| 12 November 2004 | Friday | 28 Ramazan 1425 |
Living off future
Iqbal Manzil
Retirement age of PhDs
Top scientists
'Alms and the man'
Suggestions to increase wheat yield
Shipping and us
Najaf and Fallujah
Wedding meals
Changing stand?
Loadshedding
Karachi parks
Second coming
An ignored cricketer
PM's offer
Faulty phone
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Opposition parties have made an issue out of Gen Pervez Musharraf's uniform. He has repeatedly said the country is in a quagmire and that he needs the army's unstinting support to pull it out of it. He can get such support only if he remains the army chief. He has cited the example of the Sukkur Barrage where troops had to be rushed at short notice to save it. Had he not been the army chief, things could have been different. Any delay would have cost us the barrage. As COAS, Gen Musharraf has the backing of the army that gives him added confidence to deal with complex situations.
The politicians' insistence that Gen Musharraf should give up his uniform on Dec 31, though correct, needs reconsideration. He probably made the promise at a time when he thought that one year was enough for politicians to sort out their differences and settle down. That has not happened. They seem to be interested more in weakening the president than in strengthening democracy.
The most important point to consider is whether or not the country is making any progress under Gen Musharraf. All important indicators suggest that it is. He should therefore be supported and allowed to wear the uniform if he wants to.
Gen Musharraf on his part should be cognizant of the polarized political climate and should strive to achieve national cohesion. He ought to reach out to Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif and Altaf Hussein and ask them to come back. Their cases should be reviewed by special courts, keeping in view the larger national interest. If they are found guilty, they should be punished through monetary penalties and not imprisonment. Decided political cases should also be reviewed compassionately and imprisonment changed to penalty wherever possible. Under-trial prisoners such as Asif Zardari who have already served long terms of imprisonment should be released.
After the return of these leaders, some time should be allowed for a political settlement after which early elections should be held. The leaders should in turn appreciate the gesture of the government and seize the offer of reconciliation.
Nawaz Sharif and his family should have been allowed to accompany the body of the elder Sharif. The president has indicated that had Nawaz come to Pakistan, he would have condoled with him. There is no harm in doing that even now. He should go to Saudi Arabia for Umra and condole with Nawaz Sharif.
Politicians should leave Gen Musharraf alone to continue doing his good work. On his part, the general should achieve political cohesion through conciliation.
LT-GEN (retd) S.M.H.BOKHARI
Rawalpindi
Living off future
The current account surplus has dipped to as low as $100 million during the quarter July-September 2004 from its level of $1,117 million a year ago ("Current account surplus falls to $100 million", Nov 9). The decline of $1,000 million-plus is accounted for mainly by the trade deficit of $747 million, which in the corresponding quarter of the previous year was a mere $2 million.
Part of the $745 million increase in the trade deficit is undoubtedly due to the decline in the terms of trade - oil prices are much higher than they were a year ago. However, the major cause is undoubtedly the easy availability of cheap credit. Every financial institution is falling over itself in its eagerness to lend money for the purchase of cars and consumer durables. Thus, there has been a deluge of cars bought on the never-never, and a consequent heightened inflow of the petroleum products needed to power them. With the price of oil slated to touch $60 a barrel this winter, the trade deficit can only get worse.
It was a mistake to allow borrowing costs to plummet presumably under pressure from the IMF. Contrary to expectations, lower lending rates have not led to any appreciable increase in demand for credit from industry. What has resulted instead is a consumer spending boom fuelled by of cheap and plentiful credit. This is being availed by freespenders at the expense of savers, many of them widows, pensioners and the elderly, who have seen the returns on their savings reduced to a fraction of what they were less than five years ago.
This rampant consumerism is sucking in imports which is leading to the depletion of our much-trumpeted foreign currency reserves. Prudence dictates a phasing out of car imports and the provision of mass transit systems for all major urban centres. This will not only lessen the dependence on oil imports but also lead to a reduction in noise, congestion, traffic accidents as well as promote a cleaner and less-polluted environment.
ASAD SIDDIQI
Lahore
Iqbal Manzil
This refers to your editorial on Nov 9 on the condition of Iqbal Manzil. I congratulate you on bringing this matter to light. Given the pathetic state of our governance, it is not surprising that Iqbal Manzil is in such poor state. What surprises me is that Iqbal has a very influential legacy in Dr Jawed Iqbal, his son and a prominent figure in the Pakistani judicial and political elite, who could have used his influence to take up the challenge of preserving this precious heritage of our history. He has a personal stake in this. Or is it that he has done his best in this regard and not succeeded?
