| January 23, 2009 | Friday | Muharram 25, 1430 |
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Fire erupts on Margalla hills
Appeal to Obama
Channels should own responsibility
Power and gas bills
Hydro-electric power
Loadshedding
An open letter to SBP governor
Improving administration
Maritime education
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 last two years have been very rocky for the KaraFilm Festival. We were forced to postpone the 7th festival twice in 2007 and 2008 because of issues related to security, as well as to a continuing political upheaval in the country, that perhaps did not allow government officials to find time to address any of our concerns.
This was disappointing not only for all the tens of thousands of people who look forward to the festival each year but also for us, who had invested so much time and effort — all of it on a purely voluntary basis — in gathering films, making selections, securing venues, building linkages with filmmakers and institutions and preparing for the spectacle.
We have done it for the last eight years because we feel this is important, for arts and culture in Pakistan and for the city of Karachi. If there is one thing you can be sure of, it is that the festival not being held over the last two years was not due to a lack of effort or will on our part.
When we grudgingly rescheduled the festival for February this year, we knew in our hearts that this was our final chance to salvage it.
We understood perfectly that the prestige and credibility that we had worked so hard over the last eight years to attain for the festival could not survive another postponement.
Unfortunately, we have now been hit by the disaster that is the global economic recession. Most of our sponsors, including our title sponsor, have backed out of their commitment to support the festival, citing the economic downturn.
Even more unfortunately, this has been done at the very last minute, leaving us little time to raise the funds required.
So does this mean we are not going to have the festival? No. A thousand times no! We have seen what the festival is capable of achieving.
We have seen how it has revitalised a cinema culture in Pakistan, built bridges between Pakistani and international filmmakers, initiated an environment of debate and inter-cultural tolerance and encouraged creativity, especially among the youth. And we have given too much of our lives and have too many hopes for it to let it die.
We intend to go ahead on the scheduled dates (Feb 4-15) even if it means we have to drastically scale back the activities, cut down on venues and screenings and apologise to invited guests for being unable to bring them to Karachi.
We will have the festival regardless but how much of it we can pull off depends entirely on how much we can afford. We intend to carry on against all the odds.
We are putting in all the resources at our disposal to run a very barebones festival and are still coming up short. We still need to raise some Rs5 million. Simply put, we need all the financial help we can get at this time. I realise that these are not easy times for anyone but, perhaps, if all those thousands of people who support the festival and its aims were to contribute even as little as Rs1,000 each, we can raise enough to pull this off.
So if you would like to see this festival continue, I hope you will consider backing up your good intentions with a donation. All contributions will be utilised only for the costs of the 7th KaraFilm Festival and will be acknowledged and accounted for. And that we will continue the fight.
For details: karafilm.festival@gmail.com
HASAN ZAIDI
Director, KaraFilm Festival
Karachi
THIS is with reference to a report, ‘Fire erupts on Margala hills’ ( Jan 15 January), showing picturesque Margallas engulfed in ranging flames. As has been rightly pointed out, during the summers the fires on the Margalla are a routine affair; however, in the winters, surprisingly this is the second time a fire has been erupted in the hills.
The Margalla Hills, situated at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, are considered one of the few natural habitats of wildlife, flora and fauna and lush green forestation that has been declared as one of the few ‘national parks’ the country has established so far.
Unlike other national parks, Margallas being in the proximity of Islamabad are easily accessible to people.
It also offers safe home to the a number of wild animals that include barking deer, wild boars, Asiatic leopard, chinkara, red fox, leopard and jackals. For the bird lovers, the park is home to a large species of birds that include laggar falcon, kestrel, Indian sparrow hawk, peregrine falcon, white-cheeked bulbul, Egyptian vulture and griffon vulture.
Unfortunately as a nation we have made it a point, by default or by design, to destroy the state’s natural wealth. The sweet water reservoirs, even the rivers, have been spoiled irreparably, turning them into garbage dumps as has been rightly pointed by Dr Mushataq Ahmed Qureshi in his letter (Rivers that have turned into garbage dumps, Dec 30).
The wildlife is left at the mercy of affluent hunters who not only massacre the birds and animals en mass at pleasure but feel no compunction while inviting their partners from Arab courtiers to share the kill as has been correctly pointed in your editorial, ‘License to kill’ (Dec 18).
