| 31 May 2004 | Monday | 11 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 |
Youm-i-Takbeer
A stigma on civilized world
Sustaining growth
Pensioners' plight
Manchhar Lake tragedy
Preservation of Moenjodaro
Local phone call duration
Park grabbing
Traffic rules
Economic prediction
Family laws
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The theme for this year's World No-Tobacco Day (May 31) is "Tobacco and Poverty: A Vicious Circle". The reason for choosing this theme was that in many developing countries such as Pakistan, the tobacco industry is giving an impression through their extensive advertising that tobacco is essential for the country's economy.
Research from all over the world has clearly shown that tobacco is not good for any country's economy. In fact, it makes the poor country even poorer. There are several ways in which tobacco increases poverty at the individual, household and national levels. For the poor, money spent on tobacco is money not spent on basic necessities such as food, shelter, education and healthcare.
Tobacco also contributes to poverty of individuals and families. Because tobacco users are at a much higher risk of falling ill and dying prematurely of cancer, heart attack and various other tobacco-related diseases, they deprive their own families of much-needed income by imposing additional healthcare cost.
A study done in the interior of Sindh last year showed that on average people in the low socio-economic class were spending 25 per cent of their monthly income on cigarettes, paan and gutka. A majority of these families were not sending their children to school because they had no money for their education.
At a national level, countries suffer huge economic losses as a result of higher healthcare costs and loss of productivity due to tobacco-related illness and premature deaths. Tobacco cultivation not only degrades the natural environment but also inflicts deleterious effects on the health of tobacco farmers. In Pakistan, every day people burn away Rs56 crore in cigarettes and then spend additional billions of rupees on the treatment of diseases caused by tobacco.
Furthermore, the government expends huge foreign exchange every month in importing costly medicines required to treat tobacco related diseases. Tobacco is currently the single most important cause of premature death and disability in Pakistan, responsible for over 100,000 deaths annually in the country. The government must take urgent steps to curb tobacco use in the country and save human lives.
There is a need to increase taxation on tobacco products. Research has shown that increasing the tobacco tax helps in reducing the demand and consumption of cigarettes. Other measures are also required, including public education on tobacco and its hazards, implementing the ban on smoking in public transport and public places, establishing smoking cessation clinics and most importantly, a comprehensive ban on all forms of tobacco promotion.
It is indeed sad to see that in spite of an anti-tobacco ordinance in place, the government-run Radio Pakistan continues airing sports round-up after the name of a tobacco company.
Tobacco companies do not follow the laws they agreed on with the ministry of health. For example, regarding health warnings on billboards, the law says that 20 per cent of space should be given to the warnings. This is not happening.
The government must realize its duty to protect the health of its citizens. It must take practical steps to control tobacco use in the country. Just promulgating a tobacco prohibition ordinance is not enough. Our future generation will not forgive us for our indifference and apathy towards the single largest preventive cause of cancers, heart attacks, and respiratory diseases in the country.
PROFESSOR JAVAID KHAN
Karachi
Youm-i-Takbeer
May 28, 1998, is a red-letter day in the defence history of Pakistan. It has immense significance in view of the gigantic task accomplished on that day for the safety and security of our homeland. It is believed that the country has been made invincible due to the successful nuclear tests conducted in the Chaghai hill tracts on this day six years ago in response to those carried out by India two weeks before at Pokhran in Rajasthan.
May 28 was later named Youm-i-Takbeer by the Nawaz Sharif government. Following the nuclear tests by India, most of the ruling alliance leaders there had started hurling threats at Pakistan. The idea was that the latter should accept supremacy of India in South Asia and that Pakistan should not try to make claims of equality with India at international fora.
The situation created considerable resentment and anxiety across our country. People felt that their defence and security had become vulnerable. They feared that India might launch an offensive either from our eastern borders or through Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Mian Nawaz Sharif, the then prime minister, soon realized these concerns. He openly declared that his government would act in the longer-term interest of the nation. The prime minister conducted extensive tours of all the provinces and addressed large public meetings in order to seek their opinion on this vital issue.
On the other hand, big powers like the US, the UK, France, Germany and Japan and South Korea and Australia were putting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to refrain from conducting nuclear tests.
They did not express such resentment at what India had done two weeks earlier. But the Pakistan government soon asked its scientists to conduct the tests. The then US president had even asked our prime minister five times on the phone not to do so by offering five billion dollars in aid.
However, the offer was gracefully turned down. The go-ahead signal by the government defied the intentions of certain powers. As such, the bold step of Pakistan was laudable and praiseworthy.
The nuclear capability of our country still causes tremendous bitterness among the big powers and our neighbour India which had kept its one million military forces on high alert along Pakistan's borders for 10 months but could not dare to launch any offensive. The situation could have been very troublesome had Pakistan not conducted its nuclear tests.
