| November 17, 2005 | Thursday | Shawwal 14, 1426 |
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Karachi traffic
Senior citizens and NSS
Cellphones and CPLC
Keti Bunder incident
Clifton roads
Bush’s ‘divine’ line
Karachi blast
Affected students
Making ATMs work
‘The language conundrum’
Civic problems
Street dogs
THE Bonn agreement, 2001, gave Afghanistan a roadmap for democracy but due to internal circumstances the timeframe set for elections was not met. According to the Bonn agreement, political institutions in Afghanistan were supposed to be installed by June 2004 whereas in reality, presidential elections were held in October 2004 and elections for the Wolesi Jirga (National Assembly) and provincial councils (Shoora-i Welayati) took place on September 18 this year, delayed by more than a year.
Elections for district councils (Shura-i-Woleswali) are yet to take place while elections of Meshrano Jirga (Council of Elders) have been postponed for an indefinite period.
Under its new constitution, which came into effect in January 2004 after being approved by the Loya Jirga in Kabul, Afghanistan will follow the American model with a presidential form of government and there will be a bicameral legislature where the Meshrano Jirga will be the upper house and the Wolesi Jirga will be the lower house of parliament.
The constitution guarantees women’s participation in every walk of life as they form almost 42 per cent of the total population. Women like Shukria Barakzai, a social worker, and Mallali Joya, who came to prominence two years ago when she criticized the warlords for committing crimes and atrocities during the war years, have been elected to the Wolesi Jirga. Many warlords, mujahideen and Taliban leaders also took part in the Wolesi elections. Warlords like Ustad Sayyaf, Mohaqeq, Hazrat Ali, Burhanuddin Rabbani and Taliban leaders like Mullah Abdul Salam Racketi, Wakil Ahmad Mutawakkil were heavily criticized for their involvement in war crimes and human rights violations but were nonetheless allowed to take part in the elections and many of them secured seats.
The newly elected members of the Wolesi Jirga are likely to give the government a tough time. Only time will tell whether the jirga and provincial councils come up to the expectations of the Afghan people.
ZUBAIR RASOOL SEHOLE
Lahore
THIS is with reference to the news (Nov 15) regarding the death of four friends in a road accident in Karachi.
Many suggestions have been made previously to improve traffic conditions in Karachi. I am hopeful someone will still listen. One suggestion is that those applying for a driving licence should be able to read. It should be a simple test as is given at the Government College of Education, Federal ‘B’ Area, Karachi. The applicant should be asked to read a newspaper, may it be an Urdu one or any other. She or he should be able to read properly so as to understand road signs and what is written on them. Otherwise, no licence should be issued.
The second suggestion is that there should be a refresher course of one day for people coming to renew their driving licences. Institutes giving lectures on road safety should be established and people should be sent there for the one-day theoretical course. No test or examination should be given, otherwise it would again become threatening and people will try their best to avoid it.
The six-day course at the KTC Institute, Bara Board, Nazimabad, where we used to go for HTV driving licences, had a three-day theory class. That had a comprehensive syllabus, giving exhaustive information to the driver, conducted by seasoned drivers and motor mechanics as teachers and instructors. That syllabus could be reduced to one day and can be adopted.
Again, after every five years when a licence has to be renewed, the applicant should first be sent to attend this refresher course and there should be a stamp affixed on his/her licence or a certificate of attendance should be given for attending the class.
Traffic awareness cannot be created by organizing walks, seminars, slides or small skits on TV, or by organizing traffic awareness weeks, etc. One must bring the individual back to the classroom from time to time, and teach him/her theory, simple courtesy and consideration for other people’s right of way and the value of someone else’s time. Only then there will be a change.
Almost all of us take up two to three parking spaces when parking our car. Almost all of us drive in the middle of the road when driving on small roads and narrow lanes, and when we see on-coming traffic, we just tilt our vehicle to the left, with no consideration for the other driver as if he or she has no right.
MAZHAR ALI NANJIANI
Karachi
I REFER to Shahid Iqbal’s report in Dawn of November 12 about the withdrawal of Rs43 billion from the national savings schemes in six months up to July by investors hit by falling returns and the vagaries of the withholding tax clamped by the government on the slim profits on NSS.
The prevailing high rate of inflation has smothered quite a bit of the puny profits resulting from NSS schemes. The government is likely to face a financial crunch soon due to the swelling cost of rehabilitation and reconstruction in the quake-hit northern areas and may want to tap the NSS investors, among whom are millions of senior citizens whose welfare is seemingly not a priority item on the government’s fiscal agenda.
The money which the government makes from dumping withholding tax on NSS profits is meagre but its scrapping will encourage the NSS investors to invest in savings schemes. The 10-year Behbood certificates are certainly a little more profitable but the maturity period of a decade is too long for aged investors. Under the umbrella of the NSS the government can consider floating three-year NSS certificates yielding at least nine per cent tax-free return annually.
