| 05 August 2004 | Thursday | 18 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 |
The Iraq puzzle
Golden jubilee of K-2
Lost independence
Harassment at EOBI offices
Dead phone
Role Nato expects from Turkey
Keenjhar tragedy victims
Qatari work visa
Unfair deductions
Genuine democracy
Careless van drivers
'Losing the high ground'
Lack of response
Fahrenheit 9/11
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The wave of violence in the country has now engulfed Balochistan. In one attack, five army men were gunned down in Khuzdar. The government terms such violence as "scattered resistance" and a plot by terrorists. It says that their aim is to destabilize society and create terror.
It is also believed that these forces of terror are afraid that there is a wave of development in Gwadar, the Makran region and other parts of Balochistan, as this would leave no room for feudals and other oppressors to keep their people backward.
Contradicting this impression, the chief of the Jamhoori Watan Party, Nawab Akbar Bugti, while talking to a foreign radio station, blamed the state for using brute force in Turbat and Gwadar.
He added that jet aircraft, Cobra helicopters and some tanks were being brought in. The killings of the army men might be a reaction to the army operation. Nawab Bugti blames the state from shying away from genuine dialogue.
Attaullah Mengal, chief of the Balochistan National Party, does not agree with the government for using the word "terrorist" for the attackers. He believes that people are retaliating in self-defence.
On the other side, nationalist parties also have their grievances regarding the development of Gwadar port as they fear that the port would create a demographic imbalance.
Furthermore, Mr Mengal blames the government for not making the local people part of the development process. People have serious reservations that natural gas from Balochistan is fulfilling the national energy demand while parts of Balochistan are denied their natural indigenous resource.
People are also not in favour of the building of army cantonments in Kohlu, Turbat and other parts of Balochistan. However, the Balochistan chief minister is of the opinion that it is the state's sovereign right to build a cantonment anywhere in the country.
It is imperative for both state and the nationalists to seriously find a path of dialogue. It is high time that the development of Gwadar port and opportunities bestowed by geography for the people are not lost.
To sum it up, history is witness to the fact that political solutions and flexible dialogue have always been effective and fruitful.
MIR CHAKAR BALOCH
Karachi
The Iraq puzzle
The plan was good. Get total control of at least one big source of oil while competing with Europe and Japan for the rest of it. Which country has enough to justify the investment of hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives? Why, Saudi Arabia, of course. Except, it would be a hard nut to crack.
Iraq would fit the bill perfectly. It has the world's second largest proven oil reserves. It was ruled by a butcher who hated most of its minorities. He did a good job of bleeding Iran so they won't be any trouble for a while. He also took care of the Kurds with chemical weapons supplied by the US. He was stupid enough to fall for the Kuwait ploy.
After the first Gulf war the Americans thought they had a perfect arrangement. Let him rule the Sunni triangle so that we don't have to face another Ayatollah, they probably thought. The US controlled two-thirds of the country and Iraq's oil was under its control, albeit under nominal UN authority.
Now, don't the pieces fall perfectly in place? Piece number one: go to war under any pretext to remove Saddam. Two: keep the UN out except for a token presence. Three: keep troops and bases in Iraq.
Four: do not let an independent and popular leader lead the interim government. What better than to have someone in place who has been in the good books of the CIA? Five: make sure the Europeans don't descend on the kill. Just give them and Japan a glimmer of hope to keep them in line.
Poor Iraqis. They are in a soup (oil) for a long time.
JAMAL H. KHAN
via e-mail
(2)
General Musharraf recently said that he would follow the will of the people with regard to sending troops to Iraq. If that is a fact, then my response is a big, emphatic No.
The simple reason is that sending troops to Iraq would be seen as condoning American and British misdeeds in that country. The UN secretary-general has stated that Pakistan is ready to send its troops, if other Muslim countries do so. Let every Pakistani vehemently say no to this. In the present circumstances sending troops for any kind of duty in Iraq would be an anti- Pakistan move.
Pakistan's foreign minister recently stated that the country's parliament would decide the matter. Is it not a fact that the present Pakistani parliament is such that a prime minister is selected first and elected later?
Pakistan should send its troops to Iraq only as part of a larger UN peace-keeping force, which must replace the US and British forces that must pull out completely.
S. QAISER YUSOOF
Karachi
Golden jubilee of K-2
It is a matter of immense pleasure for all of us that we are celebrating the golden jubilee of the K-2 and Nanga Parbat collectively. I would like to congratulate all Pakistani summitters of K-2 and Nanga Parbat, in particular, and other well known climbers from the rest of Pakistan, in general.
Tourism is a growing sector of the economy but our government is not paying due attention to it. Unfortunately we don't know much about climbing as a sport. We have many national heroes in this field but we don't know about them.
Just 20 well-known climbers are from a small village of Hunza known as Shimshal. The prominent ones are: Rajab Shah, Mehrban Shah, Qudrat Ali, Subedar Yousaf Khan, Havaldar Mohammad Ullah, Hasil Shah, Ali Mussa, Shaheen Baig and others.