MAQBOOL AHMAD QURESHI
Gujranwala
A stigma on civilized world
US President George W. Bush's latest announcement of demolishing Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq can by no means save his government from the charges of gross violations of human rights. The way Iraqi prisoners have been subjected to demoralization and dehumanization by US soldiers with due authorization by the Pentagon constitutes a stigma on the so-called western civilized world.
The Third Geneva Convention of 1949 states: "Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the detaining power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention... prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity."
At Abu Ghraib the offence was against human dignity - a right sanctified under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The sexual tortures, voyeurism and exhibitionism under coercion are war crimes under the Geneva Convention IV (1949) which prohibits tattooing, undressing, or violating in any way the moral and physical integrity of persons under detention by the occupying power.
A few words of apology, seven courts-martial and the suspension of a brigadier-general by the US authorities cannot be compensation enough for the crimes committed at Abu Ghraib.
S.Q.AFZAL RIZVI
Karachi
(2)
This has reference to the proposal of the US president to demolish the notorious Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad. This step must immediately be stopped by the international community, as it will remove evidence of the torture of Iraqi prisoners by the Saddam and Bush regimes.
If the prison is demolished, it will become difficult to obtain data and information pertaining to the horrendous crimes committed in this jail. Thereafter, the perpetrators of various crimes will go scot-free.
Z.H. VOHRA
Lahore
Sustaining growth
Mr Shahid Javed Burki's articles on economics are normally inspiring, but his piece "Sustaining growth" (May 18) has failed to provide a correct analysis as it is against historical facts.
Although he has rightly laid emphasis on improvement of human resources and physical infrastructure as a sine qua non for sustaining growth, he is incorrect when he says that Punjab, the NWFP and Sindh were not active participants in the freedom movement, being beneficiaries of the infrastructure developed by the British, such as roads and railway and the irrigation system.
It was Sindh that did not accept British occupation from the day it was treacherously captured (1843). There were many uprisings at the local level, which were crushed with an iron hand. Even in 1857, Sindh played its role as a battalion in Karachi revolted but its ring leaders were taken into custody and fired from the mouth of cannons. The Hur movement depicted hatred for foreign control.
Finally, it was Sindh which played a pivotal role in strengthening the Muslim League and its assembly was the first that passed a resolution in 1943 in favour of Pakistan. The British played the policy of divide at empera to perpetuate their hold, and Punjab and the NWFP were no exception. However, the masses of these provinces actively participated in the freedom struggle; there is no doubt about it.
The British developed the physical infrastructure and educational and judicial systems in the subcontinent to establish their complete hold on the colony and exploit its resources to the hilt. But as luck could have it, the two world wars left them weak and forced them to relinquish power, though unwillingly, to two sovereign countries.
The morality of an action depends on the motive for which one acts. If one flings a crown to a beggar with the intention of breaking his head, and he picks it up and buys victuals with it, the physical effect is good, but with respect to the action itself, it was very wrong. So, it was by default that the benefits of development accrued to the areas that make up today's Pakistan.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
Pensioners' plight
In these hard times, retired government servants are living a pitiable life. But unfortunately little has been done to mitigate their suffering and afford them a respectable place in society. Pensions of retired government servants, irrespective of the date of retirement, should be increased in proportion to the raise given to serving employees. It should be equally applicable to pensions already commuted.
A pension under EOBI is being paid to eligible retired employees at low rates which need to be improved substantially in line with the vast resources of the EOBI.
In old age, one is more in need of medical aid. But a retired person suffers most on this account. Either he does not get proper medical facility or his medical allowance ceiling is restricted. The government should ensure an appropriate and unrestricted medical facility to its employees after retirement.
Retired people also deserve a concession in the rates of utility charges. Similarly, air/rail/ bus travel charges need to be reduced for them. Shelter is yet another problem for many retired government servants. They cannot even think of purchasing a plot. If they are somehow able to buy one, they do not have the money to build a house. Financial institutions normally do not accommodate them for loans in view of their meagre pensions. Such hardship cases call for special consideration of the government.
RASHEED ASGHAR
Lahore
Manchhar Lake tragedy
It was shocking to read the report "Toxic input in Manchhar lake main culprit" (May 27). The largest sweet-water lake in Asia has been turned into a dead area due to the mixing of saline water of the main Nara valley drain.
About 600 cusecs of saline water containing agricultural run-off - fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides - are being dumped into the lake daily. If the MNV drain continues to empty contaminated water into the lake, then the day is not far off when the world will have a 'dead lake' like it has the Dead Sea, the saltiest place in the world called by the Hebrews as 'the salt sea' and named by the Arabs as 'the stinking sea' due to its foul-smelling water.