The patriotism of senior citizens is still very strong and they will willingly invest in NSS certificates to help raise funds for the relief and rehabilitation of their quake-stricken brothers and sisters.
I appeal to the government to issue a report of the audited accounts of the earthquake relief fund and the expenditure incurred by the government from it and submit copies of the audited accounts to the UN, the World Bank, the National Assembly of Pakistan and all donor countries and NGOs.
QUTUBUDDIN AZIZ
Karachi
THERE are thousands of people who have been robbed of their mobile phone sets over a period of time. According to a press report, 44 people in Karachi were deprived of their cellphones on Nov 13, out of which 20 sets were taken away at gunpoint.
I lost my mobile phone set in July on the day after I had purchased it.
I had a valid SIM. First I called the office of the provider concerned and got my SIM blocked in order to avoid misuse and then I called the CPLC Karachi office to formally lodge a complaint on telephone No.5682222.
The person who noted down details in the CPLC office gave me complaint No.13135 on July 20 after I provided him with IMEI No. 355690008642935 of my cellphone set. I was told by the CPLC official that the office would make arrangements to block the SIM of the “new user” of my mobile phone set through the IMEI number which I had provided to him.
During the last four months I have called the CPLC office a number of times to find out if my cellphone has been recovered by them but every time I am told that “no one” has yet contacted the CPLC office to lodge a complaint against the blocking of his “new” SIM or cellphone number.
I think there may be thousands of other cellphone owners who would also have been in contact with the CPLC office inquiring the status of their lost, stolen or snatched mobile phone sets. If the CPLC is not able to recover such cellphone sets, there is no point in its asking the deprived owners to register a complaint.
ABDUR RAHEEM
Karachi
THE incident on Eid when 35 people of the Bachal Soomro village drowned near the coastal area of Keti Bunder, Thatta, is a tragic one. Unfortunately, it is not the first of its kind. A few months ago, seven people drowned in Keti Bunder and six bodies remained unrecovered.
The government has always ignored people living on the coastal belt and even in the Eid incident, officials reached the site two days after the tragedy. Had the government made arrangements for divers in coastal areas or installed a communication network, many lives could have been saved. These neglected coastal areas badly need medical facilities with ambulance services as well as the permanent rescue teams and an emergency centre that can deal with such accidents.
The authorities must pay adequate compensation to the victims, take instant remedial actions for the safety of the people of the coastal belt and punish those guilty of negligence.
HUMERA ALWANI MPA
Thatta
I WISH those responsible for the building of the underpass on Karachi’s main Clifton Road have the time to pay a visit to the area to see for them-selves the highly destructive manner in which roads around the bypass have been mauled.
They come, they dig and then cover the area in way that it is dangerous to even walk in the dug-up area.
We urge the nazim to go around the city to see what these highly efficient road diggers have done to this city from Keamari to Malir and from Clifton to Nazimabad.
MAHER ALAVI
Karachi
ACCORDING to a documentary prepared by the BBC, Mr George Bush had allegedly informed Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and the then foreign minister Nabil Shaath in June 2003 that God had told him to invade Afghanistan and Iraq (Dawn, Oct 7).
More specifically, he revealed to them: “I’m driven with a mission from God”. God would tell me, ‘George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan’. And I did, and then God would tell me, ‘George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq...’ And I did”. Finally, Mr Bush also informed the ministers that God now wanted him to get the Palestinians their state and the Israelis their security.
The US president needs to be cautioned that all the three Abrahamic religions hold that throughout history Satan has tried to mislead the Prophets (peace be upon them) and saints, what to talk of lesser mortals.
Mr George Bush should realize that his invasion of Iraq has made a huge mess of that country, brought death to more than 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women and children and over 2,000 American soldiers. It has cost the US taxpayers a hefty sum of money, compromised the response to the hurricane Katrina, caused trans-Atlantic tensions, alienated the world’s Muslims and made America less secure. There is terrible violence and suffering in the occupied territory to which there seems no end. Surely, all this could not have been the result of a genuinely divine inspiration.
A look into what has come to light in the aftermath of Katrina should underscore this argument. The US army corps of engineers had sought $27 million earlier on for the upkeep of the protective embankments (levees) for flood control in New Orleans whereas the president approved a paltry $3.9 million so the remainder could be diverted to Iraq expenses. During his delayed, much-criticized visit to the metropolis he didn’t tour the inner city areas where the poor Afro-Americans lived, as if they didn’t exist.
The New York Times has alleged that some 80 per cent of the $1.5 billion in contracts for clean-up after Katrina have been awarded without bidding, apparently on the basis of favouritism, such as to a subsidiary of Halliburton represented by a former campaign manager of Mr Bush (Dawn, Sept 27).
If God had really been speaking to the US president, He would certainly have warned him beforehand to prepare for the worst- ever natural disaster that would be striking the country.
