| August 12, 2006 | Saturday | Rajab 16, 1427 |
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Rain-inflicted miseries
Lackadaisical attitude
Waiting for justice
Repositioning Pakistan
Sinning mortals
Apology to the Lebanese
India bans Arab TV
Nishtar Park tribunal
Will heads roll?
No more fast bowlers
IN the middle part of the last century, when America’s quest was to halt the spread of communism in the Far East, they succeeded in Korea by dividing that peninsula in 1953 and restricting the conceived communist influence to south of the 38th parallel. Then with the same objective they got involved in Vietnam in 1959.
During the mid-60s, I recall Americans saying very matter- of-factly that Vietnam will be divided just like Korea. But the communists in Vietnam, backed by the Soviets, had different ideas.
They were resolute not to let the US have their way again. In 1975 the US was ignominiously ousted from Vietnam.
There is a distinct parallel between Vietnam and Lebanon today. The Israelis have been having it their way since 1948 when they forcibly grabbed more territory than was mandated by the UN.
They grabbed yet more land, including West Jerusalem, in 1956 when the British and French authorised the Israelis to go ahead with their assault, so that they could grab the Suez Canal in the face of Nasser’s nationalisation.
In the 1967 Middle East war Israel grabbed the West Bank and the remaining part of Jerusalem. Now the Israeli leadership shamefully refers to UN resolutions related to the present crisis when they themselves are the biggest and most frequent violators of UN resolutions, particularly those calling for restoration of territories captured in 1967.
The oppressed in the Middle East appear to be resolute and up in arms now. They are determined not to let Israel get away with its crimes this time round.
Another similarity is that in the late 1960, relentless carpet-bombing by America’s B-52 bombers failed to disrupt the Ho Chi Min Trail, providing a continuous supply of arms and equipment to the Vietcong. Today the relentless aerial attacks by Israel are failing to disrupt Hezbollah’s capacity to rain rockets into Israel. Lebanon is going to be Israel’s Vietnam, with Hezbollah being the Vietcong.
RAFI AHMED
Karachi
ISRAEL exists because America decided it would. Israel is armed militarily and politically (at the UN) by the US. Israel is funded (unnecessarily and unfairly) by America and the Israeli army was trained and supplied by America for political reasons.
Do American civilians really care whether the Jews get to live in Zion or not? Do they really think that the transplanted Jews should be defended at the cost of the lives of Arab women and children? No one really thinks that there is any reason for the Israelis to reside in the Arab heartlands, except to act as a staging post for American incursions into Arab lands.
The vain and racist belief that Jews deserve to live wherever they so decide, and at whatever cost to other people they decide is appropriate is an abomination on modern morality and ethics. The Jews being transplanted into the Middle East is purely a stunt by America to give themselves leverage in the oilfields and must be dissolved as soon as possible.
NAVEED AKBAR MALIK
Toronto, Canada
THE Muslim world is too crippled to fight Israel’s aggression. Erecting skyscrapers and building excursion places won’t solve the problem until and unless the Muslim world makes up its mind to possess better means of warfare than the aggressor.
The only option left is to boycott Israel and make all major countries realise that there is also something wrong going on from on their side. Such action may lead to a greater economical and financial disaster but we have to go through this pain and agony if we want to achieve our goals. Did Iran or Libya die because of the sanctions imposed on them? Certainly not, they suffered a lot but they scarified for their cause.
I appeal to all the clergymen in Pakistan to adopt a better way to fight against aggression. Build your nation with wisdom in every field, especially science and technology. The Ummah needs to stand under a single banner, not many, otherwise we can never be successful.
MAHMOOD A. MIRZA
Frankfurt, Germany
MUCH has been written regarding miseries faced by citizens of Karachi in general and residents of Clifton in particular following the recent spell of rains. One less lamented areas which has escaped attention of the media is the buildings located in the vicinity of Jehangir Kothari parade ground and the newly-developed Clifton beach park.
