MMA and education

MR Jafri is absolutely wrong when in an article on education (Jan 25) he finds an opportunity to flay the MMA men, saying that “it would perhaps be futile asking the MMA leadership to bring a modern and futuristic mindset to bear on a subject so sophisticated as education. These gentlemen seldom look ahead. Their sights are set, in fact fastened, on the past”.

Mr Jafri should know that children of some of the MMA leaders were educated abroad and the MMA ranks are rich in foreign qualified elite who are also authors of many books on Islam and other subjects in standard English. Even their ladies, though in hijab, are getting education and training in various modern disciplines and skills. These people, too, are a part of society.

In the same vein, people like Mr Jafri were swept away by the western/Jewish propaganda against the ‘obscurantist’ Taliban in Afghanistan; they unwittingly joined in the biased chorus against them. Such people are advised to read the realistic account of Yvonne Ridley, London Sunday Express reporter, who slipped into Afghanistan in burqa and Afghan dress, was captured and passed 10 days in the Taliban custody. At least a dozen UN/NGO aid workers, young American, Australian, German girls, were also arrested for admittedly preaching Christianity with published material — a charge for which death penalty was prescribed in the law — but they were all released when the Taliban vacated Kabul.

Later, at their press conferences in Pakistan and abroad, those freed were all unanimous in acknowledging that the Taliban had treated them “with courtesy and respect”, looked after them well and called them their “guests” and “sisters” when the so-called civilized allies bombed the hell out of them.

Dynamic nations do tide over all material difficulties and handicaps and march forward successfully. History is full of many such instances. Why can’t we do it in Pakistan? In fact, Mr Jafri fails to propose practical measures to help advance the cause of literacy in the country.

At this critical stage in world affairs, our learned writers should exercise caution while criticizing government policies or flaying men with beards and turbans. Also, if one can write in good English with a bit of knowledge, it does not mean that others are ignorant and stupid.

MOHAMMAD ALEEM SHAIKH

Karachi

Advice to aspirin users

RECENTLY several advertisements have appeared in all major national newspapers encouraging, in fact, coaxing unsuspecting people to take a daily doze of aspirin “to take care of your heart”. Although a cautionary note is added in small print, it may not be taken with due importance.

I would like to put some pertinent facts for consideration by all before they decide to start gulping aspirin on a daily basis.

— If anyone has a heart attack, aspirin can help prevent another one.

— Aspirin can also prevent a first heart attack. If you are a post menopausal woman, a male over 40, a young person who smokes or is overweight or has diabetes, high blood pressure and/or a family history of early heart disease, you are at risk for a heart disease and possibly a good candidate for aspirin therapy.

— Aspirin improves the blood flow by reducing the stickiness of the platelets the cells that cause blood to clot.

— Regular aspirin use can cause bleeding in the stomach or brain, specially if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure.

— Aspirin is most beneficial if you are at high risk for developing a heart attack within the next five years.

— Several things determine your risk, such as sex, age, blood pressure, total cholesterol, diabetes and smoking. Your risk of developing heart attack over the next five years can only be determined by a doctor. Please do not make this decision on your own.

— Higher doses (more than 75mg) can be more harmful than helpful.

— Buffered or coated aspirin is not necessarily better at preventing bleeding than regular aspirin. If you have uncontrolled high blood pressure or take anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen, you are at a particular risk of bleeding.

People need to take care of their hearts. Every year thousands suffer heart attack, making it one of the leading cause of deaths.

There is no need to panic. First of all, talk to your doctor to see if aspirin therapy makes sense for you. If you are a smoker, have uncontrolled high blood pressure, or are diabetic or overweight, get these problems under control. Stop smoking. Take a healthy diet. Exercise and reduce stress for which one of the things you can do is: do not watch news on TV. This way, you will not only reduce your risk for a heart attack, you will strengthen your overall health and then can improve your life and longevity.

M. A. JAN

Karachi

Karachi Circular Railway

The revival of Karachi Circular Railway will provide a tremendous relief to 14 million people of this city. Some positive facts in its favour are: (1) tracks, land and stations exist, and (2) the country manufactures wagons at Islamabad and locomotives at Risalpur.

Several Asian and European countries have a simple system to ensure that a ticket is bought without a corruptible middle man.

What is needed is the installation of ticket machines at stations and at entry and exit points through turnstiles activated by the inserted purchased ticket. No other access is to be available, not even to visitors.

The stations should not be accessible from the tracks. Trains should have automatic doors that can only be centrally controlled at the stations by the train driver.

The investment required for locally-manufactured turnstiles and imported simple ticket-vending machines together with station entry changes and modifications in railway wagons imaginably is less than the billions of dollars being estimated for other alternatives.

Considering the present fares from five rupees to Rs20 for travelling by recklessly-driven buses choking our lungs and the already stressed out road infrastructure, I am sure that charges of say five rupees for a short distance and Rs10 for a long distance by safe, comfortable, revamped and possibly airconditioned trains can make the KCR feasible.

