The Manhattan Project

Reference is made to the article "The nuclear question" (February 7) in which the writer, A. Rashid, points out that the Manhattan Project was started after "the Allied intelligence had confirmed that German scientists were close to exploding an atomic bomb. The whole array of eminent scientists got together, led by Einstein, and succeeded in acquiring the bombs, which were used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki".

Please also refer to another article in the same day's Dawn Young World, titled "How nuclear....." by Syed Raheel Ajaz, which carries the following version about the Manhattan Project.

"When Einstein published his atomic theory, he demanded that there should be no attempt to create a weapon out of it. But after his death, the US started the top secret Manhattan Project, responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb."

Both these versions about the same subject are not quite correct. The fact is that atomic bombs were first used in 1945 and Albert Einstein died 10 years later after those tragic events.

In September 1939 Einstein, after learning from a Hungarian emigre scientist, Leo Szilard, that the Germans might build an atom bomb, "reluctantly writes to President Roosevelt to develop an atomic bomb before Germany did".

After reading the letter, President Roosevelt ordered: "This requires action." At that time Einstein himself was unaware of "chain reactions".

Times "Person of the century" issue (December 31, 1999) writes that "when Szilard told Einstein about chain reactions, he was astonished. 'I never thought about that at all,'" he said.

However, the opinion of Einstein "contributed to Roosevelt's decision to fund what became known as the Manhattan Project. When the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Einstein hoped it would "intimidate the human race into bringing order into its international affairs, which without the pressure of fear it would not do".

He later considered his letter to President Roosevelt as one of his greatest mistakes. "One of his last acts a week before his death in April 1955 was an agreement that his name should head a manifesto urging all nations to give up nuclear weapons."

He lamented that "the release of atomic power has changed everything except our way of thinking...the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known I would have become a watchmaker".

After World War II Einstein urged international control of atomic weapons and protested against the proceedings of the un-American Activities Senate Subcommittee, which had arraigned many scientists, unlike our scientists who are being "debriefed" by personnel of intelligence agencies.

MANZOOR CHANDIO

Karachi

Sunday bazaar incident

It was a beautiful Sunday forenoon, and at the Sunday bazaar in Karachi's Defence Housing Authority (DHA) people were busy chatting away, greeting one another and shopping when there appeared a well-dressed young man. Three armed policemen were escorting him and helping him in purchasing groceries.

The posse arrived at a vegetable stall and the "sahib" started buying items such as ginger and garlic. The vendor was overawed by the presence of the armed policemen. When the sahib asked him the price of a certain item, the frightened vendor stuttered some figure which was not clearly audible. The sahib picked up the tin price slate, crushed it with his hands and threw it at the vendor, besides verbally abusing him.

Perhaps the vendor had quoted a rupee more than the figure written on the slate. The next moment the bazaar presented the sight of a lawless jungle. A policeman climbed up the stall and started punching the poor vendor. Some of us tried to intervene, but the policeman dragged the vendor and threw him down the stall. The dirty operation continued for some time till the sahib told the policeman that it was enough for the time being.

The poor vendor, with tears in his eyes and a running nose, could neither cry nor protest. He had been kicked and insulted like a dog. This was the third incident of vendors being beatan up by armed policemen accompanying "sahibs" that I have witnessed in this Sunday bazaar. I request the DHA authorities and the Sunday bazaar administration to ensure the following for preserving the peace and sanctity of this wonderful place:

1. All vendors/stall-holders must display the approved rates clearly. The licences of stall-holders found violating bazaar rules should be cancelled.

2. Except those on official duty, mo armed men - police or otherwise - should be allowed in the area.

3. Any incident of illegal and immoral show of force should be noted by the bazaar administration and reported to the higher authorities concerned.

CDR (R) KHALID DURRANI

Karachi

Demilitarization of Kashmir

A practical solution to the Kashmir dispute is that the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir spread over about 84,000 square miles should be given to the trusteeship of the United Nations for at least 20 to 25 years, and after that the 12.5 million Kashmiris should be given their fundamental right of self-determination.

They will have three options in pursuance of the June 3 Partition Plan and/or under the provisions of the Partition of India Act, 1947: (i) accession to Pakistan, (ii) accession to India or (iii) independence.

According to the "demilitarization & UNO's trusteeship scheme", troops of both India and Pakistan will be asked to quit the whole state comprising Azad Kashmir, Gilgit and Baltistan and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in which Ladakh is also included, and an international peace force will take over control under the supervision of UN Trusteeship Council.

During the UN trusteeship's period of 20 to 25 years, India and Pakistan will build their ties and can enter into a single currency system. They can have free trade and allow travelling between them as Kashmir will no longer be a dispute/issue. Rather, in case of exercise of the option of independence by Kashmiris, both India and Pakistan will give an undertaking that they will be the custodian of the independence, defence, security and sovereignty of the state.

