| July 07, 2007 | Saturday | Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1428 |
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Relations with Kabul
Storming redoubts of autocracy
Dilemma for students
Islamic banking
Kidnapping & hostage negotiations
More playgrounds too
Unfair awards
Lost opportunity
Plea to TV channels
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
THE idea of strapping an explosive to your chest and waiting to detonate it when in the presence of many civilians sounds like nothing more than a heinous act of violence. To the average person this sort of activity seems like pure insanity.
A suicide attack is not a simple matter; it is strategic and well-thought-out. The people who volunteer themselves for this are not insane; rather they are fully aware of their act and understand its implications. After thorough research on these people it has been found that they are not anger-driven mad men but instead educated and purely level-headed. These people who implement these attacks are in supply to those who want to inflict terror.
Suicide attacks can be understood from an economic point of view. In this economy the organisation perpetrating the attacks would be the firm. In this firm the supply and demand are huge factors that determine the success of the firm.
A sad truth in this economy is that the restriction of attacks is not the lack of supply but instead the demand. The only way to rid places of such attacks is to reduce this growing supply. There is a clear reason why people join this supply and it is a combination of hatred, defeat, and injustice against them as a people.
The Arabs of Israel do not engage in suicide attacks while, on the other hand, Arabs of Palestine in Gaza are waiting for their turn. The difference lies in the fact that Arabs of Israel have more economic opportunity and there is not as much anger against Israel but that is not the case with Palestinians.
Politics and economic status highly affect the thinking of people and it is not always a religious basis, though religion is an important factor. Religion plays the role of the after-effects. People believe that dying for their religion gives them a one-way ticket to heaven. Having this motivation as well as political oppression sends someone to the front of the line to give up their lives for a cause.
Suicide attacks are nothing new to the world: they date back to the Lebanese Civil War, the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka, Palestinian groups, and more recently Al Qaeda. One question then lingers about these attacks, why suicide?
Well, first of all, weapons are easily concealed and there is an increase in the ability to attack highly-guarded targets. There is no need for an escape plan and no rescue teams. Most importantly, it sends a clear message that the attacker is more than willing to sacrifice himself in order to cause damage to his target. These acts go beyond revenge and they leave behind more than physical damage. The end of such attacks is not near seeing as how political and economical imbalance will never cease to exist. The answer to a direct threat to a nation should not be based on idea of vengeance. A great mind once said: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” sadly we live in the age of pure sightlessness.
SANAM KALHORO
Hyderabad
DESPITE many disturbing elements, the peaceful role of Pakistan in Afghanistan throughout the decades has been praised by the international community. From the Bonn conference to the transition of government, Islamabad has supported and encouraged the American-led Karzai regime.
It played a pivotal role in stability, peace and security, besides undertaking the work of infrastructure in war-torn Afghanistan. Recently, it has floated a comprehensive development plan. The prime minister of Pakistan has identified various zones or areas in Afghanistan and Pakistan where investment is badly needed.
To avoid border skirmishes and cross-border terrorism, Pakistan has deployed more than 90,000 soldiers, and established 900 border posts. It is believed that national security, viable representative institutions and the rule of law are the essential pre requisites for development.
The Ankara declaration in April 2007 was expected to start a new era of goodwill between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Both sides vowed to promote peace, security and stability in the region. However, the declaration has yet to be realised. The need of the hour is for both countries to identify their common enemies, issues and problems and work together towards that stability.
They must promote trade and commerce, enhance and strengthen cooperation in all fields and promote public-private partnership. The media should play its due role in defusing the tension and promote harmony in the region. It is important for the blame game and propaganda to cease and a Track II diplomacy must be initiated.
PERVAIZ A. MAHESAR
Via email
THIS refers to Ayaz Amir's column, ‘Storming the redoubts of autocracy’ (June 29). I do not know whether one should feel happy or sad to discover that a writer of the stature of Mr Amir has decided to attend an all parties conference scheduled in the UK.
Nevertheless, besides political observations which he may make, I would like to request him to find out (through observations or discussions) which party participating in the APC has a financial wizard like Mr Gordon Brown, the new prime minister of the United Kingdom, who was till recently the chancellor of the exchequer or a person like Mrs Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister.
Will Mr Amir be able to find persons equal to the above two personalities who transformed the UK from a deficit and redundant society into a shining and thriving economy of the world?
