| December 11, 2007 | Tuesday | Ziqa’ad 30, 1428 |
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Who is responsible?
A hearty laugh
Futile exercise
PTCL package
Climate threat
Political stew
PTA’s clarification
Police uniforms
PTV pensioners
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
AYAZ Amir, in his column, ‘Opening fresh wounds’ (Dec 7), has indeed very timely and significantly observed, inter alia, that “Musharraf has announced that ‘emergency’ (actually martial law) would be lifted on Dec 16. In the besieged walls of the Presidency was there no one to tell him that Dec 16, the day our troops in (the then) East Pakistan under the command of that famous soldier, Lt-Gen ‘Tiger’ Niazi, laid down their arms is the darkest day in our national calendar?”
But information of that forgotten darkest day, however, pierced through crevices of the besieged walls of the Presidency immediately, as appears from a formal announcement of the Attorney-General of Pakistan, Malik Qayyum, as a spokesman for the president the same evening through the electronic media to the effect that emergency will be lifted on Dec15 (not on the darkest day of Dec16, as earlier announced by the general-president).
It would not be out of place to mention here in the context of the said change of date for the withdrawal of such uncalled-for ‘emergency’ that the rulers of this unfortunate country have forgotten or are trying to forget such darkest days in the break-up of the country instead of taking lessons from history, making an impartial investigations and inquiries and doing justice by punishing the culprits. Far from it, they will not, I think, care to even mourn the surrender of the armed forces and the loss of half of the legacy of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
I may be permitted to further add that ever since the fall of the then East Pakistan, there have been a number of black days in the history of the remaining Pakistan, nay a New Pakistan in the words of Z. A. Bhutto, and to cite recent examples the two blackest days of this very year are March 9, when the chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, was rendered non-functional and a reference for dismissal was preferred, and Nov 3, when another martial law in the form of emergency was imposed on the country, inter alia, packing and placing under house-arrest the chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, and around 60 best judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts of all the four provinces, who did not take the fresh oath under the PCO.
Ironically and in blatant violation of the provisions of Article 6, the Constitution —which being the basic law of the land cannot be suspended or kept in abeyance — was suspended by the Army chief. These two events were vehemently criticised and condemned by the entire nation as well as by the various cross-sections of people from abroad.
The reference against the chief justice was rejected by the Supreme Court on July 20, bringing great jubilations to the legal fraternity and the judges of the superior courts and lower courts and also terminating the mass agitations and rallies by the lawyers’ community, political parties and civil societies all over the country.
It was, however, not anticipated that Musharraf would strike the superior judiciary on Nov 3 in such a mode and manner while a large bench was near the completion of the hearing of a very significant and historic case having far-reaching effects and consequences on the country and its judicial history.
This has, naturally, led to the same protests, agitations and rallies by the legal fraternity, various members of civil society and the print and electronic media all over Pakistan and it seems from the events that their campaigns and struggles will not come to an end unless and until the judiciary is brought back to Nov.3 ante-position and the chief justices of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and High Courts and other judges of those courts are restored to their positions as on Nov 2, laying down the basis of an independent judiciary.
SYED IQBAL AHMAD
(Barrister-at-Law) Karachi
ALTHOUGH the summer is long past but unlike the previous years, this time the power outage is still continuing at least in my area for several hours each day and sometimes for the whole day. I told a friend that since the deposed chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, is responsible for everything that is wrong in the country so, this, too, must be his fault.
He looked horrified and said it is only my unenlightened immoderation that has led me to this wrong and unfair conclusion. As a proof, he pointed out that one of the complaints against the CJP was that he was interfering unnecessarily in government work by trying to bring down the prices of foodstuffs.
However, according to a report in Dawn of Dec 1, the government has finally slapped a 30 per cent duty on the export of wheat flour now, in order to bring down its price. So, what was wrong if Justice Chaudhry was compensating for the authorities’ negligence or incompetence by trying to reduce the poor people’s suffering months back, he asked?
Not to be defeated, I insisted that President Musharraf, who is a very wise person, has blamed the judge for many problems, so he must be right. Besides, that most powerful man in the world, George Bush, too, is fully backing him in everything and he must be even more knowledgeable than Mr Musharraf because the American president keeps receiving long-distance calls from heaven, there is no way our leader could be wrong.
My buddy looked at me in wonderment and said: “Actually, you are the wisest of them all!” I am not sure if he really meant it or was just being sarcastic and am even more confused about who is actually responsible for the power shortage. Would some of your readers please advise?
M. ALI
Karachi
IT is said a hearty laugh is like a strong energised injection to health. A small news item was reason for me to burst into laughter in my office, though later on I had to face an embarrassing situation.
It said that for more than a decade serious and truly independent quarters had shown their deep concern that the continuous and ever-increasing involvement of the army in civil affairs was deteriorating their professionalism in defence affairs.
