| October 13, 2006 | Friday | Ramazan 19, 1427 |
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Craving for democracy
Vande Mataram
Russian journalist’s murder
Plea for ownership right
A continued exercise in futility
Ferry service
Non-delivery of money
Putting out the fire
Faulty phone
PIA Squash Complex
Cadaver donations
Fireman’s death
Ruttie Jinnah
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
THE case of Mirza Tahir Hussain who awaits execution at the end of Ramazan after serving 18 years in jail, many of which must have been spent in the dungeons meant for the condemned, invites civil society’s attention to reconsider the issue of death penalty in the light of the ethical problem it poses.
Can the state, which is the highest embodiment of what is right and good and moral, do what it forbids its citizens from doing and for doing which it punishes the doer with death? The executions take place in the dead of night. The condemned is blindfolded and handcuffed and deprived of the power to resist and struggle for his life. The execution can, therefore, be described as premeditated murder in cold blood on the part of the state.
The argument that the state is only killing a person who has killed another fellow being is an unethical justification and does not absolve the state of the wrongdoing it commits that in its own eyes is a punishable crime. Secondly, execution of a killer by the state is an act of revenge which is unbecoming of the state which is supposed to be the noblest and the highest of human institutions. Revenge is universally regarded as mean and ignoble while forgiveness is universally held to be divine.
In Islam, particularly, compassion is held superior to justice. In fact, the predilection of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is for compassion and forgiveness. A Muslim society should embody the Prophet’s compassion and Allah’s mercifulness, His benevolence and boundless clemency in its laws. The maulvis would, of course, insist on tit-for-tat as they can only understand crude concepts. The state should not be beholden to their petty –mindedness. It should act on principles higher than those ordinary people live by.
We, who hanker so much after our good image and want Islam to be known as a humane system of life, can give the Muslim world a lead by abolishing the crude and vengeful penalty of death from our statute books altogether. A life term with hard labour in the service of society should be the highest punishment. It gives the criminal the chance to reform and regain the goodness Allah created him with.
But before that happens, this man, Mirza Tahir Hussain, who has already paid heavily for his crime should be pardoned by the president without any further delay. Let not a good act wait if it is to be done. This is Hazrat Ali’s wisdom, Mr President. You have the law on your side. Use it.
MUSHIR ANWAR
Islamabad
THIS is with reference to Zia Rehman’s letter ‘Craving for democracy’ (Oct 11) in which he has explained his predicament in explaining to people in the US that people in Pakistan prefer a civilian government over military because such an explanation leads them to point out that since the politicians in Pakistan are corrupt, the army has no option but to boot them out.
ARE the politicians of a country accountable to its people or to its generals? If the politicians are accountable to people at large, then it is the people who reserve the right to oust the politicians from power, not the military.
The job of the military is not to check the corruption rate in the country but to defend the borders. The army comes into power not because it is forced to but because it wants to, for obvious reasons.
I should also explain to Mr Rehman that there is no such thing as “critic of Gen Musharraf”.
If any question is to be asked, then it should be for the “critics of military rule”. The term “critic of Gen Musharraf” gives an impression that a person holds something personally against the general. It is not for me or any other critic to determine as to which leader should come into power.
It is for the people of Pakistan to decide as to which leader should come into power. Democracy is about people making decision for themselves and not generals making decisions for them.
It should also be realised that we should stop day-dreaming that some day a leader will come to power that will solve all our problems.
A single individual coming into power is not a panacea to our problems. We need to strengthen our institutions and it is only then there shall be a sense of accountability and improvement in the life of people.
The problem with military rule is that since it is out of the bounds of legality, it destroys each and every institution to remain in power.
Even when there is no military rule, it is the generals who call the shots and it is for this reason that no politician has ever dared reduce the defence budget or even discuss where such colossal amount is spent. Unless we allow politicians, no matter how corrupt they may be, to rule without military intervention, we will never be able to strengthen our institutions and will remain in perpetual debate whether it is the military or politicians who should be in power in Pakistan.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Lahore
APROPOS of the rejoinder, ‘Vande Mataram’ (Sept 26), by Mr Gokul Seetharam to my letter ‘BJP’s bigotry’, it is amazing to what extent some people can go to avoid admitting the truth.
In response to my censure of the BJP’s refusal to honour the Muslims’ plea that singing the ‘Vande Mataram’ would amount to Hindu deity worship, whereas polytheism is forbidden by Islam, he has given two arguments. First, that it was the Congress government, rather than the BJP, which had made it compulsory for everyone to sing the song.
Second, that if Muslim actors and actresses can wear Hindu dresses and worship Hindu gods in films, that is, they are willing to do anything for the sake of money, why can’t all the Muslims do something for the sake of the country which is providing them their livelihood?
This is a classic case of bigotry on top of bigotry. If the Congress had initially made a mistake but corrected it due to the Muslims’ protests, it was a far more sensible thing to do (whether for altruistic or selfish reasons) than to be obdurate like the BJP.
