| March 27, 2007 | Tuesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1428 |
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The Yunus effect
An internal affair
Have a heart
Mixed blessing
The beaten track
Fisheries and multi-billion dollar tourism
Judicial references
Right direction
Clarification
What peace process?
Sanctions against Iran
Hockey
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 OFTEN wonder why our nation manages to extract defeat from the jaws of victory. I am not talking of cricket. I was able to identify at least three important moments when the history of Pakistan would have changed had we known when to stop and bank our profits.
1. In 1969 an agitation for restoration of democracy was launched by Air Marshal Asghar Khan and others against the Ayub regime. It was no mean achievement that the powerful military government was really shaken. Ayub Khan offered to hold elections within six months and hand over power to the elected leaders. But Air Marshal Asghar Khan was thumping the table and demanded immediate hand over of power. There was no elected civilian leader who could have taken over immediately. The only person who could take over was Gen Yahya Khan, and he did. Air Marshal Asghar Khan and his colleagues did not know when to stop. Having achieved 90 per cent of their goals, they tried for 100 per cent and lost everything.
2. In 1977 the combined opposition launched a campaign against Mr Bhutto. It was no mean achievement that the all powerful Bhutto was ready to meet 90 per cent of the demands of his opponents. But they wanted 100 per cent – Bhutto must go immediately. Bhutto did go, but it was Gen Zia who took over. Our politicians in the opposition did not know when to stop.
3. In 1997 Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah had the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the dock. It was no mean achievement for a judge in a Third World country to be able to summon the prime minister. Even in the West such a situation would be quite remarkable. The chief justice had achieved 90 per cent of the goals and could have accepted an apology. But he wanted a 100 per cent victory. The rest is history. Alas he did not know when to stop!
Today we are undergoing another watershed moment in our history. Will the agitators know when to stop? Will they accept 90 per cent victory or must they lose everything to achieve 100 per cent? The scent of victory is quite intoxicating and it blurs one’s judgment. Will they extract defeat from the jaws of victory? Or will the nation face a coup a la GHQ?
KHALID A.
London, UK
“IN 1940, when Winston Churchill took over the premiership of the United Kingdom, of its empire and its dominions beyond the seas, all he could promise his people was blood, toil and tears. Each of his cabinet ministers recited his tale of woe and sorrow. When it came to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Simon, Churchill cut him off by asking ‘Are the courts working?’ He was told that many of the temples had been bombed, a good number of the law chambers had been burned, but yes, the High Court is functioning normally. ‘Good, then all is well’, was Churchill’s relieved response — and that was the end of that.”
Every sensible person can judge the reasons behind the president’s action to suspend Justice Chaudhry. When the government is committed to remove any official, hurdle in their corrupt, dishonest and evil aims, even an allegation of killing a cockroach is sufficient.
A strong and independent judiciary can bring about social revolution and this is the end of such hope. But it is proved that no one can function against the will of the dictator of the time. It would appear that our leaders are committed to maintain a status quo of corruption, nepotism, and social injustice.
ISRAR HUSSAIN MEMON
Karachi
BANGLADESH, it would appear, is changing for the better. There are good tidings, as is amply clear also from the so-called pause in the battle of the begums, something that had vitiated the political atmosphere in the country for long years, or the anti-graft campaign that’s sweeping through the Dhaka police department.
Clearly, a Yunus effect is already perceptible in Bangladesh, even though the Nobel laureate is yet to seriously challenge the establishment.
Reports about changes in Bangladesh are plenty. They are all small beginnings, though in what should be a long-lasting campaign to clean up the system. Yet, the cumulative effect of what’s happening there cannot but be encouraging. Take, for instance, the reports about the arrest of several senior political figures including former ministers in the ongoing anti-corruption drive, closely followed by the arrest of former premier Khaleda Zia’s son.
The starting point of this campaign was the revamping of the anti-corruption commission with a former army chief at its head as part of the interim government’s anti-draft drive. Now, the people are having a hearty laugh.
How wouldn’t they, when many of the rich and the powerful, who were never questioned in the past, are being made to explain their ill-gotten wealth?
Bangladesh has been named year after year as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, four times in a row. The accusing fingers were directed at politicians and bureaucrats who believed in the theory of making hay while the sun shines.
Muhammad Yunus’s Nobel Peace Prize seems to have helped initiate a change for the better for the country. It is less important whether the party Yunus has launched will win the next elections; more important is that the Yunus effect is already having a positive effect on the nation.
SANA ZAMIR
Karachi
THE US government interferes in the affairs of other countries; they have something to say about everything and about everybody around the world. But when it comes to Gen Musharraf, they declare it is an internal affair of Pakistan.
Only recently, the White House was complaining about Zimbabwe and the treatment it gives to its opposition leaders. It has been voicing disapproval of Mayanmar’s military leadership and their treatment of the opposition leader in that country. The US has also voiced disapproval of the Russian government’s treatment of its opposition.
