| March, 22 2005 | Tuesday | 11 Safar 1426 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Checks and balances
Afghan refugees
Omar Kureishi
Traffic bottlenecks
Bullets from Pakistan
‘Speed-breakers pose threat’
Tendulkar and fairplay
Clifton beach
‘Democracy & corruption’
Immigration counters
Retirement of FST chairman
Housing society
This has reference to the letter “Higher education” (March 16). Mr Imran Khalid Arain has made some remarks about availability of faculty with PhDs at the IBA, Karachi.
Mr Arain would be pleased to know that all seven departments of the IBA have PhDs from eminent universities. I guess that Mr Arain believes, as do some other people in academic circles in Pakistan, that one of the senior, better-qualified faculty should be the department’s chairperson.
In the IBA, we consider the position of the department chairperson as administrative. These positions are filled by suitable persons for the job involved. It is not infrequent around the world that senior researchers are not interested in getting involved in administrative work.
The number of PhDs working for the IBA has risen sharply over the last few years. The IBA has 24 PhDs as full-time faculty; a number of adjunct faculties with such qualifications are also working with us. However, there is absolutely no argument that we need to add many more PhDs on our faculty. We envisage tripling the number over the next four years. We will make sure that all have earned their degrees by meeting international standards. I am glad to acknowledge support of the Higher Education Commission in this matter.
The IBA is careful about starting specific PhD programmes. We are determined to make sure that we will not start a PhD programme without sufficient, well-qualified faculty to teach, guide and do research. This year in autumn we intend to start a PhD programme in computer science. We have several top class researchers working at the IBA in this field. We are also starting MPhil programmes in economics and finance. PhD programmes in these fields will be started soon after that as we have a sufficiently strong
faculty in these areas also. We will start PhD programmes in management, accounting and marketing as we become able to deliver international standard programmes in these fields.
DANISHMAND
Director, IBA,
Karachi
Mr. Nazim F. Haji in his letter (March 15) seems to have missed the point by not appreciating the significance of the observation in Dawn’s editorial (March 9): “Also democracy does not have a built-in mechanism to keep the corrupt out”.
Our 1973 Constitution was framed on the colonial and undemocratic pattern of the Government of India Act, 1935, and not on the parliamentary democracy of the UK, Canada, Japan, etc. Hence it is lacking in checks and balances. True to the colonial design, our Constitution provides abnormally huge electoral constituencies, effectively debarring public-spirited honest Pakistanis. While dealing with a public-interest legal matter brought to me by an educated human rights activist of the interior, I asked him why they do not elect honest legislators. His answer was that in the huge electoral constituencies, sometimes spread over 100 kilometres, no honest person from the middle class could even think of entering the contest. The poor voters, therefore, have no option.
The Constitution does not provide any mechanism to ensure independence of the judiciary. The executive (especially the prime minister) has similar powers in appointment of judges as the viceroy/governor-general had under the Government of India Act, 1935. As regards free and fair elections according to Article 213 of the Constitution, only a serving or a retired judge of the Supreme Court can be appointed by the president as the chief election commissioner. When the method of induction in the judiciary itself is not satisfactory, how can anybody expect an independent election commission?
SYED FEROZ SHAH (Advocate)
Karachi
In 1979 when the Soviet Union (now defunct) invaded Afghanistan, a majority of the population fled their homeland, most to Pakistan, some to Iran, Turkey and other western countries. At that time two big powers — the USA and the USSR— gambled on the lives of the Afghans who are still suffering. They sacrificed their lives and the future of their descendants. When, finally, the Soviet Union withdrew its troops in the face of tough resistance, it did not turn out to be a victory for the Afghans. The war never ended and Afghanistan became a dangerous place for the civil society because the warlords apportioned the areas among themselves and started collecting unfair taxes. None of the citizens felt safe.
America once again showed its interest and started building Afghanistan, brought reforms in the basic structure of Afghan society, but one problem — that of shelter — still remains unresolved. Shelter is not a need, it’s the right of a human being. Most Afghans do not have land in Afghanistan. Out of 1,000 people, 999 do not have houses or plots in their areas.
Now a census is being conducted by the Pakistan Census Organization, in collaboration with the UNHCR, to know how many Afghans are willing to return home. But the question arises about those who were born in Pakistan and do not know whether they are Pakistani or not.
The reality is that no one of the new generation, whether Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek or Hazara, wants to go back to their parents’ country. They want to take part in building Pakistan and expect to be given Pakistani nationality.
I personally think the new Afghan Pakistanis can play an effective role for Pakistan.
ARBAB SAMIULLAH
Via email
Omar Kureishi was an ardent lover of cricket, who devoted his life to the service of the game. He played cricket in his youth, ruled the airwaves (together with Jamsheed Marker) as a commentator and wrote incessantly about the finer points of the game.
