| January 18, 2008 | Friday | Muharram 08, 1429 |
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Foreign interference
Chopping of trees in Kachho
More than advertising
Hard reality
Quaidabad blast
Heroes of the judiciary
Pak Tea house
Hillary’s statement
Enhanced Urdu script needed
Unpopular candidate
Animal world
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
WORDS are not sufficient to express anguish and shock over the killing of Abdul Bari Khan Advocate, and the kidnapping of his son, Saqib Bari Advocate by some unknown assassins on Jan 9, at 9.00 am at Village Sufaid Dheri, Peshawar.
A person who preached tolerance, peace and civility all his life has become the victim of a gruesome act at the hands of people who are very much opposed to such lofty ideals in which he believed in.
I wonder as to why someone would do that. What objectives could be achieved from this act? What message was given to the society?
And I come up with only one answer: “indifference”. Indifference by the society to accept killing is normal these days. The society has become so insensitive that killings and kidnappings are now accepted as something normal.
Abdul Bari Khan was born in 1925 in village Sufaid Dheri to Mahmood Khan Khalil. His father died in 1930 at a relatively young age of 35.
His mother raised five children single handedly and spent all her youth in bringing up her five children. She herself had never gone to school but knew the importance of education. Abdul Bari Khan was the first ever lawyer in his village as well as in the surrounding villages.
By sheer dint of hard work and intelligence he quickly rose to prominence. For fifty six years, he practiced law at the District and High Courts of Peshawar. He was a familiar figure in courts and was well respected by friends and foes alike.
During his long and successful career, he helped thousands of people, including widows and the destitute, and never charged for his legal services.
Why would such a human being with such an impeccable record of honesty, integrity and hard work be killed in such a manner?
Does society owe any responsibility towards Abdul Bari Khan and his son, Saqib Bari? Think for a moment and ask yourself whether we as citizens are fulfilling our responsibilities.
We should do something worthwhile to force the authorities to apprehend the killers and kidnappers.
The Judges of the higher courts owe a duty to Abdul Bari Khan and his son. This should have been a good case for a suo moto action.
Noone can imagine the agony of the family who lost a father, a husband, a grandfather and above all, a great human being who did not deserve to die cruelly.
Can anyone imagine the trauma of a mother whose young son has been kidnapped? What would you do if you were placed in this situation?
I hope some God fearing person in authority would gather the courage to come forward and help the bereaved family and provide them some solace.
SAADULAH JAN
Peshawar
THE government, political leaders, intelligentsia and even the ordinary people are complaining that by now there is too much foreign interference in Pakistan’s affairs.
How did this come about in the first place? First of all, it is President Musharraf who let the US officials meet anyone they wanted to and go wherever they chose to.
Thus, these foreigners started meeting not only our senior defence personnel and civilian officers but also numerous politicians.
This was done because Mr Musharraf wanted to please the Americans at any cost.
Following suit, the British also started engaging in similar pursuits. I remember that some months back one British diplomat had even met the speaker of the Azad Kashmir assembly and wanted some kind of treaty (probably regarding extradition, if I remember correctly) to be signed between Muzaffarabad and London.
However, the speaker wisely told him that they do not sign independent treaties but follow the ones adhered to by Islamabad.
What business do these outsiders have in meeting all our officials?
Now, the government is reaping what it had sowed and keeps protesting every now and then when foreign entities say or do something that annoys it, while ignoring the ones that no Pakistani would approve of, since these don’t bother the folks in Islamabad.
Apart from that, our politicians and even ethnically-based organisations also invite foreign countries and institutions to meddle in our affairs when they have some grievance.
This usually occurs when they do not get justice or a proper hearing from the authorities. However, it is becoming more and more common and will, in the long run, hurt the country more than benefiting it.
Given these facts, it is above all the responsibility of the government to ensure that foreigners are forbidden from interfering in the country’s internal matters.
But, for that, the rulers will also have to remove the complaints of the people that make them turn to outside sources for help.
NASEER AHMED
Karachi
Trees are undoubtedly called the lungs of the environment. They absorb oxygen generated by humans as well as emanate poisonous gases out of our unchecked consumer based industry all over the world.
Air pollution, which has posed a threat on the human health, can be checked through curbing deforestation and encouraging more plantations. Environmentalists insist that there must be at least 25 percent land mass under forestry. But unfortunately in Pakistan, the area under forests is negligibly low.
However, almost all previous governments’ apathy to greenery has reduced the area under forestation. The previous ruling party’s lust for construction in real state, thus converting acute natural greeneries into concrete jungles, was checked to some extent by some proactive civil society organizations in urban areas. The honorable CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry (now deposed) also took notice of this tree killing spree by the government.
