| June 09, 2006 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 12, 1427 |
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Dental college hardship
Freezing varsity funds
UN report on Lyari Expressway
Pulse rate
DHA plots
Retrenchment plan
Leave Clifton alone
‘Crying will not help’
5,000-rupee notes
ON the morning of June 7 I took my Grade IX end of the year examination for Urdu, concluding one of my answers by saying how violence against women can be eliminated by increasing awareness, and that this increase in awareness is greatly aided by the publication of stories based on such crimes, especially in school textbooks such as the one we’re studying, namely, Pakistan ki Kahanian .
It is ironic how as soon as I got home my mother showed me a news report about the banning of that very textbook, on a charge of containing ‘obscene’ and ‘vulgar’ material. It is to be replaced by the novel ‘ Dastak Na Do and my first thought was that an entire academic year had gone to waste and my fellow students and I would now have just a few months to study this novel and give an O level on it.
Apart from being annoyed at the change of syllabus, I was infuriated at the very thought of banning this book, and that too because it contains ‘stories on sex, obscenity and vulgarity’ according to sources in the ministry of education. In my opinion, it is not a compilation of pornography but in fact a collection of narratives written by respected writers, depicting the crimes against women in our country, which are not only very much a reality but also an everyday issue.
‘Pakistan ki Kahanian includes stories such as ‘Mang’, ‘Pichal Peri’, ‘Mera Baap’ and ‘Bhagwan Das Darkhan’. These stories, which have been termed ‘offending’ are tales about injustices against women, such as rape, honour killing, karo-kari, child marriages and swarah.
It is not these stories that are offensive but in fact the crimes that they depict. What the government should do is eliminate these crimes from society rather than eliminating narratives that portray them. The first step to eliminating these injustices is creating awareness, and by banning such books the government is depriving the country’s youth of this awareness. Also, if the government cannot take steps against such crimes, it should at least let people spread awareness through their writings so that at least someone takes action against these acts of cruelty.
Such stories should especially be included in textbooks as O level students, who are aged between 14 and 16, need to be exposed to such issues as they are the future of Pakistan and if they grow oblivious of these issues, they will never be able to take steps against them. If the government is fearful that including such material in textbooks poses the risk of O level students being exposed to obscene material, they should know that all kinds of vulgar material are available to anyone who has access to the Internet.
I would also like to add that it is the height of hypocrisy that in a country where young girls are raped, killed and married off even before they attain puberty, the government is banning books that portray these facts. Also, if they begin to ban textbooks just because they depict the sexual abuse against women in our country, their next step will probably be banning newspapers.
Personally, ever since I came across these stories in my textbook, I have started paying more attention to the news and have become more aware of the discrimination and hostility towards women in my country, especially since there are numerous stories about these issues in the press every day. In my opinion, rather than concealing the tragic realities of our society, the government should take steps against them and also expose the country’s youth to them so that they don’t grow up completely unaware of such issues.
Paaras Abbas
Islamabad
THIS has reference to the letter ‘Dental college hardship’ (May 24) by an affected father and the rejoinder by the chief executive of the college, Dr S. Baqar Askari (May 30).
It was disappointing to read Dr Askari’s letter and his point of view. He was less bothered about the basic issue which was raised in the letter, as his main purpose was to highlight the kind of education his college is providing and the standard of education it is maintaining.
He even invented new terminology in medical education, i.e., clinical surcharge. I have two questions for Dr Askari. First, how is he running such a big institution without anticipating future problems like inflation and things beyond his control and interestingly without the help of any legal and financial experts?
Second, is he the only one in town who is affected by the rising rate of inflation and are other people immune to it? Doesn’t he realise that it is not only the tuition fee —- which is approximately Rs700,000 for four years —- but, if other expenses are included, this figure goes well above one million for a student to graduate from his college?
As he says, the claim that “a large part of the cost is absorbed by the college and a portion is transferred to students” is not acceptable. If the college is asking for Rs100, 000 per student, that means an amount of Rs10 million from a whole batch. If that is a portion of the money, then how many millions is being spent by the college itself and for which account?
Initially, when parents were invited to break this news, they were asked to pay the amount as a donation. Parents were also advised not to inform the PMDC, etc., about this matter. But now the issue is in the media. This is an unethical demand by the college. Most people who are ‘purchasing’ education for their children belong to middle class families and are doing it with a lot of financial hardship. It is advised that the college withdraw this unjustified demand and look for some other options to overcome financial constraints. The PMDC must take notice of this.
ANOTHER AFFECTED FATHER
Karachi
THE Higher Education Commission has frozen the development aid of three universities of Sindh — Karachi University, NED and Sindh Universities — for not adhering to the commission’s criteria in appointments and promotions of their faculties (Dawn, May 3).
