And finally a date

THE Election Commission’s announcement that the presidential election will be held on Oct 6, should at least put to rest one element of uncertainty in the current political situation. We have pleaded for long in these columns that the announcement of an election schedule for the presidential and parliamentary elections will go a long way toward sweeping off the political litter that has accumulated thanks to the follies of all those involved in Pakistan’s bizarre political theatre. Thursday’s announcement is exclusive for the presidential election, and we have to wait for quite some time before we get to know when the nation will go to the polls to elect a new parliament. In the meantime, it is a great disappointment that President Pervez Musharraf has chosen to do exactly what we had all along feared: he is seeking re-election while in uniform, and it is the existing — or better still, outgoing — assemblies which will serve as the electoral college.

Immediately after the Election Commission announced the date, the opposition lost no time in condemning the presidential move. Surprising as it looks, the opposition stalwarts have still not come to a consensus on the question of resignations. The government side has, of course, expressed confidence that it has the necessary majority, and Gen Musharraf will be re-elected head of state. All this when the Supreme Court is still hearing the crucial petitions challenging President Musharraf’s right to don two hats and to his right to contest a presidential election. What happens if the apex court accepts the petitions and bars Gen Musharraf from seeking a re-election? Such a scenario is pregnant with possibilities and fraught with consequences. What happens if President Musharraf chooses to retain the army post? The decision will have consequences for army discipline. Or he may choose to stay put, dissolve the assemblies on the prime minister’s advice (though under Article 58-2b he can do so on his own) and then see how things go in the parliamentary elections, which side emerges as the strongest party and then perhaps try to strike a new deal with it.

Unless the Supreme Court decides otherwise, the presidential election will go ahead. But the constitutional and political drama the nation and Pakistan’s friends abroad are watching serves to highlight one bitter truth: we are paying for our failure to develop democratic institutions. We have had too many saviours but very few democrats.

Siachen ‘tourism’

THE distinction between adventure and adventurism has been blurred by the Indian army’s shocking decision to take trekkers to the disputed Siachen glacier, once the world’s highest battleground but where a ceasefire has held successfully since Nov 2003. However, with both Pakistan and India maintaining a permanent troop presence on or near the glacier and its final status till unresolved, Islamabad is correct in describing it as a “conflict zone”. The recent Indian move comes under the head of needless provocation at a time when the composite dialogue between the two countries is helping ease tensions in the region. Initiated in Feb 2004, the ongoing process has yielded a number of confidence-building measures, facilitated cultural exchanges and citizen-to-citizen contact, and even made some tentative headway towards dispute resolution. Why then foul the air with this senseless needling and introduction of new irritants? And to what advantage? Surely the interests of 20-odd pleasure-seekers cannot take precedence over the peace dividend accruing to the 1.26bn citizens of India and Pakistan. Surely there are other glaciers and mountains that can provide thrills in equal measure. Is the Indian army taking trekkers to Siachen simply because of the adventure opportunities it affords? Or is it trying to tell a wider audience that if tourists can go to Siachen through India, the glacier must fall within its territory? In any case this hare-brained idea dished up by military men does a great disservice to the peace process. Hopefully it will not turn the dialogue “on its head”, as feared by the Foreign Office in Islamabad, but it has soured the mood in no uncertain fashion. The expedition to Siachen was “postponed” on Tuesday following a strong protest by Pakistan but was back on track the very next day, possibly due to pressure exerted by the Indian army. While we in Pakistan live under no such illusions, can the Indian government claim that the people’s representatives operate independently of military diktat?

The Siachen conflict that has simmered since India occupied the glacier in 1984 is the most senseless of all outstanding disputes and perhaps the easiest to resolve. Siachen lies in a non-demarcated area because it was presumed under the 1949 Karachi Agreement and the Simla Accord of 1972 that human habitation was not possible beyond map coordinates NJ 9842. Yet this frozen wilderness has claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers on both sides, most of them falling victim to the climate and terrain rather than enemy fire. According to one estimate, maintaining troops on the glacier costs Islamabad Rs15m a day while the daily expenses incurred by New Delhi can be as high as Rs50m. This is a colossal investment that two poor countries can ill afford. Trekking expeditions, however, will only widen the trust deficit.

