| November 27, 2007 | Tuesday | Ziqa’ad 16, 1428 |
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American achievements
Free to go
Election participation
A non-issue
Tomorrow
Suicides in Japan
Threat to textile sector
Awam first
Irresponsible reportage
Two thefts in a day
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
FRANKLY, I whole-heartedly support Mahdi Masud’s point of view (‘Light at the tunnel’s end’, Nov 23) that to “see a streak of grey in an otherwise black and white portrait is found unacceptable, reflecting the intolerance and imbalance which is the bane of our society.”
His main thrust in his first letter on Nov 20 is that “there is no doubt that the continued viability and soundness of the state is an indispensable pre-requisite for the successful implementation of a democratic or any other system of government.” And he adds: “The threat to the state’s stability and integrity, the safeguarding of which, as President Musharraf has rightly affirmed in the past, is the government’s overriding duty,” which comes from ‘insurgency mounted by extremist militants.’
He rightly feels that this insurgency, if sustained dialogue for reconciliation fails, would have to be suppressed with force. However, he goes on to say that extra-constitutional measures were not needed because the Constitution itself provides for emergency measures to meet such situations and, therefore, he hopes that emergency and measures impinging on civil society would be rescinded at an early date. He says that since President Musharraf has shown courage in the past to correct his course, one still sees light at the end of the tunnel.
I think Rizwan Akhtar (’Hunting with the hounds’, Nov 22) has probably taken umbrage to the fact that Mahdi Masud said: “It has been said that, ‘democracy, like other voluntary associations, rests on a shared understanding of limits.’ In our society, however, the concept of limits is conspicuous by its absence, which explains why institutions such as the judiciary and the media sometimes transgress their limits.”
Then, strangely, Mr Akhtar recalls Ralph Braibanti’s analysis, ‘American neoconism.’ It is very rare for a westerner, much less an American, to say, “Pakistan has been pummeled by diverse events………The enormity and persistence of the challenges faced by Pakistan and the resilience of the people in standing up to them evokes awe and admiration.”
Wars, internal upheavals, insurgency in East Pakistan and its breaking away, just to name a few, are enough to break the back of any nation, yet Pakistan has shown resilience and courage to move on. If it evokes awe and admiration for the people of Pakistan in Ralph Braibanti’s analysis, why should Mr Akhtar take exception to his remarks? His thinking baffles me. I feel that nothing could be more telling and poignant about the state of affairs prevailing in Pakistan today.
Mr Masud is neither running with the hare nor hunting with the hounds, he is just calling a spade a spade. He has courage, he has vision and he has the love of Pakistan at heart.
SARDAR AHMED SHAH JAN
Peshawar
APROPOS of the letter, captioned ‘Hunting with the hounds’ (Nov 22), to which, inter alia, a reply posted by Mahdi Masud (‘Light at the tunnel’s end’, Nov 23) is a welcome redress. Pakistan’s ‘imminent demise’ is a cliché usually disseminated and dragged to disproportional heights. I do not remember a single day when I did not hear my fellow citizens voicing this fear that Pakistan is on the verge of disaster.
Indeed this psychology of imminent disaster has served as lusty cash to our rulers who leave no opportunity of desecration of the Constitution. I have lived my life under the ominous shadows of military dictatorship and I cannot live under wishy-washy optimism.
Believing that ‘constitutional crisis’ is located only in the present times would be a case of smugness and anachronism which demands readjustment and correction. Indeed it is very unfortunate that ours is a fairly long chequered history of constitutional crisis. The present episode may be the worst.
I do agree that a majority of people see or want to see light at the end of the tunnel but there is no light unless you wade through the dark.
I have not expressed my anger at Ralph Braibanti remarks but my disillusionment with western theoretical scheme that has been long fuelling our thoughts. Objectively speaking I have no grudge to accept Ralph Braibanti’s scholarship but have every right to critique the discourse.
Had I been intolerant I would not have engaged with your ideas.
While you have doubts that the media has shown irresponsibility, I on the contrary see the media growing mature and objective. There are graver transgressions (like the Constitution being abrogated) and should not we endure lesser transgressions committed by the media and the judiciary? This would be real tolerance.
RIZWAN AKHTAR
Lahore
I HAVE been reading the exchange of letters between Khushbakht Vaka (Nov 13 and 18) and Mujtaba Simaer (Nov 15) on the subject in response to ljtaba Zaidi’s complaint, ‘US destabilising our world’ (Nov 12).
In her first letter, Ms Vaka failed to realise that Mr Zaidi had not claimed that the Muslims were capable of sending the ‘first man on the moon’ years before the US and that anybody denying this would be a fool. What he had said was that contrary to the allegations of “Mr Bush and his ‘poodles’”, the Saudis (Arabs or Muslims) did not even have the capability of launching the 9/11 attacks because such operations were too sophisticated for them. If the Muslims had been so advanced, then they would have reached the moon before the US did.
Unfortunately, instead of trying to take a cue from Mr Simaer’s letter and reviewing if she had misunderstood Mr Zaidi’s point, Ms Vaka appears to have made it a matter of ego by coming to the Americans’ defence once again and re-emphasising the Muslims’ present backwardness. This has resulted in an unnecessary waste of her time as well as of those responding to her.
