| November 05, 2007 | Monday | Shawwal 23, 1428 |
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A teacher humiliated
Unlawful action by banks
The Turkish approach
5th ODI against S. Africa
Red chili production
Medical treatment
Plea for express train
Postal problems
US visa policy
Water supply
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
APROPOS of Sam Baidya’s letter, ‘Need for dialogue, (Oct 26), I should like to say that Baidya has made unfounded observation about Muslim societies and countries which need clarification to put a true perspective before the readers. I mention some historic examples:
1. When Jerusalem went under control of Muslims during the time of Hazrat Omar, he permitted Jews to settle there. These Jews were thrown out when Roman Christians earlier took over Jerusalem. No Christian was forced out of Jerusalem. All churches were guaranteed freedom to practise their religion.
2. After Christian retake of Muslim Spain in 1492, thousands of Muslims and Jews were deported from Spain to Muslim North Africa and South America. From that time Jews are living in Morocco and Tunis peacefully and constitute wealthy elite till this time. It will be interesting to note that Musa bin Maimun (Maimonides), a famous physician (a Jew) who had earlier migrated from Muslim Spain to Egypt, was the personal physician to Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi and royal family and enjoyed greatest possible esteem in Egypt.
3. Although the Middle East and North Africa are under Muslim rule for more than 1300 years, there is still nearly 17.5 million Christians living among Muslims without any coercion or fear for centuries. Boutros Ghali, former UN secretary-general, was an Egyptian Coptic Christian.
4. In recent times millions of non-Muslims, i.e. Christians, Hindus, are working in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Muscat and Libya enjoying all civil liberties. Has there been any news of expulsion or persecution of these non-Muslims from these countries? While see the plight of Muslims in India, Kashmir, Bosnia who are being massacred even though their ancestors had settled in India and Europe more than 1,000 and 600 years earlier. What happened to Buddhists and Jains at the hands of Hindus in India, and Red Indians, Mayans, Aztecs, Australians and New Zealandic aborigines at the hands of Christians in those countries. Brutal ethnic cleansing was done there.
5. What did Christian Adolph Hitler and Germany do to Jews in World War II? Earlier in European history the word ‘ghetto’ was coined for secluded slums where Jews used to be confined as condemned race. Similar incarceration of humanity is seen in the form of ‘shudars’ in Indian society who had no human rights. Now another shudar class has been added in India, ie Muslims (read Sachar Report).
6. If countries like Britain, America, Canada, Australia are accepting Muslims, they are also accepting Hindus, Buddhists and Christians for running their auxiliary services and menial jobs their own citizens do not want to do.
7. Where does Muslim-Christian dialogue stands when countries like France and America are re-opening controversial issues like killings in Armenia 85 years earlier when every authentic history clearly reveals that on sensing defeat of Turkey in World War I, Armenian Christians started massacre of Turks and it was only in retaliation that Turks paid back.
Who is actually interested in Muslim-Christian dialogue? Are those in power echelons in India, Europe and America illiterate or are their universities manned by men suffering from amnesia of what they have done to Muslims when they conquered the Muslim countries a few hundred years back. Don’t they know that when Christian armies took back Jerusalem in crusades, they killed all Muslims and Jews?
It is wise not to incriminate Muslim societies unnecessarily. Muslims have shown great consideration to the followers of other religions throughout more than 1400 years of Islam.
PROF (DR) EICE MUHAMMAD
Sheikh Zayed Medical College
Rahim Yar Khan
I was extremely disturbed to read a report, ‘We are all sad it happened’ (Oct 31), that a very senior and highly respected teacher and a renowned educationist, septuagenarian Professor Khwaja Masud (also teacher of the prime minster), was berated at a big gathering held at the Academy of Letters, Islamabad, attended by men-of-letters, bureaucrats and politicians.
The respectable professor, who is known for his philosophical and enlightened views on society he presented through writings in national dailies, was invited to speak on a book launching ceremony. The book is an English translation of renowned poet Josh Malihabadi’s verses by a retired brigadier.
However, as soon as he stood up and expressed his honest and candid opinion about the writer, book and the role of bureaucracy and the politicians played in the progress of civil society, a minister and the author of the book got flared up.
It is reported that they humiliated the professor before the large gathering and asked him to leave the place at once. More unfortunate was the fact that excepting a lady most of the participants suffered humiliation of a respectable teacher silently.
I am a keen admirer of Prof Khwaja Masud’s articles, his latest being ‘Intelligentsia in Pakistan and the world’ (Oct 20), wherein after explaining the role of intelligentsia in history he concluded:
“The intellectual in Pakistan are beholden to the teeming millions of poverty-stricken masses who are shackled economically and spiritually by the chains of feudalism, comprador bourgeoisie and the obscurantist priests. Basically the task of the Pakistani intellectuals is the same as that of the encyclopaedists during the 18th century, who dealt a fatal blow to mediaevalism. They have not only to interpret our society in new way but they are committed to changing it”.
