| June 15, 2008 | Sunday | Jamadi-us-Sani 10, 1429 |
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The Sixth Mass Extinction
Resolving PIA’s problems
Muslims in India
Constitutional package
Improving ways to recover bank loans
Speed thrills but kills
Taseer’s credentials
‘Son of the soil’
US-Pakistan ties
Contract appointment
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 Kunwar ldris’s letter, ‘NFC Award and Sindh’ (June 11). The writer’s contention that chief ministers have nothing to do with the NFC Award is both naive and illogical. The writer and former caretaker minister should have known that the chief minister, as the executive head of the province, is automatically responsible for any and all decisions taken by members of his cabinet. He cannot, in all honesty, disassociate himself from a folly as monumental as the 1997 NFC Award.
A parallel may be found in a railway minister resigning after a train crash. Mr ldris would probably argue that since the minister wasn’t driving the train, he shouldn’t have to resign.
However, accountable politicians know that power brings responsibility, and they do not shirk from it. It’s all about ethics — a concept which perhaps was foreign to the then caretaker chief minister.
The fact that the 1997 NFC Award remained in force for so long was not because it was ‘good enough’ as the writer so eloquently phrases it. In fact, it remained in place due to the absence of a democratic and, therefore, accountable government.
Moreover, the former caretaker finance minister, former chief secretary and former holder of all important bureaucratic assignments in Sindh should know that a consensus is required to change the NFC Award, and since Sindh’s own people had sold it out and accepted a manifestly disastrous award, why would others look a gift horse in the mouth?
The subsequent Sindh governments could not receive even the committed amount of the 1997 NFC Award because the signatories were conned into believing complete lies about future disbursements into the divisible pool.
It is again reiterated here how difficult it is to get a new award from the other provinces after the Sindh caretaker regime either mala fidely or because of its gross inefficiency, sold away the province, as a change now will eat into what the caretaker government had so munificently doled out to them.
Just to give Mr ldris an idea of the loss the people of Sindh bore due to his signing the 1997 Award without getting approval of a weak caretaker chief minister, in 2006-07 Sindh got Rs62 billion from the divisible pool from his much-trumpeted 1997 Award. If he had not signed the award, the previous award would have been in effect and Sindh would have got Rs107 billion, i.e. Rs45 billion more. I can conservatively say that Sindh lost at least Rs250 billion in 10 years due to signing of the 1997 Award.
Lastly, I leave it to Mr ldris to decide whether it was ethical and moral for a caretaker finance minister to sign the NFC Award, which was to bind the province for at least five years, a few days before his term was to end and an elected and, hence, accountable government was to take over.
SHAZIA MARRI
Sindh Minister for Information
Karachi
ACCORDING to a news item (May 23), natural vegetation spread over many kilometres in the Salt Range mountains was burnt down due to a fire ignited by lightning as no attempt was made to extinguish the fire.
The revenue authorities termed the fire as ‘harmless’ because “there is no populated area or forest vegetation over these mountains. Only small trees, bushes and wild grass are the victim”.
This is just one example how ignorance is playing its part in the rampant extinction of species. Most people fail to appreciate that every species is a novelty of nature, be it a small wild herb, a blade of grass or a large tree or even a microbe. It has some role to play in the ecosystem.
The Creator has not produced anything without a reason. It is just human being’s ignorance and arrogance to consider the wild plants or any other creature as useless. Ironically this incident coincided with the World Biodiversity Day on May 22.
The present rate of species extinction the world over is up to 10,000 times greater than the natural rate, with up to 50,000 species going extinct each year.
For this reason, biologists have termed the present time as the ‘Sixth Mass Extinction’, that is, the greatest extinction after Cretaceous Period 65 million years back when the fifth mass extinction wiped out all dinosaur species along with a number of other organism.
That extinction was caused by an asteroid colliding with the Earth, but the present mass extinction is brought about by human activities such as natural habitat destruction, overexploitation of species, persecution, global warming and climate change due to excessive production of greenhouse gases, etc.
And our knowledge about the species present on the Earth is still scanty. With about 1.8 million species scientifically named and described to date, the estimates about the actual number of species vary as widely as five million to 100 million. That means a large number of species would go extinct without ever being discovered and named.
PROF(DR) SURAYYA KHATOON
Department of Botany,
University of Karachi
THIS is apropos of PIA managing director’s letter on the subject. Steps being initiated by him may be appreciated but may not produce the results. Having served in the Civil Aviation Authority, it is felt if the CAA cooperates with PIA it can save billions of rupees.
The major expenditure of PIA is on account of high cost of fuel. Jinnah Airport has two runways 07R/25L and 07L/25R. Most of the international flights are made to land at runway 25L, and 25R being an instrument runway that involves long detour, the pilot has to fly over to Pipri and Steel Mill before landing. The air traffic controller can vector the aircraft to 07L/07R and help PIA effect colossal savings on fuel.
Likewise, it must have been observed by frequent travellers that after landing at Islamabad Airport the aircraft turns back from the runway end and backtracks on the same runway, thus blocking the runway for all incoming and outgoing traffic.
