| January 02, 2009 | Friday | Muharram 04, 1430 |
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US-Pakistan Bilateral Investment Treaty
Quaid’s birthplace
Palestinian tragedy
Two faces of the same coin?
Electricity torture
Education without attendance
Inquiry into Benazir’s murder
Pakistani embassies
Dug-up roads
Politico-religious parties’ role
Fuel wastage
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 with reference to Zubeida Mustafa’s article, “Media’s role in war and peace” (Dec 31).
The basic premise of the article appears to be that the media, particularly privately owned satellite television channels in Pakistan and India, have been instrumental in driving the two countries to the brink of war.
It would be naïve to believe that the fiery verbal bursts of a few anchorpersons while hosting television shows can have the potential of driving the billion-plus population of the subcontinent to war. Perhaps it is to grossly overestimate the power and influence of those few anchorpersons of private television channels.
The history of Pakistan and India is witness to the fact that both the countries have fought three wars in the first twenty-four years of their independence: in 1948, 1965 and 1971. At none of these times were the war-spewing media persons or their sponsoring satellite television channels present. Still, both the nations went to war. If today they decide to go to war again, it would be for a totally different set of reasons and motivations.
The subject of the writer’s article relates to the power of the media to influence society, which has been the subject matter of numerous studies conducted all around the world. The views held by Ms Mustafa largely correspond to about a century old ‘magic-bullet’ theory which has gone through tremendous modifications and changes during the course of the last hundred years.
The theory held that the media was a very powerful tool in the hands of those who controlled it and that it formulated the opinions and beliefs as well as molded the behaviour of the targeted audience. It also held that the media produced immediate, direct and uniform effects on its audiences.
However, this theory could not withstand the test of the time. Subsequent decades saw several new studies being conducted on different dimensions of the media’s impact on the audience. One important study was by Hadley Cantril of Princeton University, who found that people with low critical ability tended to accept media messages more readily than those with high critical ability.
Many social scientists took note of the fact that selection of a particular medium remains the sole prerogative of the audience. For instance it is up to the individual to select a particular channel of television and a programme to watch or a particular newspaper and an article to read amongst many choices available.
Studies conducted in this regard revealed that the audience’s acceptance of the media messages depended on a wide range of aspects like their needs, attitudes, intelligence, values, social class, rural or urban background, age, gender, racial and ethnic background etc.
These studies are loosely termed as ‘uses and gratification’ theories. They are far from the premises of the magic bullet theory which focused on what media does to people rather than what people do with media. Because of this the theories are also referred to as audience centred and active audience theories. I have dealt with this subject in detail in my book, “Satellite Television and Social Change in Pakistan: A Case Study of Rural Sindh”.
Coming back to the point, as a viewer I have found the role of the electronic media quite appropriate during the present tensions between the two countries. Most of the participants of talk-shows, both hosts and guests, handle the subject with a sense of balance and responsibility, promoting the cause of peace.
Some hosts and guests may deviate from this norm, but this also serves as an emotional outlet for their audience. Nevertheless a study would have to be conducted to determine (a) how many people watch such hate-based programmes amongst a very wide range available on eighty-plus channels? And (b) how many of their listeners prepare or agree to go for a war?
I personally believe that the role of these anchor persons in the ensuing war-game is almost inconsequential and it should not be over-emphasised.
DR MOHAMMAD ALI SHAIKH
Karachi
I would like to respond to Dawn’s report, “Government resisting US pressure on investment treaty” on the proposed US-Pakistan Bilateral Investment Treaty (Dec 21). The impression that the proposed Bilateral Investment Treaty is a one-sided agreement in favour of the US is entirely wrong.
The Bilateral Investment Treaty is a reciprocal agreement, providing the same advantages to Pakistani investors in the US as for US investors in Pakistan. The USA has signed similar treaties with over forty different countries, including Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia and Turkey.
Ultimately, the purpose is to promote US investment in Pakistan, which has slowed down considerably in the past year. Certainly US investment here is an advantage to both our countries. For example, Proctor & Gamble recently broke ground on a $100million plant in Port Qasim which will provide over 7,000 jobs to local Pakistanis.
