| December 25, 2005 | Sunday | Ziqa’ad 22, 1426 |
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Shifting Israel
‘ElBaradei’s warning’
Vehicle testing
Indian scandal
Smoking in cabinet
AWACs debate
Unfair privileges?
Change in school year
Defining Muslims
Karachi’s outlook
Failures off the field
Election Commission
The case in point is its series of editorials on the Iran nuclear standoff. In its latest editorial entitled “ElBaradei’s warning” (Dec 11)it accuses Iran of being irrational while admitting that Iran is on the right side of the law (as stipulated by the NPT). Can a law-abiding country be irrational? In one of its previous editorials it accused Iran of “rocking the boat” when it had rejected the unjust proposals of EU3 and decided to resume nuclear enrichment activity.
THIS refers to Mr Khurshid Anwer’s letters (Dec 8 and Dec 13), Mr Ayaz Amir’s article (Dec 9) and Dawn’s editorial (Dec 18) on the controversial Kalabagh dam issue.
First, Sindh knows that the Kalabagh dam project is at variance with the interest of its people. Sindh also knows that this dam will be equally harmful for the people of the NWFP and Balochistan. It will ruin all three provinces. Not only this, the people of the Seraiki belt in Punjab are also against it. Sindh does not entertain any misconceptions. It is Punjab which does. There is only a small lobby there, besides the establishment, that wants to build this dam. Amin Fahim, PPP-P president, has rightly said that “the making of Kalabagh dam will jeopardize national unity”.
One should know that national unity is more important than the Kalabagh dam. Previously we made a blunder by ignoring the wishes of East Pakistan and lost the province. We can’t afford to repeat the blunder.
The contention of Mr Khurshid Anwer that the “Kalabagh dam will store surpluses of the monsoon and flood flows” is a sad comment on those, including Mr Anwer, who earlier advocated that the KBD would be used to store rainwater. After the general lack of rainfall for several years, it is being said now that the dam is for storage of floodwater.
Also, Sindh was previously assured that no canals would be taken from the Kalabagh dam but the president recently confirmed that two canals might be made.
About guarantees to Sindh on the dam issue, it is said Punjab will only take 37 per cent (instead of 40 because it surrendered three per cent to Sindh) through the left bank canal. History shows that Sindh has always sacrificed for Punjab. Some examples: (1) Sindh contributes 73 per cent revenue to the national resource pool but receives only 23 per cent, whereas Punjab takes the lion’s share earned by Sindh by returning Sindh nothing. (2) For many decades Punjab has taken Sindh’s share of water.
Again, for many years the NFC Award based on the new formula has not been given. This is in contravention of the Constitution. The old formula that benefits only Punjab lingers on.
Again, the charge that “Sindh has pressured President Musharraf into cancelling the left bank canal” has no truth in it. If it is so, the president would not be so vigorously advocating the Kalabagh dam. It is otherwise. A small Punjab lobby is pressuring the president on the Kalabagh issue despite nine resolutions passed by three elected provincial assemblies and the overwhelming opposition of the people of three provinces.
No doubt water needs will increase in the coming years in Pakistan. The construction of small dams will be a good alternative to the Kalabagh dam.
IMRAN KHAN SIAL
Karachi
THIS has reference to Ms Shazia Marri’s letter “Dam controversy” (Dec 22) in which she has pointed out some technical reservations on the Kalabagh dam. She says that the annual demand is 149.2 MAF but only 114 MAF has been distributed as per the 1991 Accord. May I inform the correspondent that out of 145 MAF water available on an annual basis, not more than 116 MAF can be distributed due to lack of capacity in the canal system? The remaining water flows down into the sea as surplus water. We need more storage of surplus water and we also need to build more canals, so that water can be distributed.
Once the KBD or any other dam is made in Sindh, water will start flowing on a perennial basis as opposed to a few canals which are non-perennial.
In addition to this, seven barrages will be made to take out more canals: thus supplying more water.
It is, therefore, logical to conclude that more water can be distributed only if it has been stored. If surplus water flows down into the sea during eight/10 weeks of the monsoon, it cannot be distributed in the other parts of the year, when badly needed.
GHAZALA YASMIN
Rawalpindi
I AM surprised to see the government’s insistence that the construction of the Kalabagh dam is in the interest of Sindh when the people of Sindh both in the rural and urban areas say it is against the province’s interest.
If there is so much surplus water in the Indus, I suggest a dam should be built in Sindh at a place just before it goes into the sea. Or, some other non-controversial dam, such as the Basha dam, should be built first.
HAMID ALI
Karachi
MR Aslam Minhas has made an attempt to enunciate a rationale for the suggestion of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmedinejad for “shifting Israel” (Dec 16) through logic and reason.
Mr Ahmedinejad has shared his thoughts candidly and truthfully on many sensitive subjects since being elected president by an overwhelming majority of Iranians, though the western media has been labelling him as an extremist.
