| April 24, 2008 | Thursday | Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1429 |
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Combating suicide attacks
Future of the Internet in Pakistan
Baloch grievances
Founder’s week at Sindh University
Books, not bombs
Flight engineers
Peace TV
Promotions overdue
Plea to SC
Tunnel vision
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
A LOT has been written and televised on many crises which at present the country faces. The impending wheat crisis and flour scarcity is also being greatly highlighted in your esteemed newspaper.
With the size of the present wheat crop in Punjab and Sindh, it is expected that the country at best will be able to produce about 19 to 20 million tons of the crop.
A near wheat famine condition and doomsday scenario is being predicted in the coming months by the vested interests being topped by the ever-profit-seeking commodity brokers of Karachi/Lahore and flour millers.
Wheat being the staple diet in Pakistan touches every household, especially the poor segment of society is being greatly affected by the escalation of wheat flour price, and its procurement is frustrating for the poor.
This situation can destabilise civil society and can lead to chaos in governance. The federal government should immediately institute measures to adequately purchase and stock wheat during the ongoing wheat harvesting season and not to leave it to the provincial food departments and Passco alone.
The private sector should not be allowed to buy wheat from the farmers and no advance loans be given by banks to private sector traders to avoid hoarding and smuggling. The government of Punjab should facilitate the purchase of wheat from Punjab by the provincial government of the NWFP, Balochistan and AJK.
Such procured wheat should move by railways to other provinces, so as to avoid smuggling to Afghanistan, Iran and CAS by road. Wheat stocks for AJK should be held at Rawalpindi/Chaklala for onward transportation by AJK government.
In view of the size of the crop, the government should not allow the profiteers, hoarders and smugglers to buy wheat through bank loans but instead should reach out to the farmers at their fields to pick up the crop for stocking/storing.
It has been the practice of the food department to set up procurement centres and wait for the farmers to bring their crop to them, whose tractors and trolleys are busy in thrashing and cannot be spared to ferry the crop, meanwhile the private sector lifts the crop from fields.
The government needs to move fast and consolidate the procurement as fast as possible, notwithstanding the fact that the vested quarters always want the government to import wheat for commission/kickback purposes at exorbitantly high international prices. This practice has been continuing ever since 1947.
It should be realised by all who matter that food security is more important than the physical security. A hungry nation is little able to defend itself. Be it known that all forms of securities have their centre of gravity in food security and all steps be taken in this regard to achieve food self-sufficiency rather than importing tomatoes, potatoes and beef from India.
AIR CDRE (r) ISHTIAQ AHMAD KHAN
Chaillianwala, Mandi Bahaudin
SUICIDE attacks in Pakistan started two years ago and are gaining momentum as time passes. There have been incessant discussions by religious scholars and politicians on television trying to convince the perpetrators of these attacks that their act is violative of teachings of Islam, against the interest of the country and the peace of society and, hence, they should desist from committing these heinous acts.
Similarly articles and editorials appear on the same subject, in newspapers, with regularity. Practically the anti-suicide attack propaganda campaign is bearing no fruit.
Do we realise that both the prospective suicide attackers and their mastermind consider watching television as ‘gunah-i-kabira’ (cardinal sin)? Also they cannot read Urdu or English which is the medium of our newspapers. So both these mode of communication do not reach the intended persons.
The only message that is available and convinces the attackers is the one emanating in the simple Pashtu language from the head of the seminary where they study or from the locally-installed illegal frequency modulation(FM) radios.
How many of our religious scholars and politicians, with the assistance of Pashtu interpreters, have visited the far-flung tribal areas which are infested with hundreds of seminaries, and delivered lectures with quotations from the Quran and Hadiths to convince the administrations of the madressahs, as well as the prospective young suicide attackers, that their act is against Islam?
To reverse the present situation, our politician and religious scholars should set out on the above-mentioned mission to dissuade our youth and their parents about the futility of these attacks that accomplish nothing except tarnishing the image of Islam.
It is hoped that if the campaign is planned and launched with seriousness, it will not take more than two years to contain the suicide bombing syndrome.
SAYED GB SHAH BOKHARI
Peshawar
AN ‘exabyte’ is a lot of data. It is 1.074 billion gigabytes of data, to be exact. It would take 14 million laptops like mine to store an exabyte. Two exabytes equals the total volume of information generated back in 1999. Today, the Internet is handling one exabyte of data every single hour!
The Internet industry in Pakistan has come a long way over the last eight years. The market has now grown manifold with the largest majority of subscribers in Karachi while the rest are almost evenly divided between Lahore and Islamabad.
The three cities jointly provide over 90 per cent of the customer base, and expansion in activity is also likely to remain primarily confined to these cities because of the concentration of economic activity in these cities.
The question is: Is Pakistan ready to hop onto the bandwagon of information disseminated through the Internet? Apart from the three major cities mentioned above, none of the schools, colleges and universities in the rest of the country has a rapid access to the Internet.
Same is the case with newspapers’ offices, correspondents, doctors, engineers, lawyers, hotels and small businesses in cities other than Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The way forward is not yet altogether clear. The solution may be something other than fibre-to-the-home; it may not involve any kind of cabling at all.