It was his love for cricket, which he followed with fervour, that surpassed all his traits. “What had been a passion became a love affair and with all the ups and downs in my life cricket remained a constant,” he said of his love for the game. He once said: “The sound of a bat striking the ball, or what passes for bat and ball for the often primitive equipment, has become as familiar a sound as the roar of traffic in the cities.”
At a later stage when commercialization and monetary interests took over, he was shocked beyond measure. He deplored in one of his articles: “Cricket has become an industry while cricket players in the subcontinent vie with film stars for popularity. Purists like myself may lament the radical changes that have come in a game that one associated with leisure and a system of values that put a premium on gentlemanly conduct but that’s the way the world has become.”
Mr Kureishi, who was awarded the prestigious Sitara-i-Imtiaz, was a prolific writer who used pen like a scalpel. He was a surgeon with words. Besides contributing columns — Swinging drives and All over the place — to Dawn for well over 25 years, he wielded his pen for leading foreign newspapers and journals.
Omar Kureishi was a great star. His name deserves to be displayed high in the game’s hall of fame.
SALMAN KHAN
Lahore
There are two places in Karachi where there need be no traffic jams: one is near the Aga Khan Hospital-Stadium junction, and the other is the convergence point of Sharea Faisal and Tipu Sultan Road.
The reason for jams is lack of traffic sense: motorists and buses going toward the airport do not stay in the central lane on Sharea Faisal; instead, they move to the left and thus block the way for those vehicles wanting to turn left into Tipu Sultan Road. There is, thus, a need for building a dividing footpath, so that vehicles going toward the airport do not block the way for vehicles turning left. This will end the jam without the need for a flyover, etc.
Similar is the case near Aga Khan Hospital. Vehicles coming from Liaquat National Hospital and going toward Gulistan-i-Jauhar do not stay in line. Instead, because of the indiscipline that is our characteristic, buses and cars move toward the left, thus blocking the movement of those vehicles wanting to turn toward Hassan Square.
Here too the Traffic Engineering Bureau should build a dividing footpath, so that traffic going straight toward Gulistan-i-Jauhar does not block vehicles turning left. The absence of such a dividing line causes traffic jams, wasting as much as half an hour for vehicles turning left.
RIZWAN YASSIN
Karachi
This has reference to a news item (Jan 7) that the United States is planning to buy hundreds of millions of bullets from Taiwan, as its supplies are running low after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Washington has made a request to acquire some 300 million 5.56mm bullets for rifles worth $62.5 million.
I would like to request our foreign and defence ministries to approach the US government to buy these bullets and rifles from the Pakistan Ordnance Factories at Wah. Pakistan can supply at a much cheaper rate and it will give employment to the poor of the Wah area.
Pakistan is already exporting a small quantity of arms to many countries around the world. I am sure POF-quality will be as good as Taiwan’s, with prompt and cheaper shipment.
KHALID M. KHAN
Karachi
The refers to the brief feature “Speed-breakers pose threat” (March 4). Speed-breakers exist in other countries as well, but they use imagination and design the barrier to break speed and not the bones of those who use the road. Otherwise also, safety is something foreign to our psyche and you can write one feature after another on how citizens here survive the projectiles protruding out of truck and trailers.
It does not require much engineering technology to create a series of smooth waves extending for a few metres on the road that will automatically slow down the vehicle without causing injury to the traveller or damaging the vehicle. No driver, howsoever daredevil, is able to rush over these low and soft bulges. Anyone can design an effective but safe speed-breaker, with a care and some imagination.
The stretch of this road between Karachi’s Sohrab Goth and the toll plaza is an intra-city road, while the inter-city highway starts beyond the toll gates. Most probably in an attempt to convert this portion into a motorway or expressway, the up and down roads were divided with the help of concrete blocks and barbed wire. This gave rise to a dangerous situation faced by unwary commuters.
The road is now lined on both sides with housing societies, workshops, bus and truck stands, business centres, filling stations, etc. A huge sabzi mandi and fruit market has recently appeared and another fruit market is being established nearby, opposite the existing one. A number of restaurants and eating-places are situated on both sides of the road that are frequented, particularly during evenings, by crowds of open-air hungry citizens who have to return after dark.
In addition to this short-distance traffic returning to the city, it is a fast road leading upcountry to Peshawar and beyond. Therefore, the number of vehicles of all types, sizes and shapes rushing at break-neck speed in the up and down lanes is quite substantial.
Unfortunately we are used to short-cuts. No one has the patience to drive up to the U-turns available far and few between. In order to turn round or go over to the other side, a vehicle, particularly a heavier one, simply bulldozes and emerges at a right-angle on the other side through the flattened barrier. Consequently, there seems to be a constant competition between “erectors” and “fellers” of these barriers.
