| October 20, 2005 | Thursday | Ramzan 15, 1426 |
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Neelum Valley
Woman’s death and TV
Privatization is no solution
Problems of Karachi
Indian consulate
Education & social development
Collective lives
CSS age limit
Visa rules
AT this time of our national tragedy, in the midst of harrowing news coming from the northern parts of Pakistan, I have witnessed heart-warming scenes in Karachi, the “ghareeb parwar’ city, as it opened its heart to alleviate the suffering of the earthquake-affected people. People in other cities must also be striving hard, but what I have witnessed in Karachi renewed my faith in the generosity of the human spirit.
As I drove to the Pakistan Air Force Museum, which had been declared as one of the many collection centres for relief goods, I saw an endless stream of vehicles, bumper-to-bumper, stretching back some kilometres out on Sharea Faisal. Starting from expensive trendy cars to old rundown vehicles, all had made a disciplined beeline, taking whatever relief supplies they could afford. There was no honking, no overtaking.
With patient perseverance, the citizens of Karachi were just concentrating on fulfilling a humanitarian duty with all the love and affection they could muster.
There could not have been a better example of unity, faith and discipline. The most touching scenes were of people on motorcycles carrying bags of sugar, atta and tins of ghee. From the physical appearances of some of these motorcyclists, I was wondering how they could afforded relief goods. The Pakistan Air Force personnel and the civic agencies backing them were, as expected, the epitome of efficiency and dedication. The PAF base commander told me that he was emotionally moved by the response of the citizens of Karachi.
Here it may be mentioned that this was only one of the many collection centres established in Karachi. Numerous other relief collection centres set up by civil and military organizations continue to witness similar scenes. The spirit displayed by the citizens of Karachi augurs well for the future. Given good leadership, Karachi could well become the jewel of the Arabian Sea. Well done, Karachiites. May God bless Pakistan.
MALIK AYAZ HUSAIN TIWANA
Karachi
IN the aftermath of the biggest earthquake to hit Pakistan in its history, one cannot overemphasize the importance of earthquake preparedness. In developed countries, quarterly earthquake drills and training reinforcements are conducted at schools, workplaces and places of worship. Similarly, people are instructed on how to cope with an earthquake if at home.
The basic instruction when a tremor is first felt is to remain calm and move away from large objects like bookshelves, cupboards and windows that may fall. People who are indoors should stay indoors and people who are outdoors should stay outdoors. If possible, take cover under a table, bed or doorframe.
The best position to protect yourself from injuries is to sit and lower your head to the ground while tightly wrapping your arms around your head and neck.
After the tremors have stopped, immediately assess your surroundings and evacuate quickly if any signs of damage or danger are visible.
Similarly, it is important to have earthquake survival kits handy at home and offices with at least 72 hours supply of non-perishable food item like protein bars, water, first aid supplies, light torches and safety whistle to draw attention of rescue team.
It is absolutely important that in the wake of this disaster, we take emergency preparedness seriously both in urban and rural settings and be more proactive against future natural calamities.
It is hoped that the government will put necessary training and monitoring bodies together at the earliest and also get initial guidance to set up such a body from the various countries that are currently helping out with rescue efforts to gain from their knowledge and experience.
FARIDAH HEMANI
Karachi
I have been immensely distressed at the enormous destruction and misery that the earthquake has caused in Pakistan. We in India too have had our share of miseries in the recent past as well as in this same earthquake.
So, we feel the pain of your loss much as it were our own. May God be with you in your hour of need. We in India pray for you.
Shekhar N. Shenoy
Mumbai
ONE of the greatest concerns of the donors is the apprehension regarding the judicious distribution and utilization of the relief fund. In this context, the appointment of a Relief Commissioner and the statement of the prime minister that the destroyed cities will be well planned are appreciated.
The challenge before the Relief Commissioner will be to ensure that not a grain of rice or a penny is pilfered.
After that, to develop an architectural plan for the destroyed cities on a futuristic model, taking into account future threats from natural disasters, will be his acid test.
The funds received in aid and the donations are an ‘amanat’, a trust, belonging to the affected people. These must be properly delivered to them and to what is left of their generations. I recommend that the planned model should be discussed at the level of the president.
The minimum that we can do is to leave a model legacy for the future generations. It is only then that those whose kith and kin have died will be compensated.
SHAMS ZAHEER ABBAS
Lahore
The way Karachiites are offering help towards the quake victims is undoubtedly the best thing to have come out of this tragedy. Students gather at the PAF museum from dawn to dusk every day despite the heat and Ramazan.
They keep working tirelessly to sort out the donations received. I believe that especially medical students should be asked to go and offer their help in the affected areas. This will prove to be a better test than any they will have had so far in their academic lives.