The riverine forests, especially in Sindh, have been completely obliterated by the unscrupulous feudal land-grabbers with the connivance of the forest department, little realising the enormous damage perpetrated by their mindless act, damaging the ecology of which it is they who are ultimate sufferer as deforestation has not only reduced the rainfall but eroded the fertility of land considerably, besides eliminating wildlife and flora and fauna of the River Indus.
The beautiful Margalla hills are not only one of the most important national parks but being located in the capital of the country it has attained immense significance.
An average 100 fires a year in the hills, especially located in such a highly sensitive area of the country, causing a colossal loss to the sanctuary clearly speaks much about the apathy of agencies such as the Capital Development Authority and the forest department.
Since the causes of fires are no more mystifying as has been spelled out in the World Bank study report, there shouldn’t be any hindrance in carrying out administrative action to eliminate the same at the right earnest, provided it has the determination supported by political will of the present setup.
Besides minimising these manmade causes, the federal government should also provide funds to the CDA for purchase of helicopters duly fitted with fire-extinguishing paraphernalia to put out the fire if for any reasons it could not be plugged through demonstrative measures.
The responsibility of NGOs working for the preservation of ecology is also not less significant in this regard.
ISHA M. KURESHI
Karachi
THE first step that the first African-American President Barak Obama should take on assuming office should be to release all the innocent African-American and coloured prisoners from jails.
The whole police force, its repressive legal system and the prison system (gulags) were designed and organised by the white supremacists to suppress and enslave the coloured people in America. As a result, there are a disproportionate percentage of blacks and other minorities languishing and being tortured in the American jails with respect to the populations of other people inside jails.
The parole board for coloured people should consist only of coloured officers. The parole officer should also be coloured. The jury during trial should also consist of only coloured jurists and judges.
Most of the coloured political activists working for freedom, human rights, equality and dignity were, and are being sent to jail on trumped-up charges or killed in fake encounters.
The black youths are sent to jail on frivolous charges by white supremacist police officers in order to criminalise them and destroy their future.
The Spanish-speaking people crossing over the border illegally from Mexico and other Central American countries in the hope of pursuing the American dream are being blackmailed into joining the army in return for legal status, and are being used as canon fodder in failed American wars abroad. This misuse or abuse of economic refugees must stop immediately.
Casinos and drinking establishments should be closed down in Indian reservations because they are designed as a legal way to destroy moral character of true owners of America.
The new American president must live up to the legacy of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who died for the rights of coloured people, and Muhammad Ali Clay who refused to join the illegal Vietnam war.
KAMRAN VARDAG
Via email
I UNDERSTAND there are people out to defend colossal waywardness of some TV channels.
I have nothing against them, they have every right to churn out whatever they like in the name of freedom but it is wholly unfair to telecast false stories and, in particular, those about the death of top personalities.
The most recent is the case of seasoned Sindhi writer and intellectual and teacher Ibrahim Joyo who was declared ‘dead’ by a top channel though the great man mercifully is still alive.
I pray for his long life. Similarly, some channels some time back telecast, as breaking news item, the death of Raghib Muradabadi and some people in the Arbab Assembly even asked members to offer ‘fateha’ for the living poet.
No media mogul or a small-time functionary offered any apology to the poet, to his family, to his friends. They seldom care about it.
Similarly, some channels ‘killed’ top popular poet Ahmed Faraz even 48 hours before his actual death.
PTV and some channels even interviewed his grieved son and splashed reactions of his death. Nobody thought offering any apology.
I fail to figure out what is the aim of this blatant violation of everyday rules of the game.
This is utter irresponsibility and sheer callousness. I wonder if it is justified, in the unholy war of scoring points, to give false/untrue ‘breaking news’.
True, media owners and anchors and journalist leaders will religiously refuse to accept any legal responsibility but moral responsibility is there, they have to share it.
I guess you could relay false, unconfirmed, unsubstantiated, uncertified news stories and get away with it and without any care or botheration about the families of those who become victim of this sort of callousness.
I can only pray for the good sense to prevail in the media that is all powerful and refuses to accept any responsibility for its wrongdoings.
YUSUF KHAN
Karachi
IT is deeply regretted that the KESC and the Sui Southern Gas Company have issued inflated bills for Dec last, without verifying the respective meter readings by its meter readers. What is the use of installing these meters when consumer bills for electricity have been issued on ‘average’ readings instead of actual readings?
Similaly, highly inflated consumer bills for gas consumption have been issued by the SSGC, Karachi, by taking readings delayed for more than one month just to cause financial difficulties for the consumer.
