| 02 February 2005 | Wednesday | 22 Zilhaj 1425 |
Backlog of cases
Drug prices
The softening of the state'
AKU exam board
Excessive use of pesticides
What breeds corruption
A different tsunami
Appeal to lawmakers
PPP and its followers
Diarrhoea and polio
Lead poisoning
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As an old Aligarh student who took an active part in the Pakistan movement in 1946/47, I cannot help but comment on the considerable heat that has been generated in the press by divergent views on the "two-nation" theory.
I can still vividly recall shouting slogans like "Pakistan ka matlab kia La-ilah-ha-Ilallah" on The Mall, Lahore, and being lathi-charged and locked up by the police of the Congress site government of Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana.
I remember a repeat of the same events in Peshawar where too a Congress site government held sway, and our interview with Dr Khan Sahib, the chief minister of the NWFP, who asked us students "to which province do you belong?" Since we were from either Delhi, UP or Bihar, Dr Khan Sahib's advice was: "Give it up.
You and your families will become strangers in your own homes. We in the Frontier do not need Pakistan and have no fear of Hindu domination and are happy as we are. Tell that to your leader, Mr Jinnah."
Try as we might, we could not get Dr Khan Sahib to budge an inch, but his urging cut no ice with us, fired as we were with the "two-nation" theory. Looking back now with the easy hindsight of years, I at least feel comfortable in saying that the two-nation theory has already served its political purpose, which was the creation of a Muslim homeland and it should be laid to rest.
Having lived in Germany (Munich) for years, I have experienced the ease with which one can cross its borders into Austria (Saltzburg), Switzerland (Zurich) and the Italian Tyrol, all German-speaking areas whose people, while living in different countries, continue to share similar cultural mores.
Despite the efforts of our hirsute religious leaders here and of the saffron-robed priests of Hindutva in India, the geopolitical compulsions of our times are working inexorably towards a blurring of border and trade controls, and we should not resist the march of time without cause.
We have much in common with India, apart from a shared history and language but we can and will certainly remain separate and independent countries, despite Kashmir. Let us go forward with that premise, and consign the two-nation theory to the history it properly belongs to.
S. ASIF MAJEED
Karachi
Backlog of cases
Your editorial "Backlog of cases" (Dec 13) was thought provoking. The backlog of 25,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court, as pointed out by the chief justice of Pakistan, is a matter of grave concern. And the figures may go up to 50,000 in the next two years.
You have rightly said that when a case is lost, some lawyers instead of advising their clients to accept the decision in due earnest provoke them to go into appeal, most probably to extract gains. Hence the accumulation of cases before the superior judiciary.
Frivolous petitions should be scrutinized before they are admitted for regular hearing. Instead of a lawyer arguing his case at length, making it abstruse, it would be prudent to submit arguments in writing so as to save time. Lawyers tend to play a very unpropitious role in such cases.
The chief justice while addressing the annual dinner of the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) on Dec 4 last had expressed similar apprehensions as to the backlog of cases. However, he declined to accept the suggestion of Mr Abdul Hafiz Lakho, president of the SHCBA, to increase the number of judges.
I am also inclined to refer to the address by Justice (retd) Rashid A. Razvi, vice-chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, while bidding farewell to Mr Justice Syed Deedar Hussain Shah of the Supreme Court: "Delay in dispensation of justice undermines the image of both the bench and the bar."
In the superior judiciary, owing to "non-fulfilment of existing vacancies, seven such vacancies are lying in the Sindh High Court for more than six months". It was suggested by Mr Razvi that both the bench and the bar have to work together to ensure the dispensation of speedy and effective justice and to urge for appointment of judges.
Justice should be made speedily available to litigants who are undergoing intolerable hardships, more so senior citizens who are prone to ailments and do not expect justice within their lifetime.
SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR
Karachi
Drug prices
On my last visit to a Karachi hospital, my doctor prescribed a recently introduced drug, with an option to buy a local or a branded, imported drug, which was obviously more expensive.
When I went to purchase the medicine, I was shocked to learn the difference in price between the two. The local drug had an MRP of Rs86 for 14 tablets printed on the box, whereas the MRP of the imported medicine was Rs1,400 for the same number of tablets.
Thinking that there must be a mistake, I rang up my doctor again the next day, but he confirmed that both medicines were just as good. Unless I am wrong, the difference between the two medicines is almost 1,527 per cent.
Now to me, this is daylight robbery and there is no justification for such a huge price difference. At the same time drugs that are banned are still being marketed openly and the markets are flooded with substandard, adulterated, spurious and counterfeit foods, beverages and medicines and consumers continue to be poisoned and cheated by glossy foods and beverages.
On Jan 13, the Punjab Assembly passed The Punjab Consumer Protection Bill 2004 which would help protect consumers from defective and substandard products, faulty services, misleading representations and other consumer related problems through consumer courts.
It is unfortunate that the Consumer Protection Ordinance, Sindh, which took two years to prepare, was approved and signed by the Sindh governor on Aug 12 last year, but was allowed to lapse and we are still without a C. P. law.
