| December 07, 2008 | Sunday | Zilhaj 8, 1429 |
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Need for a regional union
Empower PEPA
Bloodshed once more
Pakistan cricket and ICC
Designated smoking areas
Govt schools
Pakistan’s sugar
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 Kuldip Nayar’s article, ‘Road that leads nowhere’ (Dec 5), in which he slates the parochial behaviour of Bhartiya Janta Party and expresses his deep concerns regarding Indo-Pakistan ties which are getting deteriorated in the aftermath of the massacre in Mumbai.
My heart aches as I read and watch the bloodshed wreaked by the barbaric enemies of humanity but I feel more pain when the blame game begins between the governments of Pakistan and India.
The massacre inflicted upon Mumbai, the financial hub of India, is condemnable to the core. However, this is a very petty approach by the Indian officials and media that within the early six hours of the Mumbai carnage they put the blame on Pakistan without any single solid evidence.
This has not happened for the first time. Whenever any incident of terrorism occurs in India, the Indian government and media hold Pakistan responsible for that. When in February 2002 the Sabarmati Express was set on fire, the Indian government and media held local Muslims responsible but no evidence of their involvement was found.
The Samjhota Express tragedy makes it clearer that these are the Indian natives who are playing havoc with their own motherland. The confession by Col Prasad Purohit should be enough for the Indian government and people to arrive at the root cause of the matter. So, Kuldip Nayar should have also suggested that extremist factions in India also must be banned.
The Sachar Report also makes us believe that cruelties committed towards Indian Muslims might have led to domestic terrorism or to more vividly I call it ‘retaliatory terrorism’.
Moreover, as for as the accusations levelled against Pakistan (read ISI) are concerned, the people of India and its government must understand that it is Pakistan itself who is the prime target of terrorists. Hundreds of Pakistanis have fallen prey to terrorist attacks within a short span of time and many of them got paralysed forever. Pakistan has lost its great leader Benazir Bhutto in a suicide attack. No doubt the Islamic terrorist organisations are involved in such heinous incidents. The Pakistan government and people are trying their best to arrest this rot of Islamic militants. And in this gigantic task we need the help of the world, particularly our neighbouring countries.
I agree with Shashi Tharoor when he rightly draws his analysis in his article, ‘Keep up the spirit to fight’ (The Times of India, Nov 30), as: “The Islamist extremism nurtured by a succession of military rulers of Pakistan has now come to haunt its well-intentioned but lamentably weak elected civilian government.
“The bombing of Islamabad’s Marriott Hotel proved that Frankenstein’s monster is now well and truly out of that government’s control. The militancy once sponsored by its predecessors now threatens to abort Pakistan’s sputtering democracy and seeks to engulf India in its flames. “There has never been a stronger case for firm and united action by the governments of both India and Pakistan to cauterise the cancer in their midst”.
True, there has never been an animate and united action by the two governments to curb the pest of militancy. But the tragedy is that whenever such an effort is made, it is sabotaged by the terrorists and by the blame game.
Both countries are badly caught in the enigmatic problem of home-grown terrorism. So both countries should join hands with each other to get rid of this pain in the neck. Joint mechanism to fight with militants must be evolved. The people of the two countries are craving for peace. They are caught in terrorism, poverty and many other social problems. But their leaders are not coming up to their expectations.
The US assault on Iraq and Afghanistan breed Islamic terrorist organisations like Al Qaeda and Taliban and now incessant drone attacks inside Pakistan are escalating the menace of terrorism. The wars on Afghanistan and Iraq and the decades-festered problems of Kashmir and Palestine are major factors of terrorism.
The world must work to resolve these problems, which have destroyed the peace of the world.
And the problem of Kashmir doesn’t need the fourth stakeholder. It should be resolved according to the expectations and will of the people of Kashmir.
NABEEL ANWAR
Dhakku, Chakwal
(II)
THE Mumbai terror attack demonstrates how a few insane people can destroy hundreds of families and set nations on a warpath. Our brothers and sisters in India became victim of similar insane and inhuman attacks that our people in Pakistan have been subjected to for a long time.
The blood of innocent men, women, and children that is shed in the two countries makes us brothers and sisters in blood.
This tragedy also reminds us that we live in a ‘New World Disorder’ in which we are forced to cope with terrorism just like events of natural disaster.
Our common enemy is trying to turn our nations into a cloud of smoke.
