Musharraf and the ulema

President Musharraf's appeal to a recent congregation of the country's ulema and mashaikh to reject extremism and foster sectarian harmony was appropriately timed, coming just about two days before the start of Muharram.

It was quite ironic, though - a layman appealing to theologians and religious scholars to do what they should be preaching to laymen. But that is a misfortune peculiar to Pakistan. Shias and sunnis live together in all the Gulf states. But sectarian bloodshed is unknown there.

In Iraq, Shias are in a majority. But even the British failed to pit one against the other. Instead, during the 1920s they jointly revolted against the British. And even today, both remain united against alien occupation.

Muharram is observed there as well. But, only in Pakistan, instead of mourning the tragedy of Karbala and glorifying the piety, perseverance and steadfastness of the martyrs, professional orators abuse their learning and rhetorical prowess to ignite sectarian hatred.

This cancer has already done colossal damage to the country. At home it has triggered pervasive chaos in all sectors of society: breakdown of law and order, rising crime, falling economy and a near-total loss of values. Outside, it has disfigured Pakistan's image to a great extent as a respectable member of the international community.

The statement that "the need for unity was never greater than now" has been repeated so often as to sound like a cliche, yet it was never truer. Today Pakistan faces a crisis it could never dream of; its very existence is threatened. And this time the threat is not from India, it is from the mighty coalition led by the mightiest power on earth, so powerful that it can devastate two countries simultaneously.

The nation can cope, but only if the people are united like a bulwark, not if perpetual internecine conflict continues to drain away its will. The house must be put in order first. That was the point President Musharraf tried to drive home with the verse:

"Mera azm itna buland hai ke paraye sho'lon ka dar naheen
Mujhe khauf aish-i-gul se hai ke kaheen chaman ko jala na de."

(My resolve is so lofty that I am not afraid of outside flames. (But) I fear the flame from the flower lest it should burn the garden).

S.G. JILANEE

Karachi

'Piety and sin'

Mr Ayaz Amir in his latest weekly column "Piety and sin, balance destroyed" (February 27) writes: "...the two leading components of the Mullah Alliance, the Jamaat -i-Islami and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (in pre-partition days, Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind), were dead opposed to the demand for Pakistan."

May I ask the learned writer to please quote a single reference from the writing, statements, interviews or speeches of Maulana Maududi or any other leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami of pre-partition time that could be construed, even remotely, as "dead opposed to the demand for Pakistan"?

On the contrary, Dr Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, a leading historian and a leader of the Muslim League (he served in the federal cabinet formed by the founding fathers of Pakistan), in his book Ulema in Politics, in an objective manner, acknowledges Maududi's contribution to the Pakistan Movement.

Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, secretary to the Quaid-i-Azam, in his book Evolution of Pakistan, called Maududi's schemes and suggestions "milestones on the road to Pakistan".

It's only fair that Mr Amir should provide references to substantiate his claim.

ABDUL MAJID JAFFRY

Lakewood, California, USA

(2)

Attributing all our failures to Islamization or the mullah is not rational, because all the time in Pakistan hypocrite seculars have been dominant. Islamists has never been in power, so one cannot blame them for the current failures in our society.

We have given hundreds of our sharp minds to secularism but made no progress. We have given nothing to Islam but blame Islam and the mullahs for all our failures. Common men are still proud to be Muslim.

MUHAMMAD NAVEED

Via email

(3)

In his latest article, Mr Ayaz Amir has mentioned the fact that Heera Mandi is situated behind the Badshahi Mosque. He says this signifies the tolerance of the Mughal era.

It is unfortunate that a well respected writer like Mr Amir should say such a thing. There is neither romance nor beauty in what goes on in Heera Mandi. What is done is done furtively, as all other petty crime.

I would like to advise Mr Amir to dwell on the consequences of this "tolerance" for the Mughal empire.

KHWAJA SHAMAASH

Lahore

PharmD programme

Most of the Pakistani universities are going to start a PharmD programme. I can't understand the objective of this change in the degree programme. If it is meant only to emphasize more on pharmacy practice, we can do that by modifying the current B.Pharm curriculum. Why do we have to invest another one or two years to earn a pseudo-degree without properly qualified lecturers and facilities?

Pharm D itself is different in different parts of the world. In the US, it is a straight practice based on a degree of six years but still considered an undergraduate degree. However, in some places it is considered a postgraduate degree. Portugal and Spain also have a PharmD programme which is equivalent to a basic pharmacy degree.

The nature of this programme in these countries is not practice based but rather the emphasis is on the basic pharmaceutical sciences, i.e., pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, etc.

The UK doesn't have a PharmD programme. Many countries around us, including Singapore, India, Korea and Malaysia, are doing better than us in health care with their current B.Pharm degrees.

Currently, pharmacists in Pakistan do not enjoy even their basic right as health care providers. The syllabus of the current B.Pharm can be updated with a separate section on pharmacy practice/clinical pharmacy.

