| September 08, 2007 | Saturday | Sha'aban 25, 1428 |
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Fabulous profits at whose cost?
The exiled men
HEC advertisement
Tragedy on Northern Bypass
US group’s advice
Plea for no parking area
Hostage soldiers
Indo-US deal
Telephone
Unutilised office spaces at JIA
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
IN his rejoinder to Ayaz Amir’s column, ‘Fighting someone else’s war’, Pete McKenna has tried to absolve the West from the responsibility of creating Jihadi militancy in this part of the world (Aug 27).
Elaborating, he says that between the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and American forces’ arrival in 2001, when there were no foreign forces in Afghanistan for 12 years, there still were suicide bombers, heroine traders, mercenaries, Taliban, Al Qaeda, etc. So, the US cannot be blamed for the surge in violence in the tribal belt or Lal Masjid-type episodes.
Mr McKenna doesn’t seem to know that there were absolutely no suicide bombings in Afghanistan or Pakistan during the 12-year period or before. These are only the consequence of American folly of invading Afghanistan and Iraq -- where there was no sectarianism, terrorism or Al Qaeda presence either -- and then pushing Pakistan into working for the American agenda of not only fighting the militants but also of secularising and westernising the polity. That has been radicalising the Muslims more and more, even according to many fair-minded western observers.
Besides, the Taliban had completely eradicated poppy cultivation during their rule and brought peace to the 90 per cent of Afghanistan that was in their control, I don’t know which mercenaries he is talking about, unless he means the Al Qaeda. The same people, when fighting for the US against the USSR were mujahideen in the American eyes.
It is easy to see the other people’s faults but not one’s own. The Christian fundamentalists and Zionists are hell bent on waging a crusade against the Muslims. According to the Los Angeles Times, Christian evangelists have been trying to turn the war in Iraq into a religious affair (Aug 23).
In a shocking breach of security, the Pentagon gave a free hand to these people to roam the corridors of the Pentagon unescorted while making a promotional video featuring high-ranking officers and political appointees. One such officer, Maj-Gen Peter Sutton, is posted as the US liaison to the Turkish military.
Turkish newspaper Sabah published an article on him, describing the ‘Christian Embassy’ group which made the video as a ‘radical fundamentalist sect’ and noted that the Turkish General Staff has expressed alarm at the influence of fundamentalist Christian groups inside the US military.
Another such outfit, Operation Straight UP, has staged a number of Christian themed shows at military bases and has now planned an entertainment tour for Iraq called the ‘Military Crusade’. Apart from that was the case of Lt-Gen William Boykin who had once publicly said that the Christians’ God was more powerful than the Muslims’ God, who was a false god. The Pentagon had made him the deputy undersecretary of defence for intelligence and put in charge of the hunt for Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda in 2003.
These are not the only examples of bigotry. According to a book written by Joshua Key, who had served in Iraq as an American soldier, during their training the troops were told that “Americans were the only decent people on the planet and that Muslims and terrorists all deserved to die.” Also, that the people of Afghanistan were “terrorist pieces of shit that all deserved to die” (Books & Authors, July 15).
These and other methods of indoctrination had such an effect that after some time he and even his wife started believing that “all Muslims were terrorists and all terrorists were Muslims and the only solution was to kill as many Iraqis as possible.”
M. P. CHISHTI
Karachi
SHAHID lqbal’s report, ‘Banks’ six-month profit up by 42pc’ (Aug 30), is a severe shock for civil society. Although the growth in credit offtake is substantially low, yet astounding profit of Rs49.7 billion earned by the listed banks, which cover 90 per cent of the banking sector, is evidence as to what extent unrestrained leverage has been allowed to them by the regulatory authority to extort money from the needy borrowers. The current year’s profit is nine per cent more than the proceeding year’s is a confirmation of this appalling conclusion.
One of the major causes of increase in the cost of goods is unreasonably higher rates of borrowing interest charged by the banks. The banks by offering loans for consumer goods such as vehicles and luxury items and house purchase credit have for the time being created hype in society.
The enticing advertisements and inducement entrapped many gullible to avail themselves of high-cost credit facilities in spite of having limited resources. As a result of this, the price of real estate has gone up, as also the cost of day-to- day consumer’s goods. Although these atrocious facts are known to the economists sitting in the cool environs of Islamabad, yet these gluttonous bankers are unleashed on the public to pocket as much profit as they can.
The State Bank of Pakistan which under the law is suppose to look after the public interest by utilising its monetory and physical tools has been made a toothless roaring tigress.
If the banks are still not put to proper regulations and allowed to earn profit of their own choice, it is not far-off when the middle class, a backbone of any progressive culture and which is hit extremely hard with their shenanigans, will be wiped out from society.
DR ALI AKBAR M. DHAKAN
Karachi
HISTORICALLY speaking, in the Roman Empire and Greece, the senate and city states, respectively, had the authority to banish some one. Whenever the Roman senate disliked or felt frightened due to enormous reputation of a person, it would hand over the exile slip to him, his family members and his supporters.
