| March 19, 2008 | Wednesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 10, 1429 |
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Wheat support price
ESRU policy a matter of concern
US demands
Judiciary’s restoration
Security threats for housewives
Tussle for PM’s slot
Any change in rank?
Tit-for-tat policy
Islamophobia
Explosion after red alert?
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
APROPOS of Qasim Raza’s letter, ‘War on terrorism: no let - up please’ (March 12), in reply to Noman Qaiser’s (March 10), I would like to add that suicide bombing has nothing to do with the deaths of innocent civilians during army operations in tribal areas. Noman Qaiser’s stand ( March 10) that it’s desperation after a dear one is killed that forces suicide bombers to hit back in our cities is based on fallacy. The attackers neither place any demands, nor accept any responsibility for the attacks. This does not seem the way of fighting for a purpose.
Let’s just understand what it takes to prepare and plan an attack. Agreed that young minds are somehow converted by their trainers to commit themselves into the one-way trip, in the so-called hope of embarking on a straight route to paradise after death: we all know and pray they go straight to hell after indiscriminately killing innocent people, including children.
The question remains the financing of such an operation that requires purchase and transportation of explosive raw material, lab facility for preparing the bombs, skilled human resource to create different types of detonating devices, shipping the prepared bombs to the target location, hiring/stealing vehicles to be used, acquisition and use of communication equipment and, of course, buying weapons and ammunition. There is so much work, time, money and risk involved, which no ordinary bread winner would undertake.
It is the job of people who have all the time in the world and no worry for a living as they perhaps already have enough, unlike us, the educated working class doing harder every day to make ends meet. The costs of such an offensive are qualitatively larger than the so-called revengeful cause.
Questions: where is this money coming from? Who is importing/producing such massive quantities of explosive raw material, weaponry and ammunition? How is the fund movement taking place without a visible trail?
In case of troubled tribal areas, the stock of weaponry and ammunition is enough to engage in war with a full-fledged army. I fail to understand the so-called level of misery and poverty of the tribal areas where people may not have money to buy food, get education, acquire proper medication facilities, build infrastructure or have access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities, but would have enough monetary resources to buy arms and ammunition like vegetables. The costs involved are 100 times higher than that of living a healthy and peaceful life.
In fact, millions of dollars are spent to engage in terrorism, and much more are spent to prevent it, all in the same region. The money investment trail for prevention of terrorism is identified, the former is not. One way, among many, of fighting terrorism is to identify and cut the funding trail. It’s the money that makes the world go round. The terrorists are no exception.
Coming back to the argument of an unwarranted operation in the tribal areas, agreed that the tribal people have had their ways for centuries. The ways we know have been as follows: Free trade of illicit arms and smuggled goods; free and abundant trade of narcotics; no free and safe access for Pakistani citizens; no accountability to the laws of the country, no taxes whatsoever, safe haven for criminals seeking refuge, etc.
The tribal region has always been a pile of explosives, towards which all previous governments turned a blind eye. This heap of explosives has always been vulnerable to being set on fire by a single flame. Prevention of militants breeding fields has sparked the flame. Fostering foreign and local militants on our soil to eliminate a so-called foreign enemy brings more trouble to the region.
For a political and lasting solution, the suicide bombing groups should identify themselves and present demands so that a dialogue can take place and a peaceful agreement is reached. Otherwise, the cold and anonymous bloodshed is not a political problem. It’s pure terrorism which poses threat to all of us trying to live a peaceful life.
MUSTAFA RASHEED
Karachi
THE latest increase in ‘support price’ of wheat to Rs510 per 40kg is still extremely unreasonable. To sell wheat at Rs510 per 40kg to government and then to procure DAP at Rs2,600 per bag and urea at Rs680 and with ever growing fuel prices, tractor hours will be well beyond Rs467 per hour leaves hardly any amount to the farmers to meet their yearly household expenses.
He is even hard pressed to meet the ever mounting basic needs such as food, clothing and payment of utility bills, and taking care of health and education of family. Then greasing of palms of corrupt officials of the food department and the district revenue and police authorities let loose by the government cost him a lot in the shape of perennial expenditure.
The policymakers should prepare a budget that should suit a poor grower, because with the present support price he cannot survive and go for the next crop of rice/cotton.
The irony is that this time the government has itself imported wheat at Rs1,360 per 40kg without appreciating the fact as to who made money in the transition, i.e. wheat exported at $200 a ton and then subsequently imported at high price of $600 a ton. What a cruel joke to this unfortunate nation!
Whenever unfairness of the rate is pointed out, our financial wizards, having no knowledge of rural areas , make a comparison of the rate with that of India. Nevertheless, it may be pointed out that in India wheat is purchased from the farmer at Rs640 per 40kg but at the same time he gets DAP at Rs875 per bag and urea at Rs475 per bag.
Besides, he gets diesel at a subsidised rate while electricity for tubewell comes free to him.
Under these circumstances the minimum support price may be fixed at Rs640 per 40kg as proposed by the federal ministry of food and agriculture at the ECC meeting.
