| 26 March 2004 | Friday | 04 Safar 1425 |
US, Musharraf and Wana operation
Aggressive bowlers' diet
PTCL performance
Peace process: divergent perceptions
Relief for govt employees
BJP and Muslim voters
Match-fixing allegations
Creating more provinces
Traffic lights
Pol prices
Savings centre
Cultural events
Billboards in Islamabad
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Citizens International condemns the assassination by the Israeli government of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual guide of Hamas. The Israelis carried out a missile attack on this paraplegic while he was on a wheelchair coming out of a mosque after saying his dawn prayers.
This cowardly act has been condemned by the international community with the notable exception of the United States which supplied the arms that killed Sheikh Yassin. The US failure to condemn this dastardly act is evidence of its collusion with Israel in its persecution of the Palestinians.
This cold-blooded murder once again proves that Sharon and Israel are not interested in finding a peaceful resolution of the decades-old and protracted Palestinian-Israeli conflict that can lead to lasting peace in West Asia.
The Israeli government is sorely mistaken if it thinks that by assassinating Sheikh Yasin it could eliminate the resistance by Hamas and other Palestinian liberation groups to free their homeland from the illegal Zionist occupation.
The blood shed by Sheikh Yassin will spawn thousands of martyrs to continue the glorious anti-colonial struggle of the Palestinian people for honour, dignity, freedom and peace based on justice.
His martyrdom will be a burning inspiration to those fighting colonialism, oppression and denial of freedom, human rights and social justice to the poor and the marginalized throughout the world.
Ariel Sharon believes that by killing Palestinian resistance fighters he can break the back of the liberation struggle and bring peace to the Israelis. He is mistaken and has underestimated the will and determination of the Palestinians and their millions of supporters all over the world to continue the liberation struggle.
The assassination of Sheikh Yasin will inevitably lead to more violence and killings within Israel and other parts of the world. The Israelis and their supporters will not have peace. Sharon, Israel and the US are jointly responsible for this threat to the security of their own people.
We call on the UN secretary-general to immediately convene a meeting of the Security Council to condemn the criminal assassination of Sheikh Yassin and to take effective action, including economic sanctions, against Israel.
The Malaysian government is urged to initiate action in the Organization of Islamic Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement to punish Israel for its criminal behaviour in violation of the UN Charter and international law.
We also call upon governments, NGOs and individuals to issue statements, and send messages to the US and Israeli governments, condemning Israel's criminal act. They should also give economic, diplomatic and other forms of support to the Palestinian liberation movement.
S. M. MOHAMED IDRIS
Chairman, CitizensInternational, Penang, Malaysia
(2)
Ariel Sharon, the man responsible for killing over 2,000 innocent men, women and children in the refugee camps of Shatilla and Sabra, has again resorted to his stock-in-trade. This time he has got Hamas founder and spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin murdered.
The United States, the lone superpower, is using all means to capture Osama bin Laden but doing nothing to stop the Israeli prime minister from killing innocent Palestinians.
Let justice prevail. Let us stem the tide of terrorism. Justice alone, and not the force of arms, will uproot the fast-growing tree of terrorism being fertilized by American President George W. Bush's follies. Let sanity prevail. Let us collectively rise against injustice, exploitation, deceit and lies.
MIAN SHAUKAT HUSSAIN
Karachi
US, Musharraf and Wana operation
President Musharraf once again asserted at a grand Jirga of tribesmen in Peshawar on Monday that no alien troops would be permitted to operate against the five to six hundred foreign nationals holed up in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
He was obviously alluding to the now famous "allegation" in a New Yorker article about a "deal" having been struck between Islamabad and Washington, under which the former has "purchased" Washington's tacit support for the pardon granted to Dr A. Q. Khan.
General Musharraf may be right. And yet it may happen. It may happen if America does not seek Pervez Musharraf's "permission". The president admitted that there were a couple of hundred US personnel already operating in the area, but they were engaged in gathering intelligence.
Many more of them may be at the Shahbaz air base. Waiting. However, the world is aware of the stuff that President Bush used as intelligence in his State of the Union message in 2002 about Saddam Hussein's WMD and his capability to attack the United States.
The world is also aware how UN inspectors in Iraq acted as US spies to collect information about Iraq's vital military secrets and how the CIA bugged some of them without their knowledge so their location could be traced.
The present intelligence gatherers may also be transmitting information about the local terrain, people, their attitude, as well as the opportunities and risks involved in launching an assault.
Seymour Hersh, in his New Yorker article "The Deal" discusses exactly such a scenario. He quotes an American intelligence consultant saying: "If the American forces strike quickly and decisively against [Osama] bin Laden from within Pakistan, Musharraf could say he gave no advance authorization.
We can move in with so much force and firepower - with so much shock and awe - that we will be too fast for him." This would fit the earlier pattern. American forces in Afghanistan have crossed into Pakistan in "hot pursuit" of Al Qaeda suspects in previous operations, "with no complaints from the Pakistani leadership."
