| 21 September 2004 | Tuesday | 05 Shaban 1425 |
Constitutional amendment
Flyovers galore
Victory in Birmingham
Government extravagance
DHA school teachers
Cabinet formation
'Violation of the city'
Educational standards
Suggestions to CBR
Operation in Waziristan
Killing of hostages
An unfair practice
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Traditionally, statistics are perceived as dry stuff by many. However, if they can lead to decisive and lasting impacts. Take, for instance, the data published in the London-based weekly Economic Journal which, in turn, heavily draws a on United Nations publication for authenticity - and you have a convincing case against two gentlemen who somehow found the morality to invade a sanctions-starved country on concocted charges.
Turn to page 97 of that journal (May 22, 2004) and discover for yourself the glaring economic 'compulsions' behind the premeditated, unprovoked and immoral attack on a dilapidated but oil-rich Iraq: the two countries running the highest balance of trade deficit in the world till the year ending May 2004 ($540 billion and $83 billion) turn out to be exactly the ones that led the illegal invasion of Iraq - yes, America and Britain, in that order.
Let us explore the status of the other hound members also in the light of the same parameters to shed the last bit of doubt about oil greed being the foremost reason for the criminal invasion. You got it: the next two collaborators with the most adverse trade balances turn out to be Spain and Australia ($54.8 billion and $17 billion, respectively).
True, Spain and a few others had to quit but, alas, only after receiving their share in blood and tears, instead of black gold. Meanwhile, the dark deeds committed in Iraq in the aftermath of a shameless bid to grab one of the largest proven reserves of oil in the world continue to haunt humanity around the globe day in and day out: the criminal manslaughter, the torture, the hunger, the insecurity and you name it.
Saner people the world over wonder why the honourable International Court of Justice at The Hague has not yet taken suo motu action against the two Bs and their accomplices for illegally invading a UN member-country despite vehement opposition by the UN itself, and for committing crimes against humanity inside the victimized country after the occupation.
The magnitude and dimensions of the gang's crimes simply rule out any leniency: to allow them go scot-free despite their stupendous mischief will be a sin in itself, notwithstanding the dubious attempts to put the blame on an intelligence failure.
NAWAB SAEED AHMED KHAN LEGHARI
Hyderabad
Constitutional amendment
In his autobiography, Mr Justice (retd) Ajmal Mian has written about the sad episode of skirmishes between the judges of the apex court, stating: "I was unable to lay my hands on any precedent of any court in the world of suspending constitutional amendment, by an interim order... fully heard." (Books & Authors, Aug 15).
One is reminded of the most serious precedent of consigning the Constitution into abeyance at the instance of Gen Zia under the doctrine of necessity. During that dark period the learned writer was on the bench but seems to have avoided discussing this grave national trauma.
The fact should have been noted that subsequently the Constitution survived as a result of hard bargaining which allowed the insertion of clause 58(2)b and the personal name of the then president in the Constitution.
In his column (Sept 10), Mr Ayaz Amir adopted a daring approach to this chapter. In his words, the "permanent legal counsel to General Zia and then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan (who chewed up two National Assemblies) was Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada in whose hands the Constitution has been like plasticine.
To no one's surprise, he has been Musharraf's constitutional adviser since the Oct 99 coup. In his long and distinguished career Pirzada has wrestled with far graver constitutional issues." In comparison, protecting the integrity of the president's wardrobe should be "child's play".
The columnist has also commented on the role of the MMA stating that they are getting a bit hot under the collar not because they are straining to come to the Constitution's rescue but because their unholy alliance with the military is coming under the spotlight. This collaboration is confirmed by the news that the ARD has asked the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal to renounce the 17th Amendment.
A.G.M. GHEEWALA
Karachi
Flyovers galore
Very soon Karachi will be known as the city of flyovers as its lights have been restored, though dotted with blackouts here and there. However, it will also be distinguished as a city of long traffic jams and high road deaths, as with more flyovers the vehicle population will also multiply.
According to one analysis, for the cost of only three flyovers built on University Road, Rashid Minhas Road and Liaquatabad, a two-lane light rail structure, with rails fitted on, could be built from the Tower to Karimabad.
This could be initially used as an 'exclusive bus way' serving the most congested corridor of the city. Many BOT (build, operate and transfer) bidders could then be attracted to operate a light rail on this.
Similarly, for the cost of the Northern Bypass and the Lyari Expressway, perhaps the entire city could have a bus way system, similarly convertible to LRT on a BOT basis, thereby considerably reducing the vehicle population, and rendering all these flyovers counter-productive and, of course, reducing the chances of daylong traffic jams and accidents. All the freight entering and leaving the port could also be served by rail up to Pipri and even beyond, with two additional lines of corridor 4.
This would save the high wear and tear of the national highways and reduce the present highest rate of accidents, besides saving about a million dollars worth of fuel imports per annum.
