| October 11, 2007 | Thursday | Ramazan 28, 1428 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
National Reconciliation Ordinance
Presidential election
Telephone out of order
Senior citizens’ plight
Return of England?
Muslims in India
Privatisation
Fallout of chaos
Targeted
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
LETTER (Sept 10) and Sci-Tech World lead article (Sept 22) on the above subject highlight our precarious energy scenario in relation to energy conservation, in general, and buildings, in particular.
At the outset, Sci-Tech article calling this writer “an expert on green buildings as well as on architecture” is incorrect. This whole concept of ‘greening’ is so new and so rapidly growing that one cannot be an ‘expert’ in this specialisation at this time. The more we analyse possibilities of ‘greening’ a building design, the more rewarding the opportunities become.
Discussions on green buildings with reference to the above-mentoned article have led to acceptance of three major projects in Karachi as bad example of ‘red’ buildings. The office complex, generally known as ‘Lal Building’ (physically) is not a green building by any standard (wrongly mentioned as such in Sci-Tech article and also refuted by Engr. Roland DeSouza).
If the basic requirements of green buildings are checked, this building would not even meet five per cent of those; though originally, before recent inefficient refurbishing, at least adequate cogeneration system would have scored top marks in ‘green’ scores.
It is also unfortunate that the other ‘red’ hospital building and SSGC head office building, though built with the best professional services, are real ‘red’ buildings, with really no attempt to follow even the basic common-sense design of green buildings.
Of course, there are hundreds of such bad examples in the country but then there is an exception. The tallest bank building is at least partly green due to its energy-saving façade, efficient airconditioning and environmentally-beneficent cogeneration power plant. One would wish more such buildings not only to save the country’s scarce energy resources but to also meet the socially-responsible pollution-reduction goals.
Visitors to Japan this summer are surprised to note the very responsible behaviour of all large corporations, ensuring energy conservation and environmental pollution control by setting airconditioning thermostats to 28-29°C. Our corporate visitors found their hosts in short-sleeves and without neck-tie and, of course, we were dressed in suits as we are used to very low temperatures in airconditioned offices here. Our leaders are to be blamed for this wasteful behaviour since we really do not care what we are doing to this country.
We now hope that Japanese corporations in Pakistan will follow their head office priorities of energy conservation, which might also influence our wasteful ways and some chief executives will also shed their suits and opt for higher settings for airconditioning.
And while we look forward to our Japanese friends helping us out again, we hope the Japanese companies who gave us most inefficient power plants at Bin Qasim will offer good terms to convert those steam power plants which are using our scarce gas to combined cycle station, providing nearly 50 per cent power without any extra gas consumption and environmental pollution.
Recently, we have seen an upsurge in setting up of furnace oil-based power plants, again without any pollution control. It may be noted that furnace oil is highly polluting, with heavy metals’ discharge in addition to very high SOx, COx and NOx levels and yet we are allowing them without any exhaust pollution control.
It is really unfortunate and such organisations need to analyse what they are doing to this country’s environment. Our vast section of population remains sick due to air and water pollution and we are now adding more miseries. How socially irresponsible can we get just to make a fast buck?
Our economic problems will continue to multiply if we do not conserve energy and care for the environment. We can start with proper energy codes for buildings and minimum energy efficiency and pollution control for industries, including power plants. If we do not act now, really we are asking for serious trouble in the very near future.
AINUL ABEDIN
Karachi
WHILE president Musharraf and his backers are giving lame excuses to justify the National Reconciliation Ordinance and the dropping of corruption charges against Benazir Bhutto and others, it should be interesting to see what the general had written in his memoirs:
“The four changes of prime ministers involved two cycles of alteration (sic) between Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Never in the history of Pakistan had we seen such a combination of the worst kind of governance – or rather, a nearly total lack of governance – along with corruption and the plunder of national wealth (P 78).
“Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, who had twice been tried, been tested, and failed, had to be denied a third chance. They had misgoverned the nation. Furthermore, they would never allow their parties to develop a democratic tradition .... In fact, Benazir became her party’s ‘chairperson for life’, in the tradition of the old African dictators! ... Benazir Bhutto had already run away from the country and absconded from the law during Nawaz Sharif’s time (pp 164 165). We established the rule that no one could be president or prime minister more than twice, whether the terms were consecutive or not and whether each term had been fully served or not. Many people thought this law has been brought in to prevent Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto from ever becoming prime minister again. This is partially true, but above all, the new rule was enacted to encourage new blood to compete for high offices. It will be a check on the dynastic rule of a few individuals (pp 169 170).”
It is clear from the above that Gen Musharraf has negated all the principles that he seemed to stand for. The huge corruption and misgovernance, the undemocratic ways of the former leaders as well as the sound decision of not allowing anyone to run for a third time not only as prime minister but also as president has been ignored even in his own case just because it suited his desire to cling to power.