Unfortunately, here in Kachho area of Tehsil Johi, District Dadu of Sindh, chopping of trees continues unabated for several years. Non-governmental organizations and journalists started a campaign led by UC Nazim Johi, Mr Ghulam Qadir Babar, against the killing spree of the trees and thus after several months of intensive protest, the District Government Dadu imposed aban for one week.
The avaricious merchants however, resumed the practice immediately thereafter. At present, chopped timber is being transported through four to five tractor trolleys to different brick kilns in different towns and cities. If this practice is not checked immediately, the implications would prove disastrous in long run for the area.
Sujag Sansar Organization (SSO), a local NGO has started an awareness raising campaign in Kachho, using an effective tool, interactive theater play, with the support of IRC Lahore. I got chance to attend one session in the area.
People realized the importance of trees after viewing the performance. And during discussions they said that through this program they have realised the importance of trees but they are lured in by the traders due to poverty.
Despite this, a majority of people however, after attending this theater program said that they will not sell their trees. This is a good strategy adopted by SSO.
Awareness raising programs however, would not serve the purpose unless culprits are dealt with an iron hand.
GULSHER PANHWER
District Dadu
THE Prime Minister has appealed to the nation to join hands with the government in the energy conservation campaign. ENERCON has also released an ad in this regard in the media. It is a commendable effort on the part of the government. Such an effort has been made many times before but the results have not been satisfactory. The reason is that all stakeholders are not taken into confidence before taking any step. Such efforts are made on adhoc basis or as a temporary step.
We have not taken such steps on a permanent basis. Energy crisis is a big threat for the survival of the nation as well as country.
This issue requires a sustained and long term strategy like the construction of smaller and bigger dams in various parts of the country; a search for other alternative energy resources like solar energy, biogas energy, training and education of the masses at each level for the economic use of energy.
This process demands a continuous effort and cannot be managed on a temporary basis. Just placing an advertisement by ENERCON or other agencies to print and electronic media is only one component or step to this direction but a sustained effort and proper planning on the part of our politicians, policy makers, chief planners, M/O water and power, WAPDA and other energy generating and conservation agencies is a dire need.
Placing such ads is a temporary step and the investment by public departments on them goes waste because of non concerted efforts on the parts of all stakeholders of the society.
So as a nation, all segments of society from the public sector organizations or private sector organizations, to the business community all over the country, should join hands in this campaign. In this way we can achieve targets and also educate our people.
SABA GUL
Islamabad
During the French Revolution (1789–1799), when people were protesting against dearness and shortage of food, a number of peasants came to the gate of Marie-Antoinette queen of Louis XVI begging for food. Queen innocently said “let them eat cake”.
No one can be too frantic and desperate like the middle class employees as the said peasants. Their miseries are too traumatic to express in words. It’s very difficult for them to make both ends meet, as prices are hiking day by day.
They even cannot think of purchasing necessities as well as victuals. Disappointment heightens while shopping in the markets, when it becomes impossible to buy bread and butter.
In the first week of 2008, rates of all the necessities increased by 2.10 per cent, breaking all records. Flour, ghee, rice, even vegetables are unattainable for common people.
This year too, will be a test for wretched employees who got a mere increase of Rs250 to 500 only in their salaries last year.
Economists, politicians and all the concerned authorities have failed in stopping the massive and alarming increase in prices. All of them are making false promises to reduce dearness but they are exploiting undercover.
MUHAMMAD SAEED PIRACHA
Lahore
ROAMING around the busy Quaidabad market (Karachi), haggling over price of paint, I didn’t know that in less than 3 hours, a dozen people would be lying dead in the exact same market. A powerful bomb planted in a motorbike ripped through the busy market killing at least a dozen people including little children.
The blast exploded less than ten minutes after my car crossed the exact location. The cell phone went mad with calls from friends and family who knew I frequent this road. Few ‘I am OKs’ and ‘don’t worrys’ later I drove home, had my dinner and started planning my next day.
This explosion is one of many that now take place all over our beloved country. My Pakistan. We have become ‘comfortably numb’ to bomb blasts and suicide attacks. Almost 53 suicide attacks took place in Pakistan last year, that’s 1/4 of such attacks in Iraq. Iraq is an occupied country and perhaps we are too as our dictator takes dictations from his masters.
We are sick and tired of this dangerous liaison between the military and the mullahs. Musharraf says he’s a moderate while he rests on the vote of the religious right wing parliamentarians.
He says elections will be fair yet the leader of the biggest political party is murdered and clues are washed literally with water.
The Americans pumped arms and extremists in our neighborhood to bring down the red bear (Charlie did it!) and then leave us to deal with the mess. Drugs and Kilashinkovs, refugees and terrorists. Later, the same Americans came back and blamed us for not doing enough. The question is not about doing enough, the question is who is going to do it?