Road carriers consume eight to 10 times more fuel and pay only a token tax for the maintenance of the road infrastructure, while rail transport pays for its infrastructure from its tariff.
It is a pity that, instead of following the approved 1990 Mass Transit Master Plan, our planners have been violating it with such counter-productive schemes. I request the authorities to reconsider all such schemes in the light of the above facts.
S. M. H. RIZVI
Karachi
Victory in Birmingham
The Pakistan cricket team played above themselves in achieving a victory against India in Birmingham on September 19. The bowling and fielding, apart from one blemish, were superb.
The bowlers stuck to a tight line on and outside off the stump in what purists call "the corridor of uncertainty". Rana bowled with accuracy, variation and great heart and soul. Akhtar reigned in his natural aggressive instincts and stuck to a measured length.
It is under this sustained pressure that the Indian batsmen folded. They were not allowed to play big shots. The only area the Pakistan team cannot be too happy with was the batting department.
India-Pakistan matches are "pressure-cooker" matches where players from both sides feel they have to win at any cost. Even so, Pakistan should have overhauled the target of 200 runs with considerable ease.
The fact that they made heavy weather of it shows that they still have not figured out how to chase scores confidently. They seem to always give an impression of blundering, falling over themselves whilst batting, be it in the shape of run-outs or treading on one's stumps such as Inzamam once did in a match against Australia played in Kenya.
If Pakistan want to win the ICC Champions Trophy, they have to make a sincere effort in improving their batting; otherwise, teams such as Australia will expose those weaknesses.
NABIL HOODBHOY
Karachi
Government extravagance
According to George Bernard Shaw, we are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future. What does Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visualize the future is going to be, with 32 federal ministers, 26 ministers of state and three advisers, a squad of turncoats (now hatching conspiracies against one another) and some political actors connected with white-collar crime?
Enlightened sections of Pakistani society will agree with your editorial (Sept 16) that Mr Shaukat Aziz has created a maze where everything will become more complicated. Government extravagance will send a wrong message to the 57 million people living below the poverty line.
In contrast, India with a population nine times that of Pakistan, comprising 28 states, seven union territories and the Indian-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir, has only 28 cabinet ministers and 39 ministers of state. Its overall economy continues to remain in good shape. Mr Aziz has tried to please all power-hungry men and will soon please none. Therefore, be just before you are generous.
LT-COL (retd) SYED AHMED
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
DHA school teachers
Reference is made to the letter (Sept 17) by the PRO of the Defence Housing Authority, Karachi. I agree that the DHA attaches the highest importance to the provision of quality education to students studying in its institutions.
But I would like to bring it to its notice that teachers already get together daily and discuss and review the performance of their students. They evolve strategies for effective teaching and betterment of students. For this, they give extra time after their routine duties.
Therefore, it seems unnecessary to call teachers on Saturdays. It is they who have been producing the finest results for the past 30 years. I request the DHA high-ups to look into this matter and declare Saturdays off for teachers as well.
SALMAN
Karachi
Cabinet formation
Sooner or later, the much-cherished unity of command will lead to the latest handpicked formation and even the non-political technocrat going the same way as their predecessors. And long-term political stability will, therefore, remain an elusive dream for the foreseeable future.
The foremost reason is the incoherent choice of players. Having tried every possible permutation and combination, it is pretty obvious by now that what we desperately need, past our 57th anniversary, is a sort of dream team comprising players bearing impeccable political credentials along with proper grooming - to be bossed by a savvy, enlightened and moderate uniformed saviour.
One such subset may comprise Ejazul Haq as prime minister, (his brother) Anwarul Haq as foreign minister, Gohar Ayub Khan as first deputy prime minister, assisted by Omar Ayub Khan as finance minister, Ali Yahya Khan as second deputy prime minister, with Humayun Akhtar Khan and Haroon Akhtar Khan as senior ministers-at-large.
To garnish this team, some four-star sons-in-law and daughters-in-law can be included as special advisers. The rest of the cabinet should consist of only ex-generals, with one serving general each as a minister of state, and vice versa.
Covering all indispensable family lines and institutional talent may instantly solve our all political and social problems. On August 25, when he resigned, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain became our only civilian PM to have served a full term.
This tradition must be continued. In fact, a major hindrance in smooth transition of power is the unnecessary long period given to the civilian head of government by the Constitution. This fatal flaw needs to be dealt with at the earliest.
From now on, in the supreme national interest, the term of prime minister should be cut down to 60 days. At the same time, to follow the already well-entrenched custom without nonsensical quibbling, the period of COAS-cum-president of Pakistan ought to be fixed at a minimum of 600 weeks.
Only the unwise would dare to disagree that for strengthening democracy, cyclic replacement of the figurehead, cosmetic shuffling within and steady expansion of the cabinet every few months is the only way out.
We have lost half of our country but the number of generals and ministers has gone up four times - the population growth taken into account. Good governance must be akin to quadrupling the size of upper echelons.
