| May 18, 2007 | Friday | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 01, 1428 |
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PIA’s delayed flight
Uncertain economic outlook
More masters, not fewer
Action against Imran Farhat
Environmental hazard
Diary pages
Thanks
One language
In memory of Hammad
Seeking information
Apostasy law
Time to invest
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
RECENT developments in the political and judicial crisis are narrowing options for President Musharraf. He is left only with one option if he wants to stabilise the situation.
He has to forgo his egoistic behaviour for any sort of compromise and negotiation. If he can go, meet and shake hands with the Indian prime minister to show that he is an open - minded person and is willing to do any thing and everything for the sake of peace, why can’t he seek a compromise with his own people?
His reluctance is creating doubts in the minds of the entire nation that there are certainly some interests at stake which hinder the president from doing so. I would request President Musharraf for working towards some sort of solution, compromise and, if possible, withdrawing the reference against the chief justice.
He should not see it as the government’s defeat. He will win the hearts of the entire nation. He will be able to claim that he can, and is, willing to exert all his efforts for peace and stability in the country.
ASADULLAH NIAZ
Lahore
WHEN a leader dies, the whole nation mourns and grieves till the time someone steps in and takes the lead. However, sometimes certain losses are so colossal that the mourning goes on for years, with no hope of someone coming forward and rescuing those who need support during trials of economic and political strides.
Pakistan is suffering from the same trauma. Since the death of its founder to the present day not a single soul with honesty and dignity has stepped forward to rescue the ill-fated Pakistanis and even after 60 years of its existence, the nation is still an orphan in terms of leadership.
There are many so-called leaders on the frontline today; they may be the guardians of justice or the guardians of the land, every action they take and every false claim they utter brings nothing other than increased grief and agony for the poor civilians.
It is very true that 'once an orphan, always an orphan'. It applies to people and even a country which has no one to rescue it from those who are just there to play with the fate of the youth and diminish all hopes of economic and political stability in their lives.
This country was once created so that people could live peacefully, knowing that their armed forces are there to protect them, and at the same time breathe in the air of justice and tranquillity.
However, look at this nation today where neither the civilians can trust uniformed men nor can they demand justice from those who once were appointed to promote law and order within society.
Today when these guardians are busy rallying against each other and blaming each other for the disastrous events in Karachi, there are many mothers in this country who are mourning the death of their sons who had taken guns in their hands.
It’s time that we as civilians must realise that instead of putting our lives in the hands of our political leaders and trusting them, we must learn to trust ourselves and unite against those who are neither honest with this country nor with the people.
MARIAM FATIMA
Karachi
MY wife and our two infants were booked on a so-called direct flight (PK 795) from Islamabad to Chicago on May 12. This flight was, however, routed via Karachi, where it was stranded for over 25 hours, because Karachi's airport was under siege, by none other than the major coalition partner of the present Sindh government.
My wife and two small baby girls had to spend over 24 hours inside the international departure lounge, with bare minimum facilities, while sounds of gunfire added to their miseries.
I would like to question PIA authorities about the ethics of business and their respect for customer satisfaction. My first question is why was a flight meant to go from Islamabad to Manchester to Chicago -- for which I paid the premium price -- routed via Karachi?
The second question is that when all entry and exit roads to Karachi had already been blocked by midnight of May 11, what contingency plan had PIA made and why were passengers made hostage within the airport departure lounge, when neither the airline, nor the law enforcers had any writ to enforce rule of law and protect passengers from harassment?
My third question is when the city and the provincial government failed on May 12 to protect the lives and property of citizens, is this not likely to occur again, if the same party wants to show its brute force?
Is Karachi a safe airport for use by international passengers, when it can be so easily put under siege, flights cancelled or delayed, with no questions asked by either law-enforcement agencies, or a ruling coalition party in command of the situation?
IMRAN SHEIKH
Texas USA
IN your editorial, ‘Uncertain economic outlook’ (May 1), you have rightly pointed out that multilateral donors' representatives attending the meeting of the Pakistan Development Forum convened at Islamabad have not shared the government's assessment of economy during fiscal year 2007.
Here I would restrict myself to one issue, i.e., the claim of five million new jobs purported to have been created in the country during 2003-06.
It is a well-known fact that in the public sector fresh appointments are almost banned, at the instance of the World Bank, for the last so many years, thanks to "reform and restructuring/downsizing", and in the private sector thousands of people are rendered jobless due to privatisation of many public sector organisations.
Incidentally, a few days ago I happened to meet an official working in the statistical department. I discussed the issue of 'new jobs' with him.
To my utmost amazement, I was told that the new employment basically is hypothetical, as it is worked out on the basis of labour working on daily wages in construction of roads per kilometre.
For instance, if 100 people are employed on a stretch of road measuring 10 kilometres, the entire road network under construction in the country are multiplied with this ratio, resulting in creation of total number of new jobs. Isn't it fascinating?
