'The billboard assault'

This is with reference to the letter by Mr Nasir Jafri (March 6) on Karachian's write-up "The billboard assault" (February 23).

I think Mr Jafri seems to have got it all wrong and has missed the point. Nowhere did Karachian try to advocate a return to the days when Karachi was a fishing village and nowhere did he say that billboards were not a testimony to the city's "economic dynamism". No one is saying that we shouldn't have any billboards but that some kind of balance must be struck between the demands of, as Mr Jafri says, a "vibrant city" and the rights of roads users in particular and residents in general.

With respect to Mr Jafri, I think we all know that New York has far more billboards than, say, Washington, or even Chicago. But that doesn't mean that New Yorkers approve of their city being littered with billboards, something that Mr Jafri thinks all Karachiites should be doing. As for Karachi being known in Pakistan as 'City of Lights', of course having brightly-lit billboards would help but the fact is that Karachi has had this label attached to it for quite some time, well before the assault (of the billboards) which has gained steam in recent years. The reason also has to do with the fact that the city has generally wider roads than other Pakistan cities and that they are relatively well-lit.

There is also another major difference between Manhattan's and Karachi's billboards. In New York, the views of the people of New York would carry some weight and if they did not like a particular policy formulated by the City Council, then they have avenues to express their disapproval and expect change. Unfortunately, the laws that regulate the sale and use of billboards in Karachi have had no input from the city's residents in any manner whatsoever. No public hearings are held when new laws are formulated and no comments are sought from the public. There is a city council but it unfortunately seems to be running quite on its own, independently of the wishes of most city residents on pressing issues like transport, road repairs, air and noise pollution and so on.

As far as globalization is concerned, yes, one would have to be in favour of it. But surely having several dozen billboards at a traffic junction, and the consequences on traffic and aesthetics, can hardly be called a benefit of globalization. In any case, being in favour of globalization should not mean that one should do away with one's sense of judgment and proportion and allow oneself to be exposed to things that are traffic hazards or prevent one from having a clear view of the sky, something which happens for instance at Karachi's Schoen Circle. Besides, globalization, one would assume, means that countries (or cities in this case) learn from the experience of others. New York has many more billboards than has Karachi but it also has many well-maintained parks and some of the world's best museums which provide New Yorkers some much-needed respite from all the steel and concrete. Such one-sided views of globalization and its dis/advantages need to be dispelled.

LALARUKH EJAZ

Karachi

Cricket: preparing for the Indian tour

With the India-Pakistan series starting next week, a clear-cut strategy must have been formulated by Pakistan Cricket Board to combat the threat posed by India's star-studded batting line-up. In this context, as an avid follower of the game, I suggest the following tactics for consideration:

1. Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir Ahmed should be used as attack bowlers with Muhammad Sami as first-change striker. The two opening bowlers have the capacity to contain the Indian openers in the first 10 overs. Mohammad Sami, despite being a wicket-taker, could prove expensive. Once the possible initial onslaught is contained, Sami could maintain the pressure.

2. Shahid Afridi should be played as opener and not placed down the batting order. His spin option may also be used.

3. The captain (Inzamam-ul-Haq), being the best batsman in the team, should precede Yousuf Youhana in the batting line-up.

4. Abdul Razzak should target the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar because the medium pacer has an excellent record against the master batsman. In the batting order, he should be sent down the order and encouraged to play his natural game.

5. Javed Miandad being a cricket strategist should ensure that a plan B is in place in case the opening bowlers prove expensive. Bowling accuracy may be a safer option than all-out pace.

6. On Pakistan wickets, if the toss has been won, Pakistan should opt to bat first given their strength to bowl out oppositions easily, as opposed to bowling first.

7. Frequent changes in the playing eleven should be avoided during the one-day series and a more consistent line-up should be played.

8. The Indian batsmen are strong square of the wicket and the best fielders should be positioned out there. For instance, Shahid Afridi, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Sami, being the best fielders/catchers, should be used at critical fielding areas, square of the wicket.

9. Most Indian bowlers will be playing in Pakistan for the first time and hence more pressure will be on them. The Pakistan batsmen should try and target their confidence and play aggressively against them. Once hit around the park earlier in the series, their confidence level may take a dip for the remainder of the series.

10. The team with more psychological strength is likely to emerge victorious. Indians must be tired and fatigued after a gruelling campaign down under and our boys could capitalize on it. The Indians will be expected to perform as well as they did in Australia and this would mean they would be under more pressure than Pakistan.

All the best to the Pakistan cricket team.

KAMRAN A. SHAH

Karachi

Saarc judicial declaration

One hopes that the chief justices of the Saarc countries will live up to their avowed declaration adopted at their seventh conference held on February 21.

