| August 21, 2007 | Tuesday | Sha’aban 7, 1428 |
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Merchant of menace
Lahore versus Karachi
Being fair to maids
Territory under terror
Long live Pakistan and India
We are our own enemies
Farewell to Bush’s brain
Meeting electricity shortage
What’s to celebrate?
Billboards
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 President recently inaugurated the National Defence University at Islamabad. Previously known as National Defence College, the new university will have the Army, Navy and Air Force staff and war colleges as its affiliate units.
While respective staff colleges educate the middle cadres in the conduct and execution of staff duties, the NDU, the highest tier of formal learning in the armed forces, tutors officers in the operational and grand strategies. From these institutes, a fairly large number of officers belonging to friendly countries also graduate each year.
At each stage, the course of study stipulates intense individual, as well as collective, research activities. This includes both professional and academic subjects ranging from nuclear matters to geopolitics, geostrategic, as well as domestic and local problems. ‘Inquiry’ into these issues and protracted discussions enable the participants to develop a sharp understanding of the subject. An individual research dissertation also leads to the award of a master’s degree.
Over the years armed forces academic institutes have produced some first rate research work. Except for occasional submission to respective headquarters or publication in local journals, little use has, however, been made to integrate the studies as a workable source of input in the ‘decision making’ at military or national level. This despite the fact that on several occasions the papers read out and presentations made at these forums are attended and argued by the country’s top military and civil hierarchy.
The classified or shifting nature of some subjects’ aside, armed forces institutes of higher learning have come a long way in grooming future generation of military officers. The ongoing affiliation process of the NDU could be made meaningful if certain steps are initiated now. These include expanding and harnessing the research potential as well as institutionalising and integrating key research studies in the ‘military and national decision-making loop.
Additionally, steps like ISO certification, establishment of a central research database, software to check plagiarism, computer-based war gaming and close collaboration with public and private research centres or universities, besides adding to the quality will go a long way in promoting and widening research base.
Realisation of these steps will bring the NDU at par with some of the internationally acclaimed institutes like the NDU, Washington, wherefrom future Pentagon officials and policy architects of the United States graduate each year.
CMDR (r) MUHAMMAD AZAM KHAN
Lahore
JAPAN observed the 62nd anniversary of the first dropping of atomic bomb over Hiroshima on Aug 6, 1945 and three days later, i.e., Aug 9, on Nagasaki, towards the end of World War II.
Hiroshima was utterly devastated, more than 10sqkm was obliterated with very heavy damage outside that area. Casualties totalled at least 137,000 out of a population of 343,000: 78,150 were found dead and others died later.
Of Nagasaki’s population of 212,000, 73,884 were killed and 76,796 injured, not counting the long-term victims of radiation.
So, the US became the first and the only country of the world to develop and use a nuclear device against civilian population of ready-to-surrender Japan.
The US never hesitated to supply and use weapons of mass destruction against the innocent people of the world. Be it in Japan, lraq, Vietnam, or Afghanistan, and the US sold Saddam the components for chemical weapons with which Saddam drenched Iran and the Kurds, the US encouraged Saddam to invade Iran in 1980, in which 1.5 million people died. Was it itself not a great war crime? In Iraq, the US perpetrated mass killings in 2003, again with nuclear weapons, i.e., depleted uranium shells, bunker busters and phosphorus shells.
The US used depleted uranium shells in Afghanistan also to destroy the famous Tora Bora caves along with anti-population Daisy Cutters over helpless Afghan population. The world is still waiting to see the IAEA report on the radiation level of these depleted uranium shells.
During the Vietnam war the US forces sprayed almost 12 million gallons of Agent Orange over jungle canopies and jade green highlands of Vietnam between 1962 and 1971. This was the most toxic of the herbicides used for military purpose by the self-proclaimed superpower of the world. Testing of soil near Da Nang’s airport, where farmers say they have not been unable to grow rice and fruit trees for decades, showed dioxin levels as much as 100 times above acceptable international standards, besides severely deformed babies with oversized head and body covered in a rash so severe that skin appears to have been boiled are still being born.
Saddam was hanged after a biased trial for committing alleged war crimes. Who has committed a greater war crime, Saddam or the US presidents who supervised the dropping of atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Vietnam war or the Iraq invasion, or the Afghan invasion.?
ABID MAHMUD ANSARI
Islamabad
THE debate between Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan’s two most prominent cities, has been a long-lived topic of discussion. Being an adamant Karachiite even I am upset to admit that the balance tilts in favour of Lahore. A recent trip to the city was truly pleasurable.
Various efforts have definitely improved Lahore’s condition and made it totally unrecognisable from its previous form. The infrastructure is well developed, particularly the roads. It made travelling a great convenience. It was pleasing to note that there was great care taken to ensure that the city remained clean at all times.
