Marvelous Malala – I
Sir,
Malala Yousafzai is like a breath of fresh air for a country like Pakistan, haunted by villains, tyrants and men spewing hatred and hypocrisy in the name of a religion that preaches tolerance, welfare and peace and encourages acquisition of knowledge. In December, Pakistan’s national anthem will be played and our flag will be proudly raised in Oslo, decades after Professor Abdus Salam became the first Nobel Laureate of Pakistan.
Most Muslim-majority states in the world are plagued with tyrannical monarchies, military dictatorships, and pied pipers leading illiterate masses back to medieval ages, instead of focusing on development of human resources. There is no progress, prosperity, state security and sovereignty. In a country where lives of citizens residing even in the major financial hub Karachi are not secure, Malala Yousafzai had the moral courage and character to stand up to the Taliban in Swat, at a time when this once peaceful place was hostage to armed gangs and extremist fundamentalists enforcing their own version of Islam, which had nothing in common with the religion preached by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Both Pakistan and India are infected with feudalism, where political power and nobility are considered to be acquired through accident of birth. Malala Yousafzai rose from a poor lower middle class background to acquire international recognition and honor through her sheer commitment to promote female education.
The unfortunate reality is that the curse of terrorism which plagues Pakistan, posing a threat to its national security, is a product of myopic vision of military dictators like Zia and Musharraf, who gave sanctuary to armed terrorists to feed their insatiable greed for power, foreign grants and patronage by the West.
The $50 billion that poured into Pakistan between 1982 and 1987 evaporated into thin air, with not a cent going into the national exchequer. All that this unfortunate country inherited was the curse of ethnicity, sectarianism, powerful armed private militias, and an environment where land and drug mafias plundered this country at will, with tacit approval of a corrupt bureaucracy and a gang of political opportunists.
Tariq Ali,
Dubai.
Marvelous Malala – II
Sir,
Malala Yousufzai, the courageous little Swati girl from the northern areas of Pakistan, has become the youngest ever Nobel laureate in the world. By winning the coveted Nobel Peace Prize she has made the Pakistani nation proud. She, in fact, has become the second Pakistani to have won the Nobel prize, after eminent theoretical Physicist, Dr Abdus Salam.
The prestigious Nobel award conferred upon Malala is shared by her with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian child rights activist. The prize won by Malala Yousufzai is indeed well-deserved. The courage demonstrated by this young education activist from Pakistan has no parallel in the Pakistan’s, or perhaps the world’s, history. That Malala continues to pursue her mission to promote the cause of education, particularly among women, not only in Pakistan but world over, despite all odds, reflects nothing but her burning desire to fulfill the cause she has always strongly stood for.
The vision that this young Pakistani girl possesses regarding her mission and the eloquence and courage with which she propagates her thoughts, in high-profile international forums, is truly remarkable. Her profound ability to lucidly and courageously express her views on the issue of women’s education has made the heads of many renowned personalities of the world turn around and intently listen to what she has to say. It would be pertinent to say that by winning the Nobel peace prize Malala Yousufzai has brought unparalleled glory to Pakistan, which is currently passing through one of the most critical times in its history. The nation has every reason to celebrate this outstanding achievement. Congratulations Malala and congratulations Pakistan.
M Fazal Elahi,
Islamabad.
Daylight robbery
Sir,
This is with reference to the daylight robbery at the Edhi Welfare Trust office located in Kharadar area of Karachi. This is not the first time Abdus Sattar Edhi has been harassed or one of his offices robbed. Even his ambulances have been fired at in Karachi on numerous occasions. Have we forgotten how Edhi’s vehicles and workers were beaten up and prevented from collecting hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha during the tenures of Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf and later under the coalition government led by the People’s Party?
This is a city where more policemen in uniform have been killed than criminals, target killers and extortion collectors combined. Everybody knows the identity of assassins, including those who have harassed workers of Edhi Welfare Trust – the sole humanitarian charity organization dedicated to serving the poor and calamity struck not only in Karachi but in all other parts of the country and even abroad.
Yet political exigencies of the ruling elite and members of the corrupt establishment of this country, have chosen to turn a blind eye and failed to protect Edhi and his organization. Not a word has come from Imran Khan, nor from the Canadian maverick. They have condemned the Punjab government for harassing their friendly anchor, whom they consider part of their opposition, but opted to remain silent on Edhi, while giving their daily sermons on change and revolution.
Mukarram Wadood,
Karachi.
Principles and politics – I
Sir,
The PTI has emerged as a new, alternative political party, riding on a wave of disappointment of the masses who feel betrayed by the PPP and the PML-N. Prudence demands that the PTI be careful in its choice of politicians willing to join the bandwagon. People’s patience has run out, and they will no longer tolerate any false promises that cannot be kept.
