| December 20, 2007 | Thursday | Zilhaj 9, 1428 |
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‘Urdu hai jis ka naam’
Balochistan: BB’s amnesty demand
Procedure of loan recovery
Table tennis
Balloting for plots
History records
General (retd)
Definitions
Check on education standards
If not bread, then cakes
Emergency
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
It’s time for Pervez Musharraf to wake up and smell the carbon. On paper, everything looks fine. Well, this is what our president has to say and blames a few media players and lawyers for giving a bad impression to the people and globe.
If, for a second, we agree with him, then people definitely have the right to know that by arresting these professionals, why is Pakistan still facing suicidal attacks almost on a daily basis, why is our country facing unprecedented political uncertainty, why is the pressure from the hawkish US president increasing with an alarming rate?
Mr Musharraf bemoans the fact that the ex-chief justice was just not letting the organisations to work smoothly, interfering in almost every official affair which led to the termination of his job.
But the big question to think about is: was he doing things deliberately just to pressure Mr Musharraf and his dummy PM or was he trying to display his importance or was he acing in a negative fashion serving someone else rather than the big indomitable president?
He was either playing every card or was playing none of these. But in many ways he was able to do things which our so-called popular politicians were not able to perform and that was to create a movement against Mr Musharraf and a movement for justice.
For the first time in the history of Pakistan ordinary Pakistanis came out on the street in support of not some politician but for a sacked chief justice. Did it have to do with his personal charisma or people suddenly realised that he was a bigger politician than the so-called liberal/religious politicians?
Well, the answer is as simple as two plus two. People were coming on the streets not in support of a sacked chief justice, but to convey the establishment and the king-makers the message that the nation wants to see an independent judiciary, and the CJ was just a mere symbol of that organisation, the Supreme Court.
Now again, the question is: why are the political parties, whic were initially supporting the chief justice, keeping a distance from him and are willingly participating in an engineered election where there won’t be a level playing field.
It’s an undisguised fact that apart from very few, no single political party/leader wishes to see an independent judiciary. Who would like to have a check on them when all they are interested in is corruption and embezzlement and that too of high volume?
With increase in frequency of suicidal attacks, Pakistan is definitely at a crossroads these days. No country can survive like the way the affairs of the country are running. We need to get rid of our hypocritical face and each individual needs to honestly play his role. We hope that in the near future Pakistan would definitely be an improved version where justice won’t be for sale and every citizen would have equal rights and share in the country. Where the poor would have equal status and would have quality education, nursing, and justice and finally would have an equal chance to progress.
God bless Pakistan.
MUSTAFA WARIS
Via email
WHY do nations have a national language? And what a national language is all about? A national language depicts the culture and traditions of a nation. It is something which cannot be borrowed but it is developed with time, absorbing in it every aspect of a nation’s culture. It tells the whole story of that nation and gives them identity. That’s why nations take pride in owning and speaking their national language as it tells them who they are. And our identity is Urdu. But do we really take pride in owning it? Unfortunately it is not the case.
There were times when a person who was good in Urdu was considered to be an intellect and a well read individual. But today, as a nation, we are more interested in speaking and writing English rather than Urdu. Speaking English has today become a status symbol. It is considered to be a sign of being civilised.
On the other hand, if you happen to be in a gathering where everyone is communicating in English and you try to speak your national language, you’ll be termed backward.
One cannot neglect the importance of learning English in today’s world. Being international medium of communication, there is a need to develop good spoken as well as written skills in English but it doesn’t mean that we put our national language on second priority.
If we think that neglecting our national language and communicating in English with our own country mates at public places is going to get us a tag of a developed and civilised nation, then Japan should have been a nation most well acquainted with English? They are second to none in the field of technology but they haven’t earned this position at the cost of their identity as we are trying to do.
Urdu has a rich background and it is a history in itself. It is a blend of many languages including Hindi, Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit and Punjabi. So it has got a tinge and flavour of more than one culture in it. Therefore, it is one of the richest languages in the world. Such a rich language doesn’t deserve such a poor treatment.
One of the reasons for such an attitude of our youth towards Urdu is our relatively unattractive course layout for Urdu. The syllabus which is being set up for Urdu is only good for cramming and is nothing more than a mere mental punishment for students. We need to pay as much attention on the way of teaching Urdu as we are paying to English. Syllabus needs to be set up in such a way that it seems attractive for the students rather than boring.
Second, the criterion which is being used for giving jobs to our youth is pushing them further away from Urdu. A person who is a bit lacking in capabilities but can speak English fluently have an edge over one having capabilities but weak in spoken English. This attitude is further darkening the future of our national language by discouraging the Urdu-speaking among our youths.
Speaking and writing English is no doubt a valuable and worth encouraging skill but at the same time we must also be well-acquainted with our national language, as a tree can’t survive without roots. So reach for the skies with your roots on your own ground.