The PAF Chaklala base may be improved to turn aircraft straight towards the parking area instead of backtracking. This would effect substantial saving on fuel. This is equally true of Peshawar airport.
VIP flights are another major reason of PIA losses. The plane is brought to hangar for changing its configuration and another plane is kept standby. Our VIPs should stop using special planes and instead travel on normal flights like many other heads of state of advanced and rich countries. Taking 80 to 100 passengers and using Airbus causes loss of millions of rupees to the airline.
Last, no airline serves food to its passengers if the block time is two hours. All our domestic flights, irrespective of the destinations, take less than two hours. So serving of food may be discontinued and only juice be served.
The defence ministry should intervene and impress upon the CAA to allow PIA to fly on direct routes after coordinating with the PAF. Efforts should be made to expedite the construction of new Islamabad international airport. By taking the above steps PIA can just in one year enter into an era of profitability.
LT-COL( r ) MUKHTAR AHMED BUTT
Karachi Cantt
THIS refers to Mr Krishnan’s letter on the subject (June 5). He has reacted to Akhtar Farooq’s letter (June 1) without keeping in view the relevant facts and figures. I request him to go through a book titled, Passive voices by K.L. Gauba, an Indian author, which is a penetrating study of Muslims in India and wherein he has narrated the plight of Indian Muslims, supported by exhaustive data.
It is a fact that Muslims who constitute the second largest community in the Indian Union do not get the importance which is commensurate with their population size. Forgotten are the days when Muslim stalwarts could share power with other communities and occupy position in the upper stratum of society and enjoy enviable positions in different spheres of life.
Mentioning the names of a few Muslims at present occupying or having occupied high position in the past would not suffice and necessarily mean that all is well with 200 million-strong Muslims.
If Mr Krishnan picks up current or old Times of India Year Books and look through ‘Who is Who’ section and count the total entries and then count the Muslims, he will come to know what is happening to Muslims.
Similarly, Directory of Business Executives containing thousands of names and only a couple of hundred of Muslims would make the position clearer.
There is no denying the fact that the Muslims being the second largest community do not enjoy the status that they deserve and remain ‘passive voices’ . If Mr Krishnan argues and tries to prove that what K. L. Gauba has written is a thing of the past and that the situation regarding Muslims has changed and improved a lot over the years, nobody is going to believe it as miracles do not happen in the Third World.
AZIZUR REHMAN MIAN
Lahore
BRITISH colonialists did enjoy their rule over their colonial subjects in different wasteful ways and perks. They used to shift important central and even provincial offices to hill stations during summer and the judges enjoyed long holidays at the cost of justice to the poor subjects.
While hill stations culture has generally been dropped in Pakistan, long holidays of higher courts continue, despite huge backlogs, delaying justice for years and even decades in some cases.
Besides, several delaying tactics like postponing hearing of cases on flimsy grounds and under-the-table dealings are reported to be rampant. Also, unbearably high fees being charged by courts, as well as by lawyers, render the system of justice far beyond the affordability of ordinary citizens.
All these aspects clearly indicate that we are slowly moving towards some very severe crisis or possible bloody revolution.
The much-publicised constitutional package should actually deal with the above weaknesses of the judicial system, to avoid the apparently pending serious crisis in this respect, as the people suffering from such chronic, costly and delaying system of justice are most likely to be forced to revolt against the very system.
I hope the government will seriously consider this appeal from a senior citizen to streamline the entire judicial system. Maybe, we possibly do need a really powerful and honest-to-the-core ombudsman, who could call any judge, howsoever high, to question about his dealings in a case.
SYED MOHSIN
Karachi
THIS has reference to Naseer A. Malik's and a credit card holder’s letter (May 30). The method of recovery of insecure and small loans like credit cards or personal loans, etc., adopted by banks through outsourced recovery teams or officers on the basis of commission at the rate of 25 to 40 per cent on recovered amount, is not in accordance with the law.
Visiting, calling, abusing, threatening the borrowers cannot be appreciated and it is against the due course of law. If banks would like to recover the petty and insecure loans (supra), the right course is to adopt the machinery of banking courts, as established under the Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) Ordinance 2001, by filing the suit for recovery. For recovery of an amount of about Rs200,000, expenses of Rs20,000 are required.
The breakdown of the expenses are: the publication in two newspapers (Urdu and English) costs Rs4,000, the court fee will be Rs6,000 and counsel’s legal fee will be about Rs10,000.
The lawyers appearing on behalf of the banks (excluding engaged on special fee) are getting the petty average amounts in the name of ‘professional fees’ of about Rs10,000 as per the bank's schedule of fee on a case of recovery of Rs200,000.
According to a rough estimate, it costs 10 per cent of the claimed amount on small loans. Banks can get the decrees in a summary manner and the borrower will also get a fair chance of defence and object to the amount claimed and statement of accounts produced during the hearing of application for leave to defend.
