| October 13, 2008 | Monday | Shawwal 13, 1429 |
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Education: having our own system
Protecting our interests
Establishing ‘Benazir chair’ in varsities
Chinese engineers
Advice for a stable Pakistan
Media and constructive criticism
CSS age relaxation
Govt failure
Inordinate delay in payment
PTV ad: a sheer waste of money
Thank you PIA
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
THERE has been a sudden change in the western countries’ approach, notably that of the US and the UK, towards resolving the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. Recently, there have been a number of reports which reveal how the Americans and Hamid Karzai have got into talks with the Taliban through the good offices of the Saudi King.
We must first try and understand what brought about this change and then see how it affects Pakistan. Several factors seem responsible. First come the setbacks against the Islamist militia during the current year. Hence, a number of western military and diplomatic officials had started saying that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won militarily.
Second, the rising unemployment and the financial crisis in the US and its repercussions in the other western countries. Third, the slump in the popularity of the Republican Party, with the US elections being just a few weeks away.
Fourth, the surprisingly strong reaction of the Pakistani public against American military incursions inside the country along with the Army chief’s tough reaction; firing on American helicopters by Pakistani forces and the tribal people and Islamabad’s brief stoppage of military supplies to western forces in Afghanistan.
Fifth, a revival of sorts of the Cold War between the West and Russia due to the Georgian conflict, with Moscow’s warning of stopping western access to Afghanistan through Russia.
Now, we look at its effects on Pakistan. The foremost lesson is that it is folly to expect the US of having even an iota of respect for Islamabad’s interests. Just as it had left Pakistan high and dry by its sudden exit from the region following the withdrawal of the Soviets from Afghanistan in 1989, so it has put us in a very difficult position now.
A story in Dawn from Washington notes that the US and Saudi Arabia have made it abundantly clear they see no role for Pakistan in the new move for a rapprochement with the Taliban (Oct 8).
It also quotes an unnamed senior Pakistani diplomat who has been engaged with America’s diplomatic moves as hinting that the US has only been interested in using Pakistan to help Washington in achieving its objectives in Kabul.
Furthermore, the diplomat says that (ironically) neither the Taliban nor the Afghan government seemed willing to trust Pakistan any longer. “Both have more trust in India, than in Pakistan”, he said. “Seen from this perspective, it’s not surprising that both Saudi Arabia and the US decided to keep Pakistan out of the new move”.
This is disturbing and something to be pondered over very seriously, in order to reverse the situation. But, it goes to expose a number of our faults. Primarily, Musharraf committed a blunder by burning our boats, when he kept acting on Washington’s agenda merely to please the Americans so as to stay in power.
Unfortunately, the present government seemed even more eager to appease the US and alienated the Taliban even further. Both the regimes thus invited the militants’ wrath needlessly by way of suicide attacks and blasts, instead of letting them focus elsewhere.
Three things need to be noted carefully. One, that the former Army chief, Gen (r ) Mirza Aslam Beg, and some other people had been saying for long that the war against the Taliban cannot be won and we must end the fighting in the NWFP. However, neither the Musharraf regime nor the present one paid any heed. Gen Beg should be involved in our decision-making now.
Two, the Americans had been very anxious after a couple of years of their invasion of Iraq to get out by bringing in troops from Muslim countries, especially Pakistan, to bail them out. It is a good thing that public pressure forced Mr Musharraf from pushing our troops into that disastrous situation. Three, that we should always do what appears best for us, regardless of what others say. Inspiration should be drawn from the Turkish government and parliament, which had refused to let the US use their territory for invading Iraq. But, the Turkish leaders are a very selfless and principled lot and their parliament isn’t a rubber-stamp.
S.QADRI
Karachi
I ENDORSE the views shared by Mrs A. Mahmood in her letter, ‘Education: having our own system’ (Oct 8).
At last someone tried to halt the appalling campaign by the so-called ‘bright’ and ‘outstanding’ lot of the obsolete British education system.
The way number of students and their parents have begun a crusade against the country’s own education system shows that they are suffering from identity crisis.
It reminded me the class struggle described so eloquently by Adolf Hitler in his notorious yet impressive work ‘Mein Kampf’.
