| January 10, 2008 | Thursday | Zilhaj 30, 1428 |
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Electioneering campaign
Domestic child workers
Construction of link roads
Surviving crisis situation
Mindset of the regime
Benazir
Well done Wapda
Illegal thrashing
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 is with reference to the article ‘Sham university reforms’ by Pervez Hoodboy (Jan 2). Since its formation in 2002, the Higher Education Commission has made remarkable progress, implementing the much needed reforms. These include: setting of stringent requirements for the appointment and promotion of faculty members, strict quality control of PhD programmes, establishment of a digital library providing free access to 23,000 international journals to all public sector universities.
It has also introduced an e-books programme so that every public sector university now has access to 45,000 textbooks from 220 international publishers, has initiated a programme of live lectures from technologically advanced countries through video conferencing in real time and with full inter-activity.
Moreover, changes in the salary structure of academics under the tenure track system have been made through which salaries of scholars active in research have been increased significantly.
Most universities in Pakistan, including the Quaid-i-Azam University, have adopted this system. Introduction of a foreign faculty hiring programme through which the ‘brain drain’ from Pakistan has been converted into a ‘brain gain’ with over 200 eminent faculty members, who had worked for most of their lives in technologically advanced countries, have now returned to join universities in Pakistan.
These changes have been implemented and they are changing the landscape of our universities to the benefit of the nation.
The HEC reforms have been internationally praised. A WB report says that “these positive reforms already have benefited the universities”. It goes on to state that the “HEC has placed quality improvement of the higher education sub-sector at the centre of its agenda” and that “the programmes spelled out in the medium-term development framework of the HEC are an impressive set of initiatives”.
Praising the leadership provided by Prof (Dr) Atta-ur-Rahman within the HEC, it states that “the HEC has gained authority since its inception in part because of its own strong and professional leadership, independent board and ample funding” and that “still a young institution, the HEC already has a legacy. Since its inception, it has been startlingly active and has shaken up the world of the universities”.
These reforms were presented at a meeting of the Academy of Sciences of the Developing World (TWAS) in Trieste by a delegation of leading scientists of Pakistan comprising Dr Amir Mohammad, Prof (Dr) Sheikh Riazuddin, Prof Iqbal Chaudhary, Prof Qasim Mehdi, Prof Tassawar Hayat and Dr Nasiruddin.
The presentations highlighted the achievements that Pakistan has made during last five years through the HEC programmes. By calling these presentations half-truths etc, Dr Hoodbhoy does no justice to Pakistan.
His stand is that increase in our research output has arisen due to “explosion of plagiarism, theft of intellectual property, publication of trivial results and falsified data, and publication of slightly different versions of the same paper in different journals”.
This is wrong. It is the HEC which has taken firm steps to control and eliminate plagiarism by laying down a clear policy against it.
By trivialising more than 1,600 research articles from Pakistan in the world’s top journals in subjects ranging from anthropology to zoology, the writer only exposes his own biases.
Mr Hoodbhoy is also critical of the initiative to establish a number of new universities of engineering, science and technology. Such universities take years to plan and implement.
The French-sponsored university has been deliberately delayed to enable the formation of a strong consortium of French universities. Calling this delay a ‘stunning disaster’ is again an example of a typical exaggeration.
He also wrongly says that there has been extravagant funding of our higher education sector. The budget of all 57 public sector universities in Pakistan put together is $500 million, which is about 40 per cent less than that of the National University of Singapore.
SAMINA WAQAR
Director-General
(Public Relations),
HEC, Islamabad
VARIOUS political parties have been accusing the government of pre-poll rigging. The government, however, is denying the allegations and is claiming to conduct a free, fair and impartial election in the country. In fact, the PPP leadership has rightly pointed out that the local bodies’ elected representatives are the key players in this election campaign. They are running all government resources for their favourites and running the show for their parties.
In Karachi, a party claims to have absolute majority in the local bodies, and their nazims, deputy nazims, UC nazims and UC councillors are no more exceptions. They are holding various portfolios in the city government and, therefore, are carrying out election campaigns for their party without any fear. It’s a gross violation of the election rules and the Election Commission should take immediate notice of such rigging in national and provincial elections.
The KWSB is also victim and two ex-members of the Sindh Assembly are still holding the charge of additional vice -chairmen. Mr Imamuddin Shezad and Moin Khan were given this additional charge and inducted into the KWSB. Although the posts do not exist within the approved structure of the KWSB, they continuously interfere in the Board’s affairs without having any lawful authority.
They still enjoy all the perks and privileges to which they are not entitled under any law such as police guards, offices, telephone services, both at office and residences, more than one vehicle with POL and drivers. They are also addressing public gatherings by using government resources, which is totally unfair on their part and thus not providing a level playing field to all contesting candidates.
