| August 07, 2006 | Monday | Rajab 11, 1427 |
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Rain plays havoc in Karachi
CDA property tax
Rampant street crimes
Ban on the book is deplorable
Tourism in Pakistan
Chairlift fare
Power theft
New PAF badges
F-16s
THE United Nations and western powers are now pushing for the disarmament of Hezbollah in accordance with UN resolution 1559. However, given the aggression and revengefulness at present demonstrated by Israel, such disarmament will lead the UN down a risky path – reminiscent of the genocide the organisation was unable to prevent in Srebrenica in 1995.
On that occasion, the UN arranged for the disarmament of the Bosnian Muslims in spite of the presence of a considerable number of aggressive Serbian troops in their immediate vicinity. The UN guaranteed the security of the unarmed groups. As a result, thousands of defenceless men and boys were attacked and massacred. Approximately 8,000 Muslims were assassinated and thrown into mass graves. This disarmament campaign was one of the darkest chapters in the UN’s almost 60 years long history.
If on a mandate from the UN the Hezbollah is disarmed, how can the UN guarantee that Israel will not make use of the opportunity to assassinate Hezbollah leaders or kill even more Lebanese civilians? The continuous assassination of Hamas’s leaders which, in spite of constituting a breach of international law, is completely undisputed and fully accepted in Israel is not a very encouraging prospect.
Throughout these almost 60 years, Israel has proven to the world that the country will not respect directions in the shape of UN resolutions, or appeals from the UN. The latest instance took place as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan recently requested Israel to cease the bombing in Lebanon. This request was ignored by Israel which, with US political support, rather opted to ‘complete the bombing’ and Hezbollah’s suggestion for a ceasefire was likewise ignored – on the grounds that Israel does not negotiate with terrorists.
Taking this into account, Hezbollah is not able to trust assurances that Israel will not attack once more. Neither can the UN trust any such possible guarantees from Israel – and definitely not carry out such drastic measures as the disarmament of one of the parties in the conflict.
The way the situation has developed, the UN will have to reconsider its Resolution 1559 on disarmament of Hezbollah. Neither the UN itself, nor the world, will be able to handle a situation in which the UN yet another time – through disarmament – would pave the way for mass murder of defenceless Muslims, the same way the UN did in Srebrenica.
Of course, the situation in Lebanon will not be identical to the one in Srebrenica – history never repeats itself with a hundred per cent accuracy. However, what kind of actions Israel in a heated situation is capable of carrying out against refugee camps, Lebanon and the rest of the world have witnessed earlier. The Sabra and Shatila massacres several years ago were horrifying. And the recent continued killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon, even after massive international protests, also indicates a whole lot.
Altogether, these are realities the UN just cannot ignore. The organisation cannot count on Israel to follow directions from the Security Council. Moreover, in any given situation the US is in the position to once more make use of their veto in the Council to the advantage of Israel.
FRODE GJERTSEN
Social worker Norway
IT was surprising to hear the views of the Karachi, city nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal who said all resources were being utilised to clear the areas and roads severely affected by the rains.
One is tempted to ask if the situation would be different if our sewerage and drainage systems were properly functioning.
I have been living in Hong Kong for the last one year and would like to invite the honourable nazim to come and experience the monsoon season and its after-affects here.
Hong Kong receives an annual rainfall ranging between 1,300 millimetres and 3,000 millimetres. Eighty per cent of the rainfalls between May and September, with the wettest month being August when it rains about four days every week with the average monthly rainfall being 391.4 millimetres. Despite the heavy rainfall, it is amazing to note the quality of civic facilities in place, which make it impossible to detect any small puddles or large waterholes.
Development is a good thing even if you end up digging up half the city, but maintenance and refurbishment of our metropolitan services is equally important and their proper functioning should be constantly monitored. God bless Karachi.
S. NAVEED AHMED
Kowloon, Hong Kong
I AM a former resident of Karachi. I find the present condition in the city not only appalling but extremely despicable. It’s so unfortunate that the government of this great country is incapable of providing the basic necessities to the people during a minor crisis. Regretfully, the word future planning does not exist in the government’s dictionary.
The only time government officials wake up from their stupor is when they are deprived of the luxuries provided to them at the expense of taxpayers. I am also concerned to see most people building luxurious homes but unwilling to spend a dime out of their pockets to better conditions around their boundary walls. It’s about time both the government and citizens worked hand in hand so that they can make Karachi clean and beautiful again.
FAROUK SALEHJEE
Florida, USA
AS reported in your paper on August 2, the chairman of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) while talking to reporters at the site of the flooded KPT underpass in Clifton declared that the drainage system was working well.
He said that the flooding was the fault of the city government which did not stop water from surrounding areas from flowing into the underpass. Our public servants may not be great designers, but they do know how to pass the buck.
KHALID R. HASAN
Karachi
SINCE we are in the habit of fixing symptoms rather than root-causes, it is necessary that after the recent rains in Karachi the government import vehicles that are capable of moving on both land and water. Usually called ‘ducks’, these creatures have been used for military purposes by other countries in the past.
