| 29 April 2004 | Thursday | 08 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 |
Pensioners' case
Reducing the military's size
Three steps to road safety
The promise of Gwadar
Cricket: need for continuity
PIA's transit hotel problem
Education suggestions
Shoaib Akhtar
Silence on Middle East and Iraq
Redefining ethics
Underage driving
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This refers to Mr Ayaz Amir's article of April 16, Mr Aslam Minhas's letter of April 21 and that by Mr Gohar Ayub Khan of April 23. One cannot but help appreciate the satire in the remark by Mr Amir that: "Stability is the function of not any institution but a single article of clothing the army chief's uniform."
But his comparison of Tayyip Erdogans with Pakistani politics is out of place. On the one hand we cry hoarse about democracy, but on the other we are not prepared to accept elected parties.
In case the US policy towards Iraq and Palestine continues, the MMA vote bank will increase. I hope a situation like Algeria is not precipitated in our country, where many years ago lslamist parties won the general election but the military intervened.
Mr Aslam Minhas has talked of borrowing the baton and making Ayub Khan field marshal. The fact is that Field Marshal Auchinleck was in Pakistan for the centenary celebrations of one of Pakistan's great regiments which both Ayub Khan and Auchinleck had served.
While Ayub Khan attired in a general's uniform received the salute, the field marshal led the march past. Later Auchinleck was asked why he had saluted a person junior to him in rank.
His answer was that he had saluted the president of Pakistan and not a general. This situation was, however, not liked by Ayub Khan and once it was known to his colleagues, the cabinet recommended that he should assume the rank of field marshal.
Field Marshal Auchinleck was a great friend of Pakistan. As the last C-in- C of the subcontinent, he made personal representation to Mountbatten so that we could receive our due share of military hardware.
Mr Gohar Ayub Khan's contention that Auchinleck had invited General Rommel to the gates of Cario is wrong. As C-in-C of the Middle East, he revived a faltering offensive and drove Rommel out of Cyrrenica in December 1941, and then in July-August 1942 halted a German drive into Egypt.
While it is true that he was promoted field marshal after World War II, the reason was that Winston Churchill never liked him as he differed from the prime minister for launching an early counter offensive in July 1942.
After Churchill's defeat in the elections in 1945, Auchinleck's overall performance was reviewed and the grant of rank of field marshal to him was justified. Montgomery did not replace him.
He replaced General Gott who was killed in an air attack by Luftwaffe. Auchinleck was replaced by General Alexander. As for the issue of uniform and our president, I think General Pervez Musharraf, as compared to previous military rulers, is far more intelligent and tolerant a person.
He has achieved all objectives without imposing martial law or setting up military courts. Both our civil and military rulers before him had no tolerance of personal criticism. As for wearing the uniform or remaining COAS, remember that the rank of field marshal did not help Ayub Khan.
KHALID HASSAN MAHMOOD
Karachi
Pensioners' case
The worst-hit from the steady fall of returns on national savings schemes are the widows, the elderly and the pensioners who had invested in NSS. The drop in the rate of returns bites deep into their pockets while they deal with rising costs.
There's need now to start more special schemes for such persons, but would be of use only when transparency is introduced in the NSS working. At present there appears to be lack of transparency and accountability in the system. Rules and details of new schemes are not available in printed brochures. These are also not displayed in readable lettering at the NSS centres. This causes confusion and frustration among the investors.
Some time ago the government introduced a scheme for persons who have retired or are retiring from service in government, autonomous corporations and their units. The scheme was designated as Pensioners' Benefit Account (scheme). It was launched through advertisements with much fanfare, but it seems to have started on the wrong foot.
There was no mention in the advertisements of requirement for pension book for availing the benefits of the scheme. I saw crowds at national savings centres begging to join the scheme but if they could not produce their pension books or if they had served in a project which was not included in the list available with the national savings directorate, they were turned away.
Requirement of a pension book from all retirees did not appear to be justified. There may be many autonomous corporations and their units which are still in existence or which have since been privatized, where there may still be no pension scheme and it would, therefore, not have been possible for the retirees to produce pension books.
It is common knowledge that a number of nationalized undertakings and other public sector projects financed and set up by the government itself have been privatized. If there is even an iota of truth in the complaints that national savings directorate was guided by the list of existing public sector projects in deciding requests of retirees, this will betray lack of proper homework on their part.
It is suggested that printed brochures should be brought out giving all scheme details and of documents needed from the investors. These details be also displayed at all NSS centres. And there should be no room left for exercising individual discretion in any manner on the part of the staff.
MOHAMMAD ANWAR KHAN
Karachi
Reducing the military's size
The Pakistan Army has taken a momentous decision of reducing its size at this juncture ("Pakistan to reduce army size by 50,000", April 28). The size of the army so long has been dependent on Pakistan's relations with India.
The nation hopes that this reduction is in accordance with the prevailing Indo-Pakistan detente, and the reduction in the tail will be used to enhance the effectiveness of the fighting strength of Pakistan and the different regiments and battalions in the army will still deserve the fame they earned during World War II.
