| September 3, 2005 | Saturday | Rajab 28, 1426 |
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Islam, state and society
Pakistan: secular or Islamic?
A present-day truth
Getting your money’s worth
Entry test
HEC affairs
Al Qaeda: a bogey?
Karachi traffic
Cutting trees
Motorway
Islamic bank
Local biradari elections
Withholding tax
New Murree
DERAILMENT of a goods train on a bridge near Karachi immediately after the unprecedented triple train disaster near Ghotki cries out for a down-to-earth appraisal of the whole railway system.
Pakistan had inherited a perfectly sound system, with the railway headquarters and workshops located in Lahore. The railways provided the safest and cheapest mode of travel and transport of goods from one end of the country to the other. The governor-general, prime ministers, ministers, governors and VIPs travelled by train which went a long way in keeping the railway staff on their toes and maintaining efficiency.
I was information officer at the railway board in the 1950s. I remember Dr Khan Sahib as minister for railways. He began his day in office by examining the chart of arrivals and departures of passenger and goods trains at the Karachi City and Cantonment railway stations. He believed that if a train was late, there was some defect in the system, which needed to be addressed. A complaint in the press would bring a question or an adjournment motion in the National Assembly.
The railways had a separate budget which was thoroughly debated and the entire system came under the scrutiny of the legislators before the budget was passed by the assembly.
Over a period, the railway budget was merged with the general budget, thus hiding the true state of the railways from parliament and the press.
Instead of replacement of aging rolling stock, worn-out track and manual signal systems, governments have spent scant resources on the import of huge trailers for the National Logistics Cell and on building motorways. Disregarding the ever-increasing loss of revenue, the railways have been packed with hundreds of unwanted and undeserving favourites, making it top-heavy.
A time came when three general managers ran a highly integrated single system reminding us the last days of the Sikh rule in Punjab when four governors ruled the city of Lahore, constantly at each other’s throat.
SYED AFZAAL HUSAIN ZAIDI
Islamabad
DR Bashir Naeem, in his letter ‘True Islam or Islamic formalism?’ (Aug 31), has rightly observed that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) built solidarity on the basis of the tenets of Islam not being seen as detached from the circumstances of the time. There is a need to define the relationship between the state and religion.
The Holy Quran does not specify any form of government but gives the concept of a just society, which should be based on values of justice, equality, compassion, and human dignity. It emphasizes ‘adl’ and ‘ihsan’ (justice and benevolence) and strongly condemns ‘zulm’ and ‘udwan’ (oppression and injustice). It accepts the rights of other religious communities to follow their own religion (5:47). It forbids defiling the places of worship other religions (22:40). It accepts plurality as the will of God (5:48). It accords equal status to men and women (33:35 and 2:228). It refers to a democratic system of governance (through mutual consultation) in verse 42:38.
The Holy Quran, prescribes the essentials of a state in verse 22:41: “Those who, when given power in the land, establish regular prayers and give regular charity and enjoin what is right and prohibit what is wrong.”
Read in the total context of the Quranic laws, which are addressed to the entire mankind, the state is responsible for: (a) establishing peaceful conditions and ensuring freedom of worship for all its citizens according to their faith, (b) allocating adequate funds for poverty alleviation, healthcare and education, (c) legislating and enforcing laws that protect the rights of its citizens, irrespective of their colour, creed and faith and the rights of the weaker elements of society and (d) making and enforcing laws that discourage crime, discrimination, nepotism, favouritism, etc.
FAQIR AHMAD PARACHA
Peshawar
THIS refers to Mr Qutubuddin Aziz’s letter ‘Pakistan: secular or Islamic? (Aug 30)’ in which he has supported Mr Liaquat H. Merchant’s contention (Aug7) that Mr Jinnah envisioned Pakistan as a Muslim state but to have attributes of a secular state such as equality of all citizens before the law whether Muslim or Hindu or Christian.
If it already was not confusing as to whether Mr Jinnah envisaged Pakistan to be a secular or an Islamic country, we have a new theory according to which Mr Jinnah wanted something in between.
The reason as to why there is so much confusion over this issue is that people are not even aware as to what secularism is all about. Secularism merely means that a state should not propagate religion and this is precisely what Jinnah wanted when he in his historic Aug 11, 1947 address to the constituent assembly said that state has no business with religion.
Besides, when everything fails, we must use our common sense. Common sense tells us that we should not do something to others which would hurt us if the same were done to us. It will hurt our sentiments if any country makes it a part of its constitution that a Muslim can never be head of the state. Thus when we make it a part of the Constitution that a non-Muslim cannot be the head of state, not only do we hurt their sentiments but we perpetuate inequality and that also in the name of Islam.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Lahore
A PARADOX of our time is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We have added years to life, not life to years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the neighbour.
