| March 8, 2006 | Wednesday | Safar 7, 1427 |
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Afghan attitudes
Substandard pharmacies
Indian railway profits
Cartoons: another view
Basant
Balochistan situation
International Women’s Day
Fine print
Cheaper medicine
Imran Khan
Karachi blast
Catholic association
Nation’s honour
Neighbourly advice
BUT for an awesome lesson in the anatomy of modern security, the clinically nimble coverage of the ceremony surrounding it and the stately taxiing of Air Force One, the Bush visit was much ado about nothing.
If one could compute the total cost of this abortive tableau, one with good reason might wonder about the use the amount involved could have been put to for a humanitarian cause.
Pakistan, from every point of view, must begin to learn to stand on its own feet. It should stop constructing its long-term policy architecture with mortar largely manufactured in the affluent capitals of the world, particularly Washington DC. This undoubtedly will be more than just difficult; in the initial stages, it will be distressful. However, it is not something that has never happened in contemporary times. The local mortar required will only demand tenacious will and grit as ingredients.
Without waiting for a political framework of our own choice to emerge and for the time-being making do with what we have, we should relentlessly insist on our leadership, in power or out of power, to set about urgently to usher in an environment conducive to this core objective.
This will demand first the forging of unity through tolerance and team spirit by giving up mediaeval propensities. Secondly, we must develop resilient faith in our large potential in every sphere of human endeavour. And, thirdly, teaching ourselves at the pain of never forgetting that it means our very survival to have a disciplined approach in everything we do both at home and at work.
This process will have to begin at the top. Everyone in a position of leadership, at home or at work, must set the example and and purposefully join in the collective determination. Let us re-dedicate ourselves to the shimmering ideals of our Quaid, made remote if not forgotten altogether, and let us rally round our exceptionally beautiful flag.
M.J.AS’AD
Karachi
IT makes one sad as well as angry when Afghanistan blows hot and cold in its dealings with Pakistan. This attitude will receive a new fillip after the announcement by US President Bush in so many words of India being responsible for the development of democracy in Afghanistan. In other words, everything or anything that may or may not have to do with this mission (India’s options under the superpower’s mandate) will be done by India in the name of promoting democracy.
We are thus back to 1947 when the Afghanistan government voted against Pakistan’s membership of the UN and for many years thereafter acted under the influence of the pro-Indian lobby against the interests of Pakistan.
All this is being done when we have been doing the thankless job of looking after Afghan refugees (approximately three million) for the last many years and have always been a conduit for trade and economic assistance to Afghanistan. This is thankless attitude on the part of a country which has been a source of continuous problems for Pakistan.
The US appears to have deliberately ignored Pakistan’s security. The logical outcome of this would be the weakening of Pakistan’s resolve to assist the US in fighting terrorism and to resist the rise of radical elements in Pakistan. This will also give encouragement to separatist tendencies in Balochistan and the tribal areas where anti-Pakistan elements from Afghanistan have been active since its creation in 1947. This would not have become such a serious situation had Pakistan settled all the outstanding problems with India for which Pakistan has given many proposals. All this amounts to holding a pistol to Pakistan’s head. Our rulers must review their policies in the light of these development.
F.M. ANSARI
Karachi
MY AUNT recently had her eye ointment prescription refilled. She has been using the same medication for the last two years. However, this time as soon as she applied the medication, her eyes started to burn. She was in excruciating pain. After checking the medication tube, we realized that she was given the wrong medication. She was given a topical skin cream instead of an eye ointment.
During my two years’ stay in Pakistan, I have made many trips to different pharmacies to have my aunt’s prescriptions filled. I have hardly ever seen a pharmacist present at these medicine shops. The pharmacies are usually run by clerks with no higher education and no knowledge of mediations. Some even try to recommend medications for different illnesses. Or, if a medication that the doctor has prescribed is not available, they try to convince the patient to purchase a substitute.
Storage of medicines is another point of concern. Many of these pharmacies do not have a cooling system. Most of the medications are exposed to Karachi’s hot climate. Cleanliness is another issue with these retail medicine shops. The medications are exposed to dirt and airborne germs. Considering that the chemist’s shops are dealing with people’s health, I hope the health authorities can come up with some better ways to monitor them.
ZAHRA LOTFIFARD
Karachi
THE Indian Railways Minister, Mr Laloo Parsad Yadav, has said that the Indian Railway had an unprecedented surplus of $2.47 billion, although was on the road to bankruptcy just five years ago. He went on to add that the Indian Railway was one of the biggest in the world with 1.6 million employees and transporting 16 million people daily. Mr Yadav attributed the success to higher freight traffic, thanks to the booming Indian economy.
The Pakistan Railway is as old as Indian Railway, comes from the same British roots, has similar engines, bogies, tracks, stations, junctions, systems and procedures. We need to see why Pakistan is struggling with their railways while Indians are doing so well.
