| August 25, 2006 | Friday | Rajab 29, 1427 |
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Marooned on Chundrigar Road
Karachi’s plight
Dimensions of Pakistan
Justice for all
Quaid’s mazar
Constitutional prescription
Planning the textile sector
Exemplary democracy?
Above the law
Let patriotism prevail
Expensive phone call
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
THIS is with reference to the letter by Mr Rafiq Siddiqi under the heading “What makes us invincible” (Aug 23). Although I too believe that a country needs to be well defended before it becomes a strong economic power and that weakness of any kind invites aggression, I strongly disagree with some off-the-cuff remarks he has made.
Mr Siddiqi writes that “poverty in India is 10 times worse than that in Pakistan” and “nobody goes hungry in Pakistan”; it would have helped if he had cited a legitimate study or source as reference.
India is progressing but still has a long way to go. We are trying to build our own space plan but this needs experimenting but experiments fail at times, as did a few missile tests.
Mr Siddiqi also needs to be a bit thorough with his history. India never attacked any country; it was attacked by Pakistan either covertly through the tribals or through their regular army. Kargil and the Bangladesh war were essentially forced on us by Pakistan. China too attacked us and not the other way round.
Nationalistic jingoism only suits the ruling class in both the countries. Both India and Pakistan need to put their houses in order, as we have more than a fair share of social and economic issues looming over us. Pooling resources to help each other would be too idealistic, but at least we can agree to work together and reduce wastage of precious resources to feed more hungry mouths and educate more illiterates.
ASHISH SINGH
Pune, India
THIS is with reference to Rafiq Siddiqi’s letter in which he says that there is a kind of cheap intellectualism going on in Pakistan. This fake liberalism would have us believe that strengthening Pakistan’s defences was wrong and all the money must be spent on the people’s welfare.
No one supports the argument that nothing should be spent on defence, but that a reasonable amount should be allocated to military. Our country may not have been subjugated by a foreign force but the country is being controlled by a few feudals, military men, bureaucrats and mullahs. We need to free the people of Pakistan from them and that can only be achieved if we decrease the defence budget and allocate money to be spent on education, judiciary and economic emancipation of the people.
It should also be noted that the country despite having a huge military is still not independent in real sense as our foreign policy is based on the directions of the US. The reason for this is not our weakness in defence but our weak economy. We fear the sanctions by the West far more than a military strike by them.
I would also like to point out that the alarming rate at which the country’s population is increasing is like a ticking time-bomb ready to explode. The threat of this bomb is far more imminent than any nuclear bomb. Millions are added to the population of the country every year with no future as there is no money to spend on their health or education. It is time we set our priorities right or else the future generation will not forgive us.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Lahore
THE failure of civic agencies during the past 59 years in not constructing proper roads, sewerage lines and other such facilities that are taken for granted in most parts of the world has compounded the miseries of the people. To top it all, the police of Karachi failed yet again to take appropriate measures to ensure the flow of traffic resulting in a traffic gridlock on most of the roads, including I.I. Chundrigar Road, the so-called ‘Wall Street’ of Pakistan.
It is quite apparent that the authorities have learnt nothing from past such experiences. The accumulation of water may well have caused the traffic to proceed slowly, it did not have to come to a grinding halt if the police had done their job of regulating traffic and controlling unwieldy motorists. It seems the police are only meant to cater for the so-called VIPs of Pakistan, who are exalted to the highest point when in power and degraded to the lowest point on leaving power. Surely, the police should have worked out emergency plans for addressing these traffic bottlenecks over the years. The police cannot even keep traffic flowing on Chundrigar Road, where they have their head office, not to mention the offices of the State Bank, Karachi Stock Exchange and most of the leading banks, financial institutions and business houses which are core to Pakistan’s economic development. What impression will the much-sought-after foreign business visitors, who visit these institutions, take with them, having undergone the ‘Chundrigar experience’?
Due to criminal negligence these authorities have failed to do their public duty to serve the people and prevent what was clearly an avoidable inconvenience. The dislocation and distress caused to the citizens of Karachi, not to mention the tragic deaths of pedestrians by electrocution, constitute culpable homicide.
As I write this ‘indictment’ of the authorities concerned, sitting marooned in my office unable to drive home, I hope and pray for our coming generations that 59 years from today there will be better civic facilities, better roads, better drainage systems and better regulation of traffic so that no one of that generation will have to write such a letter reflecting the frustration of the citizens of this city.
SAJID ZAHID
Bar-at-Law Karachi
IS anybody going to listen? Is anybody worried about the largest city of Pakistan? Is anybody interested in doing anything about it? Pakistan forgets that more than half of its income comes from Karachi and yet Karachi is slipping away into oblivion. If Karachi will be no more, then Pakistan will cease to exit.
American intelligence predicts that there will be no Pakistan by 2010. Do we want to make that come true? We better start doing something about it.
