| August 7, 2005 | Sunday | Rajab 1, 1426 |
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Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline
‘Search for buyers’
Nara wetland complex
US-India pact
‘Reflections on the blast’
Date labourers
Aceh peace deal
‘A Pakistani manifesto’
Clarification
POL price fixing
Serving whom?
IT is a sad reflection that 58 years after the creation of Pakistan we are still debating its ideology and the vision of our founding father but even at this late stage it is a useful debate and in my view the ideology of Pakistan must be taught at the school level.
Mr Jinnah did not at any time use the expression ‘secular’ in relation to his goal and aspiration for the state of Pakistan. In fact, whenever the occasion arose he used the expression ‘Muslim state’. However, on several occasions and particularly after 1937 Mr Jinnah indicated his mind and his vision for Pakistan quite clearly. His speeches on Aug 11 and 14, 1947, which according to Prof Akbar S. Ahmed comprise Jinnah’s ‘Gettysburg Address’, continued to form the basis of his subsequent speeches. The first speech on Aug 11, 1947 was most significant as it was an expression of ideas on the state of Pakistan and the nature of society. The speech which was delivered by Mr Jinnah without notes has been the subject matter of interpretation for the past 58 years and is worthy of repetition.
“You may belong to any religion or caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the state. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one state. We would keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in due course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual but in the political sense.”
On Aug 14, 1947 Mr Jinnah in a reply to Lord Mountbatten, stated that “the tolerance and goodwill that Emperor Akbar showed to all the non-Muslims is not of recent origin. It dates back 13 centuries ago when our Prophet (peace be upon him) not only by words but by deeds treated the Jews and Christians with utmost tolerance and regard and respect for their faith and beliefs”.
Therefore, the emphasis laid by Mr Jinnah was on equality of citizens, freedom of expression including worship, tolerance and protection of minorities. Mr Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan was of a progressive, liberal and modern Muslim state. He evidently saw no real conflict between the principles of Islam and the secular concept of equality and tolerance among people and he clearly recommended equality, tolerance and protection of minorities as Islamic principles.
In an address to members of the Karachi Bar Association in January 1948, Mr Jinnah declared that “Islam is not only a set of rituals, traditions, and spiritual doctrines. It is based on the highest principles of honour, integrity, fair play, and justice for all. In Islam there is no difference between man and man. The qualities of equality, liberty, and fraternity are the fundamental principles of Islam”.
Therefore, the ideology of Pakistan as a new State revolved around the Islamic principles of democracy, equality, tolerance, freedom of speech, expression, worship and the protection of minorities coupled with justice and fair play at all levels of society.
In a broadcast to the people of US in February 1948 Mr Jinnah said: “The constitution of Pakistan has yet to be framed by the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. I do not know what the ultimate shape of this constitution is going to be but I am sure that it will be of a democratic type, embodying the essential principles of Islam. Today, they are as applicable in actual life as they were 1,300 years ago. Islam and its idealism have taught us democracy. It has taught equality of man, justice and fair play to everybody. We are the inheritors of these glorious traditions and are fully alive to our responsibilities and obligations as framers of the future constitution of Pakistan. In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims — Hindus, Christians, and Parsis — but they are all Pakistanis. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizens and will play their rightful part in the affairs of Pakistan”.
LIAQUAT H. MERCHANT
Karachi
THIS refers to the news item ‘Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline’ (Dawn, July 28) and the related editorial (July 29). It is beyond our comprehension as to why the US is opposed to this project when it wants to see the Third World developing. What right has the US Congress or its president to stop other independent countries’ economic development? Energy is basic to development — unless the US has its eyes on Iran’s energy sources which, in fact, was the reason for the attack and capture of the technically most developed oil-rich country in the Arab world, Iraq.
One should not be surprised by such US demands. Even during the eras of presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, the US was opposed to the Pakistan plan for establishing a steel mill. The US also opposed our getting a plutonium enrichment plant, for Kannup’s fuel, from France for which Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had signed the agreement. The US forced France to cancel the contract. How the US abandoned Pakistan after it helped demolish the communist Soviet Russia is well-known to our people.
Once again, the US has started taking a similar attitude vis-a-vis Pakistan’s national interest. It appears India is yielding to US pressure on the pipeline project though Indian Oil Minister Mani Shanker Aayer has publicly declared that nobody will be allowed to interfere with it. Does America consider itself to be a new imperial power that its ‘own national interest’ should be kept uppermost by over 190 ‘independent’ nations of the world community?
S.M. ZAKERYA KAZMI
Karachi
THIS refers to the article ‘Search for Steel Mills buyers’ (Dawn’s Economic and Business Review, Aug 1). It is unfortunate that no serious attention was paid by past governments to establishment of a steel mill based on local iron ores. Huge deposits of iron ore exist at Kalabagh (Punjab), Nokkandi (Balochistan) and Chitral (NWFP). In 1966, 15,000 tons of iron ore from Kalabagh were sent to Germany where steel was produced by a special process developed by M/s Salgzitter of Germany. The entire exercise was watched by a team of experts from the United Nations who recommended that production of steel from Kalabagh ore was feasible.