In the absence of an effective law and the enforcement of existing laws, consumers in Sindh are being cheated at every stage. Unless there is a political will to correct this deteriorating situation, marketers will continue to make unjustified profits and consumers will continue to be deceived and cheated.
H. MAKER
Karachi
The softening of the state'
I have deep respect for Mr Irfan Hussain, but he is way off the mark in his column "The softening of the state" (Jan 29). He may be true in saying that a "state must assert its authority" against "trouble-makers", but may one suggest that this can only be done in a context of moral superiority? Acting otherwise and blatantly crushing justified dissent will not only be criminal and wrong; it will be counterproductive to the state's goals and strengthen the dissenters' cause.
We, as Pakistanis (formerly West Pakistanis), should be more acutely sensitive to this fact having ourselves dismembered part of the country in the past through uncalled for high-handedness. We did not have the moral authority then in the case of East Pakistan and none today in the case of Balochistan.
Balochistan and Wana are widely different scenarios and must be treated as such. The Baloch are demanding their legitimate rights, rights that they have been denied by the federal government since independence.
The writer's suggestion that they address legitimate grievances through constitutional channels is ill founded in a country where legal processes and commissions are easily influenced by the centre. The burden is on the federal government to redress the people's grievances through political discourse.
The tribesmen of Wana, on the other hand, are fighting the centre mostly to protect foreign fighters and are collaborating with elements who have shown a willingness to strike at innocent people all over Pakistan (unlike the Baloch, who have restricted their violent protest to their own locality). Striking against the state's enemies in Wana can be justified, therefore.
MUBASHIR KHAN
Indianapolis, IN., USA
AKU exam board
This is with reference to Mr Zain Mankani's letter (Feb 1) in which he called my arguments in favour of the AKU exam board "surprisingly immature". I think Mr Mankani needs to re-read my letter carefully.
The issue I had raised was primarily related to the accusation against the board's establishment by some elements that it would secularize education in Pakistan. Contrary to what he is implying, I had never said in any form that just because the government cannot do something right it should hand over that job to someone else.
The issue is not of handing the job to the private sector but rather of providing alternatives to our students. The establishment of this private board, or of any other board in the private sector, does not mean that government boards will cease to exist or that the government is handing over this job of education evaluation and assessment to "someone else".
Also, by supporting the establishment of private examination boards alongside the government's own boards, one is not saying that the latter should not be reformed.
In fact, perhaps one good way for reform of government examination boards would be if they faced more competition, something that the formation of the AKU- EB should hopefully do.
As for the correspondent's remark that the competence of the AKU is not being questioned but "rather its partiality in matters of religion", that is precisely what should not be questioned.
By the same token and using this fallacious argument, questions should be raised vis-a-vis the Cambridge O and A level system because the University of Cambridge has a long history of association with the Anglican church.
SENATOR TANVIR KHALID
Karachi
Excessive use of pesticides
Your reporter deserves to be congratulated for highlighting the research findings on "Science and technology based agricultural vision of Pakistan and prospects of growth" (Jan 26).
This concerns all Pakistanis and warrants the attention of those managing the affairs of food and agriculture in Pakistan. No doubt, chemical fertilizers increase the fertility of soil and pesticides kill pests and parasites of plants but their application subsequently degrades the soil structure and kills beneficial soil micro-organisms.
We now know that nitrogen-fixing bacteria (root nodule bacteria) fix atmospheric nitrogen and phosphorus-fixing fungi (mycorrhizae) live in farm field soil. And so do earthworms - which churn and turn the soil, and hence are called natural tillers - that are being killed due to the toxic and poisonous effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
There are other types of bacteria and fungi which bring about transformations of complex nutrient compounds into simpler forms which then become available to plants for absorption, followed up by the process of photosynthesis leading to the production of food for the sustenance of all living beings on earth.
In the event of absorption of toxic and poisonous nutrient elements by the plants, they pass through the food chain into animals and eventually humans, causing health hazard.
With the advancement of knowledge of soil microbiology, it is being realized that plants, animals and micro-organisms are interdependent in the agricultural ecosystem.
In order to avoid the residual effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the food chain, we should make judicious use of these toxic substances by determining the correct dosages after experimental trials before their application in farm field conditions.
DR M. JALALUDDIN
Adjunct Professor of Agriculture, University of Karachi
What breeds corruption
This refers to Mr Shahryar Khan Baseer's letter "What breeds corruption" (Jan 25). Mr Baseer has rightly pointed out the basic cause of corruption in our society, particularly in government offices.
The poor wages of highly educated, carefully selected and skill fully trained government officers force them to be corrupt in order to survive or leave the country in search of greener pastures causing brain drain.
Corruption in our society is rampant. What harm it has caused to our society at large, is known well. Its effect on the general morale of our people is no secret. The reputation we enjoy in the comity of nations needs no comments. To eliminate corruption in society we need to take the following steps:
- Reduce the government machinery to its bare minimum needs (there are five-18 persons for the workload of one. Hence, the responsibility of the bad job done is so distributed that it becomes nobody's responsibility)
- Increase the salary of employees so that they should not need to be corrupt. It is height of foolishness to expect honesty from a hungry man like the present low-paid government employees.
