| June 23, 2008 | Monday | Jamadi-us-Sani 18, 1429 |
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Conserve trees to save planet earth
Harvard refused
Seizing suicide bomber’s arms
Nawaz okayed Kargil
Lawyers’ long march hijacked
Health ads
It is a fact that in the present-day consumerist society advertisement has become a most powerful tool to attract the public towards a particular product, exaggerating its quality, efficacy and, above all, amplification of its superiority over goods of the same kind.
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 Afshan Subohi’s article, ‘Politically correct statements’ (June 12). Pakistan is facing great economic challenges and grappling with the faltering economy. In a key economic area of Pakistan, agriculture was in focus in the budget which, according to the finance minister, suffered neglect in the past. This implies that agriculture will receive due place it deserves.
Removing the hurdles facing Pakistan agriculture will depend on agricultural policy. If there is a plan to shift emphasis on agricultural commodities and agro-industries to bring widespread benefits, we need to tap the enormous untapped potential in the agriculture sector.
Agriculture is vital to overcoming poverty in the country both as provider of food and of jobs. It is the main source of employment to 60 per cent of the population. The advantage for agriculture in Pakistan lies in distinct agro-climatic zones for the cultivation of economic plant species, ranging from crop plants to tropical mangoes and temperate orchard crops like apples, apricots, grapes, peaches and plums.
About 42 million acres of arable irrigated land and 10 million acres of barani land produce food fibre, fruits and forage for our sustenance. There is an abundance of manpower in all categories necessary to run farming and farm-based industries.
The strategy could be based on intensive agriculture which could generate sufficient employment for the available labour force and shift in focus for meeting minimum needs to achieve maximum potentials through an export drive in the agricultural sector and priority development in agro-industries like sugar, textile, fisheries and value addition in agricultural commodities.
It is reported that EU countries have banned import of tinned food from Pakistan due to the presence of aflatoxin in the product (June 15). This aspect of the problem has to be taken care of scientifically and technologically for preservation and export.
If the infrastructure and the essential inputs may not be generated in Pakistan for commercialisation of agriculture, then the proposal of the government to involve foreign investors in the agriculture sector for corporate farming is the need of the hour.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia used to import wheat and by creating infrastructure and making necessary inputs over a period of 20 years is now exporting wheat.
If we can approach the kingdom for oil, we can also strike a deal for boosting up agricultural production over a period of time so as to facilitate the availability of infrastructure and inputs to remove the hurdles which stands in the way of progress in the agricultural sector.
A study of China would reveal that the foundation stone of its economy was first built on agriculture 60 years ago, leading to the present-day development in science and technology. We can follow the Chinese example for our economic progress.
DR. M. JALALUDDIN
Department of agriculture
University of Karachi
It appears that we are heedless of desperate appeals made by the world forum to conserve trees so that planet earth can be saved from impending doom perpetrated by its inhabitants in the form of depriving it of its green safety cover.
The photograph captioned, ‘Trees along Karsaz Road being chopped’ and a letter, ‘Monsoon and floods’, on the same date (June 20) lamenting how the CDA has deprived the twin city of its foliage are confirmation that cutting of trees has become an everyday affair.
At the time of independence almost all big cities, even middle-sized towns, had gardens and parks, so much so the highways and canals were lined with big trees. Similarly, there were dense forests on both sides of the rivers. After 60 years, however, what we did is to annihilate almost all green spaces in the name of development.
Even the city like Islamabad has not been saved from the axe of ‘developers’. This city was built in the 1960s in the Pothohar plateau north of the country to establish federal capital. It was planned by world renowned Greek firm of architects, Doxiadis Associates, and is considered to be one of the few most artificially built beautiful cities of the world.
Its two main distinguishing features were: natural landscape, which the planner left intact, and the artificially created plantation, which over a period of five decades had turned the city into lush green woodland.
