| June 30, 2007 | Saturday | Jamadi-us-Sani 14, 1428 |
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Military role in stability
‘A Mighty Heart’
Energy crisis
Hunting for a CEO
Education budgets
Politics on YouTube
Lal Masjid
Against torture
Dog bites in Peshawar
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
WHAT Pakistan needs are more men like the chief justice who can stand up against injustice, for his rights and for the rights of the judiciary. What we need are more people like the lawyers who have recognised what they're standing up for and against. Desmond Tutu once stated that "if you are neutral in times of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor". What side has most of the Pakistani youth selected?
Who is to stand up against injustice when tragic incidents put our patience and loyalty to test? What are we contributing towards our country as a human race? What characterises the human race?
In his novel Shantaram, Gregory David Roberts writes: "It isn't cruelty or shame that characterises the human race. It's forgiveness that makes us what we are.
Without forgiveness, the human race would have annihilated itself in endless retributions. Without forgiveness, there would be no history. Without that hope there would be no art, for every work of art is in some way an act of forgiveness. Without that dream there would be no love, for every act of love is in some way a promise to forgive. We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive".
How many of us are willing to forgive?
Do we not need to be aware of the facts of incidents and the history behind them in order to forgive or does mere turn-of-face signify as forgiveness.
Does our future lie in forgiveness or revenge? Does forgiveness justify a revolution? I think, yes. The country cannot suffer and deteriorate at the expense of forgiveness paid to corrupt and weak politicians. It cannot fall apart and there should be no more citizens dying in the hands of vultures of greed.
I do not wish to judge the youth of my country but nor do I wish to explain myself. Pakistan has suffered deaths of those who remain anonymous and mere victims of the chess of politics and selfish parties running to gain power and control over cities. The question is, how many of us are willing to sit back and watch live coverage of Geo and Aaj TV and absorb it as just another headline of the day?
How many of us are willing to carry on with our sweet and subtle lifestyles when bodies lie in gutters mere meters away from our palatial homes? How many will blame it upon the corrupt government and not upon themselves till their own brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers who fall dead, pawned in this dirty game of sinful gluttony?
ZOHA WASEEM
London, UK
THIS is apropos of Col (r) K. M. Ismail's letter (June 13) which epitomises the Pakistan army's utter disdain for the opinion of civilians and its indisposition to any form of criticism. It also displays Mr Ismail's grandiose delusions regarding his institution and his selective recollection of the 1965 war.
When he asserts that our army is the "finest machine in the world", he fails to tell us why the finest machine in the world capitulated to one phone call from America.
His inquiry as to where Mr Aitzaz Ahsan was on the fateful day of Sept 6, 1965 is a direct insult to the civilians who became martyrs underneath Indian tanks and played a crucial role in repelling the Indian blitzkrieg from Lahore.
In case Mr Ismail is not aware of what the consensus of history is regarding the 1965 war, it has been thoroughly analysed and laid bare as a massive strategic failure on the part of the Pakistani higher command. What began as an offence into enemy territory ended up as our own desperate defence. Pakistan paid the price for this failure at Dhaka in 1971. An army gains or loses its respect on the battlefield. It is an arm of the government and should be subservient to the houses of parliament and, therefore, to the people of Pakistan.
As far as I know, being a soldier is a profession just like any other. Everyone who is in the army joined it voluntarily and is paid for his duties. Being a soldier does not consecrate one; the Pakistan army must learn to take criticism.
By refusing to leave the political arena, the army is only increasing its hostility against the people of Pakistan. It must abdicate power to the people immediately and unconditionally.
KHWAJA SHAMAAS
Lahore
APROPOS of Zulfiqar Gul’s letter (June 26) applauding Aisha Siddiqa‘s Militanry Inc, I would like to say that blaming the military has become fashion of the day in our country but to be practical one cannot totally regret the Pakistan Army’s role in the stability of the country.
The Pakistan military has saved the country internally from civil war conditions from time to time when the so-called democratic governments have nurtured corruption, and failed to control ethical, regional and sectarian problems in the country.
And the phenomenon of political process without intervention of the army, which mostly our politicians frequently use, I would like to present the example of Afganistan where we have still been waiting for the political process to be accomplished which has made the country a hub of war for decades.
SYED MUJAHID ALI SHAH
Munich, Germany
I READ Ras H. Siddiqui's write-up, ‘A mighty sad movie’ (Images, June 24) with dismay on the recent release in the US of 'A Mighty Heart', a non-fiction drama shot primarily in Pakistan and India which is an authentically jumbled snapshot of the impenetrable, overwhelming chaos of our city of Karachi.
Produced by Brad Pitt and starring Angelina Jolie, the Hollywood production might not be Oscar material but the very fact that the film abundantly reflects Karachi street scenes such as 'Do Talwar', 'Village Restaurant' and DHA locales, coupled with our very own matinée hero Adnan Siddiqui's compelling performance, is reason enough to treat ourselves to watch the film, regardless of how grim or painful the actual events depicted were.
