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30-7-2010
Afghanistan
does it yet again
Afghanistan's persistent
hostility towards Pakistan is well-established. Only last year,
Hamid Karzai had more than once threatened to attack Pakistan on
one pretext or other. Now, Afghanistan has done it again. Kabul
has asked the West to review their Pakistan policy after leaked
Pentagon documents pointed to "Pakistan's double dealing in the
Afghan War".
Afghan war related hundreds of
secret documents have been revealed on some website couple of
days back and Kabul has not wasted the opportunity to point
accusing finger towards
Pakistan yet again. It is a
matter of record that Kabul has been constantly accusing
Pakistan's intelligence agencies of supporting Taliban
insurgency. Islamabad has been denying these baseless and
unfounded accusations but somehow Kabul insists on maintaining a
hostile attitude towards Pakistan which itself is a victim of
terrorism for some years and paying heavy price for being a
front line member of US-led international coalition's war on
terror.
Kabul's uncalled-for accusation
has fallen on the ground all flat. Top most US military official
none other than Admiral Mike Mullen has denied, according to
reports in the media, that information in the leaked documents
in any way questioned US strategy or relations with Pakistan.
It is a matter of coincidence
that US's Afghan War secret documents have been leaked out on some website
within a matter of days of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's
visit to Islamabad and
bluntly refusing to enter into a New Delhi-Washington like civil
nuclear technology deal with Islamabad as well. The bunt refusal
was prompted by India's pressure on the USA.
In fact, US has lost the war in
Afghanistan and is now finding a way out. Could not the Afghan
War strategy documents be leaked out on the website by
Afghanistan or USA purposefully? After all, the 9/11 terrorist
attacks on New York and Washington and demolishing of the World
Trade Centre were also enacted to pave Washington's way to
invade and conquer Iraq and Afghanistan and cast dirty evil eyes
on Iran.
As for Kabul is concerned, it is
only speaking as spokesman of the USA and should be dismissed
summarily as nothing deserving some serious consideration, at
all. If USA is not a friend of Pakistan despite all the tall
claims, then how its installed puppet regime in Kabul be
friendly towards its neighbouring Muslim country?
Zahid Kalim,
On email.
Railway double
track
The Government of Pakistan is
requested to take effective measures for undertaking the
construction of railway double track from Peshawar to Karachi so
that goods train can run around the clock from Karachi to
Peshawar without any stoppage on various junctions.
This measure will shift the
goods transit load from trucks and trailers from GT Road to the
railway track. As result of this the railway will start earning
profit instead of running in loss, and the Government of
Pakistan will save billions of dollars per year presently being
spent on the import of trucks, spare parts and oil besides on
repair of GT Road getting damaged due to heavy traffic load
costing millions of rupees annually.
Similarly the passengers
travelling from Karachi to Peshawar will be able to travel in
fast-moving trains without wasting time on various junctions, as
a result of which travelling time will be considerably reduced
and people will prefer travelling on railway passenger trains,
being safe and comfortable, as compared to travelling on the GT
Road where travelling is risky.
This is unfortunate that during
last sixty years the Pakistan Railway has not contributed
towards the development of the country and is running in loss,
despite the fact the trains are running full and it is hard to
find tickets for travelling, as such it is imperative that some
effective system should be evolved so that passengers are not
allowed to travel without ticket and the revenue earned by the
railway is received by the public exchequer.
This is irony of fate Indian
Railway is making profit whereas Pakistan Railway is running in
loss. It is therefore imperative Pakistan Railway instead of
reducing the number of passenger trains the railway track should
be doubled as early as possible for shifting goods load from GT
Road to railway track. This measure will reduce more than 40%
problems of Pakistan by providing safe,
comfortable, fast and economical railway to the poor masses of
Pakistan.
Engr Mian Akhtar Shafi,
Peshawar.
Balochistan –
What next?
The significant figure, Habib
Jalib, was assassinated weeks ago in Balochistan and the blame
is being put on the security agencies as he was vocal against
the disappearances. He was a noncontroversial person who wanted
to fight for the rights of the people and their just place in
the politico-economic environment of the country. The role of
army is largely positive because it is making all-out efforts to
improve education level of the youth in Balochistan, but the
murder of Habib Jalib has given a big blow to it.
The Baloch are only 3.57% of
Pakistan’s total population; in that case there is political and
economic discrimination with this province. The Baloch people’s
grievances are not new. The Baloch nationalist movements demand
from the centre greater cultural, economic and political rights,
autonomy and independent state of Balochistan.
The wave of anti-Punjabi
operations started by Baloch armed groups has taken the lives of
many Punjabi teachers and professors of Baluchistan
University, but they did not touch the religious figures.
Traditionally arms keeping is a
sign of prestige and strength, and the culture of feudalism and
sardari system are working in the tribal society. The people
want development, progress, peace and prosperity in the province
but a few elements are working against it.
What we need the most is to
eliminate once and for all the menace of feudalism and sardari
system for the progress of the province.
Attiqa Ahmed,
Rawalpindi.
Media ethics!
28 of July 2010 was a dark day
for Pakistan. Not just because it was mostly cloudy, but for
hundreds of lives lost in the plane crash, and tens of others in
rains and floods. We thank our electronic media, especially the
private (commercial) channels for keeping the nation updated
round the clock. And we must also thank these TV channels for
trying keeping the moods of the nation entertained through the
ads. A piece of sorrow news gets frequently interrupted with
music and female models. And we also must thank the staff and
camera men of these channels for broadcasting close-ups of
bereaved faces that are in tears and wailing. How uncomfortable
those poor people would feel when our media professionals are
doing what they think is an ethical job?
These are our media’s repulsive
practices that we have accepted as ethical. But are they
ethical?
Marghuz Khan,
Peshawar
New Abu Ghraib
This refers to leaks of more
than 90,000 classified US military reports on the war in
Afghanistan. WikiLeaks have branded these reports as “The Afghan
war diary 2004-2010.”
The scale of leakage might have
shocked the world community; however, the cruelty of war, scale
of widespread destruction and corruption, and American soldiers’
disregard of local population as human beings may not be that
shocking for most of us. There is nothing much to reveal when it
comes to occupation of a country by another, especially when the
occupier is a superpower, whether it’s Americans in Afghanistan
and Iraq or Soviet Union in Afghanistan of 1980s. That’s why the
US National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones has called the
leakage of reports “irresponsible,” — that means the reports are
believed to be correct but not supposed to be available to the
general public.
The documents reveal hundreds of
incidents in which coalition forces killed or injured civilians
while most of the incidents went unreported. Reports include
shooting of buses and vehicles that fail to slow down instantly,
shooting of motorcyclists and pedestrians who fail to comply
with the foreign soldiers instructions.
Reports may become the “Abu
Ghraib” of Afghanistan but only for those
who ever learned anything from Abu Ghraib. I am afraid there is
no one interested to learn anything from history.
Reports also refer to alleged
links between Pakistan’s ISI and Taliban. Such allegations are
rampant but could be linked to the enmity of Afghan intelligence
services for the ISI. In parallel someone may need to dig the
reports to find out more on the US and NATO’s links with Taliban
— ignoring poppy cultivation, paying money to warlords to secure
highways for convoys’ movement, colluding with the Taliban at
the local level to avoid any bloodshed during the deputation
period. We are hearing condemning voices from the US and its
allies including Pakistan. I believe these documents will help
the American public to make up their minds about the Afghan war.
And that should be the true purpose behind the leaks. Therefore,
such leaks should be praised not condemned.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
29-7-2010
Save Mir Masoom Library
There could be no more terribly
shattering news for the people of Sukkur in particular and
entire province of Sindh in general then the one that Mir Masoom
Shah Library has been sold to some covetous builder, to erect a
monstrous multistoreyed concrete structure for commercial
purpose despite constant agitation by the civil society.
The well stocked library with a
reading room having historical significance was established
decades ago in the memory of celebrated Mir Massom Shah Bakhri,
who ruled Bukkhar (upper Sindh) as a Mughal Governor.
At present this is the only
facility available in Sukkur which also caters for the needs of
Rohri, its twin city, where not only students come frequently
and use reference books, preparing for exams but also thronged
by regular readers of newspapers and magazines etc.
There is no denying the fact
that reading habits have gradually vanished not only from Sindh
but from the whole Pakistani culture. Before 1970s, major
factors that contributed a lot towards developing reading
culture was privately owned small libraries and roadside
bookshops in every mohalla of big as well as small towns, which
offered books and magazines on daily rent at a paltry sum of one
anna per book. The reading rooms, another very important
cost-free venue available to the common man maintained by the
local bodies/municipalities mostly in the community halls almost
in every town not long ago have also been closed, adding more to
non-reading habits.
Another setback to reading
habits was closure of ‘Pakistan National Centre’ (PNC)
established in sixties in almost all divisional headquarters.
These PNCs were not only providing the public with the
facilities of good libraries stocked with the latest
publications and reading rooms, where local as well as national
dailies and magazines were available, but also had extended
services for cultural and educational activities. On July 15th
1994, these centres of educational and cultural activities were
officially closed as ‘commercially not viable’
Now the only reading facilities
available for people are few public sector libraries like the
one ‘Mir Massom Library’ at Sukkur, which if closed as
apprehended by the civil society, will be catastrophic loss to
the people of Sukkar and its surrounding areas.
I beseech the Chief Minster and
Education Minister Sindh, that if they are really interested in
the well-being of people of Sindh, they should immediately take
note of this highhandedness and direct the district
administration to ensure that Mir Masoom Library, an important
educational institute of historical significance, vital for
healthy educational activities of Sukkar is preserved under all
circumstances.
Qazi Bashir Ahmed,
Old Hala.
Hats off to Mian Iftikhar
Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa’s information minister deserves our all praise for
he has valorously confronted the menace of terrorism and
remained steadfast to this national cause. I salute him for his
courage. He has openly spoken against the militants. He is the
fiercest and strongest critic of militants and terrorism.
Throughout, we have seen him instantly arriving at the scene of
terrorism, reaching out to the victims in hospitals and to their
families, assuaging their concerns, and announcing government
support for them. He has always been sympathetic.
He is no different from us for
he also has borne heart-crushing sorrow at the hands of
militants. He has sacrificed his only son for the cause of
nation and he has valorously put own life at risk despite being
aware of the severe implications. Despite the assassination of
his son at the hands of militants and later the death of some
relatives in a suicide blast outside his residence, he is in
high spirits. He has renewed his vigour of purging the province
of the peril of terrorism. He has boldly refused to succumb to
this invaluable loss and continues to stand against the
merciless terrorists. He indeed is a man of rock solid
convictions. We have seen him gallantly raising his head for
eradicating this menace of terrorism. This is what sets him
apart from other government officials.
Badar ul Islam,
On email.
Entry test
Students are not given any due
importance in our country. The arrangements and the security
procedures at the venue of the recently held Medical College
Admission Test were extremely poor. The concerned board is not
doing its job right. Instead of forcing the students to take the
tests again and again, the system should be made fair and just.
Normally, the entry test is held in September. However, the
announcement of the change in date was only made a month before
the examination was to be held (July 20). How can one expect
students to prepare two years’ worth of study in a single month?
Many students had protested against the decision and approached
the judiciary as well, but to no avail. Thousands vie for 3,200
medical seats in the country. I appeal to the concerned
authorities to streamline the system and address the complaints
of the students.
HIBA KHALID,
Lahore.
Pakistan’s victory
The Test match series between
Pakistan and Australia in England provided best entertainment to
cricket lovers.
After defeating Australia 2-0 in
T20 under “Boom Boom” Afridi, Pakistan certainly felt
confident that they could beat Australia, the best team in the
world, again. Congratulations to Pakistan on winning the second
Test against Australia.
Pakistan started the first Test
well, but could not stop Australian tailenders from scoring
freely and consequently lost the game through the margin created
by tailenders. Otherwise Pakistan’s performance was not bad at
all even in the first Test. In a way it was a match between
giants and babies. Australia was captained by Ricky Ponting, the
world leader of cricket, while
Pakistan was led by Salman Butt,
a first-time Test captain and that too away from home. Yet
Pakistan’s new hero, fast bowling sensation, Aamir was able to
produce the goods against Ricky Ponting’s side every time when
required by his team. Key umpiring decisions also showed as if
Pakistan was playing against 13 players, not 11.
May I also request the
International Cricket Council and Asian Cricket Council to
promote cricket in the Gulf region. Nobody can understand why
these cricket bodies are not utilising excellent facilities in
Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi to have regular cricket matches
between Test and One-Day playing nations. There are millions of
cricket fans in the region that always provided capacity crowds
at these venues. Why these two bodies have become hostage to one
country in the region who likes to dictate its terms to
everyone?
Keep it up “Boom Boom Pakistan”;
there is bright future ahead of you.
PARVEZ FAQIR ZADA,
On email.
27-7-2010
Is the President a graduate?
When it comes to his academic
qualifications first New York Times and then Dawn a leading
English daily reported on 21st March 2008, British officials
responsible for maintaining record of all educational
institutions in the country have failed to find any trace of the
institution (London School of Economics and Business) in London
from where Asif Ali Zardari is claimed to have received his
graduation or equivalent qualification in 1976.
In a written response PPP
spokesman Farhatullah Babar said: “Mr Zardari studied business
and economics in a school in London now called (the) London
School of Economics and Business.” In a written response to
questions about London School of Economics and Business, an
Edubase official said: “In order to ascertain whether or not an
institution exists, I conduct a search on three registers,
Edubase, The Register of Education and Training Providers and
the UK Register of Learning Providers. I have been unable to
find evidence of this institution.”
So where and what is he
graduated in? It is not an issue if he has graduated or not but
why is he unable to prove the existence of institution he
claimed to have been attending?
Dr Hameed Khan,
New York.
Extension in Kayani’s tenure
On July 22 Prime Minister
Gillani announced a three-year extension in the tenure of Chief
of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani who was going to retire
on November 29. The opposition camp has opened a tirade but the
decision is being largely justified as the result of effective
counterterrorism operations and his incontestable achievements
in war against terror in Swat, South Waziristan and other areas
of FATA.
No doubt Gen Kayani has an image
of anticipation and professionalism and is an undeniable leader
of Pakistan military who proved his commitments to the duty with
his feats. He is the man who achieved impossible deeds in a very
short span of time. But the extension given by Premier Gillani
raised many questions however. It is the responsibility of a
leader to train a heir for his post but the appointment of Gen
Kayani for the next three years means that there was no au fait
Gen to replace him and to continue his policies. Secondly this
decision gives the impression that Pakistan is the state that
depends entirely on one man and where individual matter a lot
rather than institution itself. Achievements in Swat, South
Waziristan and other areas of FATA are no doubt patent but there
is no fixation on the calendar by which time this war would end
so the extension matter could not be linked with this. Third and
the main point of this decision is the statement given by the PM
that it will make sure the protection of three top slots of the
president, prime minister and Chief Justice till 2013. This is
not the fair justification because Kayani is the person who kept
Pakistan army away from politics
while the statement gives the impression that army is still
engaged in politics and has an effective role to play.
Extension in the tenure of
Kayani with fault-finding justification by PM may be a mistake
by the Gillani government but in the present scenario while
Pakistan is surrounded by multi-faceted challenges, we are not
in position to change the commander because policies change with
the change of command.
Khalida Yasmin Marwat,
Lakki Marwat.
Is Kayani indispensable?
General Kayani’s extension as
COAS is considered another blow to the spurious ‘rule of law’ in
Pakistan by the unaware masses. It is castigated that in the
‘most disciplined institution’ of Pakistan, a chief again
stretches his tenure of power thus destroying the chain of
command. Denying the chance of promotion to his immediate
juniors, Genl Kayani is set on a course to make history like
Ayub, Zia and Musharraf. Zardari, Gillani are the new Iskander
Mirza of Pakistani politics and democracy has been divulged once
again. This has given a sense that Pakistan Army is dependent on
generals countervailing the proud that our army produces
generals, not the generals produce the army. This shows the lack
of confidence in an institution – the army – that was so far
considered as the only institution left in Pakistan. Depending
on personalities rather than institution shows brittleness,
defeat and the ebb of the army. The frequently asked questions
by the immature liberal media and unaware masses are: What
credibility will this leave for Gen Kayani and Pakistan Army?
Why is Gen Kayani so indispensable? Don’t we have anymore
officers, who could replace Gen Kayani? What will happen after 3
years, as they won’t be able to groom a General of their choice
in three years?
According to ignorant opponents,
this extension with all these queries is regarded as an
escalation of this unfortunate country into a political arena
between army and democratic government thus considering it a
gravely erroneous decision with extremely deprecatory
consequence in the long run.
But in the matter of fact, this
extension is utterly democratic; undemocratic decision would
have happened, if the government had not announced this
need-of-the-hour decision. In a democratic and constitutional
cult PM Yousaf Raza Gaillani, being the competent authority,
after consulting with President Asif Ali Zardari made Kayani the
Chief of Army Staff for three more years regarding his serious
oblation to his profession which is quite visible to the nation
and world.
To avoid linkages between the
extensions and the foreign guests it was decided to delay the
decision till after the visit of the Indian external affairs
minister and of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But still
there were rumours that Mrs. Clinton, during her meetings with
the Pakistani authorities, had discussed the issue of Gen
Kayani’s extension but the US Embassy claimed it as untrue,
regarding it as an internal matter of Pakistan. As the
announcement was made, the focus turned to the impact it would
have within the military. After eight years of the rule of Gen
Pervez Musharraf, who kept giving himself extensions, another
extension for another chief of the army would blemish the hardly
restored positive image of the institution of the military. They
dreaded that this would have a dilapidated impulse on the morale
of the military rank and file which Kayani had laboriously built
over the past two and a half years. The matter of particular
concern is the General whose promotion may be blocked because of
the delay in Kayani’s retirement. However, it appears that the
decision would perhaps affect only one three-star general,
Lt-Gen Khalid Shamim Wyne. He will be the senior most serving
General on November 28, 2010 – the original date of retirement
of Gen Kayani. His chances of making it to the army chief are
now non-existent. As a result, speculations are now rife that
Gen Wyne would be made Vice Chief of the Army Staff. However,
sources were not forthcoming and said that no decision had been
taken yet to appoint a Vice Chief of the Army Staff. Neither is
it clear what will happen to Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
Committee Gen Tariq Majid who is set to retire in October this
year. He was not mentioned by the Prime Minister in his speech.
But still this suggestion of VCOAF is best in contemporary
times.
Kinza Chaudhry,
On email.
Goodbye Murali!
You won’t see that again, not
‘live’ that is. We can never resolve the debate whether this was
the correct time for Murali to call it a day. We can’t complain,
though. He’s given us 18 years, over 1500 magical wicket-taking
moments. He’s held brilliant catches and been involved in
runouts that one wanted more than a single replay in order to
fully digest the poetry of collect and throw. Each ball he
faced, those he missed, those that saw his stumps disarranged,
caught somewhere that the ball went on account of hit or
‘mishit’ or dispatched to the boundary or over it, was pure
entertainment. That’s a lot of ‘to be cherished’ moments, all
that’s over by the time you read this.
Muttiah Muralitharan,
undoubtedly the greatest spinner in the history of Test cricket,
savoured the finest moment of his illustrious career spanning 18
years by becoming the first bowler to claim 800 wickets in
Tests, a feat that is bound to stand the test of time.
He performed this great feat in
the presence of the highest in the land — President Mahinda
Rajapaksa who has been an ardent admirer of his throughout his
career — and his family members — wife, father, mother, son, his
former team members, ex Sri Lanka cricketers, distinguished
guests and his team-mates.
The historic moment came when
Indian tail-ender Prajan Ojah edged a delivery from Muralitharan
to slip fielder Mahela Jayawardena who took the catch to the
jubilation of thousands of cricket fans at the Galle
International Stadium and millions of cricket lovers who watched
it on television all over the world. Fittingly, he signed off
with the last wicket in the match bringing to end a monumental
Test career during which Sri Lanka reached new heights in the
cricketing world.
The entire Galle Stadium
reverberated to the sounds of firecrackers and bathed in colour
as spectators set off smoke bombs the moments the milestone was
reached. His wife, parents and relatives were seen hugging each
other in emotional scenes while former cricketing colleagues
rose in jubilation to applaud the little champion.
Muralitharan first came into the
limelight as a schoolboy at St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota
where he performed the rare feat of capturing over 100 wickets
in two successive seasons in 1990 and 1991 for which he was
richly rewarded by being adjudged Observer Schoolboy Cricketer
of the Year in 1991.
He entered the Test arena in
1992 when he made his debut against Australia. Despite failing
to make an impact in his first Test, he went on to secure a
permanent place in the national team and became a nightmare to
opposing batsmen who were deceived by his well-flighted
deliveries including the ‘Doosra’.
He played a vital role along
with two other legends Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva
in Sri Lanka enjoying its finest moment in cricket by clinching
the World Cup by beating Australia in the final at Lahore in
March 1996.
His steely determination enabled
him to overcome many obstacles during his majestic career such
as being no-balled by Australian Umpire Darrell Hair during the
Boxing Day Test of 1995 and by Umpire Ross Emerson in a One Day
International against England in 1999.
He went on to claim the then
world bowling record of Shane Warne (708 wickets) by claiming
the wicket of Paul Collingwood of England in 2008 at Asgiriya
and never looked back till he went on to become the first bowler
in history to reach the 800 wicket mark.
‘Sri Lanka is proud of this son
of our soil, who has reached the greatest height as a bowler
with his new record, winning the highest respect of his
contemporaries in the game the world over’, stated President
Mahinda Rajapaksa congratulating Muttiah Muralitharan on
achieving his new record of 800 wickets in Test Cricket in 133
Tests as he retired from this form of the game on 22nd July.
We, the cricket fans just want
to say this, ‘Thank you Murali for the magical performance.
You’ve given us plenty of reasons to be proud of you.’
Mohammad Shahid,
Peshawar.
27-7-2010
Police and new anti-terror strategy
The concept of a sovereign state
is not complete until the survival and security of its citizens
is not ensured. Along with the military force involved in the
defence of the state from foreign aggressors, police are
responsible for the internal stability of law and order
situation of the country. They are empowered to enforce laws,
protect property and control civil disorders by using
legitimised use of force.
After the event of 9/11,
Pakistan has become the forefront country in the fight war
against terrorism. It is going through a chaotic situation. The
internal stability of the country is very unbalanced and the
security and the survival of the citizens is at stake. In this
unfortunate situation, Punjab Police have taken a very good step
by outlining a set of written directions issued on July 13
focusing on 15 different points but the main points are:
1) Focusing on local
intelligence gathering along with crime control by strengthening
own resources because before this police were only relying upon
the information provided by intelligence agencies which used to
be incomplete. Now the information collected through police own
resources would be credible and would match the requirements.
2) Formulation of mohalla
committees consisting of well reputed and well known people of
the society at police station level. With the help of this
committee police could gather valuable information about
militants and suspicious elements. Here the committee must
consist of youth because this will ensure the participation of
common people in counter-terrorism activities. It will provide
information regarding counter-terrorism measures to the people.
This will create awareness among common people to keep eye on
neighbours and their activities and help out in rooting out
terrorism from different sectors because terrorists have mixed
up with the innocent people of our society.
3) Search operation will be held
in the presence of maximum number of policemen divided into
sectors and sub sectors according to the specified targeted
areas but during search operation officers must carry list of
proclaimed offenders, court absconders and other outlaws. A
report will be submitted after 10 to 15 days of the completion
of the search operation. This direction would help in quick and
speedy solution to public's security matters within the
jurisdiction of rules and laws.
This is a very positive step
taken by Punjab Police and must be implemented. Other provinces
should also formulate such strategy in order to counter
terrorism because the whole country is facing a difficult time.
Police could help the nation in this troubling situation by
adopting a strong and credible anti-terror strategy which is
unfortunately lacking. Police all over the country must enhance
their capabilities by strengthening their own contacts,
involving community and making close liaison with intelligence
agencies.
Once the whole country is
united, then no bomb, no Osama, no drone and no US could win
against this nation.
Khalida Yasmin Marwat,
Lakki Marwat.
Nishtar
Hospital
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s
senior vice president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi suffered brain
hemorrhage and he was immediately taken to Nishtar Hospital
Multan, later he was shifted from Multan to Lahore’s General
Hospital (LGH).
But I feel sad for the poor
people of south Punjab when I saw that Javed Hashmi was shifted
from Multan to Lahore. No poor person can bear the expense of
travelling from one city to another. I hope that
Punjab government takes notice of
Nishtar Hospital of Multan and provide funds so that this
hospital can provide maximum facilities to the people.
Secondly Javed Hashmi was a
senior political worker that was why he was taken in a
helicopter, had this happened to any of us, would we have the
same facility? I am sure the answer is a big No.
MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,
Karachi.
An unscrupulous decision
It has been reported that
decision has been finally taken at higher level to shift Natural
History Museum (NHM) from Karachi to federal capital.
Shamefully the reason for
shifting of such an important archeological research facility
form the metropolis is non-payment of rent by the Zoological
Survey Department (ZSD) of Pakistan, the mother institution of
NHM. It is also interesting that the landlord is Marine and
Fisheries Department Sindh, another government organisation.
As per details, the ZSD has
failed to pay the rent of building where NGM is established
since pre-independence days, for the last thirty years which now
accumulated stands at Rs2.43 million, not a big deal.
