| 11 April 2004 | Sunday | 20 Safar 1425 |
Is poverty coming down?
Bahria Town scam
Recruitment by Rangers
Tourism and terrorism
Shikarpur TV viewers
SDPI report on textbook reforms
The veil and women MNAs
Condition of Jinnah Garden
HEC plan for PhDs
Narrow road
Police pickets
Awareness of HIV among doctors
Low interest rates
Water cut-off
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This has reference to a recent news item regarding import of 500,000 tons of rice from India on a back-to-back letter of credit for re-export to global destinations.
The content of the statement issued on behalf of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan gives the wrong signal that our rice stocks have depleted and we cannot supply it in bulk to our foreign buyers. This also seems an attempt to promote Indian rice.
As a result, our foreign buyers have started looking to India to cover their future requirements directly from Indian exporters. The statement has further created panic among rice millers and growers and is bound to affect the forthcoming crops.
Pakistan exports about two million tons of rice every year. Millions of workers, farmers and skilled manpower are engaged in this trade, earning their daily bread. If this idea is implemented, a few bigwigs will enjoy the premium of indent sales at nil cost and risk at their end, while raising unemployment in the country. This will devastate our rice industry and trade.
This idea belongs to traders who did not fulfil their export commitments because of price hikes in the market. By speculating about market prices, they sold rice on forward terms of delivery while they did not possess the stock physically. At the time of delivery, they failed to honour their commitments, causing embarrassment to Pakistan.
We should realize that the world has already become a global village, and the internet era has made world trade data available to us all. Buyers are now more shrewd and have become price-conscious, specially in grain commodities and bulk trade. The role of the middleman is on its last legs. The waves from the World Trade Organization are breaking all trade barriers. Today, buyers are directly approaching their sources of supply. Pakistani rice which was re-exported from Dubai and other trading countries is now directly reaching its original destinations.
It is unthinkable that our exporters will sell Indian rice while 0.75 million tons of coarse rice is lying in our warehouses. Moreover, pressure of these stocks will be passed on to the forthcoming paddy of new crop to be harvested in June-July. Any supply of Indian rice in big quantities by our traders to foreign buyers even for short-term gain will ruin our markets permanently.
We should develop a positive approach and jointly work for the national interest. To improve our situation, we must develop new seeds/varieties to raise per-acre yield to help both the farmer and the country.
SHAMSUL ISLAM KHAN
Karachi
Is poverty coming down?
Dawn needs to be complimented for the three brilliant articles "Islam's concerns for the poor" by Dr Abdul Karim, "What happened to Quaid's dream" by Mr M. H. Askari, and "Platos from the drill square" by Mr Ayaz Amir.
Certainly, Allah will not bless a people who does not give the weak their rights. Poverty alleviation is the buzzword today in Pakistan. We want to reduce poverty by methods which help increase poverty. It is indeed a sad story that while we boast of about $13 billion foreign reserves, poverty continues to increase. What's the good of these reserves if the poor continue to suffer? Who will really benefit from this money?
In the past, we never heard of people committing suicides due to poverty. Last year, over 500 people took their own lives for want of proper financial support. Some years back, on a few people could be seen sleeping on footpaths in Karachi's Clifton area, but today you can count hundreds.
Mr Askari asks as to what has happened to the Quaid's dream. The answer is: we have all shattered it. It was not without reason that his daughter, Mrs Dina Wadia, wrote what she did in the visitors' book when she visited her father's mausoleum. Being a highly sensitive person like her father, she was able to understand and feel that his dreams were yet to come true.
Mr Ayaz Amir's column reflects the majority viewpoint. Living people act like the Iraqis and not like cowards. We have taken action against our own people to find and locate two persons, Osama bin Laden and Aiman Zawhairey. Can we know where they are? In having undertaken this operation, we have defied the Quaid-i-Azam's wishes vis-a-vis the tribal areas.
MAHER H. ALAVI
Karachi
Bahria Town scam
We invested our life's savings in getting a plot allotted in Bahria Town, Rawalpindi.
We were made to realize soon afterwards that all was not well regarding our decision. The Bahria Town scheme started hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons and it was associated with Admiral Mansoorul Haq and the entire case was referred to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Some others have now resumed the unfinished agenda of collecting more money from the public by asking the allottees to pay more under the head of development charges, which all the allottees had paid well before the allotment.
Plots are being cancelled on non-payment of the extra development charges and sold at higher prices.
The address of Bahria Town has been intentionally confined to a post-box. My earlier letter sent through courier was returned undelivered. My remittance was also not accepted.
My plot has been cancelled without any rhyme or reason. Probably they can afford doing this and get away with it because they have on their board a retired lieutenant-general, a retired general, a retired commodore and a retired wing commander. And they have recently succeeded in getting patronage and cover from the governor of Punjab who was invited to grace a mass marriage function.
