| March 12, 2008 | Wednesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1429 |
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Pressure tactics
Goods train service
Need for good role models
Being on people’s side
Role of professional bodies
Pensioners’ woes
Corporate responsibility
Kidnapped envoy
Change of heart needed
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 apropos of Nauman Qaiser’s letter, ‘Aftermath of a proxy war’ (March 10). I have noted some very fallacious and misleading arguments in that letter and would like to comment on some points.
The writer has argued that “it’s the desperation after a dear one is brutally killed by a ‘brother’ soldier that forces these suicide bombers to indiscriminately blow up the fellow citizens.” This oversimplified argument leads us to believe that all or majority of suicide bombers are desperate people who were forced to blow the fellow citizens.
There can be no denying the fact that suicide bombers are basically mentally sick and desperate people who lost hope in this world and made to believe by their trainers that by killing other human beings they would go to paradise without any questioning and that this quest for paradise actually leads them to kill fellow citizens rather than “death of a dear one by Pakistan army”.
The writer further says: “Had President Musharraf declined to join this war, Pakistan would not have been facing such macabre consequences.” Agreed that the masterminds and trainers of suicide bombers are actually taking revenge by killing officers of police, army and innocent people of Pakistan. However, what difference could President Mushraff’s refusal to American demands have made?
Would the Taliban have defeated the American and Nato forces? Certainly not! Would have the Americans faced any difficulty in attacking Afghanistan? No, as we have seen that even though Turkey did not allow American planes to use their airports, Americans were still able to easily defeat Saddam’s forces.
Why are the so-called jihadi organisations training teenage people to become suicide bombers and kill their own fellow citizens indiscriminately? What is the crime of ordinary citizens of Pakistan? Can the writer and people like him answer these questions?
The writer goes on to argue that “the threat to bomb Pakistan to the Stone Age would not have materialised given, inter alia, the nuclear deterrence we possess.”
As far as I know, neither our missiles nor our warplanes are capable of using nuclear weapons against the USA, still we have people like the writer who believe that Americans would refrain from attacking Pakistan due to our nuclear arsenal.
To me, the Americans are more than capable of destroying our nuclear installations, and we have seen how Israelis destroyed Iraq’s nuclear installations in 1981.
The only solution for writers like Mr Qaiser is: “The only solution to the current crisis is pulling the Army out of the estranged Frontier regions, without which the so-far unsuccessful political dialogue is not possible.”
Don’t the Frontier regions belong to Pakistan? It’s true that people of the tribal areas have always resisted foreign occupation; however, the Pakistani Army is not an occupying force. It is in the Frontier regions to guard the frontiers and catch the terrorists.
If tribal people are allowed to enter the settled areas of Pakistan freely and earn their livelihood by doing businesses, use electricity produced by Pakistan and that too without paying bills, then why can’t they allow the Pakistan Army’s presence in their areas?
For me the Pakistan Army’s presence in the tribal areas is very necessary, otherwise militants will be free to set up their training camps in schools to recruit future suicide bombers, send suicide bombers to kill officers of the Pakistan Army, police and even innocent people of Pakistan and enforce their brand of Shariah laws in tribal areas like the Taliban of Afghanistan and Swat.
QASIM RAZA
Karachi
YOU have very aptly typified in your editorial, ‘Pressure tactics’ (Feb 24), the top American and British diplomats in Pakistan as civil to a fault in paying not one but two courteous calls, each on Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. Their visits, especially of the British vintage, have historical appearance.
The very first British adventure we may call to mind is when the British East India Company’s emissary called upon the Mughal rulers of that time, seeking permission to establish a trading company between England and Mughal India.
The permission was given rather gullibly without much thought, only to repent ever after and grieve for the loss of India ever after. The said company imported on steam engine ships, unknown to the Mughals, firearms and equipment.
The next adventure, backed by the first, was to keep encroaching upon Mughal lands by hook or by crook and widening their hold with the annexed land, until the rulers were surmounted by the company’s grip. Wars ensued and eventually Mughal India was lost to British India.
The reigning king was banished to Myanmar (Burma) as he could not retain even two yards of land in his own country for his burial.
You are right in saying that there is more to these meetings and greet sessions than congratulating the PPP and the PML(N). The emissaries are obviously fishing for cobbling together a government conducive to their interests.
The question that arises is, why are these diplomats and journalists so keenly interested in our internal politics and economic affairs as compared to other Asian countries.
The answer is that our own politicians keep going around, seeking support and even interference in our country’s political and economic circumstances. A code of conduct would have to be devised under the circumstances to rope in opportunists.
AKBAR KHAN
Karachi
NAYYAR lqbal Raza (letter, Feb 29) has objected to PR’s three additional goods trains. He has suggested that instead of adding more goods trains, PR should increase the length of goods trains three to four times. This will require increasing the existing loop lines at all stations.