The justification given by the
ZSD to transfer the NHM to Islamabad is unacceptable being
irrational and myopic to say the least. This unscrupulous choice
will not only deprive the provincial capital of its invaluable
asset but is against the government’s avowed policy of
devolution.
The metropolis of Karachi is
capital of Sindh; besides it is the only port and largest urban
area with more than 15 million inhabitants. It is also the
financial capital of country which provides to the federal
government with more than sixty percent of revenue.
The shifting of museum, the only
facility available in province, will harm the interests of not
only Karachi but the entire province. I therefore expect better
and sensible approach from those sitting at cool, calm and
serene atmosphere of Islamabad for the people of this province.
I also request the President and
Prime Minister of Pakistan to stop the Zoological Survey
Department of Pakistan from taking such an anti-people decision
and provide sufficient funds to NHM so that it can continue to
provide services to the people of Sindh. The chief minister
Sindh is also requested to direct the provincial Marine and
Fisheries Department not to dislodge NMH from the premises.
Amir Qureshi,
Hyderabad.
A
need for extension
The apparently ambivalent issue
of the extension in service of the COAS, Gen Kayani for three
years has been raising both acceptance and suspicion amidst
analysts and journalists that creates great confusion for the
public. What had initially been received as a welcome move is
now being deemed irrational and unmerited which indicates our
inconsistency towards a cause.
The last couple of years have
seen many positive changes within the army ideology, its war
doctrine and its renewed resolve. Initially, the army chief’s
desire to keep himself and the army detached from politics too,
had been received with utter suspicion which later on was met
with approval. In addition, through a rare initiative, the COAS
focused upon bridging the gaps and removing the trust deficit
between the military and civilian leadership by taking them on
board on all stages of the military operations regularly,
therefore showing absolute transparency.
Furthermore, Gen Kayani’s
national vision was presented unambiguously by him in Brussels
in which he explicitly stressed Pakistan’s standpoint over the
Afghan issue focusing primarily on Pakistan’s need for a
strategic depth in its neighbouring country leading as a result
for the need of a more stable and peaceful South Asia, thus
steering the attention of the world community on the authentic
Pakistani concern in the region. This helped in highlighting
Pakistan’s contribution in eradicating terrorism that was
emphatically applauded as the international community was urged
to realise Pakistan’s significance.
With the ability to put his foot
down to resist against the ever-mounting US pressure under which
our great political leaders find it impossible to keep their
words and promises, Kayani has shown some strength to refuse the
US dictate. It has to be realised that Pakistan is in a very
sensitive state where it stands against the most powerful
US-Indo-Israel lobby that is harbouring malignant hegemonic
desires which is no secret.
Therefore, in this backdrop,
keeping the immense external pressure and the current security
situation in mind it seems a good idea that the current COAS
continues serving the nation till the extremists and militancy
are wiped out and complete peace prevails in the region.
Ayesha Sheikh,
Islamabad.
26-7-2010
Whose supremacy?
On July 22 Prime Minister Yousuf
Raza Gillani appeared on TV screens to address the nation,
rather to announce that his government has extended the army
chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s term by another three years.
Just last week US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton was telling Pakistani journalists that
extension or otherwise of the army chief’s term was Pakistan’s
internal matter and the US didn’t wish to play any role in it.
If it were Pakistan’s internal affair, why should she comment on
it? Was she not letting the cat out of the bag?
Such things are only possible in
Pakistan wherein another country
tries to influence the government's decisions on sensitive
matters. It shows the capitulation of a democratically elected
government to the army chief to keep them in power for next
three years.
And the reasons for the
extension? Continuation of leadership in the war against
terrorists and rebels in the North West. Are we to suppose the
militancy will be defeated within the next three years? If it is
not, maybe the army chief will get another extension.
The army being the only strong
and stable institution in the country should be able to
withstand the retirement or resignation of one officer,
regardless of his experience, familiarity with the present state
of affairs in the war against terrorism. The US proved this
point when President Barack Obama removed the architect of
America’s Afghan strategy in the middle of the war.
We are told the army’s
subordination to the civilian supremacy is the essence of a
democratic government. What do you call a system where the
civilian government subordinates to the supremacy of the army as
well as a foreign power?
MASOOD KHAN,
On email.
Fake degrees and HEC
HEC got extraordinary prominence
due to scrutiny of legislators’ degrees who are not in the habit
to be scrutinised but wish to subject others to scrutiny
Section 3 of the HEC Ordinance
2002, says “The Controlling Authority of the Commission shall be
the Prime Minister or, as the case may be, the Chief Executive
of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan who may supervise the
affairs of the Commission”.
Sub-section (2) of Section 5
says, “The Chairperson appointed under sub-section (1) shall
have the status of Federal Minister”.
Clause (o) of sub-section (1) of
Section 10 says, “Determine the equivalence and recognition of
degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by Institutions
within the country and abroad”.
I found nowhere in the Ordinance
that the HEC shall function under the supervision of the federal
education minister or in consultation with Ministry of
Education. Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali is a senior politician and
should quote the relevant law when he speaks about the HEC
because everything is not a political game. So far the HEC was
working as the other institutions are working but it got special
attention because it is now dealing with the degrees of not
ordinary persons but the legislators of the country. Sardar
Assef and such-like him are not in the habit to be scrutinised
because they are born to make scrutiny of others. When the time
came for their scrutiny, they began to challenge even the usual
powers of the institutions.
The intelligentsia of this
country is viewing this trend of politicians with enough
curiosity. The legislators make rules and regulations for taming
others while some of them consider themselves above any
scrutiny. They prescribe qualifications for others below them
but keep themselves away from any restriction.
The HEC is responsible for the
scrutiny of the degrees because the HEC Ordinance, 2002 has
given the job of dealing with degrees to HEC. Once the degrees
are checked and fake degree holders are determined, then it is
easier to put them for proper trial because they cannot deny the
degrees which they had submitted to the returning officers. The
existence of the copies of the degrees in the offices of the
returning officers is the confession of the fake degree holders
and in my opinion needs no further investigation/inquiry by the
courts. In my opinion, the HEC report is the first and final
proof/evidence needed for the conviction of the fraudsters.
The number of fake degree
holders increases with every passing day. Till this time, the
number has reached to 46, which is enough shame for the country.
The issue is a serious one but the politicians have taken it
lightly because it is a hard hit on their prestige to admit it
plainly.
The fake degrees issue has got
augmented significance after the 18th Amendment in the
Constitution in which the politicians have prescribed certain
procedures for the appointments of persons. It is astonishing
that the legislators changed the procedure for the appointment
of judges but did not prescribe that what should be the
qualification of a member of the assembly, minister, prime
minister, president etc.
Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai,
On email.
Truth really hurts
As soon as Indian Foreign
Minister S.M. Krishna landed in Pakistan, the country’s Home
Minister Chidambaram attempted to sabotage the dialogue by
accusing Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI of involvement in
Mumbai attacks.
Was it in line with diplomatic
decorum?
Though Krishna later rejected those accusations, the damage was already done. There are
extremist political groups in
India whose very survival
depends on hostility with Pakistan. When then prime minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee failed to issue a joint declaration with
Pakistan after the Agra summit everybody knew the strong control
these hard-line groups exercise on India’s political
establishment.
So Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood
Qureshi was fully justified in saying that he did not want to
visit India for leisure. The confession of David Coleman Headley
linking Pakistan to the Mumbai attacks is similar to the US
claims before the Iraq war about Saddam Hussein’s weapons of
mass destructions (WMD). Where are those WMDs? Let’s move from
confession to reality. Dialogue is the only way to sort out
matters of mutual concerns between India and Pakistan.
IRFAN A. KHAN,
On email.
Gravity of economic crisis
It is amazing that, on the one
hand, the government is distributing millions of rupees among
the Bar Associations of the country and announcing various
housing schemes for the welfare of the legal community, and, on
the other, people are daily committing suicides due to
joblessness and poverty.
Innocent people are being killed
in broad daylight and surprisingly, not a single assailant has
so far been arrested.
Has the government ever pondered
seriously over this issue and the motive behind heinous crimes?
The contention of the government
is that these killings are the work of foreign agents to create
discontentment against the government but this is totally
baseless and does not reflect the true picture.
Since the day Pakistan joined
the ‘war on terror’ on the behest of the USA, the economy of the
country has been badly hit.
Industrial activity has slowed
down, creating unemployment among the labour class.
Many commercial houses
retrenched a large number of employees due to recession in the
economy.
No new industrial and commercial
units are being set up.
The government has completely
failed to control the prices of commodities of daily use which
are sky rocketing.
Besides, there is no security
for the life and property of the citizens. Most of our
politicians are considered corrupt and there seems no one to rid
the country from corruption.
These are the factors which may
force the people to revolt against an unjust society.
A revolution is in the making,
and the patience of the people is gradually reaching the point
of no return.
It is the duty of the rulers to
realise the gravity of the situation and make quick amends to
cool down the temper of the masses otherwise they will be swept
away to a strong reaction.
MUHAMMAD YOUSUF KHAN,
Karachi.
25-7-2010
Clearance for Bhasha Dam
I was surprised to read that the
chief minister of Sindh has voted for the construction of the
Bhasha Dam during the meeting of Council of Common Interests.
Since 1981 a lot of resentment
has been shown against the construction of dams, specifically
the Kalabagh Dam. Today we are facing power and water crises
that are affecting almost every sector of life. And after facing
all these problems and wasting 30 years, our chief minister
agreed on the construction of Bhasha Dam.
Opposition to Kalabagh Dam was
mainly based on the premise that water will not be available for
irrigation at the tail-ends. The problem of Sindh is not
distribution of irrigation water at the national level but the
injudicious distribution and corruption at the provincial level;
this can easily be understood if we have satellite imagery of
agricultural land of Sindh, which is not
impossible as everybody has access to GIS Systems or Google
Earth.
Before the design and
construction of the present irrigation system during the British
era agricultural land was surveyed and tested after which its
cropping intensity was assigned to canals according to the water
holding capacity of the soil.
In Sindh, it was not beyond
30-40 percent. This process was followed because the
water-holding capacity is directly proportional to salinity and
water-logging. Besides that, specific crops were allowed in
specific areas while some were banned in some areas.
But nowadays if we monitor
cropping intensity we can easily see 80-95 percent cropping
intensities in the head areas of canals and 10-20 percent in the
tail areas.
The same is the case with crops;
cultivation of rice is banned in all areas linked with Nara
Canal Command but it is openly cultivated and in Rice Canal
Command water is not available.
According to a report by Irsa,
75,000 cusecs water is lost between Guddu and Kotri Barrage;
this is a huge amount and if available in the Indus River system can cause a medium
level flood condition.
Katcha land (dry riverbed side)
starting from Guddu Barrage up till River Indus delta near
Thatta is illegally occupied; the jungles have been cleared and
the land is being used for cultivation.
This is also a big crime but it
is openly flouted by the influential of the area. Almost 75,000
cusecs that is released by Irsa for diversion into canals and
for delta down-stream Kotri is illegally used. Also the Katcha
land is not officially recorded by the revenue department and is
exempted from revenue collection on paper: there exist jungles
but in practice, they are hugely cultivated.
Sindh needs to rethink its
irrigation water distribution policy and adopt a realistic
approach for water conservation and food security of our
country.
Muhammad Umer Karim,
Hyderabad.
Sindh’s forest land
According to media reports,
about 0.75 million acres of forestlands located in various
districts of Sindh is being converted to revenue land for
general cultivation on the chief minister’s orders. This
decision is appalling, to say the least. As per the government’s
claim, the converted land will be allotted to female landless
peasants, though there is a strong belief that it will later be
taken over by influential land mafias of the area.
Notwithstanding the government’s avowed claims, the status of
forestland should not be changed and nor should it be allotted
to private parties under any circumstances.
In Sindh, most of the kacha land
where once thick forests existed has already been usurped by the
influential landholders by force of arms. Even the government
finds itself helpless before these ‘mighty’ robber barons. If
the remaining forests are also converted into revenue lands and
allotted to private parties, Sindh, which already has scant
forests, will be permanently deprived of its green cover.
The deforestation, as a result
of the chief minister’s decision, will cause not only climate
change and global warming affecting human life and liberty but
will also impact the inalienable right of livelihood of millions
of people, which is a violation of the constitution.
R A SIDIKI,
Shikarpur.
Extension for Kayani
Giving extension to Army chief
for three more years means that you have deprived the person who
was supposed to replace the Army chief even at very basic level.
And secondly it is obvious that no one in army is capable of
replacing him. If so, why are we spending millions of rupees to
prepare an officer in army? On one hand we are against the army
dictatorship in Pakistan but on the other hand we are requesting
the Army chief to accept extension in service for the sake of
the country. I suspect this extension will eat the fragile fruit
of democracy in Pakistan because we are inviting Army chief that
without you we can not control the menace of terrorism in
Pakistan.
Zahid Rashid,
Azad Kashmir.
Is
USA an ally of
Pakistan?
Pakistan claims to be an old
friend and ally of the USA and, accordingly, the rulers in
Islamabad are doing what they to serve the interests of the
US-led International coalition's war on terror and suffering
lots of losses in the process. But the pertinent question which
arises here is that whether or not USA is an old ally of
Pakistan and behaving like that? The prompt reply to this, quite
regretfully, is in the negative.
Pakistan needs civil nuclear
technology for boosting nuclear power generation capacity. USA
has twice refused this rather summarily because India does not
want Pakistan to make some headway in this or that field and
thus ushering in an era of progress, development and prosperity
for its more than 170 million people. USA refused first in March
this year and second time during most recent visit of its
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. China, true and sincere of
Pakistan, has come forward and agreed to provide our country two
civil nuclear reactors. Even, this is not acceptable to
Pakistan's so-called old ally and friend USA which along with
neighbouring India is trying to create all sorts of hurdles,
obstructions and problems to ensure the Sino-Pakistan civil
nuclear technology deal do not materialise.
According to reports in the
media, Pakistan's so-called old ally and friend USA has come out
with a rather categorical statement that Washington will vote
against Sino-Pakistan civil nuclear technology deal at the
Nuclear Suppliers Group forum and ensure China is not granted an
exemption to provide two civil nuclear reactors to Pakistan.
This has been attributed by the US media to the acting Assistant
Secretary of State for International Security and
Non-Proliferation Vann H. Van Diepen while briefing the House
Foreign Affairs Committee.
This is sad reflection on the
topsy turvy US-Pakistan relations and also on the failure of our
missions in the world capitals particularly in Washington,
London and Paris to effectively counter India's hostile
propaganda against Pakistan on one pretext or other and in this
citing the incident of one of our nuclear scientist allegedly
being involved in nuclear proliferation some years back.
Real colours of the USA were
exposed during the Secretary of State's visit to Pakistan few
days back and this has come only an affirmation that the Obama
administration may be friendly towards India but is certainly
not an old ally and friend of Pakistan. Will the rulers open
their eyes to the bitter ground realities, start distancing
themselves from the White House, Washington DC and pulling our of the war on
terror. They should remember that the billions of dollars, being
doled out by USA in one form or the other, are just peanuts as
for as national security, integrity, solidarity and sovereignty
of Pakistan is concerned.
Ahsan Abdul Haq Shaikh,
Lahore.
Discrimination with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa teachers
I was deeply shocked and grieved
when I saw a news item in the newspaper that the Federal
Directorate of Education (FDE) has approved the promotion of
5,000 teachers who were either Matric Trained Teachers (MTT) or
Trained Undergraduate Teachers (TUGTs) to Grade 14 and Grade 16
respectively.
My grievance is not the
promotion of the teachers serving in the Federal Directorate of
Education but my grievance is that why the teachers serving in
the Provincial Directorate of Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
were kept deprived of the higher scales of pay despite having
higher qualification? Was it not the exploitation of the poor
but highly qualified even by the government?
Either the federal government
was lavish in giving so high pay scale to its teachers or the
provincial government is frugal and exploitative in awarding
such kinds of pay scales to its teachers. The provincial
government toed the line of federal government in respect of
every matter but in this matter of higher pay scales kept back
itself due to reasons best known to the high ups of the province
of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. What deeply
alarmed me is that the federal government gave higher pay scales
to the Matric teachers but in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the teachers
with higher qualification have been deprived of the higher pay
scales over the years.
Recently the Government of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced service structure for the
teachers but mostly the teachers are not happy with that
primarily because the senior teachers and qualified teachers
have been totally ignored.
It is a point to ponder that
when terrorists organisations were giving high salaries to their
employed miscreants, both the federal and provincial governments
imbibed the concept of highest salaries from the terrorists and
doubled the salaries for the persons of law-enforcing agencies
along with other fringe benefits. Till doubling the salaries,
the government had no regard for the sacrifices of law enforcing
agencies nor the government was aware of the condition of the
widows and orphaned children. The payment of high salaries by
the miscreants to their employees aroused the conscience of the
respective governments to look into the plight of their law
enforcing agencies.
Government effectively realised
that people need employment and salaries and the people of
backward areas are more vulnerable to terrorists that is why it
came out with packages and other benefits.
Literacy cannot be increased by
resorting to the exploitative tactics whether in the public
sector or in the private sector. The condition becomes worse
when much gap is detected between the federal and provincial
departments. Previously, the provinces were unhappy with their
shares in the distribution of financial assets between the
federation and provinces but now after the 18th Amendment and
elimination of concurrent list, the provinces are in a better
position to realise the grievances of their employees.
Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai,
On email.
24-7-2010
What is the truth about APTTA
The whole nation, excepting
those who are treading the corridors of powers, has been plunged
in quite deeper confusion. People are asking each other as to
what the real position and truth about Afghan-Pakistan Transit
Trade Accord (APTTA) after all.
This compounded confusion is not
unfounded and baseless as such. Only two days back, Commerce
Minister Makhdoom Amin Faheem and Afghan minister Anwarul Haq
Abady had signed Pakistan-Afghan accord on transit trade in
Islamabad at a much-hyped ceremony at which Prime Minister Syed
Yousuf Raza Gillani, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and
US Special Representative to
Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard
Holbrooke were among those present. The event, imposed on
Pakistan, was duly highlighted by print and electronic media
nationally as well internationally.
Now no other person than Prime
Minister Gillani tells us that the accord has not been signed
and it will be first approved by the Federal Cabinet and then
signed by the two countries. He has also stated that the transit
trade facility for Afghanistan was only discussed during his
meeting with the US Secretary of State who only on Monday had
taken the credit for getting the important accord signed while
talking to media in Kabul.
News about signing of the accord
had evoked strong protest from a number of members in the Punjab
Assembly both on Monday and Tuesday. After some hard hitting
criticism from the members, provincial Finance Minister Tanveer
Ashraf Kaira stood up to give the real picture to the House in
this regard. He said that the ministers of Afghanistan and
Pakistan had only signed the Record Note and the accord is yet
to be signed which, will be done, after taking the Parliament
into confidence.
One is just at a loss to
understand as to what extent the rulers can bow to the
direction, pressure and instruction from the White House in
Washington DC.
Are they so much blind to the
bitter facts that by agreeing to such an accord, even verbally,
they are exposing the militancy and terrorism-hit country's
already threatened national security, integrity, sovereignty and
solidarity to India, Afghanistan and USA. All the three
countries hostility towards Pakistan is no secret.
The rulers should tell the truth
about APTTA to the people before they sign it, if this has not
already been signed.
Khalid I. Khan,
Lahore.
Indo-Pak talks
Unfortunately, the Indo-Pak
talks held in Islamabad recently ended on an
unpleasant note without a joint statement being made and
remained inconclusive on the issues which are the root cause of
tension between the two countries.
Certainly, the foreign
ministers’ talks provided an opportunity to break the standoff
in relations since the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.
S.M. Krishna, Indian foreign minister during his visit to
Islamabad, invited Pakistani counterpart to visit New Delhi for
further dialogue. However, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi
while talking to reporters in the Foreign Office on July 17
stated, “I will not visit India for a leisure trip; I would only
go if India is ready for meaningful talks and the environment is
conducive for parleys.”
This reflects Pakistan’s concern
about India’s unwillingness to talk about the core and critical
Kashmir issue which is a source of instability and the stumbling block between
the relationship of both countries and an obstacle to the
normalisation process. Qureshi had complained that the Indian
foreign minister was given a limited mandate by his government
which India denied and
asked Qureshi not to blame New Delhi for.
I am of the opinion that
continuation of the Indo-Pak dialogue process is imperative
despite their reservations. It will certainly pave the way to
break the standoff. Both countries must proceed with
constructive and serious dialogue to bridge the trust gap and to
eliminate misconceptions. There is no substitute to a purposeful
dialogue.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
India,
Pakistan and terrorism
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to
Pakistan and the signing of the
agreement is no coincidence; this offers road access through
Pakistan to Afghan goods to India and the reverse.
This was never debated in the
Parliament but appears to be the outcome of American
arm-twisting to preserve their interests in the region. This
will be a major security risk for Pakistan and is of no benefit
to its people or its economy.
The PPP government while paying
lip service to democracy is known for doing what it sees best in
the interest of the ruling party, not the country. This has been
the practice since the days of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The present PPP government too
has proved that it cannot be trusted. What happened to their
tall claims of providing electricity to the country by December
2009? The people are grappling with inflation, terrorism and
unemployment. The signing of this agreement will only add to the
problems of the people.
We request that this government
follow the norms of proper democracy and debate these matters in
the house. A democratic government never takes such unilateral
decisions and the Americans have no right to interfere in our
affairs. Further they should leave the region as soon as
possible. They are there to further their own interests.
There is also no need to speak
with India right now. They are holding talks only due to
American pressure and have little interest in peace or in a
Kashmir settlement. India should forget
Mumbai as it is becoming increasingly clear that it was linked
to the India’s RAW agency. David C. Headley is a double agent
and is accusing the ISI of involvement in the attacks without
any basis. Terrorism is not confined to Pakistan as our friends
in India believe; it is a global phenomenon and India has its
fair share of terrorists who operate either openly or in secret,
some through government agencies.
ZAFAR RAJA,
On email.
British PM vs Babar Awan
According to a news item, David
Cameron, the British PM recently, took a commercial flight on an
official visit to the
US, saving the exchequer around $300,000. Under normal circumstances a
prime minister would charter a Boeing 747 or 767 for his private
use or would fly on a military jet. In the grand scheme of
things, the amount isn't that significant - but the gesture is
huge.
In contrast, the Pakistani Law
minister, Dr. Babar Awan charted a private plane to distribute
government funds to the Bars of his choice. It is reported that
he, like an Arab millionaire, has also been showering up to
Rs50,000 on the naath khwans of the functions. But then, he is
known for his hallabaloos.
The point I am trying to make is
that politicians should be honest to themselves first before
they can become honest to the public and feel their pulse.
Keeping the strained British economy in view, the British PM has
kept his fingers on the pulse of the public’s feelings. And the
Pakistani Law minister in an identical or maybe worse financial
situation is keeping his finger on his self-acclaimed glorified
personality. To make it more atrocious, up until recently, he
has been teaching morals on a TV channel. Long live our
political leaders.
Dr. Ghayur Ayub,
London.
Hum bhi corrupt, tum bhi corrupt
The PM’s Adviser on Information
Technology, Sardar L. Khosa, on Tuesday tendered his resignation
in protest against clipping of his powers as the In-charge
Minister for Information Technology but the President rejected
the resignation directing him to continue his job.
The move is not only an insult
to the PM but also for the government, parliament, the nation
and our recently modified national constitution which
re-empowered the prime minister, instead of the president, to
exercise his power and discretion in such matters.
I am afraid as things are moving
in the wrong direction and a day might come when our head of
state can even convene a convention of all corrupts in this land
of the pure just to demonstrate that if you are controversial
and corrupt doesn’t matter, if you are illiterate and lying
about your degrees doesn’t matter but what matters is that you
are only “loyal” to the party’s high command and not to the
people, you are “steadfast” but not in truth and honesty and you
are “selfless” but only on selective occasions otherwise the
combination of “greed”, “monopoly” and “selfishness” should
reflect your person and career.
If you have such qualities then
you are “qualified”, “gifted”, “competent” and “indispensible”
for this nation and without your worthy-self and services this
nation is bound to doom so please carry on with your current
assignment as Adviser to the PM or Minister-in-charge of IT with
your popular “present and previous” reputation and don’t care
for the gentleman prime minister as he is very kind, cooperative
and submissive especially when it comes to the president’s men.
Ahmed bin Babar,
multiways@hotmail.com
23-7-2010
Capital value tax
The government has reduced the
rate of capital value tax on immovable property from 4 to 2
percent by applying uniform rate of tax on all sizes of plots in
the recent budget which looks very good for a common man and who
doesn’t know all the details.
As government has reduced CVT by
2%, it has very cleverly increased the value of property three
times. As a result now a person has to pay more tax because the
value of the property has increased a lot. I appeal to the
government to decrease the value of the property so that the
transactions of the property can be made by every person.
MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,
Karachi.
Terrifying bridge on
Indus
Keeping in view the enormous
pressure of traffic on Ghulam Muhammad Barrage Bridge (built in
1952) and Kotri Railway Bridge (built in 1900), linking the port
city of Karachi with rest of the upcountry, a new bridge with
dual carriage was built on River Indus.
At present because of ageing of
existing bridges entire heavy traffic, either coming from
National Highway via Thatta or from Super Highway, is routed
through this dual carriage. Especially after the collapse of
railway system this being the only passage for transfer of goods
through trucks containing giant and heavy machinery from Karachi
port to upcountry therefore entire pressure is borne by this
bridge.
