| August 16, 2006 | Wednesday | Rajab 20, 1427 |
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Whither PPP?
Lessons from wars
BPharm students’ plea
Another defeat against England
Relief goods destroyed in rain
PSM deal: lessons to learn
Anarkali will be missed
Railway bathrooms
Another police encounter
Issuance of site plan
Readers are requested to restrict their comments to a maximum of 400 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for reasons of clarity and space. Letters, including those by e-mail, should carry the complete postal address of the sender. The views expressed in these columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.—Editor
I HAVE been following with interest your coverage of the controversy surrounding Pakistani Kahaniyan. It was heartening to read the letter by a student who found the book useful in raising awareness about social issues. However, I was shocked to learn from Dr Tariq Rahman’s analysis (July 4) that the book is banned.
As a student of literature, Pakistan’s in particular, and as one of the two editors of the book in question, I am perplexed at the way the controversy has come up and feel the need to state some facts.
Without getting into any discussion on the book’s merits or demerits, I would like to state that no notification of the book’s official fate has been received by the editors. We have been kept in the dark about any such report about the book or even that the fact that was being reviewed for any such purpose.
We have also been ill-served by the board concerned or education authorities, whoever is responsible for including the book in their curriculum without consulting or even informing the editors. They did not even bother to read the introduction which explains that this anthology was meant for the general reader of fiction. It was not designed to be taught in schools.
As one of the editors of the book I would like to know how was this book selected for the curriculum, by whom, on what basis and why were the editors kept out of this entire process. No permission was sought from us at the time it was added to the curriculum and now that it is being pulled out, no explanation is being provided to us. How can they play around with the book in such a high-handed manner?
While the edition by Sang-i-Meel Publications, Lahore, was brought out with our permission, I was again surprised to learn from Dr Rahman’s article that another publisher had brought a modified version of this book.
Our permission was not sought by this publisher before printing this book, nor were we informed of any changes being made.
We would have expected the authorities to be helpful in taking action against unauthorised publication. On the contrary, we learn from reports (Dawn, June 9) that the ministry of education finds some stories in the book ‘objectionable’. The federal education secretary is quoted as saying that “some of the chapters were objectionable, not only about use of inappropriate or badly chosen language but also about some texts, which were derogatory about some local people or characters.”
The secretary has not made it clear if he considers the book inappropriate for the students or for the people of Pakistan. He has chosen not to mention which stories he is talking about.
He should know that the stories contained in the book are written by some of the leading authors of the country and all have been published before, some of them several times.
It takes some gall to pronounce that the stories written by some of the most eminent writers in the country contain inappropriate or badly chosen language. If the objection is to the story by Saadat Hasan Manto, then the secretary should know that it is considered one of the best stories by this powerful writer who now holds an international reputation.
This particular story, Khol Do, has been reprinted numerous times. The government of Pakistan put up a six-month ban on the magazine where this story was published for the first time but it was not considered necessary that the story be tried for ‘objectionable’ or ‘inappropriate language’.
Some of Manto’s stories have been tried in the court of law on moral grounds and cleared by the court in judgments, which are a part of the history of literature in Pakistan. It may be useful if the secretary could go back and read some Pakistani literature before passing his own judgment on it.
The comments against the book seem to be rather general. I wonder if it is because the contents of the books reveal some features of realities, the higher-ups would prefer to ignore. Fiction, after all, holds a mirror to society.
The secretary may ban this book, but after all it is only an anthology of stories. The stories will be there even after the banning of this selection and so will Pakistan’s reality. What does the secretary propose to do about these root causes?
ASIF FARRUKHI
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter ‘Whither People’s Party?’(Aug 2). Mr Pervaiz Abro says that the PPP’s popularity is on the decline as Ms Benazir Bhutto is out of touch with the masses for quite a long time now, sincere members are ignored by her, central and generally party’s provincial leadership lack political acumen, internal divisiveness and schism are the reasons it had to face defeat during the 2002 election and the last local body elections.
I do think that the PPP should look into these issues and make serious efforts in order to reclaim its popularity, which it enjoyed during Z.A. Bhutto’s era. However, I do not agree with Mr Abro that PPP supporters are falling away because Ms Bhutto does not call and condole party members on the death of near relatives.
It’ll be good if she does so but as far as we hear Chuadhry Shujaat Hussain and Dr Arbab Rahim do not show such kind of feelings towards their members and also suffer from the afore-mentioned issues concerning the PPP; particularly Dr Rahim’s row with his party colleagues are no more secrets, yet he is in government. Why? I think there are some other important factors behind increasing turncoats and downfall, which should not be overlooked while discussing the current situation within and outside the PPP.
In his article (July 30) Mr Anwar Syed writes: “It brought two factions of the PML back together and placed them in an alliance with Islamic parties and some other groups (the combination called IJI) to oppose the PPP in the 1988 elections. Gen Mirza Aslam Beg revealed during a hearing in the Supreme Court (June 16, 1997) that the ISI had received Rs140 million from a bank, which it disbursed to parties opposing the PPP candidates in the election held in October 1990”.
