| March 24, 2008 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 15, 1429 |
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Budgeting airlines
Islam and evolution
Food shortage
Fleecing on school fees
Another building set ablaze
Wrong message
Reversal of benefits
Scarce resources
Justice to all
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
Nearly 20 years ago, in London the World Health Organisation and its partners launched an ambitious programme to eradicate polio by the end of the millennium. That deadline passed and another was missed in 2005 — and polio still strikes about 2,000 people a year, mostly children.
At a WHO meeting recently, some leading experts asked a grim question: Is it time to abandon the goal of eradication and focus instead on containing the disease? The answer, for most, was no — even though many had doubts.
‘‘Many people wonder why we are spending all this time …. on polio when there are much bigger problems,” said Dr Donald A. Henderson, who headed WHO’s smallpox eradication programme in the 1970s. Smallpox is the only disease ever to have been eradicated.
Critics of the eradication programme note smallpox was wiped out in a decade, while the polio campaign is entering its 19th year. WHO is seeking a $575 million budget for polio eradication for 2007-2008. In a speech to participants, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan urged participants not to give up.
‘‘We are facing our best and perhaps our last chance to eradicate polio,” she said, adding that leaving the job unfinished would squander the more than $5 billion invested so far because it would open the way for a resurgence of the disease.
The four polio-endemic countries — Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan — are also intent on ridding the world of the virus.
For WHO, giving up on eradication would be a crushing blow.
“There’s an almost religious conviction that they must see this through,” said Dr Samuel Katz, an infectious diseases specialist at Duke University and co-inventor of the measles vaccine.
“But there are other things we could do that would be as beneficial to child health rather than spending another billion dollars in frustration,” he said.
In the countries where polio occurs, there are many competing health priorities, including respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and Aids.
Some experts say a polio containment policy wouldn’t necessarily be radically different from an eradication policy, except that it would free up money for other health problems.
Tighter regulation in countries where polio occurs could help trap the virus, and international officials might adopt measures such as requiring proof of vaccination for travellers coming from polio-endemic countries.
WHO and its partners insist it is possible to eradicate polio, and that the only challenges are logistical.
Different problems plague the four endemic countries: In Nigeria, the weak health system coupled with a vaccine boycott in some areas gets the blame; in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the virus moves back and forth across the border where the official focus is on the war on terror; in India, children are often infected with other viruses, making the polio vaccine less effective.
Some experts think a different vaccine could help. The eradication campaign uses the oral vaccine because it protects entire communities. But while the oral vaccine is cheap and easy to administer, there is a downside: For approximately every 2.5 million doses, it causes one case of polio.
WHO is looking into the more expensive injectable polio vaccine, which uses an inactivated virus that cannot trigger polio. Results from the studies won’t be available until next year.
WHO insists it is considering all options — except giving up on eradication.
SOHAILUR RAHMAN KHAN
Karachi
THE decision to launch an airline for the low-income group who can travel to their homeland at a low cost is a welcome decision of the ruler of Dubai.
People are hard pressed for money with the rate of every life-sustaining commodity sky-rocketing in the past two years, and income almost keeping stagnant. In such dreadful times if there is a solace/concession, which can save some hard-earned money, it is a welcome step.
The oil cost is the most exorbitant expenditure to operate the airline industry. The countries that produce oil should at least take such steps as the UAE, for a budget airline.
I was recently in Iran, and had to travel from Tehran to Mashhed, the travel cost was as low as $30, however, since there are sanction on Iran the carrier was not more than a bus yet the cost was highly desirable. If Iran could do it, then all oil-producing countries can do it.
Short distance travel like the travel to and from the sub-continent, can be made by an airplane with a single tank fill, from any of the GCC countries, as the bulk of the labour force in the UAE is from this region, it would give these poor souls a great joy if they themselves can increase the frequency of their visit to their home land or invite some family members for a journey for a family union, in any of the GCC countries, operating budget airlines.
The Pakistan national carrier has become a stigma on the exchequer of the country. The ever rising cost of travel in Pakistan, and the ever-receding standard of service has always been a hallmark of the national carrier.
The induction of the much advertised and vocalised addition of the new Boeing airplanes that were subsequently banned by the EU is an example to shame us all.
Pakistan has the most advance network of airports and aviation facilities. Need is for some one who can run and utilise these facilities to its maximum.
The backbreaking factor is the number of employees in the national carrier, compounded with the cost of fuel.
We cannot retrench the work force, as they are the revered ‘recommendations’ of this or that political/bureaucrat tycoons, who have infested and eaten the entire fabric of society.
Reducing the rate of the ‘jet fuel’ consumed in the airlines can reduce the cost of fuel. This is easy, as only the composition of the crude oil refining cost/ratio re-composition is required, with a decrease in weightage to the cost of the jet fuel.
Such a relief could get the national airliner a breather of life, without which, with the competition expected from the budget airliners of the GCC countries, the national carrier is sure to collapse.
