| September 12, 2008 | Friday | Ramazan 11, 1429 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Inflation in Pakistan
Controlling noise pollution
A dismal state indeed
Ineffective oral vaccine
Cellphone mania
Concept of cleanliness and hygiene
Standard of research papers
Sindh PA website
An open letter to president
PPP on Kashmir issue
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 US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s interview to a TV channel (Dawn, Sept 6) and your editorial, ‘Deteriorating ties’ ( Sept 8).
Mr Obama has said: “So they’re using the (American) military aid … they’re preparing for a war against India.” In addition, he has alleged that the $10 billion that Pakistan received from the Bush administration since 9/11 has been ‘wasted,’ instead of being used to knock out the terrorists from their safe havens in Fata.
Also, as president he would authorise limited US military incursions into this country if important militant leaders are traced here. While his running mate Senator Joseph Biden, as well as the Republican candidate, and some senior Bush officials have already criticised Senator Obama for his remarks, one would like to offer some comments.
After his recent visit to Afghanistan, Mr Obama had greatly softened his tough stance towards Islamabad and there was the sense that he was rather disappointed by his meeting with Hamid Karzai.
A few days before that there had appeared some letters in Dawn, containing support and advice for the Illinois senator and exposing Mr Karzai’s unjustified lambasting of Pakistan. Perhaps these had been conveyed to Barack Obama by his foreign policy advisers and had a positive effect.
In that backdrop, it appears that his harsh new comments may be the result of some setbacks in the race for the White House and the majority’s perception that his rival John McCain, because of his tougher approach and military past, is more suited to fight the war against terror.
Be that as it may, a few things need to be pointed out to the Democratic nominee. First, Senator Joseph Biden and some of his colleagues had visited Pakistan and Afghanistan around Feb 18, when elections were held over here.
Following that, he had not only proposed the tripling of US civilian aid to Pakistan but also observed that the war against terror will have to be fought not in Iraq – as wrongly claimed by Bush – but in the area between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Even more tellingly, that it will be won less by bullets and more by dollars and determination.
Second, as far as India is concerned, Mr Obama should know that it has had a hostile attitude towards this country, which is only one-seventh its size, right from day one. So much so that Pakistan’s founder, Mr Jinnah, whose honesty nobody ever challenged, had to complain in a matter of months to the British prime minister that Indian leaders were trying to sabotage the country.
Apart from that, India had used the rebellion in East Pakistan in 1971 to train the insurgents and also launch a military attack that dismembered its neighbour. To empathise, he should consider this hypothetical scenario. If the USSR had somehow become so powerful as to help a sizable American group consisting of, say, the Afro-Americans, Latinos and the American-Indians to secede and form a separate country, wouldn’t the Americans have been extremely wary of Moscow to this day and ensured a powerful defence?
Despite our extremely painful experiences with India, it is a calumny to insinuate that Pakistan is preparing to go to war with India. Given the enormous problems being faced by us, nobody could be mad enough to even think of that. Mr Obama would surely be aware of how the present Aarmy chief, Gen Ashfaq Kayani, has been acting most sensibly by keeping the Army out of politics.
However, he may not be knowing that when Gen Kayani got promoted as COAS, even some senior Indian army officers had praised him by saying that they had been dealing with him in the past (probably when he was the DG, military operations) and had the opportunity of talking to him on the hot line. They had found him to be a very sensible person and a man of peace.
Given that, there is absolutely no danger that Pakistan would be thinking of embarking on such a suicidal venture. Therefore, the leaders and officials in the US should be more sensitive to Pakistan’s difficulties, it’s military leaderships’ inclination to promote peace and the Pakistani people’s desire to see an end to the strife in this region, get on with life and ensure a better future for themselves and their children.
K. CHAUDHRY
Karachi
THE inflation rate announced by the State Bank of Pakistan is 10 per cent but in reality it is more than 20 per cent. Every day we hear that prices are rising.
Such inflation leaves an adverse effect on the public. This situation also creates disequilibrium and dissatisfaction among people.
With meagre income and no sizable savings, people are not able to buy all basic necessities, goods and food items for their family members.
