| 15 June 2004 | Tuesday | 26 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 |
Plea for Anwar Masih's bail
New system for paying profit
Tobacco advertisement
University teachers
Plight of industrialists
Defence vs education
Praying in privacy
PMDC's working
Request to HEC
Police help
Tribal areas
New KEMC hostel
Cricket and senators
Hands-free sets
Official website
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Was the United Nations conceived and created to serve only the interests, even if unlawful, of the Unites States, Britain and their allies? If so, necessary amendments to this effect should have been made to the UN charter with the support of the majority of the UN members by convening a session of the UN General Assembly. Rule of law is as essential and indispensable for establishing world peace as within the frontiers of a country.
The US or its CIA is not empowered to carry on spying in other countries and topple their regimes if they fail to agree with their policies. The US by dint of its economic and military power is also not authorized to threaten other countries and invade them for not yielding to its repressive and unjust demands.
It is well known that the Bush and Blair governments launched military attacks on Iraq without the approval of the UN Security Council. As such, both are fully responsible for the loss of innocent human lives and destruction of valuable property in that country.
It is tragic that the Kashmir dispute, an old item on the UNSC agenda, is still unresolved. The world forum has passed numerous resolutions to enable the 13 million people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their right of self-determination to decide their fate in a free and fair plebiscite. For this, 800,000 Indian troops should first be withdrawn from the disputed territory to allow the people to express themselves freely.
Had the people been willing to join India, why should they have started a freedom struggle which has claimed sacrifices of over 100,000 people during the last 14 years? The Indian army commits excesses and atrocities on the Kashmiri people to quell their movement.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference propagates the cause of the Kashmiris. It often demands that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved by respecting the wishes of the affected people of Kashmir.
Why don't the UN, US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Japan exert pressure on India to implement the UN resolutions? They should remember that no peace and progress can be achieved in South Asia without fulfilling the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
MAQBOOL AHMAD QURESHI
Gujranwala
Plea for Anwar Masih's bail
As a member of Amnesty International I feel it is my duty to a defend human rights. That is why I have written to the government of Pakistan with a request to look into the charges brought against Anwar Masih and the manner in which the police officers recorded statements of witnesses.
Anwar Masih, a day labourer, 30 years old, married and a father of four, had visited an old acquaintance, Naseer Ahmed. Unaware of his friend's conversion, he asked Naseer where he had been and what prompted him to grow a beard.
Naseer answered that it was in accordance with Islamic principles. Reportedly, they parted on a friendly note. The next morning, however, about 100 Muslim militants from Muridke surrounded Anwar's house, throwing stones, accusing Anwar of blasphemy. They even tried to burn down the house. Anwar was not at home. The police then arrested his mother.
The next day, on November 20, 2003, Anwar was handed over to the police. The police recorded statements by three Muslims who were not present at the scene but did not allow two Christian eyewitnesses to give statements. At this time, Naseer Ahmed's registered complaint did not indicate that Anwar had shown any disrespect to any of the prophets of Islam.
Amnesty is calling the release of Anwar Masih on bail until the charges against him are investigated.
KARIN SVENSSON
Sweden
New system for paying profit
The national savings department has introduced a new system for the payment of profit to the holders of special savings certificates and regular income certificates through cheque books with effect from June 1.
The new system is an improvement: it takes care of some of the flaws in the old system. However, the new system was introduced without information to the public, causing great inconvenience to the certificate holders. This could have been avoided.
The new system is also causing problems to account holders who are living abroad. Their dependents used to receive returns from national savings centres as their authorized representatives.
They have now been denied this facility, and the presence of the incumbent holder is said to be mandatory for the issue and receipt of cheque books. This is resulting in great financial hardship to the dependents and discouraging investment. It is not possible for holders abroad to rush back to Pakistan for getting their cheque books.
The national savings department is requested to find a way out for them immediately. Implementation of the new system should be postponed for such holders till their next visit to Pakistan or at least for a reasonable period. Alternatively, some other workable solution should be thought of by the national savings department to its satisfaction, facilitating the holders and their representatives.
MERAJ AHMAD
Lahore
Tobacco advertisement
It is disturbing to learn about the information ministry's proposal to restart tobacco advertisement on the electronic media. It seems unbelievable. The whole world is marching towards curbing the menace of tobacco addiction but one of our ministries is trying to restart tobacco advertisements on television, which is the most effective way to lure young minds to nicotine addiction, exposing them to the hazards of tobacco.
It appears that the ministry of information works in isolation and is only concerned with its own "addiction" to advertisement revenue. They appear to be oblivious to the disastrous effects of tobacco on smokers.
I suggest that the ministry should start a public debate on television on this topic and invite people from all walks of life to discuss the pros and cons of tobacco use.