It is a gross violation of election rules, and the Election Commission of Pakistan should take immediate action to stop such practice, otherwise the claim of a fair, free and impartial election would remain shelved and severely tarnish the image of Pakistan.
All candidates using government resources in their election campaign should be disqualified for the sanctity of the upcoming election.
ARSHAD MUSTAFA
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the decision of the Council of Islamic Ideology to review the existing domestic laws relevant to preventing domestic violence against women (Dawn, Jan 4). It is indeed a timely decision taken by the CII to make serious efforts to review the laws, which have direct link with the protection of fundamental human rights.
It is an established fact that violence against women inside the home is pervasive in the country and voice is being raised to protect women through ensuring proper legislation. But, ironically, no efforts have been taken by the state to provide legal protection to domestic child workers.
Domestic child workers are the vulnerable section of society and exposed to worst forms of physical, mental, psychological and emotional violence. Although employing children as domestic workers is prevalent all over the country, it is indeed an urban menace where a majority of children, boys and girls between 12 and 17 years of age, are employed as domestic workers.
Children as young as five or six years old can also be found working. Violence against domestic child labour manifests in different forms. Physical punishment, sexual assault and psychological abuse are the glaring examples of domestic child’s rights violations.
Despite immense cases of violence against domestic child labour reported in the media, no initiatives have been taken to protect child workers from domestic violence. In this regard, this is to bring to the notice of the government to include domestic child labour in the list of worst forms of child labour, and the Council of Islamic Ideology and other relevant institutions should review the existing child protection laws, which do not guarantee protection to domestic child labour from violence.
Therefore, it is indeed the prime responsibility of the state and its institutions to eliminate domestic violence against child workers and ensure child rights protection by devising specific laws.
SALAM DHAREJO
Karachi
I WANT to draw the attention of the CDA chairman and the Planning Commission towards the construction of link roads between the Kashmir Highway and Suhrawardy Road from Zero Point till Aabpara for the diversion and smooth running of traffic.
It is suggested that two or three links roads may be constructed between these two main roads at the points of CDA office, Fire Brigade and Ambassador Hotel, which further lead to Blue Area and the Sixth Avenue. The construction of the above-mentioned link roads will not only lessen the traffic jam at Zero Point which creates havoc during office and school timings, but also help in diverting traffic flow to other directions which does not need to stop at Zero Point.
The construction of these links roads will be more beneficial in diverting the traffic load and less construction expenditure will take place as compared to the construction of flyover at Zero Point.
If a flyover is constructed at Zero Point, again it will create a traffic mess at further points. It is better to construct the link roads first, between Shahrah-i-Kashmir and Suhrawardy Road at the above-mentioned points so as to fully utilise various internal roads which remain deserted.
The construction of such link roads help in lessening the distances from one point to the other for commuters and private vehicles.
It is suggested that the CDA and the Planning Commission think over cheaper and economical projects before starting mega projects of the flyover at Zero Point. Before taking up the work of the flyover at Zero Point, the Suhrawardy Road and Kashmir Highway must be initiated and completed.
These links are short and not so much expensive and can be completed in a short span of time. Nowadays disharmonised and isolated long roads are being constructed all over Islamabad but major short links and patches between the two or three sectors or between the two/three major roads are not being constructed which actually may reduce the distance or divert the traffic pressure. These are basically major flaws which need special attention.
Another issue is that no overhead pedestrian bridges on the sixth avenue exist for people living on the either side of avenue. Our heads of the institutions and policymakers should plan such projects keeping in view the welfare of the majority of people who use public transport or want to cover short distances on foot.
The CDA must also reserve some patch of road on these avenue for cycle riders, marked red. We are cutting jungles and trees because of fear of terrorism but are not paying heed to fill their gaps which can save our time as well as money.
SABA GUL
Islamabad
ON Dec 27, the sudden and tragic death of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto triggered violence in every part of the country, while Karachi almost descended into a state of anarchy. Criminals and anti-social elements had taken advantage of the deteriorated law and order situation as killing, looting and arson started.
Thereafter, tension gripped the people and there was a complete chaos everywhere. People remained confined to their houses for the next three days and were unable to buy even the essential items of daily use. Had such situation continued for a few days more, it would have become very difficult for the people to survive without edibles and other essential items of daily use.
Moreover, it was almost the end of the month and as such many people, especially the salaried class, went short of money as there was no other source from where they could get the money since banks and ATMs were also closed for three days to mourn the death of Ms Bhutto.
People are generally not prepared to meet such a situation of crisis which takes them by surprise. On the other hand, the majority of the people also do not know how to survive under such a situation because in our country there is no system of providing crisis management awareness to the people. Therefore, there is a need to provide necessary guidance to the people regarding the role they should play in keeping themselves well prepared for surviving in a crisis during the worst law and order situation.
