| 08 July 2004 | Thursday | 19 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425 |
'Troubling historical roots'
Performance of Wapda
HEC's policies
'Music Pakistan'
Food for thought
Kashmir: need for a new beginning
CDA and cultural show in Japan
'Conformism'
Appeal
Road blocks
Discrimination by FPSC
Woes of power consumers
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If we divide the total number of votes that were cast in the last general election by the total number of elected members of the National Assembly, it works out that each MNA represents an average of about 100,000 citizens.
Even if he or she does not get all the votes in a constituency, the elected MNA is still the democratic representative for that constituency. At the same time, each MNA is also a potential prime minister of the country, and no one else is. That is the Constitution, and those are the rules under which the elections were held.
Last year, General Musharraf left behind the elected representatives, including the elected MNA and foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri, and took along non-elected individuals like Sharifuddin Pirzada and Shaukat Aziz to Camp David for important meetings with President Bush. As if that were not enough, the present situation presents a new affront to the public.
The quandary in which the people of Pakistan find themselves is: how can somebody override parliament elected for five years by millions of voters, and handpick a non-elected outsider who has no constituency in the country, nor has ever contested any public election and never had any party affiliation until the king's party was formed.
Instructions are then issued for arrangements to be made to make him 'acquire' the required qualifications in three months, including borrowing of a 'safe' constituency from some other sitting MNA.
Some people do say that India has an economist as its prime minister who is considered very promising, and therefore we should also have the same. However, they forget that the Indian prime minister is a seasoned politician elected to the assembly 'before' being nominated for the premiership (we are also not sure if they are both in the same league as economists).
But there are many more people who wonder what is so extraordinarily unique about Shaukat Aziz that cannot be found among more than 300 elected MNAs. Many also wonder as to what happened to those guarantees by the rulers about this government completing its tenure.
How can that claim remain valid if halfway through the term of the current National Assembly a non-elected prime minister is inducted through lateral entry? The rulers have no right to insult the sensibilities of the people and their elected representatives like this. How are we going to build institutions if we discredit the few we have?
IMTIAZ PIRACHA
Karachi
'Troubling historical roots'
The article "Troubling historical roots" by Mr Shahid Javed Burki (June 29) and the letter (July 3) by Mr Aqdas Afzal were interesting commentaries. A western simplification could be: which came first, the chicken or the egg? However, the real world is more complicated.
Nation discovery and then nation building by us westerners were earlier done most often in the name of the crown and in the name of 'the church', and in later history perhaps in the name of the Church of England to establish business interests for Spain, Portugal and Great Britain throughout the subcontinent.
Mathematics and art and architecture existed before the arrival of westerners in the subcontinent as governors and creators of goods and services with concurrent transportation and transit systems, along with a style of militarism.
The population explosion in both Pakistan and India has created a huge demand for more and better housing, healthcare and public education, and innumerable other problems where to keep one's sanity solace is sought in religion.
The Muslim faith inside Pakistan today appears far different in 2004 than it was when I lived and worked in both Karachi and Peshawar from 1963 to 1965. But, the infrastructure of Pakistan is better than formerly. Key democratic societal issues are regularly under discussion in Dawn.
The Muslim faith as practised by Mr Jinnah did not 'put down' women, nor did it put down public education per se. Today, the radicalized terrorist actions of some who claim to be Muslims are causing the 'outside world' to judge whole nations and societies as if all Muslims were 'the bad guys'.
The majority of people in any given society tend to be a 'silent majority' and the extremists on both left and right end up grabbing the headlines and forming world opinion by their minority acts of murder and mayhem.
No parent left to their own resources should or could sanely want a repressive society for their own children. Extremists working in the guise of religion suppress education for the masses, particularly girls, and offer instead a system which does not teach reason or logic, the tools of survival in the real world.
Surely, this is not what Pakistanis, or the rest of the Muslims, need as individuals or as a nation. Trying to redefine Pakistan and its Islamic roots should be a peaceful, constructive process based on fair play and tolerance of other faith systems.
GEORGE L. SINGLETON
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Performance of Wapda
The government appointed a person from the corporate sector as Wapda chairman almost eight months ago. The chairman was given specific tasks: reduce line losses, improve customer service, reduce tariff, timely completion of all development projects initiated by Wapda and expedite power sector reforms' implementation for its speedy privatization.
But line losses are hovering around 27 per cent, slightly higher than previous years. Receivables have reached an alarming Rs74 billion, Fata remains a bleeding ulcer as Wapda does not have the clout to take on the local administration there.
Illegal agriculture tubewells in Balochistan are mushrooming, bogus billing is rampant and parking of units is being carried on systematically to keep line losses artificially low.
Projects are late by one to two years at least. Favouriteshave been posted as project directors of mega projects on the recommendation of political bosses. In Pesco alone, 28 positions of XEN are held by nominees of a federal minister. Not a dot has moved ahead in power sector reforms.
