| January 06, 2007 | Saturday | Zilhaj 15, 1427 |
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Love for peace?
Hisbah and Hisbah Bill
Muslims too should be sensible
The outside interference
New Year’s three priority areas
Hanging of Saddam
Wapda vs Basant
Garbage removal
No right to help
The matter of caste
Hanging a judge
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
THREE interesting letters under the title of ‘For better and for worse’ regarding overseas Pakistanis serving Pakistan appeared in these columns (Dec 30). I wish to point out that those in the decision-making positions may not be interested in our services.
Fifty years ago, on Dec 31, 1956, I arrived in Germany for my doctorate in engineering. I was eager to serve my country, and so near completion of my studies I applied for a job to every institution in Pakistan I could think of. The silence from there was deafening. Therefore, I got a job in Germany, still hoping to go to Pakistan.
When all my attempts failed, I decided to go to North America where I was received with open arms. Periodically I searched for fresh avenues to serve Pakistan but there were no takers of my services. Here I raised four children, a physician, two computer engineers and a lawyer.
I retired as professor voluntarily though I had the right to work in my institution till my last breath, even if I lived more than 100 years. Here one’s services are appreciated irrespective of age or gender.
Some 18 months ago I was visiting Pakistan with my son and two grandchildren to show them places of interest to me. We visited my engineering university (UET) and met the vice-chancellor, who asked me to spend some time at the UET and help in their research and teaching programmes. They suggested that I apply to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), which I did. I was not interested in a lofty position or high salary. I would have happily served my country if the UET had given me suitable lodging.
The HEC selection committee in their wisdom refused to give me an opportunity to serve Pakistan. I was highly disappointed, as I wished sincerely to serve my country. According to their standards, I was somewhat old. It proves that attitudes of Pakistani office-holders have not changed in the past 50 years. As I am active in my research and consulting activities, I hope to be able to use my expertise to contribute to society as long as I live.
PROFESSOR A. HAQ
Ohio, USA
IN his article ‘Need for flexibility on Kashmir’ (Jan 4), Tariq Rahman, who basically trained as a linguistic, has outlined his futuristic vision or better version for the peace (sic) of South Asia where he is even willing to die for peace, though peacefully.
The love for languages, cultures, civilisations and all that subalternity offers is good for the health of an idealist, but surely a realist like Bush or better the late Saddam would not too easily swallow the sweet-bitter pills prescribed by Dr Rahman.
His arguments with respect to partition, the tribal-army intrusion in Kashmir in 1947-48, the failure in 1965 and Kargil, the normative emphasis on human resource development, as well as on the reduction in the size of the army, are all logical and given the poverty incidence in the country deserves appreciation. However, his ideational scenario-searching approach as regards the solution to Kashmir is wrapped in idealist-subaltern guise which is on the surface attractive, but at the bottom hurting and disappointing.
Consider: a) Can India which called Jammu and Kahmir one of its states agree to the UN-controlled region, if not autonomous domain or whatever? b) What is the UN, by the way: who can guarantee that in the next couple of decades the US would not militarise the proposed UN-controlled region? c) What if J and K chooses to side with India if the so-called plebiscite is held under the proposed UN-controlled region? (In this case, today’s Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas would not be under Islamabad’s influence.)
4) what if J and K opts under the envisioned plebiscite under the proposed UN management for independence? 5) Would the US or for that matter non-state actors not land in the lush green valley to pursue their strategic interests?
And, importantly, Gen Musharraf’s recent statements may not be read in solution-paradigm. They may be a rational choice to be softer diplomatically on such a hard issue. Anyway, the morality doesn’t necessarily bring one out of the gambit of UN resolutions.
Finally, peace is more about power or perhaps psychology than poetry. One may try to live with the world and avoid running ahead of it -– by which I mean both the world and the peace.
