| October 27, 2007 | Saturday | Shawwal 14, 1428 |
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Breaking colonial state structures
Mind our language
Traffic management
US role in Middle East
Rethinking Nobel peace prize
Missing history
Intimidating PPP
A mighty heart
Architects’ role
Reading Dawn
Extension for filing tax returns
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
OVER the past few years (or longer) it has been a norm for political leaders to blatantly state that a change of thinking for political (benefit) expediency is no harm if one changes one’s political philosophy or even seesaws between divergent philosophies or political parties to meet as it were the “need of the hour”.
The problem is not that this is a ‘daily’ happening; the real problem is that its frequency is leading it to be gradually accepted as a ‘norm’ in the country’s politics. There is no guilt of the previous actions being recognised as false. If these were indeed recognised as false, decency would demand that an individual or a group of individuals who commit false acts are required to muster enough decency to recognise the error of their previous insight and renounce, in recognition of their inability to have correctly analysed a national situation, their right to public or political activity. Because such individuals are making decisions for millions of people, it cannot be acceptable for them to continue.
Stemming from a total absence of real beliefs that are strongly felt and needed; it is common to accept a ‘foreign philosophy’ because it is or has been successful in another culture or country. This acceptance and implementation does not take into account the potential of damage that this action can have on our own existence resulting from the negation of our needs and beliefs.
Divergent cultures require divergent approaches. No approach is good or bad. What counts is whether it fits in with our people’s normal everyday life or not. To cite an example, on average in the past few elections in our country the turnout for voting has been reported to be 25 to 30 per cent.
Of this the majority leader forms the government, i.e. one who has the following of 15 per cent to 20 per cent rules the land. Is this democracy? I leave the readers to make their own assessment.
Another point: of these 15 to 20 per cent how many have public appeal? Who makes the decisions? The leader! In a dictatorship the situation would not be very different. He would make the decision (and as recent surveys have indicated an average of 15 to 20 per cent who agree with him).
Such being the case, where is the difference? The western and now the worldwide media has conditioned our minds that election results are the final belief. We conveniently leave out as to whether the winning party has the majority of the voters’ population (not the majority of votes cast).
Only 25 to 30 per cent come out to vote while the remaining 70 per cent are not represented in the polls. Generally (and not only in Pakistan), very few of the accomplished or decent make it to the policy booth or ‘leadership’. Many of the present-day ‘leaders’ or ‘lawmakers’ are only tuned to play the political game, do not wish or are unable to do anything else and relish power above all.
The middle class, which is the base of any country’s educated and hardworking souls, is light years away from either wanting, having the ‘ability’ or the resources to seek the democratic mandate. Hence the game ends with the Machiavellian ruling the more accomplished merely because of a disfigured ‘majority’.
Says Count Leo Tolstoy: “There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth”. Can we Muslims argue with this?
KHALID MUNAWARUDDIN SHAMSI
Lahore
APROPOS of Syed Mohibullah Shah’s article, ‘Breaking colonial state structures’ (Oct 23), I would like to add that another vital ingredient for sustainable development among the OIC countries had been the lack of vision and serious willingness among its ruling elite.
The first generation of the rulers taking control from the colonial powers were (in most cases) those having close association with the colonial rulers. They learnt the principles of rule from them, applicable to colonial masters to rule a slave nation.
The basic principle of the rule had been to feed the masses half stomach so that their whole attention should remain to fill the remaining half and never be able to think further. Whereas human resource development and educating the nation was just opposite of this principle. The subsequent generations of the rulers followed the same and maintained the status quo.
Most of the steps taken by OIC leaders in the name of education and HR development were either half-hearted or lacked the right strategy. During his last visit, Malaysia’s former president and the founder of modern Malaysia described how he and his team planned to develop his country. When he assumed control of the country, the firs national budget had almost 50 per cent budget for education. At that time it was the world’s biggest educational budget.
Dr Mahathir in his speech emphasised on three things: education, justice and industrialisation. A journalist asked him, what if we could do only one out of these three, his reply was, education.
Most of our leaders are of the opinion that Islam and Islamists are the biggest hurdle in development. I would also like to remind them and the readers that the worldwide ratio of Muslims who pray five times a day regularly is close to 21 per cent, whereas in Malaysia 49 per cent of the Muslim population pray five times a day in congregation.
We need not only to educate our people in sciences and arts but also in religion. We need to invest not only in schools, colleges and universities but also need to upgrade our madressahs which cater to the educational needs of a very large segment of our children. We need not only to produce PhDs and Haifz-i-Quran, we need to produce PhDs who are Hafiz-i-Quran as well. Our madressahs should not only provide education in religion but also in sciences and arts.
TANWEER AHMED
Jeddah
Saudi Arabia
IRFAN Husain’s article, ‘Welcome to Babylon’ (Oct 13), brings out feelings of empathy and sympathy in me. I feel empathetic at the poor use of English language in Pakistan which is so commonplace even in government offices, as well as at the gradual demise of Urdu, our national language. Sympathy is for us as a Pakistani nation because it signals our loss of identity as we get swept up by the wave of globalisation and act as eager beavers to be everything that is western and non-Pakistani.
