| June 14, 2006 | Wednesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 17, 1427 |
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Annan’s judgment
Allama Iqbal in Iran
The best of three
Quaid’s car
Sir Fazl-i-Husain: fair & upright
To catch a faqir
Afghan girl
Bodybuilding
Parking lots
Gastroenteritis in Hyderabad
Karachi-Bhuj air service
Bravo KESC
MR Ayaz Amir in his column ‘Comrade Stalin and the sugar question (May 26) has rightly observed that in today’s Pakistan at least “a thousand supreme courts spread across the country and a thousand upright chief justices working through the night” are required to take care of the increased work of suo motu notices in the country.
The honourable chief justice of Pakistan is handling so many cases from violation of human rights to privatisation of huge national assets like the Pakistan Steel Mills done in indecent haste. The apex court is doing all this in an unassuming manner not at all giving any impression of judicial activism.
It will be in the fitness of things if the chief justice also takes suo motu notice of another very important matter of national importance that pertains to putting people on the exit control list (ECL) by the interior ministry without any valid reason.
The haughtiness of the interior ministry shown at times while putting respectable people on the ECL needs to be checked. Then at times, shortly afterwards, under pressure from the powers-that-be, the authorities at the interior ministry remove the same name from the ECL with the speed of lightning. No explanation is given and the whole matter remains shrouded in mystery.
The recent example of such a case pertains to the CEO of Bahria Town, a famous estate tycoon whose name was initially put on the ECL some time ago for reasons best known to the interior ministry and then only hours later it was removed from it. If the chief justice of Pakistan takes notice of this case, some interesting things may surface.
The said businessman is a figure well-known for his mega housing projects, which are widely appreciated by the public for style and reasonable price. He is also known for his welfare efforts that include employment of a number of ex-armed forces senior officers at fabulous salaries in his organisations. These retired senior officers from the defence services would have been otherwise a great burden on the national exchequer during the military regime.
Similarly, his mission to acquire land on a vast scale in the surroundings of Islamabad and Lahore, in a transparent manner and his prompt payments to the owners are setting a healthy trend in the estate business.
During the hearing of the case, the court may discover the mysteries that compelled the powers-that-be to intervene in this case. If the court discovers that the business tycoon is no thief and putting him on the ECL is only an arm-twisting exercise, the interior ministry may learn a lesson not to touch innocent people in the future.
M.Q. Hussain Commander (retd), PN
Islamabad
AFTER prolonged procrastination stretching over a period of about two years, the secretary-general of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, declares: “That invasion of Iraq was illegal”.
What action is the Security Council going to take against George W. Bush and Tony Blair for killing thousands of innocent Iraqis, destroying their homes and humiliating Saddam Hussein who spoke the truth about the WMDs?
It appears that the US enjoys its power to pick on any sovereign state on one or the other pretext in order to destroy it and it seems no nation can stop this bully from disrespecting the sovereignty of independent states, around the world. If the Security Council were not able to control Americas’ love for war and annihilation of any sovereign state which it chooses, then no one must expect that terrorism will be wiped out in due course of time.
On the contrary, terrorism will increase and spread all around the world by freedom-fighters seeking to defeat gross injustice and absolute humiliation of mankind as meted out to Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers in the Abu Gharib Prison. Tolerance, restraint and sympathy ought to be the hallmark of great nations like the US and the UK in order to uproot the evils surrounding the world.
It is indeed astonishing that Iraq is destroyed on false accusation of possessing WMDs and now Tehran is put under extreme pressure to abandon its nuclear-related activities or face the same fate as that of Iraq. But what about the tiny state of Israel which is equipped with the latest warfare technology, including more than a dozen atom bombs? Why this state of Israel is given freehand to do what it wishes under fullest protection of the the US, the UK and European countries. What is the secret behind strengthening Israel against all norms of justice and international regulations? No one is ready to answer this question. It is unbecoming of a superpower to exempt Israel from unilateral decisions being imposed on Iraq, Tehran and countries to follow.
It is hoped that good sense will prevail and the world will be made a place worth living.
ABDULLAH FAZLI
Karachi
AS a Pakistani working in Tehran I am truly amazed to find out that how much our national poet is respected, loved and known in Iran. Commonly known in Iran as Allama Iqbal Lahori, his original Persian poetry and translations from all Urdu work are still the most widely published, sold and read works of literature. People from all walks of life from teenagers to adults, from people on the streets to scholars in universities almost 95 per cent of them know some verses from Allama Iqbal’s poetry and were able to recite when asked on the spot randomly.
At a gathering I was told that Allama’s poetry was one of the motivating forces behind the 1979 revolution and people who saw the revolution still remember those meetings where Allama’s philosophical verses about self-awareness and ‘Khudi’ were quoted and recited very frequently.
When I compare Iranian people’s awareness about Allama Iqbal’s work with the level of awareness in our country, I feel ashamed. How many of us fully understand the real philosophy behind Allama’s vision? I can bet that not more than 15 per cent of our young generation, as well as common people, would be able to quote anything from Allama’s work.
