| October 29, 2003 | Wednesday | Ramazan 2, 1424 |
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‘What is Pakistan afraid of?’
Protecting women
Manager for junior cricket team
Tasman Spirit disaster
Amended rules for pesticides
Examination system
Roots of terrorism
Building dam by consensus
Ramazan prices
Policy of road commercialization
THE barrage of instant and rather indelicate protests over Malaysian statesman Mahathir Mohamad’s observation about the heavy Jewish influence in America, and over the West generally, only goes to prove how correct he was. To deny this is to deny the existence of the sun at high noon.
Contemporary culture in America, particularly, and in the West, generally, is built on two pillars: money and media. Both are overwhelmingly dominated by Jewish capital. To conceal this fact of life you would need lies bigger than those spun out about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.
There is no way one can hold the Muslims responsible for the fact that the Jews were systematically persecuted. This process began 2,000 years ago. There was no Islam then. But Christianity was very much around. Hitler was not Muslim by any reckoning. If the Jews felt forced to flee from Europe to what then was the wilderness of the ‘new world,’ the blame would not lie on any Muslim shoulders.
Over hundreds of years Jews were portrayed in adverse light. There is no denying they were mistreated. Why they were targeted and where is for the Jews themselves to try to discover. They have been turning their self-piety into a virtue which is wrong, and into aggression which is downright evil. The character of literally blood-thirsty moneylender Shylock was not conceived my any Muslim mind, was it? See Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. The mind was Christian and the location was Italy, the elevated and celebrated home of Christianity.
In answer to what Mahathir Mohamad had to say, would anyone please go back to the books of history and cull out examples of any sustained and calculated hostility from the Muslims towards the Jews?
No sane person would ever presume to condemn a whole nation or the followers of any faith. No sane Muslim would paint the Jews with one broad, black brush. There have been, and there are, wise and noble Jews as there are adorable Christians, Muslims and Hindus. It takes all manner of people to make this world. Here the saint and the satanic saunter together. To be self-righteous is a human frailty that afflicts only twisted minds and feeble hearts.
If today’s Jews are trying to settle scores about their 2,000-year-old largely self-inflicted wounds, they are being patently unwise. What they are doing to helpless Palestinian people is premeditated, cold-blooded massacre. Their reply to the self-sacrificing teenager (the so-called suicide-bomber) is tanks and gunships. Which of the two are killing more targeted innocents? Which of the two are really inflicting terror? Where Mahathir Mohamad has possibly foot-faulted is his failure to distinguish between the Jew and the Zionist.
Today’s Israel is not a genuine Jewish state. It is Zionist entity. Not to distinguish between the two has been the error made by a manifestly well-meaning Mahathir. The raucous chorus against his candid views does not represent the voice of thinking Americans or Europeans. The Christians should be the last people to feel very good about how they once traumatized the Jews in Europe. Hitler was not an individual. He represented one side of European culture.
A. B. S. JAFRI
Karachi
THIS refers to Mr Rudy Shankar’s letter (Oct 27) wherein he has commented on Mr Ayaz Amir’s article “What is Pakistan afraid of?”
I fully agree with Mr Amir’s viewpoint. A spokesman for Pakistan’s foreign office has already said that the government is seriously considering the Indian proposals and will give a positive response to them. I do not see any reason why the response should not be positive, as most of the proposals reflect part of what Pakistan has been asking for from time to time. The only things Pakistan does not appear to have mentioned earlier are the Mumbai-Karachi ferry service and the Khokhrapar route, and the only important part the Indian proposals miss out on is resumption of a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute.
Stoppage of ‘cross-border terrorism’ is nothing but a handle to beat Pakistan with, particularly when India does not agree to either giving the necessary supervisory powers to UN observers, or of stationing an international force for that purpose.
A bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad is a very good idea but modalities for it will have to be worked out by keeping the disputed nature of the state in mind, and in accordance with the viewpoint of the Kashmiris.
I do not think Mr Amir was trying to equate Pakistan with India — in size or in any one or more of the other ways mentioned by Mr Shankar. I think he only tried to equate the two countries in missing the number of opportunities to resolve the disputes, and live in peace together. However, I do hope Mr Shankar will appreciate that lasting agreements, peace and friendship between any two countries can be built only by starting on the basis of respecting equal sovereign status for each other. For example, as compared to Pakistan, China is a far bigger and stronger country by any yardstick but our friendship with them is based on this fundamental outlook.
I must assure Mr Shankar that, to the best of my knowledge, his criticism of the almost non-existent democratic traditions, military’s role in politics, the way the foreign policy is determined to please the US — and also the realization that India has marched far ahead of us from whichever angle one may want to look — are all shared by a vast majority of Pakistanis except perhaps the ruling elite.
AMIR ALI
Lahore
IN view of the horrendous crimes being committed against women in our country, it is incumbent on concerned citizens and the Women Empowerment Division of the government to suggest practical measures for the safeguard of women, specially girls.