Our economy is booming too. Our ports are busy and expanding, but the bulk of goods transportation is taken over by trucks which has its own merits and demerits. We need to develop a programme to cash in on this booming trade. Now that the Pakistan and India relationship is improving, it is suggested that we invite Mr Yadav to advise us.
Among many innovative things he did as the Indian railway minister was that he banned china and glassware for tea at thousands of railway stations and encouraged home-baked clay cups These cups are disposable, eliminating usage of unclean and broken cups which create hygiene issues. They are environmentally friendly and have facilitated the earnings of poor clay cup makers who belonged to his community. His ideas are simple but effective, something which the business leaders must learn from.
In the US, Hakim Alajuwuan, an illiterate Nigerian NBA basketball star, gives lectures in top business schools. People listen to him and try the methods he used for his success.
If Pakistan’s national hero Waseem Akram can give tips to India’s Irfan Pathan, helping him become their national hero, I am sure Mr Yadav can also help us duplicate similar results for Pakistan Railway. We can learn so much from each other.
S. NAYYAR IQBAL RAZA
Karachi
A PERSON belonging to any faith would strongly resent publication of the likes of the blasphemous cartoons that were printed in a Danish newspaper last September. However, I feel that the Muslims all over world have given the cartoons avoidable publicity by indulging in aggressive demonstrations.
The fact of the matter is that the cartoons were published in an hitherto unknown newspaper in a language (Danish), which is Greek to anyone outside Denmark. Out of its Danish readers also, hardly a few would have paid any attention to the cartoons.
The fact that the cartoons had not attracted anyone’s attention is borne out by the fact that from September till the end of the year there was no mention of the blasphemous material in any quarter. Actually, it was a dead issue, resuscitated by us by demonstrating against it all over the world. It was as a result of Muslim demonstrations that several newspapers re-published the cartoon. A cartoon that had gone largely unnoticed when it was first published in 2005 in Denmark reappeared in 2006 in newspapers in Norway, Finland, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, in Muslim countries Syria and Yemen and on the Internet.
Had the cartoons been ignored right from the start the honour of Islam would have been better protected.
G.B. SHAH BOKHARI
Peshawar
I WRITE these lines with a heavy heart, having seen the news of men and children being killed for the sake of enjoyment of a few. While no sane person would deny the right of individuals to celebrate the regional festival of Basant, it becomes intolerable when it turns as savage as it has over the last few years.
IHSAN GORAYA
Lahore
IF THE Punjab government cannot enforce the laws against kite flying, why did they move the Supreme Court to lift the ban for five more days? Many people have lost their lives just for the sake of other’s enjoyment. Thousands of motorcyclists and pedestrians live under threat to their lives. Recently a young boy and two girls were killed due to this brutal activity.
USAMA BIN RAZI
Karachi
I AM writing on behalf of the Baloch Community Network (BCN). The armed forces have launched a military operation in the Marri, Bugti and Makkuran areas of Balochistan.
According to media reports, this military operation has claimed many innocent lives and many have been injured and displaced. The armed forces and the Frontier Corps (FC) have demolished houses, leaving many people homeless.
Balochistan’s resources have been exploited by successive establishments, with little benefit to the local people. Hence, Balochistan is one of the most backward areas in the region. The Baloch in Pakistan are deprived of their national, cultural and economic rights, and are treated as second-class citizens.
Balochistan’s is rich in natural resources, including gold, oil and gas. Natural gas was discovered in 1952 in the Sui area but was not available even in the provincial capital Quetta until 1982 only when the Pakistan army cantonment needed it there while it had reached far-flung towns in Punjab and other non-Baloch areas. Balochistan gas meets more than 40 per cent of Pakistan’s needs yet only six per cent of Balochistan’s people have access to it.
In this scenario the Baloch Community Network wants the federal government to:
* Stop its military operation in Balochistan, and withdraw the army from Balochistan and start negotiation with the Baloch people’s popular political representatives, to settle the situation through peaceful negotiations.
* Release all political prisoners who have been arrested by the police or kidnapped by the intelligence services.
* Compensate civilians who have suffered during military operations and who have lost family members, their possessions and livelihoods.
The Baloch are only asking for their legitimate and natural rights on their ancestral land. For this, they are facing gross human rights violations by the security forces and agencies.
SHAHID BALOCH
Coordinator Baloch Community Network
Karachi
THE theme of International Women’s Day (March 8) this year is “Women in decision-making: meeting challenges, creating change”.
As far as the decision making dynamics in this country are concerned, women have to abide by the rules of a social system both in their private and public lives. In womens private lives the manifestations are coerced marriages and a dependency on the husband’s permission even to use health services or a family planning method. The decision to use contraceptives is generally dependent upon the husband’s and mother-in-law’s approval. Most women are neither empowered to make decisions nor are they consulted on important family matters.
