"We talk of justice at the doorstep; let us have democracy within walking distance"
The Friday Times, 45-The Mall, Lahore-Pakistan, Fax:92-42-7355197,
eMail: tft@lhr.comsats.net.pk
(Letters must carry addresses and phone numbers)
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"We talk of justice at the doorstep; let us have democracy within walking distance" The Friday Times, 45-The Mall, Lahore-Pakistan, Fax:92-42-7355197,
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Letters
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Dera Bugti to NY
Sir, Recently, the Pakistan naval vessel PNS Tipu Sultan docked at New York City. On board was the official Nadeem Ahmed, who assaulted a 14-year old girl in Central Park and was nabbed by the police. Clearly he forgot that, in New York, he was not free to do as he pleased and enjoyed no immunity from the law. The lesson came the hard way, and he was shoved into the cells of the nearest police station. While Ahmed was under custody, Talat Waseem – the Washington-based press counsellor for the Pakistan
Embassy – declared the report false, as did Group Captain Nadeem, Naval and Air Attaché in Washington. The incident reflects the mindset of Pakistan’s military authorities, which is to never admit any wrongdoing, even when it explodes in their face. Let the captain go free in the Dera Bugti case, publicly exonerate him in advance of all official investigations and inevitably you’ll get cases of assault even beyond our own borders. Or perhaps, assaulting, maiming and raping the defenceless is all that Pakistan’s military is capable of. Where there was little civilian control or intrusive media coverage, imagine the kind of behaviour such personnel must have displayed in East Pakistan, Balochistan or on UN peacekeeping missions. If the distance between Dera Bugti and New York has proved so small, it isn’t a big jump from civilians to the daughters of COs, GCOs and Corps Commanders. The military had better wake up now. Malik Imran, Helsinki.
Pressing issues
Sir, As far as I can tell, over 70 per cent of our assemblies are comprised of landed, tribal or spiritual leaders. Does anyone honestly believe that they will strive for an educated population or an empowered society? The irony is that it took a general to grant women greater representation, the media greater freedoms and make an attempt to sort out national finances. That these issues weren’t tackled during the 90s shows a total lack of interest among our ‘elected’ leaders. Much of the democracy-loving, ‘enlightened’ elite would like the MMA booted out of power, and might even justify the use of force by saying that “sometimes, you have to bypass the system.” The fact that the mullahs were legitimately elected doesn’t seem to matter. Let’s be honest: everyone – the mullahs, army, politicians and the intellectual elite – desire what suits them best. Interestingly, Pakistan’s
democratic parties appoint a chairman for life, a concept redundant for any society that truly believes in democracy. The truth that should matter is that the majority still lives hand to mouth, lacks the basic rights of citizenship and has few future prospects. Once improvements are made in these areas, let the people decide who should rule them. Currently, the majority of our population are deprived of a lot more than their right to vote. The president may not be perfect, but at least he is honest; so it is possible to see sunlight even though there are many more storms that Pakistan must weather. Saad Khaishgi, New York.
Steel deal
Sir, South Korean steelmaker Posco is to build a plant in the Indian state of Orissa, a huge direct foreign investment for India. Posco intends to invest up to $12 billion over 15 years, creating approximately 48,000 local jobs. An initial $3 billion investment will build a plant capable of producing three million tonnes of steel a year, after which extra investment will expand the plant to a 12 million tonne capacity. The deal also grants Posco a 30-year mining lease to supply the steel plant with locally extracted iron ore, which has prompted protests by opposition parties who claim that this will exhaust deposits within 20 years. However, opposition parties always cry wolf when India is to benefit from a major deal. At the moment, the UK based Lakshmi Mittal group – probably the largest steelmaker in the world – is also considering a huge investment in the Indian steel
industry. If Pakistan wants to create substantial employment opportunities, it should follow this example and try to attract genuine manufacturing investment rather than assembly operations. Pasco’s initial proposal concerned the export of raw iron ore from India, which was refused by the Indian government which insisted on the establishment of a steel manufacturing plant. Vipul Thakore, London
Refugee host
Sir, Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of ‘harbouring’ militants. I’m not sure about militants, but I’m certain that Pakistan is ‘harbouring’ three million Afghan refugees! Perhaps Afghanistan will recognise how much Pakistan has done for her if we were to send all the refugees back. Pakistan has hosted almost 10 per cent of Afghanistan’s population, and this has created problems in our own society by taking away jobs and creating law and order problems. Fawwad Shafi, Lahore.
