| May 16, 2007 | Wednesday | Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1428 |
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Time to legislate on the size of cabinet
Student politics
Farewell grant for retirees
Walking tracks
Extending retired bureaucrats’ services
PIA under fire in NA
Karachi master plan
Red flag
Danger at night
Secularism in Turkey
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
WE ALL know what the morning of May 12 brought for the people of Karachi. In fact, every Pakistani, whether in Pakistan or abroad, could already see the smoke starting on May 11 and was dreading the following day. We were all hoping Karachi would stay peaceful but sadly even with all the fears and speculations, no one was able to stop the unwanted from happening.
There is no need to go in any details now, when so much has been said, heard, seen or written, but I want to ask the government why a single arrest has not been made after the deadly day in Karachi? Is Karachi not a part of Pakistan? It certainly feels that way given how there was a celebration in Islamabad the day Karachi was burning.
FILZA G. SIDIQI
Waterford, Ireland
I WOULD like to ask a few questions: Why did MQM plan a rally on the same day as on the visit of the chief justice?
Where were the security arrangements?
Who were the people roaming around freely with automatic weapons?
If the chief justice had been allowed to carry on with his plan, would this have happened?
If the PPP is using the CJP, isn’t the MQM supporting a uniformed general for power?
What about the fiasco at AAJ TV? Where was the security?
A revolution always starts with the bloodshed (especially if it falls in Karachi) of the innocent. That process has started.
A PAKISTANI
Karachi
A DIVISION bench of the Sindh High Court issued very clear directives on May 11 to the Sindh government to provide foolproof security to the chief justice of Pakistan upon his arrival in Karachi to administer the oath to office-bearers of the Sindh High Court Bar Association.
The bench also mentioned in its directives that the chief justice should be free to decide the route of his journey through the city. In clear violation of the court’s directives, the entire Sharea Faisal was barricaded and the C JP was left stranded at the airport and later forced to leave the city . I hope contempt of court proceedings shall be started against the provincial government.
DR JAMIL HYDER
Oman
Our president said his heart cried when he saw people being gunned down on the streets of Karachi and their properties being set on fire.
Why should anyone believe you Mr President?
I want to ask him what he did to stop the Karachi massacre? No law-enforcement agencies were mobilised nor did the police or Rangers try to intervene or apprehend the shooters. Instead the law enforcers were mere spectators to the bloodbath.
This is a question the president should answer..
SALMAN SALEEM
Karachi
ON May 12 I witnessed total carnage in Karachi and wastage of money in Islamabad. Rallies are a total waste of money and time and in this case many lives were lost. The government seemed like a puppet in Karachi as it did nothing to stop the perpetrators; in fact it was a silent spectator. The whole onus of the blame lies with the government because if it can fire rockets in Waziristan, it can certainly stop the carnage in Karachi.
If one has to lose one’s life during these so-called peaceful rallies, then a ban should be imposed on any kind of rally. If the government cannot sustain peace during these rallies, then all kinds of rallies should be banned. My deepest condolences are with the aggrieved people who lost their relatives during this carnage in Karachi.
OMAR M BUTT
Lahore
THE gruesome events of May 12 in Karachi have saddened every Pakistani except the 'rent a crowd' gathering in front of the presidency in Islamabad, who were dancing the ‘bhangara’, hardly even hearing what their renters were telling them.
I was, however, amazed at the naivety of some TV anchors who repeatedly asked why the events in Karachi had taken place.
The answer to this question is obvious. What was engineered in Karachi on May 12 was that Gen Musharraf wanted to tell the politicians and the media that Pakistan is not as democratic and free as his 'soft image' would have us believe.
The 'real and true' democracy that he has introduced to Pakistan has to work within certain parameters as determined by him and himself alone, particularly in the realm of freedom of movement, speech and expression. So what his supporters in Karachi did or did not do on May 12 was in reference to this doctrine.
Altaf Hussain had a different message for the people of Pakistan. This was that Karachi is his domain and only those whom he allows will come there.
Now it is for the Pakistani politicians and media managers to decide whether they will face these challenges with courage and conviction and without fear of consequences.
AMIR USMAN
Islamabad
THE federal cabinet, including ministers of state and the individuals enjoying the status of ministers / advisers, is perhaps the largest in South Asia, compared to the size of our population. It is the result of the game political big wigs play to pull small parties and other party MPs to inflate the cabinet size beyond requirement. A trick commonly employed to gain majority in the house to capture seats of power. This is a power play at the expense of the poor.
The pay, perks and privileges of a minister are phenomenal. So are his misuse of power and pelf, without any questions being asked by anyone.
