| 19 February 2005 | Saturday | 09 Muharram 1426 |
Arrest of NAB official
PMDC's accountability
Hariri's assassination
Festivals of yesteryear
Facing up to reality
Tribal clashes in Sindh
A question of ethics
Umrah trips
Next US target
PDEV stipend
Gender
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This refers to the news published in Dawn on Feb 16, regarding the implementation of Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto protocol, officially known as United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is aimed at reducing the world's greenhouse gas emissions and came into effect Feb 16.
The Kyoto protocol, named after the city (Japan) where it was signed in 1997, is a legally binding treaty that aims at reducing the amount of carbondioxide emitted by developed nations from 1990's levels by an average 5.2 percentage between 2008 and 2012.
A total of 141 nations and regions, including Pakistan, have ratified the treaty. America and Australia were the only countries that have refused to commit to Kyoto's targets.
The USA, being the largest producer of carbondioxide, has ditched the protocol claiming it would damage its economy. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said that until such time as the major polluters of the world, including America and China, are made part of the Kyoto regime, it is next to useless and indeed harmful for a country such as Australia to sign up. Britain's top scientist, Sir David King, has already stated that global warming is a greater threat than terrorists.
Pakistan has ratified the Kyoto protocol. The UNDP has already said that Pakistan will be eligible for additional UNDP energy efficiency and renewable energy grants if it ratifies the treaty.
All Pakistan's major cities, including Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar, suffer from pollution. Degrading air quality has adversely affected the health of some 16 million people.
The country is spending an additional about $500 million in health-care cost every year. As a result, in 1999 the health of 40 per cent of the urban population was affected by air pollution.
Vehicles and industries have already been identified as major sources of air pollution in Pakistan. However, many environmentalists say the fuel quality is to blame as there are high levels of lead and sulphur in fuel.
Some 550 tons of lead are emitted by vehicles every year. Oil-fired thermal power plants add another 190 tons of lead, according to IUCN report. The Pakistan Medical Research Council (PMRC) in a survey found dangerously high lead levels in the blood of the children of between 41 and 50 microgram/decilitre, where the safe limit is 15.
In 1995, the government agreed to launch a clean fuel initiative, which later on promoted the use of CNG in vehicles, forethought a major cut-down in the country's import bill of petroleum products.
To fulfil the commitments of the Kyoto protocol, essentially, the reduction of green house gases, I suggest that the government should freeze the price of CNG, otherwise its promotion campaign regarding the use of CNG would be futile.
Moreover, industrial units have to set the emissions intensity targets (tons of emission per unit produced). A very strict check on vehicles running without their engines tuned-up would also help in mitigating the problem.
RASHID ASHRAF
Karachi
Arrest of NAB official
It has been reported that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday held one of its officials for allegedly taking a huge bribe from the directors of a private housing society for allegedly concealing evidence against the accused who are facing a NAB reference for defrauding people ("NAB official arrested", Dawn, Feb 12).
One only hopes that this is not a case of selective accountability to bolster the sagging reputation of NAB. About a year ago a formal complaint was lodged with the NAB chairman by a member of parliament to initiate investigations and file reference against the officials of a private housing society in Lahore for defrauding over 150 of its members of their money, but no action was taken.
The MP, Nayyar Bokhari, had complained that the management of the housing society, after seeing an opportunity of hitting a gold mine because of a huge development project was planned right across its land, decided to take over the members' plots in an illegal manner. A unique modus operandi had been adopted, the complaint said.
Innocent-looking notices were sent to obsolete addresses asking members to pay additional development charges. The notices were never followed up with any reminders or phone calls.
After a while, without recourse to courts for taking over private property, 150 plots were confiscated. The market value of the plots which were not so valuable had jumped to Rs5 million per kanal because of the development project planned right across it.
Even foreclosure laws were not applied because in that case the management could claim only that which belonged to it and return the rest to the rightful owners of plots.
The complaint said that a Punjab minister was said to be the secretary of the society and some influential people were with him. The victims also happened to be influential and they raised the mater not only with the local authorities but also threatened to alert the potential foreign investors against investing in Pakistan where property rights could be so easily violated by qabza groups.
It is not known what happened to the victims' protests. But one thing is clear - NAB did not proceed against the accused. The issue was not whether in the end people were actually defrauded or not; the issue was whether the accountability mechanism was put into motion when the complaint was lodged. That is why questions will continue to be asked whether the nabbing of the NAB official was not a case of selective accountability.
SENATOR FARHATULLAH BABAR
Islamabad
PMDC's accountability
This refers to Prof (Dr) Nirmal Das's letter (Feb 8). The professor has taken the remarks made by the health secretary out of context. On that particular occasion the secretary had stated that "the yearly recognition of colleges should not be practised anymore by the council as it had no sense that the PMDC recognized medical students but did not recognize their educational institutions".
The ministry of health has been receiving complaints from private medical institutions about the alleged discrimination of the PMDC against private medical and dental institutions.
