| 02 February 2004 | Monday | 10 Zilhaj 1424 |
Old pensioners' grievances
Bird flu: an overview
Rescuing a park from encroachers
Roots of militancy
What America stands for
Request to PM
Road to Rawal Lake
Neglected civic problems
Woes of retired PIA employees
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On September 25, 2003, the Palestinians lost the most eloquent defender of their aspirations. Columbia University's Professor Edward W. Said was an internationally renowned author and scholar, one of the foremost intellectuals on the Middle East and colonialism. On June 15, 2003, he spoke for the last time on the Palestinian cause. I recently received the transcript of that lecture. The following is an excerpt from it:
"We've heard so much recently about the 'roadmap' and the prospects for peace that we seem to have overlooked the most basic fact of all, which is that Palestinians have refused to capitulate or surrender, even under the collective punishment meted out to them by the combined might of Israel and the United States. It is that fact, that extraordinary fact of Palestinian resistance, which is the reason for the existence of a 'roadmap' and all the numerous so-called peace plans before them, not at all because the United States and Israel and the international community have been convinced for humanitarian reasons that the killing and the violence must stop.
"If we miss that truth about the power of Palestinian resistance, despite all its failings and all its mistakes, and God knows there have been many, we miss everything. Palestinians have always been a problem for the Zionist project, and many solutions have perennially been proposed that minimize rather than solve the problem.
"Moreover, the 'roadmap', as I told the Secretary [of State Colin Powell] yesterday, the 'roadmap' says nothing about justice or about the historical punishment meted out to the Palestinian people for too many decades to count.
What Rachel Corrie's [An American woman who was killed in trying valiantly to protect a Palestinian home in Rafah from demolition by Israeli bulldozer on March 16, 2003] work in Gaza recognized, however, was precisely the gravity and the density of the living history of the Palestinian people at the national community and not merely a collection of deprived refugees.
That is what she was in solidarity with. And I want to remind you that that kind of solidarity is no longer confined to a small number of intrepid souls here and there, but is recognized the world over. Five years ago, Rachel Corrie would not have gone to Palestine. She wouldn't have perhaps heard about it.
Now the situation has changed. In the past six months, I have lectured on four continents to many, many thousands of people. What brings them together is Palestine and the struggle of the Palestinian people, which is now a byword for emancipation and enlightenment, regardless of all the vilification heaped on them by their enemies.
"Under the worst possible circumstances, Palestinian society has neither been defeated, nor has it crumbled completely, and this is, of course, Sharon's predicament. Kids still go to school. Doctors and nurses still take care of their patients. Men and women go to work.
Organizations have their meetings, and people continue to live. Which seems to be an offence to Sharon and the other extremists who simply want Palestinians either in prison or driven away altogether. The military solution that they've tried hasn't worked at all and never will work. Why is that so hard for Israelis and Americans to see?
"Remember the solidarity shown to Palestine here and everywhere... and remember also that there is a cause to which many people have committed themselves, difficulties and terrible obstacles notwithstanding. Why? Because it is a just cause, a noble ideal, a moral quest for equality and human rights."
KHURRAM HANEEF
New Jersey, USA
Old pensioners' grievances
This refers to the letter by Mr M. Mazhar-ul-Haq (December 30, 2003) on the above subject. The decision conveyed in the presidential letter (February 9, 2000) against the finance ministry's representation (No. F-13(10)-R-6/94-1238, dated nil) debars the old pensioners from receiving an increase of 35 per cent in their pensions. This is discriminatory.
Besides other judicial authorities, the Supreme Court observed that any discrimination in this regard would be violative of the Constitution, as detailed on page 73 of the ombudsman's annual report of 1994. This is also against the spirit of Article 32 of the Presidential Order, which reads as under:
"32 - Representation to the president: - Any person aggrieved by a decision or order of the mohtasib may, within 30 days of the decision or order, make a representation to the president, who may pass such order thereon as he may deem fit."
