| January 07, 2008 | Monday | Zilhaj 27, 1428 |
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National govt needed now
Indo-Israeli nexus
Appeal to president
A welcome move
Lesson for rulers
Where are diplomats?
Shortage of flour
Higher education
Wishing Pakistan well
CNG prices
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
THIS refers to a report, ‘Another newborn stolen from HFH’ (Jan 4). A newborn baby boy was stolen from the Holy Family Hospital (HFH), Rawalpindi, on Jan 3 by an unidentified woman from his mother’s bed in the hospital ward. A similar incident had happened in the same hospital on Dec 9 when a newborn baby was taken away by a woman. The stolen baby is yet to be recovered by the police (Jan 4).
News regarding abduction of newborn babies from hospitals are often published in newspapers.
Preventive measures against infant abduction in hospitals were suggested in a letter (Sept 22, 2007), but parents have also to play a certain role for ensuring security of their newborn baby while in the hospital.
Parents generally rely on the hospital management for the security of their newborn baby in the hospital. Their thinking is absolutely correct but with this impression they tend to achieve a false sense of security. In fact, a newborn baby becomes more vulnerable to abductors when returned to the mother’s room by the hospital staff.
An infant is abducted from the mother’s room while in the hospital due to lack of knowledge about security precautions needed to be taken by the parents themselves. Hence, it is necessary for the parents to know what precautions they should take while in the hospital to prevent abduction of their newborn baby.
In infant abduction, the offender is almost always a female. The typical abduction from a hospital involves an ‘unknown’ abductor impersonating a nurse, hospital employee or a relative in order to gain access to the infant. The obstetrics unit is an open and inviting place where mother’s decreased length of stay gives her less time to know the staff, as such it becomes easier for the abductor to ‘con’ the infant directly from the mother’s room.
The following guidelines can be helpful to the expectant mothers — both pre-delivery and after birth of the baby — during their stay in the hospital in preventing abduction of their newborn baby:
At some point before the birth of your baby, inquire about the security procedures at the hospital where you plan to give birth to your baby and request a copy of the hospital’s written guidelines about security procedures in place to safeguard your newborn baby while staying in hospital.
After admission in the hospital, ask about the hospital’s protocols concerning the routine nursery procedures, feeding and visitation hours, and security measures. Do not give your infant to anyone without properly verified identification as issued by the hospital. Never leave your infant out of your direct line-of-sight. If you need to go to washroom or want to sleep, alert the nurses to take care of the infant or ask a family member to watch the baby. When possible, keep the infant’s bassinet on the side of your bed away from the door(s) leading out of your room.
Become familiar with the staff that works in the maternity unit. Ask to be introduced to the nurse assigned to you and your infant. Question unfamiliar persons entering your room or inquiring about your infant – even if they are in the hospital’s attire or seem to have a reason for being there, in case of any doubt immediately alert the nurse’s duty room. If you are not satisfied with the person who wants to take your infant for tests from your room, it is appropriate to go with your infant or ask a family member to go along. Lastly, while admitted in hospital be observant and security-conscious all the time.
SQN LDR (r) S. AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi.
DURING World War II, the German blitz gave them sway almost all over Europe at one point of time. Only Britain stood between the Germans and victory. The conservatives were governing by virtue of their majority in the parliament. However, they felt that, to pursue the war effort single-mindedly, the Conservatives and the Labour Party should pool the talent together towards the war effort. Thus the national government was formed with Winston Churchill as the prime minister.
In 1988, the PPP won a clear majority in the National Assembly and was, therefore, in a position to form the government on its own. This writer who has seen 91 summers till now took the liberty of seeking the help of a PPP think tank led by a university professor to persuade Benazir Bhutto to invite Nawaz Sharif to form a national government. But the learned professor pooh-poohed the idea and the matter ended there. Maybe, a few lines in a leading newspaper may have changed the course of Pakistan’s history.
The federation is faced with too many problems now. The time has come to pursue the idea of a national government comprising the main parties of each province.
Such a national government can win over the malcontents of Balochistan too towards strengthening the federation. The distribution of the portfolios can be agreed upon before or after the elections in an atmosphere of mutual goodwill for the sake of national integration.
The four-province coalition should field two candidates in each federal constituency. The second shall be the standby. The purpose of taking this path is to ensure that the coalition could have a better than two-thirds majority in the National Assembly to enable it to change the Constitution in such a manner that each province attains full autonomy and defang the future presidents and the future central governments.
Problems will arise but won’t be insurmountable. Other parties can become the opposition. In the provinces, parties can be free to contest as they think best.
The mobile phones are waiting to be dialled. Any leader commanding the utmost following in his province can start the dialling.
This is a skeleton of the roadmap which I think will strengthen the federation. Sir, the time is running out.
JALAL AHMED
Muscat
INDO-Israel military cooperation has intensified during the last few years, with two high-level Israeli military delegations even visiting Indian - occupied Kashmir during 2007, an area that is disputed and where such visits are a violation of the international conventions on disputed territories.