In case of settlement/compromise decree, the concession of payments in installments, waiver of markup and unwarranted levy of charges like ‘late payment charges’ and compound markup can be waived for instant recovery, if there is any desire to recover through legal and/or proper modes.
In execution of decrees obtained, the properties, assets, accounts (if available) and salary of borrower(s) can be attached.
By adopting the above measures, the recovery of the above loans can be made possible through available and legal courses, but banks are avoiding litigation and recovery suits because their claims are unwarranted and no decree will be awarded in favour of banks, rather there are fair chances that borrowers will get a declaration that they are entitled to a counter-decree of excess paid amount as ‘late payment charges’, ‘markup upon markup’, etc.
Also, training of bank staff and accountants should be conducted to improve their skills and competence in respect of non-interest modern banking standards introduced or implemented in Pakistan.
Legal documentation should be improved and bankers be trained about the matter. All this will lead to a speedy and successful recovery.
SAALIM SALAM ANSARI
Karachi
KASHIF Chaudhry’s letter, ‘Speed thrills but kills’ (May 30), is about the agony of losing a dear one, due to the negligent and callous action of an irresponsible ‘spoiled brat’.
The mother whisking away her son, presumably to conceal the fact, that he was in no condition to be driving a car, without sparing a thought for the dying and grievously hurt, or arranging their transfer to a medical facility, speaks volumes of the ‘character’ and upbringing of a person. Dr Suddle, on his appointment as IG, made a statement that he would ‘ruthlessly’ ensure that the police perform their duty. Let him probe this incident, to prove his words and worth.
Every politician and bureaucrat makes tall claims, which are seldom if ever fulfilled, specially where the rich and powerful are concerned. The driver’s licence, if he had one, should be cancelled denying him the possibility to ‘kill and maim’ again.
The insurance company should not entertain a claim for the BMW, unless proof of prosecution of the guilty driver is produced.
The public should speak up, and more such incidents be reported. Mob justice has burned many buses, trucks, tankers; and the latest target has been robbers / bandits. If the authorities fail to ensure the rule of law, then a frustrated and desperate ‘awam’ may also take action against the ‘spoiled brats’ before their unconcerned parents whisk them away, or ‘fix’ things.
PRO BONO PUBLICO
Karachi
THE letter, Taseer’s credentials as PPP nominee’ (June 8), by Aamna Taseer, wife of the governor of Punjab, rebutting the charges levelled by Amna Piracha, has tried to establish her husband as PPP jiala; he was one but not now. She failed to clear his position regarding his not attending the funeral or soyem of Benazir Bhutto as he avoided to displease his present master. His immediate departure to Larkana in a governor’s plane upon taking the oath shows his hollowness.
Ms Piracha is right that he had left the party to get favours from the ruling party to make his fortune as a business tycoon. It is also correct that he had joined as federal minister in the last caretaker setup not as a nominee of the party but of the establishment. He is a shrewd businessman and has played his cards well.
He has won the support of the PML (N) as not a single slogan was raised against him by the Muslim League’s supporters at the oath-taking ceremony of Shahbaz Sharif as chief minister, rather the cabinet did not wear black bands.
God forbid, if assemblies are packed, he will continue as governor being a representative of the establishment. There should be no doubt about that.
HAFEEZ AKHTAR
Lahore
RECENTLY there have been people coining the phrase ‘son of the soil’. Incidentally, they are all from the Nawaz League and using it in the august assemblies. The other day the Punjab Assembly speaker while congratulating Shahbaz Sharif said that he was a son of the soil.
Some time back another N-League member, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, in the National Assembly, while congratulating Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani had stated twice, with emphasis, that he was a son of the soil. Would these people like to clarify what the term means and who are they targeting?
They should remember that such remarks are not in the best interests of this nation and show the true character of the N-Leaguers. With power comes responsibility. More than the words, it is the mindsets that have to be changed. I do hope that these people will understand this.
REHAN ZAMIN
Karachi
THE New York Times has reported that Washington and Islamabad must now do everything they can to repair relations, starting with a joint investigation and a full and public report of its findings.
The fact is that it is Pakistan that has been aggrieved by a senseless and thoughtless attack carried out by the US. It is a violation of international law and our sovereignty. The US needs to repair the damage it has done to the people of Pakistan by their actions.
The actions carried out by them have further alienated the people of Pakistan against them. If they had proof that certain activities were being carried out, they should have informed the Pakistan Army and government of this and the necessary action would have been taken on our behalf.
Such unilateral vigilante action carried by the US is not making matters easy in terms of public support in Pakistan and moreover their fight in the war against terror.
It is time the US did all to repair relations with Pakistan and treated us with respect and not as a partner of convenience.
ZULFIKAR SAEED
Islamabad
MANY federal offices have appointed contract employees on merit, but without obtaining the federal domicile quota, age limit and even qualification which is clear violation of Rule 14 of Civil Servant (Appointment, Promotion, and Transfer) Rule 1973 and Establishment Division O.M.No.6/2/2000 R.3 dated 06
So regularisation of these staff will be against the Constitution.
JAN MUHAMMAD
Karachi
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