| August 29, 2005 | Monday | Rajab 23, 1426 |
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JI and other religious parties
Road repair nightmares
KESC officers’ grievances
Aishwarya Rai and polio
Rain measures
Transparent exams
No compromise on justice
Old people’s homes
I AM writing in support of what has been written by “A Pakistani” in the letter ‘US image in Pakistan (Aug 16). As a further example of misleading statements given by American officials relating to Muslims, let me cite another one.
In a recent video conference, US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca, in reply to a question, said: “There is absolutely no question of any kind of discrimination with respect to the Muslim world” (Aug 3).
The most glaring example of American discrimination is the blind support provided to Israel in its policy of genocide and persecution of the Palestinians. The extent to which the US goes lies beyond providing advanced weapons and even bulldozers (from US taxpayers’ money) that are used to demolish the Palestinians’ homes.
America vetoes almost every resolution presented in the UN Security Council that is critical of any aspect of Israel’s policies or actions. When, out of desperation, the Arabs table a resolution in the General Assembly so that the moral strength of their position and the overwhelming support of the member countries can be demonstrated, the US, along with Israel state and a couple of obscure Pacific Ocean island nations, are usually the only opponents.
Ms Rocca has also stated that her country had gone to war for the Muslim countries and to defend the Muslims. The places meant here are Bosnia and Kosovo because intervention in Afghanistan was part of the Cold War tangle. Let’s consider Bosnia.
People haven’t forgotten how the US and other western powers had kept on dragging their feet until nearly 200,000 Muslims had been butchered and thousands of women aged eight to 80 had been systematically gang-raped. Above all, it had become very clear that a strong and viable Islamic country could not emerge in the heart of Europe out of the ashes of Bosnia.
I was in the US in the mid-’90s when the tragic Bosnian drama was unfolding. The Muslims of America, too like their brethren elsewhere, were demanding that president Clinton should help the Bosnians but he wasn’t budging. One Islamic centre then started a signature campaign whereby a petition the size of a billboard was signed by thousands of Muslims to be sent to Mr Clinton.
Such heart-breaking appeals were what it had taken to shame Washington into helping the poor victims of Serbian barbarism. One must be fair by admitting that many ordinary Americans were sending donations in response to appeals over the television and also calling upon their government to intervene in Bosnia on the Muslims’ behalf. It appears that the Zionist and neo-conservative hold on successive American administrations is the root cause of the latter’s anti-Muslim policies.
The US went to the Kosovars’ help because it was strategically deemed very important by the West to keep Serbia — as Russia’s ally — in check and also to prevent another influx of Muslim refugees into European countries.
Other examples include the sudden withdrawal of its earlier moral and diplomatic support to the Chechens soon after 9/11 as also the reversal of Washington’s longstanding policy of endorsing the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. The occupation of Iraq on false pretexts to remove a big thorn from Israel’s side and also to control its oil reserves is too well- known to merit further discussion. Keeping the Islamic Salvation Front party of Algeria from getting power in Algeria despite winning the elections is yet another example.
The clamping of sanctions on both India and Pakistan after their overt nuclearizatton of 1998 in spite of knowing that India had pushed Pakistan on to the nuclear path by (a) dismembering it in 1971, (b) exploding New Delhi’s first atomic weapon in 1974 and (c) that the sanctions would hardly affect India because most of its military and nuclear requirements were fulfilled by Moscow — all this can only be seen as discrimination.
ANOTHER PAKISTANI
Karachi
JUSTICE Munir and Justice Kayani’s court of inquiry report was published in 1954, which discussed the religious parties in considerable detail. Justice Munir’s report presents the views of the JI thus:
“It believes not only in propaganda but in acquisition of political control by constitutional means and where feasible by force. A government which is not based on the Jamaat’s conception, as for instance where it is based on the conception of a nation, is, according to Maulana Amin Ahsan Elahi (Islahi), a satanic government, and according to Maulana Abul Ala Maudoodi himself kufr, and all persons taking part in such (a) government, whether as administrators or otherwise, or willingly submitting to such systems being sinners.
“The Jamaat was, therefore, professedly opposed to the Muslim League’s conception of Pakistan and since the establishment of Pakistan, which it described as Na-Pakistan, has been opposed to the present system of government....
“In none of the writings of the Jamaat produced before us there is to be found the remotest reference in support for the demand for Pakistan, and on the contrary, these writings which contain several possible hypotheses, are all opposed to the form in which Pakistan came into being and exists” (page 243, The Court of Inquiry Punjab Act II, Government printing, Punjab, 1954).
About the Ahrar, the report states: “There was no love lost between them and the Muslim League; nor was the Muslim League’s Pakistan ever acceptable to them. During the period that the Muslim League under the leadership of the Quaid-i-Azam was striving for Pakistan, the Ahrar were flinging foul abuse on all the leading personalities of the Muslim League and accusing them of leading un-Islamic lives. Islam with them was a weapon, which they could drop and pick up at pleasure to discomfort a political adversary.
