| August 19, 2008 | Tuesday | Sha'aban 16, 1429 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Tribal people’s problems
Who are these Shariah-mongers?
Strict visa regulations
Celebrating with fire crackers
Violating cabinet decision
Nusrat Bhutto?
In memoriam
Role of religious parties
Darkness vs light
Bewildered and tired ‘democracy’
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
After all General Pervez Musharraf has now bowed down before the people’s decision. It is a victory for the people of Pakistan. Pakistani nation needs to be united to get rid from all the barbaric and ill- policies of the out-going dictator.
If present policies are not changed, it is useless whether Musharraf was there or not. People need to breathe now.
ASHRAF SIDDIQUI
Doha, Qatar
(II)
Dispassionately considering the state of affairs prevailing in Pakistan now, it is frightening to think of the scenario post Musharraf’s resignation. The coalition politics are the same every where. What reason has Nawaz Sharif, an ambitious politician, to stick to the ruling coalition after the removal of President Musharraf and reinstatement of dismissed judges?
Break up of the coalition is certainly going to plunge Pakistan into an abyss, the repercussions whereof will be felt all over the world but more so in its neighbourhood.
The conduct of unbridled Al Qaeda, Taliban, terrorists, fundamentalists, Jihadis and Mujahideen, besides selfish politicians, will create another fertile ground for the military to take over before Pakistan either plunges into civil strife or break up. It appears that the fate of Pakistan is destined in shared tenures between civil and military rule.
COL. (RETD) RAM GULRAJANI
Chennai
(III)
True to form, Musharraf’s resignation speech was graceless and self-serving. It was notable for its omissions:
1. No mention of Lal Masjid;
2. No mention of emergency;
3. No mention of deposed judges;
4. No mention of rigging of elections at al levels up to 2007; and, finally
5. No mention of the USA.
ASAF ALI SHAH
Lahore
(IV)
History is under making. Musharraf decided to leave and resign. Most of people are happy over his departure but he also gets votes of sympathy from his last speech.
May God bless Pakistan.
HASAN SHABBIR
Via email|
(V)
It is too depressing to watch this man go. Pakistan has structural programs when it comes to the economy; these won’t get resolved overnight. This was the first man at the helm of affairs who began to do something about it, and about internal security. These are the two things that mattered most to me as a Pakistani. I decided to return home 18 years ago when I graduated from college in the USA, literally two days after my last semester. I had hoped to make a difference. It did not happen.
Now, with Musharraf gone, there appears little to no hope of any repsite for this country. Like many who have already left, I am going to leave within a month. Just can’t hack it anymore.
FAHEEM
Via email
(VI)
The hot topic of discussion in every social gathering about Pervez Musharraf’s future innundates newspapers which are also full of news items and readers’ letters. Supporters of the resignation have brainwashed people in their favour, vociferously demanding for Musharraf to be punished to deter generals from grabbing power and sabotaging democracy in future times.
I am neither a supporter of Musharraf nor of Zardari or Nawaz. I belong to a very small group of people who are not carried away by the hype created by Nawaz Sharif and his PML(N) cohorts, but try to analyze the problem calmly and without bias.
First of all, I would like to point out that none of the generals, right from Ayub down to Musharraf, grabbed power on their own. They were all insisted, lured and tempted by the civilians. Ayub was invited by Iskandar Mirza, Zia by the politicians agitating against Bhutto and Musharraf as a consequence of Nawaz Sharif’s misadventure of trying to hijack and crash the plane just to kill Musharraf.
Truly speaking, the coup was not carried out by Musharraf but by the then Corps Commander of Rawalpindi when Musharraf was in the plane, praying for his own and the rest of the passengers’ safe landing. I ask the opponents of Musharraf, and Pakistanis at large, to ponder honestly, without prejudice and bias, whether Nawaz Sharif is himself not guilty of a very serious crime that would have resulted in death of about two hundred passengers travelling on that plane, just to kill and get rid of Musharraf.
In fact the two main players in this drama, crying hoarse for the blood of Musharraf, are themselves guilty of much more serious crimes than any by Musharraf.
In fact, the main objective behind Musharraf’s resignation is neither to strengthen democracy, nor to benefit the people of Pakistan. It is being done as a personal vengeance for the ignominy he had to suffer of his own misdeed. The impeachment, trial or punishment, instead of doing any good to the people of Pakistan and strengthening democracy, will only introduce a new evil of vendetta to the politics of Pakistan. And the people and democracy will continue to suffer as now, may be more.