The problem may be difficult to confront in rural areas for obvious reasons but it can be tackled, to a large extent, in urban areas.
Police protection to women subjected to heinous crimes has not been effective, and some time even policemen are involved in these barbarities. Strict laws and exemplary punishment can serve as a deterrent if enforced effectively and fairly, but in our environment everybody knows how easily criminals can escape the clutches of law.
It is, therefore, necessary that a debate on the subject should be initiated and suggestions invited from citizens. In my opinion, martial arts should be made compulsory for girl students as a part of physical training. As we see in movies (and in practice in advanced countries), young women may be provided with chemicals to spray on criminals in an emergency. Similarly, young women may equip themselves with sophisticated arms as a part of their cosmetics. Women cops may also be specially trained and launched for the protection of women.
MOHAMMAD ALEEM SHAIKH
Karachi
ACCORDING to press reports, Muhammad Ilyas, a former Test cricketer of the 60s, has been named manager of the Pakistan junior cricket team for the home series against the junior team of India, which is scheduled to visit Pakistan shortly.
This decision by the Pakistan Cricket Board has surprised many because a manager of any team is supposed to be a man of multi-dimensional qualities, with special emphasis on man management. For instance, he should not only be team-friendly but also be able to command respect from his team members. Moreover, he should always be available to sort out problems and maintain discipline.
On scrutiny, we find that he does not fulfil these conditions. A. H. Kardar, the then chief of the BCCP, was once forced to oust Muhammad Ilyas from the team for showing utter disregard for discipline. The point is, if someone has been wary of a disciplined life, he cannot inculcate good habits in the young boys under his wings.
Now his appointment as manager leads one to believe that the PCB has tried to hush him up. Otherwise there is no dearth of former cricketers who are more competent and can manage a team in a far better way than Mr Ilyas.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
THIS has reference to the article published in the Dawn issue of Oct 22, under the headline “Who is responsible for Tasman disaster?”
The facts are based, as claimed by the writer, on the views of Richard Steiner. This is to clarify that most of the text of the article is at variance with the facts. The writer should have verified his information from the KPT or other sources as Mr Steiner is not an oil spill response person or a mariner. He is simply an ecologist and his comments on clean-up operation, if any, would be based on assumption or hearsay.
It is on record that the response action to the spill of Exxon Valdez commenced three days after the spill and was a classical example of what should not have been done but was done. The international response teams, mentioned in the article, were alerted by the KPT on the very next day of the grounding. They were, however, to mobilize on the instruction of P&I Club of the owner of the vessel under his responsibility.
The KPT’s response has been appreciated by all foreign experts, including the IMO. The comment that the KPT used all the wrong equipment is absolutely wrong. Aerial spray was done to save the mangroves and this was done effectively as the Indus delta mangrove remained intact. The dispersant was applied on the oil which was moving towards the mangroves within a couple of hours of its release from the wreck.
The writer and others should rest assured that the task is in safe hands and there are quite competent Pakistanis addressing the issue. As the tanker owners are aware of the facts, they have, through their insurers, promised to put up efforts and money in rehabilitation of the damaged areas.
KAFIL AHMAD KHAN
Sr Public Relations Officer,
Karachi Port Trust,
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news published in Dawn (Oct 22) on the above subject.
The news gives an impression that the objection to the proposed rules came only from CropLife Pakistan, an association mainly representing the multi-national pesticides firms in the country. Actually, CropLife Pakistan is the apex trade body representing both multinational and national companies.
Secondly, objections to the proposed rules were forwarded by the following stakeholders: the agriculture department, Punjab; CropLife Pakistan; the Pakistan Crop Protection Association; Prime Agencies, Karachi; and Dr Abdul Kareem, Bahawalpur.
ZIA-UL-HAQ
Karachi
BEFORE the creation of Pakistan and even long after it, the examinations from matriculation up to MA/MSc were held after two years. Later on, all of them, one after another, were bifurcated as previous-year and final-year examinations, and held annually, after a gap of one year between the two.
With the exception of MA/MSc, all other examinations, from matriculation up to BA/BSc, have since been ‘restored’ in Punjab to their original system of composite examinations after two years.
Last year, the “no-pass no-fail” system was adopted in Punjab for the primary and for middle schools’ examinations, but this system has been dropped from this year. However, it has been introduced forthwith for classes one to three.
During the 1960s, 25 per cent of the total marks in each subject were set aside for class performance by the students of BA/BSc. The pivot of this system was the teacher. It was too done away with, after a number of years. Meanwhile, the semester system, the ‘pivot’ of which is again the teacher, has been adopted by the universities.
During the 56 years of independence, as many as nine education committees and three education commissions were set up, one after another, to comb the system of examinations, which is the exclusive touchstone to determine the academic merit of the budding scholars. Unfortunately, it is still in a melting pot, like the fate of a rolling stone.
It is pity that without making any improvement in the system of examinations, huge money from the national exchequer and precious time and energy have repeatedly been spent on setting up education committees and commissions by the rulers/politicians.