A dictator cannot get rid of this terrorist menace because the dictator is a usurper himself. If and when these terrorists are wiped out, it will only be by the people of Pakistan and not the armed forces alone. The vast majority of people are moderates. Islam came here not by the sword but by sufis who preached tolerance and harmony and a majority of Pakistan believes that.
We need democracy and we need it now. Let’s not call Musharraf a moderate. Let’s not give him anymore the benefit of the doubt. We might be a poor country but we are not a stupid country.
The world needs to look beyond Musharraf and the terrorists in Pakistan. We are citizens of this world and we deserve democracy.
SARMAD PALIJO
Karachi
Justice (r) Rana Bhagwandas and Justice (r) Rabbani for the first time after they were deposed set foot in Karachi on Dec 16. They never required any protection or posed any threats. Recently, Justice (r) Rana Bhagwandas, at the oath-taking ceremony of the Karachi Bar Association, stated that soon the deposed judges of the Supreme Court would be reinstated and the judiciary would become independent.
This statement must have sent a chilling message to the establishment to have decided to again put him under house arrest under the guise of providing him extra security.
This shows how infirm our establishment is and has always been to all those who stand for righteousness. The notion that our nation lacks people who stand for the righteous is not true.
We have time and again seen that there have been heroes who stood against the oppressors. Let me remind and hail my judicial heroes right from Justice Cornelius to the present deposed judges.
In 1954, the National Assembly of Pakistan tried to change the Constitution to establish checks on the Governor-General’s powers. In response, Governor-General Ghulam Mohammad dismissed the Assembly.
The dismissal was challenged in the Supreme Court. Governor-General Ghulam Muhammad emerged victorious when the then Chief Justice Muhammad Munir upheld the dismissal in a split decision, despite the dissenting opinion written by the renowned Justice A. R. Cornelius and despite protests from the members of the National Assembly.
Judges like A. R. Cornelius have made us a proud nation for all times to come; defying oppressors just as our present deposed judges of all the High Courts and the Supreme Court have done.
In 1954, there was only one Cornelius but today there are more than 60, who have stood against the oppressors. Cornelius was exemplary for these 60 brave judges, and today these brave judges have become exemplary for their predecessors and the nation.
Surely, this has given our nation and judicial tradition more heroes than villains and we will see the reinstatement and independence of the judiciary in our country by the valiant efforts of our past and present heroes. I salute my heroes and pray for their safety.
ASIM H. AKHUND
Karachi
THIS refers to ‘Saving Pak Tea House’ (Jan 11) by Dr Irfan Zafar. The good doctor’s appeal to the government will not work because the government is incompetent and would not care.
However, it is important to preserve the place. I have a more practical solution. An appeal to raise funds and buy the place from the current owner’s son should be launched within and outside Pakistan.
I will assist in doing so here in the United Kingdom. I am confident that Pakistanis who love poetry will support the appeal.
Who knows, one literature-loving industrialist alone may complete the project on his own.
ZAKA SHEIKH
United Kingdom
QUOTING a recent statement (Jan 14) by Hillary R. Clinton: “Dr King’s dream began to be realised when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It took a president to get it done”, has raised quite a furor back in the good old land of freedom.
It is just like saying that the freedom, rights and status that women enjoy in the west today, rather than being the work of the tireless women who struggled with their blood and sweat during the women’s liberation movements of the previous century, were achieved mainly because the men of that time were willing to accord those rights to women.
Having worked all her life for civil liberties, I bet the presidential hopeful has something to say about that!
HASAN BIN HAMZA
Adelaide, Australia
Urdu language has changed tremendously with the inclusion of English words. There is therefore, a great need for improving our script to enable the writing of imported words.
In Arab countries they added a new character in their alphabet to represent the letter ‘V’, so they can write words like ‘Rajiv Gandhi’, which we write as ‘Rajio Gandhi’ in the Urdu script.
Recently, Urdu newspapers wrote a news item using the word ‘de facto’ which in Urdu script could also be read as ‘defective’.
I would strongly recommend that we followed the example of Arab countries and include ‘V’ in our alphabet.
Also, we should invent a way of differentiating between words like ‘seat’ and ‘set’.
KHALID A
London UK
IN an interview with the American magazine Newsweek, General (retd) Pervez Musharraf said that late Benazir Bhutto was not the best person to lead the fight against terrorism because she was “very unpopular” with the Army.
Can anyone enlighten me on whether there is any law under which certain salaried government employees can disobey orders on the grounds that those orders come from a person who is “unpopular” with them?
MUHAMMAD IDRIS
Stockholm, Sweden
THIS refers to Dawn’s photograph depicting a white tiger riding a horse during a show in China (Jan 2).
Does not this reflect like the animal’s New World Order?
AN ANIMAL KEEPER
Karachi
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