| November 22, 2005 | Tuesday | Shawwal 19, 1426 |
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US Democrats and Iraq
Hyderabad ladies club
Quake disaster
Language issues
Beggars
Cellphones and CPLC
Medical entry test
Nato offices in Pakistan
Karachi bridge
Phone complaint
Might is right?
Cricket affairs
Blair’s defeat
Bush’s freedom
PAKISTAN and India, by mutual consent, have recently opened crossings on the UN-supervised Line of Control in disputed Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate the movement of divided Kashmiri families and of relief supplies for the earthquake victims. Under international law and UN procedures, both the subcontinental neighbours who are parties to the Kashmir dispute should submit a detailed report on these bilateral steps concerning the LoC to the United Nations Security Council.
The UN General Assembly will, as in past years, hear a report in January on the work of the UN Military Group for Jammu and Kashmir (UNMOG). Whatever changes India and Pakistan have by mutual consent effected by way of crossings across the LoC should be made known to the UN member-states, especially UNSC members. The international community will in all likelihood welcome the wisdom, humanitarian concern, and pragmatism shown by India and Pakistan in alleviating the distress of the quake-hit Kashmiri population.
In fact, this impressive act of fellowship and good-neighbourliness on the part of the 1948 combatant nations in Jammu and Kashmir may persuade them to work out a negotiated, peaceful settlement of the vexed Kashmir dispute. The new vigour injected into Saarc by the Dhakka summit may produce many benefits for all the member-states if Saarc is enabled to shed the onerous baggage of inter-state disputes which have clogged its progress over the past many years. None of the member-states of Saarc is a failed state. Working together in peace and amity may rejuvenate the organization.
QUTUBUDDIN AZIZ
Karachi
MANY of the comparisons between Iraq and Vietnam used by Democrats are illogical. The present soldiers are volunteers, and not largely draftees as was the case in the Vietnam war. In addition, the presence of US troops in Iraq has now evolved into more of a “police action” than an actual war. In his decision to invade Iraq, President Bush’s only mistake was to trust incorrect intelligence reports. But many from the US Democratic Party made the same mistake. For example in February 1998, president Clinton said: “If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programme.” In 2002, former vice-president Al Gore said: “We know that he (Saddam Hussein) has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.” In October 2002, Senator John F. Kerry said. “I will be voting to give the president of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.” In October 2002 Senator Hillary Clinton said: “He (Saddam Hussein) has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaida members....Left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.”
As you can see from the above, many Democrats have very short memories when it comes to the of leaders of their own political party.
Vincent Bemowski
Wisconsin USA
THIS is with reference to Aziz Malik’s report “Hyderabad’s Ladies Club sealed” (Nov 14) in which he reported on the decision of the ETP and the Auqaf department to shut down the only centre of the women’s cultural activities in Hyderabad. Although the department had made a similar move about four years ago, due to enormous public pressure no further action was taken and the club was allowed to continue with its usual activities. The department’s spontaneous action this time round has taken the people of the city by great surprise. The handing over of this national heritage to builders for commercial purposes is extremely disturbing. It is not only against the aspirations of the people of Hyderabad but also sheds light on how national heritage buildings are regarded and taken care of.
The city of Hyderabad hardly has any place left for cultural activities, least of all for women. Past political disturbances coupled with the building mafia’s insatiable lust for land have resulted in the closure of all libraries, while bookshops have been converted into stores and markets. The once beautiful area is unrecognizable with ugly structures of concrete and steel that defy all building code rules and regulations.
By now, out of the 175 buildings which in 1986 were declared historical assets by the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) a majority have fallen prey to the unquenchable desire of the builder mafias. Handing over the ladies club to them will be another blow to our cultural activities.
ALTAMASH MANZOOR
H. KURESHI Karachi
This is with reference to Sardar Aseff Ali’s article ‘A nation discovers its soul’ (Dawn Encounter, Oct 29). Mr Ali writes that in view of the colossal loss of lives and property and the fact that foreign aid pledged and received is not commensurate to the high cost involved in relief operations and rehabilitation, the federal and provincial governments should curtail massive wasteful expenditure.
I fully endorse this suggestion as non-developmental expenditure has increased manifold during the last few years.
An economy cut of 20 per cent may immediately be imposed on the normal budgetary allocations for the current financial year.
The proposed cut can easily be adjusted by exercising economy over the use of official cars, telephones, tours, entertainment, renovation of offices,
etc.
Besides, a review of the development budget may be undertaken and allocations for only those projects be retained which have a direct bearing on the growth of our national economy.
Projects like the construction of a national monument in Islamabad, the Baab-i-Pakistan in Lahore and similar other projects can be postponed. The development funds earmarked for the senators and MNAs can be frozen and diverted towards the rehabilitation of the quake victims.