Corrupt cricket
Sir, Then all of a sudden, Bangladesh defeated world champions Australia by 5 wickets, the team’s biggest triumph since the 1999 World Cup ODI match in which the Bangladesh team defeated Pakistan. In the 1999 match, the odds quoted by UK bookies against Bangladesh were 80-1. The win was followed by much hue and cry regarding allegations that Pakistan had thrown the match. It was also alleged that one Pakistani player had bought a Porsche Carrera from his winnings. In the recent match between Australia and Bangladesh, the odds were 100-1. Was the Australian team tempted, as our poor Pakistani team was believed to have been? I watched the match on television, and the bowling, dropped catches and fielding lapses by some of the Australian players were inconsistent with their usually high standards. Yet I have not heard of any inquiry being mounted by the International Cricket Council, as was undertaken in the earlier case of Pakistan’s defeat. It could simply be that the goras are considered above us desis as far as corrupt practices are concerned. SN Kazi, Karachi.
Role of religion
Sir, Political relations between India and Pakistan have become smoother in recent years. These are good signs, but we must not ignore the ideology of Pakistan. Our country came into being on the basis of religion and our political leaders are maliciously overlooking this fact. Conferences and seminars emphasise that both countries share similar social and cultural values, that we are all brothers, etc. But friendship with India will be achieved at the cost of religion. If there are no real differences between Muslims and Hindus, why did our ancestors and the Quaid spend their lives fighting for a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent? Why did thousands of Muslims sacrifice their lives and families for the sake of Pakistan? There is a difference between these two countries: it’s called “Islam.” Mudassar Shahid, Lahore.
In memory
Sir, “Jo har insan adam say aashna hota nahin Aankh say ghaib hota hai, fana hota nahin.” (Iqbal) Mr Sunil Dutt has contributed so much to humanity and secular convictions; he was truly a perfect gentleman, a humble and noble person. He led a campaign against AIDS, resigned as ‘sheriff’ of Mumbai in 1981 as a protest against communal riots, and led a peace walk from Mumbai to Amritsar’s Golden Temple advocating peace in South Asia. He also set up the Nargis Dutt Foundation for Cancer and raised millions, assisting hospitals in India. In Pakistan, he donated 1 crore rupees to the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, and sent 3 million shillings to a cancer hospital in Kenya. Mr Dutt
facilitated the establishment of a mobile hospital, which is also a research centre funded by Non-Resident Indian (NRI) institutions. This well-equipped lifeline on wheels reaches out to the underprivileged, and he also established a school for special children in Bandra and around the Mumbai slums. A devoted and caring husband, in memory of his wife he used to narrate the following verse written by Faiz: “Muqam Faiz koi rah mein jacha hi nahin Jo koey yaad say niklay to sooay dar chalay.” He was a loving father and a selfless friend. Mr Dutt, you were truly larger than life. May God bless your soul and give strength to your children. “Dard itna tha keh us say kabhi guzar na chaha Hum nay chaha bhi magar dil na teherna chaha.” (Faiz) N Saeed, Islamabad
Self control
Sir, It appears that the psyche of most male Muslims, particularly Pakistani male Muslims, is dominated by the fear of their own weakness and the total absence of self control. This is manifest in socio-religious conduct in the form of rigidity and intolerance, particularly in matters relating to women. The response to fear is to banish from sight whatever frightens them. To give just two very common examples, women excite them but instead of disciplining themselves, men banish them behind the four walls. Secondly, during Ramzan, instead of controlling their own urge to eat when food is available, eating in public is banned for everyone; despite the fact that according to the
Quran, the very purpose of fasting is ‘to teach self-restraint.’ I recently heard about another demonstration of this psyche. After an explosion of LPG cylinders in an unauthorised private workshop which killed several people, instead of trying to control the illegal activity of such workshops, the use of LPG in motorcycle rickshaws was promptly banned! Mohammad Ahmed, Rahimyar Khan.
