| January 2, 2006 | Monday | Zilhaj 1, 1426 |
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Ban on cable channels
Controlling population growth
No agents, please
VVIP movement and death
Woes of a car buyer
Credit card heist
Studying the arts
Indian scandal
Misuse of flat
Science died in 1965
Power blackout
SOME politicians and human rights workers are opposing the government action in Kohlu but neglecting the terrorists’ crimes in the province and advancing irrational arguments.
To quote some examples from Dawn’s Dec 28 issue, the opposition leader, Mr Raza Rabbani, has called it the “use of naked force.” Ms Asma Jehangir has said that using guns was not only a violation of the spirit of the federation but also infringed upon human rights.
There have been 187 bomb blasts, 275 rocket attacks, eight attacks on gas pipelines, 38 attacks on electricity transmission lines and 19 explosions on railway tracks in 2005. Isn’t that ‘naked force, violation of the federal spirit and of human rights but they said nothing against it? The government can and does make mistakes but this doesn’t mean it ought to be opposed merely for opposition’s sake even when it is right because that, too, will hurt the federation.
The terrorists, propped up by some sardars with vested interests, are harming the province and the country and causing casualties. The government has already shown much patience and this time around it must not spare these sardars and saboteurs.
The decades of blackmailing by these people must end and peace as well as development work must be restored
while making every effort to remove the genuine grievances of our Baloch brethren and avoiding the loss of any innocent lives.
Mr Altaf Hussain of the MQM has said that no military operation was launched in Rawalpindi or Attock following the attacks on the president and the PM, nor had the people of these areas been held. Mr Hussain knows very well that unlike Balochistan, there was no insurgency-like situation over there and similar action was not required.
India also has jumped into the fray by expressing concern over the operations in the province.
Instead of shedding crocodile tears and interfering in our internal affairs — that only proves its insincerity once again — it should focus on the situation in held Kashmir and its far eastern states where the people have for many decades been up in arms against New Delhi’s tyranny. A former Baloch insurgent had revealed last year how India had
been training and financing the rebels of Balochistan.
That should have shamed
the country into discontinuing this inimical act against Pakistan.
Anyway, by giving emotional and unreasonable statements and by threatening to take the Kohlu issue to international forums, some Pakistanis are only encouraging the terrorists and their backers and thereby damaging Pakistan’s interests. They are probably worried that if they don’t oppose military action against the Baloch elements engaged in nefarious activities, there could be similar measures taken in the future against them and their parties.
SAIFULLAH
Karachi
The situation in Balochistan amounts to nothing more than a fully-fledged declaration of rebellion against Pakistan. Rocket and missile attacks on the armed forces are taking place almost on a daily basis and the army has been forced to resort to the use of gunship helicopters and heavy artillery. Such actions taken by freedom fighters in Kashmir and Al Qaeda militants in Fata are seen as an insurgency by the respective governments of India and Pakistan.
The following questions come to mind:
Why did the government allow the Baloch tribes to acquire and stockpile such heavy arms? If the government and the intelligence services were not aware of such a build-up of weaponary, will they acknowledge the fact that this was a serious failure on their part?
What constitues treason and rebellion? Do the tribes involved in violence against the Pakistan army have to issue a statement labelling their resistance as such before it is acknowledged by the rest of us that their actions amount to treason?
DR SHAAZ MAHBOOB
London, UK
THIS is with reference to the news item ‘New electronic media policy on the anvil’ (Dec 30). First, in response to the prime minister’s statement that “the government could not allow the airing of programmes which are against our faith, culture and traditions”, I would say that it is patently unfair that a small group of people should be in charge of deciding for the rest of the country what is and is not appropriate for them to watch on TV.
Also I would like to suggest that the prime minister check what is being telecast on the local channels before he makes a comment like this. If some of the local channels are approved by PEMRA in that they satisfy the criteria that their programmes are in accordance with our culture and traditions, then I don’t see any reason why any channel from any country should be banned here.
Secondly, let’s make it clear that the largest number of channels which have been shut down are Indian channels. And the reason being mentioned is that they were shut down because they were taking away a chunk of advertising which would otherwise have gone to local channels. Which basically means that the common audience of this country has to do without entertainment so that the government and PEMRA can pander to the local channels, and foist mediocre entertainment on the public.
I agree with the prime minister that Pakistan should have an “open media policy”. Incidentally, how does this ban on cable channels tie up with the government’s policy of ‘enlightened moderation?’ The prime minister should realize that the people of Pakistan have enough sense and judgement to decide for themselves what they should or should not watch on TV.
Also to those viewers who have a problem with the content of any channel there is a thing such as a remote. Skip the channel or better still don’t tune it on your TV.