Similarly, a mini steel mill in Balochistan based on enriched Nokkandi iron ore was recommended by USX consultants appointed by the Pakistan Steel in 1986, but was shelved on one pretext or another.
Due to lack of planning the expansion of Pakistan Steel from 1.1. MT to three MT/year could not materialize. The past management of PS, ignoring priorities, spent time and energy on reduction of manpower. Little attention was paid to the maintenance of the plant and machinery. As a result of this negligence, coke oven batteries set up at a high cost have already collapsed and the fate of other production units is bleak.
At this juncture, privatization may give some relief to PS, but to meet the rapidly growing demand for steel, it is imperative that regional steel mills based on local resources are set up, otherwise the government will have to spend a huge amount of foreign exchange on imports.
QAZI ABDUL WAHEED
Karachi
THIS refers to the news item ‘WWF gets its rejected proposal reconsidered’ (Dawn, July 28). WWF-Pakistan has been the prime organization to highlight the importance of the wetlands of the Nara Canal area (Khairpur district) and to initiate action to declare it as a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance). The proposal was first presented to the Sindh wildlife department, Karachi, which declined to participate in the surveys. Hence, the project was given to officials of the Zoological Survey Department.
In fact, the Zoological Survey Department and Halcrow Pakistan (Pvt) Limited were the only organizations which were involved in wildlife surveys in the area. Previously, Dr Hafeezur Rehman had conducted a detailed survey of marsh crocodiles in the Nara area with the support of WWF-Pakistan. Thus, sufficient data on the wildlife of the area was already available with the Zoological Survey.
After the data was compiled, the proposal to declare the area as a Ramsar site was submitted to the Sindh wildlife department which said that efforts might be made to improve the already existing 10 Ramsar sites in the province instead of nominating a new site which did not fulfil the requirements for its declaration as a Ramsar site.
The team had surveyed about 200 wetlands in the area, recorded 131 wetlands, and collected data about 97 important wetlands. The complex fulfilled Ramsar criteria 1, 2 and 3, as it was a unique example of wetland type and supported threatened species as well as a population of plant and animal species important for maintaining the biodiversity of the particular biogeographic region.
The data presented so far is sufficient to declare the area as a Ramsar site. This may be examined by an independent consultant.
SYED ALI GHALIB
Karachi
THE US-India 10-year defence pact is a major development in current American foreign policy. The apparent purpose of the pact seems to be the containment of China. The by-products include a measure to sidetrack Indian collaboration with Iran on the gas pipeline issue. Of course, Indian cooperation itself will bolster US trade and ensure protection of US interests in the Indian Ocean, a counter-balance to the US denial of a seat to India in the UN Security Council.
Dr Manmohan Singh’s July 21 statement expressing new doubts regarding Indian participation in the gas pipeline project is seen by many as a step to placate Washington. Moreover, if India succumbs to US allurements and steps out of the gas pipeline project, it will be injuring the very foundations of Indian foreign policy — that of non-alliance and neutrality. Such an Indian step will also offend post-1979 Iran-India friendly relations like never before.
No doubt, the US-India pact has given way to a new Pakistani grievance toward the US, which may at some time in the future, if not now, lead to a slackening of the Pakistani onslaught on terror.
OKASH KHUWAJA
Karachi
IN his interesting article, “Reflections on the blast” (July 20), Mr Najmuddin A. Shaikh has asserted that “delusional pan-Islamic ideology rather than national interests had distorted Pakistan’s Afghan policy and created the Kalashnikov and drug culture”. He also invited readers to express their views on his thoughts.
When the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979, I was one of the many Pakistani expatriates working in the Middle East. We felt sorry for the Afghans. Apart from that, I think our first concern was not that Islam was in imminent danger but that Pakistan was. It had seemed only a matter of months before Soviet tanks would start rolling down towards the Arabian Sea.
A couple of months later I returned to Pakistan and discovered similar feelings, although the fear of an invasion wasn’t as acute. I believe the guiding principle for our policymakers at the time also put Pakistan first. If there had been no resistance in Afghanistan, Moscow would have been emboldened to target us next. So it can be said the mujahideen were fighting for Pakistan as well and the collaboration was mutually beneficial.
The West, led by the US, capitalized on the sentiments of the Muslims to create the Afghan resistance because this also served its own Cold War interests. The heroin production was a direct result not of our actions but those of the KGB and the CIA which are variously blamed for promoting it for their own reasons.
Weapons were in high demand because of the ‘jihad’ but, in time, the KGB and KHAD (Afghan intelligence) smuggled in large quantities of arms into Pakistan for subversive purposes to punish it for its involvement across the border. After the war, gun and drug smugglers and other criminal elements and some nationalists, as well as ethno-political parties, got involved in the trade for their own purposes and that is how these cultures flourished.
It was only after Moscow’s retreat and the West’s sudden withdrawal, most selfishly, without assisting the two countries to deal with the fallout of the Afghan war, that left us permanently with so many problems whose blowback America and the West are also having to face.
