| September 04, 2008 | Thursday | Ramazan 3, 1429 |
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Invigorating agriculture sector
A retired General’s wisdom
Musharraf farmhouse: architect’s version
PPP’s ‘threat’ to Imran
Let us learn from history
Showing the way
WTO’s new strategy
Burying women alive
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
Democracy is possible in the third world if the organs of the state work according to their prescribed job, if the countries do not accept dictation from the west, if freedom of media is guaranteed, if rule of law prevails, if the concept of welfare state is practiced, if human rights and will of people are given importance and most importantly if personalization of politics and dictatorial rules are controlled.
Recently, Gyanendra Shah of Nepal, the descendant of a proud line of Shah kings going back to 240 years was forced out of office by a popular revolt. It was followed by an election, thus turning the country into a republic. Personalization plays an important role in the politics of third world countries and has become a hindrance in the path of true democracy in these countries.
India is the largest democracy in the world but its people’s hearts and minds have yet to capture true democratic spirit. It is undoubtedly a great revolution that it has given the right to vote to the lowest of the low and the poorest of the poor but the Indian society is still far from being equal in spirit. Gandhis and Nehrus of India have dominated Indian politics since her inception. Likewise in Pakistan Bhuttos, Mukhdooms, Murri and Chaudhrys have transferred their crowns to their next generation. Thus emergence of any new faces in Pakistan’s politics is always suppressed.
Similarly, in other third world countries, influential families have dominated the political system. In Sri Lanka, Bandaranaike family and in Indonesia, Sukarnoputri families have a key role in running the governments. Furthermore, dictatorial rule has also hampered the smooth flow of democracy in the third world. For instance, in Myanmar, a bunch of thuggish and incompetent army generals have been in charge for several years, while the lady whom the people look up to, Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, languishes in house detention.
Moreover, Pakistan has seen three martial laws and two emergency periods. Not even a single instance, has a true democratic government completed its full tenure. Thus, pure democracy has never prevailed in Pakistan too.
There are a number of reasons that become a hindrance in the way of true democracy. Apparently, it looks as if the west is facilitating the people’s will in these countries, however; this is not true. West for the sake of its own vested interest appoints puppets to run the governments. They give dictation to these puppet leaders and thus governments work against the desires of people. Therefore, sovereignty of these countries comes under question.
Moreover, the organs of state in these countries do not work properly as desired from them. Likewise, Pakistan has remained a victim of judicial and media crisis. Desires of the people have always been curbed in order to fulfill the interests of the elite. The capitalistic approach has made the rich richer and poor poorer. The concept of welfare state has been diminished. Thus, all these factors contribute to democratic incompetence.
Therefore, if the organs of the state work effectively, dictation from western powers is not accepted, freedom of media is guaranteed, the concept of welfare state is practised, human rights and the will of people are given importance and lastly the personalization influence in politics and the dictatorial rules are controlled, then there is no doubt that the third world countries will experience true democracy.
SYED JAWAD MUZAFFAR
Karachi
EVERY citizen, male or female, old or young, educated or uneducated, sane or even insane, is aware of the economic importance of the agricultural sector in Pakistan. It has remained the oldest single profession and occupation of an absolute majority of people in rural areas of Pakistan.
It has occupied a dominant place in the economic development, supplying major factors of production like land, labour and raw material for expansion of non-agricultural sectors.
It contributes the maximum to national income, about 25 per cent of GDP, engages about 70 per cent of labour force directly or indirectly, supplies raw materials to industries, provides wage-good (food) to people, supplies fodder to animals, expands market for industrial goods and agricultural exports, business and transport, communication. Last but not the least, it boosts infrastructural growth, source of revenue and savings, etc.
According to Professor Nurske, “There is not a sufficient market for manufactured goods in a country where peasants, farm labourers and their families, comprising typically two-thirds to four-fifths of the population, are poor enough to buy any factory products or anything in addition to the little they already buy. There is a lack of real purchasing power, reflecting the low productivity in agriculture’’.
In view of such a tremendous and inestimable contribution of this sector to the economy of Pakistan, our policymakers are enjoying a happy life occupying luxurious airconditioned offices in big towns and rendering only lip-service to the development of this sector.
Neglecting such an important and useful sector of our country is tantamount to courting death in the long run. It is because of negligent, apathetic and indolent attitude and the way of working and managing national affairs that Pakistan has been facing shortages in wheat, rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, etc.