MIRZA GHULAM HAIDER
Multan
AFTER the incident of Sept 11, 2001, when the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon were attacked, much has been told and written about terrorism. What is terrorism? Why has it come into existence? Who are terrorists? What are the factors and roots of terrorism? What steps should be taken against it?
The US blamed Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda and for the 9/11 tragedy and attacked Afghanistan. Now a war against terrorism has begun throughout the world under the leadership of the US. But unfortunately, in the eyes of the US it is only Muslims who are terrorists, e.g. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Libya. The world has closed its eyes to Israeli atrocities against Palestine and that of India against the Kashmiri people.
The people of Kashmir and Palestine are fighting for freedom but India and Israel are killing innocent people and destroying their properties and making them homeless. It is the worst kind of state terrorism. But the US and Europe are not calling them terrorists because they are not Muslims.
To me the killing of innocent persons, destroying properties and creating fear in a peaceful society is terrorism. Removal of injustice and cruelty is the only means to end terrorism. It is also essential to give people their social, economic and political rights all over the world.
ALIA SULTANA
Karachi
THIS has reference to the continuing debate on the contentious issue of the Kalabagh dam project. New dams are necessary in a water-scarce country like Pakistan, but their construction at controversial sites such as the one at Kalabagh should not be carried out without the consent of all the provinces of the federation.
This dam should be built in a technical and constitutional way. Technical in the sense that the design and the data as regards water — which will drain in and out of the reservoir — of the dam should be made pubic. Doing so by Wapda and other authorities related to the dam will remove misgivings about the dam.
After all facts have been revealed, the issue should be solved constitutionally. It should be presented before parliament. The Senate, as it represents the federation, should be given a bigger role. As much money and time has been spent on the study and preparation of the feasibility report of the dam, the Senate, instead of rejecting the project outright, should propose such amendments to the basic design of the dam as would be acceptable to all the provinces.
For instance, the treasury members of the Sindh Assembly has proposed that the dam should be a carry-over one, i.e. no canals should be drawn out of it.
Similarly, amendments proposed by other provinces should be considered. This will not only remove the misgivings among the provinces but also strengthen the federation.
TAHIR HUSSAIN SANGI
Larkana
THERE is a great deal of hoopla regarding announcements of prices of items of daily use for Ramazan, specially of meat. When you tell this to shopkeepers, specially the butchers, they very cheekily say: “Why don’t you go and buy it from them, those who are making these announcements.”
Some others, more cheeky, offer dog meat at that price.
RASHIDUDDIN GHAZNAVI
Karachi
THE Dawn news item of Oct 17 on the subject of ‘commercialization of roads’ reported that “.... the governing body of the now defunct KDA kept the decision in abeyance for unknown reason”. And further, “Terming the KDA governing body’s move wrong, the law department (of the city government) suggested that it should be reviewed.”
The KDA governing body had put aside the ‘commercialization of roads’ policy in 1999 because it would have further destroyed what little is left of Karachi’s built environment.
The commercialization policy was an arbitrary, unplanned, misconceived, ‘quick-fix’ solution to an increasing need for commercial space in the city. Unfortunately, it violates all laws and procedures of town-planning and makes a mockery of regulations related to change in land-use. The KDA governing body suggested to the master plan department that proper technical studies be conducted, justifying the proposed changes, and investigating the availability of utilities (electricity, water, sewerage) and related amenities/infrastructure (traffic flow, parks/ playgrounds, police stations, parking, etc.) in the affected areas.
Rather than opting for ‘strip commercialization’, the governing body proposed that ‘urban renewal’ of city blocks and sectors should be studied, so that the adverse and public-nuisance effects on surrounding residential neighbourhoods could be minimized.
At a recent public hearing conducted at the Civic Centre by the city district government of Karachi to debate rates of commercialization, many senior citizens, residents of Karachi and NGOs highlighted the continuing deterioration of the city infrastructure occasioned by such ad hoc changes in land use as have been carried out over the past decades, without following the principles of town planning.
Residential neighbours (in the second, third and further lines of bungalows) of ‘commercialized’ plots on Tariq Road, Sharea Faisal, etc. are leading miserable lives, with high levels of noise and air pollution, escalating, among other things, the crime rate.
Many find their house exits blocked by the cars of visitors/occupants of nearby commercial buildings (and some have even had to have “No Parking” painted on their gates).
Let us implement the law and develop such policies and procedures as are citizen-friendly and sustainable. The CDGK and provincial law departments have given an undertaking to the Sindh High Court that appropriate regulations and procedures will be framed before any commercialization policy is put forward.
We request the City District Government Karachi to publicize the details of the town planning and traffic studies its staff have prepared in this connection, as well as the plans developed for the reinforcement of infrastructure/amenities/utilities corresponding to these proposed changes in land use (‘residential’ to ‘commercial’).
ROLAND De SOUZA
Shehri,
Karachi
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