Now the big swathes of full-grown forests almost in every sector have been slaughtered, giving way to various mammoth-sized underpasses and roads. In 2003, on the direction of the then prime minister, the federal government’s ministry of environment had prepared an incentive package worth Rs1.15 billion to push tree plantation, as was reported in Dawn. Instead of planting more trees, stripping the capital of its gorgeous green cover was incomprehensible.
The same is the position of all big cities as far as trees are concerned. The newly-built giant-sized underpasses of concrete and cement, especially in Islamabad, on the one hand, has deprived the city of its exquisiteness and, on the other hand, has failed to facilitate the commuters, as one does not find any letup in roadblocks that have become a norm, particularly during school and office timings. A few years ago, on the same roads driving, particularly when city was overcast or drizzling, was a pleasure.
I hope the civic development authorities, taking note of looming dangers of greenhouse gas, ought to desist from cutting trees in the name of ‘development’. To save the climate, from further damage, they must come out with a master plan to nurture more vegetation so that, besides saving climate our cities become environmentally healthy and aesthetically more attractive.
ALTAMASH M. KURESHI
Karachi
IT was very pleasant to read that a student, Samad Khurram, refused his Harvard University scholarship award presented to him by the US ambassador Anne W. Patterson (June 19). He did it as a sign of protest against the recent attack of American forces on Mohmand Agency.
I feel honoured that there are some Pakistanis who still keep their self-respect. It is only the common people of this country who have such courage because they have nothing to lose now.
Successive governments have only recorded proverbial protests on a piece of paper (and sometimes verbal) because they never can dare to go against the wishes of the US and to save their kingship, the heads and the allies of the ruling parties do not bother to take bold steps which can merit as real protests against injustice of a country that calls itself ‘the champion of the world peace’.
Well done, Samad. We, the people of Pakistan, really feel proud and salute you. May God give you the ever-lasting courage to stand firm like this for the rest of your life. I also pray that every Pakistani, who loves his country, should show such courage.
RAASHID IQBAL
Islamabad
THIS refers to a recent report by Muhammad Faisal Ali, ‘How to handle a suicide bomber’. The launching of free-of-cost two-week courses on ‘Identification of would-be suicide bombers and real and fake explosives’ for members of the general public, by the Bomb Disposal Unit of Pakistan headquarters, Lahore, is highly appreciated. If the people are made aware about these things, it will help them in taking necessary precautions to avoid any mishap before the arrival of bomb disposal squad (BDS)/police.
However, training of general public to the extent of identifying would-be suicide bombers and precautions to be taken on finding real/fake explosives or bomb should be good enough for them.
But I beg to differ with Agha Asghar Ali, Unit Commander, BDS, Lahore, about his version of seizing the bomber’s hands, as well as the arms he is carrying, to render him unable to trigger a blast and then take him out of the range of any possible remote device controlled by another terrorist.
This is not only impracticable but quite funny too. Such actions are not possible even by professional explosive experts or trained policemen, leave aside the ordinary people.
If at all the bomber’s hand and arms are seized, there may be many other systems attached to the bomber’s body by which he or she can trigger the blast. For example: pull, pressure and release ignition switches attached with the explosive jacket with strings or trip wires tied with different parts of the bomber’s body such as legs, neck or held under the teeth. These switches can trigger the blast with a slight jerk, pull or twist on any part of the body without using arms or hands by the bomber. Moreover, suicide bombers always come well prepared for any eventuality and can blow themselves up if anyone tries to catch them. There are many examples where suicide bombers when likely to be detected at a security checkpoint have blown themselves up before they are caught alive. Seizing hand and arms of would-be suicide bombers and that too by common citizens is not a joke. It is only possible if a person who decides to seize a bomber’s hands is himself willing to sacrifice his life.
Similarly, searching for bombs and explosive devises, especially booby traps (explosive device disguised as items of common use such as a flower vase, a computer or a TV set ) in a building, area or in a vehicle is the job of persons trained and qualified in ‘bomb reconnaissance and bomb disposal’ from recognised institutes. Making ordinary people to search for a bomb or a booby trap and neutralise it will not only be risky but very dangerous.