A signed Bilateral Investment Treaty would boost overseas investor confidence in Pakistan, encourage US investors to engage in Pakistan’s market and attract much needed foreign investment funds to the country.
Foreign investment, in turn, has the potential to bring jobs to Pakistan, increase government revenues, replace imports with local production, and create further business opportunities through the development of local supplier bases.
I would also highlight that, in regard to revenues, 33 per cent of total tax receipts in Pakistan are from overseas investments, according to the OICCI (Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
In this regard, a treaty that protects investors’ interests and facilitates US investment in Pakistan should not be seen as an imposition or a threat, but rather as an opportunity to promote a robust and healthy economy.
ANNE W. PATTERSON
United States Ambassador to Pakistan Islamabad
I CONGRATULATE Sindh MPA Humera Alwani for moving a notice in the Sindh Assembly for passage of a resolution declaring Jheruck, Thatta, as the birthplace of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Dec 26).
In addition to her well-researched proposal, let me state one more point. I was a primary school student from 1957 to 1960. In our textbooks, there was a lesson on the life and achievements of the Quaid-e-Azam in which Jheruck was mentioned as his birthplace. My generation will testify to this statement.
Probably those old textbooks will also be available in the library of the Sindh textbook Board.
Undoubtedly Karachi is our historical and cultural city and, it is very dear to us. Even Shah Abdul Latif Bhattai has written on Kolachi (modern day Karachi) in his immortal poetry, but as far as the birthplace of the founder of Pakistan is concerned, it is definitely Jheruck, not Karachi, and I hope the Sindh Assembly will make the necessary correction.
Moreover, by declaring Jheruck as the birthplace of the Quaid-e-Azam , we can build an infrastructure of roads, schools and colleges in the town.
Since it is located on the western bank of the river Indus, by building a bridge on the river we can directly connect Jheruck with the eastern bank towns of southern Sindh, such as Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin and even Mirpurkhas.
This will reduce the distance between Karachi and these cities. The prosperity of the inhabitants of Jheruck and the adjoining area will be a tribute to the Quaid.
DR SYED MEHTAB ALI SHAH
Jamshoro
Apropos to the article ‘Why bombing Ashkelon is the most tragic irony’ (Dec. 31), Robert Fisk has rightly pointed out that the Palestinian tragedy is the outcome of the injustice and bias in the region.
Those who think that Israel is justified in ‘retaliating’ are blind to the fact that it is the Palestinians who are fully justified in taking any action, with whatever little power they have, against the illegal occupants of their land -- the Israelis. Bias has a very short memory, it seems: the timeline is conveniently shifted forward by the Israeli usurpers and their supporters to the point of the latest so-called Palestinian aggression.
Even if we take the present conflict out of context and just go by the number of casualties on each side this time, the poor, defenseless people of the overcrowded and blockaded slums of Gaza are the obvious victims.
The terrorist and rogue state of Israel has a license to kill and nobody in the Islamic world has the spine to challenge it. All we can do is to raise our hands to the heavens and pray for a miracle.
Dr ATIF ALVI
Lahore
(II)
ISRAEL’S retaliatory attacks on Palestinian area in Gaza Strip, during the last few days are totally out of proportion in terms of strike strength and casualties on both sides. This Israeli aggression has killed more than 400 Palestinians compared to a few Israelis. This indicates that Israel has taken a very aggressive and violent step in retaliation and is inherently in the wrong.
Israel bears the brunt of responsibility for the crisis and is rightly being blamed for killing so many Palestinians.
This act of violence from either side is extremely deplorable and should be stopped immediately to avoid further casualties in the area.
It is being propagated through the media that Hamas commanders initiated the fight by throwing rockets towards the Israeli area, but it is not being said what prompted them to take such a foolish step, knowingly that Hamas is no match to Israel’s military strength and resources to strike back.
Provoking Israel by throwing rockets is also extremely condemnable and should not have been allowed by Hamas authorities as this had further fueled the vulnerable situation and conflicts in the area.
Hamas militants should realise that they cannot win military confrontation with Israel.
Both Israel and the Hamas leadership should come to the table to negotiate an acceptable resolution of all outstanding issues to bring peace and harmony in the area.
The US current and incoming administrations should chalk out an agenda to support Israel-Palestinian negotiations to defuse current hostility and resolve their on going conflicts for the peace of this world.
