| February 10, 2008 | Sunday | Safar 02, 1429 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Is Kissinger a friend?
Misguiding US lawmakers
Chitral Scouts
Separate federating units
Wrong observation
Plagiarism in research
Detention all the way
Northern Areas
Official Umra
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
Your front-page news item, ‘Measures to cut energy consumption by 30 per cent’ (Feb 2) highlights the “Planning Commission’s” half-hearted approach to lack of energy security. If so-called ‘planners’ were doing their duty, we would not be facing the crisis. Some points raised are so superficial and technically so simplistic that even the ‘planners’ must be laughing up their sleeves in befooling the ‘caretakers’:
1. Switch off ‘unnecessary lights’ – without any codes or standards, who will decide what is ‘unnecessary’? If the building or an industry is basically not designed for energy conservation codes, how can such a vague ‘instruction’ be followed. Standards and codes are available the world over and yet the ‘planners’ want to invent the wheel again! There has been talk of ‘developing’ energy codes for years and it is certain that this effort would continue, spending enormous resources and wasting time and the situation will only get worse because of no concern for urgent action.
2. Replace fluorescent tubelights with energy-saving bulbs – this must be the biggest joke since under the present scenario, it is the incandescent bulb that needs replacement with either fluorescent tubelights or energy savers. Nowhere in the world is anyone replacing fluorescent tubelights for energy conservation but our ‘planners’ are so specially qualified that they can outdo everyone else.
3. Building inside temperatures – setting minimum 25 degrees C in summer is definitely not an energy conservation measure since even countries like Japan and China (to whom we go running for aid in every sector) are setting minimum temperature for summer at 28 degrees C (which will make big energy savings). The only problem, then, will the ‘planners’ face would be to get neck-tie and jacket out of our working attire culture in summer.
4. Wrap water heaters with blankets – this instruction must really take the cake since ‘wrapping blankets’ around water heaters without protection from rain and sealing all the joints would actually amount to more heat loss. How such announcements are even made must be a real mystery.
5. Replacement of airconditioners and coolers with energy- efficient models – again, such instructions are incomplete and misleading since if energy is to be conserved, we need efficient systems and not just energy-efficient models of equipment. We have hundreds of large centrally airconditioned buildings, nearly all of which have basically inefficient system, using the lowest coefficient of performance machines (even through these are the most efficient machines of this kind in the world), thus wasting enormous quantity of our precious gas. We need to follow the basic concept of energy conservation, specially for centrally airconditioned buildings, as followed in green building design.
We should do the following with utmost urgency to avoid a total collapse of our basic systems:
a) High efficiency: Both utility level and industry-based power plants have been allowed to waste our gas, though this sector holds enough potential to ‘solve’ our criticality of gas availability. We have serious gas shortages but we are allowing enormous wastage of our subsidised gas. It is absurd to allow gas supply to our inefficient steam power plants (only 33 per cent efficiency) which can easily be converted to combined cycle with nearly 50 per cent increased efficiency.
We are also allowing gas to similar low -efficiency ‘rental’ power plants instead of asking these companies to ‘re-power’ steam power stations for 50 per cent increased efficiency with the same offered gas turbines.
b) CNG usage: CNG usage in cars is an inefficient method in use of this clean gas energy. We are encouraging wastage by subsidising gas tariff since people are using cars without any conservation consideration.
c) Coal-based plants: We must develop this source but also develop coal-based methane methodology so that Thar-based power plants have high efficiency and low environmental pollution.
We urgently need to conserve and this should be ensured in all walks of life.
AINUL ABEDIN
Karachi
IN his rejoinder, ‘Kissinger: a friend of Pakistan’ (Feb 4), M. K. Naqvi has given some pathetic arguments such as the assertion that Henry Kissinger, “prior to and during 1971, was a friend of Pakistan.” He has also made it sound that Mr Kissinger’s well-known threat to Z. A. Bhutto hadn’t been given explicitly but was only inferred by me (Jan 29).