Ras Siddiqui eulogises and gives undue credit to Will Patton as well as to Irfan Khan when he uses 'a strong role' and 'striking role' expression for them while being reproachful of Adnan Siddiqui's role by assigning an adage 'made a number of appearances'. In fact, if anything, Will Patton's 'appearances' were hugely fewer than Adnan's and frankly while I admired Irfan's performance in 'The Namesake', I must say that his performance in this film was 'not worth his salt'.
But more important to us as Pakistanis is the fact that although the producers and directors of the film were at full liberty to use an all-American/ Indian cast (exteriors/street scenes were shot in Karachi, the indoor scenes in India), they venerated the Pakistani audience by providing a pronounced role to a top Pakistani artist in a Hollywood production (the very first time) and Paramount Pictures afforded him high honour by affording and inviting Adnan Siddiqui to the New York premiere on June 13.
I per chanced to be among the couple of Pakistanis present at the prestigious Ziegfeld Theatre in New York where Adnan was given a standing ovation by the audience which included Oscar winners as well as glitterati of both Hollywood and New York City and was overcome with nationalism.
If anything, we should be proud of our very first 'homeboy' Adnan Siddiqui making it in Hollywood in an elevated fashion and can only wish him all success for future roles.
FAISAL BUKHARI
Madison, NJ, USA
PAKISTAN is facing yet another power shortage crisis. There is a dire need for increase in power generation capacity and improvement in the distribution network. The peak demand is expected to increase somewhere between 25,000 to 30,000 megawatts by 2015.
This increase in demand for power in the next few years will require increase in generation capacity of at least 10,000 to 15,000 megawatts. This increase in generation capacity does not have to result as a consequence of the destruction of our environment. We need to consider reducing this power shortage by increased efficiency during usage as well. One particular area that can result in several thousand megawatts of energy saving is the use of adjustable speed motor drives in our industry.
Motors are the workhorse of industry and consumes along with pumps in the order of two-thirds of the total industrial power consumption. Adjustable speed motor drives can save over 40 per cent energy consumed by motors and pumps. The payback period for these drives in industrial applications generally range from a few months to three years. Tax removal on electronics components for assembling these motor drives will result in making these drives economical and will substantially promote the use of these drives in our industry. Motor drives have potential to save in the order of 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts in terms of installed capacity by 2015.
This has benefits for the environment and results in five to six millions tons less of CO2 emission. These drives make our industry competitive and leads also to local motor drive manufacturing, thus resulting in highly valuable job opportunities for electrical engineers and others. There are a number of other benefits such as: the electronics used in these drives have also applications in power generation, power transmission and distribution and transportation. Promotion of drive technology will result in benefiting all these areas, particularly power generation through wind and solar power.
DR ADNAN LATIF
Lahore
THIS has reference to an advertisement (May 27) requiring a chief executive officer, presumably for the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) that is subordinate to the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock, government of Pakistan, Islamabad/Karachi.
All high cadre posts in the PCCC were advertised/filled in by the PCCC/ Minfal. But in the present case, there is a new innovation, which is not understood. Moreover, the parameters for the post are so diverse and well tailored that hardly any person from the outside would fulfil. The superannuation age of retirement from the government or semi-government and private organisations is 60 years.
In the case of the CEO being hunted, it has been kept 60 to 62, which gives the impression as if there is already someone retired in view and strangely the duration of contract service is two years, which is also very amazing. If a CEO comes for two years, half of the time he will take to understand the knotty questions faced by the PCCC that are to be resolved.
What will be the responsibilities of the CEO when the PCCC has already got a full-time vice president to look after its affairs? Will it not clash with the responsibilities of the vice president that the PCCC has got?
The PCCC has been displaced from its own location on M.T. Khan Road, Karachi, and has temporarily housed in a commercial plaza on Sharea Faisal, Karachi. For want of space, as is said, heavy equipment of spinning has also been dumped here and there. The PCCC, in spite passage of good time, has not been able to secure a suitable land for its own building, secretariat and the various fibre-testing laboratories.
Vacant posts have not been filled up at the headquarters in Karachi or CRI in Sakrand (Sindh), CRI, Multan (Punjab), and the other research stations of the PCCC elsewhere in the country.
What is needed is to find out a suitable plot for its building, fill up the vacant posts and at other locations for the PCCC to regain its lost splendour. The earlier the better.
M. S. AHMED
Karachi
THIS has reference to your editorial, ‘Education and budgets’ ((June 25). A huge misconception is that too much funds are given to the higher education sector at the cost of primary education. This is incorrect. The facts are as follows:
— In the current year ending on June 30, the total funds for education amounted to Rs211 billion out of which Rs183 billion was for lower level education and only Rs28 billion for higher education.
— The impression that the higher education sector is getting much more funds than the lower level education is false since the federal budget gives the nationwide allocation for the higher education sector, but only the school college level allocation for Islamabad and federal territories. The rest of the budget for lower level education is part of the provincial budgets.
