Which type of democracy now?

THIS refers to the editorial “Neither ‘controlled’ nor ‘packaged’ democracy” (Aug 18).

Every military ruler in Pakistan has laid great emphasis on democracy. You have highlighted the efforts of Gen Ayub Khan to introduce ‘basic democracy’ and those of Gen Ziaul Haq to introduce ‘Islamic democracy’ in a party-less Majlis-i-Shoora while Gen Yahya Khan, who probably presided over the only free and fair elections in Pakistan, had a pet phrase “my main aim remains the same - transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people.”

However, when the time arrived for transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people, Yahya Khan handed over power to a ‘civilian Martial Law administrator’. The rest is history.

As far as Gen Pervez Musharraf is concerned, one must confess that he has also laid great emphasis on ‘true democracy’ and ‘genuine democracy’ while calling the democracy under Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif as a ‘sham democracy’.

You are correct when you state that we neither need a controlled nor a packaged democracy but democracy in its simple form as is generally understood and practised. This does not necessarily mean the ‘West minister’ type of parliamentary democracy.

Notwithstanding that Pakistan has been governed for long periods of time by the armed forces based upon the state necessity or otherwise, Pakistan’s obsession with democracy has remained in tact.

A country which was born out of a democratic process with the power of pen, power of speech and power of vote will always revert to democratic type and General Pervez Musharraf has never hesitated to state that this has always been his aim.

The only question is what type of democracy and the in-built checks and balances to avoid a civilian dictatorship or military intervention.

It would have been advisable to establish a constitutional advisory board to recommend changes which could then be placed before the National Assembly for ratification.

This course of action would have at least appeared to be in conformity with the intention of introducing true democracy as opposed to sham democracy.

With political parties now trimmed and election rules in place, the nation looks forward to the elections in October with a hope that the future will bring in a government which will truly serve the people as their democratically elected government. And if it fails, the people as ultimate sovereign should be given the right to vote such government out of office.

If successive elections are held, the roots of democracy will go deep and the people will have a sense of participation in the affairs of the country as equal citizens of the state.

This will bring about national unity, solidarity, discipline and hope in the future.

LIAQUAT MERCHANT

Karachi

Book on Pakistan Movement

DR Mohammad Ali Siddiqui’s article ‘Significant writings on Pakistan Movement” (Aug 14) includes a useful list on the subject but omits a most authentic book Partition of India — legend and reality by Hormasji Manekji Seervai who held the position of Advocate-General of Maharashtra for 17 years (1957-74). He authored The constitutional law of India which is acclaimed a classic. It won him Padma Vibhushan in 1972 and led to his election as Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy — the highest academic honour in Britain.

Mr Seervai wrote this book after a thorough study of the 12 volumes of the official documents released under the title of Transfer of power 1942-47 under the editorship of Dr Nicholas Mansergh.

Mr Seervai says: “I have relied heavily on these volumes to dissipates the legends which obscures the reality behind the partition of India.” The book reveals the dishonest machinations of several characters involved in the process. Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah emerges out of it as a man of great integrity and statesmanship.

The objectivity and impartiality of the legal mind of Seervai make his analyses and views most authentic. It should be essential reading for all who want to reach nearest to the truth.

Unfortunately, the book is not easily available in Pakistan, (this may well be the reason of its omission in Dr Siddiqui’s otherwise comprehensive list). It was first published in India in 1989 and would be good business for Oxford University Press in Pakistan to reproduce it besides being their valuable contribution to the literature on the subject.

MIAN A. GHANI

Karachi

New curb on eligible job seekers

THIS refers to the qualification of a candidate seeking a job in the Oil and Gas Development Company, (OGDC). The company has imposed a new restriction i.e. 65 per cent marks to qualify for the post of Assistant Reservoir Engineer (Trainee).

We are BE degree-holders and a lot of candidates for the post meet the existing requirements. The condition of first or second class has already been there but for the higher posts.

This criterion has been adopted by the Federal Public Service Commission as well as private organizations.

The OGDC’s move to add the condition of 65 per cent marks to the qualifications of a candidate seems unfair and has created frustration among those who have secured 64 per cent marks or first division with a slight lesser percentage.

We feel that the new condition has been introduced to discard many eligible candidates and may lead to suspicion of discrimination or favouritism.

We request the OGDC authorities to drop the new condition in order to restore fairness in the selection criterion.