The finance ministry did not make any representation within this 30-day limit. In fact it has maintained complete silence so far, disregarding our efforts to seek clarification on "the specific date" of its representation to the president. In this connection we sent a reference to the finance ministry on March 8, 1999, followed by reminders to the chief executive and then the president of Pakistan. The last reminder to the president was sent on December 1, 2003.
The above Presidential Order under Article 32 confirms that "the mention of the date" in the representation is very essential and significant. This has not been intimated to our association despite reminders. We made a representation to the chief executive on October 28, 1999, and sent a number of reminders, the last being on December 1, 2003, but all of them have remained unanswered so far.
The ombudsman, in case No. 11/4076/94, had given a decision on December 21, 1994, and our association had regularly been pursuing the matter for its implementation. It went all in vain and ultimately we had to file an appeal before his lordship on February 21, 1998.
After sending 18 reminders over the years, a reply was given by him on February 18, 2003, by forwarding a copy of the presidential letter (February 9, 2000) on which our representation is still awaiting decision. It is strange for such a high-legal office in Pakistan not to hear our appeal for years and also apparently ignore the implication of the date in the ministry's representation to the president on the legal matter.
The state of affairs prevailing throughout is really horrible. The legitimate demand of the pre-1986 pensioners can be redressed by allowing the accepted increase of 35 per cent, with effect from June 1, 1994, as per the decision of the ombudsman, maybe without benefit of arrears as suggested and recommended by Justice (retd) Aslam Riaz Hussain in his review printed on pages 92-93 of the annual report of ombudsman, 1995.
Will somebody in the finance ministry wake up to the seriousness of the situation and undo the injustice which has been admitted but not redressed in the past one decade?
MEHMOOD KHAN MACCI
President, Pakistan Pensioners Association, Karachi branch
Bird flu: an overview
Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strain of the influenza virus which was first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago. WHO this week has confirmed the three deaths in Vietnam were due to the influenza virus H5N1. This strain has been sequenced. All genes are of avian origin but acquisition of human genes can occur over a period of time and then it can spread more rapidly from one human to another.
There are 15 subtypes of influenza viruses. To date all outbreaks of the high pathogenicity have been caused by influenza A viruses of subtypes H5 and H7. Different influenza viruses swap genetic materials called "antigenic shift" because of which vaccines previously effective no longer work. Two other avian influenza viruses recently caused illnesses in humans, namely H7N7 and H9N2.
The last epidemic occurred in Hong Kong in 1997 but it was immediately contained and the pandemic due to rapid destruction of entire poultry population in three days estimated to be 1.5 million birds.
Of the 15 avian influenza virus, the subtype H5 N1 is of particular interest as it mutates rapidly and causes severe diseases in humans. The present epidemic of avian influenza caused by H5N1 began in mid-December in the Republic of Korea. It has the capacity to directly infect human as happened in Hong Kong in 1997, and a similar thing has happened this month in Vietnam. At least four months are needed to produce a new vaccine.
Influenza is infection of lung and airways causing a fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle aches (myalgia) and a general feeling of illness (malaise). There are two types of influenza viruses, i.e. type A and type B and many different strains within each type.
The illnesses produced by the different types and strains are similar. Influenza is different from common cold as it affects cells much deeper down in the respiratory tract than its most common complication pneumonia. Vaccination is the best way to avoid contracting influenza. An influenza vaccine contains inactivated (killed) influenza viruses or pieces of the virus.
Some antiviral drugs can be used to prevent infection with influenza virus, especially during epidemic of influenza, to protect unvaccinated people who are at high risk of complication of influenza.
Two new drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, can prevent infection with either the influenza virus of type A or type B. These drugs produce minimal side effects. If a secondary bacterial infection develops, antibiotics are added.
