| August 16, 2008 | Saturday | Sha'aban 13, 1429 |
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PMDC affairs
Selectors should be questioned
An irksome question
Pakistan and the Olympics
Leaving the ISI alone
No holiday, please
Aafia Siddiqui: US envoy’s version
Pledging optimism
Muslim role models and villains…
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
PRESIDENT Musharraf has done many things to hurt the interest of the country. The public opinion on his fate is almost unanimous: he should go.
Pakistan’s history tells us that letting the dictators go unpunished for their crimes against the state and the people has not deterred the Bonapartists and adventurers to strike again in the darkness.
Z.A. Bhutto did not try the generals, as he was recommended to do by the Hamoodur Rahman Commission. He faced two coup attempts within the first couple of years and then the third fatal one on July 5, 1977. Why? The generals were sure nobody could touch them.
Democracy cannot exist without accountability. It cannot be built on a sham reconciliation; reconciliation with those who showed a contemptuous disregard for the people of this country.
What right anybody has got to provide a safe passage to someone who committed crimes against the people, including handing over hundreds of Pakistanis to the US without due process of law.
Mr Musharraf represents the mindset of those arrogant generals who consider themselves a special breed that is above any law. This breed was responsible for the ignominious surrender on Dec 16, 1971 and the breakup of Pakistan.
Its ugliest face, Ziaul Haq, was responsible for the murder of Pakistan’s first-ever elected prime minister and turning Pakistan into a CIA base and one of the biggest hubs of narcotics and arms trafficking in the world.
It was another general, Aslam Beg, who sabotaged democracy by supporting the IJI. His ISI chief Hameed Gul had little idea — and still does not — that by supporting the so-called ‘jihadis’, many of whom have been tools of suicidal raw power games conducted in the name of ‘national security’ and strategic depth, his likes created Frankenstein who instead of undermining the neighbouring ‘enemies’ threaten the very future of Pakistan itself.
Mr Musharraf was and is part of that reckless and dangerous stupidity called the strategic depth. What we have got is a failing state that is a haven for terrorists, drugs and arms traffickers.
Pakistan cannot repair these deep wounds by pretending that there is nothing wrong or that Musharraf got some bad advice or made some mistakes.
The malaise is cancerous, deep, and may prove fatal. It needs a surgical operation and the operation must start at the top.
It must start with not just impeachment but with an open trial by a judicial commission that should consist of only non-PCO judges. It will need to be followed by a healing process but healing does not and cannot start before an operation.
YOUSUF NAZAR
Karachi
(II)
IMPEACHMENT of President Musharraf is a hot topic in every nook and corner of the country. Many politicians and intellectuals have been commenting on avoiding impeachment but I strongly support this move.
The Constitution of this country allows it, then why should we think that it will weaken the country? Ironically enough, this action may stabilise a country that calls itself a democracy.
Many rulers and generals in Pakistan have grabbed power by dirty and cheap means, and enjoyed and exploited power and humiliated elected democratic governments. Now this is time for a general to pay for their deeds and this is going to happen for the first time in our history.
We all being Pakistanis should support this process.
Let the move be part of a historical decision and strengthen the democratic government. After this, an unelected person will think twice about the consequences before toppling any democratic government.
KHADIM SOOMRO
Dadu
(III)
PRESIDENT Musharraf in his address to the nation on October 19, 1999 announced his vision and gave the nation the following seven-point agenda:
1. Rebuild national confidence and morale.
2. Strengthen the federation, remove inter-provincial disharmony and restore national cohesion.
3. Revive the economy and restore investor confidence.
4. Ensure law and order and dispense speedy justice.
5. Depoliticise state institutions.
6. Devolution of power to the grassroots’ level.
7. Ensure swift and across-the-board accountability.
After the passage of almost a decade, the people must analyse and evaluate the above seven points and decide whether the president should go or continue in office.
NAZIM F. HAJI
Karachi
THIS is apropos of S. Baqar Askary’s response (Aug 12) to your editorial, ‘PMDC needs to wake up’ (Aug 4). Mr Askary has been occupying the PMDC Sindh seat for the last 13 years without any election.
Without going into the details, I only appeal (without hope) that the government should accept the following recommendations of the Senate standing committee on health regarding the PMDC, chaired by Senator Roshan Bharocha on Dec 26, 2005:
1. An immediate freeze in the establishment of any medical college in public or private sector should be enforced until the existing deficiencies are correct (before Dec 26, 2005).
