| January 10, 2007 | Wednesday | Zilhaj 19, 1427 |
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Karzai’s fulminations
PIA’s role in tourism
Military in coal mining
Hamara Karachi?
Saddam’s execution
To president
Mohsin-ul-Mulk
1971 and after
Swara deal to settle feud
Hunting trip
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
MR F. S. Ejazuddin’s article, ‘In Beijing, East is now West’ (Dec 17), relating to China’s progress in the last 50 years, is mind-boggling. Even the US, the only superpower, stands in awe; perhaps there is a lurking fear of being replaced. Napoleon’s advice was to let China sleep but China has woken up.
Propping up India against China by the US is futile. It won’t work, for the one and only one reason. China does not have the excess baggage of ‘religion’ to hold it back. Hindutva in India, the Jewish lobby, the evangelists and the neo-cons in the US will slowly but surely drag them down.
Pakistan in the late 1940s and the 1950s compared to the present day was less intolerant. We had a head start in many fields over China but whilst they progressed, we regressed. Today our religious parties run amok almost every Friday.
A strike was called on Friday, Dec 22, against the Bill of Women’s Rights. Dawn reported the next day on page 17 under the heading ‘Long march not ruled out: JI’.
Profr Ghafoor Ahmad says: “Gen Musharraf is inciting girls to dance and sing . . . ”. The chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Karachi, Mairajul Huda, declares at Lasbela Chowk: “The nation would not tolerate those who wanted to make their daughters dance naked at gunpoint. . . ”. Talk of fertile imaginations!
Mufti Muhammad Naeem in the same column claims a successful strike. Every successful Friday strike costs the country nearly Rs2 billion and untold misery to the daily wagers and street vendors. Ironically, on the same Friday, 32 mobile phones and nine vehicles were also reported stolen.
On page 22 Mufti Khalid Shah issues a ‘fatwa’ declaring jihad against all NGOs, including the United Nations and human rights organisations, and urges the people to attack their workers, vehicles and offices. Added to this myopic lot we also have to contend with the feudals and tribals and their hang-ups with jirgas, karo-kari and swara. The odds seem stacked against us. The glass for us is surely half-empty.
The so-called ‘alims’ will make sure that we remain anchored securely to the 7th century. Our green passport with its religious column, the only country in this wide world, Muslim or otherwise, to have such a column, will put us in the harassment line at every airport. Our government-appointed Ruet-i-Hilal committees will continue squabbling over the sighting of the moon. Eid Mubarak, Eid Mubarak and Eid Mubarak.
What bigger hypocrisy could there be than the religious parties finding support in their interpretations of the Quaid-i-Azam’s written words and speeches. His first address to the Constituent Assembly comes to mind: “Hindus shall cease to be Hindus and Muslims cease to be Muslims . . . . , etc, etc.” Instead, I wish he had said clearly without ambiguity: “We shall be the Republic of Pakistan with a secular parliamentary democracy”, period. Alas! He left this unsaid.
CAPT S. AFAQ RIZVI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to your editorial, ‘Karzai’s fulminations’, and the article, ‘Mending fences by fencing and mining’, by Dr Moonis Ahmar, of Jan 6.
While agreeing fully with the analysis presented in the editorial, one would like to point out a few things about Mr Karzai. When one million Afghans suffered death and injuries during the Soviet invasion of his country, including by landmines, I don’t recall his shedding of any tears. Four million of his compatriots had found refuge in Pakistan and another two to three million in Iran, during which time the gentleman was living quite happily over here and praising us for our hospitality.
Later on, after he was made the president by the US, many of his people, including women and children, were killed by the American and Nato forces, while these innocent persons were attending marriage parties, sitting at home or out on the street. Even a Nato general recently regretted this fact and expressed the resolve to help overcome the problem. Yet, Mr Karzai only remained content with criticising these ‘accidental’ deaths but shed absolutely no tears.