Although we can’t fight nature but we can defeat man-made carnage if we find and punish the culprits and simultaneously heal the root cause. Peace-loving individuals, groups and nations must work in concert to isolate a few beasts from millions of innocent people who want to live their lives in dignity and peace.
Can we find common ground to fight back this threat? The answer is ‘yes’ if we have the will to shift paradigms and overcome our fears.
There are political groups in both countries, which are taking an unholy advantage of this tragedy to settle their own narrow political and ethnic accounts. We know terror can’t be fought with terror just the way you can’t wash dirt with the dirt. We also know terrorism has no nationality or a religion.
Not every Pakhtoon is a terrorist and not every terrorist is a
Pakhtoon. We can’t allow gang violence in Pakistan to substitute state power and legal governance. I request you to stand up to send a strong message that we will not tolerate intolerance that sets communities and nations against each other.
This is a wake-up call for those who have decided to become spectators and have chosen to take a sideline. History will not absolve them and will remember them with an unkind headline.
IQBAL TAREEN
Chief Organiser
Forum for Justice and Democracy in Pakistan
Washington DC
(III)
A REPORT says that the 21-year-old militant arrested during the attacks on Mumbai, whose name is given as Azam Amir Kasav, was fluent in English (Dec 2)
There are several questions arising in one’s mind: (1) He is the only militant out of 10 who was caught alive. His name has been cited as Ajmal Amir Kamal in some reports. At least the Indians should have known his real name, if his statements are seen as sufficiently reliable by New Delhi to lodge formal protests with Islamabad about the militants’ Pakistani origin.
(2) How is it that he belongs to a village (Faridkot) in Pakistan, Punjab, rather than a sizable city, and yet has command over the English language, which is nearly impossible for somebody who has spent all or nearly all of his life in rural environment?
(3) A correspondent had pointed out that a cook working for the Leopold Café, where the terrorists’ operation first started, had told the BBC that six or seven terrorists had taken food and alcoholic beverage at the restaurant, got drunk and then begun firing indiscriminately (Dec 1). No Muslim fundamentalist, much less a fanatic, could consume alcohol. How does this square with India’s claim of the militants being from Lashkar-i-Taiba or a similar outfit?
ABDUL ALEEM
Karachi
RECENTLY 12 countries of South America have decided to form their union and common parliament on the pattern of the European Union. For small nation states it is the only option for survival in a world where big powers like the US, Russia China and India dominate in politics and trade.
These big states assert their pressure in forming policies and rules for international trade and political matters. Their size and volume of trade help them to take decision according to their interest and enforce these decisions. One such example is the right to acquire nuclear and missile technologies. These big states have imposed restrictions on some states, but are helping others to enhance their capability in these technologies. Very soon Japan and the two Koreas would be forced to make their union.
When we look around our neighbourhood, we find that six Central Asian States, along with Afghanistan and Pakistan, sandwiched between such three states: Russia, China and India. The pace of development of China and India is the highest in the world and within two to three decades these states would become new superpowers.
Both need huge and new energy resources to keep their development pace, while huge reserves of crude, gas, coal and uranium are buried in their backyard in the Central Asian States, additionally abundant hydro-electricity can be obtained from the water resources of Kirghistan and Tajikistan.
Therefore, it is but natural that these two would try to use these reserves for their own benefit. Either they can compete or can cooperate with each other to divide these reserves between them. Such cooperation was witnessed in the near past between Britain and Russia, when Britain awarded the whole Central Asia to Russia and encouraged it to occupy the whole area to safeguard their colony of Indian subcontinent, thus the danger of any future attack from Central Asia and Afghanistan was eliminated.
The six Central Asian States gained their independence after the breakup of the Soviet Union. These states — Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kirghistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — along with Afghanistan and Pakistan — have every kind of metal and mineral reserves that need exploration and development.
The weakest point of these states, leaving aside Pakistan, is that they are landlocked, while Pakistan has a coastline of 1,046km along the Arabian Sea. At present four ports are operational and a few more can be developed to cater for the needs of all these states, and which would be the shortest possible route to reach the sea.
Therefore, for the safety and future development of all these states — Afghanistan and Pakistan included -- it is necessary that they should form their own union on the pattern of the European Union. The stability of this region is vital to world peace.
The formation of this union will reduce the militancy the world over. Suicide bombing is the result of poverty and broken hopes, such people think that after killing they would go straight to Paradise and thus they could end their sufferings of the present world.