While commenting on the psyche of middle class, he describes that “..... And so it happens that very often those who belong to what can really be called the upper classes find it much easier than do the upstarts (middle class) to descend to and intermingle with their fellow beings on the lowest social level...... (as) in the case of such a person the hard struggle through which he passes often destroys his normal human sympathy. His own fight for existence kills his sensibility for the misery of those who have been left behind.”
The second aspect of the same problem is the paradox of these parents and students who have, on the one hand, rejected the state’s education system for O and A level and, on the other hand, want to pursue medicine or engineering degrees through the same state-owned institutions.
The problem lies here: elites can easily afford to send their children abroad for higher education. Contrarily, the status-conscious middle class, who have educated their children in a highly expensive foreign education system, find it increasingly difficult to get access to professional institutes abroad.
The reason is that after an uplift in their status by sending their children to O and A level, they tend to yearn for admission to an affordable yet cash-rich professions, therefore unduly pressuring and criticising the ‘unjust’ policy of deduction of certain percentage in the marks.
They see this injustice as they are on the other side of the wall. I want to ask only one question from them: “What is the fault of those poor people who are unable to feed, dress or educate their children, yet are managing to send them to government schools somehow the other?” Shouldn’t s/he aim at admission to the state-owned medical and engineering institutions as they are the product the state’s education system?
IMRAN ALI
Lahore
This is apropos of the letter, ‘Strategic depth concept vindicated’ (Oct 5) by K. Naqshbandi. While fully supporting it, I would like to make a few observations. First, it is very disappointing how the critics of this concept had apparently closed their minds to the possibility that, it may, after all, prove to be right.
That is why they took no notice even when, astonishingly, an Indian scholar had revealed over a year ago that India was itself looking at Afghanistan as a source of strategic depth, which was pointed out by two correspondents, in these columns.
Second, it is a very good thing that Gen (r ) Aslam Beg brought the new developments involving India and other countries in Afghanistan to the nation’s knowledge. I hope he and other people in the know would not only keep us informed in future as well but, even now, are requested to write a detailed article on the subject.
Third, it is obvious that for long the Indian military would have realised that Pakistan should be kept from fulfilling its objective of increasing its strategic depth. Now, they have not only managed to thwart us from doing that but also, by a clever move, completely reversed the situation.
This should be an eye-opener. It must also focus our attention sharply on the fact that in recent months and years India has been furiously trying to bring extreme pressure on Pakistan, by enlisting western help, for weakening the Inter-Services Intelligence, which it sees as a big obstacle.
The purpose of that, in the light of Gen Beg’s revelation, appears to be to make the ISI incapable of countering the activities of New Delhi’s spy network operating via Afghanistan. Also, this would keep it from efficiently scrutinising the military moves of India that may be made from the north or the east.
Therefore, our political and military leadership, as well as analysts, writers and intellectuals, should take all possible measures to defeat this Indian move, in order to retain our counterintelligence capability and protect Pakistan’s interests.
Q. IQBAL
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Altamash M. Kureshi’s letter, “Establishing ‘Benazir Chair’ in varsities” (Oct 4) as regards Cultural Department Sindh’s decision on establishing chair in Universities in the name of a great leader.
Mr Kureshi has rightly pointed out that once chair in the name of Zulfkar Ali Bhutto was also under serious consideration of Sindh University but the matter did not materialise.
Basically it was the idea of Benazir Bhutto to establish a chair in Sindh University in the name of his illustrious father. The reason for this was to start intellectual and educational activities to keep ZAB’s mission of enlightenment alive, as well as to highlight the various achievements ZAB had made as a distinguished statesman in the world affairs, from national and international perspectives.
Since I was officer on special duty to the prime minister on Sindh affairs during Ms Bhutto’s second tenure, I was, therefore, also actively associated with the project of establishing a chair in the name of ZAB.
According to Ms Bhutto’s directives, I had several meetings with G. A. Allana, the then vice chancellor of Sindh University. These meetings were attended by senior professors such as Dr Qazi Khadim, chairman of the Sindhi department, Iqbal Qureshi and the late Rasheed Ansari of the department of political science.
The team of these eminent educationists, headed by the VC, and I acting as a liaison officer/representative of the PM started making preparatory strategies. Initially various steps were suggested, such as acquisition of suitable endowment and selection and setting apart of a sufficient space on the campus to house the chair offices.