In the case of Sindh University, it has been reasoned that its syndicate has violated the appointment rules and attempted to get them approved by the academic council and the senate. Thus the HEC penalises the whole institution because some syndicate members have violated the rules.
The SU syndicate is composed of four elected members and a nominated dean. This group of five belongs to a teachers’ faction which has been wielding power since 1976. Some vested interests within the university also join their league. Thus this ‘group of five’ and the administration dominate the university’s decision-making processes.
The situation is so awkward that in 2001 three nominated members jointly resigned over the behaviour of the ‘leader’ of the elected members and the backing he was receiving from the administration.
Since 1976 the Sindh University has been hijacked by a full-time leader and his associates. The teachers’ union, the academic council and the senate all have been dominated by his camp-followers.
According to Dr Tasneem Kusar of Punjab University, power politics, instead of research and teaching, is the main passion of these politician-teachers. (‘Teacher’s plagiarism’, Dawn, May 6). In order to remain in power, the leader and his close associates depend on the support of their committed voters.
Thus this ‘group of five’ makes or amends the rules of procedure in such a way that voters must remain happy and guarantee the continuation of its membership in the syndicate and other bodies.
It’s good that the HEC has exposed the violation of its rule by them but instead of freezing the development budget of the university and penalising the institution, it should have urged the chancellor to appoint an inquiry committee to resolve the matter.
DR MEHTAB ALI SHAH
Sindh University, Jamshoro
THIS is with reference to the United Nations Human Rights expert report on the Lyari Expressway and forced evictions in Karachi (Dawn, May 29). In his report, the UN expert has pointed out the corruption and irregularities of the project. The report also referred to housing rights violation in the recent demolitions of ‘goths’ in Karachi.
At present six million people live in katchi abadis of Karachi. This is more than 50 per cent of the total population. As the government has failed to provide housing for the poor, katchi abadis serve as an alternative to this housing crisis.
Demolition of katchi abadis is a prosecution of the poor, and not of the land mafia. The government’s failure to provide housing for the poor leaves the poor with no option other than to buy land from brokers (land-grabbers). Brokers, who are in league with government officials, politicians and the police who grab government land and sell to the people. The brokers and government officials pocket the profit and long gone when the government moves to demolish the poor people’s houses.
These recent evictions have helped to put Pakistan’s name on top of the list for housing rights violators.
A number of international human rights groups will make a detailed presentation on the Lyari Expressway project and demolitions of ‘goths’ in the People’s Tribunal on Housing Rights at the World Urban Development Forum (WUF) in Vancouver this month. Pakistan had a very good track record on housing rights. Our housing policies are being replicated in many parts of the world.
Just recent evictions in ‘goths’ and the Lyari Expressway project have ruined our reputation in the international community.
I hope the government will take some serious action to regain our position on housing rights.
HUMAIRA YOUNUS
Karachi
THE recent imposition of export duty on pulses has enraged exporters. This duty was long overdue since pulses are the food of the lower class. The government is requested to also consider zero-rating imports of the same and preferably subsidise the commodity to allow low-income families to meet their dietary requirements.
I witnessed a shocking event at a small food outlet where a man was eating tandoori nan dipped in plain water. I told the waiter to serve a plate of pulses and tea to which he gracefully declined.
In a Muslim country the ruler should ensure that no one goes hungry in his land. As such it is stressed that the present government should take positive steps to allow the common man to eat basic food and sweetened tea if not the four-course gourmet meals they themselves enjoy.
RAFI ADAMJEE
Karachi
LATELY a spate of articles and letters have appeared in various newspapers against Defence Housing Authorities and their system of advertising balloting procedures for allotment of plots to defence forces personnel and civilians. Some prominent opinion leaders and former legislators have, for reasons known best to them, tried to spread misinformation about the Defence Housing Authorities and their system of allotting plots. It is time that one clarified the doubts and misgivings that may have arisen in the minds of those who, as a result of lack of awareness, may have been misguided by the said articles.
The idea of having a well-organised residential society for defence forces personnel caught someone’s imagination in the early 1960s in Karachi. A good number of retired defence personnel who wished to reside in the then capital city for post-retirement jobs or education of their children had no decent abodes. The idea proved a success and was subsequently started in other major cities of the country.
Being under the direct control of the local formation headquarters, their administration turned out to be the models of efficiency by any standard, even over the passage of time. But one must hasten to add that their finances were entirely self-generated and had nothing to do with the defence budget. The idea proved a success story in each case and it was realised that turning these societies into authorities would contribute further to their administrative efficiency.
It is a pity that this idea was not replicated by any civil government department. Had this been done, the critics alluded to above would not have much cause for heartburning and mudslinging today. However, some autonomous bodies like Wapda and Sui gas started their own residential societies, which are reasonably successful as they are and so long as they remain under their departmental control.