Further, the independent state will have no army as an "independent state of Jammu & Kashmir" will have a "tri-party demilitarization and defence agreement" with India and Pakistan.

SAALIM SALAM ANSARI

Karachi

Subscription for OGDCL shares

This is apropos of the letter "Subscription for OGDCL shares" (February 8). I have never been an active investor but have had a few experiences like TRG. A friend of mine, who is active in this field, told me to use his CDC account, which I did for TRG. Since one of my nephews works for the OGDCL, he highly recommended that I invest in the company.

After attending a privatization commission's presentation in Karachi, I met a lady from the advisor's team who stressed that I must open my own CDC account. She informed me of the benefits of having one's own CDC account and the relative small costs. When I contacted my friend and his broker, they both said I did not need to go through the hassle of having my own account. Nonetheless, as I was more convinced of the lady's argument than that of the broker, I got my own account opened.

I am happy that I, unlike many others, listened to the correct advice. Today, shares are in my account, in my name and I don't have to bother my friend about how to manage them. My efforts in getting myself my own account have helped me learn how to invest wisely.

Therefore, my advice to the government is: tell people how they can wisely invest their money on a permanent basis, not just to market their shares. I also advise the stock exchange companies to ask brokers to give such advice to their clients as will benefit them. And my advice to all investors is: become aware of what you are doing, only then will you get maximum benefits from your investments.

RAHIM ATEEQ ANSARI

Karachi

Payment of vehicle tax

Recently there was a report in newspapers about a raid on the taxation office, Civic Centre, by a provincial minister, Raof Siddiqui, and the arrest of some officials and agents on corruption charges. To me it appears a step in the right direction.

It is common knowledge that a clerk of this tax office earns about Rs1,000 a day as hush money by using various tactics.

I am a retired central government officer and have been maintaining an FX car since 1996. I have been paying the annual vehicle tax regularly. In 2001 when I sent my son to the taxation office at the Civic Centre for payment of the tax, the vehicle registration was returned without taking the tax. My son and wife visited the office to pay the tax but failed.

After about three/four months we were informed that the chassis number of the car differs from the number in the registration book and the computer slip. An agent offered to correct this computer error on payment of Rs800, but we rejected it on the plea that "it is not our mistake". Later we got the chassis number of our car compared with the one entered in the registration book and found it to be correct.

At least I spent more than Rs1,100 on petrol only to pay the tax but could not do so. My car, Karachi L-5874, is in the name of Naushad Ali Khan, house number M-1 C.T.O. Compound, I. I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi.

Will the relevant authorities help me pay the tax?

NAUSHAD ALI KHAN

Karachi

The art of newsreading

The other day I was watching PTV Khabarnama here in Norway. The newscaster read sarghunna instead of sarghana, and on different occasions my old ears heard khatam instead of khatm, ghalt for ghalat, etc. on both the radio and TV news. Many mistakes of pronunciation, pause and presence of mind could be pointed out.

There was a time before and after partition when we used to have newsreaders like Masood Tabish, Shakeel Ahmed and Shamim Aijaz. It was a time when they didn't get typed bulletins, nor did they have any rehearsals, as newsreaders do now. Moreover, information technology was very limited.

Urdu translations were done with copying pencils and one could imagine how difficult it was to read. After partition everything was in chaos. There was a single hall in Lahore for the radio station, from where all programmes would go on air.

Masood Tabish, who is also known as Tabish Dehlvi in Urdu literature, was remarkable in newsreading. Hashim Raza, once said at a function: "When Tabish was reading news, we all used to correct our pronunciation".

For a newsreader there are a few things which are considered mandatory like narration voice, pronunciation, knowledge of current affairs and last but not least presence of mind. Tabish, according to Z. A. Bokhari, who regarded newsreading as the eighth wonder, had all these qualities. He started his career from All India Radio as an announcer. The great Pitras Bokhari took his audition.

Keeping in view his qualities he soon promoted him to newsreader, the most important post in any broadcasting corporation. On a number of occasions there were blunders in translation, but using his presence of mind Tabish read correct news and received compliments from his colleagues like Krishn Chandr, N. M. Rashid, Rajan Mehra, Sadat Hasan Manto and Ansar Nasiri. The current newsreaders both in radio and in television could learn a lot from him who is still in good health.

S.M.R. HASAN

Via email

SPSC's combined exams

This refers to Mr Imtiaz Ali Kalhoro's letter "SPSC's combined exams" (January 28) in which he has very ably identified the errors in the papers of the combined examinations conducted recently by the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC).

