| 19 April 2004 | Monday | 28 Safar 1425 |
Role of teachers
Foreign exchange reserves
Hyderabad's woes
Denying representation
'A war founded on lies'
Chinese economic problems
Shipping charges
EOBI affairs
Performance of cricket team
Profit on NSS
Choked sewers
A dangerous road hump
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A number of articles and letters debating the issue of major non-Nato ally (MNNA) status have been published in these columns in the last one month. There are two categories of MNNA status according to the US legislation. The first category is under Title 10 US Code Section 2350a (Nunn Amendment of 1987).
The secretary of defence, with the concurrence of the secretary of state, can designate MNNAs. The second category, under Section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, authorizes the US president to designate a country as an MNNA after a 30-day notification to Congress.
When an Indian reporter asked Donald Rumsfeld, US secretary of defence, about the MNNA status to Pakistan in an operational briefing on April 15, Rumsfeld replied: "Those are announcements that are made by the department of state and the president, and I think the questions are best directed there." This indicates that Pakistan will be placed in the second category of MNNAs.
This was also evident in the remarks of Adam Ereli, spokesman of US department of state, in his daily press briefing on April 1. He said: "There are a number of benefits to being a major non-NATO ally, including having US-owned war reserve stockpiles on its territory outside of US installations, entering certain cooperative training agreements with the US, and eligibility for expedited processing of export licences of commercial satellites."
US-owned war reserve stockpiles on Pakistani soil? In 1980s, we had already been acting, without having MNNA status, as a warehouse or forwarding base for US interests. The residents of Islamabad- Rawalpindi have not forgotten the April 10, 1998 fireworks display at Ojri camp. Prime Minister Junejo had tried to investigate that tragedy and that had cost him his job. I hope PM Jamali will keep that in mind.
As far as the cooperative training agreements are concerned, a couple of Pakistani generals may get pleasure trips to US CENTCOM headquarters in Florida. Some of their kin may get US visas. That is all to it.
The White House has still not officially designated Pakistan as MNNA. The pro-Indian lobby in US Congress is so quick that they have introduced a bill to amend the president's discretionary powers.
The title of bill H.R 4021 presented to the 108th Congress on March 24 states: "To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require that only countries that have a democratic form of government and that support United States nonproliferation objectives may be designated as major non-NATO allies for purposes of that act and the Arms Export Control Act."
A few years down the road, one fine morning the US president will wake up and revoke the MNNA status of Pakistan. History will once again repeat itself and a poor nation will lose its advance payment just like the F-16 deal.
"Our foreign office should examine these and other related questions thoroughly before accepting this gift horse" (letter to the editor, April 17, by Salahuddin K. Leghari).
IMRAN KHALID ARAIN
Windsor, Canada
Role of teachers
With reference to your editorial on the role of teachers (April 12), it is satisfying to note that the education minister has realized the unsatisfactory service structure of teachers and their pay-scales and has given an assurance that the government will improve the facilities in the near future. At present teachers all over the country are agitating against policies on promotion and poor grades, which need to be revised.
Teachers are the backbone of every teaching institution as well as the builders of our future generations and, as such, they must be looked after properly. I would like to lay down some important qualities of teachers, their contributions and incentives for the improvement of education:
- Teachers having formal education should be inducted and may be trained at the time of their appointment for at least 1-2 months in order to help them learn teaching methodologies based on the cognitive method of teaching. Later on, specialized training in subjects like science, maths and English can be conducted on a yearly basis.
- Besides BEd and MEd courses, short-term diploma, certificate courses and workshops should be arranged to improve the quality of teaching.
- Senior teachers can play an important role in curriculum development and an effective system of examination/evaluation in order to maintain good standards. They can motivate students to do community service, inculcate in them moral/ethical values and civic sense.
- Training through master trainers in different subjects is also desirable.
- In the present-day teaching methodology, students must be involved in the learning process.
- Educational management requires special training. In most cases they are appointed on the basis of seniority and not on merit. Incentives should be provided in the form of a better salary package, allowances, transportation, health facilities and free education of their children in order to attract qualified and experienced teachers to the education sector.
PROF (DR) AKHLAQ AHMED
Karachi
Foreign exchange reserves
In an address to the Rotary Club of Karachi last month on the subject of "Foreign exchange reserves and common man", the State Bank governor, Dr Ishrat Hussain, dealt with this issue effectively and convincingly. However, one area where he seemed to falter was prudent investment of these reserves where he did admit: "We have made agreement with foreign funds for the use of FE reserves. We don't have the expertise to manage these reserves."
One would assume that any central banker or for that matter any significant corporate entity sitting on a huge pool of funds would like to spread its holdings in different monetary assets.
In the case of the SBP the vast majority of our liquid reserves are held in US dollars, which has lost some 20 per cent of its value in recent times. Indeed, one of the cardinal jobs of a central bank is not only to hold but also to manage this pool and if it does not have the expertise, it is under an obligation to ensure that it creates such expertise within its own jurisdiction.
