Monitoring the LoC

IS the Indian offer of joint patrolling of the LoC serious and sincere? No. One only has to read the statement of the Indian defence minister to gauge Indian seriousness in averting a conflict with Pakistan that the world fears may turn nuclear.

George Fernandez has denied that his prime minister made the offer of joint patrolling of the LoC to stop, what India calls, ‘cross-border terrorism’. India baffled its foreign interlocutors by proposing the idea of a joint-patrolling of the LoC with Pakistan one day and denying the next day that such an offer was ever made. However, we must not forget that Vajpayee’s offer was made in the glare of TV cameras.

This little episode exposes Indian leadership’s confusion on the question of peace, as its haste has brought South Asia to the verge of a dangerous conflict.

After accusations by New Delhi, firmly denied by Islamabad, of infiltration of militants into held Kashmir, the question of verifying the contradictory claims has assumed central position. Proposals are afoot to devise a monitoring set-up.

Any verifying mechanism, finally agreed upon, has to be neutral. New Delhi has a habit of maligning Islamabad for any untoward incident inside the occupied Kashmir or India.

Pakistan has suggested that the task be assigned to the United Nations Military Observers Group in Pakistan (UNMOGIP), already mandated to monitor the LoC. To make it effective, the UN could induct more personnel. The neutrality of the Blue Berets being universally recognized, none will be able to challenge their verdict.

In case it is not possible for the UN to undertake the task, the next best option would be the appointment of a neutral multi-national monitoring body. Keeping in view the UN’s financial woes, it would be easier for two or three countries keen to resolve the dispute to raise and finance an effective monitoring group.

When British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw suggested that a force of 300 helicopter-born international monitors should undertake the task, Islamabad readily agreed. The Indian side, however, shot it down on the plea that New Delhi did not recognize the role of any third party in its disputes with Islamabad.

India has been playing a dangerous game since December last, keeping the whole region hostage to a war that will only result in destruction of everyone. The Indians have tried unsuccessfully to be accusers and judges at the same time in trying to terrorize Pakistan with numbers, wishfully copying Israel’s strategy against the unarmed Palestinians. One hopes the Indians must have understood by now that Pakistan is not a pushover. On the other hand, the world should understand that Pakistan has performed more than its share for peace in South Asia. It should pressurize India to take substantial steps for peace.

REHAN ISPAHANI

Islamabad

Indian secularism

IN her letter ‘Indian secularism’ (June 10), Sania Gul likes to know, among other things what my views on the recent Gujarat massacres are. She is referring to my letter ‘Death of reason’ (June 2).

The massacre of Muslims in Gujarat by the VHP/RSS combine has been an eye-opening experience for many Hindus who voted for the BJP. There was a notion among many secular Hindus that the BJP will offer better governance, set aside its communal agenda and behave responsibly when in power. That has been exposed to be false, in a very sickening manner.

Also, the Indian press by itself has done a magnificent job by reporting on the massacres. The letters columns in Indian newspapers mostly depict repugnance with the events in Gujarat. The whole of India knows now that Narendra Modi and his gang have blood on their hands. His continuance in office is an insult to the Indian people. That is why I remain optimistic about the future of secularism in India.

Lastly, Ms Sania Gul describes America as the ‘instigator of the jihadi movement’. Can I ask who asked Pakistan to say ‘yes’ and leap into this risky activity? The truth is that the US paid very well in economic and military aid for the help in Afghanistan.

However, instead of helping the Afghans install a representative government (like the US is trying to do now) Pakistan went on to create and associate itself neck-deep with the Taliban. Is there a strategy in all this or just plain ‘death of reason’?

RAHUL MALHOTRA

Austin, TX USA

Auditor-General’s report

I READ with interest the article under the above caption by Mr Athar Zaidi. He laments about the apathy of the finance division towards the Auditor-General’s reports. But he forgets that for most part over the past years, top slots in this division were occupied and are still being occupied by officers of his group, i.e. the accounts group.

After his retirement, he has taken to writing articles in newspapers on the subject of audit and accounts, but while in service he performed no better than others of his group. Had it not been so, affairs would not have come to such a sorry pass. The unpalatable reality on ground is that nobody now believes in financial and accounting statistics splashed in print and electronic media.

As for any effect of audit reports on the quality of governance, it may be pointed out that under the rules framed by the Auditor-General himself, audit cannot range over the field of administration and suggest how the government should be run. Mr Zaidi appears to be unaware of this provision enshrined in the Audit Code.

In a recently held conference on auditing in Karachi, one speaker remarked that audit reports are like bikinis — short to be interesting, but long enough to cover all subjects. At this someone in the audience jokingly interrupted: “Sure, audit reports are like bikinis, for what they reveal is interesting, but what they conceal is vital.”

