| August 14, 2006 | Monday | Rajab 18, 1427 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Quaid-i-Azam’s prayers
Cheap ration package
Poor state of zoos
UN has failed the Muslim world
Celebrating August 14
A two-minute call for Rs600
Advance income-tax
Sheikh Nasarullah Stadium
President’s men
Readers are requested to restrict their comments to a maximum of 400 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for reasons of clarity and space. Letters, including those by e-mail, should carry the complete postal address of the sender. The views expressed in these columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.—Editor
IT IS heartening to note that the centre has formed a commission to probe the affairs of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (July 28). It was earlier suggested vide an opinion (Dawn, March 6, 2002) that “it will be appropriate if the federal government constitutes a national commission with representatives from provincial governments and private and public medical colleges to examine the entire situation”.
Since the entire mandate given to the commission has not yet been made public, it may be in the fitness of things to reflect upon some of the important issues.
First, the autonomy of any organisation does not mean that the federal government or a provincial government has no role to play. Those with authority should consider themselves as guardians and not masters of councils/organisations they run. Any organisation that deals with matters of public interest should not be left at the mercy of its chairman/president or the executive committee of chosen ones.
Second, evalution of standard of education is primarily the responsibility of universities. If the HEC does not consider any university capable of examining students in accordance with the curriculum designed by the PMDC, then it should be the prerogative of the HEC to direct the medical institution to seek affiliation elsewhere. PMDC inspectors coming on one particular day for a couple of hours cannot justifiably assess the overall standard of the whole class, especially when students are examined in many groups on many days.
Third, as regards the standard of education, in my observation of the functioning of medical institutions there has always been some disparity between the knowledge of a student who scores the highest marks and the one who just passes an examination. There has been an unnecessary hue and cry in this regard. Whatever the deficiency and deficit in this respect, the PMDC cannot be blamed.
Fourth, when there were no private medical colleges, students were going to all corners of the world — China, Egypt, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Sri Lanka and Russian Federation. Even lately I have seen some advertisements about medical education imparted in some cities of China and Romania. Some private colleges have provided quality education despite some deficiencies which existed in the scales prescribed by the PMDC. A rational representation of these medical colleges at the PMDC will facilitate better understanding and bring out their point of view as well which may, in turn, improve education and provide some relief to students and their parents who often remain under an uncertainty about provisional recognition.
Fifth, no private medical college in future should be allowed to establish without the approval of a provincial government and the PMDC. This is to pre-empt its closure. In this regard it is pertinent to mention that earlier when medical colleges were ordered to be closed, their students in third or fourth year had to seek an apex court ruling to seek admission to some of the provisionally-recognised private medical colleges. When the Vohra Medical College as closed in Karachi, it was the provincial government which enabled its students to seek admission even to public medical colleges. The human aspect of the suffering of students were only recognised by the provincial government and now by the Supreme Court, though the PMDC had genuine reasons not to accord recognition to some of them.
Sixth, since provincial governors are chancellors of public sector universities and patrons of all other universities, involvement and participation of provincial governments will facilitate implementation of various policies of the PMDC.
Seventh, ours is the only country where colleges are recognised only for one to two years, while the minimum period should be three years.
Eighth, the chance system especially when it is counted even when a student does not appear in an examination due to sickness is an inhuman rule and should better be dispensed with in its entirety. It has been used in the past to victimise students.
It is hoped that the eminent persons who now constitute the commission will go through some of the problems faced by the people in the medical field so that the PMDC’s image brightens and the cause of medical education improves.
DR KHALID HASSAN MAHMOOD
Karachi
TODAY we are celebrating the day of our independence. I would like to reproduce as under the prayers of the Quaid-i- Azam, Father of the Nation, from the Jinnah of Pakistan, by Prof Stanley Wolpert, page 343, fourth impression 1998:
“The austere Muslim month of Ramazan ended on August 18, and Jinnah broadcast an Id day message to his nation announcing:
‘‘‘This day of rejoicing throughout the Muslim world so aptly comes immediately in the wake of our national state being established and, therefore, it is a matter of special significance and happiness to us all ... I fervently pray that God Almighty make Pakistan truly a great nation amongst all the nations of the world. No doubt we have achieved Pakistan but that is only yet the beginning of an end. Great responsibilities have come to us, and equally great should be our determination and endeavour to discharge them.’”
Sir, beginning is there but the end is too far. But the prayers of our great leader who poured out his blood and soul to carve out a Muslim nation for us will not go unanswered.
Sooner or later the day will dawn when Pakistan will be a great nation with full writ of the people who had unflinching faith in their great leader and who are still overbrimmed with the trust that their Quaid’s prayers will be turned into reality.
In the meanwhile, it is a matter of pride that one of the pillars of statehood engineered by the Quaid in the form of Dawn has well and boldly survived all the trial and turbulence, time and again, keeping itself steadfast and staunchly sticking to the democratic principles of the unrivalled constitutionalist of the world and this fact is of great solace for us looking forward for the democracy to return to our nation.
