| 17 April 2005 | Sunday | 07 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426 |
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Growth in agriculture
Machine-readable passports
Getting into the Guinness Book
SSGC golden jubilee
A teacher remembered
F-16 planes
Development of Sindh
Encroachment
Non-issues in national politics
Geriatric care
Poverty and extravagance
SITE dump
APROPOS of Syed Shahid Hussain’s article “Has the opposition found a place in democracy?”, he has raised a very important question faced by civil society. One needs to ask whether at any point of time during the last 58 years we have had real democracy. How can we expect a proper place for the opposition when there has never been real democracy in the country during the entire period of its existence?
The post-Zia era, has witnessed some freedom of expression. But contrary to the claims of the government, this freedom owes itself to the worldwide communication explosion that has made the planet a “global village.” Though this provides a forum to the opposition to vent its feelings, the system is unmoved by its remonstrations as it goes ahead with whatever polices it desires to implement. Another question is why the opposition has always been at the receiving end. The answer is obvious. Democracy is not just a political setup exercised by majority vote but it is a culture, a way of life, which grows over a period of time. In our system, democratic culture and norms which create tolerance and patience in society have yet to take root. As a result, whosoever is in power develops a psyche of self-righteousness and stifles dissent. When the opposition comes into power, it becomes the oppressor and treats its opposition with the same disdain in which it was once viewed. The writer is right in suggesting that “the opposition is as much infested with unprincipled elements as may be any other section of society.”
The culture of intolerance has done widespread damage to the overall fabric of civil society. The individual’s level of tolerance has reached breaking point with his loss of faith in institutions and respect for the law. As a result, we are without values and principles both in our personal and in public lives.
We live under compelling inhibitions and handicaps socially and economically. A society like this can hardly produce men of integrity and principle. The entry of businessmen in the field of education has been the proverbial last nail, turning areas of social development into a preserve meant only for the privileged class, depriving the downtrodden of any opportunity to rise.
ALTAMASH MANZOOR H. KHURESHI Karachi
YOUR editorial of April 9 on agriculture growth is naive. It shows how little those in urban areas understand rural Pakistan. The year 2003-04 saw major financing for agriculture but the growth for the year was a dismal 2.6 per cent compared to large-scale manufacturing growth of over 17 per cent. Current (2004-05) cotton production has been unprecedented at nearly 15 million bales. This has hardly anything to do with the government agricultural package, if any. This was due to GM-modified cotton which to the ministry of agriculture is illegal.
There are also reports of an excellent wheat crop this year. Again, it is the weather not the government that has come to our rescue. Unusually, the late spell of cold in March has helped the wheat crop to naturally produce a good sized grain. This cold spell could not have come at a better time when the crop was at the milky stage, i.e., when grain formation was taking place. It is safe to say it has nothing to do with any agriculture package. The package should impact on agriculture supplies and their prices. Fertilizers are at their highest price and going up.
The “baboos” in government, the media and most importantly in the financing sector need to invest in their understanding of agriculture and the functioning of the rural economy. The foremost problem is the inability of banks and financial institutions to develop business systems that make their products (no dearth of these) available to rural producers. Currently, these financial institutions do not have suitable systems to finance and monitor productive activities in the rural areas and stimulate growth. Waderas received over Rs80 billion in 2003-04 and could only achieve 2.6 per cent growth. This year they are promised Rs100 billion. No wonder people in the ministry of agriculture will try to take credit for the current wheat and cotton results which essentially are gifts of God.
Genuine credit that the government can claim is in its handling of cotton prices this year. This government handling, probably because of direct personal interest of the prime minister, helped farmers with prices close to the government-fixed price of Rs925 per 40 kg. Farmers have not forgotten 1999 when production was much less than this year, and yet cotton prices went down to as low as Rs400 per 40 kg. Had the government not intervened, prices could have gone perhaps below Rs300 per 40 kg. On the production side, the package has nothing to do with it.
AIJAZ NIZAMANI
Hyderabad
I TAKE the opportunity to add to your very able and timely editorial on the above subject. My personal ordeal started after reaching the passport officer’s window with the required documents. He returned the completed documents and copy of computerized new ID card with the objection that a verified Nadra “B” form was also required.
The official at the Nadra main office, near the Awami Centre, Karachi, could not help as they were short of blank paper.
At the DHA’s Nadra office it was found that the dealing officer had gone out for tea, then for lunch and then for prayers. On return, he said he could not issue from “B” as he had no paper to print on.
One wonders at the requirement of a document already on our computerized ID card files. The passport offices should be “on line” with Nadra, otherwise how will an immigration officer verify ID cards or machine-readable passports? The passport office can increase the charge for internal verification but cannot ask for the “B” form and ask the passport applicant to re-start the whole process in this hot weather.
