| November 27, 2005 | Sunday | Shawwal 24, 1426 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
AWACs’ deal
Beach fences
For love of the game
Iodine deficiency
Ban on sale of tents
SPSC’s examinations
Endowment scholarships
Future of Iraq
Can PIA improve?
Preventing pollution at ports
Encroachment
IN quitting the Likud Party, of which he was a founder in 1973, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced that he was forming a “new national liberal” political party. Whilst the Israeli media expressed views such as, “Ariel Sharon’s decision is dramatic, unequivocal”, Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator said, “What is happening in Israel today is very significant. I believe it is an eruption of a political volcano in Israel.
I believe it is restructuring the politics in Israel.” The two issues touted to be the catalyst for Sharon to leave the Likud party were firstly, New Labour leader, Mr Peretz’s announcement of Labour’s plan to withdraw from the coalition government and secondly, the opposition from hardliners within Likud to Sharon’s decision to remove all Jewish settlements from Gaza. Time will tell how much eruption this decision will really bring. Israel’s ‘cloak and dagger’ approach in the political arena is well documented. The circus of Sharon’s unilateral ‘disengagement plan’ from Gaza became the most recent addition. Whilst Jewish settlements in Gaza were being bulldozed and razed to the ground in the glare of the international media, the illegal separation fence was quietly moving towards its completion and settlements in other key territories were being increased.
The wall surrounding East Jerusalem, cutting it off from the West Bank, ensured that the West Bank becomes an enclosed prison.
The northern wall, which has already imprisoned residents of Tulkarem, Qalqilya and Mas’ha, robbing them of their land, continues to advance southwards. Bulldozers are now headed for the land of Bil’in and Safa, bordering the settlements of Modi’in Elit.
In equal measure, the building of more settlements is in full force. The Israeli defence ministry confirmed that 3,500 housing units would be constructed between the largest West Bank settlement, Maale Adumin, and Jerusalem. The settlements at Ariel in the northern West Bank, and Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem, are also expected to be expanded.
So while Sharon pursues his political ambitions in a dramatic fashion like a man with a new vision, there is nothing new, except another party which is providing yet another smokescreen for the Zionist vision and the illegal occupation.
IMRAN HAMEED
Lahore
I COULDN’T agree more with Mr Khalid Naqshbandi’s letter regarding the AWAC’s deal, but more importantly, I endorse the underlying pessimistic sentiment in the letter. India is constantly back-stabbing Pakistan at every international opportunity, despite it being engaged in peace talks and many other CBMs.
It seems to be operating a dual track policy of appeasing Pakistani leaders whilst continuing its historical objectives of attritional denigration of all things Pakistani.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Gen Musharraf will shake hands in New Delhi but the Indian prime minister will not hesitate to give President Musharraf a two-fingered salute when standing in the Rose Garden of the White House.
It should come as no surprise to anyone with an iota of common sense that it is futile to expect anything from the current crop of Indian leaders, or any other generation for that matter.
The problem also lies with our system. As there is no real parliamentary debate, or any real political institutions, our leaders are not as politicized or savvy as their Indian counterparts.
Therefore the Indian ministers, in their dealings with Pakistan, feel they can say one thing and do another and get away with it.
It is time for our leaders to stop being humble in front of the Indians, begging for peace talks, dialogue and movement on Kashmir when it is clear that India is just dragging it out with us, while getting what it wants with the US and China.
NISAR AHMED
London
THIS is with reference to Mr Umar F. Khan ‘s letter (Nov 13).
Sir, to answer Mr Khan’s letter, the reason the fences/walls along the coast are coming up is to hide the designs of the port/Clifton and Defence Housing authorities. They, in collusion with the builder mafia, are determined to destroy the natural beauty of the grand Arabian Sea to make money. They couldn’t actually believe that building parks, restaurants and fancy water fountains can add to its splendour.
The much maligned Casino building was only a couple of stories high. Now it is a huge multi-storeyed monstrosity obstructing the view of the sea and choking off the breeze.
From the DHA chief’s pronouncements it seems many more such vulgarities are planned. While the DHA is the worst offender, other government agencies are not far behind.
Walls have been built obstructing the traditional view in Clifton and the coast seems to be on sale piece by piece. When they run out of coast they fill the sea with garbage, cover it with mud and sell that. They call it reclamation as though it was something taken that has been re-possesed.
Let them heed the warnings of global warning and take lesson from the fury of the sea unleashed in various places. These schemes in the name of progress are unchecked commercialization at the cost of the environment.
Soon it will become impossible to even catch a glimpse of the sea unless you are paying the price of the fancy revolving restaurant the DHA is planning to build.
The beach has still not recovered from the oil spill and the sand has lost its fine characteristic. We must preserve what is left of its natural beauty.
I beseech the environmental protection agencies and all those who care about our once pristine coast to continue resisting these nefarious schemes motivated by greed and little concern for the welfare of the city.
