| November 20, 2006 | Monday | Shawwal 27, 1427 |
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CAA’s broader horizons
Verdict on Saddam
Justice long overdue
Privileges and benefits
Car showrooms
Ban on Sindh TV
Seeking Islamic justice
Nadra’s help sought
Rule of law
Bad taste in the mouth
Scholarships for Japan
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 NED has rightly pointed out (Dawn, Oct 1) that the Higher Education Commission (HEC), while ranking the universities, has lumped together the general universities and the professional ones and that the work of the undergraduates in general universities does not exceed 30 per cent whereas in the professional universities it is not less than 85 per cent.
Moreover, the number of papers published in professional universities where research has to be validated by experiments is necessarily less than what can be in arts and the social sciences and still less for comparable quality in pure sciences.
The main reason is a far more cumbrous nature of experiments. In my opinion, the quality of research in arts and the social sciences done in our country is also questionable. A very few of our journals may be indexed in current contents, the US or some other international research agency and as such quality-wise the authenticity of research may not be accepted at the international level.
Comparison of a 10-year-old institute like IoBM with a 50-year-old IBA is odious and cannot be defended on any ground. The IoBM is the first private institution to have introduced a four-year undergraduate programme since January 2003. Prior to this, its graduates completed three years honours with one year MBA, making it a requisite 16 years education programme. Despite this, the IoBM gets a low weightage by the HEC.
The IoBM, with its rigorous entrance procedure, gets only 1.85 points, whereas an institution gets full points. The IoBM’s intake procedure in admission is highly competitive. Over 85 per cent candidates have to their credit 65 per cent marks and above and yet it appears that the HEC has again tripped in its evaluation.
Each full-time faculty is provided with a pc and even the visiting faculty is provided access to this facility. The IoBM has five state-of-art computer labs and yet its score in this regard is comparatively low. The term equipment is perhaps not defined by the HEC.
In fact, IoBM has quite an expensive equipment and machinery and deserves full marks on this count. The IoBM has one of the highest strengths of full-time and visiting faculty members in comparison to any other business institute in Karachi.
It appears that the over-stated data furnished by various institutions regarding the number of books, faculty strength, number of computers and equipment, etc., has not been verified by the Higher Education Commission and hence the resultant distortions in the ranking.
The HEC shall be well-advised to have a second look at ranking the institutions after necessary physical verification, if it wants to establish the credibility of its word, otherwise it will be reduced to the status of a funding agency.
DR K.M. LARIK
Institute of Business
Management, Karachi
I AM one of the passengers who booked a seat on a private airline’s morning flight from Karachi to Lahore.
The flight was scheduled to leave Lahore at 9.10am, but as the passengers arrived at the airport we found that the flight has been rescheduled and it would leave Lahore at 8.30pm instead.
The passengers approached the airline’s office at the departure lounge to find out the alternative given to the passengers. They were informed that the station manger was being contacted.
It took at least an hour to contact the station manager and another hour before the passengers were told that they could either claim the fare or get a seat in the next flight to Karachi, which was scheduled for 3pm.
I had a similar experience with PIA when I was taking a direct flight from Lahore to London. The flight was delayed, as usual, due to a ‘technical error’. Passengers were offered breakfast some time after 10am, although they were expected to reach the airport at 7am.
I would like to register my protest at the poor service provided by airline operators in Pakistan.
I would like to request the Civil Aviation Authority to inform all airline passengers their rights. Airline operators also need to inform their customers about their rights and responsibilities.
The Civil Aviation Authority needs to appoint an independent panel of engineers to inspect the aircraft used by the operators and assess their technical condition and flying feasibility and repair and maintenance record of each operator, including PIA.
The CAA must do more than being a licence-issuing authority. They are also responsible for ensuring the passengers’ comfort and safety.
ASHAR J. KHOKHAR
Lahore
THE death sentence awarded to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein by a court in American-occupied Iraq demonstrates that the mills of God’s justice may grind slow but they do grind surely.
Mr Saddam’s hands are stained with the blood of innocent Kurds and large numbers of Muslims killed in the wars of aggression he inflicted on Iran and Iraq and his two sons-in-law who were shot dead under his orders before his own wailing daughters.
Those who live by the sword usually perish by the sword is the lesson one learns by the death verdict on Saddam. The only comfort Saddam may have while awaiting the hangman’s noose is the clipping of the wings of President Bush by the trouncing of his Republican Party by the Democrats in the US mid-term polls recently.
The government of Pakistan should weigh the situation very carefully in pursuing its policy of fighting the USA’s war on terrorism as a committed US ally.
