I draw CM Punjab’s attention to the serious transport problems faced
by commuters traveling on the canal bank from Thokar Niazbeg to the
city. Years old dilapidated New Khan buses ply on route-22 from
Thokar to Jalo. Students in all the cities of Punjab traveling in
the morning to various colleges and university face not only long
delay but also overcrowding, which is a harrowing experience
particularly for female students. Mian Shahbaz Sharif takes keen
interest in education; he should look into students’ commuting
problems too. Between 8-10am, number of buses should be increased to
facilitate students’ travel to their institutions in time. Mian
Sahib should send his reps to observe the chaos round 8-9.30am in
the morning and the long lines of commuters jostling each other to
get into the packed buses. A fortune has been spent to build the
Niazbeg overhead bridge that has surely alleviated the miseries
faced by the motorists, but what about the basic problems of
transport that the ordinary travelers and students daily face. Will
the CM look into the matter that needs his urgent attention. I
reckon he will take immediate steps the moment he reads it if he or
his many advisers indeed read the letters section in the newspapers.
—Lahore
Law against domestic violence
M Ismail Akmal
This is with reference to the law passed in the lower house of the
parliament towards eradicating domestic violence in Pakistan.
According to it, “Those found guilty of beating women or children
would face a minimum of six months behind bars and a fine of at
least Rs100, 000”. This law indeed marks the ‘beginning of a new day
for Pakistani women’. However, the million-dollar question remains:
will women ever find themselves in a position to raise their voices
against their male counterparts — be it their fathers, brothers or
husbands — when they are clearly dependent on them for everything?
The uneducated population, which has forever been fed the idea of
males being superior and hence capable of doing whatever they want,
will not discard these beliefs in favour of those liberating the
weaker sex. Thus, there is little doubt that our country needs a lot
more than just passing and commemorating laws that liberate the
traditional Pakistani woman. It is indeed unfortunate that domestic
life is seen as an extremely private issue in Pakistan and hence
there is absolutely no intervention from anyone in such matters.
The image of a traditional Pakistani woman also entails a woman to
ignore maltreatment from her male counterpart, giving her little
room to exercise her powers to call up the police and ask for help.
The result of all this will not be surprising most cases of domestic
violence will continue to be unreported, bringing us back to exactly
where we started. Therefore, these laws can be seen as a short-term
solution to an extremely sensitive issue that needs relatively more
attention from higher authorities. Most of the problems women face
in our country can be eradicated if a strong move is initiated with
the sole purpose of educating women. Educated girls become educated
women who in turn influence families, communities and nations,
thereby creating ripple effects across generations.
Freedom for women constitutes not only containing the menace of
domestic violence but getting rid of age-old traditions of
categorising such behaviour as morally correct in our society.
Protection from domestic violence is a woman’s basic fundamental
right, and it is about time that they are made aware of this fact.
—Karachi
Connecting with common man
Tanveer Jafri
The ruling Congress party in India, since its inception in 1885, has
claimed that it is the only national political party which struggles
for the rights of the common man. The party gave popular slogans for
various movements and elections time to time which were recognized
as the slogans of the common man. Either they are pre-independence
slogans like ‘Quit India’ or post-independence slogans such as
Gharibi Hataao (Remove Poverty), Samajwad Lao (Bring Socialism) and
lately Congress Ka Haath, Aam Aadmi Ke Saath (Congress’ hand with
the common man). If we look at these slogans then we’ll realize that
the Congress represented the common Indians since its birth. The
freedom struggle was fought under the banner of this very
organization and in the last 63 years of independence, the Congress
has ruled the country for the maximum time. Despite this, the same
Congress is today facing criticisms for its policies.
The critics of the Congress have repeatedly said that even though it
represented the common people at the time of its inception, but one
reason for the party’s this initial success was that the common man,
depressed by the British rule, was looking for such a strong force
which could unite that nation against the rule and launch a powerful
struggle. Another reason of Congress becoming the biggest political
party was its patronization by great, devoted and honest leaders
like Mahatma Gandhi, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini
Naidu and Dr. Rajendra Prasad etc. Critics also argue if the
Congress party wants to take the maximum credit for the development
of the nation, the party and its leaders should be too held
responsible for diminishing morality within the party and widespread
corruption in the country. They are of the view that the Congress
party, which calls itself the party of aam aadmi, (common man) has
unfortunately become the party of khaas aadmi (rich man). Since last
few months, the news of Rahul Gandhi spending night in dalits’ homes
is coming. He slept there, had food there and by doing so he tried
to understand how a poor, dalit Indian person leads his life. On
16th January, Rahul took the British Foreign Minister David Miliband
to the home of a poor in his constituency Amethi. By spending night
their, Rahul tried to give the message that in spite of poverty and
destitution, the nation is moving forward united and democratically.
