| March 19, 2006 | Sunday | Safar 18, 1427 |
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‘Cartoons: extreme reactions’
Sindh rural development
Gwadar glitter
Public transport woes
Gaining perspective
Safari rides
Hakeem Alajuwuam
Osama vindicated?
‘Who’s on the right track?’
THIS is with reference to Mr Vaseem Jafarey’s piece in Dawn (March 16). I endorse his description of the situation in Balochistan since 2004 as “deplorable”.
I may, however, be permitted to set the record straight particularly about the military operation — 1972-1977 — the longest and the bitterest in our history. The first phase of the operation was launched in October 1972 under the orders of prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and under the command of the chief of the army staff, General Tikka Khan.
As ISPR chief, I happened to be at a meeting presided over by Mr Aziz Ahmad and attended by Mr Ghulam Ishaq Khan, General Tikka Khan, Mr Yusuf Butch and some others.
The subject discussed was the deteriorating law and order situation in the province assuming ‘a war-like’ threat.
The scenario painted was two-fold: one, a lashkar of the Marri tribe had invaded the Pat Feeder area; two, the elder son of Nawab Akbar Bugti, Salim Bugti, was advancing upon Quetta at the head of a lashkar in an offensive posture.
At the end of the meeting I was directed by Gen Tikka Khan to contact the director military operations (DMO) Brigadier (later lieut. general and Sindh governor) Abbasi for a briefing and issue a press release based on that.
As directed, I contacted Brigadier Abbasi on the phone and informed him of the given task. He said he would call the chief secretary, Balochistan, for full information, and brief me after that. He called me back shortly afterwards to say that all was quiet in the province. As regards the press release, he advised me to wait until he had spoken to the ‘chief’ (Gen. Tikka Khan). The next day he told me to stand down.
A couple of days later a press release appeared reporting the death of a Punjab settler of Goth Muhammad Hussain in the Pat Feeder area in the course of a clash between the locals, mostly settlers from Punjab and Marri intruders. The Frontier Corps, called in aid of civil power, used force to control the situation. This was phase-I of the military operation.
Phase II of the operation was launched in April 1973 to tackle the grave crisis arising in the aftermath of the dismissal by Islamabad of the elected provincial government headed by governor Bizenjo and chief minister Attaullah Mengal. For full four years thereafter, from April 1973 to July 1977, Balochistan remained in the grip of bloody clashes between the Baloch insurgents, their supporters from outside and the law-enforcing agencies, under the overall command and control of Gen Tikka Khan. It is to be noted that General Tikka Khan stayed in command of the army from March 1972 to March 1976 when Gen Muhammad Ziaul Haq assumed command of the army.
On July 5, 1977 Gen Ziaul Haq toppled Bhutto’s government and placed the country under martial law. One of the first (perhaps the only) commendable acts of Gen Zia was to call a halt to the military operation in Balochistan.
It is worth noting that Balochistan had been (and remains) the focus of military operations more than any other province. Even in the life-time of the Quaid, the military option was invoked in April 1946 to get the Khan of Kalat decide on the issue of accession to Pakistan. In the 50s, twice in 1956 and 1958, under General Muhammad Ayub Khan force was used to put things right in the turbulent province. The on-going military/para-military operation in the Dera Bugti area is about as traumatic as the 1972-1977 episode. One hopes it doesn’t go half way as long that.
I also share Mr Jafarey’s assessment of Sardar Bugti’s personality and character. During our several occasional meetings, I always admired Mr Bugti’s acerbic wit and pungent humour.
BRIG (Retd) A.R. SIDDIQI
Karachi
IN his lop-sided article “Cartoons: extreme reactions” (March 12), Mr Kunwar Idrees has tried to put all the blame on the Muslims but made light of the blasphemous caricatures issue by holding just one individual responsible.
Hundreds of millions of Muslims worldwide protested against the offence either verbally or through their pens and by street demonstrations. How many of them engaged in violence? On the other hand, not just one person from Europe but many were responsible for the ensuing firestorm — the editor who commissioned a number of cartoonists to make the 12 caricatures, the Danish prime minister who refused to meet Muslim countries’ ambassadors at the outset, which might have cooled things down, and the hundreds of western publications in dozens of countries were all a party to the mischief.
Second, he contends that according to the Holy Quran the penalty of death is only for murder and for no other offence. Also, that punishment or forgiveness for those who insult the Holy Prophet is in the hands of God alone. However, in the Holy Book it’s been said:
“The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Apostle, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land .... (5:33)”.
I am not a religious scholar but this obviously shows that crimes other than murder can lead to capital punishment. Furthermore, blasphemy is very much a monumental mischief that has caused so much trouble and pain and can be seen as waging a war against God and His Prophet. I would leave it to the scholars to identify the applicable punishment while stressing that it is not for individuals to take the law into their own hands by ordering the execution of the persons responsible, and courts of law must be involved.
