Time to stand up and be counted

“MY heart aches and a drowsy numbness pains my senses as though of hemlock I had drunk” and at the pit of my stomach is a dull ache as if a rock has settled there — why? Election time is here.

Where is the euphoria and the excitement of yore? Where is the elation and joy felt in 1970 when another military man held elections? Gone! Fled with the knowledge of the sickening reality that it is the same vainglorious, strutting posturing predatory looters and self-seekers, who are centre stage yet again.

On various occasions and especially at the events arranged for the visiting Indians (Shehkhar Gupta, Nirmala Deshpande and Arundhati Roy), it was amply evident that the vast crowds which turned up were now well aware of the real nature of politics and government here.

The filth, corruption, deception and the sheer evil that are the characteristics of most of those who have been in power before have been well and truly exposed.

Why? Why then are we sitting back and allowing the desperate, starving, totally exploited almost 50 million wretched, that are below the poverty line, to be exploited again and again? The bulk of the rest are no better — semi-literate, naive, easily manipulated and easy prey. Why have we shut our eyes and turned our faces and blocked our ears against the silent screams for help?

The hold, control and intentions of the military are obvious.

At least for the next five years, the power will be with the military and the workings of the government with the inept, corrupt and blood-seeking parasites posing as politicians and bureaucrats and their cronies and toadies.

This could well be the last opportunity we as citizens of means, as those who have been privileged; we, who have received so much from this much tortured, anguished, mercilessly exploited, beautiful land of ours, will ever get to stand up and make an effort to stop the rot and almost certain eventual disaster.

So let us now “with fate conspire, to grasp this sorry state of things entire, shatter it to bits and remould it closer to the heart’s desires.”

Let us not forget that those who stand by passively and allow a crime to be committed are as guilty as the perpetrators of that crime. If only the numbers that turned up to hear Arundhati Roy speak came together, stood up and demanded to be heard, the voices which may start as whispers could turn into a roar.

So stand up people of Pakistan, let us make one last desperate effort before we come to the shocking, stunning realization that there is nothing left to fight for. Stand up and be counted and be heard.

We came together seven years ago as citizens against violence and the killings in the city — we can do it again. We have far more to lose this time ... and so much to gain.

ZAHRA SHAHID HUSSAIN

Karachi

The malaise in Muslim world

THE article by Edward W. Said captioned: ‘Causes of Arab disunity’ (Aug 24) with the change of one word in its title ‘Pakistani’ for ‘Arab’ would make for a perfect analysis of the present-day Pakistani society and polity. Indeed, it would explain exactly the malaise afflicting the entire Muslim world if only ‘Islamic’ were put in place of ‘Arab’.

Only three of his observations should suffice in relation to Pakistan. One, “even on the level of social structure, it is almost a commonplace that (Pakistanis) as a group fight among themselves more than they do for common purpose.”

Two, “perhaps the main reason for (Pakistani) factionalism at every level of our societies, at home and abroad, is the marked absence of ideals and role models.”

And three, and that is the crux, “(Pakistanis) have for so long been deprived of a sense of participation and citizenship by their rulers that most of us have lost even the capacity of understanding what personal commitment to a cause bigger than ourselves might mean.”

On a broader canvas, relate his observation about the wailings of a helpless Palestinian woman to a Muslim woman anywhere today around the globe (nearer home in Kashmir) and see what image confronts you as a Muslim in that mirror.

He says: “An even more eloquent sign of the common disenchantment is the frequent, wrenchingly sad television scene of a Palestinian woman surveying the ruins of her house demolished by Israeli bulldozers, wailing to the world at large ‘ya Arab, ya Arab’ (oh you Arabs, you Arabs).

“There is no more eloquent testimony to the betrayal of the Arab people by their (most unelected) leaders than that indictment.”

Edward W. Said’s observation that the American “society itself and its media are so hostile to Arabs, Islam, and their causes in general”, should serve as an eye-opener to those Muslims who are readily taken in by the nursery songs on liberalism emanating from the Judo-Christian West, more particularly from its citadel, the United States of America.

AHMAD HASAN SHEIKH

Islamabad

Where to use force?

THIS concerns use of violent force against the tenants of the Okara Military Farms recently. I wish to express my outrage over the state force’s siege of the area and bloodletting.

This and several other operations, including one in Islamabad’s D-12 sector and the evacuation of the residents from the areas along the Lyari riverbed, highlight the trend of military governance — the inclination to use coercive force against the rivals.

In the Okara and D-12 cases, the military men’s unchecked authority has exposed and that is ‘violent response’. The Okara incident also shows how the armed forces respond to any direct threat to their economic interests.

The soldiers’ use of force in settling a tenancy rights dispute cannot be lauded even if the other party’s claim is wrong. The army farmland can hardly be equated with other secured military lands that may legitimately be defended against infiltration and occupation.

