| 20 July 2004 | Tuesday | 02 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 |
Faisalabad lacks skilled manpower
KU museum's state of disrepair: Campus Round-up
Both India and Pakistan will spend more on defence. While India has increased its defence budget by a whopping 18-20 per cent, Pakistan has done so by a relatively nominal seven to eight per cent. This year, India allocated Rs770 billion to defence representing a sharp increase over the estimated Rs603 billion spent in the last fiscal year.
Pakistan recorded an increase of roughly about one-third of India's, allocating a 'record' amount of Rs194 billion - about Rs13 billion more than the revised defence budget of Rs181 billion.
The question for the two rivals to answer is whether they can afford such massive increases in their defence outlay and still meet their targeted goals for poverty alleviation, human resource development and economic progress.
More currently, the question is whether such enhanced defence outlays correspond to the spirit of detente and reconciliation generated by the on-going peace process between the two. What do they have to show for their huge defence spending in the past 56 years? Three mutually destructive wars have been fought, hurting both.
Three Pakistani responses to the increase in India's defence budget are noteworthy - for their strategic maturity and tactical pragmatism. The most definitive and authoritative statement came from the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Aziz Khan.
In his address at the 81st Midshipmen Commissioning parade in Karachi (July 10), he said Pakistan was willing to go 'an extra mile' to resolve all disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir 'through dialogue'.
Coming as it did from the senior-most serving general known for his strong views on India, Gen. Aziz, in principle, threw his weight behind the on-going 'India-Pakistan peace process'.
The general viewed an 'arms race' in the region as to nobody's advantage. The desired balance of power would, however, be maintained both in conventional and strategic arms, he said.
Former Air Chief retired air chief marshal Zulfikar Ali Khan, in a TV talk, saw little rationale or compulsion behind India escalating its defence budget at a time when the two countries were engaged in a well-charted and meaningful peace process. "Let this in no way lead to the yet another arms race between the two neighbours," he said.
Statement three came from the foreign office spokesman, Masood Khan. Mr Khan viewed India's defence budget hike as 'contrary' to regional development. For such a measure would be a 'cause of concern' not only to Pakistan but also 'several' other neighbouring countries. That may well include China besides the Saarc countries.
Contrary to Pakistan's dovish responses, India's have been outrightly hawkish. Mr. K. Subrahmanyam, an old hardliner, not only spoke in support of the budgetary increase but considered it inadequate.
Without essential modernization, already overdelayed and neglected, the armed forces might as well be 'dissolved', he observed. Mr. Subrahmanyam's fond dream is to see India emerge as a conventional and nuclear giant at all costs. To what supreme objective? He alone could tell; for his country can take Pakistan on with half the military force it already has.
A former defence secretary, Mr. Ajit Kumar, has been more critical and realistic, however. He denounced the huge increase as 'wasteful expenditure'. What Mr. Kumar labelled as 'archaic activities', including items as 'canteen supplies' and other expendibles, contributed little to a stronger defence.
But he did not seem to take sufficient note of the increase in capital expenditure from Rs209.53 billion last year to Rs334.03 billion for the current fiscal year.
Defence Minister Pranab Mukerjee viewed the increase as an obligation and a commitment to honouring the debt and the liabilities incurred by the outgoing BJP government. "After off-loading the BJP's baggage, there will not be much left for new programmes," he said.
Mr Mukerjee even fears that he might have to go to the "finance minister begging for money". Much as he would hate to do that, it might be 'necessary'. In other words, this is not the end of story and there would be more to it by October. "Almost from the month of October onward, we will be short of funds," he said.
He also stated that he would go all the way to equip the Indian armed forces with 'cutting edge weaponry' and ensure full utilization of the increased 'capital expenditure'. According to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, the capital expenditure had 'become necessary for rapid and much-needed modernization of the armed forces'.
Mr Mukerjee says that capital expenditure is a 'reflection of the government's keenness to ensure speedy modernization'. And yet, he would go on to insist that India had 'no territorial ambitions'. At the same time, he said, 'I can't allow others to have territorial ambitions against my country,' he said.
Which country, one might ask Mr Mukerjee, would have 'territorial ambitions' against his country? Not Pakistan. Not China. Who else then? The fact is that while Pakistan cannot conquer India, India too cannot occupy Pakistan. There's a balanced strategic equation, unless one or the other goes mad in an attempt to upset it.