Resultantly, the privatization commission is focusing on Kapco shares sale instead of Fesco and the Jamshoro Power Plant. International financial institutions were upbeat on the appointment of the new Wapda chairman and promised billions of dollars in fresh loans to augment and develop infrastructure.
Lately, they are shy of visiting Wapda House even for preliminary discussions. Is there any forum which could look into this state of affairs? After all, poor taxpayers have so far injected Rs130 billion in Wapda as equity (in fact, a debt write-off in the last three years due to the GoP).
HIMAYATULLAH
Lahore
HEC's policies
Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Ataur Rehman, appearing in a recent PTV panel discussion for inviting foreign qualified Pakistanis, said that out of 350 such applicants 73 had been selected to serve in Pakistani educational institutions.
Taking their cue from the chairman's policy, several computer and management colleges, including those situated in New Garden Town, Lahore, have started issuing termination notices to their teachers with three years or more of service who had qualified from their own institution.
It is good to invite Pakistanis living abroad to come back and serve their country, but to do so at the cost of locally qualified staff is unjust. Institutes which want to employ foreign-qualified personnel could be asked to adopt a teaching hierarchy consisting of lectures, assistant professors, associate professors and professors and the present teachers should be allowed to stay on as lecturers and the higher posts could go to the foreign qualified ones.
The HEC chairman should prevent unemployment from taking place as a result of his policy. He should issue strict orders to computer and management institutes to desist from dismissing locally qualified teachers.
AHMAD HASSAN
Lahore
'Music Pakistan'
This refers to an article "The Music Man of Peshawar" in which the learned writer has rightly recommended the digitalization of the music collection of the late Allahdad Khan (Images, June 20)
I am reminded of a good production of the Shalimar Recording Company (SRC) of 57 compact discs containing the melodies of Muslim musical heavyweights of yore. The project was named Music Pakistan.
The material for the 57 CDs was scanned from 1.5 million minutes of recorded music available at the National Sound Library, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Islamabad. It took about 20 months to complete the project.
I have purchased all the 57 CDs. In my judgment it's one of the best conservation projects ever undertaken in Pakistan by any media organization. It contained all categories of our rich melodic heritage - classical vocal and instrumental, folk vocal and instrumental, ghazals, and light classical genres such as dadras and thumris recorded in the voices of maestros hailing from different professional gharanas of musicians.
While it is advisable to transfer the valuable collection of the late connoisseur Allahdad Khan of Peshawar, we should also promote the good work done by several persons in preserving for posterity the rich melodic culture of Pakistan.
ANILA KHAN
Lahore
Food for thought
The refusal of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to use German-made BMWs and his preference for locally-made Ambassador cars is an example to follow not only for Pakistanis at the helm of affairs, but also for the nation at large.
Everybody these days seems to be obsessed with a desire to outshine the other by making an exhibition of his wealth. If our ladies can follow Indian fashion, if we can plan our weddings on their pattern, if the youngsters can idolize Indian film stars and if we can dance to Indian tunes, then why can't we follow this example of austerity and a preference for our own products?
SARFRAZ KHAN VIRK
Lahore
(2)
This refers to the report (June 29) that the Indian prime minister has shunned imported BMWs and instead opted to ride in Ambassador cars. This is in sharp contrast to the practice in Pakistan where purchase of high-profile cars is the order of the day. This happens at levels much lower that of the PM. We need to encourage a culture of austerity and reliance on domestically produced vehicles.
SHAMS ZAHEER ABBAS
Lahore
Kashmir: need for a new beginning
The Radcliffe Award for the partition of the subcontinent was primarily based on the separation of Muslim majority areas contiguously situated. The principle was also applied to various other states in India, and their heads were advised to keep in view the wishes of their people as regards the country they wanted to join as a result of partition.
In the case of Kashmir, a serious confusion arose due to the rejection of this principle by the non-Muslim raja of the state. The people of the state who were predominantly Muslim launched a freedom movement against him.
India meanwhile forcibly took control of the state and decided to suppress the liberation struggle. The situation, however, went out of control and India approached the United Nations for help in maintaining law and order in the state.
The prime minister of India, moreover, made a commitment to the United Nations that formal accession of Kashmir either to India or Pakistan will be decided by the state's people through the exercise of their free will.
Since then India has failed to allow the Kashmiris to express their will and has kept the state under its cruel yoke. Needless to say, Kashmir constitutes an incomplete agenda of partition. In no way is it a matter of giving any part of India to Pakistan.
This position has been recognised by the international community, especially the British government which had left India without resolving the problem. A recent statement of the Indian foreign minister called for a 'new beginning' and 'goodwill' on Kashmir after a passage of 57 years.
India has brazenly ignored its own commitment under the Radcliffe Award and the United Nations resolutions on the issue. Whatever the so-called 'new beginning' on Kashmir may mean the problem has to be resolved on the basis of the principle of partition of India and according to the wishes of the people of the occupied state.
