| December 30, 2003 | Tuesday | Ziqa’ad 6, 1424 |
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Media’s role in ending slavery
Strengthening institutions
Let Iraqis govern themselves
KIA car scam and NAB
‘A bad deal for the people’
Primacy of education
Making Saarc effective
New electricity meters
‘Perceptions and realpolitik’
Road watering
Old pensioners’ grievances
THE recent ban imposed upon Muslim women in France from wearing the Islamic scarf (hijab) gives credence to the opinion held by many Muslims that hypocrisy is an inherent part of the way of life of most of the western leaders who claim themselves to be democrat and secular. It was not too long ago that the Taliban were demonized for not giving a choice to the women of Afghanistan regarding the Islamic scarf, but is it not the same choice now being denied by President Chirac?
France can be excused but not the Taliban. The same principle is applied by the other member-nations (the US, UK and Israel) of the Judeo-Christian civilization as they conduct their brutal aggression and subsequent colonization under the umbrella of “defence” and “freedom”. Isn’t it simply hypocritical to wage an unprovoked war, killing indiscriminately and causing immense destruction in the name of bringing “freedom”? What can the dead in Iraq do with their “freedom”? What use is “freedom” to those whose loved ones have been killed, property destroyed, and the wealth of their nation looted? They are not the recipients of “freedom” but the victims of the “freedom” fundamentalists, who are intoxicated with imperial arrogance, fanaticism and intolerance.
The issue of Guantanamo Bay is another example of this same hypocrisy of the “freedom” fanatics lecturing the world about human rights, whilst violating the same at will.
Then we had the recent charade of finding WMDs in Iraq, whilst existing in abundance in their own backyard, as they are the creators and the largest producers of these types of weapons. Hence, no surprise that the only WMDs found in Iraq were those used by the marauding invaders. The US then ripped open Iraq’s economy, without any legitimate authority, in a manner that it would not do to its own economy.
In the current political context, the inference from the linguistic meaning of the word is simply “self-rule” and, therefore, “freedom” dictates that the nation must decide of its own free will as to how it should govern itself. Which implies that “freedom” must be established from within rather than imposed by a foreign army. The only exception to this is when a nation under occupation invites some third party to aid them in their pursuit for liberation, as an example, the French under the Nazis invited the Allied forces to help them liberate their country.
The “freedom” zealots have a different approach to this matter. According to the dynamic duo (Bush and Blair) “freedom” extremists, absence of “freedom”, as interpreted by them, legitimizes its enforcement even by the use of force. It does not matter whether it is the Gotham city or Baghdad, you must have it. Of course, “enforcing freedom” is a self-contradictory notion since enforcing denies one the freedom of choice, and freedom necessitates the absence of an external (foreign) enforcing authority.
YAMIN ZAKARIA
London, UK
AS the sun set on the British empire, our part of the world got rid of the so-called Sirs, Khan Bahadurs and Khan Sahibs. But unfortunately they, with some new entrants, immediately formed another privileged class to look and feel above the common folk. They can be identified today from their prefixes such as sardar, nawab, khan, chaudhry, wadero, Syed, pir, mir and rais . These people quickly established an alliance with the civil and military bureaucracies to keep the masses under their feet.
In the last half a century, some voices have been raised to end this slavery but to no avail, as with time this ‘unholy’ alliance of the ruling classes has become stronger taking the shape of a greater menace. It is hiding behind the tribal and feudal facade keeping the population as illiterate as possible.
As a face saving, there have been three land reforms to break the back of feudalism in Pakistan. But as the ruling classes have been insincere in their efforts, these reforms were never implemented and they made no impact. The ‘sardari system’ was abolished through the System of Sardari (Abolition) Act, 1976, which says in the preamble:
“The system of Sardari, prevalent in certain parts of Pakistan, is the worst remnant of the oppressive feudal and tribal system which, being derogatory to human dignity and freedom, is repugnant to the spirit of democracy and equality as enunciated by Islam and enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and opposed to the economic advancement of the people.”
The system couldn’t be done away with as all the paraphernalia is there that tribalism and feudalism thrive upon.
There is a great need for a movement to end these outdated systems which are at the root of many ills in our society. One way to expedite their decline and eventual demise is to educate our masses, many among them being surprisingly given to slavery.
The media can greatly help in this cause. It could start with stopping the usage of the abominable prefixes. Why can’t a so-called ‘sardar’, a ‘nawab’, a ‘pir’ or a member of this new class of the elite, a retired general, brigadier or a colonel simply be addressed as mister?
AZIZ NAREJO
Corpus Christi, TX, USA
THIS is with reference to the second assassination attempt on President Gen Pervez Musharraf. He survived the attack but it must be pondered over as to what would have happened if the attackers had succeeded in their mission.
Would we have witnessed another army general taking over the country by application of the “doctrine of necessity” or would the chairman of the Senate have become caretaker president? There would have been a struggle for power as a result of the vacuum.