Unfortunately the condition of
this significant bridge, which is not as old as it was built in
1995, has become so dilapidated that one feels frightening while
crossing it. The joints of the bridge are open and due to
non-maintenance and neglect it has developed big potholes which
cause severe jerks even at the slowest speed. The railings of
the bridge are also broken at certain places and electric poles
are wrecked.
The condition of this very vital
bridge is so serious that I am afraid that some accident of
serious consequences can occur at any time, which may take
precious lives and also disconnect Karachi with rest of the
country, causing immense damage to economic activity of the
country.
I request the chief minister and
chief secretary Sindh to direct the National High way Authority
as well as chief engineer roads of the province to initiate
repair work on this fast-worsening bridge.
D. M Baloch,
Kashmore.
Hillary’s visit
Hillary Clinton was in Islamabad
the other day. Yes she came with another package of
commandments, which is surly including an order from Washington
for us to start military operation in the North Waziristan
Agency. How far the democratic government has the ability to
stand the pressure will come to fore soon. Mind that America has
a history to have been never friend to anybody except for her
own vested interest. This game she has been playing every now
and then with her trustworthy friend Pakistan. We should keep in
mind that America has always supported India against Pakistan in
hours of trial.
America in the garb of war on terror has been committing the genocide of Afghans
and the tribal Pukhtuns by manipulating the regional forces in
her assistance through her usual cunningness and carrot and
stick policies. These are our tribal brothers who gave us in
1948, what we are today calling as Azad Kashmir. These tribal
Pakistanis have always protected
Pakistan and have proved
themselves to be the guardians and protectors of the country.
These tribal heroes have a commitment with the Father of the
nation Hazrat Quaid-e-Azam that the Pakistan army will never
enter their land and they will be living as free Pakistanis
according to their norms.
The US, through her mischievous
tactics has succeeded to create a gulf between these faithful
Pakistani Pakhtuns and the Pak Army, the two segments which
always stood united for the defence and protection of Pakistan.
Dictator Musharraf, quite in contradiction of the words of the
founding father, fielded the Pak Army for the appeasement of
America and the things went out of control which have put the
current rulers in a serious test as to how to come out of the
quagmire.
Let us think seriously that we
have no more chance to commit further follies and the rulers are
required to exhibit sagacity and sanity to chalk out a free,
fair and independent foreign policy and put the interest of
Pakistan and Pakistanis on priority rather toeing the American
dictates.
FAHEEM KHAN,
On email.
Panacea for all ills
It was really startling to see
Gen. Hameed Gul say on a private TV talk show that 70 percent of
Pakistan’s problems will be solved the day Gen. Musharraf is put
on trial. What a simple solution and one wonders what is
stopping the whiz kids in the government from making use of this
sure shot panacea to country’s ills. Imagine, all the sceptres
of load-shedding, unemployment, price inflation, terrorism and
bombings, lawlessness and disorder, corruption, poor governance
et al will all suddenly disappear and milk and honey will start
flowing in all rivers and canals of Pakistan. Or, is it that
those who matter dismiss the know-all general as someone too
fond of hearing his own voice – ever-ready to proffer
unsolicited advice on any matter under the sun.
Probably the general has good
reasons to dislike Musharraf but still it would do him good to
recollect: “A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the
less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard.”
Why aren't we like that wise old
bird?
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
22-7-2010
India-nised
USA
After reading details in the
print media and viewing on numerous national and international
television channels about
US Secretary of State Mrs Hillary Clinton’s press conference in
Islamabad on Monday, I can only
say at the very outset that all this further consolidated my
point of view that USA has been India-nised.
While addressing the press
conference jointly with Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmud
Qureshi in Islamabad after much talked about US-Pakistan
Strategic Talks, Mrs Clinton adopted negative attitude towards a
number of questions and was positive very little.
She refused her country's
mediation in Pakistan and India's water dispute arising from
flagrant violations by New Delhi of the Indus Water Treaty 1960,
which was brokered by USA and World Bank, and also was evasive
about human rights abuses and killings of innocent men, women
and children in Indian-occupied Kashmir by Indian security
forces because they are only demanding their birth-right of
self-determination to decide their future themselves.
Both these issues are of great
concern to Pakistan but these are against
the interests of India which USA cannot agree to in any manner
whatsoever. As a matter of record,
USA has all along been blocking any move at all international forums to
condemn her illegitimate baby,
Israel. Now, USA seems to be
fast India-nised as Washington seemingly is in no mood to do
anything which may annoy India in any manner.
As a matter of fact, as seen on
TV channels, she was grim as well as smiling. One newspaper
rightly used the quite meaningful headline "Hillary's iron fist
in a velvet glove". This, indeed, was one of most appropriate
headline telling a lot while maintaining diplomatic norms and
her being a lady. I was reminded of former British Prime
Minister Mrs Margaret Thatcher, who was better known as the Iron
Lady for obvious reasons.
This is not all. USA has been
India-nised to the extent that on one hand, Washington is in no
mood to do do anything which may annoy New Delhi and on the
other hand, any feeding coming from India is readily accepted as
hostility towards Muslim Ummah's only nuclear power Pakistan.
USA describes Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally but this is only
on paper as Islamabad's interests and concerns carry no weight
whatsoever.
The US Secretary of State's no
to mediate in Pakistan's water dispute with India, concerns
about human rights abuse by India in occupied Kashmir and to enter into civil nuclear technology deal are glaring example of
how much her country has been India-nised over the years.
Seemi Nasir Hanif,
Islamabad.
Pak-Afghan trade accord
In all fairness, by signing the
transit trade accord with Afghanistan, we have once again fallen
deep into the trap laid by so-called old friend and ally, USA.
Under this accord, Afghanistan has been allowed to use Wagah
border near Lahore for exports to India.What Afghanistan would
be exporting to India is any body's guess but then on the way
back, India would also be despatching some goods to Afghanistan.
On both ways, trucks would be passing from Torkham to Wagah
border without being checked at any point on the long route.
The photo published in
newspapers tells much more than what appears in words. Commerce
Minister Makhdoom Amin Faheem and Afghanistan Minister for Trade
Anwarul Haq Ahady signed the accord, shook hands and exchanged
documents in Islamabad in the presence of Prime Minister Syed
Yousuf Raza Gillani, visiting US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and
Pakistan Richard Holbrooke Under US pressure, the rulers have
agreed to such an agreement which is against the national
interests and security and both directly and indirectly benefits
India a great deal.
How come the rulers could not
appreciate the real intentions behind the Afghan-Pakistan
Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA)? Neither India nor USA or
Afghanistan are friends of Pakistan and are out to exploit every
situation to their own advantage.
Historically speaking,
Afghanistan has never been friendly towards Pakistan over the
several decades. Even, US-installed President Hamid Karzai in
Kabul had only last year or so
threatened at least twice to attack Pakistan.
India has been and is still stealing
Pakistan's waters in flagrant violations of the Indus Basin
Treaty by building dams on rivers
Indus and Chenab and continues to forcibly occupy
Kashmir denying the right of self determination to Kashmiris.
There are many instances to
establish India's hostility towards Pakistan all
these more than six decades. Only in the recent past, as the
reports published in the national and international newspapers,
India had stabbed Pakistan twice in a short time. India had
drawn the attention of USA and France as well as other countries
about Pakistan's poor track record regarding nuclear
proliferation and involvement of its nuclear scientist in
nuclear technology smuggling. The net result was what New Delhi
really wanted through this hostile propaganda. USA refused to
entertain any request from Pakistan for entering a civil nuclear
technology deal and France backed out from its earlier
commitment of providing modern and sophisticated equipment for
strengthening of Pakistan Air Force.
And, USA despite being a
so-called old ally and friend of Pakistan is the most dangerous
enemy in the garb of a friend and least trustworthy. USA has
betrayed Pakistan time and again but still, somehow, our rulers
prefer to fall into the laps of the bosses occupying the White
House in Washington DC against the wishes of their
own people.
One single transit trade accord
accord has pushed into the trap laid by three enemies i.e. USA,
Afghanistan and India. Please join me in fervently praying to
Almighty Allah to be merciful as ever and save Pakistan and her
people from these enemies. Amen.
Ehsanul Haq Qazi,
Lahore.
21-7-2010
Fake degrees in universities
This is with reference to the
hullabaloo going on these days about the fake degrees presented
by public representatives to circumvent condition imposed by the
dictator to contest seat of parliament. Leaving aside the moral
aspect fake degrees of parliamentarians, obviously not
condonable under any circumstance, I would like to draw the
attention of civil society towards extreme detrimental and
lasting impact when professors of higher learning institutions
such as universities etc manoeuvre fake degrees or indulge in
plagiarism to get elevation to higher positions.
The unlawful and dishonest
methods to achieve the desired end is one of the numerous, yet
most destructive malevolence result of frequent illegitimate and
unconstitutional rules thrust by the dictators on the hapless
nation.
During the past ten years
because of government’s massive funding, many public sector
university teachers went abroad for higher studies. Mostly
returned with PhD degrees; some degrees were later on found to
be from the institutions not recognised by the Higher Education
Commission of Pakistan (HEC) or even by their own countries.
Since the malice of fake degree
produced by the teaching cadre is more detrimental to the
society, therefore it requires immediate attention of HEC.
The HEC is therefore requested
to initiate the degree verification process of
professors/teachers working in the public sector universities,
especially who have purportedly done doctorate from foreign
academia, so that seats of higher learning can be cleansed of
black sheep and imposters.
Amir Khan Pathan,
California, USA.
PaCCS being shut down
As always FBR is backing away
from its commitments. With the foolish notion that WEBOC, their
self-invented, zero credential system can replace PaCCS, they
are again bent upon removing the automated system for their own
gains. The recent scandal of the ISAF containers should be a
glaring example of the malpractices prevailing outside the PaCCS
System.
PaCCS is used for clearance of
US military cargo while the FBR system is used for clearing
cargo of other International Security Forces (ISAF), it is a
testimony to the efficacy of automation that while 150,000
containers has been cleared without a single misadventure by
PaCCS, even a mere one tenth i.e. 15,000 containers, through the
FBR system could not be cleared without incident, causing such a
mega scandal. The PaCCS capability to prevent scams is perhaps
the main motivation why elements FBR are strongly opposing the
implementation of PaCCS.
The question which needs to be
put to the Chief Justice is the question of systems that cause
and the deadline for PaCCS as given by Agility is July 31, 2010.
This deadline came as a consequence of the request of the
Ministry of Finance to Agility for extension of PaCCS on the
condition that FBR will commence negotiations with Agility about
the rollout of PaCCS prior to July 31, 2010.
It seems FBR is now deliberately
dragging its feet to cause yet another fiasco for trade and a
major embarrassment for the government. FBR is determined to
reverse the process of reform and automation and take Pakistan
back to the cave ages in terms of trade efficiencies, because it
suits the interests of a few in power.
Initially FBR was using the
security agencies for its own interests and was trying to create
a perception that PaCCs was being resisted on the behest of the
security apparatus, now that the matter has been cleared, the
narrow self-interests of the FBR elements can clearly be seen.
This is corrupt interest at its best unfortunately the people
will realise it too late.
For now, let’s wait till the
31st, it will be evident then whether FBR chooses its personal
interest over the greater national interest. Any bets, anyone?
NAZAKAT,
On email.
Afghanistan's minerals!
An article on the subject,
written by an American, was published in the pages of a local
English daily. The writer, possibly quite rightly criticises
Pentagon's estimated value of the Afghan minerals at US$ one
trillion! He is sceptical on how the estimates could be drawn
without proper mineral survey and mapping, and based on random
finds here and there; in the midst of an ongoing war! Logically
it seems to be an irrational, amateurish and totally speculative
to be classified as having commercial exploitation potential for
mining.
Possibly, it may be a propaganda
introduced to indirectly justify the mounting costs in US lives
and wealth for moulding US public opinion somewhat favourably to
justify this colossal misadventure let loose by the Pentagon at
Bush's judgement and instigation.
May be, that it is a counter
thrust to the Chinese mineral interests; which can be set in
motion, tied to Chinese grants, aids and other trading
advantages, that can be exploited by the Chinese authorities.
Possibly this may be the main
idea that is motivating the US authorities to get something out
of their Afghan adventure! They want to pre-empt the issue which
they failed in Burma, whose rich mineral resources are tied up
with Chinese interests.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
Hate material
Nowadays in bookshops and on the
roadside small shops there are books, CDs, booklets and
pamphlets containing hate material. This material is against the
country, provinces and important institutions. It also tries to
create a rift on the basis of sectarianism and ethnicity.
Who are these people who are
involved in such activities? They are the ones who have personal
insecurities. The more they are insecure, the more hate is
developed against others. Then there are others who are hate
motivated due to their helplessness, some guilt or unable to
bring a change which they want. So to overcome these
insecurities they join a group which is involved in such acts.
Mostly uneducated youngsters become part of such campaigns.
Generally they are irrational haters who want to gain power.
They do not fear accountability but still there printed material
or CDs remain mostly anonymous or faked.
The main objective of all this
hate material is to divide people on provincial, sectarian and
ethnic lines and create hatred by placing blame on one group to
be the cause of problem of another group. This hate group tries
to impose the perceptions of one group on another group. The
outcome is doubts, misunderstandings and ultimately clashes.
Hate material is like slow
poisoning which influences the mind by relating it to everyday
happenings around. The authors of hate material know how to
exploit situations. They take examples from ordinary life, tell
people that their rights are not recognised and they are
intentionally not provided the basic needs and opportunities to
compete and have a fair chance to move ahead. The most important
aspect of all this propaganda is to counter such material.
There is a need to give
awareness about the purpose of such material and how to avoid
it. Some measures should also be taken at the national level to
give awareness to the general public about such intentions of
the known and unknown enemy. Educational institutions and
parents at home need to be aware of such propaganda strategies
and should keep a vigil to inform their children about it. Media
should also play its responsible role by identifying such
material, exposing people behind it, highlighting their
nefarious designs and educating people how to avoid and counter
it.
Anwar Parween,
Rawalpindi.
19-7-2010
Converting forests an unscrupulous decision
The change of forest land
located in the province into revenue lands as reported widely in
the media (July 15) is extremely appalling.
According to details about 0.750
million acres of forest lands located in various districts of
Sindh is being converted to revenue land for general
cultivation. Regrettably serious blow to our forests which
ultimately will affect adversely environment of the province was
ordered none other but by the chief minister himself; a
custodian of Sindh’s interests.
The mega blunder was unearthed
when the provincial law officer placed before the bench of Sindh
High Court, which was hearing constitutional petitions of Indus
Development Organisation (IDO) an NGO looking after provincial
woodlands, a summary approved by the CM ordering such a lethal
conversion. As per government’s claim the converted land will be
allotted to female landless peasants, though there is strong
belief that the same will finally be taken over by influential
land mafias of the area.
Notwithstanding government’s
avowed claims, the status of forest land should not be changed
and allotted to private parties under any circumstances. In
Sindh most of the katcha land where once existed thick forests
have already been usurped by the influential land holders by
force of arm. Even the government finds itself helpless before
these “mighty” robber barrens. If the remaining forests are also
converted to revenue lands and allotted to private parties,
Sindh which has scant forests will be permanently deprived of
its green cover.
The deforestation, as result of
CM’s decision will cause not only climate change and global
warming affecting human life and liberty but will going to
adversely influence inalienable right of livelihood of millions
of people; a violation of the Constitution.
The decision of provincial
government is against the very interests of people and the
province as well as the country as a whole. I make an appeal to
the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to come forward and
save the forests of Sindh from total annihilation.
RA Sidiki,
Shikarpur.
India’s tactical runaway
The leading Indian newspapers on
last Saturday blamed Pakistan and its foreign minister Shah
Mahmud Qureshi for the failure of recent peace talks between the
two countries as their main headlines went on, “Qureshi kills
peace talks”, “Islamabad pushed off the diplomatic rails by
sidelining New Delhi’s main demand for action against the
perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks”, “Pakistan’s ambush
diplomacy by seeking to set a fixed time-frame over Kashmir led
to the failure” etc.
As a matter of fact the Indian
U-turn in Islamabad peace talks was a tactical move to give the
impression to the outside world (particularly the USA which was
going to hold strategic dialogue with Pakistan in the following
week) that Pakistan is still not co-operating to hunt down the
suspected terrorists and the regional threats are still alive.
This way India succeeds in
suspending the settlement of the outstanding issues like Kashmir
and thus makes more wins by isolating and maligning Pakistan.
The so-called main demand around
the Mumbai carnage and the overdriven emphasis on it was and
still is an Indian excuse (in disguise) to propagate against
Pakistan and to avoid any road map for a permanent solution to
the main issues like water and
Kashmir.
Otherwise the Indians have no
difficulty to differentiate between the outstanding issues and
the accidental issues as the latter are the by-product of the
main, delayed (by democratic India over a period of six decades)
outstanding, burning and bleeding issue of Kashmir but placing
cart (the Mumbai issue) before the horse (the Kashmir issue) is
an intentional strategic ill-will which not only harms the
interests of Pakistan but also endangers the regional peace and
security of the whole of South Asia.
India has learnt this “3-dish-diplomacy” from its tiny ally
Israel which also gets pre-talks
(starter) benefits, main-talks (main-dish) benefits and
post-talks (sweet-dish) benefits from the US, sometimes even
from the EU, as regards the Palestinian issue.
While these talks, between the
Palestinians and Israelis, are mere an eye-wash attempt as these
have never achieved their logical conclusions over the past six
decades and now the same diplomacy is being pursued by India to
maximise its all-out benefits from Washington.
Our foreign minister Mr. Qureshi
rightly accused India of “narrowing down the talks” by focusing
exclusively on militancy rather than the whole range of issues
between the two countries, including the status of
Kashmir and water access rights.
Especially when he said that
Pakistan wanted the discussions to lead to the creation of a
“roadmap” for better relations. But Indians felt they did not
have the mandate to commit to it, a diplomatic lie which sounded
as if Mr. S.M. Krishna’s hands were tied on back and the keys
were left in New Delhi.
However, despite differences,
both foreign ministers agreed to meet again in New Delhi to
pursue improved relations that were derailed by the Mumbai
carnage (a CIA engineered conspiracy) in which 166 people died.
But bearing in mind the Indian
twists and tricks one should not expect much unless Pakistan
gets tough by giving its full-fledged encouragement and moral
support to the freedom movements across the border.
Ahmed bin Babar,
multiways@hotmail.com
18-7-2010
No headway made
So, the much-hyped talks between
India and Pakistan for resolving the outstanding disputes
between the two neighbouring countries and usher in peace in the
region have ended without making any headway, to the great
disappointment of many around here.
Karishna and Shah Mahmud Qureshi
in their joint briefing to the national and international media
have reportedly spoken in different tones, varying from each
other to a great extent.
Qureshi has questioned the
mandate which Karishna carried but also criticised the selective
approach of New Delhi which had hampered any progress in the
much-awaited peace talks between the two countries.
Karishnam in the meanwhilem is
reported to have said that he had made some gains during the
talks and also admitted that his mandate for the talks was
precise. He preferred not to give details about the gains he had
achieved, though.
As usual, and quite expectedly,
Indian media has blamed Pakistan for the fiasco. And, experts on
Indo-Pakistan relations have expressed pessimistic views and
said there were little hopes for some positive outcome from the
latest round of talks just held in Islamabad.
These are quite conflicting as
well as contradictory statements and the people are quite
confused as to what conclusion they should draw about the
Indo-Pakistan talks.
In all fairness, in the
point-scoring game through talks and more talks of rounds being
played between the two countries over all these years, India has
certainly gained some points by telling the world at large that
New Delhi is quite sincere in resolving all irritants through
mutual negotiations. The outburst of the Indian media against
Pakistan has made the real intentions of New Delhi more clear.
As a matter of fact, India has
not reconciled with the creation of Pakistan through partition
of the sub-continent in August 1947 with Kashmir issue being the
main irritant in the two countries having good neighbourly
friendly relations.
It is also a matter of bitter
record that India all these years has not let any opportunity go
past without harming Pakistan directly and indirectly
both at the regional and international levels. It is a painful
fact that during last couple of months or so, India had caused
harm to Pakistan at least on two main counts besides stealing
the water and having hand in terrorist activities. Reports
appearing in the national and international media in recent past
had cited two matters in which India had interfered and
prevented USA from entering into any deal with Pakistan for
provision of civil nuclear technology on one hand and on the
other, pressed France to refrain from going ahead as per
understanding already reached essentially required machinery and
equipment to Pakistan for bolstering its air force.
How there can be peace between
India and Pakistan when New Delhi continues to behave in a
hostile manner and causing harm to Pakistan in all possible
manners? In all sincerity of purpose, it is India which through
her selective focus and precise mandate top its foreign minister
ensured that no headway is made and talks remain inconclusive
like the previous all rounds of talks.
ASIM MUNIR,
Rawalpindi.
Lois the Corpse flower
An interesting budding flower
named Lois the Corpse is an item of attraction these days for
thousands of visitors at Houston Museum of Natural Science. This
is one of the rarest flowers in the world to bloom. When the
flower finally unfurls, they may want to hold their breath
because of its powerful rotting meat stench meant to attract
flies for pollination. After that, Lois might never bloom again.
We should open our parliament to
those inquisitive visitors to show them a few bouquets of such
flowers blooming gloriously in our Senate and Parliament. Some
of them even grace the Cabinet. The good news is that they keep
on coming back to blossom; thanks to our generous Election
Commission which provides them a fertile soil to bloom again and
again.
Dr. Ghayur Ayub,
London.
Democracy in
Pakistan
In debates on TV channels about
democracy, everyone seems to agree this is the best form of
governance but opinions differ on why it has failed to deliver
in Pakistan.
The common refrain in this
regard is military intervention. Why has this happened
repeatedly and why have the masses not resisted the
intervention?
Political differences among
politicians have reined high than concentrating on working to
improve the lives of the people and the country. There seems to
be no debate on these weaknesses of the political parties.
Political parties should be
blamed for not holding elections within their own ranks. They
function on dynastic leadership that remain detached from ground
realities. They make promises which are not meant to be kept.
One of the main reasons for such
a situation is that political workers and officeholders do not
reach the top by making their way from the grassroots level.
They do not come up through hard
work and struggle.
There is hardly any set of laws
and bylaws governing the structure and the functioning of a
party. This is the basis on which political parties flourish in
other democratic countries.
Few political parties in our
country have a manifesto that carries a clear history and the
assessment of national problems along with solutions which the
party will introduce after coming into power. Rather, there is
more mud-slinging than solid work done for people. Political
parties themselves never do any homework in order to understand
the national problems and offer viable solutions.
In the never-ending match of
slinging between the political parties, foul and slanderous
language is used which becomes sensational news for the media to
glorify.
Thus the real purpose of free
speech and debate is lost. The media does not seem to show the
viewers the pathetic conditions in which the masses at large
live.
I suggest that there should be a
jointly sponsored programme with the title of “Mirror” which
should expose the appalling conditions in which some 80 percent
of our people live - infrastructure, hospitals, schools,
unhygienic living conditions, etc. And then the presenters on TV
talk shows should ask political representatives as to what
solutions do they have to mend the situation.
F.H. ANSARI,
Karachi.
17-7-2010
Rwandisation of
Pakistan
Karachi continues to witness the
killing of its citizens on hourly basis. Call them target
killings, mafia killings, ethnic killings, religious killings,
political killings or killings of any other sort. The urban and
rural areas of Sindh present the picture of a war zone. The
threshold of tolerance goes down each passing day. 22 persons
were killed last week in Shikarpur because a cow trespassed the
territory of a government officer. The villages in interior
Sindh now destroy their enemies with rockets and anti-aircraft
guns that will give an inferiority complex to an artillery
brigade. Likewise the urban militants roam around in Prado
fortresses loaded with guns and goons, breaking all laws, as if
they were a 'hit and run' squad infiltrating behind enemy lines.
It is bad enough to have a
corrupt and incompetent police. It is worse to have leadership
that simply does not have the capacity or the will for the task.
Seminars and speeches by citizens are well intended but not
likely to change the logic that flows from the barrel of a gun.
The greed for political power has left no space for reason,
dialogue or compromise.
Our only solution is to organise
and push for weapon-free cities. Regardless of the size or
complexity of this option, it is the only one that can rid us of
this mounting madness. One must also acknowledge and analyse the
failure of many earlier attempts at de-weaponisation. There was
never the full weight of the government, the consensus of the
political leaders and the participation of the citizens (for any
length of time) to make this miracle happen.
Pakistan is rapidly becoming a
state controlled by a large number of feudal and urban private
militias. Only and only a massive pressure from the citizens
demanding a complete de-weaponisation can put a halt to this
process of Rwandisation of Pakistan. Citizens wishing to
contribute towards such an effort on a sustained basis may write
to weapon.free.karachi@gmail.com. The time to demand a complete
ban on weapons is now or never.
Naeem Sadiq,
On email.
Exorcists and quakes
Recently a gory incident was
reported in media where in order to exorcise evil spirit a
woman’s face was burnt. This is not a solitary occurrence but
there are numerous instances where charlatans taking advantage
of illiteracy and poverty are swindling the masses in the name
of remedies and people out of fear and shame do not report the
matter to police or media.
Recently at a tomb of some saint
located at Khairpur Nathan Shah a ten-year boy, who was
allegedly “possessed” by a Jin was brought for treatment but
died as he could not bear the severe torture inflicted by the
so-called pir; “the exorcist”. Unfortunately this is not a
solitary incident where a boy was killed by the exorcist in a
far-flung area of the province.
