| March 23, 2006 | Thursday | Safar 22, 1427 |
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US strategy
Nadra’s special cards
More for Balochistan
Conversion of quake loans into aid
Stranded Pakistanis
Cartoon controversy
Also hurting
KU issues
Sami’s exclusion
No military solution
Mohammad Ali
“Banana”
Pakistani Taliban
Commonwealth Games
Ties with Iran
Elections
Nauroz
THIS has reference to Prof Anwer Syed’s article “Sterile public debate” (March 12 ). The writer has rightly observed that “Pakistan’s designation as an Islamic state is, thus, nothing less than an insult to Islam”, since our nation is without those essential values which have been enumerated by him. We like to shout out at the top of our voices that we are champions of Islam, but our nation embraces corruption of all kinds, which is manifested in society’s fabric.
I am unable to understand what our president means by a “conflict between westernization and Islam “or that “we have our different values” when he himself and the armed forces, which he represents, are products of western training and culture. Western values are mostly a total sum of doctrines of Judaism and Christianity, and most of them are engrained in the fabric of their lives and culture.
It is fashionable for us Muslims to announce that the West has learned all their values from Islam while transgressing those very values ourselves and forgetting very conveniently that the adherents of the two religions inherited their laws before the advent of Islam.
As regards the controversy created by the publication of the sacrilegious cartoons published and repeated in some European newspapers, one has to analyse the situation with a cool mind and search for the cause of provocation. In my opinion, we Muslims have brought it on ourselves because of our undemocratic behaviour and lifestyles and the conflicts among Muslims who have flocked to Europe and the US.
The West has been very generous in allowing them to enter either legally or illegally, has even let them build mosques and Islamic centres all over, and gives permits to our preachers to propagate Islam there. Is there a single Muslim country which can claim to show even an iota of open-mindedness?
It is time we Pakistanis in particular, and Muslims in general, took Allama Iqbal’s advice that instead of being ‘shehsawars’ of ‘guftar’ we should become ‘shehsawars’ of ‘kirdar’. to redeem the true values of our religion.
M. YOUSUF
Islamabad
The day US President Bush visited Pakistan reminded one of the British traders who came to South Asia. Their motive was to capture the region. In this era of technology, using trader’s tactics would have been catastrophic; by signing a nuclear pact with India Mr Bush has made an ally for the next cold war.
Although I am neither anti-US nor anti-Musharraf like some of our citizens, the sudden shift in the balance of power in South Asia is not good for the world. The US must not forget that China is one of the countries that are not in favour of the war against Iraq, and unlike us they know how to make a statement.
By giving India rights to nuclear technology, the US is making its footing in the region strong. But at the same time it is creating a rupture between Pakistan and India. No matter how many rounds of dialogue these two nations engage in, animosity still exists. It is evident by the increase in the defence budgets over the past few years by both India and Pakistan.
As a citizen of Pakistan I strongly feel that the time has come for us to realize our strengths and weaknesses. We need to educate our people so that they can fight the global media war by voicing their concerns to the outside world through the media rather than by resorting to violence and destroying their own surroundings. We need to make our own decisions instead of acting on someone else’s whims.
We need to be patient, positive, responsible and honest. And vitally we need to change with time. We need to grow as a nation that is responsible and responsive.
OMAR HAFEEZ
Karachi
PERSONALLY, I am mortified at the idea that the government should introduce a system of labelling people disabled. And for what? A skewed census figure so large that they will be petrified into inaction, the same way they are about our unacceptably large uneducated population.
It would certainly help in pressing their case for still more handouts from the West only a fraction of which will truly reach the people who are differently abled.
I think it would be better for the government to implement legislation for social changes necessary to make life easier for those with disabilities. Even for these, it should start by trying to get the public’s opinion on what kind of changes are needed most. Instituting certain privileges and conveniences first and then expecting people to opt for the special ‘disabled’ status on their own would be the right way to go.
To be fair, I think someone in public office wants an estimate of the size of the problem and does have plans to do something concrete about it. I still feel that our population has gotten used to being treated as numbers all the time but ‘special’ people deserve a little better.
ZOHAIR ALI NANJIANI
Karachi
AMID the political turmoil and allegations of insurgency, the hard realities of unemployment, lack of health, education and security haunt the lives of the unfortunate citizens of Balochistan. The rebel sardars cannot be blamed for denial of employment to the Baloch in semi-autonomous corporations like PIA, Wapda, Railways, National Bank of Pakistan and the State Bank. For this injustice the biased sardars of Karachi and Islamabad have to take the blame.
The organised manner in which fake domicile certificates of Balochistan are entertained by powerful lobbies within these state-owned corporations is proof of the fact that the custodians of the federation are party to this irregularity. It is time that an honest audit is carried out regarding usurpation of their share in employment. etc.