The US, and its allies (principally the UK, Japan, Australia and Italy) appear to be totally immune to any logic or reason whether in the case of broader human interests or the invasion of weak nations like Afghanistan and Iraq.
The might is right is equally pervasive in today’s so-called civilized world as it was in the so-called dark ages. The powerful deem themselves to be unchallengeable.
Leaving aside the glaring cases of Abu Ghraib and the burning of dead Taliban, the CIA prison saga now under investigation of the EU is enough proof of the conduct of nations who call themselves symbols of civilization and fairplay.
So, in the prevailing situation, Mr Minhas’s pleading recalls a Persian precept, “Ein khial aast, kay mahaal asst” (this thought is too difficult to materialize). All the same, kudos to Mr Minhas for seeking to rationalize Mr Ahmadinejad’s suggestion which appears so wild and weird to the Bush administration and its supporters.
M. SALEEM CHAUDHRY
Karachi
The paper has conveniently overlooked the double standards of the West regarding nuclear non-proliferation. This is the same West that, on the one hand, helped Israel become a nuclear power in violation of the NPT, offered Iran, then ruled by Reza Shah Pehlavi, to get nuclear reactors and lately has offered India, an NPT non-signatory country, civilian nuclear technology (which is also a clear violation of the NPT) and, on the other hand, it is bent upon depriving Islamic Iran of its legitimate rights as given by the NPT. Rather than exposing the hypocrisy of the West, you are unjustly criticizing Iran. The unique steps that Iran has taken to address international concerns such as the signing of additional protocol and offering international organizations and countries to have joint ventures with it to use nuclear technology have not been mentioned.
ASAD ABBAS
Islamabad
THIS relates to the news item “Vehicle testing to be carried out at ACLC” ( Dec 2) in Karachi. The chemical testing of vehicles was previously carried out at the Garden police headquarters. Now it will done on the premises of the Anti-Car Lifting Cell office in Sharifabad. It also said that the staff of the criminology branch will examine vehicles in the presence of representatives of the ACLC and the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC).
It is amazing to observe how a forensic laboratory is being run by police authorities under the title of criminology division. How is it possible to run a such division (forensic laboratory) without professional input from criminologists.
The criminology division must have active links with the department of criminology, University of Sindh, where criminology is being professionally taught at the master’s level.
The police managers concerned seem to be planning to monopolize a field that belongs to criminologists. To add insult to injury, the vehicle examination will be carried out in the presence of representatives of the CPLC. None of the CPLC staff has any qualification to perform such a supervisory task requiring criminological skills.
It is imperative that criminologists should be welcomed to operate forensic labs. It is time professionals were engaged in testing vehicles as stolen vehicles are probably used for terrorism.
NABI BAKHSH NAREJO
Hyderabad
THIS refers to Mr Usman Fayyazs letter “Indian scandal” (Dec 20). While I agree with Mr Fayyaz that this and the Natwar Singh episode have hurt India’s image, I do dispute his views on Indian democracy.
Indian democracy has withstood not just the test of time, but also numerous hiccups along the way. Mr Fayyaz should make it a point to visit India to assess for himself the fact that Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other minorities enjoy equal freedoms. Muslims in India get Haj subsidies from the government (no other religion in India enjoys such subsidies). Elections in India take place as mandated by the Constitution, and the military has never taken over the country.
The fact that some politicians were caught accepting bribes and that this was exposed by the media is itself a testimony to the freedom of the press in the country.
Democracy is an ongoing process. The fact that corruption exists does not mean democracy does not. The US and the UK have both seen bouts of corruption, but their democracies are still strong.
In India corrupt politicians and businesses do get caught so often. Do they in Pakistan?
RAM SARANGAPANI
Houston, Texas, USA
THIS refers to the photograph (Dawn Metropolitan, Islamabad, Dec 22) in which Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Housing Minister Syed Safwanullah are seen smoking at a cabinet meeting.
The “Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance” was promulgated in October 2002, and now ministers are violating it in cabinet meetings.
Every citizen has to abide by the law whether he or she is a parliamentarian or president.
May I ask why these public representatives smoke publicly? Whose interests do our elected parliamentarians safeguard when they sit in parliament: the tobacco multinationals or the health of the people of Pakistan who elected them?
KANEEZ ZEHRA
Islamabad
MR Shahbaz Khan Ghurki, while referring to the current debate on the purchase of AWACs and F-16s by the PAF, has made some suggestions (Dec 17).
One of these is to purchase used planes instead of new ones, in order to make them affordable. He has estimated the cost of a second-hand F-16 at $5-$10 million and of a new one at over $50 million. I believe an Air Force spokesman had clarified some months ago that the price of a new F-16 with the options we plan to get is around $25 million.
A few important things come to mind. First, a used fighter can never be as reliable as an unused one, although the Pakistan Air Force is planning to buy some used F-16s as well to save money.