Pakistan, Bangladesh and India happened to be a single political entity before 1947, where the administration of justice was regulated by courts as per the Government of India Act 1935. Now at least in these three countries there is a parliamentary system of government, and in the remaining four Saarc two have monarchy and the two others have presidential form of government. British laws have been re-legislated or amended and certain new laws have been introduced according to the needs and requirements of each country.

A barrister form the United Kingdom is eligible to appear, act and plead in any Saarc court, but the legal practitioners of any Saarc country do not have such a privilege. In some Saarc countries we have the law according to which an advocate of a foreign country cannot conduct judicial matters unless he has prescribed stay in the country.

I hoped that in the adopted declaration there would be a mention that any advocate from any of the Saarc members could appear and represent any litigant party as per eligibility of his own country in the Saarc countries' superior courts. But the same is missing. The declaration requires some amendments in this respect. It should also include the following:

1. Higher education should be allowed and admissions granted in health, engineering and other academic fields to deserving students of the member countries.

2. There should be a Saarc supreme judicial court consisting of seven judges, one judge from each member, whose tenure should be two years and their all salaries/emoluments should be borne by the appointing country, with no financial burden on Saarc. The court should decide economic, trade and financial disputes between or among member countries.

3. The declaration should not remain a declaration on paper but should be given a practical effect, which requires cooperation/collaboration among the members and appointment/constitution of many commissions/ committees to make the declaration a success.

HIRANAND MOHANDAS

Mirpurkhas

Sugar industry crisis

This is to draw the attention of the federal and provincial governments to the crisis the sugar industry in Sindh is facing.

The shortage of water and high prices of agricultural inputs have combined to make the crop non-profitable, and shortly our growers will be switching over to other short-duration crops such as rice, wheat, sunflower and tomatoes.

Without taking cognizance of heavy expenses incurred on sugarcane crop, a reduction in the support price of sugarcane from Rs43 per maund in the season 2002-2003 to Rs41 per maund in the year 2003-2004 has also forced growers to switch over to other crops. As a result, the growing capacity of the land on which this crop is grown has seriously been reduced. If this situation continues, sugarcane production will drastically come down in a couple of years, badly affecting the sugar industry in Sindh.

For the last many years almost all sugar mills in the province are running below their capacities due to a shortage in sugarcane produce, while a large number of workers have been retrenched on the pretext of heavy losses that mill owners claim they have suffered.

Warning has been sounded repeatedly by the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture and the Sindh Abadgar Board, but no government actions are forthcoming. Making certain amendments to the Sugarcane Act to protect the interests of the growers would be a time-consuming exercise.

As time is running out, the government must devise a strategy and build an environment conducive to the survival and growth of sugar units, as well as for the betterment of the growers.

RIZWANUL HAQUE

Thatta

Import of cars

The federal cabinet has recently decided to permit the import of second-hand cars and to reduce the import duty on small cars. The decision has been taken on the recommendation of the task force appointed to look into the prices of the locally-manufactured cars and to eliminate premiums on quick delivery of such vehicles.

The cabinet decision is still half-hearted in that one more committee has been appointed and implementation on the decision has been deferred till the announcement of the next fiscal year's budget. Besides, there is no mention of a reduction in the car prices.

It is feared that the car manufacturers' mafia will use the intervening period for getting the cabinet decision reversed.

GHULAM MUHAMMAD

Karachi

(2)

The recent decision by the cabinet to allow the import of new small and reconditioned cars has led the vested interests to ring alarm bells.

The government must not pay any heed to such doomsday calls by them, for they have indulged in monopolistic tactics for more than a decade. It must take firm decisions at the earliest, instead of referring the matter to committees.

Instead of taking an advance from the customers and earning interest on it, the auto assemblers should make cars available to anyone who makes the payment.

SALIM D. DADABHOY

Karachi

Military and civilian domains

This is with reference to the letter by Dr Obaidullah (February 22) on military and civilian domains.

The respected doctor has talked about the authority, perks, rewards and the conduct of military personnel.

It is regrettable that many people who write about the military have no idea about this organization. Let us take these points one by one:

1. Authority: There is no such thing as unquestioned authority of superiors. The military law clearly defines what is lawful and what is unlawful command. Anybody who exceeds the authority can be court-martialled or sent home without any pension. And this is what happens. The figures cannot be quoted for obvious reasons of confidentiality. How many people are punished in any sizable civilian organization? Almost negligible.

2. Perks/rewards: As far as perks and rewards are concerned, it is not the military alone; people in the civilian set-up also enjoy many advantages and perks even when they are officials on special duty. And let us not talk of millions and billions of debts written off in respect of innumerable civilians.

3. Discipline and order: Yes, orders have to be obeyed but they are not issued at random. They are issued after proper analysis and in consultation with all parties concerned in an operation to be undertaken. The person who issues orders is responsible for all actions. Dissent is acceptable but disobedience is not. Would you like to know how many people in the public sector disobey their superiors and spoil the working environment of their organizations?

