| May 13, 2005 | Friday | Rabi-us-Sani 4, 1426 |
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DHA teaching staff
Fauji Foundation ad
PMDC affairs
Third-term prime minister
‘West-bashing’
‘Passport blues’
Islamic banking
A matter of script
‘Where is the ‘qiblah’?’
Pakistani Christians
Gas cylinder explosion
PTCL service
Creating doubts
THE World Economic Forum’s (Davos) analytical views and indices on global competitiveness and business competitiveness are eye-openers for our policy makers and government. Its unbiased report compares 104 countries of the world and their competitiveness, encompassing macro-economic management policies, the state of a country’s public institutions, governance, technology, research and development and environment, and judges the abilities of world economies to achieve sustained growth over the medium to long term.
The forum’s growth competitiveness index (GCI) places Pakistan at 91 out of 104 countries, below countries like Malawi and Mali and just above Bangladesh and Ethiopia. Not relevant but Finland tops the ranking with the US and Sweden placed at second and third. Regional countries like India are placed at 55 and Sri Lanka at 73. In just one year Pakistan’s current standing at 91 has fallen from the 2003 ranking of 73 and shows the largest drop in ranking.
The forum has also calculated the business competitiveness index (BCI) which is based primarily on critical factors like management and sophistication of business practices and strategies of companies and the quality of micro-economic business environment in which companies operate. Pakistan is placed at 73 out of 104 countries pointing to the low competitive edge our companies enjoy. In the public institution index (PII), Pakistan is placed at 102 out of 104 world countries while a slight improvement is seen at macro economic environmental index (MEEI) where it is placed at 67. On the technology index, Pakistan is placed at 87 and is just above countries that have a dismal technology environment.
This is because the government is not allocating sufficient resources to improve the quality of the education system and to address major public health concerns while internal conflicts and instability are increasing. These negative trends have infused complexities in the economic, social and political environment, placing under stress institutions that support and sustain economic growth. The impact of this gross “incompetitiveness” is poverty which has increased to alarming levels. The gap between the rich and the poor is also increasing at a rapid pace and we are moving towards one per cent of the population controlling 99 per cent of resources.
The World Economic Forum reports should be seen in the perspective of our future, and immediate steps are needed to improve our competitiveness to move towards real economic growth for the entire population.
WASIM I. KHAN
Karachi
THE PRO of the Karachi DHA has strongly supported (May 5) the new working schedule for teachers recently introduced in DHA schools. This schedule converts Saturdays into working days for teachers. The other change, again for teachers only, is that two weeks would be deducted at both ends of their annual summer holidays.
The PRO says the measures would improve education standards, enhance the evaluation of syllabi and facilitate the planning of academic activities.
Teachers have a very important, difficult and vital job — controlling some 40 odd children in class, holding their wandering attention and imparting knowledge to them in a careful, prepared and well-thought out manner. This objective cannot be achieved by increasing the teachers’ working days or cutting down their annual vacation. All teachers carry work home with them.
Even if they do not do much written work at home, they always have to prepare their lessons and tailor their methods of teaching so as to suit each individual. This is why, all over the world, and in Pakistan, schools, including those with an excellent reputation, give Saturdays off for both students and teachers and provide a two-month summer vacation period for all.
Forcing the teachers to attend school on Saturdays is a waste of time as there is nothing constructive for them to do. The same, it is feared, will apply to the holiday period that is now to be spent by teachers attending school without any students.
Planning of syllabi and academic activities and evaluation of curricula are not the teachers’ jobs; it is a job of those in the directorates of education and the principals. Administering and controlling school teachers is vastly different from the job of a drill sergeant or a platoon commander whose aim is to quickly beat a bunch of raw recruits into shape. Our school teachers deserve respect, good relaxed working conditions and a proper academic atmosphere so that they may approach their jobs with maximum interest and sincerity and feel proud of their work.
MS S. ZAMAN
Karachi
IT is strange that the military’s industrial and commercial complex, the Fauji Foundation, should seek to influence a government-appointed inquiry to investigate charges against it through newspaper ads presumably paid out of the public exchequer (“Fauji Foundation Rejects”, Dawn, May 9).
On April 21 the National Assembly, in reply to a question, was informed by the parliamentary secretary for defence that the government had ordered an inquiry against the management of the Fauji Foundation for underselling the Khoski Sugar Mills. The sugar mills was sold at a price which was Rs87 million less than the price offered by the highest bidder, the National Assembly was told. Worse still, the business enterprise to which it was sold did not even participate in the bidding process, the MPs were told. It was therefore not surprising when the parliamentary secretary defence told the house that the defence ministry had ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter to fix responsibility on persons who violated the financial procedures and rules to benefit a particular firm.
