With reference to the lead article Culture Shock (October 17), I would like to appreciate the writer’s efforts in pointing out some of the major weaknesses and imbalances of our society. These problems are so chronic that we are now used to accepting them by adopting the ‘all is well’ thinking; this approach has made almost all of us senseless.
MAHREEN TASLEEM
Karachi
Mind your language
With reference to the article Mind your language (October 10), I was really disgusted to read that some people have nothing better to do other than to, for some reason or the other make fun of Pakistan’s national heroes, who otherwise have served the country in much better ways than the author of such articles.
These cricketers are great ambassadors of the country. They have made Pakistan proud because of their talent and skill in the game, not because how they speak a foreign language. But some people have a superiority complex, just because they can speak and can write better English than their fellow countrymen. I am quite sure that it was due to their parents better financial positions that they got a chance to study in better school, not in any ‘peela school’.
RIAZ AHMED KHAN
Muscat, Oman
Mind your language (the response)
With reference to the letters, in response to my article, Mind your language (October 10), wherein the readers have taken exception to my article and have stated that I should not have subjected our great cricketers to taunt who have performed memorable feats for the country.
I believe they have missed the point altogether.
Nobody is questioning their contribution in cricket. The article touches upon the complex where we as a nation have to take false pride by pretending as people that we idealize. Amongst many groups of people, cricketers are also part of this complex.
If we do not know English, it is no issue; but we lose our grace when we speak grossly inaccurate English and put up accents and worse still, feel proud about it. We forget that speaking in Urdu or learning proper English is a more respectable option.
Leave my taunt aside, these cricketers become subjects of ridicule and laughter the world over. This should hurt all Pakistanis. The very essence of my article is that we should be proud of what we really are and avoid pretensions. The article was written also with a hope that if some of these concerned persons happen to read it, they might do some soul searching.
HAROON KHALID
Karachi
The syllabus row
With reference to the article The syllabus row (October 24), other than the issues highlighted in the article there are other black spots which are ballooning and can have far reaching effects.
The recent manifestation of this was the election of the functionless Northern Areas Legislative Council (NALC), a body comprising of locally elected representatives who are under the strong clutches of KANA (Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas) division and superimposed non-local bureaucratic junta headed by a chief secretary. Recently, Senator Nisar Memon, an uninvited guest also made a fool of himself and of the people of the areas by indulging himself too much in this useless election saga.
Another brimming issue is the construction of the proposed Basha Dam. It is naive that the government is reluctant to build the Kalabagh Dam that is within its own constitutional territory, but is obsessed with the idea of constructing a dam in an area which is part of a dispute. The obsession of the government to build the dam will not be very welcomed and in this case the people. This in spite of the fact that they are within the Pakistani constitution while the people of Gilgit and Baltistan are still not defined in the constitution of Pakistan and are still devoid of their legitimate rights.