Standing up to extremists

IN the last years or so, it seems to have become common for girls schools in the NWFP and tribal areas to receive threats of being bombed if they do not comply with certain ‘Islamic teachings’. The Islamists’ gripe, it seems, centres around women — they do not want them to be educated unless they are veiled, they do not want them to work in or benefit from foreign-funded organisations that spread ‘immorality’, and in many cases they do not want them to vote, even if all the above are their fundamental rights. They place importance on a narrow-minded version of Islam which they believe they must enforce by any means necessary. The recipient of their wrath this time is a school in Taxila which received an anonymous letter saying that if the students and teachers did not don the veil, the school would be bombed. The school administration did all they can really do: alert the police which heightened security. However, it is odd for the school’s acting principal to tell the girls that “nothing would happen if they wore the veil”. Doesn’t this serve the purpose of the people behind the threats? The school administration should continue with its policy regarding the veil and let it be a matter of choice and not forced upon the students — even if out of fear for their security.

The MMA government, which does not necessarily subscribe to such narrow-minded views, has not taken the matter very seriously, ostensibly for fear of losing votes in the next elections. As a result of this inaction, there has been no progress on female literacy, enrolment in schools or mortality rates among children under the age of five. It is simply a matter of misplaced priorities which needs to change if progress is to take place. By giving in to the Islamists, it only encourages them to spread their terror elsewhere — and into bigger districts. It would be dangerous if women started veiling themselves out of fear rather than choice. One way to avoid this is by asking the police to provide tighter security to schools (and NGOs) prone to such threats.

Fasting wards off evil

Friday feature

FASTING is a form of devotion and self-discipline which has a natural appeal to the guided man. The origin of fasting is not known but the Holy Quran tells us that it was binding in earlier religions as well. Almost all religions since times immemorial prescribed a course of fasting as a means of spiritual elevation. Even in primitive religions and societies fasting was practised.

Islam, Judaism and Christianity also prescribed fasting. It was made obligatory on Muslims. It constitutes a pillar of Islam. This institution signifies the burning of impurities through abstention from eating and drinking even lawful food. The Quran has pointed out emphatically the significance of fasting. “O ye who believe fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil).” (Sura Baqarah: Verse-183).

The institution of fasting exists in almost all major religions including Judaism and Christianity. Jesus himself fasted for forty days and forty nights. As a matter of fact, four gospels speak of fasting. Christian belief in fasting could not be better illustrated except with reference to Mark (ix: 29) where Jesus says “And this kind can come forth by nothing but by Prayers and Fasting.”

Islam condemns hypocrisy and teaches the way the fasting is to be observed. If the fast is bereft of the belief in the sovereignty of Allah, and humbleness of man and hope of reward in life-hereafter, the fast is barely starvation. One who fasts should be convbinced that he is doing the duty and thereby holds the pillar of faith enjoined by Allah.

The observance of fasting during the month of Ramazan is binding on all adult Muslims of both sexes, except for the aged, the sick, pregnant women and travellers. Fasting in Ramazan was commanded for the purpose of scrupulous obedience to Allah’s commands. During the month of Ramazan a Muslim finds himself in an atmosphere of piety and virtue. As a result he begins to practise virtue and morality in thoughts and action and through piety and humility sets himself on the path of spiritual elevation. Fasting is, therefore, a means to unite mentally and spiritually people of different races, colours and nations into one whole.

Fasting is good for man’s physical health as it disciplines the digestive system and enables him to get rid of many stomach troubles and other ailments. In fact, it is also a good tiding of perfect health for the mind and the body and persuades Muslims to exercise moderation, and frees them from many worries and anxieties. In fact, fasting invigorates the body and mind and enlivens it from its lethargic state. “Take the food away from a sick man’s stomach.” Says Dr Dewey: “then you have begun to starve not the sick man but the disease. Therefore, the value of fasting for preservation of health is very great.”

Fasting during the month of Ramazan is prescribed for the Muslims as a discipline which promotes Taqwa (righteousness) and helps create an atmosphere, all pious and virtuous. Fasting is compulsory during the month of Ramazan. It has numerous benefits, physical as well as spiritual. Fasting reinforces the spirit of submission to Allah. By fasting we strengthen our belief and faith. This belief is a repository of higher nature and nobler deeds and for the elevation of the soul.

One who fasts keeps away from several permissible things for a fixed period of time. He abstains from satisfying many of his physical desires. One who observes fasting understands better the ordeals and suffering of the poor and appreciates the hardships of those who suffer. During fasting one’s power of endurance is strengthened. Moreover, by fasting hunger and thirst are effectively controlled. Man thus develops patience and forbearance in character and humility in temperament.The Holy Prophet (PBUH) has rightly named fasting as an armour. It annuls lies, backbiting, slander, false oaths etc. If it fails to do so, fasting is reduced to mere giving up food and drink of which God has no need. Those who observe fast in true spirit and abstain from food, drink and sexual relations between dawn and sunset are rewarded by God.

