| January 5, 2006 | Thursday | Zilhaj 4, 1426 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Doubly wrong
‘Weddings are good’
Punjab vs other provinces
‘Ideological hang-ups’
VIP movement
Litterbugs
Karachi’s priorities
Kalabagh dam
O-level/matric debate
PTV plays
Ban on cable TV
Lahore customs
Misuse of loudspeakers
IT is several weeks since the military operation in Balochistan, originally described as comprising raids on the hideouts of absconders, was initiated. Despite claims that some training camps have been destroyed, there still is no end in sight to the operation.
To understand the reasons behind the turmoil, it could be described as due to a “trust deficit”.
Historically, problems in Balochistan could have been addressed only through an effective and open-ended political process which sadly has been missing in most of our post-independence history.
During the last turmoil in Sui, the government initiated a dialogue through a committee headed by Senator Mushahid Hussain. It helped in developing trust and forces from both the Bugti and government sides were withdrawn from hostile positions.
The committee report was drafted after consultations with all sections of Baloch leaders. The committee came up with some useful suggestions, including more state funding for the social sector, especially in the Gwadar area, greater safeguards for the Baloch in federal and provincial jobs, and broadening the participation of Baloch on the boards of governors of oil and gas corporations.
There is a great deal of mistrust vis-a-vis the government’s development agenda in the province. Turmoil, anger and political protests are a reflection of the feelings of the people of Balochistan, which is the country’s biggest province territorially but economically the most backward. It has large reserves of oil, gas, copper, gold and other minerals, besides fisheries, but it feels its own people do not benefit from the exploitation of these resources. To regain the trust of the people, the above-mentioned injustices should be rectified and in a manner that satisfies the Baloch people and gives them a sense of participation in the political process.
Military means should be the last option and it is the need of the hour that dialogue and a political solution were given a chance.
IMRAN BALOCH
Karachi
I HAVE been feeling sad since I heard recently about casualties of innocent Baloch women and children in various areas of Balochistan. Conflict brings miseries whereever it occurs. In Iraq, children and women suffer most. This is also true of Balochistan. In the midst of fighting no one cares about innocent women and children.
The Baloch suffer from a lack of economic progress. They need social justice, proper education and employment to improve their lot.
The government should start talks with Nawab Akbar Bugti to resolve the problem. The people of the Sui area have a right to live in a dignified manner.
The people in Dera Bugti and Marri agency are extremely poor, and need love from our military. The federal government should handle the situation with great care and bring peace to the area by conducting talks.
ABDUL HAKEEM KHOSO
Kashmore
OUR feudal politicians feel more at home with foreigners because they became feudal by supporting the British against their own people and got huge chunks of land as a reward. So, by design, they keep self-interest at the top. They contest elections to sit in the assemblies or become part of government to remain strong in their area and crush their opponents. Most of them are illegal occupants of large amount of state land but no one dares to take it back because at this point they all join hands and form a pressure group.
Feudals do not have a democratic frame of mind because of their lifestyle and traditions. Right from the start, they give orders and ensure obedience, through extreme brutality. No wonder that all 42 schools in Dera Bugti were running without a single teacher.
I do not know how politics in Pakistan can get better representation in the presence of these feudals. One can only wait for a miracle because in the last 58 years there has been no change.
LT-COL(retd) FARRUKH EHTESHAM AZMI
Lahore Cantt
S.M. KAZIM Naqvi (Dec 31) is doubly wrong. First, he wrote: “Mr. Faiz Gul Awan thinks that minorities are being discriminated against because the Constitution of Pakistan bars them from becoming head of state (Dec 24). I think it is not discriminatory.” A look at the dictionary will tell him the correct meaning of “discrimination”. He should visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination.
Second, he wrote: “ (The US) constitution requires the aspirant to be a Christian...” A look at the US Constitution will show him that he is wrong there too. He should visit http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html.
He is right that “[secularism] separates politics and diplomacy from religion for better governance”.
A. LAKHTAKIA
Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics,
Pennsylvania State
University, US
THIS is with reference to S. M. Kazim Naqvi’s letter. The American constitution is just 10 pages long, and this includes the Bill of Rights. Nowhere is a person barred from holding the office of president of the United States on the basis of religion. While it is true that only white Anglo-Saxon Protestants and one Catholic (J.F. Keneddy) have held the office of president of the United States, unlike Pakistan’s discriminatory constitution there is no religious criterion for the American presidency. I am surprised that a respectable paper like Dawn would publish something so obviously untrue and so easily disproved as Mr Naqvi’s ill-informed letter.
OMAR MIRZA
New York, NY, US
I HAVE read several articles of late, including one in your magazine The Review, arguing against spending too much on weddings and on the ban on the serving of food. The argument given is that such large weddings place a financial strain on the poor and middle classes.