There is no harm if the Muslims take a pride in the achievements of their ancestors. William Dalrymple has noted in a recent article historian George Makdisi’s discovery of Islamic contribution in the emergence of the first universities in the mediaeval West. The latter has shown how terms such as having ‘fellows’, holding a ‘chair’ or students ‘reading’ a subject and obtaining ‘degrees’ as well as having inaugural lectures and academic robes can all be traced back to Islamic concepts and practices.
Makdisi has also established the important fact that it was in cities bordering the Islamic world — Salemo, Naples, Bologna, Montpelier and Paris — where the first universities in Christendom were established. Dalrymple has said: “It was a crucial but sometimes forgotten moment in the development of western civilisation: the revival of mediaeval European learning by a wholesale transfusion of scholarship from the Islamic world” (article by A. B. Shahid, ‘Give reason a chance’, Dawn, Nov 5).
But l would agree that we should certainly acknowledge the achievements of the Americans and others. Also, that we cannot rest merely on the accomplishments of earlier Muslims and must do all we can to catch up and even try to get ahead of others. We can do it, given the right efforts and policies. The Chinese are doing it, aren’t they?
ZAKIR AHMED
Karachi
THE interior ministry spokesman, Brig (r) Cheema, has said that no deposed judge was under house arrest and they were free to go to their homes or keep their official houses till the law permitted (Nov 21).
What to talk of the judges, even the family members of at least Justice Chaudhry were not allowed to go out. That is why his daughter wasn’t allowed to appear in her O level paper. Justice Chaudhry had to contact the British Council which then arranged to have her examined at home to prevent the loss of one year.
Regarding the being ‘free to go’ or the law about staying is concerned, which law had allowed Gen Musharraf to overthrow the elected government in 1999? He, too, is free to go as far as the Pakistanis are concerned.
The turnout by millions of people in support of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and the SC verdict in his favour against the president’s reference shows most people want him to stay. No schoolteachers or government employees or rented crowds were involved in backing him, nor did he need hordes of security agents to protect him.
Also, there have been many rallies even by foreigners outside Pakistan in support of our deposed judiciary and the lawyers but not a single similar one for Mr Musharraf. What does this show — if anyone is honest enough to call a spade a spade?
RAHIM
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Ayaz Amir’s column, ‘Charlatans, humbugs and a few heroes’ (Nov 23). I don’t agree with the writer’s suggestion that political parties should boycott the elections. The country has been ruled by army generals for over 30 years out of 60 years of its chequered history.
The political parties have the only opportunity to play their role and secure their rights to rule the country through balloting.
The liberal parties have only this opportunity in election to defeat the MMA whose leaders want to take back the nation to the mediaeval era.
Being the ‘B’ team of the establishment, they will never boycott the election. The moderate liberal parties should not leave the field open for the MMA. To boycott now, the PPP and the PML-N could be marginalised forever.
S.T. HUSSAIN
Lahore
THE fact that Pakistan’s new Supreme Court has dismissed the legal challenge to President Musharraf’s re-election is really a non-issue. The president had unceremoniously sacked the erstwhile judiciary, to precisely ensure the current result, i.e. a smooth re-election.
The cynic may say: “Why not? If the cases against Ms Bhutto can be dissolved, then why can the president not fiddle a wee bit with the judiciary?” These happenings are not good for Pakistan’s long-term image or institution-building.
During the emergency in India, from 1975 to 1977, Mrs Indira Gandhi had also summarily transferred judges at will and fancy, to subserve her goal of staying in power, at the cost of damaging India’s political and democratic institutions.
In the ultimate analysis, we get the leaders we deserve.
We, as common citizens, have to be constantly vigilant to ensure our leaders do not take us for a ride, and dupe us with slogans like the ‘nation is in danger’, whilst all that they are doing is to ensure that they stay glued to the chairs of power.
RAJU ANEJA
Dubai
“PRESIDENT Musharraf warned that if he went, the nuclear assets would fall into the hands of extremists” (Nov 18).
But, sir, it is commonly seen the world over that the people plan their daily routine in such a manner that would also safeguard their tomorrow.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
ONE was very saddened to read that last year more than 32,000 Japanese people committed suicide (Nov 10). According to the report, Japan’s suicide rate — their sixth leading cause of death — has shot up since the mid-1990s to become one of the highest outside the former USSR as the Japanese ideal of lifetime job security crumbled amid years of economic woes.
Among the folks who took their lives, men between 55 and 64 made up more than half, even as the Japanese government last year passed a suicide prevention law. Nearly 48 per cent of the total were unemployed, with health concerns, financial difficulties and family problems seen as the main motives.
A year ago another report had stated, ‘Japan’s aging population causes depression’ (Nov 1, 2006). It had cited some really heart-breaking incidents of how several elderly men and women had ended their lives or even been killed by a younger family member due to the inability to carry on in their difficult circumstances. Police record showed that 11,000 Japanese people over the age of 60 committed suicide in the year 2005 while a study revealed that in 2006 almost 30 per cent of carers over 65 had thought of taking their own lives.
