| April 09, 2008 | Wednesday | Rabi-us-Sani 2, 1429 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Naming the NWFP
Weak connection
Highway accidents
Mekran: politically ignored
Development of Islamic law
Ill-treatment by PCB
Sunflower cultivation
Journalism and SPSC
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 editorial, ‘Unwarranted speculation’ (April 6), is indeed well timed, though perhaps a little delayed in some views, particularly considering the ‘independence’ the media has attained in recent times.
Most of the TV channels, and more so the newspapers, have been unduly eulogising the euphoria of the results of the Feb 18 election repeatedly and ad nauseum. We rarely see any investigative work. All we see and read is the good this election result will bring, as propounded by the named and unnamed politicos of the various coalition parties.
Indeed, we all hope that the electorate’s wishes for a better life, personal safety (of life, limb and property), economic benefits and perhaps decrease in problems of the general terms will be attained in a reasonably short period of time.
We also hope that pursuits of life, happiness, good health and education for children will be a reality soon, rather than remain an unfulfilled wish, as in the past. All the news the people of Pakistan see thus far has little to do with their hopes and aspirations built up on Feb 18.
There is no mention of curtailing expenses, particularly those of the non-productive kind. There is talk of 1600cc cars but the television screens are full of Prados and Mercs. Whatever happened to the expensive automobiles that were given to the 70-odd ministers in the Shaukat Aziz cabinet, as well as to the cronies and ‘yes-men’ of those years and why are new cars being ordered/obtained for the new government?
Private jets are already in fashion once again. Is all this going to benefit ‘the people of Pakistan’? The elimination of VIP culture is only a slogan, as in the past, while the same old hegemony continues to flourish. Dose the ‘Independent’ media not see this?
There is no mention in the media of the very important subject of education for the public, the reforms it needs posthaste to provide knowledge to all the people of Pakistan to know right from wrong, to lead a life of tolerance, to use real intellect to progress, to be civil and accommodating to one’s fellowman, to do one’s duty and fulfil one’s responsibility, regardless of whether or not his rights will be given to him – as is the command of our religion.
You call for the media to ‘show restraint’: in matters pointed out by you this should certainly be the case, but the media has to change some of their tracks and do some positive and investigative reporting that is not revengeful or malevolent while it is designed to benefit the people of Pakistan.
Many of us are tired of seeing the same old politicians and pseudo-analysts talk incessantly of issues that are only relative to what is going on or have happened.
What about the things that need to happen, why and how to positively and factually achieve those goals? If we are the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, why does not the media properly demonstrate the edicts of Islam? The ads, photos in the print as well as in the electronic media would put the Indian and non-Muslim channels to shame and, thereby, put us Pakistani people to shame.
A wake-up call is due, ‘O’ friends of “the people of Pakistan”.
MOHAMMAD HASAN
Via email
IN his rejoinder to my letter of March 9, Murad Khan Kasi has raised some objections, the first of which is that I didn’t discuss why I was opposed to the idea of renaming the NWFP as Pakhtunkhwa (March 21).
It is astonishing how he could have missed this point not only in my letter but in the many other letters and articles that have appeared on the subject in Dawn in recent years. Recently, one missive from Dr Ahmed Awan, published on March 1, referred to by me and another on March 13 sent by Col ( r ) Riaz Jafri had also explained that the Pakhtuns, even if in a majority, aren’t the only ethnic group living there, hence it mustn’t be designated on ethnic basis.
The sensibilities of the Hazarawals, Hindku-speaking Peshawaris and Kohatis, Seraiki-speaking Derawals of the D.I. Khan area, the Chitralis and the Kailash, plus the Gilgitis, Baltistanis and the Hunza people, who may join the province in future, should not be ignored, as noted by Col Jafri. Also, the sentiments of other Pakistanis, who share this country and would be using the name frequently ought to be considered.