The entire world opinion considers Kashmir a disputed territory, and currently efforts are under way to promote a composite dialogue to settle all disputes between India and Pakistan, including Kashmir.
In this context, it is regrettable that some Indian parliamentarians have voiced the stand that Kashmir is an integral part of India. It is high time Pakistan called upon the new leadership of India to avoid such statements so that the impending dialogue could be held in its true historical and political perspective.
M. IQBAL
Faisalabad
CDA and cultural show in Japan
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has invited expression of interest for world class cultural performance to celebrate Pakistan Day at Expo-2005, Aichi, Japan, in August 2005.
According to the little that we know, participation in such expositions is the sole duty of the Export Promotion Bureau, with the commerce ministry coordinating in case other miniseries are also involved.
If a cultural event is envisaged, the EPB or the commerce ministry would request the ministry of culture to chip in. Whatever the case, the CDA cannot be made responsible for holding cultural events and that too outside the precincts of the capital territory.
On the other hand, if someone at the CDA has the capability to arrange or hold international cultural events, then he can always be called upon to provide his expertise to the relevant people and nothing more.
It is thus hoped that either the CDA is placed under the ministry of commerce or the EPB at least for this project or the latter is required to take over and have the event rightfully processed through the ministry for culture, sports and tourism.
TAHIR BASHARAT CHEEMA
Lahore
'Conformism'
This refers to the letter by Mr Arun Khanna (July 6) in response to my article (July 4). In my article I had said: "It is probable that until about a couple of hundred years ago all cultures discouraged the questioning mind and enjoined conformism."
Mr Khanna says this statement is incorrect because in the 15th century the European renaissance was under way, and that by the late 18th century, Tom Paine in America had written "Common Sense" and "The Age of Reason".
Even if Mr Khanna wishes to ignore two qualifying words - "probable" and "about" in my statement - how can he disregard the fact that I am referring to "cultures," and not to an intellectual movement launched by a few men some of whom were persecuted for their innovative thinking? Is Mr Khanna telling us that with the publication of Tom Paine's "Age of Reason", the pattern of interaction between father and son in American homes changed and the father stopped telling his son that such-and-such was the case because he (father) had said so?
Incidentally, is Mr Khanna aware that fairly soon after Tom Paine's writings, there was in both Europe and America another intellectual movement known as the "Revolt against Reason"?
ANWAR SYED
Herndon, Virginia, USA
Appeal
Mr Ahmed Naeem, director, Shahnawaz (Pvt) Ltd., was kidnapped on June 11 near his residence in DHA, Karachi. There has been no outcome of the case. I appeal to President Pervez Musharraf to intervene for the early and safe release of Mr Naeem.
SOHAIL AHMED SAQIB
Karachi
Road blocks
It has become a daily routine in Karachi for roads to be closed without any prior public announcement by the police either for security checking or for some VIP movement. This adds to the hardship of the citizens, who are already affected by the law and order situation, electricity failures, traffic congestions, water shortage, etc.
By making people suffer all this, the so-called public representatives show that they have no regard for the common people. The government should not do this merely to please the so-called VIPs and VVIPs.
SOHAIL MUZAFFAR
Karachi
Discrimination by FPSC
The css age limit was reduced from 30 to 28 years in 2000 with immediate effect, which adversely affected many candidates. However, a few candidates were allowed to appear for the CSS examinations, 2002, though they were overage vide the Supreme Court judgment in CP 1549/2002 etc, entitled Murtaza Anjum vs others dated 16/10/2002.
Being affected candidates, we found in it some hope and we appeared in the CSS examinations, 2002, but to our surprise our results were not announced. I appeared in the high court but my petition was dismissed. Subsequently, some other candidates were given relief by the Supreme Court judgment in CP 49/03 etc, entitled Mumtaz Bohio vs others, dated 10/10/2003.
I think the policy of the FPSC and the Supreme Court should be to give relief to all candidates or to none. If any candidate is given relief despite being overage, we should get the same. We, therefore, request the authorities concerned to do the following:
1. Announce our results.
2. Reconsider the decision of age reduction. For candidates who are government employees, the age limit has been reduced by five years from 35 to 30 years. This should be kept at 32 years.
3. Those affected by the immediate implementation of the decision should be allowed to complete their attempts.
AFFECTED CANDIDATES
Hyderabad
Woes of power consumers
The Karachi Electricity Supply Company in its recent drive has once again started shifting electric meters outside residential premises. The meters so replaced are reported inaccurate as claimed by many residents of different localities, and consumers have reported that the new meters are about 30 per cent faster than normal.
For example, a bulb of 1,000 watts when lit for one hour gives reading of 1.28 to 1.3 units on the new meter. Lives of Karachiites are being made miserable, now the KESC has started adding Rs100 per month to its bills to shift meters outside residential premises.
There is no policy announced by the government that consumers will be made to suffer on this account. Will someone come forward to rescue the public?
ZIA-UL-HAQ
Karachi
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