The metropolis having grown so fast, feeder trains with new tracks and stations to the existing KCR network can easily be worked out.

The frequency of trains in the morning and the evening is to be adequate and can be increased gradually.

Railway signalling is also to be made automatic on Karachi Circular Railway to ensure its smooth and accident-free operation.

Would some caring, honest person in the Railways, ministry of communications or even the Nazim of Karachi take up this matter in the right spirit and not only save this nation millions of dollars but also be remembered for doing this sprawling city a real service?

DAUD ANSARI

Karachi

‘Can culture be universal?’

PEOPLE from all over the world, not just Egyptians, take pleasure and pride in seeing the temples of Egypt as a part of world culture (Can culture be universal? by Hafizur Rahman, Feb 12).

Moenjodaro and Gandhara similarly belong to an ancient civilization and the Pakistanis of that part of the world should be proud of their ancestors. It has nothing to do with any religion. The same is true for the Taj Mahal, a magnificent, unparalleled tribute to a beloved one — a universal story of love, not related to any religion.

Fortunately, the British, unlike the Spanish, never destroyed any such cultural places in the subcontinent. Unfortunately, some Buddhists statutes were destroyed in Afghanistan in an effort to disclaim their ancient past.

A tour guide, a third generation Muslim in Indonesia, suggested that Jogikarta should go to India and the Taj Mahal to Indonesia. I told him that your people had constructed such a wonderful architectural grandeur that you should have been proud of it, as the Taj Mahal had been built by Indians who would take pride in their past culture.

Rahman is right when he says that culture and its manifestation are a common heritage to the entire mankind without any barrier of race and religion.

NIRODE MOHANTY

California, USA

HAFIZUR Rehman’s claim that the majority of the Indians are indifferent to the Taj Mahal is preposterous.

It’s one of the wrong facts being fed to the public in Pakistan. All Indians revere the Taj Mahal. The vandals Mr Rehman has talked about are a lunatic fringe who do not represent one billion Indians.

The writer has no regular contact with the majority Indian community, so he cannot make assumptions about their minds and thinking.

VIVEK M.

Haryana, India

War on Iraq: its rationale

A FEW days ago I received an email containing a quote from Hermann Goering, the president of the Reichstag in Hitler’s Nazi Germany and the C-in-C of Luftwaffe. I would like to share the quotation with the readers of Dawn. It reads as follows:

“Naturally the common people don’t want war. Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood.

“But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the biddings of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

In the context of the US-led “coalition of the willing” who are straining at the leash “to let loose the dogs of war” against Iraq, the above-mentioned words seem to be prophetic, or is it just a coincidence?

SALAHUDDIN K. LEGHARI

Lahore

Report about Justice Mahmood

THIS refers to the piece by Ashraf Mumtaz (Jan 27) in which he has criticized the stand taken by Justice (R) Tariq Mahmood of Balochistan High Court.

I was disappointed to read it as, instead of appreciating the bold, courageous and principled stand taken by Justice Tariq Mahmood, your correspondent has tried to condemn the same.

While distorting the fact, a vain attempt has been made to prove that Justice Tariq Mahmood is just like other judges who, according to him, abide by the arbitrary and autocratic dictates of the government.

During his brief period of about two years, Justice Mahmood showed that he was a highly competent judge. The disposal of cases during his tenure was also very quick. His independence can be judged from the fact that even as an unconfirmed judge he not only differed with the chief justice but delivered a dissenting judgment against the government by issuing an injunction to hold election of the local government.

Similarly, as a member of the ECP when he was convinced that under the Constitution, the ECP was not supposed to hold a referendum, he opposed the same at the cost of losing his important job and knowing that by doing so his future as a lawyer would also be adversely affected.

EHSAN-UL-HAQ KHAN

Quetta

Why bear this humiliation?

THIS is for those young men and women who have gone abroad in search of a better and prosperous future. Alas! The world has changed since the 9/11 attacks. There is nothing in store for the Pakistanis, the Saudis and people from other Muslim countries, except humiliation, disrespect, disgrace and ignominy in the so-called ‘land of immigrants’. They are dubbed extremists, criminals and terrorists, and vilified as security risks.

I appeal to all such citizens of Muslim countries, specially to my Pakistani brothers and sisters, to come back to their motherland. Remember your country is a gold mine. Come back. Unearth that gold, dig it up, rub it, polish it and sell it. Don’t forget that in an alien land you will always be treated as an alien, a plant in the vase. You would never change into a tree whose roots are in the soil. My heart weeps at the humiliations being heaped upon you.

Why bear this humiliation? Why remain a target of hatred and suspicion? Why live under the terror of being harassed, deported, thrown into detention camps and be tortured? Why lead a life full of dreadful nightmares?