AMJAD ALY SHAIKH
Karachi
AS A former student of the Quaid-i-Azam University who did his master’s in political studies, it is disturbing to hear that the university is discontinuing its degree programme. It is strange that the university did not take new admissions in the current semester, considering all the government’s slogans of promoting higher education.
This country is in need of political scientists as much as it is in need of engineers, doctors or IT professionals. Political Studies is even more desirable in a country where the political system is a constant source of debate.
It addresses questions like secularism versus theocracy, democracy versus Islam, parliamentary form of government versus presidential form of government, independence of judiciary, the role of military in politics and, most important of all, the political consciousness of its common public.
In today’s world, in order to face external challenges, the need of the hour demands we prepare ourselves in every walk of life.
We will need people who understand the necessities of real politics at international level and can help muster domestic support for foreign policy issues.
We will require people who can educate others about how nations around the world have taken an active role in defining their own political systems.
We need our own scholars to have a say rather than letting our people hear about all kinds of theories by the Huntingtons of this world.
It is not only the government which needs the support of ‘think tanks’ but the nations too needs political scientist. They can provide the vision and understanding of the complexities of the global world dominated by capitalism.
My point about the need for more higher studies in politics, forget discontinuing the current programme, is made more valid if readers have failed to understand the political jargon in this letter.
The time demands of the nation that they be aware of themselves, their rights and the ways to achieve those rights other than war. Put simply, they need to be aware of politics.
In the light of all this I hope that the master’s programme of Political Studies at the Quaid-i-Azam University is restarted. I would specially like our education minister Javed Ashraf Qazi and HEC chairman Dr Atta ur Rehman to take notice of this plea.
AHSAN ISHAQ
Rawalpindi
I HAVE just been reading on the Internet about whether disciplinary action will be imposed on Imran Farhat for asking the Pakistan selectors about the reasons for his exclusion from the current Pakistan ODI squad.
I could hardly believe my eyes when the article reported that one of the Pakistan selectors said that “no player can ask the selection committee about the selection criterion”.
Mr Salahuddin Sallu, the new chairman of the selection committee, is reported as saying that an inquiry from a player about selection matters is ‘unacceptable’ and the article then continues with the ludicrous assertion that “it has never happened in any part of the cricket-playing world that a player would approach the selectors directly.”
What complete nonsense! It is a widely known fact that several English players, including Monty Panesar, have spoken openly to the chairman of the selectors in recent years to ask what they need to accomplish in order to be selected for the England team. England may not be Pakistan, but it is certainly an important “part of the cricket playing world”, and here it has been welcomed as a positive step, the results of which are there for all to see.
My hunch is that the same kind of cooperative dialogue between players and selectors regularly goes on throughout most of the cricketing world, contrary to the claims made by the article in defence of the current Pakistan selectors. Surely, as long as selections are to be made on merit alone, and not for personal ends, this kind of dialogue should always be seen as positive and essential. After all, the players and the selectors are members of one team, are they not? Should they not discuss with each other the business they are in?
But then again, perhaps Pakistan cricket wishes to turn its back on intelligent principles of team development and continues in its sad decline, which, on this evidence, looks set to become terminal. Who are these unapproachable demagogues anyway? They’re a bit full of themselves, aren’t they? Or perhaps they have something to hide?
CHRIS RALPH
Wiltshire, UK
SMOOTH road links, controlled flow of vehicular traffic, unblocked sewerage system, easy means of transportation, security for life, pure drinking water and the pollution-free environment for healthy living are the basic indicators that make a city worth living.
Unfortunately, the mega-city of Karachi in Pakistan, as compared to other big cities of the world, is yet to develop all said qualities on required standard even after 60 years of independence of the country.
While the population of Karachi has grown many times, the development of city was neither sincerely visualised nor planned, keeping in view the rapid growth of residency along with its resultant impact on facilitation of basic amenities of life.
For a healthy nation, healthy living environment is an essential factor, which has always been ignored.
Not only the government but it is the equal responsibility and moral duty of each citizen to keep the city clean.
But much depends on the basic facilitation by the government. No doubt, the ongoing historic developments during the last two years in Karachi are encouraging and commendable.
Gulistan-i-Jauhar has grave environmental hazards. All kinds of established green trees have been dug out alongside main roads, greenery at traffic islands completely dried up due lack of watering for a long time and this part is now being used as garbage dumping area by the Cantonment Board Faisal (CBF), footpaths smashed, roads bulldozed, sewerage water flowing over roads/streets and stranded in isolation, mountains of dug mud left uncleared which blows with the wind causing dusty atmosphere, noisy and smoke-emitting vehicles move around creating irritation in temperament and give birth to various other diseases.
The reason for negligence is perhaps the dual control of Gulistan-i-Jauhar by CDGK and CBF.
The KWSB has dug main and service roads for laying underground pipelines in a haphazard manner.
It digs one area and starts digging other without completing the job on the area earlier dug. Neither the pipes are fixed nor is the dug surface levelled, which resembles a hilltop passage causing hindrance in the smooth movement of people.