The computerized new ID card is of no use if information contained therein is not used by the passport office. It appears that Nadra’s computer system, not inter-connected with the passport office, has no computer link with Nadra and vice-versa.
If everything is all right, then why ask for the verified “B” form from Nadra? It seems something is very wrong with Nadra and the passport office, which needs to be looked into and corrected.
MUSHTAQ AHMED VOHRA Karachi
THE Guinness Book of Records is a wonderful compendium.
It is, however, unfortunate that while the publishers patronize the West, they pay scant attention to potential record holders belonging to the Third World countries.
Dr Shaukat Malik, a retired major, pursues a number of hobbies. One of them is the collection of press clippings of interesting, exciting, amazing, astonishing, sensational and startling events. With 50 years’ collection of over 200,000 such clippings, preserved 36 volumes, he claims to be the only person in the world with such a large collection of such a unique nature.
For nearly four years now, Dr Shaukat has been in correspondence with the CEO, as well as with the MD, of the Guinness Book, requesting them to arrange an inspection of his unique collection so that it is recognized as a world record but he has received no positive response.
I also know of a Pakistani who claims to have made the biggest lock in the world and seeks a recognition. He was asked by the publishers to bear the expenses of a visit by a three-man team comprising an official, a photographer and an analyst to Pakistan.
This will cost the creator of the “biggest lock” a fabulous amount of Rs1.5 million. What a price for getting into the Guinness Book of Records?
RAFI NASIM
Lahore
THIS has reference to Mr Ahmad Faruque’s letter (April 12). The correspondent recalls the time, nearly 50 years ago, when gas was first discovered in Sui. The event was indeed a landmark. The people whose vision and hard work led to the discovery and subsequent exploration, refining and distribution of this natural fuel are indeed worthy of respect and admiration. Some of them Mr Faruque mentions in his letter, especially the late Mr Ghulam Faruque, whose contribution to national development is exemplary.
Although SSGC has never had a role in the exploration of gas and its activities are more downstream — in transmission and distribution — we are equally mindful of those who discovered this great bounty of nature, and pioneered the industry from a production perspective.
Our golden jubilee celebration was dedicated to the memory of the pioneers and the thousands of employees of the company, many of whom were no longer with us, whose devotion and dedication has made SSGC what it is today.
SYED HASSAN NAWAB Senior General Manager, Management Service
Karachi
THIS is to remember one of this country’s shining stars in higher education, who died this day seven years ago.
Farida was a brilliant student and secured first position in all her seven papers in her master’s in English and broke all records at the University of Punjab. She continued her pursuit of knowledge and went abroad first to Harvard University as a visiting professor and later to Reading University in the UK as a Quaid-i-Azam scholar to obtain a master’s in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL).
As a teacher, Farida was a humanist who was always willing to guide and mentor her students. Throughout her career at Punjab University (where she taught for over two decades), her students would seek her guidance and help at all times. It was a common sight to find her office filled with students and to see her busy working with them. She worked hard to prepare for class by equipping herself with the most current knowledge on the subject.
As convener of the English language programme at Punjab University, she helped introduce and later consolidate a postgraduate teacher-training programme for in-service English teachers in higher education. Over the years, her scholarship and insights combined with excellent communication skills attracted hundreds of students to her classes, many of who are now in leadership positions in Pakistan.
In the field of research and scholarship, Farida carved a niche for herself by engaging in pioneering research in the field of English language teaching. Her book, The Teaching of English in Pakistan (Vanguard), received a National Book Award and is valued by faculty, students, and researchers in higher education for its in-depth analysis of the problems of teacher education in Pakistan and the recommendations made to upgrade these programmes. Her efforts to encourage research in the local context led to the launch of the Journal of English Language Teaching Studies in Punjab University which provided a forum for the sharing of expertise in the field of language teaching.
Her academic achievements have to be seen in the light of her personal struggle with cancer that struck her in the prime of her youth. Her battle with leukemia started in her early twenties, a year before she joined Punjab University. However, she did not let this become an obstacle in any sort of way. Apart from a few close friends, her colleagues and students remained unaware of her medical condition till the end.
As a tribute to her contribution to higher education, the English department at Punjab University has named the ELT section of the library after her. In addition, a portrait of hers has been placed in its corridors along with other literary giants like Professor Sirajuddin.
Dr Sabiha Mansoor Karachi
THE US has withdrawn restrictions on the supply of F-16 fighter planes and other armaments to Pakistan. As there is no upper limit on quantity, Pakistan has revised its requirement and is considering purchasing 70 aircraft instead of 24, as previously planned. In order to understand its implications the last time we purchased these planes we paid $25 million. If converted into rupees, it will come to Rs 1.5 billion. Their current price is expected to be much higher.
In order to counter Indian objections, the US has offered not just the advanced versionl, F-18, but has shown its willingness to help India establish manufacturing facilities of its own.