While historical records need not be relevant to current realities, the fact remains that all the three India-Pakistan wars were waged under Congress governments - of Pandit Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Mrs Indira Gandhi. To Mrs Gandhi's government also went the distinction of detonating India's first nuclear device in 1974.
Mr Mukerjee's projection of an aggressive response to an imagined territorial threat to his country, irresistibly, even if irrationally, reminds one of the Congress's past war record vis-a-vis Pakistan.
What must engage the attention of Mr Mukerjee and Mr Chidambaram is whether the increased defence budget, especially the huge component of the capital expenditure involved, is also affordable and, if it is, to what extent? The same goes for Pakistan too. For two such countries as Pakistan and India, with millions living under the poverty line, only an affordable defence alone could be credible.
- The writer is a retired brigadier of the Pakistan Army.
Faisalabad lacks skilled manpower
The need to establish a full-fledged university in Faisalabad, the country's third populous city, which holds a unique distinction in development of textile industry, extensive research in agriculture ranging from forestry to fertilizers and nuclear agricultural medicines to bio-technology, was being felt for a long time.
But strangely enough no organization of teachers, trade or industrial body, intellectual and educational circles or NGOs analyzed ever whether a required infrastructure or qualified manpower capable of providing quality education at the university level could be available in the city.
Moreover, the teachers of the defunct Government College have been propagating that no significant work has been done since the establishment of the university.
Talking to Dawn, GC University vice-chancellor Dr Asif Iqbal claimed that a comprehensive and workable programme had been prepared to produce highly educated and skilled manpower to meet the requirements of the fast growing industrial and commercial city.
For this purpose, he said the re-orientation of the BA/BSc, MSc and post-graduate courses and redesigning of the curricula had formally been approved by the Higher Education Commission.
He revealed that when the task of establishment of faculties was taken up, it came to the notice that teachers of the required standard were not available in the city.
In spite of extensive advertisement, no PhD or properly qualified teacher for subjects like English, mathematics, statistics and botany could be available. Resultantly, some teachers were being appointed on contract. Over and above this, talented teachers were being offered a handsome package of R130,000 per month.
The VC further claimed that the academic breakthrough had been achieved during the last 16 months. At the outset, it was decided that we would only focus contemporary technology areas, if and when, basic knowledge disciplines had been strengthened.
In the year 2002, the century old post-graduate autonomous institution could only boast of seven Master level programmes, viz Urdu, Arabic, Islamiat, English, mathematics, economics and zoology.
With this narrow base, it was rather optimistic on the part of the university to even contemplate introduction of more than 12 new graduate/post-graduate disciplines in the very first year of its existence.
Dr Iqbal said that in the year 2003, the GC had started three-year BSc Honours in physics, chemistry, botany, mathematics, LLB; MA/MSc in physics, chemistry, botany, statistics, Pakistan studies, education and M.Phil and PhD in zoology and Arabic.
He said from the next academic year, B.Pharma, Honours courses in BCA, telecommunication, fine arts and home economics and Master's programmes in industrial chemistry and environmental sciences would be introduced.
The available space was now being utilized to the maximum by introducing evening programmes and the campus was abuzz with teaching-learning activities till 9pm. He said it was perhaps the first university of its kind in the Punjab to have a strong linkage with the industry.
A large-scale survey of city students conducted by the newly-established research centre of the GCU highlighted the fact that textile was a household word in Faisalabad.
The survey also identified the professional preferences of the prospective students. The research centre had organized an industrial exhibition and technology fair and related seminars in June 2003. Over 20 textile concerns had participated in the mega event.
Likewise, in consonance with the local industry requirements, he said classes of industrial chemistry in MSc, financing and banking in B.Com, corporate law in LLB and textile management merchandizing and other subjects in MBA/MBIT programmes had also been introduced.
He further gave out that recently a public-private joint venture for MBA programme was launched on the campus, which proved a turning point in our endeavours to forge a strong link between the industry and the university. At least 60 job-related projects were also launched for the industry, banking and finance sector.
Similarly, a number of industrial units had offered internships for the GC University. The proposed launching of IELTS and textile and fashion design courses under the same venture was likely to cement this bond further.
