Musharraf’s visit to Russia

AFTER successful negotiations between Pakistan and Russia on regional cooperation and security, President Pervez Musharraf has left on a three-day visit for Russia on the invitation of President Vladimir Putin.

After the 9/11 events, the issue of the registration of the Pakistani citizens in the US, the refusal to increase Pakistan’s textile quota by the US government and the operation of US forces near the Pakistan-Afghan border are the burning issues which have made the Pakistan-US ties very complicated.

In the light of these developments, rethinking the Russia -Pakistan ties has become very crucial for Pakistan. The European Union Commission, too, has recently refused to approve a special flexibility quota of 4,000 tons to Pakistan.

All these events have put a big question mark over the promotion of our exports to the US and European Union markets. The most important issue facing Pakistan today is the revival of our economy with a view to finding new markets for our exports. It is a pity that for the last 55 years we have been relying on small markets.

Ignoring the markets of Russia and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) is not understandable. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a democratic regime came into being in Russia, which immediately started reforming the country’s political and economic systems. The first step the Russians took was to open their multi-billion-dollar markets to the world. The whole world, including our neighbours, started capitalizing on these markets, but Pakistan failed to seize upon this opportunity.

Moscow is the main trade and economic centre of the CIS. Therefore, the importance of Moscow for the promotion of trade and export in the CIS cannot be ignored. In the Russian capital, our exporters can directly meet buyers, numbering thousands, who come to trade and exhibition centres daily from 100 regions of Russia and other CIS states. Through these centres Pakistan can offer more than 80 traditional and non-traditional goods.

In order to protect the mutual business interests of Pakistan and Russia, the following steps can be taken:

First of all, there should be an agreement between both the governments to establish an inter-governmental commission on mutual protection, promotion of trade and economic cooperation.

Then the FPCCI and the Russian Chamber of Commerce, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and the Pakistani regional chamber of commerce and different trade bodies of both countries should meet and formulate ways and means to enhance trade. These agreements/MoUs will certainly play a vital role in increasing trade relations between the two countries.

AZHAR J. DURRANI

Karachi

‘States within the state’

THIS refers to Irfan Husain’s article, ‘States within the state’ (Feb 1).

The writer’s perception of tribal chief is not correct. In a cosmopolitan city like Karachi, people hardly receive justice and security. The tribal areas may not look modern, but a tribal chief guarantees security, justice and basic rights to people and, in return, they prefer to extend their allegiance to him. The day the state ensures the provision of justice, security, health and education to them, allegiance to it may start increasing. Allegiance to Pakistan or to a tribal chief depends on a reciprocal sacred trust and better protection of the people’s basic rights.

The writer uses the term national assets. I would like to ask him if the gas installations are national assets. If yes, then everyone should have equal rights to consume these assets. Why are parts of Balochistan still without gas connections? Shouldn’t the regions from where gas is supplied to all parts of the country get top priority?

Furthermore, Mr Husain says that “outsiders traverse these areas at their own risk”. If one looked at the law and order situation of the last decade in Karachi, one would find that more incidents of violence have taken place in Karachi than in Dera Bugti.

What is wrong if Nawab Akbar Bugti demands jobs for the local people in PPL, SSGC, SNGC and OGDC? In fact, in the United states “affirmative action” is practised and it is part of their Constitution to ensure the rights of the under-privileged people. Here, in these projects even non-technical employees are hired from Punjab and other provinces.

The writer believes that “chieftain literally holds the power of life and death over them. Democracy has no meaning and the freedom of expression is unknown”. The question is: does democracy function in Pakistan? Is freedom of expression practised throughout the country? The answer may be, ‘No’.

Mr Husain is of the view that these tribes are states within the state. I would advise him to explore many other power actors behaving as states within the state. They create unnecessary conflicts with neighbouring countries, sabotage the democratic process and suppress enlightenment and the quest for knowledge.

IMRAN UMAR BALOCH

Karachi

Nancy’s statement

APPREHENSION on the part of many Pakistanis that after dealing with Iraq, the US will turn its attention to Iran and then Pakistan seems to be well-founded, as evidenced by the utterances of some US functionaries.

Phrases like “Pakistan should do more” without defining this “more” have been pouring in from different quarters at different times. Although Pakistan has been bending backwards in doing “more”, it seems that this “more” has no limit.

Such utterances from Mr Blackwill, the US ambassador in India, are understandable. But a statement of this kind from the US ambassador in Pakistan who is witness to all the happenings in Pakistan and all the efforts being made by the administration to side with the US against all odds in the prevailing situation is like a stab in the back.

This uncalled for statement from Nancy Powell at this particular juncture would appear to be the first brick in the anti-Pakistan edifice ultimately sought to be built by the forces that be. Knowing fully well that Pakistan has all but eliminated the so-called “border crossings”, and in the bargain the administration has earned the wrath of all the jihadi organizations, the US ambassador in Pakistan is singing the Indian tune when it is least expected of her.