It will not be out of place to mention what, over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ (A.S.) had said something to the effect that “let him throw the first stone who has never committed a sin”.
S NAQI HASAN
Lahore
(VII)
In his last address to the nation as President, Pervez Musharraf particularly mentioned a sharp decline in the value of Rupee and that of the Stock Exchange 100 Index since the new coalition government took over.
However, we witnessed just the opposite reaction as, with the announcement of his resignation, the Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index jumped by 460 points and the value of Rupee jumped by 1.20. It goes to prove that the adverse affect on the country’s economy that was seen in the past few months was due to Pervez Musharraf who refused to step down and let the new coalition government function freely.
There is a lesson for the new government also, who have to deliver to the nation what all that was promised by them in their respective election manifestos, particularly what has been promised by them recently.
The next important announcement that should come from the coalition government should be the restoration of the judges who refused to take oath under the CPO.
ABDUL QAYUM KHAN
Karachi
Is the military operation in the tribal areas right or wrong? Should the Army respond to these militants, and will this military operation prove successful or not? Though everyone is talking about these things, no one is looking at the sufferings and the difficulties that the people of Swat and the tribal areas are facing.
Curfew and other kinds of restrictions are constantly adding to their difficulties. They experience a shortage of food and other edibles. They also feel hesitant in sending their children to schools because of the threats by militants. A valley that was famous for its natural beauty has now turned into terror. Tourism is no more possible due to which businesses of these tribal people are badly affected. They, in search of better opportunities, have started migrating to safer places which is also leading them to facing settlement problems in their own country.
Who will solve their problems? Who will provide the basic necessities to these families whose bread earners were either killed by terrorists or kept hostage by Fazlullah’s men? Who will support them? Who will establish the writ of the government? Obviously our security forces are meant to fulfill this responsibility. After many talks, the government had been left with no option but to launch the military operation. It is upon the people of Pakistan to support the NWFP government, Center and the security forces so that they eliminate the menace of terrorism once and for all and return Swat to being a place of peace, tranquility and harmony.
At the same time it is upon the government to rehabilitate the uprooted people and restore their businesses as early as possible.
HINA ABID
Faisalabad
AS a citizen of this area (Swat) I have been facing a lot of difficulties due to the current military operation against the militants. As a student of University, I can not get the required education freely.
The opportunity of progressing and building up my knowledge are very dark. I as a woman today can not step out of my house. Recently militants have torched four schoolgirls in Swat. Just the thought of this makes me shiver.
How can someone do such a horrible and torching thing to small little schoolgirls? Was this torch their fate? No! This was not their fate; it was an act of total ignorance of the bunch of some extremists and fundamentalists. I ask one question from these militants: are they really Muslims?
Islam never taught us to torch small innocent children. This is not what Islam teaches us. When Allah Himself says through the Holy Quran that education is for everyone. When Allah Almighty has not restricted education just to boys or men, then who are these militants to question Allah, who are they?
I would like to tell these fundamentalist to first read the Holy Quran very, very carefully and understand its teachings, then come on the streets to hold the flag of Islam. Islam is the most liberal religion. This bunch of extremists has read the Holy Quran but they have only read and not understood the true meaning of the teaching.
Coming towards the government which is carrying the military operation in Swat, I ask them as to why they hadn’t stopped the militants earlier. Why all of a sudden have they taken this action? If the government had acted on time, things would have been much better. Why didn’t the government keep a strict security check on the western border?
Today these militants are living in Pakistan as if they own the whole country, and their rules are the only rules. They are the only sovereign rulers of our country. They have this much courage that they can threaten us anytime they want.
This military operation which the government has launched in Swat is failing miserably and we are gaining nothing but bloodshed.
Almost every day bodies of soldiers are brought from Swat. I would urge the government to give us back our peace and tranquility.
QANETA NOOR
Peshawar
THERE were times when all and sundry were welcome in the UAE. There was a sense of Arabian hospitality to every sponsor’s job induction. Well-being and safety of each and every individual would be ensured.
The present time is another era. Those who had built the UAE, and made it into an abode are no longer welcome. The administration wants to replace the hard-working souls of the subcontinent with the western expatriates.
Today, conditions after conditions are imposed on the poor expatriates making their stay unbearable so that they may leave the country.