It is now close to eight years that I have been abroad. My English language skills have served me well. I am proud to say that I speak better English than most of the natives here. In interviews, they refuse to believe that I am a non-native speaker. They are wrong. I am a native speaker of English. It is Urdu that is my foreign language.
I am ashamed to say that I grew up in Karachi in a part of the society where Urdu is looked down upon. We are encouraged to speak English at home, in school, among friends, at work. The only time that Urdu words come out of our mouth is when talking to servants or beggars, bargaining at the Juma Bazaar or speaking to our grandparents as they and our language slowly become memories of the past.
Even our leaders refuse to communicate in Urdu. Our president-general has made it well-known that he speaks better in English than in Urdu. Mimicking Benazir Bhutto’s Urdu is a good way to revive the party when the conversation runs dry. Shaukat Aziz’s command of the English language may be impressive but he speaks Urdu in calculated pauses, which is a sure sign of his ineptitude in the language.
It has been over 60 years since the end of the British Raj but they left the English language behind as a curse and blessing for us. English might be the language of business but Urdu is the language that holds our history and serves as our identity. As Pakistanis, we need to be proud of our mother tongue and get rid of our colonialist mindset before it destroys our culture from the insides.
YAWAR HEREKAR
Washington, DC
THE traffic problem in Karachi has become monstrous, causing loss of innumerable man-hours to its citizens. For this, it is not the police alone to be blamed, the general public also has a share in this as they have little respect for the law.
Besides, road digging and the bad condition of roads are the main reasons for frequent traffic jams, violations of rules, such as stopping of vehicles in the middle of the road, wrong parking, wrong overtaking, violation of traffic signals, overspeeding and sharp right turn. It is distressing that even educated people flout the traffic rules.
There are some suggestions here to ease the situation: (a) The police should be empowered to book the violator of traffic rules, irrespective of the status of the person, (b) police inspectors should be present at busy intersections during peak hours for effective traffic control, (c) traffic week educating the drivers about traffic rules on loudspeaker should be regularly observed, (d) television channels should be asked to educate the public about traffic rules as ‘public service message’, particularly during prime time.
Moreover, a local traffic advisory committee, consisting of representatives from trade bodies, residents’ associations, prominent citizens, CDGK and senior police officials, should be formed. The names of such representatives should be publicised through newspapers for inviting suggestions from concerned citizens for improvement in traffic management of the city, and the committee should take concrete steps for timely resolution of the genuine problems of the citizens.
Also, a ban on import of motor vehicles and SVC for a year should be considered as there is a glut of new and second-hand cars in the market.
MAHMOOD DADABHOY
Karachi
LIKE everywhere, the US is playing No. 1 role to destroy and hamper the peace prospects in the Middle East region. Its sales of deadly weapons costing billions of dollars to its allies making them strong enough to tame Iran will only encourage Iran to go the nuclear way.
Although the Muslim countries that included the citadel of Islam, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hunger for American military assistance, the US proved equally wild in selling these weapons to them.
It is a historic lesson that with the military rivalry the nations are decayed and ultimately are led to disintegration. The world has been made a dangerous place by the barbaric humans.
All the major players in the world are involved in this evil spirit to solve the global issues through power.
Apart from initiating an international deweaponisation programme, the US is making and distributing killing machines to its blue-eyed countries. If this trend is not changed, there will never be a true peace in the world.
NAUMAN YOUNIS LODHI
Rawalpindi
AWARDING the Nobel peace prize to an environment activist started first with the award to Wangari Maathai — the Kenyan environment activist — in 2004. And now in 2007 the former US vice president, Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr — the joint winner of this year’s coveted Nobel peace prize along with the UN Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change — becomes the second such environment activist and organisation to have been honoured with such a distinguished prize.
When Alfred Nobel – basically a Swedish national – had died on Dec 10, 1896, it was discovered that he had left a will, dated Nov 27, 1895. According to this will, most of his vast wealth was to be used for five prizes, including one for peace. The prize for peace was to be awarded to the person who “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding of peace congresses.”
If we look at the basic criteria for nominating and awarding the Nobel Peace prize, we see that an environment activist or organisation doesn’t really quite fit into the definition of the same. How can an environment activist/organisation be seen as: 1. doing best work for fraternity between nations, 2. working for abolition or reduction of standing armies and 3. holding a peace congress.
These arguments were indeed the topic of discussion when Wangari Maathai was first awarded this prize in 2004. There were many proponents and adversaries for this award then and I think the same kinds of debate are expected to be unleashed this time around too.
Frankly, I am not at all against this award for Al Gore. In fact, I am happy to see that a former US vice president is at least engaged in something focused on better Mother Earth where we all live in and want it to see it environmentally better. Like the former US presidents — Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton — he is endeavouring to contribute positively towards a better tomorrow.