Under this mission of reaching the aam aadmi, Rahul lately visited
the home of a dalit family in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. He
had dinner with the family. He walked in the village, had pictures
with the villagers. He slept on the traditional cot without mattress
and in the absence of electricity in extremely hot weather. He took
bath under the hand pump in open air and also used the c grade
toilet of that family.
It can be imagined that foreign literate Rahul Gandhi being the son
of the family, which had given three Prime Ministers to the country,
how his livelihood would have been. But Rahul Gandhi has taken a
creative step of directly connecting with the common man by leaving
luxury and comfort. Actually, if the Congress party boast of
representing the aam aadmi, it should have to look beyond slogans.
And such public contact should not be restricted up to Rahul Gandhi.
In fact, other leaders of the party should follow him and reach the
common man and understand their hardships and find solutions to
them. —Via email
Saga of failed diplomacy
Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhury
According to report published on October 1, 2009 by human rights
group in Dhaka, named ADHIKAR, 97 people were extra-judicially
killed by law enforcing agencies during January-September 2009
period, since the new government came in power. The report further
said that more than 185 people were also killed due to political
rivalry. More than 10,468 people were physically assaulted during
political clash during this period. ADHIKAR said, 55 people were
tortured in custody by the members of law enforcing agencies, while
2 journalists were killed 52 assaulted, 48 threatened and 14 were
charged with false cases.
The organization referred to a statement by Bangladeshi foreign
minister Dr. Dipu Moni in Geneva, where she claimed that her
government is showing ‘zero tollerance’ on extra-judicial killing.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on February 11, 2009 told the
parliament that if any member of law enforcing agencies are found
involved in extra-judicial murder, they too will have to face trial
under the existing law of the land.
On September 27, 2009, the Bangladeshi Prime Minister while talking
to newsmen in New York City said, her government does not believe in
extra-judicial killing. On September 12, 2009, state minister for
Home Affairs, Advocate Shamsul Huq Tuku said, there is nothing
called extra-judicial murder. Head of the Public Administration
Department of Dhaka University, eminent scholar and human rights
activist Professor Dr. Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, while giving his
reaction on extra-judicial killings and repression on press said,
the growing trend of such murders are very alarming. He further
said, absolute freedom of press is the prime requirement for a
stable democracy. He expressed grave concern at the figures shown by
ADHIKAR on murder, repression and persecution of journalists in
Bangladesh and said, for a government, which came in power with high
expectations of the people, such tendency is never appreciable.
Political pundits are saying that the present government in
Bangladesh, instead of upholding national interests and priorities
is busy in appeasing particular countries, which makes them shy in
raising issues, which are very much important for the independence,
sovereignty and even very existence of the nation. Bangladesh failed
to attract even a small amount of foreign investment in past nine
months while thousands of Bangladeshi workers in various countries,
especially in the Middle East are continuing to be send back, where
Bangladeshi government totally failed in addressing any of the
issues.—Via email
RAW-trained mullahs
Alya Alvi
Reports say that the RAW-trained mullahs from India are running
madaris in Afghanistan, which are providing for the Indian agents as
safe havens, indoctrinating the Afghan youth for their own ends and
being used to infiltrate terrorists into Pakistan. Strong concern
was also shown by NATO commander from US Army in Afghanistan, Gen
McChrystal over the excessive presence of Indians in that country,
saying it would further exacerbate the situation.
Where are these mullahs coming from is a question that has the
answer in a report published in Daily Times on September 30. It says
over 100 Hindu students have graduated from the Madrassa Islamia,
Sandalpur in Araria district of India’s western state of Bihar, set
up few years ago to conduct examinations for madaris. The board
declared results for the maulvi (intermediate), wastania (middle)
and fauqania (matric) classes where poor Hindu parents send their
children to madaris, as they provide meals and lodging free of
cost.—Rawalpindi