2. All medical colleges working without NOC from the PMDC (before December 2005) must be immediate closed.
3. All existing medical colleges provisionally recognised must have a financial commitment and ownership in the teaching hospital within the campus of medical college within a period of two years.
4. Current practice of provisional recognition of medical college beyond the five years period is undesirable and unfair.
5. The PMDC should have representation of private medical colleges.
6. The medical colleges’ academic year must be brought in uniformity in both public and private medical colleges and the commencement of classes should be on the same calendar cycle.
7. The entry test for admission to medical colleges should be conducted at the same time in private and public medical colleges in all provinces of Pakistan.
8. All graduate medical doctors must qualify the national registration licensing examination conducted at least twice a year by the PMDC before granting registration to them.
9. No member of the PMDC should have any conflict of interest of ownership in private medical colleges.
10. A fresh legislation/ordinance is required to empower the PMDC as an autonomous regulatory body to enforce and implement its decisions in a transparent manner upholding the higher medical education and practising standard.
11. Medical teaching faculty deficiencies can be addressed by the rationalisation of the faculty requirement for basic and clinical sciences.
The medical education in public and private sectors is facing a serious crisis. Except for the Aga Khan Medical College and Armed Forces Medical College, Rawalpindi, no medical college in the country is functioning as per the international standards. We are producing glorified MBBS quacks at the cost of health of poor people for the benefit of owners of private medical colleges and vested interest group in the public sector.
SHERSHAH SYED
Elected Member of PMDC, Sindh
Karachi
RECENTLY our selection committee announced the team for ICC Championship but unfortunately ignored the best batsman and highest scorer of the Quaid-i-Azam trophy, Nomanullah.
Omission of young dynamic player Fawad Alam is also unfortunate. Fawad Alam was part of the Pakistan one-day team. In the last one-day series with India, he won the last match for us.
Khurrum Manzoor also had been ignored. He played a single one-day match for Pakistan and scored 50 runs, not out. He is still out of the team.
Once again wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal is back in the team. He was out from the team due to his bad performance. Recently he played IPL and his performance was once again unsatisfactory.
I wonder what is the criterion for selectors to bring people like him back?
Other victims of the selection committee are Yasir Hamid, Anwar Ali and Sohail Khan who also performed well in domestic cricket.
Anwar Ali is the hero of the under-19 World Cup winning team.
He never got a chance. Sohail Khan is the highest wicket taker in the Quaid-i-Azam trophy matches.
I remember when the new selection committee resumed its current responsibilities, chief selector Salahuddin said in his televised interview: “In future everything will be based on merit.
The best performer of domestic cricket will be in the team.”
Now the question is where are the best batsmen and highest wicket takers in the Quaid’s trophy?
Why has Kamran Akmal come back in the team despite showing an unsatisfactory performance?
The selectors should be questioned.
DAWAR NAQVI
United States
REFERRING to Robert Fisk’s article, ‘Israel will have it easy, no matter who wins in US’ (Aug 2), the study of US Israel relationship leaves no choice for us but to agree with him that it is not going to make the slightest difference to the Arabs if Barack Obama or John McCain wins, Israel will be the beneficiary.
It may sound less believable to some people, but to others for whom Fisk writes, it is credible. His arguments have weight.
He says that ‘no sooner is he (the presidential candidate) elected than he will be enmeshed in the Middle East tragedy and be forced to take sides — Israel’s, of course — and then it will be time for the next election so that president’s hands will be tied again and he’ll be talking about Israel’s security (rather than Palestinian security) and we’ll be back to the same old itinerary.
Fisk is telling the truth. Don’t worry, neither Israel nor US would raise an eyebrow.
Talking of Israel and the US, some people inexorably think of India — which brings me to Pakistan equally inevitably. Pakistan and Israel are the USA’s closest allies, both are major non-Nato allies; both are serving US interests in their respective regions. Both receive a hefty US aid annually.
For Tel Aviv, the aid begain to climb to the generous level after its Ramazan War (or Yom Kippur War) of 1973 with Arabs; and for Islamabad the liberal level came when it joined the coalition force to fight the ‘war on terror’ since 2001.
