| 06 May 2004 | Thursday | 15 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425 |
Checking unemployment
District status for Alipur
Cricket: winning and losing
Wastage of public money
Contaminated water
NAB and plea bargaining
Gwadar killings
Iraq's new flag
Faulty phone
CDA working
Hoarding dangers
Disrespect for human life
Laser lights
Poor cars
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
According to a report appearing in a section of the press, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), based in Islamabad, has asked the Sindh government to stop the "business" of almost 37 institutes and universities in both the public and private sectors.
The charge is that these institutes are not fulfilling the formalities mentioned in the charter for the development of education. The HEC chairman, Dr Atta-ur-Rehman, said that some of the universities and institutes had not met the required conditions in the last three years and so the HEC would rescind the charters of those institutes, without any distinction between public and private sectors.
This step by the government is a ray of hope for our education system, which has been declining for about two decades. A drastic change has occurred in the fee structure system.
Three decades ago the fees ranged from Rs25 to Rs30 for both intermediate and master's students except for science students who had to pay a little more or for those of medical or engineering colleges. Every college/university was bound to charge a fixed fee, and there was no room for arbitrary changes.
The standard of education in government schools and colleges used to be high and within an affordable fee range. But from the time the government stopped paying attention towards improvement of education, a rot has set in, with the result that the whole education system is headed for commercialization.
Since commercialism set in, big and small houses in lanes, streets and bazaars have been converted into private schools or colleges but still lower and middle class families cannot meet the costs of education.
SABA UMAR
Karachi
(2)
It is heartening to note that the government of Sindh has set up a task force to close down private institutes awarding bogus degrees. The task force should also look into the problems faced by students of private institutes.
The University of Karachi does not accept degrees awarded by certain institutes, nor does it issue equivalent certificates. After doing the MBA from a private college, a student was admitted to an MPhil programme at the University of Karachi after passing the admission test and the interview.
After about two months, the university informed him that his MBA degree was not equivalent to any master's degree recognized by the Higher Education Commission. It is surprising that the university has refused to accept the degree awarded by the college which is an HEC-recognised institution.
The task force should formulate a mechanism to ensure that there is greater coordination between Karachi University and Karachi-based degree-awarding institutes. Will someone at the university or at the HEC clarify?
AFFECTED
Karachi
Checking unemployment
Our macro-economic indicators have improved, but employment opportunities are not increasing. In fact, unemployment is on the rise, creating frustration among our youth. The government must prepare a plan on a war footing to control the situation.
One way to check unemployment is to encourage individuals to "self-employ" by establishing small businesses. The biggest hurdle in the way is bureaucratic red tape and tax documentation requirements. This needs to be addressed immediately.
Firstly, the government should simplify procedures for setting up and running small business units, particularly those which are owned by a single individual, are set up with meagre amounts and have less than 10 employees. There should be a one-window operation to register these businesses and to get their NTN and sales tax registration numbers.
Secondly, most owners of such units are not literate enough to be able to comply with regulatory requirements, nor do they have enough resources to hire lawyers. The government should, therefore, establish small businessmen facilitation centres manned by professionals and lawyers who can help small businessmen to comply with the laws.
For those who feel difficulty in filling out and filing their tax returns, they may get assistance from these centres. They must also have the facility to get assistance from these lawyers if they are asked to appear before the tax officer.
Thirdly, they should not be harassed once they file their tax returns. To summon individuals who own small business units, tax officers must get prior approval from commissioners before issuing notices to them. These notices must clearly mention why it is necessary for the assessee to appear before the tax officer in person or by proxy.
R.H. MERCHANT
Karachi
District status for Alipur
Alipur, a sub-division of Muzaffargarh district, is located about 55 miles from the district headquarters by road. Since the district headquarters is the hub of law and order, revenue and development activities, people from all walks of life have to run to Muzaffargarh for the redress of their grievances and to seek justice.
Come elections, the prospective candidates promise the people that they would pursue the object of upgrading Alipur to district level.
Although the twin cities of Alipur and Ghalwan are situated on the banks of Panjnad Headworks, the subdivision was denied the waters of these rivers. Both the canals were taken out from the other side of the headworks for irrigation of Bahawalpur.
However, in order to compensate for the denial of waters, the government of India decided to connect Alipur with railway network by building a railway from Dera Nawab Sahib to Muzaffargarh via Uch, Alipur, Jatoi, Shehr Sultan, Rohailan Wali, Khangarh, thus providing an outlet for the marketing of its fruit and agricultural crops.
A railway track was laid from Dera Nawab Sahib up to Uch. After independence, the railway project was abandoned. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made a public announcement that the railway project would be completed within two years. The promise was not fulfilled either by him or by his daughter, twice prime minister of Pakistan.
