Vajpayee’s odd claim

INDIAN Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has claimed that New Delhi has achieved the objective desired by it without waging a war, saying India would have initiated hostilities if Pakistan had not pledged to rein in the militants and if Washington had not guaranteed that the commitment would be honoured.

Claiming victory without going to war at a time when the forces of the two countries are still on the borders seems odd. But if reviewed closely, such a claim serves one or two purposes for the Indian prime minister.

After hurling threat after threat at Pakistan and vowing to go for a “decisive war”, Vajpayee turned mellow the very next day and went on a holiday. It was quite evident that he buckled under international pressure.

Vajpayee may thus be defending himself against charges of yielding to foreign pressure levelled by his opponents inside and outside the BJP.

The Indian leaders have to justify their ways to their people. Indian leaders have ruled out mediation between Pakistan and India, but the frequency of the hi-fi visits since last December leaves no one under any doubt that mediation is taking place.

If India, according to its prime minister, has achieved its objective without waging war, then why is it reluctant to withdraw the forces?

The war, which the Indian prime minister is now referring to in juxtaposition with a victory, was never a reality. There was a confrontation, there were the usual threatening gestures and there was much bandying about the term ‘nuclear weapons’. But it is doubtful if the ultimate objective was worth fighting a full-fledged war with nuclear weapons. The calculus of the outcome did not favour such an option for any state.

The problem that makes it difficult for the Indian leaders to easily follow up on the terms and conditions of a settlement is their fear of being seen as having succumbed to pressure to end the standoff. Prime Minister Vajpayee took great pains to play down any such impression. Even the Americans and a host of other nations, which had joined the parade of mediators, were denied their rightful credit in helping to diminish the threat of conflict.

Indian leaders’ domestic compulsions had forced them to be bellicose to a level from where it was difficult to retract without losing face. American incremental diplomacy, with the officials gradually rising in rank to reach cabinet level, helped to satisfy India’s infatuation for being treated as a major power with a nuclear profile, albeit a penurious one.

SHEHLA MUSTAFA

Karachi

Illegal arrests of haris

THIS is with reference to the news item ‘Rs9.067 b co-op loans to farmers’ (June 4). It is pointed out that all the 48,000 agricultural cooperative credit and thrift societies were declared bogus by the provincial minister for cooperatives.

The reason for this was that these societies were formed by forcefully obtaining signatures of poor haris who did not even fulfil the requirement for a member i.e. having piece of land less than 12.5 acres. These societies were formed by the influentials of the area in connivance with the officials of the cooperative department.

An inquiry was conducted and the report submitted to the former Punjab chief minister that the cooperatives consume Rs6 billion every year. Scrutiny of the cooperative societies throughout Punjab was ordered, but while the exercise was under progress, the government fell in Oct 12, 1999, and the project was shelved.

Then, the Corps Commander Lahore, General Khalid Maqbool, who is at present Governor Punjab, sent a reference to Director Anti-Corruption in April 2000 titled ‘Cooperative societies scandal’, action on which is still awaited.

The regional directorate human rights wing, Karachi, also sent a reference to the Federal Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights regarding the illegal arrest of peasants for not paying back the agriculture loan, which they had never obtained. Action on behalf of the ministry is also awaited.

The Federal Bank for Cooperatives is under liquidation and its function in Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Azad Kashmir has been suspended but remains in Punjab where Rs9.067 billion were disbursed on account of agricultural loans during the current year.

Meanwhile, arrests of innocent haris are being made throughout Pakistan for allegedly defaulting on account of agri loans. Will the President of Pakistan look into the matter.

MIAN AFTAB AHMAD

Karachi

St Joseph’s Convent

THIS is with reference to the news item, ‘St Joseph’s School told to stop construction’ (June 21). I find it strange how the Sindh government quickly intervened to prevent the Convent owners from taking steps to preserve the deteriorating areas of the Convent.

What, may I dare to ask, is the Sindh government doing to preserve the numerous other precious buildings of the British era lying in a total state of decay? As soon as the owners of these ‘cultural heritages’ make efforts to preserve these buildings under their control, the Sindh government quickly steps in to create unnecessary hurdles, as was done in the case of St Patrick’s Cathedral in the recent past.

I would advise the Sindh culture secretary to personally take a tour of the city and assess for himself the various other precious buildings lying in a totally neglected state and explain what is being done to preserve them.

TYRONE MASCARENHAS

Karachi

NFC award and provinces

THIS is with reference to the article ‘Fair NFC award vital for federation’ (June 3). Pointing out the deficiencies in the NFC award, the writer says at one stage: “The third distortion is the unique and totally untenable formula for distribution of revenues between the provinces on the basis of population only. This practice, which clearly benefits the biggest province, exists nowhere and cannot be justified on any logical grounds. It ignores other relevant factors such as extent of poverty and under-development, contribution in terms of tax collection, etc... In all other countries with federal structures, the revenues are shared on the basis of combination of factors.”