It has been vocal against China for its alleged ill treatment of dissidents. But when it comes to Pakistan it is the internal affair of Pakistan.
Of course we know it is because the president acts outside the bounds of law to oblige the US government. They know that he will not be able to do this with a strong and independent judiciary. So it becomes the internal affair of Pakistan for the president to humiliate the chief justice of the country.
It is not only the lawyers’ obligation to challenge this illegal act, but it is the duty of every citizen of Pakistan, whether living in the country or outside it, to oppose the present government in this matter.
AKRAM MALIK
Queensland, Australia
THE exit of the Pakistani cricket team from the World Cup does not mean the end of the world or that the heavens are going to fall. The whole nation seems to be collecting stones to receive the cricket team.
For heaven’s sake, have a heart. I am not a cricket fan, nevertheless, as a sportsman I definitely pity such a national attitude. After all, cricket is a game; losing and winning is part of the game, and as such then as good sportsmen, let us not humiliate our already heartbroken team. Rather we should encourage them to prepare for the next round.
Remember at one time, we were the world champions in cricket, hockey, squash and snooker. At that time, the losers did not cease to exist, they tried again and some recovered the lost glory while others are still working hard, for example, in hockey and squash, to regain our lost titles.
I appeal to my countrymen to have patience with our home-coming team and receive them with encouraging words. This will help heal their wounds.
HASHMAT A. KHWAJA
Islamabad
THE judicial crisis in the country is a sort of blessing in disguise. Before this crisis the legal fraternity was in disarray and divided. The political parties were also divided and there was a loose bond of sorts between a few.
It is indeed the vision and foresightedness of the president which saw an opportunity in uniting the various sections of the society into one nation. Had the president not sacked the chief justice of Pakistan, the lawyer community would not have been united. Similarly, the political parties and the masses, all are united against this action. The ‘non-functional’ chief justice of Pakistan should also thank the president that this action brought out to the fore such characteristics in him that were hitherto hidden from the masses. Now people see him as a courageous and forthright man who has stood firm against an unjust action. The people of this country, the lawyers and the political parties, all see in him a ray of hope to put things back into order. Had the president not taken this action, these extraordinary qualities of the chief justice would have remained hidden from the masses.
We thank you Mr President, for all you did for the well-being of this country.
SALMAN NAQVI
Karachi
NOTWITHSTANDING the long list of alleged misconduct, the country’s sitting chief justice should not have been made non-functional and roughed up by Islamabad police. The process of accountability could have taken place in normal course.
President General Pervez Musharraf, has followed the beaten track in this case. During the regime of Mian Nawaz Sharif the Supreme Court was stormed by his party’s henchmen when a bench headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah was hearing a contempt case against him. This resulted in to judicial crisis and dislodging of the sitting CJ.
Thereafter in a sudden move in 1999, Nawaz Sharif sacked Gen Musharraf while he was on a flight back from Sri Lanka for reasons best known to himself and installed ISI Director General Khwaja Ziauddin in his place. Gen Musharraf fought back with the help of his trusted lieutenants and deposed Nawaz Sharif, the elected prime minister.
The judicial crisis in Pakistan is getting deeper since most of the legal community stands by the deposed CJ. In the on-going show of one-upmanship it seems the jurists are going to triumph since — by no coincidence — the sympathies of the opposition will be with them.
LT COL (retd) SYED AHMED
Mississauga, Canada
THIS is with reference to the news items (Dawn, March 4 and 5), titled “Over fishing destroying marine resources” and “Threats to marine resources identified, wherein the Pakistan Mahigir Tehrik chief Zubeda Birwani has pinpointed round-the-clock over fishing, unchecked operation of deep-sea trawlers and use of illegal fishing nets as the main reasons for the big decline in fish catch. On the other hand, the chief of Naval staff, Admiral Mohammed Afzal Tahir, while speaking on ‘key factors’ that could ensure sustainable fisheries said that the area of concern for the maritime sector is marine environmental conservation which is threatened due to over fishing, oil pollution, dumping of industrial waste in the sea and so on.
Why was no mention made of the overpopulation of fishing boats and over exploitation by the 6,000 fishing trawlers and Boats operating from Karachi Fish Harbour (which has the capacity to handle around 1000 boats only) and also of the indiscriminate illegal fish netting using very harmful and destructive nets like Bola, Katra and Gujja in the creeks and breeding grounds for many decades now?
The small fisherman, how-ever, claims that despite the ban on these illegal fishing boats, Bola, Katra and Gujja nets are openly sold and used and the ban is flouted by a powerful mafia and some of their unscrupulous colleagues who own many of these fishing boats and they openly carry on with their nefarious activities.
