| October 1, 2007 | Monday | Ramazan 18, 1428 |
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A question begging to be asked
17th Amendment
Civil servants beating up citizens
Young hero
Some lessons from Twenty20
DHA — above the law?
War on terror
Economic credibility?
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 US has recently slammed Russia and China for their spying activities. It is amusing because the US itself has been spying on all other countries, and one outcome of that was the collapse of the USSR and another fall of Afghanistan and Iraq and brutality against Muslims.
The US complaint is worrisome because under that pretext the US-led forces would further attack the Muslims everywhere. It has all possible remote gadgets for activities at home and abroad. No one can question them, either for fear of backlash in terms of interference in internal affairs of the ‘unfriendly’ nations or even threat of attacks, economic terrorism, or destructive activities from the US.
Bush wants Congress to expand and make permanent a law that temporarily gives the government more power to eavesdrop without warrants on suspected foreign terrorists. Without such action, Bush said, “our national security professionals will lose critical tools they need to protect our country.”
He urged Congress on Sept 19 to expand the government’s domestic spying powers permanently or risk leaving the country vulnerable to a terrorist attack. Under the new law, the government can eavesdrop without a court order on communications conducted by a person reasonably believed to be outside the US, even if an American is on one end of the conversation -- so long as that American is not the intended focus or target of the surveillance.
Accordingly, the director of US national intelligence wing, Mike McConnell, has stated that China and Russia are spying on the US now nearly as much as they did during the Cold War. Mike says in testimony prepared for a congressional hearing that a law passed last month expanding the US government’s eavesdropping power is needed to protect not just against terrorists but also against more traditional potential adversaries, such as those two Cold War foes.
Such surveillance was generally prohibited under the original Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and it is one of the more controversial aspects of the new law. But McConnell’s prepared testimony says one of the most important new powers granted by the law is the possibility of obtaining a call or email “from a foreign terrorist outside the US to a previously unknown ‘sleeper’ or co-conspirator inside the United States.”
While some Democrats are angling to roll back what they consider the excesses of the new law, McConnell and Assistant Attorney-General Kenneth Wainstein are pushing Congress to make even more changes to FISA. Among the changes they seek is a new definition for ‘electronic surveillance’.
President Bush uses ‘patriotic diplomacy’ to impress upon the Democrats to get things done exactly the way he wants. The Democrats-led Congress in August temporarily expanded the Bush administration’s authority to monitor phone calls, emails and other electronic communications between individuals in the US and someone overseas suspected of terrorism ties, without obtaining court approval.
The expanded powers expire in February. Many Democrats are wary of renewing them permanently and want more safeguards included in future legislation. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said lawmakers understand the need to update the law, but also the need to protect the rights and liberties of Americans.
Critics warn the programme could violate the civil liberties of law-abiding Americans if their private communications are scooped up by the surveillance net. Bush said the 1978 law on surveillance was ‘dangerously out of date’ and unable to deal with evolving technology such as disposable cellphones and the Internet. The law must be changed to give intelligence agencies the tools needed to prevent attacks on American soil, he said.
Every amendment the USA lawmakers make to their Constitution for their own advantages also needs to be respected and practised by every country in the world.
It is time to remind the US of a saying that means that none can fool everybody for ever. Not even the US, whose very first president asserted that message centuries ago.
DR ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL
New Delhi
IF self-appointed military dictators would seek power and support to maintain their illegal hegemony from a superior power, they can’t turn around several years later and complain about being exploited by that country. Once we‘ve sold ourselves unconditionally, the rights to manage ourselves independently are automatically surrendered to the buyer. That is the law of the land by which the humans abide today.
We have done this over and over again. It’s unfortunate that the powers of the world would hold the law in such esteem for their own people but would have no hesitation in neglecting those standards, when it comes to others. Where, for example, are the champions of democracy, fairness and justice for all slogan chanters, when people are being arrested, basic rights suspended, lawyers getting killed?
The best that could come out was: “It’s their internal matter”. Not a single critique from the very entities that branded the word democracy. Why? Answer is quite simple.
They want to ensure the sustenance of power for those who have demonstrated to be their best servants. Unfortunately, the fault lies squarely with the people who let themselves be entrapped by such phenomenon due to self-interest and obsession with preservation of selfrule against all norms of democracy
In another part of the world, Bangalore, the Silicon valley of India, at the Asian info sys headquarters, there is a meeting in progress between the core leadership of info sys and its Indian counterparts. They are participating from different parts of the world. Discussion is being projected on one of the largest flat screens in the world.
Across the street from that corporate office is a pizza hut with a signboard saying, ‘Gigabytes of taste’. Here at JFK airport, the regional director of Verizon is taking off on his third trip of the month to India, his assignment, training and recruitment of workforce from the highly educated pool of individuals in Madras.
