| March 20, 2007 | Tuesday | Safar 30, 1428 |
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Two chief justices
Beachfront development
Teachers’ shortage
Sunday Bazaar
West’s approach to Islam
Street crime
VIP movement
A turning point
Inhuman magic trick
Fighting terrorism
Smoking in public
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
I SALUTE Bob Woolmer who has shown through his death how much he cared for his team and the feelings of 160 million Pakistanis.
He could not bear the shock which killed him, May his soul rest in peace. Let us see if the PCB chairman, selectors and the team captain will at least resign, thus showing that they care for the sentiments of the cricket-loving people of Pakistan.
A.MAJEED
Karachi
I OFFER my heart-felt condolences to the family and friends of Bob Woolmer. He was a wonderful person and a great coach. I hope that all those who pointed fingers at his credibility and loyalty towards the Pakistan cricket team will now realise how great his contributions were. He loved the Pakistan cricket team, lived for it and died for it.
As a Pakistani and a diehard cricketing fan I am deeply sorry for what has caused this. Bob Woolmer will never be forgotten.
BILAL MAHMOOD
Abu Dhabi, UAE
THE passing away of Bob Woolmer may well be the ultimate proof he gave to all of us who questioned his involvement and approach to the game. In spite of his last statement that ‘it’s but just a game’, his death proves how much he was involved and paid the ultimate price to redeem himself. In life he may have had his detractors; his passing away will be mourned by all.
It would certainly be humane of us if the powers that be invite Bob Woolmer’s widow to Pakistan.
It would be a token of appreciation of her late husband’s devotion to the team.
A posthumous medal, dished out usually to the not so deserving, may be a source of comfort and solace for the bereaved family. It will also tell the world we are more than an effigy-burning nation.
MIR ADNAN AZIZ
Abbottabad
I WAS really shocked by the news of Bob Woolmer’s death. This is the darkest day in the history of cricket. A coach has been compelled to pay the price of all the foolishness of a team’s management (rather mismanagement) and its players.
I always respected Bob Woolmer for he was not only a recognised player, a dedicated coach but also a great human being.
JAVED IQBAL
Islamabad
IT is safe to say that the continued absymal management of Pakistani cricket, coupled with the relentless media drive to build expectations ever higher in search of more advertising revenue, has claimed its first blood in Bob Woolmer.
This is the first high-profile death in the wake of yet another humiliation of the national team — several Pakistani citizens have already laid their lives on such occasions.
My heart goes out to Mr Woolmer, for he died a soldier battling an openly hostile ICC, and a set of players possessing all our national attributes of volatility, selfishness and occasional — very occasional — flashes of brilliance.
TALHA BIN HAMID
Karachi
THE death of Bob Woolmer has demonstrated his optimal love, professionalism and commitment to this game. On the other side, just like other helms of affairs in this country, the main culprits of this humiliation are most likely to get away unimpeded.
Wasim Bari, the chief selector of our gallant cricket squad, has said that he will not resign.
Meanwhile the team captain holds fate responsible for his team’s performance.
RAO IMRAN
Karachi
A LEGAL anomaly surfaced when the government took the oath from an acting chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan when the serving chief justice was still in the country but unlawfully suspended by Gen Musharraf.
Over a week later, they realised their mistake and came up with a solution by sending him on ‘forced leave’ applying Section 2 of the Judges Compulsory Leave Order 1970, validated in 1975 under the validation of Laws Act 1975.
Now the question is, what was the legal status of the acting chief justice, Justice Javed Iqbal, before the CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was sent on forced leave?
Also, doesn’t it make the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council and its proceedings null and void during that period? If the government backdated the forced leave, then how could they explain calling the serving chief justice as ‘non-functional’?
It all shows that the government has mismanaged the whole case and messed it to the core, putting Gen Musharraf in a mushy soup. But, then, what else one would expect from a government whose law minister mixes the meaning of an English adage ‘the long arm of the law’ with a proverb in Punjabi?
DR GHAYUR AYUB
London
YOUR editorial, ‘A flawed vision’ (March 12), calling for a comprehensive, organised development of our city, in sync with a master plan, was excellent.
Perhaps another proposed mega-project may be of interest to your readers. It has shaken me to the bone.
I have recently come to know that the proposed beachfront development is not confined to Clifton and the DHA only. The government of Pakistan intends to hand over the entire coastline, stretching from the French Beach to Manora, to Dubai developers to develop.
The plan, of course, does seem to remember that the 17 million citizens of Karachi may need to go to the beach, unfettered by commercial ‘jagga’ tax, so it says that ‘portions’ may be left available to the general public.
We shall remain forever indebted to the government for this benevolence. The plan envisages cancellation of the current ownership of beach huts all along Sandspit and Hawkesbay.
My father, who did not own a beach hut, often brought my brothers and me to the beach. My mother would pack a picnic basket; we would lay a ‘daree’ on the sand, and have what I remember as the happiest times of my childhood.