We need to know that only diplomacy and negotiation can end rocket and missile attacks and can bring long term peace and security in the area.
MOHAMMAD ASHRAF
Winnipeg
The NWFP Assembly on December 30 expressed doubts and strong reservations over the military operations “bearing huge losses to masses’ lives and properties” and demanded of the government to put a clear-cut policy on war against terror before the public.
Most of the members of the provincial assembly dubbed militants and army as two faces of the same coin, putting the future of the Pukhtoon culture on the brink of destruction.
The emotionally charged young parliamentarian, Saqibullah, alleged that the hideouts of the militants were in the knowledge of the security forces but they avoided hitting them due to reasons best known to them.
Last week the ANP’s information minister held a press conference and expressed the NWFP government’s dissatisfaction over the military operation.
Voices from the ANP government are not unusual and it has the right to suggest to the central government about its reservations and observations, but to cast doubts on the intentions and ability of the military as regards the ongoing operation seems unjustified and uncalled for.
Ever since the elected democratic government has taken over in the provinces and the centre, the military high command, in accordance with the Constitution, has handed over all the decisive powers to the new administration and is playing a subservient role.
It is upon the government to mobilize political opinion and political support for the security forces, in which they seem to be failing and instead are putting blame on the military.
Secondly, the dubbing of the military and militants as the two sides of the same coin is a highly irresponsible allegation, which the political leadership knows is not justified.
The members of the provincial assembly who allege that the military knows the hideouts and avoid targeting them, also seems uncalled for because it is the military that has so far suffered heavy casualties and injuries, apart from collateral damages and losses to public and government properties.
So there can be no question of the military avoiding targeting real targets.
Instead the impression is that the political leadership is not wholeheartedly putting its weight behind the military against the militants; rather some of them are providing sanctuaries to some of the militants.
Such impressions would not help improve the image of the government as well as the security forces.
There is a need for a cohesive approach towards solving the issues of national security. That should be our first priority.
ESCHMALL SARDAR
Peshawar
APART from the long hours of loadshedding in Karachi, another problem is the repeated coming and going of power at the interval of a few minutes.
Thus, on Dec 23 the electricity was interrupted about 12 to 15 times and on Dec 24, as I write this around noon, it has already happened nearly five to six times. A correspondent’s complaint about this was also published on Dec 21 but it has had no effect on the KESC.
This is causing serious disruption in whatever job one is trying to do and must be causing enormous loss in productivity of this commercial and industrial hub of Pakistan. Such interruptions destroy one’s concentration and cause mental agony.
The power minister has also done nothing to save us from this ‘electric torture’ and appears to be incompetent for this job. He should be replaced by someone who treats the KESC not with velvet gloves but sternly. Postscript: as I finish writing this letter by hand at 1.30pm the power has gone for the seventh time since morning.
A CITIZEN
Karachi
This is apropos of the write-up, “Maritime education for economic prosperity” (Dec 28).
It was shocking to learn that the powers that be have decided to do away with the requirement of mandatory college attendance for Deck Officers in blatant contravention of the International Convention signed by almost all maritime nations including Pakistan.
This could possibly mean that a 100 million dollar ship can be commanded by a Pakistani certificate holder who has not attended a nautical college.
The authorities may next decide to forgo college attendance for doctors and engineers.
Who is responsible for making such audacious decisions which shows an impudent lack of respect for international conventions?
Whatever respect and regard the Pakistani mariner has so far received worldwide will soon be a thing of the past if immediate steps are not taken to end this madness.
ANCIENT MARINER
Karachi
Mr Zardari was quoted from Nau Dero (by a TV channel) that he knows the killers and he will expose their names.
He also said that ‘friends’ asking him questions about the killers should come and help him, sounds as if Mr Zardari is under some kind of pressure.
He has said it many times that his own life is at risk, maybe conditional to his naming the killers.
If this may be the story, then it is very sad that a president of the country having full security protection and chief of the party, finds himself helpless before the criminals and killers of Benazir Bhutto.
If Mr Zardari knows the killers, then hiding them for a whole year is not justified for law and order of the country and also for the understanding of the party workers that the killers are still unknown.
