| November 3, 2005 | Thursday | Ramzan 29, 1426 |
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‘Tabloid TV’
Wapda performance
Karachi U-turns
Murree victims
Clarification
Highway checkpost
Double standards?
Sindh education dept
Relief fund
The army’s role
A Katrina survivor
Banned outfit
A LOT of discussion and debate has taken place in the print and electronic media on earthquakes. Your readers may be interested in also knowing the following:
1. Pakistan does not have any working modern earthquake measuring equipment (seismographs) or any official seismic monitoring stations. On the night of October 8, I retrieved seismographs for the quake from the nearest seismic recording station in Lhasa, Tibet, from one in Azerbaijan and from the US Geological Survey’s monitoring stations in Colorado and New Mexico.
2. In most countries the function of the meteorological department is limited to analyzing and monitoring all above-the-earth surface phenomenon like rain, temperatures, floods and storms. The Pakistan met office seems to be making frequent “official statements” on the earthquake aftermath but it has no device to measure local earthquakes — or even volcanic activity for that matter. In most countries the responsibility for keeping track of and monitoring seismic activity lies with the geological survey or specially established seismology institutes. 3. The UN from 1992-99 conducted a research programme to assess global seismic hazards for the entire world. Seismologists and geologists from 133 member countries of the UN took part (including even Vietnam) in this important research but not Pakistan. Because of red tape and bureaucratic controversy on whether the met department or the Geological Survey of Pakistan, or even OGDC, should send a representative, the assessment research for the geographic regions of Pakistan was conducted by Chinese and Indian seismologists. The findings of the research project were published on December 31, 2000, by the US and uploaded on the Internet.
According to these seismic hazard maps, parts of northern Pakistan such as the NWFP and Kashmir, and cities like Islamabad, Peshawar and Gilgit were placed in the world’s most hazardous active regions for future earthquake activity.
4. Except for the Karachi Building Control Authority, no major regulatory building agency for any city in Pakistan has updated its building code. Even now the reference to any seismic design in construction (if at all) is to outdated seismic hazard zoning published by the Geological Survey of Pakistan in 1979. Structural engineers in Pakistan have always looked at these old maps with suspicion.
5. The quake of Oct. 8 occurred at a shallow depth (20km below the surface) and had its epicentre 120km northeast of Islamabad. Never since the Great 1976 earthquake which flattened the Chinese city of Tang Shan and killed 655,000, has the destruction of cities, towns and human lives been so complete.
As for Islamabad, there are many who say that only a single building collapsed. But that was because the epicentre was relatively far away. One can only wonder what would happen if the epicentre were closer.
A. RAZZAK LOYA
Karachi
I ENDORSE the views expressed by Zubeida Mustafa in the article ‘Tabloid television’. Previously there was just one PTV and one so-called religious scholar would be giving his own interpretation of our religion.
Now we have more than 30 channels, each one with its own religious scholars and experts expressing their views regarding, in this case, the earthquake. Each maulana that comes on air gives a distorted view and keeps telling viewers to inculcate the fear of God.
After such a calamity, the need of the hour for our TV channels was to show data and documentaries about the origins of and reasons for such calamities, along with ways of how to survive. Also, they should have focused on disseminating practical and useful information to viewers like how to administer first aid, how to save oneself if a quake happens, how to prepare survival kits to face aftershocks, and so on.
Instead of doing this, our electronic media depicted some very painful and heart-wrenching scenes. Also there was no need for showing zoomed-in close-ups of survivors suffering and so on. I suggest that the media should invest in some training of their staff, especially on how to cover natural disasters and emergencies, and utilize the help of foreign experts if necessary.
Furthermore, there is a dire need to bring professionals on to TV channel discussions and shows who can help guide viewers on how to deal with such situations. Instead of making two people sit in a drawing-room setting and overacting and overreacting, with half-baked ideas and non-professional photography and untrained journalists asking totally destitute people about their views on the earthquake, I wish we had more educated, trained and professional people working in the electronic media.
SHAHEEN KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to your letters regarding tabloid television. It is sad, indeed when people regard reading of the Holy Quran as obscurantism. The great Sufi masters regarded each and every action that took place around them as an act of God. They went so far as so say that all acts of omission and commission were designed so by God.
Once when there was a great period of drought, the people of a city came to the great Sufi Hazrat Bahauddin Naqshbandi, and asked them to pray for rain. Hazrat Bahauddini at once got up and took them to a mother with a suckling child and asked her to feed the child, at which the mother responded that she would not do so since that was not the time to feed the child.
Hazrat Bahauddin turned to the crowd and said that if this mother knew what times were appropriate to feed the child, then wouldn’t God, who was all-knowing and all-powerful, know which action was appropriate for that time? How can it be obscurantism to believe that God is behind all actions?
