10-3-2010

Afghan troops & cops training

Reports are that Indian military experts, under an agreement reached recently, have started imparting training to the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) and groups of Afghan forces personnel have already been sent to India for the same purpose. In the recently concluded London Conference lobbies were made to convince the world community that the Afghan forces personnel must be trained by India to which Pakistan objected.

The Karzai government’s relations with India and in return the increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan is not only the cause of concern for Pakistan but also for the international community. In his pre-Afghan strategy report, Gen McCrystal had clearly pointed to the troubles created by the expanded role of India in Afghanistan which is causing hindrance to the smooth functioning of Nato and ISAF. My point in this regard is if Pakistan is given the role of imparting training to Afghan forces personnel, that would serve the purpose of bringing peace in the region. Because engaging Indians serves to Karzai’s anti-Pakistan stance and Indian designs against Pakistan, which has already prolonged and complicated the GWOT and in fact has resulted in the scheduled withdrawal of allied troops. The question is if growing Indian involvement in Afghanistan is agreed upon, then there seems no ray of hope in resolving the already messed up situation. Rather it would further aggravate as Pakistan would lose in words of Pakistan’s chief of army staff Gen Kayani’s words its strategic interests which would be threatened with Indian presence. Indians-trained Afghans cannot be expected to do any good for regional peace, rather they would prove to be Col Prohit’s like who used the Indian army and military intelligence cover to blow up Samjhota express and killed Pakistani passengers.

Secondly Indians have no role in quelling terrorism. Nor have they experience of fighting terrorism head-on. On the other hand the Pakistan military has proved its professionalism in the battlefield. Take Swat and South Waziristan operations as example. A similar spirit of Pakistan military if infused in the Afghan forces personnel can do wonders within days, weeks or months to fight the menace out of this region. It is on the world conscience whether to give India this role to further fuel this fire, or assign the task to Pakistan to clear the mess as early as possible.

Eschmall Sardar,

Peshawar.

Newsweek’s LeT projection

Newsweek in its March 8 issue has published a title story on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and linked it with al-Qaeda, warning that it might conduct devastating attack – not in Mumbai, but in Manhattan or Miami. This is followed by bombing in a Kabul guest house for which an earlier claim of responsibility by Afghan Taliban was intriguingly diverted to LeT like that of Mumbai incident of hotels Maharaja and Oberoi. This smacks of conspiracy theories against Pakistan and its government not taking action against the LeT head Hafiz Saeed and its activities.

Linking LeT with al-Qaeda hardly bears any logic because al-Qaeda is involved in attacks across Pakistan and Afghanistan and is doing the TTP but LeT though happened to be a militant organisation primarily formed to fight for freedom in Indian held Kashmir has nowhere engaged in subversive activities, either in Pakistan or in Afghanistan and the claims of its involvement in Mumbai attacks or elsewhere in India have not been established as yet. What has come out of the latest investigations, the Indians have unearthed local links and patrons responsible of Mumbai mayhem and for the Samjhota express bombing the Indian army Colonel Prohit and company’s involvement has been proved. In Pakistan the LeT seems to be dysfunctional, neither it conducts any public engagements nor its brandishes weapons like other organisations had been doing. Above all, the government of Pakistan has already banned this organisation twice and particularly after the Mumbai incident, its activities are being closely monitored.

The fact that the LeT has only a role responsible for the wellbeing of the families of shuhada-e-Kashmir, it had remained focused on rehabilitation work in post-earthquake Azad Kashmir and looking after the displaced persons from Swat. The charge that it was patronised by ISI tantamounts to claiming that the ISI has links with al-Qaeda whereas the recent arrest of Quetta Shura top members and the March 7 arrest of al-Qaeda spokesman Adam Yahiye Gadahn from Karachi speaks of Pakistan government’s seriousness in handling the anti-terror war with which the world, especially the US are satisfied. Pakistan has by force eliminated the Taliban in Swat, South Waziristan, Bajaur and elsewhere, has taken heavily on the members of Quetta Shura and the campaign is going on. It seems the world leaders now conspire to push Pakistan towards acting against the LeT which is already banned and is not seemingly involved in acts of terror. LeT’s work has been IHK-specific and the hallabaloo shows Indian desire to convince America for forcing Islamabad to act against it – to get their desired results sabotaging the Kashmir freedom movement.

Abu Hasan,

Azad Kashmir.

Not releasing CSF

The defence and diplomatic circles in Pakistan must be questioning the logic of being used by the world powers under a mere ceremonial status of non-NATO ally in the global war against terror. Despite its relentless efforts and successful operations against the terrorists, Pakistan is subjected to the mounting pressure of ‘do more’, whereas the allied countries on their part have done not enough to play their role in fulfilling the defence needs of Pakistan as are required under the agreement.

Pakistan must be seemingly annoyed over the non-reimbursement of its outstanding bills worth more than 2 billion dollars due to be paid out of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) under the agreement as major Non-NATO ally, which they have kept pending for one pretext or the other, since last one and a half years.

The Coalition Support Fund is not part of any aid; it is the reimbursement of Pakistan’s expenditures in support of US operations in Afghanistan. The bill has already been forwarded to US administration, which has not been paid for reasons unknown.

Pakistan has so far received only $450 million in the first half of year 2009; that too as reimbursement of pending bills of year 2008. The remaining one and a half years bill worth more than 2 billion dollars is still awaited. The authorities in Pakistan express their dismay as to why such an attitude is meted out while the burden of war expenditures is huge in addition to the loss of life in wake of continued suicide bombings, terror attacks and military’s engagement in the operations.

Pakistan has suffered the most since it has joined the global war against terror as a front line ally. Pakistan was declared major Non-NATO ally and a drumbeat to support Pakistan in a big way was heard all over the world. The hype of $10 billion aid to Pakistan is used to mount pressure on Pakistan. While it has suffered the most in terms of human and property losses, and economic and infrastructural damages, its expenditures in the WOT have exceeded $70 billion during the last 9 years. This US$10 billion assistance was far less than its $653 billion aid for Iraq and $172 billion for Afghanistan since 9/11.

Pakistan has deployed more than 120,000 soldiers on its western borders and using all types of equipment like jet aircraft, helicopters, tanks, guns and vehicles. The expenditures on this ongoing WOT is colossal as the President mentioned in the Friends of Pakistan meeting held in Tokyo last year that “Pakistan has spent more $34 billion on WOT. Besides that Pakistan is looking after the millions of Afghan refugees who have not yet returned to their country because of the non-cooperation of world community.

Almost 56% of the US aid ($5.64 billion) has gone to the Coalition Support Funds. The 18% ($1/81 billion) has been spent on the security assistance, 16% ($1.62 billion) to the budgetary allocations. This money was supposed to provide macroeconomic stability and to free up funds for social spending. The remaining nine percent had been given for development and humanitarian assistance.

As per Congressional Research Service (CRS) report released in July 2008, the total funding for GWOT (2001-2009) was $859 billion: $653 billion for Operation Iraqi Freedom, $172 billion for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan – with a peanut amount of other counterterrorism operations, including Pakistan, $20 billion for enhanced security of bases and $05 billion unallocated.

A GHAFFAR,

Islamabad.

9-3-2010

PML-N’s good governance?

I watched Live with Talat with interest on a private TV channel. He raised the issue of land mafia in a very powerful way. This is a very important issue in Punjab. Particularly government lands attract these land grabbers and local politicians are either involved directly or provide the needed shelter.

But I am writing to you to share even a more interesting probably...shahkar...of good governance in Punjab where PML-N is in power third time, two terms of "Khadim e Punjab" and one term of Nawaz Sharif. Khadim e Punjab is considered to be a good administrator also.

For the last 30 years, there are more than 40,000 farmers in Sheikhupura district who have been deprived of their share of irrigation water by some big landlords with support from the irrigation department. Farmers approached and knocked at every door including the department and Khadim e Punjab but no one listened to them. There canals tell the whole story. Anyone can see that these canals didn't see water for a long time. Grasses and plants growing inside these canals provide the needed evidence.

The Shahkar part of the story is that these farmers are still paying water rates. Few villages got "justice" from the court where court provided them the relief that they should not pay for the irrigation water. But court failed to see that depriving them of their right to water was a criminal act and who was responsible for that?

A rough calculation shows that farmers have suffered a loss equivalent to Rs4 billion in terms of the Abiana they paid, tubewell water they were forced to buy in the absence of canal water and loss of their crops.

What a good governance!

Dr. Shahid Zia,

On email.

IIU blast victims

I want to draw the attention of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani to the issue of compensation for International Islamic University (IIU) blast victims.

The IIUI was hit by twin bomb blasts on October 20, 2009 due to which some students and an employee lost their lives while about 40 students and employees were injured severely.

The government after so many requests from the university, students, teachers, employees, parents of students, media and civil society had announced compensation of Rs0.3 million each for deceased persons and Rs0.1 million each for injured persons. This announcement by Mr. Rehman Malik, Minister of Interior had been widely welcomed. The scars of the incident have still not healed and memories of the horrific blasts are still fresh in the minds of the victims and their families. Not only victims but their whole families have suffered due to the attacks. The parents of the victims have been demanding the amount from the university officials and the university had sent many reminders to the Interior Ministry as well to pay the compensation to the victims but the procedural delays on part of the ministry caused hurdles in the release of the amount. Now the ministry has asked the university officials to wait as the summary has been sent to the prime minister for approval.

We hope Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani will honour the promise of Mr Rehman Malik and will release the said compensation at the earliest.

SYED ASHRAF,

On email.

Int’l Women’s Day

The world community observed the International Women’s Day (IWD) yesterday, on March 8 — a day when women are recognised for their achievements without regards to divisions — national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. Organisations, governments and women’s groups around the world chose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues. The UN theme for this year is ‘Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.’

Beginning at the turn of the 20th century, women began to enter the paid workforce in countries that were becoming industrially developed. They could only work certain jobs in such fields as textiles, manufacturing and domestic services. All of these areas had terrible working conditions and the lowest wages.

In 1903, the Women’s Trade Union League was formed in the United States by women trade unionists and professional women who considered themselves liberals. The intent was not only to continue the campaign for women’s right to vote, but to organise them in an effort to improve their welfare in the political and economic arenas.

The first Women’s Day was initiated on the last Sunday in February of 1908, when women who considered themselves socialists held large demonstrations aimed at calling attention to women’s voting rights and welfare. Recognition of International Women’s Day and the causes it supports continued to grow throughout the 19th century. Its celebration date, in those countries that recognise it, is March 8.

Over the years, United Nations action for the advancement of women has taken four clear directions: promotion of legal measures; mobilisation of public opinion and international action; training and research, including the compilation of gender desegregated statistics; and direct assistance to disadvantaged groups.

Tormented and subjugated throughout all times and ages, women have fought their way through exploitation, harassment, and have managed to secure their rights in the public domain. In spite of continuing exploitation and injustice against women both in the domestic and work sector today, several milestones have been achieved in terms of education, freedom of choice and liberty, equality etc. With growing literacy and financial independence women feel more empowered today to assert their right to a life of dignity and self worth.

M Hussain Khan,

On email.

Punjab govt affairs

A lot is being said and heard for the last two years about the “good governance” of Khadim-e-Aaala Punjab. The other day an adviser to the Khadim-e-Alaa went to Bahawalpur when his protocol made a women widow and a child “yateem”. A columnist rightly commented that the Khadim-e-Aala on this act of his adviser’s good governance will send a cheque now from his fund to the widow and add a new feather of good governance in his cap.

The Khadim-e-Aala last year created an online complaint cell in his office with much fanfare. A labourer from abroad sent a complaint by airmail to the cell. The complaint cell refused to accept it with the direction that the same be sent “online” if any action was required.

Last month I went to Lahore. Outside the railway station I tasted the taste of the good governance. I waved to a rickshaw at the barricades of the railway station but it did not stop despite being empty. Two minutes later a person approached me saying he was the rickshaw driver I signalled. He had stopped the rickshaw about 30 yards away in a wrong direction. When I boarded the vehicle the driver informed me that policemen charged Rs20 per rickshaw.

So much for the good governance.

Javed,

Karachi.

India’s challenge

During his recent Indian visit, the Pakistani foreign secretary wisely took the opportunity to warn India that “New war doctrines, a tremendous boost to defence spending and the induction of new sophisticated weapons systems, are prejudicial to regional security and stability.” However, the world also needs to realise that Indian defence policy and mammoth military spending, do not add up to peaceful objectives and betray the ambitions of a regional hegemon, which is determined to waste the wealth of its poor majority not on their welfare but towards browbeating its smaller neighbours. Meanwhile, New Delhi is also forging close strategic ties with Washington and Riyadh, two of Islamabad’s vital allies, apparently at Pakistan’s expense.

It seems that in the absence of a clear threat or provocation from any neighbouring state, Indian coercive diplomatic posturing, aggressive doctrinal orientation and large scale conventional and strategic military muscle flexing will force Pakistan to depart from its policy of ‘minimum credible deterrence’ towards developing a robust second strike capability, in the form of an elaborate triad of nuclear delivery systems, to foreclose all Indian conventional and strategic options. Moreover, Islamabad should use the forums of UN and SCO to consolidate its diplomatic position over Afghanistan. Pakistan desires a peaceful neighbourhood but if India understands only the language of power politics, then so be it. In the interest of regional peace and security, Pakistan must and will make it understand just that.

Syed Muhammad Ali,

On email.

8-3-2010

Baizai irrigation channel

The NWFP chief minister, Mr. Amir Haider Khan Hoti performed ground-breaking ceremony of the mega project of Baizai Irrigation Channel costing Rs1800 million to irrigate 25,000 acres of Barani land of Mardan and Malakand districts on March 5, at Ghundo near Katlang, Mardan.

It will be recalled that East Baizai area of Mardan comprising Kohi Bermol, Pipal, Ghazi Baba, Mian Khan, Sangahoo, Babuzai, Shamozai and Matta villages lack irrigation water facilities and are totally dependant on rain for agriculture. These villages comprise about 21,000 acres of barren land which were included in Malakand III Project. Baizai Irrigation Channel is proposed to irrigate lands of these villages.

It is pertinent to mention here that underground water table has dropped down to an alarming level. Besides, there is also an acute shortage of drinking water in the area.

The completion of this vital project would help in reclaiming thousands acres of barren land in Mardan District and Malakand Agency which would be a significant step towards self-sufficiency in agriculture sector. It is also hoped that it will bring green revolution in the area and will play an active role in the country’s economy.

The people of East Baizai area of District Mardan are highly grateful to Mr. Amir Haider Khan Hoti for giving a practical shape to the long-standing demand of the people of the area, besides announcing the following projects of vital importance for the area:

Establishment of Tehsil at Katlang;

Mega project of the construction of Expressway connecting Swabi, Mardan and Malakand;

Establishment of girls college at Katlang;

Speeding-up construction of Mardan- Buner road via Katlang.

Muhammad Adil Khan,

Mardan.

Mullen’s recipe

As reported in the press (March 7), in an address to the US Army Command and General Staff College, in the US, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Adm. Mike Mullen said that in the fight against religious extremists, the use of military force should be the first and not the last option. He, however, added that the use of military force should not be the only tool. He said that America has been at war continuously over the last nine years against a syndicate of Muslim extremists, led by al-Qaeda and supported by a host of both state and non-state actors and believes that the Pak-Afghan border area will play a key role in the larger war against terrorism. He also conceded that America’s foreign policy was still too dominated by the military.

Mullen’s definitive opinion of the use of force as the first option is not surprising coming from a man who has learnt and done nothing except firing guns, killing people and waging wars which, in his case, were not against formidable adversaries but against weaklings and irregulars who were no match for the US might. Obviously, to shine in his chosen career and to keep gainfully employed, he has to ‘invent’ new wars where there is none available. The earlier US invasion of Afghanistan was to avenge the 9/11 which itself was a retribution for the US mistreatment of Arabs and undue patronage of Israel. The criminal and brutal US invasion of Iraq was unjust and totally unnecessary which introduced and established al-Qaeda in Iraq where it had no presence. Therefore, by its own unjust acts, the US intentionally creates hostile environment in different regions for the benefit of its armament industry and businesses like Blackwater and other lobbies and this way, it returns them the favours received earlier by Americans state officials by way of campaign contributions etc.

The US soldiers are just a curse on earth and they cause widespread destruction and loss of human lives wherever they go. They messed up Iraq thoroughly and these vultures have now descended on our region. With this in mind, it is very worrying to hear from the mercenary that Pak-Afghan border will play a key role in the larger war against terrorism. It is unfortunate that the US foreign policy is dominated by the military, and the war-mongering soldiers hold the US government hostage and for this unfortunate situation, Muslims have to pay dearly.

S.R. HASHMI,

Karachi.

Interpolation in land records

The maintaining properties record accurately is the most important prerequisite for peaceful and prosperous existence of any society and the one relevant to agricultural land occupies even more significance.

Unfortunately two years ago, at the time of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination almost all government establishments including taluka revenue offices where records of agricultural properties are kept were set on fire. Thereafter taking advantage of confusion lot of tempering is being done in records which are available in different offices by the unscrupulous officials for earning few bucks. So much so the even deh and taluka maps have not been spared.

As a result of tempering records and deh maps innumerable disputes have cropped up in the rural areas which forced the parties to either go in protracted litigation or settling quarrels through use of arms.

I therefore request the revenue authorities to intervene and ensure that old deh maps and taluka maps pertaining especially to recently divided districts such as Dadu etc are kept secured from the hands violators of legal proprietorship.

Ali Ahmed Qureshi,

Dadu.

6-3-2010

Misuse use of govt schools

I am stunned to learn that the “Bachat Bazaars” are now even organised in the precincts of government school buildings. This is not case of some remote area of province, but it is happening right in the middle of metropolis; its capital and under the very nose of ministry of education.

As per details reported in a local daily Sunday bazaar is being held regularly in a government school building Jamshed Quarters in which on different timings of the day primary and secondary schools of both genders are functioning.

Running bachat bazaar is not an insignificant activity. It requires three uninterrupted days; one day before the bazaar when shops are established and material is brought from remote places and stored, and third day when entire setup can be wound up as bazaar functions late in the night.

Thus for three consecutive days not only school buildings are misused by bazaar shopkeepers and customers who visit the place in thousands, causing serious damage to public property, but education of hundreds of students enrolled in these schools suffer irreparably.

The idea of establishing educational institutions is to impart education to our children. However the most unfortunate fact is that those running the affairs have transformed these institutions into money-making instruments.

I make an appeal to the chief minister and minster of education Sindh to look into the affairs and ensure that no further misuse of school building is allowed and also take appropriate action against those education department officials who have allowed precincts of a school to be as Sunday bazaar.

Shafqat Qazi,

Hyderabad.

 Talks with India

As reported in The Statesman (March 2), while addressing the Majlis-al-Shura (Saudi Consultative Council) in Riyadh, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said “We seek cooperative relations with Pakistan. Our objective is a permanent peace because we recognise that we are bound together by a shared future. If there is cooperation between India and Pakistan, vast opportunities will open up for trade, travel and development that will create prosperity in both countries and in South Asia as a whole. But to realise this vision Pakistan must act decisively against terrorism. If Pakistan cooperates with India, there is no problem that we cannot solve and we can walk the extra mile to open a new chapter in relations between our two countries.”

While it is indeed true that cooperation will be to the advantage of both countries, Manmohan Singh’s harping on the tune of terrorism has gone on far too long and ought to stop now. His effort to paint himself and his country as angels and Pakistan nothing but a devil, makes his offer more like a point-scoring exercise than an honest and genuine desire for peace. He does not even have to go an extra-mile. It would be good enough if he just stayed in position instead of backtracking, which his government does all the time. It was India that discontinued the peace process and even now, restricted the present round to no more than a photo-session rather than a meaningful dialogue.

The Mumbai attack was no doubt a tragedy that did not have to happen. It was a detestable act perpetrated by extremists of which there is no dearth on either side of the border. An operation like Mumbai could not have been carried out with local help and even Indian leaders are admitting that fact now. Pakistani courts are dealing with the case which will take its course and cannot just hang them all merely because India wants that. Also, while India is mourning few hundred dead, it is totally unmindful of thousands of innocent people in Indian-held Kashmiris who lost their lives, honour, home and hearth due to Indian state repression. How can India hope to have peace and tranquility while it is itself committing worst form of atrocities which have given rise to the creation of numerous freedom fighter groups within India whom India prefers to call terrorists, to hide its own crimes there. While Pakistani forces are fighting extremism valiantly and have suffered thousands of casualties, what has India done, except to kill the innocents and to protect its murderers through state legislature which has enacted black laws to enable its law-enforcement agencies to get away with murder.

As for extremists and trouble-makers, India had enough on state and private levels. We all know that it was a Hindu extremist and fanatic who assassinated Mahatama Gandhi. How much India respects the rights and feelings of its nationals was demonstrated quite clearly by Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assault on Sikh holy shrines which infuriated her Sikh bodyguard so much that he just shot her dead. I remember seeing on television her son, Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi stagger on being hit by a Sri Lankan soldier who formed part of a contingent that was offering him ‘guard-of-honour’. Obviously, the Sri Lankan soldier did not like Indian meddling in Sri Lankan affairs that ultimately cost him his life. India also physically attacked former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), which it had no business doing. Even now, from Afghanistan, it is helping insurgency in our Balochistan province. Also, despite court orders, centuries-old Babri Mosque in India was demolished by Hindu fanatics and extremists, with not even the minutest of efforts by Indian authorities to save it or to bring the culprits to justice. Every now and then, there are attacks on Muslims in India, sometimes with the connivance of state officials, as was the case in Gujarat, but he culprits get off scot-free.

A state, which has so much blood on its hands and refuses to give the right of self-determination to majority Muslims in the Indian-held Kashmir, for which it gave a firm commitment to the United Nations, can hardly claim ‘innocence’, and be justified in pointing fingers at Pakistan, which it does basically to hide its own crimes.

Recently the Indian army chief boasted that India can sort out both Pakistan and China, and that is more like the true Indian design. India’s huge increase in its arms procurement and its buildup as a major power in the region, can hardly be for peaceful purposes. Pakistan is striving to maintain a minimum deterrent, for defensive purposes only and there is no way it can, or will, attack India. China is the only match for India with which it fought a brief war, in which India suffered humiliating defeat. If China wanted, it could have occupied Indian territory but it did not, which shows that China has no territorial ambitions and no offensive designs towards India. India’s huge expansion in all sorts of defensive and offensive armament and setting up of bases near Chinese and Pakistani borders, can only be a cause for concern among its neighbours, large and small.

I think the recent Indian move to hold junior-level talks with Pakistan was nothing more than an exercise in diplomacy and an insignificant move on which no one should build high hopes. It should also not be seen as a great success of our foreign policy which forced Indians to come to the conference table because it produced no results; neither did it turn out to be a gateway to meaningful future talks.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

US dependent on China’s largesse

Unlike Rome and Britain, that faced catastrophic military crisis before collapsing economically, the United States is dwarfed economically by China’s industrial might. By the middle of 2007, China achieved several historical milestones: it displaced Canada as the biggest exporter of goods to America; it displaced America as Japan’s biggest trading partner; it displaced Japan as Australia’s biggest trading partner and it displaced America as the European Union’s biggest trading partner. All this happened at a time when the United States has been facing a financial meltdown and massive budget and trade deficits.

Although the United States runs trade deficits with all major economies, its trade deficits vis-à-vis China are massive. By the end of 2007, China exported a staggering $321 billion worth of goods to the United States while America exported a paltry $65 billion worth of good to China, leaving a massive $256 billion trade surplus in China’s favour. In fact, China is now bankrolling the US budget deficits. As former US Vice President Al Gore said during the 2008 Democratic Convention at Denver: ‘We need to borrow from China in order to buy oil from Saudi Arabia. In fact, America must borrow from China in order to buy manufactured goods from China.

Another casualty of financial meltdown in the wake of sub-prime mortgage crisis if the collapse of American consumer confidence. With most Americans facing a mountain of debts after indulging in unaffordable mortgage, they can no longer act as an engine of growth and collapse of consumer confidence has become the biggest obstacle to any economic recovery.

