| August 18, 2006 | Friday | Rajab 22, 1427 |
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What makes us invincible?
Cuba’s achievements
Why we visited Israel
Selling Jinnah
Many bridges yet to cross
Rain drain
Indian states ban soft drinks
Special treatment for some
Textile exporters hurting
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
HATS off to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz who has now approved the restructuring of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (Dawn, August 1). On the one hand the PCCC is being restructured to give better services to the country’s textile industry and cotton growers at large, on the other hand it has recently been ejected out of its leased land on M.T. Khan Road, Karachi, in order to let the US consulate to relocate itself at its site.
It is a pity that the fact that the foundation-stone of the PCCC was laid by the late Khwaja Nazimuddin, the then Governor-General, and the inauguration of the PCCC’s PICRT was formally done by the late Chaudhry Mohammad Ali, the then prime minister of Pakistan, was given no consideration.
While the prime minister’s belated concern about the PCCC and its research is appreciable, it may not be out of place that all the other research stations of the PCCC are famishing for staff, equipment, and young scientists for their exposure in foreign lands for their visions and improvement of qualifications. They also need equal attention.
It is not understood why posts are kept vacant in a cotton research organisation like the PCCC on the pretext of official ban on recruitment. How long this ban is to last?
The PCCC, after its ouster from M.T. Khan Road, has now taken refuge in a commercial plaza on Sharea Faisal, Karachi. It is not understood how a research organisation, with its laboratories that were spread on 27 acres of land, has adjusted itself to its new environment.
Some unconfirmed reports say that the US consulate, for which the PCCC was made to leave its more than 50-year-old location, is probably not coming to M.T. Khan Road, which has been specially vacated for it. The PCCC has lost its million dollars’ worth of building for nothing.
The ministry of food and agriculture will do well to constitute a subcommittee of the retired and working scientists, technologists and economists to give the benefit of their experience and exposure in their fields to make the PCCC one of the best cotton research organisations in the country. It is not always the impressive buildings that count in research, but it is the devotion of a research worker that matters much.
Research efforts of all should be given credit where due and the workers should be suitably rewarded to encourage others.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
THE list of the desirable and undesirable by Anil Khan Luni (letter, July 28) would certainly make a paradise of any country. However, it is not entirely possible for even the most developed countries, which have provided only certain basic requisites to their public.
India, where even footpaths are nightly rented out, is likewise awash with the said undesirables. Yet, it is vigorously pursuing its nuclear and missile programmes, with active support of the West, particularly the US. The recent overwhelming approval of Indian nuclear agreements by the US Congress is an ample proof of the oppressors’ vision of the world. India is doing so to hegemonestically subdue the region and, ever since its independence, it has coerced/bullied every single neighbouring country.
India has forcibly annexed all the princely states, imposed deadly wars on us and has been occupying Kashmir in blatant violation of the independence agreements. After their nuclear explosions in 1988, India was threatening to overrun Pakistan and has been striving to undo Pakistan during the wars, while we were bifurcated in 1971.
The UN is rendered irrelevant vis-a-vis Big Powers’ interests. The ongoing examples are Kashmir, Palestine, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq and now Lebanon, where the champions of human rights have shut their eyes. Tens of millions of the Arabs are paying the price of military weakness, despite their uncalculable wealth, through the hands of an Israel of only six million souls, with open goading and unstinted support of Europe, especially the US. Thus, a militarily-strong Pakistan is a symbol of our existence.
To achieve the desirable, we, especially our political class, ought to have modest living, do away with non-developmental expenditure, curb spending on useless monuments and memorials, etc., direct the funds to education (the fundamental infrastructure for progress) and other developmental infrastructures, but never to weaken military capabilities.
Because nowadays (with apologies to Mao Zedong), “peace flows from the barrel of the gun.”
MAJID KHAN JADOON
Karachi
THE commentary on Cuba was rather an uninformed piece based on one-sided views typical of the mainstream western media. Also poor appreciation of what it did for Pakistan’s earthquake victims that no other country or institution could equal.
Castro achieved for Cuba what no other leader in the world has. He filled the stomachs of all his people. Left to its own devices by the US blockade after the USSR broke up, and without food, Castro chose self-reliance over another dangerously foreign- dependent economy. Through indigenous efforts, he restored natural agriculture (also known as organic) and elevated it to a science and art which knowledge was decimated ever since the colonials plundered southern agriculture. In less than a decade it attained full food security that directly employed people at all levels. The strategy won the Right Livelihood Award, popularly known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, and bestowed by the Swedish parliament.
Cuba has a health system that is the envy of the world. Ironically, Cuba also gives free medical and agricultural education to the disadvantaged from the USA’s south. By making the basic needs of people its topmost priority, Cuba is today vindicated in a world poisoned by chemical agriculture from which the West is already turning away (notwithstanding thwarting efforts of big business which covertly invests in organic towards the inevitable). Unfortunately, the world’s leaderships give more kudos to wealth concentration than to something for everyone.
