| December 30, 2007 | Sunday | Zilhaj 19, 1428 |
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Looting and ransacking
There is no ‘magical end’
An icon for enlightened Muslims
More libraries
Beware of fraudsters
Petite mind
Hayatabad township
A trying time
Tax club
Pakistan: an unknown state
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
‘PITY the nation’ — words of Robert Fisk for Lebanon ring as true for the homeland.
Indeed, only this phrase can sum up the state of affairs in Pakistan. The country has taken a turn for the worse — much worse. A cowardly act, only God knows who all conspired, which shows how fragile the ledge is on which we stand. Benazir Bhutto, for all her faults, did not deserve to go like this. People far worse than her roam with impunity. She did fight fate and contributed to Pakistan in many ways.
From global news coverage to financial market impact and beyond, headlines of her assassination are the only one screaming out, which speaks of the magnitude of the event and that it is the death of a lot more than Ms Bhutto.
An analyst rightly referred to it as a ‘seismic’ one for the subcontinent. This event will have ripples felt regionally, and not only in the country. A country mourns and simmers with anger.
In 1979 her father was brutally eliminated by a dictator. Today, another man in khaki is responsible for what has happened. Sure, he may not be complicit, but if you want to take kudos for our forex reserves being at greater heights, then please also take this — one of the darkest chapters in our already dark history — on board as having happened on your watch, sir, in a garrison city no less.
Whether state or peripheral elements are at play here, time will tell — or not. The PPP has been cut down, and though some may support its de- Bhuttoism, the party will now be thrown into fractious politics. The largest, most moderate political party in Pakistan, for all its ills, has been fractured for obvious benefits.
It all was a matter of her not opting to stand through the sunroof and bear the blast/shots that caused the mayhem, and deaths of 20 others around her, all innocent victims.
God knows best. May she rest in peace and He give strength to her children to bear this most tragic of losses of seeing a mother brutally murdered.
SALMAN H. ZAIDI
London, UK
BENAZIR Bhutto was the most powerful advocate of secular democracy and had the courage to confront both Islamic militants and the autocratic government of President Pervez Musharraf.
Ms Bhutto’s untimely death leaves the Bush administration with no clear strategy. The Bush administration must follow up aggressively that Musharraf honour Benazir Bhutto’s memory by continuing with the democratic process for which she so bravely gave her life.
President Bush must demand that opposition leader Nawaz Sharif be allowed to run and at the same time must reinstate the impartial Supreme Court judges fired in order to block them from overturning rigged election. American policy must be directed at building a strong democracy in Pakistan, a nation of 165 million people.
PROF WARIS SHERE
Winnipeg, Canada
WITH the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto have also died the many hopes that arose in the people’s heart. I will quote an sms which I got today on my cell: “Na khaane ko roti, na pehne ko kapra na rehne ko maakan...kuyn k ab koi nahin kehne ko roti kapra aur makan”
Ms Bhutto was a great daughter of a great father. She was so much influenced by her father that she laid her life for the country. This time she had a 100 per cent chance of wining the election. Though she knew that there are hundreds of threats given by different agencies and Al Qaeda, etc, yet she also knew that her country needs her as a prime minister. She knew that she might be killed but this is what a brave woman is called.
For how long we will mourn. It seems like it is the end of democracy and who will say roti, kapra aur makan?
Has Pakistan People’s Party come to an end? Did she accomplish her father’s dream? So many other questions are left unanswered. Who is responsible for such a brutal act of killing?
Can we the lovers of Ms Bhutto ever find out the culprits? Why don’t international investigators come and find out the truth behind the scene? Why didn’t the TV channels show a clear picture of what actually had happened on the spot? Why are the complete pictures censored?
FALAK JATOI
Karachi
NO doubt, assassination of Benazir Bhutto is an irreparable loss to the nation. It is such a political vacuum as is never filled because Allah blessed her with unique leadership qualities. She also learnt a lot from her father’s political career as well as life.
Now the nation is in a state of great distress and feeling itself orphan without her.
Reaction is severe, people are not ready to listen that she is no more among them because she was assassinated brutally and mercilessly.
But at the time of such mourning and depression who are the people ransacking and looting banks, shops and setting the petrol pumps and trawlers on fire. This act will bring a bad name to the party.
All these public and private buildings and institutions are our own property. They should keep in mind that they were damaging their own country. Is this a decent way of protest?
At this crucial juncture, first, we need to unite ourselves and console each other peacefully. We as a nation need to reorganise ourselves and raise demand to hold a transparent inquiry into her murder whether it was security lapse or a conspiracy of an extremist group.
Who are these people who want to make people politically orphan and cripple and want to impose their own decisions against the political will of the masses? Looting and ransacking will bring a bad name to the party.
The onus lies on our entire politicians to console PPP workers at each and entire local level and also join hands with them for the restoration of democracy in true spirit.
All political parties should be vigilant about such looter groups who have their own agenda and vested interests on such occasions.