What did Mr Kasi comprehend from my statements that Punjab and Sindh (or even Kashmir) haven’t been named after Punjabis and Sindhis, or that the cities Lyallpur, Montgomery and Rabwah in Punjab were not renamed as Punjabipur, Pujabiwal or Punjabinagar but Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Chenab Nagar, respectively?
It appears that our friend is simply refusing to understand what was explained in simple and absolutely clear terms in not just one but many write-ups. This is the 21st century and an era of globalisation, when the world is shrinking and barriers are failing. Even the music these days combines western and eastern languages and instruments. We all should celebrate this new consciousness, use reason, rather than emotion to tackle problems and eschew a parochial outlook.
The writer has also effectively rejected all the 10 names proposed by me just because he perceived a grammatical fault in two of them, i.e. Khyberan and Torkhaman, saying that there is just one Khyber and one Torkham, whereas the names suggested are plural and that I seem unfamiliar with the Pushto language.
He ignored the fact that my proposals had been approved by a Pakhtun lady doctor, perhaps because, like me, she thinks as a Pakistani, rather than on provincial or ethnic basis.
It may be noted that some others have in the past proffered Khyber or Sarhad as the new nomenclatures, but they didn’t sound appropriate, sufficiently stylistic or poetic to me. Hence the more poetic versions were crafted. Also, what is wrong with Noorasia, Nooristan, Karimia or Kohistan, for instance?
Finally, here are words that supporters of the name Pakhtunkhwa are invited to reflect on and which form my philosophy in life. “When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness” — Joseph Campbell.
KHALID CHAUDHRY
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Imtiaz Bhatti’s letter, ‘A plea to PTA’ (April 7). As a professional in telecommunication and computer data networks industry, I would like to clarify Mr Bhatti’s concerns. He complains that his 512KB broadband line is shared between four other users giving each user 128KB bandwidth.
This is a common practice in the industry everywhere in the world and is called the ‘contention ratio’. The idea is that a user with 512KB data connection is unlikely to utilise his/her connection to its full capacity unless he/she is downloading huge files or watching high resolution videos directly from the Internet round the clock.
Therefore, the connection is shared between a group of people so that all can enjoy high- speed Internet for a lower price.
In Mr Bhatti’s case, the contention ratio of his line is 4:1 which, in my opinion as an experienced engineer, is very reasonable for a price of Rs1,350 ($22 approximately). As a quick comparison, the British Telecom offers most of its budget customers a contention ratio of 50:1 for about $15.
Another important thing to note is that 4:1 contention ratio does not mean that each user is getting equal share of the bandwidth (i.e. 128KB as implied by Mr Bhatti). The only time this might happen is when all four users sharing a connection are downloading equally huge files exactly at the same time, the odds of which are very slim and it will not happen every day anyway. Therefore, all four users virtually have access to a full 512KB connection.
Moreover, no matter how good an Internet provider is, the true connection speed cannot be guaranteed. If the connection is wireless, then weather and the level of congestion at a specific radio cell can affect your speed.
If it is a wired ADSL connection, then the length of wire (i.e. the distance from telephone exchange to your home) can affect the connection speed. If all is well, then the congestion in the backbone (e.g. the SEA-ME-WE cable) can slow things down. All of this is beyond normal control of your service provider.
You can test your actual connection speed at http://www.speedtest.net/, but please don’t be put off by the results. I have a British telecom business broadband line which is supposed to give me 8MB connection with contention ratio of 10:1. The last time I checked the actual indicated speed was less than 5MB. But such is the joy of this globally-shared resource called the Internet. So, there is no point pleading to the PTA as they will not be able to do much in your case anyway.
USMAN ASLAM
England
DURING my recent long journeys on different highways in Sindh, as well as on portions of highways in other provinces, I was shocked to see that the traffic accident reporting system is substandard or non-existent in many cases.
Accident victims are usually found in a desperate condition with no traffic control system in place after an accident. Delays in help or first aid result in loss of lives. Non-existence of trauma centres adds to the magnitude of the problem. Roadway design deficiencies are unidentifiable because of the absence of an accident pattern data.