MIRZA SHAHID BARLAS
Karachi
IN Dawn’s Metropolitan section for Islamabad (Dec 3) appears a report about the Pakistan Environmental Protection Authority (PEPA) attempting to stop the Capital Development Authority (CDA) from starting a huge traffic interchange project at Zero Point.
This is the city’s busiest traffic junction. The project’s value is Rs2.2 billion. This, like most such projects in the city, is being implemented without public consultation, and sadly without significant protest by civil society organisations.
Since 1997, when the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act came into force, all large projects in the country are required by law to undergo a thorough environmental assessment followed by a public hearing.
In all these years, hardly any major project has been submitted to the PEPA. And when it has, it has been thoroughly botched through lack of follow-up by PEPA. True implementation of the law would invariably require the imposition of high fines and taking the proponent to the Environmental Tribunal, which PEPA and its umbrella body, the ministry of environment, are unwilling to do.
Fearful and incompetent leadership, coupled with the CDA’s marriage with the building mafia, is an important factor in the government’s lethargy.
I am aware of the unsustainable Centaurus project (http://www.thecentaurus.net) in Islamabad which the PEPA largely overlooked, merely sending the construction company warning letters while doing nothing to stop the work. Such travesties of law occur right under the noses of the PEPA officials!
The current attempted stoppage of the interchange project is yet another eyewash by the PEPA, which is powerless to counter the CDA and it contractors. Was PEPA sleeping when Kamran Lashari and his CDA men defaced the city by building its massive road system, with no attention to public transport?
Instead of the current fuss, it is important that the PPP government follow through with its election manifesto that nods at environmental protection. The government should strengthen the PEPA, make it an independent monitoring authority with powers to stop projects that violate laws, and formulate stricter legislation to prevent environmental damage in future.
If this is not done, the news about the feigned stopping of the interchange is wasted newsprint.
Q. ISA DAUDPOTA
Islamabad
THIS is apropos of your editorial, ‘Bloodshed once more’ (Dec 2). While expressing concern about the violence in Karachi, you have correctly observed that the MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s warnings about the possible Talibanisation of this city wasn’t the right thing to do.
Also, that, undoubtedly, one of the reasons behind his warnings could be the migration to Karachi of a large number of refugees from Fata. You are also right in noting that there is no evidence that all of them are arriving here or that none of them intends to return home after things return to normality.
Perhaps this is the reason for the concern of the MQM leadership. Actually they do not want the demographic balance to shift to their disadvantage. However, they are reminded that some among them and all their elders had come to Sindh as migrants from India, a large part of the city’s populace, including my family, are ‘muhajirs’ in this sense.
Therefore, if our unfortunate brethren from a battle zone of their own country wish to find shelter with their relatives, friends or acquaintances settled in another part of the country, it is not proper for us to object to that.
Emerson had said: “It is a beautiful compensation of life that we cannot help another without being helped ourselves”. Hence, whichever way one looks at it, ultimately it will be to our own advantage (if one must view it in business terms) to help these uprooted, destitute and desperate folks, many of whom have lost their family members and relatives.
Such a selfness and humane approach will definitely increase the goodwill and tolerance between communities and lead to peace and prosperity for the city, province and country. If we can tolerate millions of folks from Bangladesh, Afgahnistan, Burma and other places, why must we turn Pakistanis away?
F. SIDDIQI
Karachi
WHERE the commotions of Mumbai have proved a bombshell for the whole world and Pakistan, they have also badly pushed the game of cricket towards the edge of devastation.
Cricket has suffered much at the hands of terrorists since 9/11. But the dilemma is that terrorism has affected the game of cricket in Pakistan much more than in any other countries. Since countries like America, India and Europe have pointed a finger at Pakistan as being a centre of terrorism, no cricket team is ready to play in Pakistan.
The second main event of the game, the Champions Trophy, which was scheduled to take place in Pakistan in September, has been put off until the next year because of the pharisaic attitude of the world teams, specially the International Cricket Council.
The recent assaults on Mumbai and the obliteration of England cricket team’s tour show that India is also facing the same problem of terrorism as is Pakistan.
In the face of grim Mumbai fracas, the England team is not ready to play in India but Wales Cricket and the ICC are putting pressure on the England team that they should play in India in order to show their ethical values.
This really shows the anathematic attitude and bigotry of the ICC, the Wales Cricket as well as of the England’s Cricket team towards Pakistan as they have already declined to play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan citing security reasons. This also shows their natural contempt for Muslims.
Now it is time our government and the PCB made strong policies which showed our strong stand on the game of cricket.
ADNAN ABBAS
Langah
APROPOS of Durdana Tameezuddin’s letter (Dec 4) in support of keeping designated smoking areas at public places, I would beg to differ with her on this.
As a scientist who has done research on tobacco control, may I say that allowing designated smoking areas at public places will weaken the existing tobacco control laws of the country.
Our tobacco industry is exerting all kinds of pressure on the ministry of heath to change the existing law which, in the present form, requires complete prohibition of smoking at all indoor public places. WHO, American Cancer Society, Pakistan Chest Society, as well as many other organizations, have recommended that all indoor public places must be completely smoke-free in order to protect the smokers from environmental tobacco smoke.
In a closed airconditioned room toxins get re-circulated and non-smokers also inhale those toxins resulting in various health problems. Research has shown that second-hand or passive smoking is linked with lung cancer, heart attacks, asthma, pneumonia, as well as several other diseases.
Smokers have a right to smoke but they have no right to destroy others’ health as a result of their bad habit. This is the reason why all airlines now have zero smoking policy on their flights. The government of Pakistan has signed a United Nation treaty, which clearly states that all indoor public places must be completely smoke-free.
Designated smoking areas, which can truly protect the non-smokers from the tobacco toxins, are very difficult to make and require huge financial undertakings. I doubt if the government or the private organisations in Pakistan have sufficient funds available to make separate rooms for the smokers at millions of public offices, hotel and restaurants in the country.
Tobacco use is currently responsible for 50 per cent of deaths from lung diseases globally. According to WHO estimates, as many as one billion people worldwide could die from tobacco-related illnesses in the 21st century unless urgent action is taken.
The single most important step our government can take to control tobacco epidemic in the country is to ensure that all indoor public places are completely smoke-free.
The government’s recent announcement to have designated smoking areas in restaurants, hotels and other public places is going to weaken the prohibition of smoking ordinance and will not help in controlling the tobacco epidemic in the country.
DR JAVAID KHAN
Karachi
EDUCATION is a basic right of human being. And it is the duty of every government to provide the good facilities of education to its citizens. Unfortunately the situation in our country is not rosy.
The government has established many schools to fulfil this requirement but unfortunately these schools are not catering the needs of students. These schools are facing many problems. Although highly qualified and highly-paid teachers are working in these schools, they avoid teaching/ going to classes. Teachers who are appointed on a political basis are ghost teachers.
Moreover, there is no concept of cleanliness in educational institutions whose lavatories are ever in bad condition. The structures of school building are shabby. Food in most canteens is not edible. Most of the computers in the labs are out of order. Government schools in the interior are being used by landlords for their personal purposes.
The authorities concerned should to take notice of the situation.
IMRAN IQBAL RAJPUT
Hyderabad
quality
THE response of a technologist of a sugar mill, instead of a clarification from Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Dec 1), to my letter, “Pakistan’s standard enforced on sugar quality” (Nov 26), has created more confusion.
The fact is that it is the International Commission for Uniform Methods for Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA) which deals with the international trade of sugar commodities.
The colouring units defined by this organisation are known as ICUMSA units but this indicates the reference methods for determination of the parameters as defined in the Pakistan Standard Specification.
The Codex CAC/WHO standards on sugar provide specification for all types of consumable sugars, e.g. refined sugar, mill white sugar and brown sugar. It is worthwhile to mention here that the specification markedly differs from every type of sugar as contained therein.
The CAC standards of colour through ICUMSA units certainly differ and depend on the selectivity of consumer regarding his personal choice of the degree of whiteness under which the type of sugar falls.
We do not contest the colouring units. It may be the other parameters affecting health of the individual user, i.e. heavy metal like arsenic (As),
mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and even residual sulphur dioxide (SO2).
The national standards on sugar fully envisages the international trade practices in line with the Codex Standards. It covers only two categories of sugar and Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) fully agrees to the conformance of each type of sugar against the defined quality parameters in line with the international standards. To quote ICUMSA units 4,000 and 1,000 ICUMSA for molasses and brown sugar is, therefore, misleading and unethical, to say the least, apparently given to defend inferior/questionable quality of sugar.
I still hold that the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority should ensure that under all circumstances the decision of the government for raising the quality of sugar to make it fit for human consumption is implemented by the targeted date.
BADAR JATOI
Port Coquitlam, BC,
Canada
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