| December 24, 2007 | Monday | Zilhaj 13, 1428 |
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Comedy of errors
Pakistan today
Joint stocks
Combating drug menace in schools
Army’s vested interest
Compromising merit
Another suicide attack
Value of coins
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
OUR energy scenario is indeed very bleak and yet we seem to be doing nothing and the ad hoc ‘sub achha hai’ syndrome reigns supreme.
Once in a while, the media gathers enough courage to highlight the expected ‘serious jolts’ but how do we get the authorities to realise the serious implications of very high costs the nation is paying due to continuing energy wastage all round.
Our industries, our power plants, our buildings, our transportation are all based on gross inefficiencies and yet, other than simple lip-service, we find no action to encourage efficiency and energy conservation. We take the ‘cheap popularity’ route by subsidising energy sources for the privileged sectors and thus encourage use of inefficient technologies at the cost of the whole nation.
Industries, power plants and large buildings waste energy, specially natural gas, since they pay less than half of international tariff. We subsidise electric energy tariff which translates to total disregard of basic conservation concepts and thus find ourselves in the impossible situation where not only energy sources are severely limited but these are at exorbitant costs.
We inaugurate ‘new’ thermal power plant with much fanfare which are either very inefficient (and thus very expensive) or very polluting (with heavy environmental costs) or both. We just do not want to think of tomorrow and are content with short term.
But now we will have no more access to additional gas or furnace oil due to high costs and will have to develop both our coal resources and really accept efficiency and conservation in all sectors, specially big building complexes covering offices, hospitals, hotels and airport terminals, power plants and large industries.
We are in the hands of speculative developers, ‘building’ enormous projects for which no sustainable energy resource can be available. We are unable to meet our electric and gas demand even at the present time, with both power and gas loadshedding being experienced in most parts of the country. What is it that our planners do not understand? When are we going to enforce energy conservation in all sectors of our wasteful society?
Whereas responsible governments the world over are accepting environmental goals (thanks to democracy, even Australia has changed), we are living in a fool’s paradise, hoping that the ‘bad dreams of energy shortages’ will go away. Our ‘modern’ buildings have the most inefficient aircondition systems and yet we continue to supply subsidised natural gas to such projects so that the waste can continue to go unabated. Energy conservation and environment controls are not fashionable slogans. These are essential for economic existence even at the present time. The future will be even bleaker if we do not take emergency corrective action now.
At this time we have opportunities of some basic correction in our future plans since all the political parties are issuing ‘manifestos’ and we should insist that energy efficiency and environmental controls should form the basis of all future plans. There has to be a concerted effort across party lines to ensure we can sustain some sort of growth by following policies of conservation and concern for the environment.
Present policies encouraging waste and living beyond our means have resulted in very high inflation and enormous balance-of-payments deficits ($16 billion this year?). Do we need any more red flags to wake up?
AINUL ABEDIN
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Ayesha Siddiqa’s article, ‘Comedy of errors’ (Nov 30). She seems concerned about the plight of the poor people who were settled in Nawaz Sharif’s Model Town house when he was in exile and ‘have now been thrown out’. The ‘disappointment’ and ‘despondency’ created by this news seems to have overtaken the learned writer’s view about the ongoing ‘confrontation’ between the reigning rulers and their opponents led by Mr Sharif.
She writes: “Why make these poor people suffer when things will not change and all that we will have is a change of faces” and that “if there is no major issue between the two (PM and NS), then why put the country through such a crisis as one saw during the past eight years”. This is a pessimistic view and a very simple interpretation of a complex situation by an author who otherwise happens to be very much analytical and realistic (ref. Military Inc:)
For all its defects and deficiencies, I am compelled to say that the current conflict is about more than a mere change of face.
I agree that Mr Sharif and his cohort are not revolutionaries but then this struggle is not all about the personalities. Neither it was planned and/or initiated by any personality nor is it restricted to any individual leader.
The current movement was literally thrust upon many ‘big’ leaders who had no option but to follow the unfolding events.
The moving force behind these events are the socio-economic changes that have taken place in our society, particularly in Punjab, in the recent past and, in turn, this movement is aimed at bringing more socio-economic changes for which some kind of political change is a necessity. And that is why the non-traditional segments of society are in the forefront this time.
By borrowing a few words from Ms Siddiqa’s book (Military Inc.), I would summarise the whole scenario as a conflict between the Milbus and the accompanying ‘crony capitalisim’, on the one hand, and the rising bourgeoise/middle class needing a ‘free market’, on the other hand. And in this contest Pervez Musharaf is leading the forces of former while Nawaz Sharif is an important character amongst the troops of the latter. So the contest between the two (PM and NS), having the character of a personal clash, also carries something more.
Another point of note is that one cannot, and should not, base his/her analysis about a countrywide phenomenon on a single incident like the Model Town house of Nawaz Sharif being taken over and then released by the welfare department.
