Tolerance, the essence of Islam

NASEEMA SIMJEE was a brilliant, highly qualified and talented Muslim girl from Pakistan who was working on the 80th floor of the World Trade Centre when it was brutally struck down. When the flights resumed, the distraught family went to New York, but hopes of her survival are now receding. If she had been allowed to live, she could have contributed more to enhance the image of Muslims and Islam.

It is surprising that the media continues to describe the perpetrators of the crime as “religious” fanatics even though some of them are reported to have been drinking vodka and rum a few nights before the fateful event, and to have lived the high life in Germany. As the media should know, drinking alcohol is a cardinal sin according to the Quranic law. The taking of innocent lives, which God has made sacred, is also a cardinal sin, leading to eternal damnation. The hijackers can be described as lunatics and fanatics, but certainly not as “religious” fanatics.

The terrorists and their mentors have hijacked the image of our religion, a religion of love and tolerance, and made it appear to be a religion of hatred, aided and abetted by misguided elements in the media.

Nobody in recent times has done more harm to the cause of Muslims and Islam than the Taliban through sheer ignorance, and Saddam Husain through his greed and corruption. Islam had been described as the fastest-growing religion in the West. By arresting humanitarian aid workers for preaching Christianity and breaking down the Bamiyan Buddhas, the Taliban have provided fodder to our critics and ill-wishers. Are they more Islamic than Syedna Umar Farooq, who never thought of destroying the Sphinx after the conquest of Egypt, and all the Muslim caliphs and rulers who have allowed Christian places of worship with images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary since the early days of Islam?

Owing to the gospel of hatred that they preach, the streets of Pakistan are washed with the blood of sectarian killings almost every day. Their practices of “honour killings” and blood-feuds (which the Prophet, pbuh, had expressly forbidden) are representative of the “jaahiliya” (age of ignorance), not of Islam. What gives them the right to assert that their own bigoted interpretation of Islam is supreme?

Saddam Hussain has caused unfathomable damage to Islam. Through his misadventures against Iran and Kuwait, he has wasted thousands of Muslim lives and billions of dollars of funds from the prosperous Arab states, turning Saudi Arabia from a creditor to a debtor nation. If these sums had been spent on education in the Islamic countries, the lives of their citizens could have been transformed.

It is a pity that after fifty years of terrorism, its perpetrators have not learnt the stark lesson of history: there is no short-cut to getting one’s voice heard or one’s grievances addressed. The rulers must first restore dignity to their people, acquire education, science and technology, and compete with the rest of the world on open merit.

We need to realize that there are forces of reason and moderation waiting in the wings, both in Afghanistan and Iraq. The American strategy should consist in providing massive military aid to these elements, on the scale given to the resistance against the Soviets in Afghanistan. By helping the people themselves overthrow their fanatical and dictatorial regimes, the USA would avoid or minimize the shedding of more innocent blood, and also prevent the recreation of the ‘Ugly American’ image.

In Pakistan, President Pervez Musharraf is himself a voice of moderation, under pressure from the minority extremist elements in his own country. One of his first acts after coming into power was to try and control the misuse of the infamous ‘blasphemy law’, an effort that was quickly shot down by the extremists. The United States needs to strengthen President Musharraf’s hands, economically and militarily, so that he can crack down on these elements and nip the seeds of future terrorism in the bud.

DR I. KAMAL

California, US

Territorial control

THE personal representatives of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, Francis Vendrell, have reportedly (Sept 28) said that territorial control was not a proof of popular support. His actual words were: “Although 90 per cent of Afghanistan’s territory is controlled by the Taliban, it does not mean that they have 90 per cent support of the people”.

I want to ask Mr Vendrell if this rule is applicable to the Taliban only or to others as well, say, to India in occupied Kashmir. India occupies the major part of the territory of the State of Jammu and Kashmir but does it enjoy a proportionate support of the people of the Indian held Kashmir? Had it been so, the Indian army would not have to kill around 80,000 Kashmiri civilians to perpetuate their control over the said territory.

I would fully support the thesis of Mr Vendrell that territorial control does not necessarily indicate an equal support of the people, provided it is made applicable to other cases also and not only to the Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

M. ILYAS MUFTI

Karachi

War risk surcharge

PAKISTAN’S exports face a new threat in the wake of the September 11 events. The international insurance companies have imposed a “War risk surcharge” of US $150 for a 20 feet container and US $ 300 for a 40 feet container. This surcharge is applicable to both, the inbound and the outbound cargo from/to Pakistan.

As a matter of fact, there is no risk of war in the Arabian Sea. And if there is, then there is no reason for not imposing the same in the case of our neighbour, India, who will take full advantage of the higher CIF cost of products and commodities from Pakistan, arising out of this surcharge.

The US and the European governments are, no doubt, cognizant of our current economic and financial difficulties. They also appreciate Pakistan’s stand against terrorism. But the their insurance companies are unfortunately, quite unsympathetic.

