Is Nadra’s claim of credibility true?

ISLAMABAD, Jan 2: Something has seriously gone wrong with the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra). There is nothing against any individual but the examples of gross negligence and ineffectiveness of the Authority are coming up so frequently that the credibility of the claims made by the people at the head of Nadra have become nothing but ridiculous.

Zeeshan Islam is a young man, who applied for issuance of a computerised national identity card somewhere back in July 2002 under the ordinary scheme and paid a prescribed fee of Rs35. Over four months passed and he received no card or any intimation.

Somehow, he needed the card urgently and as all his efforts to get the card he applied through the ordinary means failed, he decided to try his luck through ‘urgent delivery’ system and applied afresh on November 11, depositing Rs180 this time.

He was given assurance that he would receive the card within 15 days. That never happened.

Then on December 15, Zeeshan received a pleasant surprise when he was delivered his new glittering Nadra identity card. He was utterly joyous to feel the crisp, brilliantly shinning card reflecting all the colours of rainbow in his fingers.

He was too eager to show it to his family and friends, the beautiful piece of plastic with his picture imprinted on it. He felt like a bona fide citizen of Pakistan.

However, there was more in store for him. On December 30, the special courier delivered another Nadra card to him at his residence. This was the result of the request he has made through the ‘urgent delivery’ system.

One card was issued on November 15, 2002 while the other on December 26, 2002. Everything on the card was the same except a few differences like one card carried Zeeshan’s picture without a beard while the other carried a bearded picture. OK. No fault of the Nadra because the pictures were provided by the applicant. In one card, it said the holder of the card has no identity mark while other, carrying a bearded mugshot said there was a wound mark on the chin (effectively hidden by the beard!).

In one card, the family number was given as C2212C while the other carried the family number was DV5896. There were no other differences. Even the national identity number on both the cards was the same, that is, 37405-4789969-9 and so was the number of the NIC he had surrendered to get the Nadra card.

This poses a big question mark about the effectiveness of the ‘Data Base’ collected and computed by the authority to prevent issuance of fake ID cards.

Now, Zeeshan Islam is proud to be in possession of two Nadra NICs. Legally, it may be a crime to be in possession of two identity cards at the same time and under the law he might find himself in some serious trouble if caught.

But, he says it is none of his fault. He never asked for two cards. He was desperate to get only one.

All said and done. But shall we continue to have confidence in the working of Nadra and hold the information it has collected, as credible.

Evidently, the ‘Database’ it has collected and computed by spending millions of public money which were infused in this ‘new’ organisation to get rid of the ‘corruption’, wrong registrations, fake issuance of ID cards and so many other ills which were so vociferously announced at the time Nadra was launched has become doubtful.

Drought claims 24 more lives in Aranji: DATELINE QUETTA

TO this date, the people in a number of remote regions of Balochistan continue to suffer from drought and its deadly effects. According to some relief agencies of international repute, five or six districts of Balochistan are constantly devastated by drought. The districts include: Kharan, Chagai, Khuzdar, Awaran and Qila Abdullah and other adjoining areas.

The previous provincial administration first contested the news reports and contradicted the statements of political leaders, including the nationalists and Ulema, and denied the adverse effects of drought in Balochistan. When the Oxfam, a British relief agency, came out with details maintaining that Balochistan “is months away from the catastrophic drought condition of Ethiopia,” the ‘military governor’ came into action and reluctantly confirmed the Oxfam report. Interestingly, his own close relatives in Naushki Tehsil and Anam Bostan region, near the Afghan borders, faced severe drought.

Drought conditions are prevailing in major parts of Balochistan for the past six years. During a visit to adjoining areas of Iranian Balochistan, this scribe found the severe impact of drought across the international frontiers also. The entire Sarbaz River, from Sarbaz Hills down to the Arabian Sea, had completely dried up, date palms destroyed and cattle heads and flocks were not seen during hundreds of miles of travelling. The situation had, however, eased in some areas of Pakistani Balochistan following occasional rains. But effects of drought would be felt for years to come, farmers and agriculture experts opined.

Representatives of the people had held news conferences, five in a row, claiming that 24 people recently lost their lives in Aranji region of central Balochistan as a result of drought and related diseases. Those who separately addressed the news conferences include: Abdul Rauf Mengal, MNA from Khuzdar; Akbar Mengal, MPA from Khuzdar; Ayub Jattak, a former MNA and parliamentary secretary under the Benazir government; Sardar Aslam Bizenjo, a former provincial minister and district Nazim of Khuzdar and Shafiqur Rehman, Naib Nazim.

