| 25 September 2004 | Saturday | 09 Shaban 1425 |
Spread of deadly diseases
Gas for industries
Water shortage in Karachi
KESC supplementary bills
Ramazan moon
Turkey's entry into EU
DHA students' transport problem
Long queues menace
Fishy trail
'Jokers in the pack'
Spurious drugs
'Violation of the city'
Kofi Annan
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Professor Edward Said was a prolific writer, a brilliant mind, a path-breaking scholar, an unrelenting force for integrity, and a virtual cultural ambassador of the Palestinians in the United States. The list of praises is endless as we mark his first death anniversary on September 25.
The Guardian called him "an intellectual superstar", The Washington Post called him "a unique amalgam of scholar, aesthete, and political activist", and The New York Times called him "one of the most important intellectuals of our time".
Professor Said is best known for his ground- breaking work "Orientalism" (1978), which now has become a modern classic, translated into 36 languages, including Hebrew, in which he called into question the underlying assumptions that form the foundation of Orientalist thinking.
He argued that a long tradition of false and romanticized images of Asia and the Middle East in western culture had served as an implicit justification for Europe's and America's colonial and imperial ambitions.
In a lecture on the 25th anniversary of its publication in May 2003, he said: "We allow justly that the Holocaust has permanently altered the consciousness of our time.
Why do we not accord the same epistemological mutation in what imperialism has done, and what Orientalism continues to do? My idea in Orientalism is to use humanistic critique to open up the fields of struggle, to introduce a longer sequence of thought and analysis to replace the short bursts of polemical, thought-stopping fury that so imprison us in labels and antagonistic debates like 'Islam v. the West', whose goal is a belligerent collective identity rather than understanding and intellectual exchange."
From the moment Israeli prime minister Golda Mier declared that there was no such thing as a Palestinian, Professor Said maintained till his last breath his relentless engagement to bring truth and light to the Palestinian cause in the United States.
He was often the sole and the most prominent advocate of the struggle of the Palestinian people. Mahmoud Darwish, the great Palestinian poet, described him as the "Palestinian envoy to human conscience".
In his book Politics of Dispossession, Prof Said writes: "The question to be asked is how long can the history of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust be used as a fence to exempt Israel from arguments and sanctions against it for its behaviour towards the Palestinians, arguments and sanctions that were used against other repressive governments, such as South Africa?
How long are we going to deny that the cries of the people of Gaza... are directly connected to the policies of the Israeli government and not to the cries of the victims of Nazism?"
KHURRAM HANEEF
New Jersey, USA
Spread of deadly diseases
Your newspaper has been publishing for quite some time now valuable information to educate the general public on AIDS, hepatitis and other infectious diseases spreading in Pakistan. But it is very distressing to see that the health ministry is doing little to create awareness about these diseases.
The federal and provincial health ministers make occasional speeches, and whatever campaigns their ministries launch to eradicate these infections are mostly funded by and undertaken at the behest of foreign donor agencies.
Health officials know it quite well that one of the leading causes that spread AIDS, hepatitis and other infectious diseases is the use of spurious syringes.
The question is: what concrete steps has the health ministry taken over the years to save people from these deadly diseases and stop the sale of spurious syringes? The federal health minister has reportedly failed to provide parliament with accurate data in this respect when he was recently asked to do so.
The health ministry can take some steps to ensure availability of better quality disposable syringes. First, it should launch a consistent education and awareness programme targeting the general public, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Second, all government hospitals should be asked to use blister-packaged syringes and stop using poly pack syringes. As poly pack is easy and cheap to make, many unscrupulous people make very low quality syringes in poly packs and sell them especially to government hospitals. On the other hand, as packaging by the blister method is intricate, unscrupulous elements will not have the expertise to tamper with it.
One thing that the health ministry must avoid doing is to use the Drug Act to solve this problem because this will result in negative consequences for the people.
The health authorities should learn from their past mistakes. Their unwise application of the Drug Act on surgical sutures many years ago discouraged many other suppliers from offering surgical sutures from different sources. One hopes the authorities will do the needful before it's too late.
DR SHAHANA FAQEER
Lahore
Gas for industries
The government desires to turn Pakistan into an Asian tiger. But beware, for there is more than a roar to a tiger, and it's empty vessels which make the most noise. What is needed to make the country an economic power is a strong and developed industrial base.
It seems, however, that we are too busy in resolving our internal issues. Take for example the problems faced by the common person in acquiring basic utilities of life such as water, gas and electricity.
It has been more than two months now that I have been trying to get an enhancement on the gas supply to my industry which exports a major share of its production and earns valuable foreign exchange for the country. However, all my requests to Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGL) have been in vain. There has been progress but at a snail's pace.