Traffic accidents can happen to anyone, and God forbid, one day it could be me, or you or one of our own family members.
There should be a comprehensive solution to reduce the magnitude of such a menace. We cannot expect the government to take the sole responsibility in finding a solution and taking action. We, as citizens, have to do our share.
I propose that there should be accident awareness seminars at locations such as Jamshoro that would cover a larger area of the province. Attendees should be traffic police personnel, highway engineers, professors and researchers, Edhi and other ambulance services’ representatives, doctors, media and organisations to discuss the problems.
Action plans should be made that may be proposed to the relevant authorities and legislature, with a consistent follow-up. Also, I request for cooperation from all those interested in the noble cause of saving innocent lives due to traffic accidents.
ARIF KAZMI
Jamshoro
THE Mekran region consists of three districts — Kech, Gwader and Panjgur — and is considered the most democratic regions of Balochistan: this is because of non-existence of feudal lords.
Turbat being the third commercial city of Balochistan after Quetta and Hub, and Gwadar, an internationally recognised city, but the elected representatives of this region have been deprived of any chief portfolio in the provincial cabinet. Out of the 24 chief ministers, none of them had belonged to this politically-neglected area though all the times the MPAs from the region belonged to the governing party.
It is also sad for the people of the Mekran region that this time most of the MPAs belong to the Balochistan National Party (Awami) and the governing party in the province is the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which has been their rivals in this election.
I, as a responsible inhabitant of the region and a neutral observer, suggest that the governing party should not ignore the representatives of this region during the allocation of portfolios this time if they really want to bring political stability, peace and true development in the province.
SHAMMIM NAZIR
Turbat (Kech)
THE legal essence of Islam is embedded in the Quran and the guidelines of the Prophet (Pbuh). During the early period, its instruction was focused on doctrine and ethics. However, when an Islamic state was established, practicalities of legislation had to be addressed. The new Islamic state required legal answers for all its perplexities.
Following the death of the Prophet, his companions had to evaluate and deal with social and political matters, which were quite different from more simplistic problems of the early days. His death created a vacuum for the Muslims who were used to being inspired by him as a role model and the source of God’s legislation.
The method employed by the Companions to achieve adherence to the word of God was reliance on the Quran and the legacy of His Prophet (peace be upon him).
The Quran, being the Word of God, represents the most important source of Islamic law. Because all the principles of Islam were revealed in a general form, the role of the Prophet (Pbuh) was to carry the message and to elaborate on it. The legal authority of the Prophet was conferred by the Quran, which stated that obedience to him was obedience to God.
The Sunnah, or the tradition of the Prophet, is the second source of Islamic law. Yet the Sunnah was still insufficient in providing clarification of problems that arose as society expanded and new lands were conquered. The need for fresh legal mechanism was urgent, and Ijtihad or individual opinion, based on the Quran, Sunnah and general awareness of Islam, fitted the requirement. It was inevitable that occasional disagreements would occur to an individual opinion. Consensus, or Ijma, was another major legal development that took place at this juncture.
Gradually, with the passage of time, other sources had to be explored for meeting the timebound needs. These were: analogy (Qiyas), preference of one idea over another (Istehsan), public interest (Maslaha), necessity (Darura), custom (urf), etc.
If the legal injunction could not be deduced from the text and other forms of legal sources, the spirit of the Islamic law would be resorted to with the aid of the legal maxims. These are as follows:
• Certainty cannot be removed by doubt.
• Difficulty requires that matters should be simplified.
• Harm is to be removed.
• Custom should be respected.
• All matters must be viewed according to their objectives.
Islamic law evolved through different phases since the early period of the Prophet (Pbuh) until the fall of Baghdad in AD 1258. It seems to have remained basically unchanged since then. We need rigorous scholarship that extrapolates the Quranic principles in their historical context and finds solutions to contemporary problems by applying such principles.
