| July 20, 2005 | Wednesday | Jumadi-us-Sani 12, 1426 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Govt and big business
Airline evaluation
‘Combating terrorism’
Myanmar women
When president’s house was bugged
Mukhtaran Mai
Sindhi moot
Postal charges
Stopping floods
Ghotki crash
ONE fully agrees with the views of Mr B. A. Malik (July 14). I would like to add the following points:
a) Kalabagh is a sequential requirement following Mangla and Tarbela, based upon progressive developments and resultant water requirements in the country. Any obstruction in the sequence of planned development would result not only in stagnation but rapid reversal of growth in all sectors of economy.
b) Tarbela is a living dam with a life-span and a planned utilization that peaked in 1990. Therefore, Kalabagh Dam should have been in place before that time to allow uninterrupted growth. Kalabagh was expected to sustain planned growth up to 2000 and a third-stage development of a much bigger (23 maf) storage dam was foreseen in the planning horizon of the Indus Basin development plan.
c) The politicians of the smaller provinces and their power-brokers have used the Kalabagh card to cling to their seats. Kalabagh Dam is required much more by the NWFP and Sindh than Punjab. A simple analysis shows that Kalabagh-generated additional water rate alone would add about Rs11,500 crore annually in revenue. Direct agricultural gains and allied growth in national income will be manifold higher.
d) The historic Indus Rivers System annual flows amounted to an average of 192 maf in the pre-Indus Basin development plan period. About 30 maf was sacrificed from the three eastern rivers to India from Punjab under the Indus Water Treaty of 1960. In a balancing bargain, India contributed to the construction of Indus Basin replacement works. These included the 17 link canals which were essential to keep the headwork of the country’s vast irrigation network in operation. It is to be noted that the treaty was signed during the “One Unit” era of our history and martial law; therefore there was no political brokerage involved. It is a bonus from that dreaded era that Punjab did not create any fuss as millions of acres of its fertile lands had gone into the link canals apart from the 30 maf of the waters of the eastern rivers.
We have already lost 20 years in our political struggle to stop Kalabagh Dam. If technical issues are to be decided by politicians, then they may as well decide all other scientific and medical issues. There must be a limit to such insensitivity on welfare issues.
M. SAEED
Islamabad
IF one looks at the increase in profit in the banking industry during the last three years, it can be rated as astronomical and perhaps unprecedented in Pakistan’s commercial banking history. It is normal for one or two banking institutions to show abnormally high profit in a particular financial year. But for a broad spectrum of banks to show such tremendous growth, year after year, is indeed disconcerting.
A substantial part of the answer lies in the recently published PLS profit rates declared by the banking industry for the half year ending June 30, 2005. The average rates of return announced by a majority of banks fall in the category of 1.75 per cent for various times deposit. Compare these rates with the average lending rate in the market at around 10 per cent and one can see the magnitude of the gap between the interest charged by the banks to its borrowers and the interest paid to the depositors.
The government does not seem to be seriously worried about it as it reaps substantial benefit by taxing away a good part of this profit. The government is also not worried when it allows the rupee to strengthen against the euro/yen/sterling in spite of a huge trade deficit which increases the demand for such currencies — an obvious attempt at curbing inflation but interfering with market forces. This is very similar to its hesitancy in doing away with ‘badla’ financing at the KSE and replacing it with margin financing.
We expect this government to take difficult decisions while it has the mandate of the quasi-military regime. Once a fully political, genuine party-based government comes into power, it may become difficult for it to take bold decisions.
If we analyze all these factors in depth, it has a significant correlation to the increase in the poverty level in the country. What we are seeing today is a collusion of government and big business, for the so-called macro-economic good, to the detriment of a large section of society.
SHIRAZ SACHEDINA
Karachi
DURING a recent visit to Pakistan, I travelled roundtrip from Karachi to Islamabad on PIA. As a former airline official and a frequent traveller logging between 50,000 and 75,000 miles per year, I tend to evaluate airline service. I regret to report that PIA gets a ‘D’ and the only reason it did not get an ‘F’ is because of the food served on the flights.
The chaos starts as soon the flight is ready to board. Families with small children and people needing assistance or extra time are pre-boarded, then people in the exit rows, followed by first class and members of the frequent traveller programme. General boarding is by row numbers starting from the rear of the plane.
But, in PIA every able-bodied man weighing over 200 lbs boards ahead of everybody, with no regard for women, children and people on wheel-chairs. They do it, because they are allowed to do so by the gate agents. It is the same when the plane lands and is taxiing to its gate. People get up and start opening the overhead bins. In the US if people get up before the seat belt sign is turned off, they face severe penalties and jail time.
Once you enter the plane, there is an overabundance of crew members. I did not count, but from what I could observe there were too many. If PIA was not government-subsidized, it would be bankrupt. Cost curtailment is critical. In today’s world companies cease to exist if they don’t contain cost.
As the PIA fleet is growing, it should decide either to go with Boeing or the Airbus. Having both vendor supply plane will increase inventories of spare parts twofold at every location where these plane land. Airline parts are very costly but are critical as a small part can ground a plane, entailing heavy losses.
