| February 15, 2007 | Thursday | Muharram 26, 1428 |
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Conspiracy against Urdu?
Patients’ basic rights
Hiring of consultants
Decades of experience
Violence against women continues
Sri Lanka revisited
Expressway
Renaming NWFP
Zakat disbursement
Snatching of cellphone
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
THIS refers to A.R. Siddiqi’s articles ‘What lies ahead for the fateful triangle (Jan 28) and ‘Time for Islamabad to correct its stance’ (Jan 29). These articles provide a chronological resume of various current-cum-historical events leading up to the present fiasco highlighting as to how precariously Islamabad is being hung on the horns of dilemma.
However, in this letter I will attempt to suggest some specific remedies to the problem taking cues from these articles. Vide his first one, Mr Siddiqi mentioned: “The more Pakistan would seek to woo Afghanistan, the more Afghanistan distanced itself in anger.”
First, we should recollect the basic concept of life on the planet, which is divided into one-fourth of landmass and the remaining bigger portion of water (oceans, seas and lakes). The landmass is further divided into landlocked and littoral states.
For beneficial and judicial division of sea wealth in the world at large the UN has devised after decade-long deliberations a set of conventions known as United Nations Conventions of the Laws of the Seas (UNCLOS). It is a great pity that Afghanistan as a landlocked state neither realises its rights and privileges under the ambit of UNCLOS nor its patron saints (be it the US or Nato) feel any moral desire or obligations for the sole betterment of the war-torn Afghan people pledged under Bonn-I and other arrangements et al.
Thus Pakistan stands on moral high grounds as a littoral state to woo Afghanistan. How could its forlorn and outdated ‘irredentist’ philosophy tutored by Indian pundits rescue Afghanistan from its present malaise obtaining in the 21st century scenario?
Or how could Afghanistan afford itself to be in anger in response to a kind gesture of a neighbouring nation which mothered an entire Afghan generation for a decade in its home at the time when the erstwhile Soviets were hell-bent on their butchery in Afghans’ own hearth and homes?
Mr Siddiqi detected the faultlines to an extent in his second instalment surmising: “India’s growing interest in Afghanistan is no more than fishing in Pakistan-Afghan troubled waters.” I wish to add that Indian interests are more than fishing in these ‘murky’ waters, culminating into fishy (in the diplomatic parlance the word composite is in sync with fishy) dialogues.
There is a solid reason for this fishy behaviour. India is older than the UN: hence it exercises a great sway even now over there. For the sake of easiness the country viceroyed by Britannia was All India in the past sharing common border with Afghanistan. Then the Muslim kingdom of Afghanistan was a celebrated buffer zone between Britishers and Russia aspiring for warm waters for ages.
After the partition and the demise of the USSR the world strategic balance is going through an accelerated change. The present Indian republic is smaller than the erstwhile All India under the dominance of Britishers: hence the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a natural and coveted buffer zone between India and the great Muslim Asian landmass requiring seaward benefits as per UNCLOS via Pakistan.
The development of the magnificent port of Gwadar is an ample evidence of Pakistani goodwill intentions towards the landlocked state(s). Without wasting any time, Islamabad should dispatch its top maritime experts (but not the m.v. Tasman Spirit-fame) to Afghanistan to brief them fully and cautiously. If Mr Karzai persists in giving cold shoulder to these kind gestures, then Pakistan should seek an immediate UN stricture for Afghanistan to abide by UNCLOS.
It would be one of its own kind of UN stricture wherein a landlocked state would be struck on its knuckles for its foolishness at the behest of a well-meaning neighbourly littoral state. A sailor’s rhapsody must end due to the paucity of the column space. However, the benevolent seafaring nations’ convoys coming from the far-flung oceans of the world would need to be asked as to when they desire to end the music of their versatile death knell symphony orchestra played on the high peaks of the ‘fateful triangle’.
MOHAMMAD AHMAD
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the above-captioned letter by Pakistani (Feb 8). I fully agree with the writer that Urdu is an important identity of Pakistan. However, we do not need any conspiracy to damage this identity.
We as a nation are fully capable of doing this on our own, with little regard for our national language. It is quite fashionable for the better educated to proudly show their Urdu as feeble and subsequently the inability to understand Ghalib, Iqbal, Faiz, and others; this is true of even those whose mother tongue is Urdu.
The fondness of our people for Indian movies and television channels is giving way to the Indian-influenced Urdu. The presenters and DJs in the electronic media, and even so-called intellectuals participating in serious discussion programmes frequently use typical Indian phrases like “jura hua” instead of previously used “munsalik”, “is ke beech” instead of “darmian”, and many more. Apparently it may look benign, but gradually and unwittingly the boundary between Urdu and Hindi will be erased, and our coming generations will be unable to understand and benefit from the rich heritage of good Urdu literature.