Unfortunately even at the advent
of 21st century imposters and quacks are let loose in the
country to swindle the gullible masses. Right from getting
suitable match and profitable employment to the hapless needy
clients they exorcise demon or bad spirit which they made the
clients believe has captivated the victim and which is cause of
his every misery.
Shockingly even big cities like
Karachi and Lahore are not immune from these traders of mischief
and death. Taking advantage of poverty, general state of
illiteracy and authorities’ indifference to public miseries many
“aamils and pirs” have sprouted. They have established their
headquarters in suburbs of big cities. They not only promote
their “qualities and qualification” through wall chalking but
sadly some unscrupulous print as well as electronic media only
for the sake of few bucks advertise their pseudo credentials.
The customers in this esoteric
business mostly belong to the poor and illiterate class, who can
not afford luxury of going to a private doctor or psychiatric
for the treatment as public hospitals are few and that too lack
requisite facilities. Thus quacks and imposters have an open
field in the underprivileged areas where they thrive with the
connivance of local police and administration.
The provincial government
authorities need to move expeditiously and save the innocent
people from the hands of swindlers. The print and electronic
media should also stop advertising about these thugs
immediately.
The perpetrator of the crime in
Karachi has been apprehended. However the one, who is
responsible for the death of the boy in Khairpur Nathan Shah, is
at large. I appeal the authorities to register murder case u/s
302 PPC against the killer “exorcist” without further delay.
Altaf Hussain Qureshi,
Hyderabad
No 1 for wrong reason
It was sad to see that Pakistan
once again ranks first in a bad way, as it ranks the top country
to proportionally search for certain sex-related terms,
according to Google.
Google ranks Pakistan No. 1 in
the world in searches for pornographic terms, outranking every
other country in the world in searches per person for certain
sex-related content.
In Saudi Arabia all the porn
websites are blocked, whether it is image or video all those
material related to porn websites are blocked. If it appears on
any of the website, the link is blocked and it can’t be opened.
The same is in the case of non-Muslim Sri Lanka which has
blocked free porn websites and the reason given was that the
young generation was going on bad ways.
In Pakistan, these websites are
easily accessible and even a 10-year child can watch porn
websites.
Pakistan Telecom Authority
should block those links which relate to porn website and also
those website links which are related to porn material so that
our young generation is saved. I also request Chief Justice of
Pakistan to take suo motu notice of this important issue.
MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,
Karachi.
Economy and terrorism
Terrorism can have deep and
long-term economic effects. Productivity and growth decline in
areas where the threat of terrorism escalates. A heightened
threat of terrorism creates uncertainty, increases costs of
doing business and slows down growth. When terrorists strike
consumer and business confidence weakens. Sales slump,
production tumbles, investment stops and exports decline. This
is precisely what is happening in today's Pakistan as the
unrelenting wave of terrorism buffets the national economy.
Pakistan is already trying to
cope with several other issues, like energy crunch, constraining
exports and now it has this problem of terrorism threatening to
take the economy down. The threat of terrorism is imposing
additional costs on our businesses because now we have to travel
abroad to meet our buyers and enhance security related
expenditure at our business concerns. Foreign investors are not
the only ones shying away from bringing their money into
Pakistan. Local businessmen are also afraid of investing more
money under the existing security and economic conditions. The
rising business costs have adversely hit the small to medium
producers and exporters as they work on small profit margins.
Afia Ambreen,
Rawalpindi.
Cut in education budget
The recently-announced budget
indicates a reduction in education expenditures.
In a decaying society like
Pakistan, this can have long-lasting affects since education is
the only way to bring about a social change in this country.
The existing infrastructure of
education, at least on the primary and secondary-school level,
is based on an education system made by the British more than a
century ago, which faced severe criticism.
G. W. Stevens, a British
journalist commenting on the status of higher education in his
book In India (published in 1890) writes, “You can begin to
perceive how impossible it is to form any sane ideas of a wonder
so unnatural — I suppose there is nothing like it in the world —
thousands of people, speaking and writing an alien tongue almost
as if it were their own, yet thinking and feeling a whole world
apart from the spirit of it.
This grotesque prodigy is the
fine flower of the system of education which we with infinite
care, have grafted onto the Indian intelligence.”
Unfortunately more than 100
years after that and more than 63 years after the British left
India things have gone worse. The importance of education in
Pakistan cannot be over-emphasised. The Quaid-i-Azam in many of
his speeches tried to highlight this point.
In one of his speeches (Nov 27,
1947) delivered in Karachi, he said, “If we are to make any
real, substantial and speedy progress, we must earnestly tackle
this question and bring our education policy and programme on
the lines suited to the genius of our people consonant with our
history and culture, and having regard to the modern conditions
and developments that have taken place all over the world.”
His words still hold true. It is
unfortunate that no attention was paid to what he said 63 years
ago. It is high time we changed our priorities.
Without a strong education
system, we may not be able to make the dream of the Quaid-i-Azam
come true, who in the same speech (mentioned above) had said,
“We have to build the character of our future generations, which
means highest sense of honour, integrity and selfless service to
the nation and sense of responsibility.”
DR. ADEEL HAMAD,
London.
16-7-2010
Taliban training monkeys
The Afghan Taliban are “training
monkeys to use weapons to attack American troops” (Statesman,
July 15). No, really. Monkeys are apparently being armed with
“AK-47 rifles and Bren light machine guns in the Waziristan
tribal region near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
And this isn’t the first time! According to the news agency, the
CIA also “trained massive “monkey soldiers” in the Vietnam War
and dispatched armed monkeys to dangerous jungles to launch
assaults on Vietnamese soldiers. Today, the Taliban forces have
given the American troops some of their own medicine.” Wow.
UMAR MUSTAFA,
Peshawar.
Another US General speaks
Couple of days back, there were
reports in the national media about new International Security
Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAFF) Chairman General David
Petraeus was in Islamabad and had called on Chief of Army Staff
(COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani among his other engagements
in the Pakistani capital.
Reports said that General
Petraeus had described Pakistan as an indispensable partner in
the NATO-led coalition war on terror.
There is nothing to be cheerful
about the US General’s remarks about Pakistan being an
indispensable partner. By this way, the US General has just
tried to pamper Pakistan to continue doing more and more in the
war on terror and as a consequence keep suffering and offering
huge sacrifices. As a matter of fact, Pakistan is up to its neck
in the troubled waters and even cannot pull out at this stage
without logical conclusion of the war on terror and elimination
of militants and extremists from Pakistani territory at least.
It is irony of fate that over
the years, civil ad military rulers of Pakistan have
continuously been falling into the lap of the occupants of the
White House one after the other. However, people of Pakistan by
and large do not regard USA as a trustworthy friend and ally.
This has been proved time and again. US Sixth Fleet had not
reached East Pakistan when India had launched attack and
boosting so-called Mukti Bahini force to break away from
Pakistan. This may be difficult for many to recall. USA is only
and only concerned with achieving its own interests and least
bothered about what its allies and friends direly need.
So please do not trust the US
State Department and Defence Department officials as their
statements are only cliches and lip service only to kill time
and get things done by Islamabad the way Washington bosses want
these to be done. How can USA be a friend of major non-NATO ally
Pakistan when it listens more to India and gives a deaf ear to
direly needed request for civil nuclear technology facility from
Islamabad?
Pakistan has suffered a lot. It
is high time that our rulers start differentiating between
friends and foes. The sooner it is done the better it would be
in the national interests of Pakistan.
Bilal Ahmad Khan,
Lahore.
West’s Afghan problem
It is now becoming more and more
obvious that the US and its NATO allies are suffering huge
casualties in Afghanistan with no sign of outright military
victory over the Taliban and the other resistant groups.
It is time for the Western
nations to speedily withdraw from Afghanistan calling it
“Mission Accomplished”. The majority of Afghans has resigned to
the fact that the Taliban will soon force the foreign invaders
out — and are already switching sides. Savage civil war will
follow whether NATO troops withdraw now or after five years. The
West will have to change its strategy into one of seizing and
containing areas, which will be supported by all neighbouring
and other Muslim countries. GOP Chairman Michael Steel had a
point when he questioned President Barack Obama’s strategy of
escalating ground fighting!
The US and its allies did what
was expected of them — remove an extremist regime. Most of its
leaders are killed or are on the run. This is victory on its
own. The presence of any foreign Christian/Western troops in a
puritanical Muslim country will invite contempt and hatred. The
US and its allies somehow do not understand why a majority of
the people in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other Muslim countries
does not support their cause.
These countries judge the
attitude and agenda of the US and Western countries on the basis
of their policy on Israel and Middle East. Now, most Muslims
believe that the US has a hidden agenda to destabilise
Pakistan and neutralise its
nuclear arsenal and capabilities.
They may be wrong but this is a
region where perception matters.
The Taliban are feeding on
frustrations and helplessness of Muslims at large, and the road
to peace, security and brotherhood runs through
Palestine/Israel, not Kandahar.
So the US must solve the
Arab-Israeli conflict and leave Afghanistan hoping that Taliban
will undergo a major change once the US leaves their country in
the same way as Vietcong and Irish paramilitary forces changed.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
Looming sugar crisis
Pakistan is the world’s fifth
largest sugarcane producer and Asia’s third largest user of sugar. It ranks 15th among the refined sugar
producers.
The sugar industry is the second
largest agro-based industry after textiles in Pakistan. It is
one of the most important daily commodities. There are about 72
sugar mills situated in different parts of the country. Out of
these at least 26 mills are owned by powerful politicians,
including the so-called national leaders.
The sugar mafia is responsible
for the sugar crisis in Pakistan. It seems to be very difficult
for the present federal and provincial governments to take any
action against it. A large number of parliamentarians, their
relatives or partners own sugar mills and can influence the
federal and provincial governments.
The price of sugar in general is
controlled and determined by the powerful lobbies of traders,
commercial importers and mill owners who hoard the commodity
when it is cheap in the market and then sell it at a high price
in the holy month of Ramazan. The mill owners play a key role in
engineering the supply of sugar in the market and gain billions
of rupees in the form of black money.
The sugar mafia seems to be
running a political industry that is unwilling to decrease its
profit margin. When the price of sugar is low in the
international market, the mill owners plead with the government
to impose duties on sugar to discourage its import; but when the
price is high, they raise domestic prices on the pretext of
countering the smuggling of sugar across the border. The
government has apparently lost its control over the mill owners
and commercial traders.
It is the duty of the government
to adopt a strategy to overcome the looming sugar crisis. All
provincial governments and the federal government should devise
a plan to ensure provision of sugar all over the country at a
cheap and uniform rate.
It is an uphill task to take any
decision against the sugar mafia. A serious and determined
government can take action against the culprits who are in fact
a part of the ruling regime.
The international sugar market
crashed in April this year. At that time the government should
have brought down the price of this commodity. It didn’t. Now
the sugar mafia is making a plan to create an artificial
shortage of sugar and raise its price.
MUHAMMAD DAHEEM,
Lahore.
World Cup 2010
Uruguay won the World Cup twice, but that feat was achieved in much distant
past. England and France
won the World Cup only once. Thus, for decades, in the name of
World Cup, the premier football tournament was nothing but a
show of four giants —
Brazil, Italy, Germany and Argentina;
which is certainly not a good advertisement of football. But the
2010 edition has thrown up a welcome variety with Spain emerging
as the champion after making its debut entry in the final and
Holland emerging as the
runner-up, thereby breaking the hegemony of few selected teams
only. Let’s hope that in the coming decades, we will witness the
likes of Japan, South Korea, Ghana, South Africa or Chile vying
for the ultimate honour in international football, thereby
ensuring the relevance of World Cup.
FAYYAZ AZIZ,
Peshawar.
15-7-2010
Crime in
Islamabad
This letter captioned only one
day’s crimes out of those 365 which all witness the similar
curse of crimes committed against the residents of the twin
cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
“West-ridge police station
reports that 3 armed robbers entered a house, the inmates were
taken hostage at gunpoint and then locked up in a room,
afterwards the culprits took gold, cash and fled away. In other
report 3 young men aged 22-23 broke into a house, stolen gold
and one camera.
The police station (R-A Bazaar)
reports theft of gold, 3 lap-tops, one pistol and 4 mobile
phones. The same police station also reported about one stolen
Mehran car and a Suzuki pickup.
The police station (Cantt)
reports that an unidentified person snatched away one lady’s
purse containing 12,000 rupees and some important documents. The
same police station registered the theft of one carton
containing mobile phones worth 100,000 rupees.
The police station (Taxila) got
report about 4 robbers who forced into a house, mishandled the
owners and took away a box with gold and garments.
The police station (outer Saddar)
registered a report for the theft of gold, lap-top and other
valuable household articles. The police station (Sadiqabad) got
report about one stolen motorbike.
The police station (Shalimar
F/11) reported that 4 masked and armed robbers entered the house
of a retired army colonel, the family was taken hostage at
gunpoint and the household was deprived of gold, prize bonds,
mobile phone and one lap-top. The same police station reports
one motorbike stolen. The police station (Sabzi-mandi) reported
one car stolen".
So in the light of these
traumatic and tragic incidents some questions are directed to
our political and military leadership in
Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Are you concerned about these
crimes? How do you prioritise them and what precautionary
measures have been taken so far? How effective is our civil and
military intelligence network?
I remember one case, some 30
years back, where a close relative of one serving commissioner
of Islamabad was involved in such robbery cases in the Capital
city.
So do police establishments
(both civil and military) ever check and survey the possibility
that most of these crimes are committed by the jobless guest
visitors, from other parts of Pakistan, sometimes in connivance
with their hosts based in the twin cities?
Do police officers of the twin
cities deserve their posts and perks when they have utterly
failed to prevent this soaring culture of crimes?
In fact the prevailing threats
of terrorism and the eventual preparedness should make our
security forces more vigilant, more vigorous and more effective
to break and bust these gangs as well.
So my concern is: If we fail in
the Capital cities (the role models) then we fail everywhere in
Pakistan.
Ahmed bin Babar,
multiways@hotmail.com
Resolution against media
About the resolution passed by
the Punjab Assembly against Pakistani media I have a different
view.
We all must realise that we are
living under a nascent democratic dispensation grown out of an
autocratic rule in most of the 63 years of our country’s life.
While politicians have been
accused by everyone, including the media, and rightly so, of
corruption and other ills and are asked to take this criticism
generously, why shouldn’t the media that received an answer in
the form of a democratically-passed resolution take the backlash
as well?
We are all fallible; not even in
the more democratic societies of the world do angels exist. The
only difference is that we are still in a transitionary phase
and are trying to hold on to it whereas other developed
countries with democratic dispensations have reached a point
after decades of political and social transformation.
Whatever is happening here is
part of a process which, though painful, has to be experienced
if we are to become a viably democratic nation. This is how our
society, media and politicians will mature.
Remember, Rome was not built in
a day. We will have to be patient and need to give time to a
system that has never been practised by us in its true sense. I
am sure things will get better gradually.
MOHAMMED ALI JAWAID,
Karachi.
Opposition move blocked
Print and electronic media and
members of the Punjab Assembly have been in the news for the
last couple of days. This was so because the treasury benchers
mainly belonging to the PML(N) and PPP Parliamentarians had
unanimously passed a resolution the other day to condemn what
they said was hostile and negative attitude of the media towards
peoples elected representatives and politicians.
PML(QA) led opposition was,
according to reports, was not allowed for two days to move a
resolution through Opposition leader Ch Zaheeruddin Khan
apparently in support of the mediapeople. The Opposition was
forced to stage walkout now and then as the Opposition leader
was not allowed even to read out his resolution in the House.
This was because the ruling coalition did not want to give
Opposition credit for moving the resolution in favour of the
media.
Reports said that the anti-media
resolution earlier last week unanimously adopted could not be
withdrawn and the ruling coalition was un-nerved by countrywide
agitation and protests by mediapeople, lawyers and others
against the resolution. The ruling coalition worked out another
resolution rather in a hurried manner in order to pacify the
protesting mediapeople so that they end their boycott of the PA
proceedings. While doing so, the treasury benches had ensured
that the Opposition leader was not allowed to move the
resolution and thus win the hearts of the boycotting mediapeople.
This was surely highly
undemocratic on their part as well as against parliamentary
traditions, if there are any, by blocking the Opposition leader
from moving his resolution what was reportedly in favour of the
media which was maligned by the PML(N) and PPP Parliamentarians
members of the House left and right during the last few days.
Apparently the ugly episode has
ended but the mediapeople must have realised as to who are their
friends in the Provincial Assembly: PML(N), PML(QA), PPP
Parliamentarians or others.
Tariq Javed,
Lahore.
14-7-2010
Deweaponisation drive needed
This is with reference to your
news item, “24 killed over land dispute “(July 10). 24 people
were killed in the Qambrani-Magsi dispute over a minor issue.
But people were up in arms against each other and tension
followed in Shikarpur. Almost seven people lost their lives in a
Magneja-Alhora feud last month in the same district.
It shows the poor performance of
the Shikarpur police. I wonder how these people get
sophisticated weapons when people cannot buy wheat.
The law-enforcement agencies
have failed in controlling the growing lawlessness in upper
Sindh. People find it difficult to visit markets during day time
due to lawlessness.
It is the prime responsibility
of the state to maintain the law and order situation at any
cost. Illiteracy and the failure of the lower courts to provide
justice to victims are a major cause of these feuds.
It is also regrettable that
culprits openly walk in marketplaces and take shelter in the
autaqs of feudal lords. Innumerable schools have been closed
down owing to these clashes and there are many no-go areas
around.
Law-enforcement agencies seem
helpless and at the mercy of the feudal lords when the clashes
take place, especially in Jacobabad, Kandakot, Ghotki districts
that face tribal clashes.
It is the common man who suffers
in these feuds. In fact, a handful of sardars have been creating
a law and order situation in upper Sindh but neither feudal
lords nor custodians of law seem committed to dealing with the
problem in an effective way. The attitude of the police is
always partial and disappointing. It is lamentable that without
the permission of a feudal lord even the police cannot make a
raid to apprehend miscreants.
These clashes have badly
affected the academic and economic sector of the area. As the
Jirga system has been proved a failure in settling disputes,
speedy justice needs to be executed through civil courts.
Holding jirgas is neither defined in our law nor is it in
accordance with Islamic law.
I appeal to Chief Justice of
Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to intervene and take suo
motu notice in the Magsi-Qambrani clashes in Shikarpur. De-weaponisation
is the only solution to this grave issue and so law enforcement
agencies should be directed to carry out a major clean-up
operation in these areas.
DR. FARUKH BHANDHRO,
Khairpur Mir.
Leadership’s profligacy
Does the leadership of this
country not owe an explanation to the nation? How does their
conscience allow them to spend almost three million rupees daily
on the president’s and prime minister’s house, while their
countrymen are being pushed towards suicide because of hunger? A
comparison of this expenditure needs to be made, not with our
poor neighbours like India but with richer countries, and it may
be safely assumed that we are leagues ahead of them in luxury
spending.
Is an explanation not needed to
justify the expenditures of the bevies of ministers, both at the
federal and provincial levels, where hardly any minister can
claim any contribution to the country worth the expenses made on
him/her? The irony is that almost everyone demands a
bullet-proof vehicle and dozens of guards as if their loss will
be a catastrophe for the nation.
The Sharifs also owe an
explanation to the public about the reported tax of only Rs5,000
paid by them in contrast with the expenses incurred for
maintaining their Raiwind estate. Similarly, all elected leaders
and armed forces’ personnel need to explain their luxurious
lifestyles.
Only after all those who matter
give a satisfactory explanation, can the masses be exhorted to
diligently pay all due taxes.
JAVAID IQBAL,
Karachi.
CSS & Baloch candidates
For the first time in the
history of Balochistan, 34 candidates passed the CSS examination
in 2009. However, it is feared that only 18 or 20 of the 34
would be lucky enough to be given a job in the federal services.
It may be noted that when 29 Baloch candidates cleared the CSS
examination in 2008, the incumbent government promised to
appoint all of them to various federal departments.
According to the 1998 Census,
the quota of Balochistan in the federal services should have
been 6 percent. Instead, the province had been given a share of
3.5 percent from 1998 till 2005. It was in 2006 when the quota
was increased to 6 percent. The case regarding vacant 2.5
percent of allocated seats is still pending with the
Establishment Division in
Islamabad.
At present, the quota of
Balochistan is 6 percent, yet there are hardly even 2.5 percent
of officers from the province in the federal services.
Furthermore, the Concurrent List has been abolished as per the
18th Amendment. Consequently, many federal subjects are supposed
to be devolved to the provinces. In order to run the new
departments, the provincial government of Balochistan needs many
officers.
Keeping in mind the facts above,
the president and the prime minister are requested to give
Balochistan its due share in the federal services, which was not
given to it from 1998 to 2005. In addition, the number of
officers should be raised to 6 percent by allocating all the 34
candidates to any group or service.
SYED RAUF KHAN,
Quetta.
World Football Cup
The mega event is over and Spain
has lifted the coveted cup. What a stupendous spectacle of
skills, talent, sportsmanship and discipline it was, not only of
the players but of the huge huge throngs of spectators also! One
is amazed at the fool-proof and flawless execution of the event
and what all not must have gone into planning and organising
such a world class event. We can only marvel at it enviously.
Whether we like it or not, we have to admit that we, the 6th
most populous nation of the world and the 7th nuclear power are,
what to talk of hosting such an event are not even fit enough to
qualify and participate in it. What a shame? What do these tiny
countries have that we don’t have?
Allow me to narrate an anecdote
and I dare my countrymen to ponder over it. Before the start of
the finals I wished my one Dutch acquaintance luck for the
match. Now listen to what he said. “Colonel, thank you for the
good wishes and I too wish it happens, but let the best team
win, not the luckiest”! Let the best team win! These are the
people who deserve to live with honour.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
Shandur Polo
Through the courtesy of your
esteemed paper I would like to congratulate the government of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for successful holding of Shandur Polo
festival 2010. The event was remarkable this year. I suggest
that in future the festival should be organised in this way.
VVIP guests from Islamabad should be avoided so that security
arrangements are affordable for polo fans. Teams may be invited
across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. It will be
advisable if teams are invite from Khyber Rifles, Shawal Rifles
and Peshawar Polo Club. The event should be restricted to the
players of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Bashir Hussain Azad,
Chitral.
13-7-2010
The war on burqa
This refers to the report,
“French Parliament debates ban on burqa-style veils”.
The report says: “The
legislation.... calls for 150-euro ($185) fines or citizenship
classes for women who run afoul of the law, and in some cases
both. Part of the bill is aimed at husbands and fathers who
impose such veils on women family members. Under the most
current version of the text, anyone convicted of forcing a woman
to wear such a veil risks a year of prison and a 30,000 euro
fine — with both those penalties doubled if the victim is a
minor”.
One can clearly see that the
legislation is aimed at harassing Muslims. I don’t know of any
non-Muslim country that has been so hostile toward the Islamic
veil. We Muslims feel that the French “secularists” who are
Christians in disguise are trying to do what the West has been
trying to do since ages — of course without success.
The message from these
“secularists” is very simple. Muslim women must not be forced to
wear the veil by their husbands or fathers. But they can be
forced to remove their veils by these French non-Muslims! The
right to use force against Muslim women belongs only to these
non-Muslim “secularists”! They will dictate what Muslim women
must or must not wear. And this is for protecting their great
secularism!
The burqa which is the world’s
most decent female dress is so derogatorily portrayed by these
crazy “secularists” that one gets the impression it is the
world’s greatest vice. Instead of trying to ban the burqa, why
don’t these “secularists” ban bikinis or other all-revealing
garments that reduce women’s bodies to show pieces for the
public to gaze at? A civilised society would use force to remove
vice and not to eliminate virtue. It is women who wear immoral
dress in public and those men who encourage women to wear such
clothes deserve to be punished. Even if a Muslim man forces his
wife or daughter to wear the burqa, it is for protecting her
modesty.
In Islam, one is responsible for
everybody under his or her care. Punishing a man for what he
does for protecting his family members is a crime in itself.
There have been cases where Muslim women were prevented from
wearing the veil by none other than their husbands. What do the
“secularists” have to say about this?
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
A
friend in need...
There is an old English proverb
“A friend in need is a friend, indeed” which most of the older
and younger generations would surely be remembering despite
their being out of the colleges and universities many, many
years together.
This proverb crossed my mind as
I sat to write these few lines about Sino-Pakistan relations
highlighted and cemented further during week-long visit to China
of President Asif Ali Zardari. The proverb truly and really fits
on Sino-Pak relations, to say the least. Both countries at the
highest appropriate level have decided to intensify and promote
cooperation in different fields in general and nuclear
technology in particular, which augurs well for Islamabad, in
all fairness.
To be honest and fair, within
months it has been established once more and without any doubt
that China is Pakistan's friend in need whereas USA, despite
being an old ally, is "friend who cares least" for what is
needed the most by Islamabad.
This was the acquisition of
civil nuclear technology, for boosting nuclear power production
in the country, which forced
Islamabad to approach Washington
for striking a civil nuclear technology deal on the lines of
Indo-USA deal. The response was indeed quite unexpected from a
so-called friendly country like the USA. The request was
summarily turned down by the ally country without giving it even
little initial consideration, even.