Cell cover-up
Sir, People at the helm of affairs are delighted that poverty has declined to a large extent. The proof they offer is that the number of cellular phone users has crossed the 10 million mark. They forget that cell phone users belong mainly to the major urban cities and, especially after the arrival of new companies, some people have multiple connections. The majority of our population lives in rural areas where there are often no land-line phone facilities, let alone cell phones. Government officials continue to rejoice and trumpet the slogan “Pakistan Shining.” A similar episode took place in India, where the country was doing well in the official records while the people continued to suffer poverty and hunger. Ultimately, the ruling party (the BJP) lost an election. Unfortunately, free and fair elections are unlikely to be held here; otherwise I imagine our rulers too would face
defeat. M Efzal, Peshawar.
Bottle bugs
Sir, People seem to be fooling themselves about the cleanliness of bottled water. Though the contents of the bottle may be fine, the bottle itself can go through many different hands and unhygienic conditions. People must realise this and the suppliers of bottled water should come up with a reliable mechanism to ensure that bottled water reaches people safely. Khalid Mustafa, Islamabad.
Democracy walk
Sir, How can we ensure the highest turnout of voters in elections? I suggest that as many people as possible should be able to walk to a polling station. For the 2002 elections, the Election Commission set up 88,554 polling stations, with 164,377 polling booths. According to some press reports, the EC intended to have about 150,000 polling stations but could not meet the target due to administrative and logistical problems. The ideal figure of polling stations for the coming Local Government elections is 215,000. For a total population of 150 million people, the average population per polling station will come to 700, giving a range of as low as 500 and as high as 1000. This will mean that all voters will have to travel a very short distance in order to vote. Every village should have at least one polling station. Currently, voter transport constitutes 60-80 per cent of a candidate’s election expenses. This could be eliminated entirely. By spending a little extra money on polling stations, the government will effectively reduce election costs. If both the government and the Election Commission commit themselves publicly and immediately to setting up 215,000 polling stations, high voter turnout will be ensured. The experience may be put to good use in the 2007 general elections. We talk of justice at the doorstep; let us have democracy within walking distance. Muhammad al-Hameed, Lahore.
Privileged kid
Sir, American President William Howard Taft was dining at home when his youngest son addressed a disrespectful remark to him. Mrs Taft said, “Well, aren’t you going to punish him?” Taft replied, “If the remark was addressed to me as his father, he certainly will be punished. However, if he addressed it to the President of the United States, that is his constitutional privilege.” I wonder whether many of our rulers would take a similar line with their children. Mike Baxter, Karachi.
Defend Pakistan
Sir, Musharraf has already caused the loss of Pakistan’s strategic depth in Afghanistan and encouraged the ascendancy of the pro-Indian Northern Alliance in Kabul. He is also responsible for strengthening India’s grip over Kashmir by making several concessions. The latest is to make the LOC a soft border with India, thereby encouraging India to make further advances towards Pakistan. Having already weakened Pakistan’s eastern and western flanks, Musharraf now plans to give up Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and to reduce Pakistan’s troops. While Musharraf’s ‘India
building’ measures know no bounds, India has conceded hardly anything to Pakistan. India’s politicians must be basking in the knowledge that in Musharraf, they have finally found someone within the Pakistani establishment who can realise their dream of a “Greater India.” Abid Mustafa, London.
