Hussain Siddiqui

Cheating, fleecing and fraud seem to be the order of the day in the land of the pure. Be it the housing societies or finance companies, utility stores or CNG dealers, from individuals to groups, they indulge in defrauding the public. And the luxury hotels operating in Pakistan are no exception as another form of fleeciing the public has surfaced recently, though going on discreetly for sometime. Recently I dined in one of the restaurants of the lone 5-star hotel in Rawalpindi. Normally I, like most of us, do not look at the details while paying for the bill. This time, by chance, I looked at the details. To my shock an amount of Rs 20 was added in the bill for charity, obviously without my knowledge.
On confronting, the manager confirmed that Rs 20 was being charged on all restaurant bills, but this was optional. My questions, as to how many of us read the details on bill and whether charging extra amount without prior consent of the customer tantamount to fraud or not, remained unanswered by him. But it was disclosed by him that all hotels of the countrywide chain were charging this amount. Will the practice go on at these hotels unchecked by the concerned government agencies?
—Islamabad
 

Syed Sayef Hussain

This year’s combination of day light saving and Ramadan timing would be certainly going to play havoc with the daily routine of the people. This will also surely affect their health and productivity. But strangely, the authorities deciding to advance the clock for an hour, and also deciding to advance the office timing for half an hour, thus forcing the people to advance their routine for a huge one and half hours, are totally oblivious of the facts how these double time advancement is going to impact the body clock of the people. This year, because of this queer timing, people would pass long 6 hours, from office break at 2pm to Iftar at 8pm in total inactivity.
On the other hand, between the time of end of Tarawi prayer at about 11:30/12:00 at night to Sehr time at about 4:00/5:00am there would be very little opportunity for proper nightly rests. Not all the people could be able to adjust their body clock to recoup the body comfort lost at night during the long 6 hours’ time available to them in the day from 2 pm to 8 pm. The result will be gravely low productivity and effective working hours in the offices, disastrous impact on health. I request the authority to think about all this, if possible.
—Karachi

Muzamil Hussain

Today I read the news about burying the three women alive in Jafarabad district of Balochistan. They were accused, of marrying according to their wish. ( Actually denying forced marriage). This is obviously the most sorrowful and the most condemnable thing. This is a shame to all Pakistanis in all over the world. Again sorrowful and shameful thing is that the two senators of the upper house of Pakistani Parliament declared it right . They said that this is a matter of our custom and tradition. What a condemnable custom and tradition.
The opposition leader of PML-Q in senate Mr. Kamil Ali Agha stressed upon the government to make a committee comprising of senators or judiciary members who independently investigate the matter and punish the culprits. He also accused that a MNA of Pakistan Peoples Party is involved in this matter ,so the Government of Pakistan is taking no action upon this matter , as no notice has been taken by the Prime Minister of Pakistan , Governor of Balochistan and chief Minister of Balochistan. The Government of Pakistan is doing nothing for the rights , protection , prosperity , development and progress of women.
—Via email
 

S Hussain

No political party in the recent election has mentioned in its manifesto solution to corruption. Perhaps the pots were in no position to call the kettles black. Politicians cleverly duped the media, civil society and the people by making the issue of judges and unfettered democracy as an end to all our woes.It never occurred to them that neither the enlightened justice system nor democracy can function in an environment seething with corruption.
A good justice system begins at honest police stations, while democracy with men and women of integrity in our assemblies. Both are lacking drastically. Having manipulated Mr Musharraf to enact NRO, our politicians have gotten their cakes and are eating them too, proving ourselves yet again a nation of the blind, by bringing the same self-seekers in our assemblies, thus denying this nation the economic power and progress that should have been ours. We must not allow the corrupt to enjoy the fruits of their corruption.
Singapore’s former PM once said: “You give discretionary powers to bureaucrats, you invite corruption.” Almost all government tenders contain this telling clause: “The signing authority has a right to accept or reject one or all tenders without assigning any reason.” Corruption in this regard includes allowing the corrupt to be one of the signing authorities to cream off 40 to 50 per cent of the funds for various projects and procurements, costing this nation thousands of billions over the last 40 or so years. New sets of rules and procedures need to be adopted, followed by strong laws. Some suggestions are mentioned below: Misuse and embezzlement of public funds, assets, etc., and accepting bribe or illegal gratification should be compensated with 20 to 40 years’ imprisonment and confiscation of all assets of the accused and all family members. Two to seven years’ imprisonment for inefficiency and negligence towards duty. A police officer who refuses to record an FIR by any citizen should be liable to five years’ imprisonment. Any police officer who, at the behest of any citizen, acts against any citizen, without due process of law, should be liable to 10 years’ imprisonment. The last two laws will ensure justice for the poor.
The media and lawyers must now get together and make amends to rescind NRO and relentlessly pressure the corrupt within and without our assemblies and administration, irrespective of their party or personal affiliations.
—Karachi

Dr Irfan Zafar

While our soldiers are being killed fighting the extremists and are victims of the suicide bombings across the country, it’s painful to see the daily advertisements in the print and the electronic media regarding selling of land by Defence Housing Authority. It’s painful to see deaths on the one front and the selling of our soil on the other.
—Islamabad
 

Gulsher Panhwer

There are glaring similarities between former president Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari, PPP co-chairman. Mr Musharraf said he was compelled by circumstances to reluctantly assume power in October 1999. Mr Zardari also took over the reins of the party in most tragic circumstances, in the aftermath of his spouse’s assassination.
Mr Musharraf’s policies found an acceptance and support of a large majority in his initial years in power, including for his difficult decision to side with the US on war on terror. Mr Zardari won the hearts and minds of the people when he reprimanded his own party workers from Sindh for chanting anti-Pakistan slogans and roared ‘Pakistan Khapay’.
Mr Musharraf made some pledges to the nation, including removing his uniform but later on deviated from these promises. Similarly, Mr Zardari signed accords with the PML(N) to restore the judges and vowed, not once but several times, to do so but failed to act on his words for the last six months, because of which the PML(N) walked out of the coalition. After clean governance of two years, Mr Musharraf opted for corrupt and opportunist politicians and handed over the nation’s resources to the looters and plunderers. Mr Zardari embraced all, and recently the PML(Q) members are lining up and extending their support for his presidential election. Most likely the majority of them may join the government.
Lastly Mr Musharraf wielded absolute power and his rubberstamp parliament endorsed all his actions. Likewise Mr Zardari took all decisions outside parliament and it is most likely that after being elected president he would take all decisions and parliament would be little different from the one under Mr Musharraf.
—Dadu,Sindh