SYED JAFFER HUSSAIN

Quetta

Pakistan consulates in US

I AM a Pakistani student living in the US. The Pakistani consulates here are supposed to help the Pakistanis living here but all they do is just enjoy life. If you make a phone call to the consulate, most of the time you get the busy signal. You might get hold of a person if you keep on trying for about an hour or so. But when you tell him your problem, he asks you to call another number, where again you would get a similar advice, that is, if the call gets through at all.

Once I thought I was very lucky because they transferred my call to an answering machine. I left the message with my phone number, expecting a call in return. But no one has returned the call till today.

Since in this modern age, specially in US, when you have call waiting systems, automatic transfer switchboards, automated call waiting-in-line technologies, I can’t imagine why all we get is a busy signal when we try to call our embassy. I also sent an e-mail to the Pakistani ambassador, but haven’t had any response.

I am writing this letter only to find out how to get in contact with a person in our consulate who would listen to our problems and try to solve them. Would the Foreign Office or anyone else say anything?

NADIA NADEEM

Framingham, USA

The goose that lays the golden eggs

THE ARY Gold Quiz programme on TV has created a lot of frustration among the general public. While it has brought happiness in the lives of some of the winners of their lottery, it has also left thousands of people, attracted by the goldmine, suffering at the hands of ARY-PTCL joint venture.

In fact, the PTCL through its Voice Mail Service (VMS) provision No.0900 has earned billions of rupees through this programme in collaboration with the ARY channel.

I am one of the victims of my silly greed, thousands more have fallen into this trap since then. I made a couple of short calls under VMS, but my eyes opened when I received a bill of Rs5,434 for the month of April, 2002, with many unmade calls put in my bill. The PTCL, in league with ARY, availed a golden chance of multiplying its income.

I request the PTCL chairman to hold an enquiry in public interest. I am a poor citizen and I have paid Rs5,400 to the PTCL without earning any gold. I also request the ARY sponsors not to use the telephone for registering the names of persons interested in ARY gold. I want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

YASMEEN MOIN CHISHTI

Karachi

Transport mafia

THIS is with reference to the article by Mr A.B.S. Jafri, ‘Transporters on warpath’ (June 10).

The transport mafia has been getting too big for its boots and it is high time that it is made answerable to law. It will be interesting to see how the ruling of the Sindh High Court is enforced.

We have not forgotten the killing of two college girls on the Karimabad flyover, and the maniacal reaction when the errant driver was charged for reckless driving and murder of two innocent lives. This gory incident did not touch the hearts of the mafia leaders, who must be really very powerful to have pushed the issue so forcefully.

It’s time that citizens of this orphaned city got together and took a stand against the unlawful activities of the transport mafia, which includes reckless driving, overspeeding, misbehaviour and highhandedness with commuters.

Would our Nazim consider alternate ways to fight this mafia, such as early revival of the circular railway, more Metro buses, and more stringent application of the law? I do not think this is asking for too much?

WEQUAR ALI KHAN

Karachi

The acquittal of Zafran Bibi

THE acquittal of Zafran Bibi by the Federal Shariat Court is the victory of moderate elements in society.

The use of Islamic injunctions to impose personal versions of Islam has always been a tool in the hands of the unenlightened fanatics. The implementation of Islamic injunctions regarding adultery is quite a complex task and needs a thorough debate.

The time is ripe for the revival of Islamic principles like ijtehad and ijma, so that we may move ahead in the modern world.

M. ASIF

D.G. Khan

Police and human rights

THE other day, the Faisalabad police organized a workshop on ‘Human rights and policing’. It was indeed heartening to learn that the police was becoming aware of human rights under the new system.

There is a conscious effort on the part of some police high-ups to put up a more humane face of the police. While one wishes all the best to them, there is a need to educate the lower level officers of the police on the sanctity of human rights.

Police high-handedness is rife in rural areas where misuse of power and extortion of money by police officials has assumed alarming proportions. One wishes that the officials at the police station are made to respect the people.

AHMAD WATTOO

Okara

Poverty alleviation?

POVERTY has been alleviated by the stroke of a pen by some big brains in the government, may be an adviser.

It has been decided that only those earning Rs658, or less, per capita monthly income should be considered as being below the poverty line. Previously, this figure was Rs2,350.

This means that, according to the official thinking, a person needs only Rs21.90 per day for food, clothing, toiletries, medical treatment, children’s education, bills of electricity and gas, and the great GST.

IFTIKHAR AJMAL BHOPAL

Islamabad

US visa laws

THE US government introduced new visa laws after the 9/11 incident. While the US has all the rights to protect its soil after the terrorist attacks that killed thousands of people of various nationalities, these laws should not be confined to the Muslim community; they should be imposed on every single person entering the US, without discrimination of religion, cast or sect.