May I ask the readers as to what will be the destination of a society where an intellectual par excellence and a seniormost teacher such as Prof Khwaja with a profound sense of history was allowed to be disparaged and ridiculed and his views muzzled, that too in the presence of the country’s ‘intelligentsia’
ALLTAMASH M. KURESHI
Karachi
COMPLAINTS against pathetic and inefficient customer service and service culture, faulty ATM machines, illegal, unlawful harassment and maltreatment of consumers at the hands of hired collection and recovery/repossession agents, who behave like thugs, and deceptive, misleading advertising by banks are on the increase.
These facts are being reported in the print media regularly and are no secret to the State Bank of Pakistan, the banking ombudsman and the banks. But, unfortunately, in spite of various efforts, the banking regulators have failed to protect the interests of the hapless consumers and the incidence of harassment by banks and illegal repossession activities keep on growing.
No doubt, consumer banking in Pakistan has made tremendous progress and has played a positive role in boosting the economy and in meeting the needs and requirements of the consumers and improving the quality of their lives.
However, consumer banking is also encouraging consumers to live beyond their means, which could lead to an increase in street crimes. There is also a growing misconception between consumers and banks and there are increasing reports and complaints from consumers about the problems they are facing with the banks.
These complaints relate to repayment procedures, high and unjustified interest rates and other bank-related issues. Some of these complainants have even filed petitions against some banks in the Sindh High Court.
These problems have been highlighted by Helpline Trust through our programmes on consumer banking on TV and we have received more than 60 complaints against leading local and international banks in just 10 days through their Consumer Complaint Form available on our web site: www.helplinetrust.org.
These programmes examine the relationship between banks and its consumers and how to improve this relationship. The Trust is also assisting consumers to serve legal notices to the banks, which can be followed up by filing a petition in the SHC, requesting the State Bank to stop the banks from the illegal harassment of customers and force them to use legal means to conduct their recovery activities.
We are also preparing a white paper on consumer banking with suggestions and recommendations, drawn up by banking experts, which will be presented to the State Bank governor.
A. H. MAKER
Helpline Trust
Karachi
TURKEY has adopted a very bold and no-nonsense approach in dealing with the incursion of Kurdish insurgents into its territory from their safe havens in Iraq. Addressing a large crowd of Turks protesting against the terrorists’ raids, who were demanding action against them, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan assured them that “the moment an operation is needed, we will take that step. We don’t need to ask anyone’s permission,” which statement seems implicitly aimed at the US (Oct 28).
He also took a swipe at western countries for not cracking down on the PKK (the Kurdish party) and said that merely calling it a terrorist group, as the US and European Union do, wasn’t enough. “We want action, and if you can’t show action, you fail the sincerity test,” he said. “Those who overlook terrorism are in cooperation with terrorism,” he told a conference earlier.
My hats off to him. Can you imagine our commando president, who has praised his courage profusely in his own memoirs, ever taking such a bold stand? The brave Turkish PM has effectively told the West what the US had said after 9/11: You are either with us or against us! Mr Erdogan has been able to do this because he is genuinely popular amongst his compatriots, who voted his party in with a heavy mandate. He can, therefore, afford to look the western powers in the eye and say what needs to be said, without having nuclear weapons or even oil.
In contrast, Gen Musharraf has got himself re-elected through a dying assembly by holding the nation at gunpoint and co-opting another US protégé -- BB. That is why he can’t afford to displease the West by dong straight talking like the Turkish leaders. It is high time our leaders, politicians, generals and bureaucrats followed the current Turkish government’s approach, if they really want Pakistanis to live honourably and independently in the world.
M. SHAFI
Karachi
PAKISTAN’s exit from a sure winning position against South Africa was deplorable. After Yusuf went at 33.1 overs, Pakistan had an asking rate of 4.4 runs per over with 16.9 overs remaining, and with six wickets in hand, but were unable to accomplish it.
Many a time I have seen sides winning with an asking rate of about eight runs per over with five wickets in hand in the last 10 or so overs.
RAFI AHMED
Karachi
I REGRET to learn through a news report (Oct 20) that red chili exports have declined to half, giving away a major share to India.
Having some agricultural background and involved with the process of drying chilies in Hyderabad (Deccan), I feel that our problems are two-fold and we need to take corrective measures on two grounds.
I have the following suggestions:
a. In order to improve the weight, colour and pinch of our chilies, we need to start using the hybrid variety of chili seeds compared to the existing normal seed variety. This will not only increase the crop size but will also improve the productivity and per-acre yield.
As of now more than 87 per cent of chilies grown in India is hybrid chili, whereas in Pakistan only 7 to 8 per cent chilies grown is from the hybrid seed.
The use of hybrid seeds make the chili resistant to pest attacks and increases the colour, size and pinch of the end-product.
I understand that the hybrid seeds may be costlier to purchase but the government can consider giving a subsidy to farmers to improve and encourage them to use the same.
b. It is also very important to use the professional method of drying chilies such as the use of appropriate chemicals to speed up the process of drying, thereby giving less time and exposure to the harvested crop.
