Protecting the target

THE United States has closed down its consulate in Karachi following the Sindh government’s move to reopen Abdullah Haroon Road for normal traffic.

The road was closed for normal traffic following a car-bomb attack just outside the consulate on June 14.

According to a report (Aug 10) the issue was discussed at the State Department’s briefing in Washington and the department’s deputy spokesperson, Philip Reeker, said that the consulate closure was linked to the reopening of Abdullah Haroon Road.

Closure of the road had been creating hardships not only for the nearby residents, but also for the commuters as the diversion of traffic ultimately was creating traffic jam on the nearby roads.

The US Consul General had held a meeting with the City Nazim to sort out the problem of security in this context while talks with the competent authorities of the Sindh government were under way. But, the US authorities abruptly took the decision to close down the consulate before a mutually accepted agreement could be reached on providing security to the consulate building and the staff.

Providing security to the US diplomatic mission is the responsibility of our government.

But the US authorities should also realize the fact that the consulate is located just at the edge of the main road and thousands of vehicles pass along it every day.

How is it possible for our law enforcing agencies to ensure security to the consulate building when it is fully exposed to all possible risks?

Had this building been located in one of the back lanes of the area, this would have definitely prevented the attackers from having an access to it without any security check.

After the 9/11 attacks, Islamabad has become the first ally of Washington in the war against terrorism and has provided all possible support to the US interests in Pakistan.

The US should reciprocate the gesture in a similar manner by moving its consulate office from its present location to a safer area so that the protection issue may not become a permanent headache for the Pakistani law enforcing agencies.

In line of their duty to protect the consulate and its staff, several officials have laid down their lives for which no compensation has so far been paid to their families.

SYED A. MATEEN

Karachi

High unemployment rate

ACCORDING to a report (Aug 9) the district government has received 35,842 applications from highly qualified candidates for 1,300 vacant posts of teachers in the district.

About 50 per cent of the applicants have Master’s degrees despite the fact that graduation was the required education for the job.

The Sindh Public Service Commission should publish the figures of the total applications received against the number of vacancies, so that the President may assess the magnitude of the problem and take appropriate action to help the unemployed.

The government should encourage local investment in manpower intensive projects to create employment. On the contrary, the emphasis has been on foreign investment where profits are remitted and not many people are employed.

If you pass through Gizri road, you will see near the mosque, a large number of semi-skilled labour sitting on the road seeking daily wages.

It is depressing to see in the afternoon that most of them are still sitting there with their paint brushes, chisels and hammers. Some of them may be forced to hire a T.T. and commit crimes. Suicides are on the rise because unemployment compels people to commit suicide.

Our leaders are often found in television programmes maintaining that education would eradicate all evils. This is a naive thinking.

Sri Lanka with 100 per cent literacy has not been able to solve its problems. Educated people can’t earn their living by manual labour. Our problems can be solved only by creating more job opportunities.

The government should give incentives to local investors and remove irritants by creating one-window facility. A board of local investment should be created as a separate entity and be headed by a minister.

LATAFAT ALI KHAN

Karachi

Plight of a posh area residents

THIS has reference to a report (Aug 12) about more than 30 robberies and hold-ups in just one 14-house lane of the PECHS, Block 2, during the last month.

Being a resident of the area I would like to point out that most of the robbery victims do not report the crime to the police because of their indifferent attitude.

Apart from the robberies, the residents of this society face the menace of unhygienic atmosphere created by encroachers along the main roads and streets. One can visit the block only to see car-washers bent upon throwing plenty of water many times a day to create filth and mud all along the main roads.

This not only creates health hazards but also troubles for the passersby, commuters and residents of the area. No elected representative or government official bothers about it. The roads have become dilapidated while the number of encroachers is growing unchecked.

What do the authorities give to the residents of this area in return for the heavy amount they pay as taxes of all kinds?

We appeal to the authorities to take appropriate measures against the encroachers and make arrangements for cleanliness in the area besides providing us security in the light of the above mentioned report which obviously is alarming.

ALI AHMAD ALVI

Karachi

IT is interesting to note that the PECHS has the same number of back lanes as it has streets which interconnect the main roads. These back lanes must have had some purpose when these were laid out into the design of the master plan of the locality. But today it serves none of those.

Most of these sidelanes have become garbage dumps, or have been taken up by opportunists who have converted it into their own personal backyard fiefs.

The utilization varies from motor repair garages to carpentry shops, from roadside hairdresser to guest rooms, from laundry to public toilet. In some cases, barriers have been installed to indicate that it has now become a private property.