Sadly, no more… We have to be like Dubai and must have five-star buildings to be able to do that now.
At least not anywhere, from the French Beach to Hawkesbay, to Sandspit, to Manora, to Keamari (crabbing), to Clifton, to the DHA, all the way round to Korangi. If we insist on being anti-development, and ask for a simple, pure beach, we will have to go to Gadani or Thatta. At least for now.
The insanity continues, relentlessly. .
HUSNAIN LOTIA
Karachi
CHANDKA Medical College, Larkana, People’s Medical College Nawabshah, and Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur, are already short of teachers and, therefore, teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students is always less than optimum.
As a result, in addition to academic loss of students, health care facilities are in bad shape at these colleges and hospitals attached to them.
Whenever the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, announces vacancies for teaching staff, a vast majority of teaching faculty at these already deficient medical colleges rush to apply for these posts.
Principals of these medical colleges recommend and forward applications of their teaching faculty members, health department of Sindh issues NOCs for their recruitment at the LUMHS, and the administration at the LUMHS encourages their recruitment and appointment in the Liaquat University.
Consequently, experienced and senior teaching faculty goes on shrinking in these medical colleges, deteriorating the already poor teaching and clinical performance.
This state of affairs is depressing and hurts the interest of students, as well as of the public, who suffer this loss of experienced clinicians and teachers.
So, this flow of clinicians and teachers from the above-mentioned medical colleges to the Liaquat University should be stopped by:
— Refusing NOCs to these faculty members.
— Discouraging their appointment at LUMHS by the university administration.
— Rectifying the grievances of faculty at these medical colleges.
DR M. ALI MEMON
Moro
WE, the residents of Block 6, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Karachi, appeal to the city government to rid us of vendors who occupy the whole street and cause a blockade in front of our houses, leaving no space to leave or enter our houses. They are here from 7am to 9 pm.
Their yelling, braying of donkeys and traffic jams have made our lives miserable.
There are old, sick and young ones living in the area. Sunday is a day when everyone wants to spend it peacefully after a week of tiring jobs, but with this nuisance going on for the past few months, we feel like leaving the place.
If this goes on for months unchecked, no one will like to stay here. Besides the chaos, they litter the whole street with filth and rubbish.
These vendors have stayed on undisturbed by winning police-wallahs over to their side.
The police palms are greased with a 100-rupee note by each vendor. A few weeks back there was a news item (Dawn) that the nazim has stopped the weekly bazaars in some areas, why not this one?
AREA RESIDENTS
Karachi
THIS refers to the article, ‘War on terror: many causes’, by Dr Tanvir Ahmad Khan (March 5). Dr Khan has noted the West’s biased approach, which trivialises every Muslim thinker and every movement in the Muslim world.
The basic trick of denial and derision has been used even by the best of western commentators to deny historical reality and to disown harms of the imperial conquest of Muslim lands.
He has then cited a long essay by novelist Martin Amis who, among other things, offered a lop-sided critique of the well-known Islamist leader, Sayyid Qutb of Egypt. Amis ignored his ideas and any purposeful discussion of Egypt’s long struggle against foreign occupation or against Israel.
Instead, he focused on ridiculing Qutb on his presumed frustrations in dealing with liberated western women encountered during his travels and study in Europe and North America.
But, Karen Armstrong has treated him realistically in her book, Islam: A Short History.
She has noted that while Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966) was the real founder of Islamic fundamentalism in the Sunni world and was greatly influenced by Maulana Maudoodi, yet he hadn’t originally been an extremist.
He had been enthusiastic about western culture and secular politics. However, he was imprisoned in 1956 by president Naser for membership of the Muslim Brotherhood and, in the concentration camp, became convinced that religious people and secularists couldn’t live in peace.
The violent secularism of Naser had led Qutb to espouse a form of Islam different from the recognised one.
As to his attitude towards the ‘liberated’ western women, Amis (like others) appears to be filled with a sense of superiority of the western culture and the backwardness of the Muslims. He fails to understand that a devout Muslim, particularly in the era when Qutb was in the US as a student (possibly some 70 years back), would have had much difficulty in accepting the liberalism of these women.
Just two of my own experiences should serve to elucidate. I had gone to the US as a student a couple of decades back and was not half as religious as Sayyid Qutb would probably have been.
However, I, too, had difficulty in facing some of the ‘liberated’ women. Once, a few months after my arrival, while cleaning my frosted car windows, I noticed a young American woman in her mid-20s come walking up the street. I had seen her in the past as well and realised she must be living further down.
Without paying further attention I continued with the job but on opening the car door was shocked to see her sitting in the passenger’s seat.
Frankly, I was at a loss for words and didn’t even know how to react. I was angry with her for taking that liberty but didn’t want to create any trouble by scolding her – a white woman’s words would, if push came to shove, carry far greater weight than mine.