Now while the enquiry is presumably in process (or at least according to the government version) the Fauji Foundation is spending millions to claim in newspaper ads: “The sale (of Khoski Sugar Mills) was made in the best interest of the Foundation and in keeping with established corporate norms and business practices”.
The present chief of the Fauji Foundation has been a former chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and is credited by many for his impeccable personal integrity. Did he as chairman of NAB ever allow any accused to establish his innocence through newspaper ads? Did he not always maintain that innocence can be proved only before inquiry tribunals and courts? Would he not have instituted a case of “misuse of authority” under NAB Ordinance against a person spending public funds to advertise his innocence?
SENATOR FARHATULLAH BABAR
Islamabad
THIS refers to the resolution of the Senate adopted unanimously drawing attention to the irregularities in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). The resolution adopted at the highest political forum reflects the urgency and magnitude of multifarious problems faced by the public in general and those connected with the medical profession in particular.
The modus operandi adopted by the council in granting recognition to private medical and dental colleges after my retirement in March 2001 has been defective and in violation of the regulations of the council. The stages laid down for inspection and subsequent recognition of the medical and dental colleges in relevant regulations adopted by the council are: first inspection during the first two years of inception; second inspection during the third or fourth year of the college; third and final inspection at the time of the final professional examination.
The above criteria are applicable to both public and private sector institutions without any discrimination. Medical colleges which were not found in accordance with the required standard were forced to close down after the first inspection and it is a matter of record that more than half a dozen institutes were closed during my tenure as secretary of the PMDC.
Since the present secretary had been sent on forced leave, the government should appoint a commission of inquiry under Section 35 of the PMDC Ordinance to probe into the affairs of the council and immediately appoint a senior civil servant to manage its affairs and put this organization on the right track.
SYED EHTRAM ALI
(Former secretary, PMDC)
Karachi
BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair has promised to pursue a “radical legislative programme” in the wake of the Labour Party’s historic election victory for a third time. Speaking outside 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Tony Blair said: “I’ve listened and I’ve learned and I think I have a very clear idea about what the British people now expect”.
But in Pakistan, the sitting government has imposed a ban on Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, and due to a change in election rules the two cannot contest the next general election and become prime minister for a third time.
I am sure that by now Ms Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif would also have “a very clear idea about what the people of Pakistan now expect from them”. If Mr Blair can become prime minister of Britain for the third time, why not Ms Bhutto or Main Nawaz Sharif?
For the sake of giving a fair trial to real democracy in Pakistan the government should allow Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif to contest the next general election and see if the people of Pakistan would like to elect one of them as their next prime minister for the third time, or whether they want to stick to the present government. This will prove the popularity of one of the three stakeholders.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
IN response to Sayed G. B. Shah Bokhari’s letter (May 5), I would like to state that religious leaders have as much of a right to participate in the political affairs of the state as any secular person. They have an equal right to visit any state for any official purpose as any other statesman has. Thinking of their policy as “West-bashing” is not only baseless but also shows a lack of awareness on behalf of those who confine their thinking to only one aspect.
If the religious leaders are inciting Muslims against the West, they are — though not always — to some extent justified. It is the West that is always exploiting the Muslims and killing thousands of innocent people in the name of terrorism and fundamentalism. Palestine, Kashmir, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq are obvious examples.
It is the West which always talks of human rights but cannot give basic human rights to many Muslims living in the West, e.g., the ban on wearing the scarf in many western countries.
It is always the West that is working as an intruder in the affairs of other states without having any valid proof, like justifying America’s attack on Iraq without finding any nuclear weapons.
After 9/11, thousands of Muslims have been restricted from travelling to many western states. This shows that the West thinks all Muslims are terrorists. There are many other instances where the West has been found exploiting Muslims and Muslim states. The matter of JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq’s detention in Brussels and London shows the narrow-mindedness of the West as if they know more about Mr Haq than we Pakistanis do having allowed him to reside in our country. Jihad is one of the important aspects of Islam and should be carried out against law-breakers. The religious leaders are doing that, though all are not sincere to the cause. Detaining religious leaders at foreign airports not only depicts the narrow-mindedness of the West but also a lack of confidence in Pakistan.
NEELAM ZAKA
Mardan
THIS is with reference to the letter by Mr Zafar Omer (April 26). Mr Omer believes that it is a tragedy that due to US pressure, Pakistan imported thousands of computers to create machine-readable passports and replaced “dutiful, experienced clerks” doing this job for half a century.
Pakistan was one of the few countries in the world that did not have machine-readable passports. If anything, they should thank the Americans for underwriting this costly project. The old Pakistani passport was easily forged, and looked as if it belonged to the 18th century. As for the clerks in the passport office, I’m sure the experiences of many of your readers would contradict his statement.