We acquired independence at the same time. Sixty years later as we try to figure out the rules of governance, the constitutional amendments that would best suit our individual interests, people are getting cautiously excited over judgments rendered by the Supreme Court, wondering if that is the beginning of a new era.
Will this brand new concept of justice in Pakistan thrive long enough to make a difference. Can the momentum really catch on? Will the plight of the people change? And if so, is it going to happen in our lifetime?
I have a feeling they might put the question to us as we are the generations at the pinnacle of their career, people with the means to do something, Did all of us lack the critical level of endurance to overcome the inertia needed to break the shackles, or were we too absorbed in trying to prove who was right, not that it mattered in the end.
So many times I‘ve been so tempted to ask similar questions of progressive Pakistanis currently in their 50s and 60s. I am sure it wasn’t a walk in the park for them either but just three little words: What happened here?
I certainly would not want to face the same question of my younger generation as none of us would have a prayer in our attempts to dodge it. Maybe they would reluctantly accept our silence in answer. Just may be.!
ZIA KIDWAI
US
IF one reads the 17th Amendment, one finds that it is not an amendment by any definition. To amend means to improve by changing some articles of the Constitution. This amendment was made for one general who had violated his oath as well as the Constitution.
The language of the amendment reads like an office order of the chief executive, the post that is not even recognised by the Constitution. It contradicts the existing provision about election of the president, forming the basic structure of the Constitution.
Referendum means asking a question of the general masses for any political issue that needs to be answered by parliament The answer to the question can never be presumed as an election. An election is a choice between two people at least. Hence it is just an answer but no election.
Furthermore, the amendment did not improve anything but harmed and damaged the Constitution. It seems that the parliamentarians, without thinking logically or lawfully, blindly followed the general. No constitution of the world can have such an amendment accepted as lawful.
It also contradicts the already existing article about election and is discriminatory in nature. It violates the fundamental rights of all working officers to be elected president in the same way by referendum. It proves that most of the parliamentarians either don’t know how to amend their Constitution or boldly violate its spirit by inserting such contradictory, improper, and unlawful amendments.
They intentionally block the way of approaching the Supreme Court by inserting such unlawful clauses as it can’t be challenged in the court. This unjust and unlawful amendment should be reviewed by the Supreme Court and be declared void under Article 8 (1) which states that any law inconsistent with the fundamental rights shall be void.
It also disrupts the basic structure of the Constitution by violating the election clause.
PROF LIAQUAT SAMMA
Isra University, Hyderabad
THIS is with reference to the letter, ‘Civil servants beating up citizens’ (Sept 23). Hats off to the courage of the writer who stood up to the tyranny of our so-called public representatives and their cohorts. In a country where such persons do get away with murder, beating a common man is a trivial matter for the authorities.
This is because the persons occupying the highest positions, in spite of claims to the contrary, do not believe in rule of law. Under these circumstances I can only extend my heart-felt sympathy for the victim and request the media to unravel the identity of the minister. The minister should not have hushed up the matter by getting an apology from the culprit; he should have got him arrested to deter others.
The question is, do our ministers really want to discourage lawlessness? I also request high-ups of the MQM, who claim to represent the oppressed, to intervene because in charge of the police department in Sindh cabinet belongs to the MQM. I am sure that with their heavy public support, they can have the most powerful culprits punished if they want.
M. A. ABBASI
Karachi
IT was a pleasure to read in Dawn (Sept 23) that when two minor girls, Kulsoom and Komal, fell off the suspension bridge on the Gilgit river, teenager Ibrar dived 100 feet down and rescued the two, risking his own life in the process.
As reported, many NGOs and civil society organisations have announced that they will honour the young hero for his courage and humanism. I think credit goes also to his parents who brought him up in a way that he felt like doing what he did. I feel government should give him an award.
Needless to say, investigation should be made about undue delay in the completion of the RCC bridge and also why repair to the suspension bridge has not been started even after four months.
S.R.H. HASHMI
Karachi
SO near, yet so far, the Twenty20 final is lost. Pakistan team put up a good fight and made a match of it, although restricting India to 157 was seen as halfway through to victory. Shoaib Malik has come up with a very good positive attitude and certainly Pakistan cricket will go a long way under his captaincy. The body language was quite positive which was never there in the last days of Inzamam’s captaincy.
Poor shot selection and unnecessary shuffle of batting order are two main factors of this loss. Shahid Afridi once again tried to blast the first ball he faced: I don’t know why this handy cricketer tries to start slogging right from the first ball he faces.
His senseless slogging without even settling down is something which cost Pakistan a lot on more than one occasion, and he does that whenever he is needed the most. Everyone was of the view that against India at least he should be opening up his innings with some sense and patience and then he will steer Pakistan near the target with his powerful shots. Sending Kamran one down was another big mistake, the order should have been kept as it was in our previous wins.
