| May 4, 2006 | Thursday | Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1427 |
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Urban traffic
Car registration
Rule of law
Promoting quality
Campus trouble
Senior citizens
Life-saving drug
Child safety
Sugar, cement
Politics of medical education
Price fixing
Free advice
THIS refers to S. Qadri’s Science, logic and belief (May 1). He states that history has proved that a society which surrenders to Gods revealed will will not fail. Ignoring for the moment the difficulty in verifying or falsifying this statement as he does not say what he means by Gods revealed will and a failed society different people have vastly different conceptions of them he offers no historical proof that can support his statement.
He goes on to say that Islam is dominated by the secular, godless West. There is a tendency amongst Muslims to put all people who hail from the West under their conceptualised banner of western characteristics and Mr Qadri falls prey to it. There are hundreds of millions of people in the West who believe in God, with some who even have a firm commitment to realising a theocratic state. In America alone the vast majority more than 80 percent believe in God.
Lastly, he says that the US is targeting Islam and Muslims. This, the much touted conspiracy theory, seems more to be borne more out of sheer paranoia and ignorance than tangible facts and evidence —- it remains to be proven or even mildly supported by evidence. If true I wonder why there are thousands of Islamic faith schools operating in America, let alone the immense crop of mosques and Islamic centres situated all over America — all of which are increasing.If there is a conflict between the US and Islam, or Islam and the West, it is because of cultural differences and past and present grievances, real or perceived, not any specific plan designed against Islam and Muslims. SAMI NOOSMAR
Karachi
THIS is with reference to S. Qadri’s letter in which he objects to the ‘competing ideologies of democracy and secularism in the face of Islamic ideology’. The terms Islam, democracy and secularism have become so politicised that it is difficult to discuss them without first defining them. It would have been useful if Mr Qadri had defined Islamic ideology because there is a big difference between the Taliban’s ideology and of the Islamic government in Malaysia.
Anyway, as long as secularism is defined as separation of a theocratic clique from the state and equal rights for every human being irrespective of belief, ethnicity or gender, a discerning understanding of the Quranic vision not only allows secularism but demands secularism. This certainly does not mean that Islamic principles should be compromised during decision making. Moreover, as much as sovereignty is with Allah alone, humans have been given the responsibility to establish justice and equality on earth. For this, democracy is the ideal method to ensure mutual consultation and accountability of the government.
A moral and just society is only possible by education, understanding and a sense of humanity. Intellectual and creative output is only possible when there is freedom of expression. Prophets brought reformation by understanding their society and through divine books and guidance. These reformations were not brought via a stick. However many traditionalists view the Muslim common law (based mostly on opinions of human jurists many of which contradict the Quran and the Sunnah) of the early days as the sole basis for an ‘Islamic system’.
This is an affront to the universal message of Islam. This affront was noticed by everyone when the totalitarian Taliban government was in the spotlight. It is critical that we shake off our uncritical and literalistic view of the past and use both reason and revelation to chalk out a new future for ourselves. This was also the vision of Allama Iqbal. In the end labels of secularists and Islamist won’t count but our effort to build a just, egalitarian, tolerant and moral Pakistan will.
HARIS AZIZ
Coventry, UK
WHETHER it is a big city or a small one, roads are overflowing with vehicular traffic — thanks to leasing companies and commercial banks which have made it possible for every other person to get a car of his own.
Take the example of Islamabad where even the traffic police employed to control and regulate traffic are often seen to be helpless.
One shudders at the idea of coming out on the road during peak hours. In order to accommodate the ever-growing rush of traffic, roads are being widened by removing green belts and chopping down of shady trees.
Construction of flyovers and underpasses is also on the cards. But will all that help in ensuring smooth flow of traffic? Perhaps not much because as long as a fresh lot of vehicular traffic continues to come onto the roads, remedial measures will be of little help.
One feels that the answer to the traffic muddle lies somewhere else. First of all as an alternative the state must provide an efficient and a cheap mode of public transport.
Buses and double-deckers are still the most widely used transport in the UK and other European countries.
Then why do we not also run buses and double-deckers in our big cities? They are regarded as the cheapest, the safest and the most readily and widely available mode of public transport the world over. Likewise, as in foreign countries, we should also start charging car parking fees in Pakistan. This will discourage idle driving and only those will be on the roads who have to.
Islamabad is a beautiful city with a lot of open spaces, green belts and trees. Construction of flyovers, underpasses and the widening of its roads will do nothing except denude the
city of its natural beauty and turn it into a city like so many others.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
THIS has reference to your report (April 24) indicating that 200 cars are being registered daily in Islamabad. This projects into 72,000 cars registered every year. The present redundant registration system cannot handle the registration of such large numbers.
