| February 19, 2007 | Monday | Safar 1, 1428 |
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Auto policy and consumers
Surrender to mullahism
Reforming the civil services
West’s self-righteousness
Pre-ISSB training
Apathy of CBR
Fuss over Carter book
Delhi’s Jamia Masjid
Quaid’s words
Wars will be history
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 Dr Mahnaz Fatima’s article ‘Expanding frontiers of economic freedom’ (Economic and Business Review, Jan 5), in which she has exposed the hypocrisy of the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal while setting the Index of Economic Freedom (IEF).
Basically, the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal are conservative institutions with the mission to promote the values of global capital and neo-liberalism at the cost of individual freedom of countries and their citizens. And the victim of such ruthless policies are the poor men, women and children in the Third World countries, as very ably highlighted by Dr Fatima.
Just to highlight the ugly face of the neo-liberal globalisation and how it tramples upon the freedom of poor people and countries while promoting the freedom of global capital and business to move around the globe without any hindrance, the ten commandments of globalisation prepared by some NGOs opposing the enforcement of Multilateral Investment Agreement (MAI) truly expose the ugly face of global corporate business.
To understand how global capital respects individual freedom of the people and countries, here are the ten commandments of globalisation.
For citizens: You shall have no right to livelihood, to work, to food, to water, to safe environment; you shall have no other identity or morality except that of being consumers on the global market place and you shall elect governments but the government’s role shall not be to protect you. They will protect corporations.
For governments: You shall give up all functions to protect your citizens and all duties and obligations required of your national constitutions; you shall consider your first duty and obligation to promote the freedom of transnational corporations and take away the freedom of your people; you shall take the environmental wealth of your country and citizens and hand it over for free to the transnational corporations.
For corporations/business: If you are small and local, you shall disappear and make way for transnational monopolies; If you are global, you shall demand absolute rights in every country to walk in and walk out as you find profitable; you shall destroy the environment and jobs everywhere to maximise your profits and returns on investments which will be the end towards which all governments and citizens must assist you as their highest moral duty.
Globalisation per se is not bad but the way it is being administered has created despair, despondency and underdevelopment. It is ridiculous: on the one hand, it promotes the freedom of capital to move around the world but on the other hand it curbs the movement of the labour by imposing tough immigration laws.
However, to make the globalisation work judiciously, there is a need for the change of global structures where the developing countries should have equal voice. And the same should happen inside the countries like Pakistan where poor men, women and children are denied the freedom of having equal access to all forms of productive assets -– education, employment, land, etc.
MANZOOR ALI ISRAN
Shah Abdul Latif University
Khairpur
WITH reference to the newly- approved auto policy, the government has accorded the long-awaited attention to the engineering industry.
But the auto policy is lacking in many areas of consumers’ concern, as problems and difficulties faced by them are not accorded proper attention and no solution in this connection has been provided.
It seems that policymakers have not given due consideration to the consumers’ point of view to resolve their problems. This is also evident from the fact that on a daily basis many consumers are writing letters to the companies and newspapers but finding only deaf ears. The consumers’ grievances have to be addressed to give real boom to the industry.
The business environment of the country is said to have turned so much investor-friendly that there is no room left for any voice of concern for the protection of consumers’ rights and nobody is slightly eager to pay heed to the public complaints against these multi-nationals.
The sudden boom in this sector, on the one hand, is appreciable and, on the other hand, the absence of a strong regulatory body supported by proper legislation will eventually create a number of problems in the long run.
The massive influx of vehicles has no doubt prompted the authorities concerned to expand and improve the road network across the country. But still the human safety element is nowhere to be seen in any of the government’s initiatives.
According to official statistics, in the year 2006, as many as 2,214 people were killed and 5,415 injured (resulting in life-long disabilities as well) in road accidents from January to June.
Such a situation demands not only a proper traffic mechanism, strict enforcement of traffic laws but also a regulatory body that could make it mandatory for the auto sector to equip vehicles with all the gadgets and tools for protection from such accidents.
Not only that pricing system, premium and late deliveries go unchecked by the government or any other public forum but also the passengers’ safety, which is a greater aspect, has been totally neglected and the auto makers have had a field day so far.
The matters pertaining to high prices, shortage of vehicles, lack of security-related instruments and increasing number of road accidents demand establishment of an authority to cope with the need of the hour.
The government must take steps in this regard and must establish a forum to address the public complaints against the auto industry.
SALEEM MAHMOOD
Karachi
YOUR editorial, ‘Setting a bad precedent’ (Feb 14), is an excellent piece of writing. The question, “Does the government stand on such shaky ground that it found itself compelled to surrender to a handful of mullahs who, as the Capital Development Authority would have us believe, had no legal ground to stand on?”
For the past month or so, we have been reading in the press, as well as hearing on the electronic media, that Lal Masjid and numerous other mosques in Islamabad had been built illegally on land that had not been purchased.
