| September 08, 2006 | Friday | Sha'aban 14, 1427 |
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Change in attitudes
PM on four-nation visit
The Lebanese war
State of Hindus and Muslims
Perks and privileges
Tribute to Agha Shahi
Writing on the wall
Water tax bills
New map of the USA?
Compliments
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
THIS has reference to Mr Haris Masood Zuberi’s letter ‘Not a case of déjà vu (Sept 4). The crisis in Balochistan is a real déjà vu seen from the historical perspectives. History repeats itself but not exactly in the same way. The subcontinent’s history bears out this dictum. The Quaid-i-Azam fighting for separate homeland for the underprivileged Muslim community was slanderously labelled as stooge of the British rulers bent upon to split the united India.
Years later, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was branded as Indian stooge and traitor guilty of breaking the country. And now Akbar Bugti and other nationalists are being portrayed as insurgents patronised by the Indo-Afghan nexus.
Don’t we conveniently neglect the reality that the Muslim community in the subcontinent and people of East Pakistan were actually neglected by the ruling establishment, and the same is true for Balochistan as well. The saner elements all over the world agree that the root-cause of separatism and terrorism should be identified and addressed by political, economic and social methodology and not by military might. We, the Muslims, condemn America and the West over the folly of shallow and arrogant military approach in eliminating the menace of terrorism. The failure of America is obviously written large on the global political scene.
Lastly, I must say that the government is not a supra-people entity and writ of the government should be restored by not alienating the people and their leadership but by assimilating them in the national mainstream.
ABU UMAIR
Faisalabad
CHIEF of the Bugti tribe, chief minister, provincial governor, federal minister and an elected member of the National Assembly — so many feathers in his hat and yet his last journey on this earth was in a padlocked coffin.
According to Mr Ardeshir Cowasjee (Dawn): “A man of violence who fittingly died a violent death. Difficult indeed he was, as he held one sole stern view of life and the world in which he lived, a view that was unshakeable, non-negotiable and non-discussable.” Further down he wrote: ‘He took great pleasure in being as awkward as possible, and if an audience was present, thoroughly enjoyed being as mean and insulting as he could to whichever individual on that particular occasion was his chosen butt.”
Mr Ayaz Amir (Dawn) wrote: “For it is as a martyr or shaheed — someone dying for whatever he considered to be the path of honour, justice and freedom — is how he will be remembered by the Baloch and even by most Pakistanis with any spirit in them.”
What honour, justice and freedom he gave to his tribe and those near him? How many schools and hospitals did he open and operate in his tribal area with his personal wealth? Mr Irfan Hussain (Dawn) wrote: “But I have defended his right to demand a just settlement for his province.” Further he wrote: ‘My aim is to discuss what his brutal end might mean for the country”. He may have demanded a just settlement for his province but that was from the public funding. Did he give just leadership to his tribe and those who lived around him? His life was filled with taking away and in his death he again took away at least a day’s worth from poor people of Pakistan in the form of wheel jam on Sept 1.
His death may not be as brutal as he may have brutally killed or got others killed. His popularity among the people is as shallow as the ARD’s attempt in trying to gain by his death, while his party’s (JWP) head count in parliament is miniscule if not non-existent. According to Vice-Admiral (r) Iqbal F. Quadir (letter, Sept 6), ‘Sardar Bugti’ bought a large selection of perfume in Paris for his “guards who he said would lay down their lives for him and his family without asking.” Perfumes from Paris are such a ‘substantial’ price for giving life for the Sardar and his family.
Did he spend his family wealth to provide for education, health services, clean water and communication to improve the lives of the children of the same guards? Probably not and for the obvious reason of losing control on them when they got educated. On the contrary, he created a culture of arms, a tribe with anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry. No one questioned him why did he need all those weapons?
Calling him a hero or martyr will not make him that? He died and was buried in a padlocked coffin. He may be rich but he was unable to even take his gold watch with him. Marris and Mengals to take note.
CAPT (r) HABIB ASIM BILFAQI
Chicago, USA
Dr Kaleemullah Sayyed’s letter, ‘Nothing has changed’ (Sept 4), rings a lot of bells for those who were born, bred and brought up in Karachi.
Some time around the same period, Moeenuddin Usmani’s play, ‘Mirza Ghalib Bundar Road Per’ was staged. It had some very renowned actors. The theme was that if the legendary poet came to Karachi, he would find that so much had changed and would feel comfortable only while attending the ‘mujra’.
But, unlike Ghalib, Karachiites have nothing to worry about, since nothing has changed; only time has moved on. As Dr Sayyed points out the rain havoc is a very familiar sight, so are other sights, too.
No matter whether it is a scorching 45 degrees Celsius or Eid holidays while driving, look around you and for sure you will see a traffic sergeant along with a constable standing a little distance from the road involved in serious negotiations with drivers of some commercial transport. This has been there as far as my memory goes.
Corruption in Pakistan has a half life exceeding that of isotopes. The year is 1980: time is of ‘marde momin marde huq’. My friend’s teenage cousin dies in a road accident near Naval Complex, Queen’s Road.