In contrast to Mr Idrees, writing in the same day’s Dawn, MNA, M.P. Bhandara, has shown much greater sensitivity to his Muslim compatriots’ feelings in the article, “Something rotten in the state of Denmark,” by saying “These cartoons can be likened to acts of terrorism.”
Mr Bhandara has noted that Jyllands-Posten had refused to publish cartoons about Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) and the courts in France had last year banned a depiction of the “Last Supper” by an artist who had replaced Christ’s Apostles with scantily-clad women. One may add that all Muslims support these decisions.
“Dawn’s columnist Anjum Niaz has, for nearly three years, repeatedly drawn attention to the unbearably painful and insulting remarks being made by several American evangelists against Islam and the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). To her great credit, she had even predicted in her column (Magazine, Oct 20, 2002) that these “are remarks emblematic of a global epidemic to come.” How very true.
Unfortunately, we have secular-minded apologists like Mr Idrees who are completely misaligned with the global Islamic community’s sentiments and seem frightened about the economic and other consequences of displeasing their western masters. Instead of holding the religious leaders and parties responsible for every problem, he should have faith in God and wake up to the reality. Namely, it was the worldwide protests (although violence should have been shunned) and, more importantly, the economic boycott of Danish goods that brought the Danish prime minister and the offending newspaper several notches down to express regrets, although they still haven’t apologized.
The foregoing facts will hopefully make the writer realize that he is also wrong in stating that our prime minister should not be complaining about the unjustified vilification of Muslims by the West.
ZAKIR AHMAD
Karachi
IT is shocking to note that rural development in Sindh has been eliminated. Prior to the existing local government system, the local government department was titled “Local government, katchi abadis, public health engineering and rural development department”.
Subsequently, after the promulgation of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, the name was notified as “Local government department” in August 2001 and later renamed as the department for “local government, katchi abadis and spatial development”.
At the federal level and in other provinces the nomenclature of the department is still “local government and rural development”.
After the launching of the first rural development programme, a Village Aid Training Institute was established at Sakrand in 1953 and then shifted to Tando Jam in 1956. It was renamed as “Basic Democracies Training Institute” during the Ayub era in the 1960s. It was upgraded as the “Sindh Local Government and Rural Development Academy, Tando Jam”, which has now been converted into the “Sindh Civil Services and Local Government Academy, Tando Jam”.
The Pakistan Academy for Rural Development (PARD), Peshawar, after its establishment in the 1960s and the Dr Akhtar Hamid Khan Centre for RED are flourishing, but it is alarming that rural development in Sindh has been eliminated at one stroke.
The rural development department should have been expanded, revolutionised and revitalised instead of being made dysfunctional and dormant. May I urge President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and others at the helm of affairs to please see why this stepmotherly actionin the case of Sindh?
AGHA SHAHABUDDIN
(Ex-secretary, local government, Sindh)
Karachi
IT was a matter of concern to read the news (Dawn, Business pages, March 4) that the operations of Gwadar may be handed over to Dubai. Dubai has reportedly spent a lot of money on Jebel Ali. It is in the news that Dubai has taken over P&O, which manages 17 ports in the world, yet they were refused US ports. In the same context Dubai has now ownership of the QICT, the only container terminal at Port Qasim.
Gwadar port was supposed to be a window of opportunity for the prosperity for Pakistan — not only for Balochistan. Not any longer. It will now merely be reduced to a backyard of Dubai port.
For a dime we are ready to forsake the most vital interests of the country. Reportedly even the consultant has yet to straighten his back to give a feasibility report, as discovered during his presentation in a recent seminar. What will be the base line of such deals and on what parameters the negotiations are being held?
It is a famous adage that the fish rots from its head. Is there any professional, then, who is heading Gwadar port? I have my doubts. In Pakistan heads are usually appointed on the basis of mutual interest and seldom on merit. The other day I heard the prime minister saying that there is no corruption at the highest levels. I pray it is true in the case of Gwadar.
FAISAL MALIK
Karachi
I WRITE these lines with a heavy heart, having experienced the transport conditions in Lahore. If you have ever been on a number 22 Metro bus that runs from the Shalimar to Tokhar, you will pray to never use this service again. Daily commuters like myself have to go through an agonising journey on the trip to and from the university.
The only solution to the problem is to add more buses to the fleet operating on this route. If you ever come to the Dharampura bus stop you will notice that there is no shelter or shadow of a tree, and a long open nullah flows right next to the stop. It’s very difficult to wait for bus in such conditions, especially on a hot summer afternoon.
A long time has gone by, with the people listening to empty promises, but no relief seems to be in sight for millions using the totally inept and inefficient public transport system of Lahore.
NAIMA MARYAM
Lahore
THIS is in response to the letter “Perspective on India” by D. Damerla (March17). Although India’s’ economy is larger than that of Holland, the figures provided have been excessively exaggerated. According to the CIA’s World Fact Book (2005), India’s GDP (purchasing power parity) is equal to US$3.678 trillion or in terms of GDP (official exchange rate) $735.6 billion.
AAMER KHAWAJA
Karachi
THIS is in reference to the letter “Perspective on India” in which it was suggested that India’s economy is more than 30 times bigger than Holland’s.
