| November 20, 2003 | Thursday | Ramazan 24, 1424 |
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Opposition and LFO
Increase in train fares
Checking noise pollution
Conspiracy theories on 9/11
Honour killings
Development funds’ misuse
Eidee and retirees
Rethinking Kashmir policy
Savings
Adjournment
Crackdown on renamed groups
I READ with interest Prof Anwar Syed’s article “The ebb and the tide of it” (Nov 16) on Pakistan -Iran political and economic cooperation.
Admittedly, Iran’s major exports are restricted to petroleum products and carpets and at first glance the potential for trade appears to be limited in scope, if not in quantity. However, as a student of the Iranian economy who had an opportunity to do some on-site research back in 2000 (with my Economics adviser at Knox College, Illinois), I would like to add to the learned professor’s analysis of the potential for trade between Pakistan and Iran.
In the aftermath of Ayatollah Khomeini’s rise to power and the US embassy ‘hostage crisis’, economic sanctions were imposed on Iran, many of which continue to this day, despite a token lifting of sanctions on some items (dry fruits and carpets) by Bill Clinton’s government. Iran became heavily reliant on Japan and those European governments which kept up trade with it. Pakistan has the potential to export agricultural products, including poultry and dairy products (which to my surprise Iran has to import at relatively higher costs from Europe).
Iran, on the other hand, had to learn to live with the sanctions and limited trading opportunities. Though suffering from an economy wrecked by the devastating Gulf war, the country had to learn self-reliance the hard way. Till recently, Iran manufactured almost all of its automobiles (however antiquated they might be) before the advent of Korean manufacturers. Iranian steel industry is also efficient and their skills in steel-based construction can benefit rural construction and housing projects in Pakistan should such an initiative be explored.
Another area where Iranian engineering impressed me particularly was their road-building as the highways and civic amenities in Iran struck me as being far more superior to what one would experience in Pakistan. Iranians can also teach their Pakistani counterparts a thing or two about civic planning and urban beautification, (drives for urban beautification in Pakistan are usually limited to planting trees haphazardly).
The Pakistani workforce is generally more fluent in English and has a significantly higher edge in information technology and banking, areas in which Iran is seriously lagging behind owing to the language divide between Persian and English and the resistance of the conservative elements in the government to the proliferation of information sources and the internet.
Pakistani IT professionals can develop important partnerships, leading IT education initiatives in Iran as well as profiting from projects involving development of IT infrastructure, which the Iranian society would soon need, once it gets over its internal squabbles and the power struggle between the dwindling conservatives and the more moderate elements.
The cultural similarities and geographical proximity mean that Pakistanis and Iranians can facilitate movement of workers and professionals relatively easily, exchanging services and creating new employment and investment opportunities on both sides of the border, and mutually benefiting from economic relationships which should have been developed and fostered a long time ago.
HAIDER A. MIRZA
West Haven, Connecticut, USA
THE opposition has wasted one whole year in desk-thumping and staging walkouts, with little or no effect, except getting increased honoraria and other perks.
Expecting the masses to come out on the streets is perhaps doubtful in the present situation, as rightly hinted at by the prime minister. Therefore, what strategy the opposition is likely to adopt to create further confusion is not clear, except for wasteful sit-ins or some rallies here and there.
The 1973 Constitution itself was not adopted by the two-thirds majority of the assembly as elected in 1970, in the undivided Pakistan. In the former East Pakistan, a fresh election was held after the 1971 division, for a fresh mandate was very rightly required according to legal, ethical and democratic norms.
This right course was, however, not followed here, as it would have involved accountability, thus leaving this vital lacuna, due to which real sanctity of the Constitution could not be achieved in the people’s eyes, leading to its suspension without much ripples.
Thus, we are left with the 1947 Interim Constitution (Government of India Act 1935), as amplified by the Objectives Resolution. This would enjoy real sanctity, as it was adopted by the very first elected NA/CA of the founding fathers, headed by the Quaid-i-Azam himself. It would then be for the National Assembly to adopt any part of the 1973 Constitution or otherwise by a two-thirds majority.
It is now for the apex judiciary to take suo motu notice of this vital constitutional aspect in the overall national interests, and consider rectifying this legal lacuna once for all.
This would end the present stand-off and the periodical derailment of democracy, which brings a bad name to the country. Will our leaders have the courage and wisdom to adopt the right path?
S. M. H. RIZVI
Karachi
THE Pakistan Railways (PR) notified an increase in its fares from 10 to 15 per cent in the third week of August this year. Generally, any increase in the price of a product or the charges for a service affects the purchasing power of a consumer or a customer.
The PR might have been justified in increasing its fares but many believe that it has not seriously contemplated alternative steps to increase its income/revenue receipts. The need of the hour is to increase the number of potential passengers, which, for various reasons, is not encouraging at the moment.