There are no garbage containers placed around to deposit waste by residents. In existing practice, the garbage is dumped on the green area or anywhere on streets which stray animals and scavengers rummage and leave the rest to scatter around, creating worst environmental hazards.
The ministry for environment, CDGK, CBF and all relevant quarters should ensure provision of basic civic amenities of life to the residents of Gulistan-i-Jauhar in the larger public interest.
MALIK S.M. REHAN
Karachi
A LETTER by Mr Abid Mahmud Ansari (May 10) tries to quote Field Marshal’s book, Friends Not Masters. Ayub Khan writes about the appointment of the chief of army staff. Two generals were shortlisted out of a list of about five candidates for the post. These were Gen Sher Ali Khan and Gen Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan.
Finally, Gen Yahya Khan was appointed army chief. Reason for rejecting Gen Sher Ali Khan was quoted as: “I cannot hand over command of Pakistan Army to a person who has come from across the border”.
Mr Ansari seems not to have read Friends Not Masters, which ends on Jan 2, 1965, page 241. The appointment of Gen Yahya Khan as commander-in-chief just could not figure in the book as he assumed command in September 1966.
Handing over to the speaker by Ayub Khan has also figured. I produce the Field Marshal’s entry in his diary on March 21, 1969 and leave it to the readers to decide if it could have taken place keeping in view the reaction of Gen Yahya Khan: “Called the law minister and Altaf Gauhar to discuss Mr Manzur Qadir’s recommendations. They both felt inclined to accept them and call the Assembly for carrying out necessary amendments to the constitution. Of two items agreed with the opposition, Adult Franchise and Parliamentary Form of government, I told them to hold consultations with the Defence Minister, the Commander-in- Chief and the Home Secretary and then come to me. Which they did midday. The Commander-in-Chief told them that the situation was far worse than they imagined. Gen Yahya was annoyed and said that the new governors cannot carry out miracles nor can the constitutional changes calm the situation. He will carry out his duty to the country. It was clear as to what Gen Yahya Khan was heading for”.
GOHAR AYUB KHAN
Islamabad
THIS is to thank the Pakistan Communication Ltd Company for fixing my telephone promptly. My telephone number had been swapped by mistake, and the PTCL fixed it on the day my letter appeared in Dawn. My thanks go both to PTCL and Dawn.
A SUBSCRIBER
Karachi
I WANT to advice the people of Pakistan to please speak in one language throughout an event. Please do not utter one sentence or word in English and the other sentence or word in Urdu when addressing an event.
By mixing the languages we are confusing people and showing our ignorance.
ASHER KHAN
Illinois, USA
I AM writing this letter with a heavy heart, to mourn the death of a dear friend, Syed Hammad Raza, additional registrar of the Supreme Court, Pakistan, who was murdered at his home in Islamabad a few days ago.
I knew him for the past 15 years when he was a student like me at the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. Hammad was a brilliant student and earned a chancellor's gold medal at the completion of his studies at the university. He had amicable demeanour combined with a sharp wit.
He was selected in the DMG group after being placed among the top10 candidates in the CSS examinations of that year. Hammad spent many years of his service in Balochistan before being transferred to Islamabad as additional registrar of the Supreme Court.
If whatever has been written in the print media is true, and I have no reason to think otherwise, since he had no enemies, then Hammad died a martyr. He laid down his life for the sake of his principles and for the sake of his country. What has not appeared in the media is that he was the only son of his old parents.
My heart goes out to the plight of his parents, particularly his mother, his wife and his children. May Allah bless his soul, and shower His benevolence and mercy upon his bereaved family.
MUHAMMAD Z. KHAN.
Philadelphia, USA
FOR research purposes, I am collecting information on the following members of the third Nawab family of Dhaka, Bangladesh: Nawab Khwaja Muhammad Yusuf Jan (Dhaka Municipality Chairman; 1850-1923), Nawab Khwaja Muhammad Afzal (Persian poet, pioneer in photography in East Bengal and collector; 1875-1940) and Khwaja Muhammad Akmal (an actor of the first East Bengal movie, ‘The Last Kiss’; 1910-1970).
I will greatly appreciate if a reader of this esteemed daily can provide me with any information (publication, picture, memoir, personal experiences or any words of mouth) on them. My contact email address is: dhaka.nawab@gmail.com.
DR M. EMAD
Oxford, UK
I FIND it unbelievable that an apostasy law is even being considered. Has the continual gross abuse of the existing blasphemy law not taught us anything?
What is even more inexplicable is the fact that no one seems to be willing to challenge the bearded ones on their bigoted agenda.
What part of “there is no compulsion in religion” is so difficult to understand? There is nothing Islamic about a blasphemy law or an apostasy law.
S. ALI ATHAR
Kuwait
I WOULD like to ask our dear prime minister if Pakistan’s climate is still “ideal for investment”?
Oh I am sorry. I wonder if somebody has even bothered to inform him about the crisis this country’s going through.
ADIL SHAFI AFZAL
Karachi
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