Once upon a time Farsi persian was taught in schools due to which the standard of Urdu was better in those days, because Urdu contains a number of words with Farsi origin.
Today the youth do not even know which language is spoken in Iran.
Due to the cultural onslaught through the electronic media and persistent emphasis in schools on English, the young generation is alienated from good quality Urdu and is also without command on any of the afore-mentioned languages. It is unfortunate that people in general are oblivious to the importance of language as national identity.
As an example, consider the packets and wrappers of biscuits and other snacks: except for one brand, all have script written only in English and Arabic without a single word in Urdu - or any other Pakistani language for that matter. Surely no other nation in the world would disregard its national language this way.
PROF SURAYYA KHATOON
Karachi
LIKE education, food, water, clothing and shelter, health facility is a basic need of every human being. In our country, like the other basic needs, basic right to medical facilities of a patient is trampled upon by our medicos, which is against all norms of medical ethics.
When a veterinarian treats an ailing animal, it is devotion. As human beings, we do have an obligation towards an ailing fellow for his medical treatment.
Here comes the role of a doctor and the state to fulfil the desired requirement. In advanced countries like the UK the National Health Service is free for all the citizens and the expenditure is borne by the health and social security deduction and taxation at source.
In Pakistan, to have a similar health facility compulsory and free we shall have to have health insurance, which is very nominal especially for companies and social security.
The town health agencies in the country are trying to help out ailing people, but due to pilferage the help does not appropriately reach the receiving end. Doctors with the help of philanthropists and agencies like the Edhi can help to sort out such a problem of the needy and other patients if private hospitals also extend a helping hand.
Besides treatment, a patient has a right to know about his or her disease, whether it is cancer, cardiac or terminal ailment, chances of recovery and the type of treatment being received. Most of the doctors, baring a few, hardly brief their patients about their health condition. Patients are kept on false hopes and undiluted efforts for merely fleecing them.
Moreover, every patient has a right to choose the type of treatment he or she can afford, whether by operation and type of anaesthesia. Welfare at individual levels promises good solution.
The GDP for our health sector, being inadequate, needs to be enhanced to meet the day-to-day medical requirements of the patients and the profession.
I will, therefore, urge my colleagues to give their attention to patients’ problems and their basic rights. A patient’s pain and ailment can be halved by sympathetic approach and the least feeling of greed and avarice.
DR RAFIQUE AHMED MIRZA
Karachi
A NEWS item in your paper says that consultants are being hired for KPT projects (Feb 1). Consultants are always welcome, where needed most, whether it is industry or any agricultural project.
In November last, the headquarters of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) -– the only cotton research organisation in the country controlled by the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal), in its own sagacity, shifted from its rightful location from M.T. Khan Road, Karachi, where it majestically stood for over half-a century.
It is now located in a rented commercial plaza and is groping in the dark for its permanent relocation and restructuring as recently ordered by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
The scientists at present working in the committee are trying their best to relocate and restructure the PCCC, but it is moving at a snail’s space, whereas it has got to get going at the top priority for its proper rehabilitation.
It is, therefore, equally important if the Minfal, under whose aegis the PCCC is working, also considers hiring one or two consultants of international repute to help the PCCC in its early relocation. We can request the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), of which Pakistan is a member, to see if they can spare technical assistant to us.
Agriculture is said to be the backbone of our economy. Silver fibre is, therefore, the backbone of our agriculture as it is one of the important foreign exchange earners for us. Pakistan is known for its best quality cotton, which we have to maintain at all costs. Let us not take cotton crop, its research facilities and the location of headquarters of which it is deprived with little regard. Let us keep our cotton research facilities well-equipped and well-staffed to serve the domestic textile industry and the farming community with its remunerativeness.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
THE news item reported on Dawn’s Internet edition (Feb 13) titled ‘Bush taps new ambassador to Saudi Arabia’ reeks of something sinister.
The US president chose the head of a financial institution for his ‘decades’ of experience in the Middle East.
It looks like the ‘Abba-Ji’ problem is not restricted to Pakistan.
ZAIN ALLY
Karachi
THIS is regarding the incident of rape in Ubaro village, Ghotki, wherein a teenage girl was raped by 11 persons and forced to walk naked through her village. The act of rape had the backing of the influential waderas of the said village who are still pressuring the girl’s father to take back the complaint he filed against them.
Despite being a state signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), there has been a disturbing rise in cases of violence, trafficking, murder and torture of women in Pakistan. It is alarming that the rising number of karo-kari cases increased by 25 per cent and jirga decisions by 45 per cent during 2006 while the government completely failed to protect the lives and dignity of women in the country despite passing the much-publicised bill pertaining to the protection of women.
Shockingly, a greater number of women were victimised in well-to-do areas rather than the backward slums. The great metropolis of Karachi recorded many cases of abuse of women, which is an exceedingly disturbing fact.