To bridge the sluggish so-called ‘last mile’ between exchange and home, wireless broadband services are another option for enabling the next generation of Internet access.
New wireless WiMAX technology shows it possible to achieve download speed of up to 65 Mbps at close range to users. This would be sufficient to plug many of the gaps in the Internet infrastructure quickly and at much lower cost and inconvenience than digging up roads to lay new cable.
This is the need of the hour that the government should help and work in tandem with companies like Wateen and Wi-Tribe (QTel) for the promotion of WiMAX so that all the able-bodied people of Pakistan residing in towns and cities other than the three privileged ones mentioned above could have an access to the information that is everyone’s right.
ZILL-E-REHMAN KHAN NIAZI
Islamabad
APROOS of Shehar Bano Khan’s article, ‘The displaced Baloch’ (April 6), regarding the atrocities committed in Balochistan, I agree with the writer that Balochistan has remained a victimised province.
If one takes a glance at the 60-year history of Pakistan, one comes to know that the Baloch have not been allowed by the establishment to use their own resources.
Since the inception of Pakistan, they have been enduring atrocities at the hands of the establishment, sometimes in the form of operations launched in 1948, 1958, 1963, 1973, 2005 and the one still going on in the area of Dera Bugti and Kohlu which already have done considerable damage.
According to an estimate, 20,000 Baloch have been displaced and marooned. Though Balochistan has a lot of natural resources, it is still deprived of them. For instance, gas was discovered in 1953 and supplied to Punjab in 1964. Balochistan got it in 1986 because the army camps came to be stationed there. This shows the highest amount of bias for the Baloch people and Balochistan.
In addition, 18 most deprived districts belong to Balochistan, including the gold producer districts of Chaghi and Awaran, which are so far deprived of basic amenities such as electricity and clean drinking water.
Perhaps one can’t imagine life without these amenities in the 21st century. The Musharraf regime committed more atrocities on the Baloch during his eight-year tenure. Today many Baloch politicians and activists are behind bars, while the missing Baloch youth number more than 7,000.
Prime Minister Gilani and Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani should pay heed to the province’s grievances and take prompt action to halt the ongoing operation, release the prisoners and compensate the displaced persons. What happened to the apologies offered to the Baloch before the formation of the government?
AZUM BALOCH
Kech
LIKE every year, Sindh University commemorated the ‘Founder’s week’ starting from April 8 on its campuses located at Hyderabad and Jamshoro. The founder was Imdad Ali Imam Ali Kazi, known as Allama I. I. Kazi, a world renowned scholar and thinker.
The week’s proceedings were befittingly reported in Dawn. Great scholars from all over the country made their presence obligatory, and service as occasion required commenced with offering of Fateha, and plantation of saplings inside the mausoleum of the Allama and his wife, Madam Elsa Kazi, a bluestocking in her own right, and seminars thereafter were held for the whole week in recollecting reminiscences of the person of Allama and services he rendered in the field of learning etc.
The scholars who either worked under Allama or who benefited from the intellectual exuberance of this great teacher, such as eminent scholar Dr Nabi Bux Baloch, Vice-Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui and former dean Dr Kazi Khadim Hussain, spoke on the occasion illuminating his multifarious qualities as teacher, scholar and thinker.
Dr Baloch rightly said that the Allama as vice chancellor was second to none. His life was a role model shaped by the teachings of the Holy Quran as has been rightly extolled by Mr Siddiqui. Many academicians also made their presentations, making the occasion a great opportunity for introspection and learning as the Allama would have liked.
I may add that besides commendable contributions in the field of education, the Allama’s life had one most significant aspect which needs more dilation. This facet of his disposition was the unrestrained search for truth.
And for the seeker of truth, mundane luxury and comfort of London, where he spent 30 years of life, did not carry any meaning.
He thus retuned home where he was needed most to serve a cause. Here he made it a point to deliver, through sermons and lectures, the message of truth and knowledge. Founding a seat of excellence on the pattern of Oxford and Cambridge was not an end in itself but a means to achieve dream of seeking truth by spreading knowledge: a mission he pursued.
Universality of religion the Allama believed in and always espoused is no less evident from Adventures of the Brown Girl in the Search of God, published in London in 1933, which was in response to George Bernard Shaw’s The Black Girl in the Search of God published in 1932.
Some of the lectures and talks which the Allama delivered on various occasions are available in a book form, Causal peeps at Sophia, and voluminous biography written by the late Justice Mushtaq Ali Kazi, his nephew. Besides, some presidential addresses have been published by Allama I. I. Kazi Memorial Society, Sindh University.
However, sizable material still unprinted is available with Allama’s disciple, Advocate Muhammad Ahmed Kazi, an octogenarian, and the descendants of the late Ali Ahmed Brohi (papers handed over by A. K. Brohi). It will be a great service of Sindh University if lectures already printed are brought in a consolidated book and the unprinted treasure of knowledge also secured and published, preferably through the Oxford University Press.
Moreover, to convey the message of the 20th Century’s great sage-visionary to youth, it is imperative that his discourses be taught in the university at different levels, if not already included in the syllabus.
MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the letter, ‘Books, not bombs’ by Dr Irfan Zafar (April 16), in which he wrote: “India’s defence budget is 2.29 per cent of the GDP compared to Pakistan’s spending of 3.13 per cent.” I totally agree with him, and want to add a little further.
It is really staggering that we have continued to turn a deaf ear to the demands of education. India spent 4.2 per cent budget on education while Pakistan spent 2.2 per cent. This situation, however, has deteriorated though education is rather more important than defence.
Additionally, 61 per cent of Indians are literate while in Pakistan it is 49.9 per cent, which is far behind India. It means that defence in Pakistan is more valuable and more important an area than education. This is a ridiculous situation.
The crucial step needs to be taken to bring reform and ensure good education. I believe one day our education will land in the dip if the government does not pay enough attention to it rather than defence.
MAKHTOOM AHMED
Kech
THIS is in response to Ijaz Mir’s letter, ‘Flight engineers’ (April 14). I respect the writer’s views and concern about the competent and well-experienced flight engineers of PIA. I also agree that the writer has sound knowledge about flight planning and pre-flight procedures that are conducted by the captain and co-pilot aka first officer.
However, it seems that the writer is unaware of the situation of the field of aviation here in Pakistan. Sadly, our national flag carrier is on the verge of destruction. PIA is incurring losses as huge as approximately Rs1 billion every month.
In such a situation, PIA can’t afford to fly B747 aircraft when fuel prices are a record high, because a B747 consumes around 12 tons of fuel per hour. PIA has to look for reasonable aircraft like 777s which consume around 27 per cent less fuel than 747s.
When we ponder over all these bitter realities, we realise that PIA cannot hire the flight engineers as first officers, since PIA has to invest millions of rupees on flying and simulator training of all the flight engineers, incurring extra losses, which PIA cannot afford at all at this point of time.
The writer states in the end that PIA shouldn’t waste talent by sacking flight engineers. If this is the case, where shall we, the unemployed and inexperienced pilots, apply? Where should we go for jobs?
In Pakistan and all over the world no airline hires inexperienced pilots like me, and in Pakistan, PIA is our only hope, because PIA is the only carrier that hires fresh pilots like me.
I completed my flight training in November 2006, and ever since I have been jobless, waiting for a job in PIA. Also, there are about 60 to 70 other young people like me who haven’t got a job in the aviation field.
What should we do? If PIA decides to hire these flight engineers as first officers, where will we go? Does anyone have an answer to this question?
HASAN TARIQ
Karachi
THE fact that Peace TV, an authentic Islamic channel, still remains off the air in Pakistan is indicative of Pemra’s disregard for public opinion. A while ago the regulatory body had issued a notice claiming that the broadcasting of channels that had not yet been issued the relevant licence would be disallowed.
Pemra is clearly insisting on a mere technicality and that too without being even-handed because a number of channels that also do not have the Pemra licence yet continue to be beamed across the country and through the cable operators.
Apparently, the fact that Peace TV happens to be an authentic Islamic channel is working against it. Had it been a song-and-dance channel, it would have faced no problems in the Islamic republic.
MARIAH SALEEM
Karachi
THE staff of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, would like to bring to the attention of the government that promotions at the institution have been overdue, which has been affecting work and the general motivation level of employees.We have served the institution for a long time and believe that the employees deserve elevation in their respective job assignments from time to time. This affects the motivational level, not to mention the general despondency on their part.
The current executive director of the NICVD, who has been the director in 1996, has been in the position for the past 12 years which has hampered promotions of successive employees.
We request the ministry of health and the prime minister to look into the matter and review the situation in the interest of the employees of the NICVD.
NICVD WELFARE ASSOCIATION
Karachi
IT is my humble submission that the Supreme Court may kindly give equal opportunity to all voters to participate in the National and Provincial Assemblies’ election by nullifying the recently held election and holding a fresh election, as the requirement of graduation for election is not held valid by it.
IRSHAD H. KHAN
Karachi
IN his letter, ‘No oath under a PCO is exempt’ (April 12), S. Afaq Rizvi has engaged in hairsplitting by trying to prove that since the deposed CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also had taken the oath under the PCO, he, too, must step aside.
To justify this argument, he wants all the judges who made a similar move to quit as well.
Even God forgives those who repent and make amends for past mistakes but not Mr Rizvi. He doesn’t want to give any credit to Justice Chaudhry for showing unprecedented courage by refusing to resign despite being pressured by the president and some other generals, including intelligence chiefs.
This is something nobody has done before in the 60 years of Pakistan’s existence. It was only the top judge’s courage that led to the legal fraternity, journalists, civil society, students and political workers to take up the challenge of ensuring a free judiciary here for the first time.
And, after Nov 3, it also motivated dozens of senior judges to refuse to be sworn in under a PCO. These are earth-shaking events as far as Pakistan is concerned and have been praised far and wide, notably by the chief justices of the Commonwealth and the lawyers in America and elsewhere, who have also conferred awards and recognition on Mr Chaudhry.
M. ALI
Karachi
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