Even funnier is his conclusion that Kissinger “had to turn an enemy, or what we think of him, due to the change in US policy after Nixon’s resignation.” It would be a sad day when people yield to this absurd notion of somebody having to turn into an enemy just because of a change in the next government’s policy.
An account published in a section of the print media (Jan 29) based on the experiences of an unnamed senior foreign ministry official who was said to be privy to the Bhutto-Kissinger talks should serve to enlighten Mr Naqvi.
Mr Kissinger, as the US secretary of state, was on a mission to deliver president Nixon’s message to Mr Bhutto about discontinuing Pakistan’s nuclear programme. The latter listened to him very patiently and then said: “You are my friend, please advise me what I should do.”
The envoy smiled and said: “Mr Prime Minister! In the game of diplomacy and power, nobody is anyone else’s friend… You should consult one of your own advisers.” But Mr Bhutto insisted that he still looked upon him as a friend and wanted advice. Mr Kissinger laughed and exclaimed: “You are a chess master.” After that he made it clear he had not come to advise but to warn and the Pakistani PM had no option but to agree. And, if Bhutto didn’t do that, “then we will make a horrible example of you.”
Mr Kissinger and many others have also been fiercely opposing Iran’s alleged efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and are threatening to attack it militarily. Libya and other Muslim countries, too, have been prevented from doing that, while moves are afoot to deprive us of our nukes. He had even visited India some months back in order to convince the left wing and other opponents of the US-India nuclear deal to end their opposition.
This can only cause disquiet to Pakistan and China. It may also be noted that the new Australian government has reversed its predecessor’s agreement to supply uranium to India unless it signs the NPT, which is a principled stand in opposition to Kissinger’s objective. So, how is he a friend of Pakistan?
The correspondent has also tried to give a new version of Mr Jinnah’s approach to the Jewish state to make it seem that he wasn’t really opposed to recognising it, merely because doing that would be premature. The book, Jinnah on World Affairs (Select documents: 1908-1948)”, published by the Pakistan Study Centre of KU, makes it clear that the Quaid considered the bringing in of a million or more Jews into Palestine for creating Israel as unjust, unprincipled, nay, “monstrous and criminal.” How could he have supported its creation?
ABDULLAH
Karachi
US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher deposed before a US congressional hearing that if the new parliament takes an action to restore the judiciary, President Pervez Musharraf has the power to dissolve the legislature and negate that action (Feb 3).
His explanation led to a debate between him and the lawmakers who argued that Washington’s position on this dispute was not based on sound logic and it may enhance the anti-American feelings in Pakistan. The Democratic Party Congressman, John F. Tierney, who was presiding over the hearing, observed that “despite the essential need of a legitimate and impartial judiciary in the electoral process, the Bush administration appears willing to concede a dismantled judiciary to President Musharraf.”
He further said: “Despite signs that the vaunted Pakistani military establishment is distancing from President Musharraf, this administration appears willing to continue, and expressing steadfast support for President Musharraf. Despite evidence that President Musharraf’s clinging to power represents a distraction to our counterterrorism efforts, we continue to pursue policies described by Pakistanis as Busharraf.”
The foregoing shows that while the concerned congressmen appear to have gauged the Pakistani situation precisely and that the US must stop supporting Mr Musharraf, the American official is trying to scare them into believing that the Pakistani president’s power is unshakable and it would be futile for Washington to try to get the judiciary restored.
Mr Boucher would certainly be aware of the fact that the new assembly of Pakistan would have the right to impeach the president and some opposition politicians have already given indication of doing that. Also, that Mr Musharraf had stated recently that if there were such a move by the incoming parliament, he would rather quit his job than face the impeachment proceedings.
Thus, the diplomat has been less than honest by not informing the congressmen accordingly. These lawmakers must take note of the correct situation and demand of Mr Bush to intervene in the matter, otherwise there can be no hope of curing the anti-Americanism over here, which will only worsen.