A close appraisal of qualifications of those currently employed in organisations like PIA will nullify the argument that people of the underdeveloped areas such as Balochistan, NWFP and the Sindh interior do not have the required merit. The fact that waivers are granted to unqualified individuals on political recommendations exposes the political bias of those in power.
It is this obvious discrimination that adds to frustration among unemployed youth and the resulting breakdown of law and order.
N. K. KAKAKHEL
Peshawar
ACCORDING to a news item (March 18), the government has requested donor countries to convert the loans pledged or given in wake of last year’s earthquake into financial assistance. The request is not commensurate with the dignity
and decorum of a sovereign state.
Pakistan is blessed with a rich natural resource base which is not fully developed yet. Further, much of the government revenue is wasted on the lavish life style of the rulers. Bullet-proof luxury cars and aeroplanes for the president, prime minister and chief ministers; also umrah, Haj and foreign trips for ministers and their camp followers.
Two new aeroplanes (one each for president and prime minister) were recently purchased by the government at an exorbitant cost. Construction is planned of a GHQ complex in Islamabad has been planned, costing billions of rupees.
Our officials need to follow the prime minister’s own self-reliance policy. They can do this by curtailing non-development expenditure, eliminating corruption and preventing plunder of public money.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
My heart bleeds at the news of the planned self-immolation drive by the unfortunate people who consider themselves stranded Pakistanis (March 18). They refuse to accept Bangladeshi nationality and still dream of returning to Pakistan.
I would request the Pakistani government to shun their indifference and reach out to embrace these unfortunate people who stood by the Pakistan government and military in the former East Pakistan against the insurgency. When the Pakistan military surrendered, the soldiers were taken into the safe custody of the Indian Armyand then returned to their homes in Pakistan.
However, these patriotic Pakistani civilians got left behind in the hands of the Mukti Bahini which later unleashed a reign of terror. The surviviors were evicted from their houses and cooped in refugee camps.
Needless to say, if Pakistan does not reach out to these Pakistanis now, it will not find anybody on its side should it finds itself faced with a similar situation in the future.
SYED FAIZ AHMAD
Saudi Arabia
It was interesting to read Ms Rabia Shakoor's response to a letter by one Mr Zakir Ahmed. It is really funny that some expatriates, particularly in the USA, see it fit to dictate our national policy and now they even have the gall to try to dictate to Dawn what it can publish. Do they not realise that they are calling for a censor on the letters being published in national newspapers?
A good newspaper is said to be a nation talking to itself. We have groups who believe that blasphemy against our Holy Prophet deserves death, so why should they not be represented in the nation's leading English newspaper. Since when is foreign approval required to publish letters to the editor.
Is mere suggestion of crucifixion such a huge crime? Compared this to actual abuses carried out in earnest by American soldiers in Guantanamo Bay and Abu Gharib jails.
I am sure that Ms Shakoor did not bother to write a single line complaining about them to President Bush.
Talha Bin Hamid
Karachi
ALTHOUGH Middle Easterners logically believe President Bush invaded Iraq for its oil (his nuclear weapons fairy tale was a lie), they may not realize he is also looting America. On April 17, Uncle Sam will harvest about one trillion dollars in income tax from the public. Half of itwill go to the department of defence and intelligence agencies.
In fact, it doesn’t really matter where America makes its wars: Vietnam, Panama or Iraq as long as they are in somebody else’s backyard. The idea is to rob Americans of their hard-earnedmoney and turn itover to defence contractors like Halliburton, who have been caught cheating the public.
Why Pakistanis want to perpetuate America’s war machine puzzles many people. Why buy F-18s to keep factories in Texas humming when the end products threaten destruction in the Middle East? Whybuy from acountry that helped Israel build a nuclear weapon but refuses other countries the right to do the same? When one understands that the goal of the Bush administration isto rob ordinary people, Americans and Iraqis alike,of theirhard-earned wealth for its war machine, there is no excuse tosupport Bush.
Middle East residents opposed to the Iraq warshould seriously consider boycotting American products, from machinery and automobiles to fast food and movies. The boycott is honourable, non-violent, and the response of choice for the conscientious individual.
SHERWOOD ROSS
Founder, League for
Non-violent Solutions
Florida, USA
THE lack of transportation is one of the biggest problems at Karachi University. There are thousands of students but only a few buses. There is a need to maximise the number of buses for students at Karachi University. I request the transport minister and the Karachi city nazim to look into the matter.
RUBINA LODHI Karachi
KARACHI Universitys cafeteria is in an awful condition. Dirty cats roam inside, trash is strewn over the floor, broken seats, dirty dining tables and just one big over-stuffed trash bin. There is one old man running around and cleaning up, while the young students are busy feasting and throwing rubbish everywhere.