As the present assembly is about to complete its term of office, it can do a favour to the nation and revise downward the pay and perks of the MPs and legislate the size of the federal and provincial cabinets. The legislated size of the cabinets should have no room for ministers of state / special advisers / individuals enjoying the status of ministers, etc.
Each ministry/division has a plethora of employees headed by a secretary or a secretary-general in the grade 21 or grade 22, assisted by officers from grades 17 to 20. They are experienced administrators and can run the affairs of their departments without the help of ministers who simply move their tongues but bring no efficiency to the departments concerned. It is the secretaries and their staff who do the real work -- collect data, draw plans and strategies.
The ministers rather impede their efficiency.
Pakistan at best does not need more than 12 ministers, both at the federal and the provincial level. It is only a few core ministries that need to have full-time ministers and other ministers, barring foreign affairs / finance interior, can simultaneously look after other divisions with the help of experienced secretaries.
In fact, the prime minister should invariably head the finance ministry and his 12 ministers should be drawn from each of the four provinces on an equal basis.
Also, if the assembly puts a seal on the size of the cabinet, it will help to eliminate horse-trading.
AIR CDRE (r ) ISHTIAQ AHMAD KHAN
Chaillianwala (Mandi Bahudin)
COLLEGES, universities and other institutions of higher education are not merely meant to educate us in the academic sense, they exist to make us responsible and productive citizens. In other societies where a healthy culture of student politics exists, it helps them to be leaders in different walks of life.
Students’ politics should be seen in the larger social perspective. Ours is a society that is extremely prone to violence, a society where politicising of state institutions has been the norm, a society where education is ranked as one of the most corrupt services of the state. With such a social structure, how do we expect our students to behave ideally?
It was in those violent days of the Zia regime when students were risking their lives by coming to universities that the administration slapped a ban on student unions. It was about the same time that an intellectual decay set in our public-sector universities.
The move back-fired and campuses continue to be political battlegrounds. In connivance with the education bureaucracy, the powerful and resourceful student wings of political parties continue to rule the roost.
It is the idealistic and impassionate lot of students which continues to be affected by the ban.
The ban brought an end to all meaningful student activities on campuses. Today, apart from harassing teachers and students, providing street power to their political rivals, these student organisations serve no purpose.
Though the administration can legally expel all students involved in political activities, it lacks the political will to do so.
In the absence of any meaningful student activity, private organisations have stepped in to promote leadership capabilities in our youth while charging a hefty amount for the purpose. This lack of organisation among our youth has led to a rise of mediocrity in our country. And then we complain that we see no leaders on the horizon.
UMAIR SHAHZAD PURI
Karachi
UNDER the Benevolent and Group Insurance Funds Scheme, families of federal government employees get some financial cover in the event of death of the employee during service.
It is indeed laudable that the Board of Trustees of the Federal Employees Benevolent and Group Insurance Funds has now decided to give farewell grant, increase in sum assured rates and lump-sum grant on medical grounds to the employees.
The farewell grant is especially appreciable as it gives something to the retiring person after his long contribution to the fund.
One thing which is not appreciable is the date of application of the farewell grant. It is applicable from Jan 1, 2006, which means the employees retired before this date have been deprived of the benefit despite their contribution for a long period.
In my case I retired on Dec 16, 2005 after 38 years of service in a defence organisation, namely, the Inspectorate of Army Stores and Clothing at Karachi, but missed the benefit by 15 days.
It is not justified that the board should ignore all those who retired before Jan 1, 2006. Justice demands that the farewell grant should be extended to all, at least to those who retired five to 10 years ago to cover retired employees to some sizable extent. The previous retired employees must not suffer because of the delayed decision of the board.
M. YASIN
Karachi
I AM writing this to bring to the notice of the Karachi city nazim the conditions of the walking track for women on Kashmir Road, initially established by the former KMC some seven years ago. The track has faced its fair share of neglect.
A few years back some of its regular users were able to renovate it with donations from fellow walkers and some sponsorship from National Food. Now once again the track is in a pathetic condition.
Maintenance of the track requires daily watering of the sand bed so that it remains settled and smooth for walking. This is not being done. Furthermore, the sand has not been replenished for a long time and the track itself is littered with stones that make walking difficult.
For old and sick it is difficult to walk on such a track. Two women walkers have already had a fall and suffered fractures.
Another problem is that adjacent to this track is situated a skating rink where children can enjoy themselves, but some portion of the garden bordering the skating rink is now being used to host functions and parties, thus allowing unauthorised persons to frequent the track area. This is encroaching upon the privacy of the women joggers/walkers.
Also, condition of the area has left the adjoining area impossible to access because of the presence of construction machines .
I expect the relevant authorities would look into the matter.