Word-weariness

THE Civil Aviation Authority, television viewers were informed by its director general during a recent interview, is in the process of being modernised.

This is good news for it is about time the CAA did something to make Karachi airport known for more than the crash and smouldering in October 1930 of His Majesty’s Zeppelin, the Airship 101, on a flight from London to Rangoon via Karachi.

Karachi lost its footing as the midway point between the west and the east when the CAA, instead of reinforcing this strength with improved services and rational charges, chose to exploit it by milking the airlines using the airport. The airlines allowed the CAA to milk them until Dubai came up and then CAA discovered too late that the flock had changed its midway landing pattern.

The new Karachi airport is fine and mercifully the CAA has changed its name from ‘Quaid–i-Azam International’ to simply ‘Jinnah International’. The Quaid is known to have preferred to be plain Mr Jinnah.

It was embarrassing to listen to foreign flight crews struggling to say ‘Quaid-i-Azam’ during announcements. It is not known if any foreign airline flew over Pakistan without landing in Karachi because their flight crews just could not say ‘Quaid-i-Azam’. Hopefully, this may not have been the case, but with the airport renamed Jinnah International, the founder’s name would be better known.

The CAA is modernising. This is also what the Karachi nazim says about Karachi, even if his harangues on the modernisation theme now cause more word-weariness than create hope. The quick and sad end to one of the nazim’s modernistic project, the northern bypass, has added an ominous meaning to ‘modernisation’.

But the words keep flowing from KESC and PTCL, from Altaf Bhai and Benazir Bhutto, from the KPT and Sui Gas, from the redoubtable Qazi Hussain Ahmed and the MQM’s bete noire Imran Khan, from consumer bankers and mobile phone vendors, from the articulate Mahmoud Ali Durrani and the indefatigable Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, from KWSB and ISPR, from parha likha Punjab and all the other civic and administrative agencies and politicians.

It is the season for words, but Pakistanis have never known any other season except of the wordy kind. If words could fill stomachs Pakistanis would be the least hungry and have the paunchiest breed of humans on planet Earth.

The Defence Housing Authority and the Clifton Cantonment Board in Karachi are strangely silent as is, suddenly, the PML (N). All three are probably still in trauma...the DHA and CCB because of the rain havoc which caught them both with their pants not belted tight enough, and the PML (N) because of its leader’s quick turnaround on arrival from London and immediate unscheduled departure for Saudi Arabia.

Hopefully, the traumatised silence of the three will continue for a while. This will provide some relief even while the rest of the airbags continue to deliver through an incessant torrent of words what they are supposed to through performance.

Coming back to the CAA. In its modernisation plans, the CAA should aim to achieve a ‘first’ by adding special lounges at airports with revolving doors. This will facilitate the turnaround of passengers arriving on scheduled flights and immediately departing on unscheduled flights.

The writer is a retired corporate executive

husainsk@cyber.net.pk

Beating drums of war

Gulf News

A FEW days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief praised Iran’s cooperation with the nuclear watchdog comes a startling warning from France that the world should “brace for war” with Iran.

The warning triggered alarm in the Middle East and the rest of the world. This vital region has had more than its fair share of conflicts and gets nervous when people start talking about war. We just cannot afford another war.

Then came the good news from the IAEA’s Mohammad Al Baradei. He said the timetable for inspection agreed with Iran in August could lead to Iranian cooperation that “would go a long way towards building confidence about Iran’s nuclear programme.”

Thus it is surprising, and disappointing, to hear French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner saying the world has to prepare for a possible war with Iran.

The French minister, a former peace activist, is playing into the hands of the US administration which cannot seem to get out of the Iraq mess. — (Sept 18)

Responsible reporting

Jordan Times

THE jailing of four newspaper editors in Egypt for running stories on the health of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has naturally caused some consternation among champions of freedom of the press. But truth is, the state of health of any leader, of any country, is a sensitive subject and must be dealt with delicately and with extreme caution.

The health of Mubarak, who has been at the helm of his country for a quarter of a century, is of great concern not only to his people but to other countries in the region and beyond as well...On the other hand, the health of Mubarak, again, or any head of state, is of course, a legitimate source of news that journalists cannot miss.

Allegations about the state of health of a president should not be published at all, let alone on the front pages of leading opposition and independent newspapers. Unless responsible reporters are 100 per cent sure of the accuracy and veracity of the facts, they have no place in the news.

This is no time to feed people rumours and stir more trouble in the area… — (Sept 17)