Friends in high places

Perhaps one of the reasons we lag so far behind others is that in Pakistan, merit is often put on the backburner when it comes to education, jobs etc. Here, it matters not what you know, but who you know. That is stating the obvious.

Flattery, chicanery and the undue use of influence are often the instruments of upward mobility, rather than actual ability. Perhaps that rings true from the highest offices of the country down to the lowly depths you and I have to navigate. A case that one came across recently amply illustrated this and showed just how deep the rot is.

In any profession, a basic qualification is the prerequisite to get the job done. However, to excel one needs to put in extra hard work and perhaps a bit of God-gifted talent. But when one is not even aware of the ABCs of the job yet is still unjustly supported by powerful elements, chances are that institution/business is headed for disaster.

It emerged recently that a light-man employed by Pakistan Television’s Karachi station was not too long ago promoted to the position of scripts producer. Perhaps one should approach the case without prejudice and assume that the man was exceptionally talented and through hard luck and the lack of opportunity ended up on the wrong side of the tracks.

However, during his probationary period it became quite clear that this person lacked even the basic knowledge required for the job and was thoroughly unfit to be a scripts producer, a job – one assumes – that requires an adequate understanding of literature and a decent general knowledge. The chap apparently couldn’t even spell basic English words if his life depended on it.

When a senior manager rejected the promotion, he was reportedly physically and verbally abused by the affected individual and a few well-placed friends he had brought with him and was threatened with dire consequences if he refused to confirm the man’s promotion.

This might be just an individual case, but one feels it is just the tip of the iceberg. Across the city and the country – especially in government institutions – unfit individuals are protected by powerful backers, who use various ploys to make sure they are not disciplined.

One is not in favour of widespread layoffs and other ruthless corporate practices, but promotions should be given to only the deserving while discipline should be enforced at all costs. Cases like the above will ensure that what remains of our institutions crumble very soon. And from the looks of it, we’re not too far from that juncture.

—Nasrallah

Cellphone scams

Karachians, especially the gullible ones like other people in the country, are being taken for a ride by mobile users who I must hand it to them have adopted a novel method of fleecing innocent consumers of their balance.

First of all the cellular companies are unscrupulously selling SIMs like hotcakes without any regulatory control as a result of which it is extremely or virtually impossible to detect who is calling and from where while these thieves or con artists easily get away with it.

Most of the cellular companies have introduced transfer schemes whereby it is possible to transfer a certain amount of balance to another consumer using the same line.

The scam artists knowing the format of the transfers send SMS to different unknown people giving a female name and label it as a business card. Unknowingly, the poor consumer smitten by a female name presses the reply key as a result of which the balance is immediately transferred to that number with the hapless chap losing out.

Another novel scam the daring schemers have taken up is that they call people and inform them that they have won a cash award of Rs100,000 and in order to claim their prize they need to send Rs4,000 load balance to a certain number. The father-in-law of a colleague called from the Northern Areas and told him that he had received one such call and asked him what to do.

Being a man of the world and having travelled extensively, I am quite familiar of such con schemes like the handkerchief scam, the wallet scam, the Nigerian business scams and of course these days the lottery scams. I advised him to ignore the call. Greed leads to temptation and these vultures prey on the greed of people in order to fleece them dry.

Nevertheless, another method mostly employed by females is that they contact young men through chat lines or Talk Shop (chit chat) lines which most of the companies have introduced in order to boost their sales, and become friendly with these youngsters and when the friendship starts warming up they agree to discuss any subject under the sun provided they are sent balance on a regular basis.

The poor Romeos frantically rush to buy phone cards to placate their newly found Juliets, who disappear in time.

This is the Eid season and the con artists being aware of the fact that the little pockets of young Karachians will be full with ‘Eidi’ before long are working overtime so all you gullible folks out there, beware!—Syed Ali Anwer

A class act

This is a story from a classroom of a normal small school in the city. Asif, a student, was not feeling well for some times and was growing weak day by day. He was absent from the class for weeks and nothing was heard from him. No one thought to ask where he was, but he was missed because there always existed a special comradeship among all his friends.

One day Sohail, his friend, decided to visit Asif and enquire about him. He went to his house, where Asif’s mother who greeted him and informed him that Asif was ill. Very reluctantly she told him that Asif was diagnosed with leukaemia, a cancer of the blood. He was having chemotherapy and his disease was controlled. Asif was not willing to see his friends in the condition he was in because after chemotherapy, he had lost all the hair on his head. He was depressed and was undergoing psychiatric counselling. This was more devastating than the disease he was living with.

The classmates were devastated too because they could feel Asif’s pain and anguish. They wanted to share Asif’s suffering and decided on a novel idea. They all went to see Asif at his house. This time they all looked like Asif. All children had their head shaved and their accompanying teacher sacrificed his head of hair as well.

There was no shame of baldness amongst the friends. Asif cried though he agreed to come back to the class, which he did.

