| September 23, 2005 | Friday | Sha'aban 18, 1426 |
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Questions for Youhana
Use of public funds
‘PBC official resigns’
Standard of education
New Murree scheme
Protecting the environment
Protecting heritage buildings
Multan airport runway
Oil price hedging
Poverty elimination
Some questions
I AM writing this to state that your report of President Pervez Musharraf’s meeting with Pakistani women in New York on Sept. 17 ignored the substance of the president’s presentation and his very positive interaction with the majority of the audience and focused only on a minute or two of the entire event. I was the keynote speaker at this meeting and witnessed the proceedings from beginning to end.
There was no “pandemonium”, as claimed in the report. At the very outset of his presentation, the president clarified that the remark quoted by The Washington Post and made the subject of intense criticism by those opposed to him did not represent his own thinking. He was citing a comment he had heard in Islamabad. The president’s clarification was accepted by the vast majority of persons in the room.
The president addressed the issues of violence against women and gender inequality and the measures taken by him and his government to deal with them. He said that Pakistanis should feel ashamed of the acts of violence that were being perpetrated against women in their society. Repeatedly, the president affirmed his support for women and his pledge that he would stand by those women who had been wronged. He referred to the cases of Mukhtaran Mai and Dr Shazia Khalid and said that he had done a lot to help them.
He said that it was Dr Shazia Khalid’s own wish to leave Pakistan and go to England. He was disappointed to know that she was now alleging that she had been forced to leave the country and was criticizing the government for mistreating her. The president said that Dr Shazia Khalid was free to return to Pakistan and that full protection would be given to her if she returned.
Pointing out that the issue of violence against women was a global phenomenon, the president said he did not like the singling out of Pakistan in this context. “You can single out Pakistan in Pakistan but not in other countries,” he said. He said that rape victims from one country were not taken to another — for instance, rape victims from Canada were not taken to China — to protest against violence against women in a particular country. The problems of Pakistani women had to be resolved within Pakistan, not in New York.
The president acknowledged that there were deficiencies in the law-enforcement agencies and the judicial system because of the patriarchal, feudal and tribal mindset of those who were in charge of implementing laws.
The president said that the NGOs that were engaged in criticizing him and his government with regard to women’s issues should work with the government to find solutions to the serious problems facing women in Pakistan. He also said that while it was necessary to give assistance to particular victims of violence, it was very important to go beyond the idea of helping a few women and find the underlying causes of violence against women so that the larger problem could be addressed.
At the end of his presentation, three-fourths of the people in the room stood up and applauded. The remaining one-fourth were persons who were opposed to him for personal or political reasons. Their venom toward the president became manifest in the question and answer part of the meeting.
The majority of the questions put to the president related to concerns of Pakistanis living in the US about their situation in that country or about matters such as the education of women in Pakistan. A few questions were asked with visible hostility. The last question was more a political diatribe than a genuine query. In a voice filled with anger the questioner told the president that since he had “categorically denied” making the statement attributed to him by The Washington Post, he should make a clarification to the world press. She went on to express her disappointment at the way he was treating human rights activists who were protesting against violence toward women.
The president responded to the deliberately provocative comment by saying that the many journalists who were present had already heard his clarification. He expressed his disappointment at the questioner and others like her who were engaging in what he said was unpatriotic behaviour. He said that he would always support the cause of women but he would oppose those who were using women’s cause to further their own agendas that were harmful to the country.
At the end of the Q & A session, again the vast majority of the people stood up and gave the president a resounding round of applause.
DR. RIFFAT HASSAN
Professor of Humanities,
University of Louisville,
Louisville, Kentucky, US
I AM a Pakistani Christian and I am proud to be Christian. Mohammad Yousuf Youhana’s action has left 10 million Pakistani Christians quite speechless. As a Christian, I think I have the right to ask Mr Yousuf a few questions.
One, if, as has been attributed to him in newspaper reports, he had embraced Islam three years ago, why was he making the sign of the cross whenever he made a half century or a century in a match? Two, did he know that when he used to come in to bat, a section of the crowd would chant derogatory words that are often used by the ignorant to describe Pakistani Christians?
I know everyone has a right to make their own decisions but when someone from the minority community in Pakistan reaches a high and respectable position then members of that community begin to look up to him. Such an individual in a sense becomes an ambassador of that particular community. Mr Yousuf was also an ambassador for the Christian community, but he has played with our sentiments.
STEPHEN
Karachi
WE all were quite pleased to hear of Yousaf Youhana’s conversion to Islam. He was most probably not forced to convert to Islam by members of the cricket team, but was compelled to do so by the way they follow Islam. This shows that the best way to spread Islam is to present its principles in the best possible way through one’s mode of action and lifestyle, so that non-Muslims are impressed and are persuaded to undertake the path of this great religion.