DR ABDULLAH JAN PATHAN
Hyderabad
Rescuing a park from encroachers
Rawalpindi's Tankiwala Park in Sector II on Khyaban-i-Sir Syed remained neglected until the area had been under the control of the housing and physical planning department.
When a plan to uplift the park was handed over to the municipal corporation, now called tehsil municipal administration, it was expected that the park would be developed. However, it has been years since the area came under the control of the municipal administration, but the condition of the park has not improved yet; it has worsened.
For about a year people have been using the park as a garbage dump. Its boundary wall has been broken at many points, and the steel railing on the wall has been stolen from most parts.
On January 19 some people marked a plot in one of the corners of the park and started constructing a boundary wall there. The people in the neighbourhood of the park and the area nazim and naib nazim intervened and got the construction work stopped.
However, the people occupying the park possess an authority in the form of a memorandum (No.17-22. dated January 2, 2004) issued by the district officer, housing and town planning, Rawalpindi, addressed to six persons, informing them that "your case regarding adjustment of your land that falls in parks of Sector II and 4-A of Area Development Scheme, Rawalpindi, was discussed with the tehsil nazim, tehsil municipal administration, Rawalpindi, on 17.12.2003 and it was decided that the land owners who are living in the parks..... may be adjusted on a suitable site in the corner of the parks....".
In the evening almost all residents of the area surrounding the park gathered in the park where the nazim and the naib nazim also came. This gathering decided to approach the tehsil municipal administration for immediate action and later to approach court for injunction. The next morning the nazim and the naib nazim of the union council approached the tehsil nazim who visited the site and ordered confiscation/removal of all the construction material from there. The rest was reported by this paper on January 22.
As per the report of your newspaper, the tehsil nazim declared that the public park was the property of the people and nobody could be allowed to use it for personal purposes. But the statement of the tehsil nazim and his physical action on the site contradict the contents of the memorandum referred to above, stating that the case was discussed with the tehsil nazim and it was decided to adjust the individuals mentioned in the memorandum in the park. The relevant authorities are requested to conduct an inquiry into the matter and bring the culprits to justice.
MOHAMMAD NASIR
Rawalpindi
Roots of militancy
Syed j. hussein's letter "Musharraf's address in Davos" (January 28) touches upon the basis of anarchy and extremism (whatever it means) in our society. I would like to expand it further.
Somehow our leaders in power assume that they know what is right without considering the will of the majority of the people or the long-term consequences of their decisions. This has led to chaos and an "identity crisis" in our society. Our leaders rely more on what they have done for the western governments than what they have done for the people.
General Ziaul Haq took us on the route of phony Islamization to support a proxy war, and this has been a fundamental cause of our religious and ethnic divisions today. Now General Pervez Musharraf is taking us in the opposite direction where he wants us to be a "progressive, moderate Islamic state like Turkey". I do not know what it means where jobs go to retired khakis, elites can go to a fashion show in the Lahore Fort and we emulate bollywood. General Zia took decisions that benefited him but harmed Pakistan. Now General Musharraf has made decisions without thinking of their consequences, and for his survival he has opted for short-term conditional gains (if you provide us with bases, we will give you a few million dollars to buy our surplus wheat).
The other day I read the news that American forces would start a "Spring operation" against Al Qaeda, for which special operation officers are being deployed within Pakistani borders. This will be in preparation for a major offensive that will involve an aircraft carrier and thousands of troops from Pakistani and American forces, both along borders and inside Pakistan. These plans to be conducted with "Musharraf's help". What irks me is that Americans are so confident that our rulers will oblige. This is so true of all Muslim rulers.
The impotency of Muslim rulers and proxy leaders, be they from Iraq, Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, is an important factor in injecting an element of militancy among a section of the Muslim world. What irks people most is the utter disregard and disrespect shown by our leaders.
Pentagon officials insist that Musharraf (as often is the case with other Muslim leaders) is denying it, but "we are going in with Musharraf's help". I am sure our officials will deny it once again, but facts on the ground and examples of our service to them speak louder.