However, I think that overall the impact of elaborate weddings including the serving of food is positive for the economy. Weddings have created a cottage industry in Pakistan which provides a livelihood for not just of hotels and wedding halls but for everyone from tailors to cooks. This economic activity adds millions of rupees to the country’s GDP.
SHEHRYAR MOHIUDDIN
Naperville, IL, US
IT is 3.38am and I am writing this in sheer frustration. I am an unfortunate resident of Block 8 Clifton located right next to Karachi’s Eidgah ground which has, of late, been converted into a wedding ground.
What I would like to know is how come government property is being used as a wedding hall and why in God’s name are they allowed to play loud music till 4am and that too on a weekday? What kind of callousness allows one to arrange something like this in the name of “wedding celebrations”?
Lest people think that nothing was done about this, we did call up the police, we even called up KESC to ask them for one of their famous power Outages, but nothing happened. Could the authorities concerned please explain what rules allow them to permit people to hold such functions?
FAISAL HABIB
Karachi
I AM writing this in response to Muhammad Abd Al-Hameed’s letter “Punjab vs other provinces” (Dec 28)
in which the correspondent tries to remind the sacrifices made by Punjab for the country.
I have some questions. Did Punjab ever agree to accept fewer seats in the National Assembly so that no one province could dominate the assembly and harmony was maintained among the federating units? Did Punjab ever give some share of its water to Sindh, a province affected by sea intrusion? Instead, Punjab reversed the 1991 water accord to benefit itself.
Punjab did not even agree to give just four per cent for revenue generation. In the NFC award, Punjab stuck to its unjust stand of population as the sole criterion.
More provinces are needed for better management but the start has to be taken by Punjab, some of whose
politicians agree with the idea. Is Punjab ready to make a start?
MOHAMMAD MUDASSIR SIDDIQUI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the article ‘Putting aside ideological hang-ups’ by Murtaza Razvi (Jan 2).
I would like to add that there is hardly a model of an Islamic welfare state in recent history, yet we keep hearing calls for “Khilafa” and Sharia. For more than 1,000 years, many Muslim kings called themselves caliphs. They lived in luxurious palaces and had armies of slaves and concubines. There was no trace of Islamic ‘musawat’ in their governance. Most of them became caliphs by inheritance or conquest. There was no freedom of expression permissible to their subjects. Even Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal was physically punished by ‘Caliph’ Mamoon Al Rasheed for not endorsing the ruler’s opinion on matters of fiqh.
Is that the model we are yearning for?
KHALID A.
London UK
KARACHI is facing some serious problems for quite some time and the situation is getting worse with every passing day. The two major problems that seem to affect almost everyone are the city’s dug-up roads and the movement of VIP traffic.
It seems that our leaders have absolutely no consideration for the hardship their mere presence imposes on citizens. One of the city’s busiest roads, Sharea Faisal, is held hostage to VIP movement every so often. When this happens, parking of vehicles not only in side lanes but even in underground garages is banned. And this starts 24 hours before the VIP movement. In a civilized country this would be headline news so that the leaders at least realize the inconvenience they cause.
Coming to dug-up roads, it is clear that this is done without any planning or coordination.
SHIRAZ SACHEDINA
Karachi
WHY is it impossible for people to use dustbins at public parks instead of throwing litter on the walking track? Dustbins are marked in both English and Urdu for all to know what they are and for the illiterate the bins clearly indicate a visual scene so they should have no problems in knowing where to throw trash. If facilities are provided, people must take the responsibility to keep the environment clean.
MARYAM HIDAYATALLAH
Karachi
HARDLY a day passes by without the nazim of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) not giving glad tidings about some mega-project. A six-lane highway from Karachi to Hyderabad, the beautification of Chundrigar Road, a master plan for Karachi, and the revival or demise of the Karachi Circular Railway are just some of the projects he has been mentioning.
Coinciding with these announcements have been media reports about the injuries and deaths caused due to the horrible condition of our roads. Apparently, we follow the Mughal tradition of constructing Taj Mahals while neglecting the builders.
For instance, we read of grandiose plans by the Karachi Port Trust and the Defence Housing Authority of the tallest building in the region and luxurious holiday resorts. These costly projects are being built at a time when umpteen streets and roads in Karachi are going from bad to worse.
Unhygienic conditions compound the citizens’ misery.
Deaths and injuries are generally caused by monstrous speed-breakers or trenches for pipelines, all made by locals without authorization. These are deadly, especially during rush hours. Manholes represent another cause of injury, which are either without lids or are not flush with the surface of the road.
These and other such problems should be resolved on a priority basis. If this is done, the response from the common man will be very favourable.