Perhaps the extremist elements who received a blow after Pakistan took a U-turn in its policy after 9/11 would have come into power. Could the exiled leaders of Pakistan have returned? There would have been much of chaos for the sole reason that our institutions are not strong enough.
Instead of vesting power in himself, President Musharraf should take steps to strengthen various institutions in the country. The most important are the judiciary and parliament.
What the military leaders do not realize is that whenever there is a military takeover, the democratic process comes to a halt. Unless we take steps to strengthen our institutions, we will never be able to remove uncertainty which unfortunately has been a part of our history.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Karachi
I WISH to repeat two paragraphs of my last letter “Let Iraqis decide for themselves” (June 11) as they are clearer now than they were six months ago.
“The invasion and occupation of Iraq by the forces of the US and the UK will never be forgotten or forgiven, whatever lame excuses the occupiers keep on giving to the world. Everybody knows that Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were on the CIA’s payroll and the way they have quietly been transferred to safe havens will be known in the near future.
“The UK and US governments can fool their own people but not the whole world. After the terrible bombing of Baghdad and other cities of Iraq, the coalition forces are now bent on crushing the will of the Iraqi people.”
During the last six months the world has lost several hundred precious lives, including American, British, Italian and Spanish troops, as well as Iraqi civilians, all due to the blunder started by Bush/Blair on March 21, 2003.
Now that Saddam Hussein has reappeared, the CIA wants to save his skin and encash his capture for election gains.
It is time the US-UK coalition stopped further massacres in Iraq and gave the Iraqis time to decide their future and to form an elected government which should constitute a panel of judges to try Saddam for his treacherous deeds.
Whatever the US election result, it will matter only to Mr Bush, but the loss of precious lives will never be condoned. Whatever Saddam did was totally against Islam and humanity and whatever Bush and Blair are doing is to harm Muslims.
Islam does not allow unjust killings, and the killer is comparable to one who kills the whole of humanity.
Bush should have read Iraqi history before invading it as this land has never seen normality during the last 1,400 years since Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was martyred in Karbala.
T. J. DEWJI
Karachi
ABOUT 12,000 people deposited money for KIA pride cars with Naya Daur Motors of Tawakkal Group in 1995. Neither the cars were delivered nor the hard-earned money of the public was returned.
When the army took over in 1999, lists published in various newspapers showed Tawakkal Group as the second biggest defaulter in Pakistan. One or two family members of Tawakkal Group were arrested by Nawaz Sharif’s government but then let off by Saifur Rehman.
I fail to understand why the National Accountability Bureau has not recovered the amount by selling the assets of the group. Also KIA Motors Corporation of South Korea which gave franchise to the Naya Daur Motors in 1995 and let Tawakkal Group use their name should be involved in the investigations.
Will the officer-in-charge of this case or the spokesman for NAB inform us what NAB has done in the last three years?
We booked two cars in 1996, but lost original files of the cars. And now it seems difficult to proceed and meet further official requirements. Will anybody from NAB or/and KIA Motors Corporation help us to get our hard-earned money back.
Our address and contact numbers are: B 12, Qazi House, Baldia Colony, Hyderabad, Sindh, 7100. (0221-610011, 0215877433, mobile 03002329540).
QAZI NAZIM NAEEM
Hyderabad
I HAVE no quarrel with anyone who berates President Musharraf or the government or curses everything about Pakistan. But, I strongly deplore the tendency of even respectable writers to quote the contumelious remarks against him, our government and our country by aliens, specially the gringos.
Kunwar Idris (“A bad deal for the people”, Dawn, Dec 28) has made the same slip, quoting Barry Bearak of The New York Times. My humble questions to him and all others who gloat over the insults that foul-mouthed Yankees fling at us are: do American columnists ever quote the juicy French that others use about George Bush, and their country? Do Pakistani writers take notice of the sizzlers some American columnists and even newspapers discharge at their president, his staff and the administration?
Americans are a nation of adventurers and enterprisers, who had swooped on the new world to seek their fortune. They comprised all kinds of people, from Pilgrim Fathers to crooks. They have, thus, no pedigree; no family tree to boast and no hallowed traditions of speech or good manners. No wonder, therefore, that their presidents resort to the dirtiest underground slang in their speeches and statements and even their educated people use scatological rhetoric against whosoever.
In fact, Barry Bearak, whom Kunwar Sahib has quoted, seems far milder than Jim Hoagland of The Washington Post, who had the chutzpah to call President Musharraf a practised and confirmed liar, in one of his columns, whereas his own president stands denounced by the world as a congenital one. Did any Pakistani try to give his own back to Hoagland?
So, please say whatever you wish to. If you must quote others, quote your own countrymen, but don’t quote any alien blackguard.
S. G. JILANEE
Karachi
THIS refers to your editorial “Primacy of education” (Dec 22).
It is really disheartening to learn that in Pakistan 13 million children out of a total of 50 million do not go to school for basic education. In our country the drop-out rate is higher than the rate of enrolment. The current drop-out rate of 54 per cent is both deplorable and disturbing.