In addition, a good change was the presence of traffic wardens posted on every corner recording any sort of road offence and ensuring proper functioning of traffic. It also rained quite frequently, but life did not come to a complete standstill (like it usually does over here in Karachi), thanks to the drainage system which prevented the collection of rainwater on roads.
Most satisfying was that even though the area is also experiencing electricity problems the residents are not pestered by long loadshedding hours; in fact they just have to endure half an hour of loadshedding daily as opposed to Karachi’s long durations of no electricity.
On the contrary, at present Karachi reflects a state of extreme depravation, ignorance and regression. It is surprising that being the commercial hub of Pakistan the city has to undergo problems such as power breakdowns, loadshedding, and inadequately developed infrastructure.
Looking at its condition it is hard to believe that this city was once the capital of the country.
The government should be applauded for doing some good after looking at Lahore today, but then again it should urgently do something by extending its efforts to improve Pakistan’s other cities, especially Karachi. The inhabitants of the city are still waiting to see a marked change.
FARRUKH RAHMAN
Karachi, Pakistan
TWO articles appeared in Dawn of Aug 12 and 16 on the above subject. The earlier one, ‘Maid in Pakistan’, by Mr Mohsin Sayeed had high entertainment value. Unfortunately, it seems to portray maids simply as young temptresses who are interested only in having good time and monetary benefits at the cost of all the angels around them; is it really so? The other one by Sa’adia Reza was comprehensive and balanced and referred to harsh working conditions faced by these workers as unorganised labour force.
We have got to be fair to these unfortunate souls who find themselves in an unenviable position by simple accident of birth in a particular environment over which they had no control.
I know even 30 years back, in a developing African country, all employees, domestic servants included, had to be registered, irrespective of their number in a particular setup. Their working conditions were regulated and they were entitled to benefits and grants against contributions made by the employers to social security department.
The whole system was operated in a simple, hassle-free manner so that employers had no difficulty following it. I think similar system should be introduced in Pakistan as well or strictly enforced if it already exists and is just lying dormant in statutory books.
I am not well versed with labour and social security setup in Pakistan but I think private employees are looked after mainly by Employees Old-age Benefits Intitution. While EOBI has substantially increased pension and other benefits over the last few years, a negative element has been, I think, the raising of the number of employees from five to ten for compulsory registration of an establishment. The movement should have been the other way round in order to alleviate poverty.
S.R.H. HASHMI
Karachi
AS an inevitable corollary of ‘American democracy’ in Iraq, according to John Hopkins University research, 650,000 Iraqis have been killed, two million exiled, 70 per cent Iraqis are deprived of clean water.
Apart from these realities, America is trying to win a lost war in Iraq. About 4,000 US troops have been killed and more than 27,000 injured.
Moreover, two billion dollars is being invested monthly to maintain this occupation. Iraq has become the worst experience for the US. Oriental despotism has now failed to follow puppeteers. Manipulations are not on their ways. However, Gen Peters has said that the US will have to take 10 years to counter insurgency in Iraq. Thus, America is not going back.
IN this situation, intellectuals and journalists should be urged to write against protraction of unjustified US occupation. Obviously, ‘war on terror’ has become terrifying for our territory.
Pakistan is surrounded by the blunders of US policies; the reaction of victims is being defined as different misnomers; the only way to avoid being Iraq is to be free from effects of these blunders and misnomers. Certainly, end of ‘war on terror’ will be an end of ‘terrorism’.
NASIR FAROOQ
Karachi
INDIA and Pakistan celebrated 60 years of independence, a great moment in our lives. I am sure people like Rajendra K. Aneja (letters, Aug 14) always see the glass as half empty or two-thirds empty, but common people like me see it as half full and are confident that we can work hard at filling the remaining glass.
Compared to many banana republics of Latin America, theocracies and kingdoms of the Middle East, and anarchic and corrupt regimes of Africa, we are doing a lot better.
A majority of Indians and Pakistanis are busy with day to day family affairs, taking our children to schools, working in our jobs, helping friends and relatives in need and attending our temples and mosques without any worry of retributions. All this is possible because of this long uninterrupted 60 years of independence that many countries do not have and only dream.
This is especially true for India where optimism and confidence about our future is the driving force. It is also the source of courage for recognising the negative side, gradually correcting the follies of the past without toppling the present and proceeding towards the bright future.
I hope some day all the fruits of our labour are enjoyed by every law-abiding citizen of respective countries and passed on to our children and grandchildren. When that happens, our fathers and grandfathers in heavens will have smiles on their faces, hugging each other, with realisation that their sacrifices were not in vain.
Long live India and Pakistan
NARAYANA STHANAM
Birmingham, USA
I AGREE entirely with Rajendra K. Aneja that India has a long way to go before it can claim to be a successful and prosperous nation. I also acknowledge the facts, with a degree of shame, which the writer stated.
