| April 06, 2008 | Sunday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 28, 1429 |
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Power crisis — the way out
Translation
Stoning of a couple
Use of mandate
Two gains, two pains
Student politics
Article 58-2(b)
‘Axis of Democracy’ and Pakistan
A wrong decision
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 Meekal Ahmed’s letter on April 1. I agree with him that largely modern technology and automation have taken over flight engineers’ job and that almost all modern aircraft do not need a flight engineer. Neither do I wish to get into an argument as to why there are nearly 300 Boeing-747 Classics (with a flight engineer’s seat) still flying around the globe; ironically, most of them in the Land of Opportunity, where Mr Ahmed seems to reside.
But I would like to point out a few ground realities for the benefit of Mr Ahmed who might have missed them being so far away from home.
• While we all recognise that it is the exclusive prerogative of management of the company to ground or phase out a part of their fleet, a formal approval from the board of directors would have been in order.
• The decision to ground the entire B-747 fleet was taken in Islamabad some time presumably in the afternoon on March 15 (Saturday). Upon his return from the capital in the evening, the senior vice president concerned issued orders to summon admin, audit and accounts staff on Sunday. Yes, Sunday, and made them work till the early hours of Monday (March 17) to prepare the pay cheques for the 80 flight engineers as if it were a prerequisite for the 11am oath-taking of the newly-elected members of our National Assembly.
• There is a proper procedure laid down in PIA’s Policies and Procedure Manual and its various admin. orders for the early retirement of its permanent employees. The management of PIA has flouted every rule in that book.
• I find that a little strange that after 17 per cent of PIA’s fleet (50 per cent of its widebodied fleet) is grounded, not a single soul other than the poor flight engineers have been given marching orders. Even the pilots who had retired upon reaching the age of 60 years and rehired on contract to fly only B-747, have not been given any notice of redundancy.
• Since 1997, all employees (a few hundred of them) of PIA who were retired prematurely were given a golden handshake. But the poor flight engineers have been meted a stepmotherly treatment.
• To add insult to injury, the letters that were despatched to the affected flight engineers contained the word ‘Termination’. Let me assure you, Mr Ahmed, nearly all of them have more than 25 years of meritorious service to speak for them, many of them having served with honour and dignity in the top airlines of the world like Singapore Airlines. ‘Termination’ is used where an employee has committed a crime, or has indulged in wilful negligence or fraud or has been found involved in morally corrupt activities. And mind you, despite that, an employee has the right to be heard by a trial committee. Don’t these poor fellows deserve to know why their illustrious careers were cut short abruptly in the darkness of night without even giving them a chance to be heard?
• Lo and behold! Their termination letter also contains a consolation prize. “If during one year of this letter there is any recruitment of flight engineers in the Corporation, you shall be provided an opportunity of re-employment”. Pray! Tell me why on earth would you re-employ the poor guy after you have ejected him so unceremoniously having taken a conscious decision to ground (or phase out) the entire B-747 fleet. Or do I smell something here ?
Z. BUTT
Karachi
NOW that we have landed ourselves into a serious power crisis, in terms of both generation and distribution, and now that we have a sensitive elected government, we all need to put on our thinking-caps to chalk out a comprehensive plan to ease the pain and share it with equity.
My advice to the incoming government is not to waste time in a blame game (we all know about the mess that has been inherited) but to immediately start planning on fast track expansion of generation and, at the same time, prepare a well-thought-out energy conservation plan.
Regarding expansion in power generation, a task force (and I mean a force tasked with authority, responsibility and accountability) should be established immediately to approve and facilitate new IPPs all over Pakistan (including Karachi, although there my be issues with the KESC that will need to be resolved).
This task force should be directly under the PM and must also closely coordinate with all the provinces. The task force must submit a monthly report in the print and electronic media to the people.
So far as conservation of energy is concerned, the underlying principles must clearly be stated: the foremost being the priority to keep the wheels of industry and commerce turning. Then, of course, we must keep our hospitals and educational institutions functional at maximum levels.
In order to distribute power equitably amongst domestic customers, we have several choices: (a) voluntary conservation through a mobilisation campaign, (b) rationing and (c) load management (unlike erratic loadshedding).
In the commercial sector, to conserve energy, there is the possibility of daylight saving and also using minimum energy, i.e. avoid wastage in airconditioning and overlighting.
In the industrial sector, to balance out the load during the week, staggering of weekly holidays is the way out. Depending on the shiftwise load demand, there could be a possibility of fine tuning and optimising usage during off-peak hours as well.
Having broadly discussed the parameters of ‘power crisis management’, a detailed study must be prepared with information regarding power generation (keeping a safety margin for breakdowns) and power distribution in industrial, commercial and domestic sectors related to time and day of the week.
Basing our data on the pattern of the last two to three years would give reasonably accurate data of generation, consumption and shortfall. While assessing the availability of power in Karachi, apart from KESC’s own generating capacity, the availability of power from PEPCO will have to be agreed upon, in terms of both rate and quantum.