I wish he will be able to find persons who can ride the bureaucracy and turn this hapless poor and underdeveloped nation to prosperity and sustained development as it took place in the post-World War Japan. I would also request him to take out time and visit London's docklands area and its railway, but not to forget to learn three decades’ history of this very area when it was a stinking slum like Lyari.
It is also worth knowing that how the UK disinvested/privatised its state-onwed mega assets like its railways, and now its public transport system is one of the best organised and runs for the comfort of its citizens.
Last but not the least, it is worth learning how the UK’s local bodies (local councils) worked to eliminate poverty instead of becoming the chief cause of increasing it.
M. IBRAHIM FARUQI
Karachi
MY daughter, when joining the DHA Government College for Women in 2005, took up mathematics, economics and statistics as her principal subjects of study, for she was informed by the college that the Karachi University will award her a BSc degree since she had studied both mathematics and physics for her General Certificate of Education A level examinations of Cambridge University, UK.
However, at the end of the year, only a few months before her final examinations, she was informed by the college that she will have to change her degree programme from BSc to BA as KU, strangely enough, will be not considering her A level subjects as science, from year 2005 onwards. Consequently, within the short period, she had to rearrange her study programme in a rush which obviously caused her great deal of anxiety and tension.
Could KU enlighten us as to why mathematics and physics are not considered science subjects by it? No form of scientific endeavour can be undertaken without involving mathematics and physics. The two all-time great scientists of the world, Newton and Einstein, were mathematicians as well as physicists. KU appears to be still operating with a mindset of mediaeval ages. Modern institutions like LUMS in Lahore are awarding BSc degree in economics alone.
The DHA College also stands responsible for misleading the students by publishing its prospectus as it did.
My daughter is disheartened, to say the least, by this sudden change of policy by KU. What are we teaching our younger generation? Inconsistency in what our institutions promise and what they deliver?
I would sincerely suggest to the KU authorities to reconsider their policy and award BSc degree to students like my daughter who studied the subjects mentioned above for their A level and bachelor’s degree.
MUSHTAQ A. PIRACHA
Karachi
APROPOS of SBP chief spokesman Syed Wasimuddin’s letter, ‘Islamic banking’ (July 1), I would highlight a few ambiguities as under:
First, the SBP policy contradicts itself when it allows two parallel banking systems, viz., conventional and Islamic banking, implying that the one is Islamic whereas the other is un-Islamic. The amalgamation of ‘haram’ and ‘halal’ is strictly forbidden in the Shariah, reference 16:116 (Quran).
Second, the spokesman’s reference to the apex court verdict that the SBP is stringently complying with the Shariah in the light of the said judgment needs judicial scrutiny. This landmark SC judgment was announced vide “PLD 2000 SC 770”, commonly known as Dr Aslam Khaki’s case.
The SBP was allowed one-and-a-half years to do away with the ‘conventional’ banking and conform fully to the Shariah for its Islamic banking model.
The Muslim world luminaries have contributed towards arriving at more than 700 pages of case law. One can gauge the unhappy situation browsing Mr Justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmad’s book, Scales. He is one of the authors of the referred case law. I requested Mr Justice Ahmad for further elaboration. More of my views have been given in letters (March 4, 6 and 24).
MOHAMMAD AHMAD
Karachi
APROPOS of a number of letters about kidnapping and safety measures published in these columns recently, I would like to say that kidnappings have occurred since the beginning of recorded history. In ancient times, kidnap victims were normally rescued by use of physical force. But today to tackle with kidnap and hostage situation the rescuers might have to involve themselves in prolonged delicate negotiations. As experience in many cases has proved, the longer the duration of negotiation process the chances are brighter for the victims to survive and get free from their captors.
If the hostage takers are professional criminals, they are concerned with saving their own lives and attempting to arrange any deal possible. If they are mentally ill, they may have taken on an extreme form of seeking attention or help. If they are terrorists, prolonging the incident better serves their political agenda and, of course, improves their chances of emerging alive.
In addition, terrorists have an overwhelming likelihood of being able to negotiate their freedom and safe passage in such situations. If a person is kidnapped for ransom, then his or her family or company should expect a call from the kidnappers soon, which is normally made by cellphone regarding their demand for ransom or any other demand for the safe release of the victim.