This, in turn, has led to criminal activities and social ills. Unemployment, price hike, mismanagement, low writ of the government, injustice, lawlessness, fraudulent practices, etc, have assumed a serious proportion. There are no checks and balances.
Shame is not felt by policymakers as shortages and non-availability of fertilisers, original pesticides, quality seeds, lack of easy availability of credit, etc have pounded the poor.
What will happen in the coming years when there is further growth in the population, both by birth and migration from every corner of the country? Abrupt and frequent changes in the system of government has led to a state of uncertainty and instability in the country.
We should, therefore, be more sincere towards our national duties and avoid interference in the affairs of others and try to bring continuity and longevity to our long-term policies and good governance.
DR ALI AKBAR DHAKAN
Chairman
Sindh Development Foundation
Karachi
APROPOS of the editorial, ‘A retired General’s wisdom” (Sept 2), Lt-General Quli Khan was bypassed for the COAS post and we received the gift in the garb of Musharraf who in due course became a facilitator for Uncle Sam. Some say Quli was more prone to grandiosity than Musharraf. Quli Khan’s father Lt-General Habibullah Khattak was also ignored by General Ayub for the post of the army chief and we got an impuissant General Musa instead.
The 1965 War proved how incompetent Musa was for the job. Ayub married his son Gauhar to Habibullah’s daughter and put the family up in business. Surfing through the Net, I saw a snapshot of Bilal Musharraf (when Pa was Prez) in the company of a prince of Saudi Arabia with Pakistan ambassador in tow. It is all in the family.
The editorial (with a few exceptions) is quite questionable. Since Quli is under the anvil, I quote his interview given to a private TV channel a few years ago. He maintained that in 1971, India had not given them a chance to fight, which is far from true. They stealthily reached Dhaka in a fortnight through an intricate network of kucha roads and narrow ravines while our generals kept guarding the main roads and bridges. What did Quli Khan want? A wrestling match with Manek Shaw?
This certainly doubts his knowledge about warfare. That reminds me, to avoid a war course in Staff and Command College in Quetta, then Brigadier Zia-ul-Haq got himself posted out to Amman where from his Brigade Commander, he earned the remarks: “Unfit to be an officer in the Pakistan Army” which the wily Zia was able to get deleted from his records, courtesy Maj-General Gul Hassan (in GHQ) and President Yahya Khan.
I think these gentlemen should have restricted themselves to business and not politics. We have to go through the current phase without the benefit of such advisors.
ASLAM MINHAS
Karachi
A lot has been written in the foreign and local press lately about Gen Pervez Musharraf’s farmhouse in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad. Journalists have (mis)reported and commented on the plot, the house design, cost, size and any aspect of the house that would make news. There has been a debate whether he will be able to live in his farmhouse or not.
As the architect of this farmhouse, I would like to clarify some facts:
The farmhouse has a very modest and functional design with minimalist and simple finishes. It is anything but ostentatious or palatial. It is made in accordance with the bye-laws of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Last year there was a controversy about the Chak Shahzad farms, including Gen Musharraf’s plot. After Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was reinstated on 20th July, he took suo moto notice of the ‘violations’ of law, claiming that the farms were ‘allotted’ to the present owners for growing vegetables and were not meant for residential use. He sought to cancel all the 499 plots in Chak Shahzad.
None of these charges was correct and this move by Justice Chaudhry seemed nothing more than an attempt to settle personal scores with Gen Musharraf. The reality is that these plots had originally been allotted as compensation to those locals who were evicted from their properties in the 1970s and 80s when CDA was in the process of developing sectors in Islamabad. Most of these allottees eventually sold these farms at prevailing market rates. Later, CDA legalized construction of residences in Chak Shahzad.
Gen Musharraf bought his plot at market price and it was officially transferred in his name by CDA, which also stamped and approved the drawings for construction of the house according to their bye-laws. Reports by some journalists that he was allotted the plot “at a throwaway price” and that the construction is illegal are false and malicious.
There is nothing controversial about Gen Musharraf’s plot or the house. It has just been blown out of proportion by sensational reporters.
HAMMAD HUSAIN
Islamabad
These are my views against Qasim Zia’s use of language against our national hero. Imran Khan without any doubt is a national hero. Not only in sports, but also in social work has he given this nation many things to be proud of. Threatening such a person with such derogatory language shows the true colors of PPP leadership.
PPP calls itself a democratic party, but threatening someone means the PPP is giving the message to the whole nation that its leaders believe in resorting to use of force against political opponents.
