| January 12, 2007 | Friday | Zilhaj 21, 1427 |
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Recognising Israel
Encroachments around complex
Cricket controversies
Nixon’s deeds
A proud Pakistani
Encroachment
Feedback on article
Taliban infiltration
Profit on savings
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
IN HIS column, ‘Mining the Durand Line’ (Dec 31), Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee, while opposing the mining of the Pakistan-Afghan border, has also quoted some excerpts from an editorial of Washington Post dated Dec 21.
The Post has criticised the ‘deal’ reached between the government of Pakistan and the militants and their supporters in North Waziristan. This, it says, has led to increased attacks on the US forces in Afghanistan and, due to the resultant case for Al Qaeda, the outfit is now operating training camps in the area.
It concludes by arguing: “The United States has provided Gen Musharraf strategic cover and billions in military and economic aid since 2001. In return it should have the right to demand that he abandon his separate peace (in North Waziristan). Action must be taken against Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in Pakistan before spring . . .. By tolerating the general’s empty promises and excuses, the Bush administration is putting its mission in Afghanistan and homeland security into unacceptable jeopardy.”
There are several problems with this self-righteous approach of the newspaper. The US had similarly given some three billion-odd dollars to Pakistan during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
The indispensable role played by this country at a tremendous cost to itself, led by the courage and sacrifices of the Afghan and other mujahideen, had resulted in the collapse of the USSR, thereby ending the Cold War.
But, soon after attaining their objectives, the Americans not only abandoned the devastated region, instead of helping it cope with the aftermath, but also slapped nuclear-related sanctions on Pakistan. Besides, they acted very dirty by refusing to supply the F-16s for which part payment in cash had already been made by us.
The collapse of the USSR was such a gigantic and unimaginable return for the US and the West that they can never thank us sufficiently. Now, in spite of spending $350 billion on their adventure in Iraq, the Americans have not only failed to achieve their objectives but are on the verge of defeat.
This lesson should bring much humility to the WP and other Americans who keep reminding us of their great favour of giving ‘billions’ and keep pillorying Pakistan. Why have they not succeeded in Iraq? It is so convenient to scapegoat others.
Another thing, which the Americans should view as solid proof of Musharraf’s sincerity towards their goals, is the way he took the blame for the attack on the seminary in Bajaur. Sections of the American and British media had already revealed that an American drone was responsible for the raid.
More recently, Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan, a highly respected former chief of Pakistan Air Force, also said that neither the PAF nor the army had the means to launch such a night-time attack and it was definitely the work of the Americans (Dec 12).
Obviously, Gen Musharraf was not able to refute him but only made a flimsy new excuse that he had himself seen the militants in that seminary receive training. If that were true, he should have had the foresight of providing greater security to the army recruits in nearby Dargai who suffered a suicide bomb attack in revenge. Obviously, nobody believes him and the incident has greatly angered the Pakistanis while further exposing Musharraf as Washington’s man.
Apart from that, Mulla Omar’s interview (Dawn, Jan 4) makes it very clear that his movement is neither based in Pakistan nor is it receiving any help from here. On the contrary, he has bitterly opposed Islamabad and Kabul’s moves to convene jirgas on both sides of the border to hammer out peace deals.
Mr Cowasjee is right in voicing opposition to the mining of the Pakistan-Afghan border but it is a pity that he has supported Washington Post’s diatribe instead of speaking out in defence of Pakistan. America’s biased, pro-Israel and selfish policies have brought suffering and defamation to the Americans; radicalised the Muslims everywhere and given rise to terrorism; it has also led to disunity, suicide bombings and insecurity in Pakistan.
A PAKISTANI
Karachi
ISRAEL and Jews are believed to be the definitive enemies of Islam and Muslims. It is advocated by a majority of Muslims that Israel should be boycotted politically and on the diplomatic front, its products shunned and any attempts to engage with the Jewish community discouraged at all levels. Any attempts by governments or Muslim groups to do so are seen as an act of heresy and against the interests of Islam.
