| July 27, 2006 | Thursday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 30, 1427 |
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Not the president’s men
Dubai – then and now
Ethiopian invasion of Somalia
Noise pollution
Lahore expansion plan
An encounter with a teacher
Hero at Lord’s
Tinted glasses in cars
Conspiracy theory
Cheap source of electricity
SINCE Anwar Sadat recognised Israel with the hope of living in peace and a homeland for the beleaguered Palestinians, Israel has simply directed its firepower at other Arab countries.
Israel has invaded Lebanon three times, each time with more ferocity and more destruction. It has demolished the Palestinian Authority and continues to attack, murder and kidnap Palestinians at will. Syria continues to suffer at the hands of Israel.
If one were to count, thousands of Arabs have perished at the hand of Israel and billions of dollars of infrastructure and property destroyed since Egypt recognised Israel.
By signing the so-called peace treaty with Israel, Egypt and Jordan have abandoned their fellow Arab compatriots and even stopped modernisation of their respective armed forces. Having secured their front with Egypt and Jordan, Israel has unleashed barbaric power against Lebanon. In retrospect, Arabs have lost out enormously by recognising Israel.
They should have maintained their unity and negotiated collectively.
Now a few other Muslim countries are openly talking about recognising Israel but this would be a big mistake.
The only credible and defensible strategy Muslim countries can adopt is to form a joint opinion and common approach through deliberations at the OIC. I would suggest that a few Muslim countries that have recognised Israel should break off their relationship and cancel all trade agreements.
I would urge Turkey, Egypt, Jordon, Morocco and Qatar to step up and break all relationship with Israel and side with Muslims for their greater good and preservation.
NAVEED KHAN
San Jose, USA
THIS is in response to the letter by Bashir Mirza (July 25) who wrote: “As Pakistanis we are again letting our pain for the Ummah cloud Pakistan’s need for self-preservation”. I would like to point out that Pakistan has always played it safe no matter what. For instance, when Afghanistan was invaded by the United States, Pakistan offered not only its airspace to American warplanes and missiles; it invited Americans to launch their invasion of Afghanistan from half a dozen bases within Pakistan. However, recognising Israel and having ‘good relations’ with it is a totally different issue. Israel is a state founded on terror and violence.
The state of Israel was forced on the Palestinians without their knowledge or consent, and the Palestinians have been suffering ever since.
Israel continues its bombardment in Palestine and Lebanon and kill hundreds of innocent civilians, while Iran and Syria face fierce censure for openly criticising Israel. It will indeed be cowardly and selfish of Pakistan to push for diplomatic ties with Israel in these circumstances.
Furthermore, Israel is viewed as a terrorist state by almost all Pakistanis, and the people of Pakistan will undoubtedly oppose the idea of having diplomatic ties with Israel.
The present government should not risk its already wavering stability by taking such a drastic step.
AHMED SHAYAN
Karachi
AS Israel rains down death and destruction on Lebanon, it is interesting to examine UN Security Council resolution 242. The French version asked Israel to withdraw from the territories occupied during the Six-day War.
Even though the English version dropped the definite article so that it read “... from territories occupied in the recent conflict”. Lord Caradon, the author of the bill, was clear that the phrase “occupied territories” meant East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan and Sinai. So long as Israel does not honour this resolution, it cannot hope to achieve peace and security.
GOPI RAJA GOPAL
Bangalore, India
THIS is with reference to the story titled “Benazir warms to offer by ‘president’s men’” (Dawn, July 24) Perhaps inadvertently, or otherwise, this item conveys the impression that the letter is from “the president’s men” and that the president himself may have had in-puts to the drafting of the letter through his ‘friends’.
Neither the report, nor the Dawn editorial titled ‘A reminder to the president’ (July 25) refers to the extraordinary, if not unprecedented and therefore unique diversity in professional backgrounds, party affiliations and individual viewpoints of the 18 signatories.
For example, although we signed in our individual capacities, the 18 signatories included one member from each of three political parties with diametrically different views on important issues. Of the 18, no more than a handful can be described as ‘friends’ of the president. Each of the 18 has individually distinct views with some commonalities.
A group of such diversity cannot be termed ‘the president’s men’. Three or four ‘friends’ cannot, and did not, attempt to influence about 15 non-friends. Consensus on issues was arrived at only after robust, candid exchanges.
The report states that Senator S.M. Zafar “refused to explain whether he and other ‘friends’ of Gen Musharraf had any input from the president while drafting the letter”.
The undersigned was kindly nominated by the group to chair the drafting committee. An esteemed academic, a prominent editor and a respected defence analyst were also members.
We did not receive any inputs from the president, or on his behalf through anyone else. Our draft was based on elements extensively debated and some points agreed earlier. About 90 per cent of the final draft was accepted by the whole group, which improved the remaining 10 per cent with important but relatively minor amendments. No one went away to obtain ‘clearance’ for endorsing the draft.