President Bush is no longer as powerful as he was when his Republican Party controlled the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Such gory episodes as the carnage at Dargai betoken stormy weather for Pakistan in the near future and as such the powers that be in Islamabad should be extra watchful. Our overriding concern should be the safety of Pakistan.
The author of In the Line of Fire is now well-versed in the posturing of the big powers and the unpredictable ups and downs in global power-play and the nation expects the best of leadership from him in piloting the ship of the state to safe havens.
QUTUBUDDIN AZIZ
Karachi
MIRZA Tahir Hussain has finally been freed. Our legal system was split down the middle in his case.
He was exonerated by one court and convicted by the other. Thus an element of doubt was definitely there — no matter how miniscule – and, hence, he should not have been convicted.
From what little law I know, one cannot be convicted if there is a shred of doubt present. If one court said ‘no’ and the other said ‘yes’, the final decision could have been ‘a maybe’.
Either way, with a maybe, a death sentence could not have been justified.
And then, the young man was in jail for 18 years. He was robbed of his youth, his life, his happiness, his everything, and most certainly his dignity. Disregarding the merits or otherwise of his death sentence, if he was to have been hanged, it should have been done within two or three years of the crime having been committed — not after 18 years.
This would actually be punishing him twice for one so-called crime.
His being pardoned is perfectly in order and something that should have come years ago. My sympathies indeed go to the victim’s family but the only thing that they had proved was that they were being obstinate in not actually pardoning Tahir Hussain.
Would the hanging him after 18 years bring their son back? It is time we all put this behind us and move on.
SAJAN H. MALIK
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter by Faisal Jan entitled ‘We need the army’ (Nov 12).
The letter writer’s argument that Pakistan stands nowhere without its army is absolutely out of context.
Pakistan has only gained huge DHAs, cantonments, intervention of army in the political framework, encroachment of military personnel on civilian posts and positions (remember the quota for military personnel is 10 per cent but the number of military people on civilian posts far exceeds this 10 per cent), sending of high military officials as ambassadors to the most important countries (US is one such example, does a military or ex-military personnel ever get retired?), awarding almost every road construction or such other huge contracts to FWO without open bidding (the ‘fast pace’ of construction of M.T. Khan Road witnessed by Karachiites in one such example, which took almost two years for the FWO to complete a two- kilometre stretch).
The list continues. Military personnel get far higher salaries than their civilian counterparts and this is in addition to other fringe benefits, plots, land, etc.
They have their own housing colonies in almost every city and that too on the prime land, they have established their own industries and other profit-making organisations but despite this they claim the highest share of our GDP.
As far as helping people in floods and earthquake is concerned, is it not a moral obligation and duty?
The current situation in Pakistan is that military has established itself on such footings that it cannot see any other institution grow and become stronger as it sees it as a danger for its privileges and benefits. Surely it is the ordinary people of Pakistan who are “In the Line of Fire”.
AHMAD A.
USA
WOULD the Karachi Motor Dealer Association please come to their senses? The other night they held their Eid Milan event at Noor Cricket Ground which does not cater events of this kind. It is a ground for the community to play cricket in. In my 10 years as a resident, the only other event I’ve seen the ground being used for is Eid prayers.
The Karachi Motor Association made speeches about glorifying this city, which ironically they were doing their best to screw up. Like other students of Karachi, I was trying to study for my term examinations but all I could hear was one person after another rant about the injustice his association was receiving. What about the injustice civilians suffer when we can’t drive down roads which are technically two lanes but are reduced to half a lane because of the car showrooms that display their wares so brazenly?
HUDA JANGDA
Karachi
SINCE the inception of Pakistan our nation on the whole has been facing a terrible crisis in every field, including the electronic and press media. On the other hand, the government of the day is always found engaged in the so-called tall claims of promoting tolerance and equality in society.
The recent ban on Sindh TV is a deplorable act of the government and is condemned all around Pakistan. So far no reason has been given to the nation about what made the government take this step to stop the freedom of speech, which is the basic right of every citizen of Pakistan.
Article 19 of the Constitution clearly says: ”Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press too.” But unfortunately the basic principles are often overruled by dictators, and the Constitution is hardly considered to be a vital instrument during all the military regimes.
The ban on Sindh TV would be remembered as a black spot on the government of the day, which claims to promote harmony and equality in society. Such unannounced and rhetoric acts of the state would only amount to disharmony among the provinces.
Every nation has its association with its regional language and it proves to be a source of great admiration too. Sindh is the second largest province of Pakistan. For the last 59 years the people of Sindh have been waiting for their turn to ventilate their joys and sorrows together on one platform and for that matter Sindh TV’s platform had been magnificent.
Sindh TV’s transmission was not only acclaimed in Pakistan, but also had been seen across the border and it was a source of information for those who are living away from Pakistan.