AHSAN MASOOD
Karachi
IN most cases, public utility companies in Pakistan come under heavy criticism and a large number of complaints cite their poor customer service and unsatisfactory management.
However, the response of Wapda to the recent earthquake has proved that utility companies can and do sometimes rise to the occasion. The electricity network in the ravaged areas of the NWFP and the AJK was badly affected, with transmission and distribution lines severely damaged and grid stations inoperational. Wapda teams, though knowing that some of their own colleagues had died in the quake, moved to these areas promptly to restore power.
And they did an excellent job. Electricity was restored in Bagh and Rawalakot within 24 hours after the earthquake had struck, followed by other areas of AJK. In the NWFP, the restoration work also commenced immediately, which was nearly completed as soon as the blocked roads were cleared. Thus, within a week or so the power supply system was put back on track in all the five affected districts. Besides, temporary electricity was provided to numerous relief camps and medical camps set up in Abbottabad and Muzaffarabad.
Wapda also restored power to several sensitive military installations. Overall, it has played a crucial role in restoring electricity in the areas, in the face of adverse circumstances such as bad weather, logistical limitations and difficult terrain. By any standards, it was a gigantic task and the performance of Wapda and PESCO has been exemplary.
HUSSAIN SIDDIQUI
Islamabad
THE traffic in Karachi moves only because of the presence of the traffic police; otherwise it is next to impossible to move amid the aggressive driving of minibus and bus drivers as well as the reckless zigzag driving of motorcyclists. Most public buses and even private cars do not drive in a disciplined manner but as if they are participating in a grand prix.
The traffic police in Karachi seem to be trying hard to ensure some semblance of discipline on Sharea Faisal. But there are many other areas in the city which need the attention of traffic police in the same manner.
Currently the cuts for U-turn for vehicles driving from Awami Markaz towards Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza hotel have been closed. This has left only two options for a U-turn between this long stretch of road. Either drive all the way till the hotel and make a U-turn or get on to the FTC flyover via Kalapul and Defence and come back.
This is causing inconvenience to citizens besides loss of time and money spent in extra fuel. While taking precautionary measures for ensuring safe passage for VIPs on Sharea Faisal, the convenience of the public should also be kept in mind. The authorities concerned are requested to open a U-turn between the stretch of Sharea Faisal from Awami Markaz towards Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza hotel.
HASAN ADIL MALIK
Karachi
MANY parts of northern Punjab’s hilly areas which lie within the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi district have been completely neglected in the relief effort. These include Murree tehsil and its surrounding hills. Luckily there were not so many casualties but hundreds of families have lost their homes.
The majority of the affected do not need food or medicines but they are in severe need of shelter.
The weather is getting colder day by day. It is quite possible that if these people are not given shelter urgently, their hardships will increase manifold.
It is now the government’s job to ensure that they do not die of cold.
Regrettably, the local government of Murree and the district government of Rawalpindi have not taken any step to provide relief to the affected. They should do this now.
IKRAM ABBASI
Murree
THIS refers to a complaint regarding telephone # 4621743 through the “centralized fault management system” for faulty “dial tone on Oct 25. The fault was rectified on the same day. Also, as regards telephone # 6630855, no complaint had been registered through the CFMS or “18” by the customer before the publication of the letter.
The fault was attended to and rectified on the same day.
SALEEM KHAN
PRO, Southern Telecom,
Region-III Karachi
THIS refers to the news item of Oct 24 titled “Sindh MPA’s husband shot dead on highway”. The events leading to the cold blooded murder reportedly took place after the car in which the husband was travelling failed to stop when signalled to by policemen of the anti-carlifting cell of the Karachi police in civvies.
Thousands of motorists who use the Super Highway everyday experience the high-handedness of the anti-carlifting police who have set up a checkpost at 54 kilometres from Karachi just as the highway ascends a hill. Invariably each and every car is forced to pull over and drive into a rough path paved with sharp stones. One has to face the ill-mannered, uncourteous and almost illiterate policemen who ask for original car documents. If everything is found in order, one can expect to be bombarded with irrelevant questions making one feel as if travelling on the highway is a great crime. As a regular traveller between Karachi and Hyderabad I have experienced this ignominy many times.
The worst experience we had was about two months back when my wife and three children were travelling to Hyderabad with our driver. As usual they were stopped by the anti-carlifting cell police at their notorious checkpost. Since all documents were produced in the original as demanded, the policemen had no reason to further pester the family but they came up with a novel issue, asking the driver to produce an authority letter from me on stamped paper. The driver did not have such a letter nor was it legally required in the presence of original documents.
The policemen then told my driver that the vehicle was stolen. My wife was rudely told not to interfere when she tried to explain that the car belonged to the family and was not stolen. The family was not allowed to proceed on the pretext that police headquarters in Karachi were being contacted to verify if the car was stolen. Half an hour passed and nothing happened.