The pharmacist doesn't have the sole right of dispensing or running a pharmacy (even a pharmacy technician is doing the same thing, there is no difference).

Even now other health care professionals as well as the community does not really recognize the role of the pharmacist in the health care system. The only openings pharmacists have are the jobs in the pharmaceutical industry.

We should reorganize our current B.Pharm syllabus and more than that first of all we have to give the basic right to the pharmacists by implementing or amending the law. Without a policy change, to start this kind of programme is a waste of time and money of the nation.

ZAHEER-UD-DIN BABAR

University College Sedaya International (UCSI), Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia

New electricity meters

It has been observed that no proper care is being taken by the KESC in respect of deputing trained staff for installing the new electricity meters. The job is being done very haphazardly.

On February 14 some technicians visited my house in Clifton's Block 8. They seemed poorly trained, and since the installation of a new meter by them, voltage fluctuations have become very common.

On complaint, no proper attention was given by the KESC staff. Instead, I was advised to get my electric lines checked by some private electrician, which I did.

But prior to that all of my wiring got burned. It was revealed on checking by the private electrician that the KESC staff had connected the phase wrongly, i.e., from "phase to neutral" and from "neutral to phase", which caused the problem. I hope the KESC will take appropriate steps to avoid such lapses.

MOHAMMAD ASHRAF

Karachi

Saarc law conference

It was heartening to read in a Dawn report (February 21) the words of the chief justice of Pakistan who asked at the recent Saarclaw conference an important question whether the benefits of law were reaching the common man. He also said the region's majority was living in deplorable conditions which "cry out for redress".

The common man cannot approach the Supreme Court, however genuine his grievances. He simply cannot afford the big fees of apex court lawyers and that of the advocate-of-records.

The common man can be helped out if high court lawyers are allowed to practise in the Supreme Court. For this such lawyers as have worked for 10 years in a high court should be allowed to get themselves enrolled with the apex court.

When district judges are promoted to join high courts and high court judges the Supreme Court on the basis of seniority, why not the lawyers of the high courts? This will enlarge the scope for high court lawyers and also make it easy for the common man to have inexpensive access to the apex court.

Let us now discard the Raj-established procedure of preferential treatment for the selected few.

GHEEWALA A.G.M.

Karachi

Why MMA supported 17th Amendment

This is in response to Professor Ghafoor Ahmed's article "Why MMA supported the 17th Amendment" (February 15). The article contains certain remarks about Zulfikar Ali Bhutto which were out of context and perhaps meant to belittle ZAB.

While defending the MMA's accord with the government on the 17th Amendment, Prof Ahmed writes: "In December 1971, after the fall of Dhaka, General Yahya Khan handed over power to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto without any mandate. Bhutto ruled the country as a civilian martial law administrator for about four months. During that period he ordered the nationalization of banks and educational institutions".

This example is contrary to the facts and does not in any way justifying the MMA's compromise with the present government in conformity with the "law of necessity" and "national interest" as there is no analogy between the circumstances that prevailed in 1970 and today.

The fact is that the 1970 elections, held under Yahya Khan's martial law, were meant to elect a constituent assembly having the single task of making a constitution for the country by the elected representative of the people of Pakistan.

But after the fall of Dhaka and creation of Bangladesh the situation had changed. In the face of Indian leaders' threat to strike against the remaining Pakistan, it was a historical compulsion of the military rulers to hand over power to a popularly elected leader and a party with a majority in the assembly so as to face the crisis.

Thus, under the law of necessity and in the national interest, the military rulers made a single movement transfer of power to a civilian. It was possible only in the absence of any particular law or constitution to transfer power through an extra-legal device - but to transfer power from one chief martial law administrator to another civilian chief martial law administrator for as short a period as possible till either a viable law or the constitution is made and accepted by all sections of society, including the elected opposition.

For 57 years Pakistan has witnessed that whenever martial law is imposed or a military dictator ruled the country, the religious parties always supported the military.

I would venture here to ask Prof Ahmed as to how could the religious parties compare the critical situation of 1970 with the situation of 1977, when the Constitution was abrogated and martial law was imposed, because the Bhutto government and the then opposition had reached an accord on re-election? And the military takeover of October 12, 1999, with the situation prevailing during the East Pakistan debacle?

About Prof Ahmed's remarks on Mr Bhutto's decision to nationalize banks and educational institutions during the period of civilian martial law, let me say that the PPP leader had swept the polls in 1970 because of his promise to the people to give not only a constitution but also to nationalize banks and educational institutions so that the private sector was not allowed to exploit the people.

This decision was also necessary under the law of necessity and national interest to boost the morale of the people and to give them the feeling that they were the masters of the country's wealth.

He did succeed in his endeavour to lift the people out of the despair of defeat in the 1971 war.