Besides terrorism, arms, weapons, lawlessness, insecurity and no rule of law, Karachi’s downfall is a big fact for the very existence Pakistan. Karachi is the heart and soul of Pakistan and that is why the Quaid had made it the capital. If it had remained the capital, this would not have been happening. Pakistan, or Islamabad and Punjab so to speak, should realise the luxury they are living in will go once Karachi goes.
And if it is the provincial government which is responsible for this mess, then local bodies, civil administrations, all government rule should be halted and emergency declared, and the army brought in a war footing to bulldoze roads, people and the local administration. Forget guarding Siachen, Kashmir, Line of Control or any border for that matter. If we are crumbling from inside, the borders will gradually fade.
Wake up before it is too late.
S. BABAR
Karachi
I WRITE to compliment you and the contributors for providing an exceptionally insightful and valuable compilation of short essays in the Independence Day supplement of Dawn published on Aug 14. While the supplement as a whole, as well as each contribution, was interesting to read, four essays deserve special note for their exceptional lucidity and for having covered significant subjects with rare brevity. There was the brilliant analysis by Prof Sharif ul Mujahid titled ‘An ideological state or state with an ideology’ (which should be compulsory reading for all holders of public office, leaders of political parties, particularly the religious parties and members of all legislatures), ‘Federalism in Pakistan: imperatives and impediments’ by Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmad, ‘Why Pakistan must succeed’ by Mr Mehdi Masud, and ‘Two-nation theory and Lahore Resolution’ by Prof (Dr) F.A. Shamsi.
The whole supplement should be translated into Urdu, Sindhi, Pushto, Brahvi, Balochi, Seraiki and other languages and should be made an unconventional but essential part of the curriculum for colleges and universities, regardless of whether students are studying science, commerce or the arts.
JAVED JABBAR
Karachi
I AM a student of M.Sc in the international relations department at the Quaid-i-Azam University. Administrators affiliated to the Supreme Court approached our department for golden jubilee celebration. One of our teachers gave them a list of students who are willing to work with them voluntarily. They called us for a meeting on July 26.
Along with other students I attended the meeting during which they gave us brief instructions about the celebrations. The next day they asked us to come to the Supreme Court for rehearsals from August 7 to August 10. I live in Sialkot, so I went to Islamabad specifically for the rehearsals. On the 7th I was told that I would have to remove my veil during the celebration. I told them this was not possible, and contacted Mr Hammad Raza and Miss Aliya, two of the people in charge, to clarify the situation. But Miss Aliya told me that I could not while wearing a veil because it is so controversial already and that the West equates it with terrorism, etc. This was so insulting for me.
The organisers should at least have clarified this issue at the very first stage. I am not sure what picture of Pakistan they are trying to portray. The slogan for their celebration is “Justice for all”, and yet they rejected me because I wear a veil.
AFSHEEN NAZIR
Sialkot
WE call ourselves proud Pakistanis and yet indulge in acts which are disgraceful and tarnish our image.
It was recently reported that some unruly youths and other people were involved in brawls and caused extensive damage to the Quaid’s mausoleum.
The shameful incident was apparently triggered by eve-teasing. What a way to pay tribute to Father of the Nation on the Independence Day. Mr Jinnah was once very proud of the young generation who helped in achieving his ultimate goal but the picture presented by this news was rather bleak.
It showed high levels of intolerance, frustration and disrespect for women in society, traits which no one can be proud of and call for our immediate attention.
SHEHLA SAFDAR
Karachi
MR Tahir Mirza’s article ‘A new constitution?’(June 30) provides an in-depth analysis of unmindful attitudes of our successive governments and political parties in honouring the constitutional prescription. It may be recalled it is a part of our dictatorial government that Ziaul Haq had scoffed at the Constitution by calling it a piece of paper which he could tear off at his sweet will.
The writer had suggested that some citizens’ advocacy or human rights group should challenge the government and ask why it is not enabling much of this to happen. He had further stated that unless each group begins to look beyond individual interest to the collective good, no matter how well-crafted a constitution, it will not work.
Well, the writer has pointed out a serious thinking for the politicians. But the basic question is who are serious about our Constitution. The political parties are revolving around a single individual with the result that political culture in Pakistan has turned into ethnic and religious groups, each one of them having their own agenda to be fulfilled.
Well-being of the people is a prerogative right of all the people living within the state of Pakistan duly guaranteed by the Constitution. For their basic needs of life or well-being, struggles are not required. It is the state’s responsibility but how to define the state’s responsibilities in Pakistan is the question which has no definite answer to date.
Our assemblies and politicians seem to be heedless so much that so far they have not been able to move an amendment to the Constitution to expunge the name of the dictator who got his name inserted in the Constitution as a bargain.