The price of food items is increasing day by day, such as the rate of pulses like ‘daal channa’ ranges from Rs55 to Rs75. ‘Daal mash’ costs Rs70 to Rs95 a kilo. And rice costs Rs100 to Rs120 for a kilo. Tea sells at Rs310 to Rs345.
Vegetables and fruits are also beyond the reach of the common man. Onion sells at Rs35 per kg, beans Rs100, tomatoes Rs60, grapes Rs120, apples Rs85 while meat is getting out of the reach of the people at large.
In Ramazan sellers increase their prices because demand of everything goes up. Inflation is due to deficit financing and excessive increase in money supply, which is a major cause of rising prices.
Population explosion, development expenditure, imported inflation, nationalisation, wage increases, climatic factors — as Pakistan’s economy heavily depends upon agriculture — profiteering, hoarding and artificial scarcity of goods, black money, concentrations of wealth and unproductive expenditure all these contribute to high prices. Our unstable political situation has also discouraged investment.
Due to inflation the value of our currency is decreasing. So, to check inflation, steps should be taken to control demand, and policies should be adopted to increase supply of goods and services.
Increase in output, control of money supply, absence of deficit financing, population control, control on smuggling, prevalence of peace, simple living, new sources of energy, price control, etc., need to be encouraged.
Fiscal measures like reducing deficit financing in the budget and collecting more and more taxes should be taken.
The government should make savings schemes, collect export and import duties and start utility stores where PASSCO is asked to provide goods at reasonable prices.
To control inflation, we should adopt such measures as can increase supply of goods and prove helpful in the long run.
FAIZA SULTANA
Via email
THIS is apropos of Haji Ashfaq’s letter, ‘Sepa and the pollution monster’ (Sept 7), and Amjad Iqbal’s letter, ‘Noise pollution’ (Sept 9). I fully agree with the two writers.
In fact, pollution of various kinds is present with high level in Pakistan.
Noise and air pollution is a very serious issue, particularly in Karachi.
It has been a demand of the PMA, Karachi, for many years that noise and air pollution should be controlled.
Even the Sindh High Court twice issued instructions in the last two years to this end but nothing has been done so far about the problem.
Noise pollution is increasing day by day in Karachi because of increasing number of vehicles, particularly buses, mini-buses and coaches, using hazardous pressure horn and emergency horn.
But the main culprit for noise pollution is the two-stroke rickshaw producing high-level of noise pollution in the atmosphere.
According to a survey conducted by the PMA, Karachi, in April 2007, it was found that a rickshaw engine produces sounds from 95db to 110db, which is very close to the noise produced by the engine of an aircraft, i.e. 120db to 140db.
Now one can easily understand the hazards posed to a person travelling in a rickshaw daily for at least one hour. More than 6,000 rickshaw drivers have symptoms of noise and air pollution.
The symptoms of noise pollution are impaired hearing, vertigo, headache, irritable loss of temperament, tension, high blood pressure mainly leading to cardiac problem.
Similarly, the symptoms of air pollution are nasal allergy, nasal obstruction, headache, sinusitis, sore throat, carcinoma of nose, throat and lungs, bronchitis, asthma, low IQ level, specially in young children, etc.
My request to the relevant authority is to ban the sale and installation of pressure horn in buses, minibuses, coaches, etc.
The two-stroke engine rickshaws should be gradually replaced with the ones having four-stroke engine.
Similarly, motorbike riders should not be allowed to manipulate the silencer of their motorcycles which creates high level noise pollution in the atmosphere.
We hope that the two months given by the Sindh High Court to the government to control the noise and air pollution may give some results.
DR S. M. QAISAR SAJJAD
Former PMA General Secretary
Karachi
YOUR editorial, ‘A dismal literacy rate’ (Sept 9), has rightly pointed out the lack of reforms in our education sector and the consequent abysmal literacy rate.
The much-extolled Millennium Development Goals of ensuring 100 per cent primary education seems far-fetched to say the least. Likewise, the ‘Parha Likha Punjab’ project, as envisaged by the Chaudhrys during power, failed to live up to its lofty epithet.
The primary education-centric policy is flawed in a country where less than three per cent GDP goes to the education sector.
Rather than siphoning off the meagre education budget to primary education, an equitable, if not more, amount should be dedicated to professional education.
