| January 13, 2009 | Tuesday | Muharram 15, 1430 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Ways to lessen loadshedding
Islamabad’s DHA scheme
Dowry prohibition
Highway police
Maritime education
Unscheduled loadshedding
No connection
Ghee price
Property tax
An ailing industry
A sane voice from India
Now, after the Mumbai blasts, the chant has also been taken up by our good neighbours of the unending ‘confidence-building measures’ fame.
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
THE recent eruption of Israel-Hamas conflict has taken a heavy toll on poor Plaestinians inhabiting Gaza strip. The full-blown humanitarian crisis has erupted and the innocent children are scavenging for food in the streets.This situation calls for immediate solution to the Israel-Palestine problem for restoring peace to the strife-torn region.
The region of the Middle East has remained volatile, dogged by conflict activity, since the late 1940s.The existence of the Jewish state in Palestine, sponsored by the western powers in its brutal campaigns at the expense of the native population, has sparked three full-scale wars and various low-intensity conflicts
The efforts to promote peace in the Middle East have failed primarily because of mistrust and suspicion existing between the parties to the dispute. In the absence of mutual trust and confidence, peace remains elusive as the contracting parties succumb to their imaginary lingering fears.
Israel views an independent Palestinian state as a vital threat to its existence while the Arabs are under the threat of Al-Naqba (‘the catastrophe’). The demagogue and hawkish elements on both sides have missed no opportunity to hamper the steady progress of peace negotiations.
At the same time the unconditional support extended to Israel by the West has encouraged the former to adhere to an inflexible, rigid stance. Israel’s activity of establishment of Jewish settlements on the occupied Palestinian territory has often hindered the implementation of peace agreements.
The Oslo Accords (1993) provided a glimmer of hope but the process did not go a long way and got derailed with Israeli prime minister Rabin’s assassination.. The latter was regarded by certain quarters of Israeli population too soft towards Palestinians and his ‘land for peace’ deal cost him his life.
In 2003, a new roadmap was designed by the United States with the cooperation of the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. This plan required PM Abbas to end all armed Palestinian activity and all acts of violence against Israelis everywhere. In return, Israel was to begin the process of dismantling settlements built since March 2001 and to freeze all settlement activity.
In Aqaba (Jordan), Ariel Sharon mustered up courage to promise the curbing of settlements. Two days after the Aqaba meeting, the three main Palestinian groups staged a coordinated attack at the border crossing from Gaza into Israel. Disguised in Israeli army uniforms, they killed four Israeli soldiers. Later on a suicide bomber detonated a bomb on a crowded bus in Jerusalem killing 20 people. Israel immediately suspended all negotiations and the peace process ‘fell off a cliff’.
In order to reach an agreement envisioning amicable solution to the dispute, the leaders of both parties must break their pre-formulated moulds and get ready for out-of-box thinking. Israel must face the reality of the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and get rid of historical attitude of blindness and denial as the Palestinians are motivated by the slogan of ‘Thaura hat al Nasr’(revolution till victory).
Israel must realise that the struggles for justice and peace may be protracted if they are not lost. Ideas that cross the barriers and bind people irrespective of borders do never die. Israel and the western powers need to understand the verdict of history that the force of battalions can stop the invasion of armies but not the invasion of idea whose time has come.
Secondly, there is need to free the peace process from being hostage to militants’ extremist agenda. At present the best solution for Palestinians and Israel as well is to support 2002 Arab peace plan initiated by Saudi Arabia. The said plan envisages the acceptance of Israel as a legitimate state by Arabs and normalisation of their relations if the armistice is effected on the basis of pre-1967 boundaries.
NAUMAN ASGHAR
Lahore
WE have been reading in newspapers and watching on TV demonstrations against loadshedding. PEPCO ads tell us to save electricity. But anyone driving past the President’s House, Parliament Building or the MNA Hostel will notice lights blazing at night.
The best part is that the President’s House and the Parliament Building have not paid their electricity bills, as reported by various TV channels. This is another example of what our governments advise us to do, but do not follow the advice themselves.
In the present circumstances where electricity is in short supply, it is imperative that on the national level we start conserving what little electricity we have.
Banning of decorative lights on houses, shops, wedding halls and petrol pumps: disallowing banks, insurance companies, offices and government buildings from lighting up their signboards after closing hours should be strictly imposed.