Imran Khan was questioning about public money pardoned under NRO. Every Pakistani has the right to question as to why the money in question was pardoned without a trial. Qasim Zia had no right to threaten anyone for asking a legitimate question.
The way PPP co-chairperson withdrew from written agreements was astonishing. Another very serious question that now arises is the credibility of Asif Zardari who also has to take an oath in case he is elected as President of Pakistan. How can the Pakistani nation trust that he won’t go against his oath, when he cannot keep his words and he can simply retract by saying that agreements are not Quran or Hadiths.
IJAZ BUKHARI
Via email
(II)
The Peoples’ Party participated in the recent elections under the slogan, “we will change the system” and they are pretty much on course.
The system is changing and new lessons of democracy are being taught to the nation. In this regard, the most popular lesson is “the agreements are not Quran or Hadiths”. People are now getting concerned that oath for the post of President is also not Quran or Hadith and hence, on can guess that more revolutionary lessons are in the pipeline.
Another such lesson is taught to Imran Khan by Qasim Zia published in Dawn (August 26), threatening him to stop criticizing NRO, otherwise the PPP workers know how to stop such people. Imran Khan has committed a great sin by questioning about public money pardoned under NRO.
Now Imran Khan should take a leaf out of Zardari’s book by admitting that the agreement he made with millions of Tehreek-i-Insaaf well-wishers, for the rule and supremacy of justice in the country, is also not something from Quran or Hadith.
FAHAD SAEED
Germany
Nowadays, the issue of restoration of higher judiciary as it existed on November 02, 2007, is being discussed in every nook and corner of the country. In this context, people recall the episode of storming of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Islamabad on November 27, 1997, when the then C.J Mr. Sajjad Ali Shah was virtually sieved.
On receiving a heavy mandate in the elections of 1996 as per estimates of the PML-N, Mr. Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister felt very secure in his saddle. He removed the then former Chief of Staff General Jahangir Karamat and appointed in his place General Musharraf as COAS by surpassing quiet a few generals.
Similarly, he continued changing bigwigs in the administration, one by one, ultimately, the Chief Justice came over on an issue of contempt of court proceedings against the P.M. The P.M has stripped the President of his powers of dissolving the assemblies and dismissing the government under article 58-2(B) of the constitution. Thus, he made his position seemingly very secure, but man proposes God disposes.
At the desecration of the SC, every person of even the meanest intelligence was forecasting that the fallout of SC incident would definitely come. Though it came not very soon, but after about 22 months, trouble descended on Nawaz Sharif from the skies in the shape of General Pervez Musharraf, who on seizing power imposed emergency in country and became Chief Executive of the country after dismissing the government and dissolving the assembly. Nobody at that time could think that such upheaval would come about in such an unnatural and unprecedented manner.
Again, on March 09, 2007, President General Pervez Musharraf called CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to his office and urged upon him to resign or else face the reference against him in the Supreme Judicial Council. This he did in the presence of his many trusted Generals and aides as stated later by the C.J.
The C.J refused point blank and he was therefore immediately deposed. The fallout of Mr. Pervez Musharraf’s drastic action against the C.J came on July 20, 2007, when the full bench of Supreme Court restored the C.J to his original position.
General Pervez Musharraf did not rest even after so much setback but again, acting in the same way, he imposed emergency and deposed the C.J.P.
The process of downfall of Mr Pervez Musharraf in fact started on March 09, 2007, which culminated in the resignation of the Commando President on August 18. He is gone, while C.J Iftikhar Chaudhry is still there.
ABDUL GHAFOOR SOOMRO
Karachi
I want to congratulate the people of Swat for coming out in streets and registering their protest against the ongoing operation in their area. Well done Swatis. You have shown the way to the Pakistani nation.
I think it’s only the people of Pakistan who can stop this war. Let’s see when the people from other parts of Pakistan will raise their voice against this evil war. May Allah bless Pakistan.
ZAFAR IQBAL
Bahawalpur
WTO is an organisation formulated for the goodwill and betterment of all global vicinities. The current and present tumult in the organisation sounds nasty with respect to its pursuit of formation. Lack of consensus will always lead to disagreements.
Just like the human body craves for bread and butter, an organisation consciously demands consensus and earnest cooperation.
No doubt, national interest is the key peg of any country but global cooperation is the uppermost priority of every nation now. When industrialization was onset, the policy of protectionism was at verge. Big fish had captured colonies for flourishing their economy by expanding the circle of their markets. That was the new shape of colonization; on the basis of market pursuit, colonies were captured.