A. ALEEM
Karachi
I WOULD like to draw the attention of those at the helms of affairs in this country towards the deteriorating law and order situation in the last peaceful resort of the NWFP, which is Chitral district.
There is unrest among traders, transporters and the general public against the alleged high-handedness of paramilitary forces, Chitral scouts, at Mirkhani Checkpost. It was three weeks back that the paramilitary forces confiscated non-custom-paid vehicles and consignment of ghee and cooking oil. They instigated the custom officials to register cases against the drivers and owners of vehicles and created unrest in the district. According to routine practice, such vehicles are registered with police stations, and transportation of edible oil from Afghanistan into Chitral is allowed due to the closure of Lowari Pass.
Moreover, the non-custom-paid vehicles are regulated in Malakand division under special laws. The paramilitary forces have no authority to intervene in such matters. Drivers’ union, traders’ associations and the local elite have blamed the command and staff of Chitral Scouts for creating law and order situation in the last peaceful resort of the NWFP.
It is time an inquiry was initiated into the incident.
BASHIR HUSSAIN AZAD
Shahi Bazaar, Chitral
IN his letter, ‘Separate federating units’ (Feb 3), Khalid A. has propounded an idea: an ‘out of box’ solution to overcome longstanding mistrust between the provinces. According to him, since, historically, boundaries of the existing provinces are recent, therefore, to end the problem of ‘Big Brother’ there seems to be a strong case for creating 10 provinces.
To shore up this suggestion, he has dilated on history of each province. As regards his observation that ‘Sindh used to be part of the Bombay province’, I have serious reservations. In fact, the province of Sindh was an independent state up to 1843 when the British East India Company through treachery and brute force of arms usurped it. The unreasonableness of this act of aggression was accepted by a person not less than the ‘conqueror’, General Sir Charles Napier, in his memoirs.
Thus Sindh was a sovereign country up to 1843. It was in 1847 that for financial expediency it was made commissionerate of Bombay presidency. Later on, when opposition to this annexation mounted, this arrangement was revoked in 1935 and Sindh once again attained the status of a state with its own premier and assembly, etc.
In 1943 it was the Sindh Assembly which passed the historic Pakistan resolution when assemblies of other majority Muslim states did not even try to emulate this example. After about nine months of independence, however, contrary to the provisions of Pakistan Resolution 1940 and against the wishes of the people of Sindh, which they expressed through a unanimous vote of the Provincial Legislative Assembly dated Feb 2, 1948, the central government took over control of Karachi . This was the first blow to autonomy envisaged in the Pakistan Resolution 1940.
As Mr Khalid knows, an experiment was made in 1956 whereby boundaries of provinces were changed by creating ‘One Unit’: West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Because of inherent flaws in the scheme and struggle of small provinces, this artificial arrangement also could not last long.
Thus with the breakup of One Unit in 1970, not only Sindh got the status of province but the federal control of Karachi was also revoked as both these experiments were found ill-conceived, which created only hatred and chasm between the people.
The boundaries of Sindh, therefore, came into existence by the process of history and not a colonial legacy as stated by Mr Khalid. Any change in the historical boundaries for the sake of administrative/political expediency, therefore, will only bring more disruptions and disagreements like the ones left by the One Unit scheme.
The examples of Nigeria and India do not conform to our existing predicament. Nigeria is predominantly a tribal society consisting of 250 ethnic groups of different denominations. Originally there were three provinces established by the colonial power as their convenience required. After independence, the country was divided into 29 provinces, not under political pressure but for the administrative suitability, maintaining ethnic solidarity of each tribe.
In the case of India, restructuring were made at the very inception of independence. However, further division of Punjab gave birth to the Sikh independent movement. The resultant violence and disruption took lives of one of its prime ministers and thousands of the innocent people. The Indian government has still not been able to win the heart of the Sikh populace.