The only exception would be for security lights. Certain buildings use floodlights. Several examples are the highrise buildings in Blue Area, Islamabad. Use of these should be totally banned.
Hotels and fast food outlets should be asked to cut down on the amount of lighting they use. They may say that they have their own generators. But remember that diesel to run generators has to be paid for in foreign exchange. Energy saver lights should be sold at subsidised rates (subject to approval of the IMF) to encourage the use of these lights.
Those in power need to keep in mind that the gap between haves and have-nots is increasing by the day.
They should not rub salt on the wounds of people living below the poverty line. One of the many ways to help them is to allow them to light up their homes with the one or two lights that they have.
SYED HUSSEIN EL-EDROOS
Rawalpindi
(II)
KARACHI is once again receding into hours of loadshedding by the KESC on one or the other excuse. It has become intolerable and consumers are getting restive. In the face of it, the minister for water and power is assuring the countrymen that from December 2009 onwards there will be no loadshedding. In which paradise are we living?
One wonders how this miracle is going to happen when even after more than 10 months’ rule the new government programmes fail to support the official rhetorics. It is sad that non-important issues are on top priorities of the rulers, but important issues are ignored or going on a snail’s space, instead of being taken on a war footing.
What is the worthy minister going to tell the nation if the tempo of the current loadshedding continues even after the year of 2009, as assured? Something tangible is required to be done to end the menacing loadshedding at the earliest, as the public have lost patience and confidence in the regime, which is not tired of ‘drumming’ its paltry achievements.
Actions speak louder than words. It is time further patience of the people was not tried and the longstanding problem of loadshedding was brought to an end for good.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
I HAD applied on Aug 27 last for an eight-marla plot in Islamabad’s DHA Phase I by depositing a down payment of Rs63,000 in their account (Rs8,000 out of which was non-refundable, being service charges). My Application number was DYI 057849.
In the first week of November the DHAI sent me an intimation of my application being successful and on Nov 13 I requested them through TCS courier to refund my down payment of Rs63,000 minus Rs8,000 (service charges), as I was not interested in availing myself of my allotment.
Innumerable letters, fax messages and emails were sent and telephone calls made by me to the DHAI (attention: administrator), as a follow-up to my refund application. All remained unanswered.
It was on Dec 29 that I received a phone call from Maj Zahid of the DHAI advising me that I should not expect any refund for six months, besides an additional 20 per cent would be deducted out of my down payment, whenever made, in addition to Rs 8,000 being service charges.
It is amply clear that the DHAI is running a Madoff-styled Ponzi scheme fooling innocent public. Raising money against down payments for successively announced schemes; keeping the deposits with bank, at the existing high rates of interest; and refunding the money after charging heavy discounts, not from the DHAI’s own resources but from down payments/installments received from the general public from the next announced scheme.
Investors remain out of pocket for months together, while the DHAI makes money at their cost. This is unlawful on the part of the DHAI.
K. A. HASSAN
Karachi
I WAS shocked to learn from a mainstream English newspaper and a report by Dawn News TV in October last year that the Council of Islamic ideology (CII) has advised the government not to legislate on dowry as it is a custom and may encourage the police to take bribe.
Recently, I had the chance to get this confirmed from the CII that they have actually done this with a view that the mindset needs to be changed before formulating any law. I respect the opinion of the experts but cannot agree with this stand.
As a gender violence survivor and a researcher on gender issues including dowry, I know that dowry violence is a living fact that remains hidden under domestic violence. The cultural institution of dowry as practised in Pakistan stimulates substantial violence toward not only women/girls but men as well.
This takes the form of interfamilial harassment for the additional payments of goods and money which can conclude in divorce, murder or ‘suicide” of the bride. Diminution of this abuse of the disadvantaged, especially women, must be attempted through law, mass awareness and education.
The primary means of controlling these abuses can be a Dowry Prohibition Act and an effective ban on the culture of demonstration at weddings. The distribution of dowry, dowry abuses, attitudes toward dowry and dowry violence and cross-cultural dowry systems must be addressed by the state and a more effective approach should be the developed on related issues like bridal gifts, dower, divorce and inheritance laws.
Until that occurs, the question of whether dowry prohibition is actually in the interests of women may remain unresolved.