Unfortunately, after the change of government this scheme was consigned to the cold storage. Since establishment of the ZAB chair was envisioned by no less a person than Benazir Bhutto, I would request the president, the prime minister, the Sindh chief minister and others to reactivate this project at the earliest so that the mission envisaged by her could reach its fruition.
AKHTAR MIRZA
Ex-OSD to Prime Minster
On Sindh Affairs
I WAS very saddened to see the photograph of the two Chinese engineers who have been kidnapped by the Taliban, in your issue of Oct 8. What was the fault of these men that they are being punished for?
I noticed that behind the engineers and their masked guards, there is a wall-hanging rug of what looks like the Masjid-I-Nabvi (Prophet’s historic mosque in Madina), which nearly brought tears to my eyes.
If somebody had been fighting against the Muslims in the time and leadership of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), would he have allowed any Muslim to capture innocent people like the Taliban have done, regardless of the Muslims’ losses? Most certainly not! In fact, the Prophet was an icon of humaneness and used to treat prisoners of war like his guests.
The Taliban are urged to release these friends from China, whose country has done so much for the defence and prosperity of Pakistan.
They should realise that engaging in such acts only brings a bad name to Islam and all its followers. If they are true Muslims, then they should follow the commandments of Allah and the practices of the Prophet (PBUH). It is only Allah Who can help the Taliban or any other Muslims to achieve their objectives, provided they obey Him and His Messenger. If they think they can do without that, then they have deviated from Islam.
K. NAQSHBANDI
Karachi
I STILL care about the positive, constructive future of Pakistan, as an entire nation, not as provinces with an outland referred to as the NWFP, Fata, Balochistan, etc.
Economic and financial times are hard enough worldwide, but fractious ancient feuds compounded by modern-day terrorism in Pakistan, which I am convinced does not represent mainstream Islamic theology by a mile, are being used to constantly destabilise the country.
The incubating democracy, working with all, not just some, of the people throughout all of Pakistan needs to be in the main pull together and seek and have law and order as well as an economic recovery plan. US military and infrastructure aid to Pakistan will not go on forever at its current level. You cannot live on braggadocio words and hot air. Settle down and get serious and curb terrorism by developing jobs and infrastructure everywhere, not just somewhere.
To do that, again, you must stomp out terrorism and subdue and convert to productive citizenship a tribal culture which on the record has not been amenable to being part of a civilised, unified society. This remains no small task.
GEORGE L. SINGLETON
Colonel ( r ), USAF
Birmingham, Alabama
IN a democratic setup the media serves as a watchdog and highlights policy issues, inaction and wrong action of the government for open debate and its rectification.
Independence of the media is necessary for democracy to flourish in Pakistan. But if the situation is misused or exploited by any freak TV channel or any other news service, it can destabilise the overall system and democracy and lead to anarchy in the country.
On Sept 30 a channel did telecast a programme about Eid bazaars seeking views of the people about the prevalent poverty and their inability to have enough Eid shoppings.
Poverty is a common phenomenon throughout the world and Pakistan is no exception. Eradication of poverty is impossible but through introduction of good economic policies, price control regimes, and consistent efforts by the government and all other stakeholders for creation of employment opportunities for youth, and good governance the same could be alleviated.
To overcome the prevalent poverty in Pakistan, we need efforts spread over decades to overcome it but the TV programme referred to above seemed to be interested in exploiting the present situation, and putting all the blame for this on the present government.
Yes, of course, I agree that the present government has not taken enough steps towards poverty alleviation and even the steps taken by it lack rationale and are open for debate. Thus there arises the need of highlighting the particular instances of inaction and wrong action of the government with the purpose of its rectification, instead of the uncalled-for criticism and promotion of pessimism throughout society.
I am myself one of the critics of this government as I am directly affected by its policy of retrenchment of employees which has cost me my job depriving me of a monthly salary of Rs45,000, but it does not give me any right to criticise the present government for all prevalent evils.
Similarly, all independent media — TV channels and news agencies — do not have any right to criticise the present government and blame it for all the evils, especially when our country has been going through various external and internal threats. This unnecessary and uncalled-for criticism by the media, in the name of independence, just to sell its channel’s transmission could shake the very foundation of the country and contribute towards further anarchy.
