| August 18, 2005 | Thursday | Rajab 12, 1426 |
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Jinnah and Nehru
Industrial schemes
Life after death
Import of new/used cars
‘The faith militant’
A democratic Pakistan
Water shortage
School timings
Self-reliance
Medicated syrups
Senior citizens
Mobile thefts
Independence
PTCL claims
MR Liaquat H. Merchant has pointed out in his letter (August 7) that Mr Jinnah never used the word “secular” for Pakistan but always referred to it with the words “Muslim state”. However, if we keep in view the political scenario of that time we can explain Mr Jinnah’s usage of the term “Muslim state”.
At that time there were two political parties struggling for independence — the Congress and the Muslim League. Both were fighting for independence, but their destinations were different. It was to highlight this difference that Mr Jinnah used the term “Muslim state”. It does not imply that Mr Jinnah did not want Pakistan to be a secular state. Instead, when he said that “you may belong to any religion or caste or creed… that has nothing to do with the business of the state”, he excluded religion from the business of the state. In the same speech he declared religion as a personal faith of each individual and thus confined religion to a micro-level.
The confusion regarding Mr Jinnah’s vision of Pakistan arises because of the two roles he played for achieving Pakistan: as a political leader who struggled for a separate nation state and as head of the new-born state.
In the first role he used religion not as an end but as a means to an end and that was to unite the Muslims and other impoverished classes of the subcontinent who might not get equal opportunities in India after the British.
In the second role, he clearly enunciated the future course of the new state as based on equal opportunities for all without any inequality on the basis of religion.
It implies that as head of state he was secular and wanted Pakistan to be secular. In my opinion it is this second role of Mr Jinnah which is more important for us.
UMAD MAZHAR
Islamabad
DR Aftab Ahmed (Aug 13) has expressed disappointment that there has been no response to his letter from Mr M. J. Akbar. He should not be disappointed as Mr Akbar is far too sensible to get involved in such a discussion as it would upset the apple-cart of accepted beliefs.
As Prof Stanley Wolpert put it: “Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three — Jinnah virtually conjured that country into statehood by the force of his indomitable will.”
The Muslims supported this as the fulfilment of Allama Iqbal’s vision of a homeland for the Muslims of India which had been made a reality by Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Congress and the Hindus symbolically beat their chests and loudly mourned the partition of India. The British said, “rather unfortunate,” and moved on.
This gave victory to the Muslims: opportunity for professed regret and anger to the Congress and the Hindus and smug satisfaction to the British. To them, it mattered little that hundreds of thousands of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs had been killed in the process as long as the British could leave India without as much as a cut finger. Mr Jinnah was apotheosized in Pakistan and became the Great Leader — the Quaid-i-Azam. In India, he was demonized as the heartless communalist who had mutilated the sacred body of ‘Bharat Mata’. The liberal West thought much the same and sealed their approval of the Congress/ Hindu view by conferring sainthood on Mahatama Gandhi.
Various publications in the 1980s and 1990s have altered this perception but any public attempt at change is likely to be treated as blasphemy.
ZAFAR IQBAL
Karachi
RECENTLY President Gen Pervez Musharraf made an announcement about the launching of two industrial estates to overcome the problems confronting industries and businesses in Karachi. According to the president, an industrial estate covering 250 acres will be set up in Landhi for small and medium enterprises. The other estate will be created over an area of 1,500 acres belonging to the Pakistan Steel.
On the occasion, the president declared that the government would not allow any hindrance to be created in the process of industrialization. Pray may it be so. It may be recalled here that 12 years ago two industrial projects, namely, Landhi cottage industry and Orangi cottage industry, were launched but could not even take off because of vested interests.
Under the then industrial schemes young people were to be given a plot each measuring 200 square yards.
This attracted as many as 123,000 youths who applied for a plot each by furnishing specific forms, each costing Rs100.
Some 2,334 applicants were allotted small industrial plots following a transparent ballot held under the supervision of the Institute of Business Administration in 1993 and they were required to deposit the cost of plots in instalments.
Although a majority of allottees had deposited the money, they have been running from pillar to post to get possession of the plots. According to sources, the major hitch in handing over the possession is encroachments and the authorities’ delaying tactics in getting the encroachments removed.
Most of those who were allotted plots are middle class professionals whose only fault is to dream about setting up a small industrial unit of some kind. The president is requested to take note of this.
AFFECTED ALLOTTEES
Karachi
REFERENCE Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee’s article, “Life after death” (Dawn, August 7), regarding a story he attributed to Mr Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore who, when leaving Pakistan after a visit, was asked by a journalist if he had a message for the people of this country. He said: “There is nothing I can say to them. Most of them seem to be worried about life after death.”
Mr Lee seems to have forgotten the history of his own country. He must know that senior pilots, aeronautical engineers and technical staff of PIA were instrumental in getting Singapore Airlines to where it stands today. Traffic signs, indicators and other allied matters in Singapore were the work of a retired superintendent of police of this country.