At present very little or no chemical treatment is given to speed up the process of drying the chilies and reduce the drying time from the conventional seven to 10 days to three to four days, and the product is left under the sun to dry under the natural process.
In India and in the developed countries, people use special chemicals to dry the harvested crop without reducing its quality and colour.
A conventional method in some countries is to use olive oil with potassium carbonate, however a more professional approach is to use ethyl oleate-based chemical which actually increases the permeability of the covering membrane and speeds up the moisture and water loss without creating much changes in the chemistry.
In this regard spray methods can be laid down to ensure fast and effective drying, minimizing risk of pest attacks and damage to the crops.
S.M. OWAIS
Karachi
THIS refers to a few details of expenditure incurred in connection with medical treatment provided to a number of worthy ‘legislators’ and bureaucrats.
I retired about five years ago from the employment of a foreign bank. I contributed around Rs4 million as income tax towards the public exchequer during my 35 years association with the bank.
Unfortunately, the employees of private companies are not entitled to medical facilities after retirement. I am now 64 years old with heart problems but cannot afford a surgery due to high cost in my limited source of income.
It is so painful to see that the taxpayer’s money is being spent on people majority of whom even do not pay tax while the taxpayer himself is being deprived of his due rights.
May I request all the concerned, including the president and the PM, to make legislation whereby free medical facilities are provided to the tax payers after retirement in proportion to the amount of tax paid by an individual during his service.
S.M. HANAFI
Peshawar
NO doubt, the Pakistan Railways has seen a massive growth under the leadership of Sheikh Rashid Ahmad in the past one year. It has been such a privilege for the common people of Pakistan that there has been an addition of 12 new express trains — and a lot more are in the pipeline apart from the main line route.
Well, for the people of southern Punjab there is no express train that can connect important places like Dera Ghazi Khan, Jampur, Rajanpur, Rojhan, Kot Mithan, Shahwali, Kashmore and Kandh Kot to the federal capital/Rawalpindi, or the provincial capital, Lahore.
The inhabitants of these places are bound to travel by road hundreds of kilometres to the nearest main line station, and from there they continue their journey further up north. All these stations mentioned are also very important as per commercial activity as a lot of freight is hauled from these places to upper Punjab.
I know many travellers, especially students, of the places mentioned above who prefer travelling by train, but since there is no express train connecting Dera Ghazi Khan and places beyond, they are forced to travel by bus.
Back in the time of minister Mir Hazaar Khan Bijarani, Abbasin Express was given a route to travel on the Peshawar-Quetta-Peshawar route through Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Kandh Kot, thus connecting these places to the federal capital and the provincial capital, but after minister Bijarani left the railways, Abbasin Express was re-routed to the main line.
The government and the federal minister for railways should review the situation and give the people of southern Punjab at least one express train that could connect them to the capital/Rawalpindi.
ZILL-E-REHMAN KHAN NIAZI
Islamabad
THE public grievances on longstanding postal problems in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Karachi, are still unattended and unresolved. There is only one post office for over two million people of this area, spread over 20 blocks. In proportion to the huge residency, it is neither quantity-wise sufficient nor standard-wise equipped with all required services to cater the postal needs of people in this area.
Despite so many complaints by general public over the years, the post master-general (PMG) of Sindh has not been able to provide any remedy due to which citizens for their postal needs have to travel to far-located post offices after suffering loss of their time, energy and money.
One or two franchise post offices, which the PMG claims to have opened, are insufficient, irregular in service and undependable.
The only choice left is PO 75290 in block 14 which is hidden among residential bungalows, far from the commercial area and situated in a deep street which is not easily reachable by laymen.
It has no fixed business timings due to shortage of working hands. Usually, a man is seen to attend public on all windows. As a result, acceptance of utility bills, registered mail, parcels, revenue stamps, money orders, UPC, etc., depends upon the discretion of the staff available. This PO usually does not function after sunset as no security is deployed there , etc.
The residents of Jauhar need a few other post offices and at least two GPOs, with evening services, at conveniently reachable locations to fulfil their postal needs.
PARVEEN KAUSAR
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Nasim Ahmad’s letter, ‘Non-immigrant visa policy’ (Oct 29). My first name is Muhammad and my visa was issued in 2002, an year after 9/11 and now re-issued in 2007.
In the first case I got my clearance in a little over one month and in the latter case I got it in five days. I have many friends with first name as Muhammad and they have all got their visas in a reasonable time.
I think every country has a right to have policies that they think are in their best national interest.
IMAD QURESHI
Chicago, USA
THERE is an acute shortage of water supply in area Kamalpur Syedan in Attock Cantonment. Despite letters to the concerned authorities, no action has been taken to improve water supply. Water is supplied to the residents for half an hour in the day and with poor pressure, it just trickles.
The residents have been facing hardship during the summer in the sizzling heat of the city. Surprisingly, water is supplied to the CEO residence 24 hours a day whereas the public is made to suffer. As a result of poor supply of water, most of the residents have got their water disconnected.
The higher authorities are requested to look into the matter.
LT-COL ( r ) MUHAMMAD AFZAL SADIQ
Kamalpur Syedan, Attock
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