| July 22, 2005 | Friday | Jumadi-us-Sani 14, 1426 |
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‘Goodbye Nehru, hello Bush’
Ghotki train disaster
Leopard killing
Private universities
Kalabagh Dam
‘A shackled society’
A quotation
London blasts
PCB’s decisions
IT is appalling to see oil prices soaring with almost every passing day and it is also very easy to blame the government for its inability to control prices. Having to pay more than Rs49 for a litre of petrol hurts, but if we look at the international market we would find the same scenario everywhere.
The escalation in oil prices affects not only one particular country but the world as a whole, with some exceptions. The first energy crisis took place in the early 1970s following the steep rise in oil prices. With 10 per cent of the world’s oil reserves, Iran’s petroleum income rose from a few hundred million dollars a year to $30 billion per year between the late 1960s and the mid-1970s.
The second energy crisis occurred in 1979 in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. The anti-Shah protests shattered the Iranian oil sector and fear of revolution in Iraq and Saudi Arabia caused slow production which resulted in tough times for the rest of the world. The new regime in Iran resumed oil exports but production was inconsistent and sluggish with a lower volume, pushing up prices. The recent energy crisis is the repercussion of the Iraq war and the tough stance of the devouring monster, the USA. In Nigeria, ethnic unrest now and again hinders production so it cannot meet its production quota. It is also widely speculated that the oil shortages have been created intentionally by the oil companies to get increased returns.
Price escalation boosts the economy of the 11-nation Opec group of countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Venezuela Nigeria, Algeria, the UAE, Libya and Indonesia. One crude example of the year 2000 reminds us that both Saudi Arabia and Venezuela wanted prices to escalate in 2000 as Saudi Arabia’s economy is contingent on its oil and Venezuela needed revenue to fund the government’s populist social agenda.
The hackneyed argument in our society is why oil prices are increased when Saudi Arabia grants us oil worth one billion dollars per annum. The answer for this is the population explosion in our country. The population of Pakistan was 34 million in 1951. But by 1998 it had quadrupled to 132 million, awarding Pakistan the status of being the seventh most populous country in the world. If the trend persists Pakistan’s population by 2035 will cross 280 million. A CNN ad shows that the world consumes two barrels of oil when one barrel is discovered.
Instead of wasting our time in futile conversation and speaking against the government in office, wouldn’t it be better if we just pondered for a few moments about what contribution we can make in reducing the burden of inflation, coping with the poor economic conditions of our country, eliminating violence in our society and so on?
KHALIL AHMED
Karachi
THIS refers to “Goodbye Nehru, hello Bush” by Mr M. J. Akbar (Dawn, July 18). It is fashionable in the present day to be critical of Bush and the US, but it is strange that Mr Akbar has to strain in that direction by praising Nehru and his era.
Where is this “independence” in foreign policy that Mr Akbar is waxing so eloquently about? For decades, we fooled ourselves that we were the leaders of the so-called “non-aligned” group whilst being a Soviet client state in the most unashamed and open manner. Our economy, politics and (indeed) our very thinking was warped by our association with the Soviet Union. Along with the “lefties”, Mr Akbar is sore over India’s emerging closeness with the US — his abhorrence at joining hands with the US in its misadventures in Iraq, Afghanistan and (in the near future) Iran is shared by most Indians regardless of their political affiliations and religious faiths. But to cry foul at everything American and wishing for the imaginary halcyon days of the Nehru era expose his naiveté and hypocrisy.
We continued to be in the Soviet camp despite being stabbed in the back by them during the Indo-Chinese conflict of 1962, and we never raised our voice when they occupied Afghanistan for 10 years, claiming a million lives. As part of Nehru’s Panchsheel, we still venerate China — fully supporting them in their occupation of Tibet. We are so pleased when China “recognizes” Arunachal Pradesh as part of India.
Thanks to Nehru, our subservience to Russia and China continues till date, regardless of the change of government in New Delhi. Thanks to Nehru, the Kashmir problem is a permanent bloody legacy, claiming thousands of innocent lives every year. The article is true in one respect — the real power ruling India today is Madam Sonia Gandhi and members of the “Left Parivar” and the “Left-Overs” — specimens like Laloo Prasad, Sitaram Yechuri, Prakash Karat, Jyoti Basu, et al.
JAY RAVI
Toronto, Canada
A LOOK at the past record of the Pakistan Railways vis-à-vis accidents near Ghotki and Ghotki railway station should be instructive.
In June 1991, a train carrying 750 to 800 passengers from Karachi to Lahore slammed into a parked freight train at Ghotki killing more than 100 people. Authorities blamed the accident on staff negligence.
In December 1989, a train crash near Sanghi, a town 35 miles from Ghotki, killed 400 people. Authorities blamed the accident on staff negligence.
Now, for the recent accident: the Pakistan Railways blames the driver who “misread the signal”. So who’s taking the responsibility? Surely not the dead driver.
ZARINA KHAN
Karachi
THIS is for the attention of Federal Railways Minister Mian Shamim Hyder. He must take the lead from the Indian railways minister and resign. Only then will he be able to justify using the title “honourable”.