When we have qualified Pakistanis who have served in international financial institutions, including the IMF and the World Bank, it should not be too difficult to utilize their services and establish an in-house department.
In today's world most of us have access to minute-by-minute information available through Bloomberg and Reuters screen. Not that we want to trade in currencies. But information is always available.
While the US dollar remains the major currency of the world keeping in view the size of the US economy, one should not overlook the fact that America suffers from major trade and balance-of-payments difficulties. The saving rate in the US is virtually zero.
A balanced allocation of reserves in currencies like the dollar, yen, the euro and even gold is what any individual heading either a central bank or a huge conglomerate should consider.
SHIRAZ SACHEDINA
Karachi
Hyderabad's woes
Over time the population and the development process have not grown proportionately. The condition of water supply and drainage, sanitation, public health, wholesale markets (meat, fish, vegetable fruits and others) has deteriorated considerably, not to mention streets and roads.
The only main road of the city, Thandi Sarak, is a shambles. Pushcarts and clusters of huts and shacks are springing up everywhere. The problem is multidimensional and not only requires long-term planning, with a larger financial outlay, but a strong figure with the requisite authority, ability, determination and financial cover.
The devolution plan has failed to provide relief to the people in matters of utilities, health and hygiene, parks and playgrounds, graveyards, musafir khanas, trees, etc., which are in the worst possible state.
Professors of medical colleges seldom attend OPD's and nazims do not check sanitation. Rural or urban-oriented policies have created complications, and have brought about the downfall of a new and clean city, free from socio-political confrontation.
In 1976 a Dawn editorial said: "Neglected for long, Sindh's second biggest city has been in a deplorable state - dilapidated roads, unauthorized structures, congestion, lack of a proper sewerage system, pools of stagnant water, poor maintenance of parks, and heaps of rubbish everywhere."
If 2004 is worse than 1976, imagine the chaos that would be created by heavy rainfall, earthquake or other natural calamities, and how our blood banks, doctors and social volunteers (other than Edhi) would respond to such a situation.
I strongly urge that prompt action must be taken to remedy the current situation, and adequate measures developed for the future.
AGHA SHAHABUDDIN
Hyderabad
Denying representation
America's support for Ariel Sharon's proposal to retain the West Bank and deny the right of return to Palestinian refugees clearly shows that America always wanted to impose a political settlement on the Palestinians.
In the past, America and other western powers such as Britain have used international law to justify the imposition of political solutions on the Palestinians. But now America seeks to force the Palestinians into accepting a settlement which is in clear violation of international law.
America and Britain have also applied the same logic to Afghanistan and Iraq. In both countries illegal occupation is now termed as liberation and popular uprisings against the propped-up government of Karzai and the Iraqi Governing Council are described as progress towards democracy.
America and Britain claim to be the harbingers of freedom and democracy, but in practice they have for decades denied the Muslim masses the right to political representation.
The time has come for sincere people in the West to question the fundamentals of the West's ideology which allows their political representatives to practise duplicity and tyranny in the name of freedom and democracy
ABID MUSTAFA
Slough, UK
'A war founded on lies'
This refers to Robert Fisk's article "A war founded on lies" (April 10). He says, and I couldn't agree more, that the Iraq war was started on illusions, lies, false hopes, self-deceit, self-delusion and with a promise to liberate Iraqis from Saddam's tyranny. (Dawn, April 10).
The US and UK invaded Iraq for removing injustice and oppression to introduce peace and democracy there. The removal of Saddam from the scene in April last year was not the end of state terrorism; it is the occupying forces which are now terrorizing Iraqis.
There is no rejoicing by the Iraqis on their so-called liberation. For them, one oppressor has been replaced by another. They would rejoice when American and British forces would leave their land.
Iraq may well be another Vietnam for the US, and this time its retreat will be even more humiliating and horrible. The main objectives of the Iraq war have been achieved, i.e., to control Iraqi oil and to fortify Israel against its Arab neighbours. Any harsh treatment of the Iraqi people would now invite their and their neighbours' anger.
S.M. KAZIM NAQVI
Karachi
(2)
My accolades to Mubashir Khan for his letter (April 14) in response to Tony Blair's article (April 12). It would be a futile exercise to add anything to it but I do find some interesting points.
- The only present political requirement of Tony Blair is to re-own the pre-Iraqi fiasco position amongst his electorate. Blair had thought that his stand that the "Iraq battle we have to fight, a struggle we have to win" might attract them.
- What he has written can best be described as his emotional justification for the immoral Iraqi war. It appears that he has played his last card.
- Many things Blair has written do not appear to be his own. "The Iraqi wealth would be theirs, the oil theirs" look like Bush-specific.
- At present Bush is in difficulties in his electioneering campaign as 50 per cent of Americans want their troops to return. Blair's article is also meant to pacify them for the sake of his soul-mate.
