Opposition to Iraq-bashing

THE opposition to an American attack on Iraq by Iran and Bahrain serves to underline the regional powers’ concern over the possibility of a war that nobody except the hawks in the Bush administration want. Even though tiny, Bahrain is the Gulf’s financial centre and host to the US Fifth Fleet. More important, it is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Its views on the issue thus reflect the GCC’s concern over the war talk. As for Iran, the war lobby in Washington may dismiss it as a member of the “Axis of Evil,” but the fact remains that Iran occupies an important position in the region. That it should oppose an attack on Iraq — with which it had fought a decade-long war in the eighties — shows Tehran’s concern over the long-term consequences of a US attack. Of late, Iran has made determined efforts to improve relations with the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia. This means that all Gulf countries, Arab and non-Arab, are opposed to an American offensive against Iraq.

Other powers in the Middle East, too, do not see eye to eye with Washington on the issue. These include Jordan and Turkey, both of them Iraq’s neighbours. Obviously, America would need their logistic support if there is to be a land invasion. Neither Turkey nor Jordan would agree to such a military operation. Turkey is going through an acute economic and political crisis, and most analysts predict yet another rag-tag coalition after the general election due in November. Such a weak government would hardly be in a position to swing public opinion in favour of Turkey’s participation in an American invasion of Iraq. Besides, like Iran, it is afraid of the regional consequences of such a misadventure. If the Saddam regime collapses, that may well mean the crumbling of the Iraqi state, with the possibility that the Kurds may proclaim a state of their own in the north. Such a state would be a source of destabilization for both Turkey and Iran.

Across the Atlantic, none of America’s European allies — except Britain — is in favour of a military move against Iraq. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder termed such a move “an adventure” and said it could destroy the world coalition against terrorism. This view is shared by the Arab and Islamic world. Egyptian President Hosni Mobarak, for instance, said recently that the aim behind the formation of the war on terror was being subordinated to America’s geopolitical interests. The truth is that America is isolated on the issue. Whatever else President Saddam Hussein may be guilty of, he is no supporter of terrorism. In fact, it is only recently that one has begun hearing about Baghdad’s alleged support to Al Qaeda in the past.

As for the weapons of mass destruction, Iraq has again expressed its willingness to let the UN inspectors in. If America’s aim is to destroy Iraq’s real or imagined WMDs, Baghdad’s latest offer to cooperate with the UN monitors has scuttled the basis for such an attack. One hopes Washington will realize the grave implications of this unilateralism in its foreign policy. Not only will a new wave of anti-Americanism sweep the Arab-Islamic world, the resulting turmoil could destabilize some Arab and Islamic regimes which are America’s close political and military allies. All this will serve to strengthen rather than weaken the factors that breed fanaticism and terrorism.

Why make voters pay for it?

THANKS to the long delays in the processing of computerized national identity cards by the National Database and Registration Authority, media reports now suggest some 10 million new eligible voters may not be able to cast their votes in the October elections if the election commission insists on the condition of the NIC for casting a vote. Right from its inception nearly two years ago, Nadra’s processing of computerized NICs, and other tasks assigned to it, have left a lot to be desired: it has so far not been able to deliver NICs within the promised eight weeks. In fact, it takes months to process an application, and even longer to correct a faulty NIC. The Nadra ‘Swift Centres’, especially set up in the key cities for a hassle-free and timely delivery of computerized NICs, have been a failure in that the queues and the waiting periods at these centres are as frustrating as was the experience previously. The electoral rolls Nadra processed last year were found to be faulty and utterly useless by the election commission, which decided to hold the local bodies elections on the basis of old and, in many cases, outdated electoral rolls.

Such anomalies and delays in the working of Nadra make one wonder about the efficiency and precision of the state-of-the-art technology at its disposal, which was supposed to facilitate, not further complicate, the tasks at hand. Thus, in view of the uncertainty of delivery of the huge bulk of the NICs by Nadra within the time left, the election commission would do well not to insist on the production of an NIC as a compulsory requirement for voting in the October elections. Other reliable documents such as a birth certificate, degree, driving licence or a passport could suffice for establishing the identity of a voter. Or else countless eligible voters would be deprived of their franchise for no fault of theirs.

Police harassment

OVER the years, the Karachi police seem to have developed the practice of harassing young couples and families on an outing by the seaside or in a park. In fact, over time this has grown into a kind of lucrative business for a growing number of policemen on the look out at various recreation points for such couples and families. So, there is nothing new about recent reports accusing the police of asking young couples to show their nikahnamas or be taken to the police station to face charges of immoral conduct. Since the purpose is to extort money through harassment and threats of prosecution, they turn a deaf ear to the plea that it is neither the common practice nor the legal requirement for a married couple to carry their nikahnama whenever they venture out together. It seems that our police have nothing better to do than to go after people who are out for some fresh air or recreation. As it is, most of Karachi’s residents do not have access to many avenues of recreation or entertainment. Clearly, the last thing any couple or family would want to encounter is a bunch of rude policemen asking some very prying and personal questions.

The police high-ups in the city would do well to look into the matter and ask their minions to stop harassing ordinary law-abiding citizens. Going to a park with a female friend or relative is no crime, and surely the resources and energies of the police force would be better spent pursuing real criminals. The traffic police, too, who are invariably after motorcyclists, usually to extort money, should be instructed to give a better account of themselves in traffic control and regulation — instead of prowling around for motorcyclists.