IFTIKHAR AKBAR NAQVI

Karachi

English words in Urdu

I READ with interest the letter titled ‘English words in Urdu’ (Jan 31) by Safdar Shah.

Urdu is a rich language incorporating words from Persian, Arabic, Hindi, Turkish and several other languages. Before the creation of Pakistan, Urdu was the medium of instruction at the Usmania University, Hyderabad Deccan. Its library had 80,000 valuable Urdu books.

India’s brutal attack and subsequent illegal annexation of Hyderabad Deccan resulted in the killing of 200,000 Muslims as well as the burning of the library. The Usmania University taught entire medical curriculum in Urdu.

Mr Shah has quoted a foreign lady who prided herself on knowing Urdu. When she read a signboard written in the Urdu script but carrying English words, it put to shame the entire Pakistani nation. Each word written on that signboard had an equivalent beautiful Urdu word. Technical Training Centre could have been written as ‘Funni Tarbiati Markaz’, of course, in Urdu.

No self-respecting nation should unnecessarily use words of other languages. The Japanese, Germans, French, Italians, Spaniards, etc all use their own languages exclusively. We do not hate English but we must not suffer from an inferiority complex. It is unfortunate that we hear so many English words uttered by our announcers on radio and TV. To me, they appear artificial and shallow.

It is also wrong to say that illiterate people have ruled the NWFP. The new assemblies have no illiterate people. In my honest opinion the government of the NWFP has far more honest and sincere people than any other provincial assembly or the National Assembly.

ANWAR UL HAQUE

Islamabad

IN his letter titled ‘English words in Urdu’, Wg-Cdr (Retd) Sardar Ahmed Shah talks about the “Urdu script”.

Urdu uses the Arabic script. This is a typical example of being subservient. Only when the Muslims appreciate that they can be devout Muslims without becoming Arabs, without adopting the Arab causes, such as jihad against non-Muslims as their own, will the Muslims mature and be able to adjust themselves in modern society.

SUBRAMANIAN S. IYER

New York, USA

Polio vaccine is not so safe

IN your Feb 2 issue Aliya Shahid has written about her son’s predicament after the administration of a polio vaccine. She rightly points out that there is no awareness among the people about any possible side effects of the polio vaccine.

As the one who suffered a fairly severe reaction to a hepatitis C vaccine, I can only sympathize with her. She is lucky that her son’s malady was quickly diagnosed; mine went without a diagnosis for 10 days. In those days and the following two months, I suffered more discomfort and pain than I have ever known in my many decades of adulthood. The effects took over a year to wear off completely.

The sad part is that like Mrs Shahid, I tried to convince the health services, the government authorities concerned and the manufacturers of the vaccine (a multinational company of very high repute) to include a reaction awareness programme in their advertising, but in vain.

The doctor who administered the vaccine was himself unaware that reactions were possible and had been reported. In front of many witnesses he had assured me that there were no reported reactions. I searched a website and found that one in 10,000 people reacted in varying degrees of severity to the hepatitis vaccine.

I join Mrs Shahid in urging the relevant authorities to educate the doctors and the public about the possible reactions to such mass immunization.

SAMEERA RAJA

Islamabad

Increase in transport fares

WHENEVER there is an increase in the petrol/diesel prices, the transporters start clamouring for a disproportionate increase in the fares of public transport. Surprisingly, they get away with such an unjustified increase by the government department concerned on the threat of a transport strike.

It is obvious that such an increase in the fares is made without any assessment of the fiscal encumbrance which the escalation in oil prices has actually impacted on the earnings of the transporters.

A very pertinent factor which is not given any consideration while approving an increase in the fares of various categories of public transport is the huge earnings which the owner of a bus, minibus or a coach makes through overloading of passengers. Virtually every vehicle is overcrowded providing the transporter with an additional earning three times more than what he would have earned if the passengers were restricted only to the seating capacity.

It is time a method was evolved for a rational increase in the fares consequent on an increase in the oil prices as and when it is announced by the government. To achieve this end, the government should appoint a panel of accountants to investigate what a transporter’s net earning is in a day or a month through his transport.

The findings of these cost accountants will establish this fact, refuting the claim of the transport organizations for an increase in the fares every now and then when the oil prices are increased.

M. A. BAIG

Karachi

Waiting for NICs

THROUGH your newspaper I would like to draw attention of the Nadra authorities to my family’s problem.

My parents, Hanif Malik and Tayyaba Malik, and younger brother, Ahsan Malik, (residents of Garden Town Multan) submitted application forms to a Nadra centre in the Cantonment Board Office, Multan, for computerized national identity cards about 14 months back, but despite repeated inquiries they have not yet received their new NICs.

The only response which comes from the Nadra authorities on inquiry is: your forms have been sent to Islamabad and you will soon receive your ID cards.

I request the authorities to expedite the dispatch/ delivery of the new NICs of my parents and younger brother.

CAPT (DR) TAHIR MALIK

Lahore

Why observe holiday on Feb 5?