In a developing country like ours, there should be an uninterrupted supply of installation equipment readily available with the SNGL to cater to industry. However, this, according to the excuses made to me by the SNGL, does not seem to be the case. The shortage of basic equipment only reveals the hollowness of our rulers' claims to make the country economically strong.
For now, these claims only seem baseless and those who make them do nothing more than make a fool of themselves by proving themselves ignorant of the reality of Pakistan.
NOOR MOHAMMAD HASHIM
Karachi
Water shortage in Karachi
This is apropos of Major (retd) Khalid Mehmood's complaint (Sept 14) about a water shortage in an Islamabad area. I feel sorry for the people living in 1-10/1 sector, who didn't receive water for many weeks. But few in the capital have any idea about how little water Karachiites have been getting for the past many years. There is a water shortage even in Defence Housing Authority and Clifton.
Most Karachi areas get water for one or two hours a day. Then there are localities to which water is supplied on alternate days. Those who are not at home during those hours have no water. Some areas do not get water at all.
In Karachi, like all other big cities which face water shortages, we have a tanker mafia which fleeces hapless citizens. Though the Rangers have taken over the water supply in the city, people still have to pay more than the fixed water rates and wait from two to three days to get a water tanker. Will someone in authority have pity on the hapless people of Karachi and ensure availability of water to all?
KHANZADA EMRAN H. KHAN
Karachi
KESC supplementary bills
Having failed to recover billions of rupees outstanding against influential people and various government offices in Karachi, and keeping in view the fall in revenue caused by load sheddings, the Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) embarked on a novel method to fill its coffers some time back: it started replacing old meters with new ones which run much faster.
To justify this step, it claims that old meters were not correctly recording electricity consumption. Any difference in the recorded readings of old and new meters is subsequently billed to consumers for a specific period which is decided by the company.
The difference in most cases runs into thousands, and consumers are served notices with the directive that they must clear their supplementary bills by given dates.
This is despite the fact that nothing was found wrong with old meters when they were reportedly tested in KESC laboratories. Also, there is no evidence of any foul play. Does the KESC have the authority to do anything it likes?
AMANULLAH KHAN
Karachi
Ramazan moon
According to the Jordan Astronomical Society website www.jas.org.jo, the USA Navy Observatory website http//:aa.usno.navy.mil, and that of the Moon Visibility Curve moonsighting.com, it will not be possible to see moon crescent anywhere in Pakistan on October 14 because the age of the moon will be only 10 hours-plus and it will be too close to the setting sun to be visible to the naked eye.
On October 15 the age will be 34 hours and two per cent of the moon disc will be bright enough for all to see. So, the first Ramazan should, according to the information fall, on October 16 (Saturday).
The orthodox may be sceptical about the authenticity and accuracy of observatories and astronomical calculations. But predictions about time, date and duration of partial and total lunar and solar eclipses have always been accurate to the minute and second.
CAPT (retd) SOHAIL SULTAN
Karachi
Turkey's entry into EU
While, by delaying Turkey's entry into the European Union, some of the EU leaders and officials have exposed their cultural, ethnic and religion bias, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as a true statesman. Mr Erdogan rightly reacted when he asked all of Turkey's friends to think carefully about the consequences of a negative decision.
Conservatives among the Muslims are considered "uncivilized" when they give a religious argument, but among the Christians even educated and learned persons are basing their arguments on religious bias while opposing Turkey's entry into the EU.
The observations made by one of top Vatican leaders in this regard are very unfortunate. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, doctrinal head of the Roman Catholic Church, has said in an interview that Turkey has always 'represented a different continent in permanent contrast' to Europe, noting that the Ottoman Empire once threatened Vienna and fought wars in the Balkans.
According to Cardinal Ratzinger, making the two continents identical would be a mistake. It would mean a loss of richness amid the "disappearance" of culture for the benefit of economics.
The German-born cardinal went a step further when he said Turkey could try to set up a cultural continent with neighbouring Arab countries. Commenting on the ban on wearing headscarves by Muslim women in France, he said "aggressive secularism" would prove more Islamic fundamentalism. But he was not ready to concede that denying entry to Turkey would strengthen Islamic fundamentalists as exist in Turkey. Such people very conveniently forget Turkey provided Nato with the second largest army. That time Turkey's Muslim character was totally ignored.
During the First World War, Germany and Turkey fought as allies. Germany surrendered but Turkey continued to fight alone against allies. After World War II it was the Turkish labour force which played a key role in rebuilding Germany.
Today Turks constitute a dominating community in many European countries and Turkey's inclusion in the EU could lead to further harmony in European communities.
In this regard the best comments have come from The Washington Times which said (in its Sept 16 edition) that Turkey was a cultural and geographic bridge between the East and the West and that it could serve as a bulwark against a potential clash of civilizations.