This statement has not been contradicted by Mullah Ghazi and his cohorts, at least not in the press and electronic media. They would like us to believe that in the name of Islam a mosque can be built anywhere in Pakistan without bothering about the legal formalities of ownership and payment. If this is true, it is the worst possible precedent that could be set for owners of land anywhere in Pakistan. Worst still they are bringing a bad name to Islam.
Can they not differentiate between ‘haram’ and ‘halal’. Anything which has not been paid for and legally acquired or which has been taken by force is ‘haram’. However, if they claim that Gen Ziaul Haq had allocated these plots to the madressahs, then they must have proper legal documents to prove it. In the absence of such legal documents the acquisition of such land is simply ‘haram’.
As concluded in the editorial, “If allowed to proceed, the latest deal could result in the opening of the floodgates of encroachment everywhere by unscrupulous elements in the name of religion.” I couldn’t agree more. The deal with the mullahs should be ‘rescinded immediately’.
Concerning the women students who were carrying guns on their shoulders in order to confront the law-enforcement agencies, this is yet another most dangerous precedent which, if ignored, could lead to the armed challenge of the writ of state and complete mayhem in the country.
Television footage is there for all to see that a burqa-clad lady was seen moving on the rooftop of a seminary carrying a prohibited-bore weapon on her shoulder. The Supreme Court must take notice of this and ask that the lady in question be produced before the court to show the legal authority under which she got a prohibited weapon, the licences of which have already been withdrawn all over Pakistan.
WG. CDR (r) SARDAR
AHMED SHAH JAN
Peshawar
APROPOS of Mr Sultan Ahmad’s article ‘Reforming the civil services (Feb 1), I would suggest a World Bank loan-free reform in the civil services, which is: punctuality. Visit any government office at nine in the morning. You will only find the sweeper, not even the peon who will come at 9.30, the clerical staff will start coming after 10 and sit together, gossip, take tea and exchange comments on politics (while reading a newspaper) or the last night’s TV drama. The sahib will come after 11 or 11.30, go out for a meeting in the head office or own office.
The staff will start preparations for lunch/prayers immediately after 12.30, will return after 2.30 (although the lunch/prayer break is only for one hour), after offering prayers (and attending a ‘tablighi dars’), taking lunch and fruit bites on the footpath. Then taking tea, reading an afternoon newspaper and exchange comments for an hour. Or the sahib may hold some meeting in his room.
As such, the afternoon session will start winding up from 3.45pm. The people visiting with their problems will be dilly-dallied and asked to come again and again.
I think we shall not need any World Bank loan if we start the reforms with ‘punctuality’, which is a part of the motto of Discipline, along with Unity and Faith, by the Father of the ‘most obedient nation’.
I disagree with the writer that government jobs are losing attraction. Of course, government officers are paid less in terms of money and perks, the other ‘attractions’ such as power and extra money from the works/projects are plenty.
ZAFARUL HAQ MEMON
Karachi
ACCORDING to a report, there is a move by some leaders, officials and analysts in the West to step up the war of words against ‘Islamism’ in an attempt to win the hearts and minds of the ‘moderate’ Muslims, particularly the younger ones (Dawn, Feb 9).
This is said to reflect western frustration at the power of what it calls the ‘Al Qaeda narrative’, i.e., the message that Islam is under attack from the West and it must fight back through a jihad. A former head of the British intelligence service MI6 argued recently that the West’s enormous PR and advertising industries should be used to sell the message to the Muslims, through Muslims, that “whatever their grievances, the worst... way to solve them is to hand them over to a bunch of thugs (Al Qaeda).”
As noted by some sensible and fair-minded people in the West, such as Noam Chomsky and the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, it is the wrong policies of the West that have radicalised Muslims worldwide. The ‘bunch of thugs’ headed by Osama bin Laden is itself a product of the western proxy war against the USSR in Afghanistan. Like most Muslims, OBL was pro-American until, as a devout Muslim, he felt offended by the presence of American soldiers in Saudi Arabia, particularly the female ones, whose dress and behaviour violated the sanctity of the Muslims’ Holy Land. Also, by the continued US backing for the repressive rulers of countries like Egypt, as also Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians.
The western advocates of such an approach should note the many facts that have actually turned the world of Islam from being mainly pro-West to largely anti-West.
a. Until the creation of Israel and its extermination and persecution of the Palestinians, wholly through western initiative and support, there was not a single incident of suicide bombing or terrorism.
b. The lack of support for the freedom struggle in Chechnya, which was forcibly occupied by Russia and then reoccupied, ending its autonomy won in the ’90s, through Mr Putin’s intrigue that was calculated to put him in the Kremlin by stirring up nationalistic fervour.
c.) A dramatic reversal of stand regarding Kashmir that saw Washington go from strongly supporting a UN-sponsored plebiscite to viewing the freedom struggle as ‘terrorism’ and tilting towards India.
d. The unspeakable insults levelled by several American evangelists against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islam, beginning several years ago and the publication of blasphemous cartoons in Denmark and their unnecessary reproduction by many other western newspapers.
e. The occupation of Iraq on absolutely false pretexts, resulting in the loss of over 600,000 lives and utter chaos, is seen as an attempt to help destroy what Israel saw as its greatest enemy, and to usurp Iraqi oil and gas.
f. The continued detention and torture of Muslims, most of whom were obviously not involved in terrorism, in Guantanamo Bay against the better advice and protests of the international community, as also the sacrilege of the Holy Quran over there and the scandals of Abu Ghraib.
g. The widespread promiscuity, legalising of gay marriages, drinking, obscene movies and pornography on the cable and Internet as also the attempt to export American culture and secularism to Islamic countries are seen as a sign of the West’s decadence by most Muslims, not just Al Qaeda.
