| November 12, 2005 | Saturday | Shawwal 9, 1426 |
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Polluted beaches
‘Time for cold analysis’
Resource mobilization
Nato forces
Medical teaching
Margalla National Park
Withholding tax
Railway bridge
The best and the worst
Rs5 for quake victims
Oil tanker menace
Sales tax exemption
Clarification
I WISH to thank Mr M.P. Bhandara for his response(Oct 21) to my letter (Oct 2).
My comments were specific to the fears expressed in his original article (Sept 27) — ”Islamist terrorists going global” and “nuclear fire-bombing major US cities with bomb-grade plutonium from Abkhazia”. He also asked: “What greater ambition for a renegade reclusive billionaire than to disturb the universe?”
I had tried to explain that these assumptions were alarmist and fanciful at best and not supported by science or the facts on the ground. It is not unusual for governments to resort to fear-mongering to get citizens to support their actions. One has to remain vigilant in order not be taken in by it.
Mr Bhandara now asks the question: if this is the case, “how does one explain that bin Laden has fired (albeit wrongly) the imagination of young Muslims from Birmingham to Bali?” The truth is that it is not bin Laden who provides the inspiration. If anyone, the credit should go to Bush, Blair, Putin, Sharon and company. British Nobel laureate Harold Pinter explained it so much better in The Telegraph (Dec 11, 2002):
“But what a misjudgment of the present and what a misreading of history this is. People do not forget. They do not forget the death of their fellows, they do not forget torture and mutilation, they do not forget injustice, they do not forget oppression, they do not forget the terrorism of mighty powers. They not only don’t forget: they also strike back.”
Terrorism, in essence, is a response and a symptom. To deal with it one has to analyze its root-causes, like uncalled for state aggression, murder and mayhem, appropriation of territory, denial of freedom and liberty, usurpation of resources, cruelty, discrimination and injustice, to name a few. Unless and until these issues are dealt with honestly and fairly, terrorism will not end.
BBC TV recently aired a three-part series “Elusive Peace: Israel and the Arabs” that sheds light on some of the related problems. Mr Bhandara should see it.
K. HUSSAN ZIA
Mississauga, Canada
AFTER the recent mass mortality among coastal fishes it is time we thought seriously about our beaches and marine lives. This is also the right time to monitor critically the system of checks and balances in our ecology. For this, it is necessary to start a study to find out how safe our beaches are. What is the level of pollution there?
The general public’s awareness is also most important. The departments concerned should start a campaign to tell people to take care of our beaches. This is important because right now people who go for visits or picnics are very careless about cleanliness. They should be informed not to litter the beaches.
A major source of contamination comprises industrial and chemical waste which is indiscriminately dumped into the sea via our existing sewerage system. This practice should be stopped immediately. We are eating fish which might be toxic because of this practice.
Both federal and provincial environment protection agencies are primarily responsible for control of pollution to avoid destruction of marine life. Both the Karachi DHA and the Clifton Cantonment Board are also equally responsible for saving our beaches from this mess. They can display signboards and slogans about how to keep our beaches clean so that we can save our beaches and our marine life.
One view is that the problem is due to the after-effects of the Tasman Spirit oil spill in August 2003. But at that time our agencies had declared the beach a safe zone after a cleaning and sweeping drive. An independent inquiry should be done in this regard.
DR ALFRED CHARLES
Karachi
THIS refers to Mr Taj Haider’s article “Time for cold analysis” (Oct 24). The major cause of the destruction of infrastructure and consequently loss of life in the Oct 8 earthquake is the low standard and technically unsound construction of buildings. Poverty is rampant in the area which in turn is due to uneven social stratification. The landed ‘syeds’ control the lives of the common man.
Housing is usually of stone masonry. Stones used in building walls are often put in place vertically, not flat to give the structure stability. Often the space between the two faces of walls is hollow. Such walls are least able to stand by themselves, unless exactly vertical. A slight tilt brings them down.
The massive collapse of buildings in the public sector, especially schools and health institutions, is mainly due to corruption among contractors and officials of the relevant departments.
This is the second time that natural calamity has exposed corruption within the public sector. During the heavy downpour of Sept 9, 1993, the water washed down large numbers of trunks of trees illegally cut in connivance with the forest department and left lying on the hillsides for disposal. The timber blocks rushing down in raging streams caused huge damage to bridges and other structures.
Safety of people is primarily the responsibility of the state, and the provincial and federal governments have grossly failed.
Besides, the delayed reaction by government functionaries indicates the degree of concern the bureaucracy has for the common people. Government functionaries seemed to have little knowledge of the geography of the affected region. Then the lack or rather absence of relief equipment and the means to deliver them to the desired locations is still an open question.