Despite this close relationship with Islamabad, theUS has stabbed Pakistan in the back by offering nuclear deal to India — the arch rival of Pakistan. There are people who watch Arab Israel enmity and Pakistan India rivalry.
Those people and I included may want to ask this irksome question: “Would the US offer such nuclear deal to Egypt or Syria?”
A PAKISTANI
Karachi
SINCE our Olympic debut in 1948, we have managed to win only three gold, three silver and four bronze medals.
I am sure Pakistani sports fans are concerned at the poor return of medals; and at the same time I’d like to know what the sports ministry is doing to improve our performance at international meets such as the Olympics.
Pakistan is not a small country: we are a nation of over 165 million.
Yet we are sending just a hatful of athletes to represent our country at the Olympics.
Look at Serbia, with a population of just 10 million. It is not in a better shape than Pakistan, it was involved in two serious military conflicts over the last 15 years.
Yet its medal record is ten times better than us: Serbians have won 92 medals in total.
Our government should realise that Pakistan’s image in the world has not been positive.
The Olympics is one such stage where Pakistan can really build its image, and, through sporting excellence, also make the nation proud.
YASIR ANZAR
United States
THE Quaid-i-Azam was a statesman and visionary. Among his decisions, two stand out: the inception of the ISI and keeping the tribal belt as a buffer zone. Today, both are under attack.
It was the founder leader who visualised the ISI to have an army outfit under the control of the prime minister. In this way, he wanted to keep a link between a disciplined army team and a civilian setup.
Another visionary, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, modified it by setting up a political wing in its structure.
It could have worked well had it not been for a few power-hungry generals supported by a few greedy politicians who disturbed the equilibrium for their personal gains.
Nevertheless, the ISI turned into one of the most capable professional networks in the world carrying equal weight vis-à-vis its counterparts in India, Israel, Britain and America.
Rajiv Gandhi once desired to have an effective intelligence agency like the ISI for India. This became an irritant point for India and for that matter Israel.
After 9/11 and the increased activities in our neighbouring country, Afghanistan, America joined the two countries by campaigning against it through Karzai and its army operators.
Unfortunately, a few shortsighted ‘wizards’ from within the country supported the campaign and started ‘pushing and pulling’ the institution in a mudslinging game.
But the ISI has the potential to accept such challenges and react in the most effective way. The latest being the well-known notification, when someone tried to bring it under the control of the interior ministry.
People started pointing fingers in a specific direction, but it is possible that the ISI being a mature and time-tested player played a shrewd game.
It let and even convinced the tactless managers of the government to show the Americans that they have brought the institution to its knees.
And at the eleventh hour during the most crucial time of the prime minister’s visit to the US, it pulled the rug under their feet, sending a strong message to the Americans to leave the ISI alone.
Nobody can touch it; not the Americans; not the Indians; not the thoughtless irritants within the country; and definitely not that stooge-like figure, Karzai.
DR GHAYUR AYUB
London
THIS is apropos of Tauqir Ghani’s letter, ‘Dead mountaineers’ (Aug 10). It is really sad to hear about the death of the mountaineers.
No doubt this was really a brave act of climbing the world’s highest peak.
However, setting a day of mourning for them is not an appropriate suggestion.
We are already confronted with too many off-days and holidays owing to the conditions of our country.
We no doubt honour them, but suggesting a day off from far away is not justice to us citizens.
SADAF SAAD
Karachi
WE at the US embassy, Islamabad, have read with increasing concern a number of erroneous and irresponsible media reports regarding the arrest of Aafia Siddiqui.
We commend the majority of Pakistani journalists for their accurate and balanced reporting and overall professionalism. Sadly, however, a few have allowed rumour, innuendo, and grossly unsubstantiated allegations to dominate their coverage.
Unfortunately, there are some who have an interest in simply distorting the facts in an effort to manipulate and inflame public opinion.
The truth is never served by sensationalism; we believe your readers, as fair-minded and critical thinkers, deserve better.
Therefore, it’s high time that we set the record straight.
— Allegations that Ms Siddiqui has been in custody at the Bagram Theatre Internment Facility in Afghanistan are completely erroneous.
— Ms Siddiqui was not in the custody of the United States — either at Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base or anywhere else — at any time prior to her detention by Afghan police on July 17, 2008.
— The United States did not have knowledge of her whereabouts until she was detained by Afghan police on July 17, 2008.
