| 12 August 2004 | Thursday | 25 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425 |
Rabid commercialization
Moenjodaro: dying another death
Extra toll fee
Sly taxation
Election recess
Case against polygamy
Induction of locals into govt depts
Traffic plan
Serious notice
Statue of Liberty
Encroachments' removal
PIA flyers
Blocking water
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Sindh is facing an irrigation water shortage due to two major factors. First of all, it does not get supply according to requirement and on the basis of its due share. Secondly, an inequitable and corrupt water distribution system means that those whose right it is to get water usually are deprived of their share.
Outlet tampering has become the owner of the day on account of water starvation and due to this, tail lands get scanty supply with which no crop can be sown and reaped.
The strict watch and patrolling of canals, channels and minors has brought rectification of many tampered outlets and it is hoped that this evil will be eliminated if the efforts taken are not abandoned or softened.
But this will not stay permanently. Aspirin treatment provides temporary relief. A permanent remedy is needed. During the last three decades, irrigation officials were made ineffective administratively. They could not exercise their normal powers as some chief ministers during this period assumed the role of canal officers.
They sanctioned extra water for thousands of acres of gardens which, as a result, get 2.5 times more extra water. The CMs also allowed direct outlets on main and branch canals for non-command area land and even sanctioned dimensions of outlets as proposed by their favourites.
What is needed is that the chief minister should ask canal officers to verify each revised modular statement (RMS) for each water course and bring it to its technically correct dimensions.
Any land owner who has raised a crop on more than 33 per cent area of his holding indicates permanent tampering via illegitimately sanctioned R.M.S. Canal officers should revise dimensions of water courses according to prescribed chart and data.
It is also necessary that permanent pipes of size of individual water entitlement of 10- feet long be fixed in canals. Water courses should be constructed accordingly.
The non-command area should be retracted to its original position. Sites should be inspected whether there actually exists garden in a land receiving garden water.
Any person who has obtained more than two per cent area of his holding sanctioned as a garden area should be required to pay 10 times extra land tax on excess area. Let us trust canal officers to perform their duties without any influence or dictation.
HIRANAND MOHANDAS
Mirpurkhas
Rabid commercialization
The trend of rabid commercialization in Karachi by the city government as well as the cantonment boards is a cause for much concern as all caution seems to have been thrown to the winds and almost everything that can be sold, rented, leased or charged is being sold or rented.
This is despite the fact that the people of the city have some of the worst civic services available in any major city of the country. What is ironic is that billions of rupees are being minted from commercialization that comes in the form of billboards, signage, renting out of public spaces, leasing areas for commercial use and contracting out parking spaces and other lands.
However, this money is not being spent where it should be - which is the civic uplift and development of Karachi. With the amazing money at his disposal, the Karachi n azim has had most of the main arteries of the city repaired and recarpeted.
But all inner roads and streets in most parts of the city remain in a dilapidated condition with sewers overflowing, the absence of footpaths and broken or jagged roads.
Coupled with this is the absence of parks, play areas and the provision of basic civic services like adequate supply of water, an efficient system of garbage collection and sewage disposal, cleaning of roads, fumigation of areas where mosquitoes and flies breed and other health related activities. It seems that the city government and the cantonment boards have divested themselves of these responsibilities.
However, the drive to commercialise and make money from advertising and other forms of commercial revenue seems to be non-ending. Take the Mai Kolachi bypass: the street lights are broken but new advertisement signs are being placed on the poles.
On Shahrea Faisal, the whole sign that indicates routes in the city has been shifted to the wrong side of the road so that an advertisement can be accommodated on this side.
Trees are mercilessly chopped down to set up advertising signboards, some of whom are so large that if they fall, they would cause considerable damage. In the 80's, an aesthetics committee was set by the then Sindh governor to take down commercial hoardings that spoilt the beauty of the city or its environs. Such a committee needs to be revived at the earliest.
ISLAM ZUBERI
Karachi
Moenjodaro: dying another death
How and why Moenjodaro civilization died is still a mystery. Quite ironically, it is now - its ruins to be more precise - experiencing another slow death, thanks to the negligence of the government, especially the department of archaeology.
Salinity and water logging are threatening the site's walls. Three walls collapsed recently because of this and more are on the verge of crumbling. For the past few years rain has also damaged the site.
The government has been advised by those concerned in and outside the country to take measures to prevent this priceless piece of our archaeological and historical heritage from crumbling away but so far nothing has been done.
Security also needs to be increased at the site and the museum. A year ago lack of security allowed the theft of several priceless seals from the museum - and so far they have not been recovered.
There is no good hotel available near the site. Every year plenty of tourists come, especially those from Japan and Europe, but due to a shortage of reasonable accommodation most of them stay only for a short period. To make matters worse, there are not enough flights and their timings are also not convenient.