It is the responsibility of the ministry of health to ensure that standards of medical and dental education/training are maintained and that all institutions, whether in the public or private sector, are provided level playing field.
This is even more pertinent in the context of the government's policy to promote the private sector. The government's responsibility is to protect the interests of the public and to ensure that substandard institutions are not allowed to function but, at the same time, those institutions which meet the required criteria should be encouraged.
Furthermore, para 3 of the news item (Dawn, Jan 31), says that "colleges and universities failing to fulfil the criteria set by the PMDC should be recognized in private and public sectors both". However, the health secretary had stated that "colleges and universities failing to fulfil the criteria set by the PMDC should 'not' be recognized in private and public sectors both".
The ministry of health is at present working on draft amendments to the PMDC ordinance, which was promulgated in 1962 with some changes incorporated in 1973. The gap of 20 years has brought a lot of changes in the field of medical education and working of institutions.
It is, therefore, felt that the PMDC ordinance needs overhauling to address the new challenges of the 21st century. Stakeholders from both public and private sectors have been involved in this process and it will be ensured that standards of medical and dental education in Pakistan are not compromised.
NASIR SARFRAZ
Principal Staff Officer Ministry of Health Government of Pakistan Islamabad
Hariri's assassination
Thousands of miles away from the site of explosion on Feb 14, people in Pakistan are equally saddened and grieved by the tragic assassination of Mr Rafik Al Hariri. It was a blatant exhibition of barbarism and terrorism, which has sent a wave of shock and fear across the globe.
Speculations that Mr Hariri was assassinated because of his ties with the Saudi Arabia and the royal family do not make any sense. His actual 'crime' seemed to be his firm belief in Lebanon's independence and minimizing Syria's military presence and influence on his country's politics.
Another possible reason could be that the culprits were not able to digest Mr Hariri's political and moral stature, his philosophy of co-existence and his business acumen.
It is the fundamental right of the people of Lebanon and those who loved and respected Mr Hariri to know who his assassins are and what are their motives. An international commission should be formed to investigate this, so people can know who the real culprits are?
Mr Hariri devoted his life, time and money to bring about a positive change in the otherwise treacherous and dangerous political landscape of Lebanon. His dream of making Lebanon a peace-loving country should be materialized by his countrymen now. They should not allow outsiders to play a clandestine role in Lebanon's domestic affairs.
DR TALLAT HABEEB ABID
Karachi
(II)
The United States and its media have started to implicate Syria in the assassination of Rafik Hariri. The US has always been against the Syrian military presence in Lebanon, and since Syria has the most to lose because of the assassination (with the anti-Syria sentiments rising) one is bound to think Syria did not have a hand in it.
On the other hand, the US has the most to gain out of this unfortunate event - it can lead to the expulsion of the Syrian military from Lebanon, which means a safer Israel, and also a weaker Syria with one less ally, Lebanon. The CIA could have easily carried out this assassination.
FAWWAD SHAFI
Lahore
Festivals of yesteryear
While Mrs S. Salim of Lahore in her letter (Dawn, Feb 13) regrets the boisterous noisy Basant in Lahore and remembers the peaceful pleasant festivals of yesteryear, I must say that such deterioration has taken place almost everywhere.
I still remember my younger days in Pune as a college student about 50 years ago when the 10-day festival of Ganeshotsav (Ganpati festival) was a very peaceful and joyous affair.
Pandaals (tents) were erected, and light and classical music concerts were held with top-notch artistes, such as Hirabai Barodekar and Gajanan Watve, regaling the audience with their performances.
Peaceful public debates on social and political issues were also arranged before the deity of Vidya (learning). Today, the description of Basant of Lahore given by Mrs Salim holds true for many festivals in India as well.
SUKUMAR SHIDORE
Pune, India
Facing up to reality
This has reference to Mr Irfan Husain's article "Facing up to reality (Feb 12) projecting optimism and over assessment for the recognition of the state of Israel by Pakistan, as the country is a reality.
We ought to remind ourselves that the acceptance of a certain reality does not necessarily make that reality palatable or desirable. The example of Taiwan should suffice here.
Recommending the recognition, the writer has quoted the deputy prime minister of Israel as having said: "Pakistan and Israel should sit openly, clearly under an open sky, talking like as human beings to air out our differences".
For this, Mr Husain has not told us as to what has happened to three decades' Israeli talks with the Egyptian and Jordanian leaders who have their embassies in Tel Aviv.
This is better explained by the late US president Harry Truman, who once said: "The Jews, I find, are very, very selfish people (Dawn, July 12, 2003). The presumption of our success or anything near to it, where two important Arab countries have failed, appears to be out of tune.
Another reason put forward by the writer for the recognition is that Pakistan would be in a position to buy high-tech Israeli weapons, like India is doing. By saying so, Mr Husain has ignored the US factor.
The US can stop the sale of the weapons because it has already done so in its case by not handing over the F-16s, which were prepaid by us nearly two decades ago. One may also read: "The US was keen and has allowed joint production of F-16s in India (Feb 13).