The writer is, therefore, wrong in blaming pan-Islamism, which hardly came into the picture. Pan-Islamism is a beautiful ideology that was espoused by no less a person than Allama Iqbal but is being maligned now after its hijacking by the militants, like some other teachings of Islam. I was a youth in 1979 and wasn’t appreciably religious, nor was I a secularist. Still, pan-Islamism and Sufi saints had somehow had a hold on one’s imagination since childhood. but one’s concern after the Soviet invasion next door was first for the sake of Pakistan’s own survival.
A true pan-Islamist is moved by love for a fellow Muslim, not by hatred for anyone, and tends to be a humanist as well, unlike Al Qaeda, etc. Mr Shaikh may reflect on the foregoing in the light of the Quranic words about Allah having put love in the hearts of the Muslims for each other.
A READER
Karachi
KHAIRPUR is known for growing quality dates. Thousands of people from Balochistan and the interior of Sindh come to Khairpur every year and work hard in the scorching heat on date farms from June to August to harvest the fruit. They work along with women and children who toil from dawn to dusk.
These labourers have no shelter for protection and sleep under the open sky. Many of them suffer from dehydration, sunstroke, gastroenteritis and diseases like hepatitis A, B, C. As they consume contaminated canal water, many of them die due to poor hygienic conditions. Moreover, a majority of these labourers occupy both sides of the National Highway right from Therhi town to Baberloi and are thus also exposed to traffic hazards.
Every year the government earns billions of rupees from the export of dates but has done nothing to provide any relief to these workers.
It is suggested that shelter houses be arranged with free board and lodging till the close of the harvesting season. At least a medical dispensary and a laboratory with a sufficient stock of medicines should be arranged so that at the time of any medical emergency free treatment can be provided to the sick.
Arrangements for pure and safe water should be made to avoid diseases. NGOs working in the human health development sector should be invited to attend and assist these labourers. It is hoped that the authorities concerned will feel their responsibility by providing basic facilities to these shelterless, poor and disease-stricken labourers in Khairpur.
DR PERVEZ AHMED SHAR
Khairpur
IT is good to note that a peace agreement has finally been signed in Finland between the exiled separatist leaders of the restive province of Aceh and the Indonesian government (July 22). Utjapan selamat (congratulations), as they will say In Bahasa Indonesia.
However, it was alarming to note the views expressed by the editor of a leading Indonesian newspaper that ‘stubborn’ territories like Aceh and Papua, etc., must remain within the republic even if human rights abuses and injustices take place. This is the kind of attitude that breeds secessionism in the first place. Human lives and rights are sacred and must always be treated as such.
It is earnestly hoped that the deal will serve as a model for the amicable resolution of disputes in Sri Lanka, Nepal and elsewhere too.
KHALID CHAUDHRY
Karachi
MR AYAZ Amir’s column ‘A Pakistani manifesto’ (July 29) is interesting, but the manifesto proposed is not workable and achievable. Mr Amir foresees maliks, chaudhrys, pirs, raees, Raos and sardars giving up their titles and living as ordinary Pakistanis.
This is impossible. They would die rather than be counted as common citizens. Their titles are power symbols to rule over their subjects. They are above the law.
Even an enactment to abolish such titles would not work in the existing situation. A case in point is Balochistan’s sardari system. It has been abolished by an enactment, but it still exists and the sardars are powerful enough to face the government.
Mr Amir wants reforms in the education system — no O or A level — one system, one syllabus and a common examination system for all Pakistani students.
How can the ruling elite tolerate their childrens studying in elite public schools /American schools sitting with poor students in common schools?
Again, Mr Amir wants to do away with fancy state-of-the-art- hospitals. This is again impossible. The ruling elite, even if terminally ill, would like to die in a luxurious local or European/American private hospital.
It is futile to expect the ruling classes to give up their perks and privileges. How can they do so when they are the beneficiaries of the existing system? For that, the silent majority has to wake up.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
I WAS pleased that your newspaper provided coverage of my lecture on the trends and opportunities in geography (Dawn Metropolitan section, Aug 2). You correctly reported that geographic scholarship has an important role in today’s world.
However, the headline ‘World facing imperialism after 9/11’, took a small portion of my remarks and reported them out of context. The thrust of my remarks was to highlight the breadth of research being done by geographers in the post-9/11 context. This includes work by critical political geographers on the changing geopolitical environment. I certainly did not present this work as either my scholarly or my personal opinion.
KAVITA PANDIT
Via email
DISTURBING facts about the mechanism for fixing prices of POL products have been highlighted in an article (Dawn, August 1). The writer has rightly asked why if Pakistan imports Dubai or Gulf origin based POL products (the price of which is eight to10 dollars less), does the OCAC fix prices based on WTI?
When on June 13, 2001, the cabinet decided that the OCAC will fix prices till the establishment of a petroleum regulatory authority, why didn’t it set a deadline for the authority’s establishment?
ZUBAIR NASEER
Karachi
MORE than 50,000 candidates have filed nomination papers for the LG elections. What drives them in droves — the selfless spirit to serve the people or the avarice to serve themselves?
COL (retd) RIAZ JAFRI
Rawalpindi
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