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LETTERS:

Post letters to Letters to the Editor, The Daily Times, 41-N, Industrial Area, Gulberg II, Lahore, Pakistan Phone: 92-42-5878614-19; Fax: 92-42-5878620 E-mail: letters@dailytimes.com.pk
Letters may be edited for length and clarity

Pope visits Turkey

Sir: Pope Benedict’s XVI historic visit to Turkey, a predominantly Muslims state, is significant in both religious and political terms. The Pope who is on a friendship mission in Turkey said that Christians and Muslims should reject violence and that he has total and profound respect for Muslims. The Pope acknowledges that he needs to defuse the row between Islam and the Catholic Church that he himself started, drawing condemnation from across the Muslim world in September when he quoted the words of a Byzantine emperor who fought the Ottoman Turks, linking Islam to violence. He is also seen by some as being anti-Turkish for comments he made as a cardinal when he opposed Turkey’s bid for European Union membership. The Vatican now says it is not opposed to such a move and has offered Turkey its support to enter the EU. This is perhaps the best way to bridge the civilisational gap. In today’s multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies only mutual trust through constructive approaches can bring peace. Any mischief, deliberate or otherwise, by the top most leaders especially religious personalities will only incite violence. The Pope would do a great service to mankind if he kept in mind that each word he utters has significance and that he should tread very cautiously in making statements concerning other religions and cultures.
ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL
New Delhi

Pound of flesh

Sir: The Lahore High Court (LHC) gave a ruling on November 29 stating that a Pakistani girl who holds a dual nationality must return to her mother in England. Misbah Irum Rana, also named Molly Campbell, is twelve years old and is now in Pakistan with her father Sajjad Ahmed Rana who won a case in September allowing his daughter to stay in Pakistan. The girl’s mother claimed possession of her daughter and lives in England. Misbah has expressly stated that she wishes to stay with her father in Pakistan. The decision of LHC can be challenged on human, religious and sentimental grounds. It is inhuman to snatch a small child from a parent whom she loves and hand her over to one she doesn’t. A Muslim girl being given to a Christian mother through the force of justice denies her the religion and Islamic education that is her right by birth. I say the 12-year-old girl’s unwarranted punishment has begun. The British code of justice has won its pound of flesh purely on the basis of manipulation.
AQ ANJUM
Rawalpindi

Micro-screening

Sir: It has been reported that students from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore hve locked horns with the college administration over permission to carry cell phones on campus. One is amazed at the non-issues that command the undivided attention of Kinnaird’s administration. The principal’s job is to ensure that quality education is imparted at the institution and not to morally police the personal lives of these, yes, grownup ‘women’.
SALMAN ARIF
Pittsburgh, USA

Apotheosising everything

Sir: During his visit to Pakistan, British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. The mosque is run by the International Islamic University and its constituent unit called the Dawah Academy. The security arrangement during Blair’s visit created some technical mishap and thereby the Asr Azan could not be made public through loudspeakers on that day. Several critics are turning this into a major issue, questioning the priorities of Dawah Academy, the university and subsequently the government. Whether or not the Azan is telecast on loudspeakers for one day is not a big issue, in fact it should not even merit our concern. Our attention should be focused on real problems such as the plight of the poor and on education. One wonders why we cannot refrain from apotheosising absolutely everything.
GHAZALA YASMIN
Rawalpindi

Good luck!

Sir: US Foreign Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, acknowledging the ‘bloody’ blunders of her government, has begged the world to wait for the facts to come out. I am at a loss to know what kind of message the White House is now working on. How does one lie, kill and offer solace to bereaved families all at once? What will President Bush, in all his eloquence, tell Iraqi and Afghan children who have learned that their parents were brazenly killed by US bombing? Our future is truly dark, considering it is the terrorists who now claim to ‘root out terrorism’. Good luck with that.
BARKATULLAH MARWAT
Kuwait

What the Q!

Sir: The time is fast approaching when General Pervez Musharraf may have to decide to get rid of the Q league in order to advance and eventually achieve his ‘enlightened progressive agenda’. This herd of inept politicians — generally belonging to conservative backgrounds with an inclination towards the Right — neither have the capability nor the will to accomplish this rather ambitious task. The Q league, the King’s League, has proved to be an utter failure. Over four or five years, since Musharraf has had its ‘support’ the league has utterly failed in securing political support for the president. Due to the ineffective, half-hearted political campaign by PML-Q leaders, President Musharraf has either backtracked like he did on the evolving consensus regarding the construction of the Kalabagh Dam or he has had to turn to the opposition as a last resort on the WPB. As a result, most of his agenda still remains unfulfilled, giving birth to the public opinion that if the president has to take care of everything and if he needs to seek likeminded democratic forces — what is the purpose of keeping this league?
SHAHID HUSSAIN QABOOLPURIA
Lahore

Forex posterity

Sir: The present government is spending lavishly: gifting public funds and assets to win the support of those who matter in the up-coming elections. The governments’ economic policies are almost devoid of self-reliance and are primarily based on import-based consumption, industrialisation and non-productive or non-forex earning foreign investment, all of which go in favour of donor countries. These forex liabilities have worsened due to hefty foreign loans that are increasing at an unprecedented rate, far beyond our forex earning capabilities. Foreign loans worth billions of dollars, including $6 billion from WB to purchase aircrafts for the PAF, have been taken with no payback capability in the foreseeable future. How are unprecedented forex liabilities of loans, imports and hefty profit transfers to foreign investors supposed to be met for posterity?
SHAKEEL AKHTAR
Rawalpindi

Caving in

Sir: According to press reports Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is trying his best to persuade the president to allow further amendments in an already watered down Women’s Protection Bill(WPB) and has reportedly asked his cabinet ministers not to issue statements against the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) because it will provoke the party into resigning. If this is the new strategy of the ruling Q league then it is extremely disappointing. If the government tampers with the bill any further it will only alienate the two liberal forces, PPP and MQM. Furthermore, the government’s major achievement will be exposed before the nation and international community as a political gimmick to divide the formidable opposition and turn public attention away from other issues. The government should not cave in and should instead support the present bill, regardless of the MMA’s stance. It has gained the unconditional support of the liberal PPP which has the real backing of the people.
GULSHER PANHWER
Johi

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