Why are electricity and gas meters not being read on fixed dates and bills issued accordingly?
Will the Sindh government look into the problems being faced by consumers due to issuance of inflated bills?
MOHAMMED SHAMSUDDIN
Karachi
THIS refers to Jamil A’s letter (Jan 15). Hydroelectric plants and projects to be set up in the public or the private sector is the sole solution to the availability of cheap energy. Only Azad Kashmir has the capacity to produce 17,000 MW electricity through hydroelectric projects.
In 2005 2006 I was appointed (honorary) adviser to the minister for AJK’s Hydro-electric Board. The AJK Hydro — electric Board had explored 45 sites having capacity of about 5000 MW.
The production of electricity through hydro-electric method and or style is the best way out to produce cheap electricity to overcome the shortage of power.
Pakistan and Azad Kashmir are full of natural resources, and power can be produced through hydroel-ectric methods by usage of rivers and natural water resources.
It is only the issue of utilisation of resources.
Even Pakistan and Azad Kashmir can sell the overproduced electricity to India, Iran and Afghanistan on very low rates as the power through hydroelectric systems is the cheapest way to produce energy. Both Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, including Northern Areas, have the capacity to produce 35,000 MW electricity through hydro-electric system.
Only Azad Kashmir can produce 17,000 MW power through available water resources, enough to last many years.
Through the existing 45 fast tracks and raw sites Azad Kashmir can produce 5,000 MW, which is enough to resolve Pakistan’s existing power problems.
The AJK government has a plan to establish seven hydro-electric projects in the private sector with $2bn. These seven projects can produce 1800 MW electricity as detailed herewith: which (1) Munda Hydel Project (740 MW), (2) Kohala Hydel Project (600 MW), (3) Rajahni Project (132 MW), (4) Kotli Hydro Project (97 MW), (5) Matlinaz Hydro Project (84 MW) and (6) Gulpur Hydroelectric Project (60 MW) and (7) Laraw’s Energy Ltd.’s Hydel Project near Mangla (79 MW).
If we depend on the hydroelectric capacity available in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, we can boost industrialization.
The question of payment of royalty to the provinces is hardly an issue or difficulty and should be ignored in order to promote power generation through hydroelectric system.
The development in China and Malaysia is mainly based on the subsidised rate of electricity.
Pakistan and Azad Kashmir can use water and river resources for industrialisation by setting up hydro-electric projects.
The experiment of producing power through sun, wind, waves, coal or other methods is fine, but the cheapest power production can be had through hydro-electric power projects.
SAALIM SALAM ANSARI
Karachi
PEOPLE of the Bhalwal city have been suffering from power outages up to 19 hours daily.
There are one sugar mill, one textile mill, one dairy plant and more than 700 ‘kinnow’ grading and waxing factories and a lot of cold storages, but most of them are closed and the few that operate do so through their own diesel generators.
Owing to this reason the daily wage earners have to remain out of job. Every year our city exports tons of citrus fruit but this year it may not. The authorities should do the needful.
MUNAWAR SAJID MUNIR
Sargodha
I RECENTLY entered into an import transaction on C&IF price, but my bank refused to open the LC on C&IF price, saying that either of the two, ie. FOB or C&F, prices were acceptable to them under directives of the State Bank of Pakistan, which requires the insurance business to remain in Pakistan.
Therefore, I was required to arrange a marine insurance cover from a local insurance company.
The inspection part of the goods before shipment was not covered by the local insurance company which had charged a very nominal premium.
My request to them to arrange inspection from professional inspectors at the point of origin was also turned down by the insurance company.
I tried to arrange professional inspection of the goods before shipment at my own cost and expense, that too did not work out as the professional inspectors were used to dealing with local insurance companies in that country.
As a result, my shipment had to leave there uninspected and I am wondering who will indemnify me if there are excessive damage or breakage upon arrival of the shipment in Karachi.
I am, therefore, asking authorities what use is a marine insurance cover if it cannot indemnify damage.
The SBP governor, therefore, is requested to allow C&IF pricing for opening LCs, and banks should be directed accordingly to secure facility of inspection at point of origin before shipment. And any damage occurring in transit and discovered upon arrival of shipment can be claimed from the foreign insurance company involved in C&IF price.
I wonder why other importers have not raised this issue with the authorities earlier.