They said the natural springs had dried up during the six years of drought. People and animals alike were drinking water from the stagnated ponds and pools, resulting in serious diseases among the people. There are no other sources of bacteria-free drinking water supply for the people in the whole region. Sardar Aslam Bizenjo and Rauf Mengal claimed that the people in Sarona were facing worst situation. “It is worst than the Aranji. People of the area have lost their flock, the main source of their livelihood, and are at the mercy of outside assistance and nature.” The provincial government did not come to their rescue adequately during the past six years, they maintained.

They all appealed to the prime minister and the chief minister to rush immediate relief for the drought-affected people of Aranji and Sarona where they claimed 24 people died in drought-related diseases. Aranji, a human settlement halfway between Karachi and Quetta, remained an interesting political hot spot where the ‘military governor’ fought a pitched political battle of words with Balochistan National Party chief, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, as the latter rushed to the spot and highlighted the problem of drought in Aranji.

Sardar Mengal collected relief goods from his tribesmen and other well-to-do people of the area and led the convoy of food and medicine to Aranji. He personally distributed the relief goods in presence of local journalists. It was an unacceptable and embarrassing situation for the previous administration to give a free hand to Sardar Mengal on such a sensitive issue. The ‘military governor’ sought the services of the Pakistan Army and dispatched relief supplies with army medical teams treating patients in Aranji and its surrounding settlements. Relief goods were rushed to Aranji from different directions.

A score of social workers, representatives of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and political activists levelled serious allegations that the relief goods and supplies were misappropriated and misused. However, they never substantiated those charges. Since the distributions were made in remote, rather almost inaccessible, areas it was difficult for the newsmen or others to verify the facts.

On the other hand, the previous administration did a disservice to Balochistan and its drought-affected people by not issuing an appeal for international assistance. A score of international relief agencies were interested to participate in the relief efforts, but they were barred or not allowed to undertake relief operations in the badly affected areas. Instead, the government only issued an appeal to overseas Pakistanis for help. “The military governor wanted to keep the American, French, Germans and Britons away from Balochistan for political reason,” a political activist claimed.

Initially, the Balochistan government sought one billion rupees as assistance from the federal government for relief. The federal government provided the money. Later, the previous administration modified its assessment and demanded Rs2.5 billion. The president, during a visit to Quetta, conceded the demand and issued instructions for releasing the additional funds.

The previous provincial administration did not claim the remaining Rs1.5 billion for the simple reason of incompetence. It simply could not prepare plans to help the drought-hit areas and people. It used only Rs990 million and discontinued the relief operation in drought-affected regions, leaving the people at the mercy of nature.

Green pastures becoming extinct

RAJANPUR, Jan 2: Pachaadh, a nearby village is badly affected owing to continuous drought and the unavailability of the canal water.

The underground water is too salty and injurious to health. Residents depend on ponds which have also dried up. Now they are forced to drink the dirty and unhygienic water used by the animals. The green pasture areas, which were already rare, have almost become extinct.

Half of the population has migrated to other areas while the rest of them are living a miserable life. Neither the district Nazim nor any landlord has taken measures to resolve the problems faced by the residents.

Landlords have set up around 1,200 lift pumps across the Dajal Canal where several outlets have been carved out in Sadiq district, Nala Jalalpur and Noor Dhandi. Officials of the Canal Department take monthly bribe from these landlords. Each lift pump is enough for watering 250 acres of land. This manipulation on part of the local landlords results in preventing the water from reaching the tail.

Bahadur, an active member of Pachaadh, has held the local landlords responsible for this sorry state of affairs.

Need for inter-faith ties : FRIDAY FEATURE

IN the new world order everything remotely reflecting Islam or Muslims is being targeted, ridiculed, criticized and condemned. The so-called enlightened West and secularists have joined this band wagon without realizing the hollowness and long lasting disastrous effects on humanity of this attitude.

With the progress that has been made in all the fields of knowledge, man should have achieved the ultimate goal of peace and human development. But unfortunately wrong perceptions and misplaced priorities are leading the entire humanity to disaster. Religion has become the dominant factor and the time has come to reassess the relations of Muslims with followers of other religions.

It is the foremost duty of a Muslim to recognize the respect and dignity of all human beings. The Quran says “Verily we have honoured the children of Adam (human beings).” The Quran admits of racial, geographic and national differences among peoples, but firmly disowns them as the basis of the classification of mankind. ‘O men! Behold we have created you all out of a male and female And made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another (not despise one another) verily, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the one who is deeply conscious of Him.’

The true basis, the Quran tells us, of inter-group relationships are the three cardinal values of Al-Qist (Equity), Al-Adl (Justice) and Al-Birr (Kindness). The Quran says.” “As for such that do not fight against you on account of your faith, and neither drive you from your homelands. Allah does not forbid you to behave towards them with full equity, for verily Allah loves those who act equitably.”

