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.
Fanning seeds of hatred and disunity
Pakistan was achieved through a political struggle led by Quaid-e-Azam who gave this country the motto of Unity, Faith and Discipline. Colonial powers, dictators and fascists have always sowed seeds of hatred, ethnic and sectarian strife to divide citizens and prevent them from uniting on a common platform to demand fundamental rights, constitutional supremacy and rule of law. Pakistan suffered because a dictator exploited religion, ethnic division to subvert 1973 Constitution and got us involved in a proxy war, leaving behind a legacy of extremism, religious fanaticism, intolerance and terrorism which haunts this country.
Unfortunately, we are again witnessing seeds of hatred and division being sown by a political party, which was removed through a constitutional vote of No Confidence. PTI as a political party has established itself with a reasonable following and should work within the confines of constitution and respect rule of law. The 1973 Constitution forbids subversion of constitution, and stresses upon rule of law and equal rights and opportunities for all citizens. This country has witnessed humiliation of surrender and disintegration when the political process was disrupted. GG Ghulam Mohd had earlier sacked PM Khawaja Nazimuddin in 1953, immediately after he had successfully passed Federal Budget through majority vote.
He then replaced him with a known CIA affiliate Mohammad Ali Bogra, who dissolved First Constituent Assembly in 1954, although it was formed by MAJ himself. Bogra signed defence pacts with USA without consulting Parliament. Iskandar Mirza in nexus with Ayub Khan then proceeded to suspend 1956 Constitution. We have seen how Ayub dared to call Fatima Jinnah a traitor and an Indian agent in the rigged elections of 1964.
His bias towards majority Bengalis surfaced when their majority was reduced through One Unit and the seeds of division sown by him resulted in unfortunate events of 1971. Pakistan needs Unity, Faith, Discipline today more then ever. The Constitution must prevail over all individual whims and institutions.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Embarrassing incident
28 April 2022 will always be engrained in the memories of the people of Pakistani. An embarrassing incident took place in the premises of Masji-E-Nabvi, with a score of people chanting slogans and using abusive language against the Pakistani delegation led by PM Shehbaz Sharif.
The Masjid-E-Nabvi is deemed to be the second holiest place after Masjid-ul-Haram and nobody is allowed to express or share his/her personal and worldly matters to others let alone speak loudly. Some people on social media are blatantly encouraging this embarrassing act. This kind of intolerance will lead to Pakistan to nothing but only polarization, anarchy, instability, economic tailspin.
The leadership of political and religious parties should step forward to express their concerns over the incident and make people realize that this kind of behaviour and profanities will never be condoned.
SHABIR JAMALI
Nawabshah
Another sit-in
This refers to your very balanced editorial ‘Another sit-in!’ (April 27).In the 2018 General Elections, Imran Khan’s PTI failed to secure even the minimum of 172 seats to attain a simple majority required to form a government at the Centre. This was hardly a spectacular victory, well-worth the over two decades ‘struggle’ that he boasts about. Of course, with the help of powerful circles and resourceful persons like Jahangir Tareen, PTI formed a government at the Centre, taking in diverse coalition partners.
And it was about the same in the pivotal Punjab province. Unfortunately, despite being in such a vulnerable position, Imran Khan acted arrogantly, and did not even heed sane advice as regards the most important position of Punjab chief minister. Moreover, despite complaints, even from senior party leaders about non-performance and worse, he refused to change him until quite late when his own position became vulnerable. Also, because of his ‘can’t-care-less’ attitude, his resourceful associates who had made his victory possible gradually parted ways, with Imran Khan making no attempt to mend fences. His treatment of coalition partners, also in Punjab, was no better either.
As a result, PTI got ousted, both at the Centre and in Punjab, through no-confidence motions which it resisted as much as possible. As such, Imran Khan’s ouster from power was of his own making but in his usual style, he is trying to blame it all on a foreign conspiracy, executed with the help of his political opponents in Pakistan.
And now Imran Khan has asked two million of his followers to wait for his call in a few weeks to reach Islamabad and to stage a sit-in there until the government announces fresh general election immediately, which ECP has expressed inability to hold because of administrative reasons.
Imran Khan’s devout supporters have to consider whether they would be prepared to be used as cannon-fodder in pursuance of a conceited and politically-failed day-dreamer and cause needless disruption which the country and nation can least afford?
S R H HASHMI
Karachi
Space between Lyari Expressway
Lyari Expressway is constructed over Lyari River which is 38 KM long in length. Commuters travel on Lyari Expressway with great comfort without traffic jam and reach their destination hassle free. The wide and long space between Lyari Expressway can be utilized smartly which is being wasted such as an artificial stream can be developed where boats can be floated from one end to another end and people of the metropolis might travel on boats as well for excursion.
Stream can be developed on half space while a long park can be developed on another half space which would definitely beautify the Lyari Expressway while different trees should be planted on both sides of the space which would make the overall environment of Lyari Expressway pleasant.
FAISAL ANSAR
Karachi
