| 29 January 2004 | Thursday | 06 Zilhaj 1424 |
Debriefing of nuclear scientists
President's address and MMA
Assault on policemen
February 5: appeal to govt
Prospects for Congress(I)
Jihad against extremism
Alleviation of poverty
Curbing under-age driving
Roshan Ara Begum
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Reference is made to the editorial "For energy and employment" (January 9) which highlights Ecnec's approval for major projects for the water and energy sectors.
You have rightly mentioned that "we have to conserve whatever we have and at the same time use it as efficiently as possible with a minimum of waste". There's hardly any industry that follows even the minimum requirements of efficiency, and obviously our future cannot be encouraging unless we change for the better very quickly.
Every major industry needs to check what energy efficiency measures are being adopted by competing countries. If we do not plan for efficient processes, we will end up like Argentina in no time, importing literally everything because local manufacturing will be too expensive.
We have the sugar industry with a very high energy input (even if it is based on bagasse). If efficient, high-pressure steam cogeneration had been adopted, we would have been producing an extra 2.5-3 MW power in each sugar mill and earning revenue to reduce sugar production costs.
In cement plants, we have "copied" others, without understanding the basic energy balance. We first buy expensive power (Wapda/KESC) or even produce expensive power with furnace oil and then use enormous additional fuel energy for kilns. Instead of increasing efforts for efficiency, we have chosen imported coal with lower virtual costs, ignoring the costs in terms of pollution.
Pakistan Steel is another white elephant. If they do not increase their efficiency and reduce their production costs, they will not have a strong future.
All these years it has only been the protective duty on imports that has allowed Steel Mill to exist at the cost of the development of other industries. The KESC thermal power plants (and also quite a few Wapda plants and, of course, the infamous Hub power plant) are other examples of inefficiency. How long are we to suffer before major steps are taken to convert these to combined cycle power stations with 50 per cent higher efficiency? All new requirements of thermal power plants should first be met by "re-powering" existing conventional steam power plants if we are to lower power costs.
A worse example is that of industrial steam production whose inefficiency can be attributed to its large number all over the country. Numerous industries operate very inefficient power plants using Sui gas with "subsidized" tariff (government not levying real fuel prices) and then generate steamer-hot water in a most inefficient manner. This they can "afford" to do due to artificially low gas prices and then by taking advantage of the present quota system. But all this is going to change in the next one or two years, and our industries are ill-equipped to compete with others that are using efficient processes.
What is the world doing? Check the activities of organizations like New Energy & Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Through various Japanese organizations, the NEDO is helping the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, China, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Iran, Oman, etc. We are not on the list. We are not ready for change.
However, lately there have been some welcome indications. An engineer who understands energy and economics has been made Wapda's chief. Decades back he ensured one of the earliest industrial cogeneration power plants, and we hope he will ensure energy efficiency in Wapda and KESC power plants.
AINUL ABEDIN
Karachi
Debriefing of nuclear scientists
Maulana Fazlur Rahman believes that the president's recent statements about transfer of nuclear technology demonstrate that such technology is not in safe hands (Dawn, January 26). Yet in the same breath, he and other leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal do not want an investigation of the suspects to be carried out which could eliminate the problem of unauthorized transfer of nuclear technology.
The disgruntled leaders of the Muttahida Majlis -i-Amal, who resent not being in power themselves, are accusing the president of coming under US pressure. If they were to look objectively at the situation rather than to try and score cheap political points, they would realize that it is in Pakistan's own interest to prevent proliferation of nuclear technology by investigating its scientists.
The fact that nuclear scientists played a part in the development of such weapons for Pakistan does not make them incapable of indulging in corruption. Such technology could be used by an irresponsible government with horrific consequences, and its transfer could be used as an excuse to target Pakistan. Unfortunately, Pakistan does not appear to be on the list of the MMA's concerns.
NADEEM ALI KHAN
Pennsylvania, USA
(2)
Pakistan has faced a number of crises owing to unnecessary pressure from the US administration. In fact, the United States has pushed Pakistan too much into the corner. Pakistan being one of the underdeveloped countries is unable to cope with such pressures which are exerted on it from time to time by the US administration, or one of its allied forces such as the IMF, the World Bank and the IAEA.
Since the government has received a letter from the IAEA as regards the alleged transfer of nuclear technology, a number of nuclear scientists, who were treated as national heroes in the past, have been taken into custody by the law-enforcement agencies and are under intense interrogations. Unless one or more scientists admit that they are involved in transfer of such technology whether to Iran, Libya or North Korea, we are not supposed to call them as black marketeers.
The government should not mishandle the issue of the debriefing of nuclear scientists, who provided technical expertise to the country. It was due to the efforts of these scientists that Pakistan today is one of the seven members of the international nuclear club, otherwise we would have been in a much more difficult state than what we are facing today.
