| September 26, 2008 | Friday | Ramazan 25, 1429 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
War against terrorism
Inept security system
Balochistan gold mine sold
Risk of Divine punishment
US forces attack
Daylight saving time
MNC bonus money
Sovereignty at stake
FPSC rules need revision
Deteriorating ties
CNG stations
If we can, why can’t they?
A fed-up nation
Disaster management system
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
A NEWS item in this paper (Sept 24) informed its readers that a meeting, presided over by Nazar Hussain Mahar, ACS (development), P&DD, on Sept 23, found progress on the ‘clean drinking water for all’ project unsatisfactory. An earlier meeting, chaired by Sindh chief secretary, was held on Sept 20 on the subject matter.
Custom-made water treatment plants or packaged water treatment plants are not suitable for this country. That approach will not lead to any real-world health benefits. Custom-designed water treatment plants are used typically for smaller installations in industrialised countries, and in emergencies.
The disadvantages of this approach are that they are rigid, typical and inflexible. They are not amenable to improvements and are prone to frequent breakdowns. They do not reflect and incorporate the local conditions, prevailing in developing countries.
Package plants are not suitable for Sindh province because they involve high erection costs; need frequent procurement of materials [this is a problem where operation and maintenance budget is low; this is typical of Sindh]; lack of technical know-how; use of steel plants with corrosive chemicals (chlorine, alum) requires special attention and knowledge; they do not provide jobs for locals for on-site construction; locals tend to disown the project installed by outside contractors and low-cost local labour availability is not put to productive use.
Their potential disadvantages can be gauged from that fact that if the raw water source is surface water, the surface water in Sindh is too turbid (greater than 100 ntu) for the plants to operate satisfactorily. The high water turbidity will clog the system, rendering it ineffective. For plants involving membrane technology, the system would stop when subjected to high raw water turbidities.
If the raw water source is groundwater, with typical constituent as iron and manganese (wells containing high arsenic and fluoride levels stand discarded), the plants are not designed, nor have the ability to reduce these constituents to safe limits. The water treatment plants are riddled with maintenance problems. It is reported that nearly 50 per cent of the plants installed are not working properly. Some plants are providing contaminated water, which is spreading water-related diseases. There have been reports of outbreaks of gastroenteritis in the affected populations.
Quite often, in developing countries, conventional engineering approach is adopted for water treatment plant design. The approach involves planning on an individual town or village basis, in which a town is surveyed and water demands are ascertained. A preliminary engineering design is done, which is followed by a detailed engineering design.
This approach allows rational, specific and flexible design of the water treatment plant. Since, the plant is designed, based on town’s sanitary needs, the water quality and quantity usually meet the town’s requirements.
This is a preferred option in developing countries and is practised extensively for decades. Pollutants of primary concern for public health (E.coli, viruses, protozoa, helminth, cyanobacteria, turbidity, colour, fluoride, lead and iron), depending on the raw water characteristics and the design of the plant, are adequately handled by the conventional water treatment plants.
Sindh chief secretary and ACS (development) should stop wasting money on such useless packaged water treatment plants. The money saved should be spent on the construction of conventional water treatment plant (typically, rapid sand filters, preceded by roughing filters). Since the work of the public health engineering department is not up to the mark, the work may be assigned to the ADB-financed Sindh Cities Improvement Programme, which is also under the administrative control of ACS (development). The chief secretary and the ACS should have technical advisers, well-qualified and experienced in the field of water and wastewater engineering, to guide them on water and sanitation issues and prevent the wastage of funds on worthless and ineffective technologies.
F. H. MUGHAL
Karachi
AS Taliban have their own concept of Islam and want to enforce their views, some channels of the electronic media are also playing their part by influencing the large illiterate masses with anti-American propaganda.
A few retired generals are trying to preach that Pakistan is fighting an American war. This kind of thinking is rather strengthening the hand of religious forces and is also responsible for death and destruction of fellow Pakistanis. Besides, the US forces have killed many in Pakistan.
The US had paid the previous military regime $10 billion for becoming its ally in the war against terrorism, but nobody knows where the money has been spent.