It is suggested that members of the public, including security supervisors and guards, should only be orientated regarding the identification signs of would-be suicide bombers and action to be taken by them on detecting a suspected suicide bomber, as suggested in a letter, ‘Detecting a suicide bomber’ (Jan 22).
Similarly, people should be trained regarding precautions to be taken on receiving a bomb threat call (actual or hoax) and bomb threat management, including procedure of evacuating the building.
SQN LDR( r) S.AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
A new book, ‘Crossed Swords’, by Shuja Nawaz has revealed that Nawaz Sharif had approved the Kargil operations. The book quotes Lt-Gen Ziauddin as stating that the former premier was in the loop of the operations. This indeed is quite revealing from a man who now wants a probe into Kargil stating that a commission should be set up.
The book has indeed used credible information and now the ball lies in Mr Sharif’s court to clear these facts. I for one cannot fathom the fact that Mr Sharif did not know of the operations.
He made a Bay of Pigs out of the operation by going to Washington and making a diplomatic blunder of the entire situation. He was aware of this and the responsibility of the debacle lies with him and it is not fair to blame Mr Musharraf for this.
It is time Mr Sharif came out in the open before his statement haunts him that he was not aware at all.
JANDAD KHAN
Lahore
THE objective of the lawyers’ long march was to put pressure on parliament for the restoration of the judges, including deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, through an executive order and for ouster of the Nov 3 PCO 2007 judges.
The Pakistan People Party’s co-chairperson, who benefited by the present Supreme Court judges, wants to retain them by increasing the Pakistan Supreme Court’s strength to 29 judges which will be the largest number in the world. The US has only nine judges in the Supreme Court and India has 13 judges, a country of over one billion population.
The lawyers’ leadership should know that the issues and the hardship faced by the common man will not be solved by the restoration of judges and it will not result in bringing down the prices of essential goods and banishing of loadshedding.
Although the leaders of the lawyers’ movement are claiming that the restoration of judges would alleviate the people’s suffering. How will the restored judges be independent once they are restored by the struggle of the lawyers? This will be under obligation to the lawyer leaders.
The best solution to make an independent judiciary is that it should be headed by a judge of impeachable integrity, honesty and high moral courage. There is no harm in employing foreigners as a Supreme Court and high court chief judges.
At least a foreigner will be having no personal interest. If a foreigner coach can be engaged for cricket team, why not a foreigner judge for the sake of making the institution of judiciary independent.
The lawyers’ movement is now a political movement depending on political parties, Nawaz Sharif has gained politically by making Barrister Ahsan to accept that in future all decisions of the lawyers’ movement should be made with his consultation. This means that the lawyers’ movement will now be managed by PML(N), which will promote its own political agenda.
Due to the hijacking of lawyers’ movement by political parties, the movement’s original objective is dead and the restoration of judges will be done on Asif Zardari’s terms as he is proving to be a shrewder politician than Nawaz Sharif.
ENGR.S.T.HUSSAIN
Lahore
But the products which can be put to advertisement are food items, clothing and consumer goods such as TV, fridge and automobile and not the objects in any way related to health of the people, such as medicines, doctors, etc. But nowadays the trend has changed significantly, as pharmacists, doctors and psychologists are also appearing in the electronic and print media with fanfare to expand their practice by enticing patients, which is not only against the medical ethics but legally wrong.
Nowhere in developed societies are medical practitioners, from no matter what field they come from, allowed to take advantage of the electronic and print media to further their practice. As a matter of fact, it is the cure/satisfaction of a patient which is the true accomplishment for a medical practitioner.
The ministry of health should take immediate notice and impose restrictions on these unethical practices adopted by the healers. The electronic and print media has also a role to play by imposing a ban on such unethical advertisements.
Although, of course, this may cost them some revenue, the good it brings is greater than the pecuniary benefit.
ISHA M. KURESHI
Karachi
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