GHEEWALA AGM
Karachi
ACCORDING to a news item (Aug 4), the Punjab government will launch a ‘sasta ration package’ providing flour, pulses and sugar below the market price to one million deserving families. A 10kg bag of flour will be sold at a discount of Rs28 and pulses + sugar at a discount of Rs10. A sum of Rs2.3 billion subsidy has been approved by the government. The scheme will continue for one year.
It is not an appropriate scheme for poverty alleviation in the prevailing situation. Because of excessive corruption, the subsidised ration items are not likely to reach the beneficiaries and the funds would be misused or rather embezzled. Consequently, some people will become richer and the poor shall remain poor. In any case such cosmetic applications cannot alleviate poverty.
There are several other ways, such as an effective price control, to prevent exploitation of the poor by vested interests — feudals, industrialists, business class, etc. Also help can be given by providing sustainable wages, by creating more employment opportunities for them by undertaking development works in rural areas, by promoting cottage industries, etc.
In fact, Pakistan is blessed with one of the richest economic resource bases. Therefore, there should be no poverty. But the poverty (40 per cent) that we see is induced by the two per cent rich controlling the 50 per cent income and wealth of the country. A vast segment of society is deprived of economic benefits, education and health facilities.
The sum of Rs2.3 billion is a substantial amount of tax-payers’ money and should not be wasted or embezzled. Only an equitable distribution of national resources amongst all segments of society by open and honest democratic government can eliminate poverty.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to your editorial ‘Poor state of zoos’ (July 19), which is not based on facts and is self-contradictory.
First, the 65-year-old elephant Anarkali that died on July 17 was not brought from East Pakistan but was donated by a well-known Parsi family of Karachi, according to its ex-mahout Anwar. It is not correct to say that the condition of the zoo or its inmates is pitiable. Had it been so, Anarkali would not have attained 65 plus age. This is the maximum life span for an elephant in captivity.
Besides Anarkali, a number of other animals have completed their life span in the zoo, which speaks of good management.
Animals do not breed in wretched zoo conditions, nor can they complete their life span. During the last one year, because of good management, the Karachi Zoo witnessed 25 avian and 29 mammalian births, which is a healthy sign.
Moreover, the zoo has been attracting three to 3.5 million visitors a year and earning more than Rs20 million from different revenue licences each year.
The animals and birds in cages are kept in a very good condition and every possible effort is made to keep their cages neat and clean. We agree that there is a severe shortage of staff in the zoo but this is because of ban on fresh recruitment.
Regarding deadly attack by the Bengal tiger and killing of its female mate, it is clarified that it ended up within a few seconds otherwise even the well-equipped staff could not have prevented this fight between two fierce beasts. This is the first incident that has taken place in the last several decades.
Most of the animals in the Safari Park or the Landhi-Korangi Zoo are those which were bred in the Karachi Zoo before being shifted there. To name a few, they are ‘nilgai’, llama, fallow deer, white fallow deer, red deer, sika deer, black buck, mouflon antelopes, pony, peacocks, pelicans and geese. A few of the present species there were purchased.
MUHAMMAD MANSOOR QAZI
District Officer
(Zoo & Aquarium) City District Government
Karachi
THE failure of the UN to pressure the world community into action on the present Middle East crisis goes on to show the true nature of this so-called world body. The UN is but a mere tool which the powerful countries use to safeguard their interests. That five permanent members of the Security Council can veto any resolution and that no resolution can be passed until the big five agree to it is testimony to this fact.
Why would America, France, Britain, China or Russia allow a resolution to be passed which is against their interests? The UN is an institution set up to legalise the imperialist designs of the powerful countries, mainly the West.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the UN has never passed a resolution which is against the interests of any one these states. The delay in the presentation of a resolution in the UNSC relating to the present Middle East crisis is because America and Europe want to reach an agreement wherein the interests of both are safeguarded.
There is absolutely no doubt that what these civilised countries call international law is actually the law of the jungle. In fact, the UN has always acted against the interest of Muslims.
The recognition of Israel, the legalisation of the invasion of Afghanistan, the continuing crisis in Sudan and Somalia, ignoring the issue of Kashmir, the mishandling of Bosnia and Chechnya, the legalisation of the occupation of Iraq and the list goes on and on. If the media and the intellectuals continue to stick to their demand for a UN role in the resolution of outstanding issues concerning the Muslim world, then they will be playing into the hands of the West because by doing so they are actually endorsing the status quo and giving legitimacy to this organisation. The world, particularly the Ummah, needs a new global leadership and an alternative to the present world order.
ABDUR REHMAN
Islamabad
THE big questions facing the world, especially the Muslim world, nowadays are whether the United Nations will remain? Or will it fail like League of Nations? And will the next world war will be war between civilisations?
The fact that the UN is not democratic is its biggest flaw. The whole world says one thing unanimously, but it is turned down because of the veto power enjoyed by the US. In fact, the US is using UN for its own purpose.
The UN failed not only during the current Middle East crisis but also while the US and allied forces attacked Iraq and Afghanistan. What is happening there in Lebanon? Israel is targeting the civilian population, especially the children and women, during heavy bombardment at Beirut. Cluster bombs are being used against civilians. No one in the western world will even denounce these brutalities of Israel.