As opposed to anaemic growth of the American economy, the Chinese economy has resumed its stellar growth after a brief slowdown. In fact, the Chinese economy has replaced America as the engine of growth for the world. The quick jaunt from deep recession by Germany and France can be attributed, in good part, to fairly strong demand in China. French exports to China rose by 14.2 percent in the second quarter of 2009. By all accounts, China is providing a shot in the arm for the struggling world economy. The driving force behind the rapid recovery has been the Chinese government’s stimulus package worth 4 trillion Yuan (about $600 billion).

With heavily dependent on the Chinese largesse, the United States is now reduced to the role of the only military power capable of projecting power. Undoubtedly, the military remains the United States’ strongest card; in fact, it is the only card. Today, the United States wields the most formidable military apparatus. But how long a military power, suffering from seemingly insurmountable economic problems, can hold to its unique status as the world’s only superpower?

Mahmood Elahi,

Canada.

4-3-2010

Rapid reaction force

The Statesman reported on March 2 that the US Congress has been requested to allocate $22.9 million to form a Quick Reaction Force, comprising specially trained Pakistani personnel, who would be deployed at the US Embassy in Islamabad and its Consulate in Karachi. The US will deploy 25 additional special protective specialists and four diplomatic security agents at its missions in Pakistan. To complement this, the Obama administration has also sent to the lawmakers a plan for $50 million “Comprehensive Communications Strategy”, to sort of counter extremist views (I suppose anti-Americanism) and create America-friendly environment here for which purpose a “Rapid Response Team” will be set up.

The Quick Reaction Force will primarily be responsible for providing a tactical and medical emergency response capability at the compounds but in addition, could also be called upon to provide support to high-level visits or attend to security incidents affecting US personnel outside the compounds.

The last bit i.e. providing services outside the compounds could be most undesirable because this could undermine our own law-enforcement agencies. Worse still, and as is most likely, these would be vastly expanded and the personnel used to carry out subversive activities within the country. We know in Iraq the police had once arrested a team of British special services group personnel red-handed and locked them up in a police station but the British Army raided the premises and got them freed. Coming to our region with the useful experience gained in Iraq, this US-British nexus could wreak havoc in our cities.

In our country, unfortunately there are divisions on sectarian and ethnic grounds, which could easily be exploited by these skilful operators who could start riots here. For example, by blasting a Sunni mosque and later targeting a Shia Imambargah, they could start Shia-Sunni riots in Pakistan and could use the ethnic divide in Karachi, using it the same way. We saw at the time of Ashura blasts in Karachi that due to shortage of equipment, staff, or whatever, our law enforcement agencies do not have adequate capacity to deal with such emergencies. The killing and riots in Faisalabad also present another disturbing picture. The tribal areas are in a state of turmoil and the situation in Balochistan is very grave indeed. In these circumstances, giving a free hand to Americans and their likes would be suicidal.

Recent statement from the American embassy that the US wants hassle-free visas for Americans and wants no interference from our law-enforcement agencies in their work, is perhaps meant to clear the way for the covert action and ‘irregular wars’ about which Robert Gates gave a presentation towards the end of Bush rule.

Iraq should be an eye-opener for us. We have seen that despite the sacrifices made our forces and the spectacular success achieved by them, American leaders still express doubts about their commitment and intentions. Lately, they have also been saying that Pakistan has become more important for them than Afghanistan. Obviously, Afghanistan was only means to an end and their real target is nuclear-armed Pakistan which they are trying their best to destabilise and dismember, preferably on a low budget. If Obama can do that, he would guarantee a second term for himself in the White House.

Due to the ongoing operations, Pakistan is facing serious financial problems and needs urgent help but at this critical juncture, the US has chosen to hold back Coalition Support Funds which have now piled up to a figure of around $2 billion. Amounts pledged under the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Forum have also remained unpaid. This can only mean that the US and other Western leaders want the situation in Pakistan to deteriorate as much as possible because that would make their disruptive and subversive activities much easier.

Enough is enough and it is surely time to take bold steps. For a start, the useless ‘dignitaries’ from US and elsewhere who descend on Islamabad alone, in small groups or by plane-loads, almost on weekly basis, should be discouraged because they have been unable, unwilling or both, to help in alleviating Pakistan’s problems and come here only to open their big mouths and make unreasonable demands, and on occasions, throw in derogatory remarks as a bonus. While claiming to be our friends, they are anything but that and are in fact our worst enemies. There is absolutely no reason why we have to suffer their company on a regular basis.

Secondly, the government has to put its foot down and stop American attempts to create state within a state in order to wage ‘irregular wars’ from within while also pushing saboteurs from across the border. As it is, the masses have enough problems and cannot really take any more.

I hope the message gets across.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Request to VC of AIOU

Through your paper I would like to request the Vice Chancellor (VC) and Head of Department of Mass Communication, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), to review the eligibility criterion for the admission to MSc Mass Communication. Subject of Journalism in Bachelor is a prerequisite for admission to Master’s. There are thousands of candidates who do not have the Journalism as a subject in Bachelor but they have the Master’s degree in different subjects and experience of years and years in the field of media. Due to this condition they are unable to take admission to MSc Mass Communication in spite of Master’s degree and experience in the relevant field.

Furthermore, it is a hard fact that many students who apply for this course are doing job somewhere in the media organisations all over the country. Due to lack of time they prefer AIOU for improving their qualification. But due to this condition they are unable to meet the condition. So this matter should be reviewed.

Zahid Rashid,

On email.

Civilians death in Helmand offensive

As the US-led joint military operation “Moshtarak” takes a horrible turn and the blood of innocent civilians continues to be shed incessantly in the town of Marjhah, situated in Helmand province of Afghanistan, many questions arise regarding the eventual fate of the already devastated Afghanistan.

General Stanley McChrystal seems very confident and optimistic about the operation ‘Moshtarak’ that focuses on maximum protection of civilians and growth of Afghan governance. The US has assumed this operation in accordance with the wishes of Afghan people but whether they will succeed in overtaking Helmand—the strong-hold of Taliban and will they be able to protect civilians alongside? The answer seems a clear no.

The civilian death toll continues to rise. President Karzai is filled with consternation about that. His appeal for the halt in air strikes by the US forces has been rejected by Washington. His appeal came out when a recent air strike killed as many as 130 civilians. Given the US incapability of fighting on ground, it is heavily relying on air strikes. If the air strikes continue in the same manner then the civilian deaths are inevitable. Their death graph will continue to rise. This is in utter violation of Geneva Convention that forcibly asks for the protection of civilians from all sorts of raids in case of war. I fail to understand why no such laws are binding upon Super Powers?

The US and NATO forces are facing extreme difficulty in carrying out ground fighting given the tough ground realities, complicated topology and limited capability of US troops in coping with such adversaries. The Taliban favor classic guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks which put them at an edge over the US led forces. For this reason, they have been inflicting heavy causalities upon the US and NATO forces. This has rightly perturbed General Petraeus since the recent start of Marjah operation. Taliban have time and war tactic that has made them formidable. Once again Helmand province is proving a hard target for the US led forces. They have admitted of ‘determined resistance’ from the Taliban.

The consequences will be severe if US intends to march further towards Qandahar—another stronghold of Taliban. Many expect that US will march onward. If this is the case, then it will unleash more violence and civilian deaths. Asia Times Online quoted Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmedi stating that a faction of the Taliban known as the Khalid bin Waleed group have entered Qandahar to carry out suicide attacks on strategic positions in the city.

Given the Afghanistan's strategic location, great rival powers have tended to view the control of Afghanistan by a major opponent as unacceptable. The truth is that US has failed to absorb the fateful events of history. The Russians tried their best to establish their rule in this area but failed to do so. If viewed from the lens of history, the British attempts in the early nineteenth century that aimed at dominating our tribal area failed desperately despite several reinforcements and heavy artillery. The US is not reading the writing on the wall. There are loud voices from within US that ‘War on Terror’ is simply lost war. A victory from Afghanistan is undoubtedly impossible for Uncle Sam.

Badar ul Islam,

On email.

3-3-2010

Shutterdown in Chitral

Through the courtesy of your esteemed paper, I would like to invite the attention of higher authorities towards the shutterdown in Chitral town for the last four days to press for public demand to provide electricity to the 8000 consumers of PESCO in the town. This is highly deplorable that during the last four days higher authorities and public representatives have paid no attention to the shutterdown. Trade union and drivers’ union have joined hand against the power cut.

It is pertinent to note that the problem of power breakdown is 10 years old. It was during the district government of Maghfirat Shah that the problem to the peak and the nazim did nothing for the town of 70,000 population. In July 2008, the incumbent MNA Shahzada Mohiuddin had promised to the people at Chew bridge to solve the problem of power breakdown in Chitral within two months, but he did not solve the problem after the lapse of two years. Provincial Minister Salim Khan did nothing despite his promises and posters. This is wrong to say that the problem was created by snowfall. As a matter of fact, the problem was there even before the snowfall. This problem is not linked with national grid. Chitral town has its own hydel power-house and four diesel power generators. The power breakdown is not because of power shortage, it is just because of mismanagement. Therefore 70,000 population of the town is supporting the shutterdown. The only way to call of the shutterdown is rehabilitation of old machinery in the power-house and providing diesel for running the generators. Had there been a will, this problem would have been solved two years back.

Bashir Hussain Azad,

Chitral.

Suicide attack in Karak

The suicide attack on a police station in Karak, the first ever in the district history, is not a good omen It is feared that from now onward Karak - the most peaceful area of Pashtunkhwa so far - may also be a target of terrorists. This is naturally a matter of great concern for the people of district Karak, most of whom are well educated and are moderate in their outlook.

District Karak is known as the land of soldiers as, many thousands of its people are serving all over the country, in armed forces or in FC and police while numerous of them have sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country in the ongoing war against terrorism.

It is fairly supposed that the suicidal attack in Karak will be taken seriously by the government and all possible arrangements will be made so that no such incident is repeated in the district.

A J Khattak,

Peshawar.

Reformation

The ill-timed military show in which India has boasted its airforce capabilities by blatantly demonstrating war exercises during which mock enemy hideouts were hit and targeted with rockets and bombs engulfing the entire desert of Pokhran in a huge dust nebula. This mighty display of air power signifies India’s deep-rooted need to establish supremacy over Pakistan and reveals its true war-centred psyche. The hope that people of both the countries were harbouring of the re-emergence of a friendly atmosphere between the rival countries was shattered.

Pakistan, at this point, needs to wake up to the realisation that no foreign force can be relied upon for improving the current state of chaos that has swallowed the country. Neither India nor the international community is interested in Pakistan’s stability. Therefore, reformation has to start from within the nation when measures will be taken to educate the people of Pakistan and thrusting upon them on basis of merit and talent the responsibility of safeguarding and propelling frontwards all national affairs. Investments have to be made in the human resource sector that would ensure tangible result in every sector instead of statistical figures that are no more than apparitions that haunt the nation and hinders its ascend.

Lubna Umar,

Islamabad.

2-3-2010

Hassle-free visas for Americans

The report about visas for Americans appearing in newspapers of February 27 makes a sad reading indeed. After showing a bit of courage initially and resisting the excessive and unreasonable demands from the US, our officials seem to have fallen back into the familiar pattern of abject surrender. Most of the requested visas have already been issued and the remaining ones, relating mostly to Office of Defence Representative for Pakistan, are being processed. Against this surrender, Pakistan received $349 million out of the total coalition support fund and arrears which stood at $2.6 billion.

Mind you, this is not a grant or aid but is reimbursement of the expenses which have already been incurred by Pakistan in support of war on terror. Knowing full well that by applying pressure, they can get anything out of our seemingly spineless officials, Americans are reported to have set the bar even higher for payment of the balance of Coalition Support Funds. Perhaps the Americans have realised that the trick is not to pay but just to keep dangling dollars before our eyes and that way, they can get almost anything out of us.

Obviously, Americans are pleased which is demonstrated also by the arrogant statement made by US Ambassador Anne Patterson who said “We look forward to creation of a visa mechanism that will enable US officials to do their jobs without interference.” She went on to say “Prime Minister Gilani’s offer to work with the United States to establish a transparent process on visas that will enable us to undertake full range of activities….is a positive development.”

The Americans also complain that some are given single-entry visa for a month whereas others get multiple-entry visas for a year. Obviously, due to the sensitivity of the issue, government is justified in issuing visas according to requirements and if some one is coming here only once for a special purpose, there is no point in giving him multiple-visit visas but the Americans do not like this and they want him to have unlimited right of entry. They also object to snap-checking by our officials of US personnel found travelling in sensitive locations in dubious circumstances and detest ‘interference’ by our law-enforcement agencies.

Even the irregulars in Iraq gave tough time to Americans and their accomplices and Afghans are resisting occupation as much as they can but we, a nuclear country, with large, formidable armed forces, and being indispensable in the war on terror, are giving the Americans a walk-over, and going out of our way to help invaders in our own undoing.

Due to opposition at home, Americans and their accomplices cannot fight a long-drawn-out war in our region but they would love to dismember us through covert action and irregular wars that Robert Gates talked about towards the end of the Bush rule, and for which we seem to be providing the American all the facilities.

There is not much time; so wake up, enter into a military pact with China and stop these crusaders in their tracks. With help from China, Iran and other Muslim countries, we can also solve our energy and economic problems and be sure that we are with friends, and not with the pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing that we mistakenly take as friends and seem to be proud to associate with.

While all this is going on, members in a provincial assembly, and now even in the National Assembly, are busy having heated discussions about how many wives a member could, or should, have. This is really the limit. The oft-repeated statement that the government will complete five years is beginning to sound like a threat now.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Sherani shorn of basic amenities

Sherani in Balochistan is shorn of all basic amenities of life. Sherani comprises of seven union councils and covers about 5000 sq kilometres of area but presents a look of a ruined place.

People come from Sherani to Zhob civil hospital for treatment. Because there are no health facilities. More than 10 children died of measles within one month. Two children died in Killi Pasta Sherani area due to measles on 24 February. But health department has failed to overcome this fatal disease. EDO health Dr. Fazal Din Sherani does not even accept this death toll of children due to measles.

Although Secretary Health Balochistan Jalal Mandokhail allocated Rs1 million to health department for the prevention of measles, unfortunately, no action was taken in this regard.

During polio campaign teams do not reach their targeted areas. They merely get their TA and DA. There is no checks on them.

Several mothers and newborns die every month due to causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Because there is no gynecologist in the entire area.

People of the area demand of the provincial government to take practical steps vis-à-vis deputing doctors, fluent supply of medicines and provision of clinical equipment.

Rafiullah Mandokhail,

Zhob.

1-3-2010

Britain’s belated apology

As reported in the press (Feb.25) British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, apologised to about 40 people who had flown to London to receive the ‘unconditional and deserved’ apology. They were survivors of a total of about 150,00 children between the ages of 3 and 14, some in institutions in Britain, who were sent to Australia, Canada and other former colonies, between 1920 and 1960, with the promise of a ‘new start’. To add another twist, very many of the children in British institutions were told that their parents were dead, while parents were given little information about where their children were going. Unfortunately, for most of the children, the new start meant ending up in foster homes, orphanages and religious institutions where they were abused physically and sexually.

Gordon Brown, with perhaps an eye on the forthcoming election, made quite a speech, throwing in passionate words here and there, like robbing them of their childhood, and consequences of rejection. A six million pound fund has also been established for the former child migrants.

Reading the above, one would think that Brown really felt ashamed over these atrocities but that would be a misplaced impression because if he really cared about human suffering, he would not have participated in the atrocities committed on Iraqis where, as Tony Blair’s Finance man, he organised funds for the invasion. Tony Blair says he has no regret over Iraq and the same seems to be the case with Brown because if he had even a speck of conscience about him, he would not have been so enthusiastic about Afghan invasion for which he announced more troops even before Barack Obama did so. A few million innocent Iraqis lost their life, limb, home and hearth, hundreds of thousands of children made orphans, and women made widows, out of sheer callousness by Tony Blair as an active partner of George Bush, and for no just reason. Yet these gentlemen Blair and Brown, have no regrets, not even a word of sympathy for millions who suffered, and are still suffering, in Iraq. I give credit to British public who at least chased Blair out of office. I hope the present inquiry leads to criminal prosecution of Tony Blair and his accomplices.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Pollutors of water

Recently Sindh Government has forced the Provincial Environment Protection Agency (PEPA) to withdraw proceedings it had initiated against 100 industrial polluters.

Fact is that during the last sixty years’ bad governance most of the people who have achieved prominence in any field, unfortunately, are those whose major concern revolves around their selfish and vested interests. The people who empathise and feel some pain for the good of country are either sidelined are shunted out in the process.

The discharge of untreated industrial waste in the river, canals and ocean has destroyed the ecology and has also caused many deadly diseases, now spreading fast in the country. The industrial entrepreneurs who are party to this heinous crime are therefore not only liable to action under environmental laws but they need to be prosecuted under the Pakistan Penal Code for destroying the health of people.

The withdrawal of proceedings against 100 industrial units located in and around Karachi initiated by SEPA for polluting the water course and sea, discharging industrial waste and affluences is therefore most reprehensible act.

Those who have been voted to reach the assemblies are obligated to look after the interests of public at large on not the interest of privileged few, the desecrators of our natural resources.

The provincial government is therefore requested that instated of siding with these white collar criminals in their unlawful and unethical activities should strengthen the SEPA so that environmental degradation can be stemmed.

I also propose that provincial Environmental Protection Agencies and their federal counterpart should be run by environmental experts of integrity, who are undeterred by political pressure. Although in present political setup it is like asking for the moon but there is no short cut to it.

Qazi Saleem,

Old Hala.

Suggestions to pacify FATA

Our men and material are being sacrificed for the American war of aggression, turned skillfully into an internal terrorism for us. Our clever and treacherous ‘friend’ (real enemy) does not remain contented with the ongoing miseries and problems it created for us in the shape of Talibanisation and terrorism. She is going with her drone attacks unabatedly killing scores of our innocent tribesmen on the pretext of chasing al-Qaeda and Taliban. The Americans are trying to befool the world with such childish preumtions. American drones have so far killed a total of 2040 tribal Pakistanis out of which only 15 were said to have links with al-Qaeda, according to Hameed Gul and Mushahid Hussain Sayyed.

We must understand that mere slogans or military action cannot prove to be a remedy to the worsening situation and peace cannot be reestablished through these means. Let us think of some useful remedial proposals and think over them seriously for implementation in our own national interest. Here I offer a few suggestions which are very simple and easy in implementation but very much vital to our purpose.

1) FATA should be given the status of a separate province so that it can live like an independent entity like the other federating units. Alternately it should be merged with the province of the NWFP.

2) The cruel law of the FCR should be replaced with the promulgation of Sharia law with all required infrastructure in place. The people have already a sincere inclination and desire for the said change and they will be definitely happy with the Sharia law.

3) The rehabilitation and reconstruction work should be immediately started with the assistance of the Pak Army and the Frontier Constabulary so that the destroyed infrastructure is reestablished at the earliest. This is important for the economic activity as well as for the restoration of the public confidence in the statecraft.

4) All the religious seminaries should be registered and they should be given the status of public schools. The students, both male and female, should be given generous facilities and free education and training opportunities.

5) For the maintenance of law and order in this area, the services of the local retired army personnel and FC be utilised and no deployment of the army from the outside should be done here for the said purpose.

6) To effectively control any interference of the alien elements, special courses and trainings should be arranged for the local government officers for capacity building in that particular field.

7) Those elements responsible for the deterioration of the peaceful environment of the area should be exposed and such anti-state elements should be dealt with an iron hands indiscriminately.

8) The United Nations and the friendly Islamic countries should be approached for assistance for the rebuilding of the area and work should be initiated without delay.

9) Cultivation of opium poppy should be seriously discouraged and the drug traffickers should be checked and the routes used for smuggling of drugs should be vigorously monitored. The farmers of the area should be given free inputs in the shape of improved seed and fertilizer and plant protection equipment and chemicals. They should also be given interest-free loans to be returned on easy instalments. This arrangement will provide the locals with alternative means of livelihood in lieu of the abandoning of poppy cultivation.

10) All the unregistered and non-customs-paid vehicles in these and adjacent districts particularly those of the Malakand Division, be regularised so that the locals can use these vehicles for means of transport in the whole of the country.

Muhammad Fheem,

Timergara.

27-2-2010

India unsafe for sports events

The 19th edition of Commonwealth Games is scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October. The games will be the largest multi-sport event conducted to date in New Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. But this is 2010, an era of terrorism in which terrorists find such a huge event as the biggest opportunity to create terror. Like Pakistan has TTP, India also has terrorist outfits like Shiv Sena, RSS etc. They can try to disrupt the event as they have already threatened IPL organisers not to take Pakistani cricketers.

Rajasthan co-owner Shalpa Shetty has revealed that threats were made against her team and any subsequent Pakistan cricketer picked by her franchise. Preity Zinta, co-owner of Kings XI Punjab, reportedly said. "We would have loved to have the T20 world champions in our teams to bring real joy to the extravaganza but what can we do if we have certain threats about not [only] our own safety but the safety of the Pakistani players too, with no official quarter assuring us of foolproof security of players during the tournament?"

This must be remembered that after Mumbai attacks, Pakistani artists were threatened by Hindu extremists and Shev Sena leader Bal Thakery, who said that they would not allow Pakistani artistes to perform on Indian soil. Would they allow Pakistani players to perform in the Hockey World Cup 2010 which is going to be held in India? Although Delhi police announced it will deploy 17,000 security forces for the event, yet major hockey playing nations are still concerned. There are reports that Australia and New Zealand are reconsidering participation.

The Asia Times Online website published a message reportedly from guerrilla commander Ilyas Kashmiri, whose Kashmir-based 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda. The message warns of potential attacks on the Hockey World Cup, the Indian Premier League cricket tournament and the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

In such uncertain circumstances, would it be appropriate for India to host such mega event as Commonwealth games and Hockey World Cup? And would players take the risk to go to India?

Shehla Zafar,

Rawalpindi.

Sachin, the history maker

Now that Sachin Tendulkar has created history by firing the first double century in one-day internationals, Sachin is a blazing star studded on the sky of Cricket Empire. The 36-year-old star was in indomitable form as he bludgeoned 25 fours and 3 sixes in a stunning 200 off 147 balls. I can't conceive! Sachin has passed the previous best of 194, set by two other glowing stars: Saeed Anwar in 1997 and Charles Coventry last year.

Tendulkar, whose previous best one-day knock was the 186 not out he scored against New Zealand in 1999, is already the leading run-scorer in Test and ODI crickets. The greatest batsman in the world today, Sachin has the cricketing world at his feet. The adoration he commands the world over is unsurpassed, perhaps since the days of Don Bradman. He is perhaps the most complete batsman since Vivian Richards.

Masood Alam Khan,

On email.

Messing up with China

China is emerging and the US is in relative decline. But whether China will be the global power of the future remains to be seen. Remember what we said about Japan 20 years ago and see what is happening now with Toyota. I think the US is playing a silly game by challenging China which in the end could cost them dearly. Dialogue instead of bullying is the weapon of the future and Europe knows this best and that's why in the end the EU will prevail.

UMAR MUSTAFA,

Peshawar.

25-2-2010

US Consulate in City

According to a statement issued by the United States embassy (Feb 24) the Consulate in Peshawar has been upgraded to Consulate General status.

The upgradation supposedly ‘demonstrates’ the growing ‘cooperation’ and people-to-people relations between the United States and Pakistan and has ostensibly come about to administer and monitor the five-year, $150 million-a-year Fata development aid, nearly half of which could be used up as cost of disbursement. The consulate will also be responsible for planning and managing about $1 billion new assistance planned for NWFP, especially for Malakand division and Peshawar city.

Considering the recent blast, and the resultant casualties including Americans, near the Girls’ School renovated with American assistance, we cannot be sure how much actual improvement the aid will bring to the region but one thing is certain: it will enable the Americans to spread their wings and get firmly entrenched, to implement their nefarious agenda for the region. So, despite all resistance to allow more boots on the ground, the Americans have succeeded after all.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Humiliation of the poor

According to the teachings of Islam the most significant aspect of charity is that while dispensing, self-respect of the needy is to be preserved. There are two forms of charity in Islam—obligatory and voluntary, called zakat and sadaqa respectively. Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam, It signifies “to thrive,” “to be wholesome,” “to be pure” means purification. Giving up of a portion of the wealth one may possess in excess of what is needed for sustenance, is to “purify” or legalise it so that the remainder may lawfully be used by the alms-giver.