This is high time to review the political process and to reorganise ourselves in order to put the country on the right path of democracy.
M. FAIZAN ANSARI
ultan
I HAVE been feeling so upset since I heard this shocking news that seven workers, including a woman, lost their lives inside a burning garment factory in Karachi following the riots inflicted shortly after the killing of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The government rightly deserves to be blamed for this gruesome and tragic incident as it has been its top priority to avert such an incident done by miscreants. It seems that there is no rule of law in Pakistan, no body is secure, even the high - profile people who have been quite often the target of killers.
Besides bringing the people to justice who killed the PPP chairperson, the killers of these seven factory workers should also be dealt with in the same way.
ISHTIAQ LODHI
University of Leeds UK
APROPOS of Afiya Shehrbano’s article, ‘Dirty politics’ (Dec 25), I would like to write a few lines as a defender of the political process and not ‘of the political parties’.
In the given political scenario of Pakistan, we have seen that despite struggle by lawyers and civil society, Pervez Musharraf is still in power: though his legitimacy and popularity are incessantly on a downhill journey.
In such a situation what options are we left with except to speak for reviving the democratic process howsoever spurious it may seem? Whether we like to believe or not, the fact remains that civil society’s failure to mobilise the masses was more acute than those of the political parties. Political parties shifted their stance again and again but they did bring people out on the streets when they wanted to.
In a politically suffocating environment that the country has been going through, the very semblance of a political process comes as a welcome relief. Political parties in their make have the characteristics of furthering the political processes in whatever form it comes.
By giving up your options and staying out, you do little to revive the democratic activities. One of the leading parties has the experience of boycotting the elections in 1985 and has its lessons learnt as well.
While we speak of furthering and strengthening the political process, we cannot overlook the fact that it is a continuous process. Believing that ‘elections are the means to some other magical end’ shows nothing but the naiveté of those who do so.
As Ms Shehrbano has herself mentioned that the lawyers and civil society “do not have to dovetail into party politics and still can be counted as organised political power”, then why not make use of this political power in pressurising the elected government to broaden the political space?
We have seen the political space shrinking all the time under the present government. In the post - election Pakistan the struggle of all those speaking ‘as defenders of political parties’ does not end but will have to continue for strengthening the political tradition.
ZULFIQAR HYDER
Lahore
”IN life, she endured plenty of name - calling. In death, one more label is appropriate: Patriot.” — Chicago Tribune editorial Dec 28. It is indeed a befitting label for the first duly elected Muslim woman prime minister of Pakistan.
She had a comfortable jet-set lifestyle away from the land of the pure and yet decided to go back to her country to reach the poor masses of Pakistan. She was well aware of the danger to her life and yet left her children and the husband behind for a better cause. If this is not patriotism, then what else is. I wonder how many of us who sit in our comfortable living rooms far away from Pakistan and talk about going back to Pakistan but moan and groan about the security and other ills of the country. I am also sure there would be endless conversations where we would not hesitate to criticise Bhutto for all their alleged but unproven sins.
Courage is the virtue that Ms Bhutto cherished and her name will glitter in history. The timid souls like us would continue talking.
NASEEM KHAN
Chicago, USA
A library is a treasure-house of wisdom and knowledge. There is a shortage of public libraries in our country. It is mainly because there is a lack of reading culture and low literacy rate. In this respect, I would like to suggest that the government should set up small “ mohallah” libraries which will enhance public interest in books and magazines.
A law must be made that each Town Nazim must set up a public library in his/her town. Furthermore, these libraries should be provided with internet facilities.
Setting up of public libraries is the need of the hour because those people who belong to low-income groups and who cannot afford to buy books and magazines can satisfy their thirst from these public libraries.
PROF ASHER SAEED ALAM
Karachi
THIS refers to a report, ‘Fraudsters out to grab bank cards’ (Dec 24). According to the report, the State Bank of Pakistan has issued a circular in which the SBP has warned its employees about a ‘gang’ operating on I.I. Chundrigar Road, as well as in other busy commercial areas in Karachi, with the intent to forcibly make unauthorised use of credit, debit and ATM cards.
It is further mentioned in the report that the SBP in its circular has also defined that “the members of the criminal gang are very well dressed and it is hard to make out their intent from their appearance. But no weapon has been physically seen and used openly by any member of the group so far. They apparently look for well-to-do individuals, walk up very briskly and shake hand with their intended target, ask about wrong name and organization, etc, and then the victim is dictated, directed or threatened by them to proceed further, as per their orders”.