According to the report from New Delhi, titled “Muslim opposition to ‘Vande Mataram’ angers BJP” (Aug 31) by Y.P. Rajesh of the Reuters, cited by me — the title itself says it all — the BJP refused to accept the government’s corrective action. Instead, a top BJP leader, Vijay Malhotra, made his party’s stand very clear: ‘We will enforce (the singing of the song) .... We will see what action can be taken against those (Muslims) who do not (sing it).”
Also, it is amusing and incredible that somebody should confuse Bollywood’s world of make-believe with real life. If a hero and a heroine in a movie play the role of a husband and wife, will that make them a married couple in real life as well? Similarly, actors depicting priests, saints, or worshippers from a particular religion in a film may in reality be very different.
Evidently, Mr Seetharam has engaged in criticism merely for the sake of criticism just to obfuscate the real issue because he could not disprove my charge.
Perhaps he is a member of the said party or one of its sister organisations and the truth was too bitter for him. As long as the BJP and its supporters retain such a negative attitude and refuse to respect other people’s rights, there cannot be peace between India and Pakistan, nor can the minorities, very especially the Muslims, lead a secure and harmonious life in India.
Leaders likes L.K. Advani had been at the forefront in inciting their supporters to destroy the Babri Masjid, but in recent visits to Pakistan, expressed their superficial regrets, only to resume their previous stance upon returning home.
S. QADRI
Karachi
THE murder of Anna Politkovskaya, one of Russia’s top journalists, who dared to expose the brutal murders committed by Russian troops in Chechnya, is an act of barbarism and a blow to the cause of truth.
In her articles Novaya Gazeta, and in her books Putin’s Russia: Life in a Failing Democracy and A Dirty War: A Russian Reporter in Chechnya, Politkovskaya wrote against Chechnya’s holocaust inflicted by Russian troops and heavily against Vladimir Putin and Boris Yeltsin.
The work of Anna is extremely important because it brought attention to some hard-core facts which were previously unknown.
Although the origins of the Chechens’ great struggle against the Russians go back to the late 18th century, between 1991 and 1997 the Russian troops brutally murdered millions of people and millions other were forced to flee the land.
Politkovskaya was under heavy pressure from the Putin regime for a number of years and was also threatened with dire consequences.
Although Anna Politkovskaya is no more in this world, she will be remembered forever because of her bravery and great work: not only in journalism but also among those who love peace.
It’s time for the world to stand up and unite against the brutal forces and carry the work of Anna Politkovskaya forward.
KHALIL ZAFAR
Karachi
A COMMUNITY of laundrymen, we migrated from India to live in Muslim homeland of Pakistan in 1947 and settled in Saray Ratan Chand, Chowk Shah Alam Gate in the Bansanwala Bazaar, Lahore.
The houses that we took up for living here were taken over by the Evacuee Trust Property Board whose office at 9 Court Street, Lahore, received rent from us. These houses were in a dilapidated condition and the Saray Ratan Chand area itself was also unliveable due to lack of drainage facilities.
In the last 59 years, we have repaired these houses with our meagre incomes and also spent money on the improvement of the area itself.
Meanwhile, the Evacuee Trust Property Board kept charging the rent from us but did not spend a single penny on repair of houses or improvement of the area. Now it has increased the rate of rent by 1,000 per cent.
We are a poor community and cannot afford the rent at the new rate. We request the government of Pakistan to grant us the right of ownership of our houses as it has done to several kutchi abadis of Lahore.
S. QALB-I-ABBAS & OTHER RESIDENTS
Lahore
MR Ardeshir Cowasjee’s revelation in his column ‘A continued exercise in futility’ (Sept 24) requires clarification about how he got to know that a certain minister was removed because of suspicion. Mr Cowasjee would have been a student or learner journalist at the time this happened. I possess first-hand information because I was called upon by the late Mr Agha Hilaly for an interview and test in April 1947 in New Delhi and appointed PA to the commerce member of the Viceroy’s Council with whom I worked for a year.
The VIP in question had three portfolios of commerce, industries and works earlier and dealt with files till late midnight. He was a man of very few words and would talk only to selected ones. No press reporter was ever seen around him. One evening he looked very sad and quiet. It was with great difficulty that we discovered his mood was so bad because Sir Mohammad Zafrullah had been appointed senior minister in his place.
After some time, my minister suffered a severe heart attack, but this was kept a close secret. Because of this, the Quaid-i-Azam, at five minutes’ notice, came to inquire about his health. I was the lucky one to receive him and shake hands with the great leader.
After some months, the VIP was sent to Kabul, not because of suspicion but for his health and also because he was the most suitable person to handle the Afghans who were creating trouble for Pakistan.
Subsequently, he was appointed governor of the Frontier Province and Punjab. He also rose to be prime minister and became the only man in our history who left the job on principles, without being ousted like others.
Another instance to support my contention, I was on deputation to our London office and often met him when he was there for medical check-up. He had a good bank balance from his legal practice in Bombay. I received an urgent call from his Kensington Hotel that I must meet him straight away.