However, he has not only taken to crying publicly for the few children who may have perished in the Taliban attacks but also makes it appear that the Pakistanis are the worst people who, more even than the Taliban, are responsible for all that is going wrong in Afghanistan. He is refusing to face up to his own inability to govern, of which pandering to the narco-warlords that are said to include his own brother as well forms a part.
A report by Dawn’s correspondent, who accompanied our PM during his visit to Kabul, notes in the same day’s issue that one Afghan official conceded that the Karzai administration has failed to win the hearts and minds of various ethnic and linguistic groups and also that his country’s finances were in a shambles.
Another official was critical of his government for not co-opting Pakhtuns in the power-sharing edifice. He also criticised the government for ignoring the Taliban and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-i-Islami in decision-making. This shows how some of Mr Karzai’s officials are wiser and more realistic than him. From this, it should be clear to everyone, including Washington and Brussels, where the real problem lies.
Dr Ahmar has made the same mistake as many other analysts by criticising Pakistan’s support for what he calls the “US and Saudi-financed Afghan Jihad against the Soviets and then by patronising the Taliban regime in Kabul”. A correspondent recently noted that even President Musharraf has acknowledged in his memoirs that if the Russian forces had not been defeated in Afghanistan, they would have occupied Pakistan next (Jan 5).
We must also remember that it was only because of the Taliban’s refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden to the Americans after 9/11 due to their tradition of hospitality (which should be contrasted with Karzai’s shabby treatment to premier Aziz) that they attracted America’s wrath. If Osama had left by himself or been extradited, the Taliban would probably still have been in power and Pakistan would not have had to face a thankless Karzai and a hostile government in Kabul, with all the negative consequences this is having for us.
M.Y. KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to an article by Aileen Qaisar (Dec18) about PIA’s role in promoting tourism with the title ‘Are we neglecting airlines’ role in tourism promotion’.
First, the heading is misleading. Perhaps Ms Qaiser has missed the news that was released by PIA some weeks ago that PIA had entered into a partnership with the ministry of tourism to join hands in promoting tourism and the ‘Destination Pakistan 2007’ project.
This will be done by pooling all the resources of both the entities to attract and facilitate tourists into the country.
To this end Nilofer Bakhtyiar, the federal minister of tourism, visited PIA in December and a detailed programme was chalked out for the whole year, beginning with the inaugural on Dec 15, in Islamabad.
It was decided that the 160 travel agents from around the world visiting as guests for the inaugural were to be briefed to spread the word around to customers in their respective countries and encourage them to visit Pakistan after witnessing for themselves the beauty and splendour of our country.
Moreover, PIA agreed to carry the ministry’s lively slogan on the material printed and on its tickets, as well as to follow the ministry’s itinerary for the entire year in the in-flight Humsafar magazine.
A reasonable discount would be offered to tourists visiting Pakistan during the year, and group tours and charters would be promoted. PIA also organised an Air safari flight for the travel agents.
From April 2005 to December 2006 PIA carried an unprecedented number of tourists that was 300 per cent over a comparative period before that. The idea was to promote Pakistan and make Destination Pakistan 2007 a success.
Given the above, Pakistan need not get into agreements with other airlines and become a spoiler for PIA’s revenues. PIA now has a special division called Group Tours and Charters with an excellent team doing good work with the support of the higher management.
Further, the issues raised in the Senate standing committee on defence and defence production were responded to the satisfaction of the Senate committee.
As for PIA’s future programmes and causes of its present condition, its overall restructuring plan was reviewed and discussed. Sadly, PIA’s point of view was not reported in the media. There needs to be balanced reporting so that both sides of the story is known and there is no bias.
To write that the current management is a failure or lacks commitment is not true. PIA is being rejuvenated and requires no commission of inquiry to figure out the facts. The facts about PIA are transparent for all to see and nothing is hidden from the public eye.
CAPT. HASSAN JAFFERY
Coordinator, Public Affairs, PIA
THIS has reference to Mr Nisar Sindho’s letter on the subject (Dec 14). The writer has blamed the establishment for giving control of coal mining in Balochistan to the military without going into the details of the news item.