SANEELA ALTAF
Karachi
On hearing of Yousuf Youhana’s conversion to Islam, I was reminded of what old Squadron Leader “Lala” Muhammad Afzal told Air Vice-Marshal Steve Joseph who had taken the new name of M. Yousuf after conversion. “Steve”, said Afzal, “you used to drink like a good Christian; now you drink like a bad Muslim.”
KHALID HASAN
Washington
THE newspapers of Sept. 17 carried special supplements on Altaf Hussain’s birthday. Mr Hussain is now a British national who is paying tax to the British government — that is, if he is in their tax net.
However, the interesting thing to me as a taxpayer of this country is that the supplement was financially supported by the following government organizations: the ministry of health of the government of Sindh, the ministry of information of the government of Sindh, the city district government of Karachi, the National Highway Authority, the Pakistan Public Works Department, the Karachi Port Trust, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, the Port Qasim Authority and the planning and development department of the government of Sindh.
A birthday of a political leader, no matter how popular he may be, should not be celebrated using money from the public exchequer.
In this case, the MQM should have used its own party funds. Imagine the drain on taxpayers’ funds if all politicians began doing this.
S. ASAD HUSSAIN
Islamabad
A two-page advertisement supplement was published in your newspaper on Sept. 17 on the occasion of Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain’s birthday. The supplement carried five quarter page advertisements from different government departments and a ministry headed by an MQM minister.
The exiled leader is free to celebrate his birthday but why at the cost of the national exchequer and the taxpayers’ hard earned money?
I. A. ALI
Karachi
THIS refers to the report published on Sept 11, “PCB official resigns”. The fact of the matter is that the District Cricket Association, Hyderabad, itself formed a committee to run its affairs. The member of the committee, who may have resigned, was neither appointed by the PCB nor was he on the PCB’s payroll.
On Sept 2, Dawn carried an item saying a Lahore High Court judge “orders comments from Shaharyar” (Annex B). The story related to suspension of the secretary of the Muzaffargarh District Cricket Association. The PCB understands that the case is sub judice but would like to state that an explanation was sought from the secretary concerned prior to his suspension.
On Aug 31, the PCB issued a press release regarding a committee set up to nominate a player for the “Cricketer of the Year” award. The committee included former Test captain Zaheer Abbas, Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Tariq Waseem Ghazi and journalist Gul Hameed Bhatti. While this story was given prominent coverage in other leading dailies, Dawn did not carry the item even though this was a “first” in Pakistan’s cricket history. The “Cricketer of the Year” award carries a cash prize of Rs500,000.
ABBAS ZAIDI
Director, Board Operation,
PCB Lahore
THE Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences is a reputable institute. However, it regrettable that the standard of education there is falling day by day. There might be so many factors for this but one major cause is the examination system.
Examinations are conducted after every 15 months while, according to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), nine months should be given to classes and in the remaining three months examinations must be conducted, including the examination preparation leave. But it doesn’t happen here.
Thus students get a five-year degree in about seven years. This has affected the standard of education. And whenever students try to talk to the university administration about the examination system, the latter gives them a discouraging response. I request the authorities concerned to intervene in the matter.
DR IRFAN ALMANI
Jamshoro
FROM what one reads in newspapers, if the New Murree scheme takes off, it will cause the murder of hundreds of thousands of coniferous trees, along with other devastating effects.
I may be allowed to quote a Hadith which when freely translated means that if you are planting a sapling and you see the end of the world (‘qiamat’) taking place, even then you should plant the sapling. This is the importance given to plants and trees in Islam, and rightly so.
NASIM JAFRI
Lahore
LATELY we have been hearing a lot about New Murree. Among them we have Umer Farooq talking about the dire consequences if the government goes ahead with the project. I agree with him and appeal to the government to stay this project for good. One would love to hear of projects of reforestations on the hills that were made barren over the years.
The government can make a number of nurseries and get each visitor to the hill stations to buy at least one tree and they could be made to plant that tree anywhere in the hills where it is needed. This project would be better than making another Murree that would only be for the rich.
Regarding tree plantation, nowadays one can read a lot of banners on the road encouraging people to plant tree. But when I see the number of trees cut, and many green spots finished and plazas taking their place, one may decide not to plant a single tree anymore as it will only be either cut down or will never get a chance to live.