There are millions of Muslim-Americans living in the United States for decades and are equally contributing in all walks of life including the US economy. However, if new visitor visa laws are imposed on Muslims alone, this will definitely go against President Bush.

In the last US elections, held in the year 2000, it was only the Muslims votes which made all the difference and played a decisive role in the winning of Mr Bush.

If such discriminatory laws against the Muslims are not withdrawn by the US government, it will indicate that the Bush government is treating all Muslims as ‘possible suspected terrorists’.

SYED A. MATEEN

Karachi

Smallpox and polio eradication

SMALLPOX is the only disease that has been eradicated completely from the face of the earth as a result of human endeavour. The last known case was found in Ethiopia in 1976. The second disease that is near extinction is poliomelitis. Many governments and numerous international agencies are putting a great deal of resources to reach this goal in the next few years.

I am recounting these facts because your paper has recently published reports claiming that an epidemic of smallpox has broken out in Swabi and an epidemic of polio in D.G. Khan district. In fact, this so-called smallpox is chickenpox, which is a much milder disease with very little mortality. There is a vaccine available for this disease but the cost-benefit ratio is very high so it is not generally recommended.

Only three cases of polio have been confirmed in D.G. Khan since January. So it is not true to say that there has been a major outbreak of polio epidemic in that area.

PROF TARIQ IQBAL BHUTTA

Lahore

Retirement age

THIS is with reference to Syed Abrar Hussaini’s letter ‘Retirement age’ (June 10). I really appreciate his thoughts and views regarding the age of retirement and the use of the abilities and skills of senior citizens.

But I would like to ask him what would happen to a country like Pakistan which has a population growth rate of about 2.5 per cent, if the retirement age is raised to 65 years? What scope would be left for those young people who are coming up after completing their education? Will not the unemployment rate among the young increase, as the older people are given another five years to hold on to their jobs?

I suggest that the retirement age should be kept at 60 years. But the government should hire competent retired persons as advisors or consultants for another 4-5 years, on a lesser salary. In this manner, the younger people would get jobs while it would also be possible to benefit from the experience of the older people.

IRFAN SHAIKH

Karachi

Advani’s dream

INDIAN Home Minister L.K. Advani is now talking about a confederation between India and Pakistan. One must admire his audacity.

After demolishing the Babri Mosque, protecting Narendra Modi (the killer of 2,000 Muslims), and promoting the evil Hindutva philosophy, how can he expect Pakistani Muslims to even think of re-joining India?

SHAKIR LAKHANI

Karachi

Of doers and braggarts

MY friend Masood from Lahore was visiting Pindi-Islamabad for a short business trip. When I asked him about his return flight, he informed me that he was planning to go back by the rail car. I was a bit surprised, why was Masood exposing himself to the vagaries of our railway system.

I did not question his decision, aware of the fact that business was slow. I drove Masood to the Rawalpindi Railway Station at around 4:00 pm in the blistering heat of June 8. On an impulse I purchased a platform ticket. I was certainly not prepared for what I saw.

The platform was sparkling clean. There were many passengers, but something was missing. Yes, the food carts, there was not a single food cart. During my last visit (a decade ago) the platform was of course filthy and there were more food carts than passengers.

And, there was a sense of orderliness. Signs painted, fans working, the railway officials dressed in neat white uniforms and no beggars. Always wary of superficial gimmicks, I decided to visit Masood’s designated compartment, it too was clean, neat and in good repair. The compartment qualified my acid test — the AC was working efficiently. No torn seats, no trash, clean windows and comfortable seats. Even the train was clean from the outside. I was surprised with what I saw and very pleased. It was like the good old days of the ‘60s when travelling by train was a pleasure.

If this could happen with one of the most rundown and inefficient institutions of the state then there is hope for Pakistan. In case you are not aware, this transformation of our railways is a one-man job, the person responsible is Javed Ashraf Qazi. I am sure some sacked railway officials hate Qazi’s guts, especially those whose greasy pockets have been hit. When institutions degenerate to the level at which most of our state institutions have descended to then extreme measures are called for. To save a very sick patient, at times major surgery is the only answer, in which some health tissues may also be sacrificed for the greater good. The moral of the story is that one doer is better than a bagful of braggers.

Masood adds: At the stroke of 4:30, the designated time, the rail car moves off. During the journey the rail-hostess was attentive, smiling and served cold drinks, tea and snacks from a trolley. There were station announcements for approaching stations and passengers were reminded to take their baggage when disembarking. The cleaner in a yellow overall swept the carpeted passages thrice during the trip. The train arrived on schedule — the air conditioning, though noisy, worked throughout the 45-degree afternoon.

MAHMUD DURRANI

Rawalpindi Cantt