Is Alipur fated to remain the most backward part of Punjab and out of focus of the chief minister's attention?
SYED AFZAL HUSAIN ZAIDI
Islamabad
Cricket: winning and losing
We recently saw the Indian cricket team visit Pakistan to play a one-day and a Test series. No doubt the Indian team won both series, yet the Pakistani team was a worthy loser. The Indians did not have a clean sweep in either series. They had to fight tooth and nail for each victory.
Pakistan in fact put up a good fight. The last match of each series was the decider. We won the one-dayers in Rawalpindi and Peshawar to take the lead.
Similarly, in the Test series we levelled the series in a befitting manner after losing the match badly at Multan. In my opinion, the rest of the noise like innings defeat does not matter. You either win or lose. The effect would have been devastating and demoralizing if, say, the Indian team had gone back with a 5-0 win in one-day and 3-0 in the Test series.
We in Pakistan are known to be bad losers and do not accept defeat gracefully and start blaming everybody, making ridiculous allegations like match -fixing and conspiracies. Our board, the coach, the manager, the captain and the team all did their best. Therefore, they need and deserve consolation, sympathy, encouragement and advice to learn from their mistakes and make a good plan for the future.
Some good teams perform badly in big cups and foreign tours, others perform well to win the cups and series. We Pakistanis tend to forget the old British saying: "Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties."
M.JAVAID YUNUS
Lahore
Wastage of public money
How our bureaucracy thinks and acts has vividly been exemplified by the demolition of the New Muslim Town Bridge in Lahore. Concrete blocks have now been placed to stop cross-over to New Garden Town and vice versa.
Couldn't this blockage have served the same purpose; saving the bridge for use in an emergency? What alternate provisions have been made for pedestrians? Would the destruction of the bridge later provide an excuse to make another one, perhaps an overhead facility, and an opportunity for feather-bedding? Has anyone paid any heed to the cost involved in getting it sanctioned through the bureaucracy?
Of course, inconvenience to the public is of no consequence to our civil servants. The elimination of the bridge will add to the congestion on bridges at Ferozepur Road and at the university.
If safe and smooth flow of traffic was the idea, why, then, are donkey-carts and tractor-trolleys allowed to ply on the two canal roads and that too without lights?
The waste of public money is a case to be taken up both by the courts and the ombudsman.
AMER NAZIR POSWALL
Lahore
Contaminated water
I am a resident of New Malpur, Seventh Road, Rawalpindi. A big underground water tank was recently constructed in the locality at the Municipal Park to serve the adjacent areas. Big steel pipes with valves were also laid for the purpose.
For the last two months, however, water has been gushing out from a leak in the pipe on the main Murree Road. The cemented slab cover of the water tank has been removed and street children have been playing and bathing inside the water tank.
Recently, owners of taxis and other private cars parked near the Municipal Park have also started washing their vehicles using the water from the water tank. They dip their dirty and soiled sponges and detergent-filled cans and drums into the tank without any consideration at all about the effects of their action on the health of residents.
Water is also being contaminated in a similar manner from leaking pipes elsewhere in the city. The authorities concerned should undertake immediate repairs to the water pipes and correct the situation.
KHWAJA A. RAFIQ
Rawalpindi
NAB and plea bargaining
This is with reference to the letters published under the headline "NAB and plea bargaining" (May 3).
Through this forum I would like to reiterate that the National Accountability Bureau is a federal anti-corruption agency dealing with cases of corruption, fraud, misuse of authority, causing loss to the national exchequer and other white-collar crimes.
It is independent and autonomous in its working and takes up cases without any regard to social or political status of the individuals or parties involved. It is an organ of the state but, fortunately the promotion of people to important places does not rest with NAB. Its operations fall within the ambit of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999. Cases are prosecuted in accountability courts, which work under their respective high courts.
Being a federal agency, it prides itself on being transparent, accessible and even-handed in its dealings. In order to protect its neutrality in all matters, it strictly abides by a self-imposed policy of not commenting on cases that are in court.
The cases against Asif Ali Zardari are currently in courts of law. A close scrutiny of the cases clearly reveals that adjournments are always at the behest of the defence and not prosecution.
Plea-bargain, as we understand, is a plea by the accused as an admission of his guilt in order to secure a lighter sentence for this crime. The practice may be new to us but is certainly not outside the law. The concept is about a century old and has been successfully applied in cases of corruption and white-collar crime elsewhere. The whole practice is supervized in a court of law and to the satisfaction of the opposing parties, i.e., the accused and the state.
The National Accountability Bureau respects the views of the people for this is where the real strength to fight corruption lies. The collective will of the people and their resolve to stand up to it is the best weapon we have against it.