SHAIKH KHURSHID HASAN
Karachi
THE idea of teaching English at the primary level should be welcome as this is a requirement of the time we are living in. Putting a child in a web of languages starting from his mother tongue to the national language and then to an international language won’t benefit him in any way. Instead, it is likely to confuse him. We also know that when he applies for a job, he wouldn’t get credit for knowing, or being good at, his native language. Importance will be only given to his command of the English language.
Despite Urdu being our national language, it is not considered an official language as far as communication is concerned. Why should we then force our children to learn so many different languages which are of no use to them in the future?
If we want our regional and national language(s) to survive, we will have to first change our whole system and start our communication — both written and verbal — in Urdu and on regional levels in the regional languages. And we all know this is not possible. Most of the so-called elite children are already studying English from the primary level. So why should the rest of the nation be left behind? The earlier we start to learn any language the better command we will have over it. Even Japan which is a developed country is now thinking of teaching English from the primary level.
SHAHID SHAIKH
Karachi
OUR car stopped at the traffic signal next to a hotel in Karachi the other day. As soon as traffic came to a standstill, young street children aged five to eight scurried to different cars, and started asking for money in a well-rehearsed drone.
I, like almost everyone else, signalled to them to go away but one persistent seven-year-old clung to my window and kept knocking softly.
The signal was red for a long time and the beggar’s constant knocking got me thinking about how we, as a nation, have absorbed so many things as given facts — like patriarchy, poverty, corruption, rule of military dictators, etc. I was jolted out of this acceptance at this signal, which I often pass, where little street children in tattered clothes run around, shouting abuses at each other under the shadow of towering hotels.
These children eat poorly, have never been educated and their mental state is such that they curse at and kick each other for fun. Meanwhile, people who stay at the hotels pay around Rs8,000 per night.
The elite or aspiring elite of the city eat at its restaurants where a meal can cost around Rs1,000 or more per person.
We live in a society where scenes of extreme inequality are in front of our eyes everyday and we rarely think about them, let alone protest against them.
Despite the government’s long speeches about poverty alleviation there is little change on the ground. One cannot help but think if any concentrated efforts are being taken to alleviate poverty in the country, whether the state is accountable to its citizens or whether efforts are being directed to build bigger and better forces whose capabilities to respond to unforeseen events was visible in the aftermath of the earthquake.
NOORULAIN MASOOD
Karachi
APROPOS of Mr. Abdur Raheem’s letter “Cellphones and CPLC” (Nov 17) we would like to draw his attention towards the fact that the CPLC was the first organization to initiate a proposal for preserving and recording of the IMEI and ESN Nos. of stolen / snatched cellphones. Moreover, it has developed a software to store the data of stolen or snatched cellphones on the same pattern as it is maintaining database of stolen and recovered vehicles and other crimes and sharing the information and crime patterns with the police and other law-enforcement agencies (LEA).
We would like to clarify that once a stolen phone is reported to the CPLC with an IMEI number, this information is passed on to the mobile companies to block the SIMs. This information is also shared with the police for the recovery of the phone. The handicap faced by the police and LEAs in the recovery is that most of the data of pre-paid connection subscribers available is incorrect.
We have told the PTA that the data of mobile phone subscribers is either not updated or is in the name of the dealer/franchise due to which the LEAs are facing problems whenever they require the name and address of a subscriber. The solution is that a proper identification procedure should be adopted. A SIM shall only be issued to a person who produces his original CNIC (and its photocopy) and a paid utility bill.
We understand that the recovery rate of cellphones is very low as compared, but not reporting the matter does not solve the problem. At CPLC we take out a crime pattern with the help of Geographic Information System on a monthly basis to identify highly volatile areas and this information is passed on to the LEAs. Several cellphone thieves have been apprehended. We would like to bring on record that so far 27,587 cellphones have been reported either stolen, snatched or missing since December 15, 2004 out of which 2,811 SIMs have been blocked by mobile companies and 396 cellphones were recovered and handed over to the genuine owners by the CPLC.
SHARFUDDIN MEMON
Chief of CPLC,
Karachi
I would like to draw the attention of the president of Pakistan and the chief justice to the unfairness of pre-entry test conducted by the National Testing Services, Karachi, at Larkana on Nov 13, for admission to Chandka Medical College, Larkana. Some precedents of the unfairness are as under:
Candidates from district Kashmore allegedly secured most of the top 10 positions, having managed to get the question paper a day before the test. There was no check on the use of cellphones during the test. No calculators were allowed according to the instructions, but many students brought and used calculators. Teachers/instructors of private entry test tuition centres in Larkana city were engaged by the NTS for performing duties as invegilators who were seen helping their respective students.