Quite incredibly, there is so far no official government website on this great civilization and because of this most of the visitors who want to visit it have no access to proper information.
The government collects an entry fee from visitors but one wonders where the money goes because nothing seems to be spent on maintaining and protecting the site from further ruin. Regrettably, the government seems uninterested in setting up a fund for saving Moenjodaro.
This can be judged by the fact that even the computers found in some of the archaeology department offices or museum officials' offices have been financed by foreign donors.
The government should formulate a long-term conservation and maintenance plan to save Moenjodaro. It should also properly publicize the site abroad. This should happen before our past is allowed to die before our eyes.
IMRAN KHAN SIAL
Karachi
Extra toll fee
Karachi with its beautiful sun-kissed beaches attracts thousands of picnickers throughout the year. While going to Sandspit, a small toll collection unit has been set up by the local authorities to collect a small toll fee from the picnickers going to the beach.
The staff at the toll both gives a pink-coloured receipt of Rs15 to all passing cars. Excited picnickers don't bother to check the receipt that has the vehicle category marked with a black highlighter. If you read closely, it says bus/trucks only.
Recently, when I went to Sandspit, the person at the booth gave me the same pink receipt with the vehicle category marked with black highlighter. I asked him to give me the other receipt that is meant for cars (for Rs10) to which he said this pink one is the only valid receipt.
It was only when I told him that I am a government official and would report this fraud right away to his officer that he not only returned my money, but also apologized and let me pass without paying any toll.
Since there is no toll fee written anywhere at the toll booth, the staff takes full advantage of that and overcharge hundreds of picnickers every day. I request the authorities to place a proper toll fee board and also take action against such open frauds.
IMRAN KAZMI
Karachi
Sly taxation
Recently I travelled by road between Peshawar and Islamabad, a distance of some 120km. The volume of traffic was quite high with impatient drivers adding to the chaos.
There were hardly any open stretches because of our national penchant for smothering and choking roads with commercial activity but what really added to the dismay was the extraordinary number of toll barriers.
At last count, there were no less than four, which works out to one every 30km. Charges range from Rs 10 to Rs 50 and the daily take runs into high sums, which are not accountable.
It would be pertinent to mention that adding vehicular traffic on our roads is not a sign of prosperity, but total lack of foresight and planning. Imported fuel costs us precious foreign exchange and added fuel emission is playing havoc with human health and the environment.
Most thinking nations discourage individual road traffic and promote mass transit systems. Sadly, greed, petty considerations and small minds have stumped this every time a move was made in this direction in Pakistan.
JAVED KHAN
Haripur Hazara
Election recess
The oil price advisory committee was giving us a regular dose of increase in fuel prices every fortnight, blaming international prices on every occasion. For the last three fortnights prices have been left unchanged, although the international crude prices have risen to record levels.
The committee, it seems, is on an election recess till the August 18 by-elections. A similar phenomenon was observed before the referendum of President Musharraf. The people of Pakistan wish that such elections and referendums are held regularly so that they can avail themselves of generous fuel rebates.
RAFI ADAMJEE
Karachi
Case against polygamy
Whereas one can appreciate Qazi Faeza Isa's enthusiasm to prove that polygamy, as in vogue in Muslim societies, is un- Islamic (reference article in Dawn, August 6), one finds it hard to agree with the conclusion drawn from the Quranic text quoted in its support.
Ayat 3 of Sura An-Nisa has been translated by Marmaduke Pickthall, a blue-blooded British Muslim, thus: "And if ye fear that ye will not fairly deal by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess.
Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice." Even he, not by tradition an advocate of polygamy, has not translated it as "marry from amongst them (orphan women) who seem good to you", as the author of the article has translated it.
Moreover, Pickthall is known for translating the Holy Quran as literally as possible. Therefore, one will place greater reliance in his translation. The fact is that polygamy, as being practised after the revelation of the said Ayat, has never been restricted to choosing a second, or a third or a fourth wife from among orphan or widow women.
In fact, what the Ayat in question, which is decidedly, in the context of orphans' rights, sought to legislate was that polygamy, if resorted to in spite of the Divine preference for one wife only (or marrying slave girls that were commonly available before the abolition of slavery), then the number of wives should not exceed four. The Prophet (PBUH) asked Ghilan, the chieftain of Taif, to retain only four wives out of the nine he had when he embraced Islam.
Secondly, according to Hazrat Ayesha, it forbade the practice of men of means, who were patrons and supporters of orphan girls, marrying those orphans who were fair and attractive and then ill treating them and exploiting them, as they were helpless persons.
Such men were directed to be fair and just to the orphan girls and, if they could not rein their lust, they could choose other women of their liking - not one but as many as four.
However, it is apparent that the Holy Quran commends monogamy, as this course obviates the likelihood of 'doing injustice' towards women, other than the dearest one, who are bound in matrimony to a man. Plurality of marriage is a qualified permission, and not a licence to indulge in animal passions.