The love, the respect and the recognition you can get in your country can be found nowhere else. Come back, I beseech you.

QUDSIA KAMAL

Karachi

How far can we go with this?

NUMEROUS private companies are holding and sponsoring huge concerts, but we know little about the consequences of these events.

Recently, I had to accompany my family and friends to a concert that was held at a very prestigious club in Defence. However, I did not anticipate the horrors that would reveal themselves that night.

There was absolutely no arrangement for efficient security and the little that was there had no control over the large, rowdy crowd which had engulfed the area. Moreover, there were no seating arrangements and a dance floor was erected for boys and girls right in front of the stage, where girls were subjected to all kinds of humiliation and were in shock and tears.

Incidentally, even in such an uncontrollable crowd, the lights were switched off, leaving the audience in pitch darkness. As it is, nothing could be heard amidst the deafening music and nothing could be seen either.

Mainly, these private companies are trying their best to promote western culture. The question arises: can our society accept this setup? The government is paying no heed to this invasion by an alien culture. Are monetary gains so valuable as we should allow these obscenities to continue?

Why are platforms being provided to the youth through television where a highly vulgar language is not only being used but also promoted in songs, dramas and films? A society cannot operate in a civilized way unless such immoralities are put under strict control.

RUBINA MAGSI

Karachi

Law & order in tribal areas

THE government efforts to resolve the feud among different tribes in Balochistan and Sindh through a Jirga are appreciated, but the measures taken to ensure the rule of law appear to be inadequate.

The persons responsible for supplying rockets and automatic weapons illegally to the simple folks, urging them to disrupt the gas supply and to indulge in other terrorist activities must be identified. All illegal weapons should be seized from those tribal areas.

It is said that sardars exercise rigid control over their people. It is also alleged that they are involved in many cases of smuggling of arms, kidnappings, murders and car-snatching.

The role of the law enforcement agencies in checking such crimes has been disappointing. It is an open secret that most of the cars snatched from Karachi are traded in tribal areas. The evasion of taxes and the refusal to install meters for the use of electricity in the areas controlled by these sardars are indicative of the state of anarchy which must be corrected.

The protection provided to law-abiding citizens is # lacking in many respects and reforms in the law-enforcement agencies are badly needed.

ARIF KHAN

Karachi

Safety measures for using natural gas

THIS refers to the different news items and editorial notes published in the national and the regional press about the death of people due to “gas suffocation” in Quetta and some other parts of Balochistan.

We want to draw your attention towards a SSGC’s public awareness campaign. Since gas-related fatalities due to suffocation are quite common in Quetta and different areas of the province during the winter each year, the Sui Southern Gas Company initiated a comprehensive campaign on safety and awareness through the print and electronic media before the start of the winter season.

These efforts are aimed at educating the public on the necessary precautions for the safe use of natural gas so that dangerous situations can be avoided and fatalities can be prevented.

During the current winter, too, the company initiated a well-planned and extensive safety and awareness campaign on Nov 1 last year. The following are the salient features of this campaign:

1. A mass media campaign in major national newspapers and specifically regional dailies of Balochistan was launched to educate the public on the correct and safe use of natural gas.

2. Messages in Urdu, Balochi and Brahvi languages were routinely telecast through the Radio Pakistan Quetta to educate people about the precautions for the use of gas heaters at night.

3. Similar messages in Urdu and Balochi languages were also telecast on PTV Quetta Centre during Iftar in Ramazan.

4. The local administration of our Quetta office organized a massive congregation of intellectuals, mosque Imams, scholars and journalists, and appealed to them to provide information on the usage and safety measures for gas through Juma khutbas, debates and all other means possible.

5. The company invited principals and administrators of various educational institutions of Quetta region for a detailed briefing and asked them to impart knowledge of safety and precautionary measures to their students.

7. A total of 5,000 posters on guidelines for safety precautions were put up at prominent places throughout Quetta.

8. Similarly, hand bills with such information in Urdu, Balochi and Brahvi were also distributed among people in Quetta as well as in Pishin, Mustoong, Lora Lai Sibi, Dera Alayaar and other areas to which natural gas is supplied. In addition, these hand bills were also sent to consumers through newspapers.

9. Posters and hand bills were also distributed among all hotels with instructions to be put up in dining halls, reception areas and bedrooms at eye-catching places. Through these posters, people were asked to avoid the use of gas in their rooms after 11pm.

10. The Sui Southern Gas Company also formally requested the district Nazim of Quetta to ask area councillors to promote the safe use of gas wherever and whenever they address a public meeting.

11. The company’s local management organized corner meetings in Quetta and various other areas to inform the public on the safety measures related to gas usage.

We request the public to come forward with any suggestions and solutions to promote the well-being of all citizens.

S. NASRIN HUSSAIN

Chief Manager, External Relations, SSGC,

Karachi