Let us see how passengers decide their preference for rail and bus services. Before the increase in the PR fares, the fare of the economy class from Lahore to Rawalpindi and vice versa was Rs100, while the railways immediate rival — the airconditioned bus service — offers a Rs150 ticket for the same journey. Now after a 10 per cent increase in the train fares, the difference between the fares of the two services has been reduced to Rs40 from Rs50.
Recent travelling trends in Pakistan reveal that a passenger makes a choice between a train and an AC bus on the basis of this very difference in the fares. The narrower this gap gets, the fewer the passengers will be inclined to travel by train.
It must be remembered that the fares of airconditioned buses and trains’ economy class are the deciding factor for potential passengers. In the light of this analysis, it is proposed that an AC lower sitter class may be added to each train and the fares should rationalized to compete with those of the AC buses.
It is hoped that provision of an AC lower sitter class will meet the requirement of competition between the rail and road rivals.
M.A. ALVI
Lahore
IN Karachi, noise pollution is now generally created by autorickshaws and water tankers. Some time ago it was only autorickshaws that would create an enormous noise owing to defective and cheap silencers. But now, after some preventive measures were taken by the officials concerned, many rickshaw drivers have switched over to proper silencers. Still there are some who have not fixed new silencers to their vehicles causing much noise pollution.
But water tankers produce greater noise pollution. Taking advantage of the shortage of water, the tanker mafia is supplying contaminated water from hydrants to various parts of the city.
After availability of water from the Hub dam was ensured, Karachi Nazim Naimatullah Khan ordered closure of about half a dozen or so hydrants and, according to the press, this has put some water tankers off roads for the time being. But the biggest of the city’s hydrants run by the Rangers on a commercial basis behind the Civic Centre and off the road that runs between Mashriq Centre and the Sui Southern Gas Company’s building still manages to run countless water tankers daily. Besides destroying roads through leaking water, these water tankers using dilapidated diesel engines are creating enormous noise pollution round the clock, without anyone protesting against it.
A number of letters written to all those who matter have drawn no response so far, and hence people continue to suffer.
AMIR ALI ESMAIL
Karachi
AN editorial of The Los Angeles Times appeared in Dawn (Nov 9), which, inter alia, states that books published in France and Germany claim that President Bush not only knew about the conspiracy (9/11 incidents) but also helped plan it. This claim has raised intriguing questions because, besides Israel, America seems to have become a beneficiary of this conspiracy.
Perhaps even before the second of the twin towers collapsed, the media reported that a fifth aircraft was involved in the 9/11 attacks. What is intriguing is that nothing has been said so far to clarify this.
Then, there are questions that remain unanswered. Who was the man who videotaped the 9/11 attacks and what followed them? How could he be present on an appropriate high-rise building near the WTC and in time to videotape the action unless he had prior knowledge of 9/11? It seems he was one of the conspirators who planned the attacks and wanted the whole world to watch them. He was an important link in the chain of events but neither the administration nor the sleuths of the media talked to him. He cannot be a genie or an alien who came from outer space and disappeared back into it.
JALAL AHMED
Karachi
THIS refers to MNA Fauzia Wahab’s letter “Disallowing debate on honour killings” (Nov 17) wherein she has complained against the speaker of the National Assembly for not allowing a debate on honour killings in the house.
A resolution to condemn this heinous crime was also not allowed to be presented in the Senate, a house in which even a former high court chief justice and son of the Poet of East was present, during the government of Mian Nawaz Sharif.
Like many Pakistanis I fail to understand why all successive governments have failed to declare illegal this inhuman act, with death penalty as punishment to culprits.
The centuries-old tradition of sati in the Hindu society was termed a criminal act in India just after independence and that inhuman act is no more practised over there. But in Pakistan, un-Islamic and illegal acts like honour killing are committed with shocking impunity.
I request all women Senators, MNAs and MPAs to make efforts to get a legislation enacted, outlawing honour killings and giving exemplary punishment to culprits, with the objective of eliminating this menace from society.
AAMIR AQIL
Lahore
OUT of their allocated development funds, some MNAs/MPAs are sanctioning electricity to private deras (cattle farms) to benefit individuals. If public funds are spent to benefit individuals, it is a simple case of misuse of public money.
Moreover, the practice will have adverse effects on the already precarious financial position of Wapda because the authority will have to maintain lines over long distances to serve one odd meter. In the long run, the cost of maintenance will go up, forcing Wapda to increase its power tariffs. As a consequence, it will be the common man who will suffer.
The president and prime minister are requested to look into the matter and stop this misuse of the public funds. There is no justification for sanctioning electricity to deras when about 33 per cent villages are still without electricity.
The Wapda chairman is also requested to let us know as to why he has relaxed Wapda rules to facilitate the misuse of the public funds.
