| March 20, 2008 | Thursday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 11, 1429 |
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Islam and evolution
Rude shock to the CNG sector
Deteriorating bridge on the Indus
Torturing students
Crimes against women
War economy
Owning govt Prados
Restoration of deposed judges
Fixer-in-chief
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
A RESEARCH was published and a senior non-psychiatrist colleague sent it to me to know what I thought about it. A senior colleague of mine commented immediately: “Fraud of the century. They (pharmaceutical industry) had already made the profit”.
The same evening another colleague commented: “We must write against it, it will be damaging for our patients”.
Both are very well respected colleagues of mine whose integrity, honesty and sincerity are beyond question.
However, the matter is not as straightforward as many other things in life.
There are many aspects to a study. For example, is it robust enough that we should trust its findings and conclusions? Even if it is, is it applicable to our setting as well?
We know that the media and the public cannot assess the robustness of a scientific piece of research; neither should they be expected to.
We also know about the tendency to believe in studies which are published in respectable journals and especially when there are no competing interests either.
It was not too long ago when a wrong conclusion was made about the association between autism and MMR vaccine. Many parents in the UK refused to have their children vaccinated, thus putting them at risk of measles, mumps and rubella infections.
People were deprived of the protective effects of aspirin for heart and stroke patients for years; again on the basis of wrong conclusions.
On the other hand, insulin coma therapy was continued to be used for mental illnesses, again on the basis of wrong inferences.
Therefore, publications in a reputable journal by an authority figure do not automatically mean that the result of the study must be correct. However, in most cases respectable journals do take extra care about the reliability of their publications.
Unfortunately, things get more complicated when we come to know the open secret that many of the large multinational companies are involved in unethical practices and do hide data from not only the public but also from the scientific community.
The point is that we should not make strong decisions one or the other way, on the basis of a single research paper.
Even if we believe the results as valid, are they applicable to our patients, society, situation and setting as they might be in the setting where the original research took place?
Pakistan has the highest prevalence of depression. Stigma of mental illness is difficult to dispel. Literacy rate is towards the bottom in the world ranking. It is very hard for people to convince that antidepressants are not addictive in the sense as heroin or benzodiazepines are.
Due to lack of awareness of symptoms of depression in public and lack of skill to assess and mange depression in general practitioners, depression remains undiagnosed in a significant proportion of patients. Therefore, major bulks of patients reach the psychiatrists when they had already suffered for a long time and might have already crossed the threshold of mild to moderate depression.
Suicide is much higher in depressive disorder patients than as a complication or side-effects of antidepressants. Although we do not have the resources or facilities to cater the non-pharmacological needs of our patients, (even the pharmacological needs either), we still have strong family system and social support network to take benefit in devising the suicidal precautions once the patient had this risk.
In this background, we must seriously consider the applicability of the study to our setting.
A healthy debate on this issue might bring about a positive change in the outlook of policymakers for allocation of resources and setting up of priorities in a right direction.
On the one hand, we should not shy away from giving the information to our public and, on the other hand, we must avoid the media hype to scare those whose lives would be affected seriously if they suddenly discontinue antidepressants or refused to take medicines when they really need them. It is as bad as medicalising the social problems.
DR MUHAMMAD NAIM SIDDIQI
Karachi
A. K. SIRCAR, in his letter, ‘Tribute to Darwin’ (March 3), says that Darwin’s discovery was being belittled by giving credit of the theory of evolution to early Muslim scholars and philosophers. ‘A reader’ has succinctly answered these observations in his letter, ‘Islam and evolution’ (March 17).
I would like to add that knowledge has no religion. It is like a perennial stream, constantly flowing and growing as it flows, from generation to generation.
Hence whosoever contributes to its development must get due credit.
Knowledge is first created by philosophers through intellectual deduction and then passed on to scientists for induction through empirical testing.
Even Sircar admits that Ibn Miskawaya drew heavily from Plato. Why should he object to Darwin’s drawing from Arabic sources as mentioned by Manzoor H. Kureshi (Feb 25).
I quote another passage from Rumi on the theory of evolution, which was written about a thousand years before Darwin:
“First man appeared in the class of inorganic things,
Next he passed there from into that of plants,
For years he lived as one of plants,
Remembering naught of his inorganic state so different;
And when he passed from the vegetative to the animal state,
He had no remembrance of his state as a plant,
Except the inclination he felt to the world of plants,
Especially at the time of spring and sweet flowers,
Like the inclination of infants towards their mothers,
Which know not the cause of their inclination to the breast.
Again the great Creator as you know, Drew man out of the animal into the human state.
Thus man passed from one order of nature to another,
Till he became wise and knowing and strong as he is now.
Of his first souls he has now no remembrance,
And he will be changed from his present soul.(Translation by E.H. Whinfield).
FAQIR AHMAD PARACHA
Peshawar
THIS is with reference to Taseer Ali’s letter (March 18). I would like to clarify some misconception that a few people have regarding the discontinuation of issuance of licences by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to the CNG station operators.