In June, a high-level military delegation from Israel, led by Deputy Chief of General Staff Maj-Gen Moshe Kaplinsky, visited the Indian army’s XIV ‘White Night’ Corps Headquarters in Jammu and during their stay the Israeli army commanders also visited the Line of Control (LoC). The second visit by senior Israeli army officers to occupied Kashmir was conducted in the first fortnight of October.
This strategic cooperation has led to a deep concern in Pakistan as well as amongst Kashmiris who feel that India is not serious and sincere about taking the peace efforts forward with Pakistan to settle the Kashmir dispute peacefully.
The popular sentiment in Indian-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan is that the four-point formula floated by President Pervez Musharraf, the main thrust of which is to carry out demilitarisation of Jammu and Kashmir, should be implemented in letter and in spirit. But, contrary to this, New Delhi continues to seek Israeli help to update its military strength from all aspects in occupied Kashmir, negating its own commitment to the peace process.
Kashmiris have been particularly concerned by the fact that India is strengthening its military relations with a nation which has been notorious for blood-bathing Palestinians and unleashing state terrorism against them.
Besides, there is no denying the fact that it has been creating hurdles in the negotiated resolution of the Palestine dispute. As such, the people of Kashmir feel that an Indo-Israeli nexus could only aggravate their agonies.
Kashmiris and Pakistanis certainly believe that India cannot and would not realise the goal of durable peace in South Asia by clinging to its stick-and-carrot policy. They are perturbed at the fact that while New Delhi apparently cries over turning the Line of Control into a trade route and allowing free movement of Kashmiris through it, it is desperately putting sophisticated weapons on it.
The need of the hour is that India took cognizance of the fact that it cannot become an economic power and see millions of its people come out of the abject poverty unless it sincerely talks with Pakistan on Kashmir.
It should read the writing on the wall that it has to listen to the popular demand of the Kashmiris, that is, to pull its army out of Jammu and Kashmir and create conducive environment so that the Kashmir dispute is resolved.
SAIFULLAH
Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir
MY best compliments to you, Mr President, on your address to the nation on Jan 2. Nevertheless, as a citizen and lover of my birth country, Pakistan, I deem it my duty to tell you, Mr President, that the action taken by the government of Pakistan for peacekeeping after the death of Benazir Bhutto was much too late and ineffective. I had hoped that as a commando and former head of the Pakistan Army you would deploy the army in full strength to maintain law and order but this was not done promptly, which let miscreants loot and plunder.
On the night of Ms Bhutto’s death, I drove from Aga Khan Hospital to Clifton and I spotted only two Rangers standing guard from Sharea Faisal up to the Clifton mazaar. There was one police truck witnessing the burning of the Bata stores at Schon Circle.
On the second day, I noticed that the Rangers and armed police were very few compared to the mushrooming arson and loot which engulfed the city of Karachi.
A government which cannot guarantee its citizens’ peace and safety forfeits its claim to its allegiance. This is the basic principle of western democracy and a keynote point in the grammar of politics.
As a president of Pakistan, I expect, Mr Musharraf will take a prompt and effective measure like a brave commando and deal with the miscreants with a heavy but just hand.
Anila AliIrvine
USA
THIS is with reference to your news item, ‘Musharraf agrees to Scotland Yard help in probe’ (Jan 3).
This is the first welcome news to come out from Pakistan since the stunning murder of Benazir Bhutto.
The investigators from the legendary agency will need to use all the acumen they can muster to unravel this whodunit.
President Musharraf’s announcement comes after intense controversy over the death of Pakistan’s most charismatic leader.
America also seems to have welcomed the Pakistani government’s decision to involve the Scotland Yard police in investigation.
PROF P. L. BAKHSHI
Lombard, IL, USA
THE riots in Kenya following the allegations of rigging in the recent election are very unfortunate and have, until this writing, taken nearly 300 lives, besides making thousands homeless. One sincerely hopes the Kenyan people will be able to overcome the turmoil, and peace would soon return.
However, there is a big lesson in it for us in Pakistan. If there is any rigging in the forthcoming election, the outcome will be far worse than that in the African nation, given the recent assassination of Benazir Bhutto and the other ongoing problems, especially in the NWFP and Balochistan
The events since March 9, 2007 show that President Musharraf and the ruling party are in no mood to relinquish power and would be willing to retain it by any means, whereas the opposition parties and the majority of Pakistanis (as noted in recent opinion polls) want Mr Musharraf to step down.
There is a very high likelihood that attempts will be made to rig the election, given the president’s own acknowledgement that there had been irregularities in the 2002 referendum.
However, any attempt at rigging will most certainly push Pakistan into a catastrophe and could easily destroy the country, of which indications could be seen in the recent disturbances. We are very fortunate to have escaped that fate, largely because of the wisdom shown by Asif Zardari (in calming down his party’s workers and speaking for the integrity of Pakistan) and Nawaz Sharif, who tried to heal the PPP wounds.