Please keep in mind that though the current clash is more than only a personal one, aimed at changing power from one (more brutal) group of rulers to another (less ruthless), it is not a revolutionary movement intending to bring the ‘profound change’ empowering the downtrodden like those ‘thrown out’ from the Model Town house. For this we would need a ‘Bolshevik Revolution’. Are we ready for that?
ABDUL KHALIQUE JUNEJO
Jeay Sindh Mahaz
Karachi
IT is both nauseating and frightening to see local TV channels these days. On the one hand, more than 75 per cent of news time is taken up by the daily demonstrations of lawyers.
This is disturbing enough as the common man receives the impression that the whole of Pakistan is in turmoil.
This affects his mental equilibrium and source of income whether he is a wage earner or a lowly vendor or owner of shops and factories. These scenes are repeated so often that the real issue of unemployment, rising cost of living, rampant crime, etc, have faded into the background. These showings are also disturbing the campuses.
What is more disturbing are the activities of foreign ambassadors and VIP visitors who are shown openly speaking on our domestic affairs. Unfortunately our politicians are widely mentioned in our print media meeting the foreign emissaries and visitors but no details are given as to what they discuss in these meetings.
One can only guess that they are venting their anger against the government, particularly the president. TV channel owners and news broadcasters hardly realise that frequent showing of foreign dignitaries making the rounds and dabbling in our domestic affairs only goes to show that Pakistan has become a meaningless state.
One day we are told a local leader has met 20 ambassadors and another time we are told so and so VIP visitor is meeting all the opposition parties.
Nowhere in the world such blatant interference in a country’s domestic affairs is shown so ‘gleefully’, giving the impression as if our political leaders are seeking help against foreign occupiers of the country.
These days a general impression in the world is that Pakistan is a meaningless and ‘failed’ state and is ripe for some kind of outside control. We are to blame for this. Instead of taking the opportunity, after so many years, of the general election we see in the press and electronic media nothing but news of daily meetings of various opposition parties on the issue of ‘whether or not to take part in the election’.
This unfortunate situation is compounded by the Transparency report about widely rampant corruption at all levels of our national life, including judges, police and, of course, all government functionaries.
Pakistan is already mentioned as a rogue state harbouring terrorists etc., with the result that we are being shunned and denied access to higher educational institutions and jobs. None of the above problems is mentioned by any political leader.
F.H. ANSARI
Karachi
ON Dec 15, the president promulgated an ordinance on the establishment of trade bodies. The document has been deliberated upon for almost one- and-a-half years.
On the face of it, the intentions are positive. One can only give one’s final opinion after the implementation of this document.
Similarly, it is time we revamped the current regulations regarding creation of welfare associations in particular reference to apartment dwellers.
The entire is city being rejuvenated, but when some one passes through a road, he sees 90 per cent of apartments seeping from all around, building never painted, in some cases structure of building is under threat of falling down. God knows how people are managing their lives. Under what compulsions they are in.
I am myself one such example of citizens of Karachi who are virtually helpless about where to go to seek resolution of their problems, especially when it comes to collective property of any individual. I have been to the registrar office in person, also in writing. Every time I was told that scope of the registrar of joint stocks is limited.
For a change, once the registrar responded to my request but could not follow up on his own orders. The biggest irregularity is being committed while handling the monthly collection. No books are being maintained. The registrar never asks for the audit report of annual account.
It is time estate properties were excluded from joint stocks. Instead, all collective properties should be made part of securities and exchange regulations. Each owner of the property should be made shareholder rather a member.
ZAHOOR ANWAR
Karachi
A REOPRT, ‘Cocaine and ecstasy catching in Karachi’, published recently in a section of the press, reveals that the business of illegal drugs is spreading fast in Karachi, unchecked. The drugs include cocaine, ecstasy and hashish, which are easily obtainable in the black market.
Out of these drugs, cocaine is available in the city for Rs7,000 to10,000 per gram while ecstasy tablets are available for Rs200 to 700 per leaf. The report also shows that that a considerable number of students from prestigious schools use ecstasy and other drugs. These children get unchecked allowances from their parents and thus the drug peddlers exploit them.
Similarly, another report, ‘Death dances in the heart of the city’, published recently in a section of the press, shows that the worst situation in Karachi is that ‘Samad Bond’ is getting most popular among children for using it as a drug.
‘Samad Bond’ is a sort of glue, which is easily available at every hardware shop for Rs20 to 75 per pack. Drug peddlers have hunted a large number of youths. They are using different modes of drug such as smoking, sniffing and the most dangerous way is to use injection that is cause of transmitting HIV, hepatitis B and C that eventually put an individual to death.
Schools are considered most lucrative and easy places by drug peddlers for selling drugs to children. Once some children are addicted to drugs, they slowly pass this habit on to other children. The middlemen between the drug peddlers and schoolchildren are generally the lower staff of the schools like sweepers, aayas, watchmen/security guards, gardeners and school van drivers who are obvious candidates as couriers for passing drugs to children covertly by taking commission from both sides.