The holy Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said that “one of the seven types of people who are given shade on the Day of Judgment are those who give charity so secretly that their left hand does not know what his right hand has given (nobody knows how much he has given in charity).” It is therefore desirable that charity should be given without any display as it will establish that intention of giver is solely for Allah’s pleasure and not self projection besides it will keep privacy of beneficiary unscathed.

However a picture of Chief Minister Sindh’s advisor on religious affairs appeared in a national daily whereby he was shown handing over cheques of Zakat to the deserving people at Nawabshah. Distributing Zakat in full glare of media reflects nothing but self-importance of the giver and mortification of recipients which is against the very sprit of charity.

The photo sessions on Zakat-giving occasion, as a result, create erroneous impression, as if it is being paid by the person distributing cheques; besides it demeans self-esteem of the deserving severely. The Zakat or charity is a religious duty, it is therefore desirable that the same should be distributed discreetly without publishing photographs of the giver and the needy recipients in the media.

Qazi Bashir,

Old Hala.

Excess of everything is extremism

If the excess of everything is extremism then softening is no exception. We were either denying their due rights or we gave the former East Pakistanis a free hand to elect a betrayer to betray. We are either begging Indians just for talks or we are out to fight against them without any preparation. We are either keeping our eyes shut towards the waves after waves entry of the aliens of assortment in our country or we are initiating extradition move against them like we are joking. We are either writing off in trillions to the robbers or we are out to put poor peasants behind bars for petty amounts. We are either attempting to balloon the rude DMG officers extremely or we punctured them with the crude nazims.

Can’t our state confine the hundreds of thousands illegal immigrants (viz the Afghans, Chechens, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Bhutanese, Burmese, Bengalese, Arabs, Iranians, Hindus, Nepalese, Indonesians, Africans and others of mixture) to camps for the time being if cannot throw them back to their native states?

Is our state weaker than the state of Oman, who trashed tens of thousands Pakistanis, who were in search of a living?

Can’t our state merge the terrible tribal areas and form the former as a fifth province of the country, so as to liberate the majority of the subject from the clutches of Masters?

Can’t our state abolish the blood-sucking feudalism, so as to liberate the souls of our cultivators from landlords?

Can’t our state multiply the unmanageable four mammoth provinces into twenty-two manageable provinces?

Can’t our state give deadline to the SHOs of the respective police stations to arrest all the proclaimed offenders, who are involved in all kinds of illegal activities by default?

Can’t our state declare outlawed the mushroom growth of outfits of the separatists, extremists, regionalists and sectarianists?

Can’t our state restore and reform the district management group for the purpose of administration and remove the makeshift local government system from the administration and entrust them with functions of local nature viz drainage, sewerage and repair works etc?

Can’t we act in time and weather we will always react simply at wrong times in wrong direction with wrong strategies?

Aftab Alam Advocate,

Swat.

We need a change and soon

Pakistan is going through a very critical stage right now. We are faced with terrorism, inflation, poor economy, and a very inept government with a poor vision of the situation. The US has produced a monster in our country with the help of our late General Zia and our friendly Muslim countries, which is still very much alive and kicking. Our forces are fighting gallantly, unfortunately on our soil with some of our misguided people, with some successes, but it is not over yet.

Neither our present government nor the incumbent elected representatives are capable of correcting this situation. The military is doing a good job of fighting the terrorists with a lot of sacrifices, but this alone is not going to solve the problem, therefore we have to do something to challenge this problem and solve it intelligently. We have to bring, a real change in this country.

I therefore appeal the civil society, media, judiciary, and those groups who are really patriotic, to form a committee, to search for 15 to 20 intellectuals in the country, who are retired and may be from any walk of life, with no self interest, honest, and have love for this country, to come to Islamabad, and elect a chairman, and form a think tank in the form of a supreme council, to sort out our problems, make a plan and solve them.

They should have the backing of the military, but no direct intervention. The judiciary should give them authority to implement the plan, honestly and diligently. They should have the power of 58-2-B. And make sure, that the parliament runs the country well and efficiently.

I have a few suggestions, but, it is up to them to implement. The supreme council should have the backing of the judiciary, civil society, and the nation as a whole, to put the country on the right path.

This think tank, should immediately form a universal education curriculum tailored to the requirements of Pakistani children, modern, scientific, may include religious knowledge or whatever may be necessary, but one syllabus for all and should be on par with the advanced world.

Education must be compulsory till grade ten or twelve for all children within the boundaries of this country, irrespective of FATA, PATA, Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir, and settled area. After that the student can go to any field that he or she likes. This is the right of every citizen as a basic human right.

The second important item is to control the population growth with effective means, no matter how they do it but it is a must, and we should see the results.

The third is to change the system of the government. From this old imperial, to a modern, lean, and efficient system that can deliver. There are a lot of examples in the world that we can choose from.

They may divide the country into smaller units that can be easily managed by a good and honest administrator, and possibly a modified local body system, elected on non-party basis. The elected people will be loyal to the people of that place rather than to the party. It is alright if the central government is on party basis.

They should have full powers to explore the potentials of that area, and develop so that they have no grievances later.

Fourthly, to suspend all the four provincial assemblies; in a small country like ours, we don't need five legislative assemblies, it is a waste of huge amount of money and duplication of services, and any logical, selfless, and patriotic person will agree with me. We are all Pakistani and that is enough.

Fifthly to put up a barbed wire fence along the Durand line and on the border with Iran with multiple exits so that the divided families can visit each other without any trouble, visa can be issued on the entry points, but there should be no one without proper documentation in either country. The political disputes can be sorted out later and fixed. But now this is a security issue, and we do not want our land to be used for subversive activities in the neighbouring countries and vice versa. Afghanistan should take care of itself. There should be no narcotic trade or other smuggling and no antisocial activities across the line. We want complete peace and harmony. No exploitation in the name of religion. We need economic development very badly, and it is not possible without peace. We should clear our land from the miscreants completely, whatever it may take, negotiations or force. We want peace.

We should aim for a time when an ordinary citizen enters a public office with a problem, that he or she is received with respect, and his or her problem is solved immediately without the hassle of agents and bribes, or if a stranger, ask someone for help in any corner of the country, that he or she is helped without being cheated or robbed. This is the least a common citizen would like to see, which is impossible under the present circumstances. This is our problem, which leads to a loss of basic human rights and trust in our country, it leads to unrest and corruption.

I am afraid, this may take twenty to twenty five years for us to achieve, and it is only possible, when the new generations of educated Pakistanis, that are grown in a clean and honest atmosphere like this, and take the power in their own hands. It is a lot of sacrifice but we have no choice, until then the think tank can run the government through the elected parliament.

Dr Habibullah Khan,

Swat.

24-2-2010

The Mingora tragedy

The Mingora Press Club ceremony in memory of slain journalist Musa Khankhel held by the Swat Press Club, PFUJ and KhUJ, was cut short as a curfew was imposed in the city. According to security sources, intelligence agencies had reported the entry of a suicide bomber into the city who was likely to target the huge congregation of journalists at the press club. So far there has been pretty little reason not to believe the agencies as all their previous accounts had proved accurate, and had our and nobody else’s benefit in mind when orders of curfew were issued.

As falsely represented, the army is not against the freedom of media, in fact it has always served as a driving force behind it and had enabled it to flourish so much that, in the words of Orwell, it has become ‘more equal than others’. Furthermore, it has been observed that the army seems to be cooperating fairly well with local journalists.

Maj. Mushtaq Khan, an army spokesman and head of the army media centre in Swat, told reporters that “we believe the media role in the post-Taliban Swat is very important to inform the masses about what the government is doing to restore peace. There are no restrictions on media now in Swat and we believe partnership with media is very important for the success of the operation.”

The media, government and the army have to preach altruism to create a harmony with each other and start to work in collaboration so that this feeling of mistrust should diminish and give rise to a united nation.

Umar Khankhel,

Mingora.

A limit to ‘do more’

There is a limit to everything and this principle should equally apply to the “do more” loquacity of the American envoys visiting Islamabad every now and then to keep their pressure continued for the war we have owned on America’s behalf. One is at a loss to understand whether they are our friends or masters. How much we have to go along with the faulty and gratuitous policies of America in this region? American war of aggression has now been rendered as ours, due to the follies of the past dictator and continuity of the same at the hands of the democratically elected rulers.

A few days back when Mr. James L. Jones and McChrystal were again reminding us for ‘do more’ we were mourning the Shahadat of our high ranking military officers, martyred at the hands of the insurgents in the tribal areas, where on both sides Pakistanis and Muslims are being killed for the so-called American war on terrorism. Mind that Holbrooke is our regular visitor since he commands the strategic authority for both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Americans have gone blind to the sacrifices of our military officers, jawans and innocent public for their war.

There should be a limit to our going through this dark and blind tunnel of blood and fire. This is the basic question to be pondered by those who matter at home. The root cause of the whole turmoil is the illegal presence and occupation of Afghanistan on the ruses of Osama hiding in those rugged mountains. If you could not dig out Osama through a full decade operation, spraying the soil of Afghanistan with the deadliest bombs and powder, what is the justification of your camping there, where you have been killing hundred of thousands of innocent people, who never harmed you? It is time for you to wind up and go home. Don’t make it a point of egoism. You have been clearly defeated in your war of aggression in Afghanistan by those Afghan fighters who are justifiably fighting their war against the aggressor to liberate their holy soil.

Many sensible Americans, political and otherwise have been reminding the American administration of the bewilderment of this war and it must be seen in the mirror of history lest the story of Vietnam is repeated. Leave this region, peace and tranquility will automatically just step in and prevail. Let us bet on it!

Muhammad Faheem,

Timergara.

Dying forests of Sindh

As per news appearing in a national daily the province of Sindh is being deprived of its already scant forests. It is reported that in order to capture large tracts of virgin land the influential people of the area have recently slaughtered entire trees existed on ninety thousand acres of government forest land in Hala and Saeedabad. The have not only developed roads for accessibility to the area but have installed tube-wells and brought electricity to irrigate the illegally taken lands.

Certainly such a devious design could not have been implemented without the connivance and collaboration of forest officials. Now the lands evacuated by the wily grabbers unlawfully are being put to cultivation. Some of the culprits have the temerity even to sale out same government lands to third parties.

The continued obliteration of forests has reduced the green cover substantially affecting the ecology of Sindh adversely. This ruthless act has also influenced the large number of local people for whom forests were bread and butter. They depended on woodland not for only grazing of their cattle herds but used to sale many forest-products in the market to earn livelihood.

Unfortunately Sindh has been stripped of this great natural resource and for this mindless act of butchery I hold every provincial government in power since 1947 responsible. These governments despite exhaustive reports about slaughter of trees appearing in the media from time to tome have kept discreet silence.

Now most of the forest lands are possessed by either by “big guns” sitting in the treasury benches of parliaments; national as well as provincial assemblies or those who have powerful feudal bureaucratic power on their back.

Before woodland is totally obliterated from the province the chief minister and provincial minster for Forest and livestock have to act decisively. Not only illegally occupied lands need to evacuated from the unscrupulous land grabbers and reforestation started forthwith but criminal proceedings should also be initiated against the officials of forest department with whose connivance Sindh have lost its green cover.

M. A. Qureshi,

Hyderabad.

Collaboration with Chinese

According to reports appearing in the press (Feb.23), as a followup of Punjab chief minister’s visit to China, a seven-member Chinese delegation is in Punjab, headed by Yan Li, who is also chairman of Chinese industrial group, Asia International Development Limited. The group is planning to build a state-of-the-art industrial city along with an industrial estate of 100,000 acres, with hospitals and other welfare facilities. The group is prepared to invest up to $50 billion over the next ten years, starting with an investment of five to seven billion dollars in the first year. All they want Punjab government to provide is a congenial atmosphere, which is only reasonable.

China is a country which has huge foreign exchange reserves amounting to over $1,400 billion and is constantly looking for, and does invest, in suitable projects all over the globe, including Pakistan.

Now if these parties can invest up to $50 billion in a provincial project, I am sure they would be willing to invest much more than that in federal or federally guaranteed projects. Our government should, therefore, seek investments from China instead of just looking up to the Americans or Europeans and getting back insults, rather than investments.

We had the famous “No more blank cheques” snub from President Obama, as if the US was actually giving us blank cheques. The fact is that even the arrears of Coalition Support Funds (which is basically a reimbursement of the expenses already incurred by us) have piled up to $2 billion, against which they have offered to pay just $349 million soon, with no indication as to when the rest will be cleared. As for amounts pledged under Friends of Democratic Pakistan forum, these still remain just ‘pledges’ with no sign of redemption.

Encouraged by our subservient attitude, even the American Ambassador Anne Patterson, while speaking recently at the National Defence University, took liberty with us and said “American taxpayers will not forever pay for Pakistan’s economic and social development. Neither will Japanese or German or British taxpayers.”

Instead of begging these unworthy partners of ours and getting only insults in return, we could be better off enhancing our collaboration with Chinese in economic, military and other fields. Also, our interests match perfectly with those of the Chinese which is not the case with Americans and Europeans,who, 'encouraged' by their Iraq 'success', are hear only to break up Pakistan and to neutralise our nuclear assets.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

23-2-2010

UK visa discrimination

I submitted my passport No. NQ 4103311 for UK visa to the Gerry’s visa application center in G-9 Islamabad. I needed a UK visa to attend a joint programme of the Environmental Change Institute of the Oxford University and Leadership in Environment and Development International in October. My passport is missing since then. I sent an email to the Abu Dhabi contact of the UK High Commission (AbuDhabi.DutyECO@fco.gov.uk) in December and they confirmed through email on December 20th that my passport is being processed and I will get it back soon. Nothing however received at my end and I again sent an inquiry to the UK High Commission Abu Dhabi in January. In return I got email from Mr. John Galbraith, Entry Clearance Officer, Abu Dhabi Regional Hub, UK Border Agency International Group, British Embassy Abu Dhabi confirming that my passport is lost in the process.

This easily said sentenced has multiple adverse impacts and sides. This indicates to a loophole in the system of UK Border Agency, this indicates to discriminatory treatment with Pakistanis, this indicates to depriving Pakistanis from opportunities of international significance. Although, I am not sure that how much the discriminators will respond to this letter, yet am sure that there is little interest at the UKBA and UK High Commissions and UK Embassies to search lost or STOLEN passports like mine, yet I am making an effort to spread the word against it, as my passport has a valid US visa and can be used for any purpose.

There is a rumour that UK Border Agency has employed Indians in Abu Dhabi for processing of passports and they are stealing passports of Pakistanis that have value, have valid visas and their stealing can deprive Pakistanis like me from attending international meetings and can deprive us from representing Pakistan at International fora.

I would, though not making a case for myself, appeal the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the President of Pakistan, the Foreign Minister, the Ambassador of Pakistan to United Kingdom to intervene and take up the situation with the UK Border Agency that why there is this discrimination with Pakistan and Pakistanis?

Ahmad Khan,

akhan@wwf.org

Defeating sugar mafia

No one from the political elite has come forward even as a mill owner to rescue the poor people queuing up at utility and grocery stores to provide them with the sugar from their own sugar mills. They just pose as they never owned the sugar mills whose very product is under spotlight. They rather chose to keep mum about their ownership and let their coffer swell with unjust, cruel and inappropriate profits made by sugar sale at exorbitant prices. In this way, by the collaborated efforts of millers and traders, billions of rupees have already been siphoned off the pockets of the people of this already impoverished nation.

The statements of the Minister of Sugar (Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo) if collected all shall give an impression that there is no problem of sugar at all in the country. Even if we take into account the statements of all government officials and politicians, there seems no sugar crisis. Alas, despite all their statements and verbal vomits, the situation on ground is totally in the contrast of what they say. And what this all means is that they simply befool the people.

Another necessary and utmost requirement of the hour is to break the cartels developed in different industries and it must be carried out under the aegis of Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP).

It is a pity that we could not become so far a good consumer in the sense that we as a nation run in haste and start buying more and more the scarce items at much higher prices. This frenzy benefits the manufacturers and the black marketers. Whereas the right course of action for the people at large would be that they abandon or discontinue for some time the use of scarce and expensive commodities to make the profiteers learn a lesson. When their goods are left lying rotten at stores and factories, they would surely seek the ways to attract again the buyers and the best way surely is to decrease the prices of their respective commodities. The good consumer behaviour then shall pay the consumers by easing them. This is the ideal condition and I wonder if we achieve it sooner.

RAZIQ HUSSAIN,

On email.

Musharraf must return

According to press reports, General (retired) Pervez Musharraf told a think tank in London that he is prepared to do anything for Pakistan. If he really wants to do something for Pakistan, then I request him to return and serve the country for the rest of his life. Pakistan needs an Ataturk to translate the vision of Quaid-e-Azam into reality. Present politicians have, again, failed miserably to protect the integrity of Pakistan and in solving the problems faced by the people. As they are only interested in protecting their personal interests, the people of Pakistan are fed up. I urge the generous retired general not to waste time abroad. He should come back, face his opposition and, if left undefeated, he should re-enter the political battlefield.

S T HUSSAIN,

On e-mail.

State and education

According to, Diogenes Laertius, "The foundation of every state is the education of its youth." But unfortunately, case of Pakistan is unique in itself. United Nations Development Programme Report, 2009, ranked Pakistan 160 out of 177 with 49.9 literacy rate. Cuba, Estonia and Latvia, tiny European states are the top countries in literacy ranking of the world. India is graded as 147. After these heart-fiery facts, we still did not realise our mistakes.

Our deteriorating education system has radicalised many young people while failing to equip them with the skills necessary for a modern economy. There is two much gap between public and private sector in term of quality of education. Even in public sector there are no checks and balances, or evaluation system of teachers. Writers and analysts should shed light and give recommendations to policymakers for educational uplift.

RASHIDA AHMED,

Rawalpindi.

Younis’ brash behaviour

It was sad and shocking to see former skipper of our cricket team, Younis Khan, beating up a fan during a Karachi Champions League match on Thursday. Younis was leading Malir Gymkhana in the match when some spectators ran onto the ground and by slipping on the wet outfield accidentally tumbled with Younis Khan onto the ground.

This angered Younis so much that he immediately left the field and went into the dressing room. He took the fan into the dressing room with him and later beat him up. He should be fined heavily and should also be banned for at least five matches. He must also apologise to the fan.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,

Karachi.

DMG is the linchpin

Apropos of the letter ‘DMG: an obsolete instrument of government’ (Feb 18), I have certain reservations.

The civil service in the United Kingdom is regarded as a strong and respectable institution.

Of this civil service the administrative class is the most important, as it has an excellent record of efficiency to its credit.

The ministers generally rely very much on this class in day-to-day administration. These administrators are recruited on the basis of their ability and qualification for the said post.

It is the same in Pakistan that the respected Federal Public Service Commission selects candidates for the DMG and other groups through a long procedure in which there is no room for favouritism.

The duties of a DMG officer are to carry out the policies of the government on a daily basis. They are policy implementers. These seasoned policy executors have a vast experience in their respective fields.

They are perfectly neutral because they have experience in carrying out the policies under different governments.

The replacement of the private sector with DMG officers will create pressure groups in the administration which will try to influence policymaking rather than policy execution.

Every private sector has its own manifesto which it wants to carry out.

The private sector has always indulged in money-making.

It also relies on the overall economy of the country. Compared to the US and the UK, Pakistan certainly has a weak economy. As such, public-private sector cooperation in the policy execution is not possible.

Work efficiency of DMG officers is hindered by non-continuation of government policies. Members of Provincial and National Assemblies are elected at the grassroots level and are, hence, bound to go to the people to know their problems and formulate policies accordingly.

This would not only benefit the public but would also reinforce the interaction between the ruler and the ruled, instead of relying on the local body system or the private sector.

UMAR MAHBOOB,

Lahore.

21-2-2010

Squandering public money

A report appeared in the media that Federal Board of Revenue has let its official off in Rs140m tax refund fraud case is most disgusting. According to details, the Federal Board of Revenue has exonerated a senior sales tax official who was found involved in illegal payment of refund to the tune of Rs140m to a party not entitled to it.

The fraud was detected by auditors and was brought to the notice of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly.

It was discovered that two companies were allowed illegal refunds during the period of May-July 2005 and 2006.

After detection the matter went to the Peshawar High Court. On the court’s order the delinquent official was suspended and departmental inquiry was initiated against him.

The inquiry established the official guilty of crime and the report was submitted to the higher-ups.

However, at the instance of the finance ministry, the official, against whom culpability was established, was cleared of all charges and reinstated honourably. Although when the news was broken, the PAC, taking the matter seriously, has required the FBR authorities to explain why a corrupt official against whom charges of misdemeanour were proved was reinstated, yet the official is with clean chit and is back to his seat of assignment.

Another unfortunate aspect of this case is that Rs140 million hard-earned public money, given to some unlawful parties cannot be recovered now.

This is definitely not a solitary instance where the exchequer lost a huge amount on account of corrupt practices by officials.

There may be many such cases which could not be brought to the notice of PAC because of collaboration at the lower level.

The irony is that instead of making efforts to eradicate corruption, our state institutions are helping the dishonest to misappropriate public money with impunity.

I am afraid that if appropriate punitive action is not taken against the corrupt official and other functionaries of the FBR and the ministry of finance with whose palpable complicity such a ‘grand scheme’ was devised, people of Pakistan will lose faith in the entire state administration.

Thus keeping in view the involvement of higher authorities and the amount of massive corruption, I invite the attention of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to initiate suo motu action in this case.

S. Ansari,

Hyderabad.

Thank you, Hoti

While addressing a representative jirga of the elites of Katlang area of district Mardan at the Chief Minister's House, Peshawar  on Feb 19, Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti announced the following to address the long-standing demands of the people of Katlang area of district Mardan.

i) Establishment of tehsil at Katlang;

ii) Mega project of the construction of expressway connecting Swabi, Mardan and Malakand;

iii) Mega project of Baizai Irrigation Channel at a cost of Rs1800 million to irrigate 25000 acres of Barani land of Mardan and Malakand districts; and

iv) Establishment of girls college at Katlang.

The people of Katlang area are indebted to the chief minister for addressing the long-standing demands of the area. This will not only give the chief minister an immense political mileage in the area, but will also remove the sense of deprivation among the people of the area.

Muhammad Adil Khan,

Mardan.

Disciplining our sportsmen

The Senate Committee on Sports has recommended imposing a ban for five years on Shahid Afridi from playing international cricket as he was found guilty of ball-tampering during the last one day match against Australia in Perth.

In the past our bowlers have remained the target of western media for ball-tampering and we resisted the accusation for we believe they were jealous of our reverse swing. But such incidents as this show that they were correct.

The poor explanation given by Afridi was that since the team was losing the matches continuously, he tried to lead them to win through this way. This statement is unacceptable and based on deception.

As Afridi has huge experience of playing international cricket, it is hard to believe that he was unaware that 17 different cameras watched him on the ground.

Winning or losing is a part of game, but playing fairly and with full zeal does not disappoint the crowd even if the team loses. Players are regarded as true ambassadors of a country, for diplomats are not as much known and popular as are cricketers worldwide.

We have examples of Azharuddin and Ajay Jedaja, two renowned Indian cricket stars, who have lost their career due to discipline violation.

Unfortunately, in our country it has become a common practice to get away with discipline violation if some superstar or big gun is involved.

Pakistan is a country full of talent. The only problem is finding the right talent, proper grooming and training. Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Javaid Miandad are some of the legends this country has produced.

Pakistan gave them all a name, reputation, respect and, of course, money. It is players’ prime obligation to uphold its name and not disgrace it.

I think the Senate Committee’s recommendations should be carried forward for stiff action. However, the PCB should also take into consideration as to why such embarrassing events keep occurring repeatedly. Maybe, the PCB should not focus solely on cultivating the talents of the cricketers, but should also try to nurture an exemplary sportsman spirit, moral ethics and discipline, a must for any player.

Discipline is something that should not be compromised as the Father of the Nation has taught us to uphold ‘Unity, Faith and Discipline’.

AAMIR IQBAL,

Islamabad.

20-2-2010

Desecrating NUML?

