| July 03, 2006 | Monday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 6, 1427 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
IBCC’s working
Death on streets
Authenticating academic certificates
Encouraging hockey
Widow’s appeal to CM
Canal bank road: alternative solution
Labourer who killed his daughters
Number plates
Way to go, Naimatullah Khan
MR Ayaz Amir’s column ‘Cracks in the mirror’ (June 30) and an earlier news item (June 29) make interesting readings about the state of democracy in Pakistan. Mr Amir, as usual, has highlighted some of the important national issues that we confront today, especially the state of our democracy. So my congratulations to him for his clarity of thoughts, power of his pen and, above all, his courage at a time when journalists are feeling concerned about their personal security.
These days we are faced with a confused state of democracy. Of course, depending upon where you stand, you twist and turn your definition of democracy left and right. No one would doubt that those who are an integral part of the current dispensation are not only distorting the definition of democracy but are also making inconsistent and contradictory statements.
This, to me, certainly reflects not only their confused definition of democracy but also their mental confusion. Take, for instance, the statement in your paper of the minister of information. On the one hand, he tries hard to point out the praises that our president gets from Ms Condi Rice and, on the other, when she talks about free and fair elections, he says that “we shall not take dictation” from anyone. Isn’t it interesting? By making such statements who is our minister of state for information trying to befool?
Since 9/11, we had mostly taken dictation from President Bush’s administration regarding our fight against terrorism. Can we deny it? Now when the US secretary of state expresses the US administration’s views about free and fair elections, we do agitate. This is highly inconsistent behaviour. May I, therefore, ask our minister of state who is he trying to befool through his double talk? While one would like to appreciate his soft-spokeness, his inconsistent statements in the press and in the TV programmes are simply annoying.
I think we shall be much better off if we recognised the power of people in this country and accepted their will at the time of general elections. Instead of agitating, we should welcome all sound advice regarding free and fair elections. This is the only way through which we shall be able to convince the world that we believe in genuine democracy, which is not possible without free and fair elections. In fact, I would like to suggest the present rulers that instead of spreading disinformation about the government’s contact with Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mr Nawaz Sharif as claimed by Mr Ahsan Iqbal (June 30), the rulers should invite opposition parties to give suggestions about ensuring transparent, free and fair elections.
Moreover, it is high time our rulers realised that war and armed conflicts are not solution to human problems. Democracy means that you rely on dialogue and people’s power in resolving both internal and external issues.
In any democratic dispensation, response to situations like the one in Balochistan and Waziristan shall be through dialogue and negotiations and not through the use of army. Democracy today and even in future will depend on people’s power and not on one man’s rule to tackle economic, social, and even national security challenges. If we accept this assertion, then we need genuine democracy and in that scheme why do we need a president-in-uniform?
DR. ZAFAR IQBAL QURESHI
Lahore
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the minister for education, the chairman of the IBCC and the federal ombudsman towards the improper treatment by officials sitting in the IBCC Intermediate Board secretariat, Karachi.
I am a US national by birth and have graduated from a Memphis school. I visited Pakistan for the first time in 2004 to see my uncle and other family members in Karachi. I was advised by my uncle to get admission to the MBBS class, which I did in Baqai Medical and Dental College where I started attending classes for one year.
Since certificate of equivalence from the IBCC was a requirement of the Baqai Medical and Dental College, I approached the IBCC, Karachi, for the required certificate and was informed that until the subject of physics was not cleared, equivalence certificate could not be issued.
I did my best to appear for an exam in this subject from a recognised institute of Pakistan but due to some restrictions I was not allowed to do so. Thus I had to return to the the US to clear the physics paper to enable me to get the equivalence certificate and qualify for completing my MBBS from Baqai College. The result of physics paper from the US was accordingly submitted to the IBCC secretariat, Karachi, but even then I was advised that my institute in the US should directly send the result in the duly sealed and stamped envelope to the IBCC.
Although the result has since been directly sent by my institute in the US, the IBCC has adopted a delaying tactic and has further decided to refer the result to the issuing authority for verification once again.
Although I am regularly attending my classes but due to non-issuance of the equivalence certificate from the IBCC, the college has not yet allotted me a roll number. I am afraid that if this attitude on the part of the IBCC continues, I may lose my career because of non-completion of my MBBS on time.
Besides appealing to the government of Pakistan, I will also appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu action to save my career.
ABBAS ALLAUDDIN
Karachi
ON June 28, about 8pm, while I was passing the FTC on Karachi’s Sharea Faisal, I saw the body of a 45-year-old man lying on the ground, a hit-and-run accident because of no pedestrian crossing.
What a misfortune that for the sake of having a signal-free road for our elite, our walking poor are crossing the roads, running helter-skelter, women and children scurrying like insects across the streets and speeding vehicles barging down upon them. This must be a daily life-threatening experience for them.