It may be useful to compare these data with the ones for Pakistan (letter, Feb 22). For the 30-day period in early 2007, the ages of Pakistanis who committed suicide had ranged between 14 and 60 years, with most being in their 20s. Also, from police statements and extrapolation of data for the city of Rawalpindi, the countrywide estimates of citizens ending their lives could be from 6,000 to 8,000 in a year.
Since Pakistan’s population at 160 million is nearly 30 per cent greater than that of Japan, this shows the remarkably higher suicide rates by as much as six to eight times are found in Japan. This is very surprising, given the far greater financial, social and health problems faced by the Pakistanis. A major reason for the relatively lower rate in Pakistan (which was much lower some 15 years back) appears to be the very strict Islamic teaching against taking one’s life.
Anyway, here are a few suggestions for our Japanese friends.
a. In general, suicides resulting from depression can be curtailed by treating the mental illness. A method acting in a few minutes is a breathing exercise that lowers the respiration rate to four per minute.
b. Shiatsu, the Japanese version of acupressure, could be used to treat certain pressure points and it could also be combined with the breathing exercise in what is known as acu yoga, to treat depression.
3) There are some meditation methods taught by mystics of various religions. For instance, a Dutch psychiatrist, in spite of being a non-Muslim, has been teaching his patients to repeatedly say ‘Allah’ in order to overcome problems of anxiety and depression.
The Japanese government should widely disseminate this information to its populace through electronic and print media. For the other very important problem of the elderly, Tokyo should hire men and women from Asian countries and train them to look after the old people, since they could be hired for small wages and have similar Asian values. They must also be taught the Japanese language along with Shiatsu.
The offspring of these unfortunate senior citizens may be conveyed the words from this Pakistani friend: No mother in the world and no father should be left alone to die, much less commit jisatsu (suicide), whatever hardship that may entail.
A Japanese saying goes: “Pinch yourself and know how others feel.” If a scientist makes a robot after spending many years of hard work and earnings and, in his old age asks it to do certain work, but the robot says it is going to another town in search of technological upgrades and better spare parts, never to return. How would he feel’? Our parents suffer similarly when we abandon them.
KHALID CHAUDHRY
Karachi
RISING oil prices pose a serious threat to our economy. The textile sector, which accounts for two-thirds of our export earnings and employs half of the labour force, and, therefore, considered as the backbone of our economy , seems to be the immediate casualty as this sector has registered dismal growth of 1.03 per cent during the first four months of the current fiscal year. This has added to uncertainty in achieving the current fiscal year’s export target of $19.2 billion, which implies that the trade gap as well as the current account deficit is likely to further widen.
This trend coupled with high cost of financing would dampen the textile sector’s demand for credit. This would in turn affect the banking sector’s performance because the textile sector happens to be the leading borrower. Besides, high oil prices would continue to build inflationary pressure on the economy. With oil constituting 50 per cent of our energy mix, the cost of production is bound to escalate, which has the potential to further weaken our competitiveness in global trade.
In order to maintain the growth momentum, we need to diversify our energy mix by increasing the share of coal power which is a meagre 5 per cent at present. It is time our economic managers placed coal exploitation on top of their economic agenda so as to enable our industry to reduce high cost of production by accessing cheap power for regaining the lost place in global trade.
M. SHAHID DAYO
Ghotki
AS the great poet Habib Jalib once referred to ‘awam’ as donkeys in front of military rulers (das crore yeh gadhey jin ka nam hay awam), I guess our politicians think of us the same, the biggest advocate of literate leadership, catalyst for change and leader of civil society.
Imran Khan in a TV interview to the BBC urged the political parties to boycott the upcoming general election while his party has placed ads in different newspapers inviting applications for party tickets.
Going by the standards shown by the opposition parties, I think they don’t have the skill to beat Musharraf. For this they would have to respect the ‘awam’ first and not try to make a fool out of them.
MUJEEB
Via email
THIS is apropos of the article, ‘BNU disallows on-campus rally’ (Lahore Metropolitan, Nov 16). Before saying anything else, let us make clear: there was no rally planned at Beaconhouse National University (BNU) that day. The students had organised talks by two faculty members, the venue of which was changed. Which leads to the second point: there was a change in venue for a talk; there was no ‘disallowance’.
In times when depoliticised students are just waking up from their almost 40-year slumber, articles that misinform the public about student activities are not only damaging to student motivation but set a precedent that only statements by political leaders are to be scrutinised for libel before printing.
HALIMA MANSOOR AND MEHR TIWANA
(Students from BNU)
Lahore
I WITNESSED three incidents in two days of the snatching of a mobile and valuables on Shahrah-i-Liaquat, near Bohra Jamaat Khan, Karachi. One incident took place in the morning around 7.30 and then at night another robbery took place around 11.These inhuman criminals move freely with arms. We are living in the stressful environment, always worried about our belongings, and feel complete insecurity.
The tall claims by the government to attract investment seem farcical. How can foreigners come to our city where citizens are completely unsafe? Whom do we trust?
HUSSAIN SHABBIR
Karachi
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