HAMEED BALUCH

Assistant to Chairperson PPP(SB), Karachi

Selection boards

According to the charters of our universities, the selection boards and syndicates are chaired by the vice-chancellors. The selection boards do have a member of each of the four provincial public service commissions, but it has been noticed that generally they have a tendency to make selections according to the wishes of vice-chancellors and deans.

Many years back I was invited to serve as an expert on the selection board of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, for the first and the last time as I could not agree to the selection of a pre-selected candidate by the VC of the university, who did not fare well in the interview.

It is proposed that a public service commission member should act as chairman of the selection board of a university to have an objective assessment of candidates who can later be confirmed by the syndicate chaired by the vice-chancellor.

Requisite amendments can be made in the university charters in this regard. This will obviate quite a few litigation cases in the superior courts by aggrieved candidates.

DR M. YAQOOB BHATTI

Lahore

Verifying powers

A gazetted officer is permitted to attest or verify a document but cannot do so after retirement, though he still has government recognition as a pensioner. Is there any legal bar that after retirement he cannot attest/verify a document or a form? Will anybody clarify this issue?

A pleader or an advocate in his capacity as oath commissioner or notary public can attest or verify any document. Under the new set-up, any nazim or councillor or deputy councillor is authorized to attest or verify a form or a document (though they are not qualified up to the grade of university level).

A retired gazetted officer (of grade 17 to 22), having a university degree or a law degree, should also be allowed and permitted to verify/attest forms or documents against a nominal fee or free.

ALI KHAN

Quetta

Girls' killing

After reading the autopsy report (Dawn, February 27) of two minor girls of Gadap, the following two questions arose in my mind:

1) Has the president, General Pervez Musharraf, personally read the details of this autopsy report?

2) Does he know where the buck stops?

UMER FAROOQ

Via email

MMA's stance

Hoe strange it is that the MMA walked out of the Senate on Friday in protest agaisnt the murder of two minor girls in Karachi (Dawn, February 28), but has said nothing on Karo-kari killings often reported in the press. Some of its members have actually been supportive of karo-kari.

TARIQ MAHMUD

King of Prussia, PA., USA

Nadra

I submitted two forms in March 2003 at a Nadra office for computerized national identity cards in my and my wife's names. My wife has received her CNIC, but I am still waiting for my CNIC.

I request Nadra to issue my CNIC at the earliest.

MOHAMMAD HANIF

Karachi

PIA colour scheme

I was extremely disappointed at the new livery chosen by PIA for its aircraft, specially on the newly-acquired Boeing 777s. The new colours are lacklustre.

There was nothing wrong with previous colour schemes chosen for its aircraft. In fact, the discarded 'Pashmina' floral pattern on the tail gave it a nice ethnic touch. After all our commercial aircraft serve as ambassadors on the tarmacs they visit.

I wonder who in PIA influences such decisions.

RIZWAN RAHEEL

Piscataway, New Jersey, USA

Toll payment on Super Highway

Double or triple toll charged from vehicles plying on the poorly maintained Super Highway between Karachi and Hyderabad must go. Two toll plazas were built on each entry point at Karachi and Hyderabad. Each plaza charges Rs15 as entry fees from cars, Rs30 from buses and trucks and Rs50 from containers.

Recently, a third plaza has been erected at Jamshoro, which charges Rs10, Rs30 and Rs50 for each entry and exist of vehicles to the annoyance of public. Some uniformed armymen have been posted at the plaza to silence the public.

The highway was constructed during the days of president Ayub Khan at a cost of Rs100 million. Later it was turned into a dual carriageway, which cost another Rs100 million, the total being Rs200 million. Since its completion about three decades back, the government has recovered 100 times more than its actual cost and yet the federal government is bent on fleecing the people.

Regarding the condition of this highway the less said the better. The patchwork has been done with substandard material. The highway has outlived its life and hence should be exempted from all taxes and only a token fee of Rs5 should be charged from each vehicle as its maintenance fee. Moreover, it should be returned to Sindh, to which it originally belonged.

MOIN SIDDIQI

Karachi

Olympic hockey

This refers to the hockey story "Sarwar, Adnan to miss flight" (February 23). The second last paragraph of the report carries a factual mistake when it says that Pakistan qualified for the first time for the Olympics. The fact is that Pakistan first appeared in the Olympic hockey qualifying event held in Osaka, Japan, in 2003, and finished second after losing to Spain in the final.

As per new regulations, the five continental champions are automatic qualifiers for the Olympics while seven teams are determined after appearing in qualifying events - in the present case the Madrid qualifying event slated for March 2-13.

ANWAR KHAN

Karachi

Whose money do they spend?

Mr S. A. Khokar's letter "Whose money do they spend?" (February 26) touched me deeply. One wonders if it has touched any of our politicians, too, and whether any of them have the courage to respond to it.

It is sad that life in Pakistan goes on as ever, and those involved in looting the wealth of the nation never get punished.

MUSTAFA AHMAD

Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia