| January 01, 2009 | Thursday | Muharram 03, 1430 |
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OIC and Mumbai attack
Humpty Dumpty …
Transparency in ads
Solving the problems of a province
Visit to Pakistan
Islamabad police apathy
IMF aid
Suffering taxpayers
Taliban’s dilemma
Charity begins at home
Road repairs
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
APROPOS of Khwaja Saeed Hai’s letter, ‘What makes the nation great’ (Dec 20), I would like to say that to flourish and prosper a country, besides having a good system of education for all, must have justice and equality. All people big or small, poor or rich must appear the same in the eyes of the law of the land. Every criminal when proved guilty should be punished and every right-minded should get justice easily, cheaply, timely.
Secondly, prosperity will come when workers do hard work, produce more and more and contribute to add ever more to the national product of the country. But workers should be paid well so that their health and wealth should increase day by day and they should feel satisfaction in meeting all their needs, without any tension and pain.
They can educate their children, maintain their health and rear them up as good citizens. In this way they will work with greater stamina and prove to be good producers and contributors to the additional resources for the people and the country. More production of goods will raise the supply of goods and the country will achieve surplus and hence boost exports and earn more foreign exchange.
This will improve foreign reserves and strenghthen the financial position of the country. If we are sincere and faithful to our country and the people, we should try to bring stability and prosperity by applying the following policies in our country Pakistan:
a. We should rule the country in accordance with the rules and the Constitution of the country.
b. Violators of the Constitution should not be excused, and their supporters in their plans and policies may also be barred from future participation in the politics of the country.
c. We should resolve that we all should do our duties honestly, devotedly, dedicatedly and justly for the best interest of the people and the country.
d. We should use products of our own country, which means be Pakistanis and buy Pakistanis, and thereby our nation.
e. We should not take contracts to fight for others. Every nation should fight for its interests .
f. We should train our own people for every job and do not hire outsider to serve our country.
g. We should stop taking debt from foreign agencies but rely on more trade with them.
h. Watch and vigilance may be made against those people who live beyond their means.
i. New construction of big bangalows and palaces may be stopped and the parties concerned may be asked to account for their wealth.
j. We should take the oath not to shift our money to foreign countries but to invest it in our own country.
k. All provinces may be given equal rights in economic development and all educated jobless people of the provinces may be given chances to work.
DR ALI AKBAR DHAKAN
Chairman, Sindh Development Foundation
Karachi
MORE than a month has passed after the Mumbai incident that gave a tense dimension to Pakistan-India relations.
Since the Nov 26 occurrence, India, with its predominantly anti-Pakistan stance, has been attempting to corner its neighbour on the diplomatic front to present a case against Pakistan in the United Nations (UN). Interestingly, the same UN whose resolutions on Kashmir have been brushed aside (for around six decades) by India.
And as a top Indian air force official recently claimed to have spotted 5,000 sites inside Pakistan for potential air strikes with sporadic reports of Indian army troop movement along the border with Pakistan, it seems something ‘different’ on the military front is on the cards. In this regard one must not forget the unusual episode of Indian air force planes’ dual violation of Pakistan’s airspace.
As regards Pakistan’s military preparedness, there is a general feeling that our armed forces have been quite active to meet any Indian challenge on the ground, in the air or out in the sea. The government’s decision to shift ‘limited’ troops from the western to the eastern border is very much noticeable too.
However, Islamabad, it generally appears, has not been that vigorous diplomatically. And though friendly countries like Saudi Arabia and China have emerged lately for defusing the tension between South Asia’s nuclear neighbours, one strongly feels Pakistan has not taken an imperative step it could, and should, have taken. Apparently, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the biggest international body after the UN, with 57 member-states, has not been engaged by Pakistan, to neutralise India’s pressure tactics.
Since its establishment in 1969, the OIC has not been able to take any collectively strong and sustainable step to push for the resolution of decades-old burning issues of Kashmir and Palestine. The 21st century crises in Iraq and Afghanistan have only endorsed further the frail approach and status the OIC has in the world’s major issues. The organisation’s lukewarm response to Israel’s recent massacre in Gaza is yet another eye-opener.
Pakistan, after becoming the first nuclear power in the Muslim world in 1998, should have taken up a lead role at the OIC by now. However, if we cannot even raise our own valid case (regarding the Mumbai incident) from the OIC platform, then it will be a gross negligence and injustice both to Pakistan’s interests and those of the entire Muslim world.
Pakistan is being looked at to take initiative in making the OIC a decision-making organisation rather than a mere ‘observing-cum-protesting’ body.
Please do not delay further, as it has already been a tormenting wait.
S.M. IBRAHIM FAROOQI
Karachi
PRESIDENT Zardari spoke for long at Garhi Khuda Bux on Dec 27. He pointed to the Presidential flag flying on Naudero House, and said the prime minister was also from the PPP, so was the first-ever woman speaker of the National Assembly anywhere in the Muslim world.
In Altaf Bhai and the grandson of Badshah Khan the PPP had strong partners, the opposition in Punjab was immature and yet to grow up. The PPP’s present triumphant times were well driven home by the president.
He did not say though why, despite all above, and a year having gone by, there has been no progress whatever in finding Benazir Bhutto’s murderers. What more power and authority does the PPP need, beyond the virtual absolute hold it has on the country, to unmask the faces behind Ms Bhutto’s murder.
Why was the UN involved, what has it delivered until now, or what has the UN delivered on the Rafiq Harari case it has been supposedly investigating for longer than it probably can recall itself?
What did the Scotland Yard investigations achieve? If these were a ruse by the former government to obfuscate rather than solve the murder, why should the nation, in absence of any movement, not feel the same about involving the UN?
Statements that the PPP will soon unmask the killers of Ms Bhutto do more to disillusion than reassure.
The president had nothing to say on his lines ‘I have asked the parliament to revisit Article 58(2)B…’ ,which he delivered with great flourish like a Shakespearean thespian during his presidential address.
His dig at a politician who looks good, and even better on TV, but apparently says ‘all the wrong things’ must have made that politician feel good. His words are getting to where they should, and hurting. They are also getting to where they matter, to the people.
The PPP too has pretty faces, and handsome profiles, but they don’t come across as such because of the claptrap they have to dish out with half believing looks on their faces.
Why does the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty…….. come to mind when listening to the PPP types reciting their mantras.
S.KHALID HUSAIN
Karachi
JUST now I saw an advertisement on the TV announcing a number of jobs of security guards in a Middle East country. The advertisement promised free food and free accommodation, but failed to mention the pay an applicant would receive after he is selected for the job. Also, whether the advertisement had government endorsement.
Every now and then we hear stories of persons allured abroad for employment in a foreign country, with lucrative pay. When these poor people reach the host country they are given a meagre pay.
Moreover, their duty hour is prolonged to much more than eight hours daily and the period of return home is increased to three years instead of what it should be annually with paid leave, or even denied. This is exploitation of labour and it also militates against human rights.
Even the selection process is tainted with demands of money, from applicants, some time exceeding hundred thousand rupees, which is down right cheating, forcing the selected successful applicant either to borrow money or sell his land and property.
That is to say, Pakistan needs transparency in advertising jobs, and products.
In fact, very few advertisements spell out details about the price of the product or of services, which is a clear device to hoodwink the public and to increase the price of the product without advance notice. .
Every time we go to make a purchase prices seemed to have been upped by 10 per cent. Moreover, the cost of goods differs from one store to another. The store minders put the blame for raising the price on the manufacturers. What is also inexplicable is that the new price is hand-written, and the printed price is crossed out by ink or markers, putting in focus the lack of morality on the part of businessmen, who exploit their clientele.
Now that we have a government which claims to have been put on the driving seat by the marginalised section of the citizenry, it should act to save the poor classes from downright exploitation and deceit.
JONAID IQBAL
Islamabad
IT was in December 2007 when the nation lost a remarkable person, Benazir Bhutto. She was a courageous leader, a bold voice in the world and a symbol of women’s independence. She successfully continued the struggle for the people of this country, which was undertaken by her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and grandfather Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto.
History is witness that the Bhutto family have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the people to establish democracy and the rule of justice. In return the people responded by electing the Peoples Party into power. But unfortunately the fruit of that was not received by the common people of this country.
It should be the primary objective of this government to address issues that concerning the common. So far this government has been busy in its own affairs. Issues of high prices, unemployment, education’s deterioration, health problems, peace, terrorism, the restoration of judges, etc., are yet to be addressed properly.
This situation is the same throughout the provinces of Pakistan, but I would like to state the grievances of the Sindh province, which supports this government whole-heartedly and unconditionally. Yet the province has been left at the mercy of anti-people elements.
When the people faced acute shortage of flour in the province, the Sindh chief minister, instead of providing solace and support, suggested that the people eat ‘rice’ instead. The countryside of Sindh is teeming with dacoits who kidnap innocent people, specially from the Hindu community, which plays an important role in the economics of Sindh.
The youth of Sindh is not being given job even after passing the examinations held by the Sindh Public Service Commission. Its performance has been questioned many times. It does not conduct its combined competitive examinations regularly. The record shows that the said examinations were conducted in 2001 the last time.
The tests to recruit lecturers were conducted randomly but the successful candidates were not given appointments. Thus the youth of this province suffers due to unemployment.
The standard of education is deteriorating day by day, and no significant change has been seen in recent times. Due to unbearable prices people are committing suicide and selling children. Instead of reducing prices, transport owners are charging the same fares, increased during the hiked fuel prices.
There are no checks and balances. Local industries are closing down and people are forced to leave jobs in factories.
Is there anyone listening?
MUBARAK ALI LASHARI
Islamabad
A VISIT to Pakistan turned out to be a bigger fiasco than I had imagined. The main culprit was electricity which would go out every hour for one hour. There was no water during my whole stay of around four days and I had to take a shower after returning to Dubai.
I needed some medicine which was not available here. There was no gasoline available and I saw long lines of motorbikes and cars at gas stations. The national carrier was able to mismanage their baggage handling system and were using the old system of tagging the baggage. The only road leading to the city from the airport was broken.
There were vendors everywhere occupying city property. No one here knows how to handle garbage and dispose it off.
Add to that the mess of the suicide bombers who are onto their jihadi mission. Thank you Pakistan. Usually when I go to another country I have my camera in hand and take nearly 200 pictures. I did not take any picture in Lahore as nothing was worth taking.
MOHSIN MALIK
Dubai
APROPOS of your editorial about ammunition theft in the Aabpara police station (Dec 23), I am least surprised as I know the non-professional attitude of Aabpara police officials and easygoingness of Islamabad’s police higher-ups. On the Nov 20 morning, when I was about leave for my office, I found my car missing. I called #15 and reported that my car bearing #L-2314, Suzuki FX, model 1986, colour golden yellow, parked in front of my residence in G-6/1-3, Islamabad, was stolen. Within an hour two police parties approached me and sought the necessary details and assured me that the car should be recovered.
Instead of triggering any surveillance and taking some measures to apprehend car thieves, they advised me that I myself should look around in the nearby area as this old model car is of no use to car thieves and might already have been abandoned by them after removal of CNG kits, engine and some other valuable parts.
If I succeed in finding it, I should inform them. I was numbed to their suggestion and wondered that if I had to find the vehicles myself, why do I report to the police station?
In the light of their advice, I tried my level best and roamed around as much as I could but did not find any trace of my vehicle. On Nov 21 I called the SHO of the area and apprised him about the matter and sought his interventions.
He assured me of the recovery of the vehicle and promised to give me good news next days. He showed so much confident during his assurance as if the stolen vehicle was parked in his porch.
Later on I leant that this assurance by the SHO was also based on the same premise that generally stolen vehicles are abandoned after CNG kits and other valuable items are taken out, and the same may happen in this case.
On Nov 23 I called him again and expressed my keenness to hear the good news. He asked me not to bother any other official and visit him next day exactly at 11am in his office. To my utter surprise, I did not find the SHO next day when I reached his office on the scheduled time. After a long wait, I managed to find him around 4pm.
He called in the investigation officer and as a PR exercise arranged a visit for me to a nearby police station for identification of confiscated vehicles. On way back, the SHO asked the investigation officer to provide him a copy of the FIR in case of non-recovery of the vehicle that day. During my visit to that police station, I did not find any recently-confiscated vehicle there and learnt that the visit was a part of catharsis session wherein the accompanying investigation officer was trying his level best to convince me that they cannot do anything. He advised me to collect the FIR copy next day.
In the light of the police apathy, wherein police officials seem content only in lodging complaints about car theft and issuing theft certificates in the form of FIR copies, I approached the inspector-general of police, Islamabad, on Nov 27 and apprised him of my ordeal.
He called the SHO concerned and instructed him firmly about the recovery of the vehicle within a week but in spite of lapse of almost one month, there has been no progress. When I tried to reach the IGP again, I could not get through him and was turned down from the main entrance.
AZHAR GHUMRO
Islamabad
A FEW months back, according to our media, Pakistan was on the edge of a financial crisis. It was said that if help was not taken from the IMF within nine weeks, the banks of the country would default, which is extremely bad for a state.
The dollar was at the time Rs80, and when the government was questioned about this, the reply was that when aid would be received from the IMF, the dollar would come down to Rs75.
A few weeks after Pakistan was to receive $7.6 billion from the IMF, which was supposed to be transferred to the State Bank within 23 months, according to Shaukat Tareen’s statement on Nov 15 in Karachi.
Pakistan received its first installment of $4.2 billion in November, and news appeared in Dawn that the amount had been transferred to the State Bank.
Today, after a month, the dollar is Rs78.78 (approx), while it was said that the dollar would be Rs75 after receiving the first installment from the IMF.
The government knows very well what to do with the money received, but being a citizen of a democratic state, it’s my right to know what they are doing with it. So please tell me.
AMAD AHMED SHAIKH
Khairpur
A ten per cent advance withholding tax is being recovered from commercial/industrial consumers through electricity bills . The amount of this withholding tax has increased considerably after 70 per cent increase in electricity tariff.
This withholding tax is recovered from taxpayers without considering their business and income history. The Peshawar High Court had recently suspended the recovery of this tax. The KESC is also recovering GST at 16 per cent of the billing amount.
These two taxes form a huge amount and have become an unbearable burden on consumers. The FBR has neither evolved a system of refund of the GST to those industrial consumers who come under zero per cent rating of the GST, nor has it been refunding IT refund claims for the last three years.
In the light of the PHC decision, the FBR and the KESC are urged to suspend the recovery of the withholding tax and the GST as shown in electric bills to provide some relief to the hard-hit consumers.
MASROOR AHMED
Karachi
WITH reference to the editorial, ‘Taliban’s dilemma’, (Dec 28) on the issue of girls’ education, there is a more serious dilemma in civil society of Pakistan on the same issue.
Lawyers and civil society suddenly emerged out of nowhere on the issue of the chief justice of Pakistan as custodians of the institution of the Supreme Court. However, when the institution of ‘school’ was attacked in the name of retaliation against the ‘war on terror’, everybody seemed to have gone numb. We saw schoolchildren in the lawyers’ movement but no human rights lawyers are seen protesting against destruction of schools.
A modernist, progressive and educated person like Imran Khan is content with the fact that since America raged an unjust war in retaliation against 9/11, the situation in the region is not going to settle till they leave.
Apparently ‘schools’ are just another example of collateral damage in an unjust war. This approach effectively absolves everybody of doing anything at all; even speaking against destruction of schools.
Reality is that Musharraf is gone, Bush is going but the war in Afghanistan goes on and so does the destruction of schools. To call this a dilemma for Taliban is naive. From the destruction of the first school, by anybody, it is an unfolding tragedy of epic proportion which will ruin our future generations.
Our inability to educate all Pakistani children is a shame; however the inability to protect the few available ‘schools’ from being destroyed is a new low, mutually achieved by the government, politicians and civil society of the country.
HUMAYUN BASHIR
Riyadh
THIS is apropos of the report, ‘SHO refuses to suffer in silence’ (Dec 28). The reporter deserves appreciation for highlighting a core yet neglected issue -- checks and balances within the police department.
With the ongoing efforts to improve its ‘outlook’, absence of a mechanism for protecting rights of junior officials/policemen within the department is a stumbling block. It is time to admit one’s mistakes and deal with the existing lacunas to develop better strategies for the future.
ASIYA ARIF
Islamabad
I APPEAL to the authorities concerned of Punjab and the Multan district government to carry out minor repairs of the following roads of the city, directly or indirectly leading to the constituencies of our prime minister and foreign minister:
— Piran-Ghaib Road, LMQ Road, Chowk Kumharanwala, Masoon Shah Road, Chungi No. 9, Bosan Road, Pir Khurshid Colony Road, Lodhi Colony Road, Gulgasht Colony Inner Road, Razabad Road, and others.
DR QAMBER ABBAS
Multan
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