I would like to add that the SPSC charged Rs1,000 per head as the fee for the examinations. However, its service was so poor that many candidates, including myself, did not receive on time admit cards for the examinations because they were dispatched through ordinary postal service rather than through registered post or the urgent mail service. I obtained my admit card from the head office of the SPSC in Hyderabad.

Furthermore, the paper of the answer book provided by the SPSC during the examinations was of so low quality that the words written with fountain-pen on one side would leave a deep impression on the other, making it difficult for the candidates to use both sides of the page, besides creating much confusion in the minds of the examinees whether to use or not to use both the sides.

The SPSC must improve its services and ensure that in future exams the candidates receive their admit cards well in time. It should also provide them with answer books of good quality paper so that they are spared the hassles we faced.

KHALILULLAH MANGI

Larkana

Mobile use by air passengers

The use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited in aircraft. Usually the boarding announcement also requests passengers to switch off their cell phones before leaving the departure lounge. This request is repeated just before the start of every journey. Strangely enough few pay any attention to all these requests. The violators are the ones who belong to the educated class.

The question arises: is the use of the mobile phone really dangerous for flight safety? If the answer is yes, we should be more particular about this matter. If the answer is no, we should do away with such announcements.

We should not make a mockery of a thing which can endanger the lives of all passengers. The flight crew should be bold enough to ask any passenger to switch off his/her phone.

Will the PIA management look into this matter a bit more seriously and ensure that either this announcement is not made any more or the passengers are made to follow the request?

ENGINEER DILAWAR

HUSAIN Karachi

Broken road

I would like to draw the attention of the relevant authorities to the pathetic condition of Karachi's Tipu Sultan Road. The road is uneven at most places and full of potholes. Open drains at the entrance to the road are wide enough for a vehicle to fall into them. They should be covered immediately. The stench emanating from the sewage is unbearable, and the open drains serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Moreover, the area earmarked for a women's park at the beginning of the road is being used as a garbage dump and has become a sanctuary for drug addicts.

The authorities concerned are requested to repair the road and cover the drains.

MOHAMMED IQBAL ABID

Karachi

A. Q. affair

One must be impressed by President General Pervez Musharraf's press conference on what is now known as the A.Q. affair. His confidence, boldness and the convincing manner in which he tackled such a sensitive issue reflect his sincerity and patriotism.

The eyes of the world were on him. A majority of the viewers believed he was speaking the truth.

One felt convinced Gen Musharraf would succeed in his mission to transform this country into a liberal Muslim state. He criticized the media, no doubt, but the press continues to be free.

In fact, foreigners reading Pakistani newspapers find the press as free in Pakistan as in their own countries.

K. MURAD BEY

Karachi

Complaint against PTCL

The telephone numbers 4852624, 4913322, 4913355, 4913377 and 4913388 had not been functioning properly for six months. There is a lot of noise/distortion in the lines, with the result that they cannot be used to connect computers to the Internet, besides their users have to put up with disturbances during telephonic conversations.

Numerous complaints both in writing and in person have been made to the relevant divisional engineer, the SDO and other personnel of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited in the past six months in Karachi, but regretfully no action has been taken so far to restore the lines. This reflects badly on the performance of the PTCL staff of the exchange in question.

Complaints have been registered on the telephone numbers 4945624, 4853344, 4916000, 4937373, 4852383, 4852000, 4919568, 18, 106, 0800 44544, 0800 18080 and 111 900 900, but to no avail. Besides, a registered letter was sent to the minister for communications on January 16, but he too has not take any action yet.

The question is: why does the government expect us to compete with other countries when it cannot even ensure provision of basic but important services to people?

The high-ups in the PTCL are requested to immediately redress our grievances.

DISGRUNTLED SUBSCRIBERS

Karachi

Religion and state

Religion, morality and state laws have been intertwined in Pakistan and can no longer be distinguished. These three concepts should be kept separate and apart for two reasons:

First, morality is an individual's interpretation of what is right and wrong. Religion is a belief system reliant on faith and self-discipline. Governments need to ensure the safety of their citizens regardless of colour, creed, race, religion, and gender through the state legislation and the law-enforcement agencies. Since morality and religion should be left up to choice rather than be enforced, Pakistan should separate state from religion.

Secondly, using common sense and interpreting God's messages are a requirement of Islam. Significant power should not be given to individuals who sit in judgment on other people in accordance with their own interpretations and their own 'common sense'.

Such significant power can be abused and corrupted as has been witnessed Pakistan's human rights abuse, specially as regards women and minority groups.

Therefore, let individuals worry about their faith and morality and let the state worry about the protection of its citizens.

SANIA SAEED

Sydney, Australia