So, we should not evaluate the performance of the PPP only on the visible signs. Although there is room for improvement in the Charter of Democracy, it is a sign of hope at best that democracy can be restored and ‘external’ intervention will stop.
ASGHAR SOOMRO
Karachi
WHILE agreeing with the analyses of Mr Tanvir Ahmad Khan in his columns ‘Middle East flashpoint’ (July 24) and ‘Lessons from Lebanon’ (July 31), one would like to share with the readers many other lessons. These have been learned by reflecting on some past wars, events and, especially, the current conflicts.
1. The life of a westerner or a Jew and that of a Muslim is not weighed in the same scales by some powers.
2. For many people in the West criticism of Israel or the Jews is a sin greater than blasphemy.
3. The mighty have a monopoly over ‘truth,’ which nobody dares oppose.
4. Those who have used weapons of mass destruction in the past now live with the fear of being targeted themselves.
5. There will be no ceasefire as long as Israel has hopes of meeting its objectives. If the Muslims get the upper hand, then a truce will immediately be demanded.
6. If the tormentors of Muslims kill civilians, terms like ‘self-defence’ and ‘collateral damage’ are to be used, but if the Muslims kill or kidnap even their enemy’s soldiers, it is to be called ‘terrorism’.
7. Those countries that are in occupation of Muslims’ lands or covet their natural resources and do not wish them to be strong will keep blaming and targeting them on one pretext or another.
8. The American, British and, above all, Israeli leaders seem to be following Machiavelli’s dictum: “If an injury has to be done to a man, it should lie so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.” They obviously do not believe in the thing called ‘Divine retribution’, even though it has already begun to manifest itself by exposing many of their lies and faults.
9. Not everybody in the West is an enemy of the Muslims. Many people have merely been misled by the propaganda of the vested interests. The Muslims should try to reach out to these fair-minded persons.
10. The weakness of Muslims lies in their disunity and failure to counter hostile propaganda by projecting their points of view effectively.
11. Hamas and Hezbollah freedom-fighters are setting examples of courage which the rulers of Muslim countries should learn from. Finally, a sound bite from Mr Jan England, the UN humanitarian affairs coordinator, after a visit to Lebanon:
“We hear horrific stories from there where so many women and children were killed. The women told us: ‘Let us at least be able to retrieve our bodies, because the dogs are eating them’” (Dawn, July 26).
AN OBSERVER
Karachi
IT was announced by the Higher Education Commission in 2003 that from 2004 all public sector universities would give admission in five-year DPharm degree course instead of the four-year BPharm course. It was further clarified that those who had got their BPharm degrees or were still studying in BPharm, they would after withdrawal of their BPharm degrees have to complete one year additional course/training for the DPharm degree.
Despite a lapse of more than three years of announcement from the HEC, Karachi and Sindh universities have not yet started the one-year additional course/training for existing the BPharm degree holders for upgradation of their degrees, i.e., up to DPharm.
Owing to this, all the BPharm degree holders, compared to DPharm degree holders, feel disadvantaged about their future.
The HEC is requested to direct vice-chancellors of the respective universities to ensure immediate start of DPharm classes for the existing students of BPharm so that the present batch, which is the last batch of BPharm (of 2003), should be able to do a further one-year course for the DPharm degree.
I would also like to draw the HEC’s attention to the fact that the BPharm/DPharm degree is a professional degree, but no due status has been assigned to the holders of such degrees. As a result, the BPharm degree holders are forced to join the marketing side, instead of the production side, of national and multinational pharmaceutical companies.
This is because sufficient jobs are not available in the manufacturing side of the companies.
In this respect I am of the view that for giving due status to BPharm/DPharm degree holders, a similar type of system should must be adopted in our country as is in vogue in European countries and the US, etc., where MBBS doctors are responsible for diagnosing the disease only and BPharmacists are responsible for prescription of medicines to the patients according to the disease diagnosed by the consultant doctor.
By adopting this system, almost all BPharm degree holders can get their due status based on their professional degrees while the responsibilities of consultant doctors can be minimised/shared.
BASHIRUDDIN BHATTI
Hyderabad
I AM writing this on the eve of yet another defeat of our cricket team against England. Winning and losing are all part of the game but the way we lost both Test matches was not only embarrassing but humiliating as well.
Our team did not look like the number two team in the world but more like a regional club team giving England good match practice ahead of the Ashes. Batting-wise, the openers were pathetic; they will not be selected for any team in the world. Faisal Iqbal is another depressing story. Only Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan proved that they are the best in the world but one cannot expect them to score in every innings.
Bowling-wise, Mohammad Sami should be dropped permanently from the team; he has been given enough chances but every time he has proved himself practically useless. Kaneria should take some lessons from players like Monty. Pakistani fielding is the worse you can see. Spending all this money on fielding is a waste of both money and time.