SANAULLAH SHAIKH AND OTHERS

Shikarpur

Constitutional odyssey

IT is hardly fair to dismiss the 1962 Constitution (Basic Democracies) so peremptorily if not disdainfully (editorial Aug 18). That perhaps was the only effort — and authored by an indisputable constitutional lawyer of great distinction and integrity, Mr Manzur Qadir — which could be called indigenous, and which took due account of our stage of development and peculiar social, political, cultural and historical geography.

Its great merit was that working middle classes, to whom you and I belong, could also get to make a contribution in the active governance of the country. The process it followed was speedy and cost-effective. It ensured that there was no room for dissimulative hype to hoodwink the electorate. In its very nature it kept democracy constantly in the ‘learning mode’ (learning while doing), from grassroots levels to the upper echelons.

It promoted stability and the harnessing of the best talent available in experienced technical and academic terms. It helped cohesion through forcing political elements to develop national leadership as against a little better than ‘tehsil’ level leadership that has been our fate to suffer as an electorate held captive by mediaeval landed, and nouveau riche industrial, forces.

As for your comment that it was more vulnerable to manipulation I can, besides saying that our real tragedy is to confuse causes for symptoms, only suggest a juxtaposed comparison of the data in Ardeshir Cowasjee’s recent column and the nowhere frightening prospects of such a risk in that arrangement.

It was a presidential system; and knowing our history as a people it is more in tune with our mindset of governance. The celebrated Muslim scholar, Muhammad Asad, supports

this point of view in his brilliant analytical work The principles of state and government in Islam.

M. J. AS’AD

Karachi

Male children of estranged husband, wife

IN case of separation or divorce having taken place between husband and wife, maintenance of male children has to be applied according to the Muslim family laws.

The Muslim Family Law Ordinance (VIII of 1961) states that father has to maintain his minor son till such time he joins him or attains the majority age.

In the 1994 MLD 574 (Lahore) the case was remanded to the Additional District Judge as monthly income of father was not given due consideration.

In Mohammaden Law by Syed Amir Ali (p32) and by Said Akbar Khan (p. 386) it is stated that when male children are strong enough to earn their own livelihood though not actually adult, the father may set them to work for their own subsistence or hire them out for wages.

Hidayatullah’s Mullah’s Mohammaden Law (17th edition) states: “A father is bound to maintain his sons until they have attained the age of puberty. But he is not bound to maintain his adult sons unless they are disabled by infirmity or disease.”

Outlines of Mohammaden Law by Asaf A.A. Fyzee similarly observes that a father is bound to maintain his sons until they attain puberty. An adult son need not be maintained unless he is infirm. If the father is poor, the mother is bound to maintain them.

Family trial courts have to give due credence to the settled Muslim family laws so that unnecessary appeals are mitigated.

SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR

Karachi

For help against police

THIS is with reference to the report suggesting that people are being harassed by policemen at picnic points and asked to produce their marriage certificates (Aug 18).

The Defence Associations Coordination Committee (DACC) has long been highlighting the issue following some cases at Seaview Beach. Moreover, the DACC has been doing its best to restrain unscrupulous policemen from indulging in such practices.

The DACC would like to inform the people to immediately contact the committee at 2/C, Sunset Lane 1, Phase II Ext, DHA, Tel: 5881523, 0300-8257518 & 0300-8220800 when they are subjected to harassment by any policeman at Clifton beach. The victim/s would not be exposed to police and the culprit would not only be identified but also taken to task.

The committee would also like to request the beach visitors to refrain from damaging properties or infuriating the residents by spraying graffiti on their compound walls.

AZIZ SUHARWARDY

General Secretary, DACC Federation of DHA Associations

Polls: qualification vs expertise

IT’S welcome news that a lot of electricity thieves and bank loan defaulters will not be able to participate in the upcoming national elections. However, it is not so good news that to participate in the national elections, a candidate has to be a university graduate. I think a would-be MNA should have an impeccable integrity, must have done some social work, and have good verifiable reputation.

There are a lot of people who were not college graduates but through their hard work and integrity and leadership qualities, have climbed the ladder of success; they run or have run giant organizations. To name a few, Gates (founder of Microsoft), Krock (founder of McDonalds) and our own Edhi, who has not only raised billions of dollars but also has been running a very successful social and charitable organization in the world.

One might say that Edhi might not be able to run the country but I think unless we try, we cannot be sure. I can give a few dozen more examples to prove my point.

I cannot emphasize more that only honest and selfless people should be allowed to run for assembly elections rather than crooks with or without a college degree.

Majority of our top army brass has not attended a university.

I am not sure how many, if there is any at all, have graduated from a university. Most of them got their commission after passing intermediate exams and studied at the army schools which is not the same as getting a graduate or post-graduate degree.

