| January 25, 2008 | Friday | Muharram 15, 1429 |
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Gikians salute the pilot
Militants overrun paramilitary fort
Governance of tribal areas
As you sow, so shall you reap
Low economic targets
Futile exercise
Alternative realities
Palm oil clarification
People’s anger and grief
US visa
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
FOR some time President Musharraf and group of ‘like- minded’ politicians are lecturing the whole world that the West should come out of their ‘obsession’ for democracy and the human rights in Pakistan, and they should rather appreciate the fact that they got democracy after centuries of struggle.
On his ongoing foreign trip, responding to concerns over human rights and democracy, President Musharraf said: “You have taken centuries in reaching wherever you have come. Allow us time for going for the values that you have established for yourselves.
We have a feudal tribal environment in some of our provinces, therefore, in accordance with our environment, we have to adapt democracy, human rights and civil liberties.”
Whenever this rhetoric is used, it is often forgotten that current rulers, who are delivering the lecture, did not come from Mars, they are also the part of the very people who, they think, do not deserve to run their own country.
So are they suggesting that someone else should come and run Pakistan from outside?
United States Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice indirectly but very correctly countered President Musharraf’s rhetoric by saying:
“No one has ever said that democracy is something that is born in a minute.
“It does take time, but you have to get started and you have to start putting in place the institutions that will secure democratic values and that will allow people to exercise their rights to freedom.
Every leader has an obligation to push that goal as far forward as possible and that's what we are saying. Should one be obsessed with the rights of human beings to live in freedom? Maybe so.”
Justice (r) Fakharuddin G. Ibrahim once said: “Lots of Pakistani people may be uneducated but they are not illiterate.
“In my humble opinion, the ruling triad — the military, civil bureaucracy and the feudal lords — must understand that Pakistan is not the country which is in the process of democratic experiments and it has to go through step by step to become a democratic country.
“Pakistan was created by democracy and we are the generation of those Pakistanis who got this homeland through the power of vote.
“Pakistan is situated and standing with the world’s biggest democracy where the social and political issues are very similar to that we see in Pakistan, so if they can run their country, then Pakistanis can perform this job in a much better way.
“Had they been given the chance, Pakistani people are fully and completely ready to run their country and take it to the progress and prosperity.”
MISBAH U. AZAM
Phoenix, USA
IN view of the recent remarks by President Musharraf about the “West’s obsession with democracy", it is all the more important that the February 18 election is held in a free, fair and transparent manner.
Let the outside neutral observers ensure that all eligible Pakistanis take part in the election, in an unhindered way and in a free atmosphere. They will thus be rendering a great and unforgettable service to the democracy-loving Pakistanis.
JALAL HUSSAIN
Canada
On Jan 22 there was an incident here that substantially changed my way of thinking. A Pakistan Air Force trainer plane crashed inside Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute), Topi premises. The pilot and a gardener died on the spot. There was no other loss of life or property.
Further analysis (and some witness reports) revealed that the trainee pilot's quick thinking had prevented loss of 300 + lives and damage to faculty buildings.
The pilot, instead of ejecting from the plane when he knew it was going to crash, manoeuvred the plane and kept it on the (narrow) road away from the buildings and places nearby, where students hang out during the day.
Had he ejected from the plane, he would most probably have survived but the crash site was surrounded by buildings in which 300 + people were working/studying at the time, a lot would have been lost. In short, he sacrificed his life to prevent the loss of other lives.
It is incidents such as these that force you to think about...well, about everything. And this time it got me thinking about his selfless act.
It is only the former leader of the army who had lowered the army in the eyes of the civilian population. The truth of the matter is that our army is willing to sacrifice for the country. They stand ever ready to defend our homeland from any harm.
It also made me think that it is really not a leader who makes all the difference. This single man had saved 300 + lives. It made me realise that every day people can also be heroes.
They can also do big things. And they can make a difference. If the pilot would have started blaming the engineers and the government for old planes with mechanical faults, there would not have been enough time for him to think and act as he did. We are too lazy and love to put the blame on others.
From now on, I resolve to change my lifestyle to favour growth and prosperity of Pakistan. I resolve to be honest, devoted and respectful and to deliver what I promise. May Allah grant me the strength to do so.
Maybe one day I will be a hero and I will make a difference. Until then, I live on in the hope that the day will soon come. Lastly, we Gikians salute the pilot for his selfless act. May Allah rest his soul in peace. Ameen.
UMER JAWAID GIKI
student (Electronic Engineer)
A FORCE of 600 to 700 strong militants, with rifles, Kalashnikovs, rockets and mortars, led by Baitullah Mehsud, attacked and captured Sararogha Fort in South Waziristan on the evening of Jan 15. The defenders totalled 38 soldiers and six civilians.
The Taliban spokesman claimed to kill 16 soldiers and taken 24 as hostage. He didn’t say seven captured soldiers were beheaded. This was reported by another source.