PIA should also stop serving meals on short flights; a snack and a soft drink should be sufficient. That will also help decrease the number of flight attendants on each flight. Flying 747 between Islamabad and Karachi is a losing proposition. Using them on short flight consumes excessive fuel and raises the cost.
Once a decision is made on the airplane supplier, the planes from the other manufacturer should be discarded. It is up to the government of Pakistan and the management of PIA to get a strategy defined and move forward.
NADIM ZOBERI
Eagan, USA
APROPOS of your leader “Combating terrorism” (July 10), you have failed to comment on the solution although the causes are well known — abject poverty, alienation of youth and political frustration due to the absence of any say in governance. Interestingly, the so-called arbiters in the shape of the G8 have also failed to address themselves to issues as is evident in their naive call for transparency and the need to ensure that aid or donations reach the grass-roots.
Most of Third World countries are governed by power grabbers or else by those selected by any one of the G8. How can you have transparency or accountability? It may sound like a homily, but what if aid or donations are given only to countries who first have representative government through proper elections? But there’s the catch.
Much of the developed world led by the US is only interested in doing business with dictators or monarchs picked up by one of the G8 whose arms can be easily twisted behind closed doors to suit the agenda of the developed nations. Saner elements thought the US — which at one time was recognized as an icon of democracy (sadly no more) — would for example ask Pakistan to have a proper elected government before pumping aid in the 60s. That was not to be, because they could easily twist the arms of the likes of Ayub, Yahya and Ziaul Haq to get what they wanted. The pattern is repeated all over the world. The so-called terrorism looks like getting worse because the root causes are proliferating rather than being controlled.
ZAFAR OMER
Lahore
I wish to refer to the article ‘Suu Kyi’s fight for democracy’ by Maheen A. Rashdi (Dawn, June 30).
Myanmar women have a long tradition of serving their country. If we look in particular at events in the 18th and 19th centuries, we can find expanding powers from the West trying to annex small and weak nations.
In Myanmar, three major Anglo-Myanmar wars broke out — in 1824, 1852 and 1885. It is learnt that British military officers recorded with amazement the participation of Myanmar women warriors of Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Bamar, Chin, Mon, Yakhine and Shan nationals together with Myanmar soldiers. The Wethikan battle in the third Anglo-Myanmar war has been particularly mentioned for the large participation of Myanmar women warriors. The women of Myanmar sacrificed their lives for their country by killing male intruders.
The women of Myanmar also took part in the struggles in 1900s. They played an active role in the movements organized by the YMBA, GCBA, Doh Bamar Asiayone, Myanmar Kommayi Association — patriotic and nationalistic organizations — that accelerated the momentum of the independence struggle.
Furthermore, a large number of Myanmar women were involved in the anti-fascist resistance launched in 1945. Many of them again sacrificed their lives. The active participation, firm unity and strong vigour of Myanmar women in the independence struggle finally led to the regaining of independence on January 4, 1948.
WIN
Myanmar embassy
Islamabad
JUST as an incident from the past for your readers’ interest.
Death of a political prisoner in police custody at police headquarters in Karachi in 1956 had created a furore in the press, which published sensational reports of the incident and demanded a judicial inquiry into the ‘murder’. The police version was that the prisoner had jumped to death from the prisoner’s cell at police headquarters.
I was information officer at the ministry of the interior, and at my routine daily meeting with the minister I brought to his notice newspaper reports and comments on the death of the prisoner. Mr Noorul Haq was minister for the interior in the Muslim League-Krishak Seramik Party (KSP) coalition government, headed by Chaudhry Mohammad Ali. Mr Haq was a prominent member of the KSP.
After reading the newspaper reports and comments, Mr Haq decided to pay a surprise visit to the police headquarters to see for himself the site of the incident. The minister, accompanied by interior secretary M. W. Abbasi, arrived at the police headquarters, and inquired from the officer on duty the location of the cell where the political prisoner was detained.
While going round the building, he came across a room whose door was shut. He pushed the door open. A policeman was sitting before a typewriter and a tape-recorder and was transcribing something from a tape-recorder. The policeman was surprised at the presence of an outsider and frowned. Presently, he noticed the presence of the minister’s armed guard and realized that he was face to face with the minister and the interior secretary.
He stood up and saluted. The minister promptly picked up the typed page, put on his reading glasses and read the document. He began to shake in anger. He handed the typed page to the interior secretary who read it intently. He then questioned the policeman about his name, his service particulars, his duties, the name of his boss and as to who had given him the tape for transcription. The policeman, who was visibly agitated, said that he had received the tape from his boss Masood Mehmood, superintendent of special police.
The interior secretary, addressing the minister, observed that it was a very serious matter. We should, he said, go back to the office and consider further action, taking all relevant factors into consideration.
The interior secretary returned the document to the minister. I was standing behind the minister. Suddenly he turned around and to my surprise gave me the document to read. I read the transcript on a special paper which carried the heading: For the prime minister’s eyes. It carried a conversation which president Iskander Mirza had had from his personal telephone the previous night with Nawab Iftikhar Hussain of Mamdot at Lahore.