This letter, addressed to the president, the prime minister and the heads of all major political parties is only one expression of a dialogue for a broad consensus on strengthening democratic processes conducted during eight sessions between September 2004 and July 2006. There are several other facets that require, and have received, detailed review by the signatories.
Lastly, the news item on July 24 refers to the undersigned as “reportedly a close confidant of the president”. Please note that the term ‘close confidant’ became incorrect since my resignation from the Cabinet in October 2000.
JAVED JABBAR
Karachi
LO and behold! A person of Anwer Mooraj’s stature being dazzled by the shopping malls, most modern cars and skyscrapers of Dubai (‘Dubai – then and now’, July 24). He is impressed by the large consumer market America has created for its goods. Nay, sir, this is not development. Go down the lane a little further where you would see slave-like life of expats, sweating away in hell, being abused, paid a pittance and kicked around.
I wish the $7,000 suite could only give away its garbage to those Indo-Pakistan-Bangla workers. All these shining malls are full of rich brats munching on burgers and putting on mountains of fat without moving a finger ..... errr except punching their mobiles for chatting.
America established malls only after it had its primary agriculture and manufacturing sector on strong footing. However, the most important factor of all is education. There is not a single school worth admitting your children to except the American and British.
On the other hand, what can Dubai claim of? It even imports its drinking water. Israel had a similar landscape except the oil. It has invented the most modern agricultural methods in the world where every drop of water is efficiently used. Instead of building the most expensive hotel in the world, it could have built the most important university of the world but that needs a little brain to think about.
It has got most sophisticated hospitals but run by nurses from the Philippines and Bengali or Egyptian doctors. Despite the fact that it provides work for million-plus expats from poor countries, its own youth does not like even to sit in an office and hence a burgeoning unemployment rate.
DR OBAIDULLAH
Peshawar
THE situation in the brotherly though ravaged country of Somalia where the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) has succeeded in restoring order to many parts of the country after a lawless period of 15 years is again getting uncertain. As analysed very nicely by the London-based political analyst, Mr Abid Mustafa (Dawn, Encounter, July 1 ), there is a great game going on there between the US on one hand and some European powers on the other to take control of the oil and other natural resources, besides which are the commercial interests of China and a few other countries.
The US had been covertly helping the previously entrenched warlords to counter the Islamist ICU. Now, as already anticipated by the latter, Ethiopia, which has its own interests, is sending in troops — reportedly numbering 5,000 — and other help to the interim government based in a smaller town, rather than the capital Mogadishu, that has held power nominally and ineffectively for the last two years. This will only prolong the misery of the Somalians whereas the need is to let the ICU exercise control over the country.
Besides, treating the newly powerful group with kindness and understanding is likely to keep them in the moderate mainstream of Islam and avoid their straying into Taliban type extremism.
The OIC should be asked to take up this case with Addis Ababa and warn it not to interfere in the Horn of Africa nation while military and other help should be provided by the Muslim countries to this turmoil and drought-ridden nation to enable the new authority to restore peace and order over there.
As noted by Brig (r) Riaz Haider in these columns, OIC Secretary-General Ehsanoglu is not a strong enough crisis manager and the former Malaysian prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, should be requested to take over the job (July 21). Indeed, he is an awesome and exceedingly successful leader popular with the world’s Muslims and can be expected to make the organisation really effective and powerful.
A. ABDULLAH
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter by Nisar Hyder Abbas (July 2) about street vendors in Lahore. The same practice is repeated in Islamabad. The street vendors on bicycle and Suzuki vans using battery-operated loudspeakers and amplifiers shout for their stuff on sale. This creates awful noise pollution.
The worst kind of noise pollution is caused by unnecessary and senseless use of pressure horns by private and public vehicles — especially when they enter the streets in the morning to pick up children for schools and government servants for offices they make a loud noise enough to wake up a dead person.
The drivers instead of ringing door-bells keep on blowing the horns till the whole street is awakened to their call.
With the introduction of the new traffic system, the traffic has been disciplined in Islamabad and traffic violations and accidents have decreased dramatically.
We shall appreciate the efforts of the traffic authorities for taking some steps and measures to put an end to this great public nuisance — noise pollution.
To start with, my humble suggestion is that they should arrange corner public meetings of people running private and public vehicles where they should be taught and made to realise the magnitude and intensity of senseless use of horns.
DR KHALID MAHMOOD SHAIKH
Islamabad
THE Lahore nazim has recently stated that he has prepared a plan for the future expansion of Lahore. In my view, the nazim needs to understand that instead of planning for a large expansion of the city, considerations should be given to limiting the uncontrolled and haphazard growth.
The current, so-called, seven million people ought to be large enough for a normal size big city, to function well. Actually, the need should be to plan for improving the quality of life and quality of places and creating viable communities and communication routes for the present population rather than planning for the expansion and creating sums with no amenities.