Her body is taken to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. The mother, who is a widow, cries and begs the authorities to release the body. But of course there is a price tag which cannot be waived off if the body has to be handed over without a post-mortem examination.
Hard core drug addicts all around are another familiar sight. At Hassan Square every afternoon you can see schoolchildren walking past them going home. They know what is going on inside that blanket cover with four to five persons huddled together. And so the list is endless.
No doubt an empty stomach is not a good political adviser, but some of these and other usual sights can be changed by looking at neighbouring Muslim countries. I have been in Kuwait now for a long time.
All may not be well here, but I have never seen any road closed due to some political demonstration or VVIP movement. On the occasion of Eiduzzoha, ‘qurbani’ can be done only at specified locations. This gives the city a clean look (just imagine what Karachi looks like on and after Baqr-Eid).
At the time of elections in Kuwait huge banners and posters are displayed, but within four to five days every candidate has to make sure that there is no trace of them left. I have never seen any advertisement posted over street signs. There is no graffiti on the walls.
Surely you don’t need money to carry out changes like these, but a slight change in attitude may be.
NASIR KHAN
Kuwait
BOTH the prime minister and the president repeatedly go on international tours when the same job, if any, can be done by our innumerable ambassadors and missions abroad.
After surviving a no-confidence motion, Shaukat Aziz left on a five-day four-nation visit to Norway, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Lebanon. Mr Aziz has already visited these countries a few times. The president has also visited all these countries more than once. These tours are very expensive and cost a lot in foreign exchange which has to be borne by hard-pressed Pakistani taxpayers.
Now on top of this President Musharraf is planning a 10-daylong visit to the US and probably to a few other countries to promote his book which is soon to be released. Since the public tax- payers’ money is involved in financing the tour, should the citizens of Pakistan expect to be reimbursed from royalty earned by his memoirs.
Also, assuming that the president wrote this book himself, this was done when he was being paid by the taxpayers, so they should be compensated by any money earned by him during his ‘office hours’ officially paid time.
What is the need to go on extended foreign tours when things are messed up in Pakistan. There is turmoil in Balochistan, Karachi is suffering from traffic jams as well as roads damaged by rains and frequent power failures, while in the rest of the country there is increasing political and religious polarisation. We should also not forget the horrible deficit and the ever-increasing foreign debt which the future generations of Pakistanis will have to pay.
W. MALIK
Las Vegas, USA
THIS letter is meant to briefly examine some of the possible international fallout of the Lebanese war. Read:
- As against all other powerful leaders in the world, the war has clearly indicated that US President Bush is the only remaining colonialist who has, however, accepted the pleading of the UK’s Tony Blair to hang on his apron.
- It has delivered global political power to Hezbollah at its doorstep as it is now in a position to address questions to the international community like:
(a) What can be the source of international legitimacy for Nato or for any other such organisations’ self-imposed responsibilities involving death and destruction which can possibly be denied to Hezbollah, (b) if Nato can get the authority to fight in Afghanistan because it has taken over from the US-led coalition which ousted the Taliban from the government, why not we for having ousted Israel from our land, (c) how come the authority to question our legitimacy for fighting for our own country and more so after our prime minister has told us that we are justified in retaliating against Israel so long as aggression against our country continued.
- Under these circumstances, the UN Security Council resolution for disarming Hezbollah carry all the ingredients to open a Pandora’s box of a kind henceforth unknown. So, the implementation of the resolution deserves more attention. Read:
a. The government of Lebanon would be in a position to demand that other armed groups which cannot prove their international legitimacy, other than their own agenda or resolutions, should also be disarmed.
b. In case Israel, some time later, again attacks Lebanon, kills civilians, brings in destruction and occupies its lands, would not the UNSC be responsible for it?
c. Would not the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon be at great risk if the Council’s resolution is implemented contrary to the policy of the Lebanese government? Then, what would happen to the nature of relationship between the UN and its member-states?
Let it not be said that the UN has a parallel justice system.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
THIS has reference to Ramesh B. Mama, (Sept 1) and Asif Noorani’s letters (Sept 3) ‘Occupation of Hindu Gymkhana’. Though the partition took place some six decades ago, the people on both sides of the border are still bearing its brunt. The communal violence which gripped the entire Indo-Pakistan subcontinent during partition days continues in multiple ways. Apart from three wars between the two countries, the hatred still seems to have been solidified in the hearts of the people in India and Pakistan.
In the wake of the division of India, a large number of Hindus, mostly business class, migrated to India, leaving their huge property behind them in Pakistan. When the communal clashes subsided and situation normalised, some of them returned to reclaim their property but they were unjustifiably denied as it was occupied by Muslim migrants from India. The same was the case with Muslims in India. They were forced to leave India by the obstructionist Hindus and Sikhs so that the latter could embezzle their property.
First of all, the term ‘minority’, which is attributed to people numerically small on religious grounds, is technically fallacious and practically wrong since it renders the common nationality meaningless in a state which propagates secularism. India claims to be a secular country since its independence whereas Pakistan, despite the efforts of advocates of Islamisation, is struggling to secularise and project a decent image of the country in the world.
