| May 20, 2007 | Sunday | Jamadi-ul-Awwal 03, 1428 |
To send a letter to the Editor
Click here
Homoeopathic drugs
A plea for inter-faith dialogue
Evening programme students
Recipe of the time
Educating people
Call spade a spade
EOBI pension
Kidnapping of schoolgirl
Tribute to Dr Haq
World Cup duration
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
ONE greatly appreciates the wit and sharp observation of your photographer, Mr Tanveer Shahzad, illustrated by the photograph on page 2 of the May 12 issue.
The three-picture combo shows some containers being unloaded by cranes for the stage being set up at the venue of the president’s public rally of May 12 organised by the PML in Islamabad. This is cordoned off by a band used by the police to mark a crime scene and the words on it read, “Crime Scene…” The two smaller photos underneath display some government assets — a “Tehsil Municipal Administration” vehicle and Wapda’s electrical equipment — that were obviously used in making the rally arrangements.
This clearly belies the government’s loud claims that public money or resources are not used on such occasions. On May 11, a BBC Islamabad correspondent also had asked two labourers and another person over there as to who had employed them. The workers said they were from the CDA and the third man named a CDA contractor.
The BBC has made similar exposes in the past, too, including at the time of Gen Musharraf’s rally in Rawalpindi by the Leh Nullah, whose cost in terms of real expenditure and losses to the citizens had been put by its correspondent at Rs180 million, i.e., one million rupees per minute for the three hour meeting. The May 12 ‘carnival’ would undoubtedly have cost a bigger amount.
Therefore, these are indeed ‘crime scenes.’ The chief justice of Pakistan has been charged with misconduct but how about the ones costing the public much more and amounting to far greater and readily visible misconduct? The Supreme Court is urged to take suo motu notice of this and initiate proceedings against the president and other state officials concerned.
In contrast, the government machinery in Karachi was invisible when people were being killed and also when Aaj TV was under attack, but was available for preventing the CJ and his associates from reaching the venue of their meeting. According to reports, the chief justice was manhandled by the IG at Karachi airport in an attempt to force him to fly by helicopter brought for the purpose, instead of going to the High Court with his hosts. Thus, the ‘crime scene’ in Islamabad complemented other crime scenes to be enacted in Karachi.
The leaders of the MQM and Information Minister Durrani didn’t have an adequate reply when questioned by the BBC from London as to why no violence had occurred during the CJ’s visits to Lahore, Peshawar, Hyderabad and Sukkur?
Also, why did they decide to hold a rally here when one was already scheduled for the same day? Additionally, according to their reporter, he had documentary proof of written instructions for the LEA to not carry any weapons on the 12th. Obviously, they were disabled from countering the armed MQM cadres.
Anyway, Emerson’s words give greater meaning to and predict the outcome of wrongdoing by some in the country:
“There is no den in the wide world to hide a rogue. — Commit a crime and the earth is made of glass. — Commit a crime, and it seems as if a coat of snow fell on the ground, such as reveals in the woods the track of every partridge, and fox, and squirrel.”
The intrigue of the MQM has backfired, making it immensely unpopular throughout the country and even the shocked western media have held it and the government responsible for the carnage in Karachi. As a result, it has had to hurriedly close down its offices everywhere. But, the worst damage done by them has been the reopening of the ethnic wounds that had started to heal after many years. About Islamabad’s newest crime scene, the killing of the Supreme Court’s additional registrar, Emerson’s tidings seem to be coming alive.
A CITIZEN
Karachi
THE homoeopathic industry has largely enjoyed a laissez-faire regulatory approach by the government. This has led to the flooding of the market with all types of substandard drugs under the label of homoeopathic medicine, through deceptive promotion and advertisement.
Most of such drugs contain non-homoeopathic ingredients and some are not manufactured in accordance with the principles of homoeopathic pharmacy. There have even been reports in the press about homoeopathic drugs being mixed with steroids and other allopathic drugs.
Currently, we do not have a law to provide guidance on the regulation of homoeopathic drugs and to delineate the conditions under which homoeopathic drugs may ordinarily be marketed in Pakistan. The Unani, Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic Practitioners' Act, 1965, does not cover the aspects relating to the manufacture, import, promotion, advertisement, sale, stocking, distribution, standardisation and pricing of homoeopathic medicines.
As a result, there is no check over the standard of the drugs being marketed, nor are the homoeopathic drugs subjected to laboratory testing before their release for distribution to ascertain if steroids or other allopathic drugs have not been mixed with them.
In order to protect the health, safety and rights of the users, it is essential that there should be a law to regulate the quality and standard of homoeopathic medicines. Homoeopathic medicines must meet the standards for strength, quality, and purity as set forth in the Pakistan Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia.
For homoeopathic remedies to be safe and effective, and to conform to the requirements of good manufacturing practice, it is essential that they are produced in accordance with the principles of homoeopathic pharmacy, as contained in the Organon of Medicine and the Chronic Diseases of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homoeopathy.
