| April 20, 2007 | Friday | Rabi-us-Sani 02, 1428 |
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Lost support
Encouraging creative talents
CSS exam surprise
Non-conventional threat
KEE: a project we can live without
Mass shooting
KCR is not working
Gandhi’s remark
Thanks to KESC
Is growth sustainable?
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 refers to your editorial ‘No longer a matter of speculation’ (April 18) about the deal being negotiated between the PPP and the government and I quote the most interesting lines of the editorial: “What is more, there are indications that even Washington would like the PPP and the military-led coalition to get together.”
I would like to ask Pakistani leaders how long these non-democratic, imported setups and get-togethers with foreign blessings will play with the destiny of 150 million people? What right have they to file and withdraw cases of corruption at their own will and convenience? Where is the law of the land? Who is the custodian of justice in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? Is there a single honest person in this nation?
If they don’t have answers to these questions, then no power on the earth and in the skies can save us from guaranteed destruction. It may be prolonged but can’t be avoided.
The indications are not hidden. The capital of the country is being Talibanised. The authority of the state is being challenged and two brothers in a madressah are showing their muscles to a military government with nuclear power and the authorities are seeking refuge and keep on compromising because of the political weakness.
I would like to add one example of the real highest character of political leaders in a democratic country where leaders have some principles. They come to power to provide good governance, not for looting and abusing the nation.
A few years back the former prime minister of Canada, Paul Martin, sought a vote of confidence in the parliament. The day it was held, one of the opposition MPs was unable to attend the house due to illness. The prime minister and his ruling party in power withdrew one of their MPs in order to have a fair fight at an equal level in the proceedings. The idea behind the action was to practise the principle of honesty at the highest level.
There was nothing like Changa Manga or kidnapping of MPs. There was a sacrifice of one vote for a principle. Mr Martin won the vote of confidence by a narrow margin after this great sacrifice of one very important vote, which could have taken away his prime ministership. He did all this for his faith in democracy and love for his country and nation, not for the love of power.
This is a golden example for the corrupt and undemocratic political leaders who are bought and sold every day in Pakistan, which was unfortunately founded by a leader of great character, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. I am sure most political leaders in Pakistan won’t be able to understand the example set by Prime Minister Paul Martin, and practising this example is definitely beyond their imagination. It would probably take them more than a thousand years to emulate his shining example.
MEHDI RIZVI
Pickering, Canada
I AM a regular reader of your newspaper’s online edition and I have been keenly following the Lal Masjid episode. When I read about the deal the Pakistan government is offering the people involved (‘Major demand of Lal Masjid clerics accepted’, April 18), I lost all respect for the president of Pakistan and his entire administration.
Instead of arresting these criminals and putting them behind bars, they are being treated like respectable members of Pakistani society. Through your newspaper I wish to inform President Musharraf that today he lost the support of a large majority of decent Pakistanis — living in Pakistan and in so many other countries — who thought that he would make Pakistan a livable country.
HASSAN PARVEZ
Montreal, Canada
IT appears that the writ of the government with all tall claims seems to be vanishing quite rapidly and the much-trumpeted enlightened moderation claim of President Pervez Musharraf has been given a severe blow in his own backyard. This is the outfall of joining the US in the war against terror.
Earlier, Ziaul Haq joined forces with the US to drive out the Russians from Afghanistan, resulting in the influx of not only Afghan refugees but the country also faced the curse of heroin and illegal arms and ammunition (Kalashnikov culture).
A new extremist group has emerged in Islamabad, known as Lal Masjid Brigade which also consists of burqa-clad and baton-wielding girl students who literally bought the federal government on its knees to seize and occupy the children’s library in the federal capital.
These groups have started using their pressure and exertion to Talibanise society.
The government must exercise its writ and crush this group/movement with all its might in its initial stage before things go out of the control of the government, and the extremist elements of the country take over.
JAVARIA SHARIFF
Karachi
APRIL 26 will be observed all over the world as the Intellectual Property (IP) Day. This year the theme of the day is: ‘Encouraging Creativity’. It is indeed a worthy cause to promote creators and encourage them to come forward with their talents for the development of society.
Creators are the persons who create a balancing act to bring improvement in living and social behaviour of any society through their creative designs, paintings, plays, books, inventions, etc. Pakistan is gifted with the most creative people, particularly in the field of literature, music, science and art, but unfortunately the talents are not fully utilised by the government and industrialists.
Being an IP practitioner, I hope the government and business associates would definitely play an important role in organising events for the day by encouraging and protecting creativity and inventions.
Unfortunately issues in Pakistan are discussed among lawyers, businesses and IP officers. The need of the hour is to involve the masses that are directly affected by IP issues. We must celebrate the IP Day by involving the general public in creative and awareness activities.
I suggest that on this special day an awareness walk should be organised involving all stakeholders. Moreover, events should be organised to give recognition to a great inventor, musician, artist, and any other person in this category from the region or the country.
