| 16 June 2004 | Wednesday | 27 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 |
Row between lawyers and judges
Talks on Kashmir
Terrorism and Muslim world
Law and order in Karachi
Goodbye IMF
'An Arab non-event'
Indian visa problem
FPSC posts
Not wanted
PNS Shifa
Friendship with US
Zamir Niazi
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This refers to the article "In response to allegations" (June 10) by Qazi Hussain Ahmed. I am a Pakistani and proud of my compatriots irrespective of their religious beliefs and feel deeply offended by Qazi Hussein's negative propaganda.
The creation of Pakistan was wrongly opposed by Maulana Maudoodi, founder of the Jamaat-i-Islami, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah was greatly criticised by the party. The reason was very simple: Mr Jinnah and his ideas were simply incompatible with the JI's agenda.
As we all know, Maulana Maudoodi was proven wrong and he was forced to acknowledge his blunder by becoming part of the same creation which he had so vehemently opposed.
History has a way of repeating itself as once again one of his followers and protege, Qazi Hussain, is making another mistake by trying to alienate our patriotic brothers and sisters, the Ismailis.
There is no place for the term "religious minorities" in our community; we are all Pakistanis. Maybe Qazi Sahib and his supporters do not agree but then again when have they ever agreed? And that is the reason why they will never be able to win the hearts and souls of the Pakistani people.
Qazi Hussain Ahmed should be careful when he talks about "religious minorities" in Pakistan as not only does this create further fissures in our strife-ridden society, it also begs the question as to which Islamic ideology Qazi Saheb and his followers belong.
Pakistan was created for everyone, irrespective of their religious beliefs and practices. The Pakistan which Qazi Sahib speaks of exists only in his mind or in the lost dreams of his party's founder, Maulana Maudoodi.
Mr Jinnah's Pakistan is more magnificent than Qazi Sahib's narrow-minded vision. Please do not allow Pakistan to be hijacked by those who opposed its creation.
ARIF QADRI
Abu Dhabi
(2)
I carefully read Javed Jabbar's "Allegations most unbecoming" and also the response by Qazi Hussain Ahmed. I grew up in Pakistan and as a teenager I was constantly bombarded by similar views that all woes and problems besetting Pakistan were to be attributed to the conspiracies of the western countries.
It seems to me that nothing has changed in the intervening years. New faces but the same old routine.
Now looking back after 25 years, I was, to say the least, disappointed by people like Qazi Hussain and more so because they were again being given an opportunity to mislead the people, exploiting the masses by harping on the "great conspiracy theory": Pakistan vs western countries.
It is high time that Pakistan disallows the likes of Qazi Hussain Ahmed to mislead the people, otherwise they will always keep the people in the dark ages. It is also time for Pakistanis to accept the blame for their own misdeeds and stop blaming others for the consequences of their own doing.
Qazi Saheb has blamed the US for killing innocent people. At least the US admits it. Would Qazi Saheb enlighten us as to how many innocents were killed by the Taliban? And how many families were destroyed by the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain? If I said that Muslims have killed each other more than the Crusaders, it would not be too much off the mark.
Apart from paying mere lip service, is Qazi Hussain and his group doing anything about the Palestinians?
I think he is afraid of educating people as he knows that if the people of Pakistan are educated, they will one day know about their real designs. Please note: I am not a 'western conspirator'.
NAZIR ALIMOHAMMAD
Illinois, USA
Row between lawyers and judges
The recent row between the bar and the bench, leading to a call for a strike by lawyers and an unprecedented move on the part of judges who resigned en masse, was not an unexpected event. Several factors led to it. The following remedies are suggested to improve the situation.
First, proper training of judicial officers as well as of lawyers before appearing in a court is most essential. In most recent cases, confrontations occurred with inexperienced entrants in the service and became aggravated when seniors tried in vain to cover up or maintain the dignity of the office.
The judges must know before presiding over a court as to how to effectively deal with the public and how to tactfully handle lawyers. Similarly, lawyers must be trained to be courteous, besides being told about how to maintain the decorum of courts at all cost.
Instead of resorting to coercive measures, senior lawyers and office-bearers of the bar associations may be assigned the task of controlling unruly elements. In the case of judges, the Federal Judicial Academy and in the case of lawyers the bar councils need to play their due role.
Second, the practice of demanding undue favours in cases involving lawyers must be discouraged. Lawyers should expect impartiality from judges and also accept equality before the law.
In the prevailing circumstances, office-bearers of the bar and their representatives are sometimes manipulated. I think amendments to the Bar Council Act for curbing malpractice must be introduced.
Third, amenities, at least the basic ones, should be provided to judges as well as lawyers. Judges should be provided with facilities such as transport and residence. It is time the Fund for Access to Justice Programme was properly utilized.
Appreciation, encouragement and protection are also lacking in both arenas. It is observed that civil judges and magistrates refrain from giving relief to lawyers in a generous manner.