Holland’s GDP, based on purchasing power parity, stands at US$500 billion (2005 est.), while India’s GDP for 2005 was $3.678 trillion (not $12.1 trillion). But, if one compares the two GDPs on “official exchange rate basis”, India’s number stands at $735.6 billion as compare to $600.8 billion for Holland.
A nation’s GDP at official exchange rates (OEC) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. On the other hand, GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the US. (Source: The World Fact Book)
RAKESH GANGWANI
Indianapolis, USA
I REFER to the letter of D. Damerla regarding the economy of India. According to World Bank statistics Indian GDP is approximately $ 700 billion. The figure of $12.1 trillion relates to the US. I hope this will clarify the mistake.
ZAFAR RAJA
London, UK
I JUST looked up CIA’s 2005 World Fact Book. It turns out, on purchasing power parity basis and in current dollars, India’s aggregate (not per capita) GDP is the 6th largest ($3.3 trillion) in the world. Holland’s ranked at 25 with a GDP of $0.481 trillion. So India’s economy is about seven times as big as Holland’s. By way of comparison, Pakistan’s GDP is $0.347 trillion and it is ranked just below Holland at 28.
GANESH S. KRISHNAN
Minnesota, USA
BOTH Mr K. Hussain Zia and D. Damerla have been inaccurate regarding the facts on Indias GDP. If we reference The Economists database on the web we get a better perspective of the relative sizes of the economies. GDP at purchasing power parity is more representative of the relative size as it normalises the effect of currency exchange rate and relative prices of goods and services of the country.
The focal point of relative GDP is not the current absolute size but relative growth rate. India is growing at seven per cent and Holland at 0.8 per cent. Thus the relative gap in sizes will grow with time and soon India will dwarf any country in the EU. China grows at 8.7 per cent and hence India must close this two per cent gap in growth through aggressive reforms and investment in infrastructure.
SAMBIT DUTTA
Hyderabad, India
APROPOS of the letter “Safari rides” (March 11), I would like to point out some facts as follows:
KATI is today one of the most active and high-profile industrial associations in Pakistan. Over the past few years it has become one of the most effective and vocal bodies, taking up issues of not only industries located in Korangi, but also matters related of national importance, including welfare projects, like earthquake relief Pakistan when it collected about Rs15 million in cash and more than Rs10 million in kind.
KATI invites relevant ministers, both provincial and federal, heads of institutions, such as the city government, KESC, PTCL, gas, police and other relevant departments.
Over the past few years it has taken up important issues on behalf of members and have solved them to a great extent. Whenever we receive complaints from members, we immediately contact the departments concerned. The recent important achievements are setting up of Madadgar-15 (the entire cost of setting up and running is borne by one of our members), start-up of Road-8000 and many link roads, as well as a sewerage system.
There are various sub-committees each subject and each standing committee is active.
The chairman and his team is available to members every day in the afternoon and any member is welcome to visit the KATI office without any appointment to give any suggestions.
As regards entertainment, it is a matter of courtesy to offer lunch/tea to dignitaries who visit KATI.
NIHAL AKHTER
Secretary, KATI,
Karachi
IQBAL Reza of Karachi is mistaken (March 8) about NBA star Hakeem Alajuwuam.
In his letter “Indian railway profits’ Mr Reza says that Hakeem Alajuwuam is an “illiterate”. In fact, Hakeem is a graduate of the University of Houston in Texas and took his team to the NCAA championship.
In the USA, a BA/BS degree requires 16 years of schooling which makes it equal to MA/MSc of Pakistan. Most NBA players and NFL football players are university graduates. Some do not complete all the requirements in time due to their busy game schedule, but they generally return to finish their degree after retiring from basketball.
G.A. SHIRAZI
Oklahoma, USA
MR Bush has been telling all and sundry that he has been performing God’s will in Iraq. Now his faithful ‘poodle’ has added his own bit. When questioned by broadcaster Michael Parkinson about his decision to go to war in Iraq, Tony Blair said he had struggled with his conscience over the decision. “In the end there is a judgment that, well, if I think if you have faith about these things then you realize that judgment is made by other people”. Asked what he meant, Blair added: “By other people, by, if you believe in God, it’s made by God”.
So, how does this differ from Osama bin Ladens rhetoric, except that he invokes Allah? He too, answers to his conscience and seeks Allahs support in his exploits. If anything he is modest; he does not claim that Allah speaks to him and tells him, “Osama, go and attack American interests.”
S.G. JILANEE
Karachi
I WOULD like you to convey my sincere thanks to Mr. Mustansar Hussain Tarar (“Who is on the right track”, Dawn, March 12) for stressing the need for friendship and understanding between Jews and Muslims and, may I add, Hindus and Christians.
While the compulsions of statecraft demand the creation and encouragement of disharmony, it is the actuality of day-to-day life faced by individuals, wherever they may live, which can bring about understanding and peace among people of all faiths.
RABINDRA KUMAR GHOSH
Gurgaon, India
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