In the US, railways are owned by private companies, which do not provide any passenger train service. For doing this, the government has created the Amtrak organisation to operate passenger trains, paying the rail companies for utilising their services, including track, locomotives and operating staff expenses, etc.
On the same principle, PR could be allowed to operate only goods trains at its cost and the government may appoint another organisation like Amtrak of the US to operate passenger services at its cost, thus subsidising PR, as passenger services generally do not pay even their operating cost, while the PR income comes primarily from its goods services.
In the 1980s the railways minister had transferred its goods to the NLC, which was later taken over by private trucks, thus leading to the country’s 85 per cent long-distance freight being transferred to road trucks, which consume eight to 10 times more fuel per ton/km as compared to rail.
This lopsided policy must have cost the country billions of dollars’ loss in the last few decades, apart from huge losses to PR, besides huge road fatalities and heavy wear-and-tear to highways.
In view of these losses to the Pakistan Railways, passenger train services may be subsidised adequately, reducing such services to the bare minimum, avoiding the politicians to add more passenger trains for their own political agenda as was being done so far.
This will allow PR to operate more goods trains and become profitable, either by adding longer loop lines at certain intervals, while permitting passenger trains to operate under goods trains priorities.
It is hoped the new government will appoint a high-powered commission to fix responsibility for all the losses to the national economy by the lopsided railway policy regarding transfer of freight services from rail to road, correcting the past mistakes, besides formulation of future policy for controlling the loss given passenger train services, to avoid unnecessary Pakistan Railways losses on this account.
S.M.H. RIZVI
Karachi
ON Feb 29, I went to Clifton’s police station, as I wanted to get an FIR written down for losing my ID card. I informed the police officer that I had last seen it at my place in Defence.
While the police officer was writing down the details he told me that for losing my ID card in Defence I should have gone to Darakhshan’s police station, but he will simply write that I lost it at Zamzama.
As a result I would not have to go to Darakhshan. I informed him that if that was the rule, I would go to Darakhshan and he should cross out the FIR.
I moved away, but heard his colleague informing him that he should continue writing. After a few minutes I politely suggested that making minute changes in the incident is not appropriate.
They felt that they were doing me a great favour and that anyone else in my place would have asked them to change the details.
What really bothered me was that those two police officers did not feel that changing a few details would be a lie. A lie is a lie, whether big or small.
I sincerely pray that we as a nation strive to be truthful in all spheres of our lives.
It’s hard to find good role models these days. Immorality is truly one of the major reasons for our downfall.
Let us support each other by encouraging good deeds and discouraging each other from committing any wrong.
A CONCERNED CITIZEN
Karachi
AS an American citizen, I was very impressed and excited by the success of your recent election.
On the other hand, I was horrified to read in the New York Times that my government continues to plead for Mr Musharraf’s remaining as president of Pakistan.
Although I am not privy to the intricacies of international diplomacy, as a retired attorney I am very well-versed in our democracy. It seems to me that the people of Pakistan have bravely and clearly spoken through a very democratic process.
And they are saying two things: first, that Mr Musharraf has failed to do his job in a way that is acceptable to them and, second, that they want him to leave.
I cannot formally speak for anyone but myself, but I want to let you know that I am convinced that people of good will in the United States stand with the people of Pakistan in their struggle to be heard and create a stable, safe and thriving country where everyone’s children and grandchildren can live in peace.
RUTH DAVIS
USA
VARIOUS trade and professional bodies, i.e. the Institute of Chartered Accountants, engineers associations, Bar associations, journalists’ associations, Pakistan Medical Association, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, SITE Association, Plastic Manufacturers’ Association, Grain Merchants’ Association, APTMA, Pakistan Banks Association, etc., have been formed.
The objective of these trade/professional bodies is to look after the well-being of their profession as per their charter/bye-laws etc. within their areas.
When the members of these trade/professional bodies elect their representatives as president/general secretary/executive committee, they don’t elect them for the purpose of campaigning for or against the government or any other political party. Therefore, the candidate obtains votes from various members, who may be in favour or against the government.
However, if after being elected, the candidate starts campaigning against the government outside his limit, i.e. as defined under the charter/bye-laws of their organisation, this basically amounts to cheating their voters and misusing the powers obtained by them through the votes.
In my opinion trade/professional bodies should limit their activities within the parameters of their charter/bye-laws.
Talking about general public issues by challenging the government’s act is a pure political matter and should only be carried out by political parties. Different political parties work on agendas and philosophy and mobilise public opinion.
If the political parties are unable to mobilise public opinion and bring people on the streets to protest against the regime, then we should understand that the time has not come for such change.