As a common man, my view is ‘yes’. In the 1960s when I was a child, I used to live near a big cantonment. We saw military people coming in the city only on Sundays. We never saw an army officer in any car but only in jeeps. Whenever they came in the market or we as children passed through inside the cantonment roads for going to the nearby villages, we never felt any fear as these people were very polite and in fact innocently kind. The presence of an army man during journey in a bus or a train or his stay in a locality gave a sense of security.
After the 1980s we saw a change. These people started living in cities. They started travelling in airconditioned cars.
The most naked change seen was that they became hard and impolite. On roads they started yelling and beating others.
A point to ponder at the news item is, unfortunately, it appears to have gone unnoticed by people, particularly by column writers. Although it is a very small news item, it contains a hidden message for our nation to open eyes.
It also mentions that the Frontier police have been deployed at the entry and exit gates of the Punjab Regiment Centre in Mardan to protect army personnel as a military operation against militants is under way in Swat. The army personnel have been removed from these gates to avoid any terrorist activity.
BAJWA
Faisalabad
I AGREE with Neelum Murtaza’s viewpoint about the scarcity of libraries in our city, ‘A dearth of libraries’ (Dec 5) and would like to supplement her views by referring to a ground-breaking event held at the Expo Centre, Karachi.
I call it ground-breaking because of the escalating prices of the books, and the meagre ‘discount’ of 15 per cent that was given to the customers. Apparently, this event aimed at bridging the gap between books and the local population.
However, it has succeeded in doing so otherwise: it has further widened the gap between books and the people.
The reason is simple, as I mentioned earlier: the high prices of the books, which only the elite class could afford to buy. The rest could only stare and savour the sight of those books, and dream to buy them someday.
I request the authorities as to what is the use of arranging a book fair at such a huge scale when it only caters to the elite, and not to the masses? Instead of such events, I recommend that a library be established at this scale, so that all the people, whether belonging to the elitist category or the salaried class, are able to gain access to the wide range of books that were displayed at the Karachi International Book Fair 2007.
SANEELA ALTAF
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news item, “PTCL inter-city package: subscribers find the call ‘obnoxious’” (Dec 4). It has been rightly pointed out that nobody responds on # 1236.
My concern about the package is that who is going to count 5,000 minutes in a month? Surely it is the PTCL. Does anyone trust the PTCL? Not me at least.
This package has been launched to put more bills on the subscribers rather providing them relief. The package should be on a monthly basis rather than on the ‘minutes basis’.
Moreover, why has the coding and decoding facility been withdrawn? This all has been done to fleece the subscribers. I appeal to the authorities concerned that the package is converted on a monthly basis and coding and decoding facility be restored to control calls and bills.
Dr A. Q. MUGHAL
Islamabad
AS human-caused biodiversity loss and climate disruption gain ground, we need to keep our sights clear and understand that the measure of a threat is not a matter of whether it is made on purpose, but of how much loss it may cause. It’s harder, but more effective, to further educate and socialise the vast majority of our fellow humans who are not evil, but whose behaviour may in fact be far more distinctive in the long term.
Its regional effects include extreme weather events, an expansion of tropical diseases, and drastic economic impact.
Concerns have led to political activism advocating proposals to mitigate, eliminate or adapt to it. The government should take some prompt steps to this effect.
AYESHA MAROOF
Karachi
SO goes an old story. A villager, while travelling on foot to a nearby town, came across a friend coming from the other direction, riding his donkey. After the customary exchange of social goodwill and welfare, he asked his friend: “How is your donkey?” His friend, obviously surprised, retorted: “You are not blind! Are you? Can’t you see I am riding my donkey and she is fine?”
“Yes I can see the donkey, well. But what’s the harm if I asked?”, said the man on foot. “I didn’t expect this (foolishness) of you. And I thought you were sensible enough,” said the man riding the donkey, again, giving his donkey a tug to re-start his journey home.
“Sure, I am!”, said the man calmly. “But I asked (you) because I need this donkey for a ‘few days’, now.” He then added: “Please don’t tell me (now) that it’s not your donkey, or it’s not well. Get down and lend (hand it over) it to me, quietly, Now! Your village is not far away, and I must reach the town before dusk.”
The poor fellow, riding the brute, had no option. He was outclassed. Like the Tiger by the cunning Fox -- not smelling the ‘foul smell’ in the tiger’s den because she suffered from a bad cold (in that classic tale of our schooldays).
Now, that is not all ‘fiction’. It may by called a ‘political pre-emptive strike’ (or strategy), political adultery, a show now openly being played on our national (political) theatre and stage. The characters are also not unfamiliar either. Except that there is a long queue waiting to ride ‘the poor donkey’. Sadly none else but the grossly illiterate, ungovernable and rather unfortunate nation.
The indifferent, but not innocent, rider like our general (r)-president riding the ‘poor brute’ for eight years. And of course the villager-on-foot (coincidentally for almost the same period) akin to our two ‘twice dishonoured’ former PMs. One self-exiled to the West to her masters, and the other forcibly exiled to the Holy land and back home now after praying for forgiveness of his sins.