The lack of government attention to the education sector is worsening the problem. We need more funds to grapple with such grave education problems in the country. We can solve these problems only when our government allocates enough funds for this essential sector.
However, the government seems to have ignored this important matter. If Pakistan wants to increase the literacy rate, it should take earnest steps to solve this serious problem, and provide more and more funds for this sector.
Just providing school building and salaries to ghost teachers is not a solution to the issue.
ABDUL KHALIQ
Turbat
NEPAL, a land-locked state, is dependent on India for trade facilities. Frustrated by India’s behaviour it was King Birendara of Nepal who floated the idea of creating an organization in South Asia.
While bilateralism was already ruling the roost, India welcomed the idea but chose to dictate the charter of this organization. While it is designed to provide equal status to all nations in the region, India will not allow to discuss “bilateral” issues.
Most of the problems which have plagued the regional harmony and have created a climate of instability are of bilateral nature where all regional states are individually involved against the common denominator, i.e. India.
India does not allow the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the only organization available in the region, to solve mutual problems.
It is universally believed that South Asia is the only region in the world where the states have not adjusted themselves to live in peace. The deep inquest has pointed the finger of blame at India’s dominating and hegemonic designs which are now clearly visible.
Saarc, in its present session, should seek to reorganize itself to be more pro-active in its role while, at the same time, enlarging its scope to cover the bilateral issues which stand stuck up for decades and are a cause of dangerous tension in the region.
A. Q. ANJUM
Rawalpindi
I WOULD like to express my grievances about the new electricity meter installed by the KESC.
The new meter is three times faster than the old one. As a result of this, the cost of electricity has substantially increased, adding to the miseries of the consumers.
The relevant authorities insist that the new meters are as per the normal standard and are not faster than the old ones, but the fact is otherwise.
To determine the truth, both the meters should be tested in the presence of newsmen and people’s representatives. I hope the KESC do the needful to rectify the situation.
MOHAMMAD RIZWAN
Karachi
IN my article (December21) I said, in passing, that there were no examples of a Hindu state’s transactions with its non-Hindu neighbours during the last 1,000 or so years.
In his letter (December 23) Mr Avtar Wasson says this is not true. In support of his contention, he refers to Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India, but none of these claims to be a Hindu state. Where, then, are the examples, and in what way is my observation untrue?
ANWAR SYED
Herndon, Virginia, USA
IN the ’60s, the Karachi Municipal Corporation used to water roads of the city early in the morning, as a result of which Karachiites remained protected against pollution. But later the municipality discarded the practice.
It is now the duty of the Karachi city district government to reintroduce the system of watering the roads so that people can breathe in dust-free air.
MURTUZA KHAN
Karachi
I FULLY endorse Mr Chandio Munir Ahmed’s views (December 15) that the government is least bothered about taking expeditious action to settle the pension cases and related matters of the retired government servants. The authorities also do not acknowledge letters and reminders issued to them for years together.
Our organization (Pakistan Pensioners Welfare Association, Karachi branch) wrote in the past a number of registered letters /reminders to the top authorities of the country, including the president, the prime minister and the finance minister, but they were not acknowledged. The replies whenever received from the authorities after a lapse of years were vague, and our further response to their vague correspondence remained unattended. The following are two instances of non-implementation of ombudsman’s decision of 21-12-1994 in case of II/4076/94:
i. After waiting for six long years and on the receipt of the president’s letter of 9-2-2000, a detailed representation was made to the president on 21-10-2000 on genuine grounds, followed by constant reminders, the latest on 1-12-2003.
ii. On the failure to implement the orders of the ombudsman and on the non-receipt of reply from any quarter of the government for years together, a petition, comprising 79 pages, was placed before the Wafaqi Mohtasib on 21-2-1998. After continued pursuance with 18 reminders, the Wafaqi Mohtasib, instead of hearing the petition, merely sent a copy of the president’s letter of 9-2-2000 on 13-8-2003 against which our representation, dated 21-10-2000, is still awaiting decision despite our reminders dated 21/7, 28/9 and 1-12-2003. The Wafaqi Mohtasib was promptly informed by us about the facts on 28-9-2003 with a request to take action to get his orders implemented which was followed by reminder but in vain.
The president’s decision on an undated letter of the finance department was in violation of the spirit of Article 32 of P.O. No. 1 of 1983. This was also brought to the notice of the president and the Wafaqi Mohtasib but the issue has remained unsettled so far.
The state of affairs prevailing throughout is obviously horrible, and it appears that the administration is not willing to a resolve the problem of old pensioners as suggested by Justice (retd) Aslam Riaz Hussain in his review printed on page 92-93 of the annual report of ombudsman 1995, and is quoted below:
“It is high time that the competent authority takes immediate action to bring the old pensioners at par with the new pensioners in the matter of pension, maybe without the benefits of arrears, as the present price hike is hitting hard both categories of pensioners, more the older ones.”
M. MAZHAR-UL-HAQ
Karachi
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