What our network — Fight Against Advocacy Network ( FADAN) — wants is as follows:
— An effective law against dowry and dowry violence
— Acceptance of dowry violence as a public health issue and its reflection in health, population and women development policy
— Suo motu action by the court on the ‘stove death’, ‘accidental death’, ‘kitchen death’, ‘death under unknown circumstances’ of any bride or a newly-wed woman, and these ‘deaths’ must be treated as ‘dowry death’ until and unless proved otherwise.
— Social and political advocacy on issues of dowry, including dowry violence.
DR RAKHSJINDA PERVEEN Founder, FADAN
Pakistan
LAST week we were coming back to Karachi from Padidan by car on the National Highway. Suddenly an officer of the Highway police came onto the road dangerously, waving his hands for us to stop. I put full brakes trying not to hit him, a car coming behind us narrowly missed hitting our car from behind. We stopped and the officer came to our car and asked for the registration book and my driving licence.
I repeatedly asked him why he had stopped us but he would not reply and insisted that I give him the book and licence. Once he had them, he started to write a ticket and asked me to sign on the ticket while he was holding it outside my car.
I refused to sign till he told me why I was being issued a ticket. His answer was that I was overspeeding. I then asked him what was the speed recorded on his speed gun, and was told I was travelling at 113km. The speed limit being 110km. I asked him to write this on the ticket.
He wrote my speed but refused to write the speed limit on the ticket. He asked us to pay Rs750 as overspeeding fine. We had no choice but to pay Rs750 to get back our registration book and licence.
This is pure blackmail. Nowhere in the world would you be given an overspeeding ticket for being only 3km over the speed limit. Once they take your registration book and licence, you have no choice but to pay.
I would like somebody to investigate this, so this practice by the Highway police should be stopped. Also I would like to have my Rs750 refunded to me immediately.
MIAN SOHAIL SARWAR
Karachi
While any amount of measures taken may never be enough to satiate this recurring demand from the quarters stated above, we now seem well on the way to exposing another avenue where we most certainly will be asked to ‘do more’ if we are to remain serious contenders on the international stage and be accepted at par with other maritime nations.
The recent publications in this newspaper (‘Maritime education for economic prosperity’ and ‘Education without attendance’) commenting on the unbelievable travesty of dispensing with certificate of competency attendance courses for merchant navy officers’ examinations are eye-openers that must immediately be paid heed to.
It may be clarified that the certificates of competency for merchant navy officers, issued by Pakistan after standard examinations, are so far held in good stead in the maritime world. At present Pakistan ranks among the states in the so-called ‘white list’ of maritime nations which have worked hard to attain and retain standards of training and certification as recommended by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Ignoring and actively shunning recommendations of the IMO, the UN body regulating maritime affairs worldwide, is a farce that will not go unnoticed by it, and very soon we could be a pariah in the maritime world too.
This would be a fatal step for Pakistan’s merchant navy officers already handicapped in acquiring international jobs for reasons that are unfairly associated anyway with people from this country.
Needless to say, Pakistan will straightaway be asked to ‘do more’ to upgrade its professional maritime education failing which its certificates may not retain their present respected stature.
In this period of turmoil where the worst economic depression for decades is squeezing the job market, it would be a mortal blow to seafarers of this country. Urgent corrective action is needed whereby candidates should be made to undergo proper guidance in pursuance of acquiring certificates of competency.
IRFAN JAFRI
Karachi
UNSCHEDULED loadshedding has been the norm in this country. There has been a sharp increase, recently, estimated at 10 to 20 hours in different areas of Balochistan. It has affected the business community, the agriculture sector, students, traders, communication system, etc.
But unfortunately there is no one to inquire about this problem of the deprived masses of the province. It is difficult for a citizen to approach any minister etc. for such problems. Things have become worse for the last 10 months.
It is the responsibility of the government to provide the necessities of life to its people. Instead of solving these problems, the government is sleeping. No new dams are being constructed to overcome the shortage of electricity in the country. Only promises are being made to the people that in the coming months there will be no loadshedding, when actually it is increasing day by day.
ALI AHMAD NOORZAI
Quetta
I AM a resident of the Malir Cantonment Board area. Recently I applied for a PTCL Smart TV connection, and I was told that since I already had a PTCL DSL line, Smart TV was a matter of days. After three weeks had passed without anyone showing up, I called the PTCL helpline to inquire about the status of my order.