The university administration claims that repair work is in progress on new toilets, new sewerage lines and botanical gardens but they are ignorant about the lack of cleanliness in the cafeteria.
TASNEEM ZAFAR FARIDI
Karachi
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the vice chancellor of Karachi University to the theft of mobile phones and purses on campus. This has become a very serious problem for students who come to study but are worried about their belongings. I hope the VC will find a solution for this problem.
MARYAM SIRAJ
Karachi
THE team selected for the Sri Lanka tour does not include Mohammad Sami, the only genuine fast bowler of the country, in addition to Shoaib Akhtar. Sami is hugely talented and needs a bit of luck and a little guidance. Statistics may suggest anything, but the fact remains that whenever asked to deliver, Sami has brought about breakthroughs, leading to victory.
Fortunately, the great Waqar has been appointed as the bowling coach but unfortunately for Sami, he gave the impression during his commentary bouts on TV that he was not in favour of the bowler.
It would surely be disastrous if one were to carry one’s prejudices while in charge of developing real talent. It’s time for Bob Woolmer and the selection committee to ponder over and rectify their mistakes.
Lt.Col. (r) PERVEZ MURAD
Karachi
IN an interview Jehangir Karamat, Pakistans ambassador to the US, said that there are no more than a few hundred Taliban in the Waziristan area and that the problem is under control. Are we expected to believe that close to 70,000 troops can’t control a few hundred hardcore extremists?
There is a military option in this situation but not a military solution. This problem should be solved through diplomatic means. The first thing to do would be to send all the Afghan refugees back home. It is high time Afghanistan became responsible for its own citizens. The people of that area will be the ones to solve this problem and the longer we keep up this military operation, the more time they will take to ever trusting us again.
AHMAD SULTAN
Faisalabad
IT was sad to learn that Pakistan’s leading film star Mohammad Ali has died. He acted in over 300 Pakistani movies and was prominent in the film industry for nearly four decades. He was respected by his colleagues, junior actors, and by the public. Muhammad Ali will be remembered by his admirers for a long time to come. May his soul rest in peace.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
AYAZ Amir’s latest article (March 17) brings to mind an interesting anecdote. During his government wherever Rajiv Gandhi went, his pet comment was Hummey yeh banana hai. And he used to verbally dole out crores of rupees for these projects. We could call this an ideal definition of a banana republic. I guess the Pakistanis can relate to this joke as we do.
MANOJ
Kolkata, India
THE Taliban are ruling the roost in the tribal areas of Pakistan. The federal government has assured the people that it will tackle this situation seriously, but apparently it is not serious enough because these people are now publicising their deeds through DVDs, etc. Even CNN and the BBC have covered the rapidly deteriorating conditions in the area.
The situation is similar to what was happening during Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Isn’t it ironic that Pakistan, the most important ally in the war on terrorism, is being taken over by the Taliban? How long before these people march into Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi?
The government needs to take this situation very seriously and finish off the Taliban. One cannot ignore them as they are very dangerous and can lead to more problems for Pakistan.
FAWWAD SHAFI
Lahore
IT is indeed excruciating for a country of over 150 million people to rely on only two or three sports to win them a gold medal in the ongoing Commonwealth Games.
Why do sports in Pakistan always revolve around cricket? We need to develop a strong and diverse sports culture and the sports federations should do their part to produce world-class athletes.
ZULFIQAR GUL
Swat
WE are very fortunate to have neighbours like Iran and China. If we can focus our foreign policy on them our reliance on western countries will end.
We should sign long-term technology transfer agreements with China; fulfill our fuel needs through Irans huge reserves; and ensure that all trade with Central Asian countries is routed through our ports. During a recent visit to Iran I realised that no one likes us more than the people of Iran.
MUHAMMAD ASIF KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the statement by the Muslim League president Ch. Shujaat Hussain regarding a possible delay in elections. Is the situation in Pakistan worse than that in Afghanistan and Iraq? If free and fair election can be held in Iraq and Afghanistan, why can’t we do same in Pakistan?
Ruling parties in Pakistan always try to delay elections. If they try to do so this time, there will be another martial law.
UMER SHAH
Dubai, UAE
THIS is regarding the Nauroz greeting that appears in your newspaper every year, addressing only your Parsi readers. Firstly, the appropriate term would be Zorastrians and, secondly, this is a festival which transcends religious barriers and is celebrated not just by Zorastrians but also by the Fiqh-i-Jafria, the Bahaimsand the Ismaili community with equal fervour.
FARAHNAZ HAIDER SHAIKH
Karachi
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