The happenings like the occupation of Hindu Gymkhana in Karachi, demolition of Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, lack of access to Jinnah House, communal violence and massive massacre of Muslims in Indian Gujarat are events that have been highlighted by the media.
There are a number of other problems that the Hindus in Pakistan and Muslims in India are confronted with. Certain groups of Hindu fanatics make the lives of Indian Muslims difficult and apply every ploy to exterminate them religiously and culturally.
Several Hindu organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Shiv Sena, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Arya Samaj have created insecurity for Muslims. Even the Bhartya Janta Party is reported to have a hand in inciting Hindu fanatics to raze Babri Mosque on Dec 6, 1992. In the aftermath of July 11, when trains in Mumbai were bombed, Muslims were detained without proof and they are still seen with suspension.
The condition of Hindus in Pakistan is no different. Most of the Hindu population is concentrated in Sindh and Punjab. They comprise two per cent of Pakistan’s population, but have been subjected to constant persecution partly by the local people and partly by the government.
During Gen Zia’s rule, the Hindus were marginalised and sidelined from mainstream life as a result of introduction of Islamic law. During the riots in India due to Babri mosque demolition, the lives and property of Hindus were unsafe in Pakistan.
The ongoing peace process and increased cultural contacts may succeed in bringing peace, stability and harmony in Indo-Pakistan relations, but the question is: will there be any way to bring security to lives and property of the two communities on both sides of the border?
ASLAM PERVAIZ ABRO
Shikarpur
MALCOLM Speed has warned the Pakistan Cricket Board and Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq against issuing public statements regarding the Oval Test issue.
There have been statements from Simon Toufel, Aleem Dar, Shane Warne and many other players and official who are also under obligation not to make any comment as long as they have contracts with International Cricket Council or their respective boards, but no one has issued them any warning.
I strongly condemn Mr Speed for his biased and policeman-like attitude towards Pakistan cricket.
This also shows that our cricketing body is being controlled by people who are incompetent to handle such matters.
Muttiah Muralitharang’s throwing issue was also a big one but the Sri Lankan board took a firm stand and as a result Murali continued bowling in the same innings.
ALTAF AWAN
Islamabad
I WAS saddened to hear of the death of Agha Shahi, former foriegn minsiter and diplomat par excellence. He was instrumental in negotiating parts for the Pakistani nuclear bomb. It was through his skilful negotiation with European govermnents, especially France, that Pakistan was able to procure vital supplies for its nuclear bomb.
The two Jewish Americans who traced the ultra secret Pakistani nuclear programme in a real life spy thriller have paid glowing tribute to Agha Shahi in the book The Islamic Bomb. They particularly mention his name while meriting the then Pakistani foreign servicemen as world class diplomats.
We were indeed blessed to have the likes of Agha Shahi amongst us serving his country to his very last. He was representing Pakistan in Geneva when cardiac arrest necessitated his return to motherland. His death is a huge loss for Pakistan.
ALIYA ANJUM
Karachi
THIS is with reference to a letter by a Concerned Reader from Germany (Sept 1).
Any issue is good enough for our politicians to give a call for a countrywide strike. It does not even occur to them how much loss they are causing to the nation and how much hardships the people – their voters – are being subjected to.
If the government is wrong, then must they hurt the country and punish the people for the government’s wrongdoing? One reason why Pakistan could not become an Asian tiger is that our politicians, the so-called ulema especially, have no concept of economic development being of the greatest importance for the nation. They should know that other issues must take a secondary place.
Is there anyone who can make these ‘leaders’ understand this obvious truth?
RIZWAN YASSIN
Karachi
THE KWSB has started issuing water bills on a monthly basis on the plea that most consumers cannot pay in lump sum. But still there are many people who would prefer to pay the same on a yearly basis.
This matter can be sorted out if the KWSB allows option to taxpayers to pay either monthly or annual bills as per their convenience.
HARASSED TAXPAYER
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the report (Dawn, August 27) in which an official in the US has proposed a new map of the Middle East, including Pakistan, based on the ethnic and intra-religious groups therein.
The tables can be turned on the US. There are European and non-European settlers in the US.
The ancestry claimed by the Americans is as follows: 20 per cent are of German descent, 11 per cent Irish, 8-9 per cent English, 6 per cent Italian, 4 per cent Scandinavian, Polish 3 per cent, 13 per cent descent from Africa, 10 per cent call themselves American, 1 per cent native Americans while the rest are of Hispanic origin.
Blacks are in majority in the south-east, whites in the northern and central states, with Hispanics dominating in the south-west.
As for religious groups, 77 per cent Americans claim to be Christians (55 per cent Protestants, 30 per cent Roman Catholic and the other church groups).
The rest of the population are Muslims, Jews, Hindus, atheists and others. On the basis of these facts and figures one can easily propose a new map of the US based on ethnic and religious affinity.
KHURRAM MUNIR
Lahore
I TRULY have no words to laud and appreciate the courageous and daring step taken by eminent journalist Nasim Zehra.
It is a perfect example of how each and every member of society can contribute in whatever capacity he or she is.
DR ARSLAN RAHAT-ULLAH
Peshawar
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