Such activities generally remain unnoticed both by the teachers in the school and their parents at home. As a result, children, when they grow older, not only develop serious health problems and their studies suffer but also they start indulging in other criminal activities such as thefts, pick-pocketing and robbery to make more money for buying drugs. While some children also become victim of sexual abuse.
Here are some tips to combat the menace of drugs in schools:
• Awareness regarding drug hazards should be created in schools.
• Preventive measures against supply of drugs to children in the school should be taken by keeping an eye on the suspicious activities by anyone.
• Medical checkup of students should be periodically carried out in the school to detect symptoms of drug effects in any student.
• Strict punishment should be awarded to the student or any person if found involved in using or supplying drugs in the school.
• Parents should watch for suspicious activities/ behaviour of their children and domestic servants at home.
SQN LDR (r) S. AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
ZAFAR Iqbal’s article, ‘Army’s vested interest’ (Dec 13), starts off with the statement: “Pakistan has integrated the army into political life — can we disentangle it?” It then traverses over a wide range of issues but leaves the main question unanswered. It recounts the role of Ghulam Mohammad, Munir, Gurmani and Ayub Khan who, according to the writer, collaborated to prevent Bengal from ruling Pakistan.
Then it turns to appointment and removal of the COAS by Nawaz Sharif, gives comparison of the army’s involvement in civil affairs during the periods of Ayub, Zia and Musharraf, defines the role of Public Service Commission as judging the mental and professional competence of the candidates and asks what does a general, admiral or an air marshal bring to this forum?
It then takes up the issue of good governance and role of nazims and, finally, it discusses the CJ’s affair, which resulted in imposition of emergency.
The article ends with the statement that independence of the judiciary, end of the military rule, a free press and free and fair election are good slogans but unfortunately they are not accompanied by serious thought as to how they can be achieved.
The writer has provided the answer but left the question of applying some serious thought as to how this should be achieved. There is no short-cut. The general election is due on Jan 8.
The parties entering parliament, whether in government or in the opposition, will have to adopt these slogans as part of their strategies and strive to achieve the result through their own conduct.
FAQIR AHMAD PARACHA
Peshawar
RECENTLY the Punjab University advertised various vacancies of its different colleges and departments, including that of the College of Art and Design.
Two posts of lecturers are especially earmarked for specialists in the subject of basic design.
It is worth noting that there is no specialisation in this subject. Basic design is only taught as one of the various subjects of the curriculum.
Then why has the College of Art and Design specially created these posts? Will the vice-chancellor of Punjab University look into this matter so that the deserving people are not deprived of their legitimate share? Merit is already being compromised in this college to oblige some people.
LUQMAN AL BUQRAQUE
Islamabad
TERRORISTS have yet again attacked this time in Kohat. Twelve people perished in the attack, the victims being members of the army’s local football team. It is highly unfortunate that such attacks are taking place rampantly against our armed forces. What was their fault in the said matter? They are defending the country against radical elements who want to create disharmony and disunity within our nation.
However, they are wrong if they think this will deter Pakistanis and its brave jawans from being dissuaded. Terrorism has no place in our religion and these suicide attackers are just tainting our peaceful religion with stains to fulfil their barbaric agenda.
The terrorists feel by hampering our lives and by scaring us they will win the battle. Rule No. 1 of warfare is to win the hearts and minds of the people. By such attacks the people in Pakistan will be further strengthened in their resolve to fight against them.
The terrorists might consider this a guerilla warfare; however this is not the case. It is a cowardly act and like cowards they believe that by sacrificing their lives in the name of Islam they will achieve salvation in heaven. I think not.
SARDAR ALI
Peshawar
THIS is apropos of the letter, ‘Eroding the value of coins’. I agree with the views of A.Rauf Sozer. The problem is that 50-paisa and 25-paisa coins disappeared as if they never existed in our economy. I suspect that since the price of metal has gone up, these coins had intrinsic value more than their face value. People have taken these coins, melted them and sold them for more than their worth.
Our economy has become so-called rich that we need not use coins of such low denominations. These coins are a symbol of disgrace for our economy. Countries like Europe which are having a strong economy are still using the coin of one penny. Why can’t we use 50-paisa and 25-paisa coins?
You go to a petrol station and you end up paying more money because coins are not available. If the amount comes up to Rs100.40, you have to pay Rs101 and there is no other way. In order to pay 40 paisas to a petrol station, one ends up losing 60 paisas.
The cry today is to make our economy strong. We ourselves are devaluing our currency by making these coins extinct. This consequently leads to weaken our economic position. As a nation, are we in a position to cope with this?
My request to the State Bank of Pakistan is to bring these coins back in circulation. This will strengthen our economic position and make our currency stable against other currencies.
FARHAD
Karachi
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