Consequently, citizens wishing to secure registration of their cars face tremendous difficulties despite the fact that besides hefty car registration fees, they are also paying huge amounts as sales tax. Hundreds of hapless citizens gather at the registration office daily in a confused state without any help or guidance from government functionaries. Car registrations are finalised after many months, which keeps the citizens on edge.
The government is committed to facilitating tax-payers by reforming procedures ensuring minimal contact between officials and tax-payers and curbing all discretionary powers.
In all developed countries there is no contact between the car owner and the car registration department because all paper work necessary to register a car is done by the dealer and registration plates are sent to the owner by post.
Will the higher authorities take urgent action to reform the car registration system and bring it in line with the developed countries? This will also augment revenue because on account of the cumbersome working of registration offices, a large number of cars after sale are never transferred in the names of the new owners and a large amount is evaded in revenue.
DR M.M. YOUNAS
Islamabad
ON Monday, May 1, huge rallies were planned all across the United States in support of undocumented workers by the immigrant communities. On Friday, at a bank in Chicago where I work, e-mails were sent to all employees informing them about the event. The bank informed us that there would be no shuttle bus services after work on May 1 since they were expecting a huge crowd of thousands of people that day and were concerned about street closures and traffic jams. Therefore, they advised employees to make their own alternative arrangements.
When I reached my home in one of the high rise buildings downtown, I saw cautionary notices about this event everywhere from the elevators to each and every floor of the building. The tower management informed the residents about security measures such as which exit/entry door to use since some of the doors would be locked to avoid any illegal entry. The Chicago police, the fire department and health organisations also did their best to inform the public.
While I went to work on Monday, my wife watched the whole event from the windows of our apartment on the 28th floor. She saw how the protesters mobilised, how the police controlled the traffic and the crowd, how the people from the churches provided water and their support to the protesters. Indeed, it was reported that a crowd of almost 400,000 people had participated, but there were no reports of any arrests or injuries.
Were these people angels? How come there was no looting, burning or firing? It was the rule of law that prevailed and kept them in check. Every member of the law enforcement agencies did his/her job. Church officials, political leaders and the general public provided their support for the cause but without any inflammatory speeches or actions that would have provoked violence. The situation was managed well before any crisis could take place.
I simply wish that government officials, police, the clergy, political leaders and people in Pakistan could see this side of America. There is a lesson in this for everyone.
NASEEM KHAN
Chicago, USA
ONE appreciates the efforts being made by the Pakistan Standards Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in promoting quality and standards through its warnings of fines and imprisonment in Urdu and English-language newspapers.
However, we all know that mere warnings and threats of punishment are totally ineffective in Pakistan, our traffic laws being a classic example. Unless laws are enforced by actual action against those who violate them, they will continue to be ignored and the PSQCA will lose its credibility in due course.
As has been suggested to the director-general of the PSQCA several times, the government of Pakistan has placed 47 items on its essential items list, which includes cooking oils, bottled waters, carbonated beverages and biscuits. In India and Bangladesh the figure exceeds 100.
It is mandatory for these products to be approved and registered with the PSQCA and carry its logo on the package. Yet over 60 per cent of these products are not registered with the PSQCA and do not carry their logo and are being openly advertised in the print and electronic media and sold with impunity, including leading carbonated beverages.
We suggest that the PSQCA should request advertisers not to promote PSQCA mandatory products unless they have been registered with the authority. They should also take effective action against retailers by confiscating unregistered products.
The PSQCA must also ensure that it issues licences to only those manufacturers who fully comply with its requirements relating to quality and standards.
CPC-HELPLINE TRUST
Karachi
YOUR editorial on violence on campuses (April 23 ) has rightly advised the MQM and the JI to ensure peace and normality on campuses. Do these parties need such advice?
These parties have educated and responsible leaders and I am sure that they understand the importance of discipline in students to attain their goals. Since education is a long and slow process, there is a need to motivate and guide the students to be focused on their goals. However, surprisingly and regretfully,just the opposite is being done.
There is violence on campuses of mostly public institutions, which are functioning on the strength of the taxpayers money.
If political parties do not allow these institutions to function normally, they are harming the taxpayers, the public who voted for them, and harming themselves as government functionaries.