Nevertheless I must also mention that a nation is not just a piece of land marked by boundaries. It’s the people who constitute a nation and define it. In other words all the people in a country are one family and the country is their home.
Even after 60 years of independence, people in the subcontinent, and India in particular, have not developed a sense of responsibility towards their nations.
We are quite fond of commenting about the pathetic state of affairs in our country but we rarely ask ourselves whether we can help overcome the country’s problems.
If the educated and well-informed had tried to work for the nation, then India would not be facing any of its problems that it faces today. Instead they decided to move to greener pastures and dedicate their spare time in criticising the nation. I don’t condemn their criticism but I do condemn their dereliction of duty.
Why didn’t these pessimists try to run the country? Why didn’t they enter the civil services and try to change the nation? Why didn’t they join politics and contest elections? If they had, then their criticism would be justified.
RAGHAV S. IYENGAR
Chennai, India
PRESIDENT Musharraf is of the opinion that we Pakistanis are our own enemies when it comes to our self-projection in the international arena. He expressed his opinion in response to a question that was put to him during a recently-televised programme on various television channels. I think he is absolutely right in this regard.
As a Pakistani I am of the firm view that we should all try to project a positive image of our country to the international media. We all should be ambassadors of our country and its projection as a vibrant country should be our top priority.
While we can and should discuss our problems and shortcomings among ourselves in our local media but while discussing our country on the international media we should always highlight our positive attributes and not our weaknesses.
It was unfortunate to listen to the remarks of Imran Khan on BBC World. The anchor person, who was covering the events regarding our Independence Day celebrations, put forward a question to him regarding the progress of our country. Instead of reflecting on the positive achievements, Mr Khan regrettably replied that the country had not performed to its potential during the past 60 years and that the present government is the worst one that the country has had.
While he is perfectly entitled to his views, he should have realised that the forum on which he was expressing his views was not the appropriate forum for such a discussion, especially when our Independence Day celebrations were being covered.
In my humble view, it is time we realised that Pakistan is our home and every Pakistani is part of a family that lives in this home.
Just as we resolve our family differences among the family and refrain from discussing anything outside the family, similarly we should refrain from discussing the weaknesses of our country with the outside world in the same family spirit.
AAMER INTSAR
Lahore
AT last, George W. Bush’s political ‘brain’ is going to quit. Top White House adviser Karl Rove has decided to resign at the end of this month. His departure is being considered a ‘big loss’.
No doubt, Mr Rove’s advice has been the main motive of a ‘big loss of lives’ in the Middle East, and a great blow to humanity in Iraq particularly.
Moreover, White House spokesperson Robert Saliterman said Rove “will be greatly missed”. Certainly, no victim of ‘war on terror’ will forget Mr Rove’s murderous advice and bloody legacy.
NASIR FAROOQ
Karachi
THE shortage of electricity is being experienced by all the provinces of the country but its scarcity in Sindh and coastal areas of Balochistan is not understood as these areas are blessed with enormous wind power.
The whole world is making use of wind energy except us. Other countries have set up wind energy farms and harnessed this free resource to its best to meet the shortage of electricity.
There’s a region in Spain with the name of Nevarra where 70 per cent of its energy needs are being met through wind and solar energy. We are using none of these resources. It is not understood what is stopping us from using these free resources gifted to us by God. Is it lack of vision on the part of our planners or lack of commitment or both? Or, is it the long chain of bureaucracy that’s hindering us to go for these options.
When you surf Internet, you would be surprised to know that the other countries are making the best use of these resources in the most organised manner.
Why can’t we do it? If we don’t have funds (which I very much doubt), why can’t we ask foreign companies to come to Pakistan and install wind energy turbines and establish solar energy farms on a ‘build operate transfer’ basis?
The incumbent government is earning a bad name due to the deeds of its inefficient managers who didn’t have foresight to plan for the future.
Let’s wake up now and do the needful as fast as we can.
The provincial governments of Sindh and Balochistan may like to look into it seriously.
AIR CDRE (r) AZFAR A KHAN
Rawalpindi
AS a citizen of Pakistan, one needs to know what is to celebrate after 60 years of turmoil and devastation caused by its own people? Most well-educated Pakistani living aboard in developed countries are enjoying the basic necessities that one can just dream of in Pakistan.
As it seems the electricity problem, water problem, lawlessness, etc, still remain and the situation is not getting better.
The two things that can help Pakistan to be a prosperous nation in future are quality education and proper implementation of law so that no one is above it.
MUHAMMAD A. BORICHA
Dublin, Ireland
KARACHI looks better without billboards. The ugly-looking steel structures should also be demolished.
A.G. HABIB
Karachi
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