Here it may be asked: when was population made the only basis for distribution of revenues and by whom? It was the government of PPP under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto which made population the sole criterion for distribution of the revenues. The aim was to appease the “big brother” whom Bhutto needed for power. And that is the story which has continued since then.

ABDUL KHALIQUE JUNEJO

Karachi

Corruption made official

A FEW months ago, during the course of anti-smuggling duty on GT Road near Nowshehra, Peshawar’s custom staff killed two alleged smugglers who were in their custody, and injured a few passersby. A storm of protest by the public was raised and a case was lodged by the heirs of the victims against the excesses of the custom men.

Reportedly, out of court settlement has been arranged between the victims’ families and the alleged murderers, the custom staff, which include two inspectors and three constables. The settlement, inter alia, specifies payment of diyat of millions of rupees by the accused custom employees, besides job offers as constables in the custom department to the sons of the two murdered smugglers.

Firstly, does the provision of diyat apply in a case where officials of the government of Pakistan have been accused of misusing their authority by taking the lives of two smugglers that were in their custody? How can millions of rupees be arranged for payment of diyat to the heirs of the victims by two grade 11 inspectors and three grade 4 constables?

Has it been officially recognized that inspectors and constables are millionaires, though privately everyone knows it to be true? If the two murdered persons were smugglers, why should the custom department be obliged to employ their wards in their department?

Surprisingly, this murky handling of the case by the custom department that had earlier raised so much storm of protest by the public did not make any headline in any newspaper nor the settlement caught the eyes of those, who, since Oct 12, 1999, advocate a corruption-free administration in Pakistan.

COL SAYED G.B. SHAH BOKHARI

Peshawar

Mobile phones

MOBILE phones are being used in Pakistan for more than a decade now. While most of the users put it to legitimate use, this facility has also been abused by those involved in criminal activities.

The main reason for this is the fact that companies selling mobile phone products do not make any investigation regarding the credentials of its users.

According to reports, anyone can obtain a mobile connection by simply providing a copy of his national identity card.

And there are a large number of people who are using mobile phone connections that are not issued in their names. So, it has practically become impossible for the law enforcing agencies to nab those who are using it for terrorist activities.

SYED A. MATEEN

Karachi

Racist US policy

THIS is with reference to the recent US embassy policy which cancelled all non-immigrant interview calls. For tourists this makes no difference but what about all those people who had applied for student visas and their passports had come back after screening.

They had their hopes pinned high on going to the US and getting quality education. How can the US authorities allow for such a thoughtless action, and how can the government of Pakistan allow this sort of racism, especially when it has been a US ally in the war against terrorism.

I request the US State Department and foreign ministry to look into this matter and restart all the interviews.

ASAD KHAN

Karachi

Three truths in three days

THREE truths in three days was a refreshing experience for those who are now used to reading and listening to lies and hypocrisies of the western world and media. It was indeed ironically amusing to follow the reaction of those who perpetrate the very lies.

First it was Ted Turner, the billionaire founder of CNN. Expressing his views on the Mideast conflict in an interview with London based Guardian newspaper, he accused Israel of engaging in terrorism against the Palestinians. “The Palestinians are fighting with human suicide bombers, that’s all they have. The Israelis... they’ve got the most powerful military machines in the world. The Palestinians have nothing. So who are the terrorists? I would make a case that both sides are involved in terrorism.”

Then it was Cherie, wife of British PM Tony Blair. How truthful she was when she publicly said that young Palestinians felt they had no choice but to blow themselves up. “As long as young people feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up, you are never going to make progress.”

Quickly, she was forced into a public apology “for speaking the truth.”

And best of all, the final truth that transcends all in its innocence utterance announced by CNN itself. Reacting to the earlier remarks of Ted Turner, CNN categorically inched itself from him, stating that the views of Ted Turner do not represent the “views of CNN”. So finally, it accepted what we all know already. The dark truth of the media, that it is biased and it propagates its own views, has finally been accepted by CNN in front of millions of viewers in an innocent utterance of the truth.

AURANGZEB HANEEF

Karachi

Clarification

THIS is with regard to the letter by Mr F.M. Khan (June 16) in which he complained that he was booked on PK-611 on May 27, 2002, but was mishandled on the pretext that the first flight on the same day was cancelled and the passengers of the flight were accommodated on PK-611.

The factual position is that the flight PK-606 that has been referred to as the first flight was not cancelled, it operated according to the schedule. There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding on the part of our passenger. Our initial enquiry report into the incident shows that the passenger reported at the boarding counter after the flight was closed and therefore he was marked as ‘No Show’.