There is no way Pakistan can prevent that - and yet, live. The fate of Mulla Omar who dared defy Bush is before everybody to take a lesson from. President Pervez Musharraf knows this fully well, which was why he warned tribesmen of "serious repercussions" if the operation against foreign militants failed.
S. G. JILANEE
Karachi
Aggressive bowlers' diet
"Besides, there is diet. Pakistanis eat lots of meat. You get a lot of aggression from beef and red meat."
The above are the views of former Pakistan pacer and Under-19 World Cup 2004-winning coach Aaqib Javed that appeared in Dawn (March 23) on why Pakistan produces fast bowlers and India does not. I think he sends a very wrong message to fast bowling aspirants. Besides, promoting excessive meat eating can hardly be conducive to the health and heart condition of Pakistanis.
Mr Javed must understand that all that comes from red meat are quite easily derived from other sources, and any scientifically formulated diet regimen should be able to provide the required nutrition for any kind of sporting activity of the highest competitive level. Indeed, less red meat and more poultry, fish, and vegetables would be a highly recommended one.
I would like to draw the attention of Mr Javed and other people who hold similar views about meat eating and sporting prowess to the animal kingdom to the fact that elephants are huge and strong, horses are muscular and fast; hippos, rhinos, bulls are strong, quick and aggressive.
All are herbivorous, and can also be trained and disciplined to carry out sporting activity or warfare. Meat-eating carnivores, with the exception of domesticated dogs or cats, remain mostly wild and vicious. The fox, the jackal, the tiger, the lion, or the hyena, although vicious and aggressive, are hard to discipline and put to any good use.
A professional sportsman does not have to be a huge meat-eater to be aggressive and a winner, but can be trained to think positive and maintain a subdued aggression.
SHANKAR PANDAY
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
PTCL performance
I was issued a demand note, bearing reference number GDH/926, on March 6 by the Karachi Garden Exchange of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited for a new telephone connection at my residence on A/6 Shams Square, 83-Flynn Street, Garden East Karachi.
This demand note announces in bold letters: "Telephone set will be provided by PTCL at the time of installation of new telephone connection."
After many telephone calls to the media coordinator of the PTCL, two gentlemen from the telephone company came to my residence on March 24. To my amazement and shock, they asked me to provide them with a telephone set. They said the PTCL had stopped providing new telephone sets to the customers two years back.
My only explanation is that the demand note clearly and explicitly says that the telephone set will be provided by the PTCL. And during my several visits to the Garden Exchange for getting the new telephone connection, none of the engineers or officials gave me any hint about this.
When I rang up the PTCL media coordinator, he came out with a funny explanation. He said the PTCL maintains old stationery which carries this commitment of giving a telephone set to the new subscriber, otherwise the company has stopped providing new sets.
I am preserving the demand note copy, a memento of the government-controlled telephone company, and pray for its early privatization. What else a helpless citizen can do.
SABIHUDDIN GHAUSI
Karachi
Peace process: divergent perceptions
India's priority is to take confidence-building measures so that it can sell its finished goods and services and get access to cheaper energy from Iran and Central Asia through Pakistan.
For Pakistan, Kashmir remains the core issue which has resulted in three major wars, two minor wars and one near war in 2001-2002 which saw the largest deployment of armies since World War II. We in Pakistan realize that a quick fix of the Kashmir issue is not possible but that does not mean putting it on the back burner, even for a while.
For the peace process to continue in a positive direction, it is essential (i) for India to infuse enough substance into the discussions on Kashmir and give enough public recognition to their results to keep Pakistan fully engaged, and (ii) to craft a solution that involves the Kashmiris in the peace process in a way that undercuts extremists' appeal inside Kashmir. Make no mistake about it.
F. U. AHMAD
Karachi
Relief for govt employees
It is being widely speculated that the coming budget will have no new taxes, but the rank and file of government employees look upon it as of no consequence. The rising cost of living has broken their backs despite the last financial relief in the form of a 17 per cent raise. As against this, the pays and allowances of the president, the prime minister and the parliamentarians were raised by 117 per cent last year.
As the government employees are vital to the running of state affairs, they ought to be given an adequate financial relief in the next budget. The earlier this gulf of injustice is bridged between the government employees and the rulers the better.
MIRZA GHULAM HAIDER
Multan
BJP and Muslim voters
This refers to the letter "BJP and Muslim voters" by Mr Ravi Madhav (March 15) in which he claims that "India is too big, too complex and too tolerant to veer into any extreme direction anytime soon" and that happenings like the Gujarat massacres are mere aberrations.
I am quite surprised at these assertions for they are so blatantly in contradiction to the reality. The fact that the BJP is chasing Muslim votes is not "the ultimate expression of a working democracy", as he puts it, but an effort being made for public consumption.
It is not even meant for the Muslim voters but actually for non-Muslim voters with moderate views so as to dispel the impression that it is communal. The few leaders from the Muslim community that the BJP has inducted have no standing in their community.