Meanwhile, some shady elements, under the garb of jazzy advertisements and expensive marketing stunts, have gathered sizable funds from unsuspecting, innocent public and disappeared or left the country under cover of our lax laws. It is for this reason that the credibility of such societies has plummeted and the public is looking with suspicion even at some genuine housing projects in the civil sector. No wonder then that people are coming in droves for filing applications for plots in Lahore’s DHA.
Some of the objections raised by critics pertain only to procedural matters. Whether the DHA gives out the number of plots available in any given category or not, the number of applicants would be astronomically high and only the ensuing balloting will determine their fate. For allotment of plots to serving officers, the system is quite just and foolproof as the GHQ takes care of that.
Also, it is praiseworthy that civil officials too have been included in some categories. As for the processing fees of Rs5000, in today’s rising costs of banking and allied services it is not much to complain about or to say that the DHA would be making a huge amount of savings. These affairs are overseen at several levels in the DHA and the relevant formation headquarters by several senior officials before approval.
COL (r) ZARIN KHAN
Rawalpindi
THE retrenchment plan at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad, as reported in Dawn (June 2), is not well-thought-out. Similarly, some months back, the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), a federally- owned cotton research organisation in the whole country, was ousted from its rightful place on M.T. Khan Road, Karachi, and the whole chain of fibre research laboratories have vanished into thin air in order to relocate the US consulate in Karachi, when there were many other options to give a vacant plot for relocation of the US consulate. All this shows that agricultural research is not given the importance it needs in this country.
The old system of agricultural education, research and extension was good enough and gave better results in this poor country of ours than the innovative research that is believed to usher in miracles. Moreover, we read in newspapers that we have an army of ministers, advisers, consultants, whose maintenance cannot be easily borne by us. No post is kept vacant or held in abeyance in any ministry. But posts are kept vacant in research organisations for decades and are not filled in under one excuse or another.
As the AARI is considered a central facility for all agricultural research in Punjab, its retrenchment plans or its corporatisation should not be done in haste.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
MR Yousuf Khan’s impassioned appeal (letter, June 1) needs to be supported not only as a resident of Clifton but very importantly this beautiful city of Karachi.
There is no reason for building walls to hide the very beautiful gift of nature. Either there is something sinister in the offing or a contractor badly required work or somebody approving the bills to claim his his booty.
The view of the beach, the sea and the stately waves can be enjoyed from close by or from far. Why hide this gift of God by building a wall.
There was a time when the waves came up to the stairs of the parade. Then a restaurant was built and one could wade in the sea and come to this restaurant for rest and a cup of tea with sandwiches for only half a rupee. When the quay was built, the sea slipped away.
Please spare some space for the people of Karachi to relax and enjoy the cool seaside. We, the people of Karachi, appeal to the governor, the nazim and all concerned to stop this building or at least give some strong and valid reason as to how this wall is going to help other than promote graft, corruption and then graffiti.
MAHER ALAVI
Karachi
IMAGINE a soccer match in which a very biased umpire blows the final whistle well short of the stipulated time and announces the trailing team as the loser, contending that it would have been detrimental to every notion of finesse and integrity if the match had been allowed to be completed.
Such has been the fate of democracy in this country. Mr Cowasjee’s contention that “Musharraf’s democracy is as good and as bad as democracy has always been in this country”(‘Crying will not help’, June 4) carries a few implications. One, that the present military government is a democracy however it was ushered in. Two, that the evils of this set-up, if any, do not outshine those confronted with by the people of Pakistan in the past. Three, that there must be something wrong with this country as it is so hard for democracy to flourish here.
Even Sheikh Rashid, in his days as information minister, would not have been able to conjure up such an argument to lend credence to the present regime. Mr Cowasjee is an intellectual who has won many accolades. But it is my humble opinion the people of Pakistan can do with less of his pessimism.
M. UMAR FAROOQ
Multan
THE new 5,000-rupee notes are now legal tender. It is good that the State Bank of Pakistan has shown great prowess in incorporating fool-proof security features, making it difficult for counterfeiting but it shows the extent of inflation affecting the national economy.
The base currency unit is now the 10-rupee note after the one-rupee and subsequently two- and five-rupee notes were effectively withdrawn from circulation.
This entails the beginning of an unending vicious inflationary cycle which has been seen in many countries in Latin America and nearby Turkey, with lower denomination currency notes being replaced with higher and higher denomination currency notes and subsequently printing of an entirely new currency to reverse the trend. But in the ensuing years and decades, people are left to fend off for themselves with nothing more than extremes of corruption or suicides. This in turn causes the rise of extremism and ultra-orthodox religious forces.
Another point against large denomination currency note is that they encourage corruption. Earlier, it was impossible to pack a 100,000 in package smaller than hundred 1,000-rupee notes, while now it would take only twenty 5,000-rupee notes.
GHOUSE MOHIUDDIN
Karachi
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