The president had asked Nawab Mamdot to support Dr Khan Sahib’s government in the legislative assembly which faced a vote of no confidence by the Muslim League which had been revived in order to topple Dr Khan Sahib’s government. Iskander Mirza was quoted as saying: “It is a conspiracy between Chaudhry Muhammad Ali and Nishtar. I would not let them succeed in their dirty design and would teach them a lesson they would remember. Dr Khan Sahib is an honourable and proud man and I shall stand by him”.
I returned the document to the minister. Mr Abbasi asked me to accompany him to the minister’s office. At the meeting, Mr Abbasi convinced Mr Noorul Haq to hush up the matter relating to the president’s taped telephone. If the president found out that his telephone was bugged on the prime minister’s order, he would not hesitate to dismiss his government in which case Mr Noorul Haq would also lose his job.
SYED AFZAAL HUSAIN ZAIDI
Islamabad
THIS is in response to the letter by Dr Inayatullah (July 6) in which after applauding Mukhtaran Mai for her courage and determination against her tormentors he has asked her to forgive her rapists. In support of his plea, he states that this will slow down the fast-moving cycle of rapes, murders, local and world wars. If the act of punishing the offenders leads to local and world wars, then we should prepare ourselves for such wars. In fact, the act of granting a pardon to the delinquents will not reduce the crime rate. It will encourage criminals to commit act with greater impunity.
The increase in rape cases is due to the fact that the offenders are not brought to justice. If exemplary punishments are awarded to them, there will be a lesson for others. In the rural areas of Pakistan most of the rape cases are not registered by police stations because of the influence of feudals — and if someone like Mukhtaran Mai has been able to bring the offenders to book, then a well-wisher of a peaceful society like Dr Inayatullah advises her to forgive her rapists.
M. MAZHAR SHAHZAD
Farooqabad
THE World Sindhi Congress (WSC) is a social organization and is registered in the US and the UK. It organizes an international conference every year in which delegates from various countries take part in large numbers. This year the conference is scheduled to be held in London on Sept 24.
An overwhelming majority of people of Sindh believe in Sufism and as such they are against all kinds of terrorism which the world in general and the UK in particular face.
In view of the above, I request the UK government to ask its missions throughout the world to grant visas to the participants of the conference without any let or hindrance.
IMRAN KHAN SIAL
Karachi
A FEW days ago I went to our area post office (Nayabad post office) that is located in Memon Society, Karachi, to post my brother’s CVs. I placed the CVs in common unstamped envelopes instead of using the official postal envelopes. It was, therefore, necessary for me to either affix postal stamps of the value required or have the envelopes imprinted by the postal stamp machines. I opted for the latter and gave all the envelopes for machine-stamping.
After stamping the envelopes, the staff concerned demanded Rs7 as stamping charges for each envelope, thus charging Rs2 on each envelope, which were all stamped for Rs5. Does someone take notice of this?
A RESIDENT
Karachi
THE main cause of floods is sedimentation which needs dredging which our poor country can’t afford. Our upper reaches/catchments areas are mostly devoid of vegetative cover, so that with every heavy rainfall on the mountains all the pebbles, gravels, sand and silt come down and accumulate in the beds of rivers, canals, etc.
The government should pay attention to the nakedness of the mountains which were once lush green. It is commonly said that when rain comes, roads go. Similarly, when floods come, the protective bunds go, because there are no guards to protect them.
Usually, live spars are erected to save bunds from the wave-wash factor when the pressure of the water current increases with the pressure of the wind. Stone-pitching is costly, and loses its strength with the passage of time for technical and non-technical reasons.
As a forester my humble submission is that the irrigation field staff may be asked to collect ‘babul’ seeds either from the forest department or ‘hurri’ growers of Hala as well as other such areas. During ‘abkalami’ (inundation) these seeds may be broadcast along the bunds in a width of 50 to 60 feet. When ‘abkalami’ recedes, this operation may be repeated.
In this way, within a year there will be a good strip plantation which will, besides meeting the wood requirements of the irrigation department, help to protect breaches from wave-wash.
LALA FAZAL BELAEE
Hyderabad
LEAVING aside the London blasts, which were intentional, planned and aimed at mass destruction, the incident which took place on Wednesday, July 13, at Ghotki has managed to shake people’s belief and trust in the public transport system in Pakistan. Everyone has appropriately blamed it on either railway personnel or faulty and antiquated machinery.
The tragedy could have been avoided had any monitoring device forewarned first the Karachi Express and then later the Tezgam of what lay ahead. Even the sheer number of casualties would have been far less in that case. Reviewing the recent history of the Pakistan Railways one realizes that accidents have taken place quite a number of times in the Ghotki area.
While the families of those dead and injured were given financial aid, why can’t the authorities concerned step up their efforts to completely renovate a highly used system and have monthly supervision to monitor its working and work towards minimizing the chance of accidents?
This event has shaken the public’s confidence in our safety standards. While we put down terrorism in all its forms it is also necessary to simultaneously work for the betterment of our society and its people. Right now it wouldn’t harm us if we allot some money to improving the quality of people’s lives.
SADAF SIDDIQUI
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.