Way back on June 5, on World Environmental Day, we decided to celebrate the day by cleaning up our area and plant as many trees as possible. The authorities were approached for permission. They were very glad and gave us the permission. We got the school staff and students of St. Mary’s and St. Lawrence’s in Lahore’s Gulberg to assemble in the Dungi Ground close by. The staff and students happily cleaned up the ground and planted trees and promised to look after them.
The staff and students did their best and not only looked after the trees they planted but also looked after the trees they had not planted. Unfortunately the government got another idea and decided to cut many of the trees there, and also build another complex. Not only did it destroy the trees and all the greenery over there, it has deprived the poor youth of playground space to make an amusement complex that would only cater for the rich.
Seeing all this going on, we should write and create public opinion against schemes such as New Murree and the construction of plazas, especially on grounds reserved for gardens, forests and playgrounds. We should undo the damage they have done by planting more trees. For each tree cut, 10 trees must be planted. We should stop the use of plastic bags and any other kind of pollutant and clean up the water system. Every factory must get its waste water go through treatment plants before it is allowed into the rivers or recycle it for re-consumption in any form. No factory must be allowed to function if it does not have a water and air treatment plant.
ABID HABIB
Lahore
THE excellent report and editorial published in your esteemed newspaper on the destruction of another much loved “protected” building of Karachi has underscored the tragic fate of Karachi’s historic architecture and the worsening state of its built environment.
Today all civilized nations, from the industrially advanced to the developing world, are striving hard to preserve their cultural distinctiveness through protection of their heritage. The family heirlooms consisting of urban historic architecture, gifted by earlier generations, are being preserved to endow their cities with unique characteristics.
The destruction of the Bandookwala building (also known as Beaufort building and the P & O Plaza) has come as a great shock to us. It was due to its significance that KaravanPakistan had recently organized its cleaning by 120 adults from different organizations and schoolchildren, who cleaned the entire building over several days on a voluntary basis.
We urge the Sindh government to enforce the Sindh Cultural (Preservation) Act 1994 by once again making the department of culture responsible for the protection of listed historic buildings to maintain the distinctiveness of this great metropolis.
BIR GUL KHAN BANGASH
Coordinator, KaravanPakistan Programmes,
Heritage Foundation, Pakistan
Karachi
THIS refer to the news item “Multan airport runway repair to cost Rs720” (Dawn, Sept 14).
This region’s agricultural production contributes a minimum of 70 per cent to the GDP. Keeping in view this fact, it should have a runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft — at least Airbus if not the Boeing 747. The only plane which flies to Multan is the Boeing 737 which has a limited number of seats. The people of Multan and the surrounding areas find it difficult to get a seat for Karachi or Lahore and back.
Multan airport serves a very large area comprising several districts and even travellers to and from D.G. Khan division. Two 737 plane flights per day to Multan, directly or via Faisalabad, are not enough.
The expenditure of Rs720 million just for runway repairs does not appear to be justified. Instead, the runway should be upgraded for wide-body aircraft.
DR MOHAMMAD YUSUF
Karachi
The government is considering hedging against oil prices as reported in your newspaper on Sept. 16. A look at the long term graph of the benchmark Brent crude shows that the oil price ranged between just below $18 a barrel to a high of just below $35 a barrel during the three-and-a-half year period between Sept. 2000 and April 2004.
The price hovered around S20 for a consideraqble period of time between Nov. 2001 and Feb. 2002. Why did the policy makers not think of hedging then or at any other time between 2001 and 2004 when the price was relatively low? Although it is almost impossible to predict future prices with any certainty, with the dramatic rise in international oil prices in the last year or so, the balance of risks may have shifted towards relatively stable or lower oil prices in the near future.
Hedging at current prices may prove to be yet another cruel blow to consumers in this country.
NUSRAT VOHRA
Karachi
Mr Haruhiku Kurada, the president of the Asian Development Bank, is reported to be “concerned over poverty in Pakistan (Sept 6) Mr Kurada is at least kind enough to say so.
Poverty elimination has never been a matter of national priority for our rulers. The problem needs more seriousness than has been shown hitherto. More money will be required. We have to be mindful that the colossal visible and invisible expenditure on our present priorities, which have come to stay, do not deter us from uplifting the economic condition of the poorer sections of our population which are heading to become the majority in Pakistan.
There is no pride in government of the people, by the people, if it is not meant for the welfare of the growing majority of poor people.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
Will Israel some day quit the West Bank? Is a two-state solution anywhere in sight? How can we appreciate Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza when it still continues to control all its sea, air and land exit points? Is it a complete withdrawal? No.
The fact is that Israel has declared Al Quds as its “eternal capital”. With that in mind, will Pakistan recognize Israel without Al Quds being made the capital of an independent Palestinian state?
BILAL MASOOD
Karachi
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