| 26 February 2005 | Saturday | 16 Muharram 1426 |
'Paying' for traffic violations
Pasni Dam - the legal liability
The opposition nexus
'The Balochistan situation'
Rumsfeld's march to Munich
Official silence
Killer bus terminal
Who cares?
Timely action
Housing society
Middle East peace
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This is with reference to articles 'Reforming Our Universities' by Prof (Dr) Pervez Hoodbhoy published in Dawn. These articles have unreasonably criticized many initiatives of the Higher Education Commission, including the indigenous PhD programme.
Since the creation of Pakistan, there has been no incentive for PhD scholars to conduct quality research and complete their PhD degrees within the country. They had to entirely depend on the scholarships offered in very limited number by the government for overseas studies.
After its establishment, the Higher Education Commission started offering a large number of indigenous and overseas PhD scholarships. A transparent merit-based method has been adopted for granting the scholarships.
Furthermore, the HEC has selected highly qualified and experienced teachers as supervisors of selected PhD scholars in public sector universities. Huge funding by the HEC under different support programmes has made it possible to either purchase equipment for the PhD scholars or use the equipment and laboratories available in another institute/university while HEC will pay for the running costs.
Because of a marked improvement in facilities of all university libraries, the approved supervisors and students are in continuous touch with the latest research being done all over the world in their respective areas. It has been made compulsory for a university to have PhD theses examined and approved by two eminent experts of reputable universities of technologically advanced countries.
The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, is also a beneficiary of the HEC programmes. Several faculty members have been selected for overseas scholarships/training while a number of them have secured travel grants to represent the university and Pakistan in international meetings and conferences. Also several students are already pursuing studies under the indigenous PhD scheme.
The most important and difficult effect to be produced in a public university is to bring about a positive change leading to an acceptable academic and research culture in the prevailing environment.
The university feels obliged to the HEC for initiating steps that have started having an impact in improving the quality of higher education.
PROF (DR) H. A. HASHMI
Director, Advanced Studies and Research University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore
'Paying' for traffic violations
Travelling towards Mai Kolachi from Schon Circle at around 08:40am the other day, I noticed in the rear-view mirror of my car that a traffic constable had suddenly started to follow me.
He continued to do so till I reached the signal at Bahria 1 on M. T. Khan Road. Just when I was about to take a turn he literally pounced on the car and asked to me pull over. I did what any literate, law-abiding citizen would do.
He told me that he had received a message from the DIG to penalize me for the tinted windows in my car. I understood that if I had committed a violation of traffic rules then I should pay for it. 'Pay' I did, because the constable was not in a mood to give me a ticket and tried to persuade me to dole him out some cash and save myself from so many untold hassles.
I was adamant that since I had violated a traffic rule, I should be given a ticket. He got infuriated and insisted that he would take off the tinted cellophane sheets from the glass himself.
While the constable was busy taking off the tint I pointed out to at least half a dozen other cars (all above 1300cc) that had much darker tints. He paid no heed to it and was persistent that "DIG Sahib" had especially asked him to get at my car and he was not bothered about the others.
After I was done, and paid the fine too, the very same day I wrote a detailed email to the IG Sindh, the DIG Operations and the DIG Traffic (which mail bounced) asking them a few basic questions.
Why was I followed by a traffic constable from Jackson police station? Did he wait for me to get into his jurisdiction before pouncing on me? Why were the bigger cars (1300cc and above) not stopped? Was there a probability of them having connections which obviously I did not?
After waiting for a response from the Sindh police (which never came) for over two weeks, I sent an email to the Sindh governor on his official website (www.governorsindh. gov.pk/onlinecomplaint), but in vain.
Thus, after trying every possible legal/legitimate way to highlight the problem and ensure that Mai Kolachi does not become a financial trap for commuters, I am writing to share this experience publicly so that while it brings me a little relief to lessen my frustration, I am also trying not to lose faith in our legislative system.
AAMIR KHAN
Karachi
Pasni Dam - the legal liability
If there is any semblance of an honest, functional and neutral legal system in Pakistan, the victims of the Pasni Dam would be properly and adequately compensated, instead of being made to suffer without any recompense or recourse.
Of course, this will be in addition to any criminal prosecution of the builders of the dam - breached only after a couple of years of its construction - that would follow under the existing Pakistani criminal law.
Take a Canadian example. In a recent case, the Supreme Court of Canada has decided - under the common law of torts that was also the basis of the Pakistan tortious liability when I studied law in Pakistan - that the minister of transportation and highways is under a strict and non-delegable duty to personally direct the works of the ministry.
This duty imposes on the minister a responsibility to ensure the proper construction, repair and maintenance of highways and other roads according to the current international standards of construction.
The duty is so strict that it cannot be transferred to others who may perform the work. In other words, the minister is under a strict and non-delegable duty that cannot be delegated to contractors or agents.