MRS ENAYAT
Karachi
IT is the most unethical and damaging attitude of the foreign ministry to grant extension to retired officials, as if their services are indispensable and cannot be replaced.
There is a wide range of criticism by the media and businessmen about the way the bureaucracy, government officials and diplomats have been discharging their responsibilities for self-promotion during the past five or so years.
There is hardly any notable contribution by these officials in their field of services, with a few exceptions. The status of our diplomats in foreign services is below the mark and shows no progress in improving Pakistan’s image in the areas of their services.
Pakistan has been treated by the international community as if it has lost its sovereign and independent status, who keeps on issuing warnings from time to time about the ‘risks’ involved in travelling to Pakistan.
Western countries and the media have been circulating adverse and malicious reports about Pakistan, and our foreign and commerce ministries have failed to meet the challenges posed by our adversaries.
It will not be taken as befitting tribute to those aged bureaucrats and diplomats who serve beyond their entitlement and live in luxury spending huge foreign exchange on foreign trips and other easements at the cost of taxpayers’ money. Extension of services to these aged and retired officials has denied the entry of bright, intellectual and coming generation who are looking for opening of careers to show their merit and prepare them for playing a role in nation-building activities.
Unless more enlightened generation is inducted into important bureaucratic and diplomatic positions, there will be a great vacuum in a few years and it will be difficult to find capable and upcoming breed of aspiring youths to fill up the challenging positions.
The young generation is greatly disgusted by the lack of opportunities to show their meritorious performance within and outside the country and are inclined to make headway to foreign countries for higher achievement in education and jobs, commensurate with their qualification and status.
Pakistan needs a change in bureaucratic environment for more enlightened approach with zeal to serve the national interest.
RASHID SOORTY
Karachi
APROPOS of the news report, ‘PIA comes under fire in NA’(April 26), it seems the parliamentary secretary for defence, Maj Tanveer Hussain, is living in a dream world. Airbus Industries is not holding its breath, and waiting for PIA to give them a measly order for three or four planes. Please wake up. The European governments do not use a policy of ‘coercion’ to sell three or four planes. Yes! Maybe a 100 planes, they might use coercion, but of a different kind.
Can we please stop dishing out fables in the National Assembly? Mr Parliamentary Secretary, please do not insult, whatever little intelligent life there is in the National Assembly. While on the subject of PIA, I congratulate Mr Zafar Khan on his appointment as managing director of PIA. I really feel sorry for him, as nobody, irrespective of capability, can make PIA into a viable, profitable organisation, as long as it is in the clutches of the government of Pakistan. I dare say that even Mr Jack Welch, the legendary former CEO of GE, would fail in PIA.
Privatisation is the only answer to all of PIA’s problems. The reason for Emirates success is that there is no Islamabad in the UAE.
MIAN SHAUKAT HUSSAIN
Karachi
THE city nazim recently announced that the summary of Karachi master plan 2020 will be placed on the city government's web site to allow people to comment on it.
The summary does not give full details of what is contained in the document. It does not show tables and graphs of population projections, or matching water supply with demand over the next 20 years.
I will request the city nazim to direct the consultants, who have prepared the document, to place full and complete master plan document on its web site. This will also help the students of town planning to learn how a master plan document is prepared.
UZAIR HUSSAIN
Karachi
CAN anyone from either the government or the State Bank of Pakistan explain the logic behind printing our national flag in red colour in the newly-designed Rs1000 note?
Is it some kind of economic tactic to boost our ailing currency or something else? Please explain.
SALMAN KIDWAI
Karachi
THE recently-constructed flyover at the main Sohrab Goth signal has certainly resolved the traffic congestion problem at that intersection, but it gets really dangerous at night since the road markers and diversion warnings are still missing.
If you’re coming towards it from the Gulshan roundabout, the flyover seems to rise out of nowhere and one tends to miss the diversion leading to the road going towards the Water Pump.
Even residents of that locality tend to get confused let alone people coming there for the first time.
It is an extremely busy thoroughfare and I urge the authorities concerned to look into this matter at the earliest.
SYEDA FAZILAT JAFRI
Karachi
THIS has reference to Jalal Ahmed’s letter about Turkey’s democracy (May 11).
The writer is certainly no historian but that is not my concern. What I found offensive was the questioning of the support of secularism in Turkey.
The Turkish constitution is more than 80 years old and has withstood the test of time. Mustafa Kemal Pasha is revered as Attaturk, `Father of Turks’.
If the policy of secularism did not have the support of the Turks, it couldn’t have lasted this long.
I have lived several years in Turkey and have been greatly impressed by their love for Pakistan and its people.
Mr Ahmed should visit that country and experience that before embarking on a tirade against the founder of modern Turkey.
ARSHED SAEED
Karachi
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