President Musharraf has already approved hefty grants for the CDGK which may be supplemented further if projects meant for the privileged few are shelved and the funds diverted to the neglected parts of the city.
I earnestly appeal to the nazim, who enjoys the support of a very active political party, to concentrate on the condition of roads, public utilities, hospitals, schools, parks, and playgrounds located in areas from where he derives his strength. He may mobilize his party workers, thereby gaining first-hand information about the backward areas of the city.
It is simply a question of priority. Which comes first, glamour or the grass roots? For decades general services have been deteriorating. It’s time the nazim did something about it.
F.H. ANSARI
Karachi
THE greatest danger to Punjab’s water resources is not posed by the non-construction of the Kalabagh dam, but by the possible political changes in Kashmir.
As matters stand today, if New Delhi does decide to stop or reduce the flow of water from Indian-held Kashmir, we can take a variety of measures, such as going to an international court, involving the United Nations, or even taking direct military action. However, if Kashmir were falsely made "independent" like Iraq, with foreign forces having their presence there, we would not be in a position to do much.
The other danger posed to Punjab by the Kalabagh Dam hysteria is the rise of nationalists in Sindh and Balochistan. These elements can render Punjab landlocked. In such a case the province will be more helpless than Afghanistan.
The dam is going to take years to construct and maintaining political stability for such a long period would be difficult. Finally, to use the Kalabagh dam to divert attention from the clash between secular and religious factions in the coming elections is a dangerous gamble for Pakistan.
We should draw lessons from our history. By imposing Urdu on Bengalis we lost an important part of Pakistan. By imposing Kalabagh on the three smaller provinces we may lose the rest. Sindhi, Phushtun and Balochi sentiments are surely more precious to the people of Punjab than one dam or any foreign dictate.
M.I. SHAIKH
Islamabad
THIS is in reference to Omar R. Quraishi’s article titled “If you can’t beat the system, ban it.” (Dawn Education, Jan. 1, 2006). Being an O-level student myself, I cannot be expected to be in favour of the proposed ban on the O/A level system in Pakistan.
The writer has said that the syllabus in the local system of education is religion-oriented and is aimed at generating “patriotism” in the students’ minds. I like to ask Mr Quraishi whether this is something wrong, whether promoting one’s religion and endeavouring to make students develop a sense of love for their country is something bad.
So what if “there is an undue emphasis on faith and religion” in the matric system? I, for one fail to understand what is so wrong in placing an emphasis on religion?
TEHREEM KHAN
Karachi
PTV used to be known for its dramas and high quality of acting. After the advent of cable TV, there has been a reduction in PTV’s viewership. Also, an influx of Indian channels seems to have gripped everyone’s attention.
In order to compete with these channels, PTV began making substitutes of these dramas. It started to follow the story lines and plots of these other channels, ignoring the fact that in order to do so it would have to deviate from its own standards, built over the years.
A better course for PTV might be to use modern production techniques and some glamour content but without compromising on the style and art associated with its dramas.
UMAD MAZHAR
Islamabad
I WHOLLY endorse the views expressed by Faiza Zaman regarding Perma’s ban on some cable channels. In fact I would like to add that this is yet another regressive policy coined by a regime that believes only in lip-service to “enlightened moderation”, to fool the unwary.
Perma was formed to hold the electronic media to ransom, and keeps coming up with ways and means to make more money for its clients and business partners — to hell with the cable operators and the wishes of the viewer.
Who cares about the 670 odd cable operators who have been closed down, when 1,200 new applications have been approved? The well “oiled” machinery is minting the moulah, and “landing rights” is only an excuse.
RUKHSANA KHAN
Karachi
ON my way back to Washington DC, after visiting family and friends in Pakistan, I had to go through customs at Lahore airport. The customs officials told me that a carpet I had bought for personal use could not be taken as accompanied baggage and would have to be sent separately. I told the officials that I would like to take the carpet with me because I could not afford to miss my flight and stay longer just to ship it by cargo the following day. I was then taken to a separate room and asked to pay Rs1,200, which I reluctantly did.
The sad part of the whole process was that while one official was being paid, his colleague was praying in the same room about two feet away. For the record, the airline that I was travelling on did not have any problems in letting me take the carpet as part of my personal baggage.
ABDUL SHEIKH
North Potomac, MD, US
I AM a senior citizen and living in the vicinity of Shamama market, Gulzar-i-Hijri town, Karachi. For the last few days music at full volume is being played at a shopping mall from the afternoon to late night, making sleep impossible.
As if this were not enough, a political party has set up a stall nearby for raising funds and donations for the earthquake victims. They too go on shouting on the loudspeaker and playing music throughout the day till late in the night.
May I know where are the guardians of law and order?
ABDUL HAKIM
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.