Thus the minister, in addition to direct liability for his ministry's negligence and vicarious liability for the negligence of its contractors, is under a non-delegable liability for compensating the victims and their families if they suffer loss as a result of a breach of duty. I hope the minister of law of Pakistan and that of Balochistan and the chief justice of Pakistan will take note.
PROF ANWAR N. KHAN
Edmonton, Canada
The opposition nexus
Eventually the MMA and the ARD have joined hands to be able to push Gen Musharraf out. Apart from differences on the 17th Amendment, they are categorically united on the main issues.
The total votes which were cast in favour of parties constituting these two alliances exceed the votes of the ruling elite. So, this is the ultimate sign of no-confidence in Gen Musharraf and the PML-Q, his ruling partner.
On the other hand, the GHQ is bent on dividing the opposition parties and ruling; it has already got passed a bill from two provincial assemblies in favour of the president staying till 2007.
By adopting such tricky measures, the GHQ is not serving democracy, despite the so-called endorsements by Washington and the Commonwealth. It was bearable until 2002 (the three-year period given by the Supreme Court to Musharraf after his military coup), but at the moment every passing day is a continuation of the breach of public commitment. The army is raised with the taxpayers' money to defend the country, not to rule it.
Whilst the ARD withdrew during negotiations on the Legal Framework Order (LFO), branding Gen Musharraf as an illegitimate president, Ms Benazir Bhutto met one of Gen Musharraf's aides in her self-exile in Dubai instead of a Shaukat Aziz representative.
These contradictions affect a good working relationship between the opposition groups and should be resolved if the joint opposition really wants to restore the 1973 Constitution and the sanctity of parliament in letter and spirit.
FARRUKH HAFIZ
Essex, UK
'The Balochistan situation'
This refers to Mr Qutubuddin Aziz's letter, "The Balochistan situation" (Feb 9). The writer strongly suggests the execution of reward and punishment policy, and, by referring to some old instances, wants the young military mind to adopt a purely imperialistic psyche. But, what if such a policy takes effect! Wouldn't it mean that pure colonial handling of a situation becomes the norm of the day? Wouldn't that force the Baloch to see their own army as foreign troops? Wouldn't that raise suspicions behind the building of cantonments between the residences of the tribesmen? Wouldn't it translate into a policy of 'divide and rule' vis-à-vis our own people?
Had Mr. Qutubuddin used the word 'chieftains' (or a synonym), he could have been right. But, instead, he wants the policy of the past revised against the 'tribesmen' (the people there).
He should now that the chieftains used to get the carrots while the locals had to suffer the sticks of the British rulers. It's already out that a majority of 'sardars' are with the regime.
It's a shame to observe that there are people amongst us who are asking the soldiers to create a dynasty of their own and suppress the natives in the manner that their forefathers used to at the behest of foreign rulers.
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL KHAN
Islamabad
Rumsfeld's march to Munich
Donald Rumsfeld, US defence secretary, proposed and defence ministers of 26 states agreed that the US and EU would jointly fight the Islamic extremism. All that was needed by him was the word "Islamic" for alarm bells to ring at Munich on Feb 12. As if the two were not enough, he demanded other countries to come on rent to help forward his agenda.
The question is whether there is more to extremism in the world than only Islamic? A lot. Two examples should suffice here. The US used 2,000 tons of cancer-causing depleted uranium in Iraq in 2003, and also made 1.100 million aerial sorties in 1991.
The fact is that when the West blames us as extremists, it treats this as a clean chit for itself and also demands from us to forget the death and destruction.
'Islamic extremists' may be terrorists and may have no consideration for others, but those who want to eliminate them should practise their own cherished civilized values. But in many cases, this is not seen. Read:
- "The US not bound by international laws: Rumsfeld" (Dawn, May 8,'04). It has virtually discarded the Geneva convention, disassociated itself from International Criminal Court, both basic requirement for justice and fair play for people the world over.
- "The US vice-president, Dick Cheney, once told Sharon that he couldn't care less if the Israeli prime minister hanged Arafat" (Dawn, Nov 21, '04).
- "Are we capturing and killing more terrorists than the Islamic madressahs are producing?" Rumsfeld said (Dawn, Oct 25, '03).
- "Even should a Guantanamo prisoner be found not guilty, we would not necessarily release him," Rumsfeld said (Dawn, April 1, '04).
There are about 15,000 Islamic extremist prisoners in US and European jails. These countries were hardly able to prosecute 100 of them during the last three years. For the rest, illegally kept, they appear to be satisfied, if not happy.
As far as Nato's involvement for fighting Islamic extremism is concerned, it was planned by the US in 2003. "To fight terrorism, Nato eyes the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere," said the then Nato top general, American James Jones (Dawn, Sept 30, '03).
A 9,000-strong Nato rapid force was inaugurated that year on Oct 15 for the purpose. At that time many questions were raised in the media, including Dawn (Oct 27, '03) about the legitimacy of the unilateral Nato declaration for many wars and conflicts in the pre-determined regions of the Third World countries. The word of Nato was replaced by the EU on Feb 12.
