| May 9, 2005 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1426 |
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OT complex at CHK
Reflections on a visit to Srinagar
Disposal of shares
Killers on road
Determinants of future
NICOP/NIC facilitation
Monopoly of power
‘Minimum balance’
Senior citizens
Encroachments
RECENT articles in the press have highlighted concerns about property development taking place in a village called Makrial in Haripur that happens to be close to the blessed capital city of Islamabad.
The issue has gained so much attention that even the prime minister’s secretariat has taken “serious notice” of the developments on the NWFP side of the Margalla Hills.
For the record it needs to be clarified that the site of development does not fall in the Margalla Hills National Park but it is said that it would have a direct bearing on the natural ecosystem of Islamabad. It is strange that no similar concern has been raised about the New Murree project, Swings at Harrapa, Rawal Lake development, developments in Fateh Jhang, all the Bahria Towns and sundry, and a new CDA restaurant and hotel within the boundaries of the National Park that has suddenly become so important to protect. All these projects could have a negative impact on the environment but nothing has been done to curb it.
The question is whether this is a Punjab-NWFP issue or that of various departments (EPA and CDA) being left out of this lucrative opportunity of regulating something legitimate.
Section 17 of the Environmental Protection Act provides for preventing, lessening and controlling negative impacts of projects on the environment, whereas the focus of the recent news items has been on outright stoppage of construction activity in Haripur which is only a part of Section 17 of the Act. Somehow this act has been totally ineffective when it comes to regulating brick kilns or property development involving the powers that be or falling in the Punjab province.
The construction of parking lots and widening of the existing Daman-i-Koh Road and plying of golf carts at the viewpoint at a cost of Rs21.6 million has also not raised any environmentalist’s concerns. The cable car project to Pir Sohawa also seems to be on track.
It is strange but true that the issue of acute poverty in this far end of Haripur has not been discussed by any of the so-called environmentalists concerned. The construction of residential areas in the mountains as weekend resorts will greatly benefit the people of the area and also have a positive impact on the environment if the construction is regulated to ensure that due attention is paid to the flora and fauna of the area.
I would therefore appeal to the prime minister of Pakistan as well as the chairmen of the CDA and the EPA (which is on its way to being devolved) not to make this matter an issue that cannot be resolved through some building control rules which already exist in the Local Government Ordinance and can be enforced by the district government of Haripur. The district government will also as a result be able to generate much needed revenues so that it can address the real needs of the people.
SHANZAY KHAN
Haripur
WITH reference to the report “OT complex at CHK”, Dr Shafique Rehman has painstakingly given details regarding an admirable and ambitious project that would certainly upgrade the operating facility in the hospital to world standards. The complex he refers to is being built above the building at present housing medical and surgical units I and II. This is by far the most impressive structure amongst the cluster of buildings that make up Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Its stone facade with large verandahs and imposing windows provides right combination of ventilation and lighting. With time this building has been ravaged by seepage and crumbling concrete. To further impose a structure so complex and large as the one envisaged is sheer folly.
The elevators referred to were smack in front of the central entrance of this building, defacing its elevation. Strong exception has been taken by the Heritage Foundation and not the administration on this count and construction of these elevators halted. Being a protected building, it has to be retained in its original grandeur. The area around this building has been reduced to a dumping ground with construction material and garbage strewn all over, all this in the presence of functioning medical and surgical units.
An OT complex of this scale should have been planned meticulously and located in a properly demarcated area or after demolition of a dispensable structure. This entire move is an example of ad hocism and haphazard planning.
Regarding drug availability, this was definitely poor but things have now improved. Now expensive drugs and antibiotics, linen and surgical materials are being provided to all and sundry free of cost. The sterilization plant is working well and theatres have been operating and bearing the biggest load of surgeries. Misappropriation of drugs and funds has been plugged.
It should be interesting to know that the mortality rates in the CHK, the JPMC, and AKUH are almost comparable with no great difference. Keeping in mind that the CHK and the JPMC cater to a greater patient load as tertiary hospitals, upgrading of existing facilities is necessary and should be welcomed. But it is equally essential to be honest and objective.
DR FAROOQ
Civil Hospital,
Karachi
WITH reference to Mr M. P. Bhandara’s article “Reflections on a visit to Srinagar” (April 30), it needs a couple of corrections on the part of the writer. Going through the article itself gives an impression that the writer has not properly observed the state of affairs in Kashmir.
He has mentioned Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti as the three main pillars of Kashmiri politics with special reference to Mirwaiz who apparently has a strong footing in Hazratbal. However, the fact remains that the Mirwaiz family doesn’t enjoy majority support in the Srinagar constituency except for the downtown area of Nowhatta, the areas surrounding the Jamia Masjid. Therefore, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is not a hereditary custodian of the Hazratbal Mosque.