I was informed that the order had been ‘rejected’ by the Malir Cantt Exchange DSL officer. I was given no reason for this rejection, neither was I aware that the provision of service was dependent upon approval of exchange personnel.
The mind wanders and one smells a rat, maybe some sort of understanding with local cable providers, but perhaps there is some other perfectly logical reason.
I have tried to contact the relevant exchange but so far have failed to do so. I would request someone from the PTCL to explain the situation, and also to clearly put a message on the Smart TV website saying that the connection is subject to discretion of telephone exchange officials.
TALHA BIN HAMID
Karachi
THE price of palm oil nearly a year ago was $1,300 to $1,350 per ton which stands now at $500, a fall of about 40 per cent. About 90 per cent of our banaspati ghee is produced in Pakistan through palm oil imported from Malaysia.
During high prices of palm oil and crude oil, ghee in our local market was being sold at Rs100 to Rs120 a kilogram.
Although the prices have fallen overseas, there is no fall in the local market and oil
is still being sold at the above prices.
Is there any government department at the city, district, provincial or federal level which can check the prices of ghee and oil?
INAYAT ULLAH SHEIKH
Karachi
THE previous Sindh government had exempted property owners residing on the land up to 120sq yards, which provided a great relief, especially to the lower class.
But the present Sindh government, which claims to be the representative of the poor, has resumed property tax and issued challans not only for the current year but for all the last five years, totaling a huge amount.
The poor people are in a state of shock over this.
The government should immediately take back this decision.
A CITIZEN
Karachi
TOURISM and the hotel industry in Pakistan are in tatters and there are many reasons for it. Not a single government official seems to be doing anything to improve the situation. If there is anyone in the government who is really interested in giving some relief to these two sectors, he should try to give tax amnesty to tourism and the hotel industry.
The CBR department is not earning much from hotels and tourism, and if it decides to give tax exemption to this industry, it will be helpful in overhauling the already ailing sector, thus increasing the revenues. It will enable local tour operators and hoteliers to sell cheap tour packages both nationally and internationally.
RIAZULLAH BAIG
Islamabad
I URGE Mr Anubha (Dec 24) to read Mr Chishti’s letter, ‘Options before India and a Nixon quote’ (Dec 28).
In addition to Mr Chishti’s remarkable letter I may add the following:
1. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu because (a) he insisted that the government of India pay the due share of treasury to Pakistan and (b) he was appalled by the massacre of Muslims post-1947 which shattered his lifelong dream of non-violence.
2. The recurring communal violence against the minorities, mainly Muslims and occasionally against the Christians, not to speak of the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
3. The horrible and inhuman Gujarat riots involving children and women.
4. The deliberate denial of opportunities to Muslims which has been confirmed by a commission set up by the government of India.
5. The massacre of Sikhs following the assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi and of course the destruction of the Golden Temple.
One can go on listing the incidents of hatred and violence that underline the so-called highly educated, industrialised, progressive and secular civil society of India.
Pakistan had no infrastructure such as commercial institutions, constitutional government, bureaucratic structure, etc., in 1947. As the Big Brother, India should have created an atmosphere of amity by a sympathetic attitude. And what did it do?
It invaded Junaghar and Manvadar, Goa (compare this with the Chinese attitude towards Hong Kong and Macau), Hyderabad on the plea the non-Muslim majority wished to join India, and Kashmir on the plea that the Maharaja wanted to accede to India in spite of an overwhelming majority of Muslims! All this jingoism unhinged Pakistan in its very infancy.
Anything could be expected in this atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. Our first reaction quite rightly was for self-reservation and protection against the manifest Indian hostility. In the absence of a historically established political structure, anything could happen in Pakistan.
It is surprising and very encouraging that we have survived with nothing to stand on and with a neighbour quite brazenly bent upon proving the falsity of Partition.
This sentiment found its echo in the utterance of Indira Gandhi following Indian occupation of East Pakistan that “I have drowned the two-nation theory in the Bay of Bengal”.
India being the senior and Big Brother in this area should have been a source of strength to its small neighbours none of which is happy with India. The festering civil war in Sri Lanka is a good example of this attitude plus the subversion of Sikkim and Bhutan.
Pakistan has been the victim of the fallout of the Afghan
War and in consequence finds itself suffering badly from devastating terrorism. And what India does? Infiltrate into Afghanistan and the tribal areas instead of helping Pakistan.
F.H. ANSARI
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.