DAWOODI MORKAS
Member, Islamabad Stock Exchange (G) Ltd.
Karachi
CONCERNING the recent debate regarding evolution and Islam, I would like to point out in the first instance that science is not strictly speaking a noun; it is a verb, a way of doing things, a way about thinking, and it concerns itself solely with the natural causes. Science does not speculate on what cannot be observed. It is an ever-changing enterprise, not in the negative sense of chaotic change, but in the sense of building upon past achievements and theories.
Consequently, by attaching religion to such an enterprise, which by its very nature is not constant, we only belittle religion, especially when something new is added to the scientific knowledge or when an old theory becomes inadequate to explain new facts. The worlds of science and religion must be kept separate; science concerns itself about what is the sphere of natural causes of observable phenomenon; and religion about what ought to be, that is, the sphere of values.
Throughout human history, many have speculated on the evolutionary origins of life, even before the Muslim philosophers. Greek philosopher Anaximander was the first one to speculate about the origins of life in an evolutionary sense. However, no one could give a definite explanation of the means through which life could have evolved. Even Rumi’s verses, as depicted in Faqir Ahmad Paracha’s letter (March 20), do not explain anything about evolution in the scientific sense. They can at most only serve to inspire us to think about the possibility and should be taken in that sense only.
By all accounts, Darwin was the first person to have ever given a detailed account of evolution and the means, which can be observed and to an extent tested, through which this phenomenon happens. And this is something no one was able to do before him. No Greek philosopher and neither any Muslim philosopher ever got close to explaining what natural selection is.
As such, it is only a mark of civility to give Darwin the credit for his discovery and for his brilliant exposition of the idea rather than indulge in the game of belittling his achievements. Scientific recognition is given based upon presentation of a hypothesis adequately supported by empirical evidence, not on the basis of unaided speculation.
HASAN JAMIL
Karachi
GLOBALISATION is snatching the food away from the poor. Notwithstanding the rhetoric and fanfare with which it is generally advocated, the process now is leading the world to a massive redistribution of wealth. The social and economic implications of this redistribution are disastrous for the world, especially for the poor countries.
With the increase in oil prices, the wealth is shifting from oil importers to oil exporters. Further, the advent of bio-fuels has linked the energy and food market. So that an increase in oil prices is accelerating the production of bio-fuels, thus increasing the food shortage. While with the increase in food prices the wealth is largely shifting from poor countries toward the rich countries.
Those who argued that increasing food prices benefit the farmers in poor countries are wrong. In recent years, the highly subsidised agricultural sector of the developed economies has destroyed the agricultural sector of the poor countries, courtesy globalisation.
Thus according to World Bank’s current estimates, roughly 70 per cent of all poor countries are net importers of food. Moreover, the changing climate, for which the developed economies are more responsible than poor countries, is also affecting the agriculture of poor countries negatively. Thus, excluding India and China, the agricultural production of developing countries have fallen after globalisation.
In future the poor countries not only face high energy prices but also high food prices. With lack of education, understanding, employment and poverty where should they find solace? The scenario is more dangerous than bleak, especially when one can easily find means of taking revenge by blowing oneself up.
UMMAD MAZHAR
Karachi
I WAS shocked when I received a notification from my sons’ school regarding readmission fee. My two sons have been studying in this school since nursery. This school is operating in a residential area for the last 15 years and at the time of admitting my sons, we were informed of constructing a purpose-built premises but there was no mention of any readmission fee. During the first week of March, we received a notification informing us about change in the premises and a charge for readmission of Rs10,000 and a jump of Rs4,000 in the monthly tuition fee amounting to Rs8,500 per month. The new school is still under construction.
With two children studying in the school, it is impossible for white-collared parents like me to pay such an exorbitant amount, which is extremely unfair and unlawful. This act is tantamount to fleecing the parents in the name of education.
I request the city government and the educational authorities to take notice of this issue and resolve it as soon as possible. Due date for payment is April 15.
FLEECED AND POOR PARENTS
WITHIN a year of devastation of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation’s building, twice, and then of Radio Pakistan in fire, on March 20 (provincial holiday), Karachi lost mysteriously one more of its assets of historical significance. This time it was block 79 of the Pakistan Secretariat, an old and very elegant edifice built somewhere in the 19th Century.
At present, in this two-storeyed old magnificent building are housed different departments of the Sindh government. But the most important one is the camp office of the Board of Revenue, Sindh, which was established in 1970 as after the break-up of One Unit its head office was relocated at Shahbaz Building, Hyderabad.
It is an irrefutable fact that even otherwise buildings such as block 79 were entitled to be declared as ‘national heritage’, therefore they not only require additional care but normally are not handed over to organisations or departments of public dealing.