As per the official figures of OGRA, there were 1,316 CNG stations in operation as on April 10, 2007. And more than 150 new refuelling stations have been started since then. Apart from that, more than 6,000 provisional licences have been issued by the OGRA for commissioning CNG stations throughout the country.
There is no doubt that the CNG demand in the country is increasing as more vehicles are being converted to this alternative fuel. But at the same time we have to keep in mind the fact that the CNG stations are operating throughout the country, particularly on main highways side by side, which hits the CNG business adversely as the sale has been divided. This also discourages the prospective CNG investors.
Another reason is that gas reserves are being depleted at a higher pace. So if the reserves will be no more, then there will be a huge loss to the industry. However, this can be overcome by exploring new gasfields and wells and the work is going on it but it will take some time.
The last reason is that all most all the CNG projects are being financed by commercial banks and leasing companies. A huge capital has been invested in this particular sector by the financial institutes of the country. Since the opening of more CNG stations, the sale of the fuelling stations has decreased adversely, therefore some of the CNG operators are unable to service the rentals and can not pay off their liabilities within time.
Consequently, the financial institutes are also facing difficulties as far as the recovery and collection is concerned.
Pakistan is the second largest country in the world after Brazil where the CNG is being used as alternative fuel. If timely measures will not be taken by the government and OGRA to overcome these problems, then, God forbid, this sector will be ruined and a huge loss will be incurred by the investors and the financial institutes.
I will, therefore, support the relevant authority in discontinuing the licences to the CNG operators.
FAHAD SHAHZAD
Hyderabad
ON the River Indus a railway bridge, with dual carriage, was built more than 100 years ago by the British government to link Karachi with Hyderabad, two prominent towns of Sindh.
Subsequently, when it was felt necessary to irrigate lower Sindh, a barrage near Kotri was inaugurated in 1955, with a broad road on it. Thus another road link was established between Karachi, now a thriving port city, and Hyderabad and rest of the country.
These two road links served well till the load of the railways, a cheap mode of communication and carriage, was taken over first by the National Logistics Cell and then by all-powerful transport mafias. As a result, the condition of the strategically important Kotri Railway Bridge and Kotri Barrage become highly vulnerable and a new road bridge was inaugurated in 1995. Since the old bridges have almost passed their specified life, therefore the entire heavy traffic is transferred to this newly-built bridge.
Although this overpass is quite new and has yet to complete its lifecycle, its present condition is apparently so delicate that a calamity of great proportion can happen any moment. Being a resident of Hyderabad, I cross this bridge frequently and have witnessed the fast deteriorating condition of the infrastructure. The material used in the construction of the dual road and the side railing was so substandard that within three to four years of its inauguration cracks and potholes began to appear, which caused accidents many a time. Even the repair work carried out from time to time was of poor standard.
Since the new bridge on the Indus is the main road link catering for all sorts of traffic between Karachi and the upcountry, an accident can disrupt the communication causing immense economic loss to the country.
The authorities are, therefore, requested that besides paying immediate attention to the upkeep and maintenance of this bridge, they should ensure that material used in the repairs is of required quality so that it can sustain the heavy load of 24-hour traffic.
KAZI SHAFQAT HUSSAIN
Hyderabad
I THANK you for daring to expose the realities of the quasi-Islamic student union.
I myself, being the victim of the Jamiat’s torture in 2005, have closely observed the entire network of this wanton gang. Torturing students is a ritual with them. The Jamiat has a lion’s share in hostel seats, where a large number of non-student former Jamaatis are accommodated. Even the legal boarders are forced to accommodate the former Jamaatis.
Nazim Sahib is, in fact, the warden of the hostel. The Jamiat has even a large quota in the university admissions. The university administration is helpless in the hands of this union. I request the media to bring this issue into limelight.
BAHAUDDIN NAUL
Jhang
A famous quote says: ‘You give me an educated, healthy and brave mother, I will give you an educated, healthy and brave nation’.
Unfortunately the plight of women and their miseries are increasing day by day because women in Pakistan have been denied the enjoyment of a whole range of rights -- economic, social, civil and political.
Women are denied not only the right to education, but also the right to decide matters relating to their marriage and divorce. Those denied these rights are more likely to be deprived of the right to legal redress. Often abuses are compounded: poor girls and women are trafficked and subjected to forced marriage, forced prostitution or exploitative work situations such as bonded labour. These deprivations are manifestation of discrimination against women and girls in Pakistan, especially in tribal areas of Sindh are common.
Domestic violence and physical abuse, which includes rape, acid throwing, burning, and ‘honour’ killings is still widespread. Pakistan is also both a country of origin and a transit country for the trafficking of women for domestic labour, forced marriage and prostitution. Even a previous minister of the Sindh government, Manzoor Panwar, justified 80 per cent honour killings. There are lack of legal remedies for women fleeing honour killing and other domestic violence, a lack of shelter homes for women, or even couples at risk, an absence of reliable mediation mechanisms to intercede with parents who do not understand or accept women’s rights to freedom of choice in marriage, and an absence of reliable and prompt protection by the state.
