| August 07, 2008 | Thursday | Sha’aban 4, 1429 |
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A tale of two sisters
Drafting of laws
Letting go of one’s ego
Peace at all costs
Street full of rats
Inflation levels
Promoting exclusive breastfeeding
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
INITIALLY the war in Afghanistan was specifically aimed at the Taliban whose government was eventually removed. This was in response to the 9/11 attack in the US. With passage of time, and because of extensive collateral damage caused due to attacks by US/Nato forces, the local population has been antagonised. Innocent men, women and children are facing endless suffering and pain. Gradually they are beginning to rely on the Taliban and are joining them.
Unchecked use of force against common people in Afghanistan and the tribal areas has increased their hostility. It has given an excellent opportunity to Taliban leaders to mobilise people, not only on the basis of religion, but more on the claim that they are fighting in defence of their land. The resistance is gradually transforming into a liberation movement for ousting foreign forces from Afghanistan.
Historically, the Afghans have never tolerated alien powers controlling their homeland for very long. Honour and independence are vital to Pakhtun identity. They consider even their leaders as the elders amongst equals, always bitterly opposing the use of arbitrary power by their rulers. The best example of this is illustrated by an answer given to the British historian, Elphinstone, by an Afghan: “We are content with discord;
We are content with alarms;
We are content with blood;
But we never will be content with a master”
The war in Afghanistan has a direct bearing on the Pakhtun belt in Pakistan. The historical socio-ethnic linkages are being strengthened and consolidated progressively which may be a positive development if looked at from Pakistan-Afghan relations as neighbours. On the other hand, if you see it as a consequence of military operations in the Pakhtun belt on both sides of the border, it could have serious implications.
On July 23 the sitting ruling coalition in the country met to discuss the current situation in Fata and adjoining settled areas. Maulana Fazlur Rahman made a statement to the effect that the NWFP might be lost to the federation if the present policy of use of force continued. The meeting decided to resolve the conflict through negotiations because use of force could harm the federation. This is a positive policy change.
However, the question is: does the government have the will, commitment and the real authority to enforce its decision or does the sovereign power lie elsewhere?
Use of military force alone will never resolve this conflict whether in Pakistan or Afghanistan. It will only cause more suffering and misery to the people caught up in this war. Unless the foreign forces occupying Afghanistan leave and allow the local socio-political elements to resolve their problems through their own customs and traditions, the bloodshed will go on both in Afghanistan and in Pakistan.
During World War II the British prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill, was once asked about use of force as against the option of dialogue, and this is what he said: “Jaw jaw is better than war war.”
Let us hope that sanity prevails allowing us to move towards a peaceful resolution. The alternative is fraught with risks and dangerous consequences.
MUHAMMAD AZAM KHAN
Peshawar
ON Aug 2 local channels flashed breaking news reporting that two girls and their father had been rescued from bondage of their kin and the police and Rescue 1122 carried out the operation in a Saidpur locality and rescued the two sisters and their father imprisoned within their home for more than 15 years by Qaiser Mahmood, their very own brother and son of the victim.
Although the rescue operation was a success, the way the victims were handled after the rescue was very unprofessional. The raiding party should be prepared accordingly. It showed that they were not trained to handle such cases.
It was reported that the girls seemed to be mentally upset, in a state of shock, physically weak and terrified and were not ready to leave their residence.
Instead of exposing the victims to direct sunlight, a crowd of people and media personnel loaded with cameras as well as questions, they should have been covered properly and kept in isolation. Also, why did members of chief minister’s inspection team and two PML(N) ministers have to accompany a rescue operation?
They should have contacted the local police to take an action so that the culprit would be caught, however he escaped. Immediate steps would be taken to get hold of Qaisar Mahmood, who should be brought to accountability for his deeds.
Also, our local forces should be trained to equip them to handle such situations with care.
RIZWAN YAHYA
Sukkur
DRAFTING of laws should be done with utmost care and due diligence. If laws are drafted in haste and by ignoring the ramifications, they provide vent to unnecessary litigation, mostly on the point of interpretation.
This obviously results in waste of people’s time and money. One such example is that of amendment carried out through the Finance Bill 2008-09 to the Workers’ Welfare Fund Ordinance, 1971.