That the biggest casualty of the recent NUML controversy is the credibility and prestige of this modern institute of learning, one should keep in mind that already the education sector has been treated as a third priority. That we have always invited army to come into frays and clear messes, be it political, law & order or financial bungling, leads us to believe that the civil administration is neither capable nor sincere. That NUML, primarily established by the Pakistan military to meet the requirement of language training of the Armed Forces, was handed over to civil authorities under the Allama Iqbal Open University during the period 1974-1976, the deteriorated standards and “performance far from satisfactory” necessitated the issuance of presidential order handing over the command back to the army.

The fact remains that out of 500 faculty members, only 20 are from the armed forces, most of them retired but duly qualified personnel, and out of 8,000 students only 200 students are from the military. This is also a fact that the Director General, Dr Kamran Jahangir, who has to be a qualified Brigadier of the Army Education Corps, under the law, is a civilian. The propaganda that this prestigious institute is under the military dominance stands uncalled for and aims at giving blows to its prestige and the primary objective of its establishment. One needs to analyse its performance during the last two decades and block attempts to desecrate it.

F Z Khan,

Islamabad.

Muslims’ best friend: Obama

As reported in the press (Feb. 14) following on his first impassioned speech to Muslims around the world made from Egypt, US President Barack Obama has now come up with a video address from Qatar, being the second in his ‘Fooling Muslims’ series. The speech is in line with Obama’s policy for Muslims which is ‘promise much, do little, preferably nothing’ Accordingly, he gave a formidable list of trivial and insignificant steps as detailed in the following paragraph, that he will take / has taken, and which, in his view, will bring unlimited progress and prosperity to Muslims but, in practical terms, will be of little benefit to them.

“A number of important agencies and departments have worked together to implement a number of programmes in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, health, and science and technology. The US has also expanded exchange programmes and online opportunities, forged a global recovery effort to create jobs in all regions of the world, launched a Global Technology and Innovation Fund to invest in technological development in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, worked with Saudi officials to address H1N1 to prepare for Hajj, and partnered with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to eradicate polio, says a web announcement.

Further ‘concrete’ steps include engaging Muslim communities around the country and appointment of a Special Envoy to the OIC.”

The actual performance is that on meeting resistance from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Obama shamelessly gave up his former ‘firm’ demand for settlement freeze in the illegally occupied territories and neither he, nor any of his officials is talking about it now. Roadmap for peace and Maryland conference are all forgotten. Obama is asking Palestinians to enter into meaningless talks with Israel without any pre-conditions, just to fool the world into believing that the peace process is still on and he is trying to solve Muslims’ problems.

To keep up the aggression against Muslims and in order to make up for the dwindling Muslim fatalities in Iraq, Obama has geared up war efforts in Afghanistan, which he calls ‘good’ war and for which he has already announced extra resources and thousands of additional troops.

American courts are also doing their bit. Blackwater security guards who killed 17 innocent Iraqis have been acquitted. Further, Pakistani Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has been convicted of attempted murder of American soldiers none of whom got killed or injured and the prosecution failed to prove its case; with the benefit of doubt given to the prosecution and not to the accused which is the norm in the rest of the world.

I think we just have to take President Obama’s word for it and accept that Muslims never had a better American friend than him, and that is final.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Make do with scare water

This is apropos of the PPP’s stance on the Indus River System Authority providing water to Chashma link canal for irrigation in south Punjab.

Without realising that it has a formidable vote bank in south Punjab, the PPP directed the nominee of the central government to vote with the Sindh nominee to deny the much-needed water for irrigation, though this right of Punjab to use the allocated share is in accordance with the accord.

The Chashma link canal was built according to the Indus Basin Water Treaty to irrigate crops and was not meant to serve as a recreation spot.

While the PPP has been expressing sympathies for south Punjab, it considered it appropriate to starve its people by denying their share of water, the lifeline for agriculture and irrigation.

Major political parties that claim the right to rule the federation through a democratic process must also develop the vision to accommodate the legal rights of all federating units, and leave it to their provincial party heads to represent their individual rights.

May I remind Sindh that even during Musharraf’s dictatorial rule it was Punjab that voluntarily gave up a large part of its water share when there was a drought there.

As the demand for water in south Punjab falls within the agreed allocated share of the province, there was no need for this opposition.

At the end of the day the Irsa representatives of three other provinces voted to accede to the legitimate demand of south Punjab, while Sindh and the nominee of the centre voted against it.

Moreover, the legitimate water requirements of Azad Kashmir must be met because the Mangla reservoir is located there. Water in this reservoir is composed of water that originates from Azad Kashmir and there is a sovereign guarantee given by the Pakistan government to cater to requirements of Azad Kashmir.

It is hoped that all federating units would develop a culture to accommodate each other. Today Pakistan faces a water crisis of immense dimension because of useless politicking, with the net result that India has built large reservoirs on its side.

Agreed that Sindh has been facing an acute shortage of water, but so have all other federating units of Punjab, Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and our independent and autonomous Azad Kashmir.

Water shortages have to be shared by all federating units, instead of politicising the issue. As the country faces an acute shortage of major crops, there is a need to cater to minimal water requirements of high-yield areas in the country to minimise the overall impact.

The PPP government needs to adopt the vision of its founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who rules the hearts and minds of the people even after his death.

SYED JAWAID HUSSAIN,

Multan.

19-2-2010

CJ’s meeting with PM

As the nation waited eagerly for the promised good news the airwaves emanating from all TV channels in Pakistan from 3:30pm onwards were abuzz with the news and views on the CJP meeting with the PM. Apart from the clippings showing the PM cordially receiving the CJP and the two exchanging pleasantries, the TV anchors remained animatedly engaged in obtaining the views and comments of the legal experts and other analysts on the propriety and outcome of the meeting.

Amongst the commentators a clear divide was visible. Some praised the meeting as a good omen for the future of democracy in the country, while others considered it unprecedented, potentially unproductive and against the norm. However, what really surprised me was the level of the discussions and comments of some of the analysts who were just hollow and shallow.

Imagine the ignorance of one so-called senior advocate who pompously narrated the story of the first CJP Mr. Justice Sir, Abdul Rashid declining to meet with the then PM Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan, and – lo and behold – according to the heavyweight advocate – “the Registrar of the Chief justice conveyed to the MILITARY SECRETARY of Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan that since there were a number of cases against the government pending before the superior court he could not meet with him.

First of all, for his information the prime ministers then did not use to have military secretaries. This regalia was brought by ZAB who while stepping down from the Presidency brought all the protocol baggage of the President – the ADCs, the Military Secretary, the National Anthem et al with him to the Prime Minister’s House.

Secondly, there were not a ‘number of cases’ before the Federal Court of Pakistan – as was the Supreme Courts of Pakistan known then - but only one case that of the dismissal of the NWFP government by the Governor General Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Thirdly, the PM Liaqat Ali Khan had not asked for some specific meeting with the CJP but had invited him to an official dinner that he (Liaqat Ali Khan) was to host in the Governor’s House Lahore. The CJP didn’t want to take a chance by attending the dinner lest he was seen exchanging the greetings and pleasantries with the PM, which was bound to happen. So much for the knowledge of the judicial history of Pakistan of one of the most knowledgeable advocates of ours!

Now a word about the gate-crashing by the PM. Such an unannounced, unexpected and uninvited presence of the Chief Executive of the country would have been a pleasant surprise for anyone and an equally magnanimous and modest gesture on his part on any other occasion but not this one. The formal dinner was being hosted by the CJP to bid farewell to Mr. Justice Khalil ur Rehman Ramday on his retirement. As such Justice Ramday was the Chief Guest or the Guest of Honour for the evening. No one superior in status to him should have been, therefore, here as that would tantamount to lessening his importance.

But I suppose these are the finesses of protocol not known to many.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

Judicial crisis: Now & then

In 2007 the matter of judicial reference against the chief justice by the then president Pervez Musharraf led to a crisis which in turn caused many changes. The creation and intensification of that crisis was mainly caused because of a dictatorial mindset.

This time again a controversy emerged between the government and the judiciary which was feared to be leading to a crisis however it has been amicably resolved due to the democratic mindset. That is the difference between a dictator and a democrat.

A J Khattak,

Peshawar.

India’s water aggression

India’s strategic felony of water strangulation is more dangerous than any other challenges being faced by Pakistan. Pakistan is an agrarian economy. Seventy percent of its population is directly related to agriculture despite massive rural to urban movements. Another 10 to 15 percents are linked with agriculture through farm support businesses.

Shortage of water will therefore directly affect the 80 to 85 percent population of Pakistan. There will be only two choices left; one to solve the issue on permanent basis and second to send 50 to 60 million people for new job huntings across oceans, as the reduced agrarian economy will only be able to support its half the population.

Presently Pakistan has the world’s largest canal command system (if the trend of diverting water continues, soon it will be India). It is the sixth largest milk producer in the world, a country with second largest rice surplus, fifth in fresh fruit production, third largest date producing country and fourth largest range land from Balochistan to Durand line. It is amongst first 10 countries of the world in almost all major crops and food items. Pakistan has never been a water-scarce country. It is endowed with five major rivers, 30 to 40 miles apart, thereby creating the most fertile lands in between. It is at the confluence of two weather systems, Monsoon in summer and westerly winds in winter, both have an overlapping area up to Potohar region. Central and southern Punjab along few districts of Sindh is the granary of Pakistan where surplus grain and food crops are produced. The agrarian surplus is then distributed in the whole country and also exported at premium cost.

The Chenab is the main river which feeds this agricultural heart land. India is very systematically diverting the water of this river. Chenab has nine tributaries on its left bank and 12 tributaries on its right bank. One after the other India has almost diverted the water from all the tributaries. Chenab has one of the most well-defined catchment areas with available places for suitable heads to build dams. Unfortunately as all of these fell in Indian territory India is exploiting the situation with impunity.

It is not only that Baglihar dam is made over the Chenab, there are around 10 mega projects which are either completed or nearing completion. The hydrographic record of Chenab shows that even during four years of drought the flow remained over 40,000 cusecs. Today at Marala the head start, it is not more than 5,000 cusecs.

This water aggression is not a meaningless or benign activity; it is very much symbolising the unfolding of aggressive design to strangulate the complete economy of Pakistan. According to estimates this water aggression is turning one crore acres of prime agriculture land into desert-like territory. Not only agriculture, the complete backbone of cottage industry at Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala and Faisalabad depends upon the pristine water of Chenab river.

India is even making water storage facilities on river Jhelum, there are also news that mighty Indus will also be facing this aggression soon, as the river meandering territory inside India is going through lot of activities. The enmity does not stop here, India has made Salma dam in Afghanistan not due to some sympathetic impulse towards Afghan people but to reduce the flow of river Kabul in Pakistan.

Water is no more an administrative or an agrarian issue. It is a food security issue, which is an important constituent of national security policy. The diversion of water of our rivers is a paramount security issue, anyone not showing empathy should not later on blame Pakistan for initiating water adventures as it is the water from vales which flows in the jugular of Pakistan and its people will not only defend every inch rather they will vouch for every drop which nature has blissfully endowed.

The application of Indus Basin Treaty is not relevant at this moment, India is trying to redefine the treaty on the grounds that lower riparian (Pakistan) since has not built any storage so upper riparian (India) has right to utilise. Sending of a team to access the shortfall of water flow in Pakistan is also a gimmick to pacify people for time being. Perhaps now is time that Pakistanis should say to big brother that enough is enough.

Abid Latif Sindhu,

On email.

18-2-2010

Bravo, prime minister

The surprise arrival of prime minister at Chief Justice’s dinner is worthy of high praise. It speaks of the prime minister’s greatness and nobility and shows that he can go beyond his self for the national interests. Many, many cheers for the gentle prime minister.

A J Khattak,

Peshawar.

Dist management group

With changing paradigms of public administration the tool of district management as a vehicle of delivering public and social policies is almost obsolete.

Pakistan has to come out of the conventional delivery mechanism by resorting to ideas advanced by the new public management, whereby public policies are delivered with the joint venture of public and private enterprises as experienced in the United States and the United Kingdom under the administration of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, respectively, in the early 1980s.

The coalition of public and private enterprises was put into operation by two means. First through full-fledged privatisation with complete transfer of assets to the private sector, while the other mode was through contracting whereby the state retained the assets.

However, services, especially pertaining to social welfare such as education and health, were contracted out to market forces.

Such contract arrangements have made it possible to present a clear dichotomy between policymaking and policy execution; hence diminishing the effect of politicisation of government machinery.

It is labelled as ‘re-inventing government’ that helped in reducing the size of conventional bureaucracy and increasing efficiency and productivity by taping the enormous potential of the private sector.

Ironically, we still want to stick to the outdated bureaucratic system, wherein the DMG is much out of context in terms of public services.

I, therefore, vehemently oppose the revival of DMG, and advocate the paradigm shift in administrative system by gradual introduction of market forces into delivery and implementation mechanism through contractual arrangements.

It is time we got rid of the outdated DMG and a huge volume of bureaucracy which turns out to be a white elephant as it clung to the power structure to maximise self-extension at the cost of poor people, and, unfortunately, which considers itself far from any accountability.

What they want is pomp and pageantry, which is not possible now in these changing times of globalisation.

Gone are the days when the DMG were perched on ivory towers. Now they have to listen to tunes of change, precipitated by the powerful media and judicial activism.

SAJJAD H. CHANNAR,

On email.

Gillani’s threat to judiciary

This is with reference the recent immature outbursts of our political elite, whom neither time has reformed, nor age made a little more sobre. The world has changed with a virtual revolution in information technology. News is easily accessible to the people today, the media having punched so many holes in the secretive lives of the rulers that nothing is a secret from the public. In Pakistan, though, the ruling political elite still lives in the past when they ruled like kings and the king could do no wrong. Musharraf sent the judiciary, lock, stock and barrel, home with the stroke of a pen for he considered the constitution an instrument of his executive powers. Our elected PM today stood up in the National Assembly in the emulation of that dictator to say that he had restored the judiciary through an executive action that needed to be endorsed by the Parliament. And in true dictatorial traditions, he also indicated that the judiciary can be sent packing home yet again through (yet another) executive order.

So what has changed? Dare one ask the elected PM, or does he consider himself to be the Viceroy of the President, who in turn might equate himself with the Monarch of the Raj, that how did the executive action of the dictator, with an approval of the Parliament, acquired such a legitimacy even though his act was in violation of the constitution? If so, this constitution is a unique document that can be used whichever way required to rule the ordinary subjects, but the elected monarch and his Viceroy are beyond its jurisdiction. Is the superior judiciary so fragile even in a democratic environment?

HANIF BALOCH,

Quetta.

PTV v private channels

All private channels try to cover the angst the nation is going through but if you ever go to the state-owned PTV, you would get an eerie feeling of all calm and quiet—with appreciations of the federal government thrown in for good measure. There is some music too to complete the picture PTV is portraying about a welfare state (somewhere we don’t know) where people are happy as a lark with not a care in the world. The private channels, though, continue to portray the picture of an oppressive state with incompetent rulers that are pushing their people to the bog of crises getting ever more serious, making life for the ordinary citizen ever more difficult to live. Something has to be done to either stop PTV from painting the rosy picture or stop the private channels from showing what a hell we live in.

KHALID MUSTAFA,

Islamabad.

Conspicuous by absence

Aitzaz Ahsan of whom the New York Times wrote “A lawyer who restored Pakistan Chief Justice” is missing from the scene when the president and his handpicked legal advisers have fomented a constitutional imbroglio in the country. Similar is the case of Ali Ahmad Kurd. Both lawyers were in the vanguard of movement for restoration of judiciary. Did the restoration movement catapult Aitzaz into shoes larger than his size in which he found himself too uncomfortable and had to bail himself out? Whatever the reasons, he has compromised his standing by not raising a voice against the presidential move to place judges of choice in various positions.

Aitzaz has undoubtedly fumbled. Perhaps the glory he gained by successful restoration movement was too big for him to live with and real Aitzaz had to come out by shedding the superficial veneer. If he thinks he cannot go against the party line, he must bear in mind the party has seen its last hurrah. From here onward the party will disintegrate.

It reminds of late Mao’s wife who after her husband’s death had gathered three of her closest cronies about her and the group gained notoriety of being called “the evil group of four.” The President too has his inner circle of three who have their own motives but his own stakes, such as the Swiss cases of money laundering, are indeed much higher. One feels sorry for Aitzaz but he himself is to blame for shooting himself in the foot.

DR. A. P. SANGDIL,

Oslo.

VIP movement

Sometime back, a VVIP came to live on Khayaban-e-Shaheen, Karachi. Overnight, a couple of speed-breakers miraculously appeared on both sides of the road, which (along with three police mobiles, one of them jutting halfway into the opposite side of the main road) result in traffic jams throughout the day. As if this weren't enough, cars of visitors are always parked on the main road, which leads to more tension for drivers.

But this is not all. Even the drivers of the VVIP and his guests think they're above the law (like the VVIP himself). One of them almost crashed his car into mine as he drove through a red light at a speed normally associated with aircraft taking off. I escaped death by inches. I know the VVIP has no time to read newspapers, but if someone who's close to him does, perhaps he or she can tell him that traffic rules still exist in this country and are meant to be obeyed.

Shakir Lakhani,

Karachi.

17-2-2010

Painting victims of aggression as evil

Around 1,777 think-tanks based in America and almost an equal number of think-tanks based in western countries are busy in policymaking or influencing policymaking, justifying invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, painting dark picture of Pakistan and its nuclear programme.

It seems that the respective intelligence agencies have assigned them special tasks to use their pens to spew out poison for further stoking fires of chaos and anarchy, use their write-ups on dictated themes to distort facts, spread disinformation, create uncertainty and keep the pot of war on terror boiling. They portray the aggressors as virtuous free of any faults, and they paint the victims of aggression as evil.

But ironically enough, no one, especially the so-called think-tanks understand that the biggest casualty of their projected theme-points is the American reputation itself. Instead of teaching or advocating peace, harmony and goodwill, they have brought the civilisations at collision course and turned the world into a battlefield. Where would this trend of jingoism, hatred and destruction bring the people of globe to, no one knows. Aren’t the world leaders, superpowers and especially the intelligentsia responsible for all this fuss?

Stop it, please.

Alya Alvi,

Rawalpindi.

Assault on judiciary

By following the steps of General Musharraf President Zardari has revealed himself as a civilian dictator by appointing Justice Saqib Nisar as a judge of the Supreme Court.

Appointment of judges of the high court and their elevation to the Supreme Court is already dealt with by the constitution and particularly in Al-Jihad Trust case. The issue of the consultation of the chief justice has to be given due heed as his advice is binding on the president. Moreover such issues tend to create bad blood between different institutions or pillars of the state. I hope that government would look into the matter and would adopt the best possible way.

Nasir Kamal Yousafzai,

Mardan.

Judges and judges

The present ongoing debate on the appointment of the judges of the higher courts has at least left me with a consternation beyond my comprehension. What is all this fuss in the matter of choosing between the judges? Are the judges going to be partisan in dispensing justice? Would they favour one or the other against the rules, law or the constitution? I hate to read in the papers the adage of Jiyala being used for some of the judges. Does the partisan affiliation take precedence over the competence, integrity and character of a judge? For God’s sake do not degrade the judges. Or, is it all a part of the diversionary tactics to take people’s mind off the NRO issue which was being hotly debated only a few days back but no more? Or, still horrendous, is it an effort to have the judges of one’s choice when the NRO cases come for hearing before them?

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

US envoy’s remarks

As reported in the press (Feb.16), speaking at the National Defence University, US ambassador Anne Patterson said “The Prime Minister announced earlier this week that Pakistan will begin to redress this matter (economic problems) next year, but this is a matter of great national urgency,” and drew armed forces into it as well by asserting “As professionals interested in the security of this nation, I hope you would look closely at this matter.”

Also, referring most probably to our frequent requests to the US and international donors to speed up aid to defray partly the damage done to our economy through our association with the war on terror (which the President estimated at $35 billion), she had this to say “The ultimate solution to Pakistan’s current and future economic challenges does not reside with the US or with the international donor community, it rests with you, the people of Pakistan.” She went on to say “American taxpayers will not forever pay for Pakistan’s economic and social development. Neither will Japanese or German or British taxpayers.”

This is another major slur after the earlier ‘no blank cheques’ remark made by President Barack Obama.

The ambassador seems to think that these are the US taxpayers plus others who are sustaining us whereas the fact is that our association, specially with the US, has done us more harm than good, and far from bringing us incremental benefits, it has not even covered our losses.

It is indeed true that masses are in urgent need of relief and this matter cannot really be deferred. However, the ambassador should avoid trying to create an impression that Pakistanis interest is dearest to her heart whereas the fact is that her country’s policy now, and in the past, has been of Muslim-animosity, as demonstrated clearly by its actions in relation to the Arab-Israeli issue, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Muslim countries.

As for her concern for American taxpayers’ money, she should advise her own government not to squander it on cruel, murderous and unproductive misadventures like unjust Iraq invasion. It would have relieved the American taxpayers of nearly a trillion US dollars of their hard-earned money and in exchange, presented them over 4,300 healthy Americans turned into corpses plus thousands of others maimed and suffering mental trauma. So, it is the American government which is doing the greatest disservice to its own people apart from messing around the globe by creating new conflict zones.

Last but not least, there is something definitely wrong with allowing an ambassador to take swipe at our government at will, and get away with it. Unfortunately, we ourselves invite ridicule and contempt by placing even the junior foreign, specially American officials, on a pedestal from where they can only look down upon us.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Discipline motorcyclists

In spite of the fact that traffic wardens have been positioned in Lahore for quite some time now, their presence has not had a positive impact on disciplining motorcyclists who continue to change lanes at will.

These motorcyclists do not stop before driving over to a bigger road and overtake cars from the left.

When a car gives an indicator to turn left or right, motorcyclists would still overtake from both sides, putting their own lives at risk.

Finding the traffic signal red at an intersection, they look for small openings between cars standing in different lanes and through zigzag movements try to position themselves ahead of everyone.

It is time traffic police in major cities, particularly Lahore, fixed lanes for motorcyclists and carried out spot-checking for violations mentioned in this letter.

The traffic police also need to be more strict and stringent while awarding driving licences to motorcyclists, and their driving test must include familiarisation and understanding of traffic rules.

Making motorcyclists wear crash helmets alone will not make them abide by traffic rules.

RASHID IQBAL,

Lahore.

16-2-2010

Judges’ issue: Govt stance

As John Naisbitt narrates that “Strategic planning is worthless - unless there is first a strategic vision.” General Kayani has no doubt given new vision regarding Afghanistan by defining Pakistan’s strategic depth pertaining to the neighbouring country that instead war-torn and civil war entangled Afghanistan a peaceful, prospering, stable and friendly neighbour favours Pakistan. It depicts the true spirit of strategic vision flourished in General Kayani’s mind and nullifies the ambiguous concept of the strategic depth being defined for years and years by some of the traditional brains who believe the Afghan nation is only meant for fighting, be it with the occupant forces or among their own groups.

According to a famous quote, in business, as in war (and I suppose in politics as well), attack is sometimes the best method of defence. However, like all strategies, this one also has some limitations i.e. before going on the offensive, the party has got to prepare well and to have some minimum strength to carry it through, otherwise it will falter, and will get bruised, and that would be the minimum consequence.

In case of inadequacy all round, a better option would be to stay in the bunker and take the line of least resistance which would at least maximise the chances of survival, whatever they are.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

A hasty decision

The federal minister for privatisation declared before the media that the government had decided to privatise 23 state-owned organisations including Utility Stores Corporation within the next few months. He added that this time while handing over administrative management to successful bidders holding 26 percent shares the strategic control would continue to rest with the government.

The basic idea of privatisation was that the state should confine itself to regulation only and the operation and ownership of industrial enterprises and utilities should be left to the private sector. Although according to Alexander Gerschenkron, a distinguished economist, those states which started late in the race of development, the public sector has to play a vital role in accelerating the economic growth as private sector of developing countries is shy, inexperienced and not equipped to embark on rapid industrialisation.

However despite clear caution privatisation of public sector corporations started in Pakistan during the Zia regime in 1985 but pace was accelerated during 1991-1994 and post-2001 period.

According to latest analyses, out of 83 privatised corporations up to October 15, 2002 only 22 fared better, 44 were doing at the same level and remaining 34 were found even worse than the pre-privatised period.