Besides these, there was the toppling of prime minister Mossadegh’s government in Iran (1953) and restoration of the Shah’s repressive rule; the standoff with Khomeini’s supporters who were calling for return of Iranian assets siphoned off to the US was wholly unnecessary and led to permanent hostilities.
The routing of the Taliban just because their code of hospitality prevented them from handing over OBL has brought so many headaches to all concerned. The manipulation of Pakistani policies through Washington’s yes-men in Islamabad is another major irritant.
The western analysts cited by the report, who say that the new plan of stepping up propaganda against the Muslims can dramatically backfire, are correct. If the West only makes amends for the faults noted herein, it would win the Muslims’ hearts and minds.
ABDUL ALEEM
Karachi
Pre-ISSB training has recently been imparted to candidates in Quetta, Balochistan, who are supposed to appear before the Inter-Service Selection Board team shortly as part of their selection as cadets leading to commission in armed forces.
A number of Karachi candidates have also passed the written and other preliminary tests such as medical/interview and are expected to appear before the ISSB team at Karachi in March but like the candidates of Balochistan they have not been imparted any pre-ISSB training.
Being father of one of the Karachi candidates, I will earnestly request the authorities to also consider arranging pre-ISSB training for Karachi candidates so that they can prepare themselves to compete with the candidates of other locations on an equal footing.
I believe there is no quota system in armed forces and as such equal opportunities should also be given to every candidate and merit should be the only criterion.
KHWAJA TAJAMMUL HUSSAIN
Karachi
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has notified only the State Bank and National Bank {Awami Markaz branch} to receive capital value tax (CVT) in the whole of Karachi. As a result, taxpayers have to travel long and queue up for hours to deposit the tax in treasury.
This was also reported to the Member, Direct Taxes, in September last during his visit to a seminar in ICAP, Karachi. Since the matter relates to public affliction, the CBR is suggested to notify all branches of the NBP throughout Karachi to collect CVT challans.
S. RIZVI
Karachi
MR Muhammad Ali Siddiqi’s observation in his article ‘Fuss over the Carter book’(Feb 9), “The problem with America is that either you are pro-Israel or you are very, very pro-Israel,” sums up magnificently the prevailing mental attitude of the ‘White’ Christians, the coloured ones are a class apart.
They are in a state of acute angst as a reaction to the wanton persecution they wrought on the Jews for 2,000 years. As to Israel, it perfectly illustrates the theory of victims turning into perpetrators that George Soros expounds in his book, Bubble of American supremacy.
S.G. JILANEE
Karachi
MANOJ of Kolkata, (letter, Feb 14) has totally missed Naveed Sheikh’s point (letter, Feb 11). India’s people also consist of 150 million Muslim Indians. Thus the Indian government is morally obligated to protect and preserve Delhi’s Jamia Masjid and its immediate surroundings at its own expense as much as it has ensured the protection and preservation of Hindu temples located in Varanasi, Mathura, Puri, Thirupathi, etc.
Famous and very wealthy Indian Muslims such as Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Azim Premji could also pitch in to preserve and protect India’s Islamic heritage. Has not the Indian government an obligation to at least respond to the Pakistan government’s generosity in restoring and preserving the Katsraj temple which has drawn praise from even L. K. Advani?
In the same reciprocal spirit the Indian government should have restored, preserved, and gifted the Quaid’s house in Mumbai to the people of Pakistan. Such indifference and neglect by the Indian government of an important part of its heritage is regrettable.
P. HARIMOHAN
New York, USA
WITHOUT doubting the importance of the Quaid’s speech of Aug 11, 1947 in the Constituent Assembly, I would like to say that its inclusion in the Constitution would set a bad precedent. The Constitution is a sacred document and it should not include leaders’ speeches.
On the same note, I would like to add that the inclusion of the Objectives Resolution in the Constitution in 1949 was equally wrong.
KAZIM AIZAZ ALAM
Karachi
I READ with great interest the recent article, ‘Primacy of law in India’, by Tasneem Noorani (Feb 16). I agree with his fair assessment that knowledge about Pakistan among average Indians is very poor. It’s sad but true that we know very little about our brothers and sisters across the border.
I am a firm believer that this will change in a few years from now. People will start enjoying the mutual benefits of growing economy and the wars will just be history.
Of course for this to happen, both countries should spend more time and money on children and make sure every child is provided education. Only education can create good society and can lead a path for success. As our beloved President Dr Abdul Kalam says, the future of mankind is in the hands of young children and their dreams.
SOMA
Bangalore, India
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