Road transport is of immense importance in today’s world as millions
of commuters use various transport modes everyday in Pakistan to go
about doing their daily chores. Around the world a proper system has
been developed using expertly drafted rules and regulations for
proper use of road facility. Unfortunately violations of these rules
are rampant in our society, which has brought the system to a halt
causing inconvenience to everyone. In my opinion the most
significant factor is our style of driving. Urban dwellers seem to
be in an everlasting hurry as soon as they sit on the wheel.
Speeding on crowded roads, using the third lane for overtakes and
skipping red lights are common acts of ignorance that lead to
hundreds of road accidents. A statistic claims that more people
around the globe die in road accidents annually than the total
casualties of the entire Second World War! A large percentage of
drivers involved in car accidents have been found to be under-age
boys, who manage to sneak the ride out and take a thrill at the
road. Such thrills have resulted in loss of valuable life and
assets. Despite the well documented warnings against driving under
the influence of alcohol, our citizens unfortunately take little
heed. Let alone the effects alcohol has on health of the user, to
drive when drunk is to put other people’s life in risk. Some may see
the root of this problem in the enforcement agencies responsible for
keeping order on the road, namely the traffic police. It may be true
that a bare fifty, hundred or at most a five hundred would get the
perpetrator out of trouble, simple and convenient, but the issue I
think is not of whether a traffic coordinator accepts this bribe,
instead it’s this attitude of our people. Young minds (under age
drivers) perhaps do not appreciate, but their parents certainly can
draw the connection between lack of discipline on road and threat to
valuable life. For the respect for ones own life and that of fellow
Pakistanis, I feel it is absolutely necessary to stop at the red
light, maintain the speed limits flashing by the road side, and
properly train our children before letting them drive on roads. More
generally, it is about honing within us the spirit of citizenship
and respect for humanity.—Lahore
Agonising death in hospital
R Parvez
I am certain that my story is common as far as Pakistan is
concerned. Nevertheless, I still feel I must voice my disbelief of
such deliberate cruelty. I had to rush off to Pakistan last year
after my brother was injured in a house fire.
Having eventually managed to get a lift from a passing police jeep,
they took him to the local hospital only to be turned away as the
hospital was not equipped to treat such injuries. They drove him for
nearly an hour to the next hospital, which refused to treat him
until a deposit of 30000 PKR was paid. The relatives then went off
and sourced this money when no banks were open for business.
Eventually my brother who had suffered 3rd degree burns to most of
his torso was treated, having gone through what can only be imagined
as hell on earth and yet these medical professionals only prolonged
his terrible suffering.
When I did visit him in the private ward of military hospital, I was
shocked to see the state of his room, insects crawling around the
room and the whole place was run down and generally unhygienic.
Considering this was a specialist burns hospital, infection control
measures were certainly questionable. Every day the male nurses took
him to the so called operating room where they tore off his bloody
bandages and wrapped him up in a load of clean ones, only to rip his
flesh off again the next day.
The hospital charged thousands of PKR every day for his care, after
two weeks of agony, he died of lung infection. Despite fighting
through every agonising day to live, he never had a chance of
survival in that hospital, in fact probably in any hospital in
Pakistan. And the sad thing is that he knew, that’s why he begged to
be taken abroad as he believed that was the only way his life might
be saved.
His family could pay for his care, but what about those who are not
so privileged? How can hospitals refuse to provide at least the
emergency aid to such patients? Is this humanity?—Via email
Endless corruption
Altaf A Qureshi
The corruption in the public and private sectors has caused great
damage by undermining the socio-political and economic fabric of
society which eventually leads the societies into oblivion. However
efforts of successive governments, including establishing National
Accountability Bureau (NAB), by the previous regime as an apex
white-collar crime investigation agency have failed to eliminate the
menace which has gradually permeated in every aspect of public life.
The corruption is a multidimensional social malice which requires
equally multi pronged approaches if its roots are to be eradicated.
Whereas our successive governments have always dealt with the great
scourge administratively by creating organizations such as
Anti-corruption, FIA, Ehatsab Bureau and NAB etc. I don’t say that
the agencies armed with punitive laws to chastise the culprits are
not necessary Yet these laws because of corruption in every strata
of society have lost efficacy and deterrence as they come into
action only when act of corruption has been committed. Thus they
have failed to discourage the corrupt practices, which are
increasing in leaps and bounds.
Two factors are, complementary with each other; identifying the root
cause of corruption and then creating deterrence by legislating laws
which are more rationale, serving the cause of making society clean
of corruption; where honesty and uprightness is appreciated and
accepted as high moral standard and where those who indulge in dirty
business be that bureaucrats, parliamentarians, businessman or
industrialist, not only condemned publicly but socially boycotted.