Being a low- lying area, the locality has always been susceptible to water-logging in case of heavy rain, however previously two avenues were available for rapid discharge of water — the Jehangir Kothari parade ground, which would accumulate most of the water, and the storm drain on the other side of the road, i.e., adjacent to the now beach park.
Following the beautification drive of the present city government, the former has been converted into a park (which is under development), while the drain beside the beach park has been beautifully hidden so that the water has nowhere to go and the whole area resembles a a mini-Arabian Sea.
With no storm-water drain to speak of, residents of buildings located in the area cannot find an inch of dry land to walk on, while water has submerged car-parking lots in the basement to an extent that most of us have been forced to park their vehicles at safe places away from the area.
How could the city government be thoughtless enough to plunge headlong into beautification of the area without having a basic water drainage system in place?
The emergency telephone lines set up by the city administration are totally useless and send the hapless caller on a wild goose chase of one official after the other.
As taxpayer resident of the area, I request that some action should be taken to rid us of the nuisance of standing water in the short term while long-term actions like construction of storm-water drains should be carried out in due course.
MUHAMMAD AMJAD MALIK
Karachi
READING Safir A. Siddiqui on July 20 can only confirm that those in ‘control’ have at best a lackadaisical attitude towards customer satisfaction on account of feudal thinking, which ultimately means two things. The first is not realising the value of time and the second is refusing to recognise merit. We all look forward to a proper public exposure of the inquiry committee’s report so that those accountable are really held accountable. Maybe it is wishing for the moon.
My daughter’s friend travelled in the ill-fated aircraft from Lahore and shortly after landing at Multan he got a telephone call asking after his well-being. He mentioned of a late take-off from Lahore on account of ‘technical’ trouble. It has also been reported that no qualified engineer was available in Multan to give the aircraft the once over. It appears the turn-round time was truncated.
All this means that the real culprit is not technical but on account of poor management. Good management produces good engineering, good scheduling, good accounting, quick refunds, etc., and it is never the other way around.
Some time ago I made a return trip to Dubai on a business class ticket having reserved my seat a month in advance. I was a wheel-chair case. My outgoing flight was in a small Boeing of another airline with four abreast economy seating. On the return trip 50 per cent of the journey was also economy in a small Boeing of a foreign airline. When I complained that 75 per cent of the journey was done in economy whereas several months later I got 25 per cent of the difference between business and economy class, I was admonished by PIA for delaying my complaint. The left hand of PIA does not know what the right hand is up to.
After all, I could only complain a few days after getting the refund. To be told the change was made on account of a change in the configuration of seats (actually the whole aircraft was substituted), so nothing could be done about it. Reminds me of a rat catcher being called a rodent operative. However, this goes to confirm what Safir A. Siddiqui has said. PIA needs to pull up its socks. As far as I am concerned, I’ll fly PIA, only if I must.
MASOOD HASAN
Lahore
I SERVED as an officer for the former Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan (now called Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited) for 21 years.
In the year 2002, along with others I opted for premature retirement under a golden handshake scheme because, as per the preliminary calculations according to a formula announced by the bank, an amount of Rs1.88 million was to be paid to me hours before relieving me from duty. However, I was forcibly relieved on May 31, 2003 without being paid a single paisa.
I was compelled to start submitting an ever-lasting series of representations to the president of the said bank and its other high-ups posted in Islamabad. Despite my hue and cry only an amount of Rs0.70 million was paid to me on Sept 24, 2003 retaining at the same time the amount of Rs0.868 million in veneration of some baseless and untenable audit observations.
Under the Constitution a criminal deserves appropriate and timely punishment and the entire government machinery is to make their move to complete the task. Similarly, an oppressed one deserves appropriate and timely redress of the oppression deliberately caused to him.
Having been financially derailed, I can neither afford to file another case in the competent labour court nor can I commit crimes for the livelihood of my children. The Supreme Court chief justice is requested to take suo motu notice of the oppression caused to me and to please have my due amount released to me with uptodate mark-up.