Many of the military officers are running such diversified institutions as Wapda, public service commissions, banks, financial institutions and Steel Mill.

Has any of them ever graduated from a university?

M. Z. MALIK

Texas, USA

Huge losses go unnoticed

LAST month, a goods train carrying crude oil derailed near Khanewal causing a long delay in the arrivals and departures of many other trains. The tragic thing about the incident was that the event went unnoticed by the print as well as the electronic media.

The derailment caused a huge loss to the national exchequer as crude oil worth tens of thousands of rupees spilled out.

A portion of the main track was uprooted as the shaft of one of the oil tankers got stuck, resulting in the derailment of other bogies. It took almost 10 hours for the railway authorities to restore the traffic.

Secondly, the loss of people’s precious time has never been taken into account. I had to visit the station three times before my departure for Rawalpindi as the inquiry official was not responding on telephone. Every time one reached the station he was told that the train was two to three hours late.

The railway officials should have kept the passengers informed about the expected delay so that people could have waited at home instead of going to the station several times to catch the train.

SYED ABDUL AHAD

Rawalpindi

Next war

WE have had war on drugs, war on AIDS, war on terror and now war on corporate corruption. What next? War on globalization followed by war on capitalism?

I submit that without winning a war on poverty and injustice, none of these wars can be won.

A. M. HAIDERMOTA

Karachi

Security to armymen

THIS is with reference to Zahid F. Ebrahim’s letter “security to armymen,” (Aug 12).

The writer should remember that it was our Navy’s vehicle that was targeted by terrorists (in which French technicians were killed).

Karachi is a city where almost anything is possible and that has been witnessed in the last couple of months by everybody.

So what is wrong if our law enforcing agencies have been keeping a vigilant eye on suspicious-looking vehicles all over the city including the road near the headquarters of a three-star Army General and a two-star Navy Admiral?

M. A. SHAH

Karachi

Truth about Gujarat

THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Truth about Gujarat’ (Aug 7). What has happened in Gujarat is a tragedy but Indians themselves are capable of dealing with such incidents.

All over India, there has been widespread condemnation of the terrible things that have happened in Gujarat. No wonder we have people like Justice J.S. Verma mincing no words about it. But Justice Verma is not alone in this. His views on the Gujarat issue are probably supported by a majority of Indians.

It is doubtful whether the British MPs or Amnesty International can add anything new or concrete to investigations which are being carried out by hundreds of Indian NGOs, organizations and the Indian media.

I don’t see India sending delegations to the UK to investigate race relations or riots in that country. So why should British MPs want to investigate the Gujarat issue?

They have plenty of similar problems in their own backyard. Let them solve those problems first.

Furthermore, there is no published report yet which identifies the people behind the burning of the Godhra carriage. All that has been said in one report is that the fire may have been started from inside and all those killed may not have been Kar Sevaks.

SOURAV DASGUPTA

Miami, USA

Overhauling education system

THIS refers to a news item (Aug 10) concerning introduction of comprehensive reforms in the education sector. The news quoted the Education Minister suggesting that the entire system needed a overhaul.

It is assumed that a broad-based panel of various authorities and specialists in various fields of education will be constituted for the purpose.

People expect that a group of specialists would produce a valuable document that will form the basis for preparing the present and subsequent generations to face the challenges of the fast-changing scenario.

Although I am sure that the proposed reforms will be sufficiently comprehensive, I have the following points for consideration of the august body while it finalizes its recommendations.

The institutional setup at every level should commensurate with the present and prospective requirements worked out carefully.

Since the educational achievements, i.e. the output of educated manpower at various levels and in various fields is supposed to match the relevant and corresponding requirements, a great deal of caution needs to be exercised to maintain the balance.

Long-term and short-term projects with regard to the manpower (higher, middle and lower levels) proceeding abroad for employment need to be worked out in the light of trends with the help of immigration data.

Keeping in view the present literacy rate, a plan has to be formulated with the goal of 100 per cent literacy within a reasonable time frame.

So far, the education sector has not been provided with funds it deserves. Adequate funds for this sector are, therefore, required to be allocated.

In addition to the general education, adequate facilities should also be made available for the development of professional, technical and vocational education and training.

Education should be made compulsory up to the primary level and free up to the matriculation level.

Curricula and syllabi should be uniform throughout the country.

Sufficient funds should be earmarked for lands and buildings to accommodate educational institutions including schools, colleges, research institutes, laboratories and extra curriculum activities.

Urdu (as national language) Arabic (as religious language) and English (as the lingua franca) should compulsorily be taught up to Matriculation level.

SIRAJUDDIN AHMAD

Islamabad