RAFIQ AHMED
Karachi
THIS refers to Mr Cowasjee’s column “Life after death”. Mr Cowasjee would do us a world of good if he agrees to learn to respect people’s choice of faith. One is forced to write this because one is not sure whether the columnist is aware of the fact that life after death is an article of faith in Islam.
Contrary to what the columnist may like to impute, life and by virtue thereof the world will become a far better and indeed an ideal place if the true significance of this is appreciated. Mr Cowasjee also seems to be disinclined to appreciate that there are nearly one billion Muslims in the world apart from the few maulvis who seem to be getting on his frail nerves.
NASSER KHAN
Peshawar
THIS refers to Mr Nasir Jamal’s report ‘Import of new, used cars picking up’ (Aug 6). He has stressed the appalling effect of the automobile trade policy 2005-2006 on the domestic automobile industry. He gave the example of India which it protects its local industry and has 20 per cent duty on CKDs and 100.2 per cent duty on CBUs whereas in our country we have 35 per cent duty on CKDs and 50-75 per cent on CBUs.
No doubt it is our prime objective to protect local industry, and the government has given it protection, but in response the industry is not helping the customers. It is booking on 100 per cent advance and making deliveries after five to six months. In India, delivery is made within one month. Their investment is on a one-time basis and after that they run their production totally on customer investment.
We will also have to scale down duty on CKDs at the rate of 20 per cent and on CBUs the custom duty should be 35 to 50 per cent at most. There should be at least a 15 per cent spread on CKDs and CBUs.
This will lead to a healthy competition that will benefit the general public who will have availability of a variety of cars with easy delivery periods.
ABDUL AZIZ KHATRI
Karachi
MR Irfan Hussain, in his article ‘The faith militant’ (Aug 13), suggests that the militants/ believers are trying to impose their religion on others, which has led to the bloodshed.
It pains me to say that those who have the ability to wield the pen and fill the columns of the newspapers have miserably failed to correctly read and analyze the problem as to what the terrorists aim to achieve. Is their aim or objective political or religious?
I have no hesitation in saying that it is not inter- faith conflict or clash of civilization, though those carrying out these atrocious acts belong to Islam.
Do the perpetrators of these acts want to force the ‘civilized world to find a fair and just solution to the Palestine, Kashmir and Chechnya problems where thousands have perished under the occupying forces or do they want the destruction of western civilization? Or do they want those allied with the US to abandon Afghanistan and Iraq? (all Muslim areas).
It would be seen that the objective is political and thus it would be sacrilegious to blame or drag Islam into this unholy situation. It is a shame that our ‘intellectuals’ have lately developed a bad and condemnable habit of targeting Islam and looking at things with glasses made elsewhere.
I am confident that peace and tranquillity would prevail once reason succeeds and a just solution to the above disputes is found and enforced.
KHAN A. SHAMSHAD
Karachi
MR Sarfraz Ahmad’s assertion in his letter (Aug 9) that Maulana Maudoodi never disfavoured the creation of Pakistan is wrong.
His contention that the Maulana’s pamphlets and books on Muslim nationality were widely used by workers of the Pakistan Movement is also incorrect. He does not quote a single excerpt from the Maulana in favour of Pakistan.
Here are some excerpts from the Maulana’s statements regarding the future Pakistan and on nationalism as cited in Mr Rafiq Zakaria’s book, Indian Muslims:
“Another political voice that was raised against the Pakistan Movement was from Maulana Maudoodi, founder of the Jamaat-i-Islami. While addressing the general body meeting of the Jamaat, he said that Indian Muslims should expect nothing but political humiliation as a result of the power game that had been enacted by their leadership (Muslim League). In a speech which he delivered on April 25, 1947, addressing the general body meeting of the Jamaat in Madras, he said: ‘Persisting in old attitudes would be harmful, because the efforts of Muslims to preserve their rights (demand of Pakistan) will only help intensify the communal prejudices of the Hindus more strongly.
‘Hence, we should try to create, on a large-scale, public opinion among Muslims that they should as a community have nothing to do with the government or the administration and should assure Hindu nationalism by their attitude that there is no competing Muslim nationalism. This is the only way to remove the extraordinary prejudice the non-Muslim majority has against Islam’.”
Even the Jamiat-ul-Islam Hind’s (later transformed into the JUI in Pakistan) then president, Mufti Kifayatullah, said in Delhi on April 28, 1940 at the independent Muslim conference:
“India with its geographical and political boundaries is an indivisible whole and as such it is the common homeland of all the citizens irrespective of race or religion who are the joint owners of its resources... From the national point of view, every Muslim is an Indian.”