On the other hand, China had
come forward and showed willingness to provide much-needed civil
nuclear technology to Pakistan. Both India and USA raised some
uncalled-for and unjustified objections and concerns in this
regard. But these were brushed aside by China by saying it does
not need the permission of either USA or India for entering into
a civil nuclear technology deal without violating the
international laws.
The unjustified and uncalled-for
objections and concern raised against Sino-Pakistan civil
nuclear technology deal only showed the real faces of USA and
India to the world at large. How they could stand acquisition of
such a facility for boosting nuclear power generation by a
country which was already a nuclear power which is serving as
the minimum security deterrence in view of developments in the
region?
Difference between USA and China
vis-a-vis Pakistan is thus crystal clear.
Anees A. Naqvi,
Lahore.
Assault on media
It is disappointing to learn
that some individuals in the government tend to work behind the
scenes by holding secret meetings to find a way to suppress the
freedom of the press. One wonders how a government that flaunts
its democratic credentials to the whole world can turn around
and condone such questionable behaviour that is clearly meant to
sabotage our budding democracy.
To an ordinary Pakistani it is
beyond belief that instead of devoting their time and efforts to
the more pressing issues faced by the nation (such as terrorism,
law and order deterioration, poverty, inflation and economic
depression), the politicians in their infinite wisdom find it
justifiable to use their energies on muzzling the media as a
matter of national priority.
I urge all my fellow countrymen
to come forward in support of freedom of the press.
S. ZAFAR IQBAL,
On email.
12-7-2010
Attack on Media
Truth is always hard to stomach.
The recent resolution passed by Punjab Assembly against media
portrays an abysmal and awful aspect of the parliamentarians
sitting in the air-conditioned halls of provincial assembly.
Instead of setting themselves right and cleansing their own ugly
records, they have chosen to embark on a malicious campaign
against media and judiciary. The MNAs and MPAs — mostly the fake
degree holders — sadly have nothing left to do but to curse
media which did nothing wrong but revealed the truth about them.
It is the people’s right to know all about their public
representatives since they have empowered them with their votes
and it is due to their taxes that these MNAs and MPAs are living
luxurious life and enjoying many incentives.
I would like to assert the fact
that media did nothing wrong. It only amplified the truth and
real news regarding these parliamentarians with courage and
valour without being intimidated by any authority or power. It
was due to this independent media that Election Commission and
Higher Education Commission took action and sent for the
verification of the degrees of these public representatives. The
result of this verification should have been a lesson for these
so-called public representatives but it was of no avail. It was
an opportunity for them to choose a right direction. The fake
degree holders should have burned with shame. But to our utter
surprise, they instead attacked upon media and judiciary with
ferocity which were pursuing this campaign in the wider interest
of Pakistani nation. The reason why we lack progress in our
capacity as a nation is because our political leadership is not
sincere with the country and with those who dwell in this poor
land. It is hard to contemplate that our public representatives
would stoop so low as to have fake degrees for running the
affairs of state.
Media was honest and brave which
kept national interest supreme and showed mirror to the
parliamentarians. For this bold act, they deserve our all praise
and we salute them. Had the media not been so active, we would
be in pitched darkness regarding the wrongdoings of our
democratic yet corrupt government.
Badar ul Islam,
Islamabad.
Shameless polluters
It is reported in the media, the
provincial minister of Excise and Taxation Sindh and other
senior Taxation Department officials of Sukkur recently gathered
at the outskirts of city and torched massive quantity of
contraband opium/hashish etc confiscated by the department over
a period of time in open air with lot of fanfare. Since the
programme was announced much earlier, hence, thousands of city
dwellers came to witness the occasion. Moreover, press and media
people were also invited for propagation of the event.
The most unfortunate aspect
which no body took note of the pollution this burning of
contraband material has created. The Excise authorities are
probably unmindful of the lethal effect of poisonous fumes
emanating from burning drugs on human and animal life of the
area. Only for the sake of propaganda and showing the media that
they have got rid of confiscated drugs, they have put health of
entire area people into jeopardy.
The Sindh Environmental
Protection Agency (SEPE) whose primary responsibility is to
preserve clean environment, should also take note of such
harmful activities which are causing serious damage to
atmosphere. SEPE must restrained the Excise Department from
burning of confiscated drugs in open air; a routine affair in
the provinces.
I also request the chief
minister and chief secretary Sindh to direct the Excise people
to stop disposing of drugs in such a callous manner in the open
air, which except putting the health of people in jeopardy
serves no other purpose.
Qazi Bashir Ahmed,
Old Hala.
11-7-2010
Sugar – White poison
Sugar is selling at Rs70 a kilo
and expected to rise up to Rs100 during the ensuing Ramazan,
thanks to the sugar mills cartel and its manipulative import
from Brazil. But, do we know that by consuming sugar we subject
ourselves to slow poisoning and pay for it too? Of all the foods
consumed today, refined sugar is considered to be one of the
most harmful.
Sugars are refined from natural
foods like sugar cane or sugar beets by removing all elements of
food until only the sugar remains. All vitamins, minerals,
proteins, fats, enzymes and every nutrient is removed until only
the sugar remains. During the refining process, 64 food elements
are destroyed. All the potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron,
manganese, phosphate, and sulfate are removed. The A, D, and B,
vitamins destroyed.
What happens when you eat a
refined carbohydrate like sugar devoid of fibre, minerals,
proteins, fats, enzymes and any other nutrient? Your body has to
borrow the vital nutrients from healthy cells to metabolise the
incomplete food. Calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium are
taken from various parts of the body to burn the sugar. Many
times, so much calcium is consumed to neutralise the effects of
sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn
calcium.
A body depleted of various
vitamins, minerals, enzymes and nutrients cannot properly handle
and rid itself of the poisonous residues. These wastes
accumulate through the brain and nervous system, which speeds up
cellular death. The bloodstream becomes over-loaded with waste
products and symptoms of carbonic poisoning result.
Sugar also makes the blood very
thick and sticky, inhibiting much of the blood flow into the
minute capillaries that supply our retina, internal ear, gums
and teeth with vital nutrients. Therefore, we wind up soon with
defective vision, impaired hearing, diseased gums and starving
teeth.
Due to the constraints of time
and space only some of the above ill effects of sugar are
pointed out. Is it worth it to buy this White Poison and at that
exorbitant price too? Boycott sugar in its all manifestations,
tea, desserts, halwas, sweet meats, colas and juices and save
your lives. Use instead gur only, the darker the better.
Incidentally, sugar prices will tumble down to pre-Ayub era.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
Uproar on fake degrees in PA
According to a press report, in
a rare show of unity, the Punjab Assembly members of all
political parties fiercely attacked the media for maligning
politicians on the issue of fake graduation degrees. The members
of Punjab Assembly blamed the judges, generals and journalists
for derailing democracy.
This is not the first time that
the people’s representatives have shown unity among themselves
when their personal character is exposed.
They forget that they are public
representatives and it is the right of the people to know their
personal profile. The question of fake degrees is related to the
morals and ethics of these representatives.
The question is: are those who
contested the election with fake degrees honest or not, as the
law says that only graduates can contest the election?
If those who are expected to
make laws and set a moral standard themselves break the law and
cheat, then how can they expect people to be honest and respect
the law?
It was disgusting to see how the
members of the National Assembly were shouting against the media
whose responsibility is to expose and tell the truth and nothing
but the truth.
The media has been doing a
wonderful job and the credit must go to General Pervez Musharraf
who allowed the establishment of private TV channels despite
opposition from all his political companions.
Democracy can only flourish if
the judiciary and the press are free from the establishment’s
influence. It is a known fact that our so-called politicians are
not democratic themselves and they are not in favour of
democracy.
They seem to be in politics to
further their self-interest and corruption. Why do they not
raise their voice in the assembly on the plight of the masses
who are suffering from high inflation, load-shedding, and poor
health services?
Why have the politicians not
raised their voice for those 40 percent Pakistanis who live
below the poverty line? Why are they not taking any notice of
those who are committing suicides due to hunger and poverty?
ENGR S.T. HUSSAIN,
Lahore.
Victory against
Australia
It was heartening to see the
Pakistani cricket team again playing as a unit against Australia
in the recently-concluded two T20 matches. Shahid Afridi led the
team while the rest helped him.
Umar Akmal continues to impress
and can prove to be the backbone of our batting line-up in the
next decade or so. Umar Gul’s return has added an extra bit of
zing to the bowling attack as his yorkers proved to be too good
for the Australian batsmen. Mohammad Aamir is going from
strength to strength and it’s a treat to watch this 18-year-old
troubling the best of batsmen.
The team’s on-field performance
during the two matches reflected the dressing room’s encouraging
atmosphere and Afridi and Waqar Younis should be appreciated for
keeping a good atmosphere within the squad. As a result, the
team looks relaxed and the fielding standard has also improved.
The Pakistani cricket team’s
talent has never been in doubt, but in-fighting and player
politics have often prevented it from performing to their
potential. These are encouraging signs but Pakistan needs to
give such performances on a consistent basis.
QAZI FURQAN,
Karachi.
Wither the hoi polloi?
It is a point of grave concern
that right from the inception of Pakistan till today, the common
man has not been able to make a mark in mainstream politics of
the country. Rather, he has been kept out of the corridors of
power by the privileged class.
Nawabs, Khans, Chaudhrys, Maliks,
army generals, bureaucrats, industrialists, feudal lords, etc,
have ruled the country during all these 63 years and have
ignored the general welfare and prosperity of the masses only
for the sake of maintaining their dominance.
Pakistan was created due to the
tremendous sacrifices of thousands of commoners. But the elite
have hijacked the country and ignored those sacrifices. History
tells us that those nations have excelled where the middle class
was allowed to flourish and those ones suffered where only a
select few ran the government — a lesson worth learning.
ABDUL SAMAD SAMO,
Karachi.
Dishonest politicians
Over the past few weeks, I have
repeatedly come across news of parliamentarians possessing fake
degrees being exposed. Those who find the rope a little slack
deny that their degrees are fake whereas others who find that
the ball is no longer in their court resign.
What is intriguing is that the
educated citizens of Pakistan who possess ‘original’ degrees are
sitting jobless while the elite class, despite being uneducated,
rules the country.
The problem lies in the fact
that the majority of population is illiterate or rather
ignorant. These ignorant people are easily led astray and made
to believe that politicians affiliated with the mainstream
parties are the only people who can transform Pakistan and bring
about a radical change. On the other hand, the educated seldom
use their right to vote.
No civilised society can
progress unless its rulers are honest and committed. If the
leaders of the country are not sincere with the people, then how
do they expect the masses to be optimistic? We are simply being
dragged into a situation of chaos, as more and more
parliamentarians are required to leave office because of
committing fraud. The current political scenario in the country
involuntarily brings forth a question in our minds: are we
moving towards an empty parliament?
SHERAZ HUSSAIN,
Lahore.
10-7-2010
Knowledgeable versus ignorant
The way the issue of the fake
degrees is being defended by Raisani and his likes speaks
volumes about the intellectual bankruptcy of our so called
leaders. Little do they realise that a degree is not a mere
piece of paper which they can easily forge, but is a sacred
parchment conferred by an academia certifying possession of a
specific measure of knowledge by the degree holder. I think it
is for such like people that the Holy Quran says in Sura Az
Zumar (39:9), “Are those who know equal to those who do not
know?” It is our misfortune as a nation that our leaders are not
alive to it. To them knowledge seems to be a low priority
commodity.
This proclamation of the Quran
leads me yet to another anomaly being practised in the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan. When Allah (swt) Himself says that those
who know not cannot be equal to those who know, (the
knowledgeable and the ignorant cannot be equal) how can we treat
them as equals in exercising their judgement in matters of
national import requiring deep understanding and good knowledge
of the statecraft? Surely the judgement of a knowledgeable
person could vary from that of an ignorant one in, say, electing
the rulers.
Allow me to say, keeping the
literacy rate of Pakistan in view, the number of ‘ignorants’ far
outweighs that of the ‘knowledgeables’. And as they wield the
deciding influence on the outcome of an election, we are
‘blessed’ with the type of leaders that we have. Should we,
therefore, have one vote equally for all – the knowing ones and
the not-knowing ones? Is it not against the teachings of Quran
and Shariah? I think it calls for a serious study and ruling by
the experts on Shariah and Islamic jurisprudence – the Muftis,
the Federal Shariat Court, the Islamic Ideological Council etc.?
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
Indian ‘military governance’ in Kashmir
Prominent Indian journalist Vir
Sanghvi writes in Hindustan Times, “If you believe in democracy,
then giving Kashmiris the right to self-determination is the
correct thing to do.”
The Government of India has
recently called for "creative solutions" to resolve the "Kashmir problem." If we map the events of the past six months inside held
Kashmir, the approach of the Indian state is aggressively militaristic. While
commitments to political diplomacy frame relations between
New Delhi and Islamabad,
in IHK, there are no such engagements with civil society or with
the pro-freedom leadership. There is no acknowledgement of civil
society's demand for the right to self-determination.
Kashmir is a laboratory of
violent experiments conducted by Indian military and state
institutions. The sustained militarisation in Kashmir is not called "military rule" by the Indian state and international
community. Civil society in Indian-Held Kashmir remains under
the authority of the hostile army whose reach and power has been
established and can be exercised.
Between January-June 2010,
reportedly 40 civilians, 107 persons identified as 'militants'
have been killed. Those killed by the Central Reserve Police
Force and police were all young men, all Muslim. Over 20 persons
have been killed in "encounters" in just April and May 2010;
each reported as 3 "infiltrating" militants. Only four deaths
have been investigated, all found to be fake encounter killings.
Reportedly, 335 militants were killed in 2008 and 236 militants
were killed in 2009. There are no systematic investigations into
alleged "encounter" killings. Promises made about inquiries and
commissions are not honoured. International human rights law
argues that a state must respect the right to life. The Indian
armed forces repeatedly break this covenant in
Kashmir.
India alleges that Pakistan does not
want peace and encourage militant attacks. Does India want peace
in Kashmir? Is India willing to recognise what "peace" will require, and take those steps?
Military-talk and dominant political speech state that the
Indian armed forces are in
Kashmir to protect citizens, and
justify civilian suffering and killings as collateral damage in
a war on terror. There is no way out of the contradiction that
India's military is the protector of Kashmiris who are also
potential enemies, as long as military suppression of Kashmiris
is understood as crucial to defending India.
India's militarisation is portrayed as an "internal" matter, refusing
transparency, international scrutiny, and adherence to
international humanitarian law of conflict and war. In the face
of the Indian state's violations of international humanitarian
law, of protocols and conventions, and perpetration of crimes
against humanity, there is a deafening silence on the part of
the international community. The
Kashmir conflict, like other international conflicts, requires urgent attention
and resolution. There is, at present, no monitoring, no
sustained visibility, no engagement that can produce ethical and
viable results.
Afia Ambreen,
Islamabad.
Wanted: More ninjas
While talking on ABC’s “This
Week” programme on June 29, CIA Director Leon Panetta claimed
that Osama Bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan’s tribal areas
bordering Afghanistan.
In the same breath he told his
audience that they did not have any good intelligence on the
whereabouts of al-Qaeda leader for years. How come when the
American drones have been keeping an eye on Pakistan’s tribal
areas and attacking the whole of the tribal belt without giving
a damn to Pakistan’s sovereignty? Was Panetta indirectly asking
Pakistan to “do more” to get to the hiding al-Qaeda leaders?
Pakistan is already under considerable pressure to launch a
military offensive in North Waziristan from where the Haqqani
group is allegedly engaged in lightning strikes on NATO forces
in Afghanistan. So far Pakistan has resisted the US pressure.
Interestingly it is being reported that both Pakistan and
Afghanistan are holding secret talks with the Haqqanis,
independent of the US.
In such circumstances, the only
course left for Panetta is to hire a few more American ninjas to
do the Osama job. Pakistani authorities recently arrested one
such ninja — Gary Faulkner who was on his way to assassinate
Osama while crossing the Pak-Afghan border on foot. He was
carrying a pistol and a 40-inch sword. As Panetta has himself
admitted that they are fighting in one of the most difficult and
dangerous terrains of the world, the latest warfare and
technology may not produce the results the US is looking for.
Perhaps Pentagon should advertise openings for ninjas with
handsome packages.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
Strategic depth in
Afghanistan
Since the initiation of US
attack on Afghanistan, South Asia’s strategic situation is being
continually defined and redefined by the changing realities of
the time - and that too at a fast pace. The ongoing tussle among
the key players - US, Taliban, Pakistan, India, Russia and
China - has become further complex in the global economic
recession in general and the US desperate search for a
face-saving military withdrawal from
Afghanistan, at the earliest in
particular.
The US wants to pave way for an
early face-saving exit from Afghanistan and it offers the
opportunity to Indian army to train the Afghan army and police
possibly for three reasons i.e. (a) The US wants to take India
into confidence since another great game, chronologically, one,
is being played and this time between the US and China because
the US wants to counter China's economic expansion with India's
growing influence in the region.
(b) After global economic
recession, the leading US economic institutions failed miserably
leaving the US economy in dire straits. Therefore, this public
perception is gaining strength that this recession is somehow
linked to the global war on terror. Hence, Obama's
administration is under great pressure to ensure an early
withdrawal from Afghanistan which was also part of his election
manifesto.
(c) The US wants India to fill
that vacuum that would be created after the withdrawal of the
US and NATO forces lest the Taliban would seize the opportunity.
Despite the catchphrase of major
non-NATO-Ally and the frontline state in the war on terror, it
has become evident from this offer that the US administration
doesn't want Pakistan to manipulate the vacuum in its favour.
Also, it shows that the US is not interested in Pakistan's
genuine strategic concerns vis-à-vis giving greater role to
India, as the move will make Pakistan's western borders unsafe
and has the potential to destabilise the precarious balance of
power that exist on the subcontinent.
Afia Ambreen,
Rawalpindi.
Not a real issue
We are very intolerant and
unfair towards our fake degree-holding MNAs and MPAs. Winning an
election is not a child’s play: they contested election and won
it against many eminent politicians. Having fake degrees doesn’t
mean that they are corrupt and inept. And it should be kept in
mind that people didn’t vote for them for their degrees, but
people wanted to get rid of Musharraf and PML-Q.
If we ponder over the short
history of Pakistan, the greatest damage
has been done to Pakistan by educated class, the genuine degree
holders. The educated assembly passed the 17th amendment. The
educated judiciary gave three years to Musharraf to rule the
country and make political alliances for his survival. The
educated people know how to embezzle money, how to fool the
common people, how to reach the power corridors.
Najeebullah,
Swat.
Altaf Hussain’s suggestion
Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief
Altaf Hussain has said that the recent terrorist attacks on
mosques, shrines and other places that have killed many people
were not in reaction to drone attacks in
Pakistan.
I suggest government, law
enforcement agencies and other concerned departments to take
advice from Mr. Altaf Hussain as he is confident that these
attacks are not because of drone attacks.
May I ask MQM chief that how he
is sure that these attacks are not a reaction to drone attacks?
Does he have intelligence reports which our law enforcement
agencies don’t have?
MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,
Karachi.
Obscene ads
Roadside advertisements in
Karachi are becoming increasingly obscene, making it difficult
to protect our families and children from such despicable
material. It seems that marketing companies have failed to
realise that among their audience are also young children, with
developing and immature minds, and adults who have not lost
their cultural and religious values of modesty and decency, who
view such content with utter disgust. Such advertisements only
serve to corrupt the minds of our youth. I urge the city
government of Karachi to formulate regulations concerning the
material that is displayed on billboards throughout the city.
HAFSA M HANIF,
Karachi.
Germany’s World Cup bid
Germans rejoiced a booming
triumph over Argentina at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa but
lost to Spain in the semi final, but overall it was a great
success for the team that consists mostly of young ones. If we
consider the young multi-cultural team’s success, patriotism and
the possible political after effects, most of us would conclude
that football games like this are about so much more than just
sport. Germany played Argentina during the quarter-finals of the
World Cup 2010 and won with an unexpectedly large margin of 4-0.
Millions of Germans celebrated, as many print and electronic
reports suggest, including the hundreds of thousands crowded
into the so-called Fan Mile in central Berlin, an area specially
set aside for audiences to watch the games together on giant
screens. Many newspapers around the world including German leave
no subject uncovered, writing about everything from German
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s direct trip to South Africa from
Toronto where she was attending the ‘Gs’ summit, to see the
game, which had been reportedly criticised by the German media
as ‘unnecessary and too expensive,’ to analysis as to how the
team achieved such an amazing scoring capacity and accuracy, to
Germany’s growing nationalistic will.
In 1966, some analyst reminds
that the German team lost the final to England, 4-2. It was a
tight, hard-fought game and the third goal by England was a
controversial one. Today we know what the players knew then. The
third goal was no goal at all. The Germans had plenty of reasons
to be upset, they could have become angry and their rage could
have translated into fouls. But they accepted what could not be
changed, took the silver medal and congratulated the English
team on their win. 1966 was 20 years after the Second World War,
and that was only a football game. But that game improved the
image of Germans in English eyes. Now, 44 years after 1966, the
way the young German team played is to be admired. They might
have conquered the hearts of their compatriots back home and now
they are winning hearts beyond Germany’s borders. Because
various players were missing and because they had a relatively
young and inexperienced side, not much was expected of the
Germans, yet they played superb till they lost to Spain. But
overall a great effort by the team.
Sirajul Islam,
On email.
9-7-2010
One more heritage in peril
It is reported in the media that
one more prepartition old Gothic edifice is being eliminated at
Lahore. It is a timely reminder to the people of metropolis to
wake up and save their heritage from the rapacious and mindless
bureaucracy bent on destroying the building of National
Management College (NMC), a national monument, in the name of
development and at the same time an apt warning to those whose
primary job is to preserve it but have failed in their duty.
The edifice of NMC, old Pakistan
Administrative Staff College (PASC) was the former Punjab Club,
built in 1904 - a fine example of Greco-Roman Architecture. PASC
was first established in 1960 during Ayub Khan’s era to train
the officers of senior management level. Later on in 2002 during
the tenure of last principal and present rector PASC was changed
into National School of Public Policy (NSPP).
No previous management ever
tried to change the old magnificent structure of main building
facing the legendry ‘Upper Mall’, rather every effort was made
to keep the grandeur of edifice intact. However, by taking over
administration the present rector, who happens to be Kargil-fame
retired Lt General, having least respect for the national
assets, has started demolishing the old structure mercilessly
replacing with behemoth of concrete of cement.
The metropolis of Lahore, once
famous for its gardens and magnificent buildings dating back to
medieval times, is fast losing its glory to the greedy builders’
mafia and senseless bureaucracy and apathetic politicians.
The NMC building which is our
national heritage has to be saved from demolition or defacement
and preserved under all circumstances. It is a test case for the
authorities concerned.
D. M Baloch,
Canada.
Is Mullen trustworthy?
Few days back, it was reported
in the national media that US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman
Admiral Mike Mullen has praised Pakistan for making
extraordinary efforts for protecting its nuclear weapons and
went on to observe that Pakistan's nuclear programme cannot and
should not be compared with that of Iran and North Korea. He is
also reported to have said at a public platform in Colorado that
Pakistan needs nuclear deterrence.
While there have been no
official reaction from
Islamabad to what the Admiral
has said, people are already expressing their views through
these columns of national dailies and raising the burning
question whether Admiral Mullen is trustworthy.
People’s memory is not so short
and they fully remember what promises and assurances have been
given by Washington to Islamabad from time to time and most of
these had not been honoured at the end of the day. Only few
months back, Washington had bluntly turned down a request from
Islamabad for a civil nuclear technology deal.
Is Admiral Mullen trustworthy to
the extent that his remarks about Pakistan's nuclear programme
and foolproof security of nuclear arsenal would be given due
weightage by the Obama Administration to close the nuclear
proliferation chapter once and for all and give fresh
consideration to the request from Islamabad for a civil nuclear
technology deal?
Sajid A.Naeem,
Lahore.
5-7-2010
Fake degrees
According to some reports, more
than 150 sitting members of national and provincial assemblies
may be in possession of fake graduation degrees.
This requirement to have
graduation degree as a minimum qualification for a legislator
was introduced by Gen. Musharraf. When February 2008 elections
were held, this requirement was very much there, though it was
later struck down by the Supreme Court. It means that a number
of parliamentarians thought that it was perfectly normal to
submit fake and forged degrees to get elected.
They never thought that by doing
so they are undermining the very institution that is supposed to
make laws for the country. Just imagine legislators who have
been entrusted with the responsibility of making laws getting
elected by using unlawful means.
There is no point in
compromising on this issue even if it means the country going
for midterm elections. Meanwhile, the election commission should
open criminal prosecution against these fake degree holders.
They should be barred forever from contesting any election for
public office. All those involved, whether institutes or
individuals, in forging and printing these fake degrees should
face criminal charges.
The government says that raising
the issue of fake degrees is a conspiracy against democracy.
Which democracy they are talking about?
MASOOD KHAN,
On email.
Lahore blast: A replay of
Iraq?
After the bomb blast in a famous
Lahore shrine that killed more than 50 people Pakistan is still
in shock.
Although concerned authorities
are pointing fingers at the militants in North Waziristan,
several serious questions remain unanswered. The main question
is who stands to gain from the present chaotic situation in the
country?
Two points are worth
considering. One, most of the Afghan war is being fought on
Pakistani soil. Second, the top
US commander in Afghanistan, Gen.