We would also like to know whether India is going to do the same, whose army is double the size of the Pakistan Army. China may be a factor to convince the Indians to have a million-man strong army.
But in view of the present Sino-Indian relationship, India should not need that strong an army. India does not have to fight the battle of Nefa again. Premier Chou Enlai had himself ordered a ceasefire over the present line and since then it has been all quiet on the front.
Pakistan at that time unilaterally elected not to embarrass India for which the Indians never felt obliged. Be that as it may, the demand of confidence -building measures is that India should also reduce its combatant force by a sizable number.
As for nuclear power, both India and Pakistan should be taken in as members of the nuclear club. President Qadhafi has made a very laudable suggestion that from the United States right up to China, every nuclear power should scuttle its nuclear arsenals. The world would then be a very peaceful place to live in; otherwise rogue armies will continue disturbing world peace.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
Three steps to road safety
On the occasion of World Health Day, April 7, you published an article from me entitled 'A neglected public health crisis'. Using road traffic injury data from the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in 2003, the article sought to highlight the magnitude of the problem we face.
Certain readers have complained that the article, while informative, did not offer directions for dealing with the problem, and I would, therefore, like to offer three suggestions which, if implemented, could reduce the burden of death and disability inflicted on our roads:
1. Adoption of laws enforcing the wearing of crash helmets by scooter and motorcycle riders. The requirement that all sales/registrations of motorized two-wheelers incorporate the provision of a crash helmet would help ensure implementation of this law.
2. Application of regulations that specify a minimum level of education and training as a prerequisite to the licensing of drivers of commercial vehicles carrying more than six passengers or loads greater than 500kg.
3. Creation of a road usage authority to control traffic police, grant route permits, look after registration of vehicles, certify road worthiness of vehicles, licence drivers, maintain roads and undertake engineering works required to improve traffic flow and frame and implement all laws and rules pertaining to usage of roads by vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
This super authority would allow the inter-sectorial actions required to improve road safety and its budget should come from granting it a fraction of the revenues from the sale of motor spirits.
This may seem to be a tall order, but in essence it merely boils down to a series of legal and administrative steps to be taken by a government sensitive to the lives and welfare of citizens.
RASHID JOOMA
Professor and Head, Department of Neurosurgery, JPMC, Karachi
The promise of Gwadar
Your editorial "The promise of Gwadar" (April 25) and Dawn's Special Supplement on Gwadar (April 1) followed by views in these columns are commendable efforts to promote awareness of Gwadar among the local and world business communities.
Unfortunately, this important deep sea port on the Makran coast of the Arabian Sea has been ignored since long. Development of Gwadar city should not be politicized; rather its national and regional role should be highlighted. We wish that all Pakistan should equally benefit from this source. Nevertheless, special benefits should be extended to the local population on a priority basis.
I have visited Gwadar and am glad to say that it has the potential to become an economic hub of Pakistan provided we let it emerge the way it deserves. I was pleased to read the views of Mr Ahmed B. Lehri regarding his Gwadar mission (Dawn's Supplement on Gwadar).
My humble suggestion to Mr Lehri would be to study the performance of the development authorities of modern port cities, as well as the impacts of poorly thought-out and shortsighted master plans of various cities in Pakistan.
In order to benefit from the experience of modern cities in other countries, international seminars should be held to help the Gwadar Development Authority to build the place as a mega port city, with excellent amenities for its inhabitants and business operations.
SYED M. ALI ZAIDI
Karachi
Cricket: need for continuity
If losing the series against India was bad, pointing fingers at one another and finding scapegoats is worse. What the Pakistan cricket team needs at the moment is continuity. We have been making abrupt changes of captain and coach for too long. We should learn from our own experience and that of other teams.
All consistently performing teams have one thing in common; they do not change their captains and coaches every year. Pakistan's golden time in the late '80s and the early '90s was also due to continuity.
We should compare the Pakistani team's present performance with its performance last year. The Asian Championship Test against Sri Lanka, the Morocco Cup, the one-day and Test series against Australia, the Test and one-day series against South Africa and last but not least The World Cup 2003 were all miserable failures, with the series against Australia and South Africa being clean sweeps.
There were too many batting collapses and bad bowling. In none of the matches did we come even remotely close to threatening the opponents. The only success during this period was the one off Test against New Zealand (Inzamam 329), and the indoor one-day challenge series 2-1 win against Australia in Australia due to a couple of unplayable bowling bursts from Shoaib Akhtar.
Compare that to this year. We, with a very young and inexperienced team, beat the world number two team, South Africa, convincingly in a Test and came close to beating them in the one-day series. We beat New Zealand on their home ground.
The frequency of batting collapses has come down significantly. Our bowling has been performing well but for the series against India. All these are good signs and the Pakistan Cricket Board should persist with the current captain, coach and manager, and the government should keep the PCB management.