Change cannot come within days. It is a struggle through generations. Trade/professional bodies have neither the street power nor the gun power; hence, if they try to fuel protests against the government, it results in confrontation and harsh actions by the government, which is in power.
Does it mean that the professional/trade bodies should not have any role in the transformation or improvement of society?
In my opinion, trade/professional bodies should pass resolutions against any wrong act of the government, affecting their trade/profession; give this resolution in the press. Submit summaries to ministries. They should hold meetings with ministers and parliamentarians and try to convince them. They should also hold workshops/seminars to create awareness in the masses, and that’s all.
It is not the job of trade/professional bodies to try to bring people on the road against government for public issues. How can the trade/professional bodies have a say in each and every act/decision of the government, if it is impacting society?
My suggestion is that all trade/professional bodies should form a ‘Civil Rights Commission of Pakistan’, the members of which should be the presidents and general secretaries of all trade/professional bodies by default and which should prepare and submit summaries to the relevant ministries, World Bank, IMR, DFID, etc. These should relate to the need of various laws/regulations/decisions/actions, as any law/regulation etc. affect either a trade or a profession. Moreover they can take all other measures as mentioned above for individual trade/professional bodies.
EMADUL HASAN
Karachi
I AM in my late 70s and a pensioner. I have my pension account in the Model (Clifton) Branch of National Bank of Pakistan.
I have to be at the bank personally to complete formalities before I can draw my pension. I, like other aging ladies, have to face quite a few problems. The stairs leading to the foyer have no ramp (though a few steps only, a person walking with a walker faces difficulties), nor are there any wheelchairs for special people and neither any person is willing to help or extend out help to the senior citizens. Seating arrangements are also inadequate.
On March 8, the International Women’s Day, when I was at the bank, it was ironical that old retired government women officers were not promptly attended to. During the peak week of the month at least one more dealing official should be put on duty to attend to senior citizens.
It is earnestly hoped that the so-called Model Branch of the NBP will set an example by providing due facilities to the senior citizens and special people.
I may also add that in today’s market economy where everything is mobile and portable and we do see commercial banks coming up with new and innovative products like mobile banking and mobile ATMs, why can’t we have some such products for the pensioners and the senior citizens.
Pensioners, senior citizens and special people are a substantially big market. Furthermore, any initiative taken by anyone now will eventually pay them too as they will also be senior citizens in future.
MRS SULTANA MOEEN
Karachi
ALMOST every large company, especially a multinational company, boasts about corporate responsibility, ethics and ‘giving something back to the community’ in the shape of donation, charity, charity hospitals, schools, plantation, etc.
But what they are missing is giving us a really clean environment. Across the city, posters promoting the multinational’s products can be seen pasted on public property, walls, bus stands, etc.
Be it a tea brand, fast food or a deodorant, which is marketed as keeping our skin fresh, but the marketing of the product makes our environment polluted.
If the companies can show some more corporate ethics and restrain their advertising agency/ promoters from pasting their ads on public property, it will make much difference to our environment and ad pollution.
WAQAS AHMED PAI
Karachi
IT is a month now since the Pakistani envoy to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin, has been missing. He was kidnapped while travelling in his official vehicle from Peshawar to Kabul. This is the first of its kind event in the history where an ambassador is kidnapped within his own country and the government seems helpless in tracing and safely recovering him.
The mysterious silence of the government in sharing any positive news on the whereabouts and safety of the envoy has multiplied the stress of the family. After a lapse of one month it is still not clear if this is a kidnapping for ransom case or is politically-motivated to serve a certain domestic or international political agenda by vested groups.
The failure to trace and safely recover its envoy is casting doubts on the seriousness and sincerity of the government, which remains tight-lipped on the issue. This is an unfortunate and grave event that continues to cause anguish and humiliation to the government as it has happened within the Pakistani territory.
It is time the government concluded this unfortunate event by safely recovering its envoy as quickly as possible.
SAEED IKRAMULLAH
Peshawar
WHILE I have great respect for those who voted for the MQM for their belief that the party is good for urban Sindh, it also makes sense that for the sake of peace the PPP should make the MQM its partner in governing Sindh.
But before doing so, there has to be a change of heart and a declaration by the MQM that it had erred in supporting a dictator in all illegal actions undertaken by him such as the May 12 rampage and the Nov 3 subversion of the legal order.
No denying that the city nazim is doing good work and should not be disturbed, however there is no need to hand over the governorship and key ministries until they agree to atone for their wrong deeds.
Threats of creating law and order problems are tantamount to blackmailing the majority who owe their success to the sacrifices of their leader and workers who struggled for democracy against heavy odds.
I suggest the new governor of Sindh should be a new Sindhi, may be a former judge of the Supreme Court or Sindh High Court, who can be expected to be independent and, above all, fair. Governors should not be partisan.
SYED SULTAN ANWER
Karachi
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