“In their dealings with the Congress, religion was a private affair to them and nationalism their ideology. When they were pitted against the League, their sole consideration was Islam of which they held a monopoly from God, and the League was not only indifferent to this but an enemy of Islam. To them the Quaid-i-Azam was Kafir-i-Azam” (page 254, The Court of Inquiry Punjab Act II, Government printing, Punjab, 1954).
Maulana Abdul Haamid Badayuni, president of the Jamiat Ulema-i- Pakistan, responding to a question posed by the justices in reference to the Quaid-i-Azam’s speech of August 11, 1947, said: “(Non-Muslim) communities cannot have any rights of citizenship” (page 214, The Court of Inquiry Punjab Act II, Government printing, Punjab, 1954).
These parties later transformed themselves into religious hate groups for their independent political and religious agendas. I don’t see any change in the views of the religious parties in Pakistan today. Most of them harbour the same agendas and have deep reservations regarding a moderate and progressive Pakistan.
MIRZA IMRAN A. KARIM
Lahore
ONE has read the letters of Mr Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mr Kunwar Khalid Yunus and other correspondents about Maulana Maudoodi’s views on the creation of Pakistan. As someone not belonging to any party but owing allegiance only to Pakistan, one would like to offer some brotherly advice.
It is obvious from the statement cited by Mr Yunus that the Maulana’s foremost worry was that trying to divide India would “only help intensify the communal prejudices of the Hindus more strongly” (‘A democratic Pakistan’, Aug 18). Thus, it was not out of any love for the Hindus but out of fear for the subsequent plight of the Muslims that he opposed the demand for Pakistan.
We should also remember that even Mr Jinnah was known as the ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity and till quite late he had no intention of parting ways with the majority community. After the creation of Pakistan, he was still in favour of having good relations with them.
Therefore, every leader sought the betterment of the Muslims. Besides, there is no point in quarrelling about issues that had existed before most of us were even born. Just as the MQM people feel bothered if they are (unfairly) reminded that they or their parents are/were ‘mohajirs’, similarly should the present religious leaders be held responsible for what their predecessors had said?
If each one of us does just one small little thing by way of conciliation, it will immensely strengthen Pakistan and improve the environment and quality of our lives tremendously.
PAKISTANI FIRST
Karachi
THE City District Government of Karachi is undertaking road repairs in a most unscientific way and creating huge traffic jams. Work remains unfinished on one road when another road is broken up without realizing that traffic jams worsen.
More than five months have passed, but work on Stadium Road shows no signs of coming to an end. Traffic now flows partly on both tracks and partly on a single track. For traffic to move over to the other track, cars, buses, water tankers and trucks on both tracks use two small “cuts’ in the median.
This leads to eyeball-to-eyeball confrontations every hour and causes huge snarls. There is no policeman to direct traffic.
Similarly, the CDGK dug up Abul Hasan Ispahani Road more than a month ago and then forgot all about it. Now heavy traffic between University Road and Sohrab Goth uses a single track, leading to massive confusion, with vehicles moving into lanes and bylanes to avoid jams.
Now on top of it, a third road — M. A. Jinnah Extension — is being dug up, starting from the roundabout where the PPPP office is. Traffic has already started using the single track part of the way. When the entire road is dug up, there will be enormous blockages because traffic between Gulshan-i-Iqbal and the Quaid’s Mazar will be using a single track.
What road do traffic authorities think motorists in Hasan Square and Gulshan-i-iqbal should take if they are to go toward the Quaid’s Mazar and vice versa? With Stadium Road dug up, traffic through the old Sabzi Mandi will take hours.
This will be truly nightmarish. Will the traffic and CDGK authorities look into this, expedite road repairs and put some scientific planning into traffic management instead of creating utter chaos and causing waste of time for millions — literally millions — of commuters?
JAMIL ZAHID
Karachi
MANY officials of the KESC have been facing a host of problems. These issues have, in fact, disturbed the functioning of the corporation’s various departments and wings. The following are just some of the major issues:
a. Two years ago, customer service officers (CSOs) were inducted into the organization, following a transparent process involving tests and interviews. Most of the selected people have postgraduate degrees in business administration. However, their appointment has yet to be confirmed;
b. The CSOs face considerable hardship, as they get their salaries after the 15th of every month;
c. In terms of pay and fringe benefits, the CSOs have been placed in group 2, that is below assistant executive engineers who are mostly graduates, and;
d. As they are working on contractual basis, the CSOs are not entitled to TA/DA, etc. This places an additional burden on their meagre resources, especially if they reside in far-off places. The senior officials of KESC are requested to look into the issues mentioned as soon as possible.
MEHTAB ALI & OTHER CSOs
Karachi
ACCORDING to a news item in your newspaper, the ministry of health has arranged a performance by Aishwarya Rai in Pakistan to create awareness about polio.