Second, with the passage of years the availability of spares for a particular aeroplane keeps on declining and the manufacturers charge an exorbitant price for producing them. Thus, it probably wouldn’t be terribly cost-effective to buy old jet fighters.
Third, the age of most of the aeroplanes, such as the Mirages (whose procurement began about 38 years back) and even the F-16s being flown by the PAF pilots exceeds, the normal 20-year life-span of a fighter.
Pakistan is coming up jointly with China with the JF-17 Thunder to replace the older planes, while India has already been developing its light combat aircraft (LCA).
However, neither would be comparable to the hundreds of Mirage 2000-5s, the SU 30 MKIs and the F-18s or F-16s, all of which are more advanced and which the Indian Air Force either already has or will be getting.
Mr Ghurki has also quite cynically remarked that if national defence is so important then the defence establishment, too, must make personal sacrifices. This is regrettable; by enabling a defence service to buy the necessary weapons we won’t be doing it a favour but only ensuring greater security for ourselves.
ENGR KHALID
Karachi
THIS is regarding the recent appeal of a Christian student in the Lahore High Court against the selection of another person with the same marks but with extra 20 marks given for having learnt the holy book by heart. What is the position of the ministry of education, the Medical Council and the Higher Education Commission on this blatant unfairness?
Religious privilege is unfair but isn’t new in Pakistan. In the 1960s one recalls a hilarious advertisement in national papers by a well-known Karachi drycleaner’s. It announced that an additional allowance would be given to new applicants for jobs who sported a beard.
All this seemed so ridiculous in those days but worse has followed. Educational institutions run by the military and even civilian institutes have had special seats for children of their own employees, with military kids even receiving special privilege in non-military universities.
Since such privileges are contrary to the Constitution, the Supreme Court should take suo motu action against them.
Q. ISA DAUDPOTA
Islamabad
SELECTIVE study and rote learning are the two main characteristics promoted by our examination system. Now when the focus is on in-class assessment and the semester system, which allows evaluation of students throughout the year, the change of SSC and HSC examinations from a one-year to a two-year course is illogical.
This will further encourage the two vices of selective study and rote learning in students.
The ministry of education is requested to kindly reconsider this decision.
NEELOFAR ALMAS
Karachi
FULLY agreeing with Shagufta Alizai’s letter (Dec 12), I would like to add: Does anyone hear of “Irish terrorists” as Catholic bombers or Tamil Tigers as “Hindu suicide bombers” when they have together done more damage than anyone else?
So why are Muslims always targeted and brandished? And why are most of the killings going on in the world today are in Muslim countries. It may be to get oil and territory, or again political advantage.
Our writers should not fall into the trap of international reporting.
S. BABAR
Karachi
THE city of Karachi after a prolonged period has been in for a simulating run of treats.
To begin with, the first-ever Karachi International Book Fair was held at the Expo Centre in the second week of December, which included publishers and booksellers from Pakistan, India, Britain and America. The fair was a much awaited event for book lovers, who turned out in large numbers.
Then came the third international one-dayer between Pakistan and England on Dec 15 at the National Stadium. It has been a long while since Karachi witnessed something this energizing, proof of which was the announcement of a holiday for all schools and colleges in the city by the city government to celebrate our 142-run victory over England.
All About Lifestyles Exhibition came next. Large numbers of people thronged the Expo Centre to visit this gala where more than 200 stalls had been set up by exhibitors. All such events held in Karachi promise a new beginning for the city.
HINA KAMAL
Karachi
WHILE the Pakistan cricket team has performed superbly on the field to win both the Test and one-day series against England and while its performance is significantly improving in all departments of the game, the management of our cricket board leaves much to be desired.
Promising Pakistani bowlers have been blocked or banned from international cricket due to their so-called suspect action. The recent example is that of Shabbir Ahmed, full of such promise and potential with his height, run-up, pace and bounce. Shoaib Malik has been cleared as he is not as much of a fiery threat as Shabbir Ahmed with his thunderbolts.
The PCP needs to learn a lesson from the Sri Lankan Cricket Board of protecting and promoting Muralitharan’s case. He was charged with suspect action and was adversely commented upon by none other than the prime minister of Australia. But it was Murali’s cricket board’s PR that made him the world celebrity that he is today.
While our players continue to perform outstandingly on the field, it is only PCB’s public relations that can weather the storm for Pakistan cricket off the field.
PARVEZ JAMIL
Karachi
THIS is in response to Mr S. Farid Ahmed’s Letter “EC” (Dec 19), asking someone in authority as to how long will Mr Justice Dagar remain as an acting election commissioner?
Well, I am not someone in authority, but can relieve Mr Farid’s anxiety by stating that Mr Dogar will be confirmed as permanent election commissioner the day he radiates strong enough vibes that he can be controlled, if and when the action starts.
M. SHOAIB KHATTAK
Karachi
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