Having discussed both aspects of our energy policy, I would strongly advise our Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani to put into action the task force (at federal, provincial and maybe even at city levels – at least in the provincial capitals) to come up with a complete master plan on a war footing (long before the anticipated power and water riots in the summer).
NAZIM F. HAJI
Karachi
‘Not to know a B from a bull’s foot’. I think this figurative expression quite suits Syed Mohammad Hosain who in his letter, ‘Translation’ (March 29), has expressed his sense of ‘flabbergasted’ while reading ‘Tabish’s translation’ (March 2) that the very respected classical poet Tabish Dehlavi while translating the Persian poem of Quratul Ain Tahira, a legend, has inserted two different lines of two couplets from Rais Amrohvi’s poem ‘Aks-i-Sefat-wa-Shum-i-Zaat.
After reading his letter this impression develops that the writer does not have know-how even of Urdu literature, otherwise he should have not felt that a poet like Tabish could plagiarise lines from different poets knowing the fame and reputation he had carried throughout his life.
It has become our normal practice that we talk about things which we don’t know at all and that is why there is a saying: “Think before you leap”. People mix literature and journalism and they forget literature is not for the masses. Literature is a difficult subject, even renowned critics make mistakes.
The reputed historians of Urdu literature have categorised Tabish Dehlavi as a very learned poet of his time. He was ‘an admirable Crichton’. He was a true connoisseur and virtuoso of Urdu literature. The great lyricist, lexicologist, writer and broadcaster which Tabish was knew how words form meanings, how meanings are played upon words and how carelessness can create havoc but cautious use of the same words can create masterpieces.
It is for information of Mr Hosain, who tried ‘to square the circle’, that the second line of all two couplets of the translation which Tabish did was originally composed by Persian poetess Quratul Ain Tahira herself, and Tabish had magnificently translated only first lines keeping the same rhythm, rhyme and metre, and it is not an easy task.
Although the same poem has also been translated by some poets in Urdu, Tabish has marvellously did it which is still matchless.
S. K ZUBERI
Karachi
THE recent incident of stoning to death of a couple by a group of men was condemned at a meeting of Women Action Forum (WAF) in Karachi on April 3.
Unfortunately, this horrendous act of stoning to death is the 8th since 2006. Such killings have not been confined to the Fata region of Pakistan, the first one being in Multan. The issue, it was noted in the meeting, is not only where such brutal acts took place but also what has been the reaction of the state authorities, the political parties and civil society in general.
Whereas the military regime of Pervez Musharraf was not interested in the well-being of the poor and how the poor women are oppressed by the men of their own communities, the political parties today have to be more firm in controlling the men who kill with impunity, and those who support such killings.
WAF, Karachi, has decided to ask all members of the MMA to condemn the recent killing of the couple by stoning them to death; that they offer ‘ghaibana namaz-i-janaza’ to the couple. WAF urges the three political parties of Pakistan (PPP, PML(N) and ANP) to take serious note of this recent killing and take immediate action to condemn it, and to arrest the culprits. These parties have received a mandate from the people of Pakistan to work towards creating a more humane society where the life and security of the poor is guaranteed.
It was also noted that suo motu notice of this horrendous crime would have been taken by the judiciary, which is currently suspended because of the military ruler of Pakistan.
WAF is in touch with its chapters in Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore for joint action to lobby with the political parties to find a solution to such demonic acts and all those who had cast even one stone on the couple that died should be tried for murder.In sympathy with the oppressed women and men,
KAUSAR S KHAN
Member, Women’s Action
Forum, Karachi
THE people of Pakistan have placed a great responsibility on Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari. The mandate is clear ‘democracy for ever’ under an independent judiciary.
Pakistan has had a history of a number of dictators who took power. These dictators were never brought to book for violating the Constitution.
If democracy is going to take root in Pakistan, then Mr Musharraf must be tried for violating the Constitution. The elected government should ask the UN to:
• Appoint a commission to inquire into the killing of Benazir Bhutto.
• Set up a court, with international judges, to try Mr Musharraf.
• Appoint an inquiry commission to look into his financial holding.
SURESH KUMAR
London
Q. ISA Daudpota, according to a footnote at the end of his article, ‘Two pains, two gains’ (March 23), is an Islamabad-based physicist with an interest in the environment. He has lambasted the country for virtually everything that it has done so far to bolster its defence capability, particularly its acquisition of nuclear bombs and missiles.
One doesn’t have to have an ‘interest in the environment’ or be a physicist to realise the harms that can be caused by excessive militarism, much less imperialism or adventurism of any kind, as George Bush and some other like-minded leaders and officials in various countries are inclined to engage in.