Turkey's eventual entry into the European Union marking a merger of Christians and Muslims nations is inevitable. Also, Turkey, long a force for moderation, would rise in prominence - a welcome prospect.
After declaring widespread apprehensions in Europe as "unadulterated ethnic bigotry", The Washington Times concludes: "Turkey has been kept waiting at the EU altar for some time. Europe is obliged to go the extra mile to play fair."
K. MURAD BEY
Karachi
DHA students' transport problem
This is with reference to Mr Shamim Akhtar's letter (Sept 9) regarding Karachi DHA students' conveyance problems. It is a wrong perception that all students who live in Defence have their own conveyance.
In fact, many students do not have any conveyance and have to rely on public transport. Many such students of Karachi and NED universities face great hardship in reaching their classes on time due to the non-availability of public buses on routes between DHA and the universities. They have to take two or three buses to get to the universities.
It is, therefore, necessary that either the universities should operate buses on the Z-2 route through DHA or the Sindh government should start a new metro bus route for Defence. The DHA authorities and the president of the Defence Residents Society are also requested to solve the conveyance problem of students.
SUMERA IQBAL
Karachi
Long queues menace
The high-ups at the national savings department are urged to pay attention to the problems faced by senior citizens at its Gulshan-i-Iqbal centre in Karachi, where government retirees - men and women - daily stand in lines for hours to get their money.
It seems the strength of the workforce at this centre is not enough or the staff are either too slow or not properly trained in handling the workload. Quarrels take place almost every day between people and the staff.
With the introduction of a cheque system for distributing profits some time back, it was expected that elderly people would not have to stand in long queues anymore, but the working has not improved.
MOHAMMAD ASIF
Karachi
Fishy trail
Almost every day, open trucks and big vans laden to the brim with rotten fish, with the tops uncovered, pass through Khayaban-i-Jami, Karachi's main Clifton area, up to the chicken feed factories located in Korangi.
The trucks enter from the Mai Kolachi bypass from the fish harbour, particularly in the evening, polluting the entire area. The foul smelling rotten fish get spilled on to the main road, and the smell lingers for hours.
A few years ago, the then chief administrator of Karachi had banned the entry of these trucks and vans. But they are back. I appeal to Nazim Niamatullah Khan to consider this letter as an SOS from Clifton area residents and give immediate orders for re-routing of these trucks/vans.
MUMTAZ KHAN
Karachi
'Jokers in the pack'
I endorse the views expressed by Mr Iftikhar Soomro in his letter "Jokers in the pack" (Sept 17).
The voter turnout in the bypolls held in Attock and Tharparkar in favour of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will be a political landmark in the democratic history of our country.
Indeed, two wrongs do not make a right.
M. ARSHAD LODHI
Karachi
Spurious drugs
Counterfeit drugs account for a huge proportion of the total pharmaceutical products consumed in Pakistan. Consequently, a large number of citizens face death, disability and injury.
Are consumers being provided with adequate information that can enable them to act wisely, and are they being cautioned well enough? Why are citizens being denied the basic safety right that includes the right to be protected against products, production processes and services which are hazardous to human health?
KASHIF FAROOQ
Karachi
'Violation of the city'
This refers to the letter "Violation of the city" (Sept 16) by the chief controller of the Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA), retired army Brigadier A. S. Nasir.
He wrote in support of the appointment of Mr Atique Baig as the master planner of Karachi, and stated that this gentleman is a "professional engineer having graduated from the NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, besides having done his master's in urban design."
The NED, highly protective of its reputation, wrote to the brigadier, saying its attention was drawn by its examination department to his letter published in Dawn on September 16.
The NED said: "The examinations department has given details of the performance by Mr Atique Baig in the master's degree programme of urban design (1995-'96 whilst serving in the KDA/KBCA) which was conducted in the DCET (Dawood College of Engineering and Technology) at the time when it was still affiliated with this university.
"Mr Baig's CGPA (cumulative grade point average) was only 2.57 against the prescribed minimum of 2.75 essential for the award of a degree. Mr Baig was unable to acquire the degree, i.e., he failed in the examination and can no longer get that degree because of the lapse of time."
Mr Baig has been somewhat less economical with the truth than has the brigadier. The biodata submitted by him records that he "graduated from NED University besides having completed courses of master's in urban design (awaits degree)".
ARDESHIR COWASJEE
Karachi
Kofi Annan
The UN has in the past been a mouthpiece of superpowers which trampled on the rights of smaller nations over the years.
At the annual UN General Assembly session this month, it was interesting to hear Secretary General Kofi Annan's speech in which he lashed out at the US for illegally attacking Iraq and violating the UN Charter.
The world wonders if this speech is a harbinger of a new beginning or mere rhetoric.
RAFI ADAMJEE
Karachi
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