- "We are locked in a historic struggle", he writes. I may agree with him provided he agrees with me (thanks Rumsfeld) that this is a case of the rebirth of the notorious British-French 1916 Sykes Picot Pact when their forces invaded and occupied many countries of the Middle East.
It looks interesting that at that time of history the then British prime minister had failed to remember to say that this was being done for the democratization of the countries concerned. "The colonialists are idiot, they never learn," so once said Ho Chi Minh.
Z. A. KAZMI
Karachi
Chinese economic problems
Recent editorials in your esteemed newspaper are painting a very rosy picture of Chinese economic progress without discussing the potential problems there.
Financial analysts all over the world are saying that China has an overheated economy. The banks there have a very large proportion of non-performing loans.
In fact, the People's Bank of China has reportedly not been able to sell all its bills for the fourth week in a row. China still does not know how to slow down its economy so that nobody gets hurt. Investors are now afraid of the consequences if the bubble bursts.
I do feel that Singapore's model of development is better than that of either China or Malaysia. Malaysia is known for its crony capitalism and corruption. There is nothing in Malaysia to be proud of.
Even their "national car" is a Mitsubishi clone. Above all, the solution they had for their monetary crisis was to stop the outbound flow of money. There are no Chinese or Malaysian brands that come to anybody's mind in the western or developed world. Even India has a better brand image than either of these countries.
SHAUKAT ALI
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Shipping charges
A news item in Dawn of April 3 prompts me to add that shipping lines/agents extracted much more than what they considered due and correct. For instance, they fixed THC at Rs6,750 for a 40-foot container but one line collected Rs10,000, though the bill of lading stipulated "THC at destination prepaid".
Another line collected Rs11,700. The Pakistan port surcharge is chargeable only for shipments from Far East ports but most of the lines charged it also for shipments coming from Europe.
A freight forwarder collected Rs21,950 for an LCL/20-foot container. Is it open licence to charge, illegally, any amount at sweet will? The government must apply corrective measures to checkmate.
N. V. GUDDA
Karachi
EOBI affairs
It is a pitiable sight to watch old women and men standing in long queues carrying EOBI pension cards to receive a meagre sum of money through banks, which hardly exceeds Rs1,000 per month. These people have spent a major part of their life in government or semi-government service.
The prime minister is requested to take notice of the sad state of affairs and give some reasonable relief to EOBI pensioners and lesson their sufferings by allowing some increase in their monthly allowance.
QAZI ABDUL WAHEED
Karachi
Performance of cricket team
The overall performance of the Pakistan cricket team in the recent Indo-Pakistan cricket series in general and the last Test match in Rawalpindi in particular was well below par and questionable.
Nobody saw any sense in including six new players in the crucial and final Test against India. Fazle-i-Akbar's bowling was quite expensive and so was that of the other three bowlers except Shoib Akhtar. The batting too completely collapsed.
Just review the performance of Indian teenaged players who had no or little experience and exposure before this series. Patel played brilliantly in another crucial match for India and remained 62 not out. All Indian players played extremely, with full responsibility.
The Pakistan Cricket Board should dismiss the selection team and the governing body and should start all over again.
N.M. ABBASI
Lusaka, Zambia
Profit on NSS
A lot of letters, requests and reminders have appeared in the press on the issue. The latest was "NSS and euro bonds" by Mr Sohail Ahmed (March 21). Investors have become so despairing that they do not want to take up the issue anymore. The verse written by Mr Karrar Hussain Naqvi in his letter (March 20) is commentary enough. I want to add: Bhains ke samne kya bin bajana.
A rural story goes like this. A farmer took his bhains (buffalo) to a pond. He did not have idea that the pond would be so muddy. As the animal entered the water, it started to sink in the mud.
Worried, the farmer tried to pull it out of the mud but could not. Frustrated he prayed to Allah: Ya Allah, ya to ise bahar nikalne mein meri madad kar ya phir isko gharaq kar de taakey meri nazron se ojhal ho jae.
HAJI ASHFAQ
Nazwa, Oman
Choked sewers
Gutter/sewerage lines on Street 14 Commercial, DHA Phase II, Ext., Karachi, get choked frequently, causing great inconvenience to the residents. Sewage flows along the main entrance of the Sheikh Ayaz Mehmood Mosque. Many workshops, stores and other offices are also located in the area, and the road is used by heavy traffic.
The DHA administration needs to monitor such leakages and promptly repair the choked/broken gutter lines. This can be done through a system of visits by the officers of the administration. Filthy water has made the lives of the local residents simply miserable.
LT-COL IRFAN HAIDER (retd)
Karachi
A dangerous road hump
Recently a road hump has been raised on Russian consulate road just outside the Bilquees Edhi Female Child Welfare Home in Clifton, Karachi. The road hump is dangerous because it is not properly marked out.
No warning sign has been installed near it. White lines and reflectors are also missing. You have to suddenly brake hard to avoid jumping over the hump.
I hope the relevant authorities will ensure due visibility of the speed-breaker.
RIZ YAHYA
Karachi
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