| December 1, 2003 | Monday | Shawwal 6, 1424 |
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Foreign policy reappraisal
Anti-corporal punishment law
New campuses in Punjab
Merit versus ‘sifarish’
Increasing suicides
Savings schemes
Nadra’s working
Madressah admission
‘In search of an equitable formula’
PTCL’s tariff reductions
Exports and lost decade
THE essence of “free speech” is the ability of the individual(s) or group(s) to express openly a viewpoint that is contrary to the status quo. It is simply the ability to dissent. The greater the state (or society) tolerates dissent, the greater is its credential of upholding “free speech”.
It is one of the axioms of a democratic state. Hence, the state often highlight its democratic credential by demonstrating how it tolerates its dissidents rather than silence them with imprisonment, torture and execution.
However, every democratic state has certain limits to which it will tolerate its dissidents. Anyone going beyond those limits would be viewed as a threat. The democratic state then would act in a manner similar to a dictator’s and still boast of its “free speech” credentials.
Therefore, the usage of the word “free” is misleading, as the word implies absolute freedom, which has no existence except in the jungle. Thus, the constant bragging by Bush and Blair as being the sole possessor of “free speech” is also disingenuous, as every society implements its own version of “free speech” within its defined “subjective” parameters.
At present, abusing and insulting Islamic values is seen as compatible or at least not a threat to the US interests and hence licensed under “free speech”. But any criticism of Judaism with its overtly racist Talmudic laws is immediately curbed under the banner of “anti-Semitism”. It seems you can be anti-anything except “anti-Semitism”.
Similarly, the “free” Iraqis protesting against the occupying powers are often imprisoned or shot at, as Rumsfeld would say they were “violently anti-coalition”. Any independent media broadcasting materials that the US does not approve of faces threats of bombs, arrest of its members and outright prohibition of its operation like that has been experienced by the Arabic satellite channel of Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabia.
Over the past few months, out of the 16 journalists killed, 14 of them were as a direct result of US military action. Any newspaper opposing the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) and the US forces is either forced to close down or suffers direct attacks from the US forces. So, the motto is exercise your “free speech” as long as it does not threaten the interest(s) of the state, in this case not of Iraq but of the US.
The powerful media of Fox and CNN also help shield the US government from their own citizens and world public opinion by not examining the issue critically and objectively. Do we not remember all the “dossiers” (PhD thesis), “testimonies” of Iraqi dissidents, reliable “intelligence” (Niger Uranium) were used to advocate the case for war? The mass media simply colluded to convert the allegations into facts. All of which contributed towards the real violence on a scale that cannot be even compared with the broadcast of a fuzzy tape by Al-Arabia.
Therefore, in “free” Iraq, it is not Al-Arabia or Al-Jazeera but Al-Fox and Al-CNN that will reign under the cover of “free speech” for the time being on behalf of the US in “free” Iraq.
YAMIN ZAKARIA
London, UK
PAKISTAN needs to reassess its foreign policy in the context of up-and-coming realities. Thanks to 9/11, South Asia has emerged as one of the most important regions for the US and its allies.
It is also true that the West is not oblivious of the growing economy of India and its democratic institutions, with its one billion plus population. The West is also aware of India’s growing maritime power.
By virtue of having nuclear status, both Pakistan and India run a great risk of clashing on the slightest excuse, harming each to a degree unknown in the world. Moreover, to expect Pakistan and India to move to a better relationship is to expect next to impossible, particularly when the establishments in the two countries are a hard nut to crack.
So, if the two countries really want good relationship on a permanent basis, they have to review the working of not only their foreign offices but also ensure that the major ministries like defence, interior, cabinet, information, even sports/culture and its allied offices, are working to build up good ties.
India, therefore, should now stop producing movies in which they show Pakistanis as cut-throats, fanatics and militants.
In the day-to-day life the problem of an average person in the two countries is identical. Similarly, Pakistan needs to change its basic syllabus for schools. It is not guiding the children on the correct line when it discussed other religions.
Another problem is that both Pakistan and India do not accept the power status of the countries superior to them. For example, India does not recognize the American authority while Pakistan does the same thing in the context of India. What will happen if tomorrow Afghanistan does not accept our status in South Asia?
The need of the hour is that Pakistan and India should change their positions in view of some hard facts.
India should know that its three wars with Pakistan cost it its political role on the world stage; and Pakistan would remain a major impediment to the international status of India.
And Pakistan should accept the fact that India is striding towards great power status in the world. In India’s case the religious extremist forces would not be as suicidal and as dangerous as they are in our case.
Therefore, we must now realize that it would be to our advantage to keep permanent peace with the Indians.
KUNWAR KHALID YUNUS
Karachi
A NEWS report in your issue of Nov 22 reveals that an anti-corporal punishment law is in the offing, making it an offence on the part of the teachers to inflict corporal punishment on the students.