The cases of Karachi Electricity Supply Corporation (KESC) and the Pakistan Telecom Corporation Ltd (PTCL) (a profitable organisation) privatised after 2002 are the worst examples. Not only services of these two utilities have deteriorated but the objective of bringing foreign investment could also not be achieved. The conditions of privatised banks is no better as in order to show better performance, they, apart from throwing out thousands of their lower staff by “rightsizing” and lowering interest on deposits and increasing interest on loans; mostly consumer loans, have contributed nothing significant for the economic activity of the country.

The purchasers, by paying amounts much less than even the cost of land companies own, have added nothing to the development and enhancement of the utilities except their executives now enjoy fabulous financial benefits and pre-requisites. The privatised units such as cement industry have also formed cartels to exploit the consumers.

On the other hand, the government as a regulator has failed miserably to discharge its responsibility to ensure implementation of terms and conditions of the privatisation agreements in letter and spirit.

The fate of Pakistan Steel Mills could not have been different, had the Apex Court not intervened timely.

Privatisation is a complex exercise with multifaceted implications. Therefore the government, before offering the remaining family silver to private sector, must keep before it the performance of those companies which have already been privatised so that public interests can be safeguarded. Especially in the case of public utilities great care must be adopted so that the case of KESC is not repeated. As for Utility Stores Corporation which provides relief to the general public against the monopoly of sugar and flour cartels it is better not to privatise.

Altaf Ahmed,

Hyderabad.

Independent judiciary

It is naive to say that it doesn't matter who is sitting where as the judges are to deliver justice. If that was the case then we shouldn't have any problem with Dogar courts. CJ intervenes because the people sitting in the power corridors are afraid of the new independent judiciary and are trying to interfere/act that can compel the CJ/team to go for a compromise. We are in a now-and-never situation and we have no other option but to support the adlia and make this change happen. No one but the middle class supports this change. It is not in favour of feudals or capitalists who are in power to have independent judiciary.

According to the constitution, President appoints judges of SC in consultation with CJ and President will have to consult CJ, whether he likes it or NOT.

Shahid,

On email.

SMS rip-off

Not a day passes when one doesn’t receive an SMS enticing the naïve to take part in lotos and lotteries of all sorts. Early this morning I received one such SMS reading “It is the Winning Times. Write JK (most probably Jazz Khazana or some thing of the sorts) and send it to 5555. It will entitle you to win the 50,000 of the day. Charges Rs8 plus Sales Tax plus SMS charges”. Each mobile phone company has tens of millions of their SIM holders and according to a rough estimate 20 to 25 percent people take part in such scams. One can imagine the daily windfall for the mobile companies after dolling out the pittance of Rs50,000! Is it not a fit case for a suo motu action?

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

Parasitic MPs

An analysis of parliamentary activity during the recently concluded session released by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) reveals that a mere 46 percent (115) of MNAs bothered to turn up for business, leaving 223 who drew a range of allowances despite being absent. According to the statistics, every sitting of parliament started late by an average of 28 minutes, managed to be in session for a total of 50 hours and one minute spread over 15 sessions, thus giving an average of about three hours and 20 minutes per session.

Martin Luther King, Jr, the pivotal leader of the American civil rights movement once said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” The question to ask is, for how long will our people suffer in silence paying their hard-earned money to feed these parasites who are good for nothing?

DR IRFAN ZAFAR,

Islamabad.

15-2-2010

Presidential order & SC verdict

The Presidency is bent upon committing blunders. Instead of pacifying the ongoing clash between the Supreme Court and government, the Presidency is exacerbating the crisis. This became evident when President Asif Ali Zardari issued orders stating the appointment of Justice Khwaja Sharif as judge of Supreme Court and Justice Saqib Nisar as the acting Chief Justice of Lahore High Court without consulting the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. This was in blatant violation of the Constitution of Pakistan.

According to Article 177, the President is bound to consult the Chief Justice of Pakistan prior to the appointment of other judges. Despite the fact that Article 177 clearly and unambiguously lays down the procedure for the appointment of judges, the Presidency did the wrong and joined the path of conflict. At this time, I must say, the Presidency is posing a threat to democracy. True democracy prevails when all the pillars of state work in complete harmony.

The way Ch Iftikhar himself took notice of this illegal appointment and formed a three-member bench to delve into this matter is commendable. Further, his expediency in announcing the decision and suspending the orders of President is laudable. More appreciable is the audacity shown by the illegally appointed judges when they refused to take their oaths. The government needs to realise that the judiciary is awake and active in all its senses. Gone are the days when the judges would be appointed in the darkness of night without letting anyone know.

I wonder where our prime minister has disappeared. On the floor of house, he eloquently speaks that the government respects judiciary and that all the decisions of Supreme Court will be implemented in ‘letter and spirit’. The deafening silence from prime minister speaks of the presidential form of government where the Parliament and prime minister do nothing but nod their head in consent of the President.

Badar ul Islam,

Islamabad.

SC-government face-off

Seniority in Aljehad case is not mandatory, as per constitution, without CJ’s nod nothing can happen on judges’ appointments. Government is crippling judiciary by not appointing judges in high courts or by going in full-blown confrontation to be able to gain ground for jiyala judges appointments in high courts. Government hampering restored judiciary's resolve to dispense justice to the masses by hatching such calculated moves. Such confrontation is bound to give an impression that SC can take unbiased decision on PPP in general and on the President in particular.

ALI IMRAN RIZVI,

On email.

Support Supreme Court

We have to support the decisions of our Supreme Court. We should not wait for the Army to interfere in it because it is not the job of Army to involve in politics, it is the job of institutions and establishment with the citizens to give a shoulder to support the right way for the benefit of the country.

Faisal Munir,

On email.

Let Intekhab Alam continue

Intekhab Alam is an experienced coach and doesn’t seem to be a problematic man either for the team or for the PCB. He is a lucky coach, because under him Pakistan won 1992 World Cup; played final of 1999 World Cup; and last year became champion of twenty20.

It will be unfair to make Intekhab Alam a scape-goat for the humiliating defeats against Australia. Everybody knows the reasons for nine successive defeats at the hand of inexperienced Australians. Our team lacked self-confidence and also unity, which are keys to success.

Najeebullah,

Swat.

A novel idea for ME peace?

After recovering from his injury: nose and two teeth broken by an inconsiderate assailant, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, during an official visit to Israel earlier this month, promised to turn into reality a proposal which keeps resurfacing every now and then, and this is to make Israel a member of the European Union (February 7).

What surprised me most was the suggestion that such an eventuality will work out to the benefit of the Palestinians because membership of the European Union, will preclude Israel from continuing its inhuman, ruthless, murderous and discriminatory policies towards Palestinians apart from forcing it to withdraw from the occupied territories, etc. It was further suggested that in view of the windfall that it will bring to the Palestinians, the Arab world should welcome and encourage such a move instead of opposing it.

It is outlandish even to think that the European Union and the US who created Israel and who aided and abetted in making Israel the monster that it has become now; and Israel itself, would agree to anything that would have the effect of forcing Israel to relax its murderous hold on the illegally occupied territory.

The attitude of the European Union members towards Muslims can well be gauged by the fact that despite its best efforts, Turkey has not been able to join the EU. As against that, there have been moves, at least by some EU members to bring Israel into the fold, despite the fact that it is too far apart, geographically and otherwise.

There are other instances. Only recently, under international law provisions, a British court issued an arrest warrant against former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni and hastily withdrew it when Livni cancelled the visit. On that occasion, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband promised to change the British law so as not to put Israeli war criminals to any inconvenience. The attitude of Germany and France, the other major powers of the EU, is much the same.

Also, the former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, during one of his fits of anger, destroyed even the facilities for Palestinian refugees which were built with EU funding. EU sent a delegation to Middle East to assess the damage, lodge a protest against the inhuman act and perhaps to claim compensation for the damage. Ariel Sharon refused even to meet the delegation which returned unceremoniously. It was thought the EU will impose some sort of mild sanctions against Israel, or will at least issue a strong condemnation but all that the delegation head had to say was “we do not want our relations with Israel to get any worse than what they already are” and that was the end of it. Such accommodating and helpful friends are unlikely even to try to force Israel to adopt a reasonable and human approach, like vacating the territory under its illegal occupation and adopt a humane approach towards Palestinians.

Moreover, Israeli government, headed by hawk Benjamin Netanyahu, has become more hawkish lately, with even the supposedly peace-loving Nobel laureate Shimon Peres becoming as aggressive as the rest, and he received a censure from the Turkish prime minister over Gaza massacre sometime back. Also, the Israeli parliament, which is usually a coalition between different parties, mostly hardliners, is unlikely to approve any arrangement that would amount to yielding on any point when they know that the Western leaders do extend them unqualified support on all matters, irrespective of the legality or morality of the issue.

Israel enjoys unflinching support also from its main benefactor, the US. We remember how the US President Barack Obama saw fit to abandon his firm demand of settlement freeze rather than displease Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It is quite obvious that if the EU offers membership to Israel, it will make it a special case and will give a few years to Israel to make the required changes, claiming that the bitterness and problems created over several decades cannot be solved in a jiffy. After the expiry of the time, it will give Israel another extension, and so on.

Every few years, the West comes up with ploys to fool the Palestinians . We had the Roadmap, the Maryland Conference and now this proposal for Israel’s entry into the European Union, to solve the Palestinian issue. The joke has really gone too far.

Anyone sympathetic to Palestinians’ cause should oppose moves to make Israel an EU member, or even offering of any relaxation in the trading terms between Israel and EU, while Israel’s criminal and murderous conduct continues.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Fighting water shortage

A water shortage is what the agricultural Punjab does not need. With a reduced water supply not only Punjab but the entire population will be affected as it could damage the wheat crop which has already been sowed. A need arises for the leaders to show maturity and political wisdom in solving what IRSA was supposed to, but could not manage due to pressure from various directions.

Due to insufficient rainfall and absence of large-scale storage reservoirs precious water, instead of being properly utilised is wasted away. The inefficiency of IRSA leads to a denial to supply water to Punjab and a feeling of deprivation to Sindh, hurling accusations at Punjab of ‘water theft’. Representatives of both Punjab and Sindh remained locked in argument during the IRSA meeting the other day resulted in a delay on the matters at hand. The concerned government officials have to grow up and start dealing with the issues amicably working towards fulfilling the objectives rather than throwing tantrums. Nations are not run by aid alone, but proper planning, implementation and constant monitoring is required.

A sensible approach from both the central and provincial leaders was observed by the unanimous approval of the new NFC Award. A clear indicator that democracy, if taken seriously, can very easily work by rendering all anti-state elements that are continuously at play in all affairs, ineffective. The central government behaved generously by slashing its share from the revenue pool from 10 to 1 percent, accompanied by an accommodating approach by the provinces.

Such initiatives may take some effort, but are far from impossible. Another show of flexibility and sense of fair play by provincial and the central government is called for towards the resolution of the inter-provincial water dispute, by viewing it completely objectively, keeping the best interest of the state in mind instead of a biased and ‘provincialistic’ approach. Only after this inter-provincial issue is solved, can we pave our way towards a composite growth and deal with all measures taken by India to choke all water supplies of Pakistan with full force. The Indus Water Treaty is being violated and Pakistan is especially concerned about dams and barrages being built by India, which could affect the flow of river water across the border. Therefore, a shift in focus is required so that Pakistan should have water at all.

Lubna Umar,

Islamabad.

14-2-2010

Commercialisation of education

Since 1983 about 239 schools/colleges which were takeover during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s government, have been privatised in Sindh. Unfortunately more than half of the school/college buildings have been converted into commercial plazas.

On the eve of Independence there was only one institute for higher education, i.e. the University of Punjab. In next 30 years many private and public schools and institutes for higher education mushroomed in Pakistan. In September 1972 all private educational institutions were nationalised under MLR 118.

One of the aims of the nationalisation policy was to provide better service conditions to the teachers as some unscrupulous private school and college owners exploited and maltreated their teaching staff. They were underpaid, forced to sign receipts for higher payments than they actually received and in some cases are known to have been publicly abused.

The aim of improving service conditions was achieved by nationalisation. The teachers' salaries went up and they gained state protection against exploitation and maltreatment. Ironically security of service was used by a large number of teachers for personal advantage rather than to further the cause of education. It brought in its wake the curse of absenteeism, the tuition syndrome and trade unionism of the worst kind to put pressure on the government. To earn extra money, some teachers opened private tuition centres for the same students they were supposed to teach in colleges and schools.

This threat was obviously not visualised by the planners. The exiting government machinery working on the pattern of pre-partition system was not only inefficient but was not adequate to cope with this gigantic problem. This affected quality of education adversely. To face the deteriorating standards as well as shortage of institutions the Ziaul Haq regime, during early eighties allowed private sector to established colleges and schools. Moreover instead of paying attention to bring improvement in the existing public sector process was started to return the nationalised schools and colleges to their previous owners.

The authorities while restoring the nationalised institutions to their owners should have obtained guaranty before handing over, that the restored properties will not be used other than education as envisaged in the original scheme. The authorities however either out of sheer ineptness or connivance disregarded this fact, apparently to facilitate the owners for the reason that the buildings of schools and colleges were situated on the prime locations of the metropolis where land value has increased manifold. Thus unscrupulous owners were assisted by the education department to sell properties meant for educational purposes, to the builders’ mafias to build commercial plazas.

Not only education has suffered adversely but precious plots of land earmarked for education in the heart of city have been lost permanently. There are still many nationalised schools in the process of privatisation. I request the Chief Minster and Minister for Education Sindh to take appropriate measures so that only those educational institutions are restored to their original owners who make a commitment in writing to continue with imparting education and not sell the landed property to gain profit. Furthermore action against those who are found connived with earlier privatisation deals should also be initiated as the right earnest.

Seerat Manzoor,

Karachi.

Hakimullah Mehsud

Its a real pity that so many are concerned with whether the mass murderer is dead or alive, as if it does matter. He is as good as dead, for that is the plight of all who choose the path of violence, death follows them and eventually defeats them. No mass murderer does ever get away, that is one lesson of history many ignore to their own peril.

I find it odd also that so many mix the Afghan Taliban with the indigenous homegrown ones. They may look alike but certainly have different objectives. The Afghans are supposedly fighting for their freedom against foreign occupation and the Pakistan Taliban are trying to ape them and trying to take over our country. That is why failure is the future of Pakistan Taliban and whereas the Afghan Taliban have won the war and are about to see the foreign forces leave much earlier than they thought, for they are going to fight till ever and we all know foreign forces no matter how massive they maybe, do get sick of it and do want to go back home, especially in a no-win situation as is in Afghanistan.

I wonder how the Afghan Taliban will deal with the situation post-western occupation. What will the effect be on the poor Indians who have wasted so much cash and resources which they should have actually be spending to clean up their own country but in order to prick us and not help the poor Afghans, as even the roads they have made are meant to give them alternate routes for bringing in stuff from Iran rather than Pakistan, without understanding the semantics involved.

SHAHID,

On email.

 PTV licence fee

I was taken a back after reading the letter of Mr Ali Akbar, controller public relation PTV, in a section of the press where he tried to convince the reader that PTV Licence fee is legal and viewer pay it happily.

Being a resident of Azad Kashmir I would like to draw the attention of honourable office that PTV signals are almost inaccessible throughout Azad Kashmir except Muzaffarabad city. Almost 5 percent residents of the area watched the PTV, rest rely on the Indian channels because Indian channels signals are easily catchable there. But it is very sad that PTV authorities charged licence fee through utility bills.

Mr Ali Akbar bluntly argue that this fee is charged in many EU countries, but honorable officer did not pay any attention towards the programmes which PTV is telecasting. Hardly any reasonable programmer one can watches on PTV in a week. How one can compare EU channels and their programmes with PTV? Furthermore I am dead sure that Mr Ali Akbar and his family hardly watch PTV.

Zahid Rashid,

Azad Kashmir.

India’s water terrorism

Since the 9/11 tragedy, international community has been taking war against terrorism seriously, while there are also other forms of bloodless wars, being waged in the world and the same are like terrorism. In these terms, India has been practising water terrorism against Pakistan.

In a bid to solace Islamabad’s concerns, while speaking in diplomatic language, Indus Water Commissioner of India G. Ranganathan who recently visited Pakistan revealed, “India had been affected as much as Pakistan due to water shortage in the Indus”. He denied, saying: “Indian decision to build dams on rivers has led to water shortage in Pakistan”, while rejecting Islamabad’s concerns regarding water-theft by New Delhi including violation of the Indus Water Treaty, assuring his counterpart, Indus Water Commissioner of Pakistan, Syed Jamaat Ali Shah that all issues, relating to water between Pakistan and India would be resolved through dialogue.

Now that India has decided to start resumption of secretary level talks with Pakistan paying a greater attention on terrorism instead of equally addressing all the issues of the composite dialogue, therefore, Islamabad must talk about Indian water terrorism as a major focus of agenda in the ongoing and future dialogue.

Sajjad Shaukat,

On email.

Indo-Pak parleys

Probably it is due to Gen. Kiyani’s recent candid assertion to the NATO commanders that his prime concern was defence of Pakistan’s eastern borders (against India) rather than fighting the war of terror on the western front, that has prompted the international community in pressurising India to resume talks with Pakistan. Pakistan must, therefore, view the Indian offer in its correct perspective and not fall a prey to it.

We certainly want better relations with India but not at the cost of Kashmir and water. India would try to talk as usual all about the sun and the moon but not of Kashmir and water, exasperating and frustrating Pakistan to the extent of quitting the talks.

No one today is more shrewd than ZAB in the foreign diplomacy, but even he could not make Swaran Singh utter a single word on Kashmir in his 22 days long parleys in Murree in May/June 1965. At the end of the unsuccessful marathon Swaran Singh triumphantly confided to the pressmen that his sole aim was to gain time which he had done. So did Shastri to Ayub Khan at Tashkent, and made him walk away from the talks just out of frustration as Shastri wouldn’t talk about Kashmir. Kosygin sensing the abrupt deadlock asked Ayub if he was a chess player. Ayub, sort of nonplussed by such a question, said, “no, why?”. “Because it is his (Shastri’s) move and that you must sit at the table till he moved”, was Kosygin’s cool reply. Ayub resumed his seat but was mercifully relieved when Shastri left to meet his Maker. Gandhi kept on talking for hours on end on cabbage to a bewildered Mountbatten, who had invited him for the first time for a serious discussion on the future of India.

Indians are past masters in the art of frustrating others during parleys and talks, and we must, therefore, make it quite clear to them that we want to talk but about Kashmir and water or else thank you for the offer.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

13-2-2010

Indo-US nuke deal

This deal was in total violation of the NPT. America is big supporter of the NPT, while India is not signing the treaty. The US had refused to grant both Pakistan and India the status of de jure nuclear weapon states following their nuclear tests in May 1998.

Despite being our ally, the US refused to sign a similar deal with Pakistan, saying “our energy dialogue with Pakistan is going to be different from our energy discussion with India.” It is also saying that this deal was more beneficial for India. The big criticism of the Indian opposition on this deal is that the US sole objective of deal was to cap Indian’s nuclear weapon programme. US wanted to keep its influence on the South Asian region.

Although India-US deal on civilian nuclear cooperation is a bilateral matter between the two countries, yet it has serious global and regional implications. The deal poses a potential threat to international non-proliferation regime under NPT. It can trigger a nuclear arms race in the region, mostly involving Pakistan, because India is its adversary country. It can adversely affect the movement of already slow peace process between Pakistan and India. If the peace process stalled it can have overspilling effect, affecting Pakistan’s relation with Afghanistan.

The strategic stability in South Asia is most likely to be disturbed as a result of Indo-US nuclear deal because deal would enable India to acquire additional nuclear material to feed its military nuclear facilities. The deal contains an assurance from the United States for a continued and uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel. This will enable India to divert its uranium reserves to the exclusive use for making more and improved nuclear weapons. The Indo-US deal therefore would continue to draw critisim on strategic stability in South Asia and universal non-proliferation regime.

Rukhsana Bibi,

On email.

Brown eating bananas

According to a press report (February 9) as part of his preparations for the upcoming campaign trail, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is eating up to nine bananas a day, fully convinced that it will give him “radiance”.

It is a sad reflection on the prevailing state of affairs that he has to rely on poor bananas, instead of his party’s performance, in his attempt to win the elections due within months. However, it is not surprising, considering the ‘esteem’ in which the British public presently hold the Labour party and the manner in which they chased the former prime minister Tony Blair, out of office. Gordon Brown, being a member of that government, shares the blame. Additionally, even before disengaging fully from the unpopular Iraq war, that cost Blair his job, Brown went full-throttle into the Afghan war. Also, in order to maintain the master-poodle relationship with the US, Brown was prompt in announcing 500 additional troops for Afghanistan, while US president dithered over the issue of more soldiers. However, his plan of indulging into the luxury of warfare, and running it on an ‘economy’ budget, is giving him less of a success and more of casualties and blame. The soldiers are up in arms because their genuine needs for security and other equipment like helicopters etc are not being met, which exposes them to greater risks, while the public is angry over the squandering of scarce resources on unnecessary, unwinable and cruel Afghan war. The result is that his party is in no better position than it was at the time he took over.

No wonder he is eating bananas, and hoping for the best.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

We are our own enemies

Some people think that Pakistan is in trouble because of its geo-political position. It may be partly right but this is not the root of the problem. The problem lies within our country.

It is our attitude which is our biggest enemy. Can anybody tell us why there is hige amount of brain drain in Pakistan and why is it happenning? From day one of its independence Pakistan has been encircled by people of least vision. It ran well in the beginning because of characterful, visionful, dedicated, motivated and honest bureaucracy migrated from Indian Civil Service (ICS) to Pakistan. Some military people like General Azam also earned good name.

There was a time in Pakistan when people used to hate their corrupt neighbours but with the passage of time the miscreant shocked the gentle and honest people by insulting them and hence established the reign of terror, dishonesty, financial corruption and satanic traditions. Earning money is not a bad thing to do but doing it through illegal ways is the worst thing on Earth. What is our criteria these day? We do not evaluate a person because of his/her love for keeping and maintaining good values alive but we judge people by the house he keeps, his mobile set and his spendings etc.

We are cutting the same branch of the tree on which we sit and we are not aware of the consequences. We have come to know the blockade of our rivers water right now. Where were we when the inaugurating brick of dams in India on our rivers were put? Now we are crying. The statement of General Zia ul Haq still reminds me of his statement when he expressed his opinion on the annexture of Siachen by India that grass do not grow in it.

In civilised countries whenever somebody buys a car or a new house, people from government come and ask to show one’s source of income to buy these things.

Our priorities have been changed now. We do not know what to condemn because our new generation have opened their eyes in the environments where everything is fair in love, earnings, ethics, creed and war. There is no accounting at any level.

Now tell me honestly who is our enemy?

RIZWAN ZAMIR,

Lahore.

12-2-2010

Well done, PPP

On Wednesday, Mr. Kaira disclosed before the pressmen in the PM Secretariat that his government is considering to bring 3 years budget this June instead of one year as usual. Kaira’s explanations or reasons might be no matter what but this would be a very smart move by the People’s Party to rip off the exchequer in one shot. Who knows, whether, they would complete remaining term of 3 years so why not to gulp this country in one stroke?

No leader has mercy on this country and plundering it from every corner by both hands.

SHAFIQ KHAN,

Canada.

Peace in Pakistan

I think the news of death of Hakimullah Mahsud and elimination of Taliban may be a good news for the people who believe in civil society. I will also be happy that our neighbouring nation is gradually getting free from the terror of so-called jehadi forces. But as the representatives of intellectual community, we also should emphasise to find out the reason behind the insurgence of forces like Taliban and al-Qaeda who misguide the youth and divert their strength towards destruction. I wish peace will be restored in Pakistan as soon as possible.

Hari Govind Vishwakarma,

India.

Need for dams

Dwindling water supply has been the order of the day of Sindh province, causing many to make assumptions regarding the economy of this poverty-stricken, agrarian province.

The meagre water supply has already resulted in the lost of million of acres of land to the barren desert and has rendered many jobless.

It is high time for the authorities concerned to take realistic measures and implement it well, without even a tinge of corruption hampering the solutions to this vital problem.

The story of the tussle over the water share between the provinces is as old as the country itself, but the recent NFC Award has brought hope in the bleak environment that the leaders would now be more attentive to this problem, and, hopefully, would reach some common consensus.