SHAFEEQ SHAIKH
Kansas, USA
EVERY year the CDA issues bills for property tax to be paid in full. At the back of the bills, the CDA prints the various rebates which can be claimed by different categories of property owners. In the case of self-occupied property, the rebate is 50 per cent, in the case of retired government employees residing in their own houses, the rebate is up to 75 per cent of the total bill.
While the rebates are fair and equitable, the hassle involved each year in claiming the same involves a painful exercise. The bills, as already mentioned, are issued for the full amount each year. Consequently, all those entitled to claim rebate throng the revenue directorate of the CDA. Their number runs into thousands. For the bills to be rectified, these must be supported by affidavits in the format duly approved by the CDA. This repetitive exercise involves unnecessary additional work both for the CDA and for the property tax payers every year.
To rectify and improve the existing procedure and format, it is suggested that based on information already available with the CDA in respect of each property, it may issue bills mentioning the net amount payable by the different category of property owners, i.e., self-occupied and retired government employees, based on the previous year’s collection.
This suggestion, if accepted, may be implemented from the current year before the property tax bills are issued for 2006–07. However, to protect the revenue interests of the CDA, it is suggested that a certificate may be printed as a part of the bill to be signed by those who have claimed rebate in the earlier years to sign the same before the payment of the bill. In the event of detection of a wrong claim, penal action of severest nature can always follow. The authority may examine this suggestion.
The CDA should endeavour to facilitate matters for the residents of Islamabad by following a pragmatic and innovative approach in its dealings. All procedures, rules and system are subject to constant improvement and that is what public administration and management is all about.
S. ZAHID HASAN
Islamabad
AN average of a dozen vehicles and five dozen cellphones are being taken away by robbers in Karachi. You can safely add another 30 per cent as being not reported. Not a bad score.
The prime minister on his visits to Karachi asked twice at meetings to control street crimes. Does anyone care? Three cheers for the law-enforcers.
I have been living in Muscat for years but crimes like snatching of cellphones or carjacking at gun-point are unheard of. The tragic part of the story is that there is more policemen on streets than public in Karachi carrying automatic weapons. Here, no policeman is seen on streets except when there is an accident. One wonders what makes the difference.
Let someone from the Karachi police come here and learn the magic.
HAJI ASHFAQ
Oman
THE city of Karachi nowadays is experiencing a very bad law and order situation as is evident from the number of vehicles hijacked, cellphones taken away at gun-point and robberies committed daily as reported in the press.
As if this was not enough, a new factor is added to the list of criminals, i.e., rickshaw drivers. The other day a friend of mine visited me in utter confusion. He said that as usual he hired a rickshaw to go to Sadder. However, the driver led him to a deserted street where another rickshaw was parked. The driver pulled out a gun and asked him to hand over all the valuables or face the dire consequences.
After robbing my friend, both the rickshaw drivers fled the scene. A few days ago, a similar incident was reported by another friend whose wife was robbed by a rickshaw driver in day light near the Empress Market.
I hope all those who travel by rickshaws will take precaution.
RAFIQUE AHMED
SIDDIQIUE Karachi
DR Tariq Rehman’s article, ‘Ban on the book is deplorable’ (July 4), about the ‘Pakistani Kahanian’ taught in O Level, smacks of conceit and ignorance or indifference about his religion’s values and beliefs.
For instance, he has quoted Yeats about the best (people) lacking conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity. This paints all the parents and teachers who deem it improper for children to read profane literature such as in Pakistani Kahanian’ as being the ‘worst people’. If I don’t want my teenaged daughter or son to read Manto’s Khol Do, does it make me a despicable person? And, it’s not just parents; there are many sensible young people as well who find such material distasteful.
He has also said that this kind of approach creates barbarians and philistines. I know many Pakistanis who have never read the ‘great writers’ like Manto or Bano Qudsia yet they are enlightened folks. The writer’s attitude is typical of the secularised West which, as noted by a western convert to Islam, is shocked by a Muslim’s “determination to exclude from his life everything that savours of the profane and the secular...”
A point to ponder is that we are not in this world mainly to create or read literature, or, worse still, make nude portraits and statues, but for a higher purpose. His overconfidence should be compared with the humility of another literary person who is the best-selling poet in America, the great mystic and versifier of love, Rumi, who had written:
Do you think I know what I am doing?
That for one breath or half-breath I belong to myself?
As much as a pen knows what it is writing, or the ball can guess where it’s going next.
As far as his condemnation of Plato for banning poets is concerned, it may surprise him to learn that in contrast, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) sometimes used to listen to poetry and a couple of his sayings are reproduced here:
1) God hath treasuries beneath the Throne, the keys whereof are the tongues of poets.
2) Some poetry containeth much wisdom.
At the same time, we all, particularly the writers and poets, must also remember his utmost emphasis on modesty in speech, dress and behaviour as well as on purity of thought and actions.
