| January 14, 2008 | Monday | Muharram 04, 1429 |
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Fair and not so fair skin
Stone Age
Teachers’ cruelty
Modernising our lives
Crises abound
Excess of anything is bad
PIA clarification
Vote against mafia
Food remedy
Tax
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
AMERICAN officials and politicians have been prescribing various measures to deal with the situation in Pakistan. Most prominent are the launching of overt or covert military operations inside the country against Al Qaeda and Taliban through their Special Operations groups or the CIA.
There also have been various prescriptions for ‘securing’ our nuclear weapons to keep them from falling into the hands of the terrorists. The latest idea has come from Senator Hillary Clinton, who says she would try to get these under American and British supervision if she becomes the next president.
The problem is that they consider themselves to be all-wise and their military omnipotent, the debacles in Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam notwithstanding.
Ms Clinton, for instance, had favoured the invasion of Iraq but, like most other politicians, is now trying to distance herself from it. Apart from that, a few days earlier she had said that Pakistan is not known for peaceful transition of power, but a correspondent had set the record straight (Jan 4) by pointing out instances of peaceful transfers in 1971 and 1988. To this may be added Ayub Khan's handing over to Yahya Khan in 1969 without any bloodshed.
It is very important for the Americans to note that Pakistan had no suicide bombings and no significant violence before it was forced to join Bush's ‘war on terror’ after 9/11. The whole problem of terrorism began after Osama bin Laden had objected to the presence of American troops in the Islamic Holy Land of Saudi Arabia since they violated the dress and behaviour code of the place.
Instead of addressing the innocent religious concerns, the US arrogance coupled with its strategic aims and plans to control or even usurp the Muslims' energy resources made it brush aside what this pro-American product of the CIA from the Afghan jihad was saying. The outcome is very visible.
Apart from that, the US tried to impose its will upon Pakistan by co-opting President Musharraf and, through him, the Pakistani military, to fulfil its objectives. Most Pakistanis got increasingly angry by the resultant attempts at what they see as America's desire to replace Islam with secularism and western culture, loss of sovereignty, etc.
As if that wasn't enough, when the US realised that the president was losing his grip on power, it started propping up Benazir Bhutto in a power sharing arrangement. On her part, she appeared willing to support Washington's desire of military operations, besides otherwise annoying the militants.
The tragic outcome of this American folly is not only Ms Bhutto's assassination but also unprecedented violence and rising of anti-Pakistan sentiments among some people. Thus, the US has suffered no material damage whereas Pakistan got pushed almost to the brink of destruction.
The foregoing facts demonstrate the critical need for American hierarchy to stop meddling in this country's affairs. A matter of great comfort for them should be the results of a poll carried out by the private surveyor called ‘World Public Opinion’ for the government-funded US Institute for Peace, released on Jan 7 (Dawn, Jan 8).
Some of its most important findings are that when the people were asked, "How important is it for you to live in a country that is governed by Islamic principles?", 61 per cent gave it 10 marks out of 10, while the mean response was nine. In these persons' opinion, the current prevalence of Islamic principles scored only 4.6.
When similarly queried about the importance of democracy, the mean response was 8.4 as against the current set-up’s score of a measly 4.8.
Interestingly, among the 60 per cent majority who support a larger role for Sharia, 64 per cent gave the importance of democracy a 10 — considerably higher than for those who do not favour more Sharia.
This shows that the Islamic-minded people are also great supporters of democracy, contrary to western perceptions. This was also proved in Turkey’s elections of late 2007. The lesson for the Americans and Britons is: please let us sort out our own problems and stop interfering.
M.Y. KHAN
Karachi
WITH reference to Jawed Naqvi’s column (Jan 10), the first important point to be made is that Harbhajan Singh has denied calling Symmonds a monkey and none of the microphones (a number of which were within earshot) picked up anything to the contrary.
By omitting to make any mention of this crucial evidence, Mr Naqvi makes the same mistake that Umpire Mike Proctor made and was censured for it.
Worse than that, this shows the bias Mr Naqvi has because he is totally convinced that Harbhajan ‘must have made’ the comment — evidence or no evidence.
As for all this talk about fair versus dark skin, it is not at all anything unique to India (because of caste or Aryans or what not). It is across the world and more a function of Madison Street which for the longest of times used white models only and shaped the very concept of beauty to mean white skin and Caucasian features.
Only in the last few decades has it changed, and it will take a little time for people to actually feel there are other kinds of beauty in this world; other than the ‘blonde blue-eyed’ kind. As it is, if one observes American society, the idea of ‘beauty’ is constantly shifting. Many darker women are considered absolutely beautiful today, and that is not lip-service.
Salma Hayek could easily be what we call a ‘fair Indian’. Denzel Washington, Barrack Obama are truly admired by all for their abilities and good looks as well.
Tiger Woods sells more high-end products than any white athlete. But still the fascination with whiteness remains and it is nothing unique to India.