For a comparison, I would like to give the example of London. When the city of London reached the magic figure of seven million, in 1966/67, the city administration decided to revise the Greater London Development Plan and put forward a policy of limiting the growth through a dispersal policy, meaning that the industry and businesses would be encouraged to relocate outside London, in nearby towns on larger premises. Now the policy is working well and many head offices, of large companies, and industrial concerns have moved out of London. Consequently, the population of London has fallen and has given a chance to the city authorities to improve the quality of life for the remaining population by improving housing, commercial areas and traffic circulation, etc.
We ought to think on similar lines and start controlling further growth of the city by providing a wide green belt around the city and initiating a dispersal policy, through incentives and controls. Otherwise we would never be able to improve the quality of life for its citizens. Lahore is already becoming too big and out of control. Every day, people are experiencing miles of traffic jams on the city roads.
There is housing shortage and we can’t provide even a reasonable amount of water to its citizens. If we take 3.4 per cent increase as a correct figure, the population of Lahore will rise to about 9.5 million in the next 10 years and this would be a disaster for a city and we would not be able to improve the quality of life for its citizens. The city is already overcrowded and in parts one feels suffocated.
According to a recent report, “due to the urban air pollution, around 22,700 deaths occur annually, in Pakistan”. This is all due to congestion and traffic chaos in urban areas. The nazim’s master plan is bound to create further congestion and chaos. So the advice would be to think about limiting the growth of the city rather than planning for its expansion.
PROF AKHTAR KHAN
Chartered town planner
Lahore
THIS refers to the letter entitled ‘An encounter with a teacher’ (July 4) by a ‘disappointed student’. As an external student of international relations I understand the writer’s feelings.
It is unfortunate that in various universities some teachers are not ready to guide students despite getting heavy salaries but at the same time there is no dearth of good teachers who help students and guide them generously and Karachi University’s IR department is one of them. So I would suggest that next time he should go to other teachers.
I have had an excellent experience at the department of international relations. The teachers are not all alike, and some of them are extremely helpful and student-friendly.
OWAISUR REHMAN
Karachi
CONGRATULATIONS to Pakistan for a well deserved draw in the first Test against England. What seemed to be an improbable task in the follow-up to a huge innings deficit was achieved by one man who stood between England’s victory and Pakistan’s losing the Test match.
Muhammad Yousuf played a magnificent innings, and if it wasn’t for the partnership between Yousuf and Inzamam, Pakistan would have followed on and most probably lost the Test match. Yousuf’s patience, shot selection and temperament were impeccable.
For his outstanding knock in the face of adversity, it would be appropriate to bestow upon him the title of ‘Lord’s hero’.
JUNAID ABBASI
Rawalpindi
IN terms of a notice issued by the Sindh home department, dated July 20, all car owners are required to remove tinted glasses, etc., from their vehicles within one week. Non-compliance may result in registration of cases against the vehicle owners or even their vehicles impounded.
I think this is an unjust and draconian rule and should be withdrawn forthwith.
The Sindh government must consider that the federal government has allowed import of used or reconditioned cars and most of these cars, which are already in the market or plying on the roads, have factory-fitted tinted glasses and removal of them is literally impossible, as the shape and models of the imported cars are different from those of the locally assembled cars. The replacement of tinted glasses with the locally-made glasses is, therefore, out of the question.
May we expect withdrawal of the rule?
MOHAMMAD SHAFQAT
Karachi
I AM quite appalled by the letter entitled ‘Conspiracy theory’ that was published in your newspaper on July 22. The writer, Ibne Shamsi, has suggested that India stage-managed the killing of 200 of its own citizens to cover up and divert attention from a failed satellite launch. For Mr Shamsi’s information, the satellite launch failure follows not one but 14 previous successful launches. Failures such as the one he has spoken about have occurred in the past as well, and they will keep occurring from time to time as India explores new frontiers in space technology.
To link it with a tragedy where people have lost lives in a terrorist attack in one of India’s major cities is both childish and in bad taste. It also reflects the mindset of many Pakistanis, including its foreign minister, who immediately said after the blasts that as long as the problem of Kashmir remained, such incidents would also take place. I would only hope that better sense and taste will prevail upon the minds and hearts of the people and leaders in both countries.
SANDIP DUTTA
Kolkata, India
I WANT to give a suggestion to our government which is facing a great crisis of electricity. Why doesn’t the government install the plants which use wind energy to produce electricity?
Our country can produce electricity from this method by installing plants at the sea side and in lower Punjab, when light duststorms in the summer season can produce a lot of power. This method will not be very expensive. We can easily produce electricity to fulfil the increasing demand.
I am aware of the importance of dams, but until the problem regarding the dam’s location is solved, this is another option for us to produce electricity. I got this idea from a documentary.
SHAHEERA
Multan
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