Noted Indian writers like Mr Kuldip Nayar and Khushwant Singh have declared that the BJP is a communal party which is a political arm of the RSS and in whose leader (Vajpayee) the Sangh Parivar has found a perfect 'mukht' (mask).
Mr Khushwant Singh in his book The End of India states that for all practical purposes secularism is dead in India and that all stratas of Indian society have been deeply immersed by communalism.
Mr Madhav goes to the extent of exonerating the BJP from the Gujarat riots by saying that riots occurred under Congress rule, too. He also tries to equate the Gujarat riots with the burning of the train carrying BJP sympathizers - something which is incredulous.
About 2,000 Muslims died in the Gujarat riots compared to a few dozen in the burning train. Two years have passed and not a single person has been hanged for them, let alone charged, convicted or even fined.
The affected people are unable to return to their homes. A commission of inquiry exonerated Muslims from burning the train in Godhra and declared that it was burnt by somebody from inside the train.
The fact is that secularism has never been practised in its pure form in India. The Muslims are nearly 15 per cent of the population, yet their representation in the government services, the bureaucracy, the army and industry is several times less.
No government in India has ever sincerely tried to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Indian Muslims. Khushwant Singh, one the most famous Indian journalists, has written in his biography that Muslims in India find it hard to get government jobs and that it is impossible for them to be employed in the Hindu-controlled private sector.
This is not to say that there are not good people in India who are truly secularist like Kuldip Nayar and Khushwant Singh, but the fact remains that India's soul and mind is today controlled by people who are blinded by religious hate and fascist ideas.
OSAMA MUSTAFA
Lahore
Match-fixing allegations
I understand that there is scepticism about match-fixing in the subcontinent. But I now feel that Pakistani cricket fans have used this excuse in the past few years to justify any defeat of their team to what they consider a lesser team.
Was this question ever asked when Pakistan won the second and the third ODIs? So, what are we to believe - the Pakistan cricket team win on merit and India win only when Pakistan let them? Is that a fair assessment?
AJIT NAGARKAR
New Jersey, USA
Creating more provinces
Last week Prime Minister Jamali told the press that Pakistan needed more provinces. One wonders who he is giving this advice to. If he himself, despite being the chief executive of the country, is not able to implement his suggestion, then who will? Why is he not putting his idea for discussion before the National Assembly?
ISRAR ALI
Vancouver, BC., Canada
Traffic lights
The newly-introduced short duration traffic lights at the intersection of PIDC House, the CM House, Ziauddin Ahmed Road and Club Road is shattering the nerves of daily commuters.
This arrangement doesn't allow vehicles to pass smoothly as the duration between green and red signals is short and gives motorists little time to move ahead, thus adding to the already long trail of carriages. Will somebody concerned restore the old system?
AFFLICTED TRAVELLER
Karachi
Pol prices
It has become a joke to reduce or enhance the prices of petroleum products every 15 days in paisa. Nobody returns the amount in paisa at petrol pumps.
It is suggested that the prices should be in round figures only and the paisa should be done away with. This should also be applicable to CNG stations.
MAJOR ANWAR PASHA
Lahore
Savings centre
National Savings Centre, Phase V, DHA, Karachi, has only a single room and is always overcrowded during working hours until late in the afternoon. The workload is specially heavy on Saturdays and after holidays, and the staff are insufficient to cope with the rush of depositors.
It is requested that the centre should be shifted to a bigger place and the number of the staff should be increased.
A DEPOSITOR
Karachi
Cultural events
In the mists of darkness surrounding us these days, two exciting and hopeful events have taken place. Both were executed with excellence.
First, an Indo-Pakistan drama festival was held to celebrate 20 years of Ajoka Theatre Group, the premier theatre group of Pakistan gaining an enviable international reputation.
Madiha Gauhar and Shahid Nadeem's combined talents as an innovative director and a brilliant playwright have created a genre following in the footsteps of the Berlin Ensemble. Their services to the nation are invaluable, bringing crucial issues to the fore.
Second, Ms Kishwar Nahid organized the 10th Saarc writers' conference together with Ms Ajeet Kaur of the foundation of Saarc writers. It fulfilled all expectations. Earlier this year Ms Nahid had organized an Indo-Pakistan writers' conference. The Saarc conference cemented the gains made in the earlier event.
The high quality of expression, the inimitable thoughts rendered in poetry and prose and the genuine amity and friendship made it a memorable occasion. Despair swamps one to see such talents and potential for excellence in all fields being grounded down by a system created for the mediocre.
FARRUKH NIGAR AZIZ
Lahore
Billboards in Islamabad
I would like to bring it to the notice of the CDA chairman that huge advertising hoardings are being erected at various places in Islamabad, affecting the beauty of the city.
Billboards at time cause distraction to motorists, leading to road accidents. They also block the city's panoramic skyline. It would be interesting to note that previously the Capital Development Authority did not even all banners in the city. I request the authorities to remove the roadside billboards.
S. ZULFIQAR ALI
Islamabad
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