— Ms Siddiqui is accused of seizing a weapon and firing – unprovoked — on US personnel during questioning.
— She sustained non-life threatening injuries, received prompt medical attention, and is expected to fully recover. At no time was Ms Siddiqui mistreated or abused in any manner whatsoever.
— There was absolutely no reward or ‘bounty’ paid by the United States for the capture of Ms Siddiqui.
— The United States has no definitive knowledge as to the whereabouts of Ms Siddiqui’s children.
— While in the custody of the United States, consular authorities of the government of Pakistan have standard consular access to her under the terms of the Vienna Convention. Pakistani embassy officials visited Ms Siddiqui on Aug 9.
— Upon her arrival in the United States, a criminal action was initiated against Ms Siddiqui. She is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the southern district of New York with one count of attempting to kill United States officers and employees and one count of assaulting United States officers and employees. If convicted, Ms Siddiqui faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on each charge.
— The US justice system is based on the abiding principle that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
— Ms Siddiqui will receive a fair and public trial and will be afforded every opportunity to present her defence.
We would encourage your readers to remain open-minded but sceptical of these current – and any future — sensational allegations that have no basis in fact.
ANNE W. PATTERSON
US Ambassador to Pakistan
Islamabad
WE have just celebrated our Independence Day. On the day and earlier the sight of small children buying flags and badges brought tears to my eyes.
Despite such despotism today, I realised that even after 61 years of independence the spirit of patriotism is still fresh in the hearts and memories of people.
We tend to hear and share many negative things about our government and country but on this particular day (Aug 14) we forget about all those things and happily sing songs of independence.
The common man is suffering from inflation which is why he vents his anger but from now onwards I am going to make a change in my life.
I’ll try my best not to curse anyone for my failures and lead my life without lavish expenditure and luxuries.
Let us all stand united again and save our country from physical and moral destruction.
ALIYA MASROOR
Via email
JAWED Naqvi’s article, ‘Muslim role models and villains are a matter of convenience’ (Aug 11), was interesting and one-part of story of India. I would like to tell the other part.
While there are places like Phulpur in UP without a phone and electricity, there are cities in Maharashtra state like Pune where the number of landline phones are more than the total number of phones in the whole state of Bihar.
Economic growth in India has been highly lopsided, being concentrated only in a few cities.
Hindi heartland, in general, and UP/Bihar, in particular, have conspicuously failed in matters of development and law and order.
This is the legacy of Nehru. He talked and toured a lot but did not want industry to flourish freely and welfare to reach the masses.
He controlled economy through a licence and permit raj, keeping millions poor and illiterate to understand that the government owes responsibility to the people.
Radio was government-owned and the press was effectively controlled by the government by its huge advertisement funds.
He shrewdly manoeuvered things so he could rule till death.
There was no question of people asking for an alternative to him for they were so enslaved that during his life time people began to worry ‘After Nehru Who?’
The dominant picture of Nehru from documentaries of films division and newspaper photographs has been ‘handsome and smiling’ Nehru waving and boarding a plane to one of his countless trips abroad.
The late Nehru must have logged more number of flying hours than a professional pilot, flying to foreign destinations. However, there is no international airport in his native state of UP or in any of the above populous Hindi states even today.
This region, known as the cow-belt region, has given maximum number of PMs on the basis of brute numbers and requires tight military security to hold elections.
Despite holding important ministries and appropriating huge welfare and development funds for the two states, millions in beggary from these states make a beeline to other states, particularly to Maharashtra state, for educational, work, job, business and other opportunities.
After ‘liberalisation and globalisation’ in 1990, the management of the country has been handed over to corporates, cartels and builder mafia who launder money in a few cities with good infrastructure and good law and order.
Politicians and bureaucrats have a nice time pocketing huge commissions for issuing permits and indulging in mega scams using scapegoats like Harshad Mehta and Telgi.
While Phulpur is lifeless and deserted, millions of migrants from UP/Bihar crowd into Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nasik and Nagpur, illegally occupying huge open spaces and roadsides for living and hawking.
The overcrowding has irreversibly ruined the town planning, beauty, environment, order and identity of many cities in Maharashtra state.
Why should Maharashtrians suffer for the failings of rogue states like UP and Bihar?
S.V.PHADNIS
India
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