Thus propounding the idea of carving out more federating units at this critical juncture of the country’s history, when entire society is afficited with extremely serious constitutional and socio-politico-economical issues, will only further harm the existing system. Moreover, it would not be only against the aspirations of the majority but will provide impetus to already fragile fabric of ethno-sectarian-ridden society.
Cure of troubles our society is afflicted with lies only in restoration of the 1973 Constitution, its application in its pristine form in letter and in spirit and the rule of law and nothing less than that.
ISHA M. KURESHI
Karachi
THIS refers to Kuldip Nayar’s article, ‘Mid-term polls on cards’ (Feb 8), wherein he says that the Congress Party is likely to call for mid-term polls, some time by the end of this year after signing a nuclear accord with the US. I feel that his observation is off the mark. The prospectus of the party is bleak in every state and the heir-apparent, Rahul Gandhi, who is anointed to lead the campaign against the tried and tested opposition groupings, has proved himself to be inept.
The nuclear accord, if at all signed, would be a non-issue during the election where voters from rural areas decide who should govern.
So, in all probability, the Congress Party would try to buy time by clinging to power as much as possible.
C.P. NAIR
India
THE removal of Dr Mian Aftab Ahmad from the chairmanship of Punjab University Psychology and Applied Psychology Department, and suspension on charges of plagiarism is a good action (Jan 23). This action against plagiarism will bring respect for intellectual rights in teachers and they will also become more careful in writing research papers.
Similar actions must be taken against the five faculty members of Centre for Higher Energy Physics, who were also accused of plagiarism, so that nobody in future commits crime of plagiarism.
ADIL SALEEM
Lahore
AFTER completing their 90 days’ illegal detention, Aitzaz Ahsan, Tariq Mahmoud and Ali Ahmad Kurd were again detained by the government. Munir Malik is out because of his ailing health. The real chief justice of Pakistan with a number of colleagues has been perpetually under house-arrest since Nov 3, 2007. Dr A. Q. Khan has completed four years of house-arrest. Benazir Bhutto has been ‘detained’ for ever. What a mess!
Those who are all for rule of law and democracy are in the lurch whereas those who are all for corruption are free to ‘detain’ atta, ghee, sugar and oil. Hawks are free while doves are under arrest. This regime has only one ‘credit’ to its history: detention of opponents.
ZUBAIR TORWALI
Bahrain
THIS is apropos of Quratul Ain’s letter, ‘ Fighting terrorism’ (Feb 3). She has tried to canvass Northern Areas as a terrorist haven. For her information it is Gilgit and Baltistan, the federally-administered areas, which make up the Northern Areas.
Thanks to patriotism of the people of the area that there has never been an act of terrorism there in its more than 60 years of history.
My question is : does the writer know the geographical location and historical background of the Northern Areas? I want her to know further:
— Do Baitullah Mehsud and others wanted by the state belong to Northern Areas?
— Does the writer consider Wana, North Waziristan Agency, Kohat, Mir Ali, Mardan parts of Northern Areas?
— Has there been ever any military operation against terrorists in Northern Areas?
— Is any interest of the state staked in Northern Areas?
It has been a dilemma with the Northern Areas that it has never secured any proper identity. Sometimes notable Kashmiris claim it as their part, sometimes it is considered part of the NWFP, and rarely Islamabad considers it its part.
The fact is that the Northern Areas has no geographical, cultural and administrative links with the tribal areas. Therefore, to equate the Northern Areas with tribal areas as regards terrorism will be unjust.
The writer also says that the people of Northern Areas need religious education to bring them at par with the religious standard of other areas of the country.
To say so is rather unfortunate and borders on interfering in the affairs of the people of Northern Areas who are second to none as far as performance/observation of religious obligations is concerned.
MOHAMMAD IBRAHIM
Skardu, Northern Areas
WHILE the people of the country are dying of hunger and starvation, our caretaker prime minister took a platoon of officials along with him to perform Umra using taxpayers’ money.One can deceive one’s own conscience and the poor people around but certainly not God.
DR IRFAN ZAFAR
Islamabad
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.