However, the equitable and the just distribution of water resource can not solely solve the province’s problems; much more has to be done.

First and foremost, there is a dire need to create awareness among the general public of water conservation techniques. Unfortunately, our academic education does not practically address our problems; therefore, water conservation campaigns should be launched with the help of NGOs in academic institutes, for increased awareness.

WAPDA and other related agencies like ISRA should be well paid and its officers should be provided with deserved facilities to make them less prone to the bribery for past findings have shown that corruption has been the main obstacle in the attainment of assigned goals.

The government should financially help farmers in planting sprinklers as this would reduce water loss to a great extent.

Though, planting sprinklers is cost consuming, the benefiting advantages would be helpful to the country’s economy in the long term.

Time does not stop and this critical time requires the urgent attention of the government towards the construction of small and large dams.

Construction programmes regarding dams should be processed at the earliest and required measures should be taken to conserve the maximum possible water.

MARIA SHAIKH,

Karachi.

Onus on Punjab govt

The recent attack on Awami Muslim League (AML) Chairman Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is very shocking and sad. I do not understand why proper security was not provided to him. There is a security threat in our country but there is a lack of security itself!

Law enforcement agencies always say that they cannot stop or catch culprits of suicide bombings. Can they catch those who have only fired with guns?

The Punjab government, which is very fond of boasting about the good governance in the province, must now prove its capabilities by catching the culprits.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,

Karachi.

India’s talk offer

What softened Indians for table talks surprises none. It is her national interest which our rulers serve by ignoring our vital national interests; be it Kashmir, Kalabagh Dam, Baglihar Dam etc. It appears we approached International Arbitration Commission only to concede legitimacy to illegal construction of Baglihar Dam (due to our sheer negligence of duty), agreeing to minor design changes recommended by arbitrator. Same thing would happen due to the corrupt, ignorant, incompetent government who would likely concede favourably to Indian desired needs with our lead man Jamaat Ali Shah who blundered already by his tall claim of strictly following the articles of Indian Basin Treaty Accord. That is how national interests have been compromised and damaged.

Will opposition, PML-N, PML-Q, TIP, JIP, jurists, civil society rise to the occasion and protect national interests? They must decimate the anti-nation, anti-poor coalition-cartel which has devastated Pakistan in last two years for unlimited power and wealth, self-centred myopic interest. Karachi is the current example which looks a duel between the dons to getting bigger chunk of the city and in the process destroy Pakistan.

A M ALI,

Sahiwal.

Karachi bleeds again

Karachi is again bleeding. Another religious procession has been subjected to brutal bombing 40 days after an inhuman attack on the Ashura procession. The helpless public is again witnessing the same course of lip service that has become a ritual no one bothers about. Condemnation by political and religious leaders who find such incidents an opportunity to appear in the print and electronic media; cash compensation being offered for the dead and injured; inquiries being ordered as the interior minister, chief minister and prime minister race against one another to take credit for demanding one; scores of agencies get involved in investigations while working at cross purposes, etc.

Such inquiries continue on paper till the next mayhem but no one will ever look into the real issues — the lack of political and security resolve to dismantle the terrorists’ ideological factories, which are churning out brainwashed zombies who know nothing but to kill and maim. Why have the intelligence agencies failed to penetrate terrorist groups and why are the bomb detection and disposal squads not properly equipped?

Life will carry on in Karachi and nothing will change. Investigation reports will gather dust, police will continue to be understaffed with no moral responsibility and accountability, political parties will continue to blame each other for institutional failures. This will continue till the terrorists choose and decide to hit another soft target to kill innocents. What a waste of life and humanity in Pakistan!

MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,

Karachi.

Need for greater caution

Two top US intelligence officials, Lieutenant-General Ronald Burgess and Dennis Blair, are reported to have said that the Pakistani nuclear arsenal is safe but vulnerable.

These reports are both a cause for concern and alarm. Washington seems to be more concerned about Pakistan’s nuclear assets than Islamabad itself. The reports are alarming because if Pakistan’s nuclear weapons were to fall into the hands of Taliban and al-Qaeda-backed militants, what would happen next?

US apprehensions and fears about our nuclear assets is a continuity of Washington asking Islamabad to do more and more in the war on terror, irrespective of the heavy price being paid by Pakistan. US officials keep pouring out such reports to further their agenda of capturing our nuclear arsenal themselves.

One hopes that the higher authorities concerned are well aware of the hidden threats that are being hurled at Pakistan in the garb of such reports. At the same time, the security of serving and retired nuclear scientists should also be further tightened.

It is no secret that both the US and the UK are still after our nuclear assets as well as prominent nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. His ongoing activities, reported in the media from time to time, are exposing him to hostile elements. I urge vigilance and caution.

MRS TANVIR ZAHID,

Lahore.

Nawaz’s advice to Zardari

In a recent press statement, Mr Nawaz Sharif said that had he been Zardari, he would have gone to the court and faced charges in order to get himself cleared, irrespective of the immunity granted to a president under the Constitution of Pakistan.

Very well said, but when it came to Mr Sharif appealing in the Supreme Court against his conviction by the Sindh High Court in the ‘plane hijacking’ case, he preferred to sign an agreement of 10 years’ self-exile. Along with his whole family, domestic and kitchen staff, Mr Sharif stayed in Saroor Palace, Jeddah, instead of staying in Pakistan and fighting his conviction. What a contrast of action and words!

ANWAR KHALIL SHEIKH,

On email.

A bankrupt superpower

China represents the most advanced business-oriented country in the world with so much to win while the US represents the most muscle-oriented one with so much to lose. The duel between the two is forever. But the observer must realise that the US is practically a bankrupt superpower, it lives on a quicksand that will someday swallow everything. My advice to the warlords of the US is to prepare for reality. To live within its real size and not according to how long it can fool the world.

Taniya Haider,

On e-mail.

11-2-2010

Jazz Ghanta package

The offer seems quite illusory; only the half truth has been told to customers; nowhere do they mention the offer is not unlimited rather it encompasses only 100 minutes in a day, why? The total cost for first time user will shoot up to Rs59 as s/he will have to pay additional Rs30 to reach to the package prior to subscribing to bucket. The total cost thus goes up to Rs59 not including FED. There is a wide gap between the announced tariff and actual cost customer will end up paying. Why is it that the offer places a 100-minute barrier in a given day? Robust businesses require lengthy calls? Can this package be a solution? Certainly not! How many customers know that un-utilised minutes will cease to exist immediately after 24 hours thus raising the overall call charges? Is it ethical on part of the operator to hide certain facts and twist logic?

Those who think the offer is ultimate solution to all problems should think twice. The offer is valid for net calls only. What about rest of the numbers outside Jazz? Subscribers availing the package will also lose the opportunity of availing other packages of the same operator once they OPT FOR Ghanta package. Keeping in mind the aforementioned issues circling the package, I think it’s not worth it! Why pay Rs900 (excluding FED) for Jazz numbers only since it will be a part time solution, not the real one!

Zoha Muneed,

Islamabad.

Anti-Americanism in Pakistan

In an interview broadcast by Fox news on February 8, the US Defence Secretary Robert Gates concluded that anti-Americanism was a real problem for the US (February 10). Further, while paying glowing tributes to Pakistani army, he said “If you had told me 18 months or two years ago that the Pakistani army would be operating in South Waziristan, that they would have gone in the Bajaur Agency, that they had gone into Swat, I would have thought that would have been a miracle.”

While the tribute is very flattering indeed, and is an acknowledgement of the potential of our armed forces that we are very proud of, it gives a clear indication that despite his advancement in years, his life-time spent with the army and his long association with, and involvement in our region, he has not really learnt much and is a very poor judge of the capabilities of the people he closely associates with. Not very flattering for him, I would say.

Also, while acknowledging his problem i.e. anti-Americanism in Pakistan, and narrating the reasons for it, he tells only part of the story. He fails to mention the near-permanent anti-Muslim stance of his country as demonstrated clearly in relation to Arab-Israeli issue, Iraq, Syria, Iran, etc to name a few. What is worse is that now, the US does not move alone but takes the whole crusader army with it, which is only too pleased to oblige. Also, in pursuance of its China-containment policy, the US is accelerating arms race and friction in our region. Expressing apprehensions about our nuclear assets falling into the hands of terrorists has now become a permanent feature of the US foreign policy and through this, it turns world opinion against us by playing on their fears, Iraq-style, thereby paving the way for ‘irregular wars’ on our soil, for which saboteurs seems to be coming to Pakistan in large numbers, in the guise of diplomatic, support staff and whatever.

With this sort of record, Robert Gates wants us to accept the Americans as our reliable friends, for now and for future, and in various sectors like politics, economy and so on. He is some optimist.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Prize Bond Scheme

Government of Pakistan started National Prize Bond scheme in order to borrow money from public at cheaper rate and give cash prizes in lucky draws. These lucky draws are held in major cities about 24 times annually.

Prize bonds are available in denomination of Rs200, Rs750, Rs1500, Rs7500, Rs15000 and Rs40,000. Highest prize for Rs200 bond is Rs750,000 and for Rs40,000 bond, highest prize money is Rs75 million. Every year 70600 Pakistanis get Rs1.6 billion prize money after tax deduction for their investment. Government of Pakistan borrows/earn billions of rupees but give just peanut prize money.

Four Rs75 million prize winners every year remain hidden from the eyes of general public and media. Their testimonies in advertisements can boost further investment by other people. How much they reinvest in bonds? This is a good question for economic and finance students and professionals.

Ministry of Finance must broaden the total base of prize winners from 70600 to 2 million in a population of 170 million. Some people say that bonds are best way to launder black money into white legal money. That is why bumper prize holders sell their bonds to businesspersons in Karachi at higher rates. In a market economy like America, every activity must be documented and informed to stakeholders in Pakistan. New director general of National Savings, Altaf Sheikh also wants and welcomes healthy competition from private sector but decision lies with Ministry of Finance.

Government of Pakistan, an anti-consumer government does not allow local financial institutions to issue prize bonds on the pretext that these may loot savings of small investors. Several times financial institutions listed in stock exchanges e.g. Kanani & Kalia asked government to allow them to alleviate poverty and increase employment through new prize bond schemes.

Fair competition is the key to sustainable development. Given dilapidated economic conditions of the country, Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance must allow strong-rated financial institutions to launch prize bond schemes in Pakistan.

Sajed Imtiaz Sheik,

On email.

9-2-2010

Larger-than-life Ajmal Khattak

The demise of Ajmal Khattak is really a shocking news. That great Khattak, embodiment of patriotism, commitment, sincerity, loyalty, courage honesty, humbleness, unwieldiness (in short epitome of true Pashtunwali) spent his whole life fighting and struggling for the cause of his motherland (Pakhtunkhwa) and its sons’ (Pakhtuns) rights and progress as well for, all downtrodden of the whole land. Death is a fact which every one has too face some day. However some people live in such enviable way that even after death they do live. Great Khushal Khan Khattak, forefather of Ajmal Khattak, has said in a verse:

“Fortunate are (only) those who are remembered (with good words) in the world as none will be here in this mortal world for ever.' The great Ajmal Khattak will be definitely one of those few auspicious souls. The revolutionary poet-cum-politician had devoted his politics and poetry for a lofty cause which he had set for himself even when he was yet a small kid of 14 years or so and remained loyal to it till the last. No impediment or dictatorial pressure (exile, imprisonment, physical torture, different allegations and propaganda), cowed him nor any worldly greed or material offers bought him.

Monetarily though a poor fellow and remained so till last breath, however he never ever desired wealth nor he longed for official posts during all long political career as he was much higher than such petty matters and there lies the greatness of that modest but worthy dweller of a simple mudhouse of Akora Khattak.

A J Khattak,

Peshawar.

‘Cry babies’ of media

The screaming headlines of certain Pakistani newspapers and prophecies by some participants of TV talk shows suggest that President Asif Ali Zardari must quit the president house - dead or alive.

Such demands are outrageous as President Zardari has not done anything for which he should be kicked out of the office before completing his term. On the contrary, Zardari is the only president in the history of Pakistan who has demonstrated an extreme level of tolerance in the face of a brutal character assignation campaign that is full of smear and slander. Orchestrated by discredited politicians and a section of the media the campaign seems to have no limits.

Regardless of what military, clergy and some in the media think of President Zardari, it is a fact that since assuming the office of the president, 15 months ago, Zardari has promoted reconciliation and forgiveness in a divided society where political disagreements amount to bloody feuds. Zardari was victimised for 11 years by his political opponents such as former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who initiated false cases against Zardari, however, the President has not sent no one to prison because s/he disagreed with the President or criticised him.

Zardari is the only president who was elected with a clear majority in the National Assembly, Senate and in all the provincial assemblies. He represents the federation legally, really and truly. He is the first president who agreed to give NWFP a name. There was no horse-trading in the Senate elections, a routine in the Pakistani politics since 1985. From Gilgit-Baltistan to Baluchistan and from the signing of the NFC Award to the elimination of the Kalabagh Dam project, all signs indicate that at last the process of bridge building has started in Pakistan and winds of reconciliation can blow in this country. But some do not feel comfortable; perhaps peace and stability is not in their interest. Perhaps this is the reason that the ever-smiling, humble and modest Mr. Zardari is presented as a monster, an evil person who has no moral right to be the President of Pakistan.

If Mr. Zardari was a 'bad guy', as the 'cry babies' want us to believe, Ms Bhutto's children would have avoided him. Instead, after the tragic death of Ms Bhutto, all the three children are even closer to their father. They use every opportunity to appear in public with Mr. Zardari to show how much they love and respect him. If Bilawal, Asifa and (name to be added) had a slight doubt about the love and dedication of Mr. Zardari towards their mother they would never gather around him. But the 'cry babies' on TV and the likes of them in the print media of Pakistan cannot see the true love between a father and his children.

May be we should not blame the 'cry babies' for their hateful behaviour. Perhaps these men in suits, who appear on our television screens as commentators and intellectuals, are victims of religious and ethnic hatred that has destroyed peace and harmony in Pakistan since the unlawful removal of the prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1977.

Shiraz Paracha,

On email.

Question for civilians

A few days ago a retired colonel died when his motorbike was hit accidentally by the car of chief secretary Punjab. The incident drew a lot of hue and cry in the media.

Now a professor of NUML has been arrogantly hit and beaten by a retired egoistic brigadier because the former dared to disagree with the latter’s view.

However shockingly the same media has taken it lightly. Why?

Habib-ul Haq,

Peshawar.

Future course for Karzai

Since the London’s Afghanistan conference of January 28, India, including its media, has expressed deep concern and anxieties about the pernicious fallout of to-be-started so-called reintegration and reconciliation programme of the Taliban but as ever India has been advancing suggestions without risking any worthwhile stakes in Afghanistan. Hence Karzai should decide his future course of action in the given backdrop and opt for solution as follows:

1) Though India is reminding Karzai that he has personal stakes also of his life and honour (because he may face a grim future like Najibullah who was tortured and hung from a post by Taliban in 1996 after Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan) but being a well-meaning person and a man of integrity Karzai must have made or should make the human rights (especially of women) friendly Afghanistan the real motivation for remaining in power for time to come. Because human rights have found place in Afghanistan after removal of Taliban from government in 2001 (as is reported that out of 7 million children currently attending schools in Afghanistan, 40 percent are girls and there has been a fair degree of women empowerment since 2001 in Afghanistan) and these human rights are bound to be the first casualty with Taliban returning to power or influence, in any form, in Afghanistan.

2) Though given the most difficult situation Karzai finds himself in, it is easy said than done, fortunately it is neither impossible nor infeasible if Karzai keeps three things in mind:

i) Mullah Omar reportedly said that – “They think that Mujahideen have taken up arms to gain money or grab power or were compelled to turn to arms. This is baseless and futile”. Th e Taliban can be combated successfully only by noble missionary zeal on the part of Karzai in the interest of human rights (especially of women) of the people of Afghanistan.

ii) In contemporary uni-polar globalised world USA is a different country than what it used to be before the dismemberment of USSR. Hence USA can reasonably be trusted to be genuinely interested in promoting human rights and peace across the world. But USA with a population of merely 300 millions (even with allies who also have lesser population) has limitation of manpower. Therefore Karzai should give up his unnecessary reticence and call a spade a spade in constraining Government of India (even by talking over the head of Government of India to Indian people who overwhelmingly want, even through massive military assistance, the promotion of human rights and peace in Afghanistan) to provide massive military assistance to UN forces through USA and allies in Afghanistan in the interest of human rights and peace in Afghanistan.

iii) With India’s massive military assistance (which is bound to have tremendous implications on Kashmir problem between India and Pakistan) Karzai’s Afghanistan (itself a member of SAARC) has any chance of success only if Karzai is guided and enthused by the vision of “Federation of Secular Democratic SAARC countries” (FSDSAARC), as an alternative political model for this region.

3) As for the noble missionary zeal for the human rights, it can be invoked and sustained only if Karzai develops a genuine political party which will have commitment to rule of law and human rights. Karzai should not forget that Musharraf, despite best of his intentions, failed in Pakistan for the simple reason that he failed to develop his own genuine political party for ensuring, with missionary zeal, the support for his government from the overwhelming majority of the people of Pakistan, a sine-qua-non for the success of any democratic government. Here Karzai need not be misguided by the example of India which does not have any genuine political party as is evident from widespread anarchy in India where rule of law is conspicuous by its absence.

4) Therefore in addition to developing a genuine political party, Karzai should immediately do the following:

i) Ask Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India to organise seminars (with full media attendance) in all the State capitals and major cities of India (at least 50 such seminars) for the purpose of harnessing Indian public opinion in order to constrain Government of India to provide said massive military assistance to UN forces (through USA and allies) in the interest of promoting human rights and lasting peace in Afghanistan.

ii) Ask UN (USA and allies) to encourage UN-approved NGOs for human rights (from all over the world and especially from SAARC region) to work all over Afghanistan to function as a watch-dog of human rights (especially of women) in Afghanistan.

Hem Raj Jain,

India.

8-2-2010

Selling out land to aliens

There came to the fore another wonder of this democratically elected government, when its foreign minister declared, “The land we want to sell is not land that belongs to any one or even has any existing agriculture activities.” (Statesman, Jan 28) Well done, Mr. Qureshi! It is ‘no man’s land’ if what you say is interpreted correctly. It is nobody’s land since it is Pakistani land and obviously what you and your government intend is, to sell out Pakistani land on some very awkward pretensions. When are you calling its tenders or are putting it to open auction?

The democratic government of PPP has been toeing the disastrous policies of the dictator who has ruined this country, selling his people, land and its air fields to his master. This offer will be enthusiastically welcomed by the enemies of Pakistan and most probably the ‘master’ will offer the highest bid since they need this land for their conceived heinous agenda in the region. They will purchase such pieces, protect them according to their plan and then start their activities within the premises, declaring them out of bounds for Pakistanis, whosoever they may be.

Most probably the American Crusaders after making the purchase deal will harbour a number of mini Pentagons on such spots to be secured and guarded by such dreaded agencies as the Black Water under the direct control of the CIA.

Let us revert only to two such events in the history and try to learn a lesson if we can. It were the Muslim rulers of India, who had sold out or given in ‘bakhshish’ small pieces of land to the East India Company wherefrom the colonial dominance was established and we were subdued into complete enslavement for three centuries. Is history repeating itself at the hands of the so-called elected rulers, who are crying hoarse every time to be working for the benefit of the people obviously, a statement very paradoxical indeed.

The same paradigm in the history is the disastrous example of the Arabs of Jerusalem, who had the bad luck of selling their lands to the Jews migrating back into the holy land after the end of their Diaspora, as a result of the beneficence of the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The consequences for the Arabs of the holy land are not a secret. The news is a very shocking one.

It is hoped that the government will not commit such a blunder of selling the country’s soil to aliens. This nation has been afflicted with so many shocks at the hands of the rulers and must not be put to any more tests or trials. It is high time that the relevant quarters took notice of such misdoings of the authorities and made every effort to stop the rulers from playing havoc with the country. The Parliament, the judiciary, the political parties, the media and the men of pen have great responsibility to play their role in protecting the cause of the motherland through all available means. Such things are seemingly small but potentially they are of disastrous consequences in the history of nations.

Muhammad Faheem,

Timergara.

Bottled water and media

As reported in the national papers, out of 53 companies that are manufacturing and supplying/distributing bottled mineral water in the country, 28 have been found not only unregistered and unlicensed but the product they are selling was also found fake.

As per report, the use of substandard water has caused widespread waterborne diseases. Unfortunately while providing such serious information, the papers have failed to disclose the names of those rogue companies who in order to earn profit are playing with the health of masses.

The media which includes newspapers is considered to be eyes and ears of the people. By not divulging the names of defying companies it has done no service to the public. On the contrary they have damaged those manufactures who are supplying genuine ‘mineral water’. Moreover as names of these companies are not made public, therefore there is impediment to advertise their spurious product in the print and as well as media.

It is therefore bounden duty of media to notify the names of all those 28 unscrupulous companies who are supplying contaminated water so that people may not use that specific brand.

Qazi Saleem,

Old Hala.

Motivating parents, children

We as parents and educators pull out our hair sometimes on a weekly or monthly basis due to our children specially the teenagers who trigger our frustration. Our teenagers or adolescents go through their hormone change during transition years of life from grade 7 to 9 or age 12 to 14.

Daniel Pink, 45, who was a chief speech writer of for Al Gore when he was the US vice-president, now lectures and writes mostly about economic transformation. He wrote in his new book Drive, saying that we have been going the wrong way by rewarding the children by money or shower of gifts to motivate which is not the right way for 21st century economy that requires more innovation or creativity.

Pink suggested by research on behavioural science that shows that true motivation comes from the self or the individual within and has three elements: 1. Autonomy, 2. Mastery and 3. Purpose. Everything our children and we learn or do in our lifetime we must know the purpose as we face the consequences or reward or punishments. I/we experience during summer(July-August), winter(March) and holidays in December vacation that our children get bored but if we plan ahead they can do tons of activities on learning extra language, math, science, art, culture, music, drama, for instance we have students do volunteering, work on paid jobs, join clubs, contests, sports etc.

Our children at home and school must be taught the character education traits with 3Rs: right, responsibility and respect besides their 3 daily learning of reading, writing and math.

If they do x amount of task then they will get y amount of gifts is actually quick fix in short-term but is spoiling them in the long term. Sometime we hear our children get bored at home school or home during school year weekend or vacation time. The solution to this problem is: we must engage our children constructively with varieties of curriculum and extra-curriculum in school or community while we have to get them engaged and give them choices with house chores and school home work at home.

If a student is not interested in math or reading stories on printed or electronic materials, a better strategy would be to figure out why he is not interested in reading. Is it because the content is difficult or not interesting or the student learns reading in a different way? In order to motivate a child or an adult we as parents or educators must consult with the individual child and find his/her ability, need and interest and then accommodate or modify the contents by expected curriculum to motivate and make him successful in the long run.

Towhid Noman,

Canada.

Not the only one to blame

It seems as if everybody and his uncle is out to get Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt’s neck after the dismal performance of our cricket team in Australia. Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports, Jamshed Dasti, has been the most vocal in asking for Butt’s resignation. As an avid cricket fan, I was disgusted by the way our cricket team collapsed during the recent Australian tour. Despite this, I think it is unfair to put the entire blame for this fiasco on Mr Butt. Other members of the PCB, the cricket coach and the Pakistani players themselves have a lot to answer for.

It is also quite disconcerting to see Mr Dasti passing all sorts of judgements on the future of cricket without having adequate knowledge about the sport. I suggest that he stay out of this issue and let the PCB take its own decisions. At a time when passions are running so high we need to think with our brains and not our hearts.

ALI KHAN,

Lahore.

Heads must roll

The aftermath, as broadcast on television channels all over the country, of the Karachi bombings have left no doubt in my mind that we are a country at war with ourselves. The terrorists, sectarian hate-mongers and opportunists who take advantage of violence breed well within us, and day in and day out we see the depth of the destruction they can and do cause. There has to come a time to make heads roll, and I am not talking about the kind the suicide bombers and others prefer. We need to stop showing lenience and start taking action.

Ruthlessness deserves ruthlessness in return; the terrorists are now targeting schools and hospitals — places considered relatively safe in war-like situations. The Pakistani public has had enough!