The military might not have been given control of mining as such. Instead it may have been involved in ensuring that the development projects are implemented in time by the contractors, representatives of Luni and Marri tribes and others. And that the financial control remains with the civil departments and locals of the area.
The step seems to be taken to ensure that the coal mining is resumed in Chamalang without further delay. The federal government at present has initiated a number of development projects in Balochistan to uplift the living standards of people of this previously neglected region.
At this critical time through which the people of Balochistan are passing, the government can’t afford to commit an act which shall provoke anger of the local population.
A provincial autonomy bill is on the cards and it will hopefully put an end to the blame game for ever. Let’s be optimistic and start thinking about a future where the people of Balochistan are given a chance to prosper according to their own wishes.
KHALID MEHMOOD KHAN
Rawalpindi
THE Hamara Karachi celebrations, planned at an exorbitant cost of Rs60 million, have raised several questions about the sincerity of purpose of the MQM-led city district government of Karachi. Since the City of Karachi Municipal Act was passed in 1933, the platinum jubilee would actually mature in 2008 but has been purposefully moved ahead with political motives.
The poorly-laid-out website for the programme does not even mention the first mayor of Karachi Jamshed Nuserwanji Mehta (a Parsi) or the first mayor after independence Ahsan Abbasi, a Sindhi who presented the city key to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Instead, some pre-partition Muslim politicians are being projected so as to portray a peculiar image of the Karachi city obviously in a bid to claim its exclusive ownership.
This divisive move is diametrically opposed to the image of Karachi as a mini-Pakistan, which is much more uniting and reassuring for at least 50 per cent of the city population who happen to be of Sindhi, Pushto, Hindko, Punjabi and Baloch origin.
The CDGK has failed miserably in creating suitable infrastructure in kutchi abadis, as well as in rural and coastal settlements of Bin Qasim, Malir, Gaddap, Keamari, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Baldia, SITE and Lyari towns.
According to the ADB, more than 1,000 kutchi abadis account for over 40 per cent of total city population. Overall, 89 per cent of the population in these squatter settlements is living below the poverty line, with 54 per cent at chronic poverty levels.
The majority of them is excluded from social services and they purchase water even for household uses.
The state of governance in Karachi is already alarming with double-digit rise in car and mobile thefts, as well as in inflation.
The city is adding hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants each year under patronage; and the MQM plans to add more than 1.5 million so-called stranded Pakistanis.
Under the circumstances, political gimmicks can only act as salt on the wounds of the poor populace because they face serious threats of rising poverty and deteriorating law and order.
The city government, notwithstanding its hollow verbosity, has been acting against the interests of the indigenous people for a long tim.
It appears that they now intend to deprive other sections of population as well from their rightful claim on use of city resources for making a decent living.
At this critical juncture when the people of Pakistan are looking forward to new elections and the advent of democracy, the CDGK probably plans to create a division over ownership of the Karachi city and distract the struggle of people away from critical social and economic development issues by putting up publicity supplements and fake shows of accomplishment instead of doing real service to the poor and deprived people of Karachi.
DR RAJAB ALI MEMON
Jamshoro
SADDAM Hussein was eventually executed at the same military intelligence centre where he had tortured and hanged scores of his opponents. It is, however, mind-boggling to see an outpour of sympathy for this brutal and evil dictator just because of a few taunts at the time of hanging. However unbecoming these taunts were, these pale in significance when compared with his inhuman oppression of Shias and Kurds alike.
To top it all, it is audacious for the UN to appeal for the clemency of Saddam and his cohorts whose violation of human rights was watched in silence by the world’s so-called human rights watchdogs for over two decades.
It is little wonder that the Iraqi PM rushed Saddam’s hanging before the new view at the UN would be firmly saddled.
In Islam it is life for life and in this case it was just one life or a few for the untold hundreds of thousands of Saddam’s victims whose blood he sucked mercilessly after torturing them physically. Many of them would succumb to death even before reaching the gallows that Saddam did.