The Pakistan government must take up this issue with the international insurance companies and convince them for the immediate removal of the surcharge.

S. QAMAR NAQI

Karachi

Who is a terrorist?

WOULD Cuba have got rid of Batista without Fidel Castro and his mountain guerrillas? Would India be free today without Subhas Chandra Bose and his INA and Bhagat Singh, whose last act in life was to kill Gen Dyer, the ‘butcher’ of Jallianwala Bagh? Would apartheid have left South Africa without Nelson Mandela and his ANC? For that matter, would the British still not be ruling America but for George Washington? What would the Red Indians say if asked about their definition of a terrorist?

Let’s extrapolate a bit further. Will occupied Kashmir ever be free without its freedom-fighters? Will the Palestinians ever have a country of their own with a name of their choosing without their suicide-bombers? The same can be said about many other trouble spots around the world.

Who other than the indigenous sons of the soil are going to shed their blood (and the blood of the usurpers)? Who other than those who have seen the blood of their dear ones shed? Call them what you will, call them terrorists, but their calling has been forced on them, it is not of their own choosing, and they cannot go back on it.

You are welcome to call me a terrorist, but if you enter my house and kill my son, I will kill you and some others with you, even it is the last thing I do. It is as simple as that and we are not being able to understand this simple equation and take measures to stop the intrusion and the first killing so that the second killing does not have to follow.

The world has no choice now after the horror in New York but to force mediation on all warring parties everywhere, through honest brokers by brining in the third umpire or whatever. Compromise is the new ideology. Things cannot go on as before. No one can complain of terrorism and still call it an internal matter (a contradiction in terms). Anyone refusing international mediation would be terrorist by default.

KHURSHID ANWER

Lahore

The present crisis

THE regularity with which the people of Pakistan find themselves (for no fault of theirs) facing one crisis after another is truly amazing. Let us take the present crisis as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Centre. Suddenly the people are faced with a situation where they have to align themselves with one or the other of the contesting parties. The present crisis is not of their making. They are mere spectators just like the rest of the world. But out of sheer necessity they need to make a choice, in the present case with mostly conflicting emotions.

That Pakistan was not ready for a situation like this is quite apparent. The vital question is: are the people prepared to deal with the problem thrust upon them, so as to come out of it with least possible damage? It is a very serious situation that the country has been placed in with far-reaching consequences.

President Musharraf is absolutely right when he asserts the seriousness of the situation. He has a lot of tight rope walking to do in the days to come. No easy answers, I am afraid.

Nonetheless the task, though daunting, is not altogether impossible if handled deftly. He needs to make the right choices and also needs to carry the people with him. But, more importantly, he would need to be more proactive rather than follow the others’ game plan. By sheer circumstances the country has been placed in the vanguard of the present crisis. By taking measured initiatives, the President would serve not only the interest of the country, but might also find an acceptable solution to the lurking crisis.

SYED S. HUSSAIN

New York, USA

Unreasonable attitude

PRESIDENT Clinton during his tenure had made efforts to bring durable peace to the Middle East. But George W. Bush has again adopted policies that favour Israel. Encouraged by this, the Israelis have stepped up violence in the region. Though the Palestinians are ready to talk, the Israelis have been delaying the negotiations on one pretext or the other.

The US and some of the European countries have been giving so much undue favour to Israel right from its inception that Muslims all over the world have come to regard the Jewish state to be an illicit child of the Western powers, particularly of the US.

If the US and the European Union really want to establish durable peace in the Middle East, they must work together to pressurize Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, modify his policies.

NADIA KHAN

Karachi

Smoking on PIA flights

I FREQUENTLY travel by PIA. I have found that the ‘No Smoking’ announcement and the warning that the government of Pakistan has banned smoking on all domestic flights, are made as a matter of routine, on all flights. But I have observed that the crew themselves indulge in smoking after pulling the curtain or closing the door. This is in open defiance to the directive of the government of Pakistan.

I have also seen the pilots smoking in the cockpit. Whoever is running the PIA should stop this utter disregard of official instructions and violations of the law.

UMAR JAVAID KHAN

Karachi

Need for a just world order

WE condemn all acts of terrorism, especially the horrendous attack on Sept 11 and sympathize with the families of all those who died in this terrible tragedy. But at the same time, we cannot ignore the tragedy and the sufferings of the thousands of citizens who have been driven from their homes and living in refugee camps for generations and of the innocent citizens who have died in wars of ethnic cleansing because of the failure of UN. And we cannot forget those who have died from starvation and disease due to sanctions. It is this failure of the UN to establish a just world order which has led to this act of desperation.

Those responsible for the WTC attack must be hunted down and punished and terrorism all over the world must be brought to an end. But what is also needed is to analyze the causes which drive men to such fury and acts of desperation.

Any action against Afghanistan or its citizens, who have been suffering for the last two decades, must be considered carefully and must be in the interest of the Afghans and the countries in the region. America must set an example that even when faced with an enormous tragedy it still believes in the rule of law, and acts after it is sure as to who was responsible for the terrible attack on the WTC.