This is a serious development which raises a few questions. The strength of the militia storming the fort suggests a lashkar like assault – which seems to mean that the locals of South Waziristan have also joined the militants, besides several militant groups coalescing into a single force under the name of Tehrik-i-Taliban (a movement for Talibanisation). In such a situation, why were air power and artillery not provided to them?
Why could Baitullah Mehsud not be captured dead or alive, when Pakistn and US armed forces use satellite communication system to exchange intelligence? The new director-general of the ISPR will have tough time explaining the inaction – which might send a wrong signal to the US administration which is itching to intrude into our tribal belt on one pretext or the other.
It may not sound an excellent idea that sometimes you take extraordinary measures to put down a rebellion with an iron hand. I suggest that an allout assault, like the one in Swat, should be launched in the areas controlled by Tehrik i-Taliban and get it over with before Feb 18 – the date of the election. It may be kept in mind that Baitullah Mehsud had vowed to disrupt the election.
M.K. NAQVI
Karachi
ASIM Effendi deserves our accolades for his article, ‘The roots of Swat’s tragedy’ (Jan 9), mentioning therein the cultural and historical background of extremism in Swat. In fact, it was an education in which we were becoming more and more interested to know for some months.
To fresh up, he wrote that when in the 18th century a mullah phenomenon surfaced in Swat, led by Sartoor Faqir, called mad mullah, the British astute administration countered the threat by taking care of the means and letting the end take care of itself that ensured an arms-free and peaceful Swat.
He further says that, ever since then, the Swatis demanded the enforcement of Shariah for them in 1977 and he has explained the circumstances for it.
The education teaches me to suggest to the power that be and also to Mr Effendi and the likes to help write/compile a medium-volume book briefly describing therein the history, culture and established customs of all of our tribes. This should be prescribed for study and examination in colleges, university, central superior services and the armed forces defence colleges, that may ultimately create better understanding between the tribes and the rest and may help us in knowing their traditions as well as their problems more closely and for that a better governance and a strong Pakistan.
Further, for what else our aged, weak and ailing Quaid paid personal visits to the tribal areas in Fata and Balochistan?
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
APART from all discussions, reasons, considerations, what happened on the night of Dec 27-28, 2007, in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, was/is nothing but direct impact of the lawlessness, which we have been sowing since the birth of this country, in general, and since 1972, in particular.
But I personally think, may be I am wrong, this is just a trailer, full film is ahead. This is the outcome of injustices, excesses, inequalities meted out to the common man, and unjust accumulation of wealth in a few hands.
This also visualises what kind of education/training the common citizen of this country has been receiving.
I was surprised to note that no appeal came from any quarter, not even a single loudspeaker of a local mosque, when the people were burning their own assets with their own hands by design or by default.
Do we deserve to be called a civilised nation? Do we have a sense that what has been done to the public property will ultimately land in trouble the very local people who have burnt revenue record, judicial record, taxation record, banks, railway stations, telephone exchanges, government vehicles to the benefit of none but loss of everyone.
Point to ponder: Nobody, in any state of mind, has burnt his own house. Do we own this country and its properties and assets?
NOOR AHMED ODHANO
Karachi
ACCORDING to a news item, economic targets would be lowered because it would be difficult to achieve a target of 7.2 per cent GDP growth. Economic targets were also revised last year so that our targets can meet the actual numbers.
Just because we cannot meet the target, we revise them so that the target meets the actual rather than vice versa.
We would be better off if we face the reality of not achieving the targets and plan better next time so the target is achieved.
IMAD QURESHI
Chicago, USA
THIS refers to former foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmed’s article, ‘UN and Bhutto probe’ (Jan 20), in which he looks into the crucial problem of the proposals of the formation of different committees to investigate the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
The writer, on his lifelong experience in the world of diplomacy, appears correct in arguing that neither the government-appointed inquiry assisted by the Scotland Yard, nor any UN inquiry will bear any results acceptable to the public.
There will be no two opinions that immediately after the murder, in an unusual manner, the blood stains and other evidence were immediately removed from the scene, and no post-mortem examination was carried out, therefore, like two previous occasions (1952 and 1996, Liaquat Ali Khan’s and Mir Murtaza Bhutto’s murders respectively) the Scotland Yard will probably not produce any conclusive report.
Mr Ahmed also appears to be right in suggesting that the model of investigation of the murder of the Lebanese prime minister, the late Rafiq Harreri in 2005, cannot be reproduced in Pakistan because of the change in the situation.
Due to the vitality of the oil-rich Middle East in the western strategy, the United States, Great Britain, and France, the former Mandatory power in Lebanon, were more interested in Lebanon than probably are in Pakistan. Secondly, Lebanon is a multi-confessional state, where the prime minister should be a Sunni Muslim.
Mr Harreri was an ally of Saudi Arabia and the West. After his murder it was predetermined to blame Syria, an ally of Iran and Lebanese Shia Hizbullah, for perpetrating murder with the purpose to demonise it in the region and create grounds to attack it, if necessary, as a “terrorism sponsoring state” in a time of America’s choosing.