We must encourage creativity, i.e., reward the creative, innovative talents on which our world and our future are built. This is what makes the World Intellectual Property Day a cause for celebration.
Finally, I salute our scientists, inventors, artists, authors, writers, and designers, composers who despite all odds improve our living conditions and develop our society.
KARIMULLAH ADENI
Karachi
THIS is in response to the many letters that have been appearing in your daily on the subject above. Becoming a CSS officer had always been my goal in life.
I was told by my father (himself an eminent educationist) that if I wished to pass the CSS examinations, then I need to know something about everything. And for that I studied hard since matriculation. I began planning to sit for the 2001 CSS examinations, thinking that since I was 28 years of age at the time (30 being the upper age limit then), if I didn’t pass in 2001, I’d be able to have a second go at it.
Then out of the blue and without allowing for any grace period came Gen. Musharraf’s order in 2001 fixing 28 as the upper age limit for the CSS examinations.
Which meant that I and thousands of others like me had to contend with only one attempt. Even this unfair and arbitrary decision of the government didn’t dampen my spirits, as I had full confidence in myself.
As, I sat for the examination, which itself went very well, I was very much pleased at how well I had attempted all the papers. Especially so in the case of the current affairs paper, which I thought I had done so well in that it would help boost my percentage in others.
But guess what? I failed in the current affairs paper, securing only nine marks out of 100. To blame the FPSC for the rot would be unfair.
The buck stops at the top level. How can we expect institutions like the FPSC to grow and function well when a small group of vested interests has been using Islam to monopolise political power in a country where the army has ruled, at times covertly but most of the times overtly, since 1947.
UMER F. KHATTAK
Adelaide, Australia
SPEAKING on the first day of the 60th Formation Commanders Conference (FCC) at GHQ, President Musharraf admitted that “Pakistan is passing through a difficult phase”.
I suggest that the general need not worry, as this phase will be over as soon as he meets the fate of either Gen Ayub or Gen Zia, because the only third option given to him by the MMA has long expired.
He also boasted that “Pakistan is fully equipped and capable of facing any external challenges, as the country’s armed forces are stronger than ever before in both conventional and non-conventional fields”.
I believe that by non-conventional fields, he either means fighting our own people, as in Balochistan or politics and corruption which are obviously against convention.
Any other semantic of ‘non-conventional’ seems too good to be true. Regarding the claim of Pakistan having the capability to face external challenges, the nation hasn’t yet forgotten the president’s own account of the shameful encounter with Richard Armitage.
WASEEM RAUF
Islamabad
THIS has reference to the Karachi elevated expressway issue which has been covered by news reports in your esteemed daily. There are several lessons that can be learnt from the various other contexts which had built expressways in anticipation of solving traffic problems. Many of those city administrations have already demolished them. The historic city of Boston, Massachusetts, is a prominent mention. An elevated central artery was inaugurated as early as in 1959 to ease the traffic flow.
Soon it was realised that it was doing more harm than good. After careful thinking and consequent planning, a massive $14.6 billion project was launched to replace the six-lane elevated highway with an eight- to-10-lane underground tunnel which is regarded as a civil engineering marvel of the present century. Bostonians have since been celebrating the cultural and social union of the city which was separated by an ugly-looking transport corridor.
Likewise, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has demolished its Pak East Freeway for similar objectives. In Seoul, South Korea, a 3.7km stretch of expressway has been demolished to revive the cultural activities and spaces on the River Cheonggyecheon edge. Many more examples can be cited.
It is most unfortunate that while the other cities are learning from mistakes of yore and rectifying them, we are committing fatal mistakes without even a reason for them.
The Karachi elevated expressway is an undesirable project which will ruin the traffic, aesthetics and social structure of this unfortunate city. I hope that the good sense will prevail and the regime will reconsider its decision.
DR NOMAN AHMED
Department of Architecture & Planning, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi
BESIDES your timely editorial, ‘Karachi elevated expressway’ (April 8), several articles have appeared on the subject recently by eminent experts like Ardeshir Cowasjee, Arif Hasan, Mukhtar Alam, indicating that the project awarded to IJM Malaysian firm without inviting competitive tenders at a cost of $225m, rising to $350m or $500m, is badly flawed.
It is claimed to require 142,835 vehicles daily, including cars and heavy trucks, paying Rs20 to 40 per trip, to retrieve the cost in about 20 years. The toll will be taken away in foreign currency by the investors. Only experts can judge how it compares with debt-servicing the taxpayers will have to pay for a long time.
Most of the concerns of the writers include environmental pollution of air, noise, restricting access to sunlight, view, higher congestion at inlet and exit points causing gridlocks, besides accident hazards by heavy trucks, trailers, oil and hazardous cargo tankers, using the elevated expressway, apart from heavy dislocation due to construction activity on roads for several years.