DR ZAHID HUSSAIN JATOI
Mehar, Dadu
WHILE the federal government has been putting great emphasis, since 2002, on improving the quality of technical education through introduction of education sector reforms (ESR) in all the provinces, the policies of the Education Sector Reforms Unit (ESRU), since its launching in 2007, appear to be a matter of concern.
Recently the interim minister of education, Meraj Hamyun (an ex-convent teacher and running NGOs), has ordered closure of Government Agro Technical Teacher Training Centre, Peshawar, on the recommendations of project director of ESRU, Peshawar. The reason behind its immediate closure has been its inefficiency.
The decision, if one looks at the objective of “introducing technical and vocational stream with innovative approaches at secondary level in the country” (source: Education Sector Reforms Education: Action Plan 2001-2006), appears to be illogical and inconsistent. Millions of rupees have been allocated by the federal government for the same since 2002 but the institution which produces technical teachers has been closed, instead of investments being made to develop human resource, to improve equipment, to conduct workshops, etc.
I was invited to a local workshop held at the University of Peshawar where experts from TEVTA highlighted the importance of technical education and guided participants in making viable project proposals for their respective institutions, which would be financed under the Prime Minister’s Technical Scheme.
I also came to know that the provincial government has received millions of rupees under “one person one skill” and special secretary to the chief minister, NWFP, has planned to invest heavily in the existing technical schools and institutes.
Similarly, there are confirmed reports that Unesco, Islamabad, has recently taken initiatives in designing and construction of semi-permanent workshop buildings to promote technical and vocational education in the NWFP (Source: Unesco specifications for TEVTA in NWFP).
In the end, I must say that the government of the NWFP should revise its policy of closing Government Agro Technical Teacher Training Centre in the larger public interest, and the need is to invest in humans and capital there. Also, my request is for the project director, ESRU, and his teams (all planning officers of P & D Department, rather than educationists) to study the Education Sector Reforms: Action Plan 2001-2006.
S. HASNAIN
Abbottabad
THIS is apropos of Tariq Fatimi’s article, ‘Elections and the US’ (March 13), and the excerpt from the Pushto newspaper, Wahdat, titled, ‘New US demands list’ (March 14), regarding the 11 demands reportedly put forward by Washington to Islamabad, which would suspend the application of Pakistani laws to Americans operating in this country.
This US action is simply outrageous, stupefying and unacceptable. It seems to stem either from America’s contempt for the sovereignty of Pakistan, which is further exemplified by the recent missile strike inside our territory that killed two women and as many children. Or, the US may have been emboldened by President Musharraf’s propensity to do as he wishes, leading the Americans to believe that he would let them have their way, especially when he is desperately in need of US support to remain in power.
Due to its arrogance or loss of touch with reality, the Bush administration refuses to accept that its irresponsible policies are pushing more and more Muslims towards militancy. Nevertheless, one would like to educate Washington about the reality of such fantasies. It’s been said:
“Wishes are the parents of large families, but the children generally inefficient and useless. They are the source of idle and vain dreams, and of air castles which have no solid foundation. The idle wish sends one on a vain journey from which he gains nothing but mental emptiness and discontent ... (and) some rebukes of conscience, if it is sharp enough to see his folly.”
The Pakistanis simply love their independence and sovereignty. The Americans must not insult their pride by trying to treat their country like some Pacific island-nation. This US attitude may be comprehended by a small fable crafted by the undersigned. A bull, when asked why he wreaks such havoc in a china shop, said: “I am enchanted with my power.” Pakistan is not a china shop and we Pakistanis know that irresponsible power is inconsistent with liberty; it must be resisted, which is what we did in the February 18 polls.
K. PERWAIZ
Karachi
THE decision made in the Murree Declaration that the judiciary will be restored through a parliamentary resolution passed in the National Assembly within 30 days is a gimmick to silence lawyers. The key leaders of the lawyers’ movement have been stressing since the start of the movement that the judiciary could be restored with an executive order.
Most of the political parties, including the PML (N), supported this demand. If this demand was acceptable to civil society and most of the opposition parties, political coalition should have decided to restore the judiciary with an executive order of the PM as soon as he assumed his office. If an army officer of grade 22 can depose judges with an executive order, why can’t the PM restore judges with similar measure? The top leadership of lawyers is urged to demand of the new PM to restore the deposed judges as soon as he assumes his office.
GANGLY KHAN
Mandi Bahauddin
WHEN male family members leave for their office/workplace, in many houses womenfolk are left alone. During this period they become vulnerable to thieves, robbers and other criminals. Some time they also fall prey to dishonest and criminal-minded domestic servants.
Here are a few tips which will not only minimise the risk of becoming victim to criminals but also make such women to feel secure and confident:
— Look at your house critically from security point of view and try to find weak areas from where someone can intrude in the house unnoticed, and get the weaknesses removed.
— Keep all doors bolted/locked from inside. Ensure all windows are provided with iron grille.
— The main entrance door of the house should be provided with a chain bolt and a peephole with a sliding lid through which identity of the person outside can be checked without opening the door. Similarly, the main entrance door should be reinforced with another door of iron bars.