It took him four weeks to get his hair back. Asif did not need psychiatric support after that. He had the support of his friends.With children like these, all is not lost yet.—M. Rafique Gooda

Of tempers

It is very unfortunate and saddening that it is not only the price of commodities that soar in Ramazan but tempers, manners and general behaviour also take an ugly turn. Instead of inculcating in us the virtues of kindness and modesty and reminding us of the sufferings of the poor and have nots, the daylong fasting and the pangs of hunger give us an excuse to lose temper on the pettiest of issues.

The day starts with an air of lethargy as shops, businesses and offices open late and work progresses slowly. It is true that there is a certain element of sleep deprivation especially for the office-goers but that is no excuse for reporting late or sullen attitude.

Procrastination, which seems to be a hallmark of Karachians, is another feature of the fasting month. Everything (except for tailoring, I guess) is put off till after Eid, particularly if it is a question of exchange of funds.

The holy month is meant to purify and cleanse the soul and inculcate in us the values of generosity and patience. However, in the afternoon the rush to buy our needs for Iftar and the scenes of dashing back home while throwing caution to the wind, which often results in fisticuff, speak volume of how much we have learnt these virtues.

We must bear in mind that fasting is our religious obligation and we are not doing any other person a favour and have no right to vent our anger and ire on anyone simply because we are hungry and thirsty.—Farhan Sabir

Compiled by Syed Hassan Ali

karachian@dawn.com

Construction of road

Sir,
We, the resident of Ali Mohammad Mohallah, have been waiting for years for the road from Nawab Eleven Football Club to Usman Park to be constructed.

If it is constructed, then the area residents would get easy access to public transport.

I request the authorities concerned to take the appropriate measures to construct the road.

SHAHNAWAZ SALEH MUHAMMAD

Lyari

Colony matters

Sir,

In 1960, the Pakistan Memon Education and Welfare Society was entrusted as custodian of the 1,988 residential plots of Memon Colony, allotted by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) in the individual names of the real owners (allottees) and not in the name of the society.

The present leadership of the society is now posing the society as the sole owner of the colony and is denying even membership to the allottees and is deciding policies thereof without taking the allottees into confidence.

The authorities concerned are requested to terminate the interference of the society in the matters of Memon Colony and all matters should be made to be settled directly by the lessor and the lessees.

ABDUL SATTAR GANATRA

Karachi

Overhead bridges

Sir,

Every day, while passing through Sharea Faisal, I see a large number of people waiting anxiously to cross the road under the Baloch Colony bridge.

Due to the hustle and bustle of the road, pedestrians do not get an opportunity to cross the road in a safe manner, so they raise their hands signalling the approaching cars – which are coming at speeds of 80-100kmph – to stop, and walk to the middle of the road without fear. Every second I hear the sounds of emergency breaks and screeching of tyres.

There is an urgent need for an overhead bridge at this place or a constable to be placed there in order to help people cross the road. This would be a relief to the drivers and to the fearless, compulsive pedestrians.

TALHA KHAN

Via e-mail

TV fees for mosque

Sir,

We had written two letters to the KESC management wherein it was stated that the Rahmania Masjid at AlCooperating Housing Society, Karachi, is a client of the KESC having A/C No 1701025010010 and consumer No AL

The KESC is incorrectly charging a TV fee of Rs25 per month, though the mosque premises are used for prayers. Hence, no possibility for the use of a TV exists.

In spite of writing these two letters, nothing has been done regarding the necessary correction in the bill and discontinuance of the recovery of the TV fee from Rahmania Mosque.

We hope for immediate necessary action in the matter.

MUHAMMAD OWAIS

Karachi

Savings Centres’ timings

Sir,

The working and timings of the National Savings Centres leave much to be desired. The timings – 9am to 1.30pm – are inadequate to cope with the onrush of depositors. On top of that, the habitual absenteeism of staff results in inordinate delays.

The worst sufferers are senior citizens, who form the majority of the visitors to the centres. It is true that they are retired people, but should they be made to endure long hours without adequate seating and toilet facilities? At a Defence centre, I noticed chairs were placed in the open, on the road next to an open drain. When a complaint was made to the manager, he frowningly replied that it was as if they were not working.

The answer lies in providing better services, more assistance and extension of the office hours, as in a banking facility.

MOINUDDIN KHAN

DHA

Cat’s-eyes

Sir,

The DHA is in the process of installing monstrous looking, crude versions of Cat’s-eyes, on the newly carpeted roads of Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority.

These devices are so sharp-edged and high that they cut into tyres. Also, cars are constantly wobbling and rattling over them, because of their widespread use on the roads/intersections.

May I suggest that the DHA consider using genuine imported Cat’s-eyes, or at least smoother versions? Since thousands of ‘eyes’ (which also double-up as lane-dividers) have already been installed, perhaps the DHA can have these buried deeper into the roads and/or ensure that the edges are filed/rounded or smoothened over, to get rid of their literal cutting edge.