The speeches made in the protest rallies in Islamabad must refrain from raising people’s expectations to a level where they cannot be met, nor indulge in saber-rattling, because the rot that has set in will take time, effort and commitment by men of integrity to clean, not the type that dominate podium in huge political gatherings addressed by Imran Khan.
In the last few months, the Jamaat-e-Islami under Sirajul Haq has emerged as a rational political player, committed to democratic constitutional rule in this country, advocating a crackdown on corruption. Imran Khan needs to elaborate on his views about the Taliban however, whose links with ISIS and Al Qaeda remnants are proven, and ensure that his party activists adopt a more tolerant attitude towards those who disagree.
PTI needs to review its own inconsistencies and contradictions and must learn to tolerate dissent and adhere to political ethics, which demand respect for opposition in words and deeds. Until a few months ago, Javaid Hashmi was showered with praises and considered to be the voice of conscience after he left the PML-N for differences similar to the ones he left the PTI for. But today, Imran Khan and his followers call him Daghi. Those who talk about his role under Gen Ziaul Haq must not forget that it was Hashmi who stood up against a powerful dictator and chose to go to prison instead of submitting to an oppressor, while there were many in the PML-Q, PTI, PPP and the PML-N who chose to worship the rising sun and made compromises with a man who usurped the constitution.
What Pakistan needs is political leaders who follow Quaid-e-Azam and pursue his goals of a modern democratic welfare state with zero tolerance for corruption and no political role for civil or uniformed bureaucrats. Imran Khan needs to cultivate men of integrity in his party.
Ali Malik,
Lahore.
Principles and politics – II
Sir,
It is in the interest of legitimacy and efficiency of democracy in Pakistan that the mixed-member proportional electoral system of Germany may be adopted with necessary modifications. According to renowned German psephologist Dieter Nohlen this system is considered a model in international debates.
Proposed systemic electoral reform would ensure fair quantity of seats for political parties according to the ratio of votes and facilitate improvement in quality of elected representatives to deal with local, provincial, national and international matters. Such a change is not possible by solving only operational problems of the present relative majority electoral system with focus on local matters of a single-member constituency.
Emergence of Pakistan was facilitated by reforming the relative majority electoral system with a provision of separate electorate for religious communities in the British India which ensured due representation for its Muslims. Later on, emergence of Bangladesh was facilitated by the relative majority electoral system which led to over representation for Bengali nationalist party. This proposed electoral reform would facilitate good governance in our turbulent country.
Taraq Jazy,
Islamabad.
Im the dim
Sir,
I did not endorse the cliche Im the Dim until recently. This change in my opinion occurred on October 11 when Imran addressed a big rally in Multan but decided not to say a word there about Malala Yousafzai, who was named for the Nobel Prize earlier that day.
Even little girls have enough sense to place an available flower in their hair to add to their looks at no cost, but the Captain failed to cash the great news to his advantage.
He often thanks the Lord when a large crowd shows up at his call. However, he decided not to thank the same Lord when He showered a great honour on the people of Pakistan. The cricketer is very self-centered.
As for the courage that he often claims and teaches, he seems to lack it the most. A few days ago he retracted his praise for Atif Mian, the Pakistani-American economics wizard, on sectarian grounds, and his recent decision to distance himself from Malala show that he remains scared stiff of the bigoted brigade. He is not only dim, but also gutless.
Also, if a leader cannot ensure the safety of his audience at his rally, how can I vote for him and entrust the security of the entire nation to him?
Khalid Gujrati,
Lahore.
Nosedive
Sir,
PIA pilots went on another strike recently, making financial demands from an airline with surplus staff, dwindling revenues and a fleet grounded because of sheer corruption and incompetence. The national airline, funded by taxpayers, was created to serve the public, instead of becoming hostage to its surplus employees who had no shame in resorting to blackmail in midst of Hajj operation.
PIA’s problems have multiplied recently, when those at the top appointed incompetent, semi-literate and controversial mediocre managers. The national airline saw its revenues decline, with losses being multiplied, while salaries were raised and shady procurement deals resulted in half of its fleet grounded because of rising maintenance costs.
Corruption has been institutionalized in the PIA. The over-staffed airline has been burdened with even more surplus employees, and foreign postings given solely on political recommendations. Pilot salaries were almost doubled, while hiring continued, leading to over 40% pilots being surplus. During this time, the total accumulated losses almost tripled.
Following a change in government in 2013, it was expected that the national airline would be handed over to a competent and qualified management with integrity, but it is business as usual with controversial individuals with clear conflict of interested made in charge of the affairs.
Time has come for the PIA, which is technically insolvent, to be shut down or handed over to a new management with powers of hiring and firing. As it exists, the PIA is not serving the public and therefore should not be made to survive on public money.
Rashid Orakzai,
Islamabad.