JAFAR WAFA
Karachi
Induction of locals into govt depts
The National Assembly standing committee on the interior has suggested that only people of Islamabad be inducted into federal government's departments (Dawn, August 6).
The suggestion should not be restricted to the federal capital only but should apply to all provincial capitals where injustices are perpetrated on local people.
Similarly, in Karachi people from outside Sindh are given priority over local people. About a dozen serving and retired brigadiers are heading various provincial and autonomous departments at the cost of local officers who are awaiting postings.
Besides, a large number of police officers are non-locals who are occupying key posts creating a sense of deprivation among the local people. In the larger national interest, all serving and retired personnel from armed forces be withdrawn immediately and replaced by local people.
MOIN SIDDIQI
Karachi
Traffic plan
Almost every day, there are reports about the problems faced by the people of Karachi owing to traffic jams caused by VIP movements and blockage of main roads for security reasons. One wonders why the traffic police have not yet come up with an alternative traffic plan to ensure that there is a smooth flow of traffic.
For this, I have a few suggestions. First of all, whenever the Abdullah Haroon Road and the Fatima Jinnah Road are sealed, the epicentre of chaos becomes the PIDC intersection where alternative routes to these two roads converge.
As a first step, a divider needs to be built on both Club Road and on Dr Ziauddin Ahmad Road. Part of the reason for the chaotic traffic is that a number of motorists overtake the lines that are formed on the PIDC signal in a bid to come ahead in the queue. The dividing line will ensure that there is no lane jumping.
Second, the two main alternative roads for traffic coming from Clifton/Defence are the Queens Road and I.I. Chundrigar Road. Queens Road needs to be widened (it is already a wide road but part of it is unusable because it has been dug up). The exit/entry routes for I.I. Chundrigar Road to Queens Road also need to be repaired and brought into proper shape.
Another road that remains under utilised is Beaumont Road. This must be cleaned up - there is rubble strewn in some spots - widened and made into an alternative to Dr Ziauddin Ahmad Road. Encroachments must be cleared and free flow of traffic allowed.
INAM REHMAN
Karachi
Serious notice
The Sindh chief minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, has ordered action over the incident in which some women escaped from the Darul Aman in Hyderabad recently and levelled serious charges of misconduct on the staff of that facility.
While the action is appreciated, the CM must take note of the allegations levelled by these women who claim that they were subjected to sexual violence. They also alleged that many males entered the facility and raped several women residents. Also, some women were taken out of the home under the pretext of medical treatment and were forced to submit to people from whom the staff charged a fee.
Can the CM take stern action including suspension, dismissal and arrest of culprits because a simple transfer is no punishment? If he cannot do this then can he please close down all Darul Amans in the province before they turn into official prostitution dens?
NOMAN SIDDIQI
Karachi
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty reopened to visitors in New York on August 3, after nearly three years of renovation following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Unfortunately the symbol of America that this statue represents, the freedom of life, liberty, expression, human values and dignity, as well as constitutional rights, have all been done away with after the establishment of the department of homeland security and the passing of the Patriot Act by the Congress following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
How much would the citizens of this world love to see the unrenovated, old worn-out lady of liberty that the world and indeed all the Americans were used to.
SHIRAZ SACHEDINA
Karachi
Encroachments' removal
This is in reference to the letter of Mr S. Jameel Hussain (Dawn, August 6). I bring to your notice the problem of illegal encroachments in front of Alamgir Masjid, Alamgir Road, Bahadurabad, Karachi.
Cabin-holders are occupying a large portion of the footpath by erecting illegal structures on the road and creating nuisance. The shops are causing traffic jams, security problems and pollution, besides a constant noise. Over a hundred chairs are kept on the road, creating problems for pedestrians.
I would suggest to the city government to depute its officials to visit the area after 8pm to see the pavement of Alamgir Road and how it is causing problems for all.
S.M. IDREES ALLAWALA
Karachi
PIA flyers
All airlines are busy rewarding their frequent flyers except Pakistan International Airline. In common with all other government agencies, it looks upon its best revenue generators as cows to be milked rather than good customers.
Up till December 2003, PIA did in fact have a frequent flyer rewards scheme. But in January 2004 it came up with a new rule under which a membership fee of Rs500 was charged, something unheard of in the airline industry.
Most airlines give members generous bonuses upon joining but PIA seems to be charging a few to join. Will the management look into this and set things right so that its frequent flyers at least are given some reward for their loyalty to the airline?
NAHEED IQBAL
Karachi
Blocking water
When India builds a dam on an upstream river that flows into Pakistan, we raise a hue and cry and protest that such a move will ruin us. But when Punjab does the same for Sindh, by proposing the Kalbagh and Bhasha dams, we are expected to keep silent.
NASIR SOLANGI
Mirpurkhas
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