TARIQ KHAN,

Lahore.

7-2-2010

Mercenary army

As reported in a section of the press (February 1) Liam Fox, the shadow Defence Secretary of Great Britain, now turned into little England, wants an overhaul of 60-year NATO alliance to ensure that all members of the group contribute to their collective war-effort, either by putting their soldiers on the chopping block or by coughing up money to foot the bill for the costs involved. He was very unhappy over the present situation in Afghanistan and said “Our forces are taking a disproportionate share of casualties and our taxpayers are also taking a disproportionate financial burden,” “Some countries neither want to fight nor fund.” He suggested that members such as Germany with few troops on the front line should be forced to make cash payments to the states bearing the brunt of the fighting. He did not clarify whether this facility would be available to those outside the alliance so that they could hire the British army to fight their dirty wars.

I know losing the large empire has been a great shock to the British and not being fully reconciled to the idea of little Britain, some of the British leaders want to regain the past grandeur, at least on a mini scale. Not being in a position to capture large territories, they are quite willing to make do with small military outposts in distant lands where they could fly Union Jack, and make unannounced visits to address their troops, feeling great that they are ‘controlling’ the world.

It would seem reasonable to suggest that if the British want to take up such costly hobbies, they better put up the money. Alternatively, if they cannot afford such luxuries, they better stay at home and save all their money, as well as their soldiers. It is no good trying to force others to pay for their costly and brutal misadventures.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

NA-123

Mian Nawaz Sharif has decided not to contest NA-123 by polls next month and instead nominated Pervez Malik as the MLN candidate for what is believed to be his taken-for-granted seat in Lahore. Parvez Malik has been chosen ostensibly for his being a sincere party worker who stood by the Sharifs through thick and thin. However, intriguingly his one brother Malik Qayyum, the former attorney general, was an ardent aide of president Pervez Musharraf - a sworn enemy of MNS, and his other sister – Yasmeen Rehman – is a twice elected MNA from the Pakistan People’s Party - the arch rivals of the PML-N.

Why is MNS himself not contesting the polls, everyone is looking askance. Is it some lurking fear of losing the contest? An ego problem of being in the parliament and not the leader of the house and the PM of the country? Or, most importantly the self-signed and undertake 10 year ban on taking part in politics? The last reason is strengthened further by the fact that MNS soon relinquished the PML-N command in favour of his brother and thus – legally speaking - became a non-entity within the party.

Whatever the reason it is certainly a sad scheme of affairs for our national politics where every thing just revolves around the glory and gain of a personality with no consideration for the national cause. He should have been in the assembly to play his effective role as the Leader of Opposition for ensuring good governance.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

In support of a good step

Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haque has claimed in one of his statements that thousands of schools stood closed before the formation of the PPP government.

He said his government reopened 1,400 of them while 700 schools were closed due to absence of any population in the said areas.

The opening of the 1,400 schools is a big achievement, but what about the plight and quality of instruction in the schools that are functional?

Prolonged absence of the majority of teachers, the grotesque practice by some education officers to promote absenteeism and, of course, political interference at the local level have been reasons in the way of making the educational system non-functional at 23 districts of Sindh.

I would only speak about Dadu, the home district of the education minister, as a sample case.

A large number of schools in rural areas, especially in Kachho, have remained closed while hundreds of children waste their precious time by loitering in streets.

More than half of the entire teaching staff never set their foot in their respective schools for years. The monitoring staff and leaders of teachers’ unions have provided a safety valve for the majority of the absentee teachers.

Some time back the DCO took a bold action against such elements. Within days all absentee teachers reached their respective schools and there were noticeable positive changes in the educational structure. He had formed monitoring committees and warned the bad elements in the system to either rectify their nefarious practices or face strict action.

But the DCO’s noble efforts were jeopardised presumably by vested interests. He was transferred.

Education, land and other mafias had allegedly come into full action to get rid of this sincere officer. Fortunately, the people of Dadu district made a strong public protest against his transfer and finally the DCO was brought back.

We hope that in future too the politically influential but dishonest elements would be discouraged by our elected representatives to allow the DCO to clean the mess in education and other fields.

GULSHER PANHWER,

Dadu.

Laptop warriors

The laptop warriors, who have been predicting the end of the government by harping on the mantra of clash of institutions for the last many months, must have been disappointed with the recent statements of the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan and the prime minister. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry made it clear in one of his observations that the judiciary was working for strengthening democracy in the country. Likewise, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani also made a significant statement in the National Assembly that the government would implement the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict in letter and spirit after the contentious points have been clarified. Both the highest office holders of the land representing the judiciary and the democratic government have made it clear through their utterances that there is no chance of a clash among the institutions of the state.

I believe that it is by remaining within the constitutional domain that the democratic order can be strengthened and this is exactly what has been said, much to the dismay of the laptop warriors.

SONIA ZAFAR,

Lahore.

PPP-MQM patchup

The PPP and MQM have agreed to remain in coalition. This is a good sign for democracy and also for the city of Karachi. But what about those 40 people who died in the clashes that took place in this city? Will the police catch the culprits or will it, again, forgive these political target killings?

I hope that the politics played by the law enforcement agencies will completely be wiped out so that the police can catch any culprit whether he belongs to a political party or not.

MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,

Karachi.

4-2-2010

Reasons of successive defeats

Once again our cricket team had a tough time in Australia. But we shouldn’t criticise them much for their successive defeats, because our team had always a tough time on Australian tour, whether it was under the captaincy of Waseem Akram or other great players.

Why our team is so helpless? I feel there are only three reasons. First of all, our players lack self-confidence and therefore succumb to pressure very easily.

The second reason of our failure is having three bowling coaches and no batting coach; and ironically neither our bowlers can defend a decent total nor it can bowl out Australians on low score.

The last reason is crystal clear to every fan of cricket that there has been a struggle going on among some players for getting captaincy and they include, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Yousuf and finally the ex-captain Younas Khan. I think by making many captains, we have gone back to the last decade, when we had 10 or 12 captains in the team after Imran Khan.

The patron of PCB must interfere right now, because World Cup 2011 is not far away. We don’t want to have an early exit again in the coming world cup. For the betterment of our team, the incumbent chairman of PCB should be sent home and some youngsters should be put in the one-day team from the under-19 team.

Najeebullah,

Swat.

 PCB affairs

Javed Miandad has denied the startling disclosure made by the PCB chairman that he is paid 10 million a month, saying that he gets just about half of this amount from the PCB. Wow, just about 5 million - only! Keeping that kind of money in mind one wonders what the chairman, the directors, the selectors, the managers and the coaches would be getting. What kind of money they and the players are literally playing with and to what results?

Can someone tell me, when was it last that they won a Test, even with the shameful ball tempering by Afridi? Down with the PCB and such racketeering cricket and the cricketers.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

PPP’s populist move

The Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (BESOS) is already under implementation in a number of state-owned entities. These include high profit-yielding companies like PPL, OGDC, PSO, SSGCL, etc.

Free distribution of 12 percent government shareholdings among thousands of employees of state-owned companies has generated a tremendous goodwill and favourable sentiments for the ruling party.

Financial benefits have been extended to all and sundry by the scheme. Each one has won a lottery out of the blue.

In some cases, retiring employees of a company have qualified to receive a windfall payment of close to eight million rupees under BESOS, in addition to getting the terminal benefits admissible under the rules.

Others, who are serving, have earned hefty dividends and will get the lump-sum value of their shares at the market rate, whatever it be, at the time of their respective superannuation or on quitting the job.

The payouts will, of course, depend on the length of service on a case to case basis.

The PPP government has shown a lot of ingenuity in bringing out BESOS in a manner that has enticed employees en bloc. Everyone has a stake in the cake. Eat and let others also eat is the order of the day.

The scheme is so overwhelmingly lucrative that not one employee has risen above his personal interest to even question the probity of the dicey endowment. The PPP has earned enormous political mileage at the cost of public money.

Their vote bank has increased while the public investment has shrunk.

The opposition in the National Assembly/Senate is apparently keeping silent over the unlawful distribution of government shares. They do not wish to swim against the public-pleasing tide and harm their popularity.

Expediencies have, therefore, swept away the principles of healthy opposition. Even the Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) which is the regulatory authority for such issues has turned a blind eye to the whole affair.

The scheme is also damaging in the sense that many good employees of those companies whose share value is high on the stock exchange right now are likely to take early retirement or even quit their jobs for encashing their shares in haste.

Such employees will prefer to collect the bounty and then look for a job elsewhere.

Despite all intended goodness of the scheme, it is just not understandable as to how public shareholdings can be dispensed whimsically by the prime minister and his cabinet.

Even the National Assembly/Senate has no locus standi to promulgate a law favouring such dispensation as will be seen against the spirit of the Constitution.

The initiative now rests with the Supreme Court for taking suo motu action in declaring the BESOS against national interest before it is too late and profit-making companies are milked and messed with, in meeting a political agenda.

HAROON R. SIDDIQI,

Karachi.

4-2-2010

US woing Taliban

President Obama’s new policy is paving way for national reconciliation in Afghanistan. That simply means reconciliation with Taliban. In American corridors of power nowadays discussions of involvement of Taliban in Afghan government, are taking place.

America is not working for bringing peace to the region but rather it is trapped in its own war on terror. That’s why before escaping or pretending to escape from Afghanistan America is struggling hard to accommodate Taliban in Afghanistan. Regarding war on terror regional powers had encircled America and Pakistan was so successful in eliminating Taliban from its territory that soon American plans were going to be disclosed but all of a sudden America changed its policy and announced its new Afghan policy, thus war on terror got a new face “Reconciliation”.

In this way America has saved its assets “Taliban” from elimination at the hands of Pakistan and regional players. On UN platform Russia has discarded this new American policy and that’s why it did not take part in London Conference. Question arises: if America is really sincere in peace process, why she is searching for moderate Taliban in third and fourth ranked leadership of Taliban? If she is serious in negotiations, why Mullah Omer and Central Shura of Taliban are not part of it? Because they can certainly influence all hues of Taliban.

FARMAN NAWAZ,

On email.

Karachi killings

After a long wait, we had democracy but two years down the lane, people are beginning to get disillusioned because it does not seem to have brought them any tangible benefits. Actually, their problems seem to be multiplying by the day. Obviously, many of the problems were inherited by the present government and solving them would take time, but there is a general feeling that government is not taking the situations as seriously as it should. A perception is developing, not entirely without justification, that the government is busy, almost full time, in warding off various threats to itself and on its own preservation, continuation and promotion. Sometime back, there was the attempt to destabilise PML (N) government in Punjab and now the focus seems to have shifted to the City District Government of Karachi.

At the time of Ashura bomb blast and Bolton Market arson, there did not seem to be any plan to deal effectively with the criminals who seemed to be free to do what they liked. The most unfortunate thing about it is that with the renovation of some markets and distribution of compensation cheques, the chapter seems to have been closed. The trial of the accused continues but no major lessons seem to have been learned.

We now have targeted and random killings in Karachi but again, the matter is being used by different sections for point-scoring, and coordination seems to be non-existent as ever.

Surely, we need some cool-minded and level-headed persons to look after the law and order situation of the province and specially Karachi, which happens to be the largest city, and commercial hub of the country. It is no good giving just an emotional outburst in response to every tragedy and consider that one has discharged his duty to the city, to province and to the country.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Training Afghan soldiers

Reports are that Indian military experts, under an agreement reached recently, have started imparting training to the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) and groups of Afghan forces personnel have already been sent to India for the same purpose. In the recently concluded London Conference lobbies were made to convince the world community that the Afghan forces personnel must be trained by India to which Pakistan objected.

The Karzai government’s relations with India and in return the increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan is not only the cause of concern for Pakistan but also for the international community. In his pre-Afghan strategy report, Gen McCrystal had clearly pointed to the troubles created by the expanded role of India in Afghanistan which is causing hindrance to the smooth functioning of Nato and ISAF.

My point in this regard is if Pakistan is given the role of imparting training to Afghan forces personnel, that would serve the purpose of bringing peace in the region. Because engaging Indians serves to Karzai’s anti-Pakistan stance and Indian designs against Pakistan, which has already prolonged and complicated the GWOT and in fact has resulted in the scheduled withdrawal of allied troops. The question is: if growing Indian involvement in Afghanistan is agreed upon, then there seems no ray of hope in resolving the already messed up situation. Rather it would further aggravate as Pakistan would lose in words of Gen Kayani its strategic interests which would be threatened with Indian presence.

Indian-trained Afghans cannot be expected to do any good for regional peace, rather they would prove to be Col Prohit’s like who used the Indian army and military intelligence cover to blow up Samjhota express and killed Pakistani passengers.

Secondly Indians have no role in quelling terrorism. Nor have they experience of fighting terrorism head-on. On the other hand the Pakistan military has proved its professionalism in the battlefield. Take Swat and South Waziristan operations as example. A similar spirit of Pakistan military if infused in the Afghan forces personnel can do wonders within days, weeks or months to fight the menace out of this region. It is on the world conscience whether to give India this role to further fuel this fire, or assign the task to Pakistan to clear the mess as early as possible.

Eschmall Sardar,

Peshawar.

You are not alone

Balochistan, no doubt, one of the most resourceful and rich regions of Pakistan has not seen, like the rest of the country, the advancement that it should have. In fact, it is sad to accept that we have not since independence adopted the path towards prosperity.

The entire Balochistan region, constituting roughly 40-43% of the landmass with only around 7% of the total population, is largely owned by a few feudal clans who exert complete control over the local communities. The entire province remains under colonisation of not any external force, but under the landlords themselves, who find any progress of subjects as a threat to their supremacy. Multiple attempts of various NGOs and private organisations at educating and enlightening youth have been opposed and dismissed by the noncooperation of the local leaders thus putting the population at risk.

Boasting three Arabian seaports, the mouthwatering strategic location of Balochistan increases its own vulnerability by inviting interest from the outside world. According to Robert Wirsing, a US Army think-tank, the big game revolves around pipelines. Gwadar is the absolute key as it is the centre of the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline and the US-backed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline. Also, after the 9/11 America had used airbases in Balochistan for logistical support during its invasion of Afghanistan. Russia, too, had planned to access the ‘warm waters’ of the Arabian Sea through Balochistan and is also supporting movements of ‘independent Balochistan’ and ‘independent Pakhtunistan’ to advance its geo-strategic interests.

In this backdrop it becomes inevitably essential to safeguard the sovereignty of the country first, to establish an identity as a true Pakistani only. To invest more in defence becomes unavoidable as it’s the only means to sustain and counter massive external involvements. A country at war needs courage and heroism from its youth, not self pity and egocentrism.

Lubna Umar,

Islamabad.

Violence in port city

During last few weeks over 50 people - mostly political activists of different parties - have been killed by unknown snipers and law enforcement agencies hves failed either to control the situation or to arrest the culprits.

Leaders at middle and lower levels of major political parties accuse each other and the fifth columnists watch gleefully.

The immature political outbursts of the ministers in Sindh are indirectly facilitating the enemy plans for engulfing Karachi in ethnic riots. But the good thing is the tolerant and reconciliatory policies of top leadership in the ruling alliance.

Enemies of Pakistan besides the drug, land and other mafias have, it appears, planted their agents in almost all the political parties. These elements mastermind terrorist attacks deceiving politicians who want to use them for bashing their opponents.

Land and drug mafia hide disguised behind the protection of corrupt law enforcement personnel as well as politicians.

The ministers of Government of Sindh show political immaturity when caught breaking laws of their own government, be it the case of ban on tinted glasses for motor vehicles or possession of unlicensed guns by their sons.

There also appears to be influx of terrorists in Karachi escaping from FATA as military action is in progress. In Karachi they deceive law enforcement and politicians on the basis of ethnic and religious considerations.

Stern action must be taken without consideration to political expediencies if someone is caught indulged in criminal acts and terrorism instead of stupid excuses that the policy of political reconciliation is preventing action against terrorists and criminals.

Arif N. Khan,

On email.

Peace in Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said recently that Israel must have a presence in the West Bank even after a peace agreement is achieved, dealing a fresh blow to the visiting US Middle East envoy's effort to restart peace talks.

To settle the problem of Jerusalem and bring peace to the Mid-East - at least for a little while - it will take a miracle. There'll never be true peace. In the meanwhile, there's more turmoil to come in the region, sad to say. It's by man's inhumanity to man, by lust and greed and pride, the same things that have always caused wars.

I'm afraid the poor Palestinians are going to suffer a while longer, along with many other refugees around the world.

ANUM KHAN,

Peshawar.

2-2-2010

Blair in the dock

What is going in Britain under the label of Chilcot inquiry into Iraq war is really a charade. Don’t expect any justice to the victimised Iraqis from this drama. Don’t expect the conspiracy behind the war to be exposed. All that the questions and answers have done is to show to the whole world that former British prime minister Tony Blair is living in a fantasy world of his own — one far removed from the realities of the Third World. Some of Blair’s hallucinations about British role in the present world are mind-boggling.

Blair’s testimony made it clear that even though Saddam Hussein or Iraq had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks, the Western powers thought the entire Muslim world deserved a collective punishment. That in effect was the motive behind the “war on terror”.

Blair said that he had the total security of the West in mind when he sided with Bush to pound Iraq. He had no regrets for the terrible human tragedies resulting from the overwhelming aerial bombing. To take out Saddam and his two sons, the US and UK killed over 200,000 in direct bombings. And that too after all the countries, including France and Russia that can be counted as major stakeholders in the Western world’s overall security, had given advance and persistent indication that they would not side with the US and UK in waging the war on Iraq.

In his six-hour testimony, he seems to have been influenced by the Jewish neocon strategies in the use of power and the need to secure the Western world (read Israel), while US employs its armed power to take over weak and indefensible nations with abundant oil resources. This may translate into real (as opposed to perceived) security threats to the West later.

Blair’s testimony shows the consequences of the armed attacks in the form of death and destruction for the victims of aggression was of no concern to him, the champion of “humanitarian” interventions. Any way the US, UK and Israel have reached the limits of the efficacy of their armed might that has now opened a Pandora’s box.

To the unconcealed glee of Israel and its neocon supporters in the US political establishment and media, Blair now wants a replay of the Iraqi horror in Iran. He again and again brought up Iran in his testimony.

He is oblivious of the fact that in Afghanistan, a poor Third World nation the US and NATO forces have completely destroyed, they are now suing for peace — so disdainfully rejected by Taleban. Their prime target, al-Qaeda, has now resorted to a “hide and seek” game. And no one should be surprised if they too pick up from Blair and Bush and launch their own collective punishment strategies.

Ghulam Muhammed,

India.

Blaming Uncle Sam

This is in response to Aijaz Zaka Syed’s article, “Uncle Sam on subcontinent” (Jan. 29) I don’t understand why people on the subcontinent, especially Muslims (or people with Muslim names) are so very negative about the United States. When India and Pakistan have an advantage to take on their relationships with the US, they are very quick and, may I add, very quiet about it. You don’t criticise the aid Pakistan continues to receive. You are not against India continuing to get more outsourcing business from the US either.

Please try to be more balanced, if not truthful about the United States. If Pakistanis and Indians want a better subcontinent, they should help make the lives of Afghans better rather than issue veiled threats about the Taliban.

Irfan Syed,

On email.

Clinton and Obama

I am writing with reference to the Op-Ed: ‘Loss in Massachusetts: ominous sign for Obama?’ by Dr Habib Siddiqui (January 29).

Most people are making a lot about US President Barack Obama’s losing the Senate seat vacated by the demise of Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy without ever mentioning that former president Bill Clinton also lost Congress in 1994 and yet he was re-elected in 1996 with a wider margin.

In the 1994 mid-term elections, President Clinton saw his Democrats lose both Houses of Congress in what was called the ‘Republican Revolution.’ Critics blamed that Clinton’s loss was the result of his abandoning tax-cutting centrist platform as a ‘New Democrat.’ Once in office, Clinton announced a huge tax increase and embarked on a national healthcare plan. As a result, most thought he will be another Jimmy Carter and will go down as a single-term president.

And yet, Clinton was re-elected in a landslide in 1996 and his Republican opponent Senator Bob Dole, running on a tax-cutting agenda, went down in total defeat. Clinton did raise taxes on wealthy Americans (people earning more than $250,000 a year) to stem a runaway budget deficit left behind by earlier Republican administrations. Clinton’s tax-hike on the rich, denounced by right-wing Republicans as ‘a passport to recession,’ balanced the budget, produced a surplus, lowered the long-term interest rate and triggered the longest economic boom in recent history. His successor George W Bush squandered the surplus by his staggering $1.67 trillion tax cut, producing a massive $400 billion deficit.

Like Clinton, President Barack Obama faces an enormous budget deficit left behind by Bush. But he must follow in the footsteps of Clinton and raised taxes on the wealthy to balance the budget. This will reduce the deficit and need to borrow from China. In fact, Obama is moving in that direction.

But like Clinton in 1994, Obama is facing his critics who are blinded by a temporary setback. They fail to realise that Obama is showing his steel to tame the bankers who bankrupted America’s financial institutions through their greed and incompetence. The Obama administration launched a modest regulatory reform initiative in the summer of 2009, proposing new consumer protections and some measures to strengthen financial stability. But the banks are fighting the measures at every step.

It is no surprise that the banks have tried to resist reform. The existing business model allows them to take the upside when they win and hand over the downside to taxpayers when they lose. This encourages excessive risk at the expense of consumers. Obama is showing courage to take on the bankers and their cronies in the government. But Obama administration must go further. First, capital requirements by banks should be tripled not just in the US but across G20, so that banks hold at 25 percent of assets in core capital. Second, if banks are ‘too big to fail,’ they must be divided into smaller units.

President Obama is right to get tough with the six largest banks — including JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Bank of America that now have assets worth more than 60 percent of the GDP. Such concentration of wealth in so few hands is a prescription for disaster. Obama is rightly trying to reduce their size and power.

Obama’s achievements are more real than apparent. His bailout of financial institutions saved them from total collapse. His stimulus package stopped the Great Recession from turning into the Great Depression. In foreign policy, he has improved America’s image dramatically. He has started to withdraw from Iraq. Afghanistan remains a difficult issue. But the situation is improving and Obama hopes to bring back US troops in 2011. He deserves to be congratulated for doing so much in such a short period. Clinton lost Congress in 1994 and bounced back in 1996 to win in a landslide. Obama is likely to replicate his performance in the next presidential race.

Mahmood Elahi,

Canada

Revival of DMG

Revival of the district management group with some amendments can bring about much change in good governance of the country.

However, it should be taken into consideration that parliamentarians have to play a vital role in this regard.

Parliamentarians are already elected at the grassroots level and are bound to go to the people and make policies according to their requirements. The role of the bureaucracy is to implement policies of the government. DMG officers are seasoned policy implementers and more competent and trained for this job.

The revival of DMG would mean that government policies would aim at people’s benefit, without any political tinge. This will create trust between people and lawmakers. The tussle of power that we witnessed after the devolution plan can be stopped, leading to effective delivery of the system.

UMAR MAHBOOB,

On email.

1-2-2010

Fissile matterial cut-off treaty

It is quite obvious that unable to make significant progress or rather any progress, on real issues, US President Barack Obama, with his popularity rating falling, is keen to clinch some deals which he could present as great achievements and thus regain the lost ground. Unable to solve issues like Arab-Israeli peace, where his lack of courage prevents him from taking a firm position with Israel, which is necessary to secure a deal there, he has decided to take the line of least resistance, so as not to upset the all-powerful Israeli lobbies.

Now, Obama is pressurising Pakistan not to block international talks on the production of new nuclear bomb material, since the talks can proceed only if all parties, including Pakistan, agree to it. Earlier, believing Obama’s ‘honest’ intentions for world peace, Pakistan had agreed for the talks that remained stalled for 12 years, to resume but with clearer picture of Obama emerging later, Pakistan is rightly blocking these talks because curbing future bomb-making capacity without any move on the existing stockpile, will put Pakistan at a disadvantage with India which has much larger nuclear arsenal and whom the US and other countries are offering preferential deals.

If the US is really worried about nuclear hazard, all it has to do is to make a start by cutting down on its own stockpile which is sufficient to destroy the entire world many times over. We know the US is the only country that actually used atomic bombs, dropping it on cities, on civilian population, not once but twice. It also has to institute proper safeguards for its nuclear arsenal. We had a case where a US pilot flew right across America, not knowing about the presence of nuclear material in the back of the plane. We also heard of the collision of a nuclear-armed US submarine with another one, under sea.