And where nothing has been done, unplanned vegetation has grown and made it look like a rain forest.

Will our respected councillors, Nazimeen and other concerned authorities look into this silent takeover and make these streets again useful for the purpose they were meant for? I think residents who have such back streets behind their houses will agree with my observations.

WEQUAR ALI KHAN

Karachi

Trial of Mountbatten should be held

IT is a good proposal to try Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of colonized India and first Governor General of free India, as proposed by some intellectuals in New Delhi, and as recommended by Kuldip Nayar in his weekly column (Aug 10).

Mountbatten should not only be tried posthumously for causing the murder of one million people, uprooting another 20 million from both the countries, but he should also be tried for: (a) creating the Kashmir dispute; (b) not compelling his friend Nehru to honour his pledge to hold plebiscite in Jammu & Kashmir; (c) not announcing the boundary award before Aug 15, 1947, as a result of which both, the governments of Pakistan and India, did not know two of the vital components of their nationhood — the number of citizens and location of their important frontiers; (d) ignoring the wrong doing by Cyril Radcliffe who gave Muslim majority city of Gurdaspur to India which subsequently paved the way for Kashmir’s accession to India; and (e) above all else, not using his influence during his governorship, and even afterwards up to the death of Nehru in 1964, to settle this thorny issue to which he was a party himself.

He had a great responsibility which he had thrown onto the shoulders of obdurate people — the Indian leadership.

S.M. KAZIM NAQVI

Karachi

Life-saving drugs: price and GST

IT is shocking to note that life-saving drugs are still being sold with the 15 per cent GST even after repeated assurances by the government that such medicines would be exempted from the tax.

Countless patients, particularly of diabetics, across the country have been made to suffer further due to the unjustified prices of the life saving drugs.

For example, the prescribed price of Insulin (Humulin 70/30) is is Rs406.54 but the patient has to pay an additional amount of Rs60.98 as GST. The price varies depending on old/new stock and the location of the pharmacy store. Similarly, the actual price of Mixtard (Human Insulin) vial is Rs439 but the sellers charge GST to make it costlier.

It is a question of the survival of a very large number of patients who have the right to live.

Ironically, a type of ‘Beef Insulin’ has been exempted from GST as shown in the list on display at pharmacy stores.

According to a specialist, Dr Najmul Islam of the Agha Khan University Hospital, this ‘animal-source Insulin’ will not be manufactured after a short span of time.

The pharmaceutical companies, Pharma Bureau, PMA and the government must realize the fact that it is almost impossible for ordinary people to purchase life saving medicines for diabetes and other diseases at such a high price. The GST takes the drugs farther away from their reach.

Maybe, the GST is the latest weapon in population control.

SHAMEEM DALLAZY

Karachi

Helpless helpline

THIS refers to the letter of Mr Akbar Merchant (Aug 12) under the caption ‘Helpless Helpline’.

This may be clarified here that the rule pertaining to lost, stolen or damaged number plates of a vehicle is very clear.

Every vehicle must carry both the number plates and should be original, otherwise, the number plates require to be reissued for which specific series has been allocated.

Being in possession of other documents, as stated by the writer, has no relevance to this issue. This was duly communicated to Mr Merchant and he was politely advised to refer to the MVR office, the number plate issuing authority.

This in no way relates to the CPLC helpline being helpless.

JAMEEL YUSUF

S.St. Chief, CPLC/CRC

UK visa facility

I REFER to Mr M.B. Naqvi’s letter (Aug 9) and the subsequent explanation by the British High Commission (Aug 16) pertaining to the UK visa service.

The HC explanation says that visit visa applications of those who have visited Britain within the last three years are being considered at the HC’s visa section in Islamabad.

I would like to mention here that such applicants may include those who have visited Britain only once in a lifetime.

But what about those who have visited the United Kingdom almost every year over a period of 15 years and for some reasons they did not visit that country during the last three years?

A democratic country like Britain always acts with prudence and I hope the High Commission would look into the matter sagaciously.

SHAFIUDDIN

E. CONTRACTOR

Karachi

Suspended, reinstated

FOR more than a month, Karachi has been supplied with contaminated water. The media carried many reports and complaints were also made to the concerned authorities.

It has also been reported that some of the engineers in Karachi Water and Sewage Board have been suspended in this regard.

However, it is learnt now that these engineers have been reinstated. If they were responsible for a serious lapse which may have harmed the health of quite a large number of people, why have they been reinstated?

Their reinstatement would only encourage them and also the others who may have such responsibilities.