The historical programmes of Sindh TV always made us feel that we are a part of the oldest civilization on this planet and a great nation that dates back to 4,500 years.
Sindh has its language, culture, art and a valuable heritage. Its existence and realisation must be respected. The high-ups sitting in the federal capital have little idea about how much our nation is in a state of shock.
Sindh and its people are kept deprived of their basic legitimate rights, be it the water accord or be it the NFC award. Despite having numerous natural resources, the people of this province are not getting what they must get.
We look to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice on the ban of Sindh TV and order the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to restore Sindh TV at the earliest, as it is a matter of national interest at large.
QAZI KASHIF NAEEM
Hyderabad
ON November 13 the MMA government in the NWFP passed the Hasba bill. While the ruling alliance’s members were delivering speeches on justice and protection of the rights of the people of the province, there was a protest demonstration by the depositors of the Islamic Investment Bank Limited in front of the assembly.
These people had deposited their hard-earned money in the IIBL and the bank has become a defaulter and not paying back the money to the depositors. These included old men, women and pensioners who had deposited their money in the bank. They wanted support from the ruling religious alliance but no one came to listen to them, while inside the assembly they were making lengthy speeches on justice and Hasba bill.
However, they turned deaf ear to these unfortunate citizens of the province. It makes people think that the MMA is using the name of Islam and Islamic justice for their personal and political gains because they have no courage to listen to the grievances of the sufferers. Meanwhile, their colleagues in the Punjab Assembly immediately listen to the affected of the Crescent Islamic Investment Bank and provided funds for repayments.
MUHAMMAD RIAZ
Thana, Malakand Agency
THIS is a case of duplicate and double CNIC. On May 22, I surrendered for cancellation the objectionable CNIC # 42401-8922656-7 in original along with required FIR and affidavit to the legal branch of Karachi’s Nadra headquarters.
The Nadra headquarters issued a certificate, dated June 10, in this respect. With this certificate I applied for a duplicate of the lost CNIC # 42401-1943478-5 to Nadra’s Nazimabad Swift Centre on June 26 vide token # 130 and form # KR00614874. As advised by Nadra’s Nazimabad Swift Centre, I submitted a second (Nadra prescribed) affidavit to them on July 21.
They issued a second certificate to me and advised me to wait for a final decision by the authority after 15 days. Since then I have been running between the Nazimabad Swift Centre and the Nadra headquarters to know the final decision and to get the duplicate of my right CNIC # 42401-1943478-5, but all in vain.
In this regard I also submitted an application on Aug 26 to the director-general, Nadra headquarters, seeking their pardon and help in solving this problem at the earliest. It is now several months but nothing seems to be moving. Nadra, I beg your pardon once again. Please do help me.
KHAIRUL ALAM
Karachi.
THIS refers to the reports in the international media that Pakistan’s lower house of parliament voted on Wednesday to put the crime of rape under the civil penal code. This is to do away with the requirement of ‘four male witnesses’ to prove a rape charge, and to allow courts to make convictions on the basis of forensic and circumstantial evidence, as is the case elsewhere.
This change is a right step in the right direction, based on science and logic. It also conforms to the basic concept of providing justice to all.
The old requirement that the victim must produce four male witnesses is against common sense and cannot be practised in any society, even in the open society of the West. A heinous crime like rape is not committed in public and, hence, there is no logic in asking for four witnesses.
It is civil law and education that keep everyone safe, not illiteracy and acts like the closing down of schools. Can we give such protection to our women by illogical interpretations of Islamic laws? We are protecting men, instead of women. Times have changed: we must wake up.
MEHDI RIZVI
Pickering, Canada
A RECENT visit to a coffee outlet on Karachi’s Zamzama avenue turned out to be a nightmare. To my absolute horror and disgust, I discovered a dead mosquito floating in my cold coffee after I had finished half of it.
Instead of being genuinely apologetic about such a serious breach of hygiene, the management came up with the lamest excuses, the most classic one being ‘Yeh to Pakistan hai yahan to aisi cheezain hoti hain’.
The inept and discourteous manner in which the staff at the coffee outlet dealt with the entire situation was highly disappointing. The entire incident left a really bad taste in my mouth (literally and figuratively speaking)
SUKAINA ALI
Karachi
IT is greatly appreciated that the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has announced a large number of scholarships for the US, the UK, France, Austria and other western countries. But I would like to suggest that the HEC may announce scholarships for Japan. Japanese technology is far more advanced than western technology.
The HEC should provide scholarships for Japan in the fields of physics, chemistry, IT, business administration, human resource management, engineering and economics. This will help a lot in the development of the country.
ADEEL SAFDAR
Rawalpindi
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