The issue of the debriefing of our nuclear scientists has created a negative impact in the minds of common citizens. Doubts have been created whether Pakistan would be able to survive being a nuclear state in the world, or we have to forgo our nuclear capability in the name of Pakistan's survival.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
President's address and MMA
On January 17 President General Pervez Musharraf made his Constitution-mandated address to a joint session of parliament to mark the beginning of a new parliamentary year. Amongst the important points raised in his address were the four "dangerous accusations" made by the international community which have brought Pakistan to a crossroads.
He ended his address by reminding the parliamentarians of their responsibility to make Pakistan a moderate, developed, enlightened and welfare Islamic state - a country fully in consonance with the visions of Allama Iqbal and the guiding principles of the Quaid-i-Azam.
What was conspicuously absent in the presidential address was the necessity to enforce Shariat. This was perhaps the first address to a joint sitting of parliament by any president since 1985 in which he even did not make a cursory reference to enforcement of Shariat in the country.
The contents of the president's speech did not, however, come as a surprise to anyone in view of his consistent policy to dispel the stigmatic world perception that Pakistan is a terrorist and extremist society.
As against the president's declared policy on Afghanistan and his support to the war on terrorism, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal was able to make its presence felt in the parliament on the strength it has received from its voters to enforce Shariat. What has amused me is the fact that the MMA has not yet criticized the president for not making any reference to enforcement of Shariat in his address.
The MMA is not willing to concede to the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy the slots of leader of the opposition in both the houses despite having a less number of parliamentarians in both houses. To appease its voters, as well as to have their claim over the slots of leader of the opposition in both houses, the MMA leaders have now confined themselves to voicing their concerns over the ongoing operation in Wana and North Waziristan, and the "debriefing" of nuclear scientists.
M. ASLAM BUTT
Karachi
Assault on policemen
It was appalling to read about the attack by Navy personnel on two traffic policemen when they stopped the former for violating a traffic offence on Sharae Faisal in Karachi (Dawn, January 24).
To add insult to injury, an ISPR press release says the policemen were mismanaging traffic at the FTC intersection. This probably meant that they didn't allow the Naval officials a priority passage.
Controlling a variety of aggressive, undisciplined traffic in a large city like Karachi is no joke. We see every day policemen waving their hands about frantically and planting themselves in front of cars that charge them, threaten them and just won't stop by normal gestures. Theirs is a single most stressful work in this city today, and I salute them.
Dutiful traffic policemen are true mujahid, for they have to stand in the heat, the sun, the rain and the cold and wave their arms about for hours in the polluted atmosphere and often in the dark only to be abused and cursed by all. And their torture multiplies manifold, as does of us all when a VVIP decides to drive around.
As regards armed forces' officials, they only know how to throw their weight around and be given unhindered passage in their new vehicles. The incident in Lahore where a policeman was victimized for enforcing traffic rules on an army official is still fresh. If the armed forces think traffic is ill-managed, let them take it over like numerous other organizations. Will they? It involves real work.
DR A. AHMED
Karachi
February 5: appeal to govt
There can be no two opinions on observing February 5 as a day of solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The nation is united in showing solidarity with the Kashmiri people, not only on February 5 but on every occasion and at a every forum in Pakistan or abroad. However, to observe a strike and to shut down all offices and economic activities in Pakistan does not in any manner further or strengthen the cause of the Kashmiris.
The shutdown on February 5 every year for the past well over a decade has only been self-damaging with no impact either on India or on the comity of nations. The adversaries of Pakistan would indeed feel happy if Pakistan observes a shutdown every month and thereby damage its economy. Pakistan's sincere commitment to the Kashmir issue is beyond any shadow of doubt. It does not require any further proof by observing a strike.
A solidarity day can still be observed with full fervour, vigour and effect without closing down, which results in a loss of millions of working hours and billions of rupees in revenue. An economically strong Pakistan will be in a better position to lend stronger support to the Kashmir cause. I, therefore, urge the government not to declare a holiday officially or unofficially on February 5.
IQBAL HAIDER
Former Senator, Karachi
Prospects for Congress(I)
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) seems to be the front runner in the election campaign and is likely to form the next government, too, primarily because of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's stature.
The Congress(I) has its back against the wall because of its defeats in three out of the four recent state assembly polls. Unless it shows courage to risk planning the campaign around the Kashmir issue and economic uplift of the masses, it will remain an underdog. The party has to acknowledge that the masses are hardly any better now than before independence, all because of the Kashmir imbroglio. To achieve better results in the election, it should include the Kashmir issue and well-being of the masses in its top priorities.
Aware though prime minister Nehru was that the Kashmiris want accession to Pakistan, he erred in his judgment and sent Indian troops to Kashmir in October 1947. He did not realize that Pakistan and India would get locked up in a "no-peace, no-war" situation.