The laws made hitherto were at times were not rational therefore did
not get unequivocal public acceptance and support. For instance in
NAB ordinance even basic principle of justice ‘accused is innocent
until proved guilty’ was for the first time in history was changed
to ‘accused is guilty until he proves otherwise’ and the one found
guilty were compromised by a novel term of ‘plea bargaining’ whereby
after getting hold of a part of his ill-gotten wealth the culprit
was allowed to enjoy the loot.
The last more than 60 years’ misrule and corruption has transformed
the cultural ethos of our very society. The criteria of social
status nowadays are the riches a person has acquired and displayed,
irrespective of the source of its acquisition. The social standards
of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ have been replaced with ‘rich’ and the ‘poor’.
The rich are enjoying best living; their children get best education
and receive respect and status in the society. The poor ones are
condemned not only to poverty, ignorance and outages but are
relegated to condition of a abominable biped.
When the ostentation and lavish life style, and not the honest and
simple living, became hallmark of high social status the prime
objective of every one now is to acquire riches through whatever
sources to attain the “social status”; an accepted norm of the
society. Therefore, any legal and administrative measures, howsoever
draconian may be, cannot be successful unless people are first give
up ostentation (which the team of previous regime encouraged in
every walk of life), and are convinced that it is the simple living
which is hallmark of great honor and status and not the high living
which in most of the cases comes through illegal means.
But the question here is how the most damaging and the most
difficult aspect leading to corruption i.e. ostentatious way of
living to reverse. Since this pretentious trend has become
acceptable norm of the culture, it is therefore essential to
enlighten society for its baneful effects on the people here and
hereafter and persuade them to abandon this activity which is
religiously as well as morally absolutely wrong.
However, as goes the maxim ‘charity starts from home’ no attempt
howsoever sincere and momentous will be successful unless those
sitting at the helm of affairs create best model by accepting simple
way of living as a code of life: a most hard proposition though.
Similarly laws are also brought in according with the basic
standards of justice and applied evenhandedly without caring about
the status and position of an individual involved in the crime of
corruption. Here role of media cannot be downplayed.
Fortunately as a Muslim majority country we have before us, the Holy
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the best model of simple living and high
thinking. However, what needed here is to accept in our practical
life his teachings in letter and spirit. —Karachi
Reopen Peshawar PC
Murad Ali Mohmand
Through your newspaper I would urge the Chief Minister and Governor
NWFP to reopen the Pearl Continental Hotel for the tourist and local
people for their entertainment as it was attacked on 9th June 2009.
It was also announced by the owner of Pearl Continental Hotel that
the PC will start functioning in two months, but now we are hearing
that the PC has been sold or leased out to the Americans. Rest of
all 5 star hotels have been closed in Peshawar Cant due to the
terrorist attacks. The PC was used by many people for their family
functions, for their office meetings, for their seminars, workshops,
international tourists, PIA and for other international airlines
stay area. Now with out a International Standard no body will come
to Peshawar. No cricket match will took place no international
player will visit us.
It will be highly appreciated if the Government reopen it for the
public and stop its selling and lease to any foreigners. I am sure
the Government will think over it and will decide the matter in the
best interest of people instead of foreigners. —Peshawar
Commerce at SSC level
Saba Gul
It is highly commendable that Punjab Education Department has
decided to introduce Commerce as a Separate group at Secondary
School Level( Matric level). Now it is an era of specilization. If
specilization towards some particular profession group or field at
initial level like at school level is started, it will be too good
for the students as well as for the parents. Simple F. A & B.A is
now obsolete and useless for practical life. Simple F.A or B.A must
be equipped with subjects like Urdu, Arabic, Persian, English or
Fine Arts. From the very beginning, there should be choice of
approach according to the mental aptitude of the students. If a
student studies any language from the very beginning at Matric and
F. A level and finally holds master’s degree or M Phil or PhD in
that particular subject then he or she in better position to deliver
some constructive and useful services in his or her practical life.
There must be a strict mechanism to be implemented at school level
either govt or private sector schools to assess different aptitude
of the students future direction with help of parents. If such
mechanism is followed strictly at school level, it will be a great
service to the younger generation. We will be in better position to
provide them proper guidance and encourage them for further grooming
from initial level. Education is getting now costly day by day. It
is becoming out of reach parent’s means. So, we should make it
focussed and cost-effective and market -oriented from the very
beginning. Hence, speclization must be started from Middle or Matric
level because we are living in 21st century. Pakistan is now 62
years old and we must pool up all our manpower potential,
capabilities and energies for individual and collective prosperity.
Such decision must be implemented in all four provinces for the
ultimate good of Pakistan. Punjab Govt should implement this
decision at school level from this year without wasting any further
time. If we succeed in straightening our educational preferences and
goals according to need of majority population with sincerity and
devotion, we can handle all challenging issues posed to Pakistan
today. —Islamabad