THE government decision to observe Feb 5 as national holiday or hartal every year as an expression of solidarity with the people of Kashmir in their struggle for liberation, and to protest against the atrocities being committed by India is illogical and counterproductive.

For the past over a decade we have been observing Feb 5 as national holiday for this cause, but this practice has not in any way harmed India’s economy or its image or, for that matter, its any other interests, nor has it helped Pakistan in mobilizing enough world opinion to force India to withdraw its forces and control from occupied Kashmir. Instead, such strikes or holidays have harmed only the economy of Pakistan.

Pakistan’s commitment to the cause of Kashmiris requires no further proof. It is beyond any shadow of doubt. We must continue to support the heroic struggle of our Kashmiri brothers for liberation. However, such support from Pakistan ought to be productive and effective, and not damaging to its own interest.

A strike in Pakistan does not help us in achieving this national goal. India will not mind if we start observing a strike or a national holiday for this cause every month or every week, as it does not harm India in any manner and results in harming only Pakistan’s economy.

The government should stop observing this holiday and abandon its illogical and counterproductive decisions and strategies on the Kashmir issue. It is high time it adopted logical and effective strategies and measures with the objective of creating an atmosphere conducive for a meaningful dialogue, which is imperative for the settlement of the Kashmir dispute in a peaceful manner.

IQBAL HAIDER

Former Senator,

Karachi

Menace of quackery

THIS is to draw attention of the relevant authorities in the ministry of health and the NGOs dealing with public health education to the menace of quackery, which is rampant in all major cities and their suburbs in Pakistan.

Being short of government health facilities, innocent people are at the mercy of quack doctors. In order to fleece patients, the quacks use their own tactics.

Almost all visitors to their clinics are injected with various vaccines. These vaccines mostly contain Gentamycin, Dexamethasone, Dipyron and Dicloran. These drugs, having their side effects best known to doctors, lead to hypertension, osteoporosis, kidney failure and sometimes in nerve damage owing to their administration into vulnerable body parts.

To one’s utmost disgust these quacks also use veterinary medicines and recycled syringes for human beings. No wonder that the number of hepatitis B and C cases and increasing.

Doctors at major hospitals know very well that a major cause of most kidney failures are the medicines prescribed by the quacks. Children are the worst victims. Sometimes they lose their legs because of injections into sensitive places. They are often deprived of their mothers’ milk in their critical growing stage. This malpractice has been continuing for a long time.

The government officials specially appointed for the regulation of health facilities should take the necessary steps to curb the menace of quackery. These steps should include registration of private clinics and exemplary punishment for the quacks. Once a sincere drive is initiated, it can get the necessary support from the community as most people have been harmed by these quacks in one way or the other.

DR ABID RAUF ORAKZAI

Hangu

Of tyrants and terror

COLIN Powell is right when he tells us that “the nexus of tyrants and terror, of terrorists and weapons of mass terror, is the greatest danger of our age”.

It is a highly revealing comment about himself, his unelected chieftain and the world’s most massively armed death squad with which Washington’s warlords will continue to menace humanity until we unite to stop them.

DR ZELJKO CIPRIS

California, USA

Finance sector’s key role

JAVED Burki, in his article, ‘Finance sector’s key role’ (Jan 21), has described lack of simultaneous development of “regulatory mechanism” as a major contributory factor that dogged our financial sector. This conclusion is not supported by facts.

As contemporary economic history would bear out, regulations usually follow developments that are in need of regulations. In fact, the US where the writer now lives is replete with several such examples. For instance, for the regulation of monopolies that once raged the US economy, the Congress enacted the first anti-trust law in 1890 that was named after its author as the Sherman Act. Thus, it is difficult to preconceive regulatory requirements of any of the social sectors, including financial sector, with any amount of meaningful accuracy. Besides, regulatory skills cannot be developed in a void.

Furthermore, the writer has not fully appreciated the remarkable achievements of the pre-Ayub era, particularly of the 1947-55 period which, perhaps, was the most difficult period of our history. Problems arising from mass exodus of skilled manpower, specially from the financial sector of the country, while millions of destitute people poured into its borders, division of treasury assets between India and Pakistan and the war in Kashmir, to name a few, were tackled with brilliance and foresight.

The level of economic dislocation in the country in this respect can be measured from the decline in the number of bank branch networks from 223 in 1947 to 65 in 1949. In this period, vital national institutions such as SBP, NBP, PICIC and PIDC, mentioned by the writer, were formed under public-private partnership in which private investors were participants to the extent of 49 per cent in their equity and management.

The Ayub era had its fine moments as well, though its achievements in the promotion of a healthy financial sector were deficient in many respects, some of which the writer has himself identified. At the end of this era, our financial sector was in doldrums: out of 14 banks in operation at the time of their nationalization in 1974, only three could claim to fulfil adequately their obligations to their depositors.

ABU SAEED A. ISLAHI

Former President, NBP,

Lahore