— Never allow utility workmen to enter the house to check or repair something if you are alone or request a female neighbour to give you company during that period.
— Consider installing gate-intercom and if possible close-circuit television camera at the gate invisible to outsiders with a back-up power system.
— Be careful while attending telephone calls from strangers (male or female) and never tell them your name, location of your house or whereabouts of male family members, and also teach your children to do the same.
— Keep telephone numbers of emergency police, fire brigade, ambulance service, readily available in the house.
— Maintain close contact with your neighbours, they can be of great help in an emergency situation.
— Never let the places where your cash, jewellery and other valuables are kept in the house known to your domestic servants and any other person not concerned with it. Similarly, always keep the keys of your house, including keys of your car, in your safe custody.
— While returning home alone after some work, ensure that no suspicious person is following you or waiting near your house. If so, do not ever enter your house, go to some of your neighbour’s house instead and seek help.
— Learn basic self-defence techniques to defend yourself if confronted by a criminal by joining some martial arts club.
Criminals always target those houses about which they have full information, so be ever vigilant.
SQN LDR (r) S.AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
THE tussle in the PPP for the prime minister’s slot is clearly a conflict between a purely feudal-dynastic paradigm and a democratic one. Asif Ali Zardari wants to perpetute his (not ZAB’s) family while Amin Fahim represents long service to the party, including the Musharraf liaision, fully approved by the late Benazir Bhutto under American pressure, which is now being held against him.
Mr Fahim is the most qualified to keep alive the ZAB legacy of populism and in any poll of the PPP and general citizens, he will easily win.
Aitzaz Ahsan and the like-minded PPP stalwarts should exert themselves to ensure that Mr Fahim gets the PM’s slot.
What I see in the next few months is Mr Zardari being finally recognised by Mr Musharraf as unreformable, after which the only alternative for Mr Musharraf will be to have 58(2)b.
ALI SHAMEEM
Karachi
ASIF Ali Zardari has been absolved of corruption charges in all the references made by the National Accountability Bureau over a period of years. Along with him, a number of former bureaucrats allegedly involved in graft cases have also been given a clean sheet.
A foreigner while in Pakistan to invest and initially facing hardships had remarked: “Nothing moves in Pakistan normally, but anything can be made possible.” How true, indeed!
On the eve of the International Anti-Corruption Day, the Transparency International had ranked Pakistan as the seventh most corrupt country in the world. Can the country’s position be elevated now to the eighth most corrupt?
HUSSAIN SIDDIQUI
Islamabad
I WOULD like to request the Pakistan embassy in Washington to make the visa issuance process a bit stricter for the citizens of the United States, whether they are Pakistani Americans or whatever ethnicity.
American applicants who are interested in visiting Pakistan must travel to the Pakistan embassy in Washington for an interview in front of the consular officer in person regardless where they are residing in the United States.
Americans must show the consular officer a genuine purpose for their travel to Pakistan, and proof that they will return on completion of their intending purpose.
It’s just fair, isn’t it? It’s what we call here a ‘tit for tat’ policy.
HARIS MAQSOOD
Karachi
THE phenomenon of ‘Islamophobia’ has prompted leaders of the Muslim countries to convene OIC’s ministerial summit at Senegal for some brain-storming over the tarnished image of Islam in the West. This summit is vital for it is held at the time when most of the Muslim countries (including Pakistan) are presumed to be serving as breeding grounds for menace of terrorism.
The latest unabated wave of suicidal attacks in Pakistan, crippling democracy in Bangladesh, the warlords in Afghanistan, anarchy in Iraq, bloody movements for a Kurd state, Kashmir and Palestine crisis, etc, are a few amongst a series of challenges facing the ummah.
It’s time all Muslim countries forged unity among their ranks and ensured the effectiveness of OIC on global front. The nuisance of ‘Islamophobia’ could only be dealt with if this sacred religion of Islam is truly and accurately projected in the West.
NAJEEBULLAH TAREEN
Quetta
EVERY time there is an explosion, there is news that the government has declared red alert. Then there is another explosion.
The recent example is that of bomb explosion at Naval War College in Lahore. It was reported that red alert had been declared and within a few weeks came another explosion at the FIA centre in Lahore and in Model Town.
Furthermore, it was also reported in the news media that these places were attacked because allegedly the suspects of previous suicide attacks were being interrogated. I do not know how long the government maintained its red alert.
Was it still in force when these explosions happened? Or was it lifted before. Common sense would have dictated that the security around these places should have been tightened as they could have been targets. Looking at the video footage of the attack at the FIA centre, it appears that this was not the case. Senior officials of government condemned these incidents but to my knowledge no lessons are learnt from these events.
I understand that stopping such attacks is hard, but the video footage showed lack of any security at the venue. How long will the common people pay the price of lack of seriousness towards these incidents?
It is also interesting that there has never been any public outrage towards these events apart from a few articles in English newspapers like yours. Religious parties have never outrightly condemned these attacks, rather have taken shelter behind that these are the result of wrong policies
DR IRFAN MICHAEL ROY
Karachi
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