| 23 February 2004 | Monday | 02 Muharram 1425 |
The Quaid and democracy
Scope of pharmacy education
Remembering the war wounded
Changing Edhi's number
Debt obligations: some questions
Strengthening Pakistan-India ties
Nuclear assets
Hyderabad roads
'A grave mess'
Low-income housing
Eliminating extremism
Mina tragedy
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In the 2003-2004 budget the Senate recommended inclusion of certain facilities and concessions to the common man, particularly to senior citizens and small investors in the national savings schemes. The recommendations made included withdrawal of 10 per cent withholding tax on profit on investment in NSS.
The Senate was not happy at the summary disposal of their suggestions and recommendations by the ministry of finance but the finance minister agreed to withdraw the withholding tax and he himself announced its inclusion in the finance bill while addressing the National Assembly.
This has not been done as yet, though almost eight months have passed and the next budget is now due within four months. The investors have been anxiously waiting for its withdrawal as promised.
The reason for not doing so has not been made public, though the scheme itself is now overdue for an upward revision, keeping in view the rapidly rising cost of living, a fact also acknowledged by the authorities concerned.
It is time the economic managers reconsidered the whole matter and provided some relief to the investors who have gone through tremendous hardship and misery in the last four years.
Consideration should also be given to restoring the facility of sale and purchase of national savings certificates by banks to streamline the functioning of the scheme as checks and controls have already been introduced to avoid misuse of the scheme.
Surely, the foreign donors will have no objection to the revival of the facility which will help senior citizens, widows and other investors who find it problematic and cumbersome to deal with national savings centres.
MASOOD KAZMI
Karachi
(2)
With the ever-increasing rate in the number of divorces in the country, more and more women are being left in straitened circumstances, unable to financially fend for themselves and their children.
This plight of these women is multiplied by the difficulties women face in this society in able to going out and earning an income that would enable them to help make ends meet.
A very few cases are heard of, in which a woman has been granted financial support from her former husband for her and her children, and in most cases they are left alone without any form of support.
The government should provide respite to women facing divorce difficulties by including them in the Bahbood Savings Scheme. If not more, they are certainly not in any less difficult economic circumstances than widows and senior citizens.
SIMA AHMED
Karachi
The Quaid and democracy
The National Security Council may or may not be the cure, but how radically some of our intellectuals have deviated from Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's ideology as indicated in your editorial (February 16), stating: "What the Quaid contemplated for Pakistan was unalloyed democracy."
You will convincingly observe from the Quaid's own statements that the democracy he visualized was alloyed with Islam as its essence or the inner content. The following are some relevant excerpts:
"I was told that I was guilty of disservice to Islam because Islam believes in democracy. So far as I have understood Islam, it does not advocate democracy which would allow the majority of non-Muslims to decide the fate of Muslims. We cannot accept a system of government in which non-Muslims merely by numerical majority would rule and dominate us." - Aligarh University (06.03.'40).
"(The Quaid) expected everyone except those who are ignorant to accept that the Quran is the general code of the Muslims, a religious, social, civic, commercial, military, judicial and penal code. It regulates everything from ceremonies of religion to those of daily life, from salvation of the soul to the health of the body. Islam is a complete code of life regulating the whole of Muslim community." - Eid message (1945).
These golden words, summing up so briefly and lucidly Islam's spiritual and temporal dimensions as two sides of the same coin, should leave no doubt in anybody's mind (including Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee's) as to the logic and purpose behind the Quaid's two-nation theory.
Therefore, Islamic democracy is the answer as idealized and enshrined in our own Constitution.
AKBAR KHAN
Karachi
Scope of pharmacy education
Pharmacy is a discipline which has grown quickly in Pakistan. Centres for pharmacy are developing into departments, departments into institutes and institutes into faculties. It appears that in the next few years there will be pharmacy schools, colleges and universities that will produce as many pharmacists as they can.
Along with its growth, pharmacy has changed some of its forms. In the beginning it was a diploma in pharmacy, then it changed to bachelor of pharmacy, and now a doctorate in pharmacy is being introduced in various universities.
DPharm in Pakistan is a wastage of time, as well as of money, if introduced without a proper service structure because different provinces have different job structures for pharmacists.
In Punjab, drug inspectors are employed at the taluka level, but in Sindh at the district level. This discourages the pharmacists of Sindh. Moreover, hardly any pharmacist is allowed to render his services in a true sense. Pharmacists thus prefer to go abroad where they are welcomed and well-paid.
Another reason behind promoting DPharm in Pakistan is to serve the privileged ones who should find it easier to go abroad where a BPharm degree is not sufficient to get a good job and those who carry BPharm degrees have to study there for at least one more year to convert their degrees into DPharm.