Product-wise, this will include manufacturing faci-lity for missiles, satellites,
etc. The objective is to make India a regional (military) power.
There is another significant and almost simultaneous development. The Chinese premier, during his visit to India, made a significant proposal — cooperation between manufacturers of computer hardware in China and suppliers of computer software in India. According to the Chinese premier, their hardware and Indian software will make the two world leaders in IT.
The sole superpower wants India to be a regional mili-
tary power. The emerging superpower is encouraging India to become an econo-
mic giant. It is yet to be seen what choice India makes — between bread and butter and guns.
MOHAMMAD ILYAS
Quetta
THIS is with reference to the news item “Unemployment mounting in Sindh,” (March 28). It is time Sindh learnt some lessons from Punjab on how to be steady about local development. Punjab has always maintained good relations with the centre.
The growing disparity in economic growth of Punjab and Sindh is mainly because of differences in the governance of the two provinces.
First, a crisis on any political level of the provincial government stalls social development and progress. But throughout the tenure of the PML-Q, Punjab’s political situation has been quite stable as compared to that of Sindh, which is still suffers from internal crises and differences.
Secondly, in the case of Punjab, the provincial government (in almost every tenure) always took local matters into consideration. The province, therefore, has better infrastructure facilities, lower utility costs and a far more liberal environment for business than Sindh.
Additionally, more jobs are being created in Punjab. All this needs to be replicated in the other provinces.
HINA ALI Karachi
APROPOS of a news report (April 13) regarding encroachment by the land mafia, I would like to add that I am a resident of Golden Town, Karachi, and would occasionally go to T&T Colony to play cricket because of the absence of a playground in our area. Recently, we found out the ground in the T&T colony is out of our reach, with a notice saying: “Private property, trespassers will be prosecuted”.
We asked from a resident whether the PTCL had sold this land. We were told that a land mafia had occupied it. According to the residents, the land has been in possession of the PTCL since 1952.
Will the authorities concerned look into the matter and do the needful?
CH. MUHAMMAD
RAZZAQUE Karachi
SINCE the very inception of the state of Pakistan, poverty, corruption, nepotism, landlordism and poor governance have been the core issues confronting the people.
There has never been an opposition party in Pakistan which has ever raised a voice against these real issues. The target of each and every opposition is to oust the government and to grab power. The methods often used were also not democratic. Underhand politics was played and is being played to this day. They are now clamouring to overthrow the present government.
They have no real issues in sight and are only fighting for power. Sometimes, they make the president’s uniform an issue which they themselves endorsed, then they fight for the religion column in passport, above all they resist the “harmless” marathons. Can they not begin a campaign against inflation, price hike, corruption and poverty?
Perhaps they do not have such things on their minds because they would not lead them to power.
If our opposition parties want Pakistan to progress, they should fight against social problems — not on non-issues.
M. AKRAM SAQIB Sahiwal
ADVANCES in medical science have given us many specialities to deal with healthcare. In Pakistan we have medical specialists in all fields — except geriatrics. In old age, multiple health problems require specialist attention and indoor care under one roof. Unfortunately, facilities for geriatrics are near non-existent in our private and government medical colleges and hospitals.
I would, therefore, request expanding medical institutions like the Baqai Medical College, the Liaquat National Hospital and the Aga Khan University and Hospital in Karachi to see if they can provide a 10 or 15-bed ward for indoor healthcare to minimize the agonies of old age that cannot be dealt with in isolation.
The Baqai Medical University, to start with, can provide such a facility in its old Nazimabad premises at a subsidized rate, if not free, for resourceless patients. NGOs and philanthropists can lend a helping hand in this.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
A DESTITUTE widow in Karachi killed herself by drinking pesticide and died an agonizing death. Her 14-year-old daughter, terrified of the prospect of living alone, followed suit by drinking the same poison and also ended her young life. Such despair can only be born of abject and hopeless poverty and one shudders at how the heavens must be weeping in sorrow.
However, such depressing news has no effect on those who have manoeuvred themselves into the ruling class in this benighted land. While the poor commit suicide, the honourable speaker of our National Assembly decides to reward himself with a new state of the art Merc. Never mind the fact that no contentious issue which bemoans the prevailing injustice or total lack of ethics can ever be allowed to vex the mind or echo in the hallowed halls of our parliament.
JAVED KHAN Haripur
Hazara
I WANT to point out a big problem in Karachi’s main industrial area, SITE. There is no proper system for garbage disposal. People throw their garbage and filth wherever they like.
Any spot that is empty becomes a garbage dump. Mostly, deserted plots are used for this purpose. One of these plots is situated beside the Government Ali Bhai School, Metroville-1. The students studying here are at risk from various diseases because of the location of the garbage dump.
HUMA RASHEED
Karachi
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