FAIZA ZAMAN
Karachi
AS a supporter of the family planning effort in Pakistan since the 1950s, I welcome Dawn’s editorial “Controlling population growth” (Dec 10).
It is a commendable reminder to the nation and our government that controlling the current massive increase in Pakistan’s population is supremely important for our survival. Otherwise the dire predictions of Malthus will be implemented by nature to correct the looming demographic imbalance by inflicting horrendous calamities on Mother Earth and its inhabitants.
The killer earthquake of Oct 8 in northern Pakistan furnished a terrifying sample of the destructive fury that can be expected from angry nature seeking to control the unbridled increase in human population which is straining the Earth’s life support systems to the breaking point posing a grave peril to our Planet’s survival.
Family Planning as a method to control unbearable population increase in Pakistan has yielded fairly satisfactory results in other Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran and Egypt and there is no reason not to propagate it as a national imperative in Pakistan. A lack of will and consistency on the part of the government of the day has hampered the progress of the family planning movement in Pakistan.
In Egypt, Al Azhar University’s experts on Islam had many years ago declared that family planning when practised to save the lives
of the mother and her child
was not against Islamic teachings. I agree with your editorial plea that family planning services and contraceptives should be easily available in Pakistan’s rural areas where the majority of our population lives.
Every rural hospital or clinic should be made an active family planning centre with the full range of contraceptive services.
Periodic radio and TV broadcasts by eminent scholars of Islam and medical personnel to promote family planning awareness will be catalysts in promoting family planning in Pakistan.
QUTUBUDDIN AZIZ
Karachi
I RECENTLY went to the Saddar passport office to apply for a new passport and was immediately surrounded by agents outside the premises. These people were charging anything from Rs300 to Rs1,000 (depending on the ‘complexity’ of the case in point) with the promise of getting the passport made without any fuss. People who have had previous bad experiences of standing forever in long lines immediately settle for this alternative and hand over the documents (and money) to these agents.
In reality, however, 98 per cent of the process involves the presence of the applicant himself/herself. The process itself is pretty straightforward and hassle-free and one does not require the services of any agent.
The particular district office that I had to go to had more than 80 people inside it, as opposed to other district offices where only a handful of applicants could be seen (leading to a faster service time). Here, the delay was mostly at the data entry counter, where some senior citizens and less-educated applicants either didn’t have the necessary documents with them or provided incorrect information which led to confusion. The rest of the stages are simpler and quicker.
Going back to receive the passport was also a relatively pleasant experience as there were no long queues to deal with. As for the agents, they are only there to swindle the uninformed of their money and the only thing that they’ll probably do is stand in line and get you a bank challan (which hardly takes 10 minutes or even less if you go early in the morning). Then, they hand you your documents and set you off on your own. So much for the ‘service fee’.
I advise all applicants to avoid contact with these people and either go through with the process on their own or consult the staff at the passport office instead.
Naveed Siddiqui
Karachi
MUCH has been written about the VIP movements in Karachi and the difficulties it creates for ordinary citizens due to closure of roads, traffic jams and resulting delays in reaching one’s destination. But it seems that these VIPs hardly give a second thought to the hardships they create for the people.
One incident on Dec. 22 was an eye-opener and extremely distressing for everyone present at the CCU of a naval hospital in Karachi. A woman patient of this hospital suffered a heart attack in the evening and needed immediate attention of a doctor but the doctor on duty at the coronary care unit was attached to the president for the day for his security. (For what reason, nobody knows? Does the president have a heart ailment?). Anyway the doctor could not be reached and in the meanwhile the patient passed away.
Why was such an important person deputed somewhere else away from a place where he is meant to save lives? Other incidents like this must have happened before, where ordinary citizens lost their lives due to the problems created by the VIPs. It is time the VIPs of this country found a solution to their security concerns and valued the lives of its people as they value their own.
SADIA SALIM
Karachi
I WOULD like bring to public attention the irregularities of some of our car dealers. I booked a Nissan Sunny car which is one of the two brands available in the Karachi car market without paying any premium. I was given the firm understanding that the car would be handed over within seven days. This was written on the receipt that was handed to me. From the third day on, I started reminding the dealer and he promised to deliver on the said day at 1 pm.
On Nov. 16 at noon I called the dealer and was told to come and collect the car. However, when I went there I was told that the car was going through pre-delivery inspection (PDI) and would be ready by 7 pm. I told the dealer that he could have told me this over the phone to save me a useless trip. At 6pm when I was about to leave my home for the showroom, the dealer called me and said that the car would be ready by 8 pm. When I reached the showroom at that time, the dealer began giving me excuses and when I insisted on delivery he finally came out with the truth that the car I was promised was given to someone else and that they are preparing another car for me and that technicians were at that time fitting the car with a CNG kit. Finally the car arrived in the showroom at 10.30pm but without having going through a PDI. I declined to accept the car without a PDI and was told to come the next day at 1 pm.