Besides, there are no more reasonable choices left, and after a long time we have a team without half a dozen former captains. As it is, the removal of Rashid Latif was a big mistake. Now removal of the coach will be a disaster (Remember the experiment with Wasim Raja, Mudassar Nazar and Richard Pybus?).
We should also realize and accept that cricket's popularity has declined and resources in terms of talent are drying up in the country. There is no structure and facilities available to play the game at the grass-root level.
There are a few clubs and few (mohalla level) grounds. Even "gali" cricket is not as popular as it was in the '80s. In these circumstances Pakistan did not do that badly in the recent series.
They fought well in one-days, and the Multan Test could have been a draw if Inzamam and Youhana had not been given out the way they were. The only match they chucked was the Test in Rawalpindi.
The PCB should continue to find ways to improve further but with stability in structure and without washing dirty linen in public.
SYED RAZA
Canton, Michigan, USA
PIA's transit hotel problem
Travelling PIA business class from Islamabad to Kathmandu on April 11, I had to stay overnight in transit at Karachi. The PIA staff at the transfer desk told me there was no room available at the hotels on the PIA panel for business class passengers.
In the PIA operations room on the second floor, an official told me that it was a routine problem that the hotels never accepted PIA transit passengers. He said that his superiors did not listen to him when he told them that this problem had angered many a passenger who considered it PIA's fault.
He urged me to write to the PIA management for improving the situation. Then to help me out, he arranged accommodation for me at a nondescript hotel near Baloch Colony.
Now if there was really no room available in the designated hotel on the night of April 11, then I thank PIA for speedily arranging an alternative for me. If that was not the case, then the hotels need to find a way to avoid missing out on business from PIA.
But more seriously, if some PIA staff are maligning the hotels and PIA at the cost of patronizing a non-descript hotel, then it is your call Mr Ahmad Saeed.
DR PARVAIZ NAIM
Kathmandu, Nepal
Education suggestions
There are some complaints from parents and students about the education system in Karachi. I would like to suggest some points for consideration by the education department:
1) All primary and secondary examinations should be completed up to March 15 and results be announced on March 31. All passing students should be provided lists of books for the new class on the same day.
2) The summer vacation should be from April 1 to May 31 instead of in June-July because April-May are hottest periods. A change in the summer vacation schedule will give sufficient time for the textbook board to ensure supply to students in April-May.
3) The new academic year should start on June 1 and extend up to February next.
4) There should be no long gap between theory and practical examinations of SSC and HSC to enable the students to start the new session on time.
5) If students are not able to secure admission forms/enrolment/examination forms within the due dates, they should not be charged late fees.
6) The winter vacation should start in January and not in December.
MOHAMMAD FAROOQ KUNDA
Karachi
Shoaib Akhtar
While visiting a hospital for cancer-stricken children recently in Mumbai, Shoaib Akhtar reportedly commented: "It is a lifetime opportunity for these kids that I am here with them." Humility, anyone?
AHMAD KAMAL
Gujrat
Silence on Middle East and Iraq
Pakistan, under the leadership of a military-led government, has remained silent over the newly- orchestrated injustices in Palestine and Iraq. It was our military establishment that, till recently, was the champion of Islam both at home and abroad. Within the country we saw it enact the Hudood and blasphemy laws while at the same time supporting the extremist jihadists of Kashmir and Afghanistan.
It has now taken a U-turn. It has refused to even rightly criticize the wrongful acts of the US and Britain. While hundreds of thousands held protests in the US and the UK before the war in Iraq and ministers in the British government threatened resignations, our own leaders stayed silent.
On April 26, 52 former ambassadors and senior officials in the UK signed a letter criticizing Blair. They wrote that Blair's policies in Iraq and Middle East were "doomed to failure" and "it is not good enough to say that the use of force is a matter for local commanders.... Heavy weapons unsuited to the task in hand, inflammatory language, the current confrontations in Najaf and Fallujah, all these have built up rather than isolated the opposition".
It seems that Muslim civilization for now is doomed to suffer from the weakness of its leaders who have sold their nations' souls for pennies.
MUBASHIR KHAN
Indianapolis, IN., USA
Redefining ethics
Addressing a convention on corruption recently, President Musharraf at one point said that "corruption by the poor was condonable". He also said that the rich and the powerful were not ready to pay electricity bills while the poor out of no option had to steal electricity which, he said, cannot be categorized as corruption.
For whatever we have learned from moral science books in our childhood, corruption is not condonable whether committed by the rich or by the poor, whether it involves one rupee or one million rupees. Won't such remarks from the president send the wrong signals to the poor, who constitute the majority in our society?
WG-CDR (retd) FARDAD ALI SHAH
Chitral
Underage driving
An earlier resolve by the Karachi traffic DIG to crack down on underage drivers seems to have wilted. Underage drivers have been the cause of many accidents in the past and need to be taken to task. One way to do this is to catch them when they drive to school. Why is this not being done on a priority basis?
NASEEM AZIZ
Karachi
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