Sporadic shifts in the education policy of successive governments result in a lack of streamlined, pragmatic and long-term education reform policies.
One cannot expect the smooth functioning of the education ministry with the minister for education leaving the stage one day and showing up the next.
In the mire over money, the ministry has cut funds to public sector universities by an alarming one-third all of a sudden.
When the possibility, though bleak, of public sector universities coming at par with private institutes seemed foreseeable, the authorities pulled the rug by cutting the much-needed government funding suddenly and drastically.
The credit crunch witnessed nowadays demands that the funding be increased to meet new project deadlines. Predictably enough, the brunt of this brazenness has to be borne out by the poor students and faculty.
So much for education reforms! Is anyone in the echelons of power listening?
M. JALAL AWAN
UET, Lahore
READING about the large-scale implementation of the oral polio vaccine programme year after year, I had always been under the impression that it is working well.
It is quite shocking to know that the ineffectiveness of the oral vaccine was well-known more than a decade ago to all those involved in the programme.
It is deplorable that they sidestepped the issue for want of profit or due to negligence.
What sense does it make to use big names for awareness programmes if the vaccine being used to eliminate polio does not have the intended efficacy?
Officials should switch over immediately and stop playing with the health of innocent people. Many of these cases have occurred in children who have received the oral polio vaccine.
The polio virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestine. It invades the nervous system and can cause permanent paralysis within hours. It can be fatal in some cases.
“Population density, poor living conditions and infections due to flood could be possible reasons for viral contraction.”
It points to the danger of interspecies transfer of material through vaccinations, organ transplants, etc., which could lead to new variants of AIDS as well as of other new diseases.
The government and civil society organisations should put in sincere and earnest efforts to end violence, create a secure environment, raise awareness of the people and make 100 per cent coverage in immunisation, if Pakistan has to be polio-free.
And the last but not the least: no matter how worried anybody is about diseases, one should remember one important thing — such vaccines do not prevent diseases, they make you sick.
SITWAT HASEEN
Karachi
IT is true that the introduction of these mobile gadgets has strengthened the communication system in Pakistan. However, quite unfortunately this invention is also being abused and sadly our student community is one of the abusers.
Parents have given cellphones to children as young as five or six years old. Also, nowadays it is difficult to imagine a teenager without a cellphone. Every student, no matter of school or university age, craves for latest model, expensive cellphones. Hence, it has become a matter of pride for young generation to own a cellphone.
This growing tradition is leading our society in the wrong direction. Children often become haughty if their parents are wealthy enough to fulfil their demands. Other less fortunate children develop complexes.
Especially the modern cellphones that have camera encourage young minds to create mischief, if adult supervision is not provided.
Cellphone companies are also contributing to the turmoil. They introduce packages which are alluring but at the same time detrimental to the mental and the physical health of children. Students spend endless hours day and night on their cellphones.
I appeal to all the parents to take this matter seriously. Schools must also discourage the extensive use of mobiles by students..
UROOJ JAFRI
Karachi
IN his well researched articles, ‘Squeaky clean’ and ‘Order of the bath’ (Dawn Magazine, Aug 31 and Sept 7) Dr Mubarak Ali has effectively dilated on personal cleanliness and hygiene practised by various ancient civilisations.
He is right when he says that things worsened in the western world with the advent of Christianity, which considered acts of cleansing and bathing against the purity of soul and a sign of sexual perversion.
Dr Ali has, however, failed to do justice with his thesis as while dilating on the practices of cleanliness throughout civilisations, he has made only passing references as regards cleanliness Muslims practised, such as he says:
“However, when the Crusaders went to Palestine to conquer the holy land and encountered the Arabs, who were very particular about cleanliness and washing their bodies”, and, “After fall of Andalusia some Muslim outwardly become Christian to save their lives but secretly continued to observer their previous religion rituals.
“However, to check on such activities church officials inspected certain people every Friday to check if they had taken a bath”.
It is Islam which gave cleanliness and personal hygiene topmost priority: a part of not only social life but a religious duty for every Muslim.
To perform prayers, a Muslim has to make ablution by washing the exposed parts of his body five times a day.
Even the mode of ablution has been defined in Surah (5:6): “O you who believe! When you intend to offer prayer, wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles.