The new condition of having an abode proper to the proportion of the family visa applied should make the present administration ask a question unto themselves as to why after so many years in the UAE as a worker the expatriate was unable to provide a reasonable accommodation for his family?
Was it not the responsibility of the government to give a home to the worker after he had put his whole life to the service of that country? Or why couldn’t he earn as much as to provide a reasonable accommodation to the standards sought by DNRD?
This is for the UAE administration to give an answer to the expatriates, and not the other way round.
DAWOODI MORKAS
Karachi
This is with reference to the news item, “Crackers boom and bang despite ban” (August 18).
I totally disagree with the illegal use of crackers in the city at religious celebrations. The moment I began my prayers, one cracker almost gave me a heart attack.
Again when I was about to recite Quran, there was such a loud blast that I switched on the TV to see if another bomb had hit the city.
The whole city was engulfed in the horror of the deafening noise of the notorious source of entertainment. Regardless of the armed police vans apparently on the rounds, these kids were not deterred or afraid of being caught and were delighted to make others’ life miserable.
Parents should make children aware of the importance of the day of Shab-Barat and impel their children to refrain from partaking in these activities. The Government should also strictly charge a heavy amount on the sale and purchase of fire crackers. If we cannot do anything about suicide bombs being committed in the city, we should at least put a ban on these crackers. Not only should they be strictly prohibited at such religious nights, they should also be banned in weddings, mehndis etc.
I appeal to all those who make it and use it to kindly spend their money and energy in something meaningful. We need to build this nation rather than explode it. Politicians are already destroying it, we should refrain from it.
RUMAISA BILAL
Karachi
In the aftermath of popularly voted government, administration of Sindh has indulged in many violations of directives issued by the executive authority.
One such directive which was carried out more in violation was the Provincial Cabinet’s decision to undo the wrong perpetrated by the preceding administration; posting officers on own pay and scale against senior positions.
This well meaning decision was circulated; vide Services and General Administration and Coordination Department (Service Wing) in May 2008.
According to the decision, Secretaries were directed to revert all those officials, working under their administrative control, who were officiating on OPS against higher posts. Till the posting of appropriate officers, the posts falling vacant as a result of above decision were to be filled by the officials of the same grade as additional charge.
Unfortunately, despite Cabinet’s decision, fresh posting orders on OPS are being issued regularly from the Services Department in violation of the above decision bestowing top positions to the most juniors although eligible senior-ranking officers are waiting for postings.
This has not only become a source of heartburn amongst the seniors but in the long run will obviously defame the government of nepotism and as a consequence suffer from incompetence and inefficiency of the ineligible lot.
I agree with Shafqat Hussain Qureshi “OPS- A source of nepotism” (May 29) that policies of favoritism and partiality have not only remained unchanged but are being institutionalized in contravention of its own decision.
The Chief Minster Sindh, who heads the provincial setup, has to make certain that decisions taken by the Cabinet are followed by the subordinate offices in letter and spirit.
Not only those who are allowed OPS postings need to be immediately reverted back to their original seats but disciplinary action needs to be initiated against those administrative heads who have flouted clear-cut decisions of the Provincial Cabinet.
BADAR JATOI
Canada
Where is the soul of our grandstanding media that claims to support and agitate all the noble causes? Put Islam behind. It is an old something that has long lost its shine for our modernists. But where is humanity?
That is something that even ultra-liberals and ultra-secularists subscribe to. This most unfortunate woman has lost her husband, two sons and one daughter. She is kept in forced confinement, prevented from meeting the offspring of her two sons - Fatima, Sassi and Zulfikar Jr. But there is never even a sigh or a whisper from the champions of justice or a word from our investigative journalists.
S.G. JILANEE
Karachi
RAFI Soomro, deputy postmaster general, Karachi, passed away on August 6. October 22, 1985 seems only yesterday that Rafi and I joined the Civil Services Academy in Lahore.
We were placed in the same syndicate and housed as neighbours on the same floor of ‘Mess Block’.
Rafi’s vintage Toyota became the Academy’s limousine, and took care of all and sundry. His sense of humour became famous and it was seldom that his presence did not evoke a smile. Many became victim to his contagious leg pulling: Nazir Tunio, lqbal Bablani, Imad Shaikh and Farhat would give testimony to this.
I last met him at a reunion of 13th Common Training Programme Batch a couple of months back in Karachi. He had not changed a bit.
The wit was razor sharp and his presence was enough to bring many nostalgic moments.