It would only be appropriate to end this comment with these words of Edmund Burk: “Corrupt influence is itself the perennial spring of all prodigality, and of all disorder; it loads us more than millions of debt; takes away vigour from our councils and every wisdom from our councils, and every shadow of authority and credit from the most venerable parts of our constitution.”
QAMAR
Karachi
I WONDER if Mushahid Hussain, the Q-League’s general secretary, really believes that corruption cases could not be proved against the dynastic couple of the PPP for ‘so many years’. And that the PPP represents a significant enough section of Pakistan’s political order to merit reconciliatory measures, since the accusations against Benazir Bhutto and husband, true or not, have remained unproven in a court of law for long enough.
But many people know that the accusations are true. They do not believe the propaganda of lack of proof. Anyone looking cursorily at the evidence why their cases remained unproven for so long will find that the couple’s lawyers did every possible legal/procedural manoeuvring to avoid either spouse’s appearance in courts, and thus both were just not subjected to proper court proceedings, so essential for conviction or acquittal.
Hence a great gasp of disapproval against the ordinance for withdrawal of cases.
For our collective moral good we must refuse the American pressure to re-install such people in power. They must stand trial.
SULTAN AHMED GEELANI
Karachi
OCTOBER 6 came and went – as expected with a conclusion long foregone. President Gen Pervez Musharraf won hands down with an overwhelming majority of 671 votes against Mr Justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmad polling only eight votes.
The anti-Musharraf legal fraternity and the combined opposition comprising the ARD, APDM, MMA, JI, JUI, PML-N, ANP, BNP, BNDP, JWP, PTI, TI, PAT, PDP and others all put together miserably failed in either stopping the election or the president from winning.
They have not only failed in the assemblies but also in the streets where the masses have given a clear verdict against them by rejecting them and their call(s) for the shutter-down, wheel-jam, gherao of the assemblies and mass protestation, etc., which cause untold misery to the daily bread winners of the family.
Barring a feeble ripple here and there, all was quiet on all fronts.
Does it not, Mr President, give you a real insight into the strength and the following of the opposition political parties and for a need to reassess the most unpopular and highly criticised National Reconciliation Ordinance? People think this so-called National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to be the unkindest cut that you can afflict upon them.
And, sir, whether you like it or not, it will not only open the floodgates of corruption once again in the country, it will also tell upon your own very image of being scrupulously honest and determined to eliminate corruption in Pakistan.
Col (r) RIAZ JAFRI
Rawalpindi
MY telephone No. 021-5050379 has been out of order for the last three months. I had registered countless complaints on PTCL helpline, regional exchange and PTA regional office in order to restore my phone, but no response has been given so far in this connection.
I had also registered three complaints to the PTA via mail during this period: first on July 12 (complaint No. 49551), second on July 27 (complaint No. 50436) and third on Sept 24 (complaint No. 53492).
A letter in this regard had been published in these columns (Aug 28) to draw the attention of the authorities concerned.
Despite this, neither my telephone has been restored nor did I receive any information regarding my complaints’ status.
It is worth mentioning here that the said telephone number has most of the time been out of order for the last two years, which clearly reflects the lack of care and insufficient approach of the PTCL and, on the other hand, the PTA, being a regulatory authority, has failed to resolve the complaints of the PTCL’s customers.
Therefore, the authorities concerned are again requested to look into the matter.
ABDUL JABBAR
Karachi
MAY I put in a couple of obituaries to dead telephones in addition to those already reported in your newspaper? Two landlines (5347922 and 5347882) at my premises in phase VI, DHA, now on, now off since May, have been off since mid-July.
Visiting linesmen declared the cause being cable faults, but the faults have not been corrected as yet despite repeated oral and written complaints.
While we have perforce to take recourse to costlier usage of cellphones, line rent bills keep coming up from the PTCL.
MAZHAR A. KHAN
Karachi
WHILE the government has been following the policy of offering some concessions to senior citizens, it is understood the Central Board of Revenue has lately withdrawn some existing concessions for allowing medical expenses and 50 per cent reduction in income tax on their property income, thus placing a heavy burden on them, instead of easing it in the old age and high inflation environment.
Senior citizens associations are requested to approach the authorities to reconsider and to restore the concessions.
In view of this bombshell on old people, struggling to survive between life and death in this age of high inflation on meagre income, the prime minister and the Central Board of Revenue chairman are requested to look into this latest move and to order restoration of the allowance for medical bills and 50 per cent concession for the senior citizens exceeding 65 years age, on their income from property in the income tax rules and oblige.
S. M. H. RIZVI
Karachi
ENGLAND seem to become more serious now about their cricket sport. The crushing defeat handed out to the visiting India by the English cricketers discloses the sincerity attached to English intent. They did display some resolve about their desire to stage a comeback to world cricket during the last World Cup.