However, one cannot agree with Mr Daudpota’s sentimental approach or, worst still, one based on a fad, in imitation of some physicists in the US or such folks elsewhere. Indeed, one is appalled at his casual attitude to as important a subject as national defence. He has slammed both Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and Dr Samar Mubarakmand for developing the Ghauri and Shaheen missiles and for the competition between them.
Worst still in his eyes is the placement of replicas of these weapons at public places or the chopping down of trees in Islamabad to prepare the land for the March 23 parades.
One absolutely agrees that the destruction of trees and environment in general must be avoided. Other places should have been found to hold the parade. At the same time, one would like to question the writer’s basic premise of rolling back the country’s defence preparedness.
What does he think would have happened if:
1) One or more Muslim countries in the Middle East had possessed nuclear weapons around the mid-1940s or at least have had a defence as strong as any of the western countries. Would Israel still have been created, leading to the enormous turmoil and suffering that we see today in the region and beyond?
2) If Pakistan had been comparable in strength to India, would the latter still have occupied Kashmir in 1947, Hyderabad state in 1948 or dismembered the country in 1971, of which Rahul Gandhi boasted last year?
3) If Iraq had been strong enough to defend itself against the western powers, would it have been under occupation today?
4) If Bosnia or its Muslim supporters were powerful enough, would the Serbs have dared to carry out the ethnic cleansing or systematically rape tens of thousands of Bosnian women? What about Kosovo?
One can pose a number of similar questions and anybody would be hard-pressed to give a satisfactory reply. One normally tries to save ants from drowning, if one finds them in that situation and avoids trampling upon them.
One doesn’t hurt a fly even when being bothered by it. Thus, killing human beings is normally unthinkable. However, this tremendous respect for all forms of life wouldn’t lead one to reduce Pakistan’s defence preparedness, without ignoring the economy etc.
KHALID NAQSHBANDI
Karachi
THIS is in response to the prime minister’s announcement regarding restoration of student unions (March 30). Participation of students in political activities develops leadership qualities in them and enhances their understanding about democracy. However, student politics in Pakistan is one of the basic reasons for the deterioration of education standards, especially in colleges and universities.
Students clash with each other which creates law and order situation on campuses. Interference of students’ leaders in the management of educational institutions creates problems for the administration. Moreover, strikes and boycotts of classes called by student unions affect academic activities.
Government MAO College, DS College and Islamia College are prime victims of student politics. So I request Mr Gilani to review his decision in the better interest of education inPakistan.
ADIL SALEEM
Lahore Cantt
IT appears that most politicians, including the new prime minister, want Article 58-2(b) repealed.
It is suggested that politicians should not waste their time and energy in repealing Article 58-2(b), instead they should work to improve the lot of the people and capitalise on the economic gains.
If the government’s performance is up to the mark, nobody would have the courage to enforce Article 58-2(b).
Therefore, the prime minister and his cabinet is suggested not to be afraid of the article and be brave and concentrate on performance.
S.JAMEEL HUSSAIN
Karachi
India has been given the status of ‘Axis of Democracy’ with Australia and Japan. The global powers (United States and its cohorts) are supporting India and contracted diverse strategic pacts to contain China, a ’quiescent power’ in the world while ignoring and bypassing Pakistan’s crucial help in fighting so-called terrorism nurtured by imperceptible powers.
What are we gaining? Poverty and socio-economic imbalance and looming threats of disintegration are the rewards accorded to our poor people. It is only because one man leads the powerful institutions by its nose and serves myopic interest of perpetuation of its power.
These powers have accorded taciturn support to subjugate and strangulate other institutions to get their ulterior designs. A popular leader and last hope of federation was removed with impunity by thirsty imperceptible powers of our country.
While India is procuring enormous benefits from the United States, European Union and Japan in real terms for virtually doing nothing, surprisingly India has been knitted in the Axis of Democracy with Australia and Japan.
The poor people want to know why the grim and gloomy state of affairs has occurred and they have been rendered orphan. The hegemony of one-man and one-institution should go, otherwise the ‘Axis of Democracy’ has cast the die to again truncate and disintegrate the ‘Axis of autocrat’ as predicted by Benazir Bhutto. If Ms Bhutto was not assassinated, Pakistan would have been the member of Axis of Democracy. The present government must proffer the essence of democratic values of protecting the rights of people of smaller provinces and respecting the Constitution so that position in the Axis of Democracy could be procured.
PROF (DR) ABDUL QAYUM MANGI
Govt Islamia Arts College, Sukkur
IT is heartening to see that our media, in spite of all constraints, is performing very well. One thing, however, requires media attention and that is the NRO.
President Musharraf brought this ordinance, like other wrong decisions, to remain in power. Why is this ordinance not being criticised by the media? Why has it not been taken up as a major issue?
The ordinance is one of the worst decisions that President Musharraf has taken.
If the media is neutral and honest, then a campaign should be launched against this ugly NRO. Just like the one being done for judges.
ALAM MASOOD
Karachi
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