— In the technologically advanced countries which have developed knowledge economies, the ratio of higher education to lower education is 1:2, or 1:3, while in Pakistan lower education commands about seven times more funds than are given to higher education. In Japan the ratio of higher education to lower education is 1:2.4, in Sweden 1: 3, in the United States 1: 3, etc.
A comparison with good universities in the Far East is particularly revealing as to how far we have fallen behind in the higher education sector.
The harsh reality, therefore, is that a hundredfold increase in the budget for universities is required if they are to be at par in terms of funding with any good university in the Far East.
Pakistan needs sustained increase in investment both at lower and higher education levels.
It must be said that for the first time in the history of Pakistan education is getting the priority that it should have been given 50 years ago. The credit for this goes to President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
The budget of the social sector is being enhanced as more fiscal space becomes available, and we hope the education budget of Pakistan will be about 10 to 12 per cent of the GNP, as has been the case of Malaysia for the last 25 years.
AAYESHA IKRAM
Higher Education Commission
Islamabad
I AM an avid watcher of Pakistani videos available on the popular video sharing website YouTube. Over the last month, there has been a surge in video clips of Pakistani political interviews, talk shows, and rallies. There are many clips that either mock or glorify political figures such as President Musharraf, Imran Khan and Altaf Hussain.
The comments posted in response to these videos are filled with ethnic slurs, abuses, and irrational language; it is unbecoming of a sensible nation. People siding with all political schools depict absolute bigotry in responding to each other. It is sad that most of them actually belong to whatever can be called the educated class of Pakistan. Far from using an international domain like the Internet for showing Pakistan in a positive light, they cannot even engage in a healthy debate.
And then we feel picked on when the world calls us intolerant and backwards.
SAMEER AHSAN
USA
WHEN the ignoramuses of Lal Masjid took the Chinese as hostage, they sent a clear message that they will not stop at anything. They have clearly broken the law. No reasoning, negotiations and appeasement will work with such people. The only language they understand is overwhelming force.
These people have consistently raised the ante and are testing the patience of the government and people of Pakistan. Tolerance on the part of the government is misinterpreted as weakness by the administration of the Lal Masjid. The time has come to hit them hard before they cause more damage.
The people of Pakistan have an uncanny ability to adapt to deteriorating situations instead of taking corrective action. Silence on the part of the silent majority is nothing more than collusion with these terrorists.
MIR ALI
Chicago, USA
I AGREE with all that was said in the editorial, ‘Where torture is common’ (June 27) but would like to add another perspective. Whilst torture is common in Pakistan, and the police, agencies, sometimes the 'elite' are indeed the culprits, for the first time the press actually has the ability to say this openly.
The first part to resolving any problem is to admit that there is one. In this regard the role of the press is commendable as is the role of the government in allowing the press to be so free. I still remember Gen Zia’s regime where it was impossible to be honest about these things and live in the country.
I daresay resolving this issue needs empowerment of the people. You cannot resolve this issue in a state where agencies are all-powerful and the common man does not matter. Having crossed the stage of admitting that there is a problem, I hope that we actually solve it by disempowering the agencies and making them and the police accountable to the public.
Also, the ‘elite’ has to be made accountable for its actions which can only happen if the agencies and the police actually do their job rather than serving either their own or vested interests.
HAROON RASHID
UK
THIS is with reference to the editorial on dog bites in Peshawar (June 24). Unfortunately, many of the dog-bite victims will die horrific deaths from rabies. When interviewed, almost all dog-bite victims admit to applying red chillies, kerosene or some other organic substance into the wound, which actually pushes the virus deeper into the injured tissues.
The logical and proven modality should be to immediately scrub the wound with soap, and wash thoroughly with clean, flowing water for at least five to 10 minutes, followed by application of antiseptic. Good wound care alone can reduce the chances of rabies by 30 per cent and should be done as an immediate first step.
Any severe or deep wound should be injected with rabies immune globulin (RIG) for immediate protection. Both RIG and modern tissue culture anti-rabies vaccine (TCV) are admittedly expensive but life-saving. A less costly, time-tested, safe and effective way is to use low dose intradermal injection according to a given schedule, of the same vaccine that is given intramuscularly.
Other countries have been using this method for decades now and found it effective and economical. Within Pakistan only two hospitals in Karachi have been using this method regularly.
Virtually all is known for eliminating this scourge by controlling the disease in canine populations and by providing World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended post-exposure prophylactic treatment. Failure of treatment results from deviations from WHO management recommendations and lack of quality biologicals. Pakistan and Bangladesh are the only two countries still using the ineffective sheep brain vaccine.
Health care providers must be better educated regarding wound care and post-exposure prophylaxis.
The Infectious Disease Society of Pakistan and Rabies in Asia (Pakistan Chapter) strongly advise all large dog-bite centres to switch to intradermal rabies vaccine. We will be happy to provide the training. We strongly condemn NIH’s inferior sheep brain vaccine.
DR NASEEM SALAHUDDIN
Expert Committee on Rabies for WHO and President of Rabies in Asia (Pakistan)
Karachi
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