Pashto passing
Sir, Qazi Mullah, a renowned Pashto TV/Radio artist who entertained audiences and made them laugh, has passed away. Before he changed it to Qazi Mullah, his name was Kazim Ullah; he was born in Sardheri, a large village of the Charsadda district. But what’s in a name? Qazi Mullah always sweetened the time for his audience. Mohammad Fayyaz, Charsadda.
Baloch snub
Sir, The parliamentary committee on Balochistan seems to have completely disappeared. The issue deserves to be highlighted as it is an indicator of the government’s sincerity and determination towards solving the many nagging issues confronting the country. The shunning of the committee and its gradual and methodical exit from the political arena indicates the extreme arrogance of the regime, and puts into disrepute any claims of being a competent player in resolving the dispute; not to mention the uncertain picture of the future of the province amidst the growing alienation and deprivation of the Baloch. The lack of media coverage regarding this snub towards Balochistan has been shocking, for it is well known that public pressure is exerted on the government to solve issues through the beacon of the press in any country. I know that the truth cannot really be expected from this government (as it has betrayed the people on many a front) but what excuse does our media offer? Basil Malik, Karachi.
Go governor
Sir, However, one does feel sorry for the British taxpayers, who must pay through their noses in order to allow our shady characters to have a good time in their country. But then that is their problem. All we expected from our own dear governor was
that he stop receiving the welfare allowance of 244 pounds a week, especially after being accommodated in a Karachi mansion. We gave him all that we could offer. We are hurt that our generosity has not been reciprocated. By continuing to bank on the British welfare services (while having a ball in Karachi), he has deeply hurt our pride and caused us immense shame. All for the paltry amount of 244 pounds a week. Will it now be possible for him to live with his conscience while also living in the great palace that he currently occupies? Or will he choose to follow the great tradition that honourable men have followed under such circumstances. When it is acceptable for someone to give up his job in the name of principles or shame, it makes the institution stronger. Here is an opportunity to give strength and respect to the man and to the house that he lives in. How would you like to read this in the newspaper: “The governor decides to go –
voluntarily.” Naeem Sadiq, Karachi
Breathe easier
Sir, Mira Sethi, Cheltenham.
New low
Sir , According to statistics cited by the BBC, the number of people killed in Pakistan during May 2005 reached 172. Sunni militants lead the score by a large margin, while the Shia militants have shown some resistance. I think perhaps the government should enroll these militant groups in their National Defence College. Let’s up the game a bit. I think the media also needs to jump in and record these great achievements in the name of religion, so our embarrassment as a nation is properly documented. But this is the domestic season. On the international front, Pakistan has even managed to attract criticism from a country like Afghanistan. This is a new low. Saad Khan, Rawalpindi
Blame games
Sir, The citizens must ask whether the blame games of the 90s were mere misinterpretation, and each person must identify who is in favour of this country and its people. We must stop these people from fooling us again. Wakar Ahmad, Lahore.
Innocent victim
Sir, When I saw the picture of Liath Falah, a 12-year old Iraqi who had gone to the market to get some bread for his family, holding his bloodied amputated leg up in disbelief, I could not help but cry. To imagine a child – whose entire life lies before him, who used to run and play – lose something so important in one swoop makes me not only sad, but angry as well. Sad for the boy and his family who have to go through this ordeal; but angry with those people who kill the innocent, their own countrymen and fellow human beings, in the name of religion. These people not only destroy lives but also shame my religion. I have no control over the suicide bombers, but I request people who are in contact with them to stop this barbarism. I pray that they come to their senses and stop spilling the innocent blood of people
like Laith. Shahryar Baseer, London.
Reform NSC
Sir, The NSC should be reconstituted in the following manner: the president should be its head, the prime minister its chairman, the foreign minister the secretary and the COAS a senior member. Four chief ministers – including the ministers of defence and education – should be decision-making members, the head of the opposition in parliament should be given a role, and finally, the chairmen of the National Accountability Bureau and the National Reconstruction Bureau should be accommodated. The NSC should meet on a monthly basis and on occasions of national crisis. Every meeting of the council would be a step in the right direction and towards a better future. I wish to see all the members of the NSC become one team, serving the interests of Pakistan and its people. Uzair Shah, Peshawar.