In Greece, the assembly of all the Athenians would decide whether a particular person should be exiled or not.
Interestingly, that banishment would also be for 10 years and the person had the right to return to his homeland after that period.
In the Polish commonwealth, the highest court of law had the authority to decide on the question of exile of only the nobility and could not banish the common man. Coming to the near past, we can see that everyone, who was exiled and kept out of the country to have his public support vanished, came back, if he had the opportunity, to an unbelievable welcome and a sea of people turned out to have a glimpse of him.
Einstein and Karl Marx left Germany, Sigmund Freud left Austria while Dante Italy. De Gaulle left France and Lenin had to forgo Russia. Khomeini went out of Iran and Sihanouk left Korea. The list is big enough. Had they all remained in their homelands and not been banished, they might have not been that much popular in, and important to, history
The history bears a testimony to the fact that if these people had a chance to come back to their respective lands, their arrival turned out to be a historic event for their nations. Was it even imaginable that de Gaulle, who had left France being afraid of the generals, would attract millions of people on his return? Or could it be expected that Khomeini, who had stealthily left his home and remained out of his country for more than two decades, would get such a rousing welcome on his return at Mehar Abad airport and the great public support followed by it that the Shah of Iran would find it hard to swallow and run out of the country?
Lenin’s return to Russia from Switzerland to lead a revolution in his country is not a less important happening either. Benazir Bhutto’s arrival into Pakistan in April 1986, when she was given a welcome that was not seen afterwards and was seen as a turning point in the history of Pakistan, also testifies to this fact but it’s a pity this could not prove fruitful for the nation.
The news of the expected arrival of the Sharif brothers and Benazir Bhutto has elicited mixed responses from political analysts. Some say there aren’t any visible changes in their outlooks and manners and we must not allow them to deceive us any more. But others say, especially about the Sharif brothers, that they surely are not like the Sharifs of old days and having got through the ‘ furnace of exile’, they have transformed into more responsible and committed politicians. While Benazir Bhutto had diminished her prospects quite a bit by seeking a deal with the Musharraf administration.
With the date of Sharifs’ arrival in Pakistan -- Sept 10 -- drawing near and Benazir also expected to follow suit, it remains to be seen whether the Pakistani nation yet again testifies to the opinion that the arrival of leaders from exile is always a historic phenomenon. It also remains to be seen as to whether or not the Sharifs, who are believed to have become good, hold true to their new reputation.
TAHIR ALI
Karachi
AFTER going through Mansoor ul Haque Solangi’s revelation regarding job opportunities, ‘National School of Public Policy’ (Aug 28), I have made it a point to read each and every advertisement appearing in national dailies about vacancies offered in public sector organisations regularly.
In Dawn of Sept 5 an advertisement of the Higher Education Commission regarding ‘Positions Vacant’ has appeared inviting applications for 15 types of career opportunities right from drivers to project directors. Unfortunately, as in the case of NSPP, the HEC has also failed to disclose the number of vacancies available against each job and the provincial quota allocation: a constitutional requirement of the public employment policy. Nevertheless against each post (except drivers) the HEC referred to the details at HEC website).
Although information on website is mostly not accessible to prospective aspirants living in the far - flung and underdeveloped areas where net facility is not obtainable, yet I have searched the site of the HEC (www.hec.giv.pk) but found no such details of vacancies etc available about the said advertisement.
In order to set the entire process of selection transparent, it is essential that an organisation inviting applications should give complete details. The HEC authorities are requested to make the details of vacancies and job quotas available instantly so that those who are eligible for the employment offered should not be deprived of the opportunity to apply for the same.
ALTAF HUSSAIN QURESHI
Gujrat
A COMMON Pakistani has perhaps become accustomed to limitless cruelty of its civic bodies, ruling elite and indifference in attitude of our president. It’s really tragic to see so many innocent people, including poor children and women- folk, being crushed to death in the tragedy on Northern Bypass.
I wonder if there is anyone in Pakistan who has any regard for others or if there’s anyone who performs his work honestly or sincerely.
I request Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of this lack of responsibility and set an example for all times to come. I think normal citizens of Pakistan have only two options before them: either to stand up for their rights or else please wait for the day when they have to also pass over or under such marvels of Pakistani engineering.
RANA IMRAN
Islamabad
ACCORDING to a report (Sept 3), a Washington-based pressure group, the Centre for Arms Control and Non- Proliferation, has suggested that the current political troubles in Pakistan allow the US to demand direct access to Dr A. Q. Khan.
It says: “Pressuring a weakened strategic ally by reopening old wounds carries a certain amount of risk,” but, “with Musharraf vulnerable and looking for support, now is the time for US officials to ask for access to Khan...” The report also quotes former CIA director George Tenet as saying that Dr Khan is “at least as dangerous as Osama bin Laden.”
After seeing how the National Intelligence Estimate of the 16 US secret agencies had been changed and pressure exerted on Musharraf in recent weeks to act against the Al Qaeda and local Taliban, as also by past American opportunism one had fully expected some such move. Namely, to twist a “friend’s” arms in order to indulge Washington’s obsession about Dr Khan.