- No government can be run successfully and cannot get its policies executed if its managers do not enjoy a status above a mill manager in society
- There are numerous departments, divisions and sections that have no justification for existing as they are engaged in no work or are duplicating work. Their expenses are higher than their benefit or returns.
MUHAMMAD IQBAL BRULA
Karachi
A different tsunami
Mr M. J. Akbar's "Why are we indifferent to poverty?" (Dawn, Feb 1) should compel anyone with a heart and conscience to pick up their pen - not just to write a letter to the editor to have their names printed, but sign an anonymous cheque for whatever they are worth, to contribute to poverty relief.
And I honestly wish, we are worth more than we think we are, or rather we say we think we arge. Thanks to Mr Akbar for stirring a bigger tsunami within our heart and conscience - one that lashes our lives with shame and guilt.
But, above all, when it ebbs away it leaves behind a deeper understanding of how we (must) co-exist. Poverty, as Mr Akbar wrote, is a "much bigger tragedy than tsunami". But between the lines he also identified an even greater tragedy of our lives - indifference - that supersedes them all. I hope his voice will make a difference across the globe, as it has in my life.
A. M. ALEC
Via email
Appeal to lawmakers
It is really demoralizing to see billions of rupees earned from auction of public land in Islamabad being spent on beautification and on additional luxuries, comforts and entertainment facilities for the elite and the bureaucrats living in the city's VIP sectors.
This is besides the massive budget allocation to the Capital Development Authority for various projects, non-essential in a country where the percentage of population living below the poverty line is increasing beyond 40 per cent.
All federal projects, including development in Islamabad, have been funded by all the people of Pakistan and, therefore, they are the rightful owners. I appeal to parliamentarians to include the entire earnings from federal property, including military and CDA lands, in the federal budget and allocate funds according to the welfare requirements of the common people.
RAJA M. AFZAL KHAN
Gujar Khan
PPP and its followers
It was very surprising to read the letter "PPP and its followers" in which the PPP information secretary has highlighted the achievements of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.
As far as the phrase "single largest party known for its services to the nation and the country" is concerned, I think he should closely observe western countries and learn a lesson from them as to how a country or a nation is served.
The parties there have not served their countries by nationalizing investments and encouraging corruption like our politicians did and are doing. Maybe the PPP official wants to highlight the position our country has achieved in corruption the world over and the tireless efforts of his party in achieving that distinction over the years when they were ruling this country.
RASHID AMIN
Lahore Cantt
Diarrhoea and polio
The app news report "Diarrhoea mars efforts to curb polio: expert" (Dawn, Jan 30) referred to a presentation that I gave at the National Institute of Child Health on Jan 29, entitled "Recent Developments in Vaccines".
Unfortunately, there are several problems in the report. I never talked about diarrhoea and did not say diarrhoea impairs the polio effort. The problems with polio are being addressed through intensive efforts in Pakistan, India and Africa.
There is great hope that all polio transmission will be stopped by the end of this year and the intensive effort to eradicate this disease can be completed soon.
With regard to measles in Karachi, most disease occurs in children under six years of age, and most of these children have not been vaccinated. The World Health Organization now recommends that all children have a second opportunity to receive measles vaccines to assure complete protection.
The national expert advisory group on immunization in Pakistan has recommended that this second opportunity be at 15 months of age along with a dose of vitamin A. In other countries with high levels of measles transmission, national immunization day campaigns have administered catch-up doses of measles vaccine to all children from one to 15 years of age.
These campaigns have been highly effective at bringing measles rapidly under control. I hope these clarifications help people to understand my primary messages, and I applaud the efforts that are being made to prevent serious diseases in children, including the recent introduction of hepatitis B vaccine for all infants.
PROFESSOR NEALHALSEY JOHNS HOPKINS
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD., USA
Lead poisoning
Over 90 per cent of the spent batteries of cars, trucks, buses, and tractors are recycled to produce pure lead in the United States, Europe and Asia through highly a sophisticated lead smelting and refining process with a built-in pollution control mechanism.
In Pakistan, there is no plant to produce pure lead. Instead, there are lead-smelters that recycle spent batteries in obsolete furnaces and produce antimonial lead alloy for selling to the domestic automotive battery manufacturers at half the price of pure lead.
Lead-smelters in Pakistan are recycling batteries and spreading poisonous lead fumes within and outside their premises. They are located just anywhere and everywhere with absolutely no check on their operations and location.
Lead poisoning causes life-threatening diseases, both physical and mental, among adults and children alike. Many of these diseases are incurable, causing lifelong miseries for the sufferers.
On behalf of our organization, Rights4Citizens, we appeal to the federal and provincial governments to enact appropriate laws to ban lead-smelting through obsolete furnaces, shut down lead- smelting operations in populated localities and stop battery manufacturers from buying antimonial lead alloy from these smelters.
RIGHTS 4 CITIZENS
Karachi
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