The requirement and importance of justice lapse under no condition. The Quran clearly warns “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety, and fear Allah (5:9)

In this vision of human relationships, the Jew and Christians occupy a special place. They are acknowledged and honoured as the people of the Book, as recipients of Allah’s revelation and as object of His favour and consideration. They are of the family of Prophet Ibrahim, the Patriarch whom the Quran terms as the first Muslim. The spiritual antecedents of Islam are traced back to him. A true Muslim encompasses in his beliefs these early traditions and they form an essential and indispensable ingredient of his faith. In the most unambiguous terms the Quran commands the Nabi (peace be upon him) to declare:

Say (O Muhammad): we believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Moses and Jesus and the prophets from Allah. We make no distinction between any of them, and into Him we have surrendered. (3:85).

Because of these close spiritual bonds, Muslims should show special consideration to the people of the Book. “And argue not with the people if the Scriptures unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong, and say we believe in that which had been revealed unto you: our God and your God is one, and unto. Him we surrender.” (29:46)

These shared relationships also provide a clear basis for inter-faith dialogue among Muslims. Christians and Jews. This is not a basis laid down under the exigencies of our time but a pristine invitation proffered by the first Muslims and applicable to all times. (3:64)

Christians and Muslims are two largest communities in the world today. Together they constitute more than half of the total population of the world and are widely scattered all over the globe. There are large areas, especially in Europe and America, where the followers of these faiths live in close proximity, even sharing several traits of culture and language and living under the same political system. Yet despite this, a certain distance has remained between them. Of all religions on earth, Islam is the only one, which approves the Christians fundamental dogma that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin in an immaculate manner, without a father. Should Christians then take Muslims as their friends and allies or as an enemy?

In the present complex world order we find no country where the laws are implemented in accordance with the religious beliefs as ordained in the divinely revealed books. There is no longer an Amir-ul-Momineen ruling over the entire Muslim world. Similarly problems are also not the same with each and every category of non-muslims. In spite of their great tolerance, Muslim rulers of India during the Mughal period forbade ‘practice of Satti’ among their Hindu subjects, who religiously burned alive widows along with the body of dead husbands.

Even among Christians there are great sectarian differences. Muslims who have made the West their homes for decades, and even those back home in Muslim countries find it difficult to identify true Christian beliefs. The western countries call themselves secular, but major parts of their population are religiously Christian and misunderstand Islam. This is primarily due to the media onslaught and their own lack of knowledge, even about their own religion.

We are living in difficult times in a world beset by threats of total extinction. We are increasingly being divided on the basis of colour, language, race, ideology, nationality and politics. Additionally there are problems of poverty, hunger, famine, drought, pollution and disease, which afflict large areas of the world. The severity of these conditions often forces their victims into adopting radical and nihilistic doctrines and practices.

These problems are not peculiar to the Muslims or Christians but are problems of humanity. We Muslims, as members of the human family bear a grave responsibility towards them. As a community having faith in the Quranic values our responsibilities are even greater.

This vision of inter-faith relationship is not a product of recent historical circumstances, but one that has guided Muslims’ endeavours throughout their history. At times we have failed to live up to this vision. Perhaps on some occasions we have been guilty of wilfully betraying it. But we posses a positive and clearly defined standard of values by which we ourselves, as well as others, can judge us. In the current international perspective we have to periodically review our conduct as a community and make corrections where necessary. For this a comprehensive and proper understanding of the Quran is absolutely necessary.

The world has to realize the fact that the Islamic civilization was the first in the world, which bought about a highly fruitful cooperation among peoples of different faiths, cultures and races in the fields of science, philosophy, medicine and literature. As a result a brilliant, intellectual culture was produced in Baghdad, Spain and elsewhere wherein Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and others participated on an equal footing. In modern times the western civilization has achieved this kind of participation, but only on a secular basis, the Muslims did it as Muslims.

The current situation among the Muslim and non-Muslim communities is a direct reversal of whatever ground was gained in the past. While the Muslim modernist thinkers have always insisted that the Qur’an had given Muslims clear guidelines in all the fields of human endeavour, including the political, they themselves had distorted the teaching of the Qur’an and abandoned it in favour of the cultural traditions.

They should now have a close look at the Qur’an and learn from it the purposes it stands for and then give this knowledge to the average member of the Muslim community so that the whole community possesses an adequate insight into the teachings of Islam for a better adjustment in the changing world trends. While it is correct that Muslims cannot regard the western social ethics as normative and adopt it blindly, nevertheless, a blind and violent reaction against it and a retrogression towards medievalism is equally both unwise and against the teaching of the Qur’an.