EJAZ HUSSAIN
University of Heidelberg
Germany
THE above-mentioned word is frequently printed in your newspaper and also spoken in the TV programmes as Hasbah. Please let me tell you that the correct spelling of the word is Hisbah. It is just like the word Hisab, commonly used in Urdu, in its origin and meaning. But it acquired a special meaning in Islam, that is, holding someone accountable for his misdeeds and forcing Muslims to obey the Islamic injunctions in all fields of life, particularly public morality and business ethics.
A section of the public is unhappy with the Hisbah Bill passed by the NWFP Assembly recently, and they are opposing it vehemently. Those who are familiar with the Islamic institutions know well that it has been a very important and virtuous institution throughout the Muslim history. It is solidly based on the Quran and Sunnah, and Muslims were initially guided to it by the Prophet (PBUH) himself. The Hisbah system continued to develop during the early caliphate and the Umayyad period until it reached its peak during the Abbasid caliphate and in Muslim Spain.
Nobody can deny that it has been a unique Islamic institution for public welfare, promoting good, eliminating evil and safeguarding people’s rights.
Diwan-i-Hisbah became a department of the government, some times under the ministry of law and sometimes independent, during the early Abbasid period and continued to be so in the Ottoman Turkey and Mughal India till the 19th century.
Besides dealing with major issues such as attendance in congregational prayers, fair commercial transactions, checking and arresting fake medical practitioners and fraudulent preachers and peers, it dealt with such minor affairs as hygienic conditions of the bakers in public bakeries by forcing them to wear a clean cap and fastening a cloth band on their foreheads, so that hairs do not fall on dough and sweat does not drop on bread. It also dealt with public grievances of all kinds.
Scores of books have been written on the system of Hisbah during the early and later periods, in Arabic. A very informative and interesting work is by a Christian writer, Professor Nichola Ziyadeh of the American University of Beirut, titled Al-Hisbah wa’l-muhtasiboon.
DR SYED RIZWAN ALI NADWI
Karachi
BROTHER ‘Muslim’ has hit the nail on the head in his letter ‘Religion isn’t the problem’(Dec 12). So true: I totally endorse it. I would like to add, however, to the list which he thinks are the real problems.
The writer laments that the West has not been sensible and honest. One may ask: “Are we Muslims sensible in our planning and honest in our self-assessment?”
All our woes are smugly attributed to the folly of others. Are we impotent marionettes? Why are we waiting for the West to dole out justice to us as if they are perfect specimen of nobility?
Six decades down the line, 1.2 billion souls are completely toothless in Palestine. Yes, certain perverts amongst us have unleashed a wave of cold-blooded slaughter of innocent bystanders only to disgrace the noble concept of jihad.
Two Israeli soldiers are captured in Lebanon, 30 Israelis are dead and that country has suffered a deluge of missiles. Is it sensible to hail it as a victory when, in the process 1,300 Lebanese have lost their lives, large areas of Lebanon are totally devastated and its economy pushed back 15 years. Buoyant by this elusive victory, Hasan Nasrullah is now up in arms against the elected government of the beleaguered country -– not in the assemblies but in the streets -– no lessons learnt from the 15 years of civil war.
Hamas pitted against Fatah. In this fratricidal combat three children, aged six to nine, are blasted off as they were entering their school. Can you imagine a more reprehensible and shameful scenario of target-killing. How low can we sink?
This is the state of the oft-quoted Ummah, honestly speaking.
Dr KHALID MITHA
Karachi
THE interference of international organisations in the internal affairs of small countries has become a common feature. In the case of Pakistan, there is hardly an issue in which these agencies do not jump in, leaving the impression as we are not a sovereign state capable of handling our own affairs.
One can quote many examples but let us discuss the two important issues in hand. The first issue relates to the value of Pakistan’s currency. A news item appeared that the IMF was prompting Pakistan to devalue its currency. To clarify its position, the IMF has stated that “they only advised Pakistan to pursue policies consistent with avoiding further appreciation of the real exchange rate in order to maintain competitiveness”.