DR. A. AHMED
Karachi
AFTER having watched the two days of second Test match between Pakistan and England it was evident that the two teams struggled to gain supremacy and provided unlimited entertainment in the process. If the dismissal of Mohammad Yousaf didn’t come as a shock to the fans of the wristy player, and there are many around the cricketing world, Inzamam was dismissed by a third empire decision unjustly too. The call by Harmison was not judiciously examined and the rule indicating “... a batsman is not run out if (a) he has been within his ground and has subsequently left it to avoid injury, when the wicket is put down” was not applied.
Perhaps the erstwhile umpires were unaware of the cricketing rule and the brunt had to be borne by our in-form batsman and captain. Or was it enough of Inzamam magic on the ground that led to the empires sending him back to the pavilion?
Such decisions incite a feeling of unfairness and cause people to be disgruntled with the game. To add further injury, Afridi, our star batsman, who whipped the English bowlers all over the ground was banned for one Test match and two one-dayers. This was very disconcerting news to the cricket fans all over the country.
If he was responsible for scuffing the pitch, which I’m sure was done in the heat of the moment and was not a deliberate act, he should’ve been fined the entire Test match fee or more. Banning an entertaining player like Afridi for one whole Test and two one-dayers goes to indicate discrimination on the part of the judges. After all, the judges should have been fair in seeking to punish players over minor offences. Or do they consider this a war between the Pakistani and English team where everything is fair?
A lot of people are utterly disappointed by the harsh ICC decision and feel that it wasn’t commensurate with the violation.
It would be sad not to see Afridi in the matches in Lahore. I think the umpiring standards need to be improved for the love of the game.
BILAL KHAN
Lahore
IODINE deficiency is a major global health problem and its consequences can be very devastating. Insufficient consumption of iodine is still the most preventable cause of brain damage in the world.
Besides mental retardation, lack of Iodine is also a leading cause of stillbirths, miscarriages and cretinism. Pakistan also suffers from Iodine deficiency. It has assumed special importance in Azad Kashmir and parts of NWFP, which have been hit by a devastating earthquake.
The problem needs to be addressed in right earnest. Half-hearted measures already taken may not suffice. The population needs to be made aware of the problem and the responsibility lies with the government.
It is suggested that we should avail the presence of United Nations agencies in quake hit areas and should prepare and launch a comprehensive workable programme for spreading awareness of the problem among the population and ensure easy availability of Iodine, Iodized salt, etc.
Instructions in regard to the use of iodine with and without salt should also be included in this programme. This programme would need to be extended to the rest of Pakistan.
One cannot too strongly emphasize the importance of this programme. The same effort and enthusiasm are urged for dealing with iodine deficiency as adopted for polio.
MOHAMMAD ANWAR KHAN
Karachi
THE government must lift the ban on sale of tents by local manufacturers to international agencies, Red Cross societies and NGOs. The government is buying family tents which will be of no use in severe cold conditions whereas the above-mentioned agencies have plans to buy winterized tents not only for residential purpose but also for schools, clinics and storage of food and other essential items.
Instead of imposing a ban, the relief cell must take the agencies into confidence and identify areas where tents are needed. The amount of Rs1.5 billion could have been saved had the government allowed NGOs and other international organizations to arrange this item.
ASAD AWAN
Islamabad
The sluggish and mediocre performance of the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) can be gauged from the following facts:
The SPSC invited applications from the eligible candidates for the posts of Deputy District Attorney (BPS-17) in law department and charged Rs 500 from every candidate as an exam fee, vide its consolidated advertisement No. 01/2005, published in newspapers on January 29, 2005. Although nine months have passed, it still has not conducted the examination to fill these posts. In the same advertisement the SPSC also invited applications for the posts of Inspector (BPS-14) in Excise & Taxation Department, charging exam fee of Rs 500 from every eligible candidate. A month later, the Excise & Taxation Department itself announced the above post but did not charge any exam fee. The SPSC has neither conducted examination for the posts, nor has it made clear whether the examination will be held by the department itself or whether the Rs500 fee will be refunded to applicants if the department makes the appointments itself.
The SPSC’s consolidated advertisement No. 02/2005 appeared in newspapers of March 03, 2005, inviting applications for the posts of Mukhtiarkar (BPS-16) in Revenue Department and posts of Medical Officers (BPS-17) in Health Department charging an exam fee of Rs500 per person. After four months, the SPSC announced that it would conduct examinations on Aug 4 to fill the above posts. However, just two days before the examination date, the SPSC postponed these examinations for an indefinite period citing heavy rains and floods in Sindh as the reason for the delay - although there were no rains or floods during this time. This delay affected hundreds of thousands of applicants, who had come to examination centres in Karachi and Hyderabad from far flung areas to appear in the tests. It is stunning to note that since August 2005, the SPSC has not announced any new date for these examinations. There are other similar examples that show how SPSC has virtually become a money minting tool for the government. Every year it generates the budget in millions of rupees from exam fees, and adds to the misery of an already unemployed and distressed youth who look forward to government jobs. It is the SPSC’s total failure and inefficiency which has caused delays in conducting the above examinations.