Accountability always starts from the top and not the bottom (as he so incorrectly stated in his press conference when asked if he would resign). At the very least, if he is not going to resign, he can sack the the Pakistan Railways’ chairman.
How many more innocent people must die before some minister takes the blame on himself and resigns in this unfortunate country?
SYED SALMAN ALAMDAR
Abu Dhabi, UAE
THIS refers to the recent news about the killing of a leopard in Abottabad by police commandos firing 15 bullets at the beast. It remains unclear whether it was the same leopard that had reportedly killed two women and a girl. It is also debatable whether the leopard had transgressed into human territory or the swelling human population in the area had transgressed into the animal’s domain.
Such encounters are inevitable and killing an already rare animal is not a solution. The authorities concerned should have moved him deeper into the jungle by using tranquilizers or they could have captured and put the beast in a zoo instead of executing it. The world would be a much better place if only humans learnt the art of refraining from transgression.
ASIM SAEED
Lahore
THE Frontier police deserve a gold medal for shooting down a leopard with only 15 bullets. Thank God, they did not seek the help of the military for shooting down such a dangerous animal. National Geographic should take a lesson from us as to how to preserve wildlife.
COL (Retd.) ANWAR JAN BABAR
Karachi
STUDENTS in Pakistan are being lured by many private universities claiming affiliation with universities of developed countries. These private universities are operating as they have been given a charter by the respective provincial governments.
Advertisements of private universities appear from time to time in local newspapers and magazines and parents read them with much interest, as they want to ensure that admission of their children is secured in private universities in case they fail to get admission in government-run universities.
Once the admission of a student in a government-run university is confirmed, parents normally forego the admission fee, semester fees and other miscellaneous expenses they have paid to the “standby” private university, which can come to around Rs70,000.
The modus operandi of some private universities is such that they offer admission to degree classes even before results are announced by the intermediate boards. Private universities do not miss any chance of collecting processing fee, admission fee, semester charges and selling thousands of prospectus that make for around 75 per cent of the expenses of an academic year. This amount is not refunded to the parents in case a student proves ineligible or if he or she fails to clear the intermediate examination or gets admission in another (mostly government-run) university, etc.
Recently a newly-established university in Islamabad which functions under the Pakistan Air Force released a half-page advertisement in local newspapers, inviting applications for admission to professional classes. Students who had just appeared for their intermediate exams were also eligible for getting admission, but the admission forms and prospectus were not made available in Karachi. Having no alternative left, students had to rely on relatives, friends and postal services for obtaining admission forms which added to the expense, as there were only three locations as venues for selection criteria and taking entry tests. It is rather surprising to note that that this particular university made no arrangements for selling the prospectus or holding an entry test in Karachi.
The university appeared more interested in collecting money through sale of prospectus and processing fees rather than imparting quality education.
Can’t the government bind private universities to start their admission process only after the announcement of intermediate results, so as to save the hard earned money of parents in case their child is not declared successful by the board of intermediate examination? Private universities should only be allowed to begin the process of admission, sale of prospectus, entry test, taking admission and semester fees once admissions in government-run universities are over.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
REFERENCE Mr B. A. Malik’s letter (July 14), first of all one would ask the correspondent whether he has ever visited the Kotri Barrage at Jamshoro, Hyderabad. Without knowing the ground facts, one can only pass vague judgments.
If you stand on Jamshoro Bridge, you will find “some” water from upstream but only sand dunes downstream. Mr. Malik will say that the water from upstream has been sent to the lands of Sindh through canals. One would agree. But downstream of the barrage has not seen a single drop of water since the last floods came, perhaps in 1998. And when I passed through the bridge on Sunday, July 3 at 9pm I saw, as usual, only sand dunes. So how does Mr Malik talk of 38 maf of “surplus” water having gone into the Arabian Sea every year?
Recently the president said in Karachi that floods would have been averted if we had built the Kalabagh Dam. Mr Malik says that “the construction (of Kalabagh Dam) has been held hostage to a quagmire of regional politics”. He also says “a small lobby in Sindh is in the forefront to oppose (it)”. One would ask all writers, particularly from Punjab (Mr Khurshid Anwer, July 11) whether they have ever visited the Kotri Barrage. Hardly anyone might have. If they are so concerned about Kalabagh and regret that Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP are depriving the nation of such a gigantic project, one would request them earnestly not to write anything until they visit the place.
Mr Malik should know that everybody in Sindh (and for that matter Balochistan and the NWFP) is opposed to Kalabagh. Sindh has it own reasons though Balochistan and the NWFP may have theirs. It is said that the people of three provinces, especially Sindh, should not lose faith in Punjab. The president, a few months back, assured the nation that he would guarantee fair distribution of water under the telemetry system and that he would monitor it himself.
Unfortunately, within a few days the very telemetry system, costing millions of rupees, went out of order and it is not known if it has been restored. Without malice, one is bound to ask if indeed the president himself will personally monitor it. Naturally, the same set of people who have been running the system on the site since years will run it. Unfortunately their record in this respect is erratic.