Having said that, I still believe he was not the right choice for this coveted Nobel peace award. The Norwegian Committee should have looked to their right and left also and I am sure they should have been able to settle for a better and appropriate choice. Aga Khan is one such personality who should have been considered. His engagements towards international philanthropy and alleviation of hunger, disease, human settlements and better education are worth mentioning. All these are seen to foster and promote peace worldwide. Surely enough, his contributions towards the world peace stand high above all today. I am sure his credentials would come under consideration for the 2008 award.
FAIZ AL-NAJDI
Riyadh
I AGREE with Mr Altamash M. Kureshi (letter, Oct 26) about history being written by the victors. In this respect something has been bothering me about the history of Alexander the Great. What we know about his invasion is given to us by the conqueror’s court historian.
Somehow I refuse to believe that a man who ventures out of his country to conquer the world would suddenly decide to return after the battle of Jehlum unless he has been badly mauled by the Poru tribe of that area.
The famous dialogue between Alexander and Poras is also by the pen of royal histoian. That Alexander’s army almost mutineed is a known fact. Is it, therefore, fair to believe that Alexander was defeated by Porus and that prompted the most disciplind army of the time to mutinee. I would request some scholars to enlihgten me.
MUHAMMAD ZUBAIR
Doga, Qatar
IT was my impression that suicide bombing was probably a brain-washed operation and those who carried it out did it for their so-called religious values against people alien to their religion, but in these bomb blasts on Benazir Bhutto’s welcome procession — also being hinted as a suicide bombing due to the discovery of a head around the scene of carnage — there is obviously no religious motive involved while a political motive cannot mobilise a person to give his life.
So it seems to suggest that a trend is settling in this country of hiring the killers, who must be demanding a high price to give their life to the hirers. If it is so, it is very unfortunate that poor people in their desperation have started thinking of sacrificing their useless life to buy a better life for their kin and successors.
How many millions of desperate poor are in the country ready to sell their lives for money is not difficult to guess. The potential victims, political, personal and business competitors are not that many, so literally every one living in this country is at high risk.
M. M. Khan
Karachi
THROUGH these columns I would like to share the ‘mighty heart’ of a teacher with the readers.
On Oct 18 my son had an ‘O’ level examination. Myself and other parents were worried to death concerning what would happen on the day as we had witnessed the May 12 riots during examinations.
Ms Farah Onaid of Generation’s School suggested students come and stay at her home, as it was near to the venue and nothing could be predicted about the next morning.
Twelve boys stayed at Ms Onaid’s place where they had a marvellous time, as their teacher made them study, fed them, woke them up on time and accompanied them to the venue for their examinations. All the while we, the parents, were at our homes knowing that our boys were in safe hands.
Hats off to you Farah; you have a ‘mighty heart.’ Thank you and may Allah bless you.
SHOA JAWAID A. KHAN
Karachi
“ARCHITECTS’ role in city planning” by Arif Hasan (Oct 17) made an informative reading. Interestingly, we in India too face similar city planning problems, like that of “bad taste, wrong priorities and neglect of heritage”. Even the modern city of Chandigarh, which I am told has some similarities with Islamabad, suffers from same maladies.
The reason for all this perhaps lies in the fact that today every Tom, Dick and Harry who manages to get a diploma/degree from an architecture school/college considers himself to be not only an accomplished architect but also a town planner.
The undue rise of these architects, most of whom are no better than our old ‘naksha nawees’, and their penetration into decision-making process needs to be checked firmly. Only known team of specialists should be entrusted with the task of architectural growth of a city, and which apart from caring about the growing needs of the public should be careful about the heritage of the city.
BALVINDER
Chandigarh
India
SIMPLY thought I should write and say how much I enjoy reading Dawn on the web. It is not just that there is for me living in the West a different viewpoint on many important issues but also the calm and reflective observations contained in the editorial.
So welcome today when so much news seems so emotionally charged and over simplified for commercial or political advantage. With thanks for my daily enjoyable read.
ALAN LYNCH
Tramore, Ireland
ALTHOUGH the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) had extended the time for filing tax returns for tax year 2007 till Oct 20, the majority of taxpayers and tax practitioners were unable to avail themselves of this facility for the reasons that the tax returns forms were publicised very lately by the CBR, coupled with the fact of short working hours adopted during the holy month of Ramazan where some taxpayers and tax practitioners opted for performing ‘aitikaf’, which was followed by long Eid holidays.
Moreover, the standstill of business in the entire city of Karachi on Oct 18 on the occasion of Benazir Bhutto’s return to Pakistan and the tragic blasts at her procession created a situation of paralysis.
Under these circumstances, the CBR should consider the extension of time for filing the tax returns by Nov 15, as a matter of convenience and facilitation and also considering the genuine reasons stated above.
MUHAMMAD ALEEM
Karachi
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