Secondly, we have a number of architects who have taken upon themselves to restore various historic buildings in Karachi and elsewhere. In one case, a colonial building was dismantled piece by piece and moved and rebuilt at the Indus Valley school in Karachi not too long ago, strictly as a private initiative. How come these architects and engineering professionals have not done enough to restore and preserve Iqbal Manzil?
So what can be done about it now? Is it not possible for your newspaper itself to gather a group of architects, engineers, philanthropists and historians and motivate them to turn Iqbal Manzil into a national museum of prominence? If there is a local initiative to do that, I am sure overseas Pakistanis will be willing to make a financial contribution.
SIRAJ NARSI
Houston, Texas, USA
Retirement age of PhDs
This is apropos of Dr Moinuddin Ghori's letter (Nov 9) on the retirement age of PhDs.
Senior teachers and research scholars who have led their lives in the pursuit of higher learning and an honest living possess rich knowledge and teaching experience. When they retire at the age of 60, they are still in good health and can teach at least for another five years. The capabilities of all such persons should be utilized effectively. It will be a great misfortune if we fail to benefit from their knowledge and experience.
I have seen a retired principal of a Karachi college with a very good reputation driving a yellow cab and a professor and dean with nearly 150 research publications working at a gas station. A professor, dean and vice-chancellor (retd) with numerous research publications and administrative experience was working as an office assistant in a private Karachi firm until recently. Many learned people go back to their villages simply to die as they cannot afford urban living. There may be many more such examples.
It is proposed that retired PhDs should be reemployed particularly for teaching and research purposes.
MUHAMMAD IQBAL BRULA
Albany, NY., USA
Top scientists
Mr S. Mumtaz Ahmad has suggested (Oct 30), with reference to your editorial on Muslims and Nobel Prize, that half a dozen top scientists in the country should get together and submit a concrete proposal to the prime minister. The question is: who are the top scientists?
If influential individuals in the top slots of the major scientific organizations are considered top scientists, nothing much but neatly composed reports underscoring the need for quality education and the paucity of funds would be the outcome. No doubt quality education and availability of funds are essential prerequisites, but what about the billions of rupees already spent in the name of science in this poor country?
It is time to rethink about the credentials of the top scientists. Science, like any other creative activity, does not prosper in barren lands. It does not flourish where professional dishonesty prevails, where personal likes/dislikes overrule facts, and where merit and justice are denied. Science is neither Jewish nor Islamic in its genesis; it is a labour of love.
H. POSWAL
Mianwali
'Alms and the man'
Reading the letter "Alms and the man" (Nov 3) by Mr Hafizur Rahman, I was reminded of the TV serial Kashkol.
I do believe that most of the beggars we see on the streets (especially at important intersections) are controlled by mafias. I have often observed small children going car by car under the watchful eyes of men standing at various signals. Then there have been numerous news reports which have led us to believe that most beggars are actually wealthy. Also deserving mention is a beggar who passes my house on Sundays on a wheelchair pushed by a servant to visit the super market at the corner of my street. I have seen him purchase expensive lotions and shampoos. The wheelchair, too, it appears, is more a luxury than a necessity.
Some fables also go around, my favourite being the one in which a blind beggar (who by the way wears joggers) at the US consulate junction started running when some city government personnel came to pick him up.
ZUBAIR NASEER
Karachi
Suggestions to increase wheat yield
With the population fast increasing, we must make arrangements for producing enough food for the people. We have been facing a shortage of food for two years. To ensure food security, we have to be self-sufficient in wheat which is our staple food.
This is possible only through better crop management. Raising crops in accordance with modern scientific principles is not an easy task, for not only does it require long field experience and observation, it also involves the art of management and decision-making. Among the different yield-limiting factors, sowing time and irrigation scheduling are the most important.
Each kind of seed has a minimum temperature below which germination does not occur, there is an optimum temperature at which germination takes place most rapidly, and there is a maximum temperature above which germination totally stops. An average diurnal temperature of 22-23 Celsius has been found to be the optimum for germination and emergence of wheat. From the first to the third week of November, temperatures reach the optimum range for wheat sowing in all agro-ecological zones of Pakistan. In rainfed areas, if rainfall occurs early, wheat can be planted in the last fortnight of October.
The crop has to undergo a series of successive phenological growth phases (germination, tillering, shooting, booting, pollination, milking, dough and maturity) and physiological processes throughout its growth period. Every distinct crop growth stage has to be accomplished in a specific time frame.
Since the crop matures at the same time, in case of late planting of wheat, the gross time period of crop growth stage is curtailed, leading to a drastic reduction in the yield. Another important aspect of late sowing is poor root growth, which causes inefficient nutrient absorption and water uptake. In addition, the weed crop-competition is shifted in favour of the weed and against the crop, thus making it hard to manage the weed population in a delayed crop. So it is imperative to place the seed in soil and proper depths in an appropriate moisture level and of course at the most appropriate time to obtain a maximum yield.