FAQIR AHMAD PARACHA
Peshawar
DR Nasim Ashraf and his followers at the Pakistan Cricket Board have once again proven that their ego and pride have taken precedence over what is in the best interest of the game. Banning Shoaib Akhtar for a period of five years and then suing him for Rs200 million for allegedly making defamatory remarks is ridiculous.
I will be the first to admit that Shoaib is no angel and has had his fair share of disciplinary problems but most of them have been off the field and have no bearing on his ability as a cricketer. He has been involved in a few scuffles with both players and coaches. While it is sad, it is nothing new. Players in most teams have gone through similar experiences but their respective cricket boards decided to handle the matter discreetly rather than airing their dirty laundry in public.
If Dr Ashraf thinks that punishing Shoaib in this manner will serve as an example to other cricketers, he is clearly out of touch with reality. Shoaib is a world-famous cricketer and a role model for a lot of youngsters and this situation will only serve to make him more popular and encourage youngsters to follow his lead.
Dr Ashraf is leading the PCB as a dictator. He has surrounded himself with ‘yesmen’ and has already discarded a number of senior and extremely talented players who dared to express their opinion. These players have no choice but to join the rebel league and now it seems he is also gunning for Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi on the advice of a foreign coach whose only achievement is a whitewash victory against the lowly-rated Zimbabweans.
Most of the players that have been discarded by the PCB still have a lot of cricket left in them and can be selected in most teams in the world based on pure ability and merit.
Dr Ashraf should act like a leader and stop making decisions based on the whims of foreigners who have no clue as to how to manage our players.
If Dr Ashraf feels that this job is beyond him, then it is best that he should resign.
ADNAN U. HASAN
Karachi
THE prime minister has unveiled the priorities of his government, one of which was the promotion of agriculture. Agriculture contributes 24 per cent of the GDP and agriculture-based industry 65 per cent in the national economy of Pakistan.
We produce 35 per cent of edible oil and 65 per cent is imported to meet the demand at the cost of one billion US dollars every year.
Of the edible oils, the prime minister has advised for the cultivation of sunflower (March 30) as its yield per unit area is better than that of other oilseed plants and is cholesterol-free.
We spend a lot of foreign exchange in importing fertilisers for a better growth of plants. This is to bring to the knowledge of all concerned with farming that there are growth promoting fungi (mycorrhizas) and bacteria (rhizobias) present in soil which fix phosphorus (P2O5) and atmospheric (N2) symbiotically in plants which plant roots cannot.
While working on mycorrhizal biotechnology through a research grant of the HEC (Pakistan), we were able to promote growth of sunflower (height 6 ft), leaf diameter (12 inches) and a number of seeds per head (950).
The growth and yield in mycorrhizal sunflower plants were better and produced more seeds than under the farmer’s field condition in Sindh (Pakistan). The traditional oilseed plants (mustard, raya, rapeseed and canola) do not form mycorrhizal association.
There is thus a great need for the application of mycorrhizal biotechnology in food and fodder plants to increase the growth and yield of plants. Self-sufficiency in food is the best form of defence for a country.
DR M. JALALUDDIN
Department of Agriculture
University of Karachi
THIS is apropos of Mujeeb Abro’s letter, ‘Journalism and SPSC’ (April 4). The SPSC is cognizant of the anxiety of the aspiring candidates and should like to say that it carries out periodic review of the syllabi to meet the changing requirements.
Also, on recommendations of the Commission, introduction of Journalism/Mass Communication as an optional subject for combined competitive examinations has been under consideration of the Sindh governmemt for some time.
Further, for the forthcoming competitive examinations, the SPSC has already introduced this subject as an optional one, and this information was published for general information of the candidates in the print media (Dawn included) on April 1. The announcement has also been uploaded on the Commission’s website (www.spsc.gov.pk).
SPSC SECRETARY
Hyderabad
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.