It is also generally accepted that Israel’s existence would not be possible without the support of the US, its ally and major military supplier. Shouldn’t then individual Muslims be discarding and boycotting American products with Muslim countries breaking off diplomatic relations with the main benefactor of Israel? For example, not using Microsoft Windows in the first instance or abandoning the life of luxury in the US, at present enjoyed by many a Muslim, both liberal and orthodox?
Since it’s the lack of backbone, principled approach and the scarcity of technological advancement within Muslims and Islamic nations that do not permit them to take such seemingly drastic yet logical actions, should they actually be willing to isolate Israel, it is time for countries with majority Muslim populations to reconsider their decision not to recognise Israel.
Israel may be seen as the ultimate nemesis of Muslim nations, yet its existence, no matter how irritant and intolerable to many Muslims worldwide, is a reality and this fact cannot be ignored.
It would only be prudent to formally engage with Israel to press for the rights of Palestinians and for stabilising the Middle East, including quelling the looming crisis over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and ensuing Israel’s inevitable hostile, possibly military, reaction.
Learning from the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), there have been several instances where he and his companions chose to constructively engage with the Jewish communities to advance the cause of Islam and entered into mutual agreements for the sake of avoidance of war and for the sake of diplomatic and political achievements.
Similarly, engaging and working alongside Jewish communities in the West can prove beneficial to European and American Muslims, who are bearing the brunt of negative media escapades, where both communities can jointly fight for concessions and rights such as general acceptance and use of ‘halal’ and ‘kosher’ foods, and defend their faith-based practices against far right elements who see both Muslims and Jews as threats to their society and continue to stir up hatred through Islamophobic and anti-Semitic rhetoric.
It is time Muslims started thinking logically to achieve political mileage rather than blindly follow our semi-literate religious leaders and their rigid and inflexible attitudes towards the rest of the world.
DR SHAAZ MAHBOOB
Hillingdon, UK
I AM a peace-loving and law-abiding resident of Prince Complex, located on main Clifton Road adjacent to the PSO House, Karachi. The complex has about 136 apartments having a population of 700 souls. There are approximately 150 vehicles which are parked inside the complex.
Being a commercial project as well, 20 to 30 shops are doing their business outside the project. However, the shopkeepers have made the lives of the residents, visitors and customers miserable.
They have encroached upon the footpaths of the project which is meant for pedestrians only, which include senior citizens and minor children as well.
The shop owners have kept their refrigerators, deep-freezers, bread and snack stands on the footpaths, thereby encroaching upon the right of way of the public. Not satisfied with this, they have further encroached upon the road meant for parking of vehicles where they keep their makeshift stands, PCO tables/chairs, deep-freezers, mineral water cans, etc.
Whatever little space is left on the other side of the road has been encroached upon by fruit and vegetable sellers and other unhygienic food vendors who have set up permanent or temporary wooden shops/push-carts, thereby encroaching upon the other side of the road, leaving space for a single car in between to pass at a time.
Adding to the people’s miseries, a new car showroom has opened up recently in the complex.
The owner has parked vehicles permanently outside his showroom and has taken up a huge car parking space meant for the visitors of the project and customers of shops. The project union seems helpless in front of the shopkeepers.
Frequent exchanges of hot words between the public and shopkeepers over the encroachments are a common scene. The residents, visitors and customers are facing a great hardship but no one is coming to their rescue. I appeal to the city nazim to order immediate removal of these encroachments.
A RESIDENT
Karachi
THE forced resignation of our cricket team’s bowling coach, Waqar Younis, and the PCB’s role in this saga is very disturbing. As if the controversies of 2006 were not enough, the PCB could not help but create another one in the very first week of the New Year.
Waqar’s contribution to improving the performance of our fast bowlers was acknowledged publicly by Umar Gul and Rana Naved after their recent winning performance in the Tests and ODIs against the West Indian team.