K.D. KALANDRANI
Ex-assistant director, ZTVL
Khuzdar
MR Shahid Javed Burki’s article ‘Repositioning Pakistan’ (Aug 1), highlights some very disturbing developments in the US affecting the Islamic world in general and Pakistan in particular.
Some foreign groups and a section of the policy analysts in the US are terming the freedom struggles of the Muslims in many countries as an armed uprising against the West. They are also accusing Pakistan of covertly supporting some of those elements. Thus, Islamabad is being blamed for reverting to its earlier pro- Taliban policy and for the terrorism in Mumbai and elsewhere in India.
In a belligerent approach, American writers like Messrs Robert Kaplan, William Kristol and Sebastian Mallaby have made some suggestions.
a. Due to the split in the Islamic world between the moderates and extremists, Pakistan can neither be trusted with nuclear weapons nor allowed to maintain an ambiguous position. Instead, it must reposition itself clearly on the side of the pro-western members of the community.
b. While justifying Mr Dick Cheney’s shocking doctrine that even one per cent suspicion of (Pakistan’s) involvement in helping Al Qaeda or fomenting terrorism should be sufficient grounds for reacting, some of them have praised India’s ‘restraint’ in not attacking Pakistan militarily. They have recommended tough diplomatic steps, if not military ones, by even enlisting China’s help to make Islamabad close down its Jihadi networks, thereby cutting it off from its great friend.
It is painful how they are ignoring India’s breaking up of Pakistan in 1971 that had angered even President Nixon and how New Delhi disallows UN observers and human rights organisations to monitor its atrocities in Kashmir or massacres of other Muslims.
Such an attitude could partly be explained as the unfamiliarity of many of our western friends with the genesis of the Muslims’ conflicts but, unfortunately, also from some circles’ hostility to Muslims. Still, it bodes ill for inter-civilisational coexistence and global peace.
A consideration of the problems facing the Muslims should dispel most of the misunderstanding. The issues of Kashmir and Palestine are both nearly 60 years old. In Kashmir, the fight for self-determination started in 1947 but New Delhi is now finding it convenient to depict it as a part of the international Jihadi movement. It needs to be asked about the decades-old Christian Naga struggle for Nagaland and the rebellions in its other far eastern states, which belie this false claim and point to India’s covetousness, imperialism and lack of respect for its minorities’ freedoms.
In Palestine, the intrigues by the British created a Jewish state in a country where the population of Jews was only about five per cent a century ago. This caused all the outrage among the original Arab residents and led to perpetual turmoil.
The subsequent massive military and diplomatic backing for Israel by the US and other western countries have caused acute resentment and anti-West sentiments, to which the occupation of Iraq and the US-backed destruction of Lebanon has added immensely.
Thus the many Islamic groups fighting for their freedom and other rights have noticed the responsibility of many western countries or their allies for their troubles. They began to collaborate, when possible, much like the trade union movements, the World Socialist Forum’s strivings against capitalism and globalisation or the leftist opposition to the US in South America. The US itself initiated this process when it trained and armed Muslims from all over the world for the Afghan jihad against the USSR.
One hopes the foregoing explanation would remove the misconceptions of those with open minds and end their governments’ anti-Muslim policies. The mitigating thing is that even the Americans are not spared from such attacks. The well-known actor, activist and “San Francisco Chronicle” correspondent Sean Penn was bitterly criticised by the US and foreign media after his visits to Iraq and Iran in recent years. In a touching response he said: “While the ... attacks on me may be the bickering of details, the number of dead and purpose of war are not.” (Dawn, The Review, July 27-Aug. 2).
KHALID CHAUDHRY
Karachi
MR Kunwar Idris has, as always, written a remarkable article ‘Religious laws and mob violence’ (Aug 6).