I am a third position holder with 909 marks from the BISE, Hyderabad, having studied at the Cadet College, Petaro, but secured the 24th position in the merit list of Kashmore district because of this unfairness.
Keeping in view the blatant unfairness exercised by the National Testing Services, Karachi, I request the high-ups to cancel the results of the above test and get the test re-conducted by the Aga Khan University.
JIBRAN Hyderabad
FOR providing help to earthquake victims in Pakistan, a regional sentinel office of Nato has been set up in Islamabad. It is hard to understand why our own forces cannot alone deal with the situation after the earthquake. Nato, since its formation four decades ago, has never been engaged in rescue operations in a natural disaster. The arrival of an army of 1,000 Nato servicemen to deal with the post-earthquake circumstances arouses suspicion. India has also raised concerns over the presence of Nato forces along its border.
Was the Nato issue placed before the assembly, the Senate or discussed in cabinet or did a single authority take this decision? We have been hearing that the situation is under control and that the government is reaching even the most remotely affected areas. So why the need for Nato forces? The USA has been advocating making Kashmir a satellite state for a long time. Are we aiding in this?
A. Irshad Karachi
THIS is to bring to the knowledge of the officials concerned the condition of the Korangi Industrial Area Bridge. The plates that joined the various sections of the road on the bridge started vanishing piece by piece some time ago. Now nearly all the steel plates are gone. At some points a gap of more than a foot has appeared and these gaps are widening. It is now common practice for buses, trucks and trailers to drive in a zigzag manner to avoid the larger gaps.
For motorcyclists it is practically impossible to cross any of the wider gaps and they run the risk of either falling or being run over by the vehicle behind them. The repair of the damaged portions of the bridge should not be a big job.
Badar Jatoi Karachi
WE had been using the telephone number 5371400 for more than a decade when it was suddenly changed to 5832212 without any prior notice. Several complaints to telephone authorities have yielded no results, except for the routine of noting down the complaint and handing us a complaint number. Can anyone among the authorities let me know why this has happened?
KASHIF JAMIL ABBASI
Karachi
RECENTLY the British historian David Irving was arrested in Austria because he denied that the Holocaust happened. A warrant for his arrest was issued in 1989 after he gave lectures in Vienna in which he disputed the existence of gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps. He questioned the number of Jews who died and denied that they were systematically murdered. He also contended that most Jews who died at Auschwitz did so from diseases, not gas poisoning. Besides, he claimed that Adolf Hitler knew nothing of the Holocaust.
He based his views largely on a 1988 report by an American, Fred Leucher, whose personal research at Auschwitz led him to conclude that gas chambers had not existed. As denying the Holocaust is a crime in Austria, it carries a sentence of 10 years. If Mr Irving is convicted and the court considers him to be a particular danger, he could face 20 years in prison.
On the other hand the current American president deliberately invented a lie to attck Iraq. The blood of countless innocent civilians is on his hands. One man denies, not commits, a crime and it lands him in jail. Another man lies, misleads public opinion and destroys a country but is still regarded as a champion of human rights. Why this difference? Because might is right?
M.H. Rohan Lahore
IT has been reported in the press that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not appointed a manager of the Pakistan cricket team for the ongoing cricket series against England. This is said to have resulted in lack of communication between the media and the Pakistan cricket team management.
The manager is supposed to be available to the media, both local and foreign, for their various queries about different aspects of the game. Instead, the PCB chairman seems to have taken upon himself the responsibility of manager as he is always there talking directly to the media and discussing with them matters right from the selection of the team to the preparation of the wicket for a particular Test match.
In other cricket playing countries like England, South Africa, the West Indies, New Zealand and Australia, the chairmen of the respective cricket boards do not discuss such issues with the media. They have spokespersons who spell out the policies and the future programmes of their cricket boards.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI Islamabad
I WAS quite amused to read Usman Fayyaz’s letter suggesting that Mr Blair resign (Nov 19). Apparently he does not understand that the time and the prevailing circumstances of the 21st century are far different from the time when the former prime ministers mentioned in his letter opted to resign.
Those were the good old days when the sun did not set on the British Empire and it really didn’t matter if a prime minister resigned or not. My suggestion to Mr Blair, the very able and dynamic prime minister of Great Britain, is to start preparing for a fourth term. He has absolutely nothing to worry about.
FARAKH Z.A. MALIK
Karachi
“BUSH urges Beijing to allow more freedom” (Nov 17). But, then, how to define when Mr Bush earlier made all possible efforts to deny freedom to hundreds of America’s own detainees to approach US civil courts to challenge their detention?
Z.A. KAZMI Karachi
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