It is also noted that the quality of work and competence of subordinate judges often go unnoticed. Similarly, lawyers are seldom appreciated when they truly assist courts.
The result is disappointment and frustration on both sides. For this, appellate courts, while upholding an order or a judgment, should appreciate performance where due, and letters of appreciation should be sent to the civil judges or lawyers concerned.
Another factor delaying the disposal of cases, especially civil suits, is a remand order. A remanded case almost always means de novo trial. Delays and unnecessary adjournments in cases not only tarnish the image of the judiciary but also cause a loss of confidence in lawyers by litigants.
AZRAM ASLAM
Lahore
Talks on Kashmir
Please refer to Professor Ikramul Haq's letter (Dawn, June 3) on the above topic and the subsequent letter by Mr S.M.H.Bokhari on the same topic (June 5). I endorse the views of Mr Bokhari and see no reason for the uncalled-for pessimism of the learned professor about the Kashmir dispute. No one can expect a solution of a 55-year-old problem in the twinkling of an eye.
Credit goes to the statesmanship of Mr Vajpayee and President Musharraf for taking bold and sincere steps to ease the tension between the two countries. The fact is that no two people of the world are as close as the people of India and Pakistan. They share a common language, culture, art and custom.
The learned professor should not overlook the fact that the peace process between the two countries was halted a bit due to one of the greatest democratic exercises held in India recently.
As a result of the polls, new leadership emerged on the horizon of Indian politics in the shape of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, and Mr Vajpayee went into the background.
It is, however, a matter of great satisfaction that in their very first speeches the new leadership declared that the peace process would continue, and efforts would be made to establish the most cordial relations with Pakistan, making hostility and animosity between the two a thing of the past.
I want to remind the professor that the people of the two countries are not sick of the half shadows of doubt like Tennyson's Lady of Shallot. They are rather sick of the long shadows of hostility and animosity spread over the two countries and want to come out of these.
PROF JAMIL MALIK
Gujranwala
Terrorism and Muslim world
The barbarism being perpetrated in the name of religion has to stop. No religion preaches the killing of innocent people or followers of other religions. The murder of 22 people in Saudi Arabia is an extreme form of barbarism.
In Pakistan, a British teacher was killed by unknown attackers. Are we living in jungle where one group of animals attack another and vice versa? We all condemn the September 11 attacks, the shameful treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison and the slaughter of an American by people calling themselves Muslims.
However, that does not mean we should start killing each other. Being a Muslims, we should try to emulate the life of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). There are no examples in the Prophet's life of any calls to arms for Muslims against non- Muslims or other civilians. It is very sad that Muslims do not follow this example.
The UK is not an Islamic country but it is tolerant towards Muslims and those of other religions and that's why many Pakistanis are settled here and prefer not to go back to their country.
I am ashamed that while we live freely in the United Kingdom, but in my own native country, we don't let a teacher like Allan Cox live in peace just because he is British. I sympathize with his family and ask those who killed him, Why did you do it?
In Mr Cox's own country, I am proud to declare myself to be a Muslim and a Pakistani without any fear at all.
IFTIKHAR AHMAD KASHMIRI
London, UK
Law and order in Karachi
To enforce law and order in Karachi and Sindh, it is necessary that greater police recruitment is made from among locals. It is non-resident policemen from upcountry who, unfamiliar with the local psyche and local conditions, mismanage law and order. When they are found mismanaging, they retire or move to their provinces.
This will not happen if policemen are from among the locals. The very thought that they are under constant scrutiny of the people will make them think twice before indulging in any wrongdoing.
In the past 57 years, no government in Sindh has ever taken up this matter seriously with the centre. The rate of unemployment is so high in the province that the government can easily find educated youth who will be ready to join the police force. They will better manage the situation.
S. M. A. RIZVI
Karachi
Goodbye IMF
While announcing the 2004-2005 budget in the National Assembly, the finance minister proudly declared that the country had got rid of the IMF. This reminded me of Ibne Insha who aptly observed in his Urdu ki Aakhri Kitab that before independence Hindu lenders and capitalists used to exploit us and we longed for an end to their exploitation so that our own Muslim money lenders might exploit us. This desire has been fulfilled.
I congratulate the nation as the era of IMF exploitation reportedly comes to an end. So what if another round of exploitation by our own compatriots starts?
ARIF ZULFIAQR
Islamabad
'An Arab non-event'
The editorial "An Arab non-event" (May 25) rightly described the Arab League summit held in Tunis as a talkshop. But keeping in view the Arab world's predicament, its significance and necessity as an all-Arab forum cannot be undermined.