4. Discussions: It may seem paradoxical but any commander before issuing an important order will discuss the situation with his juniors. It is one of the principles of leadership to let your command know as to why you are undertaking any task. The contention that discussion is the hallmark of only the civilian set-up is wrong.

5. Collateral entry: Collateral entry of military officers has caused resentment among the civilians because some times they block promotion of others and some of them are found to be more authoritative. Most of them have done well in the organizations they were inducted into. Their performance reports can be seen by any less prejudiced person to ascertain facts.

In any case collateral entry is not restricted to the military alone. You see quite a bit of it in our judiciary and the banking sector. The military officers retire at a very young age and are usually on a contract period. They are part of this nation and do not come from any unfriendly country. They have a right to live like others. Out of hundreds of officers and thousands of soldiers who retire every year it is only a few who are, after or nearing retirement, inducted into civilian jobs.

6. Selling the cantonments: The last point of the writer is about selling the present cantonments and building new ones.

It is not a very bad idea really. Irrespective of the cost and timeframe, is there any cantonment in the country around which civilian colonies have not come up?

KHALID HASSAN MAHMOOD

Karachi

Voters' lists: suggestions

The Election Commission of Pakistan should keep up with the times and adopt an easy and simple way to update the voters' lists.

At present, one has to approach a designated officer if one's name does not appear in the area voters' list. The application has to be made in writing and is subject to attestation. It is a cumbersome procedure. People also do not tolerate the waste of time. As a result, many voters decide not to get their names included in the list.

With the computerization of national identity cards by the National Database Registration Authority, the updating of the voters' lists should be an easy process. A voter may be asked to get a photocopy of his computerized national identity card, write on it "include my name in voter list" and send it by post directly to Nadra.

Nadra may enter the card number in its computer system. If the name is not already in the voters' list, it may be included. That should be all. Nadra may send updated voters' lists to the district governments every six months.

MUHAMMAD ABD AL-HAMEED

Lahore

Amenity plot status

A news item (December 28) says that the Sindh High Court has ruled that, as per the KDA (Sindh Amendment) Act 1994, no amenity plot should be converted into or utilized for any other purpose.

As per a KDA layout plan, ST-10, Block 14, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, is meant for a park. In their letter No. HD/SCH-36/ST-10/2000/528, dated 11-07-2000, the Horticulture Department, Civic Centre, Karachi, states that at the moment another site in Block 15 is being developed as a model park and, as and when funds are made available, development of the park at ST-10 will be undertaken.

After one-and-a-half years a letter was sent to the nazim of Union Council No. 10, Gulshan Iqbal Town, on February 28, 2002, to use his good offices in the matter. Now we, area residents, have learnt that the amenity plot is going to be converted into a residential or a commercial site in gross violation of the verdict of the Sindh High Court of December 27, 2003.

The relevant authorities are requested to ensure that only a park is developed on the site.

AREA RESIDENTS

Karachi

Phone fault

My telephone No. 614252 has been out of work for 15 days. I have complained to the relevant PTCL staff many times, but in vain.

Will the high-ups in the company end my ordeal by getting the fault rectified?

DR AIJAZ SHAIKH

Hyderabad

Underpasses and Lahore

Fortunately the Punjab government has stepped up work in the field of construction. In this regard, a series of underpasses have been given shape. The Mall underpass project was the first to be completed within a short time in Lahore. The F.C College underpass is about to be opened for traffic. Arrangements have been made for another underpass at "Shah-di-Khoi". All these underpasses are designed to alleviate the difficulties of people who travel along the canal passing through the city.

No doubt, these measures are symbols of development, but planning according to needs should be accorded a top priority. Most of the city dwellers opine that first Maulana Shaukat Ali Road to Allama Iqbal Town should be extended. Extension of this link road will minimize the distance by one kilometre.

The government seems to have restricted itself to constructing underpasses on the canal. Why does it neglect the horrible traffic situation on Ferozpur Road and Multan Road? These are always under rush of heavy vehicles. In fact, these thoroughfares are in dire need of flyovers or underpasses. The provincial government would do well to undertake improvement work on them as well.

M. NAZIR RANA

Lahore

Hameed Jatoi

This refers to an article (Dawn, January 31) by Mr Ahmed Sadik, admiring the services of a senior politician of Dadu district, the late Mr Abdul Hameed Jatoi.

As regards his political career, Mr Sadik has written that during the 1965 election for a National Assembly seat, Mr Jatoi defeated Sayed Amir Hyder Shah, son of G. M. Sayed, with a big margin. This is wrong. Mr Jatoi first contested national election in 1962 from Dadu district and was defeated by 97 votes by Sayed Amir Hyder Shah.

SAYED NASEER MUHAMMAD SHAH

Dadu