In addition, there is no madressah attached to the Hazratbal Mosque, which was founded by the Mirwaiz family; rather, it was the Islamia High School that was attached to the Jamia Masjid and was burnt down by the Indian troops in July last year. Besides, the Mirwaiz’s family shares a religious influence on the inhabitants of Srinagar, not a political one. During the 1977 general elections in India, Maulvi Farooq supported Morarji Desai’s Janata Party in the Zainakadal constituency and lost to Sheikh Abdullah’s National Conference.
No doubt the position is different from what we had in the 70s and 80s, but the truth is that while the Mirwaiz has brought the moderate faction together, it has failed to gain the public support that it could have. Therefore, if a fair election is held in Kashmir, one wouldn’t bet on Srinagar tehsil going straightaway to Mirwaiz.
Also, readers might be interested in knowing as to what kind of permit is to be shown to pass the roadblocks to Nishat Garden.
DEBA KHAN
Rawalpindi
SEVENTY-three per cent shares of the KESC were sold to a Saudi enterprise on Feb 4, at the rate of Rs1.80 or so per share, as reported by Dawn, whereas the quoted price at the Karachi Stock Exchange on that date was more than eight Rs8 per share.
The story does not end here. According to the report (April 19), though the buyer company was legally bound to deposit Rs20.04 billion as bid money within 14 days of acceptance of the bid, it has failed to pay till today.
Instead of cancelling this deal and confiscating the bid money of Rs100 million within 15 days of acceptance, the Privatization Commission deputed its representative to go to Saudi Arabia and persuade the buyer company to pay Rs20.04 billion as soon as possible. According to Dawn (April 24), the buyer has promised to pay Rs20.04 billion soon which is again an evasive technique.
According to reports, the government had invested Rs20 billion a few months before selling to the Saudi company just to get Rs0.04 billion to hand over management of the company. The government has already posted a senior army officer to organize the affairs of the company to bring it out of the red. Has he failed?
I hope the Privatization Commission chairman will enlighten us on the following points:
Why were shares sold at the rate Rs1.80 a share when the same were being sold at the Stock Exchange at more than Rs8 a share? Why was the deal not cancelled and deposit money of Rs100 million confiscated when the buyer had failed to pay Rs20.04 billion within 15 days of acceptance? Why was a senior officer sent to Saudi Arabia to ask the buyer company to deposit Rs20.04 billion long after the commitment date had expired?
HAMID SHERWANI
Karachi
THOUSANDS die under the wheels of buses all over the country every year. The traffic police simply play the role of onlookers before a mafia providing protection to drivers and transport operators.
With the exception of one to two per cent cases, accidents happen due to rash and negligent driving but the guilt is covered up by citing mechanical defects like sudden failure of brakes, broken tie-rods, tyre bursts, etc.
FIRs are based on distorted facts in order to protect the drivers against punishment.
Traffic police high-ups harp on the same old tune that they are ill-equipped and need modern gadgets to control accidents. This is all wrong because costly vehicles and computerized devices already in the use of the traffic police have made no difference and even if more sophistication is introduced in the system, controlling accidents cannot be guaranteed unless the drivers change their attitude and decide not to indulge in violations like overtaking, overspeeding and overloading. Modern machines cannot change the mind of a person who is hell-bent on raping the rules for his vested interests.
The only solution lies in strict enforcement of law and exemplary punishment which our police as yet are not capable of due to rampant corruption at all levels.
NASEER A. MALIK
Karachi
MR Iqbal Jaffar in his article “Determinants of future” (April 20) has delineated “four tensions” that are troubling our civil milieu, which from his point of view could play a crucial role in determining our future prospects. He has thus underlined that if these socio-political tensions are allowed to fester, they will shatter our social fabric and eventually the state itself. He has recommended remedial options so as to surmount these conflicts.
Obviously, the steps suggested like greater provincial autonomy and more equitable share in jobs and resources will reduce socio-economic disparity and thereby erase the root cause of inter as well as intra-provincial tensions.
The idea of creating separate provinces for different ethnic communities is, however, unrealistic and untenable as it carries the germ of creating greater discord. For that reason re-demarcation of historically settled boundaries will only lead to dissension.
ALTAMASH MANZOOR H KURESHI
Karachi
THIS is to inform you that we overseas workers are facing problems in obtaining NICOP/NICs and we have to visit the embassy/camp office more than three or four times to complete the procedure. Many overseas Pakistanis are not even able to fill in the forms properly because while in Riyadh and Jeddah counselling services are available for the entire month, in other areas of the Kingdom embassy teams visit only once a month for just two days (the last Thursday and Friday of the month).
One has to obtain the form from the NADRA/passport window first, which is never a small queue. After getting the form we have to look for “someone to fill it out” as it has to be filled “according to the required standard” by people who do this routinely. The worst ordeal is faced while standing in another line to submit the form. Almost always Pakistanis are shouting and picking up fights amongst themselves, and using offensive language in the presence of ladies and families. Thus, the whole the day is consumed without any progress.