If Pakistan accepts payment, it must play its part and do what the Americans are asking it to do. Moreover, if our Army can take care of things on its side of the border, then why does the US army have to cross the Pakistan border?
The recent attack on Marriot Hotel demonstrated that Taliban want to destroy our political system of government and way of life on the pretext that our Army is fighting the US war against our own people. On the other hand, the US is accusing our ISI of patronising certain commanders of Taliban and other groups.
AS everyday experience shows, terrorism is directly affecting us — people who are being killed are almost all Pakistanis. It goes to prove that it is not just a US war. In such a situation it is in our national interest that we fight against it.
Our parliament should clear all ambiguities and declare that this war is our own war. Moreover, it should formulate a policy to eliminate the menace of violence.
A parliament debate must investigate and argue all the questions: who we are fighting and why? Who is responsible for the rise of militancy during the last several years? Who is providing funds to the militants? How and from where they get destructive and explosive material?
The explosives used to destroy the Marriott Hotel were a mix of cyclotrim ethylene entrnitramune or RDX and trinitrotoluene or TNT explosives. RDX is used as a major component in many plastic-bonded explosions to increase their intensity while TNT is usually used to shatter concrete structures and hillocks.
A similar mix of RDX and TNT explosives was used by the suicide bomber on March 4 attack at the Naval College building in Lahore; the March 11 targeting FIA building in Lahore; and on March 15 suicide attack; on June 3 attack outside the Danish embassy in Islamabad and on an Islamabad restaurant, a popular hangover of foreign nationals, and on Dec 25 back in 2003, twin suicide attacks targeted former president Gen Musharraf’s cavalcade in Rawalpindi.
If these attacks were carried out by one group, then why have the intelligence agencies not been able to uncover these groups in years?
Are our civilian intelligence equipped to cope with terrorists? What is their level of motivation to curb violence?
It is time to establish an in-house security organisation and put resources of all the intelligent agencies dealing with terrorism under this organisation to cope with terrorism. This pertinent matter should be discussed in parliament sooner the better.
ENGR. S. T. HUSSAIN
Lahore Cantt
THERE is something wrong with Pakistan. Adviser Rahman Malik told reporters that the president and the prime minister were to have dinner at the Marriott on Saturday, when it was bombed, but the venue was changed at the last minute. However, the hotel management says that no booking had been made for any official dinner on that day.
We know that even when junior officials are scheduled to visit a place, security officials thoroughly comb every nook and corner hours before the visit. If the two top executives of the country were expected to visit the hotel, there should have been strict security in place many hours before the bomb blast.
It’s frightening to think that the fate of the country is in the hands of incompetent people who say things which turn out to be false.
SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
REKO Diq is a small town in Chagai district, Balochistan. The world’s fifth largest gold and copper reserves are found in Reko Diq.
Tethyan Copper of Australia has taken the contract to develop this mine. Barrick Gold Corporation of Canada and Antofagasta of Chile have joint ownership of the copper-gold deposit at Reko Diq.
The Reko Diq deposit is being explored by Tethyan Copper Company (75 per cent) and the Balochistan Development Authority (25 per cent). The Tethyan Copper Company is held jointly (50 : 50) by Barrick Gold Corporation and Antofagasta Minerals. Currently the deposit is at scoping pre-feasibility stage. It is a world-class copper/gold porphyry style deposit, typical of the tethyan belt.
It was recently sold to the foreign-controlled regimes by the Pakistan government at a price of $21 billion. Rough estimates suggest that gold and copper at the surface accounts for $65 billion’s worth of deposits.
My question is : why is it being kept secret from the nation? For verification, one may search Tethyan Copper Company Limited.
GHOLAM MOHAMMAD
Karachi
PEOPLE are baffled to see that social evils such as hoarding and profiteering thrive even during Ramazan. This reminds me of the time when martial law was imposed in 1958. Very severe punishments were being imposed for bribery etc.
A government contractor went to an official to receive his payment. He was wishfully thinking that he would not have to pay the usual mandatory bribe because of the martial law. He was, however, horrified to discover that an even higher than usual amount was being demanded.