At present in the case of Naseema Labno, who was gang-raped in Ubaro, Ghotki, the only probe into the incident was ordered by the Sindh government. This is not enough because it needs strong government action on this worst of incidents against women. The truth is that the government uses such probes to project itself. If it really is sincere in addressing the issue, what stops it from doing away with the draconian laws that encourage such crimes?
The honour killing bill is seriously flawed and fails to address pertinent issues giving licence to the relatives who punish anybody for offences that are considered to have dishonoured the family. These flaws in the legislation allow people a free hand to punish innocent women and men under the pretext of honour.
Unless these jirga decisions are openly penalised, the common man would continue to take law in his hands and punish women for what he considers offences that have dishonoured the family.
This parallel justice system is where crimes against women are not seen as crimes against the state. Despite a ban by honourable court on jirgas, at least 15 of them have been held deciding women-related cases in Sindh in January alone.
It is requested that the Supreme Court of Pakistan should take up the issue of women protection under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution and monitor the government’s action. The government should make arrangements to provide free legal aid to the victims of violence at district level.
Also, domestic violence should be covered under criminal law and the police department should establish a monitoring cell at the city, district and provincial levels to check the reported cases of violence against women.
HUMERA ALWANI,
MPA Sindh Thatta
AFTER a reasonable length of time I decided to go for a week to Sri Lanka, one of the reasons was a wedding in the family. On reaching Colombo and on the drive from the airport to the place of residence, I kept on noticing and comparing the drive from Karachi airport to my residence.
While traffic in both the cities is becoming a source of concern to the average citizen, control of the traffic and the way people were driving their respective cars in Colombo was something to admire. The entire traffic, consisting of cars, buses, trucks, was moving in a set direction. The vehicles were keeping to their lanes. The buses were not zigzagging on the roads and there was no smoke being released, thereby improving the environment.
Rickshaws were almost silent, even without normal emission of black smoke.
There were no plastic bags on roadsides. Garbage was at least not visible.
Pedestrians crossed the roads only at zebra-crossings and when they did, the traffic came to a dead stop. There was no double-parking, where permissible cars were parked at the kerb and not on the pavement.
I hope the IG (traffic) is reading this. Instead of Davos, the nazim should visit Colombo.
JUSTICE ( r) ZAHID KURBAN ALAVI
Karachi
THE inauguration of an expressway is indeed a commendable achievement of Karachi’s city district government. The present infrastructure requires further expansion, revamping and remodeling to cater to the ever-increasing volume of traffic in Karachi.
The problem posed by such traffic usually goes from bad to worse, when any VVIP opts to travel on Sharea Faisal which is the main artery in the city. This impacts the normal flow of traffic, especially the ambulances carrying patients who are struggling for their lives.
Much has been written on this issue with VVIPs being advised to adopt an alternative means of transport but perhaps it is not in the supreme national interest for them to comply. Under such circumstances it is suggested that the government allocate a complete lane on both sides of the expressway exclusively for emergency traffic. It would also be appreciated if a hospital with emergency life-saving facility can be included in the construction plan for all important intersections.
This will not only serve the local community but would also curtail the need for ambulances to travel to the much-congested downtown, thus enhancing their passengers’ chances to live.
SYED SALAHUDDIN AHMED
Karachi
CHANGING the names of cities and provinces is the democratic right of citizens. Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Mumbai, Chennai were named to wash the colonial debt. Leningrad was named to do away with imperialism and usher in communism. The town of Rabwah was renamed as Chanab Nagar by the Punjab Assembly in 1998 to please the religio-political might.
The NWFP Assembly is now being denied the privilege of changing the name of the province, despite the democratic process being followed. The proposed change is in line with the aspirations of the majority of the dwellers in the province. The federation and other provinces must assist the NWFP in changing its name through democratic means. The suggestion to hold a referendum undermines the authority of the assembly and the power of the people.
FASEEHA ARJUMAND
Staten Island, USA
APROPOS of the editorial ‘Zakat on real estate’? (Feb 7), I fully agree with you and suggest some more measures. First, any fruitful policy practised in the past for alleviation of poverty should always be improved upon and not retrograded.
The annually-collected zakat is required to be spent the same year, as the government is only the custodian and not the Zakat giver. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the government to utilise the backlog balance of zakat as per Quranic injunctions and not to pursue the path of the burgeoning of the coffers without showing any tangible results.
As elections are in the offing and opposing politicians are blowing more hot than cold, it would, therefore, be in the fitness of things to make them partners for the doling out of zakat to earthquake victims.
MOHAMMAD AHMAD
Karachi
My cellphone (No. 0320-5014335) was snatched by some hooligans in the second week of November 2006. I had duly reported the matter to the office concerned with the request that appropriate measures be taken to ensure that it is not misused.
But I learn that the same mobile is being used by some unauthorised persons. This is a serious matter and needs urgent action by the authorities.
ABDUL JABBAR
Karachi
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