The report should be an eye - opener for everyone, especially the people working in banks, corporations, business and commercial centres anywhere in Karachi. For this, the possibility of using attractive girls by the gang cannot be ruled out. To prevent these fraudsters from victimising the people, here are a few suggestions:
a. You should avoid moving singly wherever possible, always look confident and remain conscious of any stranger who seems to be showing some keenness in you.
b. If you are moving singly, avoid taking cash more than it is necessary and don’t carry your credit, debit, ATM cards and also your bank’s cheque book with you unless these are essentially needed.
c. If you see any person (male or female) who all of a sudden has started walking with you and looking suspicious, you should immediately turn towards some office, shop, police post or some other safe place and tell the people there about your doubt. Criminals for the most part do no wish to encounter resistance at such places.
d. If you are confronted with such criminals, stay calm, hide your fears and use your common sense in getting rid of them as quickly as possible.
e. If you have become a victim to these criminals don’t try to resist because such criminals always carry handguns hidden in their clothes. But do look for an opportunity to seek help from the police or people on the spot wisely, if possible. When these criminals have disengaged themselves from you, immediately call ‘Madadgar 15’ and give them their details and the direction in which they have left. Thereafter, lodge an FIR with the police station concerned.
f. Organisations should warn their employees about the activities of this gang to avoid becoming a victim of these fraudsters.
g. Plainclothesmen disguised as bank/corporate employees should hunt down these fraudsters in the likely areas where they are expected to operate.
SQN LDR (r)
S.AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
SOMEBODY should tell Nawaz Sharif that after Jinnah and Liaquat the only two national leaders Pakistan has had are Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. For Mr Sharif to keep repeating on TV, after Ms Bhutto’s murder, that he ‘shared the grief’ with the people of Sindh and assuring his ‘Sindhi brothers’ that ‘Nawaz Sharif and Punjab’ stood by them at this difficult time seemed a juvenile attempt to portray Benazir Bhutto as leader of Sindh only.
In the process, Mr Sharif probably does not realise he made himself appear what in essence he after all is, a leader of Punjab, of central Punjab to be more precise. Was only Sindh mourning for Ms Bhutto? That is what Mr Sharif seemed to suggest when he ‘shared the grief’ with the people of Sindh. Was Punjab not mourning? Were the NWFP, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir not mourning?
World reactions to her passing can be kept for next time until Mr Sharif has had time to absorb the enormity of the national tragedy and the outpouring of grief by people, in every nook and corner of the country, regardless of party affiliations.
Their governance as prime ministers may have had flaws, as did Nawaz Sharif’s, but no one can question and no leader amongst the present lot can match the electoral strength, in all of Pakistan, of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.
Mr Sharif continues to display the same petite mind and slender thinking he did during his two tenures as prime minister. It makes one almost wish he had spent half the time and amount on enlivening the inside of his head as he did the topside
S. KHALID HUSAIN
Karachi
I AM a resident of Hayatabad town and am greatly concerned about the bad management of the township, Peshawar, which is turned into a heap of burning garbage dump, though it is labelled as a posh area.
Although millions of rupees are charged as annual taxes, collection of garbage by PDA garbage trucks is not carried out. Instead, a contract is given to donkey cart runners. While they collect the required items, the unrequired ones are dumped in empty plots and then burned.
Another irritant is that about 100 tractors, belonging to various contractors, move about freely carrying sand and other construction material from one place to another. As these tractor drivers do not have licences and are unfamiliar with the of traffic rules, they cause traffic hazards.
DR K. SHAUKAT YUSAFZAI
Peshawar
THIS is a very trying period for Pakistan. The battle between forces of democracy and fundamentalism has taken another victim, Benazir Bhutto, whose courage and self-sacrifice would have profound impact in this battle.
Pakistan either will emerge from this national calamity stronger and resurge. It may assertively become a nation united behind democratic and moderate Islamic values for ever or plunge into the dark ages of chaos and fundamentalism, dragging itself back to the Middle Ages. The time has come for every Pakistani to take a decisive action to march their nation to progress towards modern, free, democratic and flourishing Pakistan.
The situation today in Pakistan is similar to that of the time of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination in India. He was then the hope of India to lead it into modern age.
At this darkest hour for Pakistan I pray that every Pakistani will find courage to stay on course of progress, prosperity and democracy. I pray that Pakistan will find its own gems who will lead it into a bright future.
RAJ LAKKAMRAJU
California, USA
CBR/FBR officials always use the term ‘tax net’ for potential taxpayers. I suggest the term ‘tax net’ should be replaced with ‘tax club’ because ‘net’ creates no good atmosphere whereas ‘tax club’ envisages pleasant environment.
It is also suggested that membership of the ‘tax club’ should be enlarged. It is necessary to launch a campaign for tax education, describing the benefits of timely payments. And thus promote the tax culture.
AFTAB KHALILI
Karachi
I WAS surprised to learn that people in the world do not even know that our country exists. When my mother wanted to buy a new cellphone, I was asked to search some suitable cellphones for her on the web.
I visited websites of different companies which manufacture cellphones. When you visit these websites, they ask you to ‘select a country’. I clicked on Asia Pacific and on the screen were all the countries in this region except Pakistan. Also, on the Nokia website there was a whole list of the countries of the world except Pakistan.
Our country is considered the most dangerous country in the world. Even after being recognised as the most dangerous country, Pakistan is not known.
MARZIA BILWANI
Karachi
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