Massive sacking of lower cadres in the name of rightsizing and hyperinflation at the top must comprise some advanced political theory beyond the limited understanding of ordinary mortals.
The Punjab chief minister and elected head of the Punjab PML, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, has argued that Gen Musharraf should stay in uniform for at least five years to ensure political and economic stability and continuity of the policies of the past five years. The Patriots want him in uniform for 10 more years. That would mean (10+ 5) 15 years, beating all his predecessors.
I say Musharraf should stay for a hundred years, provided the majority of Pakistanis want him to stay. And by that I mean only if he has the courage to face the voters and seek their approval without playing around with established norms of electoral procedures.
Watching the so-called political leaders crowing for a general and begging him to retain his uniform is distressing. Would it be wrong to contend that we have this pathetic lot because dictators have never allowed men of principle to take root? Men of dignity, character, moral conviction and political sagacity cannot appear out of a political vacuum.
RIFFAT JAHAN
Stockholm, Sweden
'Violation of the city'
In the above-captioned letter (Sept 16), Brig A. S. Nasir, director-general, KBCA, writes: "Construction of highrise buildings is a sign of the prosperity and progress of any country."
It's true but I would like to add that these high rise buildings and lateral expansions in the shape of flats on plots meant for bungalows should not be allowed in any case.
Such infringements deprive the neighbours of the privilege of using the open space of their plots, which is their legal right and for which they pay property tax, apart from the property tax on covered areas.
Such violations infringe upon privacy and peace of mind and cause all sorts of problems associated with congested areas, such as traffic pollution and noise.
M. IKTIDAR NIAEK
Karachi
Educational standards
There are some suggestions regarding improvement in the standard of education in Pakistan:
1. Private institutions be monitored and a check-and- balance system be maintained.
2. A uniform syllabus should be enforced for all students of both private and government institutes.
3. Lower-income groups should be encouraged by giving them concessions on fees, books, etc.
4. A foolproof examination system be introduced to avoid the use of unfair means.
5. Good students and institutions be appreciated in order to promote healthy competition.
6. A campaign through media be initiated to motivate students to take interest in their studies.
SAMINA KOUSAR
Lahore
Suggestions to CBR
The CBR chairman has calculated that a seven to eight per cent increase is made every year in expenses incurred on good governance. As an income tax practitioner. I suggest that the chairman of the Central Board of Revenue should give due consideration to an amnesty scheme and announce that taxpayers making higher payment by 10 per cent as compared to the average tax paid in the last three years shall be exempted from total audit for the tax year 2004-05.
This will create a friendly atmosphere, save tax officials' time and give relief to taxpayers from the torture of total audit and filing revised returns under exemption schemes after the exercise of filing original returns is completed.
It is further submitted that the date of filing of returns should be extended to the end of October as the availability of return forms was delayed by one month.
BHATTI MUHAMMAD YOUNUS
Hyderabad
Operation in Waziristan
The view advanced by Mr Ayaz Amir ("Sea-chabnge: the focus shifts", Sept 17) that everything that Pakistan has done or is doing is at the behest of the United States appears to be shared by the majority of Pakistanis.
Any self-respecting government has the right to ensure that its writ is followed in all its territories and domains. Whatever justification religious leaders and their supporters may advance for being sympathetic to the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the fact remains that at this time in our history, these two groups are enemies of Pakistan and should be dealt with much more sternly than the Musharraf government has managed to do so far.
The observation that no previous government dared do so in the past is a poor excuse for lack of action now. Pakistan and the rest of the world are locked in a battle against intolerance and extremism.
The future of Pakistan demands that the menace be dealt with resolve and determination even when voices which ought to know better counsel otherwise in a display of poor political analysis.
M.HAIDER
New Jersey, USA
Killing of hostages
This refers to Mr Khalid Chaudry's letter of Sept 16 in response to mine on the above subject. He missed the point that a deplorable action should be condemned not only because it is deplorable in itself but also because it may evoke an equally or more deplorable reaction.
There is a dire need to break out of this action-reaction logjam; otherwise, no action or reaction will get us any nearer to the goalpost, for we are too bogged down in justifying reprehensible acts to determine a way out of the morass for which we hold only one side responsible.
The fact that Iraq was sanctioned is harsh and disliked. But why was Iraq sanctioned? Why did Iraq invade Kuwait? There is a need to do extensive cause-effect analyses so that responsibilities may be assigned proportionately without which we will not be able to find solutions acceptable to all sides. Our only recourse has unfortunately boiled down to terror and its justification even though terror cannot be justified morally or strategically.
DR MAHNAZ FATIMA
Karachi
An unfair practice
Nowadays many advertisers relegate vital information to the sidelines and print it in extremely fine print. It seems they want this information to go unnoticed.
This is an unfair practice. To safeguard the interests of the readers, advertisers should be asked to be open and transparent and ensure that all relevant information is set out clearly and in bold print.
ABDULLAH
Lahore
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