| 20 January 2005 | Thursday | 09 Zilhaj 1425 |
HEC's working
'Expectations unplugged'
West and Islam
Fishermen's misery
Illiteracy in the Arab world
President and army chief
Minorities in India
Consolidating Pakistan
Need for more convocations
EOBI low collection
'Enlightened science'
Student politics
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Moscow has given positive signals to abide by the Kyoto protocols, but Washington seems determined to abandon a leadership role as regards global climate changes severely harming the world environment.
Fossil fuel consumption and carbondioxide emissions - two major contributors to the greenhouse gas and global warming - are on the rise, most notably in the United States and Asia.
America, Canada and Mexico are a primary source of CO2 emissions in the world. In fact, CO2 emissions in North America grew by nearly 16 per cent between 1990 and 2000. They declined in the former Soviet Union, Europe and Japan.
In March 1999 the American Geophysical Union concluded that 1998 was the warmest year of this millennium while 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred during the last 15 years.
According to scientists reporting in the journal Nature in June 1999, levels of global warming gases in the atmosphere are higher now than at any time in the past 420,000 years.
They called their findings probably the most convincing evidence to date which suggest that humans are making some really large changes to the earth's climate system. The scientific consensus is that the world is warming faster than at any time in the last 10,000 years.
The consequences of global warming for the environment are predictable. The 1999 Living Planet Report, produced by the World Wide Fund for Nature, attempts to provide a quantitative answer to the question as to how fast nature is disappearing.
Using data on consumption and pollution made available from 151 different countries and territories, the report says LPI (Living Planet Index) has declined by 30 per cent from 1970 to 1995, implying that the world lost 30 per cent of its natural wealth in the space of one generation.
In response to this, the Kyoto Treaty of 1997 (signed in Japan) permits each country to implement its own programme to reduce global warming and identifies a number of 'flexibility mechanisms' which can be used, instead of making actual reductions in the amount of polluting gases it releases into the atmosphere.
While it is an internationally binding legal agreement, it does not contain sanctions for countries which do not comply with its statutes.
President Bush's rejection of the international treaty has not only drawn much criticism from the world media and EU governments, but also widened the cleavage in US-Europe relations.
Europe is highly dismayed by the US indifference to global warming. Kyoto in fact set the United States a target of reducing its own emissions by seven per cent of its 1990 output by 2008-2012.
Therefore, the US was primarily being asked to clean up its own act which, according to the UN Human Development Report (2000), was responsible for 22.2 per cent of global CO2 emissions.
America will need between 1,300 and 1,900 new power plants over the next two decades. A high-tech economy is a high electricity consumption economy. Half of America's electricity is already generated from coal while George Bush's energy policy not only calls for more coal-fired electricity but refuses to put any limit on the extent of CO2 emissions.
Nonetheless, both geographical scientists and environmentalists agree that it is because of this evil effect of global warming that the Himalayans glaciers seem to be melting at a fast depletion-rate, with grave consequences for countries in the region - India, Nepal and Pakistan - which is likely to face a major water crisis - floods and droughts - probably within the next 20/25 years.
S. Q. AFZAL RIZVI
Karachi
HEC's working
The Higher Education Commission is stepping up its campaign against universities operating illegally in the country. This is what HEC Chairman Dr Attaur Rehman said the other day.
Over the years the nation has been told that science and new technology are under a very able person who is bringing about a revolution in the country. The HEC last month warned the public about illegal universities after a large number of students had got admission to the universities and spent a tidy sum.
The question is: who is going to make up for the loss suffered by these students in terms of money and time? Why did the HEC not take earlier notice of the operation of such institutes in every major town in the country? Why was this information given to the public only when Dr Isa Daud Pota brought this scandal to public notice at the cost of his own job?
Will the National Accountability Bureau, parliamentarians or the religious parties worrying about the deletion of the religion column from new passports care to take up the matter in the assemblies and investigate why these universities were allowed to make money in the name of imparting higher education?
IQBAL
Dahran, Saudi Arabia
(II)
In his Jan 9 column, Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee says: "What kind of people are we? Just where have our leaders led us, just what have they inspired us to be?" He goes on to note: "One bit of bad news is that Professor Dr Attaur Rahman, chief of the Higher Education Commission, has admitted regretfully that his country does not possess one university which ranks amongst the first 500 in the world."
Couldn't the Dawn Group of Newspapers start a Dawn Foundation that focuses on working with private universities in Pakistan to improve educational standards?
Dawn can even start its own university in Karachi for management of non-profit entities in collaboration with the Edhi Foundation.
PROFESSOR ARUN KHANNA
Indianapolis, IN., USA
'Expectations unplugged'
This refers to Mr Kuldip Nayar's article "Expectations unplugged" (Jan 15). With regard to the Baglihar dam issue, he writes: "If Pakistan decides to approach the World Bank for the appointment of an arbiter to resolve the issue - such are the reports - it would be turning away from the bilateral talks which the two sides have been conducting since the Shimla agreement in 1972."