Unfortunately these standards have not been followed: instead the province’s most sensitive asset, i.e. record of lands and evacuee properties, as reported (‘Blaze destroys crucial land record; arson suspected’, March 21), has been kept there without any proper safeguard. Even the basic prerequisites such as fire-fighting equipment, fire alarm and emergency exit have not been provided.
Coincidentally, most of the fires have occurred on holidays when nobody is around, with the result that in all such cases damage to structure and record is colossal. In the PNSC fire (Feb 18 and Aug 19) not only precious record was lost but also a highly valuable library.
Similarly the Radio Pakistan fire (Oct 28) consumed all the 14 studios, equipment and archival material worth millions of rupees, including instruments used since the first day of its broadcast operations.
Amazingly, high-powered inquiry committees were formed swiftly after such occurrences but their findings were never made public, nor were any culprit caught and punished. Even the fate of Sher Shah bridge inquiries, where many people were crushed to death, is not known.
This time also the caretaker Sindh chief minister has instantly ordered an inquiry into the incident but unless independent experts and people from the public are not included in the committee, with a time limit, its fate will not be other than the previous ones.
I request the departments falling under federal, provincial and autonomous bodies to chart out exigency plans, involving the KESC and city government’s fire-fighting department, on an emergency basis to meet this latest problem on permanent lines without losing further time. They should also ensure that their buildings contain sufficient fire-fighting equipment, alarms connected with the fire department and exit entries.
ALTAMASH M. KURESHI
Karachi
THE TV commercial of Olper’s Milk, being aired, contains a misleading suggestion from the public health point of view.
In the commercial, pictures of a newborn are shown with the voice-over: “Paidaish key baad pehlay ghoont say ley kar…Aaj subah ki chaaey tak…”
A viewer can presume that this advertisement is suggesting Olper’s milk as the first feed or that Olper’s can be used for newborn’s feeding. Both the messages are misleading and can have deadly consequences.
Engro Foods, their Advertising Agency and all the TV channels should realise and get the commercial edited.
DR ZAEEM UL HAQ
Health Communication Adviser, Ministry of Health
Islamabad
IT is a sign of good omen that the acting prime minister, Mohammedmian Soomro, yielding to the popular demand, has eventually found the basic wrong in allowing various post-retirement perks to the chairman of the Senate, the post which is at present occupied by him.
The step thus taken will serve as a milestone for a country like Pakistan which suffers from such damaging policies since the very days of its independence.
Those at the helm of affairs should take cue from this courageous decision and reverse all such policies which were formulated for mere personals gains.
These policies not only comprise material gains but also include extension of the tenure, constitutional amendments and privatisation of public institutions and financial benefits allowed/granted by a head of the state or the government.
DR ALI AKBAR M DHAKAN
Chairman, Sindh Development Foundation
Karachi
IN his rejoinder, ‘Scarce resources’ (March 18), to your well-reasoned editorial, ‘More refugees in Karachi’,(Feb 28), Aftab S. Alam has cynically asked from the US that instead of settling in Karachi, don’t these refugees from Waziristan have any rights to settle in some other parts of Pakistan, specifically Islamabad and Lahore.
It is a shame that this comes from someone who apparently chose to migrate to the traditionally most popular destination for Pakistani emigrants, i.e. America. He wants to deny the devastated and absolutely poor folks from a war zone in Pakistan the right to relocate to a place where they may be having relatives and friends and greater economic or other opportunities.
This is similar to those people (like me) who are known as muhajirs, after having come here from India, demanding that nobody else should henceforth be allowed to migrate to Karachi or Sindh. How could Mr Alam be so heartless and selfish? He should rather have tried to provide some sort of help to our unfortunate brethren, who lost all their meagre belongings and some of whose loved ones have perished in the embattled areas of Pakistan.
I. SIDDIQUE
Karachi
During the Second World War, Sir Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Britain, summoned all his cabinet ministers to inquire about the state of affairs. During this time, Luftwaffe, the German Air Force, was mercilessly pounding London, known to the world as the London Blitz.
All his ministers narrated tales of woes due to the hardships brought about by the war. When he inquired from the justice minister regarding the state of affairs, Churchill was pleasantly surprised. He was told by the justice minister that despite the ongoing war, courts are functioning normally and people are getting justice, On hearing this, Churchill smiled and said: “ No nation on earth can defeat us as long as ordinary people are getting justice.”
The episode of March 9, last year, will have far-reaching effects on the future of this country. The case against the chief justice was initiated after the apex court declared null and void the dubious transaction concerning the Pakistan Steel Mills.
Moreover, the case of the missing persons was also taken up by the court and the agencies concerned taken to task. The stand taken by the major political parties for the restoration of judiciary is not against the incumbent president, but has everything to do with fair play, justice to the common man, and is, by all means, a principled stand.
The coming days are of paramount importance. Let us pray God Almighty to give us courage to resolve this issue in the best possible manner.
JAFFAR NAQVI
Lahore
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