DR MAHNAZ FATIMA
Karachi
MR President, you have written, in your memoirs In the Line of Fire about your childhood experience of travelling in public bus for which you and your brother had to wait at Regal cinema bus stop to reach your sweet home at Nazimabad, Katrachi.
You have spoken of your suffocating experience of riding in a public bus. The same situation, rather a worse condition prevails as yet in Karachi, despite your six years of being in power, devolution of the power and big claims of the city district government of Karachi.
Even some good buses had been removed from the roads for the reasons of impounding by the traffic police for emitting smokes, leaving only the tottering vehicles plying on the roads. This is the misfortune of the citizens paying highest taxes to the exchequer.
GHEEWALA
Karachi
THIS is with regard to Ms Samina Hasnain’s article: ‘Mohsin-ul-Mulk: A thinker in his own rights’, published in the Special Report on 100 years of the Muslim League on Dec 30. I had managed to get the original Urdu article translated into English.
Unfortunately, the translator messed up certain names and mentioned Mohsin-ul-Mulk to be Waqarul Mulk’s brother which is wrong. I regret the uneasiness this may have caused to the writer and the readers.
DR SYED JAFFAR AHMED
Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi
THIS has reference to Mr Masud Mufti ‘s article ‘1971 and after’ (Dec 15). On the whole, it is a very bold analysis of what has been happening in Pakistan. However, a few points raised by the writer need clarification.
While drawing a parallel of the situation prevailing after 1971 and now, it should be noted that President Musharraf should not be totally bracketed with other military rulers for the following reasons:
a. After 9/11 instead of any adventurism, he adopted a policy which was in the national interest and based on commonsense. He proved to be a saviour, especially for overseas Pakistanis who continue to be a major contributor to our foreign exchange reserve.
b. President Gen Musharraf is personally comparatively clean in the sense that so far we are not able to hear any scandal against him.
c. President Musharraf has given unprecedented press freedom and political liberty to the opposition which are essence of democracy.
d. President Musharraf has been able to revive economy and got rid of the IMF.
e. He has initiated unprecedented projects, both small and mega, all over Pakistan, especially in those provinces which were neglected in the past, thus deprivation and discontentment like in East Pakistan do not exist in Balochistan.
f. On the whole, a sizable majority support President Musharraf. Other Pakistani generals, in my opinion, lacked this support.
Army leadership has at least done welfare for its half a million families benefiting even the honest officers and soldiers (which, of course, are in majority). Political leaders are yet to do something to mitigate the sufferings of common man.
K. MURAD BEY
Karachi
NEWS regarding the swara deal (Jan 8) shocked me for it became apparent how easily one can make a mockery of our country’s laws and regulations. People in Ghalanai (Mohmand Agency) settled their feud by handing over a girl from one of the feuding parties to the other.
They gave the name of marriage to their devilish act of swara in which another innocent girl’s life will be ruined for no fault of her own.
One of the girl’s brothers has already tried to reach the legal authorities, including the chief justice, to bring to their attention that this act is taking place without the consent of the girl.
Both the provincial and federal governments have to take immediate and strict notice of this act and punishment should be given to those people who are making a joke of our religion and the country’s laws.
The offenders should be made an example of for all those who are still following swara, karo-kari and other such acts.
ASIF REHMANI
Toronto, Canada
Wildlife lovers in Pakistan and elsewhere would have been shocked to read the news (Dec 28) that more than 800 partridges were killed by federal ministers Liaqat Jatoi and Ashraf Qazi on a hunting trip in Sanghar.
Only 10 birds are allowed to be killed against a hunting licence.
A few days ago, some people who had killed birds of rare species were booked by Sindh Wildlife authorities but let off by the Thatta police because they were ‘guests’ of some high-ups.
Such is the respect of law in Pakistan. Some people are above the law.
HAJI ASHFAQ
Muscat
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