Even without nuclear arms, the US has been, and continues to be, a threat to world peace. It is just about the only country which seems to be so fond of wars, and has been habitually attacking countries like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, with a spillover to Pakistan where its drones are killing lot of innocent people along with some militants, involving the US in violation of international law. US fighter planes have also started bombing missions in Yemen already. Then we heard from an American General that preparations have already been made to bomb Iran.

So, if the US puts its own house in order, curbs its imperial ambitions, and stops being an international bully and mass murderer, that itself could ensure a fair degree of peace in the world. Going a step further, if it can muster a bit of courage and stands up to Israel, it could help in resolving the Arab-Israel issue which is responsible for a lot of Muslim militancy, including 9/11 and other attacks on US interests. It could also make a useful contribution to peace in the region by helping to get the Kashmir dispute resolved, which gave rise to a few wars between neighbours who are nuclear-armed now. That could definitely be preferable to what the US is doing in the region, i.e. arming and developing India as a regional bully in US efforts to encircle China and creating new conflicts in the region.

Unfortunately, Barack Obama lacks courage, foresight as well as noble intentions and to make it worse, has lot of power which he seems to be interested in using only as a destructive force.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Licences for arms

A recent report on prohibited bore arms licences included the name of MNA Ayaz Amir who is also a newspaper columnist. According to the report, Mr Amir was issued 29 such licences. Through your pages, I request Mr Amir to comment as to why he needs so many arms to protect himself.

Sher Ali Khan,

Mardan.

Israel’s terror tactics

Israel has assassinated another Palestinian leader, this time a top Hamas commander. This took place in Dubai.

Israel’s secret service agency Mossad is notorious for killing Palestinian leaders anywhere in the world. In 1977 Israel tracked down and killed Wadia Haddad, an operative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in Baghdad. Haddad was a suspect in the takeover of an Air France airplane in Entebbe, Uganda in 1976. Haddad was hiding in the Iraqi capital after Israel began killing Palestinians around the world, knowing that he could be shot or bombed as he walked the street or picked up a phone. Haddad was cautious of his every move, avoiding travel outside Iraq, but he had a weakness — chocolates. Aaron Klein in his book “Striking Back” describes how sophisticated Israel was at poisoning Haddad. Through a Palestinian working with Mossad who had gotten close to Haddad, the agency was able to feed Haddad chocolates brought from Belgium and spread with poison over six months.

Haddad died in March 1978 showing only symptoms of leukemia but no signs of poisoning. In 1997 Israeli agents in Jordan injected Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal with a poison that would have killed him in 24 hours, but the plot was discovered and Jordan forced Israel to provide an antidote quickly enough to save Meshaal.

Israel will continue to kill anybody it considers an enemy and will get away with it so long as it has the support of the world community (read the US).

MohammAd Abdul Waheed,

On email.

31-1-2010

IHK: Indian duplicity

After three years, the directionless and disappointing report of Working Group has been submitted to the Chief Minister Omer Abdullah on 23rd December 2009. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh constituted this multi-represented Working Group (WG) in May 2006, on Centre-State relations. Previously Pakistan has made some successful diplomatic efforts regarding this.

This Working Group presented some recommendations which are absolutely directionless. The salient features of those recommendations are as follows:

— Future of Article 370 will be decided by the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

— National Conference demand for 'Autonomy' can be examined in the light of the 'Kashmir Accord'.

— Demand of Self Rule by People's Democratic Party can be considered when the document is placed on record by the PDP.

— Representation/Reservation for Scheduled Tribe and Women in the Assembly should be on the basis of 'the national pattern' subject to political consensus!

— No increase in number of Assembly seats and no De-limitation Commission.

— Armed Forces Special Powers Act be reviewed.

— Under representation of Jammu in Legislative Assembly to continue.

— Union Territory Status for Ladakh not recommended, will compromise unity and integrity of State of Jammu & Kashmir be compromised.

— Dy. Chief Minister and Ministers from Ladakh - no specific recommendation made.

Working Group recommendation that abrogation or continuance of Article 370 should be left to the people of state seems to be the part of the long term plan to change the demography in Kashmir by increasing Hindu population. Besides Working Group recommendation for the continuity of the power of the Governor for dismissal of the popular government constitutes a serious threat to the image of those political leaders who are vocal in demanding autonomy and loosening control of centre on Kashmir. The helplessness of political leaders is evident from the fact that the main opposition party People's Democratic Party's (PDP) demand of Self Rule was not even considered during Working Group proceedings as they said there is no document is placed on record by the PDP.

The uselessness of this report is evident from the fact that only National Conference has welcomed it. Panun Kashmir has rejected all recommendations of political nature and PDP has given guarded response. The most important thing is that even members of the Working Group stands divided.

The prevailing situation seems to provide continuity in depriving Kashmiris of their universally accepted rights as India is not interested to free Kashmiris from its occupation. India claims to be the biggest democracy of the world and propagates to be the champion of Human rights but the ground realities are totally different. Other than Kashmir, there are number of separatist movements inside India which shows the actual human rights situation in the so called Shining India. Actually none's human rights are protected there except high caste Hindus. As a matter of fact, people understand the Indian duplicity on democracy and human rights while dealing with Kashmir.

Shehla Zafar,

On email.

Chinese bases in Pakistan

As reported in The Statesman (January 30) China has signalled it wants to go the US way and set up military bases in overseas locations that would possibly include Pakistan. The obvious purpose would be to exert pressure on India as well as counter US influence in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

According to the report, a Pakistani expert on China-Pakistan relationship has a different view on the subject “The Americans had a base in the past and it caused a political stink. I don’t think it would be politically possible for the Pakistani government to openly allow China to set up a military base,” he said, while requesting anonymity. Pakistan might allow use of its military facilities without publicly announcing it, he said.

I think the expert probably formed this opinion because he did not compare like with like. Everybody knows that our experience with China is not the same as with the US. The US had only a transactional relationship with us, in the past as well as now and it always left us in the lurch in times of need. Our largest association with the US came about at the time of Russian invasion of Afghanistan which gave us three million Afghan refugees, drugs and militancy, from which we never recovered, plus sanctions against us later.

It is said that the Russians were lured in to Afghanistan by the US in order to avenge the humiliations suffered by it in Vietnam. As a bait, CIA started some suspicious activities in Afghanistan to create an impression that the Americans want to establish bases there, and the USSR troops just barged in. It is also said that the Russians had no intention to over-run Pakistan to gain access to warm waters and this was just a ploy to drag Pakistan into the war, which we fought for the Americans. We also know Americans’ cousins, the British, who messed up our region for nearly two centuries and even when forced to depart, demonstrated their animosity with Muslims by handing over to India the Muslim-majority areas with access to Kashmir, thus creating the Kashmir problem which has remained a permanent bone of contention between the two neighbours, much to their amusement. The British are part and parcel of the American contingent.

As compared to this, our relations with the Chinese have always been excellent with no rift ever, and they have been most helpful to us all along. Moreover, they also have an interest in the region and being our friendly neighbours, are our natural allies.

America regards China as a challenge and a threat and is sort of encircling China, by increasing its influence and presence in the surrounding area. The US is wooing Russia and has just announced $6.7 billion arms sales to Taiwan. US is also helping India in nuclear and other fields. Moreover, Israel’s influence in India is also on the rise and Israel has declared Pakistan to be an even greater threat than Iran. So this US-India-Israel nexus and the hunting dogs of Europe which are available to them ‘at call and at short notice,’ do pose an existential threat to Pakistan which would be very difficult for Pakistan to counter alone, especially when we have too many internal problems as well.

In these circumstances and with such a perfect convergence of interests when China and Pakistan could both be helpful to each other, it is only natural that Pakistan should speed up cooperation and collaboration with China, and should facilitate setting up Chinese military bases in Pakistan which could extend a vital life-line to us at a time when we are facing multiple threats. Once they have a substantial presence here, they could also help us in industrial, commercial and agricultural sectors and enable us to exploit our mineral resources to the full.

No doubt some of our dollar-loving, dollar-aligned and dollar-assisted leaders would try to block such an arrangement as it would upset their masters but others who hold Pakistan dearest to their heart should make sure that this matter is pursued and concluded quickly.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Col. Ikram’s death

It was a most unfortunate and tragic incident to happen. The late Colonel’s brother sobbing with tears on the TV accused the Chief Secretary that had he stopped and taken his brother to a hospital probably he would have not died. Not many may give a thought as to why did the Secretary not stop. Was he that callous that he saw a man being hit and yet sped away? Was he a ‘hit & run’ type of juvenile car user? Was there some bigger emergency for him to attend to? None of these, Sir, it was simply due to the mindset of a typical naukri baz officer who behaves like a lion before the public and acts like the most meek and humble lamb before his superiors. And, the prime minister is one hell of lot superior officer. Who cares if an ordinary man on the road is killed?, the mighty must show up his humble presence to the mightier come what may. The curse of this kind of sycophancy has crept into the services also.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

Post-NATO defeat

The disastrous failure of the invasion in Afghanistan that has united the country to stand against the invading forces is getting more and more evident. 41 NATO soldiers died (not including the tens of seriously wounded) compared to 25 in the last year, in the month of January. With a spiralling down US economy, which is getting worse each day, and where the unemployment rate is above 10%, and where banks are being made to stand by borrowing trillions of dollars, the US adventures continue, which is leading to the demise of the empire sooner than we all expected — the writings are on the wall — the invasion has failed and the defeat is looming. It’s a matter of time when they would find an excuse to run out of the country. Pakistan should now be planning full blast to take control of the region post-NATO defeat!

SALEH,

On email.

30-1-2010

Is it a media trial?

According to the federal minister for information the cause of discouraging foreign investment in the country is media. This convoluted logic was expressed by him while addressing a press conference along with minister of railways.

The minister complained that government believed in freedom of media but it is the media which taking advantage of liberty is inflicting immense losses to the state with incessant media-trials of government departments.

As an illustration he quoted criticism on hiring of rental power projects and losses in the railways ministry. It appears that either minister is showing one side of the picture deliberately or oblivious of the unfair dealings in these sectors. In the case of rental power projects transaction was not found transparent. Besides it was uncontroversial that had the dues of IPPs discharged timely their present power generation capacity was enough to cater for the requirements of country.

The minister while condemning the print and electronic media has perhaps failed to appreciate that it is the fundamental role of media to have vigilant eye on the public functionaries and keep the nation posted if any misdemeanour is committed by them. In my opinion this is not a ‘media-trial’ but a positive criticism that ensure that public funds are not squandered by the state functionaries.

In the case of railways, less said is better. The minister has admitted himself that railway requires 100 locomotives whereas 80 sick locomotives can be brought to function with investment of Rs400 million. These sick locomotives were purchased by previous minister Javed Ashraf few years back from China through a shady deal. These locomotives went inoperative within a short span of two years. Why the present government is not approaching Chinese company, which according to terms of agreement is bound to make them serviceable and why they are insisting to purchase new ones?

The media being fourth pillar of state is only fulfilling its professional commitment by criticising the blatant corruption committed in the state owned organisations. For instance in the case of Pakistan Steel Mills Ltd alone media has uncovered loss to the giant state-owned organisation to the tune of Rs30 billion. Sadly these are the very non-professional favourites appointed by the government who within a short span of one year have caused such a colossal loss to the profit-making body that in order to bail it out government had to inject a huge subsidy of Rs10 billion.

If the foreign investment is not coming, it is not because of so-called “media trial” but it is on account of the shenanigans of government functionaries, who are rightly being exposed by the print as well electronic media. Moreover another significant factor which is responsible for discouraging foreign investment and that needs to be improved is the law and order. The fragile law and order mainly consequence of war on terror has forced the foreign companies and donor agencies to hold even their regular meetings with FBR and other federal financial institutions in Dubai.

The people are pushed to the wall by hyper inflation, shortages of basic consumer goods which have eroded their capacity of even middle class to have a respectable living. Moreover the worst power outages and intractable law and order have made their lives extremely miserable.

Thus if the government concentrates more on good governance by transforming the working of their departments transparent and public service oriented and also bring the law and order situation under control, concluding war on terror expeditiously and successfully there is need not to panic the criticism of media.

S. S. Shah,

Canada.

ANP stance & Malik’s pledge

We remember when the USSR had invaded Afghanistan, in the late Eighties the ANP’s stance was that the Russians had been invited by the lawful Afghan government of the time. Since then the game started with horrendous consequences and is still going on with little signs of coming to an end.

The same rhetoric was repeated by one responsible ANP stalwart Mr. Bashir Ahmad Bilour as reported in the electronic media on the evening of 22 January, 2010. The senior minister was reported as saying, “All the foreign agencies are working in Pakistan with our permission.” Can Mr. Bilour be asked whether the Black Water performing the specific activities in Pakistan are also operating with their permission as they are running the coalition governments both in the Centre and in the province?

It has now been proved beyond all doubts that the Black Water is actively working in Pakistan as confirmed by a very responsible American official. In this respect it is pertinent to note that Interior Minister Rehman Malik, on people’s voice against the notorious agency’s presence in Pakistan, had a few weeks back promised that he will resign if Black Water’s presence was proved. Now when Mr. Malik is going to fulfil his promise made so unequivocally? Also, one is greatly surprised at the level of the information the minister had about the Black Water by the time he was making the said statement. Is he a right man on a right job?

Muhammad Faheem,

Timergara.

Unbridled hike in power rates

The disclosure that the electricity consumers are being fleeced around 35 percent more than what they were paying before the latest increase in power tariff by six percent is revealing. For the people who are already under pressure of sky-high prices of essential goods, this uninformed swell which cumulatively increased their power bills to almost 50 percent above the pre-January paid bills is simply killing. Could authorities be so cruel that they did not even find it appropriate to let people know the rationale behind such a huge rise in the power bill? On the one hand, the affluent sections of society such as stock brokers, estate dealers and mega cartels like sugar, cement, oil companies and textiles evade taxes and, on the other hand, the burden is shifted on the consumers through sales tax/GST and withholding tax.

The government is, in fact, increasing prices of power to achieve its budgetary targets. I should remind those sitting in Islamabad of what Greek philosopher Aristotle said long ago: ‘Poverty is the mother of all crimes’. If prices continued to increase, crime will inevitably increase. The president and the prime minister should work sincerely on improving the worsening economic conditions of the country. We may slide into abject poverty if the situation is not improved. If the escalation was inevitable because of increase in world oil prices, the government then should have withdrawn 22 percent, which it is recovering as federal tax.

Salim Ahmed Qazi,

Old Hala.

Imran Khan and Taliban

Whether one likes it or not, the fact remains that Imran Khan is one of the most popular politicians in Pakistan today. His party, Tehrik-e-Insaf has large following in the 124 districts of the country and seven tribal areas. He has a large number of party workers and supporters in Karachi.

What is more, Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) is the only mass political party in Pakistan that came into existence and grew without the support or approval of the military or political establishment.

Recently Imran Khan established a cancer diagnostic centre in Karachi in addition to the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital in Lahore where thousands of poor and marginalised people are getting treatment. Can your readers name any politician from Pakistan who established a primary school or a small basic health unit? Is there any politician who is free from corruption, embezzlement and kickbacks except Imran Khan?

Imran Khan’s call for dialogue with Taliban is always misinterpreted. He wants talks with those Taliban leaders who have political demands. If such an offer of dialogue is coming from America to the Afghan Taliban, it is welcomed everywhere but when the same offer is made by Imran Khan, he is considered a Taliban supporter which is totally wrong.

If America seeks dialogue with Taliban why can’t Imran Khan do the same thing to bring peace to our country?

Abdullah Rahman,

On email.

Musical chairs

The prime minister used the metaphor of musical chairs for the power the other day on the floor of the house. Waving his hand from left to right he said that tomorrow the opposition could sit on the right and his party on the left in this house. Elaborating upon it further he said that he and his party were willing to shed and share power with the elected politicians but not with anyone else. What did he exactly imply by saying ‘anyone else’? In the wake of present state of near conflict and muscle wrenching between certain organs of the state the answer shouldn’t be too difficult to guess. One earnestly prays to Allah (SWT) that democracy is not derailed but, if the things do not improve and the army is ordered by the judiciary to take over or install a Bangladesh-style government, then would it be imploring or begging the government for shedding and sharing the power? The only way not to let it happen is the good governance and Oh ye men in power, for God’s sake, mend your ways and serve the people with good governance. No one would dare cast an evil eye on democracy in Pakistan, Insha Allah.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),

Rawalpindi.

29-1-2010

Indian army land scam

Recently Indian media (both electronic and print) has been full of stories about Sukna land scam where due to alleged conspiracy to aid the transfer of 71 acres of tea estate adjacent to Sukna military station (to a businessman, a real estate developer) action was taken by chief of Army staff General Kapoor against four Generals. General Kapoor initiated disciplinary action (court martial) against Lt General Rath whereas administrative action against Lt. Gen. Prakash, Lt. Gen. Halgali and Maj. Gen. Sen.

But media has been crying foul and saying that disciplinary action should have been taken by Gen Kapoor against Lt Gen Prakash also and Gen Kapoor is ‘soft on his aide Lt Gen Prakash’ by ordering merely an administrative action against Lt Gen Prakash.

Now on January 27 Defence Minister Antony, as per media, is reported to have directed Gen Kapoor to initiate disciplinary action against Lt Gen Prakash after which number of retired officers of armed forces (Generals, Admirals etc.) have appeared in media and have raised many following important points and also the demands of basic tenets of jurisprudence and which have serious and profound implications:

1) Gen Kapoor in his wisdom ordered disciplinary action against one and administrative action against three Generals.

2) Is there any reason to believe - that Gen Kapoor acted in a partisan manner - without going through the reasons which Gen Kapoor might have noted down on the case files (a) for rewarding punishment to these four Generals and (b) for giving different punishment to different Generals?

3) Has Minister Antony gone through these reasons given by Gen Kapoor on case files or asked Gen Kapoor these reasons for awarding punishments and different punishments to these accused four Generals?

4) Has Minister Antony noted down on file his observations and reasons for believing that Gen Kapoor was soft on Lt Gen Prakash hence instead of administrative action the disciplinary action should be initiated by Gen Kapoor against Lt Gen Prakash?

5) These ascertainments are necessary because (a) otherwise it will be construed that Minister Antony merely played to the gallery, especially to media and (b) it is not merely a matter of civilian supremacy (as was in the case of Admiral Bhagwat as has been lamented by retired Generals and Admirals on media) but an extremely serious matter which has a potential of gravely demoralising and disturbing the 1.3 million highly disciplined and professional military, the premier bedrock of Indian State.

Therefore the people of India should mobilise the President of India (the Supreme Commander of all the Armed Forces and the Head of Indian State) in order to ask the Prime Minister of India to furnish all the relevant files of the offices of Defence Minister Antony and Gen Kapoor for ascertaining whether Gen Kapoor was really soft on Lt Gen Prakash and:

i) If yes then Gen Kapoor be made to initiate disciplinary action against Lt Gen Prakash and

ii) If no then Minister Antony be made to withdraw his directions to Gen Kapoor for initiating disciplinary action against Lt Gen Prakash.

Hem Raj Jain,

India.

Coalition Support Fund

As reported in The Statesman (January 27) Pakistan has been facing problems getting reimbursement of the expenditure already incurred by it under the Coalition Support Fund programme and the amount has accumulated to a figure of $2 billion, with no sign of immediate payment despite many reminders. American Embassy spokesman Richard Snelshire ascribes it all to non-cooperation from Pakistani government which is withholding visas for the US auditors who were due here for scrutinising the list of expenditure and the receipts, before payment.

It appears to be a lame excuse because at least part of the claim goes back a long time and should have been audited much earlier. Also, in case of continuing contractual services, it is quite common to make interim payments on account, which are adjusted later after the claim has been vouched, verified and finalised. The Americans could have adopted this procedure to ease Pakistan’s difficulties but they choose not to, and that proves beyond doubt what good friends they are. Basically, they are trying to blackmail Pakistan and to force it to yield to their never-ending, unreasonable demands, including visas for bringing in hundreds of saboteurs here who could help destabilise Pakistan, Iraq style.

This is despite American appreciation of Pakistan’s services and sacrifices in the war against terror and its pivotal role, and their expressed desire to enter into long-term partnership with it. They are quite generous and never tire of offering all help to us but consider themselves under no obligation to meet their commitments.

Quite recently, our Turkish brothers, who have been most helpful all along, supplied us helicopter spare parts for free and car-scanners recently installed in Islamabad came from our trustworthy friends and brothers, the Chinese while the Americans, with great difficulty, managed to give us a few old helicopters and some night-vision equipment.

Of late, our government is firming up its stand against unreasonable, excessive demands from, and illegal activities by, the Americans. That is the right approach. Please keep it up.

S.R.H. Hashmi,

Karachi.

Learn from Sonia Gandhi

I strongly condemn non-implementation of SC verdict on NRO as apex court in its decision has adjudged NRO as null and void and the government has still not accepted the decision in a true manner.

We the Pakistani nation request the government not to back corrupt ministers and accept the decision from heart in order to highlight soft image of Pakistan in the entire world. Backing corrupt people is not in favour of Pakistan as such case will lead to confrontation among institutions which will deprive Pakistan of stability. We have not need for corrupt politicians at the cost of destability of Pakistan.

I appeal to the verdict-affected ministers to remember Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister of India, and learn a lesson from her by resigning from premiership.

M TARIQ SWATI MANGLOR,

Swat.

US health insurance

If Barack is forcing the Americans to debate their own society that is a good thing. The Americans without healthcare, or health, have waited for Barack for a very long time. Health insurance is an evil that Americans need to get to grips with — it only works for people with money. If it is civilised to turn one’s face away from those in need then the Americans have got it wrong. The credit crunch made lots of rich folk poor. Did it change their minds about reform? Grow up America and get a heart.

Zubair,

On email.

Dismal cricket performance

While responding to a question by a reporter, Sindh’s Sports Minister Dr Mohammad Ali Shah said that had Bob Woolmer been alive today, he would have died out of shame on seeing the defeat in Sydney.

I was astonished at the response. First, he is, perhaps, ignoring the sad possibility that Bob had died due to exactly the same reason a couple of years back when Pakistan surrendered to Ireland in a crucial World Cup cricket match.

But then he might also be implying that it is shameful of us (Pakistanis) to go about our daily lives after the Sydney debacle.

Indeed, the respectable thing would have been a natural death from utter shame or mass suicide in case nature chose not to intervene.

Perhaps, Dr Shah may also be hinting that Bob being of weak nature could have been affected by the performance our cricket team had put up in Sydney.

The brave Pakistani nation, however, could only be put down by a dismal performance.

SHAHID SIDDIQI,

Lahore.

Karachi airport

I frequently travel abroad from Karachi International Airport. During 26 years long years I found constant increase in airport taxes under one label or the other; presently highest forming about 40% of the fare. During all these 26 years I have never seen except for one disposable glass at water coolers in international departure lounges.

Javed,

Karachi.

28-1-2010

Mass murderers hanged, some but not others

As reported in the press, Saddam Husain’s cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid has been executed for his crimes, including gassing an estimated 5,000 Kurds. Saddam Hussain was hanged much earlier. So these two criminals have met the fate they deserved and no right-thinking person would shed many tears for them. Still, one has got to remember that Saddam ran the country in a far better manner than his successors. Saddam’s wrath was directed at individuals, groups and territories that he considered a threat to his rule, but the majority of the population in most areas of the country enjoyed a fair degree of peace.

However, it is surprising that other mass murderers, George Bush and Tony Blair escaped punishment despite invading Iraq, brutally, recklessly and on fabricated charges, dismantling its government without putting anything in its place, thus creating a big vacuum as a result of which the whole country got destabilised and millions of innocent Iraqis lost life, limb, home and hearth.

At present, there is an inquiry going on in Britain against Tony Blair, which will hopefully lead to criminal prosecution for which demand is rising among the British people who earlier chased him out of office. However, there is not even a hint of any action against George Bush in the USA, a country of violent, cow-body origins, which sees no need to change its behaviour pattern even after centuries and feels free to attack countries, not bothered in the least about what these invasions do to innocent people.