Europe ought to know that by and large it has got a very favourable image amongst the common people in all the Third World countries. It has to be cautious in accepting and complying with the US or Nato's intelligence reports for the venture.
Talking about world affairs without the UN looks like a marriage party without the bridegroom. Hopefully Kofi Annan would join and see that his blue flag is not changed to white so that the ensuing enlightened anarchism can be avoided.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
Official silence
One thought that the ISPR would promptly react to the most revolting conduct of a handful of army personnel on a Rawalpindi road (reported in Dawn, Feb 18). But there has been official silence over the incident.
On being flagged down by a traffic police officer, two young men riding a motorcycle (one of whom is said to have described himself an army captain) are reported to have refused to budge and, instead, called over a squad of jawans, some in uniform, and tried to "arrest" the police officer for his "impudence".
The motorcycle in question was reportedly without a number-plate, so the police officer was only right in detaining the two young men to ascertain whether theirs was a snatched or a stolen vehicle.
There have been a couple of other such incidents in the past too. The most publicly known is the one about the traffic police constable suspended for daring to stop a Lahore general's car with tinted glasses. In any civilized state, the poor policeman would have been promoted for showing exemplary conduct.
As for the Rawalpindi episode, this behaviour on the part of a few personnel of the only disciplined institution left in the country is disturbing. Those at the helm of affairs should heed this warning and come down with deterrent and well-publicised punishment to all those who participated in this lawlessness, including their supervisors, lest this is taken as a licence by everyone else. Firm action will only add to prestige of the armed forces and raise the morale of its rank and file.
M. SHUJAULLAH
Islamabad
Killer bus terminal
More than a month back three people were killed in an air-compressor blast at the bus terminal in Karachi Lines Area. The police were ordered to remove all workshops within 12 hours and the bus terminal within a few days.
Nothing has been done so far as all the workshops are fully operational and so is the bus terminal. Considering that the buses of the National Police Foundation are using this terminal, one doubts the orders would ever be obeyed.
DR KHALID BUTT
Karachi
Who cares?
How shocking is it that on the one hand the debt bomb is ticking away and on the other the people at the helm of affairs are busy enjoying their perks and privileges.
With the colossal amount being spent on bullet-proof cars and providing other fringe benefits for our ministers, hundreds of schools, healthcare centres, food and shelter could have been provided for the 40 per cent of our population living below the poverty line. But, who cares?
AFZAL RAHIM
Islamabad
Timely action
For once, the government of Pakistan took the right step at the right time to avert a loss to the Pakistani exporter. Upon placement of 75 per cent of unexplained duty on Pakistani rice, the Kenyan government had all but stopped direct exports of Pakistani rice to Kenya, thus forcing us to take a complementary action, which we did take in a timely manner, by placing 77 per cent duty on Kenyan tea, forcing the Kenyan government to reverse its decision.
Hopefully, the government of Pakistan will keep on taking such well-timed and well-thought decisions in favour of its often disadvantaged citizens.
DR FAHIM QURESHI
Lahore
Housing society
May I draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the affairs of a housing scheme in Zone V, Islamabad? The scheme was well advertised and then forms were sold to property dealers who, in turn, minted money by getting Rs20,000 to Rs50,000 per form from the clients.
The deadline for submitting forms and down payments was very short. People were given no time to think or verify the details of the society. They were pushed to jump into the unknown through false and hurried promises.
According to some estimates, the management collected Rs8 billion before they decided to pack their bags. Fortunately for the innocent investors, NAB took timely action. Investigation is now going on and the persons concerned are in the custody of NAB. But according to a recent press report, a senior officer of NAB was caught taking a bribe of Rs40 million from the scheme's management. Such news is very distressing for the affected persons who had hoped to get their money back some day.
A NAB official had even been quoted as saying that he did not know about the when and how of the refund process to the affected people.
One does not understand why such incidents cannot be prevented in our society. Why was the society allowed to sell more plots than the land it actually possessed? Why is there no check in the black marketing of plots, and why is the refund process of in this case taking so long when the accounts have already been frozen and the culprits apprehended? NAB is requested to punish the guilty quickly and return the money to the innocent people as soon as possible.
AFFECTED APPLICANT
Islamabad
Middle East peace
The press was awash with news concerning the recent peace agreement between Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Sharm Al Sheikh (Egypt). Everybody wants peace, but the question is on whose terms?
The Israelis have occupied Al Quds (Jerusalem) since 1967 and the rest of Palestine since 1948 and have not shown any willingness to give it up. They occupy the houses of the Palestinians and offer them servants' quarters in the name of peace. Is this what they mean by peace?
Will the Israelis, whose hands are still wet with the blood of the Muslims of Palestine, stay true to their word? They have made these promises before and broken them. Why should they now be any different? Mahmood Abbas (Palestinian president) needs to wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late.
MRS B. RIZWAN
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