According to reports, the rise was imminent on account of 10 per cent real appreciation of the rupee since the end of 2004. As a senior citizen I have seen the value of rupee going down and down from Rs5 for a dollar in the early 1960s to Rs60 to a dollar now. If the value of our currency rises making the dollar cheaper, it is an occasion for us to celebrate. Why should the IMF be alarmed?
The next issue is about Elections-2007. Head of a European Parliament delegation, Ms Neena Gill, on a visit to Pakistan warned that the “European Union could slap economic sanctions on Pakistan if the elections were found to be rigged”.
General elections are purely an internal matter of a country. There are countless countries in the world ruled by monarchs and dictators where elections are never held. Wherever they are held, it is the responsibility of the election commission to ensure their legality and correctness. Even inviting foreign observers is not obligatory but a measure of courtesy. Who is the EU to interfere?
RAFI NASIM
Lahore
EVERY concerned and conscientious Pakistani would be engaged in taking stock of the year 2006 which is over and absorbed in thoughts about the kind of year we all would like to see in 2007. In most cases we as a people tend to exaggerate our pluses but always gloss over our minuses. Is this the sign of a nation that would like to become more competitive in today’s highly competitive and open economy era? The answer will by a big No.
Through this letter I would like to build our last year’s balance-sheet in an objective manner. First, what had happened on our economic front? According to government accounts, flows of foreign investment, as well as economic growth, had been encouraging. But, unhappily, many protagonists opine that foreign investment and economic growth had not led to major job creation since growth had not occurred in the manufacturing sector.
They also talk about the alarming increase in our current account deficit, as well as in inflation. Consequently, it is reported that the gap between the ‘haves and have-nots’ has increased.
On the institutional front, gargantuan interference of the army into civilian affairs, whether civil bureaucracy or academia to name a few, has weakened rather than strengthened these institutions. Appointments of retired army officers into the academia and continuation of a president-in-uniform had been the main cry during the last year. On the political front, we continue to suffer from confusion in the face of contradictory statements emanating from the official circles. A well-defined sense of direction for the future seems to be amiss.
Judiciary, in spite of the Supreme Court’s suo motu actions in certain cases, continues to suffer from a popular perception of being subservient to GHQ. The judiciary had not been able to hold the government accountable for the missing citizens whose number is quite alarming. Law and order remains to be a serious concern of all citizens. The photograph on your front page (Dec 29) of a man protesting the disappearance of his father speaks volumes about common man’s helplessness and the police’s brutality.
On balance, it is unfortunate to conclude that the year 2006 is not ending on a happy note. Given this assessment, what should be our priorities for 2007 to energise our people? At least, three priority areas need to be the focus of our rulers for 2007. First, the ISI would become accountable to parliament to establish the latter’s supremacy over all state institutions. Second, that the New Year will see an honourable withdrawal of the army from civilian affairs to promote genuine democracy. Third, it is hoped, that the judiciary will be freed from the influence of GHQ to ensure justice for all.
DR ZAFAR IQBAL QURESHI
FCC University, Lahore
PRESIDENT Saddam Hussein’s execution on Eid-ul-Azha is certainly a slap on the face of the Muslim world and a shame for the so-called Iraqi government officials.
Regardless of what a tyrant he may have been, US bullying has surpassed all limits and the issue at the moment is no longer whether Saddam deserved this or whether the sentence was reasonable, but how immoral and unjustified American domination over the entire world is and howsoever Saddam may have been as a living person is dead today, but Saddam the brave, a hero and martyr in death will live in people’s hearts and minds for centuries to come.
The man made history in embracing death the way he did; the video clip of his last moments wouldn’t be wiped from the world’s memory, and all mankind respect a brave man. Classy courage at the gallows has always produced legends. Faiz Ahmad Faiz was very right when he said:
‘Jis dhaj se koi maqtal mein gaya
wo shaan salaamat rehti hai
Ye jaan to aani jaani hai is jaan ki to koi baat nahi’
It is the misfortune of American oppressors that all leaders eliminated/shunned by them become martyrs and America’s own citizens wear T-shirts, and display posters, with their photographs. From Che Guevara to OBL and now Saddam, America gets it wrong each time.