When violence erupts due to any reason, rioting, looting, arson and lawlessness starts taking place everywhere. Lives and property of the people are endangered, business activities come to a halt and people become confined to their houses. If such a situation prolongs and goes beyond control, then the government imposes curfew. But during the curfew breaks when people rush to the market to buy essential items, they some time either find the shops closed or the required items are not available. In such a situation if people have no emergency reserve with them, they start suffering miserably.
People should actually pre-empt a potential problem relating to law and order, likely to happen in the country/their respective area after learning from day-to-day news published in newspapers or aired by the electronic media and to prepare themselves against the perceived threats accordingly.
Such preparations should include keeping an emergency reserve of edibles, medicines for the sick, milk and food for infants, essential items of daily use and drinking water to cater for at least one month in their houses.
Similarly, people should also keep some alternative arrangements of cooking and lighting in case of power failure and suspension of gas supply due to any reason. People should also keep first-aid kit and domestic fire-fighting appliances in their house and each family member should become familiar with their use.
People having their transport should ensure that its fuel tank is possibly kept full all the time. Certain amount of emergency cash should also be kept with them in small currency notes, as notes of Rs500 and above may not be accepted by the shopkeepers in exchange of goods during such a situation.
Finally, when living under a worst law and order situation, we should also take care of our health and take food that much as is necessary to maintain health. Similarly, an utmost economy to be exercised while using any expendable item, especially food and water, by every individual in the house.
SQN LDR(r) S.AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
THE recent maltreatment by law-enforcement agencies of the ex-interior minister and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Aitzaz Ahsan, was most shameful and a condemnable act. He was arrested at gunpoint and accused of being a terrorist or an absconder, and was exposed to ice-cold wind for hours which caused him severe fever.
These things clearly indicate the mindset of the current dictatorial regime of one-man show, who wants to cling to power at any cost. Actually the current regime wants to paralyse the lawyers’ movement by using such petty tactics against their leadership. They want to uproot these people who are working for the restoration of democracy, rule of law and reinstatement of the pre-emergency judiciary.
Such senseless and ruthless techniques are worsening the already hostile situation in the country as it is passing through its more critical period. Law of the gun and brutal force cannot improve the situation rather than it will widen the fissures that exist between the masses and the government.
Instead of digging the ditches, there is need to build bridges over theses gaps that can improve the deteriorating situation. Since the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the country has been facing its worst law and order situation so far. In these trying circumstances, an iron hand to handle the situation can be disastrous and possibly harmful for the federation.
The current situation can be calmed down only if the country is put on the path of democracy, judges are reinstated and rule of law is reinforced. Without taking such steps, it seems impossible to bring harmony, peace and tolerance among different segments of society.
Our rulers must shun the policies of hatred and take tangible steps on the ground to help ease the prevailing situation and save the country from anarchy.
F. SHAHZAD
Islamabad
SOME quarters are holding Benazir Bhutto responsible for her death because she stood up through the sunroof of her vehicle. This is ludicrous. She should have been provided with impregnable security whether she was inside her vehicle or outside it. How is it that multiple shots were aimed at her from close quarters in a crowd with none of them noticed by anyone whatsoever?
DR MAHNAZ FATIMA
Karachi
FOR the first time in the history of Pakistan the nation has to face relentless and galling loadshedding problem in winter. It seems that we are going back to the era of Pharaoh. Besides paying excessive electricity bills, the public is yelling and crying for continuous supply of electricity but it all falls on deaf ears. Wapda authorities are only holding press conferences and making false promises, but still no action has been taken to remove this problem.
Industries are coming to a halt, students are suffering and water is no more available in towns, etc. The authorities concerned are stating that shortage of water is the main cause, if it is, then what they will do after a few years when this problem will become irremediable and get out of control.
Why we are still using the obsolete methods of generation, i.e. by water. We should follow the developed countries as they are generating electricity by atomic power plants, windmills and solar energy, etc.
MUHAMMAD SAEED PIRACHA
Lahore
THIS is with reference to a photograph published on Jan 8 (‘APDM demonstrator is being thrashed’). Two innocent citizens are firmly held by their clothes by uniformed policemen and a plainclothes policeman is mercilessly beating them with a stick. He is beating them like animals with severe blows showing the cruelest expression on his face.
In spite of clear instructions from the Supreme Court and High Courts that no plainclothesman should perform duties, such incidents are still happening on our roads. It is a clear violation of the orders of the apex court.
A policeman even in uniform is not supposed to thrash or physically harm a citizen when in custody. Both the persons were in police custody but, in violation of rules, a plainclothesman was severely hitting them with a stick from behind.
The man’s face is quite clear in the picture and can be easily recognised by the higher police officers of Karachi.
Will the police chief, Karachi, who has a good reputation, take action against this cruel policeman who is of course defaming the department by brutally thrashing two human beings? Civil society of Karachi also needs to take stock of this inhuman act.
M. KHALID CHEEMA
Lahore
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