Spend resources on education, not war

The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai have been condemned in the strongest terms by the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan.

It is ironical that attacks came when just days before President Asif Ali Zardari made a daring set of offers to India by suggesting that he is ready to sign a no-first used treaty on nuclear weapons; and talks between the Home secretaries of Pakistan and India were held in Islamabad and co-operation in fighting terrorism was discussed. The foreign ministers were meeting in New Delhi to ease the visa restrictions and to build friendly relationships.

Unfortunately, a section of the Indian media has been blaming Pakistan for the terrorist attacks and Major General RK Hooda, who was leading the military operations against terrorists, told reporters that terrorists are from across the border, perhaps from Faridkot, Multan, but they pretend to be from Hyderabad, India.

It seems that the burden of a hostile past is still too big on the Indian military establishment, whose core agenda seems to be the destruction of Pakistan.

A joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism was set up in September 2006, but it remained redundant. It was agreed at that time that there will be no baseless accusation without proper evidence and investigations. Recently, in the Samjhota Express terrorist attack, the Indian army colonel has been proved to be involved in planning and execution.

I strongly believe that good relations between India and Pakistan are not possible without the wholehearted concurrence of militaries and intelligence agencies of both the countries. So, with the political will of the civilian leadership, it is imperative to involve the chiefs of both countries and their intelligence agencies so that both countries, which are now spending billions of dollars on gunpowder, can spend their resources on education of their respective populations.

ENGR. S. T. HUSSAIN,

Lahore.

APC and Pakistan unity

We as a nation are very happy that all political parties, whether small or big, have agreed to sit togather. If these parties suceed in getting united, then we will definitely become a great nation. The decision taken in time can set a policy line for the present government. I as a citizen suggest that the APC more or less must give an agreed declaration to the nation. It is said “to be prapared is half victory”. If not then the parties will not be forgiven by the coming generation.

Mian Sanjid Shah,

Pabbi.

Smoke-free areas

We are young parents of an asthmatic child. Like most young parents, we do not have much recreation in our lives; consequently going out for dinner in a restaurant is a real treat. However, that treat can turn into harassment if someone lights a cigarette. We usually ask the management of such places to request their clients not to smoke, but not everyone is considerate or obliging. The idea of confined designated areas for smokers, which would separate the smokers from non-smokers completely, is the best news for parents like us. Now I keep reading in the newspapers that there is an argument about these areas. Personally, there should be no discussion about it, for the smokers can smoke, be separated and they can play with their health without harming the non-smokers.

Noreen Wahab,

Lahore.

The voice of conscience

A lot of applause came from within and without Britain when (the late) Robin Cook resigned from the prestigious position in the parliament, as a protest against the naked aggression on Iraq. This was a sacrifice for the sake of principles and the voice of conscience. Lal Bahadur Shastri (late) of India resigned as railway minister when a bloody rail accident occured in the early sixties. Many more people big and small in positions, are on the record to have shown a firm stand on principles to admit their weaknesses and slackness in responsibilities with open heart. Consequent upon the tragic happening in Mumbai, a number of important personalities are in the queue to resign. How big they look! Really big they are.

Look at this land of the pure. Have you ever known of a single example like this? Our history is deplete with such honourable deeds. The first dictator Ayub had to leave the chair when all and sundry came out into the streets and forced him to leave. His successor, another dictator Yahya had to stand down when he had completely sunk down the “East Pakistn” into the Bay of Bengal. The third dictator Zia, portraying himself to be “Amirul Momineen” got rid of his sins when he was blown into pieces in the skies. The fourth in the series, Musharraf, the most cheap, coward, unscrupulous and subservient to Bush and Blair, killer of his own people and a criminal of selling his countrymen including women like Dr. Afia Siddiqui in exchange for American dollars, was shown the door forcefully. He is the person who has committed the henious crime of ruining completely the honour of this God-given country.

The unfortunate thing is that the man who should have been dragged to the gallows, is being protected and honoured with protocol by this regime. Nobody cares what to speak of resigning despite all failures in the fulfilment of the pledges and promises prior to the election. They have failed to reinstate the lawful judiciary with honour. They have failed to fulfil the promise of rooti, kapra and makan. Due to our utmost passiveness, America has been emboldend to the extent that it has kept on continued its attacks on our soil without any justification. Internally, peace, law and order are in shambles. Who is behind the unfortunate situation in the city of Karachi, the backbone of the country’s economy? The criminals are quite conspicuous. There is the need for a bold and fair policy for this menace. If not all the leadership, at least the two men, the defence minister and the advisor for the interior should admit that they have failed to deliver.

Muhammad Faheem,

Timergara.

Isolate smokers

Being a frequent traveller within Pakistan, I get to spend a great deal of time at the airports. Consequently I witness various misdemeanours taking place, like spitting, littering and smoking. Sometimes, the ironic sight is people smoking right under the no-smoking sign. News of designated smoking areas had given me hope that finally the smokers shall be pushed into little cubicles where they can burn their lungs to their heart’s content. However, I became very hopeful very soon, for now the government is being pressurised into taking its sensible solution back. I wonder when we will ever really learn from the countries that we emulate to be. There have been designated smoking areas in most of the developed world and some of these countries are reverting their ban on designated smoking areas, for they realise that people who have a craving will light up regardless the consequences. They will light their cigarette in toilets or in closets, thus becoming a fire hazard. Just because the ordinance has been passed, does not mean that the humanity will quit lighting their cigarettes. “Smoke Free” is a process that will take time. Meanwhile, why not let these smokers congregate in their own cubicles and leave the rest of us alone?

Durdana Tameezuddin,

Islamabad.

Action re-play

A senior American general has revealed that al-Qaeda is planning to invade America from the FATA area of Pakistan. This is action re-play of 9/11 incident of 2001. Seven years back, CIA had planned an attack on world trade centre and after the attack, it managed to issue a statement through its agent, to accept responsibility for the attack by al-Qaeda, an organisation not known before that day.

It is likely that next year when Barak Obama takes over as Democrat president CIA will attack another city and blame Pakistan for the attack. Pakistani government and people should beware of the conspiracy, and action replay of 9/11 by CIA in the near future.

Bashir Hussain Azad,

Chitral.

Academicians or intellectuals?

Many Pakistani intellectuals often write in newspapers in much interesting way or speak in TV talk shows with much eloquence on many topics, some of which can be, though, termed as oft-repeated ones. However the views of most of them about these topics hardly carry some new thinking or idea. Most of their arguments, views, comments, analysis or suggested remedies etc are often idealistic, bookish and of academic nature or of stereotype. Very few come with original ideas and arguments. The real worth of their intellect is tested when they are faced with such questions or issue on which the related materials are least available or it needs original thinking or realistic logical and coherent and convincing arguments. It is a common experience of many readers that most of these intellectuals never answer back when they are asked with such questions through emails.

Though academicians may not be knowing the answers of many problems as their job is simply learn and present it back in simpler way. However intellectuals can not be absolved easily as true intellectuals are the ones who come with new and original ideas. They are supposed, and justly, to be possessed with creativity and ingenuity and should never be allergic to tough and new questions as true intellectuals always welcome complicated and tough questions so to seek out their answers. And that is the job as well as identity of true intellectuals.

Habib Ullah,

Peshawar.