So far, the impression has been that the Shimla agreement calls for settling only the Kashmir issue through bilateral talks. Now Mr Nayar appears to have stretched the agreement to cover other disputes as well.
The question is: what has been the outcome of the bilateral dialogue the two countries have been holding on and off since 1972? Has any dispute, including the Kashmir/Siachen dispute, been resolved during the last over one-third of a century? How long Pakistan should keep faith in India for a solution of disputes and refrain from availing itself of other options?
The writer says that former Indian prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri never forgave the then British prime minister Harold Wilson because Mr Shastri believed that Mr Wilson had tricked him into accepting arbitration in the Rann of Kachh dispute, with the arbitration going in favour of Pakistan.
Mr Nayar has blamed the bureaucracies of the two sides for indecisiveness. India claims to be the largest democracy in the world and hence the question of its bureaucracy not following the guidelines laid down by the political leadership is wholly unbelievable.
The stalemate that prevailed during the last 57 years in Indo-Pakistan relations is the direct outcome of the mindset of the Indian leadership.
GHULAM MUHAMMAD
Karachi
West and Islam
This refers to the letter "West and Islam" by Mr Masood Haider( Jan 15) in response to my letter published on Jan 11. I strongly disagree with his comments and would like to point out the following to support my views:
1. Western countries have allowed immigration not out of compassion for Muslims; they need a cheap labour force due to the dwindling of the young population in the West. Now the second generation of these immigrants have become irksome because unlike their ancestors they are not willing to work in miserable conditions.
2. In the aftermath of the tsunami tragedy, it was Japan, a country in the East, which initially provided the largest amount of aid ($500 million).
3. The West did not intervene in Bosnia and Kosovo immediately after the breakout of the war in the Balkans. Only when there was a huge outcry from human rights organizations and after hundreds of thousands of Muslims were massacred did the US and Europe hurry to control the situation.
4. Muslims in Kashmir and Palestine resorted to violence after they had exhausted all other available means to resolve the issue peacefully. When the Jews were persecuted by Christians, they should have been given a homeland in the Americas, Europe, Australia or any other Christian-dominated country instead of placing them in the midst of Muslim countries.
It is the responsibility of those who have made the western countries their abode to clear any misconceptions regarding Islam in order to bridge the rift between the East and the West.
MISBAH NOMANI
Karachi
Fishermen's misery
The fishermen of the Badin district when delighted when President Gen Pervez Musharraf took the courageous decision of ending the illegal occupation of the coastal fishing grounds in the district by the Rangers.
According to the president's orders, the Rangers had to withdraw from the fishing grounds by Dec 31, 2004, but they have not yet officially handed over the fishing grounds to the fishermen.
The Sindh government and the Thar Rangers seem to be in collusion to deprive the local fishermen of their fishing rights. On the one hand the government has started using delaying tactics in making a formal announcement in this respect, and on the other the Rangers personnel have started arresting fishermen and confiscating their catch.
A large number of fishermen and fisher women were reportedly beaten and some injured by Rangers personnel who violated the instructions of the president that the Rangers should refrain from interfering with fishing matters. Fishermen are depressed over this, although they cannot do anything but wait for implementation of the president's decision.
HAFEEZ TUNIO
Pakistan Fisher folk Forum, Bin Qasim Town, Karachi
Illiteracy in the Arab world
This refers to the news item "70m Arabs still illiterate, says report" (Jan 17). It is quite unfortunate that oil-rich Arab countries have such an alarming illiteracy rate which is expected to go up with the increase in population. No wonder the areas have become a breeding ground for terrorists as illiterate persons are an easier target for extremist groups.
The reason why the benefits derived from oil have not trickled down to the common person in the Arab world is that they are under the control of a few men who prefer to invest in the West rather than in their own countries.
They support monarchy and are not in favour of democracy as they fear that it might result in people demanding that oil reserves should be under the control of the state and their rulers' monopoly should come to an end.
Some Middle Eastern rulers sponsor mullahs round the globe and ask them to support their rule rather than democracy. They provide funds for the construction of mosques and madressahs but won't pay a penny for setting up educational institutions and health facilities in their own countries.
Some regimes even sponsor various extremist groups and religious movements. The Taliban received aid from them and no wonder were able to subjugate Afghanistan in a short span of time.
The alliance between the West and wealthy Arabs is not a new one and dates back to the Cold War when they sided with the capitalists to curb the spread of communism.
What is interesting to note is that they supported the US even though they were aware of the fact that Israel thrived on US aid. But communism was perceived as a greater threat as it would have ended monarchical rule in the Middle East.