In spite of the idealism of our early educationists, our educational system never flourished in the real sense. The nationalization policy of 1972 finally sealed its fate. Scores of exemplary institutions like Modern School, Sukkur, were destroyed. Whatever is now left of our educational system will be also be destroyed with the enactment of anti-corporal punishment law and we will be left with a mere hollow structure.
An anti-corporal punishment law may be good for Scandinavian countries or other advanced societies, but not for Pakistan. Take away the fear of “danda” and we shall relapse into the law of jungle.
The sons of waderaas and ministers are already quite spoiled. You can see them driving rashly around the city. The only hope to tame them is the danda of the teacher. This gone, they will be uncontrollable and a curse for society. No principal or headmaster, howsoever competent he may be, can enforce discipline in his institution without the threat of danda.
I would request the education minister to review the matter as the proposed law will reduce the teacher to the status of just a paid servant, with no authority.
In no time the mischievous ones among the students will turn him into a laughing-stock and education will go to the dogs. Teacher-student relationship, within the precincts of
an educational institution, must be immune from any action by police or any other authority.
I may not be misunderstood to preach that teachers must give corporal punishments to their students. All I mean is that a teacher must have all-pervading control over his pupils, including the right to award corporal punishment which he may use at his discretion but very sparingly.
JUSTICE (RETD)
SALAHUDDIN MIRZA
Karachi
IN the pre-partition days the Punjab University used to conduct examinations not only in today’s Punjab, but its jurisdiction extended to East Punjab, Delhi, Kashmir and the NWFP. Things have come to such a pass now that 50 campuses from other provinces are operating in Punjab, conducting examinations and awarding degrees in different subjects.
All this is because of bureaucratic arrogance and rigid attitude of higher -ups, who discouraged opening of new universities and institutions in the private sector to teach arts, general sciences, education, computer science, medicine, etc., and conduct of examinations in these subjects.
Our university in Punjab not only refused to give recognition and affiliation to these private colleges but also opted to victimize their owners. Naturally, they had to look towards foreign or other provincial universities for patronization. After all, the people in Punjab had to get higher education to compete in different professions and subjects.
When the public has gained confidence in these institutions, the government of Punjab is trying to close them. No doubt they are a bit more liberal in awarding charters to new campuses/institutions, it is a little too late to create obstacles in their way. It will be only proper to allow the new campuses in Punjab to get themselves established and come out of the teething stage to make room for the universities of the other provinces to phase out.
PROF (DR) ALTAF HUSSAIN RATHORE
Faisalabad
PAKISTAN does not mean only independence but social and economic justice too. The Quaid-i-Azam wanted Pakistan to be a welfare state because he believed in social justice and equality. He said in 1942 that we should base our democracy on the principles and concept of Islam. So, where has Islam gone today?
I would like to put a question to the government, why is there inequality in the country nowadays? Why are social justice and all good jobs meant for the affluent only?
Various government departments proclaim that they uphold merit only, but when it comes to selecting a person, all sorts of machinations are employed. Is this a democracy based on Islamic principles? Did the Quaid want the type of democracy now being practised in Pakistan? Does the government know why there is so much corruption? Why are suicide cases on the rise?
The only reason for this sorry state of affairs is unemployment. I personally know a number of people who are not qualified for the posts they are holding. It appears such people have made their way through “sifarish” or bribes.
I request President Gen Pervez Musharraf to establish rule of law and justice through a system of checks and balances if he lays any claim to ruling the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. His first priority should be the people.
NADEEM SHAIKH
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter ‘Increasing suicides’ (Nov 24) by Sayed Shah Jehan. I disagree with the writer when he says there could be “no rational reason” for suicide
As numerous studies have shown, severe depression is common among people who commit suicide. And, as a rule, patients do not have control over diseases such as depression and schizophrenia. Just come to think of it, people for that matter do not even have control over their reflexes.
Depressions are caused by a decrease in the level of amines such as norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and serotonin in specific brain areas. That is to say, the effects of disruption of normal neurotransmitter function are not in the hands of the patient, unless he is a superman, because the deficiency of serotonin and norepinephrine is a disease. When the level of neurotransmitters goes down, everything positive is blotted from the sight of the patient and to him all life is obliterated; unrelated thoughts swirl through his mind like dust devils and one delusion succeeds another. In short, he sees nothing but darkness that is clad in helplessness and despair, which ultimately leads him to commit suicide.
Moreover, culture, personality and individual situation are important influences on the tendency to commit suicide. Regrettably in Pakistan, we attach a huge moral stigma to suicide, because we’re unable to grasp that mental illness is a result of neither moral weakness nor character failure on the part of the victim. Therefore, the victims are held accountable for their deaths and sufferings.