There is dire need of objective reporting and constructive criticism by the newly-independent media channel which owes this very independence to the present government.
AZHAR GHUMRO
Karachi
IN a democratic setup people have the right to ask, to know, to question and to expect from their chosen representatives as the days of one-man show are long gone.
However, so far contrary to the people’s hopes and demand nothing has been done regarding the age relaxation of CSS candidates. People are apprehensive if the policies will remain the same as nothing yet has improved, only faces have changed.
The present age limit of 28 years is yet another gift of the Musharraf era and needs to be relaxed to 30 years for those appearing in CSS examinations next year.
The government has not shown a firm commitment to so many key issues facing the nation. The people bear the brunt of any bureaucratic pressure regarding this matter. The government should follow in the footsteps of the Benazir Bhutto who had very rightly relaxed the age to 30 years.
LALARUKH KHAN
Mardan
(II)
APROPOS of Ali Zaman’s letter, ‘Age criterion for CSS candidates’ (Sept 24), I agree with the writer’s views and request the Federal Public Service Commission to increase the age limit for CSS candidates from 28 years to 30 years.
The increase in the age limit gives more chances to the candidates having degrees of post-graduation and MPhil and also provides an opportunity to the FPSC to select the required officers from the lot of the best educated persons of the country, which eventually would boost the status of bureaucracy in Pakistan.
MUHAMMAD ALI RAO
Karachi
THE government has rather miserably failed to grapple with the problems of rising prices faced by the people.
Also, its failure to handle Fata, Swat, as well as letting drones to kill our people, is being smokescreened by in-camera sessions arranged by the government through defence services as if it is their(army) war.
M.H.IBRAHIM
Mirpur
I WOULD like to request the authorities concerned to take appropriate action for payment of the benevolent fund in respect of my deceased husband, Amar Lal, ex-senior civil judge, Kandhkot, for which payment with effect from December 2006 to October 2008 (22 months) amounting to Rs27,500 is due.
It is a matter of grave concern that after a lapse of about two years I am unable to receive my legitimate right. Consequently, I am feeling uneasy and am in great trouble about meeting the expenses of my daily life. In this connection, I submitted a letter on May 31, 2007, along with ‘No-marriage certificate’ but I regret that I have not yet received any reply from the quarters concerned. Seeing no other alternative, I pray to the administrative officer, Provisional Board of Management, Sindh Government Servants Benevolent Fund, Karachi, to direct the relevant officials to make payment of the remaining amount within the shortest possible time. This is most urgent, please.
SHRIMITI MEERAN BAI
A/C 1592
House No. 45/24-25,
R/o Railway Road,
Shikarpur
A PTV advertisement about its programme, ‘The World after Bush’, hosted by its managing director and chairman, Dr Shahid Masood, appeared in almost all national newspapers on Oct 8, inviting viewers to watch it at 6am the same day.
Since no newspaper in Pakistan is distributed before 6am, it was not possible for a viewer to watch it. Isn’t it a sheer waste of taxpayers’ money?
It was the second of its 12-programme series “containing in-depth and critical analysis of the US presidential election”.
In future, the PTV should get the ads published a day before the remaining 10 programmes are telecast to enable the viewers to watch them the next day.
ASIF ALI KHAN
Karachi
I WOULD like to quote a recent example of courtesy extended to my wheelchair-bound daughter by the PIA Lahore staff. They deserve the admiration of passengers to boost the image of national carrier to a new height.
Two months back, I was unable to get a seat for my wife on the Lahore-Toronto flight. My daughter is disabled and on wheel chair and my wife had to travel with her due to medical reasons. We made a special appeal to the PIA staff present at Lahore airport at that time and based on humanitarian grounds they courteously allowed my wife to travel with the disabled child. If they had not allowed my wife to accompany my daughter, she would have had to suffer a lot because she needs constant medical attention even during such journeys.
I am moved by this noble task of the PIA ground staff. As the saying goes, vision transpires from the top. I am convinced that the PIA top management is working positively to cultivate such a culture within their organisation that is fast earning the well deserved appreciation from overseas Pakistanis like myself.
FUAD QURESHI
Canada
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