It is time the corrupt were taken to task and the inefficient sent home. Parliament may like to know how many housing projects are planned for the rich compared to those for the poor. It may also get comparative figures of areas set aside for housing of defence officers against those for the rank and file. Disparity in providing opportunities for housing is just the tip of the iceberg. Almost all policies of the government, including those meant for the poor, only favour the rich.
TARIQ MAHMOOD
Peshawar
WE should be grateful for what the outside world has done for us so far in terms of rescue operations, relief goods, medical services, including mobile hospitals in quake-hit areas, equipment (including helicopters) and financial support.
Nevertheless, we as a nation have to redouble our efforts to provide resources on a continuous basis for the overall reconstruction and rehabilitation.
All Pakistanis (including overseas Pakistanis) should be asked to contribute at least Rs100 per month. If one wishes, one may pay for six months or a year in advance.
Overseas Pakistanis may contribute at least $5 a month or equivalent in their respective currency of the country of residence. They should work out a proper system of collection and remittance to the President’s Relief Fund.
Safe deposit boxes (inscribed with President’s Relief Fund: donation Rs100 a month) be displayed prominently in bank branches, financial institutions, large departmental stores, premier hotels, airports, good restaurants, clubs, stock exchanges, etc.
A mechanism should be devised for collection and deposit in the President’s Relief Fund through appointed qualified auditors who will announce through the press weekly figures of collections and the actual amount deposited.
M. YACOOB NAVIWALA
Karachi
DAWN’s pinprick cartoon (Oct 27) with reference to PML-N’s Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s speech in the National Assembly (Dawn 26 Oct) shows him criticizing the government for accepting aid from Nato forces in the quake-hit areas. The legislator had also spoken of a future war with India or any other country.
Why should a member of the National Assembly talk of war? Is the present colossal disaster any less than the devastation of a war?
Such criticism on the part of the members of the august house exposes the poor and biased thinking of our legislators.
A senator travelling in a luxurious car escorted by guards cannot lift a dead or injured body from the rubble. It can only be done by the experienced and rugged hands of volunteer troops from Nato and should be welcomed.
Let the members of our august house ponder over the concluding paragraph of Dawn’s editorial dated Oct 26, saying that “the devastation caused by natural calamities would be less if people were better housed and communities were better organized. This is the real moral lesson to be learnt from the tragedy that has struck us.”
If this moral lesson is applied retrospectively, would not all the past and the current people’s representatives be held responsible for their ignorance about people living in the seismic prone areas of Pakistan?
GHEEWALA A.G.M.
Karachi
THIS is to draw attention to the need for adequate teaching facilities at medical colleges.
Properly qualified and properly committed teachers should be on the basis of a minimum teacher-student ratio of 1:5 for the clinical department and 1:10 for basic sciences. Institutions should have a staff generation plan of their own and the staff should be provided with a proper structure for career development.
Lecture theatres should have adequate physical facilities for the whole class.
Conference rooms should be available to promote teacher-student interaction and group activity and team work. Laboratories should be well provided with both simple and high technology equipment for demonstration and experimentation and may be mono-disciplinary or multi-disciplinary.
Museums should be well furnished and well supplied with specimens and models for self-learning.
Library science should be utilized to train students in proper reading habits. Film libraries should be developed.
Such facilities do not exist, among others, in Pakistan’s first medical university, the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro.
DR IRFAN SARWAR ALMANI
Jamshoro
APROPOS of the letter (Nov 4) on the subject, I should like to say that the correspondent has grossly understressed the importance of the subject. Margalla or any other national park is a heritage; any and every leaf or blade, grain, pebble, drop in rivulet, bush, finch, squirrel, lizard or for that matter every living thing is sacred. A national park is created to save flora and fauna for the preservation of the gene pool specific to a species.
The grass in a national park is not fodder for the grass-eaters; it is a treasure of DNA, unique and precious. So is Margalla; it cannot be used for commercial exploitation at all (roads will invite it).
The construction of any road inside a national park is a violation of biodiversity, the balance of life created by nature. Digging disturbs the top stratum that serves as basic material for the nursery of wild plants and wild animals up to the level of soil stabilizing bacteria. Beetles and dipteras, dozens of them by variety, play a major role in pollination and are food for insectivorous animals. Each group can number millions, bringing the total to billions to stabilize the inter-relation between flora, fauna and biodiversity as a whole.
The right of flora and fauna in a national park has priority over that of man. If any action by man disturbs the eco-system, it is destruction of the environment.
The lawyers pleading in the Supreme Court are not science-oriented; they cannot plead well enough in favour of the environment, plant by plant or finch to finch.
Disturbance of Margalla must be stopped because regeneration is a complex and time-consuming process. The CDA and other government sources must consider biodiversity as a trust of nature.
Roads in a national park? Never. Walk on the paths carved out by the forces of nature if you are serious.
A jeepable road may be considered if it is meant to supply food and water to the wild animals in a drought.