We’ve conquered outer space, but not the inner space; we’ve cleaned up the air but polluted the soul; we’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are times of steep profits and shallow relationships.
We have more leisure, but less fun, more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are the days of two incomes, and more divorces; of fancier houses, but broken homes.
It is time when there is too much in the shop windows and nothing in the stock room; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or just hit delete.
COLUMBINE STUDENT
Via email
IN reference to Tayaba Khan’s letter (Aug 2), these days there is much activity in the telecom sector, a lot of investment being made in this sector and the telecom sector in Pakistan is certainly booming. It is a pity though that these large telecom entities don’t live up to the promises they make at the launch ceremonies.
I mean the slogans of these telecom companies make them look so consumer-oriented, unfortunately barring a few, the rest are all out to cheat the unsuspecting citizens. These days the calling cards have become so popular, they really are so convenient, convenient that is until they provide the calling time stated on the card. It happened to me so many times that a card ran out of balance much before I expected.
This caused me one day to actually use a stop watch to calculate the time the card lasted while calling a friend abroad. I was astounded by the result, which was nearly half the calling time the card guaranteed.
I will not name the company which retails the particular card. All I would like is that a investigation by the relevant authorities be carried out so as to ascertain the fraudulent parties behind this scam. After all,the consumer is entitled to get his money’s worth.
HABIBUR REHMAN
Via email
THIS refers to the news about the entry test organized by the UET at Lahore and various other centres.
The UET administration seemed to have made a lot of arrangements for holding this test but these measures fell short of the stature of this institution.
The centres were spread throughout the campus. Since many students were unfamiliar with the UET campus, they faced a lot of difficulties in locating their place of test. Also the seats were very uncomfortable.
There were no writing desks for the candidates, the fans were inadequate and there was no arrangement for drinking water. Parents of candidates had to wait in the open in the hot and humid weather and forced to buy drinking water.
The government could hold such tests at some more suitable place. Since cheating in the Intermediate examination has almost been eliminated, it will be in the fitness of things to scrap the entry test altogether. I hope the Punjab chief minister will look into this matter and take a decision accordingly.
DR SHAHID TUFAIL SHEIKH
Lahore
I HAVE been reading with grave concern the campaign launched by Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy of the Quaid-i-Azam University against the Higher Education Commission’s chairman, Dr Atta-ur- Rehman. Why has Dr Rehman suddenly become the subject of the wrath of Dr Hoodbhoy? The teachers and educators of the country have been clamouring since long for a paradigm shift in funding for education in Pakistan. The slogans given by our ‘generous’ foreign donors, and NGOs did not change the destiny of the nation. ‘Education for all’, ‘adult Literacy’, ‘each one teach one’, ‘universal primary education,’ etc., proved as useless for Pakistan as they did for other under-developed or developing countries. Had there been any force in these slogans, perhaps Sri Lanka with 98 per cent literacy would have been the most developed nation of the world.
In spite of the fact that several education policies suggested change in the focus from primary and tertiary education to higher education, no significant improvement in funding pattern was made by successive governments. Foreign funding, which was in abundance in other sectors, was conspicuously scarce in higher education sector. The universities and institutions of higher education continued to starve. They were in the red before Dr Atta-ur-Rehman took the command of higher education. Somehow he was able to persuade the government to substantially enhance funding for higher education.
Through his efforts, all universities of the country are now affluent in terms of finances. The level of faculty development and scientific research in our institutions has also witnessed tremendous strides. Emphasis on quality education is increasing day by day.
This state of affairs does not suit the objectives of many foreign nations and international financial agencies. Hence the campaign against the HEC and its chairman.
I need not to go into details of the criticism of Dr Hoodbhoy or the defence produced by Dr Suhail Naqvi. Whether the HEC has provided Rs400 million for the purchase of ‘obsolete’ Van de Graaf accelerators as blamed by Dr Hoodbhoy or Rs90 million as claimed by Mamoona Amjad, one thing is certain that if the HEC cannot rely on people like Dr Riazuddin, Dr Samar Mubarakmand, and Dr Ishfaq Ahmad — big names in science within and outside the country — for preparation of a project suiting the future needs of Pakistan, then God bless this country.
M. A. RAOOF
Lahore
This is with reference to the letter ‘Al Qaeda: a bogey?’ by Mr Wajid Naeemuddin (Aug 26). I wish to add a few more observations. Just after the London bombings it was reported that a new secret European wing of Al-Qaeda had claimed on its website responsibility for the attack and it further went on and ‘informed’ that the attack came in retaliation for British involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Although the claim was “immediately” discounted as being not confirmed, one still wonders how easy it is to set up a website and make such claims.