In the end, I would just like to say that the management and Bob Woolmer have literally destroyed the Pakistani Test side by trying to make way for players like Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi and ignoring good Test players like Yaseer Hameed and Asim Kamal.
DR RAZA ANSARI
Grimsby, UK
PAKISTAN has once again lost miserably to England without putting up a fight in their last innings. There were many reasons for defeat but what has been a constant problem during the whole series is the failure of the openers Salman Butt, Taufiq Umar, Imran Farhat and Kamran Akmal. The opening position is very important but Pakistan seems to rely entirely on the three greats: Inzamamul Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan.
No batsmen other than them (with the exception of Kamran Akmal in the first Test) have managed to score a 50. This is indeed worrisome and deplorable.
Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove played a crucial part in inflicting defeat on Pakistan as more than half a dozen decisions went against Pakistan. If there had been fewer, it would have been an entirely different story. Pakistan can never be a world class team unless the younger team members improve upon their performance and make an effort to take catches, which they are quite adept at dropping. The selectors must recall Asim Kamal for the fourth Test and also include Azhar Mahmood in the ODI squad.
CONCERNED CRICKET FAN
Karachi
SOON after the tragic earthquake in the northern areas of Pakistan, the entire nation immediately stood up like a rock behind the affected people, donating money, material and rendering their untiring services in and around the quake areas, to alleviate their sufferings.
Ten months after the quake, a huge variety and quantity of material is still rotting in the open. Even after the forecast of heavy rains, the agencies concerned did nothing. Consequently, material worth millions of rupees lying along the railway line leading to the COD gate on Rashid Minhas Road has been destroyed in the rain.
All this much needed material should have been sent to several camps in and around the quake areas long ago, which was urgently required by the needy, destitute and the homeless.
Why can’t the culprits be punished?
LT-COL (r) SYED JAMSHAID RAZA
Karachi
WHILE referring to your editorial ‘PSM deal: lessons to learn’ (Aug 10), I don’t think the issue is whether we will learn lessons or not. We don’t want to. Our system of governance is not only corrupt but loaded with incompetence.
If the president and the prime minister really mean business, then surely a couple of heads must roll. By doing so, our leaders will put into practice the much trumpeted rule of law and accountability.
A point which I wish to add to the editorial is a request to the government to make public all the privatisation agreements through the print media.
NAZIM F. HAJI
Karachi
THE idea of life is not only to live but to have something worthwhile to live for. Following this principle, elephant Anarkali at Karachi Zoo lived through the decades entertaining and pleasing generations of human beings.
I remember the 70s when from my father’s arms I would hand a rupee-note to the cute Anarkali, and sometimes even take a ride on its back.
On one of my recent visits to the zoo I was immensely excited to see the loving Anarkali amusing my young kids, who were even more amused when I told them that Anarkali was there even when their father was a kid.
COMMANDER (PN) WAJIH ULLAH
Karachi
IN the past first class sleeper coaches used to have built-in bathrooms but over the years these were grabbed by railway authorities in a piecemeal process, bringing misery to many crippled passengers.
The railway authorities are requested to restore the facility to relieve the old, the infirm, and the handicapped who travel long distances such as between Peshawar and Karachi and Peshawar and Quetta.
ABDUL BASIT
Jhelum
I APOLOGISE to Mr Qamarullah (letter, Aug 4) if my letter of July 23 gave him the impression that I had sought to justify the heinous practice of killing criminals in so-called encounters.
In fact, I had roundly condemned it. What was intended was to give the background and causes which led to such events which, unfortunately, were even encouraged as an instrument of policy by some governments in the past.
How some lawyers exploit loopholes in the law and shortcomings in the police prosecution of criminal cases to let murderers and professional dacoits go scot-free is not under discussion here, but unquestionably both the prosecution and criminal trial systems require urgent reform. The need to set up ‘speedy trial’ courts is proof of this need.
As I have written elsewhere, a lot needs to be done to improve both the working and image of our police force. Reform in such a sphere is an inherently slow process. It will come about in the fullness of time, but only in tandem with reforms in our criminal justice system and an advancement in education and socio-economic betterment in our country.
S. ASIF MAJEED
Karachi
THIS is to state that I got a plot, No. L-127, Block 30-A, measuring 80 square yards, scheme No. 25-A, Shah Latif Town, in 1982. Whenever I approached the (then) Karachi Development Authority (directorate of land management) for the issuance of possession letter, I was told that many plots in this locality were under encroachment and once the encroachment was removed, allottees would be given the possession letter.
When in April 2006 I applied for the possession order and site plan at the office of city government, Karachi, directorate of land management (MDA-Wing), Shah Latif Town, I got the possession order No.1417 dated 25.05.2006.
When I applied for the site plan, the official concerned checked the records and told me that my plot had already been illegally allotted to someone else.
This is to request the authorities concerned to order the relevant department to duly allot me my original plot, No. L-127, Block 30-A.
IMAMUDDIN
Karachi
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