Dr A.A. QURAISHY
Karachi
THE special savings certificates were introduced in early 1990. Till 1999 no withholding tax was deducted from the profit accruing on the savings and the rate of profit was 16.64 per cent. Later on with effect from May 14, 1999, the rate of profit was reduced to 14.49 per cent.
After one year it was reduced to 12.36 per cent. However, with effect from July 1, 2001 it was enhanced to 12.57 per cent but then it went on decreasing.
A system of deduction of withholding tax at the rate of 10 per cent was introduced on savings certificates worth Rs300,000 and above with effect from July 1, 2002.
The limit of savings was reduced from Rs300,000 to Rs150,000. The savings centres used to deduct withholding tax from profit on investment exceeding Rs150,000 in case of single investor and from profit on investment of Rs300,000 on joint account-holders.
But all of a sudden with effect from Oct 1, savings centres have started deducting withholding tax on investments of Rs150,000 or more irrespective of joint or single account. This has compelled a large number of joint investors to withdraw their investments.
I would suggest that the status should be maintained in case of existing investments till the maturity of certificates.
AMARNATH MOTUMAL
Karachi
THIS is a plea on behalf of residents of northern Lahore, including Chamra Mandi, Faiz Bagh, Naulakha Park, Pak Nagar and Sultanpura.
Over a 100 years ago, the British had constructed a bridge to cross the rail lines from Chamra Mandi for the convenience of the local residents. The railways closed this bridge 10 months ago, apparently for repairs.
Thousands of people, most of them students and workers, used this bridge to go to the other side of the railway station to reach the bus and wagon stands there. The closing of this facility has put them to great inconvenience. They have to walk a long distance to reach the city and local bus stands through the Do Moria Pul.
The authorities would do well to make arrangements for the bridge’s re-opening as early as possible.
ABID ALI
Lahore
MR Ayaz Amir’s article “The best and the worst” (Oct 28) is food for thought for the government and the common people. He has compared the performance of the government machinery with that of private organizations after visiting the affected area.
In cases where doctors of the military hospital, Abbottabad, and Ayub Medical College had advised amputation, the patients were successfully operated upon and their hands and feet saved by British doctors. It shows the attitude of government functionaries.
The suggestions made by Mr Amir to establish the credibility of the government constitute the voice of the entire nation which the government should act upon.
MOHAMMAD KHALID CHEEMA
Lahore
I THINK out of the 160 million people of Pakistan, there are at least 10 million who can give Rs5 every day for the benefit of the earthquake victims.
I also think that at least five million Pakistanis can give Rs1,000 per head every month for the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims which can be used for rebuilding roads, bridges, hospitals and educational institutions.
LATIF QURESHI
Lahore
THE Sindh government recently published a notice in an Urdu newspaper asking all owners of oil tankers to remove their vehicles from near Shireen Jinnah Colony in Clifton, Karachi.
After the three days given to them, it was noticed that all the tankers simply moved to a place which is right next to our apartment building (which has a total of 66 apartments), adjacent to the sailing club.
As things stand, these oil tankers are actually parked in an area which is part of a park in Boat Basin.
And because of their presence and the accompanying smell of oil, no one can breathe any fresh air. Many residents have developed different health ailments like asthma and skin allergies.
The Sindh governor and the Karachi city nazim are requested to use their authority to remove this encroachment so that the park can be developed properly and the residents of the area live without having to inhale deadly fumes every day.
Also, the government should place a barrier on both sides of the road so that tankers cannot in future come and park themselves there.
DR M. QAMARUZAMAN
Karachi
PLEASE refer to the letter of Oct 2 by Mr M.A. Salam regarding sales tax exemption for the badly affected Northern Areas, including Swat, due to the recent earthquake. He is absolutely correct.
There are a few factories manufacturing consumer goods and paying sales tax voluntarily in the Northern Areas. They should be exempted from tax for at least one year as they have been badly affected, many of them having developed major cracks in their structures.
Others are without labour as the workers left for their home villages to check on their families. The factories have almost been closed. We hope the Central Board of Revenue will consider this exemption sympathetically.
MUHAMMAD IQBAL
Mingora
THIS refers to the news report “PTCL may not invest in ‘dry’ exchanges” (Dawn Karachi Metropolitan, Nov 3) which also mentions a delay in shifting of telephone # 4028707.
The telephone was installed at A 2-CI, Paradise Arcade, Scheme 33, Karachi, and shifted to C-9, Sunny Terrace, Rashid Minhas Road, in February and was working all right.
An application was again made to shift the telephone to A-45, Rizvia Society, Scheme 33, Karachi, which is situated at the boundary of Gulzar-i-Hijri exchange of CBT No. 19 which is a dry area.
The customer was also informed on Oct 2 that there was no spare available. Efforts are being made to improve the position of cable pair in the vicinity.
SALEEM KHAN PRO, STR-III,
Karachi
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