A colossal human tragedy is once again unfolding in the war-ravaged Afghanistan and millions of men, women and children are being displaced. Any quick fix solution would have a disastrous effect on an already volatile situation and further the sufferings of innocent citizens. Bombing Afghanistan is not going to remove or eliminate terrorism. In fact it would create another bunch of Bin Ladens.

The G7 nations must establish a just world order and a fair and balanced world economy which improves the quality of life of all people. If they do not, then desperate men will exploit the hardships and despair of the suffering masses and continue their acts of terrorism.

THE HELPLINE TRUST

Karachi

Better use of aid

NOW that some money might start flowing in from the developed countries, let us make sure that all those who want to perform ‘public service’ bring on record their performance. Let us keep a strict check on them.

Let us see that history does not repeat itself.

We must make sure that they use the money for people’s welfare, instead of transferring it to their own accounts in Swiss banks.

SYED IRFAN MAHMOOD

Minneapolis, US

The right decision

I WAS surprised to read Ayaz Amir’s Islamabad Diary (Sept 21), especially when it is normally balanced, rational and fair.

The country as a whole has stood together in the aftermath of the New York catastrophe. And we are proud of the way our President has dealt with this very complex and sensitive situation in a very deft, rational and capable manner.

The whole world has condemned the dastardly act of Sept 11 and it was only fitting that we, as a peace-loving Muslim nation react swiftly and clearly to denounce terrorism whether it be against America or any other country.

When the President addressed the nation on TV, one could see the strain, worry and anguish writ clearly on his face and not a “performance” as stated by Ayaz Amir. He was facing a hard reality.

This is not an easy decision or an easy time for the head of this nation.

But the thought of his capability as a defender of the borders has given his countrymen great assurance in respect to our security and integrity.

We as a nation are solidly behind him and thank him for taking different groups into confidence considering the gravity of the situation. Let us all do our part in making his task easier.

S. BABAR

Karachi

Nadra’s efficiency

A COUPLE of weeks ago, I lost my wallet and driving licence along with it. Having failed everywhere I approached NADRA with all the misgivings that we have about government departments. But would you believe it? I got the required information from NADRA the very day I had sought it.

Well done, keep it up! NADRA.

S.S. HASAN

Lahore

Revitalization of Karachi circular railway

THE federal government has agreed, in principle, to revitalize the Karachi Circular Railways (KCR) and has asked the Sindh government to submit the PC-I of the KCR’s revitalization project. The PC-I, the government said, should indicate the technical and financial aspects of the project, besides a proposal showing how the KCR be handed over to the provincial government (Sept 29).

Reportedly a special committee has been formed to work on KCR revitalization and that the Minister has asked the committee to ensure submission of the PC-I within a month. KCR is important for the Karachiites who await the restart of its operations on proper lines at the earliest. The Sindh government and the Committee may like to consider the following points while preparing the PC-I for submission to the GOP:

1. KCR operational details such as frequency of trains, time table, fares schedule, number of bogies attached to trains at rush hours, operating cost, etc. for the past few years will help understand its operations as well as some of the reasons why it could not earn large revenue for Pakistan Railways. In the light of these details, operational matters for future may be revised and reflected in the PC-I. More trains should reach the City Station in the morning rush hours. Also more trains should leave the City Station in the afternoon / evening rush hours. Frequency of trains at other hours can be reduced slightly.

2. The preparation of the PC-I may be taken up on urgent basis, but neither at the cost of objectively, nor the bending of prescribed rules and regulations to meet the deadline. All data in the PC-I may be reliable, up-dated and fully supported by expert studies and analysis. Engineering and other consultants may be hired properly and may be required to put in dedicated hard work to revitalize this important project. Submission of a good PC-I coupled with proper presentation of the case by the Sindh government at CDWP and ECC levels, may get approval of the project and the funds at an early date.

3. The Sindh government may get KCR transferred to it on a basis, which is fair to all parties. Valuation of all assets including the requisite rolling stock and engines may be done objectively keeping in view all factors such as book value, physical condition, etc. The existing infrastructure of KCR has to be revamped and the network extended to other areas.

The Sindh government has to decide if it will be in a position to finance and manage the whole scheme on modern lines. The government may consider associating private sector in KCR ownership and operation. Pakistan Railways may also be a shareholder to manage the company to be formed for KCR ownership and operations. Proper ownership structure and management team may result in better achieving of the objectives.

4. It is said that the profitability of KCR is linked to the availability of the fleet of buses at each station for transporting passengers nearer to their homes. Almost all the stations are located in populated areas and most of the passengers would not mind walking short distances to their homes. In certain cases where the passengers are beyond walking distances, the private transporters are expected to grab the opportunity and ploy buses on the routes.

MUHAMMAD BASHIR CHAUDHRY

Karachi