The point is, this fad with skin creams is no more than an attempt by pharmaceutical companies to cash in on some weaknesses in people’s mindset. It takes time for people to be roused out of the stupor that advertising puts them in. Looking for some primordial underlying cause for this makes a mountain out of a mole hill.
B.K. VASAN
Chicago
WHY are the Indians crying wolf now, they had beaten a very meek side like ours and were thinking that they had conquered the world, now against the world’s finest side they lost both the Tests and are trying to take away the fine victory from the Aussies by blaming them and the umpires.
Harbajan Singh had it coming against the series against Pakistan but he was let off the hook by the umpires, now he had gone too far in racial abuse against Symonds and the umpires have rightfully imposed a three Test ban on him.
Now the Indians are planning to boycott the remaining tour of Australia, I hope the ICC does not bow down to their pressure tactics. The umpires are humans and they can make mistakes. Hats off to the Aussies for winning the Test series against the Indians: they are surely the best cricketing side of the world.
MOHAMMED EJAZ RASHEED
Karachi
ON Dec 13, a front-page headline in Dawn had said: “90 minutes of daily loadshedding”. The top headline for Dec 27, again on front page, read: ‘Four-hour countrywide loadshedding planned’. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Jan 2 issue informs us of ‘Eight-hour loadshedding’.
Not only that, other stories in the same date are: (1) ‘Prolonged power cuts soon’ from Islamabad, on page two, (2) ‘AJK faces power crisis’ on page three, (3) ‘Unbridled loadshedding makes life a hell’, from Toba Tek Singh and Bahawalpur, on page four, (4) ‘Closure of industries threatened’, also on page four, which notes that the industrialists’ associations in Faisalabad have given this warning, in protest against the long spells of unscheduled loadshedding. This is the winter’s peak; in summer what will happen?
In his memoirs, President Musharraf had revealed that Richard Armitage of the US State Department had threatened to bomb Pakistan back to the Stone Age after 9/11, if we did not cooperate with them against the Taliban. However, as the above-mentioned reports show, we are already well on our way to the Stone Age and don’t need outside help for the purpose.
Today, whenever I thought of sitting on the computer to type this letter, the power would go off. Without electricity, the computers and other equipment or appliances in the offices and homes cannot be used, while the lighting is also insufficient in many places to do any significant work. This is part-time Stone Age.
Who will the rulers make the scapegoat for this, because they can’t blame the deposed CJ and the other 55 judges for the government’s incompetence?
This brings to mind the wise saying quoted by a correspondent several months back: “Tyrants are seldom free; the cares and the instruments of their tyranny enslave them”. For about a year the president has had to devote more and more of his time and energies to remain in power.
With each passing month the situation has been getting worse for him and the nation, while the truth of the quotation has been getting increasingly evident.
ABDULLAH
Karachi
THE untimely death of a 14-year-old boy in Hyderabad a month after he received severe corporal punishment by his primary school teacher has again brought a very important issue of child protection to the fore.
The teacher asked two other boys to tie Mudassar Aslam’s hands, beat him and forced him to do sit ups for 100 times which jumbled up his intestine and finally caused his death.
Research has shown that corporal punishment is prevalent in schools in Pakistan and cases of severe use of corporal punishment in schools have been frequently reported in the press but so far no major action has been taken to ban corporal punishment and to change Section 89 of the Pakistan Penal Code that permits mild and moderate forms of corporal punishment.
Pakistan is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which binds all its signatory states to take measures to protect children by prohibiting all forms of physical and psychological violence against them. Article 19 of the convention requires:
“…all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child…”
Article 37 requires children be protected from “torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment”.
Let us all raise our voices against corporal punishment encouraging the government to repeal the section of the PPC that allows corporal punishment so that Mudassar Aslam’s death is not in vain.
TEACHERS AGAINST
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
(Dr Bernadette Dean, Sadaf Furqan, Cassandra Fernandes, Umme-Laila Amin, Shazia Solangi, Rahat Joldoshalieva)
Via email
THIS is with reference to the letter, 'Well done Wapda' (Jan 10). The approach of other developed countries for electricity generation is different than ours. A few days back, a documentary film of Brazil’s major city, Sao Paulo, was telecast by National Geographic Channel, showing how they have overcome the problem of lavish rubbish /garbage of their country by changing it into beneficial energy.
The rubbish from each corner is dumped into a dell and from this waste gas is produced, which is then converted into electricity. Sao Paulo is the world's major recycling city, where waste products and trash are recycled into valuables.
In this way, not only have they controlled maximum pollution but also improved their economy.
My request to the President of Pakistan, the relevant ministries and any volunteer company is to do something to follow the example of Brazil, so the future and fate of the nation can shine high. This may be done on an experimental basis.
MUHAMMAD SAEED PIRACHA
Lahore
THIS is in response to Bilqees Anwer’s letter, ‘Energy crisis in Pakistan’ (Jan 10). The crisis is not just in Pakistan. It is world over and getting worse by the day. Other countries, including the USA and Britain, which have so far resisted the idea of nuclear power are now seriously considering it.