It was also amply witnessed by the spectators in the Waqar-trademark in-swinging yorkers that were bowled in the dying overs of the ODIs.
The management’s view that Waqar made little contribution to the shorter version of the game is just a joke and it is obvious that his resignation was orchestrated by those who have chosen a personal preference over merit and with no regard for the national interest.
The PCB should have considered the national interest first and stood up to the management to support Waqar. If Waqar’s alleged unauthorised leave for Haj was hard for the PCB to stomach, then strictly on disciplinary ground he should have been dismissed with no lame excuses.
ILYAS ANWAR
Islamabad
APROPOS of Mr Richard Ben-Veniste’s article ‘Was Ford right in pardoning Nixon?’ (Dec 30), I would say Ford was politically right in pardoning him; but he was judicially wrong in doing so.
Pakistan has been under influence of US presidents for a long time until now, rightly or wrongly, however it is of paramount importance that our ‘think tanks’ analyse Nixonian phenomena vis-à-vis our national and multinational catastrophes.
Most American writers view that Nixonian vampire-like curse is constantly hanging over the entire American nation. I dare to add here that this particular curse is after our blood too, as it played a great role in the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 and the continuing Afghan-Iraq bloody imbroglios.
When insurgents were playing havoc in the eastern part of Pakistan, Nixon had surprisingly feigned to us in believing that he has dispatched the formidable US naval fleet to quell the disturbances and repulse the Indian carrier and amphibious onslaught on the erstwhile East Pakistan.
On the other hand, Nixon made his own nation suffer from the terrible trauma of Watergate — the lies, distortions, cover-ups, misuses of federal agencies to exact political revenge, illegal wire-tappings, burglaries . . .. The list went on and on. The trauma is so acute that the nation never forgave the person. Consequentially, Nixon suffered from the ‘Watergate claustrophobia’ for three decades till his death.
His claustrophobic condition compelled him to globe-trot in his capacity as a private American citizen not only to build his image afresh as a world statesman but find some novel way to punish his adversaries in an unforgettable manner. During the closing period of the first and unique Afghan Jihad liberating their country from the clutches of the Soviet Union, Nixon visited Pakistan to get the first-hand knowledge of the Afghan mujahideen (now known as jihadis). The mujahidin gave him a warm welcome and, in return, he appreciated their on-going efforts.
No sooner he left Pakistan, the ‘celebrity’ went berserk and toured Russia and China coaxing and cajoling the rulers there that the worlds of communism and capitalism should unite to face the main threat emanating from the Islamic bloc of countries.
On the contrary, no such threat existed at all, but Nixon succeeded in creating an ‘Islamo-phobia’ amongst his own citizen brethren to satisfy his unquenched thirst of personal vengeance. Anyone could guess that neocons’ plans of fighting an Armageddon, under the circumstances, would intensify the prevailing panic manifold.
Former president Jimmy Carter realised the growing malaise fully well when he wrote a book: Endangered American Values – America’s Moral Crisis”; whereas China understood the Nixonian conspiracy and changed the course like a ship coming across a grave navigational hazard takes necessary avoiding action in time.
Pakistan, which is already “in the line of fire” since 9/11, should better be got out of the harm’s way fastest without fanfare. As far as our American ‘patron saints’ are concerned, our prayers are with them provided they should also pray earnestly to get out of the chronic ailment of Islamophobia, otherwise it is very likely that the Nixon vampire may conclude an Armageddonian accord with the fast-emerging Saddam Hussein’s nightmarish Dracula!
MOHAMMAD AHMAD
Karachi
IN response to Syeda Abida Hussain’s letter ‘A proud Pakistani’ (Dec 29), I would like to bring out some historical facts about the misdeeds of Mr Iskander Mirza, the ex-president of Pakistan.
Mr Mirza was not a regular Pakistan army officer, whereas he acquired the rank of major-general being the defence secretary at that time.