It is hoped that we will not fall for the slogans of mullahs who enjoy outside support. These mullahs raise trivial issues such as the removal of religion column from new passports in order to divert the attention of the people from serious problems such as unemployment and poverty.
I wonder if the mullahs in our country have ever held a rally against poverty. Their covert support for the military has weakened democratic institutions.
Their should be a ban on religious parties as their existence inevitably results in the use of religion to achieve political goals. It is hoped that we become enlightened moderate Muslims, but that can only happen if we have a secular set-up, for it is the only way to ensure that religion is never used as a tool for achieving political goals.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Karachi
President and army chief
In his criticism of President Musharraf, ARD Deputy Information Secretary Munir Ahmed Khan has advised the US in these words: "If the experience of a president-in-uniform is so successful in the war on terror, then Americans should follow suit and give their army chief the additional office of president" (Dawn, Jan 17).
Mr Ahmed should know that the American president technically and constitutionally holds both offices. He is the commander-in-chief of the US armed forces as well as president of his nation.
The ARD leader is wrong in describing the current political system of Pakistan as a dictatorship. The national and provincial assemblies have legitimately elected public representatives.
This election was probably better than many previous elections. The only difference is that the president has acquired much greater powers. He seems to be using the democratic process to carry out his agenda through parliament.
DR NORA SAEED
Chicago, USA
Minorities in India
I strongly oppose the views expressed by Prof M. Akram Saqib in his letter (Jan 17). He says that in India today only those Muslims survive who sacrifice their identity. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
Muslims in India are treated as equal to citizens. Members of other minority communities are also treated with great respect. That is why India has a Sikh prime minister and a Muslim president. Pakistan cannot even think of having a Hindu or a Sikh as prime minister or president.
In India, Muslims are free to practise their faith like all other people. Many Muslims are holding high posts in the public and private sectors. The Indian army has a sizable number of Muslims.
The Indian film industry is proud of stars such as Shahrukh Khan, Amir Khan and Salman Khan. The Indian cricket team is also proud of its talented Muslim players. In stark contrast, in Pakistan the minorities are quite invisible. Bhagat Singh was from Lahore but he is remembered more in India. Why?
NIPUN TALUKDAR
Barpeta, Assam, India
Consolidating Pakistan
This refers to Mr Mahdi Masud's letter exhorting Pakistanis to love Pakistan and work for its progress (Jan 14). I am reminded of a beautiful verse by a little known Peshawar-based poet Alam Betab:
Gulshan mein uga hai to baharon ki dua mang
Ujre ga agar yeh to bikhar jai ga too bhee".
(If you have sprouted in a garden pray for spring,
If the garden is spoilt you will also be scattered.)
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
Need for more convocations
Bahawalpur Islamia University's convocation, 2004, was held on Jan 8, 2005. The chief guest, Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Maqbool, the Punjab governor and the vice-chancellor of the university, awarded degrees to the graduates and gold and silver medals to the position holders from the year 1997 to 2002.
It is suggested that the convocation should be held after every two or three years and a reasonable cash award should also be given to the position holders to encourage them.
MUHAMMAD RAMZAN YAZDANI
Bahawalpur
EOBI low collection
In a meeting with the president of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, EOBI Chairman Shafi Malik stated that the government was paying Rs160 million to EOBI pensioners while the collection was Rs20 million. The low collection is due to the following reasons:
i) The government withdrew its contribution from July 1995, which impaired the long-term solvency of the fund.
ii) With the connivance of labour inspectors, some employers are trying not to register their employees with Eobi. Moreover, in the past large scale misappropriation of funds was detected by NAB. Funds are still being misused.
President Gen Pervez Musharraf has announced an increase in the minimum monthly pension for workers from Rs700 to Rs1,000. Although too little in comparison with official claims of "poverty reduction", it will alleviate the financial woes of retired workers to some extent.
While the government has been going out of the way to provide incentives to investors, it must also figure out ways to distribute the dividends of this growth to workers/pensioners whose hard labour is converted into lucrative capital. Eobi pensioners hope that their pension would be raised on a yearly basis as is being done in the case of military government pensioners.
S.A. ZUBAIR
Lahore
'Enlightened science'
Muslims are being exhorted to follow the slogan of "enlightened moderation" in our times. The West, on the other hand, is following the path of "enlightened science".
This has brought the era of advanced knowledge and power, resulting in the West's domination of the world, including the Muslim world. The real crisis of the Muslim world is its backwardness in science which brings enlightenment of the mind as also knowledge.
This requires revamping of our education system, including higher education, as also the restoration of dignity of our persons of eminence in science and technology.
DR M. YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
Student politics
This is with reference to Mr Anwar Abbas's letter "Why be afraid of student politics" (Jan 17). It should be noted that politics at the Aligarh Muslim University and other centres of education during the time of the Quaid was very different from that being practised in our educational institutions these days.
SALAHUDDIN GHAZNAVI
Dublin, Ireland
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