Being a Sunday, tube trains were running at intervals, so I reached in one-and-a-half hours. He told me that after he had spoken to me, frantic calls from Iskander Mirza were received, he could not wait for so long and that he had to succumb to Mirza’s pressure to return to Karachi. So, he was leaving immediately and had booked a seat.
Next day he took over as law minister to give us the 1956 Constitution. The Republic Day on March 23 every year is celebrated after this.
Mr Cowasjee has the ability to obtain copies of government documents. Has he anything to justify the so-called decision on suspicion?
I was the custodian of cabinet papers and knew so much that a book could be written to gain publicity but it would have been dishonesty. Calling him simply Mr Jinnah does not minimise the greatness of our Quaid.
S. FARID AHMAD
Karachi
IT appears government files move on the back of the tortoise or how else we may explain the silence since the news item appearing in your issue of June 12, 2005 under the caption ‘Time not ripe for decision on ferry service’.
It was announced in the above news item that the ministry of ports and shipping had informed our National Assembly that the final decision to start the proposed Karachi-Bombay ferry service would be taken ‘once an appropriate stage was reached in the bilateral relations with India’.
One-and-a-half years must be enough for the appropriate stage to be reached in the bilateral relations with India — if that stage is ever to be reached. We would like to know where the matter stands at the moment and how far the government has marched in the direction of the “appropriate stage during the last one-and-a-half years”.
SALAHUDDIN MIRZA
Karachi
I BOOKED VPPs # 1559, 1560 and 1561, dated 25.7.06, from the SITE post office, Karachi, to a bookshop at Committee Chowk, Rawalpindi, but the VPP money orders have not been sent back to us even after two months.
The party has received the consignment after the payment to the post office concerned, but the SITE post office told us that they are still waiting for the amount of the VPPs, i.e., Rs13,300, from the Rawalpindi GPO.
The senior postmaster, ITEHO (SITE post office), Karachi, has already written a letter in this regard to the chief postmaster, Rawalpindi GPO, on 14.9.06. The senior administration of Pakistan Post should intervene to recover this amount and to take punitive action against those responsible for the extraordinary delay.
FAROOQ AHMED
Karachi
IT is a matter of concern that some gurus have given their new channel a horrible name. An element from which we helpless Pakistanis are already suffering, with third degree burns. What we need is good care and treatment not some more AAG. My humble request is to please change the name.
AMRA ALAM
Karachi
OUR factory’s phone numbers 5064644 and 5064645 have been out of order for the last two months, and repeated complaints to all concerned, including on complaint 18,106, DE Phones, have had no results to date. Would the PTCL be kind enough to rectify our phones so that we can be in touch with our customers once again?
ISMAIL SONI
Karachi
I STAND by the views expressed by Navaid Husain (letter, Sept 22) regarding the tearing down of PIA Squash Complex. It is extremely sad that a building which was unique in its design and not so old has been brought down for reasons known only to the PIA management.
If indeed a change was necessary, then an exterior facelift and upgrading of the sporting facilities was all that was required.
I believe there was a lack of sincerity all along as nobody actually looked after the building. For years I used to drive by the building and notice that one of the broken glass windows was covered with a framed portrait of our Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas. Sadly this is how things work in our part of the world.
We cannot give respect to our national heroes, neither can we preserve a structure nominated for an award and later named after the Squash Maestro Jehangir Khan.
Can some responsible official at PIA give the public a sane reason for this harsh decision?
WASEEM URAIZEEWALA
Karachi
A BILL on the subject of legalising cadaver donations has been pending in the Senate since 1994 instead of making its way to the law book while bills on frivolous subjects are made laws within minutes.
Prestigious NGOs and medical institutions are intensely lobbying to legalise cadaver organ surgery as a practice which is legal all over the world and in many Muslim countries.
Dr Adeebul Hasan Rizvi has time and again called for finalising the Senate bill and making cadaver donations legal.
In the absence of a proper law and legal framework thousands of patients continue to die and the trade in human organs keep flourishing.
Legalisation of cadaver organ donation and transplants is the need of the hour.
CHAGHTAI MIRZA EIJAZUDDIN
Karachi
THIS has reference to the tragic death of Fire Officer Zafar Akhtar Khan on Sept 28 . The brave officer laid down his life in the line of his duty.
However, several issues need a thorough probe. Fire-fighting for industrial and petroleum-related installations requires special training, equipment and gear. Availability of each needs to be checked. Fire warning systems need to be checked so that an early action could be instituted to stem the fire at an early stage.
And, finally, the family of the deceased must be well looked after and properly compensated. Maybe the KCCI or the SITE Association would come forward on this count.
HUMERA NOMAN
Karachi
I HAVE a question. I am a Pakistani visiting India from the US, and trying to find the Quaid-i-Azam’s wife Ruttie Jinnah’s burial place in Mumbai. I tried looking on the Internet but could not find anything other than that she is buried in Mumbai. Will someone help me locate where Mrs Jinnah is buried.
SYED RAZA
India
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