Under this Ordinance, establishments having total income of Rs500,000 or more have to pay two per cent of the income to the Fund. Previously the Ordinance was applicable only to the industrial establishments but now it has also been extended to establishments to which the Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1969 applies.
This extension of the Ordinance has been brought about through amendment to Section 2 (f) of the Workers Welfare Fund Ordinance. The text of the amendment reads as:
“In section 2, in clause (f) after sub-clause (iv), the following new sub-clause shall be inserted, namely:
“(iv a) any establishment to which the West Pakistan Shops and Establishment Ordinance, 1969 (W.P. Ordinance No. VIII of 1969) for the time being applies”.
There are six sub-clauses in Section 2 (f), which begins with the words ‘Industrial establishment’. It means the Shops and Establishment Ordinance applies to shops and commercial, industrial and other establishments in Pakistan.
When industrial and commercial establishments have been comprehensively defined separately under various labour laws, how can the shops and commercial establishments be treated as ‘industrial establishment’ for the purpose of Workers Welfare Fund Ordinance.
Under labour laws industrial establishments broadly mean organisations involved in manufacturing or construction.
In order to extend the scope of the Ordinance to shops and commercial organisations, a new definition of ‘establishment’ should have been introduced instead of having this ‘quick fix’ which is never long lasting.
Hence another amendment is required in the law to rectify this error.
PARVEZ RAHIM
Karachi
OVER the years the media has played a pivotal role in bringing about an unprecedented change in society which has resulted in bettering our collective conscience. No doubt there are several towering personalities who rose to the occasion and never gave up despite the odds. These journalists hailing from both the print and electronic media are the beacon light of bright future for this society.
However, as an avid reader of your esteemed newspaper, I think some journalists compromise objectivity and far-sightedness against petty issues, often involving ego problems. This is more evident in foreign trips of VVIPs where they cannot distinguish between national priorities and personal issues. They need to learn self-abnegation and think beyond their egos on such occasions.
There has been a great deal of hue and cry in the media over the issue of visa rejection of several journalists who were to accompany the prime minister on his US visit. Need I remind these journalists that issuance of visa has always been a prerogative of the high commission of that country and not ours? The unnecessary protest, especially from journalists, is quite surprising.
Going to the US was a different story prior to 9/11. Previously I would apply for a visa and proceed to the US without any hiccup and if I am a journalist I may be provided an opportunity to see the both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue as well, i.e. Congress and White House.
I could also be photographed with the US president. Things are not as simple now. Insurgency against US interests worldwide is up several notches, raising security measures substantially by US authorities; if one does not like the security measures currently in place, one should stay home instead of making mountain out of a mole hill.
The media acts as a watchdog of society; however, the million-dollar question is: who will be the watchdog of the media? I ran into my friend the other day who told me that some ‘apostles’ of the media were unhappy since they were not invited to the official lunch thrown by Pakistani Ambassador Hussain Haqqani. The fact of the matter is that all journalists who were part of the PM’s official entourage attended the reception; only those who were not the part of official entourage were left out, which is fair enough.
I think our journalists need to learn a great deal from their Indian counterparts who neither behave pretentiously nor do they fall prey to their egos and focus on the far-reaching results of such trips only.
KHUBAIB USMANI
Islamabad
THE discovery in the Surat city of about 18 more bombs placed in bicycles, under flyovers, and even on trees is a making a mockery of the Indian security system. Earlier this week bombs went off in Ahmedabad and Bangalore, killing innocent civilians.
What is the fault of these innocent women and children? Indian intelligence agencies need to move very fast to prevent any more such incidents.
India’s investment climate will suffer grievously due to these blasts. They also sow seeds of discord and suspicion amongst communities. India is a secular country and firm action is needed from the government in apprehending the culprits and and punishing them severely.
Terrorists, the merchants of death and violence, should not be allowed to succeed in peace-loving India, the land of ‘ahimsa’, i.e. non-violence.
RAJENDRA K. ANEJA
UAE
DRIVING through the Khada market in Karachi’s Defence area on Aug 30 was an amazing experience.
I parked my car on the side of the road to order some juice for myself and my family and as we waited, we were horrified to see the narrow street streaming with huge rats.
The rats were unafraid and acted as if the street belonged to them.