MISBAH-UL-HAQ

Karachi

Condition of Saddar

Sir,

Through your esteemed newspaper I would like to draw the attention of the city nazim, Mr Mustafa Kamal, towards the worsening condition and civic life of Saddar.

Mafias from all fields are active here. Encroachments, a chaotic traffic system, horrible road conditions, noise pollution, air pollution and drug addicts are all you find here. The traffic system is the worst.

Please do something prompt and take some long-term actions in order to rescue Saddar’s civic life. Allocate land for fruit and other push-cart vendors; systemize parking areas and proper footpaths for pedestrians – which are currently occupied by shopkeepers, who have extended their shops illegally – and re-route different buses and coaches. And last but not the least, please provide us a family park in Saddar.

HUSSAIN SHABBIR

Saddar

Faulty DSL

Sir,

I have lodged complaints with 13 officials of the PTCL during the last two months for removal of fault with my DSL connection (664-3492). Numerous complaints on ‘18’ and ‘1236’ have also been made. A letter has also been sent dated 22.04.08. No action has been taken since.

This is just for your information.

TARIQ DURRANI

Karachi

city@dawn.com

Disaster management shouldn’t be a disaster

BEYOND obvious weaknesses in the capital’s security system and its fire and rescue services, the recent Marriott Hotel bombing and fire has exposed a fundamental deficiency in disaster management in Islamabad, viz., the lack or absence of a disaster management cell or authority at the level of the Islamabad Capital Territory.

The fire at the Shaheed-i-Millat Secretariat in January 2002 and the collapse of the Margalla Tower in the October 2005 earthquake had already exposed this deficiency in the disaster management system of the planned capital city.

Yet such a body has still not materialised in the ICT, despite the establishment of a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under a December 2006 ordinance and the provision under this ordinance for the establishment of provincial and district-level disaster management authorities.

An abortive attempt was made to create such a cell under the CDA after the Margalla Tower incident. In May 2006, it was reported that the PC-1 of a disaster management cell under the CDA was being finalised and the latter had made budgetary allocations for it in 2006-2007.

However, the plan was reportedly put on hold soon after, as no new budgetary allocations were made for it after that. Not surprisingly perhaps, because any disaster management cell would more logically come under the ICT district administration.

Islamabad is apparently not the only city/district deprived of a disaster management cell. The establishment of district disaster management authorities (DDMAs) in general in the country seems to have been complicated by the controversy over the local government system.

This is evident in the fact that the issue of activation of the DDMAs will be a key topic at the first annual National Disaster Risk Management conference-cum-exhibition that is being organised by NDMA at the Convention Centre on October 8 and 9, the event to mark the third anniversary of the 2005 earthquake and the second National Disaster Awareness Day on October 8.

According to NDMA’s website, the expected gathering of a wide range of stakeholders at this conference-cum-exhibition, including officials from all 130 plus districts, the four provinces as well as AJK, FATA and the Northern Areas, would be “critical in impressing upon the need for full activation of these authorities through the provision of necessary support by the respective governments”.

In the case of the Islamabad Capital Territory, activation of its disaster management authority has apparently been complicated further by the fact that it has yet to have a local government.

According to the 2006 ordinance, the DDMA is to consist of the nazim of the district who shall be the chairman, the district coordination officer, the district police officer, the executive district officer health, and such other district level officers to be appointed by the district government.

The DDMA is supposed to prepare a disaster management plan for the district, including a district response plan, as well as coordinate and monitor the implementation of national, provincial and district plans for disaster management.

The DDMA is also supposed to organise and coordinate specialised training programmes for different levels of officers, employees and voluntary rescue workers in the district, as well as facilitating community training and awareness programmes for disaster prevention or mitigation with the support of local authorities, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

There is no doubt that it is necessary, for better disaster management and response, to upgrade Islamabad’s fire service and its security systems – both public and private – through new equipment, like CCTV and hi-tech fire-fighting apparatus, and the latest training techniques for the respective personnel.

Also necessary is the establishment of an Islamabad-based professional search and rescue team, for which a memorandum of understanding was reportedly signed recently between NDMA and a European rescue service.

But equally necessary for the capital territory is its own disaster management cell to provide an integrated approach to disaster management within the ICT.

In any disaster, the cell should be responsible for systematically tackling bottlenecks by involving as many departments and people in the task, coordinating with the fire department, the search and rescue team, the city police, the utilities departments, the hospitals and health department, the Pakistan Red Crescent, etc., specifying tasks to be carried out by each of these agencies.

For instance, in a fire disaster like the Marriott, the fire department will be involved in putting out the fire, the search and rescue team will be searching for people trapped in the building and recovering dead bodies, Iesco and Sui Northern Gas will be told to cut off electricity and gas supply respectively to the site of the blaze, and the police will be asked to maintain law and order by diverting traffic and crowds away from the emergency site to avoid a pile up.

Finally, an Islamabad disaster management cell, through its regular briefings and updates to the media throughout the duration of the disaster, could also help provide the necessary leadership to help the capital territory and its citizens tide over the disaster, overcome it and emerge more resilient than ever before.