Lastly, the dilemmatic problem which is still there and costing us very crucial games and now our first Twenty20 Cup is our opening stand, we still are the weakest of the teams in this department, Hafeez once again could not deliver at the right time. Jeff Lawson, the new coach, should look into this on a priority basis and get this problem fixed, if we want our batting line to stand and chase big totals, we must have a good opening stand.
A total of 157 was made a huge and tough ask because we came under pressure as soon as one of our openers was back in the pavilion. The pressure added on with Kamran’s dismissal. We should not always expect, Younas Khan, Shoaib Malik or Misbah to perform in each and every match, although Misbah tried his best to get to the target.
The overall performance of the Pakistan team was satisfactory and we should go from there on a winning streak.
ANAS A. KHAN
Edmonton, Canada
I AM writing this in response to the news published in your paper regarding Pakistan’s losing against our arch rivals India, ‘Cricket is the winner’. I am so glad to read that how encouraging the last sentence of the news item was in your paper.
It really clears my mind, and I feel relaxed. It is a matter of great honour for our team to recover from the loss of the last World Cup 2007 debacle. We should encourage our team, as they showed the temperament, audacity, consistency and perfection.
I was so upset after the defeat at the hand of our arch rivals but I do remember the saying of someone great: “It’s how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success”.
In my view this team will bring back old glory of the Pakistan team. I see a great future of the Pakistan cricket team that does have a desire, a dream and a vision, which are necessary ingredients for success.
We should also remember that negative beliefs limit our action....which limits our future. Positive beliefs expand our action....which expands our future. I wish good luck to this team.
MUHAMMAD AMAN ULLAH
University of Auckland New Zealand
LACK of accountability breeds not only incompetence but asperity and arrogance as well. These ‘undesirable’ qualities are unfortunately abundant in almost all of our government and semi-government institutions over the last half century. Nevertheless most of them are still liable to be challenged in the court of law.
Not so for the DHA. At least that is what they boldly claim even on the cover of their construction bye-laws book, which arrogantly displayed: “Submission of a building plan by a plot owner constitutes an irrevocable undertaking by him to abide by these bye-laws and not to challenge these in any court of law”.
We saw the ‘Keep DHA Clean’ and ‘Keep DHA Green’ signs along with the deteriorating conditions, particularly with regard to cleanliness, town-planning developments, water supply, sewerage, storm drains, electric supply, streetlights and the general overcommercialisation in the last three or so decades. The DHA was never so untidy and unhygienic and dangerous as it stands out today.
See the four-storeyed 100 and 200 square yards islands, with stagnant mosquito-
infested rain and sewerage-filthy water, all around. All this despite the skyrocketing prices of plots, shops, flats, etc, etc. Thanks to the circumstantial forced migration of the upper and lower middle classes from the central townships to the ‘posh DHA areas’ in the early 1990s and then again in the last four to five years.
“Better late than never”. The formation of the Defence Residence Association is a bold and courageous step in the right direction at last. It will be a long road march to improve the living conditions in the DHA, one of the so-called top posh residential areas of Karachi. At least this is what one may hope today.
IJTABA ZAIDI
Karachi
THOUGH some of the educated are involved in terrorism, one can see only the modern education (not the religious one) of poor masses is a solution to the menace of terrorism. Most nations waste billions of dollars on defence budget but very little they spare for education, increasing poverty and imbalance leading to terrorism.
In that case, since 9/11, I have always thought of one suggestion/solution. We have nice world organisation like the UN. It should get 5/10 per cent of defence budget of every member and use that money for uplift of education of the poor masses of its member.
PAKISTAN’s government and officials keep manipulating economic statistics.
This time wheat output was inflated to get to seven per cent growth rate for 2006-07.
Even the much hyped eight per cent + GDP growth for a year some time back was actually seven per cent as per the detailed supporting documents issued then by the State Bank of Pakistan. I have actually seen some evidence of it.
The purpose of statistical manipulation is to get good headline and try to fool people in Pakistan and abroad. However, it does not change the ground reality.
As the saying goes, one cannot fool all the people all the time and Pakistan pays a huge price for foolishness of crooked persons in the authority.
The Economist (UK) has recently published ‘World Investment Prospects to 2011’, a copy of which I received at ‘The Emerging Markets Summit’ organised by the Economist Intelligence Unit in London on Sept 24 and 25.
Under emerging markets of Asia it lists China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Pakistan is not included. The main reason is unreliable and manipulated statistics in Pakistan.
This is a very important publication and many top international financial institutions will not now even think of Pakistan in their investment strategy. Exporting and re-importing wheat will cost a few million dollars, but Pakistan having earned the name of statistical manipulators will pay a much bigger price now.
VIPUL THAKORE
London, UK
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