Supporting that we frame a new constitution every five years at the termination of a given government, even then there shall be no visible change in the thinking of the people who rule for the reasons that majority of the people of Pakistan are subjected to the feudal, caste, creed and clan hegemonies being exercised by the persons who are interested in their well-being only and not that of people of Pakistan.
Leave apart the western world, see the working of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our high-ups frequently go for Haj and Umrah. Obviously they fail to notice the set-up of the administration there. During the odd days hundreds of visitors land in the holy lands daily, besides the days of Ramazan and Haj when millions arrive. There is no light shedding, no water shortage, no transport problems, no honour killings, no sectarian disharmony or disrespects towards women, no robbery, no theft, no personal strifes, remote road accidents. Are they superhumans? Or it is the fear of the laws or the respect for the laws? It is the will and the writ of the government which is devoted towards the welfare and well-being of not only their populace but also of those who come from other countries.
And see the current position of Karachi. It has been left high and dry. No political party or any human rights group has come forward to take up Karachi’s problems. Nor they had the courage to divulge the open secret behind the KESC’s failure which lies in the privatisation. If it is undone today, like that of the Pakistan Steel Mills, the electricity dilemma will evaporate in a moment. The KESC chief has unconvincingly stated that saboteurs are responsible for the crisis which prima facie seems to be a weak defence against their failure.
The people of Pakistan are unfortunate to have leaders who have been governing the state with a belief in living for themselves only and not for the people.
That is why Tikka Khan, while landing at Karachi on his return from former East Pakistan, had asserted that he had been interested in the land and not the people of the land.
GHEEWALA A.G.M.
Karachi
WITH reference to Rana Parvaiz Ishfaq’s write-up ‘BD package may hurt Pakistan’s textile exports’ (Dawn, Aug 6), I would like to add that in addition to what the writer has pointed out, this should be noted that nowadays Pakistani exporter is getting Rs60 plus per US dollar while a Bangladeshi exporter is getting TK69 plus to a US dollar, thus a difference of around12/13 per cent which has made the Pakistani exporters to lose many of their buyers as it is getting difficult day by day to compete Bangladesh, especially in institutional items.
Our government has now decided to give some percentage of research and development to the knitwear industry when it has lost most of its market.
This is time the government went for a long-term planning for the whole textile sector, irrespective of the kind of product, and help them with incentives immediately to keep their existing buyers intact or it would be too late sooner than what the government might be thinking of.
MUHAMMAD UMAIR
Karachi
IN the recently held inter-party elections of the Muslim League - the ruling party, which claims to be the torch-bearer of democracy - all the seats were elected unopposed.
This kind of ‘mutual harmony’ is indeed exemplary and outdoes even the biggest democratic country in the world, i.e., the US, where often the candidates within a party have to face competition.
This also highlights the election strategy of the Muslim League on a broader context; it does not like any kind of opposition - it just stoops to conquer.
ZARTASHA KHIZAR VIRK
Lahore
THIS is a plea to the minister of petroleum, Amanullah Khan Jadoon. I live close to his house and his bodyguards and security guards often indulge in pointless aerial firing which, the honourable minister should be reminded, is unlawful. It is sad that the people who are supposed to uphold the law of the land are busy breaking it.
Why do ministers, MNAs, MPAs all do this? What do they want to prove? They probably want to make it clear to their fellow citizens that they can fire arms as much as they want because our impotent police force, which gets all manly and monstrous with the commoners, cannot even think about going into their houses to stop them.
MURAD MALIK
Abbottabad
THE recent dispute between the Musharraf government and the MQM was a staged political drama. The MQM wants full control of Sindh with no other partner and Gen. Musharraf doesn’t have a choice but to give them what they want. This is because he is getting weaker and more dependent on the MQM every day and the MQM wants to take full advantage of the situation.
Genl Musharraf understands their intentions completely but is helpless because the PML-Q has not been able to deliver him the political standing in the masses as per his expectation. That is why he has lost his trust in them.
The PML-Q has started to wonder about their standing while the MQM is gaining ground after every ‘episode’ of political drama. Putting all eggs in one basket is not good for the country either. Let’s hope that common sense and patriotism prevail over personal needs.
DR KHALID LUQMAN
New Jersey, USA
THIS is with reference to Mr Muhammad Nasim Khan’s daughter’s expensive phone call. While I have never noticed any such phone service I wouldn’t doubt its existence.
A better choice would have been to proceed to the airport lounge and purchase a calling card.
These can be purchased outside the duty-free shops as well but unfortunately the minimum denomination you can buy these in is Rs200 and the card usually becomes useless after that first call to announce your triumphant arrival in the departure lounge.
Spending Rs200 or Rs600 is no doubt costly for one phone call. Perhaps PIA could help by starting a minimum-charge service as part of their TLC package so that passengers can send an SMS or make a quick call to the party waiting outside.
NASIR BUKHARI
Michigan, USA
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