These types of allegedly Islamic websites are freely disseminating information regarding kidnappings, beheadings, terrorist attacks and other vital and much sought-after information, and most of them are attributed by Western intelligence agencies to Al Qaeda or its affiliates. This is somewhat surprising given that there seems to be no one capable in the hi-tech counter-terrorism field and intelligence agencies who can track down those behind such websites.
ANAS A. KHAN
Edmonton, Canada
AS Karachiites, we face lots of problems daily — the traffic system being the worst.
As a working woman, with a heavy schedule, time is money. Every working woman wants to achieve a balance in her daily routine. Every woman doe snot have a car. Many of us use private buses.
Most of the time the buses are overloaded, not because of a shortage of buses in the city but because of mismanagement by bus operators. The administration has no control over them. The divers choose their own schedules to get a maximum number of commuters.
All drivers create unnecessary traffic jams. I suffer this ordeal every day when I board a bus at Nazimabad for the Shaheen Complex. I see no traffic police worth mentioning. It’s rule of the jungle all along. In the evening the situation is worse. Encroachments along roads and illegal car parking in almost all areas, especially in Saddar, add to the conjusion.
Random digging of roads is another major cause of traffic jams. Some 46 roads reportedly being rebuilt. The authorities concerned could have done this in instalments to save us from our daily misery.
SHEEMA SIDDIQUI
Karachi
A councillor of New Garden Town hates nature. We had planted a lot of trees in our green belt to check pollution. But now it hardly has about two to three trees. The reason is the councillor. He has been cutting down our trees. And at the end he blames the school next door.
If the councillor in our country will be of such type, how can we reduce pollution? How can we save the lives of people? They are dying because of pollution and the only cure is planting more trees. The councillor should realize that what he is doing is wrong.
AYESHA ABDULLAH
Lahore
Travelling on the Motorway from Multan Road, Lahore, to Sheikhupura the other day, I noticed at least four to five potholes on the road which are dangerous for vehicles driving at more than 100 kilometres per hour. Perhaps that was why pieces of broken tyres could be seen littered on the road. Repair of this portion of the road and removal of potholes is urgently needed.
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
SOME Pakistani investors who had put their money in the Islamic Investment Bank got a big blow when their investments were frozen after the bank was charged with fraud. The bank was working under the guarantee of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and had various offices across the country.
According to reports, a former registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, along with the directors of the bank, are involved and the fraud was ongoing for quite a while. The matter is under investigation and the case is registered with the Supreme Court.
However, in the mean time all the money invested by investors is on hold and thus the profit earned has also stopped coming. For many it was the only source of income after their retirement.
We urge the prime minister to please look into this matter immediately and help the poor investors get their vested money back at the earliest possible.
ARSALAN QURESHI
London
FINALLY, the two phases of the local body elections are over. Ruling parties have come up with majority of nazimites. The elections have caused serious rifts within civil society by turning into tribe feuds and biradarism.’
People are already thinking of how to push forward their families and clans in the next election. For a person to win, he’d better belong to a dominating ‘biradari’.
Every political party had nominated candidates belonging to larger clans. In Sialkot, five groups of the ruling party emerged, every group representing a separate ‘biradari’.
Not so long ago, Ziaul Haq had announced ‘partyless’ election whose fruits we still are consuming. Ayub Khan also gave us the Basic Democrats set up. It is interesting to note that the word ‘partyless’ doesn’t exist in any reliable dictionary.
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL KHAN
Islamabad
THIS is with reference to a news item carried in your newspaper a few days ago which said that the Karachi Chamber of Commerce had appealed to the the prime minister to abolish the withholding tax levied recently on cash withdrawal through cheques for over Rs25,000. However, no such appeals have been made by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce or the Sialkot Chamber.
The idea of levying such a tax has been borrowed from India and seems to be an easy way of earning some funds for the exchequer. Instead of doing this, the CBR should concentrate on increasing the tax base rather than punish those who have no choice but to withdraw cash, especially widows, pensioners and senior citizens.
RAHEEL RAZZAQUE
Karachi
THE mind boggles when one contemplates the apathy in quarters concerned towards the environmental havoc that is being planned in the name of development of the New Murree project.
Once this destruction of the delicate ecosystem and the effects of human sewerage and garbage of the new city sets in, the drinking water downstream of Murree hills will be poisoned.
Denuding the forest canopy will have a negative effect on the localized weather that results in reliable rainfall over Islamabad.
JAVED KHAN
Haripur Hazara
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