Studying one year in Pakistan is easy and cheaper than in developed countries where standard and hard work both are required simultaneously. The money spent on each student of DPharm will go to benefit a foreign country.
The government should look into the matter and formulate a balanced policy keeping in view the scope of pharmacy in all the provinces.
QADEER AHMED BHUTTO
Jamshoro
Remembering the war wounded
It is our obligation to pay tribute to those who died defending Pakistan during 1965 and 1971 wars. So we do this every year on September 6, i.e. on the Defence of Pakistan Day, as a mark of respect to them.
But unfortunately we ignore our war wounded who while fighting to save their homeland lost their limbs, etc., and became crippled/disabled. Many of them might be alive today but they are unknown to the people for their heroic deeds and suffering because our media remains silent about them and they are never remembered on national functions like the Pakistan Day and Defence Day. In fact, they are our living unsung war heroes.
I, therefore, suggest that the war wounded of the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force who were injured in action during the wars of 1965 and 1971 may be invited to participate in the Pakistan Day Parade held every year on March 23.
They should form a separate contingent which may be named "Ghazi Contingent", and should be in uniform of their respective service/unit with their full medals.
It is pertinent to note that this practice is followed in many European and Asian countries, including the US, when their war wounded are invited to participate in national parade.
President Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali may like to consider this suggestion and issue a directive for the forthcoming Pakistan Day parade.
SQN-LDR (retd)AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
Changing Edhi's number
This refers to the news item (Feb 17) with regard to a recent decision to change the short dial-code allocated to the Edhi ambulance service from "115" to "1150". According to the report some influential personality from Punjab wants to start his own ambulance service and has asked the PTA for the short code 115.
The social work which Abdul Sattar Edhi has achieved will in all probability never be accomplished by another person in Pakistan. The whole world has recognized his services and his welfare foundation; and certainly Edhi and his foundation deserve the Noble prize for peace.
Having said that it is such a sad reflection on us that while Edhi receives international accolades, in his own country, an obviously well connected individual is throwing his weight around and wants "115" to be taken away from Edhi and given to his prospective ambulance service; with complete disregard of the fact that the number is known and recognized nation wide as belonging to Edhi's ambulances.
It's a disturbing part of our history that we don't recognize those who have sacrificed so much for this country, if anything they have either been humiliated or had to face baseless accusations.
Similarly, Mr Abdul Sattar Edhi has been accused time and again of many wrong doings, and now finally this latest attempt to change the short code of his ambulance service which according to the Guinness Book of Records is the biggest ambulance service in the world, is absolutely preposterous. I request the authorities concerned to let the Edhi Ambulance short code (115) remain as is.
AAMIR AQIL
Lahore
Debt obligations: some questions
Dr Shahid Kardar in his column (February 19) has made some very valid observations and raised important questions with reference to the recent launch of the $500 million euro bond. He has correctly observed that with a $12-billion foreign exchange reserve, bulk of which is in the form of a non-interest-bearing asset, cash, what was the need for raising $500 million at 6.75 per cent interest?
Dr Kardar also states that a commercial loan from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank could have been obtained at a much lower interest rate.
Dr Kardar has also rightly pointed out that the government should focus on removing the impediments to the creation of a more friendly environment for investment instead of expending its energies in areas that will increase the country's liabilities for uncertain gains.
NAZIM F. HAJI
Karachi
Strengthening Pakistan-India ties
Now that India and Pakistan have at least agreed to try to solve their problems peacefully, one hopes that there will be better future for the people of the subcontinent.
It is good that the Indian government did not take advantage of the issue of nuclear proliferation being faced by Pakistan. Even Islamabad has noted this warmly, and the Pakistani media has also acknowledged it positively.
If a country is not financially independent, there is a greater possibility that it has less political independence. Pakistan has always relied more than India on international financial aid, loans, debt write-offs, loan restructuring, etc. It has to learn to live within its own means to be its own master, though painful it will be in the short-term.
The 'one-man rule' has not been good for the people of Pakistan. I request you to write in due course on the Indian general elections to be held in April. We know the process will not be 100 per cent perfect; however in broad terms the elections will be fair and free.
Prime Minister Vajpayee cannot change India's constitution, nor can he decide who can contest the elections. He will not get over 90 per cent of the votes and the power will be transferred peacefully to the newly-elected government as per the wishes of over 600 million people entitled to vote in this largest democracy of over billion people.
The independent media, the election commission and the judiciary in India will watch like hawks over the process. In some small areas, even the elections will be carried out again, if necessary for fairness.
This is the real strength of India. Indian democracy commands respect internationally. I hope people in Pakistan have a democratic Islamic republic in Pakistan where the people's voice is heard. The Pakistani media has a responsibility to make this absolutely clear without fear or favour to save the country.