If the authorities realized that this portion of the road is like any other intra-city street, the dangerous criss-crossing by pedestrians, animals, and return journeys can be regulated. Either the idea of converting it into motorway be reconsidered or a large number of well-lit and properly regulated U-turns be provided at suitable points that will not be hazardous.
What is needed is a short trip on this otherwise fine road by some high official, himself at the steering-wheel. Within a few kilometres beyond Sohrab Goth, he will realize how unsafe this otherwise safe road has become.
Huge bone-breakers have recently been thrown in merely for some fun!
DR S. JAFFERY
Karachi
I was deeply dismayed by the behaviour of Sachin Tendulkar. In the first Test at Mohali he was out, caught bat and pad, confirmed repeatedly by TV replays. The umpire ruled him not out. Capitalizing on the mistake of the umpire, Tendulkar went on to score another 80 runs before eventually falling for 94.
Again in the second Test at Kolkata he was clearly caught behind. Noise and deflection of the ball was obvious as confirmed by TV replays. Tendulkar stood his ground until Umpire Steve Bucknor showed him to the pavilion.
Cricket is not only about scoring centuries, breaking or making new records. Cricket is a beautiful game, a game of fairplay. It is not cricket when a batsman after knowing he is out stands his ground in the hope of a flawed decision by the umpire. Tendulkar undoubtedly is a great batsman but in my opinion not a great cricketer.
Similarly, appeals to pressure the umpire to obtain a wrong decision against the batsman are also disgusting and kill the very spirit of the game.
To my knowledge the great Majid Khan was the only batsman of recent times who when out would walk away without waiting for the umpire’s decision. This is a quality not only of a great batsman but a great cricketer.
KHAWAJA FARIDUDDIN
Karachi
I endorse the concerns expressed in Mr V. A. Jafarey’s letter (March 17) about Karachi DHA’s projects for the 14km stretch of the Clifton beach.
The projects are indeed laudable and will add sophisticated amenities to the city’s urban scene. But one should think that luxury hotels, shopping malls and other such structures would surely be more appropriately situated inland rather than on the sea front. It might be helpful if the DHA could organize a showing of this project, with models, environmental impact studies, etc., in order to elicit public reactions before finalizing it.
A good bit of the Mediterranean coastline from Spain through France to Greece has been disfigured by “cementification” of this kind. In our country we tend to be impressed and inspired by western models. In this particular case we would do well to learn from the western example, as to what should not be done.
IQBAL AKHUND
Karachi
With reference to your editorial “Democracy and corruption” (March 9), I take the liberty to submit that there does exist a type of democracy, i.e., America’s presidential form, in which all possibilities of corruption by politicians are taken care.
Eminent experts and specialists in various disciplines, who have no constituency or voters to pamper, are picked up from wherever available, and installed in the executive cabinet. Since no elected politician is included in the government, corruption is automatically non-existent. If any elected person is found suitable, he has first to quit his seat in the legislature and then join the president’s cabinet.
Our president also tried this strategy and everyone saw the results, but later succumbed to elections, and the results are obvious.
Simple, isn’t it?
M. SAYEDAIN
Karachi
There is a facility called fast track immigration counters for those who possess national identity card for overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and those who send remittances through banks
My wife and I arrived at Karachi airport via Bangkok. As usual we lined up for immigration clearance. To our right we found a rather small queue at a counter which was meant for NICOP holders. Since we both had NICOPs we joined this queue. When we reached the counter when our turn came, we were made to wait because in the meantime a couple of people just came out of turn with stacks of passports and requested the immigration officer to stamp them. This was very frustrating. All the while we helplessly watched other queues getting shorter and the officer stamping the passports of passengers who were nowhere to be seen. Some passengers had probably arranged for being spared the ordeal of standing in long queues because of their ‘connections’.
When I came back to my country of work and related this experience to my friends, one from Karachi and another from Lahore told me that they too had this bitter experience.
MOHAMMAD HANIF KHAN
Brunei
The Federal Service Tribunal is not functioning. Its chairman retired in January and no replacement has been made since then. According to the rules, in absence of the FST chairman, no tribunal in the provinces can perform its work. The backlog of pending cases increases many times in such situations.
These tribunals are already understaffed and this phenomenon adds to their job performance — already noted for a slow pace. Thus justice is deliberately delayed, so much so that it appears to be denied.
As this is a matter of public importance, someone in Islamabad must take note of it.
DR A. AZIZ
Karachi
I am an allottee of a plot measuring 600 square yards in sector 4-A of a cooperative housing society in Quetta. Owing to mismanagement during the last 30 years, and in the absence of any development work in some sectors of the society, plotting and handing over of plots has not been carried out, resulting in encroachments upon vast areas.
The management is requested to take firm action in coordination with government agencies in clearing the encroachments and developing and handing over the plots to the allot tees.
AFFECTED ALLOTTEE
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address:
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.