The former now already being projected by our ‘political godfathers’ as the (next) third-time PM-in-waiting before the (general’s) elections, by the ‘jiyalas’ and her senior party officials, as well as by political fortune-tellers. Sadly, and ironically also, by many irresponsible reporters of both the national and international press and electronic media despite the two-term limit still enforced.
The religious extremists, nationalists, separatists, jurists, journalists, and generalists combined with the external forces have never been more dangerous before. They are all out to wage bloody wars not only against each other but the country itself. Some of them who have already betrayed the nation more than once. But the nation appears to have lost its memory of the ugly historic events in the last half century.
They seem to be preparing us for a (God forbid) worst-case election scenario like 1971. There are ‘too many cooks’ to spoil the ‘stew’. With very little essential ingredients (like carrots, onions, garlic and ginger ), but lots of ‘Tabasco’, Mexican hot-red pepper( hatred, anger, violence, etc.). Small but able to very severely burn our tongue, throat and stomach as well.
All we can do is pray, but God helps (only) those who help themselves.
IJTABA ZAIDI
Karachi
APROPOS of the editorial, ‘Poor cellular services’ (Dec 1), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) would like to clarify some points as under:
The PTA has established a dedicated ‘Complaint Cell’ with the toll free number 0800-55055 where subscribers can lodge their complaints against any Internet, fixed and cellular operator. The Complaint Cell is manned round-the-clock and every complaint received in the cell is properly attended to and addressed.
Also, the PTA regularly conducts quality of service (QoS) audits of all operators based on the results of which appropriate action is taken.
These results are also published in newspapers for the awareness of consumers about their telecom operator and to make these operators accountable for their services.
The PTA has recently conducted a QoS survey of mobile phone operators, and the results of this survey were published in newspapers on Dec 2. Therefore, saying that the PTA does not take these complaints seriously is not correct.
The country had 63 million subscribers in 2006-07 and the number of complaints received during the year 2006-07 was 3,500 which was 0.0055 per cent whereas in 2005-06 the subscribers were 34 million and complaints reported were 2,084 which was 0.0061 per cent. In percentage terms the number of complaints has decreased from 0.0061 per cent to 0.0055 per cent in 2006-07.
Moreover, anti-phone theft system was introduced on Sept 30, 2006 to help mobile users to get their handsets blocked in the event of theft.
It was also a technical support provided to law-enforcement agencies to deal with this street crime as prevention of mobile snatching was never a PTA’s responsibility.
PTA efforts must be appreciated for launching anti-mobile theft system to facilitate the mobile phone consumers.
Further, no law-enforcement department has ever complained to the PTA about the mobile phone operators being hesitant to comply with the rules of anti-theft system. Also, it is not correct to say that all operators should have been taken on board when this system was launched, because with the inaction of a single mobile operator the system might have not been in place.
On average, 300 requests for blocking of stolen handsets are addressed on a daily basis.
As a regulator, the PTA knows its responsibilities and does its utmost to redress promptly the comsumers’ problems.
KHURRAM ALI MEHRAN
Deputy Director (PR) PTA,
Islamabad
PAKISTAN inherited, in 1947, a more-than-80-year-old police system from the British. The police uniform then consisted of a very unreasonable militia-black shirt and a pair of khaki-brown pants. Sixty years later, the uniform remains the same very unreasonable. Why unreasonable?
In a region where the sun shines at an excruciating angle of 107.7° in summers, logic fails as to why policemen who have to be the most vigilant have to wear militia-black shirts and then they are asked to depict a higher level of efficiency? Black colour absorbs the maximum amount of heat and light, and does not reflect any. A black shirt on a stifling summer day when the temperatures soar well above 45° C can be fatal. Even in December, it can make anyone break in sweat easily.
The Police Ordinance 2002, that replaced the Police Act 1861, meant a lead to efficient police operations, better quality decision-making, improved discipline of the force, and revamping of internal accountability mechanisms should also have considered a change in the uniform with any of the lighter shades of blues or greens or grays – the shades that are worn by the policemen around the globe who fall in the same belt as we do.
The senior police officials and the government are requested to empathise the plight of the poor policemen, who have to be under the beating sun all day long, that they should be provided with a comfortable uniform to wear.
ZILL-E-REHMAN KHAN NIAZI
Islamabad
THE government had increased the pension of its employees by 15 to 20 per cent in the current year budget and the pension at the increased rate was payable from July 1. All government departments and semi-government organisations, besides autonomous bodies, have raised the pension of their employees accordingly but PTV pensioners have yet to receive their pension at the revised rate.
In a time of high inflation when even government employees in service find it difficult to make ends meet, the plight of pensioners can well be imagined. The federal minister for information, Nisar Memon, is requested to look into the matter and help redress the gross injustice being meted out to pensioners of the PTV Corporation.
PTV must arrange for the increment for pensioners, with arrears, well before Eidul Azha so that their families can also celebrate with fervour.
ZIAUDDIN BUTT
Islamabad
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