I appeal to the prime minister's secretariat, the GHQ, as well as the Punjab governor, to look into the matter urgently so that the public can be saved from further problem.
AFFECTED
Karachi
Recruitment by Rangers
In the recent recruitment procedure of the Pakistan Rangers for the post of sub-inspector, I witnessed many agonizing flaws. I belong to Balochistan, but for the registration I had to go to Lahore. Call letters for a written test were delivered after a few days of registration. The candidates were called for a written test to Mandi Bahauddin situated very far from Lahore. No conveyance was easily available to reach that place. Twice the normal fare was charged when the transporters came to know about the Rangers recruitment.
In Mandi Bahauddin, we had to face a serious problem of lodging as about Rs500 per head was charged for a room and Rs200 per head for a place to sleep under a 'hotel' roof. Many candidates were wandering in search of mosques or even a place where they could sit. Anyhow, the night was spent. Candidates had to reach the Rangers Academy at 7am, which was a difficult task.
But physical discomfort seemed nothing as compared to the mental torture. Abrupt language was used and the candidates who did not have an army connection were treated shabbily. The situation was practically the same during the recruitment.
After a survey, we found that no person could consider himself selected even if he fully came up to the requirements if he had no army background or relationship with a political figure.
Being a Pakistani, I have the right to make a suggestion: call only those whom you want to select. If you can't reduce the sorrows of the poor, then at least don't increase their problems.
KALEEM HAIDER
Dera Bugti
Tourism and terrorism
"The one thing in common among those Muslim countries that attract large numbers of tourists is that alcohol is easily available to visitors... Unfortunately, Pakistan is not an attractive destination on any of these counts. For reasons purely of our own making, we get virtually no slice of the world's largest single industry," says Mr Irfan Husain in his column "Tourism and terrorism" (April 10)
He further writes: "In the seventies, Bhutto had the vision to try and position Pakistan as a destination for pleasure-seeking Arabs. He gave permission for a casino, and a couple of five-star hotels."
Is Mr Irfan Husain suggesting that we "legalize" alcohol? What comes next? To match Amsterdam we permit marijuana and to score better than Bangkok we give out brothel licenses? How about getting in the adults-only theme parks business to outdo exotic islands in the Pacific?
How far do we have to go and to what extent do we have to compromise whatever leftover morality there is in this society just to become a hip place for visitors?
SAJJAD WASTI
Toronto, Canada
Shikarpur TV viewers
As PTV Karachi's booster is installed at Shikarpur, its programmes cannot be properly seen in the Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Ubauro, Kamo Shaheed areas, as well as in some eastern parts of Jacobabad district, particularly in Kashmore tehsil.
As a result, viewers are not able to watch Karachi TV programmes and have to opt for Lahore TV's Punjabi programmes, which are beamed from the booster at Rahimyar Khan that is hooked on to PTV Lahore.
I request PTV Karachi authorities to install a booster in Ghotki district to enable a large number of people of this area to watch Sindhi programmes telecast by Karachi TV.
AGHA ATTAULLAH KHAN
Ghotki
SDPI report on textbook reforms
There has been some controversy in your paper regarding my disagreement with the SDPI over the report on the curricula and textbooks. I am writing to clarify the misunderstandings in the hope of setting the record straight. As the differences between myself and the SDPI have been amicably resolved, I think it is time to make put it to rest by briefly outlining what happened.
I was invited by the SDPI in 2002 to participate in a workshop on curricula and textbook changes. Since my training is in educational sociology, with specialization in ideology and the curriculum, I have been working on the issue for over a decade and have published books, papers and articles in both English and Urdu on the subject. I was therefore interested in the workshop and participated in it. As my contribution to the workshop was substantial and I gave my opinions and views on the textbooks in writing to the SDPI, I assumed that my contributions, along with those of others, would be appropriately credited.
However, I was surprised when I saw the report in which I immediately perceived two major omissions: one, many of the opinions and ideas I had submitted were not credited with footnotes, quotation marks and referencing, and, two, previous work by other researchers and myself had not been mentioned or acknowledged. Since I had already done work on glorification of the military and war in textbooks, religious, ethnic and gender prejudices, as well as hate material and the excessive anti-Hindu, anti-India bias in our textbooks in much of my previous work, I thought that it should have been mentioned, otherwise the report would be considered a first intervention in the area. Additionally, other people had also covered some of the same issues quite comprehensively, and their work would also be negated or sidelined. This would be unfair as the report is a continuation of the previous work and builds on it, but not a first intervention. Many of the arguments in it have been made prior to this in great detail.