When he questioned, he was told that the reason for the high cost was the ‘added risk factor’ of punishments under martial law. The system was working like an insurance business, where you pay a higher premium for greater risks.
This may explain why Ramazan brings enhanced level of prices. The hoarder, the smuggler and the profiteer have to take into account the increased risk of Divine punishment.
KHALID A
London, UK
THIS is apropos of Azhar Khwaja’s letter, ‘US forces attack’ (Sept 17) in which he mentions that the US attacks inside Pakistan territory are causing casualties of innocent people.
The fact is that ever since we have taken part in the proxy war on terror, the country has been the battleground and unsafe for the citizens. This war has been disastrous and made considerable damage to the country.
The big blunder by Musharraf has not only affected the civilians but the military personal as well who have been the greatest victim of it.
An estimate shows that more than 1,500 military personnel have been killed from 2001 to 2008. The unfortunate nation has gained nothing from the US war.
They have rather received affliction and destruction.
In fact, the bombardment is still taking place on innocent citizens and, disappointingly, the new elected government is doing nothing in this regard but condemning them only. Nothing seems to be taking shape.
I, therefore, vehemently implore to the new government to reconsider Musharraf’s infamous and unworkable policies against war on terror and think for the larger interest of the nation rather than worrying about the American interest.
SHAMIM KHAN
Balochistan
IT appears that the government is keen to follow all those policies and systems which failed during Musharraf’s governance. Before deciding to extend the torture of clock advancement for another two months, it was the moral obligation of the government to let people know about the quantum of energy saving which has resulted on account of this action.
Since there is none, they have done it primarily to impress upon Wapda and the KESC managements that the government is also active in handling the energy crisis. They are least bothered about the inconvenience and pain it is causing to the people who are currently fasting and praying.
Now the government should fulfil its promise for a change in this issue and put back the clocks by one hour with immediate effect.
AMMAR RAHIM
Karachi
LIKE many other developing countries, the presence and activities of multinational and oil exploring companies have also been controversial in Pakistan. However, their number is on the rise.
Most of these companies make positive contribution to the economic growth of a host countries through their investments, products and services but their role, in particular, in the province of Sindh for the welfare of the local people has not been satisfactory.
As a result, a lot of hue and cry is being raised against them.
Nevertheless, at least one thing of these companies is commendable. All these companies since they started operation in the specified area have been depositing money as ‘bonus money’ for the development of local people in the President’s Accounts. No president, whether civilian or in uniform, has directed the relevant authorities to make a judicious use of this bonus money which amounts to millions of rupees.
President Asif Ali Zardari is requested to emphasise the proper utilisation of those hidden bonus money funds for welfare of the people.
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad
TODAY our sovereignty is at stake with our women and children dying in so-called hot pursuit in search of Taliban by US and Nato forces in Bajaur and North Waziristan. These attacks have significantly increased as the presidential election in the US comes closer.
The Pakistani government instead of protecting the citizens from foreign attacks is bombing their own citizens using gunship helicopters. Imran Khan visited a hospital in Peshawar, on Sept 13, where injured were kept. The photos of the injured people showed a very gloomy picture. The son of PTI Bajaur president Khalil was also critically injured in bombing and his both legs had to be cut off.
The way US and allied forces are bombing in our region is just barbaric and it clearly shows the hegemonic and inebriated nature of the US. The government should immediately list down interests of Pakistan in front of the international community. The government should stop the use of force, especially aerial bombing and resolve the issue through peaceful dialogue.
Also the government should stop logistics support to the US.
DANIYAL JAHANGIR
Lahore
WITH Pervez Musharraf’s ouster, many of his policies need to be thoroughly reviewed.
Mr Musharraf is known to have taken tough decisions. Now it is the responsibility of the new president to set the house in order and review some of his policies which have affected people badly, causing great resentment among the masses.
The former de facto president altered the basic composition of Federal Public Service.
The age of aspiring candidates was fixed at 28 years and in case of government service not more than 30.
This move has deprived many candidates of the chance of appearing in Central Superior Service examinations, commonly known as CSS.