Our government feels that by naming a few buildings after the great poet and including one poem in each Urdu book of each school grade it has discharged its duty of educating the nation about this great thinker and philosopher.
We have got a university and an academy named after Allama Iqbal but I am sorry to note that these two institutions have contributed nothing to spread the message and teachings of the poet. It is a great irony to note that during the last 25 years more books and research papers have been written and published on our national poet in India and elsewhere than in Pakistan.
Allama’s thoughts on unity, faith, social justice and what it means to be a true Muslim should be explained to our nation, specially the young generation. This will help to initiate a change in our thinking which will lead to more refined and progressive minds. This is the solution to all our problems like poverty, unemployment and terrorism.
NASIR RIAZ
Tehran, Iran
DURING the president’s steering of the country after the debacle of October 1999, he selected Shaukat Aziz as the best of three possible candidates. Mr Aziz is a good conversationalist and has often informed the nation through the media that the country is making long strides towards progress and prosperity which, as he said, can be seen by the ever-increasing new cars on our roads (of course, mostly bought through loans).
He said the government exchequer was full to the brim, as never before (due to huge remittances by fearful and pressured Pakistanis abroad) and the sale of the PTCL, the KESC and Pakistan Steel, etc.
I fail to understand why Mr Aziz never spoke on persistent unemployment and acute shortage of basic requirements of clean drinking water, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of innocent people, and acute shortage of electricity which may have boosted the sale of generators but has had a very adverse effect on business, commerce and industry, not to speak of torturous inconvenience to millions of citizens.
Also, he never mentioned the ever-soaring prices of sugar, milk, wheat flour, cement, petrol and indigenous gas, further aggravated by rampant corruption which have left the people groaning helplessly, despite the largest cabinet of ministries and advisers, most of whom seldom attend the National Assembly sessions.
Our internal and foreign policies may be debatable, but it is a fact that disputes cannot be solved by use of force. If the use of force could solve problem, then East Pakistan would never have become Bangladesh. There would have been peace in Iraq and Afghanistan long ago and the problems in Balochistan and Waziristan could have been solved instead of rockets flying all over. Some blame the very large team of ministers and advisers while others blame their captain. I leave to the nation to decide if any of them could be absolved.
LT-COL (r) SYED JAMSHAID RAZA
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Mohsin Ikram’s letter “Quaid’s car” (June 12), wherein he has shown great enthusiasm for preserving the vehicle used by the Quaid. I have also seen one such old vehicle owned and used by an individual who did great service to humanity which deserves the attention of the members of the Vintage and Classic Car Club.
This car is Ford, most probably of 1920 model lying in the Moenjodaro Museum in totally ramshackle state. This four-wheeler once belonged to Sir John Marshall, director-general of the Indian Archaeological Survey, who in 1920 was responsible for the large-scale excavation of Harappa and Moenjodaro, the two largest cities of the Indus valley civilisation.
The vehicle was in the use of this great archaeologist till he left the site. During a visit last summer I was informed by the curator that the Ford Company had once offered to overhaul this antique, however, the proposal was not availed for reasons best known to the authorities looking after some of the world’s oldest historical remains.
I request the Vintage & Classic Car Club of Pakistan to help make the department of archaeology appreciate the importance of this object of historical significance and help in restoring it to its original magnificence.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
SIR Fazl-i-Husain, whose 129th birth anniversary is today, was an uncommon politician: upright, humble, gracious, meticulous, selfless and shy of strident rhetoric. He commanded considerable influence on Indian politics from 1921 to 1936. Besides being the acknowledged architect of modern Punjab, he worked to prepare Indians to move at an accelerated pace into positions of higher governmental responsibility.
He did this while ensuring the rights of the Muslim minority and safeguarding the interests of the disadvantaged rural populace, particularly the Muslims in Punjab.
How some of his eminent contemporaries view his distinguished personality makes for interesting reading. Extending an invitation to him to preside over the forthcoming annual League session, the Quaid-i-Azam wrote on Jan 5, 1936, “We want a man of your calibre and experience, and nobody can well, at this critical moment as far as I can see, perform that duty and render that service to the community as you would be able to.”
In the foreword written by C.R. Rajagopalachari to his son’s (Mr Azim Husain, ICS) excellent biography of his father Mr Rajagopalachari observed, “Though Fazl-i-Husain did not live (d.1936) to complete his work, as he had wished, the authentic record of the life and work of such a man is of the utmost value to aspiring men and women who wish to play a part in the difficult task of building up this (or any) country’s future.”
Writing about Sir Fazl-i-Husain in his memoirs (Tehdis-i- Naimat) Chaudhri Zafrulla Khan says, “During this period of fifteen years (1921-1936), the Punjab and India produced a number of able and sincere servants; the progress that we see around us today is the fruit of their endeavours. Sir Fazl-i-Husain occupied a place of distinction amongst this group and his services to the Muslims of India, particularly of the Punjab, in terms of purposeful progress are of fundamental importance.