However, PIA is always willing to look into the complaints of our valued passengers in order to enhance our service standards. As his letter did not carry his contact number, we wish him to contact PIA on the following number to help us complete our enquiry: Tel: 021-45794109.

BASHIR AHMAD

Assistant Manager, Public Relations, PIA,

Karachi

The siege of Dera Bugti

THE recent editorial of Dawn (June 20) squarely places the entire blame on the inhabitants of Dera Bugti for the recent flare-ups and the eyeball-to-eyeball standoff with para-military outfits.

The damage to the pipeline and other vital installations cannot be ignored and demands an address to the issues that have endemically prevailed and not once but many times led to situations such as the ongoing one.

The recent reinforcements with artillery and tanks in and around Sui belies the government’s claim that it is a pure law and order situation.

A handful of miscreants whether they are or not from the tribes does not sanction the state to requisition major force and putting to siege the entire city of Dear Bugti.

Dera Bugti is not Tora Bora and nor are its poor yet proud inhabitants foreign to Pakistan. The timing and intensity of the current operation are more in alignment with geo-political necessities and less on strategic needs, as choreographed by certain very influential groups within the ruling echelons.

It is sincerely expected of the President to desist the hawks around him, and let the more sane voices of reason and truth be heard.

It will indeed be magnanimous of President Musharaff to make the overture and initiate a dialogue with the sardars and representatives of the tribal belts in Balochistan, and not to let the matter become an irrevocable crusade of egos.

DR KHAWAR MEHDI

Islamabad

Press power

KINDLY refer to Aysha Sheikh’s letter ‘Press power’. The reason things worked out for her was because there was someone at the PTCL who was conscientious and responsible enough to take action.

My letter about removing the two monstrous and most hazardous speed-breakers in Karachi located on Britto Road in front of the Jamatkhana have not seen any action as yet. Why?

The answer is quite simple: the people whose idea it was to built such obscenity are simply too callous and selfish and the authorities concerned are in their pockets.

Immediate actions must be taken by the lethargic city officials. Britto Road is a public road and the public using it is being hurt both physically and financially everyday.

MUHAMMAD ALI

Karachi

Underhand deal?

THE Privatization Commission had called bids for the privatization of the UBL. The Mansha Group of MCB quoted the highest bid of around Rs8 billion. As reported by the media, the bid was very close to the reserved price of the Privatization Commission.

It may be mentioned that the government of Pakistan and the State Bank of Pakistan had recapitalized the UBL and the HBL about two years back by injecting billions of rupees. Furthermore, the UBL has a large network of foreign branches. Specially, the UBL building in Dubai appears to be quite a costly one.

One, therefore, feels that some shady deal has been arranged in the sale of the UBL.

S. ALI AHMAD ALVI

Karachi

Indigo cultivation

BANGLADESH has revived indigo cultivation after a lapse of more than one hundred years in response to world market demand for natural dyes (Dawn, June 7).

Indigo cultivation in the then Bengal was abandoned first due to the ban imposed by the British rulers and then due to the emergence of chemically synthesized dye. Now that synthetic dye is proving harmful to the environment and also to the skin, Bangladesh has started commercial production and marketing of natural indigo.

Indigo is produced by certain species of the genera Indigofera and Tephrosia. Several species of both these genera are found naturally in Pakistan, but here indigo cultivation has never attracted official patronage. It is done on small scale in certain parts of Sindh and all the produce is locally consumed. While Bangladesh is importing indigo seed from India, we can look for the indigo germplasm in our own natural vegetation. Being a leguminous plant, it has an added advantage of improving soil fertility.

Unfortunately, we have still not realized the importance of our wild plant resources. Indigo is not the only example. Sudan promoted the cultivation of Gum Arabic tree in agroforestry and now 80-90 per cent of the Gum Arabic supply to the world market comes from Sudan, generating a revenue of $60 million per year.

Gum Arabic is widely used in products like soft drinks, chewing gum, confectionery, cosmetics, pharmaceutics and photographic materials. The additional advantages of Gum Arabic trees are protection against desertification by checking erosion and acting as wind-breakers, sand dune fixation and biological nitrogen fixation. Being extremely drought resistant, the tree continues to give production in times when other crops fail.

Gum Arabic tree (Acacia Senegal) is found naturally all over from Senegal to Pakistan. It is abundant in all frost-free parts of Pakistan like southern Balochistan, Sindh and southern Punjab. A pity our forest departments never tried to promote this useful indigenous tree.

Rather they filled the country with alien species like eucalyptus, which have just started to show their negative effects on local ecology.

While other nations are making fortunes by gainfully exploiting their natural flora, we keep on fondly exterminating the natural vegetation from everywhere due to our inherent dislike for wild plants. Are we ever going to wake up?

DR SURAYYA KHATOON

Karachi