While this goes to show their insincerity, it also proves their imprudence. The events of the past six months should have made it clear to any observant Pakistan watcher that a new consciousness has been born over here and the people will no longer tolerate any bullying.
If pressure is exerted about Dr Khan, the nation will rise up in defence of its hero and the resentment caused will only promote militancy and extremism, dooming any further collaboration with the US against terrorism. Musharraf may be weak but the Pakistanis are stronger and bolder than ever before and won’t stand any nonsense. Besides, can anyone please tell us how Dr Khan is a threat similar to bin Laden when the network has been wound up and he has been in home confinement for several years, suffering from cancer and cardiac problems’?
A.G. CHAUDHRY
Karachi
THE Karachi city government has undertaken the repair of Business Recorder Road. This is an important link road connecting a large portion of the city to its centre. The other half of the road that was repaired and widened recently is wide enough to take the traffic in both directions (sneakers are already doing it).
It should be declared a ‘no parking area’ and all the roadside encroachments should be removed. To facilitate dual traffic, temporary road dividers (drums) should be placed in the middle.
This will provide a great relief from traffic congestion on the road where traffic has been diverted.
A CITIZEN
Karachi
IT is with deep humiliation that we see on the front page of Dawn (Aug 28) a photograph showing Pakistani soldiers sitting with heads down while ‘teenage boys’ wield Kalashnikovs and daggers.
It takes one back to the events of 1971 when the Pakistan army were under the control of Mukti Bahini, though with the help of the Indian army.
They were forced to ‘surrender’ and the odds against them was that GHQ was 1,000 miles away from the war zone. That was a difficult war, whatever the justification for it.
But the present situation is a different one. It is led by illiterate, brutal killers fighting in the name of Islam, which preaches peace and tolerance. And fellow Muslims killing each other instead of coming together as a great Muslim power to pose a greater threat to the western world which finds everything in Islam repugnant by the action of a few.
Let us prove them wrong.
S. BABAR
Karachi
WE who are familiar with the American ‘friendship’ should rather rejoice at the intimate Indo-US friendship. After all, India has willingly embraced the mortal coils of the ‘democratic’ python. Wait a while and you would find India gasping for breath -- as we are. Later, it would achieve ultimate ‘democratic’ consummation -- in the python’s maw, where already we are likely to be.
NABI BAKHSH BUCHA
Lahore
WHY has the PTCL discontinued printing phone directories when they normally home-delivered these until a few years ago?
If the reliance is tilting towards electronic means, the least they can do is provide each customer with a CD containing all subscribers’ phone numbers and addresses.
In this information age, the PTCL has no website that one may visit and get such information. The operators at 17 normally dish out only one phone number at a time. It is time the PTCL gave back something to customers who have made it so profitable.
TAHIR GUL HASAN
Lahore
Jinnah International Airport (JIA), Karachi, is dotted by several empty and utilised office spaces both at its terminals and the ramp area. This inattention, ignorance and negligence on the part of the officials concerned in the office of DGCA headquarters in Karachi is depriving airlines of office space facilitation, on the one hand, and reflecting a bad image of this biggest airport of Pakistan nationally and internationally, on the other hand.
At JIA, a number of spacious offices are lying vacant and unutilised but possessed by certain private airlines of Pakistan, which are not in operation over the years. These closed airlines also occupy a large space at the ramp like a junkyard dock, where faulty and rejected ramp equipment is dumped with no utility. Some of those airlines are defaulted by the DGCA for not meeting the set criteria and for non-payment of CAA dues.
At all good airports of the world, the airport management facilitates carriers by their open-sky policies for air operation and airport facilitations in maximum utility of available space; if unavailable, they keep on extending space to meet the requirement. But certain owners of defaulted airlines after acquiring huge spaces at JIA are still possessing the same.
In this way any rich person can hire office spaces at airport and let these remain unused while the needy people are kept off. This faulty policy tarnishes the image of the CAA.
In addition, several offices at JIA terminal building are unnecessarily occupied beyond required need and lying unused by certain government offices, denying operating airlines of working and sitting space for their staffs. The limited quantity of check-in counters with increased number of operating carriers and no expansion of check-in space at JIA by the CAA at times cause congestion and suffocation at check-in area, causing huge rush of passengers at immigration and security check areas due to simultaneous departure timings of several flights, eventually delaying flights, inconveniencing passengers.
There are a few carriers which are already licensed by the CAA for the operation of their flights in Pakistan but they are not able to start operation because of non-availability of office spaces at JIA. Certain national flag carriers of our friendly countries, which previously operated through JIA but closed operations for unavoidable reasons, are also in the queue at the DGCA headquarters and the defence ministry of Pakistan to restart their flights but unable to do so for want of office spaces and parking bays of aircraft at JIA.
The president is requested to intervene in the matter of national interest.
DR RAJA IMTIAZ-UL-HAQ
Karachi
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