| April 14, 2006 | Friday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 15, 1427 |
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Nishtar Park tragedy
Industrial area ferry
Date palm centre
Sale of Roosevelt Hotel
Stampede tragedy
Bill payment through Nadra
An indecisive bureaucracy
‘Tank’ drivers
VIP movements
‘Science, logic and belief’
Transit system
Violence in Iraq
THIS has reference to Shaikh G. Murtaza’s letter ‘Dwindling image of jail department’ (March 30). As a former superintendent of jails, he has given a quite fine account of the factors responsible for the perennial occurrence of mishaps in jails, with special reference to recent incidents in the jails of Sindh. He appears to have held the IG prisons responsible for this mess because of the latter’s non-departmental status.
The office of the IG prisons is held by a retired brigadier. Since Pakistan Army is a well disciplined institution and the police are no way a near match for it, the army official for the post in question is a better choice than a departmental one. Officials having an unstained military career have been given a number of administrative assignments and tasks.
If one notices, one will find that most of the jail incidents take place in the upper Sindh areas, i.e., Sukkur, Khairpur, which have a hold of feudalism on them. In this part of the province policing is scarce and law is seldom observed. Local ‘waderas’, chieftains and feudals, supported by politicians or with their own participation in mainstream politics, act as backers of criminals, bandits and miscreants.
After committing crime, offenders flee to Balochistan, thus making their apprehension difficult for the police. Even if they are caught and put on trail or convicted, their feudal backers continue supporting them in creating riots in jails. Prevalence of feudalism is correlated to the law and order situation in our cities and in disturbances in jails.
No doubt prohibited articles (weapons and drugs) get way into jails Owing to connivance and poor vigilance of gatekeepers. It is difficult to check this activity, but by conducting frequent searches in barracks, contrabands can be seized. In order to deter others, strict punishment may be given to individuals from whose possession such articles are recovered.
Poor training is one of the reasons of the inefficiency among the jail staff. In training, much of the focus remains on PT and parade while areas of law teaching/learning and other things of importance in the practical field remain neglected. The result is that the personnel don’t have an idea of how to apply hand-cuffs or follow procedure and methods to carry prisoners from one place to another. Perhaps this was the reason why four armed persons freed 10 prisoners from a police party carrying them from the Sukkur jail to the sessions court in Khairpur by throwing red chilly powder into the eyes of the police on Sept 10, 2005.
Also, meagre salaries with no incentives make the lower staff, i.e., warders, corrupt and willing to accept cash from prisoners for giving them some concessions.
As for squalid conditions in jails, it is up to a jail superintendent to utilise he funds and redress grievances of clamouring prisoners. In recent jail incidents in Sukkur, prisoners had based their agitation on the lack of facilities, unhygienic conditions and behaviour of the jail staff.
Motivational workshops sponsored by NGOs to sensitise the minds of the jail police about prisoners’ rights should be held. For this, the Amnesty International, Save the Children, Aurat Foundation and many other organisations who are already rendering their services.
ASLAM PERVAIZ ABRO
Shikarpur
SAD as the tragedy is, still sadder is the reaction of most to the suicidal attack at Karachi’s Nishtar Park. The media, especially the electronic media, seemed to be airing sectarian feelings, whether inadvertently or by design, by repeatedly and conspicuously using phrases like ‘Sunni Tehreek ulema’, ‘Namaz-i-janaza of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat’.
The MMA, not to be outdone, promptly announced a day of protest. But how will such protests help to prevent repetition of such incidents in the future? Instead, they should prepare and educate the masses in combating the menace.
The masses must not depend entirely upon the law enforcing agencies for their protection. They must ensure it themselves. Controlled access, body searches, and vigilance at all times are some of the measures that need to be adopted.
More people need to be trained in administering first aid. The sight of the injured being carried out legs and arms dangling was simply pathetic. Many an injured limb could have been prevented from fracturing.
First aid classes could be held after prayers in all major mosques. People should also be trained in methods to combat such tragedies without panicking or creating confusion. Let’s face it —— prevention is not the mullahs’ cup of tea. Experts must deliver these lessons at mosques.
Lastly, let’s all of us learn to face such catastrophes with resilience. We must behave like a disciplined nation rather than a mob not knowing what to do. We must make way for ambulances and not throng around stretchers in narrow hospital corridors.
Col. RIAZ JAFRI (retd)
Rawalpindi
THE government is planning to build a textile city in the Port Qasim industrial area adjacent to Pakistan Steel. In addition, the Sindh chief minister has said that the government is planning to set up a new industrial zone on the National Highway.
There is only one road leading to the above, which is already cramped. According to the Sindh governor, the textile city alone will generate 80,000 additional jobs. Most of these 80,000 people will travel from Karachi, making this road even more congested. Traffic jams will become more common, accidents, injuries and fatalities will follow. Recently three people died when two Pakistan Steel buses collided.
How about initiating a ferry service starting from the Boating Basin area all the way to the Port Qasim industrial zone? The ferry can make a few stops on the way at Shireen Jinnah Colony, DHA Beachview front, Qayumabad, Korangi Creek, Landhi and Export Processing Zone.