I did receive the car the very next day at 1 pm at which time I was told that the car’s documents would be given to me in seven days. I would have forgiven all this had the dealer kept his last promise and not given more surprises. As of this writing five weeks have passed and still the car’s documents are awaited. On Dec 20, one more surprise was waiting for me. The dealer called and told me that I needed to bring my car to the showroom because its CNG kit had not undergone a PDI. He was informed that the car could not be taken to the showroom since it had no registration papers and no insurance.
May I ask the minister for industries and production, Jehangir Tareen, as to what his ministry has done to protect the rights of car buyers? Does his ministry even have a section where such complaints can be lodged against dealers?
ABDUS SATTAR CHANDIO
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
I RECENTLY applied for a credit card being promoted these days by the local subsidiary of a foreign-based bank. I was promised by the bank’s salesperson that out of the annual fee of Rs2,500, Rs2,000 would be refunded if I spent Rs3,000 on the card.
After I did that, I applied for the refund. The bank’s call centre representative told me that the amount would be refunded. Two months passed and still no refund showed up on my bill. I asked the bank again and was told that the card I had been given had no such promotion associated with it and that the amount of Rs2,000 would not refunded.
Thinking that I had made a mistake I did not protest. However, a few days later I got another call from another salesperson of the same bank offering me the same deal. My question is that who is going to protect the rights of the credit card user? Will the State Bank or the banking ombudsman please look into this?
UMAIR MOHSIN
Karachi
IT is good to see the National Academy for the Performing Arts open in Karachi. There are many talented young people in our society who need guidance and training to establish themselves in a field like the performing arts. In Karachi only a few schools provide such courses and their fees are quite high. Apart from the fees, the students have to buy their own stationery and supplies, which becomes a financial burden on their parents.
Apart from the fine arts, ballet should also be introduced in such schools and ballet teachers from abroad can be hired. Subjects like creative writing, painting, dancing, singing, calligraphy, sculpture and so on should also be a part of the regular school curriculum.
MARYAM HIDAYATALLAH
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Usman Fayyaz’s letter “Indian scandal” (Dec 20) where he has referred to Indian MPs being caught red-handed taking bribes by the reporters of a private TV channel. He had said that such incidents tarnish India’s image.
I disagree. On the contrary, such things improve India’s image and make people think that democracy at least works there. Corruption happens in every country and it is only where the media is free that such incidents are exposed. Something like this happening cannot be imagined in Pakistan. Hopefully, the media in Pakistan will also try and expose the official corruption that takes place here, especially in arms deals.
ANIL KHAN LUNI
Lahore
WE are residents of a residential complex, located on Rashid Minhas Road near Jauhar Mor. We are writing to you to bring to the notice of the authorities concerned the illegal and unauthorized commercial use of residential flats in our building.
The owner of flat number A-29 recently rented out the flat to a tenant who is using it as a coaching centre. This has compromised our privacy and security. Strangers are frequenting the coaching centre and they cannot be monitored constantly.
Our families are alone most of the time during the day where the men are working. Students crowd the lobbies of the building and have access to all the floors including the roof of the building which has a terrace. By this arrangement the person running the coaching centre is also avoiding paying taxes on income earned from the tuitions.
Besides, the maintenance costs of the lifts have also increased and it is an extra burden on the association. The authorities concerned are requested to kindly intervene and restrict the use of flats for their intended residential purpose.
M. SAQIB NASIM
Karachi
THe article “Death of Science” by Ms Zubeida Mustafa needs elaboration. Actually science died in Pakistan on September 5, 1965. It so happened that the government of Ayub Khan set up various commissions on education, science etc. The science commision consisted of eminent scientists Professor Abdus Salam, Dr Salimuzzaman Siddiqui and Dr I.H. Usmani.
It submitted its report to President Ayub on Sept. 5, 1965 at a meeting held in Swat. It recommended setting up of laboratories and training of science teachers from the primary to university level and recommended increased funding.
The next day, war broke out between India and Pakistan and all the funding recommended was diverted to the war effort. The biggest victim of the 1965 war was science in Pakistan.
DR S.M. ISMAIL
Karachi
At the Defence Housing Authority’s Phase II Extention, power went off seven times between 2pm and 11pm on Dec 21. Consumers should be compensated by the KESC for the hardship and trouble they go through due to all these unannounced and unscheduled outages. It is quite clear that unless the KESC is penalized for these blatant and all frequent breaches of contract of service, it will not mend its ways.
AALIA EHSEN
Karachi
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