Our programme promotes much of the Cuban approach, but it is near-impossible when land is monopolised in a class society and there is no support for peasants. But at least its methods can be replicated with those who have very little land. Anyone interested in further information may write to us.
NASIM FATIMA
The Green Economics and Globalisation Initiative, Shirkat Gah, Karachi
WITH reference to his article, ‘Why we visited Israel’ (Encounter, July 29), the chairman of the American Muslim Peace Initiative (AMPI), Dr Omar T. Atiq, is requested to respond to the points that follow:
1. The delegation met many notable people from the Israeli side, including the chief justice, the former foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, the director-general of their foreign ministry, Israeli defence forces coordinator Gen Yusuf Mishlav, members of parliament and others. Which Palestinian leaders and officials, particularly from the Hamas government, did they meet? According to Mr Karamatullah K. Ghori’s article (Encounter, July 15), the AMPI group had kept a distance from the Hamas leaders. Why was that so?
2. Their final statement, issued after the visit, reportedly made a special mention of suicide bombings but said nothing of the collective punishment continually given to the Palestinians. It is only in the present write-up that Dr Atiq has referred to ‘mass punishments.’ Why?
3. According to the July 3 report in Dawn, while referring to the setting up of (diplomatic) relations between Pakistan and Israel, the chairman had said: “It’s not if — it’s when. It’s round the corner — despite what is going on in the news.” How could he have been so sure unless the group had been sent at the behest of the Pakistan government and been privy to such a decision taken by the relevant quarters?
4. In the present article, Dr Atiq says: “What we saw (during the visit) was not much different from what we had thought.” However, in the July 3 news he had reportedly said that the trip helped give him an understanding of the issues and the realities on the ground in Israel that he thought he knew, but realised during the visit that he did not know as well as he should have. The two statements are quite contradictory. Why?
5. It would help if he could provide the full text of the final statement given after the visit and a list of the Palestinian leaders and officials they met, as also those they tried to meet but could not — along with the reasons for this inability.
K. CHAUDHRY
Karachi
AFTER listening to the president of Pakistan and his companions speak of the ‘supreme interest of the nation’, I came to know that the prosperity of any country can be easily judged by the number of mobile connections requested, the number of motorcycles on the road or the TV sets available for the people.
Being away from the motherland, I always felt that the uplift of the nation can be judged by the literacy rate, number of the foreign universities, students coming abroad on government sponsorships, continuity of the political system, law enforcement, etc.
By going through all the political talk shows nowadays, one feels ashamed that they are our rulers and political giants having arguments on the screen like schoolboys. No one can know who is right and who is wrong. No one can be sure that the media kings anchoring these talk shows are also faithful, or if just behave like that to create anger amongst the politicians on the screen to make their show successful. Everyone in the world sells something; some sell oil and some sell gas. We as a nation are on the mission to sell out our the Quaid. We are all selling Jinnah.
Dr T.M.U. HASSAN
Ireland
MR Irfan Husain writes in his above captioned article (Aug 5) that Pakistan Army no longer has the stomach for a war with India because of its corporate interest. May I ask Mr Husain that when India massed its one million plus strong army along our borders in 2002 who went rushing to meet the challenge and kept staring in the eyes of the enemy for more than a year.
The Indians on slightest pretext talk of hot pursuit but it is only a pipe dream. If they ever tried to implement their doctrine, their clueless army will be destroyed in their concentration area. Gone are the days of conventional warfare. This is the age of missile technology.
Mr Husain contends that Kargil was a blunder, why? No Indian says that Indian occupation of Kashmir or Siachen was a blunder. That we had to withdraw from Kargil under pressure from America is quite another story. The American started parroting about sanctity of LoC and threw their full weight behind Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Bill Clinton told Nawaz Sharif that “you vacate Kargil or else ....”. So Pakistan was pitted against two adversaries.
Even the Indians were surprised, to borrow an Indian phrase “they were caught napping”, when in the summer of 1999, they found Pakistanis already occupying their trenches and foxholes which they had vacated during the previous winter. One of the principles of war, i.e., ‘surprise’ was thus achieved. The Indian generals admitted that Pakistan had started interfering with the movement of their convoy from Srinagar to Leh.
If this had succeeded, two Indians divisions, one facing the Chinese in Ladakh and the other deployed at Siachen, would have been tied down. This sent shiver in the spine of the Indians. Kargil could have been bargained for Siachen but for American intervention. The same Americans who pressured Ayub Khan not to attack Kashmir when the Indians were in total disarray at the time of their conflict with Chinese in 1962.
Mr Husain has the audacity to malign the ISI that it is harbouring the violent militants (terrorists) to further their agenda in Kashmir. No Indian blames the RAW for their misdeeds under the sun. The Balochistan crisis has been masterminded and geared up by the agents of RAW sitting in Khandhar, Jalalabad and Zahidan (Iran) but no Indian including Kuldip Nayar, a free lance journalist of India, ever points out his finger towards the mischief of RAW. Mind you RAW and MOSSAD are interchangeable.