The writer has blamed Pakistan's narrow religious approach as a hindrance for the recognition of Israel. But we also know that the "ME is a victim of faith-based foreign policy being pursued by the Bush administration", as written by Robin Cook, former British foreign minister (Dawn, April 29, 2004). It would be in line to mention as what the Europeans talk about Israel:
- In 2002, Portuguese Nobel prize-winning writer Jose Saramago declared: "What is happening in Palestine is a crime which we can put on the same plane as what happened at Auschwitz".
- In Israel, in December last year, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, the Irish winner of the 1976 Nobel peace prize, compared the country's suspected nuclear weapons to Auschwitz, calling them "gas chamber perfected".
- In a poll by the European Union in November 2003, a majority of Europeans named Israel as the greatest threat to world peace, ahead of such countries as Iran and North Korea.
- A poll of 3,000 people by Germany's university of Bielefeld in December last year showed that the majority of the respondents' equating Israel's policies towards Palestinians with Nazi treatment of Jews. Sixty-eight per cent of those surveyed specifically believed that Israel is waging a war of extermination against the Palestinian people.
- "Late Arafat singed and committed 78 per cent of his original land to Israel in the Oslo Accord," so writes David Hirst, (Dawn, Dec 22, 2004). How come, afterwards, Arafat became a terrorist and an obstacle for the ME peace to Israel and the US?
The truth is that Israel lives on the resources of the Arabs - the stolen lands of Palestine and Syria, the stolen water (90 per cent) available in the land, where it has prohibited the digging of wells without permission, which is mostly rejected.
Its soldiers roam about on their occupied land, target and kill Palestinian boys and girls within their school premises, patients in hospitals and housewives standing in their verandas.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
Tribal clashes in Sindh
Sindh, the land of saints and sages, is at present a battleground for tribal clashes. These clashes over petty issues have claimed many innocent lives. The Solangis and Jagiranis in Khairpur, the Mahars and Jatois in Shikarpur and the Mahars and Lunds in Ghotki are all set against each other.
Normal life remains suspended in these areas, schools are closed and roads blocked. One can't think of going out, whatever the emergency. Most to suffer are the common people.
In violation of the court verdict, these warring tribes hold jirgas, in collaboration with the police, to reach settlements but then again the same cycle of killings is repeated. The government should immediately intervene end to these jirgas and enforce its writ.
PERVEZ AHMED SHAR
Khairpur
A question of ethics
While referring to the "ethics retreat" held at the PM house, your editorial (Feb 16) rightly concludes with the unethical expenditure of millions (Rs43 million to be exact) by the three prime ministers on Umra.
While the effort by the PM to introduce ethical values amongst his colleagues in the cabinet is commendable, surely it is through examples set by him that will make the difference. So, to start off, it is my request to Mr Shaukat Aziz to pay back to the state treasury his share of the Umra expenditure.
NAZIM F. HAJI
Karachi
Umrah trips
This is in reference to your editorial "Piety at public expense" (Feb 11). The national exchequer is a sacred trust and is not to be used for personal benefit and largesse.
By passing on the whopping bills of their umrah 'delegations' to the treasury, the prime ministers involved have acted in utter disregard of the basic principles of good governance.
The present prime minister's entourage fittingly included the DCO of Tharparkar and the Sindh chief minister, both architects of his landslide election victory. Simply refunding the money will not settle the issue.
ABU AHMAD
Columbus, GA, US
Next US target
What will be the reaction of the people and the government of Pakistan if the US or any other coalition partner or "friend" of the US attacks Iran and how safe is Pakistan from being the next target (of opportunity)?
HUSSAIN
Rahimyar Khan
PDEV stipend
This is to draw the attention of the secretary, establishment, and the director-general of the Civil Services Reforms Unit to the state of affairs of the much-trumpeted professional development programme (PDEV) for civil servants.
At present, 108 officers from various cadres of the federal and provincial governments and allied departments are studying at various institutions around the world. Inordinate delays in the release of stipends to these officers are causing them severe hardships.
In fact, the initial releases to students and universities were made after three months. As a result, their studies suffered because many of them were not allowed to sit in the term examinations, as their institutions had not received the fees.
Moreover, all of them faced embarrassing position as they could not pay their rents, transport charges, etc. Now once again, these officers are facing a critical situation as they have not received their stipend for the last two months.
Some of them are left with no alternative but to do petty jobs for their survival. While all the effort the project managers are required to make is to send an advice to the bank. In many a university, the penniless government of Pakistan officer has become a butt of ridicule for the university administration.
We request the authorities concerned to streamline the payment schedules of the stipends, and the senior project managers to get a feedback from the officers currently studying abroad under the said project. We expect some urgent action.
AFFECTED OFFICERS
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Gender
For years in our passport we are using the word 'sex' which is a slur and a naked expression. It should be deleted and instead be substituted with 'gender', which is quite a decent word, conveying the same meaning to distinguish between a male and a female.
IQBAL HADI ZAIDI
Kuwait
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