When I raised the issue with the SDPI, I was told that the report was just a draft and not the final version. Since it was disseminated in a hurry, proper referencing was omitted by mistake. I was assured that the final version would contain an introduction or preface with full acknowledgement of previous work by everyone, and all appropriate references, quotation marks and footnotes would be included. I was asked to supply all the required references, which I did. The SDPI expressed regret over the inadvertent error and also issued a press release, which appeared in two Urdu newspapers but for some reason did not get printed in the English language press where the controversy was raging. As far as I am concerned, the matter is settled and I eagerly await the final report. Anyone who might wish to see the large number of previous works on the issue is welcome to contact me or the SDPI, as it is published work and I would be happy to make it available upon request. I hope that this clarifies any misunderstanding and puts the whole matter to rest, so that we can all turn our attention to the issue of getting the poisonous material that we teach our children changed in favour of a more humane perspective.
RUBINA SAIGOL
Lahore
The veil and women MNAs
This is apropos of the news report "Women's veil a security problem: speaker" (April 9).
The speaker of the National Assembly, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, has expressed concern over the wearing of the veil by some women members of the lower house and sought religious advice on how to tackle it.
Islam does not say that women have to wear a veil. The fact is that women need to cover their bodies in a decent and proper manner. Wearing a veil is part of the subcontinent's culture. The demand that women parliamentarians who wear veils should put their photographs on their identity cards is purely a security issue and should be treated as such.
ATIF KHAN
Karachi
Condition of Jinnah Garden
I want to draw the attention of the prime minister and the relevant authorities of the NWFP to the destruction of the Jinnah Garden in Parachinar, Kurram Agency.
The garden, whose foundation was laid by Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah opposite the political agent's house, once added to the beauty of the city. But the current political administration has started cutting down plants and raising an 18-foot-high wall around the garden. This has affected its beauty.
The authorities are requested to ensure that the garden remains in its original condition.
INAYAT ALI TURI
Parachinar
HEC plan for PhDs
Minister-in-charge of Science and Technology Dr Atta-ur-Rehman said on March 29 that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) aimed at producing about 1500 PhDs in public-sector universities every year (Dawn, March 30).
It will be a waste of public money if the national objectives of science and technologies are not clearly defined, PhD topics are not selected accordingly, and future utilization of PhD qualified persons is not pre-planned.
NASRULLAH KHAN SHINWARI
Peshawar
Narrow road
The road leading to Karachi's Landhi crossing is not wide enough for the heavy traffic that uses it every day. The narrowness of the road and the rush of heavy traffic create frequent traffic jams, causing great inconvenience to motorists. especially to those going to Pakistan Steel and Port Qasim.
The authorities concerned are requested to widen the road as soon as possible.
AFZAAL FAROOQUI
Karachi
Police pickets
The road connecting the Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi, and Shah Faisal Colony No. 3 1/2 runs across the dried-up Malir river bed. There are at least three dangerously located police pickets on this two-way road, where policemen stop motorists to have their palms greased, ignoring the fact that their action may result in an accident. The pickets at the banks of the river are especially causing problems to motorists.
All attempts to persuade the police to stop this practice have failed. Will the high-ups in the Karachi police help bring this malpractice to an end?
SHAMIM ALAM
Karachi
Awareness of HIV among doctors
This note is to inform "Suffering Couple" (Dawn, April 5), the female spouse of which tested positive off and on over the years for ELISA HIV antibodies, apparently during each pregnancy, that false positive HIV screening tests have been reported following flu vaccination and in various connective tissue diseases such as SLE and Polyarteritis nodosa. Also, "indeterminate" results are known to occur in pregnancy, early HIV infection, autoimmune disease, and following recent tetanus toxoid administration.
This list may not be the end of the story, for antibodies against organisms may be stimulated by other non-specific agents or conditions.
This should be noted by medical practitioners and labs in the country that conduct screening tests. The specific confirmatory test for HIV infection remains the Western Blot.
My sympathies go to the affected couple whose misery has been compounded by the doctors who dealt with them in Karachi, who were apparently ignorant of current literature.
PROF (DR) ESSA ABDULLA
Karachi
Low interest rates
This is apropos of the letter "On talking garbage" (April 4) by Mr Arsalan Shaikh. His criticism is misplaced.
It should be quite obvious that a low interest rate is a prerequisite for the flow of liquid capital, without which a society cannot make economic progress. Besides industrial loans, consumer loaning helps reduce unemployment and the cost of basic necessities of life.
Similarly, cottage and housing industries equally require a low interest rate. China is a good example in this context, where loaning facilitates have helped boost production in various industries.
TARIQ MASOUD
Faisalabad
Water cut-off
For nearly a week now, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board has virtually cut off water supply to Block 4-A of Gulshan-i-Iqbal. As a rule, water is released on alternate days. Non-release on the appointed day means a delay of five days. During the week ending April 10, water has either not been released on the appointed days or released only to the extent of 10 per cent of the quota.
Will the KWSB authorities please look into this and give us normal water supply in this hot weather?
LATEEF AHMAD
Karachi
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