As an offshore sport fishing promoter for over two decades and a marine environment reporter who first wrote on Karachi’s marine environmental problems (Dawn, May 28, 1987) and subsequently wrote articles on illegal fish netting with photos of illegal fish nets used in our waters (April 28, 1989 and May 4, 1997 respectively).
The following question comes to mind: aren’t major maritime-related agencies like the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority, Karachi Port Trust, Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, the coast guards, Maritime Security Agency, ministry of tourism, ministry of fisheries, directorate of fisheries, directorate of inland fisheries (the list can go on and on) responsible for all the mess and mayhem that has been going on unchecked? All the law regulators sit and watch while the devastation of the marine food chain and eco-system goes on right before their eyes.
Our entire marine habitat and in it a big variety of world renowned saltwater game fish Such as the marlin and tuna (multi-billion dollar tourist product abroad) are also under threat. 2007 is Tour Pakistan Year and our untapped multi-billion dollar tourist product awaits attention from the concerned maritime authorities.
SYED AZIZ AGHA
Pakistan representative,
International Game Fish Association
Karachi
IS it not a fact that many references for judicial misconduct etc are pending against several judges of the High Courts and Supreme Court? But such judges have not been made “non-functional”. Why? The only rational explanation which comes to the mind is that such cases have been held in abeyance, like the hanging sword of Damocles, for obvious reasons
As a democracy and more under the principles of Islamic polity and system of justice it augurs well that the names of all the judges against whom references are pending with the SJC be made public. More so to satisfy public curiosity why they have not been adjudicated upon, or decided as yet. And again why so much haste and hurry against the CJP?
In the present scenario lack of such information and this is said with all respects, the integrity and very composition of the SJC would become doubtful in the eyes of the public at large.
One would then be compelled to reason that SJC is an instrument in the hands of the government in power, whether civilian or military, to use it as a means of oppression, in total disregard of the spirit and the purpose for which it was established under the 1973 Constitution, and not to purge the judiciary of corrupt elements.
WAHID HUSSEIN
Karachi
MR Chaudry (“India’s deceptive shine”, letter, March 18) has come up with a laundry list of problems in the India that is supposed to take the “lustre” off the recent socio-economic growth in the country.
I am sure there are many more items that can be added to this list. The truth, however, is that the two are unrelated. This holds true for any country. You can take the US for instance and generate a list of civil rights abuses, the doings of hate groups, serial murders and drug abuse and question the progress the country has made.
Yes, India has made tremendous progress across all fronts in the last 15 years and yes, it still has a host of problems to address including the problem of secular intolerance in pockets of the country. But none can deny that it is generally moving in the right direction.
KRIP PUNJA
San Francisco, USA
THIS is with reference to the letter captioned “NADRA Blues” by Zahid Mehmood (March 19). It is clarified that the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has developed and handed over the machine-readable passport project to the Immigration and Passport department.
Therefore the operations and policies relating to issuance of passport are solely on discretion of that department.
NABEEL NAJAM
NADRA, Islamabad
THE fourth round of composite dialogue between India and Pakistan has just concluded in Islamabad, where both sides have expressed their desire in promoting peace and announced few more CBMs.
On the other hand, a group of nine young cyclists who started their peace campaign from Maharashtra on March 1 under the banner of Pak-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy have reached Delhi and they are still waiting there for the visa. They have already cycled 1600 miles and are due to cross Wagah for Lahore on March 30.
The Forum had applied for clearance from the ministry of interior on February 24, 2007 but according to them, “the matter is still pending with the higher-ups”.
The delay has created a lot of desperation and disappointment among the enthusiastic young cyclists whose dream is to take the message of peace from thousands of Indians who have met them on their way to the young people of Pakistan.
Isn’t this a contradiction of what our governments have been saying? Why are these officals not interested in promoting the peace process? These young peace cyclists (two girls and seven boys) who have taken such a wonderful and laborious initiative are still waiting to hear from them.
ANIS HAROON
Karachi
IT is very sad to learn that the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran without any proof that Iran is striving to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran has several times declared that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and for fulfilling rising energy demands.
Similarly, Iran has never refused the diplomatic solution to this programme. The United Nations must have provided the security guarantee to Iran just like Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, which could be a constructive approach. Iran, being a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, has the legal right to pursue the nuclear programme for peaceful purposes.
If sanctions are imposed on any country without any proof, then the UN Security Council is nothing but a place of injustice and illegitimacy. Islamic countries at least should take action over this dispute and take some effective measures to find a diplomatic solution to this so-called problem.
HASSAN RAZA HASHMI
Karachi
PAKISTAN defeated India in one of the two hockey semi-finals by two goals to nil in the 1972 Olympic Games held in Germany. I would like to know who scored the two goals from the Pakistan side.
M. SAIFULLAH KHALID
Islamabad
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