It follows that the American leader should stop responding to what are obviously misleading impulses and, instead, start listening to what most of his European and Muslim allies as well as a large number of highly experienced US diplomats, military generals and other sensible people are saying.
Failing that, one fears for the time when “God” may command Mr Bush through his “divine communication line” to launch a crusade against the Muslims, crush the leaders of Cuba and Venezuela or try to bring western-style democracy and human rights to the “oppressed” Chinese populace, and so on.
K. CHAUDHRY
Karachi
IS there any weapon in the world to combat terrorism? How can we protect our people from being killed? How long will the world remain in the shadow of fear? We are in search of peace and stability which has become a dream for everyone. The world has entered a blind alley.
Tuesday’s car-bomb explosion outside the PIDC House is another brutal example of terrorism in which three people were killed and 21 others were injured. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Surely, it is an act of terrorism and it appears that the KFC was the target. Luckily the restaurant was closed at the time of the blast.
The area where the blast took place is known to have some five-star hotels. England’s touring cricket team is scheduled to stay in one such hotel next month. The team is due to play a one-day international on Dec 15 in Karachi. The tourists only agreed to play after much persuasion from Pakistan’s cricket authorities. It is a good sign that there is no immediate word of concern from the England team’s management to the bombing.
Terrorism is a social issue and sociologist can resolve it in a better way than politicians. I would urge sociologists to come forward with studies and solutions to eradicate terrorism.
SYED SADAQAT HUSSAIN
Karachi
IF we examine the October 8 tragedy deeply, it will appear that students have suffered most. Teachers and other staff have also perished in great numbers. As for those students who survived, they are still in a quandary about how to continue their education.
It is suggested that students of the affected areas securing at least 60 per cent marks or above and wishing to seek admission to medical and other professional colleges may be exempted from entry tests.
Students at the university level in affected areas who could not continue their studies in the absence of staff, laboratories and buildings may be offered admission to other universities of the country so that they can complete their courses.
Construction and renovation work of damaged educational institutions should begin forthwith while educational institutions in the public and private sectors should be required to announce an emergency relief package for the welfare of the students of the affected areas. A full-scale drive should be launched to secure scholarships from foreign countries for the affected students while the president of Pakistan should also announce a substantial package for these students.
SHAUKAT HAYAT
Village Chinglai Buner
THIS is with reference to the editorial “Inefficient ATMs” on November 7. Many ATM holders have money in their accounts and pay yearly charges for using ATM machines, which are often out of order. If another bank’s ATM is used, a charge of Rs15 is automatically deducted from his/her account.
Banks should agree to deduct Rs100 per year for using other banks’ ATMs rather than deducting Rs15 per transaction. In this connection, banks would not suffer any losses and customers will not hesitate to use another bank’s ATM. .
MUNAWWAR ALI SHAH
Sukkur
THIS refers to Mr Anwar Syed’s article “The language conundrum” (Nov 13).
The long article is obviously an attempt to sustain the writer’s conclusion that the protest against the violation of the 1972 Sindhi Language Act is a “nuisance”, being only for the sake of a few hundred jobs of Sindhi teachers in the 11th and 12th classes. Mr Syed has manifested either his prejudice or extreme ignorance.
With the creation of Pakistan, the people of Sindh have endured deprivation of their earnings, urban and rural properties, businesses, jobs, water and all facilities and opportunities that are prerequisites for a better life. But those who came here with nothing have been nurtured into the most affluent class, enjoying top positions in the military, bureaucracy, judiciary and government. On top of this comes the new attempt to do away with the Sindhi language in Sindh. This has produced apprehensions among the sons of the soil of a fate similar to that of the Red Indians and they are, therefore, driven to taking a firm stand. If this is a “nuisance” for Mr Syed, then it is his ilk who are responsible.
SARDAR MUMTAZ ALI BHUTTO
Karachi
AS a resident of Block 7 in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Karachi, I want to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the problems faced by the residents of this locality.
It has been exactly two years since we submitted money to the KESC to install poles and provide us with electricity. At the moment most of the people living in this area have ‘kunda’ connections for which a fixed monthly amount is charged. The voltage available is not adequate. An artificial water shortage has been created in the area by the linesman. On one side of the road there is uninterrupted water supply for full 24 hours while on the other side not a single drop is allowed into the line. The linesman demands a hefty amount of money each month for opening the valve.
All the main drains along the road are open and there is considerable danger facing pedestrians. Most of the lines are choked which results in continuous overflow.
HAMMAD ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi
PYE-dogs have been seen roaming about freely in Karachi’s streets, parks and market places. Those that are wounded can pose a serious threat as they attack and bite people, who then run the risk of getting rabies.
About 40-45 years ago there were dog-eliminating squads in the KMC, who used to dispose of such dogs. For a considerably long time no such squad has been seen. Nowadays around 25-30 cases of dog-bites are being reported for treatment at Civil Hospital daily.
SYEDA AYESHA SHAHAB
Karachi
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