The US was responsible for the failure of the League of Nations, and now it is responsible for the failure of the UN. Time has come for the Ummah to realise that this is not war against terrorism; rather it is war against Muslims. Instead of eliminating the root causes of violence, the US is adding fuel to the fire.
There is an urgent need to understand the real problems. Unless issues of Kashmir, Palestine, Chechnya, and Lebanon, etc., are not resolved, there cannot be peace in the world. And they can only be resolved when there is democracy in the UN, with no nation allowed to exercise veto power.
IMTIAZ AHMED KHAN
Islamabad
THIS is in response to Mr Umair Asif’s comments about Independence Day celebrations (August 11). He said that the money saved by not celebrating August 14 this year should be used to aid the Kashmiris and Lebanese.
The thought behind his idea is extremely touching and it is a feeling that we all share. Less than a year ago we lost 80,000 lives. However, 59 years ago many more people sacrificed their careers, their wealth and their lives to establish a sovereign Muslim state. The least we can do is to honour that sacrifice and celebrate the independence of our nation appropriately. This day comes around just once a year and we certainly shouldn’t forgo that one opportunity to pay tribute to the blood shed by our ancestors.
Independence Day should be celebrated with the utmost patriotism, and Pakistanis should not be afraid to show their commitment to this country. It is true that the Kashmiris need all the aid they can get, but there are countless trusts dedicated to that purpose with more and more aid pouring in every day. By celebrating August 14 properly, we will rekindle hope in the hearts of all those people who are in distress. After all, we should try and keep things as normal as possible in the face of a tragedy.
Tragedies will always be a part and parcel of life. However, this does not mean that we should bring our lives to a standstill because of them. We should try our best to help those in anguish by involving them in a hearty celebration so that they can forget their torment, even if it is only for a few moments.
ASAD KHAN
Karachi
MY daughter came from the US for a week to see her ailing mother. On return she reported for boarding at 4am. Her brother and sister-in-law saw her off on the airport.
She reported to the check-in counter where she was efficiently handled and received her boarding card and luggage tags within five minutes.
Before proceeding to the departure lounge she reached a telephone booth to inform her brother to go. Telephone was a call centre type, operated neither through card nor coins but cash charge. She took up a call, informed her brother on mobile, who was waiting outside and hanged the phone within a few minutes.
She asked the gentleman on the desk about how much she had to pay. To her great surprise and shock, she was asked to pay Rs600. She explained that it was a local call for two to three minutes and wanted to know at what rate the call was being charged. But she was told that this was the fixed rate and she had to pay the amount in local or equivalent foreign currency. She argued a lot but was forced to pay Rs600 for a two-minute local cell call.
Would somebody in the Civil Aviation Authority clarify the matter?
MUHAMMAD NASIM KHAN
Karachi
WHILE loading a new card on cellphone, a recorded voice informs: “Advance income-tax will be applied at 10 per cent of the card value”.
For a layman, it is very simple that income-tax means tax on the income of a person or a company. To purchase a cellphone card is spending from one’s pocket or expenses from the company’s account and it did not come under the purview of income but, astonishingly, cell companies charge the income-tax in advance on these cards which is indeed one’s spending or expenses and not income.
In my humble opinion, the income-tax on these prepaid cards must be charged from the cell companies and not from consumers because it is earning for the cell companies but spending or expenses for the consumers.
Would the CBR authorities be kind enough to explain as to why and how the income-tax is being charged in advance on one’s spending or expenses rather than income?
SARDAR KHAN
Karachi
CHAIRMAN Qaddafi of the Libyan Council has been quite silent on the issue of Lebanon, which is unusual for him and for us not to know his reaction. Is there any particular reason he is not vocal this time? In case he is determined to be silent on this issue, can the Arab Leauge not invite him to any conferences? At least then they can pass some resolution in unison in his absence, without any undue uproar and threats of earlier boycott by Mr Qaddafi.
Further, would it be possible for the Punjab authorities to change the name of Qaddafi Stadium to Sheikh Hassan Nasarullah Stadium? Sheikh Nasarullah is a genuine Islamic hero who stood strong on the moral and legal battlefield.
This proposed name change may help create a smoother relationship between the main branches of Islam in Pakistan. It would also be helpful in resolving any feud between the main sects of Islam in Pakistan and elsewhere. I am an old Lahorite and this is just a humble suggestion of far-reaching consequences.
W. MALIK
Nevada, USA
COULD any of the 18 signatories to the open letter addressed to the president cite one valid factor having cropped up between the period of their unfettered loyalty to the uniformed president and the date of their signing the advisory letter, either on national or international level, that the patriotic citizens could be convinced of the objectiveness and authenticity of their views?
Had the letter not been signed by S.M. Zafar and Gen Moin, I, as a senior citizen of Pakistan, keeping all factors, political and economic, military and civil, into consideration, may not, on the other hand, have recommended continuation of status quo at least for another five years to stabilise our wavering society.
PROF MASOOD AHMED ABBASI
Karachi
You can also send letters to the Editor
Just send your message to the following address: letters@dawn.com
Make sure you include your full name, postal address, e-mail address, and in the case of Pakistan your day-time telephone number.