It is mind-boggling that a seasoned columnist like Mr Irfan Husain who is well aware of the highs and lows in Indo-Pakistan relations chose to cast aspersion on Pakistan when our relations have touched its lowest ebb in recent days.
Mr Husain has also drawn and indirect inference that there might be a Pakistani hand in the recent Mumbai train blast which is indeed a sad reflection on his patriotism. His pen should be actually more incisive to unearth the exploits of RAW.
SAFIR A. SIDDIQUI
Karachi
A COLLEAGUE of mine told me that when he was in Korea and it rained, his landlady would take an umbrella and start picking up leaves near rain drains. He asked her why she was doing it. She replied: “If this is blocked, the whole of Korea will be blocked.”
Back home, the Clifton bypass was made with lots of hoopla, inconvenience and cost but the rain drain providers neither had the Korean lady’s thinking nor feeling. Happy will be the day when our leaders demonstrate and inculcate this foresight and patriotism, as such things move from top down.
SUNNU GOLWALLA
Karachi
AFTER seeing the condition of major roads in Karachi after the rains, I can only say that the city government should declare Clifton’s KPT Underpass, Bath Island and adjoining areas as recreational spots with the facilities of swimming pool, boat riding and fishing for the residents of Karachi. I believe this is the only solution to the problems faced by my fellow citizens.
DR IBRAHIM ZAFAR
Karachi
EVER since the monsoon rains started ravaging the country, hundreds of deaths have been reported, all of them related more or less to the torrential downpours. Deaths due to natural disasters are beyond the control of man, but who is to blame for the death caused by the collapsed bridge in Mardan? Wasn’t it the poor condition of the decades-old infrastructure that caused the tragedy? The Hoti Bridge was built during 1970s. It was not properly constructed which caused it to deteriorate with time. No steps were taken to repair the bridge even after continuous complaints from the residents. The bridge will be repaired now but it is not going to bring back lives which have been lost forever.
I wonder why our government always takes action after an incident has taken place and not before. Isn’t the government supposed to take security measures before the monsoon hits the country every year? What good will they do by announcing a sum of money to be given to the families of the deceased? Do they really think that money can compensate for sheer carelessness?
I think it’s high time the government realised that it is much wiser to spend on proper maintenance and repairing of structures rather than spending on compensations or constructing more vulnerable structures.
SAMAH QADEER
Karachi
A REPORT (Dawn, Aug 10) says that six Indian states have imposed partial or full bans on soft drinks of Coca-Cola and Pepsi companies after its tests showed high level of toxic substances injurious to public health, such as leading to cancer and other fatal diseases.
Kerala has announced a complete embargo on the manufacture and sale of drinks made by the cola giants. Such steps are taken by them taking cognizance of its hazardous effects on public health, setting aside income of huge money in the shape of various taxes from this product.
As a citizen, may I request our chief minister and health minister to come forward and take necessary steps by imitating the bold steps of their Indian counterparts with a view to saving the people from the harmful effects of soft drinks.
M. RIZWAN-UL-HAQUE
Karachi
THIS has reference to Mr Danish Ghafoor ‘s letter ‘Special treatment for some’ (Aug 8). Why was Volvo Trucks ignored after all those millions of dollars had been invested in Pakistan? The answer is very simple: vested interests superseded the national interest of Pakistan. In 2002 Nordic Windpower AB and Pitchwind AB of Sweden offered to manufacture and assemble windmills in Pakistan. LoIs were issued by Bahria Foundation and Balochistan Coastal Development Authority. The Karachi Shipyard had agreed to make the towers. But then like Volvo Trucks, these two Swedish companies were dumped for unknown reasons. It was reported in your paper that GE is assembling a 400 MW windmill farm in Pakistan and some other German, Danish and American companies are entering the market there in a big way. Let us not forget the experience of the World Bank project of the Mangla dam during the Ayub era and the Hubco thermal power station set up by the Benazir government. The Mangla dam mortgaged Pakistan to the IMF, while the Hubco bankrupted Wapda.
Let not self-interest dictate Pakistani policies — be it trade, commerce, defence or foreign policy. Sweden is not in good books of George Bush. But this does not imply that Pakistan has to dump Sweden for Uncle Sam’s strategic interests in the South Asian region. After all, whatever happened to Genl Musharraf’s much-touted “national interest of Pakistan”?
CDR (r) MUNIR VARRAICH
Härryda, Sweden
WITH reference to the report ‘BD package may hurt Pakistan’s textile exports” by Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana (Aug), I would like to add that in addition to what the reporter has pointed out, it should be noted that nowadays the Pakistani exporter is getting over Rs60 per US dollar while a Bangladeshi exporter gets over TK69 to a US dollar.
This difference of 12/13 per cent has caused Pakistani exporters to lose most of their buyers as it is getting difficult to compete with Bangladesh, especially in terms of institutional items.
Our government has now decided to give some assistance in research and development to the knitwear industry, after it has lost most of its market.
It is time the government did long-term planning for the whole textile sector, irrespective of the kind of product. Exporters should be provided with incentives immediately in order to keep their existing buyers intact.
MUHAMMAD UMAIR
Karachi
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