David Petraeus is known for his “divide and rule” policy in
Iraq where the worst sectarian violence followed the destruction of a famous
shrine in Samarra. The
Iraqi people are still paying a heavy price for this communal
polarisation between Sunnis and Shiites. Are we witnessing a
replay of the same tactic in Pakistan? Due to the presence of
Blackwater and several other foreign agencies
Pakistan has become a hub of
conspiracies. So the government should expose the forces behind
the Lahore tragedy if Pakistan is to avoid the fate of Iraq.
KHAWAJA UMER FAROOQ,
On email.
Redefine the foreign policy
Apparently, Islamabad is
following an independent foreign policy of friendship with all,
enmity with none. But as a matter of fact, one cannot help this
point out this deplorable and regrettable bitter reality, our
foreign policy is guided by the directions from Washington DC,
USA, for all practical purposes. Some even venture to say that ours is a
foreign policy which has no direction. Well, this a debatable
point.
There is no denying the fact
that Pakistan is facing acute power crisis and is in dire need
for boosting power generation by utilising and exploiting all
available sources within the country and abroad. Besides hydel,
coal, nuclear power is another sources which needs to be tapped
in this regard. Pakistan has only two nuclear power generation
facilities at Karachi and Khushab which together produce hardly
450 megawatts of power which is least appreciable under the
prevailing energy crisis situation in the country.
For this, Pakistan badly needs
civil nuclear technology for boosting nuclear power generation
in the country. Pakistan has been making efforts to acquire this
facility from wherever possible. But quite unfortunately most of
these efforts are somehow being blocked and interrupted by
neighbouring country India on one pretext or the other.
India had managed to smuggle nuclear technology from
Canada and detonated atomic bomb
way back in May 1974. But despite this,
India is entering into civil nuclear technology deals with more and more
countries. Some months back,
India had entered into a civil
nuclear technology deal with USA and only few days back, signed
a similar deal with Canada during its Prime Minister Dr Manmohan
Singh's visit there. India had blocked Pakistan's efforts to
acquire civil nuclear technology on the allegation of poor
nuclear proliferation record and itself is entering into such
deals with at least eight countries including USA and now also
Canada.
Is not this the failure of our
foreign policy and of the foreign missions in world capitals
which have have, somehow, not been able to put the records
straight regarding nuclear proliferation. This situation is not
in favour of Islamabad and as such one is forced to call for
redefining the foreign policy on priority basis keeping in view
all pleasant and bitter ground realities.
Shaan Ali Zaidi,
Lahore.
Truth prevails on
USA at last
No less a person than top most
American military official, Admiral Mike Mullen, seemingly has
spoken the truth at last. According to reports in the national
and international media, Admiral Mullen has said that Pakistan
needs nuclear deterrence while speaking from a public platform
in Colorado. He has also admitted that Pakistan’s nuclear assets
are well protected and as such it cannot be compared with the
nuclear programmes of Iran and North Korea.
While appreciating that the
American admiral has spoken the truth and frankly admitted the
ground realities vis-a-vis atomic arsenal in Pakistan, one just
cannot understand as to why the US State Department and Defence
Department officials statements differ from each other when they
speak in Islamabad and Washington or elsewhere. This indicates
that US policy keeps shifting towards its old friend and
non-NATO major ally Pakistan depending on Washington's short,
medium and long term ulterior vested interests. Despite the fact
that the American admiral has at last spoken the truth, it is
not possible to believe as to what he has aid reflects President
Obama's policy or not. After all, the US President has only few
days back sacked a senior US general for showing dissension.
The American admiral after
having spoken so truthfully should also prevail upon Washington
to review on priority basis its blunt refusal to Islamabad's
request for nuclear civil nuclear technology deal for enabling
Pakistan boost power generation
and try to overcome the energy crisis to some extent at least.
Admiral Mullen hopefully would be aware of the bitter fact that
his country had refused to enter into a US-India like civil
nuclear technology deal with Pakistan.
In all fairness, if Washington
keeps listening and being pressurised from New Delhi and not
caring for Islamabad's genuine requirements like the civil
nuclear technology deal then, I am afraid, people would force
their rulers to drastically review relations with USA. People in
Pakistan by and large already are not much happy and
appreciative of US policies towards Pakistan in general and
sacrifices and sufferings being made and offered in the US-led
international coalition war on terror, which has been thrust
upon this country for Washington's ulterior motives, to say the
least.
Rizwan Haroon,
Lahore.
Canada-India nuclear deal
India and Canada signed a civil nuclear deal on June 28 on the sidelines of a summit of
the Group of 20 developed and emerging nations. PM Singh
assuring that imported uranium and atomic technology will not be
used for 'any unintended purpose' while his Canadian counterpart
Stephen Harper called it good agreement saying, "we cannot live
in the past of 1970s."
Canada is the eighth nation to reach a civil nuclear deal with
India since the Nuclear Suppliers' Group, a cartel which trades
in nuclear fuel, equipment and technology, lifted a 34-year ban
on India in 2008. New Delhi has atomic deals with such countries
as US, France and Russia while Japan also pledged to extend
cooperation with India in the field of civil nuclear technology,
while in the case of Pakistan, it has insisted that
aid should be contingent upon signing the NPT. Both these NSG
members are contravening their NPT legal commitments.
The deal will create strategic
imbalance in the South Asian region and experts believe that any
change to India's capacity to build new bombs might impact the
nuclear balance with Pakistan. The possibility cannot be ruled
out that India may use this civil nuclear energy for military
purposes. India's asking of details about Sino-Pak nuclear deal
makes little sense, when it has signed such deals with US,
Canada, Russia, France and Japan. The US double standard is also
clear as it has denied the same nuclear deal to Pakistan.
Pakistan direly needs nuclear energy to overcome country's
ever-increasing energy demands.
The Canadian nuclear deal with
India also shows the double standard of global organisations.
For instance, the NSG forbids transfer of nuclear materials to
the countries who have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT). It, however, made exception for India by clearing
the India-US nuclear deal in view of New Delhi's flawless
non-proliferation record. But India has a history of nuclear
proliferation. Hindu extremists and Indian scientists have been
involved in theft of nuclear material and in technology
transfers between Israel and India, as well as other countries.
As far as safety is concerned,
two incidents at the Indian Bhabha atomic plant and radiation
contamination at the Kaiga nuclear plant in Karnataka are
indicative of a severe lack of safety measures by Indians that
certainly does not fall into the blatantly advocated "peaceful
nuclear programme" rhetoric.
As compared to Indian nuclear
safety and non-proliferation record, Pakistan's nuclear command
and control system remains one of the most sophisticated and
secure in the world, as no such incident has ever been occurred.
Looking at the factual record and energy needs of country, the
US and Canada should also sign a similar civilian nuclear deal
with Pakistan. Otherwise the discriminatory approach in ignoring
the genuine energy need of Pakistan and the arm race in South
Asia would make the world more dangerous place to live in.
Afia Ambreen,
Rawalpindi
4-7-2010
Hapless pensioners of Sindh
I fully endorse the views of
Sindh’s pensioners who have been unjustifiably disregarded by
not allowing them raise in the pensions and medical allowance,
permitted to retired employees of federal government and other
three provinces, in the annual budget of 2010-11.
Although it is a matter of
practice that in order to maintain uniformity in salaries and
pensions of all public sector employment, provincial governments
follow the line of the federal government. It is for these
reason other three provinces in their annual budget have already
increased pensions of retired employees at 15% and medical
allowance at 20% respectively. However Sindh government though
adopted increase in the salaries of working employees has
ignored pensioners, for the reasons best known to it.
This is a palpable case of
discrimination against the retired employees of Sindh government
who gave best of their times in the service of province. It is
the pensioners who at the advanced and feeble age with no other
source of income except paltry amount of pension deserve help to
fight the menace of inflation and meet bare minimum day to day
expenses but instead have been given shock of their life.
Where the TV anchors are, that
otherwise do not tire criticising in the media even minutest
slip of the government, but have kept discreet silence over
brazen injustice perpetrated against the pensioners of Sindh,
half of whom are widows and orphans?
I make an earnest appeal to the
media specially TV channels to take up the cause of pensioners
so that gross discrimination caused to this weaker segment of
population can be undone.
I also make an appeal to the
President and the Prime Minister to take notice of Sindh
government’s irrational approach towards its hapless pensioners.
I trust the retired employees of Sindh will not be ignored but
will be given the same treatment as allowed to the pensioners of
federal government as well as other provinces i.e. rising in the
pensions and medical allowances at 15% and 20% respectively.
R. A Sidiki,
On email.
Still a long way to go
President Asif Ali Zardari has
opined that Pak-US truust deficit has been replaced with a sense
of partnership. According to reports in the national media, the
President made this observation during his meeting with US Air
Force Chief of Staff General Norton early this week.
The meeting apparently took
place in the wake of US at least honouring its commitment though
partially and supplying couple of F-16 fighters to Pakistan
which have since been inducted in the Pakistan Air Force.
I would like to tell the worthy
President that though Pakistan and USA claim each other to be
old friend and ally, yet the trust deficit is so enormous, build
up over the years mainly due to Washington's indifferent
attitude and not honouring many commitments. By supplying couple
of F-16s to Pakistan, at the time when Islamabad is up to its
neck in the US-imposed war on terror and suffering heavy losses,
the trust deficit should not be expected to turn into
partnership overnight. Like USA has been asking Pakistan to do
more and still more in the war on terror, Pakistan needs to tell
the "old ally" that it is a long way ahead which is yet to be
covered and only then one may hope the existing trust deficit
has been minimised if not totally eliminated.
President Zardari would very
well be remembering that when Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the
prime minister for the second stint, perhaps, Pakistan had made
payment in hard foreign exchange of dollars to USA as the price
for some F-16s but these were never supplied despite several
reminders from Islamabad.
Time and again it has been
proved that USA is not a sincere and trustworthy friend and ally of
Pakistan and has crystal clear
leanings towards India. Only couple of months back, it was USA
and no other country, Mr President, which had bluntly turned
down a request from Islamabad for having India-US like civil
nuclear technology deal with Pakistan as well. This blunt
refusal by Washington of a request from an old ally was due to
India's warning to all Western countries to refrain from
entering into any such deal with Pakistan which allegedly "had a
very poor track record in terms of nuclear proliferation".
So, Mr President, it is not so
easy to brige the huge trust deficit and like Washington keeps
asking Islamabad to do more and more in the war on terror,
Pakistan should also keep reminding USA that it has yet to go a
long way before the trust deficit could be expected to have been
turned into a sort of partnership.
Masroor Ahmad,
Lahore.
US ulterior motives exposed
Reports have appeared in
newspapers as well as on internet few days back that treasure
worth $1 trillion have been unearthed in Afghanistan. Reports
said that the treasure included gold, copper and several other
minerals. Quite obviously, the US would be taking away all these
monerals after exploration from Kabul to Washington in lieu of
the cost incurred on the US-led interational coalition’s war on
terror.
It is rather strange that due
notice has not been taken of these reports in the official and
public circles in Pakistan as these have revealed the real
intentions of USA to attack and capture Iraq and Afghanistan,
It is a well-established fact
that Pakistan's tribal areas as well as Balochistan province in
particular and the Punjab and Sindh provinces are mineral-rich
areas. It is sad and tragic story although that in more than six
decades much of these minerals have not been explored, exploited
and developed for ushering in an era of progress, prosperity and
development in the country.
Some time back, US had scanned
mountaineous areas in formerly NWFP and Balochistan apparently
in search of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar but in real terms
for ascertaining the minerals hidden beneath the surface here,
there and every where.
These reports are also quite
alarming insofar as the increasing presence of the US civil and
army personnel in Pakistan is concerned. Under the cover of war
on terror, they are on one hand keeping their dirty eyes on
Pakistan's nuclear assets and also getting the tribal areas
cleared of entire population "by killing more and more people
through drone attacks as militants and extremists" for carrying
out their nefarious activities there.
Zohaib Ahmad Qureshi,
Lahore.
3-7-2010
A
heavy price
US military chief Adm. Mike Mullen has said that the
United States is working hard to
regain Pakistan’s trust but it would take time.
He also said that without
Pakistan’s support, it is not possible to stabilise Afghanistan.
The fact is that the Obama administration has not done anything
to win the hearts and minds of the Pakistani people.
The latest issue of Foreign
Policy magazine places Pakistan in a list of ten failed nations.
Despite big promises made by President Barack Obama, stories
about the worst type of human rights violations are still coming
from Bagram to Waziristan. Despite serious concerns expressed by the
Pakistan government, US drone
attacks on Pakistan’s tribal areas continue, always killing
innocent civilians including women and children. More than
hundred drone strikes took place in the last four months. You
can imagine the number of people killed. Now a political party
headed by former cricketer Imran Khan has requested the Supreme
Court to declare US drone attacks a war crime and a violation of
Pakistan’s sovereignty. He says that providing logistics and
facilities to a foreign country for mass destruction and killing
of innocent people through drone attacks inside Pakistan is
illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of human rights and
international law. Due to daily drone attacks and other army
operations half a million people have fled their homes. They are
living in refugee camps that lack basic facilities.
America may be waging the war on terror. The price in human lives and destroyed
infrastructure is being paid by
Pakistan.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
The ‘Gs’ at a standstill
The Toronto summit revealed just
how divided Europe and the United States are over the best
way to promote economic growth. While the American president
Barack Obama wants more stimulus spending in Europe to ensure that the fragile economic recovery isn’t jeopardised, the EU
leaders are adamant that austerity measures are the correct
response to the European debt crisis. But our point is that the
meeting produced little of concrete value, but that the G20 is a
more meaningful format than G8. No one had expected that the
leaders of the major industrial and emerging countries would, in
their closing statement, sign up to the goal of halving their
budget deficits by 2013, especially not after the vocal
criticism which had been aimed, especially in the US, at some
major European governments’ austerity measures in the run-up to
the summit. The key question is how much will this success be
worth in the end? The G20 and in particular the G8, the club of
the richest industrialised countries, have in the past
repeatedly drawn up summit communiqués which subsequently proved
to be untenable. The best example is the development aid pledges
made at the 2005 G8 summit, the signatories are today still very
far away from fulfilling those promises. Based on that
experience, some European leaders had actually said that
countries should only make aid commitments which they can
ultimately keep.
The Europeans celebrated as a
victory the pledge for industrialised economies to halve their
deficits by 2013 and to start reducing their national debts by
2016 at the latest. It is, of course, entirely coincidental that
those promises happen to correspond to what all the rich
nations, including the US, have already announced. Only the
Japanese are getting a bit more time, because they first need to
get their deflation under control. To put things bluntly, the
summit has produced a political agreement that, like an election
promise, contains more empty words than substance. Nevertheless,
the world needs the G20, albeit not necessarily in the form of
expensive summits like that in Toronto.
Host Stephen Harper, the
Canadian prime minister, gave two reasons for that fact.
Firstly, the G20 members agree that they should intervene in
some form before the global financial system is threatened by a
serious risk. The second reason is the so-called ‘global
governance,’ namely that the G20 states define joint goals and
control methods for their different economic systems.
The G-20 brings together
countries with very different political cultures. Saudi Arabia’s
King Abdullah, for example, is probably not used to being openly
contradicted. Hence the negotiations are correspondingly
formulaic and cautious. In contrast, the old club of
industrialised countries, the G8, saw lively and open
discussion. Though the transition from the G8 to the G20 has,
however, created a format that better reflects the world than
the old club, the ‘Gs’ at a standstill. The price for that is
the wide gap between the countries in economic, political and
cultural terms. This complicates the process of reaching
consensus, as the wrangling over new duties or taxes for the
financial industry shows. The emerging economies which have come
through the crisis largely unscathed see no reason why they
should put additional burdens on their banks. After all, those
financial institutions, irrespective of whether they are located
in Europe, the US or India, will pass these charges onto their
customers, thereby impairing investment conditions and hence the
prospects of growth.
G20 leaders actually didn’t
solve a single economic problem. The world’s most influential
politicians were unable to agree on anything tangible,
particularly on the principle of a global bank levy or on the
instruments to bolster bank capital. The Huntsville G8 and
Toronto G20 displayed more differences of opinion than progress
in getting out of the crisis. The idea of a bank levy or
international financial tax has been shelved indefinitely, and
everyone pledged to cut deficits, to be sure, but on their own
terms. Even some advocates that want liberalising international
trade as the crisis remedy, says the G8 and G20 once again
proved how ineffectual summits are. The fact that certain
industrialised countries are incapable of listening to emerging
countries’ wishes and opinions jeopardises the future of the G20
particularly in view of the EU’s attempt to tax financial
transactions in the face of opposition from emerging countries
that were spared by the crisis.
If the point of the G20 is to
sign off on European ideas, we might as well give it up. And if
the G20 is to become a serious international economic forum, it
would be a pipe dream to imagine that European notions are the
measure of all things. The G20 has ushered in the return of
every man for himself. The attempt to define a consensus-based
economic policy to get out of the crisis proved abortive.
Between a Germany obsessed with cutting deficits, a United
States that is fretful about hamstringing growth by excessive
austerity and a France halfway between the two, a common
guideline is nowhere in sight. The G20, which was created at the
peak of financial turmoil, has proved its utility somehow in
times of crisis. But the meeting in Toronto also bared its
limitations. Global economic governance of one sort or another,
which is already so hard to hammer out at the European level, is
not about to be put in place overnight.
In fact, the disagreements
within the G8 and G20 now force the conferees to refocus on
matters that can really be changed. After having imposed its
doctrine on Europe, Germany is now exporting it
worldwide. Barack Obama, the last of the Keynesian leaders,
seems to be beating a retreat. He did not convince Europe of the
benefits of states’ spending their way to growth. But
appearances are deceptive. It serves to tone down the anxiety of
the Europeans that favours fiscal rigour by shifting even faster
the geometries of power towards the new dynamics between
America, China, India, Brazil and Russia.
Sirajul Islam,
On email.
30-6-2010
Diminishing forests
Thee report of World Wide Fund
for Nature about the fast depleting forests of the country and
more so government’s lack of interest in protecting our national
wealth is horrifying.
As per details presently forests
cover only 2.5 percent of the country’s land, with annual
deforestation rate which is highest in Asia. As a result over
4.242 million hectares of forest land in 1992 are declined to
3.44 million hectares.
Interestingly report has
disclosed even the names of beneficiaries, individuals and
commercial organisations, whom government has allotted forest
lands for conversion into other use. This is not to surprise;
most of people belong to privileged class of the society, a few
are coalition partners in any government in power.
The WWFN apprehends that if the
current deforestation rate of 2.1 percent and trend of land
conversion from forest to other uses is not checked, soon
country will be shorn of green cover, let alone meet its
international commitments under the Millennium Development Goals
to increase its forest cover from 2.5 percent to six percent by
2015.
On the same day another
demoralising report appeared in in a Karachi paper titled
“Timber mafia chops down thousands of trees in Thar”, which
shows that in Cheel Bank village of Tharparkar 8,500 old
full-grown trees have been slaughtered by an influential of the
area with the support of forest departmental officials and made
millions of rupees illegal income.
Unfortunately, it is not only
timber mafia but as the WWFN resort shows, even those sitting in
the governments are involved in destroying ecology of country by
allotting precious forest lands to the commercial organisations
and influential people either to get some monetary benefits or
political support.
The forests are our national
assets whose existence is extremely essential for the healthy
atmosphere; sine qua non for survival of the very society.
Keeping in view the fast
diminishing green cover, it has become all the more crucial that
forest lands allotted to the individuals and commercial
howsoever influential they may be should be cancelled and
restored to forest department forthwith. Moreover exemplary
action should also be taken against those who are annihilating
our woodlands and their complicit in forest department for their
petty monetary gains so as to create deterrence against the
enemies of ecology and civil society.
Qazi Salim Ahmed,
On email.
India-Canada nuclear deal
Reports in the print and
electronic media say that India and Canada have in Toronto
signed a landmark nuclear deal. Reports further say that Canada
is the 8th nation to reach a civil miclear deal with India since
the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a cartel which trades in nuclear
fuel equipment and technology, lifted a 34 years old ban on
India in 2008.
The Indo-Canada civil nuclear
deal was in air for some days but quite expectedly there has
been no strong reaction and criticism of this from USA and other
Western countries who are all the time talking pretty loud
against all moves by Pakistan for acquiring civil nuclear
technology and other facilities for boosting power generation
capacity to cope with increasing requirements and demands for
energy supplies in the country.
As the reports have been
appearing in the media recently it was no other country by
IPakistan's so-called "ally and friend" USA which had bluntly
declined to enter into a civil nuclear technology deal with
Islamabad like the one it had signed with New Delhi some months
back.
USA, France, Britain and other
countries, which somehow have so far not reconciled with the
historical reality of Pakistan being a nuclear power, have, time
and again, been told and assured quite categorically by
Islamabad at the top most level that the country's atomic assets
are in safe hands, a fool-proof command and control system is in
place.
But still USA and other
countries are not satisfied and keep demanding assurances and
commitments from Islamabad but prefer to look to the other side
when India enters into a civil nuclear technology with Canada
also after USA and other countries. These very countries have
also raised objections and expressed concerns, which have been
described as baseless by Islamabad, about Pakistan's entering
into a civil nuclear technology deal with China recently.
Discrimination on their part on
religious and other biases and prejudices in dealing with India
and Pakistan are quite clear, to say the least. New Delhi is
arming itself with arms and equipment from all sources but
cannot withstand if Islamabad signs a civil nuclear deal with
China for peaceful purposes of power generation.
Bilal Mushtaq Shaikh,
Lahore.
29-6-2010
Needed: A national leadership
When in mid-1960s, President
Ayub Khan titled his autobiography “Friends, Not Masters”, he
was referring to the US intervention in the domestic affairs of its allies and friends.
At that time Pakistan was part
of a number of US-led security alliances in the region. Today
Pakistan is again an ally in the
US-led war on terror. But nothing has changed. The situation
remains what Ayub Khan described or warned against.
When Richard Holbrooke, the US
special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan, cautioned Pakistan
against going ahead with the Iran-Pakistan natural gas pipeline,
the only thing he offered was sympathy on behalf of Washington
over the deep energy crisis Pakistan is facing. America is also
likely to oppose Pakistan-China deal for supply of two nuclear
power generation reactors. Though China has made its stance
clear that it agreed to the deal before 2004 when it joined the
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), we should expect some
arm-twisting by the US on this deal as well. US always bullies
its weak allies so they serve America’s national interests.
Pakistan’s political leadership has always showed a willingness
to sacrifice their country’s interests for the sake of
Americans.
As confused as ever, Prime
Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani first pledged to abide by the US
sanctions against Iran. The very next day he declared that only
UN-imposed sanctions would be considered. Such intentional
confusion and U-turns give the impression that Pakistani
leadership will back away from this $7.6 billion pipeline deal
under US pressure.
Pakistan is a country on the
brink of an energy crisis. The natural gas and other local fuel
resources are fast depleting. Viable utilisation of local coal
reserves is still being questioned by the financing agencies.
Chinese nuclear deal is being opposed by the US. Lack of trust
among provinces stands in the way of building Kalabagh dam.
Pakistan needs a long-term energy policy. But first it will have
to resolve the leadership crisis. We need a leadership that can
defy US pressure and can generate local finances for the Iran
pipeline deal.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHAR,
Karachi.
Imposition of carbon tax
With the sudden hike in
Petroleum Oil Lubricant (POL) rates from five to nine percent
and the talk of imposing another tax have led people to believe
that this is yet another way of generating revenues for the
government of Pakistan. However, unlike other taxes, this
particular tax is very unique and is referred to as “carbon
tax”.
Technically speaking, carbon
atoms are present in every fossil fuel (coal, petroleum, and
natural gas) which are released as carbon dioxide (CO2) when
they are burnt. Being an environmental tax, carbon tax would be
levied on the burning of fossil fuels in proportion to their
carbon content.
Though it could be just another
tax, it is necessary to highlight that the amount collected
under this tax will not allow the government to use it for any
purpose other than controlling pollution. On a global
perspective, this tax has been identified as a pollution tax
imposed to control pollution in a country.
We fail to pay the precise cost
for the products and services that we consume because the
environmental cost is not embedded in the final price. However,
through these taxes the goods and services would be rightly
priced and payment would be made for the externalities caused.
The purpose of carbon tax is to simply protect the environment
by restricting emissions of carbon dioxide and in the process
generate revenues for the economy. Furthermore this tax would
amount to the development of the Pakistani industries on a
sustainable basis, in accordance with the global green
revolutionary policies.
Nadia Khalid,
Karachi.
I’m right, you’re wrong
If one is asked to summarise
India's foreign policy in one sentence, the prompt and instant
response from every sensible person would indeed be: I'm right,
you're wrong. There could not be a better and most appropriate
description of India's hegemonious attitude towards its
neighbours including Pakistan.
There is no denying of the
historical fact that India is a big country both area and
population-wise. But it does not have larger heart befitting to
its big size.
India had struck civil nuclear deal with
USA sometime back and has also
already worked out a similar deal or in process of doing it with
Canada as well. But despite this, it is withstanding Pakistan
efforts to acquire civil nuclear technology with any country for
overpowering the persisting energy crisis by exploitation of all
possible resources. Only couple of months, India blocked
Pakistan's way to secure a civil nuclear deal with USA.
USA had obliged India but it could
not use the same pressure tactics against China which had signed
a civil nuclear technology deal with Pakistan thus once again
proving that Beijing is an all-weather trust-worthy friend of
Islamabad.