The fact, however, is that most of the recent polio cases have been detected from remote areas of the country where no one knows or will have heard of Ms Rai. Also, what is her credibility to convey messages about polio vaccination? Can someone in the ministry please explain what the target audience of such a performance will be and how it will help fight polio.
ASMA FAYYAZ
Islamabad
EVERY year much before the commencement of the monsoon spell the departments that deal with such situations, for example, local bodies/city government, Wapda/KESC and irrigation hold ‘emergency meetings’ to face any threat caused by river overflows. These include meetings headed by very senior officers of the agencies concerned and the activation of task forces. These proceedings get regular coverage in the media.
When the rainy season comes, even places like Karachi and Lahore, which have a comparatively better-organized infrastructure, a moderate downpour brings the entire civic system to a standstill. Roads are submerged for lack of proper outlets as gutter lines are clogged either with plastic bags or authorized construction raised on the main nullahs. In the countryside where the threat is mostly from river inundation things are horrible. Embankments have become extremely perilous due to long neglect and require immediate repair. Villages and hutments built on forest land near katcha areas are exposed to a direct flood threat. River forests grown within the river bed are a resisting factor against the annual inundation. Now these natural forests have fallen prey to the agricultural land mafia, exposing the surrounding lands to the threat of a deluge.
Although the rise in rivers emanating from the Indus basin system as well as those coming from Afghanistan remains under surveillance from moment to moment, unauthorized people living in the riverbed areas are not evacuated in time and some lose their lives. The embankments are always reinforced at the eleventh hour, and that only to temporarily avert the danger.
The question is that when the coming of rainy season, its concomitant perils and the weakness in the system have been identified much in advance, why are drains not cleaned, river banks fortified and electric systems buttressed? Is it not wise to adopt necessary measures much before the incoming peril so that people should not be made to suffer the consequences than await disaster to occur and provide some relief to those who have suffered on account of neglect?
Those who are associated with tasks of such national importance should ponder over this year-to-year phenomenon and instead of wasting time and energy in meaningless ‘emergency meetings’ should divert their attention to in repairing the already identified weak areas in the system much before the start of the monsoon.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
QUALITY education always remains a priority in every civilized society. Examining the aspirants in a clean and transparent manner is yet another requirement of the time. Merit and talent should never be left unrewarded in any circumstances or else it would cost irresolvable upheavals. Resultantly, the young generation might fall prey to frustration.
I am a guardian and my ward has appeared from one of the most reputed colleges of the city in the just-concluded Intermediate examinations, held under the control of the Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, with science subjects. He had appeared in the 11th class last year and had secured a percentage touching 90 and thus he was among the toppers.
Most unfortunately this year, on his return home from his examination centre, he complained of excessive cheating almost every day. I paid no heed to this complaint because such lame excuses are always there if you fear that your performance is below the mark. But then, to everyone’s great surprise, the matter of cheating was reported on a TV channel showing a film relating to the use of unfair means. The newspapers also reported the matter. This shocking news added much more to the grievances of the examinees and their parents.
A month has gone and the results of the examinations will be made public in a month and yet the controlling authority of the Sindh boards has not turned up with any remedy and redresser for the victims.
Thus, it is requested that an inquiry into the matter by a high court judge be conducted to bring the culprits to justice as early as possible. It is also required that men of integrity and repute be appointed on the boards. If merit remains unrewarded at this level, a bankruptcy would be the only fate of the nation.
DR NOOR AFROZ
Karachi
THE Supreme Court judgment sentencing Sarabjit Singh to death is being questioned by the Indians. If we yield to the unreasonable demands made by his family and the Indian government, we will be compromising on justice. If indeed he was a RAW operator, he must pay for it.
I hope our very flexible government will not be influenced by appeals from across the border. After all, India does not spare Pakistanis who are accused, rightly or wrongly, of spying.
Let the world take note of what Indians do in Pakistan. New Delhi keeps accusing Pakistanis of infiltrating across the border. Let this case highlight the other side of the picture.
SOPHIA MALIK
Lahore
I ENDORSE the views expressed by Mahmood Ghaznavi in your letters to the editor page of August 26. Old people’s homes are a major provider of health and social care services for older people in the developed countries, and the same trend is now taking place in developing countries as well.
We need to have quality care homes with state-of-the-art facilities that offer a range of services to meet the needs of senior citizens.
The services should range from full-time residence to short-term stays so that family members looking after their elderly can take a holiday and leave their loved ones in a caring atmosphere suited to individual needs and at an affordable price.
These homes would also give older people the chance to participate in social activities and to benefit from the company of others in their peer group. Such homes can also be geared to provide residence during periods of convalescence for patients who no longer need hospital care but are in need of time to recuperate.
Users of such facilities should be required to fully fund their own or their loved one’s care and accommodation. NGOs, the corporate sector and senior citizens’ societies and trusts can work together to make life safer and comfortable for older people who have been left to lead solitary lives due to family circumstances.
FOUZIA RAHMAN
Karachi
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