Students who indulge in politics are mostly children of lower middle class and poor families. By diverting these students from their goal, these political parties are making the future of these students bleak. Their standard of living will remain as it is and this will continue with their wives and children in later life, one generation after another. In fact, instead of helping in alleviating poverty, it is being promoted.
Student indiscipline and violence are mostly seen in under developed countries. The present students will play a key role in making the country a developed one.
If the political parties do not allow students patronised by them to play their required national role, then the development efforts of the country will be harmed.
The country will remain under-developed and go around with a beggars bowl for a long time to come.
It is unfortunate that the gravity of the situation is not being realised. As is well known, there is no second chance in education. If a child misses an opportunity, another opportunity will not arise to obtain an education. He or she is standing on a moving conveyor belt of time.
The government and political parties, standing on the ground, have to provide these children with education.
ENGR A RAHIM
Michigan, USA
THE need has been felt for a long time to recognise the services of senior citizens and to solve their problems. The present regime had announced various concessions like 25 per cent rebate on rail fares and abolition of registration fees at public hospitals for senior citizens. Separate counters were established at various places to facilitate senior citizens. One such counter can be seen at the booking office located at the City Railway Station at Karachi but it is found that the counter is being used by young people and agents.
Security guards and policemen posted near the counter do not bother to segregate young from old and allow senior citizens only to benefit from the facility.
The railway authorities are also requested to look into the matter and let the senior citizens enjoy the benefit announced by the government.
AMARNATH MOTUMAL
Karachi
ANGISED is a life-saving drug for patients with heart disease. At the beginning of 2005 its retail price was Rs9 for a pack of 30 tablets. In March 2005 it disappeared from the market and re-emerged in May 2005 with the price tag of Rs13 for the same 30 tablets. Now the price has been increased to Rs25 without any rhyme or reason. Can somebody in the government please explain what is going on?
M.A. RAHMAN
Karachi
IN all western countries there is a law in place which makes it mandatory for children below 10 years of age to be strapped in a car seat at the back of the vehicle. However, in our country, you will notice babies sitting in their mothers’ lap on the front passenger seat with their head at times craning outside the window, apparently enjoying the cool breeze.
I have a two-year-old child myself and it disgusts me to think of how unsafe this practice is. I beg all traffic officials, for the sake of their own children and ours, to put the appropriate laws in place and to please spread public awareness about the hazards involved in driving with babies in the front seats.
MUBASHIR MANAN
Lahore
THE powers that be continue to patronise the sugar cartel but when cement producers connived at taking cement prices to dizzying heights, they came down hard on them by allowing duty free import of cement.
Why this discrimination? Is it because some of the sugar mill owners are holy cows in the present dispensation?
SALIM D. DADABHOY
Karachi
I READ with interest ‘The politics of medical education’ by Dr Sher Shah Syed (April 2). I entirely agree with him on the point that the ministry of health should not cross boundaries by interfering in the development of the medical curriculum, which is the job of medical academics rather than medical politicians.
The problem is that some of the so-called academicians involve themselves in small politics in medical education for their vested interests. Doctors and medical educationists in public and private sectors perceive each other as separate entities, blame each other and then start complaining about the system. The role of the PMDC, the PMA, academic councils and the ministry of health has become controversial.
If there is no unity and harmony among medical professionals, then it indirectly invites politicians and bureaucrats to interfere with the issue of medical education.
Doctors and medical educationists should consider stopping accusing each other and should create a culture of ‘no blame’ and ‘self-governance’ where safe and good medical practice should prevail.
M. HANIF SHIWANI
Barnsley General Hospital, University of Sheffield, UK
A TRICK is being played on the poor people of our country by manufacturers/traders with the full support of the government. An artificial shortage is first created of an item by way of hoarding, short supply, etc., to increase its price. On a hue and cry from the people, after a few days, the government intervenes to reduce the price to a level between the original price and the enhanced price.
Take the recent example of sugar and cement. The price of sugar was increased suddenly in a few days from Rs18 to Rs45 and now it has settled at around Rs38. The price of cement was increased abruptly from Rs290 to Rs450 and now it is settling down at around Rs350.
The innocent consumers are happy, the government takes credit for lowering prices and the purpose of manufacturers/ traders is also served. Everyone is happy.
HIRANI
Karachi
THE Punjab government has appointed 25 advisers who will earn millions of rupees without providing any benefit, since all advisers are supposed to tell the chief minister what he wants to hear.
Everything they need to know is published in the newspapers daily. If our rulers spent only an hour every morning reading every page of one national newspaper, there would be no need for any advisers or ministers in our federal and provincial cabinets.
SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
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