Pakistan Government has done
well by brushing aside India's objection to Sino-Pak civil
nuclear deal and also refusing to respond to
New Delhi's concerns in this
regard. Like India, USA and other countries, Pakistan has every
right to acquire civil nuclear technology or any other direly
needed equipment. The Foreign Office spokesman has rightly
emphatically stated that Sino-Pak agreement is in accordance
with the international law and as such India need not worry and
show any unwarranted concerns in this regard.
India's uncalled-for concern over Sino-Pak civil technology deal which is
entirely for peaceful purposes should also serve as an
eye-opener for those who are clamouring day in and day out for
friendship with India
without resolving the Kashmir issue.
Likewise, Islamabad must also
withstand all pressure from USA, India and other countries and
go ahead with the implementation of recently signed gas pipeline
project with Teheran on top priority basis for tackling the
lingering energy crisis.
Mrs TANVIR ZAHID,
Lahore.
Pensioners’ woes
We pensioners had high hopes
when the budget was being presented but they were soon
shattered.
They had been totally ignored
and deprived of any benefit.
It appears that the Sindh
government is bent upon snatching the loaf of bread from its
people.
During the presentation of the
budget, our chief minister was anxious in not curtailing the
salaries and benefits of his cabinet members but he did not
hesitate to cut the throats of pensioners.
Though the federal government
and other provinces have shown sympathy by granting 15 to 20 per
cent rise in the pension as well as medical allowance, it is
only the Sindh government which is treating its pensioners as a
burden.
As a senior citizen and a
depressed pensioner, I would like to request the president and
the prime minister to advise our chief minister to follow the
right path to serve the people of Sindh.
ASAD ALI,
On email.
28-6-2010
This happened in Punjab Assembly
Punjab Assembly budget session
has just ended. On June 24, a PML (QA) Forward Bloc member from
Kasur, Shaikh Allauddin, with the permission of the Chair
started reading out his Adjournment Motion. As he said that
India was stealing water from rivers Jhelum, Chenab and Indus by constructing
more and more dams, the Chair interrupted and asked him to drop
this and read his next Adjournment Motion. As the Member failed
to get the message, Speaker Rana Muhammad Khan called him over,
whispered some words in his ears and afterwards, he started
reading his other adjournment motion.
This was quite interesting as
well as intriguing, indeed. It was revealed that the Indian
Foreign Secretary was holding talks with her Pakistani
counterpart in Islamabad about same and the member was not
allowed to read his motion wherein he mentioned stealing of
Pakistani rivers water by India so that "no hostile message"
went to the Indian delegation. Since the motion was not read,
the text could not be reproduced here except the opening couple
of lines which were intially read by the Member before he was
interrupted and stopped from reading any further.
I had witnessed this personally
as I had gone to the Assembly Chambers to meet someone and was
sitting in the Visitors Gallery when all this happened.
This was just not comprehensible
that why cannot a country stealing our water and trying to
render our land barren could be called a thief even in the
Punjab Assembly?
As a matter of fact, India time
and again resorts to dialogue process at low to high level
merely as an eye wash to dupe the international community while
all the time trying to stab Pakistan in the back. Only some time
back, as reported in the national and international media,
pressurised USA and France citing the incident of a nuclear
scientist and reminding them that Islamabad has a very poor
track record of nuclear proliferation. The result was that USA
had declined to entertain a request from Islamabad for entering
into a civil nuclear technology deal so that persisting energy
crisis could be overcome and eased to some extent and France had
backed out from supply of equipment for strengthening of
Pakistan Air Force jet fighters fleet.
In all fairness, an enemy should
be called an enemy in India's case till the country starts
behaving in a friendly manner. How can India and Pakistan have
good friendly neighbourly relations when the Kashmir issue remains unresolved and the Kashmiris being denied their birthright
of self determination as per the United Resolutions ? The rulers
as well as the pro-India lobby may well be asked to answer this
pertinent query.
Ehsanul Haq Qazi,
Lahore.
Promoting
Pakistan’s soft image
Some days back, I had read in
the newspapers that PML (QA) top leadership had called for
immediate steps by the government for promoting Pakistan's soft
image in the comity of nations through all possible means.
Irrespective of the fact this demand was made by PML (QA)
President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Secretary General
Mushahid Hussain, the government should have given due
consideration to this as this was intended to serve the national
interests and taking of steps to improve the counry's tarnished
image due to nuclear technology proliferation and extremism and
militancy,
There is surely dire need for
taking immediate steps to tell the world at large that Pakistan
is a peace loving, moderate, tolerant and forward looking counry
and that Islam abhors extremism and militancy in any form.
It is rather painful to note
that India is taking all steps to harm Pakistan and paint a
negative impression about one of its nuclear scientists being
involved in nuclear proliferation and the militants and
terrorists posing threats to its atomic assets which is not in
the interest of the world peace. All this hostile propaganda by
India somehow is going without being effectively rebutted by
Pakistan's missions in
Washington, London, Paris and elsewhere
whose performance in this regard leaves much to be desired,
indeed.
Besides pulling up Pakistan
foreign missions, the government should take immediate steps for
sending delegations of writers, poets, artists and other
well-known people from different walks of life to Washington,
Paris, London, Bonn and other important world capitals to
project and promote Pakistan's soft, positive, moderate,
tolerant, forward looking and progressive image there and
putting the record straight.
No doubt, one of our nuclear
scientists had somehow indulged in nuclear technology smuggling
but then he was disgraced after he had made the confession and
his entire network broken once for all. Furthermore, country's
atomic assets are in safe hands and there is no possibility, by
grace of Almighty Allah, of these falling in some wrong hands.
Our neighbouring country India is exploiting these matters to
defame the country in the eyes of the world at large in the
absence of any effective corrective measures being taken by the
rulers in Islamabad to counter all this hostile false
propaganda.
Pakistan Government should not
waste any more time, act fast and send delegations of artists,
writers, poets, singers. musicians etc abroad to do the needful.
It would be advisable that politicians and party leaders should
not be included in these delegations which may prove
counterproductive afterwards, please.
Abdul Samad Khwaja,
Karachi.
27-6-2010
Set example, Sindh CJ
This is with reference to a
report “Rs1.8 million for Sindh CJ’s treatment in US” (June 23).
The Chief Minister Sindh relaxing the ban imposed on treatment
abroad has approved as an exceptional case an amount of Rs1.8
million, equivalent to more than US$20,000 for the treatment of
Chief Justice of Sindh High Court.
Although the huge amount is
sanctioned for treatment abroad on the plea that perhaps
required treatment is not available in Pakistani hospitals - a
claim yet to be verified - it is desirable for those who sit at
the helm of affairs to create examples by using local medical
facilities that are available to the common man.
I hope that Chief Justice of
Sindh will set an example by declining provincial government’s
offer of Rs1.8 million and avail whatever medical facilities
accessible in the country. This will not only raise his stature
in the eyes of people and save the financially poor country a
handsome amount of foreign exchange but will also closed the
doors for those privileged ones who exploiting their positions
go abroad for even the treatment of such ailments cure for which
is common in the country.
Amir Khan Pathan,
On email.
Utilising Hunza glacier water
While the lake created by a
landslide has brought miseries to the brave people of Atta Abad,
it has conserved the precious resource not only for the people
of the area but also for the rest of
Pakistan.
Our challenge is to make sure
that the increase in glacier melting does not burst its banks.
The lake is susceptible to failure due to erosion of the
makeshift spillway.
We can consider covering the
water side of the dam with impervious plastic sheets (PVC
Geo-membrane) to plug the small holes and crevices that exist
along the debris. These small holes can become bigger with time
and result in its failure.
By using geo-membrane sheets in
the form of rolls, one end of the roll can be carefully fixed on
the top of the dam wall to ensure that it does not get detached.
Once this is secure, the rolled
geo-membrane can be lowered into water and allowed to go down
against the sloping wall. The roll will unfold as it moves down
the slope.
The water buoyancy and the slope
will help as they would reduce the unfolding speed of the heavy
rolls. Rolls after rolls can be lowered the same way.
Overlapping these rolls will ensure that we cover the entire
pressure wall.
The hydraulic pressure will
force the sheets against the walls thereby minimising chances of
water leaks.
The solution is cost effective
and there is less risk involved. The effectiveness of the sheets
can be checked by using under water cameras. If required, the
Pakistan Navy’s frogmen can correct the alignment.
This material is already being
used in Pakistan for lining fishponds,
canals and smallish water reservoirs, where cattle, including
buffaloes move around freely without damaging it. Test runs can
be done under lab or actual conditions. Civil engineering
departments of engineering universities can be tasked to do this
work.
Once we make the lake safe, we
can make another strong dam wall, downstream of this lake like
Ghazi Barotha, downstream of Tarbela.
S. NAYYAR IQBAL RAZA,
Karachi.
26-6-2010
Water shortage in rice-growing area
The rice-growing areas of Sindh
nowadays are suffering from severe shortage of water; especially
at the time when substantial water is available in the river
Indus and it was time of sowing seedlings. The Rice Canal, as its name goes
feeds the rice area, has been left almost dry this time
initially on the pretext of pitching work of canal and
construction of bridges on National Highway and now for reasons
best known to the irrigation department.
The short supply of water at the
nursery-sowing time of Irri-6 has caused sever blow to the crop;
above all hybrid paddy seeds (rice) that have either burnt or
wasted due to a little amount of water released. The irrigation
department has destroyed farmers of Mehar and KN Shah talukas of
Dadu as hybrid seed costing three to six hundred rupees per
kilo, planted in June has been destroyed in seed-beds on account
of shortage of water.
Surprisingly all other canals
emanating from Sukkur barrage of flowing to the brim; so much so
that Dadu canal which runs parallel to Rice Canal and which
feeds the lands of Secretary Irrigation is almost overflowing.
I have no hesitation in saying
that the role of irrigation department has remained always
step-motherly as for the Rice Canal - the only non-perennial
inland waterway meant for rice-growing areas legally flows for
six months - is concerned. By reducing the quantum of water to
this major canal at the sowing season the irrigation department
will be depriving millions of people living in the rural areas
of Sindh whose staple diet is rice and not wheat bread.
Another dilemma is the silting
of rice canal for which irrigation department claimed millions
of rupees from year to year without any dredging or de-silting.
The accumulated silt has raised the level of canal bed which
consequently has reduced the flow of water in the canal,
ultimate sufferers of which are the tail-end growers.
I make an appeal to the Chief
Minster Sindh and minister for Irrigation and also legislators
of the areas to come to the rescue of people living in the
rice-growing areas by ensuring adequate water in the Rice Canal
without further loss so that rice crop which has already
suffered a lot can be saved from further destruction.
Dad Muhammad Baloch,
Kashmore.
Cheat politicians
A private TV channel showed,
during the first hour of the start of the polling, a patwari
acting as a polling agent of, I care too hoots, who and
belonging to which political party. The only word that comes to
my mind after witnessing the spectacle is DISGUSTING. Is this
the creed of our political leaders who indulge in such
characterless deeds and then expect to be respected? How was
such a cheat given the party ticket?
Is the party leadership not to
be blamed equally for it? But, who cares in this land of the
pure?
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
Beware the American trap
There are very important
developments and there is very strange reaction from the
Government of Pakistan. The shameless government seems ready to
go to any length to please its masters as Premier Gillani has
said Pakistan as a member of international community follows the
international rules regarding sanctions on Iran. He must know
that the Pak-Iran gas pipeline is vital to cope with growing
energy crisis. It seems that there is no government in Islamabad
but mere managers receiving instructions from Washington.
There was the RAND report which says Pakistan has
not quit its habit of courting insurgents, and extremist
networks with current or former ties to the government pose a
significant risk to the US and the Pakistan government itself.
This seems to be another psychological operation launched by
Pentagon-funded RAND Corporation. US wants Pakistan to take
blame for its failure in war on terror and for this a new wave
of propaganda has been unleashed!
On the day when the 46-nation
NSG begins a four-day meeting in New Zealand, which is likely to
take up a Chinese plan to provide two nuclear reactors to
Pakistan, the RAND Corporation urged the United States to
reconsider its policies towards Pakistan. The RAND Corporation
also suggested Washington that the US should offer
‘criteria-based’ N-deal to Pakistan instead of sending it to the
Nuclear Suppliers Group. This clearly indicates that another
trap for Pakistan’s nuclear programme is in the making, which
Pakistan must reject in unequivocal terms.
Shumaila Raja,
Rawalpindi.
25-6-2010
KBD & int’l conspiracy
One recalls Yashwant Sinha, the
former Indian foreign minister’s alarming statement during his
last Karachi visit he paid as part of people to people exchange
between the two countries – that India doesn’t need to hold a
dialogue with Pakistan because dialogue is always held between
two equal states. How can
Pakistan be an equal state to
India’s when it is militarily, economically and diplomatically
weaker? How can we talk to a country whom we can defeat in
battleground?” One remembers when Yashwant Sinha visited
Washington in capacity of India’s foreign minister, he gave a
stunning statement before the western media “that Secretary of
State Mr Collin Powell has given India assurance that the US
will use its influence on Pakistan and would not let Islamabad
build Kalabagh Dam.”
But these facts had repeatedly
been denied by the Pakistani leadership, instead a hush-hush
attitude was deliberately demonstrated to hoodwink the masses,
unless some weeks ago the sitting defence minister, Gujrat’s Ch.
Ahmed Mukhtar, revealed that the Kalabagh Dam is not being built
due to pressure from foreign powers. As we believe this
controversy has been raging on since Zia ul Haq’s period and all
successive governments have failed to resolve the issue. ANP
fears that the reservoir lake will submerge most of the land in
the KPK province including the city of Nowshera, and the Sindhis
apprehend that as lower riparian they will be deprived of their
due share of water from the river Indus. Both provinces think that only
Punjab will stand to gain from it. The project is neither fully abandoned nor
looks to be resumed in the near future and this state of
uncertainty has cost the nation heavily both in terms of time
lost and the money spent on it so far. A simple technical matter
has been un-necessarily turned into a political issue.
In Col (retd) Riaz Jafri’s words
the politicians are not the right people to decide such
technical matters and it should be left purely to the
professionals and technical experts to do it. As a first step,
therefore, let there be a series of open debates on TV between
the panels of experts, the exponents and the opponents so that
the entire nation becomes aware of its details thoroughly, he
suggests.
But the question is if the world
community is conspiring against Pakistan and forcing it not to
build Kalabagh and other dams – which is besides the Indian
water aggression – what should be the Pakistani leadership and
intelligentsia’s decision then? One believes that the Kalabagh
Dam is not only a technical or purely political matter, but it
is part of the world agenda to deprive Pakistan of its water and
agricultural economy weapon and unfortunately so far the world
at large is successful in its nefarious designs. Not only we
need a political leadership, but we also need a revolutionised
resolve on national level.
Alya Alvi,
Rawalpindi.
IP gas pipeline
The IP gas pipeline deal signed
between the Managing Director National Iranian Oil Company S.R.
Kasaezadeh and Joint Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural
Resources Irshad Kaleemi is a consructive step taken by both
countries that is liable to bring them closer in the coming
times by enhancing relations. According to reports all this
imported gas will be dedicated to the power sector the volume of
which is nearly 20% of Pakistan’s current gas production. This
would enable Pakistan to partially overcome its power shortage.
With this deal a shift in the
otherwise rigid Iranian policies clearly indicates a change of
heart between both nations. However, an increased western
interference on the Pakistani border with Iran is a cause of
great concern for both countries, especially Pakistan.
What is the purpose of this
sudden surge of US nationals in Balochistan? What is their
mission? With Pakistani soldiers fighting insurgency in Pakistan
why do we need US forces? In what way can this foreign
interference benefit us? With an unrestricted and uncontrolled
US activity on Pakistani soil that evidently aims to undermine
Iran through Pakistan, the renewed relations with Iran may be
seriously jeopardised and Pakistan’s already tattered world
image may be irrevocably sabotaged.
Omar Khan,
Taxila.
24-6-2010
Blinding reflectors
The AIG Traffic for Peshawar may
please take note and necessary action against the commercial
‘hatch-back’ vehicles that have put mirror-like reflectors on
their rear screens. These reflectors blind the following drivers
and are hazardous for causing accidents.
Marghuz Khan,
Peshawar.
Rabbani’s warning
The PPP leadership for the sake
of posterity must pay heed to Senator Raza that people’s
patience is running out and that he sees a revolution in the
making.
All the politicians, especially
within the corridors of power, have been totally alienated from
the masses. Corruption is patronised by executives. Poverty,
injustices and abuse of merit have become the hallmark of both
this government and its predecessor led by Gen Musharraf.
Lawlessness, murder, robberies and insecurity haunt the
citizens, while the ruling elite lives in palatial houses like
Mughal emperors.
Raza Rabbani may be among the
few politicians across the political divide who still have some
credibility. His opposition to the privatisation of loss-making
white elephants like the Steel Mills or the PIA defies logic. It
is during this PPP tenure that these state-owned entities
incurred losses.
Of course, the PIA had losses to
the tune of Rs39 billion when the new management took over. But
now they have reached over Rs75 billion with billions more to be
added as liabilities in terms of unpaid debts and outstanding
payments to the PSO, CAA, KESC and vendors.
The Auditor General of Pakistan
has pointed out that there may be yet more pilferages to the
tune of over Rs1.5 billion and on the procurement of a simulator
in violation of mandatory procedures that should have been
followed. How does the senator justify the irregularities in
recruitment which ignored merit and federal-reserved quotas for
under-developed parts of Pakistan since this is a federal
organisation?
These autonomous organisations
are owned by the taxpayer and their abuse must cease. As long as
the causes of the malaise that infected the Steel Mills, PIA,
Pakistan Railways, PEPCO, etc. are not eliminated, there is no
point in giving them more subsidies.
SYED JAWAID HUSSAIN,
Multan.
Gillani’s false promises
The inaugural speeches of all
new rulers are always heard with great hopes and expectations.
It is believed that these initial words of wisdom reflect a
vision of the great deeds that will be performed in the days to
come. Many others, who are less enthusiastic and more practical,
have a different view. They are convinced that the common public
as well as the rulers suffer from severe Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD) and hence the inaugural speeches are no more than
lies and fake promises intended to fool the masses. Let us see
what our prime minister promised to achieve in the first 100
days of his government, while delivering his inaugural speech on
March 25, 2008.
The PM promised to remove
special counters for parliamentarians from all airports. Indeed,
they were removed but only for a few months. However, they are
now back in all airports and provide special services, which are
typically reserved for the handicapped in other countries.
The PM promised to cut the PM
House’s budget by 40 percent. Doing just the opposite, the 2010
budget shows expenditure raised from Rs428 million to Rs 484
million.
The PM promised to set up an
Employment Commission. That was, however, the last time he
thought or did anything on this topic.
The PM promised to build one
million houses annually for low-income groups and to not spend
any money on the renovation of government buildings and
residences. None of these promises have been kept.
The PM also promised to bring in
a new Freedom of Information (FoI) Law. Despite many speeches,
seminars and two years later, there is no new law on the
horizon. To make matters worse, the government repeatedly
violates its existing law on the same, and has failed to provide
any information on 16 requests raised in the last two years.
Will the citizens and society
not question the false promises made by the PM?
NAEEM SADIQ,
Karachi.
Insensitive government
Human rights violations at the
hands of those whom we are made to believe are for our own
security of life, honour and property is not a new phenomenon in
Kashmir. The Indian prime minister’s promise of zero tolerance for human rights
violations has not created any hope of change in common
Kashmiris as the cruel experiences of the past happenings have
taught them how the gory crimes committed by men in uniform have
been defended in the name of national interest.
A new vicious and sinister
design seems to be in place with youth the prime target of it.
Countless innocent youths were killed mostly with tear gas
canisters fired at above the chest heights with clear purpose to
kill and not to disperse. As if gruesome killings of Inayat,
Wamiq, Zahid, Zubair, Tanveer and others in a span of a week
were not enough, three more youths, Tufail, Rafiq, Javed, were
cruelly snatched.
Chief minister’s yelling and
shouting that ‘Kashmiris blood is not cheap’ seems apparently
true, it is fetching money, medals, promotions and what not to
merchants of blood and death. They have made best out of it from
Ganderbal to Machil, from Uri to Srinagar, from hilltops to
lanes and by-lanes of Kashmir.
Instead of reining in troops and
forces for their excesses government is coming with utopian
utterances. For them Shopian is a case of drowning, Wamiq was a
miscreant, Tufail’s mystery death, it has failed in discharging
its constitutional duty of protecting life, honour and property
of its people. How shameful on its part to label a natural
reaction against human rights violations ‘suicidal’ stopping
short of admitting stifling and muzzling a norm to silence the
voice of dissent.
It is high time for government
to mend its ways before situation slips out of its hands and it
will get doomed under the debris of its own grave mistakes.
Shah Waseem,
Srinagar, Kashmir.
22-6-2010
Regrettable day
June 19 was another regrettable
day for Pakistani law enforcing agencies when several gunmen
attacked Karachi city courts to free their under-trial comrades
from police custody.
The encounter lasted for some
time. By the time it was over, three of the suspected militants
have escaped, while one died in an attempt to throw a hand
grenade. The attack was claimed by Jundullah, a banned sectarian
outfit, while the escaped militants were being tried in
connection with last December's Ashura blasts.
This is not the first time that
terrorists have managed to escape due to lax security measures;
this is happening on a regular basis. The escape of Rashid Rauf,
an accused in the 2006 trans-Atlantic aircraft plot case hit
international headlines.
I don't know what message we are
sending to the world by letting these terrorists escape due to
the failure of security, or allowing them to walk free due to
ineffective prosecution. And this is happening with such
regularity that someone may suspect the presence of terrorist
sympathisers among law-enforcing agencies and in the judiciary.
Without a sense of clear
direction and leadership against terrorism, we are not going
anywhere. It's a hopeless situation.
MUHAMMED JAMIL ATHER,
Karachi.
The ally has spoken again
Somehow, Pakistan regards USA as
an old friend and ally. At least this is what all the civilian
and military rulers have been saying and doing accordingly. USA
describes Pakistan as a non-NATO ally strategic friend.
But at the same time, Washington
never loses any opportunity to ensure Pakistan does not make
headway in any sector, remains aloof from the Islamic world and
dependent on the USA. Washington's leaning towards India is also
very pertinent.
Washington has all along been
asking Islamabad to do more in the war on terror and doling out
millions and billions of dollars in one form or the other to
appease the rulers though the people's hatred of US policies
towards Pakistan is also no secret.
USA has not reconciled with
Pakistan's becoming a nuclear power and is bent upon blocking
Iran's way to be second Islamic country to possess nuclear
technology and has recently managed to get UN sanctions imposed
on Teheran in this regard. USA some time back had entered into
civil nuclear technology deal with India but declined the same
when Islamabad asked for similar deal to resolve the lingering
energy crisis on the ground that Pakistan has a bad track record
regarding nuclear proliferation.
This "bad track record in
nuclear proliferation" of Pakistan was highlighted by none else
but neighbouring country India and Washington had duly obliged.
This is not all. USA has now
asked Pakistan to be careful in working on gas pipeline deal
with Iran though the two brotherly countries have signed the
deal for this purpose few days back.
US Special Envoy for Pakistan and
Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke, in his latest visit to Islamabad
has cautioned Pakistan against gas pipeline deal with Iran and
advised to follow policy of "wait and see".
The so-called ally and friend,
USA, is not ready to appreciate Pakistan's dire energy needs
which are very clear to all as the country is facing acute
energy crisis for quite some time.
Acquiring the civil nuclear
technology and gas are the top most requirements to partially
overcome the energy crisis.
The rulers should resist all
such uncalled-for pressure and warnings, go ahead with the gas
pipeline project with
Iran while at the same time trying to secure civil nuclear technology from
one or the other country.
Kamran Khan,
Lahore.
Budget and EOBI pensioners
Like last year, this year also
the finance bill 2010-11 fails to address the problems faced by
the people living on Employees’ Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI)
pension.
EOBI is a federal government
body which pays pension to retired workers.
Last year an increase of 15
percent announced for all pensioners was eventually denied to
the recipients of the EOBI pension.
They are still receiving Rs2,000
per month like the year before.
This year’s budget vouches a
minimum pension for all at Rs3,000 per month but fails to make a
concrete announcement for EOBI pensioners.
It is requested that the
authorities concerned should take up this matter at an
appropriate forum because these old people are retired labourers
and are very poor.
They have no union to speak for
them anymore. This pension of Rs2,000 per month should be
increased.
Razia Sultana,
Lahore.
Producing energy from waste
We all talk a lot about
inflation, the high cost of living, energy crises and
load-shedding of gas and electricity. False promises, load
management and rental power stations are all political stories,
which are just increasing the frustration and misery of our
people.
There is no quick solution to
the energy crises. Tolerance of the common man has already
crossed boiling point as Balochistan is seething with anger,
Karachi is ripe with target killings, there is mistrust between
the agencies and several issues remain unsettled in central and
southern Punjab.
Like millions of Pakistanis, I
also want to draw the attention of our policy makers, government
officials, all political parties, our engineers and scientists
and especially responsible business groups of private
entrepreneurship and all local/foreign investors to focus on
cheap and green energy sources to keep moving the wheel of our
industries so as to make the life of our people easier.
The issue of the Kalabagh dam,
the Bhasha dam and other small/big dams will not be solved
easily in the near future. Let us hope that with maturity in the
norms of democracy and empowerment of institutions, we will be
able to develop common consent peacefully.