The VC said that the old Armstrong Library had been restored and furnished. The neglected hostel building had also been upgraded to accommodate additional boarding facility for some 100 girl students.
A 100-room hostel of the Municipal Degree College acquired outside the campus was being renovated for shifting of boys hostel. In addition, the Johar hostel building was proposed to be used for starting fine arts and home economics classes after renovation.
The networking had been made on the entire campus with the Optical Fibre Technology. Now the students, teachers and administration could monitor all activities of the campus, including the admission, examination, education, semesters system, library and courses.
He said the examination system had also been evolved which was entirely different to the traditional system in vogue in other universities of the province. He said from the next academic year, the university would facilitate students to appear in BA and MA examinations in a number of subjects as private candidates. The system had also been evolved for granting affiliation to local colleges for which pre-inspection system would be made to evaluate the standard of such colleges. Initially, he said the Government Girls College, Ghulam Muhammadabad, was being granted affiliation.
Within the next 16 months, the GC University would be converted into a model institution equipped with full faculty members, classes for post-graduates and graduates in over two dozen subjects, the VC concluded.
KU museum's state of disrepair: Campus Round-up
The museum of the general history department at the Karachi University is a shambles these days. The ceiling plaster is flaking in one of the two galleries, and the exhibits have been dumped in the other gallery.
The plaster began to peel off in September, but the university's engineering section has yet to complete repairs. The museum remains closed. The museum was established in 1966-67 when Dr Mehmood ul Hussain was chairman of the general history department.
Material was borrowed from the department of archaeology and the museums of Pakistan. Prior to the current dislocation, the museum had two galleries, pre-Islamic and Islamic, with collections and exhibits acquired from Moenjodaro, Harappa, Amri, Rohri, Kot Diji, Taxila, Charsadda, Dir, Bhambore and Chowkundi.
There are two dioramas. One relates to the Stone Age, while the other highlights the peripheral wall of Moenjodaro as well as the river Indus. In addition, one can find pottery, old coins, handwritten copies of the Holy Quran, paintings and sculptures of the fasting Buddha.
Arif Hussain, a technical assistant at the museum, says that it is an important tool for higher studies at the general history department. He called for expansion and introduction of two more galleries with special reference to the freedom movement and regional cultures.
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The official policy requiring teachers to seek clearance from different offices prior to a journey abroad, has long been a matter of concern for the academic community.
A Karachi University professor was invited by an institute of Indian studies to participate in a conference at New Delhi on July 15 and 16, but he failed to make it as one of the intelligence agencies did not process his case in time.
In order to visit India, the teachers of state-run universities in the province are required seek clearance from the home department and then from the governor, who is chancellor of the varsities. After receiving applications from teachers through universities, the home department writes to the special branch, ISI and the Intelligence Bureau for clearance.
The professor in question had reportedly applied for clearance in the third week of May, but he was not cleared in time by one agency. Interestingly, the teacher was issued clearance thrice in 2001 to go to India.
University teachers want the vice-chancellor to take up the matter with the authorities concerned for removing the clearance condition for university teachers of Sindh. Such conditions, particularly when no government money is involved in the journeys, should be done away with as these are time consuming and irritating, they say.
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The first meeting of the Dow University of Health Sciences syndicate is likely to be held in the first week of August. With nominations of distinguished members to the syndicate, the quorum condition will be met, says the vice-chancellor, Prof Masood Hameed Khan.
In its first meeting, among other items on the agenda, the syndicate will consider the recommendations of the academic council in regard to the establishment of three new teaching departments in microbiology, bio-medical engineering and pulmonary medicines and thorasic surgery.
The VC says elections to four seats of the syndicate from teachers' constituencies will be held in September.
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The fourth issue of the Journal of Research in Architecture and Planning of the NED University of Engineering and Technology will be out in September. The issue will be based on urban area conservation and restoration.
The department of architecture and planning of the university has been publishing the journal on different themes since 2001. So far it has covered the themes of town-scape and transformations in architecture, with contributions made by professionals and scholars from the UK, the USA, Turkey, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Belgium, Pakistan and other countries.
According to the chairman of the department of architecture and planning, Prof Noman Ahmad, the forthcoming issue should be important in Pakistani context, where many heritage sites have been damaged or even demolished. The journal will serve as a useful knowledge base for professional work in this direction, he believes.