My wife contacted me through her mobile phone and I asked the driver to give the phone to the in-charge of the checkpost but he refused to talk to me. I had no option but to decide to go to the place. I borrowed a car from a friend and was about to leave when I was informed that my driver had proved his worth by successfully negotiating the matter with the police and had bought freedom for my family for the grand sum of Rs 1,000.
Having experienced such harassment a number of times I would rather like my car to be lifted than to be subjected to insults at the hands of the anti-carlifting police.
Many such incidents take place everyday which go unreported. The harassment and extortion by the anti-carlifting cell at the checkpost was in high gear for Eid.
It is not possible that senior officers in the police are not be aware of this state of affairs. One may ask how many stolen cars have been recovered at this checkpost during the last ten years or so? What is the justification of subjecting each motorist on the Super Highway to such harassment?
Cars carrying official green number plates are not stopped nor are other VIPs bothered. Only the common citizens are subjected to insults, harassment and extortion and in this country nobody cares so long as the sufferer is the common citizen.
The checkpost should be immediately abolished. The Sindh governor or the home minister should do the needful in this regard.
DR EJAZ RASOOL
Karachi
THE religious parties in Pakistan have opposed humanitarian assistance from Israel for the earthquake affectees. The mullahs seem to have conveniently forgotten the Israeli military assistance they received during their so-called jihad in Afghanistan during the 1980s. Their godfather, General Mohammad Ziaul Haq, was in power and brokered all such deals.
This military assistance, which has now been confirmed by a number of sources and western authors, came from Israel through the US. Not only this, but trainers of Jewish origin also visited Pakistan to teach the religious activists how to use the latest military equipment. When this drama was going on in Afghanistan, Palestinians were being persecuted by Israel. After the US-sponsored ‘jihad’ ended, the weapon were sold in international markets and many became billionaires.
They are now against any humanitarian assistance from Israel for the quake affectees who have lost their loved ones, their properties, their everything, and are now living in miserable conditions. This is the height of hypocrisy and double standards.
MOHAMMAD KHALID
Oslo, Norway
AS a teacher I am concerned, anxious and upset at the state of apathy of the Sindh education department. These are certain things that need immediate clarification, especially with reference to students of Class IX.
1. When is the current batch of Class IX (2005-2006) students due to appear for their examination? 2. How many papers are they to sit for? 3. Is the education department aware that part II books for biology and chemistry are not yet available in the market? 4. When will these books be made available? 5. Are physics and mathematics for the science section to be taught in Class IX?
The government should realize the gravity of the psychological turmoil that is being inflicted on students, teachers and principals as a result of this confusion.
CONCERNED TEACHER
Karachi
THE president’s relief fund for earthquake victims was set up immediately after the quake. What one would like to know is how much exactly have the people of Pakistan contributed to that fund so far and how is it being utilized. What are the checks put in place to ensure that this money is used only for the rehabilitation of the victims. As citizens of Pakistan we have a right to know how our hard earned money is being utilized.
ASIM MAHMOOD
Lahore
THESE days there is a great deal of criticism of the army’s relief efforts in the newspapers. Some of this criticism may be correct but our personal experience has shown that most people in the army are doing their very best.
My husband belongs to Rangla, tehsil Dhirkot, in Bagh district, Azad Kashmir. A few days after the earthquake, he left for his village. The entire area was devastated and no aid had reached till then. With the help of some NGOs operating in Bagh proper, we were able to contact the army camp stationed there. The officer in charge was extremely helpful and sympathetic. He promised an aerial survey of the area which was carried out the following day. The morning after, a camp was set up in Rangla and aid started flowing in. During this time, the army camp in Bagh kept in touch with us to let us know how things were proceeding.
There may be glitches in the army’s relief efforts — but appreciation is also due. It’s only fair to look at both sides of the coin.
ANIKA KHAN
Karachi
MY family and I recently moved to the greater New Orleans area, and were affected by Hurricane Katrina. For about a month to six weeks we were displaced, and in those trying times we got lots of help from family and friends, as well as from the American people and government. We got financial assistance from the American Red Cross, FEMA, our homeowners’ insurance company, and the state of Louisiana.
Ordinary people such as bank tellers, physicians and retail clerks asked about our welfare and wished us well. My employer, co-workers and neighbours helped in getting us back on our feet. Though it has been a couple of months since the event, there is still lots of help available for those in need.
I hope that the earthquake victims in Pakistan receive as much compassion and support as we did. Perhaps people in Karachi can do what people in Houston, Dallas and other cities did and open their homes to those who are displaced, or volunteer their time and resources to the Red Cross.
EJAZ HAROON
Harvey, LA, US
A BANNER had been placed at Malir Halt by the Jamatud Dawa asking people to donate their “fitra” or zakat for the mujahideen. One must remember that this is banned organization. What is the government doing to check the activities of such organizations?
OBSERVER
Karachi
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