The technical, economic and financial feasibility has not been prepared and the route is also not the most congested one, as compared to other routes like Tower–Sohrab Goth priority #1, Cantonment-Orangi priority #2, Nazimabad-North Karachi priority #3, and forms only priority #4 of the 1991 approved Mass Transit Master Plan. Boston, New York, Seoul, Paris and San Fransisco have dismantled such elevated structures due to similar reasons.
This route can be easily served at a fraction of cost, little environmental hazards, by implementing the railway’s century-old plan to add two more tracks from the KPT to Pipri, with modern signalling, to operate more efficient freight and fast, economical metro rail for commuters, with improved access to stations, helping drastic reduction of cars, the main culprit for congestion.
Extra land is available since 1860s. This will permit all the cargo traffic off Karachi roads, easing congestion, besides saving losses of the Pakistan Railways, reducing highway wear, and saving a billion dollars of fuel imports.
This has proved that even on other high priority corridors, instead of elevated structures and flyovers, the best option is the basement level subway metro plan of Rapid Transit Cell, presented to the CCI in December 1975, in which the entire construction activity was proposed under the movable rail-mounted ramp-bridge through subway by rail, without affecting road traffic.
S.M.H. RIZVI
Karachi
I FOUND the letter (April 18) about the mass murder at Virginia Tech University quite ‘deplorable’. The rather shocking incident of a psychologically-crazed student shooting and killing 33 students is enough to send chills down any student who has been in a college or university, or has loved ones who are attending educational institutions in the US.
This incident has nothing to do with America’s foreign policy or so-called immature Americans’ attitude towards the war with Iraq. This is a classic example of blaming the entire nation for a few zealots’ actions, something Pakistan already suffers from, and could do less of itself. The incident brings to light issues of owning guns legally in the United States. Both the guns used in the incident were legally purchased, as was the ammo.
MARIUM ALI
Vanderbilt University Nashville, USA
I WOULD like to point out that despite tall claims the real Karachi Circular Railway is not operational, as yet, despite passage of a couple of years. The present local trains operating under the name of the KCR are running between Wazir Mansion stations - Malir Cantt , Landhi/Bin Qasim only — and that is the main line.
The actual KCR route, inaugurated by Ayub Khan, is from Drigh Road/Colony stations to Wazir Mansion/Karachi City via Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, SITE, Baldia, etc, stations where railway track is already available and that its strengthening and cleaning, etc., is required.
A new track of about 200 kilometres on Khokhrapar-Monabau route to connect Pakistan-India was completed within one year, where only one train in seven days runs, but no consideration is given to the track where seven trains, full with passengers, can run/are required to run in single day.
If the government/Pakistan Railways is sincere and wants to provide real convenience to hard-hit Karachiites, the track already existing may please be repaired and renovated on a top priority basis to run local trains for the people of Karachi who are victim of the local transport mafia.
It is also suggested that keeping in view the growing population and new inhabitants coming up into existence, new railway stations/halts should be established near Kala Pul, Baloch Colony, Karsaz, NIPA, Hassan Square and other vital points connecting thickly-populated areas.
KHURRAM SHAIKH
Karachi
RAHUL Gandhi’s crude remark regarding the events of 1971 displayed his remarkable immaturity. While the campaign of the BJP has been highly sectarian, one expected better from the Congress. The thing to notice is that he didn’t credit his family for the creation of Bangladesh but for the division of Pakistan. Not only it is a complete misreading of history but unacceptable diplomatically.
The Indian foreign office will do well to reiterate its official position. The reaction of Pakistan was equally unsound since it took his statement as a proof of India causing its split.
Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen rightly refuted both Rahul and Pakistan claims. “Nobody can decide to divide a country. It was a result of an internal people’s movement that resulted due to oppression of East Pakistan residents by West Pakistan lords,” she said.
PRANAV SACHDEVA
New Delhi, India
I WORK in a local company situated in an industrial area of Karachi. I wake up at 5.30am to say Fajr prayers. I leave my home at 7.30am to reach my office at 8.30am. I then work all day and leave my office at 5pm to reach home by 6pm. During my journey back and forth I face the usual traffic jam and broken highways of Karachi.
As soon as I reach home, I leave for university for my MBA classes. I then finally get back at 9.30pm. After which I take a bath, dine and watch the headline news of 10pm to keep myself updated about politics, judiciary and general issues. I then go to bed with a novel in my hand to take some good rest after a long hectic day, just to start another next morning. And as soon as my exhausted eyes close, thanks to the KESC, I don’t need to switch off the lights. They get turned off by themselves, unfortunately along with the fans.
AGGRIEVED
Karachi
ECONOMIC progress has gone up in the last 5 years and if the trend continues, we can achieve a 7.5pc growth for the next 3 years, but the swelling trade deficit, $9.985bn, is the problem.
It is met by selling the state-owned assets, with management control, to foreigners. Thus there is little room that foreign direct investment will surge. All efforts are of short-term nature instead of the long term. The question is whether the growth is sustainable?
S.A. SHIWANI
Karachi
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