SAHAR SATTAR
Garrison Post-graduate College
Lahore
BENAZIR Bhutto’s latest statements after returning from self-exile of nine years, that her party (Pakistan People’s Party) is concerned about the detention of leaders in Balochistan, and that the armed forces are indulging in an act of overdoing in dealing with it, seem similar to her offensive tone since her arrival on Oct 18 this year, quite diplomatic.
There seem no sign of modest leadership in the overtures of a claimant of future head of the state.
Ms Bhutto draws confidence from the glorious past of her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whose slogan of ‘roti, kapra and makaan’ is still the guiding light of her party’s political march. Despite the three stints of the PPP rule, the slogan goes a-begging.
Ms Bhutto indeed loves to follow in the footsteps of her father. It was the province of Balochistan that was the main problem boy during ZAB’s time.
It was in 1974-76 that the Baloch had taken up arms against the government, and Bhutto the Senior had deployed 17 infantry battalions in 1976, 15 of which were Baloch units.
The entire province was inundated by the army. It is his daughter now who says that the present government has wronged the leaders of the province.
A.Q. ANJUM
Rawalpindi
THESE days banks are granting credit cards and other credit facilitates generously to low - paid employees on just a requirement of a salary slip and NIC copy. The banks have increased their mark - up rate at 36 per cent per annum and the borrower/client is unable to pay monthly installments in due times/dates.
As a result, they go into default account, and loan amount day by day increases. Moreover, banks include other charges such as credit shield, smart wallet, credit cover premium insurance charges to make up for the loss if clients are not able to pay the heavy amount. Banks adopt illegal and unethical sources for recovery of its stuck amount instead of the existing legal remedies.
Some banks have organised recovery teams which consist of frightening employees. They use abusive language and even do not hesitate in resorting to violence, threatening of dire/awful consequences at the residence or office of the gentleman/client. Such an incident took place with a lady where a private bank’s recovery team talked rudely to her. The case was registered with a judicial magistrate court and is pending for adjudication.
Who has authorised such people to use unethical language with a citizen while other legitimate remedies are available in our court of law? Why is the State Bank of Pakistan not taking any stern action against them?
In order to find amicable solutions of this problem, all supplementary charges should be borne by banks while the mark - up rate should also be reduced which would be maximum 10 per cent per annum instead of 25 to 36. Otherwise a large number of clients will further go into default.
The State Bank governor should look into this matter seriously.
AFSHEEN AKHTAR
Karachi
I HAVE been following news about table tennis in your esteemed newspaper. Very few of us would be aware of Pakistan’s standing in the world Table Tennis ranking or who is number one among men, women, boys and girls in Pakistan?
Despite such overall lack of interest, it would be great injustice not to acknowledge the efforts of PTTF president S. M. Sibtain, associate secretary Saleem Ahmed and a few others. Their efforts for the promotion of this sport are praiseworthy.
A visit to the PSB, Karachi centre, is a treat as young Pakistani players enthusiastically are coached under the able guidance of two North Koreans.
Further, for the first time in Pakistan, a course for table tennis referees is being organised by the PTTF under the supervision of an international referee.
I would urge all educational institutions and multinational organisations to support and supplement the dedicated efforts of PTTF.
If the Koreans and Chinese can learn hockey from us, who knows in coming years Pakistani table tennis players may make their presence felt at international levels.
IMTIAZ MALIK
Karachi
APROPOS of the letter, Sindh Small Industries Corporation (Nov 29), it is to clarify that the balloting ceremony for allotment of industrial plots in Small Industrial Estate (Northern Bypass), Karachi, was arranged on Nov 17 but balloting could not be conducted by Nadra due to some technical problems that has cropped up in their software.
Nadra is trying to rectify the problem and as soon as software is in order, the new date will be announced through the press for balloting.
PERVAIZ AHMED
Protocol Officer,
Sindh Small Industries Corp.
Government of Sindh, Karachi
APROPOS Tazeen Hasan’s letter (Dec 15) regarding my article, ‘Custodian of four civilisations’ (Dawn Magazine, Dec 9), I would like to reiterate that except for a minor proof-reading oversight at my end, the contents of the article in question were based on facts testified by history. There is hardly any mistake, let alone “blunders” as the writer of the letter has alleged. The following clarifications are offered:
1. The oldest Islamic monument in Egypt was built in 245 AH and not AD 245 as inadvertently composed in my article.
2. Egypt remained colonised between 1798 and 1942, about 150 years, as correctly expressed in the article. (See Webster’s New-World Encyclopaedia 1992 ed., p363.) Although the first-ever colony was established by the British in Virginia (America) in AD 1585, the term ‘colony’ gained currency in the 20th century. It should not (and does not) apply to the era before Christ (BC). Regrettably, on the other hand, Ms Hasan has included even the Islamic period in her self-supposed colony. If that be true, then India remained ‘colonised’ during the whole Muslim rule.