English boys have now won the Nat-West series in style when, after losing two quick wickets by the two openers, MJ Prior(0) and LJ Wright(0), with zero runs to their credit, as the team smashed the India team by whopping seven wickets in the seventh and final One-Day International at Lord’s to clinch the Nat-West series 4-3.
An unbeaten 114-run stand between Kevin Pietersen and skipper Paul Collingwood helped England crush India at home and redeemed its past glory as the champions of cricket. Electing to bat first, India were bowled out for 187 in 47.3 overs and England recovered from early setbacks to post 188 for three in 36.2 overs to win the game with plenty to spare.
Defending a small total, India initially had raised the hopes of Indian supporters by removing both England openers Luke Wright and Matt Prior in the second over of the innings before even a run was scored off the bat. England were 11-2, all the runs having come in the form of extras. But Ian Bell and Pietersen put their heads down and took the score to 74 when the former was run out after being sent back by his partner. On the other hand, the India team struggled to recover from the blows that came after Sourav Ganguly (15) and Gautam Gambhir (12) had both been dismissed by James Anderson, who bowled eight overs on the trot.
So, England, by clinching the series at home against India, have indeed staged a comeback in its own turf of cricket world. But it is a long way for England to defeat Australians in the next World Cup if it suffers from pressure from opponents. Even Sri Lankan, West Indies and New Zealand players had tough time dealing with the onslaught of Aussies.
Maybe Australia is worried now about the quick recovery and elevation of the English team, though India that takes cricket more serious than the life of common people feels small for losing out to ‘small and little’ cricket boys. Only future could show the real growing strength of the Englishmen in cricket. One can wait.
DR ABDUL RUFF
New Deldi
APROPOS of Dr Vimal Rana‘s observations (letter) about Muslims in India, I should like to say that in India we don’t care about if one is Hindu or Muslim, we are all Indians first.
We respect each other and help each other. I come from Kanpur and Lucknow area of UP, with significant Muslim population; many of my friends are Muslims, we never wondered about being Muslim or Hindu.
My city Kanpur is famous for its leather goods and most of the factory owners are Muslims, employing thousands of Hindus, while in Varanasi (Benaras), the ancient city famous for its zari and silk work, most of our talented craftsmen are Muslims in establishments owned by Hindus.
We depend and trust each other. Unfortunately, we have political parties trying to casue a rift on the basis of religion but, thankfully, our masses are not that naive.
Some people always say Muslims in India are being left out as a result of discrimination, that is entirely wrong.
India also has millions of non-Muslim poor people as a result of bad governance. Our employment policies have quotas to uplift the state of Muslims, we are seeing the result of these policies now with more Muslim families sending their children to schools, their youths joining white- and blue-collared professions, girls being given chance to pursue their talents and chance to education.
Muslims in India know very well that path to prosperity is through being educated and making the most of equal opportunities Indian constitution provides to them like other Indian citizens.
In my opinion, Muslims in India are true Indians as they could have opted in 1947 to migrate but chose to stay in India. Indian Muslims have been an example of peaceful and humane nature of Islam and as a fellow Indian, I am proud of them.
NIRVANIKA
Oxford, UK
I AM no economist but as a student of philosophy and Islam, I have a nodding acquaintance with the social, moral, political and economic orders of Islam.
The fundamental principle of Islamic economic order is that the means of production and the wealth of the nation should be in the control of the state. Capitalism and Islam are direct antithesis of each other.
We in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are moving in the direction opposite to the true spirit of Islam.
Rather than nationalising the huge private concerns, we have privatised PTCL, KESC, PSO, etc.
PROF RAZIA YAQUB
Karachi
EVEN from here in the US it is easy to see by reading the many current event stories in Dawn of late that the Pakhtuns in the NWFP are taking full advantage of the chaos, murder and terrorism, created and perpetrated by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, to seek to advance their religiously-driven goal of a separate nation of Pakhtuns they would cobble out of parts of today’s Pakistan and Afghanistan, ignoring the Durand Line and its associated treaties and world legal standing.
The good news is that many educated Pakhtuns are loyalists to the concept of the nation of Pakistan and still today serve bravely in both your armed forces and in your civil service, as well as being good business people in modern-day Pakistan.
This is not to underestimate the terrorism-caused chaos, but, again, chaos is not going to succeed when your total body politic supports law and order which comes above all other considerations of the moment.
Martial law, if necessary, nationwide would be a good starting point to show the terrorists that they are about to be put out of business once and for all.
Col (r) George L.
Singleton, Birmingham, Alabama
LAST week the US claimed that it can work with our designated chief of the army staff. Again, a US National Security Council spokesman, in a felicitation massage to Pakistan on its presidential election, said that he looked forward to working with all of Pakistan leadership for counter-terrorism (Oct 7).
Has, or has not, Pakistan’s international image reduced to the Pentagon’s backyard?
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.