He was the main supporter of Mr Ghulam Mohammad,
the former governor-general, who is known for his high-handedness and unconstitutional acts.
Mr Mirza was a great manipulator and intriguer. To remain in power, he formed the Republican Party in the drawing-room of the president house at Karachi which is buried with him, never to rise again.
Due to immense public pressure against him mounted by the Muslim League led by Sardar Abdul Rab Nishter and Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan and reading the writing on the wall, he felt threatened.
To remain in power illegally and unconstitutionally, he declared martial law on Oct 7, 1958 and appointed Field Marshall Ayub Khan as the chief martial law administrator, who was then the C-in-C of the Pakistan army.
He was not even sincere to Ayub Khan and was covertly trying to buy the loyalties of other general officers like Azam Khan, K. M. Shiekh and Burki. These general officers informed Ayub Khan of his nefarious designs.
Mr Mirza was the victim of his own wrongdoing and was made to step down. The above is only a glimpse of his bad deeds.
Briefly speaking, Iskander Mirza, who was basically a civil servant, is responsible for destroying democracy in Pakistan.
LT-COL (r) SYED IFTIKHAR AHMED
Ex-director of PID, Govt of Pakistan,
Karachi
THIS is about encroachment in front of 227 Shaheed-i-
Millat Road, Karachi, which is increasing day by day, creating a lot of problems for the residents of the area, especially women and schoolgoing children, besides the car-parking problem.
Nursery has been built opposite our residence which has created much problem.
I request the city nazim to take immediate action against the illegal encroachments/nursery on 227 Shaheed-i-Millat Road and to keep the Karachi city clean and beautiful.
MUHAMMAD SULTAN
Karachi
THIS has reference to the article ‘Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung: spell-binding orator’ (Dec 30). The writer quoted that the attack on the Quaid-i-Azam was by Khaksar. This statement is not correct. In his ruling (in the court case of the attack on Jinnah), Justice Blagden of the Bombay High Court had stated that there was absolutely no evidence that the assailant was a Khaksar. Hence no justification to refer to the attacker as a Khaksar; I am deeply hurt to read it.
NASIM YOUSAF
Grandson of Allama Inayatullah Khan Al-Mashriqi
New York, USA
US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher has once again repeated the US president’s insistence that Pakistan should do more to prevent the Taliban from trans-border infiltration (Dawn, Dec 28).
Given the topography of the land and the fact that the Taliban perceive themselves as heroes fighting a foreign invader, to ask Pakistan to seal the border is a well-nigh impossible task; and the Americans know it.
History is witness to the fact that guns and armies have never been the harbingers of peace in Afghanistan.
As I and many others have said earlier, both in Dawn and elsewhere, money is what is needed to wean the Taliban away from confrontation. The majority amongst them are not extremists and they can be induced back into the mainstream of socio-economic activity of the country.
This idea has at long last been suggested by Richard Boucher himself when he has urged the European Union and other prosperous countries to join in encouraging economic development and trade in the area.
Until that happens, there can never be any real peace in Afghanistan, and the horizons will never brighten over that proud but benighted land.
S. ASIF MAJEED
Karachi
INFORMATION released by the State Bank of Pakistan recently showed that investment in National Savings Schemes has been steadily shrinking ever since the beginning of the fiscal year 2006-07. Money is flowing out of all the savings schemes except Behbood (for senior citizens) in which the profit rate is higher.
The reason for the declining investment in savings scheme is obviously inflation. If the profit rates are lower than the inflation rate, at the end of the year you are a poorer person. This is what is happening in Pakistan.
If the government wants to reverse the outflow trend and protect the interests of middle-class investors, it must raise the profit rate on all its savings schemes three to five per cent immediately.
The government must ensure that the profit per year is higher than the erosion of the value of the rupee per year. This is common sense and in the affairs of individuals, as well as of nations, common sense should prevail.
SAEED AHMED
Karachi
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