While some progress has no doubt been made in bringing the issue of violence against women into the open, much remains to be done.
It is alarming that every year in Sindh alone 30,000 women die due to unavailability of maternal facilities, as well as 50,000 newly-born babies die during pregnancy due to lack of maternal facilities or die in the early days after birth.
I would request the government, civil society, NGOs and donor agencies to play their vital role for the betterment of women in Pakistan.
HUMERA ALWANI
Former MPA, Thatta
WASHINGTON’s cooperation with Pakistan has always been marred by a question mark.
The recent reaction of the White House on the oath-taking of the newly-elected National Assembly in Pakistan again raised a big question. A White House spokesman said that the “United States will continue its cooperation with the new government to fight extremism and terrorism”.
The people of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq know that extremism and terrorism have their roots in the US cooperation with some corrupt elements in these countries because the US economy is based on war, violence and terrorism which, in turn, breeds the much-trumpeted ‘ extremism’.
The United States does not sell hosiery items, stationery items, entertainment tools, cosmetic goods, garments, refrigerators, motor vehicles or other products of daily use.
The United States processes and sells war machines, killing gadgets, missiles, bomber planes, self-propelled rockets, bombs and other goods related to war. Therefore , the US cooperation brings terrorism and extremism.
During the past 57 years of Pakistan-US cooperation, we have not seen a single road or dispensary, tube-well or other facilities of civic benefit provided by the US. We have no single example.
It is time our new government realised the need to say ‘no’ to the US offer of cooperation because it breeds terrorism and extremism.
The reason is simple: US economy is based on war and nothing else.
BASHIR HUSSAIN AZAD
Chitral
THIS is apropos of Marzia Bilwani’s letter, ‘Owning govt Prados’ (March 13). I was shocked to learn that a close friend of mine, serving in a government department in Karachi, i.e. KWSB, told me that the managing director of his department has 11 cars at his residence, including two brand new Prados, one is still unregistered.
In addition to that, the chief engineer, bulk water supply, who is a junior officer, has recently purchased a brand new Prado, which is only in his family’s use. He has another official car from the department.
Such statistics and facts sometimes make me feel as if I live in some other rich country, I am back on the ground and I am made to realise that even in developed countries it is not permitted or allowed, at least on government expenses.
Where does our tax money go? Besides, at the end of the day all we get is poor service because there is hardly any money left for public service. All the funds are utilised to please the families of our high government officials.
My appeal to all such corrupt officials is: please spare us and do something for the public or the city, otherwise you will not be spared on the Day of Judgment.
ARSHAD MUSTAFA
Karachi
THE hottest topic in the media these days is the restoration of judges deposed by the president. Most of the participants in this discussion favour such restoration.
However, people disagree on how to achieve this end. The proposals range from ‘an executive order’ considered sufficient by the president of the Supreme Court Bar Council to an amendment to the Constitution, considered necessary by the attorney-general. However, everyone discussing this issue is ignoring one very important stakeholder in this controversy. There is at present a Supreme Court whose judges have taken the oath under the law which is termed ‘illegal’ by the ‘pro-restoration’ elements. The fact that they took the oath under that law means that they do not consider it illegal or unconstitutional.
Is it possible that an action taken by the government in the form of an ‘executive order’ or by the legislature, in the form of resolution, whether by a simple or two-thirds majority will be approved by them?
Second, the reinstatement of the deposed chief justice entails removal of the sitting chief justice. Can a chief justice of the Supreme Court be removed by an executive order by the government or a resolution by the legislature? Nobody talks about it. If it does happen, how would it be different from the action taken by the president? And it will establish a dangerous precedent. This precedent would enable the future governments and legislatures to remove any Supreme Court judge they don’t like. Such action would hardly leave any ‘independence’ in the judiciary.
SHEIKH SAJJAD HASSAN
Lahore
‘US plans to send American personnel to train Pakistani military in intelligence gathering techniques’ (March 4). The teacher is not qualified, wide and bright, for its own reports.
9/11?; Iraqi WMDs; “out of 44 military operations launched by Pakistan in the tribal belt of South Waziristan, based on US intelligence reports, only three were found correct” (Dec 17, 04).
“President Gen Suharto of Indonesia killed 10 million of his own people with a list provided by the US intelligence” (letter, April 7, 04).
“The whole of Southeast Asia would go communist if the US loses the Vietnam war; Fidel Castro escaped hundreds of attempts on his life, based on faulty US intelligence reports; Bay of Pigs fiasco, etc.
“America produces more serial killers and mass murderers than any other nation on earth”, writes Elliot Leyton in his book Hunting Humans (letters, Nov 11, 04).
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
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