The briny water of the MNV drain has almost destroyed the entire ecosystem of Manchhar lake. The fishermen are leaving it. Those remaining behind stand dispossessed, circumscribed by poverty and marginalized. Several species of fish have died out. The lake is not visited by migratory birds. Even resident birds have deserted it.
According to some rough estimates, about 200,000 acres of agricultural land around the lake have not been cultivated since 1972 when its level rose to 12 feet from seven feet.
The deaths caused recently by water below Sehwan are the result of contaminated water of the lake released into the Indus. It is the same Indus, but now we have mingled with its water saline water and agricultural run-offs.
If our experts cared to reexamine the whole situation, they would realize that the Badin tragedy was the result of the faulty design of the LBOD as it was constructed without studying the topography of the area. And they might like to deal carefully with RBOD affairs.
The deluge is destroying the entire coast. Billions of rupees have been spent on the drains to flush out waste water which was earlier stored in dams, then barrages and then distributed for agriculture purposes. Should we construct more reservoirs on the rivers to waste more water?
If our functionaries had prepared and executed the projects carefully and learnt to explore the causes and looked at the root of the problem, there might not have been so much confusion.
Nobody from planners to financiers and from consultants to executors bothered about the domino effects the contaminated water of the RBOD would have on the fresh-water lake - the Manchhar.
MANZOOR CHANDIO
Karachi
Preservation of Moenjodaro
I am a post-graduate student doing research at an American University on "Town planning in the ancient world". With this in view, I recently visited Moenjodaro and was much impressed with its town planning and sanitation engineering.
However, I was shocked to see the deplorable condition of the site. It is strange that even the usual maintenance work is not being carried out. Had this site of great historical value been in the US, the Americans would have certainly encased it in a showcase.
It is learnt that for the preservation of Moenjodaro, there is a board of governors, headed by the governor of Sindh. Being the administrative head of the province, he is requested to invoke his authority and take appropriate steps to save Moenjodaro from extinction.
KHURRAM AZIZ
Karachi
Local phone call duration
The maximum time limit for a local phone call for the purpose of billing is five minutes. After every five minutes, a new call is counted. In many countries local phone calls are free. I am not demanding the same rule for our country, but at least the time limit may be dropped for local phone calls.
The telephone utility is making billions as profit. As the budget is to be announced next month, it is hoped that the government by way of relief to phone users will end the time limit for local calls.
MRS SHAISTA ALI
Karachi
Park grabbing
Landgrabbers are active as ever. This time their presence is being felt in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Block-13. The other day some unknown persons started digging in plot No. ST-17, originally meant for a park, and uprooted all trees planted by the residents. They also demolished the wall around the park.
When confronted by the residents, they said the plot had been converted to another category. They did not produce any document. To our knowledge, the plot is meant for a park. Will the KDA/CDGK confirm us?
RESIDENTS ACTION COMMITTEE
Karachi
Traffic rules
SInce no authority has so far responded to an important issue raised by a "Frequent Commuter" (May 9), it is presumed that no law or regulation exists in this respect. The indicator is flashed only to inform others on the road that you are either changing lane or taking a turn.
The NHA's demand is unjustified and a mere gimmick to harass the public for illegal gratification. Drivers should refuse to abide by the whims of those who never had any experience of driving on the motorway or any other road for that matter.
ANOTHER COMMUTER
Karachi
Economic prediction
In his article "Has Pakistan begun to shine?" (Economic and Business Review, May 17), Mr Asad Ali Shah says the robust growth in GDP achieved during the current financial year has had little impact on employment and poverty reduction.
If this is true and the trend persists, then one can foresee trouble in the near future, affecting almost every sector of the economy. Banks' resorting to consumer financing after failing to find avenues in corporate financing may lead to severe contractionary trends in the economy.
Consumers having relatively fixed incomes in the short run, when obliged to pay back their loan instalments, will have to cut their spending and such a leakage in consumption may trigger a backward multiplier effect leading to another recession.
ABRO SHOUKAT ALI
Usta Muhammad
Family laws
The Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, promulgated by President Ayub Khan was based on the recommendations of the Marriage and Family Laws Commission of 1956. It was headed by Justice Mian Abdur Rashid while Dr. Khalifa Abdul Hakim was its member-secretary. Consequently, numerous measures benefiting women were taken in relation to family relations. These were based on the humane principles of justice and equity as envisioned in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.
A consensus of the commission's deliberations was reflected in them. Subsequently, other commissions chaired by Zari Sarfaraz in 1982, Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid in 1996 and Justice Majida Rizvi in 2000 thoroughly examined issues related to women's problems and the Hudood Ordinance in particular.
President Musharraf would be well advised to place faith in the recommendations of these commissions and act accordingly. Further reviews of the Hudood and blasphemy laws will only serve to put matters in cold storage.
PROF DR RAFIA HASAN
Lahore
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