The writer is also wrong in asserting that avoidance of sexual explicitness by the (Pakistani) Muslims reflects hypocrisy, shame, guilt and denial of sex and amounts to suppressing the “tender and ennobling emotion of romantic love.” Sir, the restrictions imposed on and the confinement of sexual intimacy to private moments of togetherness of a couple is meant to elevate it from a mere animal function, to distinguish us from animals and to make it something sacred while deterring the reckless illicit liaisons often created by unbridled romantic love.
Another untenable argument employed by the writer twice is that since children grow up listening to swear words or even using them, these should be acceptable in literature read by them. The existence of a vice is no excuse to adopt it or propagate it further. Children also grow up seeing people around them smoke or watch television programmes depicting drinking and unlawful sex but this does not make these things acceptable, nor is it hypocritical to call for their banishment. Most of us find no virtue in introducing our 15 or 16-year-old children to issues like karo-kari and ‘swara’ that are undoubtedly important but which should be left for their mature years.
RIFFAT R.
Karachi
I REFER to your editorial of July 26 regarding tourism and I thank you for it. I am one of the oldest directors of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation and a shareholder and I fully concur with your views. The trouble is that nobody wants to understand in the ministry or in the PTDC that tourism has over the past many years become a science and a powerful industry to reckon with.
Quite honestly over the past 25 years all we have done is to slide backwards. One cannot run an industry of this magnitude with a new board directors every other month and that too with very senior bureaucrats from the four provinces who keep changing due to their transfers. The chairmen of other government bodies rarely attend and nominate their juniors who are incapable of decisions.
One needs a board of highly trained technocrats “who eat and live tourism” and who are aware what is happening in the tourism business around the world. One needs to make a major investment in training young bright girls and boys into a finely honed individuals. They must be trained abroad and have to be fully committed to tourism.
The local tourism offices around the country are a joke and an embarrassment. How many times I have brought this to the notice of my colleagues on the board but when people do not want to understand, they just do not want to understand.
Unfortunately everything is going wrong. The PTDC lodges are dilapidated, security arrangements extremely questionable, the transport provided is risky and the information available needs an overhaul.
You are so right when you mention that unless we get our priorities right, we will continue to slide backwards. Our priority, therefore, is to get the right man at the top of the PTDC, give him all the authority to get on with it. Let us not weigh him down with transitory bureaucrats. Failing all, let’s just surrender and do the Shaukat Aziz — privatise. Maybe he knows what he is doing? or does he?
SHAUKAT A. FANCY
Karachi
THE city district government, Karachi, has been claiming that the fare for chairlift installed at Safari Park will be Rs45 per person so that middle-class people may enjoy the ride.
The fact, however, is that the contractor is charging Rs90 per person (Rs180 per chair). He is either doing business unchecked or there are many more snatching away his profit, may be within the CDGK or Safari Park staff or some ‘bahtta’ mafia. Would anyone be moved?
PROF S.M. IQBAL
Karachi
SINCE the electricity problem becoming worse in Karachi, some people are still enjoying power theft. I am resident of Saadi Town near Malir Cantonment where there are no electric poles except at a few places. There are a couple of houses, including mine, where meters are installed. All others are thriving on ‘kunda’. On the main road one 250KV PMT is installed whereas a 50 KV PMT is installed on the Police Society side which is serving half a Saadi Town, i.e., Blocks 4 and 5.
There are houses with ‘kundas’ where electric heaters are used for cooking instead of LPG cylinders and to the extent two to four split and window airconditioners are also being used. Fluctuation and low voltage is a daily routine. Being a resident with meter I cannot use airconditioner even with stabiliser.
I would request the government, as well as the KESC, to look into the matter.
MUHAMMAD FAWAD
BIN RASHID Karachi
THE PAF has recently introduced 10 new rank badges for officers, as reported in a section of the press. Since 1964, the PAF uniform or attachments, both for officers and airmen, have been changed with every change in command as if the PAF operational role hs also changed.
These changes are very costly for officers as well as for the public exchequer to provide free replacements to the airmen. Each change takes much time for implementation in the entire PAF. During the interim period, the PAF personnel are seen wearing different uniforms, both old and new. By the time the change is completed, the command changes and a new cycle starts.
Now, the 10 new rank badges for the officers will make recognition of ranks very difficult even for the people who are familiar with the rank badges worn since 1947. As I know, even the most advanced air forces of the prosperous US and UK have not changed uniforms or rank badges so far.
I wish if some air force expert could kindly explain the operational advantage of frequent changes in uniform and now badges, both costly and time-consuming, to make the readers wiser on the subject.
NASRULLAH KHAN
SHINWARI Peshawar
ACCORDING to a news report, the F-16s being provided to Pakistan cannot carry nuclear weapons. Pakistan cannot get F-16s repaired from a third country.
The latest technology associated with F-16s is also not being provided to Pakistan. And these fighter aircraft will not be used against India. Now the question is, why are we buying F-16s?
ZAHAK JAMAL
Rawalpindi
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