George W. Bush could find a fate suitable for a murderer of exponentially more lives than Saddam; and I’m sure he could never have the courage to look death in the eye and embrace it like Saddam Hussein, whose executioners hidden behind masks seemed more uneasy and confused than Saddam moments before the execution as shown in the video footage airing everywhere as an example of more barbaric motives of the Bush administration.
HARIS MASOOD ZUBERI
Karachi
THE other day there were two contradictory news reports on a a local private TV channel. One was: Wapda has announced loadshedding, and power supply will remain off for roughly an hour a day. The second was: The Punjab government has allowed the Basant festival.
Point to ponder is that, on the one hand, Wapda is struggling to meet the public’s power demand. It is already short of resources to generate the required electricity and, on the other hand, the Punjab government has given permission for the Basant festival which causes heavy losses to Wapda every year. This shows that probably the government gives priority to merry-making instead of fulfilling the people’s basic needs, in this case electricity.
This also seems to be a deliberate action to further destabilise Wapda and then ultimately hand it over to the privatisation commission. It is no doubt a wrong decision at a wrong time.
Although providing fun to the public is also the government’s responsibility, fun at the cost of a heavy loss to a national institution that is already under crisis makes no sense.
TAUSEEFUR REHMAN
Taxila
RASHID Minhas Street, Block 6, PECHS, Karachi, is full of garbage but no CDGK garbage trucks are there to clean this mess. We appeal to the Karachi city government to make arrangement for cleaning of this street at the earliest to avoid any spread of viral diseases.
WASEEM AHMED
Karachi
THIS refers to Salahuddin Mirza’s letter ‘Turkish Republic of Cyprus’ (Dec 30). He says: “Turkey did no wrong when it invaded Cyprus in retaliation to Greek involvement in an attempted coup in Turkey”.
I would like him to know that 75 per cent of the population of Cyprus is of Greek origin that, rightfully, believes that Cyprus has a Greek identity. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 was, beyond a doubt, an act of aggression.
Some 200,000 Greek-Cypriots were forced to leave their homes from the north of Cyprus, the island that roughly has a population of 680,400, to make way for the arrival of settlers from Turkey. The Greek-Cypriots were unjustly driven out of the north to ensure a Turkish majority.
Just because the Turks are Muslims does not make their aggression right. If the Greece had no right to support the fellow Greek-Cypriots who make up majority of the Cyprus population for a unified Cyprus, Mr Mirza must also agree that we, too, have no right to help fellow Muslims who make up majority of the Kashmiri population for a unified free Kashmir.
KHUSHBAKHT VAKA
Karachi
THIS is in response to the letter by Dr Adam Nayyar (Jan 1). He quotes a verse from Manu Smriti to justify his position that the caste system was part of Hinduism.
Manu was a king who wrote the laws to be abided by the people of his land. No Hindu reads it or follows it knowingly. It is the English missionaries who translated Hindu texts that made Manu Smriti part of Hinduism.
Like lots of themes in the various religions which people misuse, caste system in Hinduism was misused by Hindus. A human being’s caste which was decided by vocation and the character exhibited by them was later determined by the birth. Brahmin is someone who realises Brahman or ‘The One’ and not someone by birth. This verse is repeated many times in all the four Vedas.
HARIHARAN
Houston, USA
THE hanging of the Revolutionary Court chief judge in Iraq Awad Ahmed al-Bandar for the 1982 massacre under Saddam’s rule that killed 148 Sunni Muslims in Dujail after an assassination attempt against Saddam failed is an unprecedented event in history. Perhaps this is for the first time a judge is being given the taste of his own medicine. The judge should have been hanged first for he betrayed the people who reposed confidence in the judiciary. Dispensation of justice is an attribute of God. Hence judges are referred to as ‘My Lords’. Surely, the Iraqi judge has set a bad example for his tribe.
K. PRADEEP
Chennai
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