Every year about 1,000 ships call at Port Qasim and other jetties — Fotco, Pakistan Steel’s iron ore and coal berth and the Engro Vopak Terminal Limited. There is hardly any other ship or boat traffic in this area. Passenger berths can be developed near the Fotco jetty and at the Pakistan Steel water intake channel servicing almost all companies located in the Port Qasim industrial area, in addition to Pakistan Steel. The ferry can also drop people on the way in the Landhi industrial area and the export processing zone. On the return journey these ferries can carry passengers from Landhi to Boating Basin which is close to the heart of the city.
The travel time will be reduced and the ride will be smooth. People will be able to inhale air rich in oxygen and the ferry service will open up new avenues of business for entrepreneurs.
S. NAYYAR IQBAL RAZA
Karachi
THIS has reference to Mr Manzoor Ali Isran’s ‘HEC policies’ (April 2), in which he has very rightly pointed out that governance is a major problem being faced by public sector universities. And it is true that HEC reforms are not working where governance is weak, irresponsible and corrupt.
I appreciate the fact that the HEC has taken steps to increase the development budget of the Shah Abdul Latif University and has approved agriculture-related projects such as the opening of a date palm research institute at a cost of Rs32.83 million. The opening of the institute was welcomed by growers in the hope that it would help them in solving their problems.
Unfortunately, their hopes have been shattered. The problem with the project was that initially the VC was appointed as chairman of the project. How can the VC, a busy and non-technical person, can be the chairman of such a project? Second, after the appointment of the VC as chairman, he visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt, along with two experts.
The HEC objected to the chairmanship of the VC on the ground that he was too busy to supervise the project judiciously.
After the removal of the VC from of the project, two experts and marketing advisers resigned because they thought that the objective would not be achieved.
The HEC also directed the university administration to advertise the post of director and experts and marketing adviser. All posts were advertised. But to one’s dismay and surprise, the university administration by using the old tactic of saying that nobody has applied for the post appointed a person as director in violation of the terms and conditions mentioned in the advertisement.
Date growers are concerned over the mismanagement of the project and demand that HEC should hold an inquiry.
DR KHALID SOOMRO
Khairpur
THE story began in 2003 when the government of Pakistan and a Saudi Arabian partner planned to auction the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in a sale expected to fetch at least $225 million. This was the highest price obtained at a preliminary bidding held in November 2003. Later on, the idea was shelved. However, in early 2006 the federal government approved the plan to sell the hotel.
The hotel is owned by PIA Investment Limited (PIAIL), a subsidiary of PIA. The PIAIL is an independent body that is running businesses other than aviation. Beside Roosevelt Hotel, PIAIL owns three other hotels in Paris, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. PIA has a 50 per cent share in PIAIL while a Saudi prince owns the remaining 50 per cent shares. Prince Faisal bin Khalid of Saudi Arabia bought the hotel in 2000 for $36.5 million and, according to reports, has agreed to offload his share at the price of $74 million from PIAIL. PIA owned Scribe Hotel in Paris is also said to be up for sale.
The question yet to be answered is: why does Pakistan want to sell the Roosevelt, which is located in the heart of the largest city in the world and yields a revenue of more than a million dollars a month?
Besides the financial aspect, owning a prime property in the heart of Manhattan has its own political and other advantages as well. Roosevelt employs thousands of workers in New York and provides Pakistani government leaders a secure place to stay, whenever they are in New York.
I request the authorities concerned to look into the matter carefully.
RASHID ASHRAF
Karachi
THE death of 29 innocent women and children in a stampede at a religious gathering in Karachi is extremely sad. The question is was this tragedy avoidable?
In Canada, I know for a fact that, stringent rules and regulations are observed and enforced for holding public meetings. These regulations cover points of entry and exit at the venue and general crowd control. Apparently, it seems, whatever rules and regulations are meant for public meetings in closed spaces in Karachi were flagrantly flouted.
It is hoped that the Karachi authorities who are responsible for issuing permits for holding public meetings will take lesson from this tragedy.
JALALUDDIN SYED HUSSAIN
Quebec, Canada
DESPITE their claims of providing consumers the facility of making payments for various utility bills through a bill payment machine, Nadra’s experiment is a total failure. I have learned this after the bitter experience of making payment through one of these much publicised machines installed in the federal capital. Like many other Pakistanis, I was really impressed by the Nadra’s publicity campaign about the usefulness of these machines and thought that it was one of the steps towards modernisation in our country. With this impression in my mind, on March 7, I used the payment machine installed at China Chowk in Islamabad to pay my Sui Northern gas bill for the month of January.
The amount to be paid was Rs. 2,120 and the last date of payment was March 9. As I didn’t have the exact cash amount, I deposited Rs2,500 and the receipt number 1000206030712142501 acknowledged a balance of Rs.380.00 in my account. I was really amazed at being able to making payments for utility bills in such a decent and prompt manner. I even recommended the utilisation of the payment machines to my colleagues and friends.