The reaction against the Muslims in the West is understandable but not pardonable. Islam teaches Muslims to transcend all discriminations and to be fair (49:13). In fact it asks the Muslims to be fair even towards those people who have been their enemies (5:8).

It is time Muslims realized that they have an obligation to remain steadfast to the vision of life given by the Qur’an, that is, to make the whole of humanity into one single indivisible community and not to believe in the artificial divisions into which humanity has been divided by the folly of man. The holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said in unequivocal terms that the whole humanity is one family and advised us that each of us has an obligation to the other. We have to strive to be the best community and to be the agents of good, and that is what a good Muslim means. The Qur’an does not wish away the natural and historical divisions of mankind, it only calls upon us to be good and to compete in the way of goodness through permanent values.

Reasons behind declining reading habit discussed

READING and writing of literary prose is on the decline, commented Intezar Husain, noted fiction writer, at the Welcome Book Fair the other day. The reason behind this phenomenon was the decline in reading habits itself, he added.

Since people do not read writings, they don’t write also. This neglect towards books was found in the entire Muslim Umma itself, Intezar lamented and said such a great dastaan as Alf Laila had been kept alive by the West while it had almost been disowned by us.

The rising tide of commercialism and the publication of substandard books had also hurt the publication of serious literature, he said. He complained that since media people enjoyed an advantageous position in the industry of books and publication, their works got prompt attention.

Fahmeeda Riaz opined that literature in our society had no place and it was never attended to in all seriousness. That was the reason why our new generation was totally unaware of our classical writers and poets and even great writers of modern times were not known to them.

Fatema Hasan, while commenting on the prevailing conditions in the book business, said that the reasons behind declining readership were the high prices, scarcity of enough time for reading, and the neglect of the parents towards the children.

Asif Farrukhi said that we were proud of our Urdu language and its institution having completed hundred years but would read such magnificent dastaans as Alf Laila in English. He complained that we failed to determine our future in the light of our classical values.

Among others who spoke on the occasion included Shahed Hasan and, the famous fiction writer, Ikram Barelvi.

Qamer Zaidi thanked the guests.—Hasan Abidi

Sindh’s new governor: SINDHI PRESS DIGEST

HILAL-I-PAKISTAN writes that amidst the mixed atmosphere of support and opposition, Dr Ishratul Ibad has taken the oath as Sindh governor. His appointment is not being opposed for his being an Urdu-speaking Sindhi but because he has been inducted as governor after a political deal. In lieu of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s support to the Jamali government at the Centre and withdrawal of its candidate for the slot of Sindh chief minister, the party’s nominee has been appointed as governor. This has caused resentment among the political rivals of the Muttahida.

The office of the governor has its own responsibilities, which demand the governor to rise above local politics and act as an impartial and just caretaker of a democratic setup.It is need of the hour not to make the controversy over Dr Ibad’s appointment a basis for revival of ethnic tension between Sindhi and Urdu-speaking people, as the ethnic strife has already caused immense loss to Sindh. The province is in the grip of several problems, the resolution of which requires wisdom, reconciliation and harmony and a determination not to repeat the past mistakes.

Tameer-i-Sindh says that the governorship of Sindh is not only a challenge for the Muttahida but also provides the party with an opportunity to gain political credibility. If the Muttahida’s governor also strives for the resolution of problems of the interior of Sindh, the party will get a positive response from the Sindhi people. However, if he chooses to protect only the interests of the Urdu- speaking people and neglects those of the entire province, it will cause two damages: on the one hand, the distance between the Sindhi and Urdu-speaking population will widen and, on the other, the Muttahida’s claim, that it is struggling for the rights of the entire Sindh, will receive a severe blow. There is a difference between lending moral support to an issue by a powerless party and working for the settlement of the issue after coming into power. Now that the Muttahida has come into power, it is to be seen what it does to bring an end to the sorrows of Sindh.

Sindhu says that Sindh has been confronting several grave problems, including unemployment, lawlessness and the lack of education and health facilities. The most important issue, requiring immediate attention of the new governor, is the water crisis, that has taken alarming proportion during the last two years. Dr Ibad has said that steps will be taken to settle the outstanding issue. Similar statements had been issued by his predecessors but nothing had come out of them. It is yet to be seen whether the new governor will succeed in ensuring a just distribution of water among the provinces.

Kawish writes that it has been decided to conduct a socio-economic survey of Sindh with the cooperation of Unicef. On the basis of the survey, the profile of each district of the province will be prepared, which will contain facts and figures about their socio-economic conditions. Similar profiles had already been prepared by a federal and a provincial body in 1998 and in the meantime, no change has taken place in Sindh. It will be more useful to devise a development strategy on the basis of already available profiles than to conduct the new survey.