I would like to add the following: Why do we sinning mortals think we have to protect God, protect His name and His prophets? We cannot protect ourselves from ourselves. Or is it our stupid arrogance that we think we can do it? Or is it our weak faith that it is only stuck in symbols that if these symbols are destroyed, then our faith will be destroyed?
Or is it our guilt that we have failed to live in harmony and in love on this earth that motivates us to show these false and hollow emotions of protecting God and His prophets.
Just thought at things which seem so meaningless when I see through myself and other around me.
IFTIKHAR SOOMRO
Karachi
ON behalf of all Pakistanis I want to apologise to the Lebanese people for the extremely careless and callous remarks made by our Air Chief Marshal. According to Mr Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed, “The Lebanese prime minister was forced to cry before the media because of weak defence capability of his country and no such thing would be allowed to happen with Pakistan”.
Ironically, if we look at history it is Pakistan’s air force which needs to do some soul-searching over its performance against the Indians in 1971 and their shameful ‘disappearance’ during the Kargil conflict, despite having some of the most advanced fighter jets like F-16s.
The Lebanese people and Hezbollah deserve praise for giving a tough time to one of the most powerful armies in the world, even without any sophisticated weaponry or international support. Their prime minister also deserves appreciation for presenting his case to the world community so forcefully.
SHOAIB KHALIL
Karachi
I READ the statement made by the air chief about the Lebanese prime minister in which he said that the Pakistani prime minister would never be seen crying in public because Pakistan is powerful. I feel that this is a insulting remark to the brave Lebanese people who have been fighting the aggressor for the past 30 days.
It goes to the credit of the Lebanese prime minister that he felt the pain of his people and could not contain his emotions. How can you compare such a leader with Pakistani prime ministers, some of whom have been imported from abroad and cannot even bring themselves to shed crocodile tears when people are dying on the streets from unemployment, or being killed by floods? What a tangled web we weave.
MUHAMMAD AQDAS
Rawalpindi
REGARDING the story ‘India bans Arab TV channels’ (August 7), the Saudi daily Arab News and the manager of Oberoi hotel are both mistaken. There’s no ban on Arab TV in India, just no market for it. Nobody in India speaks Arabic. For the same reason there’s no Vietnamese, Thai, or Chinese TV in India. I doubt if they’re offered in Pakistan.
AJIT PATEL
California, USA
THE recent announcement by the government whereby it has issued orders for transfer of the tribunal judge in the Nishtar Park case speaks volumes about the state of judicial system in the country. The judge in the tribunal, Mr Rehmat Hussain Jaffery, is an honest and dedicated professional who came into the limelight during the so-called plane conspiracy case in1999, where he, after thorough investigation, acquitted five persons of any wrong doing. The sudden transfer of Mr Jaffery suggests that the government wants to stop the truth from prevailing and strengthen the hands of a particular lobby which doesn’t want Mr. Jaffery to expose the facts. His sudden transfer has buried any hopes of a fair and impartial trial. Unless our judicial system is allowed to work freely and transparently, without any intervention from the government, we’ll remain victims of the mafia which manipulates the system to pursue its own interests.
JUNAID ABBASI
Rawalpindi
THE Supreme Court has released the full text of its judgment on the privatisation of the Pakistan Steel Mills. In my opinion the case is a huge blot on the credibility of the government.
I have the following questions to ask from our honourable leaders, the president and the prime minister of Pakistan: Will any heads roll? And if not, then why not? Surely the magnitude of this case is much larger than the flimsy cases on which some political opponents have been kept in jail for so many years.
AMATUL BASEER SHEHLA
Washington DC, USA
PAKISTAN has been known for its extraordinary fast bowlers from Imran Khan to Wasim Akram. These bowlers achieved great success for Pakistan and got great accolades from all over the world. But now it is really sad to note the Pakistani side’s mediocre bowling against England in the ongoing Test series. Will Pakistan prove its supremacy in bowling once again?
SENTHIL
Chennai, India
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