Another JUI-Hind leader Maulana Hafizur Rehman at the same conference added that he would tell the (Muslim) League that India was one and indivisible whole and Muslims were its co- owners along with other communities.
KUNWAR KHALID YUNUS
Karachi
IN the August issue of the Readers’ Digest, I came across a very interesting article on how the water shortage problem has been solved in some other countries. I am reproducing it below for the benefit of your readers and consideration of our authorities for solving the acute water shortage which Karachi has to suffer all the time:
“Flushing the toilet accounts for about 30 per cent of all water use in the typical home, with each flush using 11 or more litres of water. In dry places, like Australia, this waste was unacceptable. So an Australian toiletmaker began exploring ways to reduce the waste in the 1970s. The company came up with the dual-flush toilet, which uses six litres of water to flush solid waste and three litres to flush liquids. Standard in all Australian homes, the dual-flush toilet is also now common in Singapore. Studies in Australia have shown that daily flush volumes fell from 55 litres per person a day in 1982 to 18 litres a decade later. Another survey conducted in Canada found that the dual-flush system reduced flush volumes by 68 per cent in homes and saved 26 per cent more water than normal toilets”.
Mrs SHIRIN TAYEBI
Karachi
AT present there is no uniformity in school timing in Karachi; perhaps it is so in all other places of the country also. There is some uniformity in government-managed schools, but private schools do not follow a uniform system. In the case one school the timing until now was from 8am to 1.30pm. It has now been changed to 7.45am to 2pm effective from August. According to this new timing, most of the students cannot possibly reach their residence before 2.30pm and cannot have their lunch before 2.45pm.
The issue of school timings should not be left to the sweet will of school managements, which are often one-person affairs more concerned about finances than looking after the health of the children. All school timings should be from 8am to 1pm, with a 15-minute break.
The number of weekly holidays should also be made uniform. Two weekly holidays on Saturdays and Sundays should also be observed in both government-managed and private schools.
A.M. SAYIED
Karachi
THE prime minister some time back had declared that economic self-reliance had been achieved, the begging bowl broken and that there would be no involvement of the IMF/World Bank in Pakistan’s economic policies.
An IMF team visited Pakistan recently. Further, according to a press report (Dawn, Aug 11), there has been increase of almost four per cent amounting to $1.4 billion in Pakistan’s foreign debt to $36.6 billion by March.
The begging bowl is there and foreign loans are still being negotiated/obtained.
Economic self-reliance is a must. Fiscal needs should be managed within state resources. Proceeds of privatization should be used for debt reduction.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
THE Consumer Protection Council of Helpline Trust has drawn the attention of the health ministry, Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and the Pakistan Medical Association to the marketing of medicated syrups in unsealed bottles. This is in gross violation of FDA and international drug laws.
The pharmaceutical industry has taken the plea that the health ministry of Pakistan has not made it mandatory to pack medicated syrups in sealed or pilfer-proof bottles.
However, the same international companies market medicated syrups, throughout the world, in sealed and pilfer-proof bottles.
Despite reminders, the Consumer Protection Council has not received a response from the PPMA. It is the moral obligation of manufacturers to take into consideration their commitment to good manufacturing practice and corporate social responsibility and ensure that they follow the same standard and ethical behaviour as they do in other countries.
CONSUMER PROTECTION COUNCIL
Karachi
MUCH has been written about senior citizens and the privileges they are supposed to get. But it is all in the mind and in newspapers. First, is there any society, group, club or organization that can be called Pakistan senior citizens group (or whatever it be called)? If so, may I have its address? If it does not exist, can we start one like it? I am 71 years old and would like to become a member.
I believe senior citizens are allowed a 25 per cent rebate on railway and air passages. But this is not being done by the railways. Also, I am not aware of any such concessions for bus/coach passengers.
Are there or are there going to be any concessions for senior citizens to avoid long queues at post offices, passport offices, identity card offices, railway stations, etc?
M.A. NAYEEM
Karachi
IS it not possible to build a system in the circuitry of a mobile phone which could on receiving a signal/command from the mother company destroy the entire system inside and make the phone irreparable and useless in the hands of the snatcher?
This I think will be the most effective way of reducing this menace. What do IT wizards have to say about this?
N.A. KHAN
Karachi
ON Aug 14 as my children were getting ready to go to school to celebrate Independence Day, I was struck by the irony that they were doing so during another of the many long KESC electricity breakdowns that we have unfortunately all become used to.
This incident begged the question — our independence has given us freedom from what? Real independence should also mean freedom from daily indignities that are thrust upon us through inefficiency and corruption.
TAHER G. SACHAK
Karachi
THE PTCL has miserably failed in my case to honour its tall talk of providing new telephone connection within 24 hours. I applied for a new connection to SDO Qila Dedar Singh on March 6, 2004, against registration No. 4442. Even a demand notice has not been issued so far.
MUHAMMAD SHAHID
Gujranwala
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