I suggest the chief minister, the nazim and the governor to do it once in their lives (without police blocking all traffic) and live the experience.
There is no pedestrian crossing, for example, from the Jinnah Hospital through to Shahrah-i-Quaideen. What do you expect old people to do? Walk an extra mile to cross the road? Why can’t we have pedestrian signal crossings until we build overhead pedestrian crossways? Why do we have to degrade our walking poor and endanger their lives further? What more proof do we need than daily deaths.
It is sickening to see a further degradation in our already-skewed class-sensitive economic priorities. While throughout the world the pedestrian is supreme, here he may die crossing the street. May his soul (at least now) rest in peace.
DR ARIF ALVI
Karachi
OWING to various reasons (social, economic and academic) thousands of Pakistanis go abroad annually. I am writing this letter to highlight a problem being faced by professionals aspiring to go to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Those who are going to the US or Europe are required to attest their documents from the foreign office only. However, if one is planning to go to the KSA, documents need to be attested from five or six different authorities, most of which are totally irrelevant. This not only results in wastage of time and money of the candidate but also spoils the original certificates due to glued attestation stamps, signatures and office stamps.
I request the Saudi authorities to simplify this process and authorise only one reliable office for attestation of documents. The said authority, instead of signing and stamping the original documents, should issue a separate certificate that such and such documents have been verified from the relevant quarters. Moreover, the recruiting agency should take the responsibility of getting the documents attested. The candidate will obviously bear the cost and the agency can even charge some extra fee for this service.
I hope the authorities concerned will heed my suggestions for the benefit of hundreds of aspiring candidates.
DR M. ZAHID KHATTAK
Peshawar
A NEWS item, and a good one too, “Cricketers get 25 per cent raise”. The PCB has followed the old saying “Mazdoor-i-Khushdil Kunad Kar Besh” (A labourer satisfied, economically, works to the best of his ability). I hope the cricketers will do the same in the forthcoming series in England and also during the World Cup matches next year.
Why doesn’t our Pakistan hockey board follow suit with the national hockey players by giving the same incentive as the PCB has? Had that been done from the very beginning we would not have seen the plight of our team as we see it today? When the national cricket team was called the ‘babes’ in the early 1950s, the hockey players reached the Olympic final in 1956, and won the gold in 1960. Hockey talents are to be found in abundance, but the encouragement monetarily is lacking, and the result is before us.
SYED MOHAMMAD HOSAIN
Karachi
I PROCURED a plot of land from an Aquaf department employee in April 2002 which is located in Aquaf Employees Housing Scheme, Mauza Bagrian Daram Chand, Lahore. Now when I want to start construction work on my plot, a representative from the Auqaf department’s stopped us and warned us that if any construction work was done it would be demolished.
I spent what ever money I had on purchasing this plot. I would appeal to the chief minister of Punjab to order the authorities concerned to look into this matter so that I can construct my house.
JANAT BIBI
Lahore
THE authorities have decided to broaden the road on both sides of the canal, which runs through Lahore, on the plea of ensuring the smooth flow of traffic. In reality nothing of the sort will transpire and we will have nothing to show for this exercise except a few thousand forlorn tree stumps and three disjointed lanes of undisciplined traffic, instead of the present two. The scheme is doomed to failure for the reasons I am enumerating below for consideration of the planners.
1. At least two of the several underpasses on the canal are restricted to two lanes only. The traffic running in the proposed three lanes suddenly being forced to come together in the two-lane underpasses will cause permanent choking at these points with resultant long tail backs. Thus, the whole purpose of this exercise will be defeated.
2. A number of minor bridges on the canal were demolished about two years ago to ensure uninterrupted flow of traffic. This has caused hardship for the local cyclist and pedestrian population, who have to traverse considerable distance to reach their destinations. With the proposed expansion to three lanes, the traffic will move at highway speeds making it well-nigh impossible for the poor pedestrians to cross the road -– heaping further misery on their already wretched existence.
3. With the demolition of the minor bridges, the traffic at present flows at high speeds on long uninterrupted stretches between major intersections on the canal. This has resulted in half a dozen accidents every day ever since the minor bridges were demolished. With three lanes in operation, and the consequent even higher speeds, accidents will multiply with daily loss of life and limb.
Simple measures are all that are required to alleviate the commuter’s plight. The authorities, including the traffic police, have not taken any steps whatsoever to solve the problem. The following suggestions, if implemented, will help improve the traffic situation on the Canal Road:
Construction of shoulders: This will have several benefits. One, at present one major cause of accidents and resultant long jams on the canal is lack of road shoulders. One side of the road has a raised pavement and the other is a steep fall. With no room to veer off, the drivers tend to bang the vehicle in front, in the event of sudden braking. With the presence of shoulders the drivers will have a better opportunity of taking evasive actions and avoiding the frequent collisions.