TAHIR H. NAQVI

Karachi

Pakistan’s political depression

NEWSPAPER headlines on Aug 22 were highly depressing. With the restoration of the Eighth Amendment, it was as if the clocks had been turned back.

Pakistan’s democratic and political history is plagued with authoritarian military figures playing with the Constitution only to be overturned by another or a series of civilian rulers who, in turn, are replaced by another military dictator.

From one point of view, this could be seen as Pakistan’s political cycle; the ups and downs of the political or democratic process are like a cleansing of negative elements in the republic.

The current political scenario in Pakistan resembles a political/democratic depression, very much like the great economic depression of the United States.

ABDUL RAHMAN AK RAFIQ

Santa Clara, USA

Benazir’s strange remarks

BENAZIR Bhutto has reportedly compared Gen Musharraf with Saddam Hussein and Robert Mugabe which is ridiculous, taking into account her own misrule during her two terms in the office of prime minister.

I am admirer of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who was hanged by Gen Zia but it seems that his daughter Benazir Bhutto will make alliances with anyone who can help her in getting back power even if it is the religious parties which were instrumental in helping Gen Zia hang her father.

Where has her Oxford education and liberal socialism gone? The PPP was and should be a party of the people and for the people, not for the narrow-minded bigots that she is allying this once great party with.

Whatever Gen Musharraf’s failings may be, he has recognized that Pakistan must turn its back on religious extremism and move forward with the West to a new bright future where all law-abiding citizens, regardless of their religion, are treated with dignity and respect.

SEDNEM

Mississauga, Canada

THIS is in reference to Amanullah Ghilzai’s report where Benazir Bhutto has compared President Musharraf with Saddam Hussein and Robert Mugabe. I am very disappointed to see that she expects people to think on this line.

If she is doing this in order to present herself as future prime minister, I hope people will think very carefully before they make any decisions on whom to vote for.

I have not seen any evidence to suggest that President Musharraf would commit acts of tyranny against his people.

Ms Bhutto also accused President Musharraf of buying 300 acres of land in Bahawalpur. Perhaps she should provide evidence to this effect to the NAB instead of informing the people, who have dual nationality, in Trafalgar Square, London.

G. R. SHAH

London, UK

Fuel input meters

I HAVE a suggestion for automobile manufacturers who can solve the problem most often faced by the car owners.

Most of the car owners complain that most of the fuel station have been tampering with their meters.

If the manufacturers add a digital fuel input meter to the other such apparatuses, it would satisfy the vehicle owners when they get fuel from the fuel stations.

HASAN ALI SHAHZAD

Sialkot

Preventing suicides

THE most disturbing problem being faced by society is the rise in suicide cases. But so far no serious steps have been taken to stop this trend.

To begin with, the research faculties of universities be directed to collect information in this regard so that corrective measures could be initiated.

A committee of professionals from concerned disciplines be formed and sent to areas reporting more suicide cases.

Even words of sympathy and counselling can save many lives. Let us promote pro-life values.

N.B. NAREJO

Hyderabad

Plight of senior citizens

ALTHOUGH we read about a lot of economic reforms by the present government, the fact remains that pensioners and other senior citizens are becoming more and more helpless.

The abnormal increase in utility bills and the sky-rocketing prices of consumer goods have made their lives miserable. Scores of them can hardly make ends meet after paying all the bills.

Despite the government having recovered billions of rupees from defaulters and corrupt politicians and officials through NAB, no relief has been provided to the common man.

A large number of pensioners who worked for the creation of Pakistan, dedicating their best years of life to the service of the nation are now counting their last days.

The independence anniversary was the best occasion for announcing a relief package for senior citizens. If the government cannot afford more at this stage, at least free healthcare should have been provided to them.

The pensioners are also deeply concerned about the issue of ‘one rank, one pension’ which is pending in the Supreme Court for the last nine years, depriving the old pensioners of their legitimate right to a higher rate of pension. Now when the appellate bench of the Supreme Court is complete, the case must be heard and decided forthwith.

It may also be noted that in India, the authorities settled this issue and brought old and new pensioners at par with each other way back in the early eighties.

Since the pensioners have almost reached the stage of starvation, a settlement of this issue and the grant of senior citizens concessions as provided in other countries are absolutely essential.

RAFI NASIM

Lahore

Musharraf’s achievements

PRESIDENT Musharraf’s arrival is the best thing that has happened to a country so deep in debt that it will take another 50 years to borrow to actually have some money in the treasury.

Thanks to him, we can walk on the streets in the west and have a conversation with a high powered executive who knows that Pakistan exists, not because Osama is rumoured to live there but because Musharraf seems to be doing a lot for a country down in the dumps.