The Chashma Link Canal, which is located in Punjab, is the biggest example. When this canal was constructed, it was “assured” (presumably as a part of the water treaty) that water from the Indus would be linked to the canal only when there was surplus in the Indus and that all the three provinces, especially Sindh, will be consulted before releasing water into it. But the facts are just the reverse. What could Sindh do under these circumstances? Should Sindh have deputed a team of engineers to block the movement of the wheel that releases the water? No. The same goes for the Thal Canal. It is said that it will not be constructed till consensus over the dam is created, but the fact is that it is near completion. One can only laugh at the assertion that Punjab will give 37 per cent water (equal to its own) to Sindh.
Coming to the technical side as mentioned by Mr Malik, it is said that this dam will generate power (which the country urgently needs for the present and future) and that it will preserve water for irrigation. Now, first, power. On the one hand, we are being told that we are short of power, on the other that we are surplus by 2000MW, so much so that we were considering exporting power to India. If the story of 2000MW surplus is to be believed, the argument that the dam will generate power and meet the present and future deficit is not correct. Naturally, we have to and should believe the story of 2000MW surplus, which is being told to us by none other than the prime minister. But if in the same breath he tells us that the dam is urgently needed for the generation of power, we can’t judge which of his statements is correct. We are already surplus without Kalabagh dam, why the dam? It is also argued that the dam is necessary to meet the requirement for the next 25 years. Why can’t we be surplus after 25 years without the dam in the same way as we are surplus today?
It is being said that the dam will not be constructed without removing the “misgivings” among the people of the three provinces. Their assemblies have already spoken. What more is required?
We have wasted 25 good years over this controversy. Had small dams been constructed by now, the purpose of Kalabagh Dam would have been achieved. I agree with Mr Malik that water needs will increase with the rise in population, but Kalabagh Dam is not the only recipe on earth to meet the water shortage.
ZAFARUL HAQ MEMON
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Mr Omar R. Quraishi’s article ‘Towards a shackled society, perhaps’ (July 19) on the repercussions of the passage of the Hasba bill in the NWFP Assembly. The article clearly elaborates the law’s effects on the people of the NWFP. The argument by the MMA is that the bill’s passage by the majority of lawmakers in the NWFP Assembly automatically means that it is in line with the wishes of the people of the province.
However, if that is the case, then why does the MMA not accept the bill passed in the National Assembly on the formation of the National Security Council (NSC)? Isn’t this law, passed by a majority in the National Assembly, also in line with the wishes of the people of Pakistan and needs to be respected by the MMA government in the NWFP, whose chief minister has so far refused to attend any NSC meeting as a matter of principle?
The double standards of the MMA are there to be seen by all.
KHALID RASHID QURAISHI
Karachi
WHILE reading a book I came across this beautiful quotation from Walt Whitman. Perhaps someone may translate it into Urdu and have copies distributed among school, madressah and college students. Our government, if it really is sincere about eradicating religious intolerance, hatred, bigotry and terrorism from society, should prescribe it in school and college curricula.
It will also create love for human and animal life and bring peace and harmony to our society.
I think I could turn and live with animals, they’re so placid and self-contained,
I stand and look at them long and long,
They do not swear and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things.
Not one kneels to another, to his kind that lived thousands of years ago.
Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole world.
ARTBAN ZEE
Karachi
PAKISTAN’s ambassador to the US, Gen Jehangir Karamat, has described the acts of terrorism of 7/7 in London as ‘gruesome, unfortunate’.
I wonder how he describes the killing of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan. Collateral damage?
NAZIM F. HAJI
Karachi
AFTER failing miserably to persuade England to play a Test match in Karachi, the PCB, in what can only be seen as a face-saving gimmick, has asked the ICC to excuse Pakistani players from wearing jerseys endorsed by alcohol beverage producer Johnnie Walker during the Super Series in Australia.
According to the PCB, alcohol is banned in Islam and cannot be consumed by Muslims in Pakistan. If the PCB is truly concerned about Muslims consuming alcohol, it should refuse any sponsorship payments that will be given to it and the Pakistani players from Johnnie Walker. In fact it should refund each single penny that it received from Cricket Australia during the VB series that took place in December 2004. Maybe the PCB is not aware that “VB” refers to Victoria Bitter, another alcoholic beverage.
Another point that the PCB should remember is that Australia is a secular country and their culture allows anyone in Australia the freedom to choose what beverage they want. We as Muslims claim to be tolerant and peace loving yet we waste no opportunity to be disrespectful to Western culture. In most Muslim countries we want westerners to strictly follow our culture — from the way they dress to what they eat — when they come to our cities but when we go to their cities we like to shun their culture and show no tolerance or flexibility.
Wearing a shirt which says Johnnie Walker has nothing to do with consuming alcohol. From the mediaeval beheadings in Iraq to the suicide bombings in London to these mindless decisions by the PCB, when are we as Muslims going to give up hypocrisy and start showing tolerance and rationality in our decision making?
A. ZAMAN
Dallas, TX, USA
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