If the federal government does not resist the demand of the ministry of information, then, perhaps, Pakistan will be the first country in the world to restart tobacco advertisement on TV. This will be a shameful. It is important to note that our neighbours like India, Iran, Bangladesh, have stopped tobacco advertisement on TV.
Health-related organizations like the Pakistan Medical Association, the Cancer Society and the Pakistan Association of Pathologists should take serious notice.
PROF SERAJUDDIN SYED
Karachi
University teachers
The requisite qualifications for recruitment of university teachers are too diffuse and weighted heavily against the teaching cadres. Apart from academic qualifications of MSc and PhD at different levels, the experience required includes teaching or research or professional service in any government institution.
It appears that no credit is given for teaching experience which is the foremost requirement of a teacher, and a person without a single day's experience can be inducted even as a professor from outside if he has served exclusively in any research institute or professional organization doing extension work.
As a member of the chancellor's committee for a university, I observed that selection boards select persons as full professors from outside, even for BPS-18 and BPS-20 posts, while aspiring BPS-19 university teachers with decades of teaching and research experience are ignored.
What is required is to give due weightage to teaching experience and research instead of teaching or research which can preclude teaching altogether. The university authorities ought to make their recruitment rules more objective so as not to ignore the rights of teachers.
DR M. YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
Plight of industrialists
I would like to draw the attention of the authorities to the suffering of industrialists of the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate, Super Highway, Karachi. This area was developed by SITE Ltd and plots ware allotted to industrialists. Many industries have been installed and are already in operation, despite the existence of multiple problems, the most serious being that of law and order.
The area is surrounded by several illegal settlements. One of them is Yasrab Goth. Situated in Phase I by the bank of the Lyari River, it is a big menace. This goth is a criminals' hideout.
There are many other plots where industries have yet to be set up. Many industrialists who own land in SITE cannot carry out any construction work because they are stopped by landgrabbers who have put up illegal hutments in the area.
Yasrab Goth has been taken over by land mafia that harasses factory staff and workers and indulges in extortion and looting. No new investment is coming up because of insecurity.
If these encroachers, who are continuously growing, are not stopped and removed from the area, no industry here will flourish. The relevant authorities must move fast to free the area of extortionists and landgrabbers to make it possible for industrialists to set up new units.
TANVEER ASHRAF
Karachi
Defence vs education
Our smooth-talking finance minister says that the defence budget is up by seven per cent on the revised budget of Rs181 billion during the current fiscal year. Last year's defence allocation was Rs160 billion.
So, over the last year, Rs194 billion is an increase of 20 per cent, which is not in keeping with the peace process with India. I think it is now the war in Wana that is burdening this nation.
What is the point in increasing the burden on the common man by purchasing costly hardware when its users are pursuing civilian affairs most of the time?
It is like increasing the police budget by buying teargas shells, guns, shields and batons when the policemen remain unschooled, unprincipled and undisciplined.
Law and order is not a matter of increasing the budget: it involves improving the quality of the force. Such huge spending without improving our defence capabilities will keep pushing more and more people below the poverty line.
Here is the historical perspective. In August 1972, after returning from Shimla, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto chided the three services chiefs: "We have spent many billions on defence with the result that this country is bankrupt and mortgaged to foreign debt (but) we were unable to fight for more than 17 days in 1965 and for about 14 days in 1971." (Stanely Wolpert's Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan, OUP).
The situation is changed today. There is no need for such a huge standing army. Like Israel, we need to have a lean and mean striking force. We must cut the flab which is at the top. Nukes are deterrent enough.
We must reduced this crushing burden and instead direct a major part of this expenditure to education. Educated people are the best defence a nation can have.
ASLAM MINHAS
Karachi
Praying in privacy
I would like to endorse the view of Ms Huma Jehangir (June 4) that a small praying place for travelling women should be reserved in the rest areas of the Motorway and highways.
Indeed, I would add that while much emphasis is placed on the benefits of breast feeding, there is hardly any place in Pakistan where a mother can feed an infant in public. Again, even a small place reserved for women can serve this purpose also.
I am sure many mothers would be thankful if they are given a little private place where they could easily nurse their babies without being embarrassed before the public.
Like all conscientious doctors, I staunchly believe that mother's milk is the best feed for a baby. It is nature's great gift which a suckling baby should not be deprived of anywhere.
During my short visit to the US I saw several places reserved exclusively for nursing mothers. While keeping in mind the disabled and to facilitate the mobility of wheelchairs and prams, Americans do not forget that nursing mothers also need some privacy.
MS. J. AZMAT
Lahore
PMDC's working
In Pmdc Form-I (Medical) for registration with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, it is mentioned in the instructions that with an urgent fee if a courier fee (total Rs300 extra) is paid, the doctor will be issued a registration certificate on the same day before the closure of office. This can be verified by visiting the site http://www.pmdc.org.pk and downloading the aforementioned form.