Language police
Sir, Before the language police book me on a charge of vagrant use of a perfectly sound word, let me make the confession myself. It wasn’t out of ignorance but oversight/fatigue/unholy hurry that in my column “Looking for Justice, but where?” (TFT June 24-30), in paragraph two, I had a lawyer “forcibly arguing a case” when he should have been “forcefully” arguing a case. O’ this tongue of Perfidious Albion! Khalid Hasan, Washington DC.
Self criticism
Sir, We seem to be losing more frequently in everything, whether it is cricket, hockey or non-sporting endeavours. This is because a student does not study well, a farmer does not plough his farms well, a teacher does not teach well and sportsmen do not play well. Nobody is loyal to his or her profession. We do not have time to work, but have plenty of time to criticise others – and that criticism is rarely constructive. We must stop bickering and making excuses; to become a successful nation, we have to unite and discipline ourselves. Abdullah Gill, Lahore.
Kite curse
Sir, An Indian tradition, kite flying has been adopted by Pakistanis and is now an integral part of our culture. It’s a waste of money, time and most importantly, precious lives. Every day, we hear that children and adults die due to kite accidents. We all need to ask ourselves whether is it worth it. Judge for yourself. Bilal Ahmed, Lahore
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July 1-7, 2005 - Vol. XVII, No. 19 |
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The shocking thing about the Abu Ghraib scandal was not the behaviour of the troops, but the incompetence of the leaders. A few soldiers will always do bad things; competent officers know what the people under their command are capable of – and make sure it doesn’t happen.
Since early June, the Bangladesh cricket team has been facing humiliating defeats in Tests and One Day Internationals (ODIs) against not only England but also weaker county teams. There were demands to demote Bangladesh from the Test playing group of countries to the second tier, with countries such as the USA, Canada, Holland and Namibia. 
A recent news item reported that students of a Quetta religious seminary injure women with a sharp instrument, simply because they go out of their houses alone.
On a visit to New Zealand, President Musharraf revealed the true extent of his vision for Pakistan’s ongoing normalisation with India. He said that “We have suggested (nuclear) disarmament and reduction of forces.” 
Sindh has not been a lucky province when it comes to the selection of chief ministers and governors, so a recent Sunday Telegraph investigative report was no great revelation. All it said was that a gentleman who provided free boarding and lodging at his 40,000 square yard Karachi residence (forget those half a dozen Mercedes and a staff of 200 waiters and guards) sought asylum in the UK to escape charges of murder and kidnapping at home. Well, why is the Sunday Telegraph telling us this, and why should Pakistan object to the high standards that the UK follows for choosing its new citizens? 
This is a thank you message to Anumita Roy chowdhury, for writing “Breathe easy” (TFT June 24-30). It was an inspiring piece on the pollution problem in Lahore. I am relieved to know that there are organisations such as the Lahore Clean Air Commission, that care about the state of the city and are taking decisive steps to tame vehicular pollution. The basic norms of environmental ethics demand that we engage in a reciprocal relationship with our natural world, and the problem of pollution which threatens to choke us and our environment is the right place to start. Although this campaign may look largely anthropocentric, the results, I am sure, will be mutually beneficial.
Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto claim that they now stand united in their efforts to make Pakistan a developed and self-sufficient country. If we accept this, what are we to make of the allegations each made against the other while in power? The criticisms levelled then – such as looting the country’s wealth, misusing power and helping elements who were the enemies of Pakistan – are not easy to forget. 
I propose that President Musharraf reconfigure the NSC (National Security Council) in such a way that it becomes a decision-making body that talks less and does more. It should possess a group of people who make commitments, and should be a body that will bring about radical changes in our cracking system. 