There is a need to make legislation with a view to ensuring efficacy, safety and quality of homoeopathic drugs sold in the market. The law should provide for compliance with good manufacturing practice by the manufacturers, for fixing the drug prices and for the regulation of imports, exports and registration and sale of the drugs.
BATOOL RAZA
Karachi
THE OIC secretary-general, Prof Ekmeleddin Ishanoglu, has termed Islamophobia a serious threat. Calling for a multi-dimension inter-faith dialogue, he has urged universities and academicians from the Muslim world to come forward with enhanced efforts for countering Islamophobia and fostering atmosphere of tolerance and dialogue between the Muslim and the western worlds.
He stated this while addressing a special convocation at the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI), organised for conferment of honorary degree of DLit in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of the Muslim world and reactivation of the OIC as a vibrant body for the Muslims of the world. Prof Ihsanoglu has very rightly pointed out the threat confronting the Muslim world.
Islamophobia has been created by vested interests after the fall of the Soviet Union just to keep Nato and its allies intact.
Everybody knows that Nato was originally created to combat Communism but with the disintegration of the USSR the US and its allies found another ghost enemy in the form of Islamophobia.
Under this new slogan they first invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq. After that they invaded Lebanon but Hizbullah was quite successful in confronting them and ultimately they were defeated in Lebanon last year.
Now it is time for the Muslim and western worlds alike to say goodbye to old hatred and start a new era of understanding with each other. Prof Ihsanoglu has diagnosed the disease and now it is up to us and the western world to take a new start of harmony.
The International Islamic University by giving him honorary degree of DLit took the first step towards recognising services of one of the great personalities of the Muslim world who knows the real disease and at the same suggests workable remedies for that.
SYED MUZAMMIL HUSSAIN
Rawalpindi
THE University of Karachi is one of the premier centres of teaching and research in the subcontinent and not only people of Karachi seek advantage of it but a large number of students from different parts of the country also come to study here to acquire good standards of education.
The evening programme students have a few complaints that should be looked into.
To meet the increasing demand of education, evening programmes are run to provide more opportunities but shortage of some basic facilities for evening programme students is a matter of concern. These students do not enjoy any point or shuttle service which is available to morning students only.
The authorities should provide points to evening programme students as students come from different areas of Karachi and it takes a long time to reach home by bus, and the increasing bus fares are also worth worrying.
At the dark hours, a major part of the university stays dark as there is a poor system of lighting, with a very few streetlights around. One should keep in mind that 40 per cent are girls among those enrolled in the evening programme.
As far as the library is concerned, they do not issue books to evening programme students before 3.30pm and this is the time their classes start and when they get free, library timings are over. The library timings should be expanded.
Even with these major problems, the fee structure of the evening programme is more than four times that of the morning programme. Higher authorities should look into these problems to provide basic facilities as well as better education standards to evening students.
JIBRAN T. SIDDIQUI
Karachi
Let's save pro-activeness
Let's erase re-activeness
KNOWLEDGE and wisdom are the cornerstones of any civilisation. We deem and esteem both of them in a stupendous manner, but seemingly it is high time we took them out of our archives and put them in practice.
While the enormity of our intellect can determine the route to success for burgeoning prolific dawn of tomorrow, the meticulous thinking charter can lead us to shake hands with peace and prosperity.....
Now is the time to move on. “Raise yourself to that level of self-consciousness that God will ask you before writing your fate”. Let’s make Pakistan a prosperous and flourishing nation.
SYED NAVEED ABBAS
Islamabad
THIS is in response to Shahryar Khan Baseer’s letter titled ‘Educating people’ (March 15). First, I would like to say that success is not tangible. How does one measure success? What success is for one person may not be for another. Second, Mr Baseer talks about free education and goes on to mention that along with free schools, quality teachers must also be provided.
Do you, Mr Baseer, realise how much quality teachers cost? I doubt it. You are talking about a cost that is close to almost 0.12 to 0.15 million per annum. That is for one teacher who will perhaps be hired for teaching at the junior levels. Let me assure you that it is a totally different scenario for senior-level teachers.
I agree with Mr Baseer when he points out that the government should use its current resources to improve the present situation.
But, my dear sir, have you forgotten? This is the Pakistan government you are talking about which has recently allocated four per cent of its budget to education. And my word was that mere four per cent allocation smeared everywhere as to show the government had achieved an extraordinary feat.
Countries are allocating up to 25-30 per cent of their budget to education and have progressed beyond limits. So, asking or even suggesting the government should do more than it is doing is a futile attempt.
A fourth point that Mr Baseer makes is that the government should make it compulsory for the NGOs to educate teachers. My question to him is that why on earth the NGOs should be made to take up such responsibilities? Should not the good-for-nothing government of Pakistan be setting up teacher training facilities? They should be using their funds, of which they have no shortage, for uplifting the education sector.