M. M. KHAN
Karachi
I WAS amused to read a news item (Jan 11) saying that the DCO, Layyah, locked the SDO and the sub-engineer in stinking toilets of the DHQ Hospital, Layya, so as to make them feel the agony the patients and their attendants were undergoing.
The conditions of the toilets of the emergency ward of Mayo Hospital, Lahore, are extremely bad. As the medical superintendent of the hospital, and not the buildings department, is responsible for maintenance of the hospital, the above-mentioned treatment is warranted against him and his relevant staff.
There is another suggestion that toilets attached with offices of functionaries (medical superintendent and deputy medical superintendent) be locked so that they are also made to use toilets meant for patients and their attendants. In this way things for the general public will rather improve.
HAFEEZ AKHTAR
Lahore
THIS is apropos of the article, ‘Maritime education for economic prosperity’ (Dec 28) by Capt. Samdani, and a letter by Capt. Mahmoodi (Jan 11).
In fact, both the writers did not mention that they belong to two private seafarers’ training institutes, and have direct financial interests in these institutes, namely the MTI and CONS. Accordingly, their suggestions that the ministry of ports and shipping should enforce compulsory coaching for seafarers prior to appearing in certificate of competency examinations (COC) need to be evaluated in that background.
It may be noted that prior to appearing for COC examinations, seafarers may still attend preparatory coaching classes on a voluntary basis and there are no restrictions in the ports and shipping wing’s circular no. 10(5)83-CNS dated Aug 9, 2007.
In reality, seafarers are given three months remission in the required sea service for attending these coaching/preparatory classes, as per examination rules framed under MSO-2001. However, as per the above circular, which clearly explains the said rules, attending these coaching classes is not compulsory.
It is important to note that since August 2007, when the condition of compulsory coaching classes was rightly withdrawn, the number of deck officers appearing in the examination of COC and passing it has increased. This clearly indicates that such coaching classes were not contributing much towards seafarers’ standards.
The STCW Convention does not mention any requirement of compulsory coaching prior to appearing in the examination for COC of deck officers.
There are two departments of the merchant navy officers on board ships, the deck officers and engineer officers. There has been never any requirement for such compulsory coaching classes, and rightly so, prior to appearing in the examination of COC for engineer officers.
Coaching requirements for deck officers were enforced from 1998 by a circular issued by Capt Samdani, the then CNS, when there was no such requirement in existing examination rules.
At that time Capt Samdani, approved a first-ever private nautical college and also authorised this college to conduct these coaching classes for deck officers and made these classes compulsory for deck officers for appearing in the examination of COC.Later on Capt Samdani joined this college as director of education.
In view of above facts, we strongly recommend to the ministry of ports and shipping that college-based coaching classes for deck officers should not be made compulsory for appearing in the COC examinations. If these classes are made compulsory, it would allow private colleges to exploit seafarers. And, furthermore, such a requirement would be contrary to the provisions of MSO 2001 and the examination rules framed thereunder and would, therefore, be liable to be challenged in a court of law.
Lastly, if coaching classes conducted by private colleges are really good for seafarers, then why the private colleges require the help of the ministry of ports and shipping to make these classes compulsory. Because if these classes help in passing COC examination of deck officer, then seafarers would take these classes on a voluntary basis as the ministry of ports and sShipping has not placed any restrictions on seafarers for not attending these classes.
In fact, what these colleges are looking for is a blank cheque from the ministry of ports and shipping at the cost of poor seafarers who will be ultimately forced to pay their hefty fees. Unfortunately, such an approach is highly unprofessional.
The ministry of ports and shipping’s circular no. 10(5)83-CNS dated Aug 9, 2007 correctly explains the provisions of examination rules and at the same time protects the poor seafarers from unnecessary and illegal financial burden.
The port state controls inspectors of IMO member-states who do not ask seafarers if they have attended coaching classes or not. These inspectors only check the COC which is issued after passing the examination conducted by the ministry of ports and shipping.
The holders of COC issued by Pakistan meet all the internationally accepted standards. Pakistan is in the white list of IMO and our COCs are recognised by all the maritime authorities the world over.
The employment of maritime skills of Pakistani seafarers is dependent on the employment policy of our government, which still does not exist in its proper form, as our own shipping is negligible, and no resources have been allocated by our government for the employment of our maritime skills on foreign shipping companies, as the Philippines and our neighbour country India have done.
ADAM PANJRI
General Secretary Pakistan Seamen’s Union CBA
Karachi
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