Rajab Shah is the first Pakistani who has climbed all 8000m peaks situated in Pakistan and Havaldar Mohammad Ullah is the first Pakistani who has climbed Nanga Parbat (Killer Mountain) twice.
There are many other well-known climbers from other parts of Pakistan but we are unaware of them. I hope that on the occassion of the Golden Jubilee of K-2 and Nanga Parbat the print media as well as the electronic media will give full coverage to our national heroes in the field of climbing.
It will not only be a token of appreciation for them but a source of learning for our nation.
SHUJAAT ALI SHIMSHALI
via email
Lost independence
This refers to Mr Ayaz Amir's column "Who said we were Philippines"? (Dawn, July 30) I fully agree with the sentiments expressed by the writer. As a nation we should be ashamed of what we could not do for Raja Azad and Sajad Naeem. I think it would be more appropriate to say that we are just spineless, dead spirits walking around.
Nothing shocks or jolts us any more. We just know how to weep for our individual tragedies whereas no national dilemma is big enough to stir us out of our miserable existence.
Qazi Hussain Ahmad called for observing Friday as a protest day against these killings whereas I think it will do no good. Rather, it is time to mourn for our hard-achieved independence which we celebrate every year with great zeal and fervour.
We are still not an independent nation even after 57 years.What we have done in Afghanistan for our masters is not enough to please them. They still need more proof of our loyalty.
We as a nation are represented to the outside world through the policies of our government. But does the government pay any heed to the wishes of its people? Still every government professes to being the true representative of the masses. How far these masses are consulted before taking any national decision is thought unworthy of consideration.
"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown", and it's time for those wearing the crown to realize their responsibilities. I think sending our troops to Iraq would be jumping into someone else's fire.
MALEEHA KHALID
Gujranwala
Harassment at EOBI offices
The Employees Old-age Benefit Institution scheme was introduced a few decades ago to benefit the retiring employees of private companies and organizations. Because of lack of awareness of their rights and procedures, employees approaching the EOBI offices are harassed by the staff.
One of my colleagues recently retired and when he approached the EOBI regional office at Landhi, he faced tremendous troubles. The staff did not properly guide him on how to get his application processed; instead, he has been asked to submit one document after the other.
He was not guided to submit the requisite documents during a single visit. In each visit the officer ask one documents or the other. What the EOBI staff expect from a person who has already dejected because of loss of his job. Is there no humanity and sense of responsibility let amongst us?
I beg to the relevant EOBI authority to instruct their regional offices especially Landhi Region to be kind and cooperative to the employees who are already under tension because of worries about their future. They need kindness and help, not harassment.
MOHAMMAD IQBAL
Karachi
Dead phone
My phone 6947910 (Karachi) has been dead for 20 days. I have registered my complaints several times at both 18 and with 0800-44544 but all in vain. I am paralyzed and my only son does not live in Karachi. The telephone is the only communication with my son and other relatives.
My daughter went to the New Karachi exchange but that also proved futile. She was told that there is a problem with the cable and that it can only be set right if orders come from higher officials.
I pay my bills regularly, so why am I made to suffer all this inconvenience. I request the PTCL authorities to immediately get my number rectified.
HUMAYOUN MIRZA
Karachi
Role Nato expects from Turkey
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization's Istanbul summit on June 28-29 seems to have been a logical sequel to its 'eastward enlargement' regarding seven new states - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania.
While Brussels would continue to serve as Nato headquarters and oversee the organization's transatlantic agenda, a new centre in Turkey would use the organization's experience with former communist countries in the 'Partnership for Peace' (PfP) programme to promote regional security and democratization efforts in the US manufactured Greater Middle East.
A revised Mediterranean Dialogue, to be called the 'Partnership Action Plan' (PAP), may serve as the basis of a new Nato-Middle East Initiative. Atlantic treaty is also expected to take over the coalition provisional authority's south-central sector in Iraq (currently under Polish-Spanish military control) and increase its commitment to Afghanistan by deploying International Security Assistance Force troops to cities outside Kabul.
From the Nato point of view, no country is better poised to catalyze its Mideast operations than Turkey, currently the only Middle Eastern Nato member. A Turkish Nato centre could help pull Central Asia and the Caucasus - the frontier lands of the Greater Middle East - into Nato's orbit.
As the economic and geographical focal-point of these incendiary regions, Turkey would bring the Alliance's 'democratizing appeal' nearer to the fledgling democracies there.
There would be three other benefits to a Turkish Nato centre. First, such a centre could help provide logistics support for the organization's operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Second, recommitting the US and Turkey to Iraq's security could help strengthen strategic US-Turkish ties, challenged over the past year owing to policy differences on Iraq.