Before I could say anything, she asked: “Which way are you going?” I promptly replied, “To the (university) library,” because I thought that would show my obsession with studies and lack of interest in her.
She made a face and remarked, “Oh! Going to study on Sunday… can you drop me at the bar?” It was a big relief and I gladly dropped her off, even though it required a detour.
Then there was this middle-aged woman employed by my landlady, who used to come by to the house I shared with a Pakistani friend, for her boss’s errands. We both used to treat her (and any other visitors) with the traditional Pakistani and Islamic hospitality.
However, after a few visits, she indicated in couched words her desire for sexual intimacy. I declined in similar terms, even though at the time I wasn’t very observant of prayers and fasting, but was sufficiently Islamic-minded as to strictly avoid intoxicants or illicit sex, even while having some female students among my friends.
I wasn’t an exception -– there were many other Muslims like me. Was Islam at fault or the western morality?
As Ms Armstrong has noted, the Muslims want to be modern and religious, but not on western terms. However, the West probably finds this rejection of its way of life too painful.
A MODERN MUSLIM
Karachi
I RECENTLY saw a man being robbed. The time was 5.10pm. The place was Submarine roundabout in Karachi.
The victim was coming from Sunset Boulevard and was proceeding towards Schon Chowrangi. He had stopped at the traffic signal. I was also going in a similar manner. There was only one car between the victim’s and my car.
As I stopped, I saw an Afghan boy of about 18 years in dirty shalwar-kameez approach the victim just like beggars approach drivers.
He said something to the driver and then took out his TT from the shalwar just enough for victim to see and hid back the same. He then took money from the victim’s shirt pocket.
I feared that he will approach the car ahead of me and perhaps me but the light turned green, he just crossed the road and boarded a slowly-moving public bus.
It took him only a few seconds. I have myself been mugged twice but that was in narrow streets and at night time but this was during heavy evening traffic. Those who had seen the crime remained silent as lives of the victim and others were at stake. How can this type of crime be stopped? Has anyone any suggestion?
A.G. HABIB
Karachi
IT was on March 15 that some VVIP was in Lahore, for what I don’t bother about. At about 5pm I was on my way back home. On reaching Shalimar Link Road, I noticed armed policemen on both sides of the road. I thought I must hurry to get back home before the traffic jams commence. Meanwhile, my cellphone rang, and like a responsible citizen I stopped my car by the side of the road and started listening to the call.
Within seconds, I noticed a police van advancing towards my car. Then an officer came close and knocked on the windowpane. I slided down the window glass through which he very rudely shouted: “Hurry, hurry, run to your home and listen to it there”.
As most Pakistanis know arguing with these uniformed beings is useless, so I drove my car back home. But I could not help but wonder how much long our homes are safe. The incident left me feeling that I am not a citizen of this country; that I have no right or freedom. Any VIP is more important in Pakistan. I still feel disturbed and am unable to reconcile to what happened to me on that day on Shalimar Link Road.
KHALIL AHMAD
Lahore
“WHAT if nothing comes out of this unrest? His name will still have been carved amongst the few good and honourable things to have happened to this country,” writes columnist Ayaz Amir (‘Madness and arrogance unspeakable‘, March 16).
He is right. No one can deny that. But at the same time one feels it is a turning point in the history of Pakistan and there is no stoppage. Seven years are more than enough to prove some points. If a set-up could not deliver in seven years, must not get a second chance to play with the fate of the nation.
M.T. MAIRAJ
Islamabad
I RECENTLY attended a dinner party at a famous restaurant in Karachi. Before dinner there was a magic show.
Besides many great tricks, the magician produced a dove from nowhere and afterwards he placed the bird in a box and covered it with an opaque cloth. The bird disappeared when he removed the cloth.
Unlike many in the audience, I knew what had happened but I had failed to act at the appropriate time.
The dove always dies in this trick in a merciless manner; there is no other way to do this trick in which the bird doesn’t die.
The dove was crushed by heavy springs at the base of the box and hence gave the impression that it disappeared. Instead it was squeezed to death.
After gaining back control of my emotions, I walked over to the magician and asked him in private about the fate of the bird.
He confirmed the death. I was responsible for the death. It is my humble request to everyone (especially to the organisers of such shows) to spread this information and not push magicians to perform this trick.
SAIRA KHAN
Karachi
DURING his farewell visit to Karachi, US Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker said: “The US and Pakistan are fighting terrorism and nowhere is this fight more important than here in Karachi (March 3).
The statement is appreciated. He cannot be more right as our city is regarded by many as the intellectual capital of Pakistan.
Since the problem is worldwide, the outgoing ambassador may still play his part for what he said.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
THERE is an urgent need to enforce the law prohibiting smoking. Some people do not observe the law such as in government offices, public transport and other public places like parks and shopping areas.
Smoking hurts those who are allergic to it or suffering from a disease or any other problem.
It has been recognised at all levels that smoking not only affects smokers but also others called passive smokers.
FAISAL HUSAIN
Karachi
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