SPOKESMAN FOR NAB
Islamabad
Gwadar killings
The murder of three Chinese engineers in a car bomb attack who had been helping to build the deep seaport in Gwadar is a classic case of failure on the part of the security agencies of Pakistan.
Anyone could have anticipated such an attack on the foreigners working at Gwadar, be they Chinese, Germans or Japanese, in order to malign Pakistan and impede the progress it has been making under President Musharraf. Whoever is involved in this act of terrorism is certainly not a friend of Pakistan.
The strategic and economic importance that Gwadar is going to achieve in the very near future must be a big thorn in the flesh of many. I am sure the security arrangements will be tightened now as is always the case after such catastrophes. Why can't our security people anticipate such eventualities?
Exemplary action must be taken against all those responsible for the security in the port town to serve as a loud and clear warning to all others elsewhere.
COL (retd) RIAZ JAFRI
Rawalpindi
Iraq's new flag
The blue symbol in the middle of the new Iraqi flag is being touted as the "Islamic crescent". Actually, the Islamic crescent is supposed to be white, its axis is inclined rather than vertical and the sliver's length itself is less than half the lunar circumference. The other one meets none of these conditions.
Contrarily, the supposed "crescent" in this new flag (which is being slammed for being too much like Israel's) seems far more like the letter "C", and quite claustrophobic due to its extra long arms.
Perhaps it signifies the crusade launched by Mr Bush through the coalition (of the willing) for controlling Iraq aided by the (governing) council. It could also represent the cool cash being collected by (VP) Cheney's former commercial cronies by controlling Iraq's crude oil. This could either be intentional or a Freudian slip?
KHALID CHAUDHRY
Karachi
Faulty phone
I have been facing line interference problems with my telephone (0221-765001) for the past eight months. At times, the phone becomes completely dead. Besides registering many telephonic complaints at the Tando Jam telephone exchange (765900) and on the PTCL complaint No. 080044544, I have several times met the SDO of the telephone exchange, but in vain.
I also complained to the DE Telephones, Hyderabad, on 881222, but to no avail.
LUTUF ALI NIZAMANI
Hyderabad
CDA working
I am one of the unfortunate plot owners in Sector D-12. The Capital Development Authority has done a grave injustice to the allottees and plot owners in this sector.
We have been waiting for years on end for the CDA to develop the sector so that we can start building our homes. Some of us have already reached retirement age. But we are deprived of living in our own homes because the CDA has not developed the sector.
I request the president and the prime minister to look personally into this issue. The government should make good their promise on good governance and justice.
RASHID IQBAL
Islamabad
Hoarding dangers
With the passage of time, the size of advertisement hoardings in the cities has increased. We now have hoardings that are the size of the buildings themselves.
Does the government have safety measures that must be taken when such hoardings are put up, or can they be placed without any regard whatsoever for the public's protection?
NAYYAR ALI
Karachi
Disrespect for human life
I was extremely shocked and grieved to read about the unfortunate incident in Lahore in which two shopkeepers and a security guard were killed over the construction of some addition to the front of a shop in Rang Mahal.
What kind of a society are we living in? Is this society entitled to be called civilized? I feel sorry to say that something strange has happened to our people. We have forgotten the lesson of humanism and the teachings of Islam. We do not even bother to have regard for moral values. We have become so cruel and materialistic that we have lost respect for human life. In our eyes worldly things have more value.
I would like to request the people to respect human life because it is very precious. It is a gift of God and is given only once. If we have some problems or disputes among ourselves, we should try to resolve them amicably and should never think of getting rid of our problems by killing other people.
I request the religious segments to play their due role in imparting the teachings of our faith to the people, and especially to create the fear of God so that our society becomes a peaceful place. The authorities should protect citizens by banning firearms.
AFFAN MAHMOOD KHAN BHATTI
Lahore
Laser lights
What will it take to wake up the DIG traffic from his slumber? Why does he not take action against laser lights, which are a traffic hazard? Last week I saw such lights on the vehicle of a high ranking police official. Maybe the DIG is reluctant to take action against his colleagues. Also, why has no action been initiated against tinted glass, as well as against underage driving?
Finally, huge trailers and trucks clog up traffic on the Khayaban-i-Roomi at peak hours despite the fact that such vehicles are banned during those timings. What I do see is that traffic policemen stop these trucks simply to get some pocket money.
It's time the DIG traffic stopped defending his own colleagues and got down to doing the work for which he is paid.
AIMAN SARDAR
Karachi
Poor cars
The quality of cars assembled in Pakistan under international brand names is very poor. One has to visit the workshops of these car outlets to see how brand new cars are being brought in the very first month of their purchase for repairs. The lack of quality control is obviously because of lack of competition.
When will we have in our midst a Ralph Nader to take on exploitative car companies?
AYAZ AHMAD
Faisalabad
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address:
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.