Because rainfall is inadequate and erratic in most part of the country, irrigation is needed in many areas for good crop growth and proper grain development. Wheat usually needs four to six irrigations depending upon the latitude, soil type, cultivar, rainfall and other climatic factors.
It is high time we exploited the maximum genetic potential of cultivars which are already in the field by providing them with a favourable environment.
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL MUGHAL & MUHAMMAD ISMAIL BHATTI
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
Shipping and us
States are making efforts to get more and more ships registered under their flags as it brings investment, more employment for citizens as seafarers and more revenue to the government.
The minister of ports and shipping is requested to ascertain as to why no ship is registered by any ship-owning company in Pakistan even after three years of the promulgation of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 2001.
AGA FAQUIR MOHAMMAD
Karachi
Najaf and Fallujah
A comparison is being drawn between how Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi handled Najaf and Sadr City and how he is dealing with Fallujah. Najaf was wrecked and the forces reached the mausoleum of Hazrat Ali (AS). The military forces were about to enter it when Ayatollah Sistani returned from hospital in London and intervened to restore peace. Bombing in Sadr City, too, had commenced when Ayatollah Sistani influenced Moqtada's army from behind the scenes and the militants surrendered. Mr Allawi was not able to do this on his own.
Ayatollah Sistani wields no influence in Fallujah as he does over his own sect. He cannot possibly intervene there. If the religious leaders of Fallujah and Baghdad were to be a moderating force, perhaps Najaf and Sadr City's experience could be replicated in Fallujah as well.
DR MAHNAZ FATIMA
Karachi
Wedding meals
The restoration of the ban on wedding meals by the Supreme Court (Dawn, Nov 6) is not going to make any difference because in Karachi's Defence people have already started renting out their residential plots for marriage ceremonies. That is why most people in the real estate business are also into catering and decoration.
Now this trend will be massively adopted since meals are permitted to be served within residential premises.
RANA FAISAL
Karachi
Changing stand?
It appears that political parties do not have a principled stand on the construction of the Kalabagh dam. There was a time when prime minister Nawaz Sharif, with his supporters, was on the verge of embarking upon the construction of the dam because it was deemed necessary for the survival of the country. Now the same supporters of Mr Sharif are opposed to the project.
Do these so-called democrats feel that they owe an explanation for this change of hearts and minds?
ZAFAR HUSSAIN
London, ON., Canada
Loadshedding
I quote Charles de Gaulle: "Since a politician never believes what he says, he is surprised when others believe him."
There shall be no loadshedding at least during Ramazan, announced by Mr Liaquat Jatoi, federal minister for water and power, but what we witness is almost daily loadshedding, rather long breakdowns.
SALEEM RAZA MALIK
Karachi
Karachi parks
A few days back the Sindh governor emphasized the need for open spaces and parks in Karachi. He ordered rehabilitation and renovation of some parks which were once the jewels of the city, such as the Aziz Bhatti Park. It is good to know that the governor is working to rehabilitate parks and amenity plots.
But opening of an office by a political party in Jheel Park (whose official name is Dr Shalimuzzaman Siddique Park, PECHS) is not a good omen. No authority would like to give permission to a political party to establish its office in a park.
The governor should intervene and see that the encroachment is removed.
M. ASIF DAR
Karachi
Second coming
President Bush receives a second term at the White House. His last term witnessed the invasion of two centres of Muslim population. This term is likely to be much worse since it will not be possible for the "war president" to get a third term according to the American constitution.
The next four years will probably bring more countries such as Iran and Syria under US occupation and Muslims all over the world will face more oppression and terror than ever before.
ZAIN MANKANI
Karachi
An ignored cricketer
It seems the Pakistan Cricket Board has forgotten all about Azhar Mahmood who is a good all-rounder. At this stage, Pakistan needs a good bowler to take wickets and if he can bat well also, what else are they looking for?
I would request the PCB to make him prove his worth.
SYED WAQAS BALKHI
Karachi
PM's offer
The offer made by our prime minister to the Nepalese leadership in crushing their deadly Maoist uprising (Dawn, Nov 3) is worrisome.
If Mr Aziz wants to crush terrorism, he should start at home where there is plenty of it.
It is not a good idea to poke our nose in the security affairs of countries in our neighbourhood - a lesson that the late Rajiv Gandhi learnt the hard way.
NAEEM-UR-REHMAN
Gujranwala Cantt
Faulty phone
My phone 4312692 has been out of order since Oct 16. I lodged many complaints at 18, 080044544 and the PECHS telephone exchange but to no avail.
SALMAN
Karachi
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