The second day is fixed only for the delivery of passports and NICOPs and other documents. So we have to wait for the next month.
If we are fortunate and our documents are submitted a new problem is sure to crop up. Many of cards are withheld “under objection” but no applicant is informed. I know of people who submitted their applications about a year back but they don’t know the status of their cards. Applicants should be informed within a very short time about the status of their card so they can provide the required information to complete the formalities.
It is suggested that the camp office should provide full services every week (as the Indian embassy is doing at all weekends). Some educated Pakistanis could be trained to fill the required documents before arrival of the embassy delegation in order to save the overseas workers from standing in queues and wasting time. The ambassador in Saudi Arabia should visit all cities and meet communities to know their problems. The procedure to obtain silver/gold cards should be revised and made easier. Silver/gold cardholders should get more concessions and allowances. Photocopies or downloaded forms of the NIC should be allowed and accepted.
We hope that the related departments will look into this matter.
RAJA YOUNIS M. SHEHZAD
& 22 OTHER SIGNATORIES
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
THE power industry lacks competition because it is taken for granted that a power company operates in a geographical area where no other company operates. Here in our country electricity is wholly under the monopoly of Wapda and the KESC.
Monopoly is a bad phenomenon and private monopoly can be worse than state monopoly.
In the present era life cannot be conceived without electricity and the monopolist attitude of a utility company can make the lives of the consumers miserable.
Our utility regulating authorities are weak and inconsiderate and there is no hope for any remedial action to be taken to protect the consumer. Now the KESC is being privatized. The consumers have no alternative source of power. Hence the following is suggested:
a. At the first stage, a liberal policy be encouraged to allow consumers or groups of consumers to install their own generating systems and keep them as standby.
b. At a later stage, at each distribution station, an alternative power system be allowed by another private power company.
The example of telephones and mobile phones is a good one with regard to liberal competitive policy. Now the rate of telephone calls has come down and mobile phones are within the reach of common citizen. We should ponder over the issue of monopoly of power and seek a solution to the problem.
S. HASSAN SHAH
Karachi
THIS refers to the letters by Affected (April 24), Mr Shahzeb Ahmad Khan and Mr A. A. Malik (April 26) and Mr Cheryl Mathew (April 28) concerning the issue of maintaining a minimum balance in one’s individual bank account. I have similar but more serious grievances.
In my case, my banker, Standard Chartered Bank, kept deducting an amount of Rs300 from my facility account (#01-1266977-01) on a monthly basis for over a period of nine months. After I brought this evident discrepancy to their attention they reversed the amount/charges on November 26, 2004.
The practice began again the very next month and continues.
Moreover, not only the bank deducted money from my facility account but also took the liberty of transferring funds from my savings account (#18-7281951-01) into someone else’s account (#01-3366987-01) in the absence of any form of authorization from me.
However, I would like to persuade the public at large to appreciate the fact that such situations can be solved. It does not matter if anyone is facing issues with banks in the form of harassment by recovery personnel or account manipulation. There is always something that can be done, especially in the case of knowing who to get in touch with and how to go about things.
NAUSHAD A. VAZIR
Karachi
ON behalf of senior citizens I appeal to the federal finance minister to make the following provisions in the forthcoming budget for the relief and well-being of Pakistan’s senior citizens: relief in in-come tax, tax reduction in purchase of disability aids and medical treatment, education of children, conveyance allowance, health insurance relief in personal tax assessment, relief in house tax, rebate in air and rail fares as is done in India and a dozen other countries in Asia and Europe.
In any programme of poverty alleviation of health and medical care, senior citizens should receive consideration. National savings schemes for senior citizens should give at least 10 per cent profit per annum, exempt from income tax and wealth tax. The government should tell the nation what progress has been made in attaining the UN millennium goals or targets laid down for the elderly citizens.
QUTUBUDDIN AZIZ
Karachi
A LARGE number of encroachments have been come up on Mirza Adam Khan Road due to the negligence of UC-2, Sadar Town administration, Karachi. Squatters have constructed concrete structures and turned the road into a narrow path, creating bottlenecks in the smooth flow of traffic.
Push-carts, motor-mechanic workshops, inter-city bus stop and other commercial units have set up on the eight-km-long road from Garden to Mauripur Road. The worst is seen at Dhobi Ghat near Katchi Masjid where squatters have occupied the footpath and the road.
DMC South constructed this road in 1992. To widen the road, some portion of land was also acquired from residents under the Land Acquisition Act. Due to the negligence and apathy of the departments concerned, the residents re-occupied the footpath and when no action was taken against them, they constructed concrete structures.
The residents, affected by these encroachments, submitted a number of complaints to the UC-2 nazim and also to the Sadar Town administration, but no action was taken. Officials of the land department also visited the site and made markings on the illegal concrete structures, but they did not come back for reasons best known to them. After their visit, further illegal construction started on the road but no action has been taken by the administration.
RAJUDDIN
Karachi
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