If the UN investigators come to Pakistan, as Shamshad Ahmed argues, instructed by Washington, they will probably declare the Taliban and Al Qaeda as the murderers of Benazir Bhutto.
Such a judgment has been already pronounced by President George Bush, and there is no need of repeating it.
Mr Ahmed agreeably concludes that a commission headed by a retired chief justice of the Supreme Court, assisted by impartial investigators and the members of the International Commission of the Jurists, should be appointed to examine the gory incident.
However, I think the deposed chief justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, will be the best person to lead such an investigation team.
The lawyers’ community, many members of civil society, and well-wishers of Pakistan, like Mr Kuldip Nayar, the veteran Indian journalist, also repose their faith in him and his brother judges for conducting this crucial inquiry.
DR MEHTAB ALI SHAH
University of Sindh
Jamshoro
THIS is with reference to your editorial,’Alternative realities’(Jan 14). Long ago, I heard the story of a king who wanted his subjects to show some courage. He was deeply concerned that despite being subjected to all kinds of indignities, they were apathetic and did not protest.
He asked his ministers to hoard flour. They did so, the price of flour soared. but the citizens were silent. He got all the sugar in his domain smuggled to a neighbouring country, yet his followers meekly accepted the situation.
Finally, he ordered his soldiers to whip the peasants, workers and all others as they were on their way to their workplaces. After a week, he saw a few of his subjects approaching the palace.
Aha, he said to himself, now they have come to protest! But imagine his surprise when the leader said: “Sire, we’re sure your soldiers thrash us early in the morning because you think it’s in the national interest. But we would prefer to be hammered in the evening, when we’re returning from work, as being whipped in the morning affects our productivity.”
That is the state of Pakistanis today. They have lost the will to protest and will continue suffering because they know that things will always go from bad to worse, no matter who heads the government.
SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
THIS is apropos of the letter, ‘Unhealthy palm oil’ (Jan 9). It presents incorrect facts and gives a misleading picture about palm oil. According to the writer, palm oil is low in monounsaturates and thus is not good for health.
The fact, however, is that palm oil is high in its monounsaturated oleic acid content averaging about 39 per cent of its composition. This is even higher in the liquid palm olein. Palm oil has a balanced fatty acid composition that makes it ideal for a variety of food formulations without the need for hydrogenations which introduces trans-fatty acids.
Similarly, the suggestion that palm oil, high in saturated fatty acids, will lead to increased blood cholesterol levels is not borne out by research findings. After more than 165 nutrition studies, the general verdict is that palm oil is neutral to blood cholesterol levels. The science that explains this is a complicated one and I would urge the writer to visit our websites for full technical and scientific explanations.
These facts have helped palm oil become the largest produced and consumed edible oil of the world. The European Union is the second largest importer and consumer of palm oil after China. Other leading importers include the US, Pakistan, India, the UAE and all major countries of the world.
FAISAL IQBAL
(Malaysian Palm Oil Council)
Lahore
THIS is apropos of Dr Mubarak Ali’s article, ‘People’s anger and grief’ (Jan 14) wherein he stressed that the riots that erupted on the eve of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination were not a unique phenomenon unknown to history. He quoted history’s two great events as parallel: the French Revolution (1779) and the uprising of 1857.
However, on the mystifying role of the administration on the country’s most regrettable episode of its 60 years of existence, he has failed to divulge. Although it is the administration whose primary duty is to maintain law and order and save private and public properties from being looted and burnt, sadly this basic responsibility was prima facie neglected.
This country has been through tribulations many a time but often the peace-keepers, i.e. police and rangers, were withdrawn by the administration. This time even sensitive installations such as banks, railway stations and other important and government offices were deprived of minimum security.
The incessant loot and plunder on this most unfortunate event was the work of criminal elements and not the aggrieved party workers as the recent evidences appearing in the media have amply proved. The plunder obviously was due to withdrawal/non-availability of law-enforcement agencies in the sensitive areas where they were needed the most.
Under the given circumstance Dr Mubarak Ali’s comparison of the above two epochs of human history, i.e. the French Revolution and the uprising of 1857, revolts of civil society against the entire tyrannical system of the state with unfortunate events of Dec 27 is obviously out of place.
MANSOOR UL HAQUE SOLANGI
Karachi
I WANT to draw the attention of the US embassy to the following facts: visa fee has been increased to such an extent that it has become unaffordable for persons of average income. Also, one has to spend a huge amount on visit to Islamabad for an interview.
Senior citizens mostly visit the US to meet their blood relatives who are settled there, and do have no intention to settle there. Obviously in old age they are not expected to adjust with any new environment, and have to come back to their native place.
Thus if senior citizens and their wives are exempted from interview, it will be a great favour to them. Their relevant documents such as original passports and original sponsor letters may be sent along with a visa application, and after making necessary endorsement, the passport may be returned to them.
All over the world, including the US, preferential treatment is given to senior citizens in every walk of life. Will it not be a benevolent act on the part of the American embassy to suitably reduce the visa fee in the case of senior citizens who also include their wives, and single male/female members.
A SENIOR CITIZEN
Karachi
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