Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Biden’s biased remarks
Biden is facing a serious risk of political backlash in upcoming mid-term polls due to high inflation and poor performance in the Ukraine War, thus President Biden made an unwarranted assertion about Pakistan’s nuclear weapons to grab the sympathies of Indian-American voters, who have a majority in several US States and can play important role in Democrats victory in several constituencies in New York, New Jersey, California, Texas, Florida, Atlanta and Pennsylvania.
After Biden’s biased remarks, two US Congressmen tabled an anti-Pakistan resolution in US Congress and alleged Pakistan of the genocide of Bangladeshis during the 1971 War. All these are mean tactics to garner publicity at the cost of sensitive foreign policy and defence matters. Hence, Biden and his aides must look inwards at America’s track record regarding nuclear safety and the use of nuclear weapons.
The global community, including IAEA, had expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s multi layered nuclear safeguards. Therefore, American leaders must feel ashamed of their regrettable politics and immediately stop defaming sovereign nations for their personal gains and cheap politics. Pakistan’s nuclear program is in safe hands and nation would not compromise on this capability.
MUNAWAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Dishonouring dead bodies
Unidentified and decomposed human bodies were found on the roof of Nishtar Hospital, Multan. The visuals that have been circulating on mainstream and social media are extremely disturbing.
Ultimately it is the provincial health ministry that should be held accountable and they must not just confine themselves to hold an inquiry into this incident. It is inhuman to treat the dead like this, apart from being unethical and in violation of the SOPs that all hospitals must follow while dealing with the dead.
The explanation from the head of the anatomy department at Nishtar Hospital was even more irresponsible as she tried to explain how the hospital treated unidentified and unclaimed bodies for teaching purposes. The question is why these bodies were not properly buried if they were putrefying.
For medical teaching purposes now there are state-of-the-art methods the world over, with computer-generated images and three-dimensional presentations of bodies.
For dead bodies, embalming and preservation is the best method for future use and that also seems to be lacking in our hospitals and institutions. All provincial governments must ensure that when unidentified bodies are handed over to teaching hospitals, they are given the respect the dead deserve. Our religion, Islam stresses to maintain the dignity of a live person but prohibit disregard to basic human decency while dealing with the dead.
QAZI JAMSHED SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Unaffordable living
Where should the people of Pakistan go? The country’s middle class is so fed up of the current affairs that most people are now trying to move out and settle abroad. Our bright minds are going to foreign countries and contributing towards their economy. All of this is happening because our government cannot provide us basic facilities. We cannot run ACs in our homes because of inflated bills.
In the winter, we will have no gas for prolonged periods. After rainfall, our flooded roads force us to stay indoors. How are we supposed to live like this? Every person deserves to have their basic needs fulfilled. But in our country we cannot demand our government to pay attention to us. Every party blames its rival for the mess we are in. When will our leaders rise above petty politics and do something for the people?
MUHAMMAD ARSALAN
Karachi
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, whose 205th birthday has been marked on 17 October, was a famous Islamic reformer, philosopher, educator, scholar and the founder of the Aligarh Muslim University. He was born in Delhi during the reign of 19th Mughal Emperor Akbar II. Sir Syed is considered as one of the most important architects of modern India.
Sir Syed was born in a family that had previously served the Mughal court for nearly two and a half centuries. He was descended from the family of the Last Prophet (PBUH) through his daughter Fatimah and Ali. As a child, he was brought up in a Sufi household by his maternal grandfather Khwaja Fariduddin who was among the descendants of the 12th Sufi scholar of Naqshbandi Tariqa, Khwaja Mohammad Yusuf Hamdani.
The Indian Uprising of 1857 was one of the major turning points in Syed Ahmed’s life. He foresaw the imperative need for the Muslims to acquire proficiency in the English language and modern sciences, if the community were to maintain its social and political clout, particularly in Northern India.
He began to prepare the roadmap for the formation of a Muslim University by starting various schools. He instituted Scientific Society in 1863, launched the Aligarh Institute Gazette in 1866 and founded the Madrasatul Uloom in Aligarh in 1875. The Madrasatul Uloom later became the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1877. He patterned MAO College after Oxford and Cambridge Universities that he went on a trip to London in 1869. Later, the same MAO College turned into the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1920.
Apart from education and social reforms, Sir Syed contributed a lot to the religious, legal, historical, and political disciplines of learning. He wrote several books, journals, and articles on different subjects. Today, Sir Syed is not only celebrated by the Indians or Pakistanis but by the peoples from all around the world. He died on March 27, 1898, and lies buried next to the main mosque at AMU.
HAMEED SHAHEEN
Rawalpindi