The impediments to the resolution of the crisis have been and continue to be : (1) political instability, (2) lack of law and order, (3) safety and security, (4) foot dragging on the part of the government of Pakistan and its agencies, (5) corruption and red tape, (6) lack of incentives, (7) theft of electricity and (8) tariffs lower than the cost of production.
Many Pakistani-Americans who went to Pakistan to explore the possibilities of investment, particularly in the area of power generation, have come back disgusted. Some foreign companies have backed out because of non-payment for plants already installed in Pakistan.
Several companies in Pakistan have been trying to implement wind farms in Pakistan for the last five years.
To this date not a single grid-tied wind turbine has been installed. Things move at a pace of molasses in Pakistan.
Still there are private companies within Pakistan as well as foreign that are willing to invest provided the problems stated above are resolved.
Several technologies are available for implementation in Pakistan: (1) nuclear, (2) solar, (3) wind, (4), coal and (5) biomass. Of all these, biomass-based power production is the least expensive and at the same time it is environment-friendly.
Pakistan is not a proactive country. The people and the government wake up after maximum damage has been done. Pakistan has missed the boat on many fronts and yet it continues to behave like an ostrich.
Those who are least affected by this crisis are the ones who have the power to fix the problem and those who are most adversely affected are powerless. Such is the state of affairs in Pakistan.
We can go on talking about the GDP until the cows come home. The fact is no country can improve its economic condition with a crumbling infrastructure.
Given the current environment in Pakistan, I do not see electricity, water or gas problems resolved in the near future.
It is better to light the candle (pun intended) than to curse the darkness.
MIR ALI
Chicago, USA
“TALKING to the French foreign minister who called on him in Islamabad, the caretaker prime minister, Mohammedmian Soomro, said that Pakistan was determined to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” (Jan 3).
The guest was given the assurance twice during his three days’ stay in Islamabad. The matter of fact is that we have demonstrated to the West our determination to fight terror more than 200 times ever since 9/11.
The conservative figure for the last six years was roughly worked out on the basis of (a) whenever any western VVIP or a lower rank official came here, (b) or ours went there, (c) a comforting assurance to the international community when it was seemingly meant for local consumption, whenever so spoke our president, prime minister and others and (d) on some occasions at the international forum and in a few other countries in the past.
In case care is not taken by us, our serial of commitments may become valueless for others for their “more of the same” syndrome.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Ahmed Siddiqui’s letter, ‘Woes of PIA pensioners’ (Dec 28), regarding increase in pension amount of retired PIA employees.
PIA is at present making allout efforts to recover financial losses. Keeping in view the financial constraints faced by the airline, PIAC is not even in a position to increase the salaries of its existing employees. The request for an increase in pension of retired PIA employees cannot be supported.
We, however, assure the retired employees that their suggestions to increase their pension shall be considered as soon as PIAC moves out of current financial constraints.
NASIR JAMAL
General Manager
(Public Affairs), PIA
Karachi
WE witnessed the worst kind of surge in all kinds of mafias and institutional backwardness in the last government as outrightly pointed out by Tasneem Siddiqui in her article, ‘Rule by mafias’ (Dec 24, 2007).
I believe these changes have put lethal and fatal cause on the social and moral ethics of society as a whole. By this we have lost the pre-requisite of society, i.e. the social capital in all aspects, that has caused the country to suffer to stand at the seventh rank among the most corrupt countries of the world.
This all has happened under the enlightened moderate leadership of the former chief of the disciplined institution. Here my urge to the nation is to vote political parties who have consideration and roots in the masses.
Please give logic and reasoning to your thinking, and never try to vote in favour of those who have not only deteriorated the image of our country but have given the impetus to mafias and maladministration in the country as is self-witnessed at ever nook and corner of the country.
ASADULLAH KHOSO
Johi, Dadu
THIS is with reference to your editorial, ‘Dr Shah’s food remedy’ (Dec 27, in which Dr Shah, the caretaker finance minister, insisted that the food inflation is 10 to 11 per cent and could go up by 20 to 25 per cent to meet international requirements.
It is not keeping up with international inflationary trends that has resulted in price hike in Pakistan but bad fiscal policies of the present government that have resulted in price hike.
For example, in order to meet the fiscal deficit, the government resorted to a novel method by printing more money.
Worldwide food shortages are a result of crop failures but in Pakistan it has occurred when the wheat crop has done well.
One cannot obtain flour — and huge queues outside utility stores would testify to the fact — but about 2.2 million tons of flour has been exported.
At present fuel reserves are dangerously low, with only one week of diesel stocks left. How will the shortage of fuel be met, only time will tell as the government has no contingency plan to meet these shortages.
MOHAMMAD IQBAL ABID
Karachi
THE withholding income tax is 3.5 per cent on supplies of goods. This is a tax which the buyer deducts from the supplier at the time of payment and deposit the same in the treasury.
This tax is also deductible on supplies of essential daily food items, where ratio of profit is very low, even below 3.5 per cent. I would, therefore, suggest that the withholding tax on essential daily food items such as wheat, rice and sugar be reduced to one per cent.
AFTAB KHALILI
Karachi
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