I called the PMDC's Islamabad office after four days of posting documents via a courier service and was astonished by their reply that my case would be put up and I might get a registration certificate after two weeks. I was also informed that the PMDC was no longer accepting urgent fees.
The question is: why didn't the PMDC inform us of this beforehand and why is it still advised in the form that with an urgent fee, a courier service fee should be dispatched for urgent delivery of the registration certificate?
DR ASHAUR AZHAR
Lahore
Request to HEC
Numerous universities and colleges have opened recently in the country and are inviting people for admissions through fancy brochures having pictures of government officials. Many parents will be paying hefty amounts to these institutions of which some may be fly-by-night.
I request the Higher Education Commission to publish a list of all accredited colleges and universities in Pakistan to save parents from being looted.
RAZI ARSHAD
Rawalpindi
Police help
I would like to bring on record the help provided by traffic policemen to me on Friday June 4, when the MMA-called strike brought the city to a halt. These policemen, who were stationed on Queens Road, told me to turn back as there was danger ahead following stoning of vehicles in Sultanabad.
Another batch, posted near the Chinese bridge opposite the KPT office, was also helpful and told me what route to take to reach my office safely. This sort of help was welcome on a day when all else was closed in a city that resembled a ghost town.
NAIMAT KHAN
Karachi
Tribal areas
After witnessing many inter-tribal clashes and tribals' skirmishes with the Pakistan armed forces during the past 57 years in Balochistan and the NWFP and especially in the light of the recent occurrences in Wana, I think it is time to abolish the special status of the tribal areas and the federally-administered areas in northern Pakistan.
This will enable the government to extend its writ throughout Pakistan besides helping in abolishing laws like the Frontier Crimes Regulations and extending Pakistan tax and other relevant laws to these areas. It will also help in eliminating sanctuaries in these areas for criminals and bring them into the modern age.
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
New KEMC hostel
The new KEMC hostel for boys is poorly managed by the administration. Toilets and bathrooms are in a pathetic condition. Taps are out of order and toilet locks are broken. Clean water, a precious commodity, is being wasted and nobody cares about it. Several complaints have been lodged but no one is ready to take responsibility.
I want to ask the officials concerned whether they can use such dirty toilets? If not, then how can students, who are paying heavy hostel dues, use them? Is there any person (chief warden, chief executive of KEMC and Mayo Hospital) to take notice of the situation?
N.S. QURESHI
Lahore
Cricket and senators
This is in response to the letter "Cricket and senators" (June 13) about the Senate hearing that involved scrutiny and criticism of the Pakistan Cricket Board in light of the recent series against India.
This was democracy at its best, perhaps for the first time in principle. Democracies involve the bureaucracy and elected officials. The bureaucracy is answerable to the elected officials on behalf of the public.
The recent grilling of Bush administration officials and defence department higher-ups in the US is an example of that; the bureaucracy was seen submitting explanations to US Senate members who wanted to know on behalf of the public about the prison abuse scandal.
The PCB head is appointed by the president and reports to the president. The president cannot keep an eye on the day-to-day progress of the PCB, with important matters of the economy, defence, foreign relations and terrorism needing his immediate attention.
The Senate sports committee is, therefore, the right forum to take the PCB administration to task on behalf of the public that demands an answer and explanation.
This is the first time that PCB bosses have been subjected to scrutiny. They should either straighten out their act and deliver against their mandate or continue to be scrutinized.
NAUMAN SHEIKH
Mequon, WI., USA
Hands-free sets
Reference the news report titled 'People using mobile phone while driving to be fined' (May 28), it is suggested to the home department to consider three factors, the safety of people using phones while driving and the freedom to communicate. It is important to be able to remain in touch when the city is in turmoil.
The home department is advised to initiate a public debate on this important amendment to the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 before its promulgation.
The standard practice is to allow drivers to use hands-free sets while driving. It minimizes one's lack of concentration besides enabling him/her to communicate safely and freely.
Seat belts are more important but unfortunately most of the vehicles that ply on our roads have no belts. Let some organization do a study on this too before coming to any conclusion.
MENIN RODRIGUES
Karachi
Official website
The drabness of the government's website cannot be overstated. Colours used in these websites are unattractive, photographs pathetic. This is too bad. When you access the website's economic section, one is confronted with more challenging colours.
Moving on to the heritage section (I clicked on the link to Sikh period), you would have to contend with the shocking azure colour surrounding the face of that wily womanizer, Ranjit Singh. My impression of the website can be stated in two words: simply horrendous.
AMEER HAMZA
Karachi
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