New President Asif Ali Zardari must step in and restore the previous rules and regulations of the FPSC under which a candidate can attempt at 30 years of age and those who are serving in government service can appear with three years extra age.
FIDA HUSSAIN
Nawabshah
IN response to the editorial, ‘Deteriorating ties’ (Sept 8) you ask the question whether America is a friend or foe.
The answer should be both. It is like a double-edged sword. As a friend you must listen to everything it asks for, accept billions and tolerate military incursions.It is foe to Muslims or the majority people in Pakistan but it cannot act like a foe. If Pakistan ever acts like a foe, the result will be disastrous.
A deteriorating tie or not, Pakistan must remain a US friend and keep on getting free money. However, there can be alternatives that can be given thought.
SAM BAIDYA
Toronto
THE Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has banned issuing CNG licences since February. Due to this ban, investors as well as consumers are suffering a lot.
Due to the reduced opportunities for business, people in Pakistan are transferring their money outside the country. The blame for this goes to OGRA which has failed to meet industrial and commercial requirements. The authorities concerned should lift the ban on issuing new CNG licences so that the interest of both the consumer and investor is protected.
H. MAMRAIZ
Fateh Jang
I WOULD like to ask the Inspector-General and Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Traffic) a question. How is traffic being effectively controlled by the community police constables and town workers nowadays?
Even plainclothes volunteers are doing the same job on different inter-sections with authority.
Why is it that our traffic police officials can’t do it?
DR ALFRED CHARLES
Karachi
WE are fed up with promises of good days and prosperity for all in the land of the pure. There is a need for pragmatic steps that could benefit all.
We need leaders who are able to feel the pulse and transform the dreams of millions into reality. And that dream is of living with better education, health, sustainable livelihoods and peace. We do not want to live in an atmosphere of despair.
AALIYA TAHIRKHELI
Rawalpindi
THE disaster management system in Karachi is very weak requiring urgent attention by the health department. Since the attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad our capabilities to manage such a massive casualty were evident and there was no rapid response to that situation which could lead to rescue someone alive.
Regarding Karachi, we have only three big government-run hospitals: JPMC, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Civil Hospital. In disaster situations everyone rushes towards these hospitals and all the available resources become quickly exhausted as patients’ turnover remains quite high even in routine days. An already burdened system usually collapses and havoc and mismanagement rules the day.
The Sindh government also has a good infrastructure which lacks proper management and administration to cope with such a situation. These include the Sindh Government Hospital Qatar in Liaquatabad, Malir, Saudabad, etc.
These hospitals have the infrastructure to handle such situations but lack working staff or proper administration. One such example is the Sindh Government Hospital Malir/ Saudabad. This hospital is serving a huge population in Malir district.
However, all the staff is saturated in the morning shift and there is no 24-hour service except for wards and the emergency department. The emergency department lacks staff and doctors, especially in evening and night shifts, as everyone is working in morning shifts.
This hospital is affiliated with the Dow University of Health Sciences, and the Sindh government is also spending a lot of money in building more infrastructures and buildings but the previous setup is already ill-managed.
The administration is under the influences of political parties and they follow the commands of these politically-motivated employees for postings and transfers, which the management follows.
Therefore, for years only a few doctors are posted in the night shift. There is no laboratory and no X-ray facility in evening and night shifts. Also, no ECG facility and no blood bank are available in evening and night shifts.
No female staff is willing to work in the night shift, and female patients have to suffer in wards and emergency.
There is no emergency operation theatre for the evening or night shift and patients are referred to the Civil Hospital and the JPMC for further management due to lack of facilities. Only one ambulance is in working state and yet it charges Rs250 to Rs300 as fuel charges to the patient for transferring them to other hospitals.
There is no disaster management plan for this hospital and other such hospitals.
When the health secretary and the health minister were approached, they seemed to be helpless and no prompt action was taken even after written complaints.
If these hospitals are managed on a 24-hour-service basis with proper administration and facilities for patients, burden on the Civil Hospital and the JPMC may be reduced, and in case of disasters in that area immediate medical or surgical care may be provided to patients and lives could be saved.
DR SYED ZUBAIR ALI
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.