Little did I know that I would not see this smiling face again. I am sure he would bring a smile where he has gone.
May God rest his soul in peace. Ameen.
NAVEED KAMRAN BALOCH
Project director,
National Programme for
Improvement of Watercourses,
CM’s Secretariat, Karachi
In ‘Silence of religious parties’, by M.K. Naqvi (August 18) shows strong support of Naseer Khan’s ‘ignorance takes a front seat’ but I want to ask Mr. Naqvi three questions.
1) If politics has been made a bad game, why blame religion that has never suggested politics to become that.
2) Why not correct politics in the light of Islam and accept that our Creator has not left us confused or misguided in any sense.
3) Why deny the hands behind the operations taking place in Swat, Waziristan etc. Was the Pakistani nation taken into confidence before saying ‘Yes’ to the American phone call?
HASSAN SIDDIQUI
Via email
DARKNESS cannot drive out darkness; only light can. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
Military operations carried out in Fata and Swat to eradicate militancy in the so-called war against terrorism would result in peace as envisaged by our regime.
Now the question is how long this military operation would take to restore peace and win war against terrorism, unless not a single soul is left alive in Fata and Swat.
On the other end, gradual removal of subsidies and nightmarish increase in inflation percentages of essential commodities have brought anxiety among folks.
Lack of concern shown by military-cum democratic regime over skyrocketing prices only leads the nation into a superfluous frustration.
But, the people of Pakistan are obedient enough and will wait for restoration of peace, way out from the loadshedding crisis, wheat crisis and last but not the least existential crisis.
SYED IRTAZA ARIF
Lahore
While participating in a TV discussion on a local TV channel concerning the current state of affairs obtaining in our country, Ms. Kashmala Tariq, one of our more prominent lawmakers, in her characteristically bristle, yet refreshingly objective assertions tellingly put the other participants – largely representing the two major political parties stalking the corridors of power in Islamabad – on the defensive when she broadly hinted that not having democracy practised in their own parties is hardly helping them to build their respective images in the Westminster mould.
She unmistakably gave them the hint that merely chanting the mantra of democracy does not make it the panacea of all of our ills as they are making their vote-banks to believe, however thinking, captive or gullible. The message that she was trying to put across was that ‘charity begins at home’.
Come to think of it, despite the many doses of this verity of democracy received from our ‘benevolent’ colonial masters since the Minto-Morley reforms we have intractably remained riveted to its mirage-like analogue. There are many good reasons why this should be so; the most important being that our psyches, spanning the entire cross section of our society, still yearn to climb the feudal/tribal ladder which at the top is perceived, not entirely erroneously, to provide freedom of time and money so as to be able to add political power to one’s already carefree existence as well; but not without attracting the seething envy of the many, many less fortunate; some even struggling to arrange for two square meals in a day. The irony is that a few living such lifestyles of coarse opulence – it is reported that some have so much money that they proceed abroad to attend to frivolous things at the drop of a hat - label themselves socialists.
Indeed there is much pathology subsumed in this psyche. For one it craves for the anachronistic; secondly, it impedes the needed acceleration of the emergence of an effective middle class – the true custodians of western democracy. A middle class is the sine non qua of any democratic dispensation.
My serious study of these issues has brought me to the conclusion that a solution to our economic, political and social agony might lie in a conscious, sustained and immediate change of behavior at the very top and, concurrently too, in upper echelons of unbridled wealth and affluence to exemplify a much simpler lifestyle and at the same time promote the value of merit and merit alone in structuring society at all hierarchical levels.
This of course cannot be realized without taking statutory steps to provide equal opportunity to all, without distinction of class, colour, creed or gender to develop their potentials and be recognized as successful citizens in every respect.
Can we do this in a hurry, for we hardly have any time? The answer squarely rests in the court of Ms. Kashmala Tariq and her colleagues who adorn the stately chairs in the national assembly’s impressive hall.
I must venture to be presumptive here and suggest that the Westminster form of democracy is not compatible, if not anathema, to our culture, history and mental makeup. We should show the wisdom and courage to give it up despite resistance from the protagonists of anachronism.
We should critically look at the Jeffersonian model of a presidential structure. In this I am stoutly supported by the present day eminent Muslim thinker Muhammad Asad in his excellent treatise on the principles of state and government in Muslim societies (Berkeley).
M.J.AS’AD
Karachi
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.