It is a shame that our own leaders lie to us. This just suggests that they do not respect us, and this leads to isolation, betrayal and rage resulting in militancy. This provokes some to choose an armed struggle and thus take law into their own hands.
I think when President Musharraf delivers his sermons to the Muslim populace, he along with his appointed ministers should not forget that they should not cut the hands that have fed them. As Mr Hussein has said in his letter, mere rhetoric will not achieve much. Autocratic leaders throughout the last two centuries have shortchanged their own people and many of them have ended up disgraced or have perished at the hands of their foreign supporters, despite their laudable services to them.
S. ISMAIL
Rochester, New York, USA
What America stands for
Mr ghulam Muhammad in his letter "What America stands for" (January 24) chose to see the darker side of American foreign policy behaviour. It is well known that there is no accepted world-wide standard on how to wage a war, or what weapons should or should not be used. The fact was that America was attacked. Therefore, American response was justified in going after the perpetrators of the 9/11 atrocities.
The United States stands tall amongst nations with its Bill of Rights for its citizens. It also reserves the right to use the full force of its laws. Those behind bars at Guantanamo Bay are considered enemy combatants and are at war with America. The US Supreme Court has asked the US administration to bring their cases for judicial review. Over 500 of these enemy combatants were released after their innocence was determined.
The UN failed to bring the previous despotic regime of Iraq into compliance with its more than 17 resolutions which were passed under Chapter VII of the UN charter. Under this charter the UN can use force for compliance. For Iraq, it took over 12 years for the US to act when the UN was found incapable of enforcing its own writ.
"Patriot Law" was passed to enable the law-enforcement agencies to protect innocent citizens in the US against terrorists attacks, and it is under constant review by the legislators. Like everybody else, the vast majority of Muslims in this country are patriotic and they enjoy the freedom of this society.
BEHRAM B. ATASHBAND
Austin, Texas, USA
Request to PM
I, with my family, have been living in government-hired accommodation since my appointment as director of the Federal Bureau of Statistics on September 29, 1996. Before that I had been working as lecturer/assistant professor since December 12, 1981, in the NWFP education department. Thus, my unobstructed stint in government service spans over 23 years.
Owing to the ever-rising house rents, coupled with the pervasive distrust of the estate office, I have frequently been shifting my family to the periphery of the city. All this, more often than not, has had a painful bearing on my purse, education of my school-going children and the health of my ailing old mother.
I request the prime minister to ensure that I immediately get a government-owned accommodation. In this connection I would like to inform him that house No. 2, St. 11, Sector I-8/1 and house No. 18, St. 13, Sector I-8/1, Islamabad, are going to be vacated due to retirement of their occupants.
MUNIR AHMAD ASLAM
Director, Federal Bureau of Statistics, Islamabad
Road to Rawal Lake
I wish to draw the attention of Capital Development Authority Chairman Kamran Lashari to the bad condition of a road leading to the Rawal Lake, Islamabad.
There are numerous potholes in the road right from its turning from Murree Road to the lake, which make driving quite a nuisance. The CDA chairman is requested to ensure that the road is repaired immediately, so that people can visit the lake without any hassles.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
Neglected civic problems
The Karachi government has focused its attention on beautifying roundabouts and is spending millions of rupees on them while many civic problems of the people are neglected, such as the shortage of water, frequent power breakdowns, broken roads and overflowing gutters. I request the city nazim to first resolve the civic problems of the people.
MOHAMMAD FAROOQ
KUNDA Karachi
Woes of retired PIA employees
I want to draw the attention of the PIA chairman to the airline's apathy towards its retired employees as regards the medical facility that had earlier been given to them but was withdrawn later.
I was given the medical facility for some time, but later I was deprived of it. I have written to PIA several letters but all in vain. I hope the PIA management will restore the facility to its retired employees.
S.M. TAUFIQ
Karachi
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