“If you are in a state of Janaba (i.e. post-sexual relations), purify yourself (bathe your whole body)”.
In Islam, cleanliness and purification are not only usual requirements for the performance of worship, or when embracing Islam, (a new Muslim takes a full body shower when embracing Islam) but are part of a Muslim’s very faith.
In Surah (2:222) the Almighty said: “Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers etc.)”.
Whereas the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Cleanliness is other half of the faith.”
The Prophet, who even before his prophethood was known for his purity and truthfulness, by practising this lofty virtue all through his life became an epitome of hygiene and purity for the Muslims for all times to come.
With the spread of Islam wherever Muslims went, they carried with them this exalted social phenomenon right from the shores of Atlantic to India; from the deserts of Arabia to the Central Asian steppes.
The injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah regarding cleanliness and hygiene practised by Muslims were subsequently adopted by the European nations, as has been rightly stated by Dr Ali.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
THE other day I went through the Journal of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (JLUMHS), which is the official journal of one of the first and premier medical universities of Pakistan.
One was surprised to see the various research papers published in this journal. It is so painful to see how, in the name of research, our senior faculty members are tampering with research papers.
Recently the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences interviewed professors, associate and assistant professors for the various faculty positions.
Many of their own faculty members applied for higher posts but, according to the rules and regulations of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), they are required to have a certain number of research papers published in recognised journals.
Most of their faculty members were short of these papers. So they again advertised the various posts and in the meantime they printed two issues of their journal containing the so-called research papers of the entire faculty members who were short of the job requirements.
If someone looks at the contents, he will find interesting things like a surgeon has written articles on cirrhosis which is entirely the domain of gastroenterology.
In the same issues, many faculty members have even three research papers in one single journal.
All this was done just to complete the official requirement of the HEC and the PMDC so as their future appointment could not be challenged. Such substandard research publications make our image worse abroad.
I will request the chairman of the HEC, the vice-chancellor of LUMHS and other higher authorities to look into this matter so that we are not made a laughingstock.
HASAN MUSTUFA CELTIC
Republic of Ireland
ONE would like to know how much money the Sindh Assembly has spent in updating its website. Also, why did the Sindh government have to beg for foreign funding for doing such a simple thing?
Also, why are there so many errors in the website and how come it gives no email addresses of its members?
IKRAM ILLAHI
Karachi
I AM writing this letter to you with a hope re-kindled once again deep in a hidden corner of my head and heart that perhaps my entreaties might not go unheard this time and the tedious waiting, in which I have been put through, might be brought to an end.
I, a daughter of the most deprived and distressed province of Balochistan, where education level is too slim and girls’ education is a far-off cry and most of the people are deprived of basic amenities of life, succeeded in getting education with the hope that one day I would play my role in the economic activities of the country as a proud daughter of Balochistan.
To achieve my goal I tried to secure a respectable job during the second tenure of Benazir Bhutto’s government.
And, on the basis of my educational background, I was recruited as a management trainee with the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) in 1995.
That job meant a lot to me. But all my dreams were shattered when I, with thousands of young people belonging to Sindh and Balochistan who had been recruited during the same period, was sacked from service in 1997.
Mr President, it has been 10 years and 10 months that I have been running from pillar to post to get my service restored, but to no avail, though superior courts have also given a decision in our favour.
Please permit me to say that once again I see a ray of hope that this time I shall get justice and my services shall be restored.
Mr President, your intervention in the matter and a positive gesture of yours will make a big difference in helping to restore me to my job. I seek justice.
RAZIA DILMURAD BALOCH
Karachi
PRESIDENT Asif Ali Zardari in his statement after the oath said that his party’s stand (never enunciated or defined) on Kashmir was very clear.
It is pertinent to mention here that he is on record having said that the Kashmir issue can wait, thereby putting it on the rearmost burner.
Parliament and the establishment have to be taken into confidence before arriving at an agreed consensus if it differs with the one followed since 1948.
It must, however, be understood by all that the LoC will never be accepted as the international boundary nor will the issue be put in the cold storage.
Our policymakers must realise and appreciate and also those who continue to talk about the legacy that all the Pakistani rivers flow out of the held Kashmir.
KHAN A. SHAMSHAD
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.