3. The Pharoanic epoch falls into three successive divisions, viz. Old Kingdom (dynasties I to VI), First Middle Age (dynasties VII to X) and Middle Kingdom (dynasties XI & XII). (Source: Egyptian Holidays, 2007-2008 ed., published by Egypt Air, p12.) The same was reported by me.
4. I have not regarded Salahuddin Ayyubi as an ‘Abbasi caliph’ as wrongly observed by Ms Hasan. She would be advised to go through my article again carefully.
5. Khan el-Khalili was built by Emir Djaharks el-Khalili in AD 1382. As stated in my article, it was known as the Turkish Bazaar during the Ottoman period which spanned AD 1299-1923. (History of Islam, by Maulana Akbar Shah Khan Najibabadi, vol. III, p317).
6. The citadel described in my article is called ‘Citadel of Mohammed Ali’ and it is mentioned with this name in the tourism literature of Egypt. ‘Egypt Air Holidays’ (2007-2008 edition) maintains (at p15): “An Abbasid ruler Salah ad-Din (Saladin to westerners AD 1171 to 1193) fortified the area…” This is what I had written in my article.
7. Whether the pyramids were included in the competition or not, the fact (as acknowledged by Ms Hasan as well) remains that they are not included in the new list of Wonders of the World compiled and announced by New Open World Corporation of Switzerland. My article gives a conclusive reaction of Egyptian tourism authorities on the subject. We are no one to add to or subtract from the official version.
Last, but not the least, may I remind Tazeen Hasan that, as indicated at the very outset of the article, the entire write-up was based on my talk with the vice-president of the Egyptian Tourism Corporation. As such, whatever rolled out of my pen had come straight from the horse’s mouth.
DR S. M. MOIN QURESHI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letters (Dec 16) by Imran Ahmad and Batul Rizvi ‘General (retd)’.
There is a well-known saying: ‘Where you stand depends on where you sit’. Yet our retired judges and army officers like to retain their erstwhile titles. Justice (retd) or general (retd) means nothing more than a past legacy.
What matters is that, after retirement, who makes his own place in society.
Talat Masud is a retired general but better known as a defence and political analyst. Javed Iqbal is a retired judge but known as a philosopher and a scholar. Jehandad Khan, a retired general, would be remembered as a philanthropist for his services in establishing a eye hospital.
Many of their colleagues are living in obscurity. Maulana Abdul Sattar Eidhi is the most respected name in Pakistan. He is neither a retired judge nor a general.
We are proud of having such personalities in our society. I suggest that our honourable judges and army officers should seriously consider shedding the old legacy. This would not lessen their status in society.
FAQIR AHMED PARACHA
Peshawar
THE visiting American intellectual, writer and anti-establishment broadcaster, David Bersamian, said in a lecture in Islamabad that the US had a history of invading countries every 30 months on the average (Dec 7).
He also noted that the Americans had no sense of history and described the USA as the ‘United States of Amnesia’ and the US media as its ‘Weapons of Mass Distraction’. Here are some of my definitions for these and other terms.
USA: United States of Aggression; WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception and PCO: Pistol-Controlled Ordinance enforced on Nov 3.
RAHIM
Karachi
THIS refers to your editorial, ‘Corruption in education’ (Dec 14).
I agree with the flaws in education mentioned in your editorial, but what amazes me the most is the very point wherein it was mentioned that “the leakage can only be checked if an efficient and effective monitoring mechanism is instituted” as there already exists a monitoring system at the grassroots level in the form of EDOs and DDOs whose duty is to keep an eye on the functioning of educational institutions and to make sure the proper allocation of the funds.
Now the question arises in everyone’s mind as to why Pakistan is lagging behind in the field of education than the rest of the world.
The very reason is the embezzlement of funds by the authorities who claim to have the responsibility of monitoring the system.
I guess it would remain an unfulfilled dream to weed out corruption in the educational institutions unless a law is passed which forces the high-ups, government officials, MNAs and MPAs and others to get their children enrolled in public sector schools.
SUDHEER AHMED
Turbat
WITH reference to the comments of President Musharraf (Dec 11), he said that the prices of wheat and flour are very cheap other than the European and other countries. Some time ago the government increased the prices of daal, rice, cooking oil and banaspati ghee, etc.
Did President Musharraf, the PM and their advisers think once whether the living standard of Pakistani people was also equal to other countries or nations? Did they ponder over the fact that the salaries of government employees, especially in BPS-16 and below, were also equal to other countries?
These days people are sharpening their knives for ‘bakra’ Eid. President Musharraf and other government officials are, however, requested to remove their knives from the necks of the Pakistani nation.
M. MAQSOOD KHATTAK
Karak
EMERGENCY has been lifted. If this emergency was imposed to help fight against militancy, then how did it help? As it seems it didn’t, then why has it been lifted in only six weeks?
It is clearly evident that it was to help fight against the judiciary. Congratulations Mr Musharraf, for winning this round. This is not the end of game however, and we, the people of Pakistan, will Insha Allah win.
IMAD QURESHI
Chicago, USA
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