On October 31, 1947, he addressed a large gathering of Kashmiris in Srinagar and promised them that they would be allowed to decide about joining India or Pakistan. He told the Kashmiris he was making the world community a witness to his pledge. He also confirmed this by telegram to prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan. His address to the Kashmiris is safe in a tape in the archives.
Presumably, under pressure from some of his cabinet ministers, premier Nehru used pretexts to avoid the referendum he had promised and the UNSC-prescribed plebiscite which he had accepted.
Now the Congress election campaign should include telling the people in no uncertain language that India is honour-bound to implement the pledge of Nehru. The party should ask for their votes in overwhelming numbers in every constituency so that it can have an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, form the next government and settle the Kashmir issue expeditiously.
Why this urgency for settling the Kashmir issue? Because the people who suffered greatly to turn the freedom struggle into the mass movement it finally became are hardly any better now than during the British rule. But for the Kashmir issue, the unproductive annually escalating defence budgets would not have been swallowing billions upon billions to the detriment of the economic uplift of the masses. They are of the order of 600 million while the rich to fabulously rich are five to 10 per cent and the average class 30 per cent of India's population of one billion.
The people should be told that only leaders who perform many good deeds for the people may commit occasional errors of judgment. Premier Nehru has many achievements to his credit but he failed to anticipate that his Kashmir policy would hurt the common people. They have suffered enough for no fault of theirs. They should not suffer anymore.
Besides, the members of the stock exchanges of Mumbai and other cities are feeling that India should wash its hands off Kashmir so that foreign investments can come in and bolster growth of the economy at a faster rate by expanding production and providing more and more jobs, just as their counterparts of Pakistan are feeling because of Kashmir.
JALAL AHMED
Karachi
Jihad against extremism
This refers to the news report "President wants jihad against extremism" (January 18). He also wants the government to pursue the goal of a moderate welfare Islamic state - a most welcome and heart-warming announcement.
We eagerly await the day when Pakistan will become a purified land we had dreamt of, where there would be no discrimination and victimization and all would be treated as equal. All discriminatory laws, including the pension laws, which create classes among the otherwise equals, would no longer haunt those who had served the country with honesty, loyalty, dedication and a sense of purpose but had the misfortune of retiring before the promulgation of the current rates of pension.
Under such circumstances, the government, or for that matter any other institution, would not be in a position to shower miseries on those who were no more in a position to deliver.
This is true in the case of judiciary which is extremely lucky, for obvious reasons, to get frequent hefty raise in salary and other benefits and has pension indexed. Old pensioners' is possibly the only case in the history of the Islamic Republic where the government instead of extending patronage to thousands of old pensioners, plunged their homes into darkness and turned the hearths cold.
We expect the president to lead an assault against discrimination, victimization and injustice, worst kind of extremism, so that Mahmood and Ayaz can again stand in the same saf.
We are grateful to Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee for highlighting the woes and sufferings of the old pensioners and injustice done to them. He very rightly said misery begets misery and adds to the country's problems.
KHAN A. SHAMSHAD
Karachi
Alleviation of poverty
Who is poor? One definition is that a person whose expenditure is more than his income is poor. For instance, a person who earns Rs100,000 a month but spends Rs150,000 a month is poor and must be helped. On this basis all our ministers, judges, MPs and MNAs are poor. That is why their salaries have been doubled.
On the other hand, people belonging to low-income groups, pensioners, etc. are not poor. Even a 15 per cent raise is too much for them. They do not require it. They can carry on with what little they get.
Therefore, it is but logical that the foreign help that is being received for poverty alleviation goes to the upper class. They require it. They are poor and will always remain poor.
SYED MUSLEHUDDIN AHMED
Karachi
Curbing under-age driving
This is apropos of Omar R. Quraishi's write-up "Curbing under-age driving" (January 25) regarding the death of two A level students in a road accident in a an area of Karachi's DHA.
I agree that along with parents, the school needs to play a definitive role in stopping under-age students from driving. In the mid-'90s a student of the Aitchison College, Lahore, died outside the gate of the college owing to rash driving. Since then the college students are not permitted to drive at all: neither to the college nor anywhere else. The penalty for being seen driving is being blacklisted, and then expulsion from the college. Because this policy has been implemented, it has led to a substantial drop in under-age students driving around.
I think that all schools should impose such a regulation which is then strictly followed. If parents simultaneously play a positive role, we may see some change.
SARAH BEG
Lahore
Roshan Ara Begum
Tributes to Malika-i-Museeqi Roshan Ara Begum were paid on STN on January 22. The programme staff and PTV should be congratulated for such a good presentation. It would be a great treat if PTV released VCDs to pay tribute to this great classical singer of all times.
Raag Shankara, Raag Kedara and Lalith may be included. It will be a gift for people like me who have been abroad for years and missed such good performances by Roshan Ara Begum.
NASIR KHAN
Faisalabad
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