It is imperative that this information comes to the knowledge of the authorities concerned, otherwise a terrible disease like the plague would be just around the corner.
ASNA
Karachi
KEEPING in view the current inflation levels, can a person earning Rs6,000 (as announced by the prime minister that the minimum salary of a person should be Rs6,000) buy some vegetables, pulses and basic commodities for his children.
Moreover, after the constant increase in oil prices all the utilities are out of reach of poor people, causing frustration and giving rise to mental illness such as depression, leading to increase in the rate of suicide.
And what to talk about transport fare, every time oil prices increase, transporters threaten to call a strike and the government pass a notification of increase in fares.
I don’t understand where we will stop. I think now we have to prepare ourselves to read suicide news on a daily basis.
MUHAMMAD DANISH ALI
Karachi
HEALTH of the newborn and children is of paramount importance. It has been further emphasised in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2015 by the UN. According to MDGs commitment, Pakistan has to reduce infant mortality up to 40/1,000 live births and child mortality 52/1,000 live births.
Similarly maternal mortality would be reduced up to 140/100,000 live births. However, with current pace of implementation of policies and programmes, it would be difficult to attain this objective within next seven years.
The need for a strategic plan in the health sector cannot be overemphasized. However, there are many cost-effective measures through which health of the newborn, children and mothers can be protected.
One such intervention is exclusive breastfeeding by mothers to their newborn babies. Unfortunately, a host of factors have hampered this practice. These include wrong beliefs and community taboos that mother’s milk (colostrums) during the first few hours or a day is not safe for the newborn; lifestyle-conscious mothers; unethical promotion of baby milk substitutes in the market.
Exclusive breastfeeding up till six months and breastfeeding for two years, coupled with complementary food, is highly recommended by WHO. Breastfeeding during the first hour of life of the newborn is like first immunisation since breast milk is safe and contains antibodies which protect child from various childhood diseases.
According to estimates, 10.6 million children die globally every year before reaching their fifth birthday. A high coverage of optimal breastfeeding practices could save 13 per cent of lives. During initial period of life, a child is at risk of acute infections such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, ear infection, haemophilus influenza, meningitis and urinary tract infection, besides Type I diabetes and ulcerative colitis.
Mother’s milk is very rich in antibodies, minerals and other elements which raise the level of immunity of a newborn, resulting into effective resistance to the diseases as a result reducing the morbidity and mortality.
Breastfeeding promotes child development and is associated with higher IQ scores in low-birth-weight babies. It is also associated with lower risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, and obesity.
There are specific health benefits of breastfeeding for those mothers who breastfeed their children. Scientific research has proved that breastfeeding contributes towards delayed fertility and reduces her risk of postpartum haemorrhage and breast and ovarian cancer.
In this context, it is imperative to assess that up to what level Pakistan has improved with regard to rates of breastfeeding. According to latest estimates, 37 per cent of the newborn are breastfed exclusively. This is very low as compared to regional and other developing countries and does not contribute positively to achieving the objectives of National Health Policy.
The issue of low levels of breastfeeding practices in Pakistan is due to the factors like lack of awareness among communities; lack of rules and regulations; unethical promotion of formula milk by industry.
A concerted effort is required to deal with this issue at policy level, at governance level, at community and grassroots level. It is important that rules and guidelines regarding Breastfeeding Ordinance 2002 be approved as soon as possible.
There is need to improve governance drastically to develop standard regulatory mechanisms so as to ensure the implementation of Breastfeeding Ordinance 2002 at health facility, maternity homes, market, print and electronic media.
Also vital is the need to create awareness among people so that mothers, families and communities would accept the reality that initiation of breastfeeding from first hour of birth is crucial. Honey or gutti should not be provided to a newborn since this may cause infections and lack of appetite. Six months exclusive breastfeeding and then continue it till two years along with complementary food.
To advocate the cause of exclusive breastfeeding, a collective effort has been made for the first time in recent public health history. A ‘National Alliance for Promotion of Breastfeeding in Pakistan’ has been formed. About 14 national and international NGOs are members of the Alliance. The nutrition wing, ministry of health; Unicef and WHO are providing technical support to the Alliance.
DR TALIB LASHARI
Convener
National Alliance for
Promotion of Breastfeeding
Islamabad
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