’s approach is through conflicts. Why should the civilized and enlightened western world behave like the other ugly party? Should not we remind ourselves that this is a matter of peace in the world?
The West, Nato included, ought to know that the word terrorism has so far no absolute and globally accepted legal definition. They may recollect that the UN legal committee did make serious attempts for it but failed, in the face of sharp division of opinions among its delegates, and the question is so far left hanging, which is now to be decided by Nato also (after the US) privately for its proposed ventures.
“Fighting terrorism” has many problems of its own. It is reported that terrorists are scattered in over 60 countries. They are highly mobile, have no territory or organized army. Fighting against them means fighting against an abstract noun in which mostly innocent civilizations are killed. In the case of Afghanistan war, 95 per cent of all the dead were these people, good number of them being women and children. Whether Nato will repeat this option of Pentagon or has chalked out some programmes otherwise is not known.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
FINALLY, paceman Shabbir Ahmed gets his reward for some excellent bowling. I have been watching him play since his debut and am extremely impressed. He bowls within himself with excellent line and length and also is a good swinger.
This fast bowler has not yet reserved a place in the squad but it is not all his fault. The team has continued to drop catches off his bowling ever since his debut. He has been very unlucky in the past and has had at least two catches dropped in every game he has bowled. The most recent dropped catches were in the fourth game of the One-Day series between Pakistan and South Africa. Two South African batsmen had second lives as they were dropped off the bowling of Shabbir Ahmed.
Finally, the team has rewarded this bowler with some excellent catches. His bowling in the first game of the second Test between Pakistan and South Africa was excellent as he dismissed two of the first three in-form batsmen. I am happy for Shabbir Ahmed. Keep up the good work.
ADIL JAFRY
Sukkur
THE proposal of the Higher Education Commission to send 950 scholars abroad in the next four years to gain postgraduate degrees and doctorates is highly commendable as it will enable Pakistan to have more specialists in various fields.
However, it should be ensured that once these scholars come back to Pakistan, with new knowledge and ideas, they are provided with opportunities to work free from the shenanigans and control of the bureaucracy to which both specialists and new ideas are anathema and which it systematically tries to belittle by virtue of its omnipresence.
Thus, our country should be freed from the yoke of the bureaucracy as soon as possible.
JAWAD NAZIR
Nottingham, UK
Prevention is not only by framing the laws but also by educating the people about the benefits as the laws are beneficial to all, and breaking them will benefit a few at the expense of all. Technical hands on training should be incorporated in all educational institutes to decrease unemployment, specially among the youths.
Miscarriage of justice must be eliminated. Those found guilty should be convicted in time without class consideration. Failing this will lead to development of hardcore criminals as injudicious use of antibiotics leads to germination of resistant- bacteria resulting in fatal outcome.
DR GHULAM ASGHAR
CHANNA
Karachi
THE people of the Ghundan village, Sinjhoro taluka, Sanghar suffer from a number of problems. It has a population of over 5,000 people who have no access to basic facilities. The absence of potable water is causing deadly diseases like hepatitis B and C. The village also has no sanitation, drainage or metalled road system. Moreover, the twin problem of salinity and waterlogging is too difficult for the villagers to grapple with all by themselves.
Early remedial steps will give them much vigour to reshape their lives.
GHULAM HUSSAIN WASSAN
Ghundan, Sanghar
MR Hafizur Rahman reacted in his article “Railways ministers” (Oct 22) to my letter “Moral responsibility” (Oct 13) thus: “I may be accused of levity on ‘a serious national issue’. The notion of a minister resigning on principle by accepting moral responsibility for a catastrophe that has taken place in his domain is absolutely foreign to us. It does not go with our psyche.”
It is a funny logic. Responsibility is an inherent quality among the conscientious strata of a society, irrespective of geographical boundaries, no matter what the psyche of the masses at large is.
Naturally, the very definition of the term responsibility should lead to some theories of obligation. These may be teleological — the rightness or wrongness of an action is determined by its consequences, actual or expected — or deontological — factors other than consequences like intentions, motives and rules are relevant in assessing actions morally.
Two best-known teleological theories of obligation are egoism and utilitarianism. The egoist thinks that a man has the obligation or at least the right to do whatever is or seems to him to be in his own interest. Contrarily, the utilitarianist thinks that man has an obligation to do that which will or which he believes will lead to the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
In the animal behaviour there is not a rudimentary morality but rather the material, which in human life intelligence fashions into morality. The ‘moral’ situation or ethical conduct is distinguished from the physical behaviour in that in the former enters a so-called moral element.
The nation is confronted by a most disturbing moral problem. “We know that the pursuit of good ends does not justify the employment of bad means. But what about those situations, now of such frequent occurrences, in which good means have end-results which turn out to be bad.” — Aldous Huxley.
Referring to the accident in question, Railways Minister Ghaus Bakhsh Mehr said, “There is no question of relinquishing charge, as the issue has not been raised by any quarter.” Furthermore, “We don’t have funds to man all the crossings.” Whose responsibility is it to provide the funds? Of course, the minister’s, but such wishful thinking falls under the domain of moral responsibility that aims at hoping too much from the general mindset beset with moral laxity.
At the end, it is worth giving a thought to a school of the Latin philosophers which held that the creation of matter and of spirits was necessary and eternal and that there is but one “intellective soul” for all of humanity (thereby denying individual personality and immortality). They espoused also psychological determinism, which precluded moral responsibility.
PROF (DR) P. NASIR
Gujrat
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