The policy of protectionism was applied and the big fish became bigger and bigger resulting in the revolution due to injustice to colonies; the capture of their goods inside the countries, i.e. their market was only the mother country.
By the analysis of the ongoing performance of WTO and the transforming attitudes of member countries, the policy of protectionism is going to be applied by the countries. Owing to most of the preferred agenda of keeping national interests, the protectionism movement of import and export is assumed to be on screen.
Free trade policy of WWII conflict resolution was the demand after 1945. All the powers had consensus for free trade, for the betterment of small fish and to halt the prospects of another world war due to mammoth destruction.
Now the thrust is again towards protectionism for the betterment of the country; the state has reached a decision to exercise safe hands for the nation rather than global people.
It is still not clear if the world will adopt a policy of protectionism at the state level or the situation will be different. Let’s see which way the wind blows.
NIDA SAEED
Millat Town, FSD
BURYING of women alive in Balochistan have been defended by Senator Zehri (Aug 29), declaring it to be a tribal custom and tradition.
Let me remind him of a few proud tribesmen more than 1400 years ago, proud of their lineage, customs and traditions. Though they excelled in poetry, they were adept at avenging their enemies and burying girls for whatever reasons which was tolerated in the society. When Islam came it struggled to remove many of those traditions.
After 1400 years, this cannot be allowed to happen considering that we are a Muslim state.
I have never been to Balochistan but I know that in Pakistan and many other parts of the world, issues can be resolved and cannot resort to burying girls.
KHURRAM SAEED
Peterborough, UK
(II)
This is in response to the news report, “Burying of women alive defended in senate” (August 30).
Whatever senator Mr. Israrullah Zehri had in mind is hard to decipher. According to him, “The killing of women for honour is a demand of the tribal traditions”. So women should be killed just because it’s a ‘demand’ of the tribal traditions? Bury them alive but make sure that the traditions live? That is enlightening indeed.
The senator should take the tradition a step further by volunteering to be buried alive himself. This will give him a slight idea of what a seemingly honourable tradition this is.
Why is this custom only meant for women who go against the tribal traditions? Will they bury alive a man as well if he goes against a tribal so-called tradition?
We, the people of Pakistan, have utmost respect for our tribal traditions unless they cross over to insanity. The senator, speaking from the most impious house of the country, has tried to prove just one thing: it’s not his fault. It’s us, the people, who make wrong choices.
From wherever this senator learned about right and wrong, is questionable...but he definitely missed some real crucial lectures in humanity.
AMNA AHMAD
Rawalpindi
(III)
The act of Balochistan Senator Sardar Israrullah Zehri defending the burial of teenage girls and women alive is indeed shameful.
The insane and inhumane act of burial carries one’s mind back to the dark days when girls were buried right after being born in the name of prestige and honor.
Then came the glorious Islam ending all such traditions of falsehood that used women for slavery, dance, public pleasure, music.
It had put an end to corruption, illegal use of power, killings, praising ‘Gods’ other than Allah Almighty and so on. Sadly, we are returning to those times again because we have forgotten the true values of Islam behind
HASSAN SIDDIQUI
Via email
(IV)
Nothing has surprised me more than the untenable statements passed by senator Israr ullah Zehri in the senate recently in connection with the five women buried alive in Balochistan for the so called ‘offence’ of marrying with their own will.
He became furious upon the speech of senator Yasmin Shah in which she criticized the government for showing apathy on the critical issue. He relentlessly defended the inhuman, cruel and brutal act as ageold illogical traditions.
He also warned that there is no need to discuss it in the House or to highlight it in media. Ironically, leaders like him always clamor for the rights of Balochis but when such human rights issues occur, they justify them to their own interest.
In my opinion, if such a tradition was rejected in the medieval ages, it must be renounced by the sensible educated class. It clearly shows that the whole edifice of rights for Balochis built by them for grabbing political mileage collapses instantly.
My questions are, whether such orthodox traditions should be preferred to humanity? Whether this was the Pakistan dreamt by the founder of the nation?
Whether we are in a position to show the world that we are peaceful as well as moderate people?
In fact such acts and statements from a politician of high stature will tarnish the image of Balochistan and Islam.
Therefore he must apologize for such irrational as well as irresponsible statements immediately for the sake of obviating severe criticism throughout the country and also for his own face saving.
MALIK JAVED IQBAL REHAN
Islamabad
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