BBC radio that presented a special programme on the first death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto, said that the UN commission for investigating Ms Bhutto’s death will only be a fact - finding commission and its results will not be binding on anyone.
The cost involved will be $40m and will be paid by the government of Pakistan.
So if Mr Zardari knows the killers, then why should there be a call for UN commission and why should the national exchequer part with this heavy amount, especially if its results will not help identify the killers as against the expectation of the PPP workers and the nation that the UN commission will reveal the killers?
A PPP SUPPORTER
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Mr Hashim’s letter’ (Dec 8), highlighting unfair and unfriendly treatment meted out to their own countrymen by our ambassadors stationed abroad.
Who says they are public servants appointed to act in the interest of the people of the country they represent abroad? Once positioned in their seat, they work according to their sweet will and in their own interest no matter we live or die.
They are the same unbalanced rough and tough bureaucrats who hand in glove with the khaki led our Bengali brethren to feel strangers in their own homeland and were compelled to part ways.
The same lot of rot, incompetent and self-serving, is in place to play with the destiny of this directionless nation. God help us.
A DAWN READER
Karachi
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the dreadful condition of our locality, i.e. Karachi Administration Employees Cooperative Housing Society (KAECHS). Nearly a year has passed since the laying of the water supply line for another locality which passes through our area. All the main roads in the locality were dug up to lay these pipelines. These roads were not even properly closed and recarpeting of roads is but a dream.
The dreadful condition of the roads has made travelling in the area difficult and is also ruining vehicles. The condition has further worsened by the recent rains as several dug-up areas which were left unfilled have become deep ponds, creating a threat of drowning for the people of our locality.
ALI ATHAR
Karachi
ACTIVISTS of politico-religious parties staged a protest demonstration on Dec 29 to condemn Israel for bombing the Hamas-populated area of Palestine.
There is no doubt that bombing of innocent homo sapiens anywhere in the world is a nerve-wraecking and must be condemned with all the force at one’s command.
Nonetheless, the most shocking aspect of the recent public demonstration in Pakistan is that on the day the Israelis bombed Palestinians thousands of miles away from Pakistan, extremists in our own country, in Buner district where Pakistani ‘Qalma Go’ had gathered at a polling station to cast their vote in the by-election, bombed the place with their explosive-laden vehicle that resulted in killing 43 and rendering hundreds crippled for life.
Why the gory incident taking place in the home-country of the activists of the politico-religious parties was ignored while an incident of bombing taking place thousands of miles away in Palestine should provide them an opportunity to exhort the workers to condemn it through public demonstration cannot be understood by the compatriots.
In fact, the leaders of the politico-religious parties never in the past, too, condemned or publicly demonstrated against any act of terrorism that has taken toll of hundreds of lives of the Pakistanis.
Extremists have bombed Pakistanis within sacred premises like mosques, imambargahs, funeral prayers but these inhuman, anti-Islamic acts never evoked any reaction from the leaders of politico-religious parties. Should we assume then that bombing by extremists on Pakistan population is ignored by the leaders heading religious parties because they owe their loyalties to their former madressah-educated students turned ‘fidayeens’?
During the Israel-related demonstrations, the other day, the participants criticised the Pakistani government, saying military operation against militants in Fata and the NWFP should be stopped immediately.
Such a stance clearly shows to which camp the politico-religious parties owe their sympathies. Leaders of these parties have often announced in public that the military should not take action ‘against our own people’.
These leaders are right: between the aggressive militants and the victimised population they have chosen the former to be “their people” and hence to protect every act of the militants is their obligation.
SAYED GB SHAH BOKHARI
Peshawer
WHILE standing outside the subway Zamzama outlet, I saw a SUV, switched on with airconditioner, parked in front of my car and only a single guard sitting inside it.
The owner of the Land Cruiser was enjoying meals and came after more than one hour.
At that time I thought that who says that there is shortage of fuel.
In fact, there are thousands of examples like the one mentioned above.
I request all to minimise this senseless wasting, otherwise I suggest the traffic police to hugely fine these people instead of fining innocent people, as these prodigal people are not only wasting fuel but are also helping to increase poverty as this extra money can be easily used to help the poor.
MUNTAZIR MAHDI
Karachi
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