And, third, a 'security partnership' of Washington, Ankara, and Baghdad would alleviate Turkey's fears regarding a Kurdish state in Iraq, and lessen the likelihood of conflict between Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds.
Nonetheless, a backlash is brewing against the US Greater Middle East Initiative among Muslim governments in the ME. The Muslim world clearly rejects a US-dictated Nato role in the region: it also rejects the US imposed formulae of promoting democracy and in return getting benefits from the West as it has no faith in US policies in the Mideast.
S.Q. AFZAL RIZVI
Karachi
Keenjhar tragedy victims
This is with reference to the news "Keenjhar tragedy victims" (Dawn, July 28) regarding distribution of compensation to the heirs of the Keenjhar Lake tragedy.
Although financial help in the shape of cash payment to the distressed families does not mitigate their suffering, it is a welcome gesture on the part of the authorities. Besides, this token support also helps lessen their economic burden to some extent.
However, the spirit behind this good gesture and help is completely distorted when the next day this occasion is given wide publicity through newspapers, and photographs of officials with triumphant smiles delivering cheques to the relatives of the victims.
Publicity on such sombre occasions is apparently won at the cost of embarrassing the grieved recipients. In all such cases, cheques should be delivered to them at their home addresses instead of all this fanfare.
RAFIQ AHMED SIDIQUI
Karachi
Qatari work visa
The Qatar government has not been issuing work visas to Pakistani workers for a long time. The relevant ministry and the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation are doing nothing in this regard, and please do not ask about the Pakistan embassy staff in Doha, Qatar; they just sleep and do not bother about these matters of national interest.
I tried many times to meet the consul at the embassy but he was always found attending meetings (one can imagine how difficult meeting our ambassador would be).
Nowadays many construction projects are being launched for building up the infrastructure in Qatar. If our government seriously attends to this visa problem and negotiates with the Qatar government, a number of skilled and unskilled Pakistani workers can find employment here.
ENGR. HAMID MUHAMMAD
Doha, Qatar
Unfair deductions
The attention of the State Bank and the CBR is drawn through these columns to the plight of employees of public and private limited companies earning salaries between Rs 5,000 and 10,000 per month.
These people, on the one hand, are being forced by the CBR to receive salaries through cheques and, on the other, they have to pay penalties to the bank if their account balance falls below a certain limit.
In case of employees working in government, semi-government and autonomous bodies the State Bank has asked the banks not to make these deductions. But who will come and rescue employees of companies in the private sector? This is quite unjust and discriminatory and the banks should be asked to stop deductions in the case of all employees who receive their salaries through their bank accounts.
SARFRAZ AHMED
Karachi
Genuine democracy
The remedy to Pakistan's socio-economic ills lies in creating more provinces and abolishing feudalism. Unless this is done, we will not see genuine democracy. The prime minister-in-waiting should give serious thought to this suggestion.
SHAH ZEYAUR RAHMAN
Karachi
Careless van drivers
With a heavy bag of books and copies on her back, my child (7), while stepping into the school van, fell down as the vehicle inside was crowded with no vacant seat or a supporting bar to keep her steady.
Earlier I had paid a handsome amount to the driver for the vacation period (June-July) for no service rendered. Despite charging heavily from the parents, it is sad that these people are least attentive to the safety of the children.
The school management on a similar occasion refused to address the problem as to them it was a "private affair" between parents and the van driver. If the school management is not concerned with the safety of their wards, then whose concern is it? Only they can discipline the errant van drivers because these people cannot bring their vehicles to the school gate without their permission. The school management cannot absolve themselves of their responsibility.
A HARASSED PARENT
Karachi
'Losing the high ground'
This has reference to Mr Irfan Hussain's column 'Losing the high ground' (July 24). What a wonderful article, at the same time, how obvious it all was! Of course, people turn a blind eye to the excesses of their own kith.
But there are people like Mr Husain in all religions who have always been the true followers of 'enlightened moderation'. Being Hindu by birth and living in the US, I find more in common with Mr Husain's moderate Islam than my own country's (India's) extremist Hinduism as espoused by fanatics and the USA's extreme right conservative Christianity.
The moderates from all religions must get together and chip away at fanaticism - it will take time, it is too deep-rooted. But if we don't start, who else will?
PADMA MAHADEVAN
Via email
Lack of response
Last month the CBR proudly released an advertisement in major newspapers all over the country highlighting their e-mail address helpline@cbr.gov.pk for questions and queries from tax-payers. I used that opportunity and sent them a query regarding the procedure for issuance of duplicate NTN card, and as expected didn't receive any reply.
Since then I have e-mailed them around five times and am still waiting for their reply.
M. K. USMAN
Karachi
Fahrenheit 9/11
Michael Moore's documentary has been pretty successful in exposing US President George W Bush's so-called logic for attacking and invading Afghanistan and later Iraq. The movie seems to have succeeded in lowering Mr Bush's popularity.
S.M. KAZIM NAQVI
Karachi
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