I request the authorities concerned to hold an inquiry into the whole affair and punish the guilty.

GHULAM NABI AWAN

Karachi

Privatization priorities

I QUOTE from a recent report on Privatization Commission’s performance: “A total of Rs79.6 billion have been collected through the privatization of 104 units since 1991.”

I cannot help comparing the amount mentioned with the annual loss of Rs100 billion that Wapda and the KESC are presenting to the nation through the lack of a will or of ability, possibly both, to control corruption in their organizations.

The Commission should have privatized these two organizations first to curtail the losses.

WAJID NAEEMUDDIN

Karachi

Bury the dead

A SERVING General, some Brigadiers and a few Colonels have put the last nail in the coffin of Pakistan hockey. Now, they should bury the dead with full military honours and go back to their professional duties for which they are paid. They have had their share of joy rides. Enough is enough.

WING CDR (R) M.A. KHAN

Karachi

MVT and decency

THE Excise and Taxation Department’s announcement (Aug 8) advising that the Motor Vehicle Tax is payable only up to Dec 31 was very much belated. The motor vehicle owners have to pay the tax in July each year and this has to be done after waiting in long queues for hours. We have already paid for the whole year.

To be fair, the department should have informed in the same advertisement as to how would it refund or adjust the money already paid.

SYED FARID AHMAD

Karachi

Just not cricket

WHILE it is understandable that the Aussies may have had some concerns touring Pakistan, given the present upsurge in violence against foreigners here, the recent decision by three Kiwi players not to tour Sri Lanka because of security concerns is shocking.

There is no danger perceived or real, in touring Sri Lanka and the Asian block must unite to see that these players are slapped with a hefty fine and banned. Players cannot and should not be allowed to pick and choose tours based on their liking and disliking.

KAMRAN ALI KHAN

Ontario, Canada

Metro bus ordeal

TO catch a Metro bus has become an ordeal for commuters. The main problem is that Metro buses do not stop even at usual stops.

Only driver’s mood or a red signal can oblige a passenger to be lifted during its speedy journey.

However, if out of mood, the driver would not open the door even he stops the bus.

The situation is all the more painful if the passenger is a woman who helplessly watches and waves her hand in her bid to board one of the eight or 10 Metro buses passing by. Similar is the case of senior citizens.

Though no obligation on the part of the private transporters, the Metro buses are means of public transport and the passengers must be obliged respectably.

The number of Metro buses on road is also insufficient.

The authorities are requested to take appropriate measures in the greater interest of thousands of commuters.

MS SHAHEEN

Karachi

Rowdy revellers

NOT that I have anything against the masses having fun but when that fun turns rowdy, especially on Aug 14, one has to really ponder. I wonder which one of these unruly characters will lead the nation into the next decade. God help us all. Pakistan Zindabad!

AYAZ SHAIKHZADEH

Manila, Philippines

Environmental pollution and KCR

THE editorial (Aug 13) emphasizing the need for environmental improvement and protection should be looked into by the government agencies very seriously. The UN report, referred to in the editorial, says that a toxic cloud called ‘The Asian brown cloud’ will kill millions of people in South Asia through respiratory diseases.

This cloud, three-kilometre thick, will also cause acid rain, reduce the seasonal rains by 40 per cent and the solar energy supply by 15 per cent.

The Asian brown cloud is a man-made creation. It is a result of atmospheric pollution for which the responsibility rests entirely on the public in general and the government in particular.

It is time that strong steps are taken to arrest this pollution in view of the risks of loss of life and degeneration of economic wealth caused by it.

One of the sources of high pollution is automobile emission.

In Karachi, public transport buses are largely contributing to atmospheric pollution because of their sheer number and obsolete engines. It was reported on Aug 10 that 5,646 public buses are running in the city, leaving a shortfall of 11,254 (which) will also soar up to 17,000 that would also contribute to environmental and noise pollution.

Pakistan can contribute in reducing the impact of the Asian brown cloud by reducing the number of buses in Karachi and by reviving the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR). The plan for the revival has already been prepared by an experienced and reputable Pakistani engineering consulting firm. This plan should be implemented expeditiously and monitored closely for its timely completion.

From Aug 26, a UN conference on environment is being held in Johannesburg. Pakistan should send a competent delegation to the conference to inform the world about the measures that Pakistan has been taking to contain the risk and counter the threat posed by the Asian brown cloud hovering over this region.

This will be our major contribution to the environmental protection for the betterment of humanity at large.

ENGR A. RAHIM

Michigan, USA