Two, cyclists are a major hindrance to the smooth flow of traffic. They may be restricted to the shoulder only or an entirely separate bike lane may be constructed between the rows of trees on both sides of the canal banks.
Separate lay-bys/bus stops for public vehicles: The buses and rickshaws are a major obstacle to smooth flow and cause continuous jams as they have no option but to stop on the road to pick and drop passengers. This problem is especially acute in the university area where the road is frequently reduced to one lane at a number of spots. Special off-the-road lay-bys will remove this irritant and cause the traffic to flow without any hindrance.
No-stop area: The traffic is often disrupted because of vehicles stopping on the main road, which is inevitable in the absence of a shoulder. If the canal is declared a no-stop area, this very frequent hindrance to traffic will be removed. Vehicles needing to stop in an emergency will use the shoulder.
Speed limit: The traffic tends to over-speed on long stretches between intersections, resulting in high-speed collisions regularly, followed by huge jams. To break this pattern, it is imperative to impose a speed limit which will break the frequent collision-traffic-chaos cycle.
Warning signs: Frequent prominent warnings signs, red flashing lights, etc., should be put up every 100 yards, informing drivers they are entering an accident-prone area.
Traffic police patrols: Traffic police are at present visible only on the major canal intersections. They should continuously patrol the accident-prone stretches to ensure compliance of traffic rules.
AHSEN OMAR MAJID
Lahore
IT was shocking beyond belief to read about the circumstances that led a father to kill his own children. The question that comes to my mind is whether to blame the father or the state which could not provide him the means to care for his family.
The government wastes millions of rupees of taxpayers’ money to ensure a more than comfortable lifestyle for its politicians, armed forces and bureaucrats. It appears that our leaders are oblivious to the sufferings of millions of its citizens, the welfare of whom is the government’s responsibility, or perhaps they have just become insensitive and selfish and thus continue indulging in their opulence. It is tragic that they are enjoying such luxuries at the expense of millions of people who are barely able to feed and clothe themselves.
Unfortunately, we now live in a callous society which ranks self-interests above everything else. Unless our moral standards and obligations change, we will continue to hear such heart-breaking stories again and again, and yet continue to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to them.
ABBAS HAIDER
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news item (June 27) regarding the directive given by Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui regarding vehicles with fancy number plates. I would like to remind the minister that it is one thing to issue directives and another to ensure their implementation. Some days ago while awaiting my turn to fill in gas at a petrol pump located in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority, I counted 64 motorcyclists who came to the pump and none of them were wearing helmets. This included a traffic constable as well as a policeman.
The long existing law regarding wearing of helmets by motorcyclists was re-enforced with great fanfare in Lahore and Karachi. But after a few traffic campaigns this fizzled out and now even the law-enforcement personnel themselves are seen driving motorcycles without helmets.
If this new campaign against fancy number plates is to succeed, the police should not only check and book the cars on the roads but also those in the parking lots of cinemas, clubs and shopping plazas. After a certain period if any car with fancy number plate is seen parked, then the SHO/SO of the area where this car was found should be made answerable. Unless consistent drastic measures are taken, the traffic discipline in the city will not improve.
FAROOQ DAWOOD
Karachi
IT was heartening to see Mr Naimatullah Khan, the former nazim of Karachi, contending for the title of World Mayor 2005. He did not make much headway since he resigned from office in June 2005, which was during the early stages of the competition and, therefore, became ineligible for the award.
What is even more heartening is the review that the city’s government structure got. For most of us who live in Karachi, there has been a marked change in the performance levels of the local government recently. However, the end result depends equally on an efficient system as it does on performance and hard work. The website states that Karachi, with its population of over 14 million, is the largest city, with a federated city structure. It also suggests that it has been followed by other cities in three different regions of the world, including Birmingham, Los Angeles and Montreal and, more recently, Baghdad.
The Karachi City District follows a uniquely British three-tiered system comprising the City District Government (CDG), the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) and the Union Administration (UA). Such an integrated structure, even though derived from the country’s pre-independence past, had never been attempted in cities of Pakistan and considering that it was done in a very short period — between 2001-2003 — makes it all the more impressive.
What is most impressive, and credit for which must be given to Mr Naimutullah Khan, is that recent governments have set standards which encourage transparency. In fact, he invited Transparency International to see what they could do to help the city implement a transparent and accountable system from the bottom-up.
It is not certain when President Musharraf will leave office. However, it is certain that he will leave one day and one of his legacies will be a federated structure of local governance being practised in cities all over Pakistan. Apart from Karachi, large cities such as Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Sukkur, Quetta, Rawalpindi and Bhawalpur are to be declared city districts.
While President Musharraf’s critics blame him for the weakening of civil institutions and democratic governance, he must be credited with introducing a system of local government that has already revitalised the city of Karachi, and provided a means of empowering the people.
IBAAD HAKIM
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.