Sumaiya Zaidi
Karachi
THE government has decided to set up tent cities in different parts of Pakistan and in Azad Kashmir to accommodate the quake survivors till the reconstruction of their cities. In some countries in east Africa like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda I have seen prefabricated houses made of steel. They are cheap, durable, weather-resistant, and safe and secure. They can also be made in a short time and after re-settlement of people such steel fabricated houses can be used for other purposes. I would suggest that the government should look into this option if a large number of tents cannot procured. The raw material for building such houses is very easily available in Pakistan as well in India.
EJAZ JILANI MALIK
Gujranwala
THE way the people rallied to the site of the collapsed Margalla Towers in Islamabad and started rescuing survivors even before the government and private relief agencies could reach the place gives us hope that the Pakistani nation can overcome any crisis and survive.
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
PLEASE help rescue people from their destroyed homes in the village of Dewalian (Deolian) in the Neelum valley, 18 miles from Muzaffarabad. It is my native village and is next to the Supply Bridge in the Neelum valley.
It has been destroyed. Many of my relatives have died and the ones who survived are living in the open. They are waiting for the arrival of aid. The weather is getting cold, and it is becoming extremely difficult for people to cope with the harsh conditions.
I request the authorities and the Edhi foundation to send tents, food and medicine for this and other villages in the Neelum Valley.
I would also appreciate it very much if my family members and relatives could be rescued and transported to Abbottabad so that they can live with my father in Abbottabad.
Any help in this regard will be greatly appreciated.
QARI HABIBUR RAHMAN
Villa Park, IL, US
I was horrified to watch the coverage of a Pakistani private news channel. Viewer discretion was advised before showing footage of a quake-affected area. It did not contain gory scenes of injured but actually showed the footage of a woman dying due to injuries suffered in the earthquake. I could not believe my eyes.
The presenter said this was the reality in those areas and added: “It (government) says that medical relief has not been provided because the roads are closed whereas we have shown that this is not the case. The intention (of relief) is not there”.
My question is that if they can trek to such places where medical relief has not reached, could their camera team not have taken a medical team or volunteers with them? Were they making a documentary for “Animal Planet” that requires that “nature should be left to take its course” or were they reporting from a war front in a foreign country?
The government may be light years behind what was required of it, but what are TV channels doing? It was sheer neglect on the part of the reporting team.
They could have saved the life of that woman had they taken a medical team along with them and were not concerned with ridiculing the government. I am appalled at what happened.
FAIZ GUL AWAN
Peshawar
THIS is with reference to the special report on privatization of public utilities (Dawn, Oct 16). I was shocked by what Mr Abdul Hafeez said about privatization. For one thing, he was unnecessarily trying to defend what has already gone wrong. He was suggesting that it is not the business of the government to help people. That should be left to the private sector. That is absurd. One may ask, if it’s not the business of the government to help people, what is government doing?
I think the way things are going, the future president may well belong to some MNC or TNC. And I have my reasons here. The minister tells us that the KESC is a good example of how the government plans to control prices. That is to be done through a seven-year plan. Wait a minute. What happens after seven years are over? Sure enough, the consumers will die due to prices that are sure to go up.
And we have seen that as regards water. Many companies are selling water that is hazardous for human life. The government knows that. It has failed to take action. Many people have died in Hyderabad due to water-related problems. The government has not investigated. If such problems can’t be handled by the government, then how it plans to control the privatized KESC and other utilities is hard to imagine.
And he defends it by telling us that there are countries that have privatized their utilities. He is half right. They are suffering the consequences, which he never told us.
America is a good example. And we know what its corporations have done. They have killed people through repeated tax cuts. And no benefits have reached the people. When America has failed and Britain is planning to fail, Pakistan shall be a good disaster.
And, in any case, we all know that a businessman is a businessman, and there is no reason why he shall be supportive of public opinion. I myself belong to a business family, and I know how businessmen think. They think in a very conservative manner. In short, privatization is not an answer to Pakistan’s ills.
AMEER HAMZA
Karachi
APROPOS of Mr M. Afzal’s letter regarding the problems of Karachi, the grind that Karachiites suffer daily should be faced by the prime minister himself and without official fanfare.
The population explosion and the corresponding lack of civic amenities, lack of law and order, official apathy, blatant violation of all building codes and bye-laws, dug-up roads, if not already ditched and potholed, pollution of all sorts, water, air, environment, name it and we have it. Look around and what do you see? Sewage water on the roads and garbage as the landscape. Water tankers in every nook and corner. Congested thoroughfares and jammed arteries, routinely subjected to the torment of VVIPs’ movement protocols, which tyrannize the helpless commuters for hours at a stretch. Karachi has now become a city with an endless mass of exhausted, disappointed and disillusioned people.