The public schools are in a pathetic state and it is quite sad to see their dilapidated condition. It is an international phenomenon that education levels can only be improved upon through a public–private partnership.
In Pakistan there is no such understanding between the two sectors. In fact, it is the private sector that is offering quality education and that too without any support from the government.
The fifth point Mr Baseer makes is that the government should make it compulsory for businesses to provide scholarships for students out of their Zakat funds. Mr Baseer, these businesses that you are talking about are mostly in the doldrums themselves.
With the current state of affairs in the country, it is a big enough thing to even own a business of a reasonable size, let alone sustain one. And mind you, a lot of times businesses provide educational support to the children of their own employees.
There are schemes that certain companies have in order to facilitate their employees in some way or the other. As far as the Zakat fund is concerned, ever wonder how the government uses that fund?
Last, Mr Baseer, I understand where you are coming from. I respect your intentions. And your will is to suggest ways that will improve the level of education in Pakistan. But trust me when I say this, it is a cause that is deep-rooted in the hearts of most of us — to uplift the standard of education in Pakistan.
And it is a cause that the government feels is not an important one. You tell me when O and A level students of Pakistan top in the world in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and even English from various private schools in the country, and not one, and I mean not a single premier, leader, minister (not even the education minister) acknowledges their achievements, then what does that say? There is no mention in the tabloids even.
In fact, the schools themselves bear the cost of highlighting their students’ achievements in newspapers. All in all, I just fear what sort of a Pakistan our children will grow up in?
JEHANGIR FIROZ
Lahore
RECENTLY I have found myself quite irritated after reading your newspaper. Your news reporters seem to twist and bend all news to their own liking.
Editorials have also been very biased. Please report the news as it happens and let the readers decide. I will mention two issues that cover most of the headlines.
Lawyers protest: During my recent visit to the US, people asked me: "What are the lawyers doing in Pakistan?" I had a difficult time explaining their actions.
It did not make sense to me that marches in the streets could help ensure the freedom of the judiciary. If they want to pressure the SJC in favour of the CJ, this action will be interpreted against the freedom of the judiciary.
They have also said that they want the president to withdraw the reference against the CJ. A big mistake. The action of the president has created several new questions: Can the president file a reference against the CJ? Who should investigate the CJ? Moreover, the CJ is not above the law.
These questions should be decided by the judiciary for any future reference. Some lawyers now claim that their protest is to have the president resign. They are unlikely to achieve it. So what do the lawyers want?
I believe that they want more political power for their profession without declaring themselves as a political party. Unfortunately, all the opposition parties have found a good excuse to shoot their guns on the shoulders of lawyers.
Karachi riots: The news media, politicians and the government were talking for a few weeks before May 12 that a confrontation between ARD parties and the MQM was likely to occur if both sides took out their rallies at the same time.
How quickly we forget that the expected outcome actually happened but everybody looked surprised.
Political parties are going around the country, agitating public and businesses, blocking traffic, purely for political gain. I think you should call spade a spade, focus on specifics: what do the political parties want and not allow them to fool public in disguise.
DR AMAN ULLAH KHAN
Lahore
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned towards the plight of EOBI pensioners. Pension benefits for old employees being paid is too small to make any difference.
The government should increase the amount in view of inflation.
ABID HASSAN BUTT
Lahore
FIVE days back Grade 9 student Farzana disappeared from Mochi Morr while waiting outside the school to catch a rickshaw. Last she was seen outside the school was after the classes were over. Her disappearance has left the others stranded.
It is not yet confirmed whether this is a kidnapping case. No threatening calls have been reported by the parents.
The conditions of Karachi are getting worse and the crime rate is increasing day by day. After the Saturday conditions faced by Karachiittes, it is now time to get more alert and take precautionary measures.
All schools should keep a tight security and not allow any student to leave the premises, while the parents should be responsible enough to pick their child from school and not leave them on their own.
I request all if you have any source that can be helpful in search for her, please step forward.
DANIA ANWAR
Karachi
DR Abdul Haq Khan, one of the senior-most cardiologists of Pakistan, died on May 11. With his death, not only that countless patients lost a kind-hearted physician, the cardiologists’ community lost its most hard-working and competent colleague.
I had the good fortune to be associated with him as a subordinate, colleague and a friend. I consider this to be a privilege and honour.
Dr Khan can rightly be called the pioneer of cardiac catheterisation and angiography in Pakistan. He had a maximum number of invasive procedures to his credit.
Besides being a leading cardiologist, he had good knowledge of equipment and appliances used in modern cardiology. Indeed he was a genius.
Dr Abdul Haq Khan had remarkable stamina, a very humble and courteous personality and noble manners.
He had a unique quality of remaining composed during all sorts of cardiac emergencies. His services will be long remembered. I pray for his departed soul.
PROF MOHAMMAD ISHAQ
Karachi
THE ICC has decided to shorten the duration of next Cricket World Cup.
It will consist of opening ceremony, photo session and presenting World Cup to Australia.
FAISAL AMIN
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.