Solar energy, tidal energy,
nuclear energy and fossil fuels’ energy are out of our range
because of big investments, high-tech requirements of
infrastructure and lack of skills in these fields.
In 1973, when oil-producing
countries stopped their crude oil exports to the USA, they had
taken an initiative and started about 100 plants of waste to
energy in their states to overcome the energy crises.
Waste to energy is not a new
concept for our scientists and engineers, but it may well be a
surprising idea for our newly-elected democratic politicians.
Every person creates at least
2-3 pounds of municipal waste (paper, plastic, bottles, rags,
wires, used batteries, leftover food, etc) per day on an
average. That means a huge quantity of municipal waste will be
produced in populated areas, which cause an unhealthy
atmosphere/toxicity in our parks and fields, landfill areas,
sewerage systems, and streets and roads.
This domestic waste creates many
problems in a country like Pakistan where there is no proper
system to manage this growing fear of unhygienic and toxic
waste. But scientists and engineers have invented ‘waste to
energy’ and ‘refuse-derived fuel-plants technology’ for
obtaining a productive solution to our municipal rubbish.
Waste to energy is unique,
economical and an environment-friendly concept in which all
municipal waste of villages, towns, cities and provinces is
collected commercially with well-equipped mobile vehicles which
have an automatic system for separating metals, plastic, glass,
papers and other recyclable items from other burnable organic
mix products (waste fuel).
This waste fuel is used in
specifically-designed furnaces which can produce high energy on
combustion of this trash. The heat of the system is required for
running attached steam boilers to produce steam and then high
pressure steam is used for steam turbines to produce electricity
for our industrial and domestic use.
The municipal waste fuel plants
are commonly known as refuse-derived fuel-plants. These are
highly efficient incineration plants which have facilities for
heat conversation systems and an effective filtering system of
all air pollutant gases (nitrogen, carbon dioxide and acid rain
gases) which are being produced while the incineration process
of waste fuel must be cleaned before it is exhausted in the air.
In these efficient
refuse-derived fuel plants we can produce on average one
megawatt of electricity by combustion of two tons of municipal
waste, which surely is a viable proposal for cheap energy and a
green environment.
With strong determination and
timely initiative, we can easily be able to overcome our energy
and power crises.
M. MOAZZAM MALIK,
Lahore.
VVIP Lounge in CM House
Many funny things are happening
around these days in this land of the pure. The establishment of
“Very Important Persons Lounge” (VIPL) in the Chief Minister
Sindh’s House is one glaring example of it.
As reported in the media
recently an event was celebrated with fanfare when the Chief
Minister Sindh along with his advisers and senior members of
staff inaugurated in the CM House a “Special Lounge” fitted with
most modern gadgets which is supposed to serve “very special
guests”. The CM while visiting the VIPL gave instructions for
the proper security and cleanliness of the lounge.
I hope taking cue from Chief
Minister Sindh’s latest accomplishment the President and Prime
Minister should also established VIP lounges in the President
and Prime Minster Houses to entertain their very, very important
guests in much cleaner and highly secure atmosphere. Similarly
chief ministers of other three provinces as well governors may
also established such lounges in their official residences.
Mir Ghulam Hussain,
Kandhkot.
Prisoners abscond
Four under-trial terrorist
prisoners were taken away forcefully by about a dozen terrorist
colleagues of theirs at
Karachi city courts in full
daylight from the police van after killing a policeman and
injuring a few others. One of the prisoners was killed later by
the police firing who had cordoned off the nearby busy streets
where the terrorists had taken refuge. What is not understood is
if the prisoners were properly handcuffed as per police rules –
each prisoner cuffed at both wrists and the individual chains of
all four made to pass through one another in a lace-loop method,
with the final end of the chain secured through the belt of the
police escort, how could the four run together tied to each
other as one body and on the top of it with their handcuffs and
chains and then mingle too with crowd in a busy street during
full daylight? Just unbelievable! A case of sheer gross
negligence and lax discipline.
Someone in the police department
is responsible for the death of the constable in vain.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
20-6-2010
Changing scenario in
Afghanistan
The US president due to changing
political and military scenarios and above all domestic pressure
is more inclined towards finding a political solution to
Afghanistan. This would require at the utmost that negotiation
and peace process is initiated with the Taliban. All efforts
would be made to find an amicable way out so that both have a
face-saving and dignified outcome. In the second phase US would
want that whoever takes over in Afghanistan stabilises the
political set-up to the extent that it provides an opportunity
to the NATO forces to withdraw. This changing scenario is a good
omen for Pakistan, as it is also trying its best to fight
terrorism and help in establishing peace in the region.
The efforts of US can only be
successful when US completely relies on Pakistan, listens to its
analysis of the situation, discusses various options and above
all trusts Pakistan that it is capable to help find a solution
to all the problems US is facing in Afghanistan. It is also very
important that US discourages Indian influence. India has
entangled Afghanistan in different projects. It is nearly trying
to establish its influence in all fields whether its education,
health, industry, entertainment, security, training, welfare
projects etc. India wants its influence in Afghanistan so that
it can have influence in the region. This is part of its dream
of Akhund Bharat. Due to Indian presence and its involvement in
various projects it is very unlikely that India leaves
Afghanistan easily.
The present scenario demands
that lots of rethinking needs to be done on how Pakistan can
help in establishing stability in Afghanistan. It is a difficult
objective to achieve when there are so many opposing forces. But
when there is a will there is always a way out. It is an
opportunity for Pakistan to insist that the solution is only
possible when there is no outside negative interference and the
people of Afghanistan are given all opportunities to prove their
worth and capability of governance.
Anwar Parween,
Rawalpindi
Failure to bring terrorists to justice
Terrorists are caught
red-handed. Sometimes wearing suicide jackets and at other times
with deadly arms and ammunition. They are apprehended on the
spot or from their hiding places. Their accomplices are also
identified. But then what happens? There is no information about
the legal proceedings and further development. If there are some
news it is about the remand being taken and then everything is
shadowed. After sometime there is small news mentioning that due
to lack of evidence or availing advantage of doubt the person is
free. If some charges are proved then a nominal punishment or
penalty and then again the person is free.
One wonders that who is going to
acknowledge the efforts of all those security personnel who die,
who struggle hard to arrest those ruthless persons. What about
all the sacrifices given by those who defend and the sufferings
their families go through? What about the trauma and loss who
lose their dear ones in these gruesome acts of terrorism. When
these terrorists are freed on one pretext or another has anyone
ever thought what message is being given? So many incidents have
taken place where people are taking the law into their own hands
and punishing the thieves or anyone they thought would have been
involved in a suspicious activity or a threat to them. There is
also news of deaths in encounters. The human rights bodies are
all the time taking up issues of extra-judicial killings.
If these terrorists are not
dealt with an iron hand then how are we going to fulfil our
mission to overcome or eliminate terrorism? If the fear of
terrorists remains then who is going to fight against them?
There is a dire need to change our approach and thinking towards
this menace of terrorism. Our justice system also needs to be
transformed into viable solutions. If we know the meaning of
terrorism and the act of the terrorist it should be dealt as a
terrorist. No mercy or forgiveness for a person who kills
innocent children and people. If we are up against terrorism
then all measures are to be taken to discourage and punish those
who are involved in heinous crimes against humanity.
zahid jan,
Rawalpindi
Fragile, handle with care
As reported in the press, tough
guy from the United States, four star general David Petraeus,
who heads the Central Command, and looks after both Iraq and
Afghanistan wars (invasions) fainted while being subjected to
tough questioning by members of the Senate Armed Services
Committee over plans for a US withdrawal from Afghanistan,
starting July 2011. The general was escorted out of Senate
hearing room by aides and returned about 30 minutes later,
holding a bottle of water. It would have been more prudent to
have an ambulance on standby.
On the question of withdrawal,
the general said, among other things “What happens in July 2011
is the beginning of a process for transition that is
conditions-based and will be a responsible drawdown of US
forces.” Said simply, it is an exercise in duplicity which makes
no specific commitment and leaves plenty of room to manoeuvre,
just as it was intended to be. This sort of reply would have
naturally strengthened Democrats’ suspicions that nobody is
serious about July 2011 withdrawal date but I suppose in view of
the earlier mishap, they did not consider it decent and
considerate enough to subject the general to any more grilling.
S.R.H. Hashmi,
Karachi.
Priorities
Watching the media and listening
to people from various walks of life leaves one bewildered for a
moment. It is always the ‘I’ and ‘me’ which is important.
Everyone talks about what I get from the budget? What benefits
are there for me in the job? What luxuries I can afford for
myself at home? If I do something what am I going to get in
return? Our priorities are revolving around us and we are slowly
and gradually becoming entangled in a web of self-centredness.
Is this not what our overt and covert enemies always wanted that
we think of ourselves first and other issues of national and
security concerns become secondary? The hard time we are facing
today as a nation and as citizens are due to problem in defining
and setting our priorities. The pressures of life were always
there but there was confidence to overcome them. Today that
trust is shattered and hopes of betterment in the system seems
to be a far-fetched idea. The daily corruption and fraud stories
of higher ups leave the common man more frustrated and
disappointed.
We as a nation have always
proved to be strong and overcame the difficult times with unity
and solidarity. Today, again it is a test of our capabilities
that how we set our priorities and then smoothly go along with
our defined parameters. The most important aspect is the defence
and security of our country from outside and inside forces that
are hell-bent on creating problems for us. We need to be aware
of security issues and evil designs of enemy and take a stand to
be the second line of defence as citizens. The second importance
to be given to provision of basic necessities of life to each
and every individual so that they are in a peaceful state of
mind to contribute in a positive way. The third issue of
significance is the health sector. The provision of medical
facilities is also receiving criticism from all walks of life.
The way the health issues are increasing due to substandard
eatables and other hygienic factors are also of concern. The
other issue of importance is education. Without education and
up-to-date information it is difficult to survive in today’s
world.
We need a healthy, mentally
strong and bright new generation who will make the nation proud.
For this we have to think today critically and reasonably. We
have to sacrifice are today for our flag holders of tomorrow.
There should only be one slogan for us ‘Together we can,
together we will’.
RAHIMULLAH SHAH,
Peshawar.
Obsession
The Indian print media in their
dailies published a report highlighting that after receiving a
tip from US intelligence agencies the Indian army started
investigation. The probe indicated that a computer belonging to
an Indian army major posted in Adamans has been hacked. The
evidence was that a picture of a serving Indian brigadier who
was attending a training programme in US was dispatched to
Pakistan. After that the story
is developing on day to day basis like soap operas on Star Plus
channel. The computer of the major was taken into custody. The
officer showed ignorance but the computer had sensitive
information comprising nearly 2,500 defence-related
presentations. A big question mark that how these top secret
files could have been shifted to a major’s computer and why?
Then suddenly there were news that most of the files were
deleted. Who did it? No answer. Then a new development revealed
that the computer was accessed from two proxy servers. The
location of one was tracked to Pakistan and the other is also
possibly going to be Pakistan.
The story is still being
developed by the producers and directors as now they are
pointing towards a possibility of involvement of two senior
Indian army officers. What is going to be the end of this story
is very clear. Obsessed with Pakistan twists and turns are given
to the story. The main objective is to establish the involvement
of Pakistan. Further developments on the issue reveal this
mindset. Indian army and media is obsessed that whatever wrong
takes place is the work of Pakistan. The Indian propagandists
have sleepless nights and all their energies are focused to
think of allegations and propaganda against Pakistan. But times
have changed and a sense is prevailing among people to
differentiate between concocted stories and reality. Today it is
difficult to wear a mask and fool others.
Anwar Mukhtar,
Rawalpindi
19-6-2010
Kalabagh Dam
The controversy regarding the
construction of Kalabagh dam has been raging on since Zia-ul
Haq’s period and all successive governments have failed to
resolve the issue. ANP fears that the reservoir lake will
submerge most of the land in the KP province including the city
of Nowshera, and the Sindhis apprehend that as lower riparian
they will be deprived of their due share of water from the river
Indus. Both provinces think that only
Punjab will stand to gain from it. The project is neither fully abandoned nor
looks to be resumed in the near future and this state of
uncertainty has cost the nation heavily both in terms of time
lost and the money spent on it so far. A simple technical matter
has been un-necessarily turned into a political issue.
I think the politicians are not
the right people to decide such technical matters and it should
be left purely to the professionals and technical experts to do
it. As a first step, therefore, let their be a series of open
debates/discussions on TV between the panels of experts, the
exponents and the opponents so that the entire nation becomes
aware of its details thoroughly. I am sure it will help a great
deal in forming a general opinion of the masses for or against
it, who will then prevail upon their representatives to take the
correct and agreed decision.
Let, therefore, the nation
decide to have or not to have Kalabagh dam.
Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Rawalpindi.
World Cup and
South Africa
For South Africa, and by
extension, Africa as a whole, the World Cup is of paramount importance. It is the first
time that an African nation is hosting the tournament and for
some Africans, football is their only sense of the world outside
of their country and their continent.
Football is a global sport that
brings people together from all corners of the world. Therefore,
the tournament has put South Africa in the spotlight and will
allow the Rainbow nation to show off its stadium and show just
how far the country has come.
Hopefully, this will help change
many people’s stereotyped views of Africans. However, being in
the spotlight will also allow the rest of the world to
scrutinise South Africa — security and possible violence during
the tournament will be an issue. Will the infrastructure be able
to handle all the people visiting the country for the matches?
So South Africa will be under pressure to get everything right.
As for ordinary South Africans, I imagine they’ll feel a great
sense of patriotism, and the country will no doubt benefit from
increased tourism, but the long-term benefits remain to be seen.
Will the stadia and
infrastructure be put to good use once the tournament is over?
How much of a financial drain will hosting the World Cup be?
Will the boom be followed by a bust?
FAYYAZ AZIZ,
Peshawar.
A
fractured structure
Apparently, the crack in the
Afghan army is becoming more pronounced, threatening its own
existence due to a rivalry between the representatives of the
two different ethnic identities. Wardak, the defence minister,
an educated gentle Pakhtun with a bend towards the US and
Pakistan, threatens Karzai as a prospective replacement, is at
daggers drawn with the army chief Bismillah Khan, a Tajik from
Panjshir valley with a more heightened fighting streak and an
inherent distrust of the US and Pakistan.
The representation of the
Pashtuns comprises of only a small percentage compared to the
other ethnic groups in the region who are considered as
foreigners and invaders by the Pakhtuns. Afghanistan's former
intelligence chief, Amrullah Saleh, also a Tajik from Panjsher
valley harbours great hatred for Pakistan as he accuses the ISI
for playing a major role in the destruction of Afghan landscape.
The framework of the ANA is
largely dominated by Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras, Turkmen and other
non-Pakhtuns in Afghanistan which was structured by the NDS with
Saleh as its deputy head, thus inducting all those who hated
Pakistan and considered the ISI responsible for Afghanistan's
woes due to a decades-old animosity with Pakistan. This rift
plays central against any positive outcome in the reconciliation
plan delineated to progress towards peace in the region. The
Karzai government needs to seriously ponder over this dividing
rift that has the power to alter the future of so many.
Eschmall Sardar,
Peshawar.
A
peculiar fact
The scandalous paper published
by the London School of Economics that develops its argument
around the gigantic posture of Pakistan’s Inter Services
Intelligence Directorate in nurturing, stimulating and
capitalising the Taliban regime, while conveniently unexplained
remains the rationale of the Pakistan government to involve its
armed forces in fighting terrorism inside its own territory
during which more than 3,000 Pakistani soldier were martyred
while 2,000 injured in just two years while the number of NATO
and US troops killed is 1,500 in over 9 years. That Pakistan is
the worst hit by terror attacks and suicide bombers that are
allegedly being trained by the ISI is another unresolved
mystery. Now why the Taliban insurgents would be targeting its
benefactors? Why does the Pakistani government, especially the
President, who intimately sympathises and supports the Taliban
is unable to stop them from further injuring his political
career? Furthermore, how can the capture of 40 soldiers by the
Afghan Taliban during an attack be attributed to the ISI
operated by a director that is headed by the Army Chief? Is it
to be believed that both the political and military leadership
of Pakistan has developed some severe psychological disorder
that compels them towards the worst form of disgracefully
clamorous self-destruction?
Ayesha Sheikh,
Islamabad.
18-6-2010
She was burt alive
It is sad and gloomy story of my
younger daughter Saeqa. She was 20. She met a fatal accident 10
days back when she was burnt alive by an influential family of
my village Munasa, Tehsil Dheer Kot Azad Kashmir. My village is
situated at a distance of 160 kilometres from Islamabad, 35
kilometres from Muzaffarabad, capital of Azad Kashmir on way to
Bagh and Rawlakot.
Saeqa was misbehaved in a dark
night 10 days back. I being a paralysed person kept listening to
her cries while she was facing cruelty of an influential person
namely Kazim Khan and his two sons. They played with her for an
hour and before leaving my house they set her ablaze. They even
locked her in a room and there was no person to rescue her from
that late night operation. However, her cries forced some
villagers to come to her rescue. She was severely wounded. They
shifted her to the Combined
Military Hospital, Muzaffarabad
where she was kept under treatment for next one week but she
lost her life. She was laid to rest at Munasa. I could not see
her off personally because I was unable to move.
The perpetrators are still free
and threatening me and my other family members. They are being
backed by the elite of Azad Kashmir. My family members
approached the Prime Minster of Azad Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider
to make sure arrest of culprits but till date he was unable to
do so. They are still at large. They are addressing press
conferences while I am unable to move from my death bed. I take
this opportunity to just ask all justice loving people to come
forward not only for allowing law of the land to take its course
of action but to save my remaining family as well.
Muhammad Ashraf Khan,
Munasa, Dheer Kot, Bagh, AJK.
Losing to
Sri Lanka
Pakistan lost the match against
Sri Lanka in Asia Cup. But over all the team’s performance was
better than before.
But three things went wrong.
First the batting order was not
correct as the two debutante players were sent on 3rd and 4th
positions which are important positions when the team is chasing
the target and a player like Umar Akmal or Shoaib Malik must
have come on that position.
Secondly Mohammad Aamir was
talking to some one on mobile in the dressing room which is
against the law of ICC as no player can carry mobile in dressing
room.
Lastly Waqar Younis’ comments on
Shoaib Akhtar after the match, that “Still he’s (Shoaib Akhtar)
got a long way to go. He has picked up three wickets which is
good for us but I think he’s not where we want to see him.”
This comment by coach of
Pakistan team must have depressed Shoaib Akhtar and I think that
these types of comments should not me made in media because it
hurts team’s performance and damages the spirit of players.
MUBASHIR MAHMOOD,
Karachi.
17-6-2010
Unimpeded destruction of forests
Not a single day passes when
some news about annihilation of forest/trees from the country is
not reported in the media. According to a recent report
published in almost all national dailies even police officials
are selling expensive tress on the pretext of cleaning dacoits
hideouts.
As per details a former Deputy
Superintend of Police Mirpur Bathoro has slaughtered full grown
trees spread over an area of 300 acres. When the matter was
reported to higher-ups and the DSP appeared before an enquiry
team of anti-corruption establishment and shamelessly admitted
the crime and stated that trees were cut to eliminate hideouts
of dacoits.
This was however proved to be a
ploy as the area people have came forward and produced evidences
that there were no hideouts of outlaws in the forest and trees
were cut under the supervision of obdurate DSP under whose
orders transported to Karachi with police escort for sale in the
market.
The trees chopped of were part
of famous Khaddi Forest spread on the right bank of River Indus over a large area of 12,600
acres. After slaughtering mature trees on 300 acres the
headstrong DSP is now eyeing the rest of forest aggressively.
The forests are our precious
natural assets and should not be destroyed under whatever
pretext; not even for capturing outlaws. Continuous elimination
of already scarce forests in Pakistan and especially in Sindh
has played havoc to the ecology of the country. The formation of
cyclones in the Arabian Sea frequently and erratic weather
conditions with decrease in rains and fast melting snow is the
result of fast-diminishing forests.
I make an appeal to the chief
minister and minister for forest and livestock Sindh to order
immediate disciplinary action against the DSP; destroyer of our
ecology along with recovery of money from him. Besides, the
provincial forest department may be directed to plant trees on
300 acres to replenish the depleting Khaddi
Forest.
Muhammad Aslam Turk,
Hyderabad.
Steel Mills bailout
The federal government’s
decision to bail out Steel Mills to the tune of Rs25 billion is
good, if it has decided to eradicate the causes that led to its
losses. Without holding those responsible accountable for the
criminal pilferage of its production and the inflated cost of
procurement of inputs, this will only encourage a repetition of
the same.
After all it was the federal
government which appointed the CEO responsible for driving this
profitable state enterprise into the red, while some individuals
made windfall profits. Unless transparent measures are
undertaken to protect pilferages, the funds being injected will
disappear into the endless pit of corruption.
This endless molestation of
state enterprises must cease so that the government can spend
these funds for welfare and social sector development schemes.
As long as cronies of mediocre
capability, with a history of involvement in financial
indiscipline are appointed, this cycle of losses will continue.
Bailout packages are part of the
government’s responsibilities, but so is its obligation to
ensure that merit prevails in appointments and those responsible
for theft be dealt with sternly.
Burdening such loss-making
state-owned organisation with more recruitments will only add to
the organisation’s woes, inefficiency and capacity to rebound.
If the state wants to help a few
thousand, it will be better to help them through such programmes
like the Benazir Support Programme, rather than packing them
into over-employed state corporations.
The state should first impart
technical skills to such people so that they become productive
and are not sacked whenever the PPP’s term ends.
The country is facing an
economic crisis of immense proportions, and what it needs is
transparency, good governance and self-accountability.
Mere appointment of a capable
team of economists led by Dr Hafeez Sheikh will not resolve the
issue, unless there is a change in the mindset of those in power
along with the political will which is not visible.
MALIK T. ALI,
Lahore.
DMG’s stranglehold
It is being asked with
increasing frequency: do we really need an all-Pakistan service?
Has the District Management Group (DMG) contributed towards
strengthening of the federation and the promoting of good
governance — its raison d’être?
Although the Independence Act
1947 did not provide for retention of central service, Pakistan
retained a central service with the name of Pakistan
Administrative Service which was later renamed as CSP and then
the DMG.
This retention was made on the
presumption that the central service would work as an adhesive
of the federation and would help build institutions for the
young country. But what this service and its sister services did
was quite the opposite.
They were instrumental in making
and breaking the governments in the formative phase of the
country. Taking advantage of the nascent democratic system, they
grabbed important political positions as governor-generals,
prime ministers and governors of provinces.
With their inherent
imperialistic attitude and policies, they created an acute sense
of deprivation in East Pakistan. Far from being an adhesive, the
DMG is acting as a corrosive element. DMG officers shun postings
in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where their services are
most needed.
If, at all, they have to send
their boys there, officers are sent from smaller provinces,
which stokes resentment. A vast majority of DMG officers with
Punjab domicile, either do not serve in any other province, or return to
Punjab after very brief stints.
They have made rules which allow
them to retain houses in Lahore for five years even after being
transferred from Punjab. Their performance and service delivery are also far from enviable. From
the steel-frame of Lloyd George, our central service has
degenerated into a rubber-frame.
The DMG is strangulating
provincial services. It has elbowed out Provincial Civil Service
in the Punjab. As per a news item, there is not even a single PCS secretary in
Punjab.
So is the case with
commissioners. Not a single house has been allotted to PCS
officers in GOR-I. The story of the Arab and his camel best
illustrates the condition of the Punjab Civil Service.
It is a painful fact that the
stranglehold of the DMG over Punjab is being tightened by none
other than the chief minister himself who is relying on DMG
errand boys for his political survival.
HAMEED AHMAD KHAN,
Lahore.
16-6-2010
Pakistan’s losses in WoT
Nearly 5000 civilians, over
2,500 policemen and Pakistan Army personnel have been killed by
the terrorists of al-Qaeda and Taliban in Pakistan. The number
of injured is several times high. The losses due to
Pakistan's participation in the
war on terror have been estimated to cross over 42 billion
dollars.
The following article in a
British daily does not give realistic picture of the cost that
Pakistan is paying for siding with US and helping them in Afghan
invasion. Over 2 million Afghan refugees still remain in
Pakistan since the days of Soviet occupation. The right wing
leaders accuse that enemies of Pakistan are funding the
militants most of whom are criminals and mercenaries recruited
from tribal areas in between Afghanistan and Pakistan and some
Uzbek and Indians. They accuse Hindu-Zionist cabal of fomenting
trouble in the region.
The number of civilians killed
in US drone attacks in Waziristan tribal belt is several times
higher than the suspected militants hiding there and Amnesty
International has criticised these attacks. Pakistan suffered
record number of deaths due to militant violence. 3,021 people
killed in terrorist attacks in 2009 – a 48% rise, 3,021 people
killed in terrorist attacks in 2009 – a 48% rise, according to
an Islamabad thinktank.
A record number of Pakistani
civilians and security forces died in militant violence last
year as the country reeled from an onslaught of Taliban suicide
bombings that propelled it into the ranks of the world's most
perilous places.
Pakistan saw 3,021 deaths in
terrorist attacks in 2009, up 48% on the year before, according
to a new report by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies
(PIPS), an Islamabad-based defence thinktank. Researchers
counted a total of 12,600 violent deaths across the country in
2009, 14 times more than in 2006... .
Khan Arif,
On email.
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