Therefore, people should know how to respond to such calls and what procedure to follow. If this happens, your initial responses are extremely important. Keeping this in mind, develop procedures to follow in such an emergency as under:
a. Upon receiving a hostage allegation you should first try to ensure the safety of any possible hostage and ascertain the legitimacy of the claim.
b. Most extortion messages are received by cellphone. Do not underestimate the seriousness of any extortion call. Any threat should be treated as legitimate until an investigation determines it is a hoax.
c. Try to note caller’s accent: local, regional, foreign, etc.
d. Also try to note identifiable background noises, music, office machines, factory, street traffic, voices, etc. , when caller is taking to you.
e. When talking to the caller on phone, remain calm and obtain as much information as possible. Complying with hostage-taker’s demand is not a simple matter, since the caller may be under stress.
f. If the extortion demand is received in writing, do not handle the document, put it into a protective envelope immediately to preserve any fingerprints for police investigation.
g. Take note of the entire conversation and, if possible, ask to speak with the alleged hostage and have someone also monitor the call and/or call the authorities concerned.
h. If you are convinced somebody has in fact been taken hostage, do not press any point and be very cooperative.
i. Finally, maintain absolute secrecy about the situation. Information should be given on a strict a need-to-know basis both within and outside the organisation/ your house until the hostage is safely returned.
All these points when noted by you will be of great help to the police and hostage negotiators in handling the situation and rescuing the victim.
It may not be possible for you to handle the situation and meet the hostage-taker’s demand, so it is better to take help immediately from the police / Citizen-Police Liaison Committee since they have trained negotiators and specialised units to deal with the abductors and timely rescue of the victims.
SQN LDR (r ) S. AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
THE construction of a number of parks in Karachi is heartening as it has added to the beauty of the city and provided some recreational facilities. However, in their zeal for parks, authorities have announced the construction of the world’s greatest park. The world’s second highest water front is another example of our penchant for things grand in style but the less said about its utility and whether it, along with the world’s great park, should be on our list of priorities are questions never asked.
Authorities should realise that there is an acute shortage of playgrounds or open playing fields for children and the youth. Encroachment drives, even on main roads, and in mohallah streets by exploiters, shopkeepers and, in some cases, by residents themselves has turned localities into suffocating and disgusting slums.
It is painful to see that young ones do not find open places where they can play some sports or games. This dearth of open playing fields has shifted their attention to passive pleasures such as watching more TV playing on or using the computer. There are many downsides to this.
This shortage of playing areas has compelled young ones to play in the streets or on whatever little space is available in the vicinities which creates chaos and results in discomfort for the residents. The sight of young children playing in the compound walls of highrise buildings with scant or almost no space amid the incoming and outgoing cars is discomforting for caring individuals.
RAJABUDDIN
Karachi
ACCORDING to a news item in your newspaper, "All the educational boards of the province have unanimously proposed to award two per cent grace marks to all the candidates who have taken this year’s examinations" (July 2).
I would like to point out that in Sindh, and rest of Pakistan too, different systems of examinations are in practice and different boards and universities are conducting examinations under their own system. For example, O level and A level students appear in examinations conducted by Cambridge and Oxford Universities.
All the students who appear in examinations – whether from provincial boards or other boards – finally compete for admission to different colleges at intermediate and degree levels and their merit is decided on the basis of marks obtained in examinations. If students of provincial boards are awarded two per cent grace marks, then students of other systems – who will not get these grace marks - will be at a loss.
I request the authorities to find a solution to this discrimination.
S. MOHAMMAD YAQOOB
Karachi
THE government has announced that it will allot 250,000 plots for low-paid employees. The assistance the poor need looks long in coming. The government should also explore the possibility to accommodate the large number of the leftover poor in the scheme.
Had the programmers done a token homework before the announcement, they would have been able to throw some light on their plan. No wonder, then, the government would have won the poor men’s heart and mind, an opportunity it lost. Maybe the idea was a delayed thought which found its place in the budgetary speech.
Z. A. KAZMI
Karachi
THIS has reference to the ongoing operation against the rebels holed up in Lal Masjid. One fails to understand why the electronic media is paying so much attention to the villain who is responsible for the deaths of so many people, and is enjoying and basking under the publicity sun.
This man deserves to be ignored and kept off the mini-screen as far as possible: the media can every hour spend a few minutes on the latest developments. It has to be noted that the same footage is being repeated which is forcing the viewers away from the idiot box.
The media would be at liberty to show important developments as and when it happens. Let us not treat "Ghazi", who is a criminal, as a hero.
SHAMSHAD KHAN
Karachi
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