The media, which is educated and sensible, should support such a government and help the country get out of ruins, instead of being critical to what is right. The PPP and the PML emptied the treasury, made sure that there own people embezzled as much money as they could and now they have the nerve to come back again.

There is a lot of power in the pen and that should be used in support of the voice that is right. Musharraf is not perfect nor is he a saint, but he is our hope.

ANNIE HAMEEDI

Canada

Gultari and the Northern Areas

THIS refers to your editorial ‘Clash in Gultari’ (Aug 25) concerning the recent infantry and air attacks by the Indian forces in Gultari area.

The press and the ISPR have been treating Gultari as part of Kashmir which is not correct. Actually it is part of Gilgit and Biltistan (Northern Areas).

We, the people of Northern Areas, don’t favour the idea of Gultari being part of Kashmir or the Kashmir conflict as being regarded by the authorities in their statements and their correspondence with the UN, international community and organizations.

However, if such is the case then we would have been provided with fundamental and democratic rights. For the last 54 years, we have been involved in the Kashmir conflict against our free will and denied constitutional rights, including representation in the elected House.

We are subjected to the worst violation of our fundamental rights whereas the people of the Indian-held the Azad Kashmir enjoy constitutional status as well as other rights. Such geographical misprints have only been adding to our grief.

MALIKA BALTISTANI

Chairperson, Gilgit Biltistan National Alliance

Free CLI facility

I WANT to draw the attention of the PTCL authorities towards the callous attitude of their staff. A couple of months have elapsed since the PTCL announced free-CLI facility, but have till not bothered to drop such charges (Rs30 per month) from the monthly bills of old subscribers.

Shall we have to individually apply and attach various documents for PTCL to take a simple remedial measure?

Let us wait and see how many more months do they take to take action besides refunding the amount already charged.

MUKHTAR HUSSAIN

Lahore

Postal dept

MR Jalaluddin Shad’s letter, ‘Postal dept and lost documents’ (Aug 17) revives my feelings of deprivation, mental agony and helplessness after a similar experience.

Exactly a year ago in these very days of August, three separate letters duly stamped, addressed to three of our families living in Lahore, Sahiwal and Jhang, were posted from Frankfurt, Germany but alas! none of them reached their destination.

Utter despair and anger awaited us when we, the three friends in far away lands, returned home. Words fail to convey our bitterness. But who cares in the postal administration?

MUNAWAR SHEIKH

Jhang

Extradition

YOUR editorial ‘Her tragic plight’ (Aug 21) draws public attention to a miserable woman, Gulzar Asghar, languishing in a Saudi jail for the last five months.

This is great service to humanity. Ms Gulzar Asghar is a victim of barbarity. You have very rightly demanded the extradition of her whole family to Pakistan so that cruel people can be dealt with.

HAMEEDULLAH K. MALIK

Daska

Kashmir dispute and war clouds

FOR the last nine months or so, the two nuclear-capable states have been on the brink of war with their forces deployed all along the borders.

Any mistake may cause a full-fledged war that could lead to unimaginable catastrophe in the whole region.

The whole world knows that the two countries have already fought several wars since their independence. The core issue is the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

In spite of the fact that this territory is ‘disputed territory’ on the map recognized by the United Nations, the world community and the UN Security Council have been allowing holding of elections in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian Constitution.

It is surprising that the US and other countries’ emissaries have been visiting this region very frequently, in their bid to diffuse tension between the two countries and insist on bilateral talks between the two rivals to resolve the Kashmir issue.

My view is that a horse can be brought to water but cannot be made to drink it.

The Indian leaders are not willing to hold talks with Pakistani leaders and there have been a lot of pretexts at their disposal. If at all they agree to resume a dialogue, they would not touch the territory occupied by them. Simply, they would not resume talks for the sake of a settlement.

But, as Pakistan argues, the solution is already lying with the Security Council (vide UN Resolutions, Jan 1949) and agreed upon by both the countries.

Why the United States and other countries then insist on bilateral talks on outstanding issues? Why doesn’t Mr Bush ask the Security Council to implement the resolutions on Kashmir and arrange holding of plebiscite under UN supervision? Such an example is that of East Timor.

The Indian infiltration bogey, cross-border terrorism charges and ‘do more’ tactics would go on indefinitely which are aimed at avoiding a solution to the core issue.

Such practices have been continuing since 1949 and the Indian leaders have not been allowing any United Nations observers in the occupied territory to cover up the human rights abuses and atrocities being committed by the occupation forces there.

Time is running out. The shuttle diplomacy must stop now because it has proved fruitless.

If Mr Bush wants peace in the world, he must work for justice to be restored to the oppressed people of Kashmir and Palestine. He should now go for ‘Operation Fairplay’ which in fact would be ‘War Against Terrorism’.

MOHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA

Lahore