Existence of such a forum had become necessary after the post-World War II shape of the Middle East. The initiative first came from Egypt and was motivated by King Farouk's search for a more active role for his country and himself within the Arab world. After the conference in Alexandria in October 1944, at which the Palestinians were represented as observers, the treaty creating the Arab League was signed in 1945. The Arab League almost immediately found sources of unity in two big issues: (1) ridding the Arab world of its colonial masters and (ii) addressing the Palestinian question.
In its early years, the Arab League concentrated mainly on economic, cultural, and social programmes. In 1959 it held the first Arab petroleum congress and in 1964 established the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization. Also in 1964, despite objections by Jordan, the League admitted the PLO as the representative of all Palestinians.
The organization has 22 Arab countries as its members, most of them very rich in resources and strategically important, spread over two continents of Asia and Africa. But regretfully all of them are headed by undemocratic setups.
Needless to say, with the passage of more than half century of its existence, it could not even create homogeneity and understanding between the members. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in the early 90s that has become a cause for devastation of Iraq itself is one of the glaring examples as both the invader and the invaded were Arab League members. Almost every third member-state has some dispute with its neighbour, which the League has failed to address.
It was further weakened by internal dissension on political issues, especially those concerning Israel and the Palestinians. After Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel on March 26, 1979, the other members of the Arab League voted to suspend Egypt's membership and to transfer the League's headquarters from Cairo to Tunis. Egypt was reinstated as a member in 1989, and the League headquarters returned to Cairo in 1990. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and later involvement, at the request of Saudi Arabia, of western countries, mainly the United States, in ridding Kuwait of Iraqi presence played the role of the 'last nail' as it caused a deep rift in the League.
As rightly suggested in the editorial that unless members themselves develop democratic institutions and reorganize their societies, the Arab League will do no better than what it has done in the past and what it is doing today.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
Indian visa problem
Divided families are facing a big hurdle in the shape of unjustified and improper visa policy of the Indian government. Those who contact the Indian high commission for a visit visa these days are normally given dates extending as late as a year, the reason, shortage of staff.
Those who had been waiting for an Indian visa for many years get more angry when they are told to wait another year. It is very painful for them. Most of the people who want to visit India are from Karachi or Sindh.
When they go to Islamabad, they get nothing except a promise. For this, they spend a lot of money and time travelling to Islamabad. Sometimes, India issues statements suggesting that it would establish a visa counter at Karachi. So far, this seems to be nothing more than rhetoric.
I would like to request the president and the foreign minister to take this up with the Indian government because it affects millions of people. India must be allowed to increase its high commission staff, enabling more visas to be issued on an urgent basis.
SAEED A. SHEIKH
Lahore
FPSC posts
I am writing a few lines on the plight of unemployed youth who want to apply for posts through the Federal Public Service Commission. Advertisements have been appearing in newspapers about various posts suggesting that forms can be had from the Jamshoro campus of the Sindh University.
When I went there to obtain the forms, I learnt that these would only be issued if I produced an original receipt of Rs200 challan payable either in the State Bank or the National Bank. It meant that I had to return to Hyderabad, submit a challan in the relevant bank and then go back to Jamshoro to get the forms. This exercise wasted two days, shuttling between two districts as Jamshoro is located in Dadu district.
I would urge the authorities concerned to either make arrangements for the challan to be paid in Jamshoro or shift the FPSC offices to Hyderabad.
MUHAMMED ALI ZARDARI
Hyderabad
Not wanted
Out of the four BMW cars imported for former Indian prime minister Vajpayee, two had to be forced upon the new prime minister (as he dislikes expensive trappings of power) and the remaining two have no takers. Contrast this with our politicians who would have been scrambling over each other to get the cars allotted to them.
SYED OMAR QADRI
Karachi
PNS Shifa
PNS Shifa, Karachi, mainly caters to our navy as well as other defence services but is also open for private consultation. It now requires a complete overhauling in view of the large number of people it serves.
Various sections of the hospital need better coordination for convenient patient care. Its emergency section, which is functioning at two different places, needs to re- organized more on the pattern of a Trauma Centre.
The hospital's cardiac care and cardiac intensive care departments should be immediately upgraded to include additional equipment and more para-medical staff should be inducted to handle cardiac emergencies. The hospital should consider including an open-heart surgery department.
Facilities of PNS Shifa are basically meant for the serving and retired services personnel. The tendency to save at the wrong corners must be overcome as retired personnel have a right to use good quality health care facilities.
The services available at the hospital can only be described as not good because of unavailability of funds while good money is being squandered elsewhere.
Daud Ansari
Karachi
Friendship with US
I am an 80-year-old man and had to walk about a mile-and-a-half to the Naval Central Surgery in Karachi to get my medicines on June 2 because it is situated close to the American embassy. Vehicles are not allowed nearby.
Is all this for Pakistan-America dosti? COL (retd)
M. AJMAL
Karachi
Zamir Niazi
Zamir Niazi was the "zameer" (conscience) of journalism in Pakistan.
DR SALAMAT KAMAL
Karachi
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