BARKAT ALI ABRO
Larkana
TWO months ago the Sindh education and literacy department had announced the endowment scholarships for next year (2005-6) for which Oct 16 was the last date to submit forms.
Surprisingly despite several weeks having passed, students have not received interview letters which casts doubts over the whole process.
Moreover, students who had applied to different institutions only on the basis of the endowment scholarship, cannot get admissions for the next semester (January 2006) and will have to wait another semester.
Currently there are only 30 scholarships for the Master’s programme while there are 70 scholarships for Bachelor’s students. Every year due to the shortage of Bachelor’s students many seats have been wasted while many deserving students for Master’s programme cannot get scholarships due to the lack of seats.
Scholarships for Master’s and Bachelor’s students must be equal. The lists of eligible candidates for scholarships are prepared only on the basis of their fathers’ income, which means that the poorest student get the scholarship first.
However, last year many students whose parents were quite well-off received scholarships. Another observation is that many students who did not clear their examinations have been able to retain their scholarships and in contrast the deserving students who have applied for the first time for a scholarship have been left out.
The endowment board should give a maximum number of scholarships to the new students and renew scholarships only for those students who have secured at least a 3.0 GPA.
CONCERNED STUDENTS
Karachi
AT THE moment, Americans desperately need to find a true commander in chief, not a campaigner in chief. American troops have become the main target for the counter-attack in Iraq. An influential House Democrat called the Iraq campaign “a flawed policy wrapped in illusion” and urged the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
It is a good time for a change in direction, as the American military is suffering and the future of the country is at risk. The immediate redeployment of American forces from Iraq is in the greater interest of America and the rest of the world.
It is evident that constant military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the US. If Americans understand that they are in the process of delivering a free Iraq, they are mistaken.
The creation of a new Iraq is in the hand of the Iraqi people, which will make the Middle East and the world safer than what the Americans have made.
We can only hope that 2006 will be a “transition year” in which the Iraqis can assume responsibility for their own security as well as run their country’s affairs in an appropriate way.
SYED SADAQAT HUSSAIN
Karachi
I BOOKED one of my dogs for Lahore on Nov 13 in the cage specifically designed for the airline. The actual gross weight of the cage, with the dog, was 47kg and I was charged Rs2,270. On Nov 18 the same dog in the same cage, along with two more small dogs in another cage, was sent back to Karachi.
The actual gross weight of three dogs and two cages was 55kg and I was charged Rs1,290. I have both the receipts. Can anybody check this?
DANIYAL AHMED
Karachi
AS it is the country’s main seaport, Karachi handles most of the bulk oil that is imported and exported. There are three oil piers at/near the entrance, pier # 2, which have been newly built and are due for inauguration very soon.
However, it is a sad state of affairs that no pollution prevention and/or contingency plan has been drawn up in case of any oil spillage into the harbour.
Even after the ‘Tasman Spirit’ disaster, the concerned authorities seem to be ignorant about the consequences that will arise should a major oil spill re-occur from any one of the three piers.
Anyone concerned with the oil trade, operations or handling of oil in bulk can very well imagine the foreign tankers’ impressions when they visit Karachi.
There are books and publications concerning oil spill prevention which are available and must be consulted and its recommendations brought into effect at the earliest.
Here are some suggestions regarding a state of preparedness for emergencies:
Oil booms must be secured all around the tanker(s) and berth until discharging and/or loading is complete and the port authority should be responsible for procuring and employing trained personnel to handle the above tasks.
“Oil pollution” prevention teams should be available around the clock. Communication is an important part of any operation and should be made available to the oil prevention teams in the form of intrinsic radios to enable them to be in contact with the shore authorities and the berthed vessel.
A CONCERNED SEAFARER
Karachi
AS a resident of PIB Colony, which is one of Karachi’s oldest neighbourhoods, I would like to draw the attention of the Sindh chief minister, governor and the city mazim towards the encroachment by car showroom owners in the area.
As one comes from University Road towards to PIB colony, passing in front of the New Town police station there are almost three dozen car showrooms.
All of them have grabbed the area along the side of the road reserved for pedestrians. Not only that, the space for passing traffic has been significantly reduced leading to frequent traffic jams in the area.
In residents argue with the showroom dealers, sooner or later an employee will come and physically threaten the protesting resident.
The New Town and PIB police stations are walking distance from where all of this happens but have never taken any action against the encroachers — perhaps for obvious reasons.
The authorities are requested to solve this problem for PIB Colony’s hapless residents.
DR SYED KHURRAM AZMAT
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.