Nevertheless, our only hope for steering the nation out of a potential disaster lies in the COAS and other top army generals making it clear to the president and the PML(Q) that no rigging must occur. The army should go beyond advising them and supervise the polls, as also demanded by the PPP and some other parties. The election could be postponed if Musharraf agrees to step down right away.
The president and his aides keep arguing that continuity of their government’s policies is necessary for the development of Pakistan. Even if that is true, this does not allow them to continue ruling by manipulating the judiciary or rigging the election. It would be a far lesser evil if some other party were to assume power without being able to ensure as much progress as the incumbent hopes (realistically or unrealistically) to provide.
This is a most critical time for the country and the biggest challenge for the army. It could very well also be the last opportunity for the military to prevent a civil war and disintegration of Pakistan. There is a zero tolerance left for not doing the needful by all the parties concerned, otherwise there may not remain any country to rule over or defend.
QAMAR
Karachi
AMERICAN Ambassador Anne W. Patterson and British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley were very active until a few days ago and were seen calling on Benazir Bhutto and other Pakistani politicians so frequently and pressing them to participate in the dubious election process. Even US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher were not far behind. Why all of them are silent now when Benazir Bhutto has been martyred making her Shaheed-i-Jamhooriat in Pakistan?
We do not expect them to urge President Musharraf to quit and hand over the power to the people of Pakistan but they can at least ask the United Nations to hold an investigation into the assassination of the popular leader of Pakistan on the line of the UN probe into the assassination of former Lebanese leader Rafik Al-Hariri. Why would not they want justice in this case?
And what about Saudi Ambassador Ali Awadh Al Asseri who had the guts to meet Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on the Pakistani government’s urging and invite him to perform Haj as an official guest? Everybody knew what would they have done once the chief justice had been in the holy land.
Why don’t the Saudis invite President Musharraf, his associates and officials of intelligence agencies to visit their country? Once there, they can keep them there forever or until new Pakistani government asks for their extradition to face the cases against them under Article 6 of the Constitution and the crimes they have committed against the people and the law of the land.
Moreover, President Musharraf has ruled Pakistan for more than eight years. He is directly responsible for the present critical situation in the country. If he continues in power, he will bring more harm to the people and cause more damage to the country. He must quit now. The military must end its stranglehold. Enough is enough. How much more would they bleed the people and the country?
AZIZ NAREJO
USA
IT has been quite long as people are facing shortage of wheat flour all over the country and despite the government’s all possible measures, the problem is not being resolved.
I suggest the government should give a 24-hour ultimatum to all the floor mill owners and whosoever does not bring wheat flour in the market, his/her flour mill should be nationalised immediately and the problem will be over in 48 hours.
The same formula may be applied if there is shortage of sugar or cooking oil.
SAJID M. ANSARI
Islamabad
PERVEZ Hoodbhoy’s article, ‘Sham university reforms’ (Jan 2), is misleading and undermining all efforts of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for the people of Pakistan.
Pakistan is a developing country, and HEC has been promoting innovative quality higher education throughout the country. It is offering scholarships, tenure track system, e-book and infrastructure development projects to higher education institutions for socio-economic development of Pakistan. It is trying to create greener pastures for researchers and professors, and the number of PhD holders is steadily increasing.
Under the dynamic leadership of Prof (Dr) Atta-ur-Rahman, the HEC has been trying to establish engineering and science universities in collaboration with Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, China and other developed countries. Instead of appreciating positive points, Prof. Hoodbhoy is trying to create a negative image.
S.I. SHEIKH
Islamabad
DESPITE Benazir’s faults, which involved a certain arrogance and a tendency to think she was not subject to the rules that govern other people (faults that Churchill also suffered from), her great courage and vision gave her a charisma that her country desperately needed in its quest for unity. Without her, Pakistan could break up and burn but there is just the hope that the memory of such a powerful iconic female figure of peace might, after all, calm the violent ones.
What is beyond doubt is that, perhaps as a result of our heightened sense of responsibility concerning our former colonies and the mistakes we made, every thinking British man and woman wishes Pakistan well in its hour of need.
STEPHEN PORTER
London
ONE wants to question the sagacity of the people who are at the helm of the affairs for their decision of increasing the CNG prices. While the price of petrol that has skyrocketed internationally in the past few months has been appreciatively subsidised and kept stable in the country, the CNG, even though is a local product, has now been raised to almost 10 per cent more.
CNG is used mostly by the middle class and is also used in most ambulances, taxis and the newly-introduced President’s Rickshaw scheme. The government should take back its decision of increasing the gas prices to not only give a breathing space to the middle class of this country, but also to further encourage the masses to choose CNG, which is more environmentally friendly.
MIQDAD R LAKHANIE
Karachi
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