LT-COL (RETD)
MUHAMMAD ASLAM
Sargodha
AS in the past, the government and autonomous bodies under its control are paying “Eidee” (Eid gift) to their employees this time also. But these departments have as usual excluded the retirees from their Eidee plans.
The retired government employees who get meagre pensions deserve all such reliefs which are offered to the employees in service.
I hope the government will consider its retired employees for Eidee as well.
ASHIQ ALI
Lahore
IN his recent op-ed “Rethinking Kashmir policy”, Mr Kunwar Idris has emphasized the need for negotiation and diplomacy with India and for mustering world support in this regard. He opposes armed movements and “suicidal incursions of zealots”.
Although diplomacy and world support are suitable ways, these have not improved the situation for the Kashmiris. Many diplomatic groups from both sides have exchanged views but not even a little change in the situation is discernible.
As far as the matter of world support is concerned, the UN has failed to implement its own resolution that calls for giving the Kashmiris their right of self-determination.
On the one hand, America, the lone superpower, cries for peace talks between Pakistan and India, but on the other, it supplies India with modern weapons and defence technology through Israel. It appears the world only pays lip-service to the Kashmir issue, and diplomacy does not seem to be working.
The question is, how should anyone create an atmosphere of goodwill with a country which is not yet reconciled to our existence?
AHMAD JAMAL BUTT
Faisalabad
REFERENCE the letter “Savings and the president” by Wajid Usmani (Nov 2), where he has decried the plight of elder citizens at the national savings centres, he has forgotten to mention that an additional cause of worry, the risk in carrying cash either when buying or cashing savings certificates.
Given the present law and order situation and also the inefficiency involved in preparing such certificates that entail repeated visits to sort out mistakes, this is a genuine cause for concern. One does not understand the logic of preventing banks from investing on behalf of their clients.
AFFECTED PERSON
Lahore
ADJOURNMENT means putting off or postponing the action of a convened court until another time specified. Order 17 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, deals with adjournments.
Under Order 17’s Rule 1, a court of law has the discretion to adjourn the hearing of a case if sufficient cause is shown to it. The above-mentioned discretion must be exercised judiciously, and not arbitrarily or capriciously.
Unfortunately, lawyers, litigants and courts are misusing this discretion. There are many cases which have been pending in courts for a very long time. It is, therefore, necessary to make an amendment to Order 17’s Rule 1 to give more powers to courts to prevent the malpractice in respect of adjournments because justice delayed is justice denied.
MUHAMMAD OWAIS
Lahore
CONGRATULATIONS to President Musharraf and the government of Pakistan for cracking down on three renamed militant organizations within Pakistan. These people spread murder and mayhem both within Pakistan and into the Indian side of disputed Kashmir, as well as into Afghanistan. Shutting down radical seminaries and schools is inevitable if Pakistan is to survive as a moderate Muslim state.
I have to admit that, viewed from either the Pakistan or Indian perspective, how to untangle and synergistically tie together most constructively the 56 years of awful relations in the subcontinent is like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg.
India clearly wants to deal with normalized transportation, commerce and related relations as the first order of business, while Pakistan has a clear tendency to favour addressing Kashmir at the top of the list. Black and white, sharp preconditions and my-way-or-no-way attitudes are not helpful on the part of either nation.
If the moderate viewpoint can prevail in both the countries, which requires a constant focus by the print and electronic media on peace initiatives, there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
Religious extremism in both Pakistan and India remains a threat to a long-term peaceful solution that must include what I, as a humble observer, believe will inevitably be a new unified nation of Kashmir, with the right of dual citizenship in either Pakistan or India.
Radical Indians insist India and occupied Kashmir are inseparable and that Hinduism (politically and literally) must prevail. The same sort of statements in reverse are made by the most radical Pakistanis. Such sharp and dangerous rhetoric can be toned down by promoting moderate viewpoints toward real progress and success on all issues, including Kashmir. There is no useful purpose in promoting a violent, intransigent point of view by the media on either side of the Pakistan-Indian issue(s).
The informed world continues to watch and wait. Lately it has been encouraging to read more moderate news coverage in both Dawn and Times of India. This has not been the case until very recently in my reading experience, anyway. Keep it up.
GEORGE SINGLETON
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
WITHIN days of Ambassador Nancy Powell’s public expression of anxiety over the resurgence of the previously banned militant religious parties under new names, the government moved swiftly to ban them a second time. It is so disappointing to see the government act against the enemies of the public good only reactively when pressured by the United States — almost never on its own.
We will all recall the grudging severance of the country’s relationship with the Taliban after America left Pakistan with no choice. For several years, Pakistan enjoyed the dubious distinction of being one of the three countries having diplomatic relations with the Taliban government and, of course, it was the last to cut them off.
One hopes that the rulers of Pakistan truly act on the slogan of ‘Pakistan First’ and proactively take actions to stop the spread of terrorism and fanaticism.
M.HAIDER
New Jersey, USA
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