Unfortunately, the next month’s bill from the Sui Northern Gas brought me back to the real world. This bill for the month of February (received on April 2) showed me as a defaulter on last month’s bill.
There was no indication of the payment I made on March 7 through the bill payment machine. Instead the bill showed arrears of Rs.2, 332.50 which included a penalty of Rs. 212.50 for “non-payment of last month’s bill within due date”. I visited the Nadra kiosk but was told that there was no way to correct the new bill from there and that I would have to visit the Sui Gas office for correction.
As the bill was issued from Sui Gas’s Rawalpindi office, I had to visit their office located on Sir Syed Road to explain the situation. A number of other consumers were also there with similar complaints. The official there corrected the bill on presentation of “proof” or receipt of the Nadra machine. But he warned that the mistake could be repeated in next month’s bill and in that case we would have to visit their office located in Islamabad’s I-9 sector.
MOHAMMAD KHALID
Rawalpindi
THE bureaucracy has launched a media campaign through various sources to cover up its apathy to people’s problems, professional incompetence and corruption with a view to projecting the bureaucracy as an oppressed class of officers unable to take decisions to serve the nation. In fact, it is a campaign to blackmail and pressure the government for more privileges and authority.
Last year, bureaucrats arranged a World Bank loan worth $65 million for their foreign training at the cost of the poor tax-payers. Bureaucrats changed the master plan of Islamabad and converted the transport and commercial centre of the 1-8 sector into a housing scheme for bureaucrats, mostly sold to outsiders for billions of rupees.
Bureaucrats have created other housing schemes as well for themselves in almost every district, including Islamabad, and sold or are selling plots at several times the original price.
Bureaucrats embezzle over Rs50 billion from public funds every year, according to former finance minister Mahbubul Haq. They openly violate rules for use of government vehicles and refuse to comply with unfavourable posting orders with impunity.
Last year four Grade-20 officers refused to go to Balochistan. Ministerial corruption is not possible without support from bureaucrats.
RAJA M. AFZAL KHAN
Gujar Khan
A US magazine had the following humorous anecdote:
“In our dating days, my husband, Danny, went to great lengths to impress me. One night when he was showing off while driving, a police officer pulled him over and asked to see his licence.
“I’m in the military,” Danny told him. “Does that make a difference?”
“No”, replied the policemen, “unless you’re driving a tank.”
In Pakistan, many military and uniformed personnel on public roads (and on other avenues of life) drive ‘tanks’. Numerous incidents in Lahore, Karachi and other cities have been reported in the press.
Additionally, many rich and influential non-military persons also drive ‘tanks’. Remember the campaign against tinted windows in Karachi earlier this year that fizzled out when the police accosted an MQM minister?
It is difficult to know whether to laugh or cry.
ROLAND deSOUZA
Karachi
MR Altaf Hussain can solve the problems of Pakistan while sitting in London, Ms Benazir Bhutto can do it from Dubai and Mr Nawaz Sharif from London. I would like to advise other VIPs to solve Karachi’s problems while sitting in Islamabad so that Karachiites can be spared the traffic jams.
SYED BILAL HASSAN
Karachi
IN his article “Science, logic & belief” (April 9), Prof Anwar Syed has suggested that we adopt democracy as our ideology, which would help the formation of a good society. He says that a good society honours its people’s right to be governed through their chosen representatives, cultivates respect for law, dispenses justice, encourages tolerance, and provides education, health-care, and equal access to the amenities of life. It also creates an environment which enables every one to actualise his or her potential for development. Democracy is the way of looking forward to human fulfillment and happiness.
We do not need to worry about what to adopt as our ideology. Our ideology, as derived from the Holy Quran, already exists in our constitution. The Holy Quran gives the concept of a just society, which should be based on values of justice, equality, compassion, and human dignity. It emphasises ‘adl’ and ‘ihsan’ (justice and benevolence) and strongly condemns ‘zulm’ and ‘udwan’ (oppression and injustice). It accepts the rights of other religious communities to follow their own religion (verse 5:47). It forbids defiling the places of worship of other religions (22:40). It accepts plurality as the will of God (5:48). It accords equal status to men and women (33:35 and 2:228). And, finally, it enjoins a democratic system of governance through mutual consultation (42:38).
FAQIR AHMAD PARACHA
Peshawar
I AM on assignment in Seoul, Korea. Seoul has a very high population density as almost 99 per cent of the population resides in high rise buildings. If Seoul did not have a superb mass transit system, the city would have suffered major traffic jams and grid locks.
The electric subways run every three to five minutes during rush hours. The system saves fuel, reduces pollution and is very economical.
If the Karachi city management wants to solve Karachi’s traffic issues, they need to develop a similar transit system.
MUHAMMAD TARIQ RAJA
Seoul, Korea
DOZENS of Iraqis were killed and more than 150 injured when suicide bombers blew themselves up inside a mosque after Friday prayers on April 7.
Interestingly, most religious parties in Pakistan who raise a storm on every perceived insult by westerners are tight-lipped on the killing of innocent Iraqi children by jihadists. If this is not hypocrisy, what is?
HARIS AZIZ
Warwick, UK
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