The public life of women is also directly or indirectly dominated by a patriarchal value system. Tribes, clans and religious groups are largely custodians of this system which affects womens real participation in processes of decision making. Political parties, by and large, view women as their passive vote bank, expecting them to abide by the decision of their male family members.
The challenge ahead of us is to achieve women real participation in the processes of decision making.
FOUZIA RAHMAN
Karachi
This is in response to the letter ‘Cellular rates’ (Dawn, March 4) by Kashif Altaf regarding “ambiguous” advertising on billboards regarding cellular phone call rates. I would like to remind Mr. Qazi of the famous saying: “There is no such thing as a free lunch”. Most advertisements have a catch. It is standard advertising practice to have an asterisk or another symbol encouraging you to read the fine print. This is the case not only with cellular rates but other products too where customers are warned that “conditions apply”.
An alternative is to get in touch with customer service representatives of the company concerned and address queries to them in order to make an informed decision. Also, with regard to billboards, no one has the time to read the call rates plus the government tax figures whilst driving. Companies have to make their advertisements look appealing since they only have about a three-second window to work their magic. If they promise value with the large print, they assume that you will read the fine print at a later stage.
FATIMA FARHAD
Karachi
I WAS diagnosed as suffering from osteoporosis. The doctor prescribed tablets costing Rs 450 each to be taken weekly. To my surprise, I was able to get the same tablets from our neighbouring country for Rs100 for four tablets.
Why are we being prescribed such expensive tablets when there are cheaper alternatives? Why does our neighbouring country make cheaper and better tablets? Where and why are we going wrong?
NASSERA H. JAPANWALLA
Karachi
AS A supporter of the ideals upheld by Mr Imran Khan I wish to register my protest at the house arrest of the chairman of the Tehrik-i-Insaf on the eve of the arrival of President Bush in Islamabad. Since Imran Khan does not have the so-called ‘street power’ which could create havoc at his house arrest, one hopes that writing to editors like yourself can be counted as an effective method of registering a protest.
HUMAYUN BASHIR
Canterbury
THE Karachi blast may have quenched the thirst for revenge against the US and George Bush by the elements involved in the attack but it also took innocent lives, negatively impacted on our city’s image and our Islamic religion, and destroyed the property of a number of innocent bystanders.
For those relatives who lost their loved ones it was a heart-breaking incident that is beyond comprehension. Mr Iftikhar, a driver at the American consulate, was the bread earner in his family and he had a one-year-old daughter. Those who lost their vehicles lost a major portion of their livelihood that helped them get to work.
The media should highlight the sad side of this story and tell the personal stories of those who were affected by this sad event. This way perhaps the perpetrators will feel some remorse. Let those seeking revenge against US policies find proper means to express their feelings such as through peaceful demonstrations that do not hurt innocent people.
FEROZE PAREKH
Karachi
IN NEWS items appearing in Dawn (“Protection of religious places urged”, March 2 and “Karachi blast condemned”, March 4), Mr Herbert Fernandez has issued press statements as president of Catholic Association, Karachi.
In fact, he was removed along with other office-bearers several months ago by the competent authority of the Archbishop of Karachi, His Grace Evarist Pinto. As per the articles of the memorandum of the association, Bishop Evarist appointed Reverend Father Joe D Mello, the Rector St. Patricks Cathedral, as administrator of the Catholic Association, Karachi.
ALFRED CHARLES
Karachi
CANADIAN television has telecast a documentary on the ordeal of Shazia Khalid and Mukhtar Mai. In the documentary we learnt that Shazia Khalid and her husband, both educated individuals, are now striving to immigrate to Canada. Although they didn’t want to leave Pakistan they realize that they must.
How disgraceful. Not only are people’s lives and honour at stake, those who are responsible for protecting the honour of the country are not up to the task.
SHAJIA AHMED
Ontario
BORN Indian, but living in the United States, I keep current with events around the world by selecting and reading excerpts from the leading newspapers. I have followed your editorials for several years now with admiration for the clarity and sincerity of your comments. I may not agree with all the opinions expressed, but it is clear your editorial board is governed by very serious thinkers who are interested not only in Pakistan’s welfare but the welfare of all mankind.
All of us in India want a happy and prosperous Pakistan devoid of any communal or religious bigotry. We are concerned that while India is progressing rapidly on the economic front made possible by major strides in technology, Pakistan has not taken advantage of its human capital, which in my mind is on par with India. Administrators have to go beyond political rhetoric and build an educational and communication infrastructure which will lay the foundation for a trained workforce who will build the economy with world-class expertise. By providing this focus, we can take the youths who are targeted by militants and harness their potential in ways India has accomplished in the past two decades.
SUBBU K. MURTHY
California, USA
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