People suffering from mental illness are for the most part called ‘insane’, which is an unethical term. Mentally troubled people are not shadowy non-beings who should be locked up in asylums. They need love and support, and when they don’t have anyone to turn to, death becomes the only solution to relieve their pain.
Being suicidal is primarily taken as a sign of weakness and cowardice rather than a disease. In all probability, these individuals could be speaking the minds of those who are surrounding them as people tend to get influenced by others; which is why they are embarrassed, because normal people look down on options such as taking your own life.
Statistics should not be the only yardstick to measure the gravity of the situation, because numbers are just estimates. Statistics cannot solve the problem; they only serve to highlight the problem. And by no means it can make a grim picture better by comparing it with an excruciatingly bleak one. Even if one person commits suicide anywhere, that’s bad news for all the normal and healthy people who could not stop it.
NADIRA RAHMAN
Karachi
I HAVE gone through the letter by a senior citizen under the above headline (Nov14). The points raised by the writer are well-founded. The pensioners, retirees, and disabled who have invested in these schemes do need the care and sympathies of the government too.
It is not fair that if the government by chance has surplus funds and does not need funds for development, the old investors should be harassed by measures contrary to their needs and safety, not to speak of the reductions in the profit on the savings schemes, as it has been slashed from 16 to six per cent in two years.
The government in all fairness must restore the facility of investment through the banks for the safety of all investors in general and senior citizens in particular who by chance have to depend on the negligible profit on their investment.
ANOTHER SENIOR CITIZEN
Karachi
I APPLIED to Nadra for the issuance of new identity cards — one for myself and one for my wife — at its camp office housed in the Karachi Stock Exchange building, and paid Rs35 as fee for each application.
My wife got her new card, but my card has not arrived yet. I have also been told by Nadra people that I need not visit their office as my card will be delivered at my place.
A recent Nadra announcement says that the old cards will be rendered invalid after Dec 31, 2003. When I contacted Nadra again, I was told that if I was in possession of the receipt, I would have to re-submit the application, with an additional amount of Rs40, as, according to them, my application was not found in their record.
I am not supposed to pay any additional fee, and that too for the negligence of Nadra people. I possess the receipt — No. B-343470 D/5-9-2001 - and Nadra is bound to issue me a new card, without charging any extra fee.
HAJI MOHAMMAD SHOAIB
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter by Mr Ibrahim Sattar (Nov 13) wherein he has suggested that payments of Zakat from the government fund to seminaries be stopped. He further says that a limit of 1.5km distance from the madressah should be imposed on all students for the purpose of seeking admission.
I would like to ask him if he is ready to impose the same restrictions regarding distance on all students of other than ‘deeni’ schools in the country.
He should know that people travel far and wide to get knowledge and education.
ZAKIUDDIN AHMAD
Karachi1
THIS is with reference to the letter “In search of an equitable formula” (Nov 22) by Sindh Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad.
I am amazed to know that those at the top are openly discriminating against one of the provinces to this extent. Four per cent on the one hand compared to 150 per cent on the other does not make any sense.
Is there anyone who would do something to set things right? Is there any chance that we the citizens of Karachi could live in a city without its traffic problems, without it turning into a swamp when it rains, without its streets being unsafe, without its water and electricity problems? Could we see in our lives a Karachi with beautiful parks and provision of proper infrastructure to support 14 million people who are contributing bulk of the finances of the country?
And I haven’t even started on the deprivation of the people of Sindh as a whole. Time and again we are told that project after project is turned down due to the unavailability of finances. Karachi and Sindh are a part of Pakistan, after all. Why then this bias?
YASIR AHMED MALIK
Copenhagen, Denmark
I FULLY endorse the suggestions made by Mr Umair Asif in his letter (Nov 18) under the above headline. I also suggest to the company the following steps:
1. The PTCL will give a consumer-friendly image if the increase in local call duration from five minutes to 10 minutes is made effective from 7pm to 6am, instead of 10pm to 7pm as the later is too late for the students and the working population.
2. Special packages should be offered on fixed costs on the basis of unlimited calls.
3. It is also a good idea to introduce descending per minute tariff that subsequently zeroes off for longer talks.
4. A cut in prime time tariff for the distance covering the current distance zones of 80km plus doesn’t offer the Karachiites any relief. This needs to be revised as Karachiites are the largest clientele.
SALMA JAFRY
Karachi
PAKISTAN’S export share in 1990 in the international market was 0.22 per cent but the decade of the 1990s witnessed a decline to 0.15 per cent by 1999. Had we maintained a constant share, our export share would have been $12 billion or 0.18 per cent of world exports, but we touched $11 billion mark in 2003.
Empirically what does it proof, apart from a low economic growth rate during 1990s? A lost decade?
AFTAB HUSAIN
Karachi
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