Nevertheless, there will always be people who are averse to technology. Perhaps if Mr Omer travelled back in time and managed to influence Henry Ford with his technophobia, we would still be using donkey carts to get around.
FRANK ZEROWSKI
Via email
ISLAMIC investment is based on the principle of equal sharing of profit/earning between partners in proportion to their investment. Partners in deposits are a bank and its depositor. The point is: how is it that a bank’s assets and liquidity are increasing and the bank is progressing while its partner’s share of profit in the so-called Islamic banking is continuously decreasing and remains to match the level of rates of return offered by interest-based banking?
Rates of return on interest-based banking deposits have been reduced at the behest of the IMF/World Bank. The same pattern is being observed in the so-called Shariah-based Islamic banking, which means these rates are not fixed under the principles of Shariah but in fact under outside pressure. Why this hoodwinking in the name of Islam?
ZEESHAN TANVEER HASHMI
Lahore
THE writer of the article, “A matter of script” (Dawn, May 1), deserves immense appreciation for choosing such an important topic. He has discussed at length the main reason behind the Punjabi language being denied its due status. According to him, the main cause for being overshadowed by Urdu is the Persian script.
Both Urdu and Punjabi in Pakistan are based on the Persian script and the medium of instruction in this country is largely Urdu. So the Punjabi-speaking people whose medium of instruction is Urdu feel at ease using the Urdu language as a means of expression.
If we Punjabi-speaking people wish to see our mother tongue kept alive both in speech and literature, we will have to step forward to make it a part of the syllabus at the grass-roots level.
As far as the writer’s suggestion regarding change of script is concerned, a lot of personal effort, hard work and research are needed to reformulate it.
RASHIDA RAUF
Lahore
MR F. S. Aijazuddin’s article, “Where in Ayodhya is the ‘qiblah’?” (May 6) deserves a ton of praise for its content, its sticking to facts and its readability. Unlike many articles, this one was pleasantly devoid of the hyperbole that one commonly encounters about this inflammatory subject. The message of harmony he seeks to convey was of course not lost on us.
SUREN MOHAN
Wisconsin, USA
IT has been over two weeks since the arrest of 40 Pakistani Christians in Saudi Arabia (Dawn, April 24) but there has been no word whatsoever from the government’s side regarding their fate. What is the government doing to secure their release? Why has an inquiry using diplomatic channels not been initiated into the incident as yet?
Recently, in the press we saw how the government raised a hue and cry over the mistreatment of Maulana Samiul Haq by the EU authorities. When Pakistanis are abducted in Iraq, the government is quick to react on their behalf by requesting for their safe release. Or is it that the minorities are after all second class citizens in the eyes of the state?
I request human rights organizations to pressure the government into taking steps for the arrested persons’ safe release. Otherwise they will soon be forgotten and left to languish in jail for no fault of theirs.
TYRONE MASCARENHAS
Karachi
THIS refers to the shocking gas cylinder explosion that took a toll of 30 people in Lahore and razed three buildings to the ground. My only question is why every time such a disaster happens, the authorities concerned are caught napping? Everyone knows that the filling gas cylinders in crowded bazaars and residential areas is rampant but no one questions those who are doing it, if what they are doing is legal, whether they have the proper equipment and facilities for refuelling LPG cylinders and what safety measures have been taken.
When a disaster occurs, it is in the news for a few days, some statements are made, some persons are arrested and then there is silence until the next incident. I will not blame any single person for this event. Our whole society is responsible for it. We are devoid of a sense of responsibility.
SULMAN MAHMOOD
Lahore
MY Karachi telephone number 6952887 is out of order since September 2004. I have lodged several complaints on “18” and have repeatedly visited the relevant divisional engineer’s customer services office but in vain. I have been told that the cable pair from where my phone is working is out of order and needs to be changed.
Despite the fact that I am unable to make or receive any call on my telephone connection due to faulty cable pair, PTCL sends me bills promptly, including the local landline calls.
I have paid PTCL Rs2,863 from September 2004 until March 2005. After losing hope that my phone will ever be in working order, I applied for a new telephone connection in December 2004 (registration # NK165/2723/2004 dated Dec 23, 2004), but till date I have not received any demand note.
MUHAMMAD KHATRI
Karachi
THIS is in response to Mr Rafi Adamjee’s letter (May 3). What is so wrong about talk shows telecasting controversial material? Whether the experts on the shows are competent or not is a separate matter, but the current state of media is far better than of a media shackled and censored to death by a government wishing you to see/hear/read only it desires.
Let the media portray all sides of an issue and learn from its mistakes. It cannot evolve into something better otherwise. People are, or should be, mature enough to make up their own minds about what is portrayed on the media.
UROOBA KULSOOM TAHER
Karachi
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