The excess population needs to be resettled elsewhere according to a plan. The area around the fairly accessible Northern bypass should be developed immediately or perhaps, as per the Chinese practice, new and planned cities be developed to relocate the masses.
NADIR MITHANI
Karachi
A NEWS report (Oct 6) reveals that Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said in Karachi that he was confident that the Indian deputy high commission in Karachi would become operational in January. In his meeting with Mr Singh, Dr Farooq Sattar said that the two countries were also looking into the possibility of operating a ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai.
Is Dr Sattar not aware that the ministry of ports and shipping has already granted a licence to a shipping company to run a ferry service between the two cities? Or has the licence been since cancelled?
SYED ZAKA
Karachi
THE aim of education is to develop the innate qualities of an individual to the fullest extent possible. Educational institutions are not mere repositories of academic knowledge; they develop in the individual desirable qualities and equip him to become a useful member of society. He should be equipped for a job in order to earn a living and simultaneously contribute to the society of which he is a member.
The role of education in the social development of an individual and for society at large is vital. Education does not only impart theoretical knowledge of different subjects with a modicum of practical know-how, as in Pakistan, the scope of education is much broader. The purpose of education is to impart knowledge, which would enable a person to develop social, moral and ethical values and become a productive member of society.
Man is a social animal and needs to interact and communicate not only socially but in a broader sense. Interaction and communication in today’s world is not only socializing but it is the exchange of information. This exchange can be effective by means of awareness for which man needs to be educated.
Another aspect where education plays its role in social development is discipline. Only disciplined people can make a disciplined nation. Discipline is important for character building and for making man a decent and refined human being. Pakistani society is a stark example of a complete lack of discipline.
Education in Pakistan means rote learning, bookish information to pass examinations and to get degrees. Very little importance is given to the social development of students and the youth.
In Pakistan the system of education needs to be modified and restructured. Education should include social or social service in its curriculum. Social work deals with the care of people in a community, especially of the poor and underprivileged. It aims at alleviating the sufferings and misery of the poor and of people who are victims of exploitation.
An attempt to establish a democratic society will not be fruitful if it does not incorporate the social aspect of education. What is needed for students of the 21st century is a curriculum which would not only educate them in different theoretical subjects but also develop them into refined and dignified people who are morally, socially, physically and emotionally strong, ready to face the challenges of life.
NASIR ALI
Karachi
EMI — Equal Monthly Instalments — for a number of years, that’s the name of the game for most urbanites today. And then they run from pillar to post to make ends meet.
Compromise on quality, distance, health and social contacts is unavoidable under the circumstances.
All this reaches its worst peak when there is another EMI — nothing musical about it.
No, don’t get me wrong, it’s an early morning intercourse with the harsh realities of life.
A crowded bus on narrow roads, loaded with mostly tired people, some fresh and attractive faces and a host of apprehensions. Come city centre and the burden gets unbearable with traffic jams, horns blowing, plastic bags flying, crazy race amongst humans, parks and monuments housing the shelterless, yawning children getting out from the exhaust of an F-7 plane, people feeding the crows with stale meat, beggars crawling underneath the state-of-the-art building structure....
Suddenly those buildings, roads and everything starts trembling, some of them tumbling.
Urbanites talk more and do little, without realizing that far from this limelight are hundreds of villages where there is no light of hope left in the aftermath of this massive natural calamity.
This is an endless phenomenon for the Third World people. Two steps forward and three backward — that’s what our collective lives are.
HASSAN YASSER
Lahore
I AM writing in response to the letter by Mr Imran Sanaullah (Sept 28). The correspondent has rightly pointed out the age limit issue for unemployed candidates. The current age limit of 28 years for appearing in the CSS examinations is unjust.
Also due to the prevailing “sifarish” culture in our country these hard-working candidates hardly get any opportunity to get through any public service commission examaminations at any level. Second, whenever any public service commission opportunity appears, a large number of students contest for it.
For instance, recently recruitments for muktiarkars (revenue magistrate) were announced by the Sindh Public Service Commission for which 10,000 students submitted their forms for just only 27 seats. It merely shows the amount of frustration prevailing among our young people. Certainly the decision to increase the age-limit would be welcomed by all, specially the young people.
QAZI NAZIM NAEEM
Hyderabad
ACCORDING to the latest reports, “Visa rules would be relaxed for Pakistani nationals coming to India for medical treatment” (Oct 1).
What about visa rules for Pakistani citizens going to India in good health? Obtaining a visa to visit relatives in India has become a nightmare.
It takes four long months for the processing of a visa. Must we fall ill to take advantage of the relaxed visa restriction?
TONY D’SOUZA
Karachi
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