VIPUL THAKORE
London, UK
(2)
I am writing this letter from Hyderabad, India, with a feeling of pleasant surprise over the present bonhomie between India and Pakistan, whether on issues of politics, cricket or trade. With it, however, there is a feeling of apprehension as well.
Surprise as this gives us renewed hope and apprehension because of the scary history that has followed such feel-good periods. For all citizens who think they can make a difference to the situation, this is a great opportunity to act. Let us increase our interactions through civil society, cultural forums, sport events, etc.
DEEPAK SAPRA
Hyderabad, India
Nuclear assets
According to press reports, Mr Imran Khan, chief of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf, has criticized the government for mishandling the issue of nuclear scientists.
He has said that America will remain silent as long as it needs Pakistan to get the desired results in Afghanistan. Once the Afghan problem is solved and Pakistan is no longer useful, America would ensure that Pakistan rolls back its nuclear programme.
This assessment made by Mr Imran Khan is correct as some major countries of the world have raised strong suspicions that Pakistan is responsible for transferring atomic technology to other countries of the world. This excuse is enough for America to press upon Pakistan to give up its nuclear programme.
To cope with a situation like this the government and the opposition need to take a joint stand against any foreign pressure to close down our nuclear programme.
The government should call a roundtable conference of all opposition parties and make it clear to the world that for Pakistan its nuclear assets are indispensable and Pakistan cannot cap its nuclear programme.
The need of the hour is that irrespective of their political affiliations all of our leaders must stand united against any threat to this country from outside.
S. TAUQIR HUSAIN
Lahore
Hyderabad roads
The fact that every new road in Hyderabad becomes almost impassable within just one year after its construction reflects badly on the efficiency of the civic agency responsible for ensuring a good road infrastructure in the city.
The quality of the material used to build roads is so bad that it starts disintegrating within a few months, and roads develop lots of potholes creating great hardship for the motorists.
The government has recently allocated a huge amount of Rs10 billion for the development of Hyderabad. It is hoped that the city administration will ensure judicious use of the funds with the objective of providing a good road infrastructure.
AISHA MEMON
Hyderabad
'A grave mess'
Referring to your editorial entitled "A grave mess" on the prevalent conditions of graveyards (February 19), I have to inform or rather remind you that the secretariat of the ombudsman, Sindh, had arranged a seminar on the condition of graveyards and published its report, with recommendations, which was also presented to the governor.
The recent adoption of regulations by the city district government is a step towards implementation of one of the many recommendations contained in that report.
The report, compiled and published by the Sindh ombudsman, can go a long way in improving the condition of graveyards without any further exercise and waste of time.
ABDUL MATEEN KHAN
Karachi
Low-income housing
With rapidly increasing urbanization and a massive influx of people to big cities, it has become imperative for the government to initiate low-income housing schemes for the lower middle and lower class people, who find it extremely difficult to finance a shelter of their own. For this purpose various examples can be followed from Third World cities.
In Pakistan, the Orangi Pilot Project became a success after receiving people's enthusiasm and cooperation. Keeping in mind the difficulties in the housing sector, the housing demand and the common person's problems, steps should be taken to meet the already menacing challenge.
This can be done by the government's initiative to start low-income housing schemes as well as by encouraging the private sector to launch projects focussing on low-income people. This step will go far in solving people's problems and restoring their confidence in the government.
ZAHID QADEER
Lahore
Eliminating extremism
President Musharraf's recent appeal to the ulema to adopt a voice of moderation is the need of the hour. Radicalism begets bigotry and extremism breeds terrorism in all its manifestations.
Teaching and preaching religion is one thing, but indoctrinating and insulating young minds is quite another. More than teaching religion, madressahs indoctrinate young pupils.
President Musharraf has to come down with a heavy hand on religious zealots. Jihadis in military ranks and scientific community also need to be identified and dealt with. It is incumbent on all of us to give a helping hand to the president in his fight for eradicating extremism.
ABU AHMAD
Columbus, GA., USA
Mina tragedy
Many letters have appeared in this newspaper about the Mina tragedy. I was there and felt the effects of the closure of the upper level during the time when our group went for ramy between 10.30am and 11.30am. I noted all aspects of this ritual and the logistics very carefully during my three subsequent trips to the Jamaraat.
The organizers alone cannot be blamed for this tragedy. Perhaps a one-way traffic of pilgrims on both the upper and lower levels will minimize the chances of such occurrences.
However, a more important aspect is the proper training of the pilgrims. First, all pilgrims must fully understand the rationale for the ritual. Second, they should be made to rehearse the casting of pebbles in workshops.
Listening to speeches, looking at pictures or watching videos does not provide accurate details of the logistics of the area. Workshops can be organized in villages, neighbourhoods, playgrounds, area schools by the Ministry of Haj and Auqaf.
KAHLID M. KHAN
Karachi
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