“Sir Fazl-i-Husain was blessed with the gift of far-reaching, perspicacious vision; he achieved results through persuasive logic; he was compassionate and considered service to be a gift from God.”
I wish more biographical work was forthcoming on this distinguished servant of the subcont
M.J. ASA’D
Karachi
SINCE the disappearance of Osama bin Laden after the fall of the Taliban government in Afghanistan we have been reading statements in newspapers about him made by authorities in Afghanistan, as well as in Pakistan.
The gist of these statements is: ‘Osama not in Afghanistan’, ‘Osama not in Pakistan’ and ‘Osama somewhere on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan’.
These statements remind me of the Faqir of Ipi who had declared a holy war against the British in the mid-30s. The political authorities, the scouts, the army and the Royal Indian air force tried their best to capture him but he succeeded in eluding capture by hiding in the caves of South Waziristan. On one occasion after an expedition was mounted by South Waziristan Scouts to catch him it was reported: “We found the ashes of his fire still warm in a cave, but he had fled. Our informer, as usual, had informed both ways.”
Doesn’t the following couplet about the Faqir of Ipi remind you of Osama: They sought him here, they sought him there/ Those columns sought him everywhere.
MUHAMMAD AZAM KHAN
Peshawar
THE photograph of an Afghan girl in Dawn (June 10) should have been captioned ‘The tragedy of Afghanistan and all refugees of the world’. The little pearl-like teardrops hanging on her eyelashes say it all.
What must be her thoughts? She has probably known nothing else but life in the refugee camp. That was her world and even that has been taken away from her. All her childhood memories were linked to the camp. Her expression tells her anguish and pain, perhaps, at leaving her playmates and facing an uncertain future. She has been uprooted from the only home she has known since her birth.
I could not take my eyes off the photograph for a long time, wondering what brought the tears to her eyes and where she would go now.
SHOAIB SULTAN
Islamabad
BODYBUILDING as a sport has been ignored, especially in Karachi, though it is a basic exercise, vital to all sportsmen to not only remain physically fit but show outstanding performance in their chosen fields. Like the other 41 sports played in Pakistan, bodybuilding should be included in sports competitions.
Recently the National Bank of Pakistan’s support and patronage has encouraged the young and upcoming bodybuilders of Pakistan but will also help athletes to prove their mettle with their outstanding performance.
SHABBIR AHMED QURESHI
Sr. Vice President, Karachi Bodybuilding Association,
Karachi
OFFICE-going people face problems due to the lack of parking space near their workplace. In the absence of a proper parking lot, drivers leave their car keys with young street boys who have been made in charge of the area during office hours and they are solely responsible for the vehicles.
It is especially difficult in congested areas like I.I. Chundrigar Road and near PIDC to find decent parking space where one can park their vehicle and work without the fear of losing their car. Multinationals must provide parking facilities to their employees as it is a daily hassle.
MARYAM HIDAYATULLAH
Karachi
ONCE again, gastroenteritis has broken out in the Hyderabad city. This time it has claimed lives of four children, besides affecting another 2,500 people.
Pre-emptive measures, if taken, would have saved lives or cut death toll and the number of affected persons to a great extent, but unfortunately the government did not learn any lesson from the year 2004 when more than 50 people had died and some 5,000 were affected by the disease caused by contaminated water.
Broken sewerage lines are the main reason for the spread of gastroenteritis. When sewerage water gets mixed up with potable water being supplied through pipelines, the potable water becomes contaminated and unfit for consumption even after boiling.
Recently, another city, Faisalabad, became victim of this killer disease where 14 people died of gastroenteritis and nearly 7,000 were affected after consuming contaminated water.
The government should immediately make possible the supply of clean water to the affected area of the city, declare emergency in hospitals and provide free-of-cost medical facilities to the patients.
It should also give compensation to families whose children lost their lives. Moreover, an inquiry should start against those responsible for not taking any pre-emptive measures.
The government should start the process of replacing the old and rusty sewerage lines in the gastro-affected areas and provide alternative sources of water supply, if this killer disease comes again, in future.
IMRAN KHAN SIAL
Karachi
AS a result of the continuous effort for developing people-to- people contact between India and Pakistan, several bus, rail and air services have either been introduced or are being considered between the two countries.
In this connection I would like to say that for several years before and after partition there was an air service between Karachi and Bhuj. This service was popular among people on both sides of the border. If reintroduced, it offers several advantages, such as (1)shorter travelling time, i.e., about 30 to 40 minutes, (2)economical, (3) a hassle-free alternative to Khokhrapar-Monabao rail service and (4) no additional investment by either government is required.
SULEMAN BANDE ALI
Karachi
AFTER 57 years the phenomenon of ‘bar bar bijli jati hai’ has finally ended. Thanks to the privatisation of the KESC now like water and all other utilities, ‘kabhi kabhi bijli aati hai’.
NADIR MITHANI
Karachi
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