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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

Reality overtakes art

Sir: Why does it not surprise one that the latest Ajoka play ‘Burkavaganza’ has been banned? What one thing do the gun-totting, danda-wielding, female defenders of the faith patrolling the capital city, the chastely encased Florence Nightingales in Mayo hospital, and sweating policewomen on the roads have in common? You have guessed it. Reality has well and truly overtaken art — in this instance a play described by some as ‘over the top’. I for one am delighted and feel privileged that I got to see a performance. With its superbly witty wordplay, brilliant choreography, and sheer theatrical verve and innovativeness, ‘Burkavaganza’ eloquently demonstrated how art tears off the multitude of veils which shroud social injustice, intolerance and sanctimonious humbug in Pakistan today. Shahid Mahmood Nadeem like all fine artists has shown us how the closest neighbour of the grotesque and ultimately tragic is the outrageousness of farce. I salute the Ajoka team for their courage and performative panache, and can say only one thing to the writer and director: “No more plays, please — your writing is prophetic!”
SHAISTA SONNU SIRAJUDDIN
Lahore

Ban on ‘Burqavaganza’

Sir: The decision by the government to ban the play ‘Burqavaganza’ by the Ajoka theatre group is highly deplorable. It not only goes against freedom of expression, protected by the Constitution, but also against Musharraf’s slogan of enlightened moderation. Plays as a form of art represent the crude realities of life and the problems within society. Banning them won’t change the reality. The government must make decisions in the larger interest of the people, instead of pandering to a particular group of people, in this case, the religious right.
RAZIQ HUSSAIN
Wah Cantt

Ban on ‘Burqavaganza’ II

Sir: The misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan is not yet over. A lady from a conservative religious party yesterday demanded the filing of a case against the organisers of ‘Burqavaganza’, a play staged in Lahore, “because of the group’s alleged attempt to ‘ridicule burqa’.” This effort to link the play with religious matters needs to be strongly condemned here and now. This is exactly what the civil society and progressive citizens of this country have feared and warned against. Since Talibanisation boomeranged on us after Zia-ul Haq’s myopic experiments, some politicians and religious figures have shown a tendency to force their interpretation of Islam on Pakistan. Even more worryingly, this statement from a rightwing politician may have exposed the organisers of the mentioned play to danger.
MOHAMMAD ASIF
Lahore

Anti-Polio campaign

Sir: Reportedly the parents of about 4,000 children in Swat have refused to let their children have Polio drops during a three-day anti-polio campaign which ended on Thursday. The campaign was thwarted by local clerics, who through radio announcements and sermons in mosques sought to convince parents that Western countries are using Polio drops as a tool to make the next generation of Muslims sexually impotent. At least 2,400 people refused on the first day of the campaign. The maulana who is masterminding this campaign has acquired a stronghold in Swat and continues to brainwash locals with his radio channel, Maulana Radio.

The hapless citizens of Swat continue to be fooled and coerced due to the area’s lack of development and education. Something must be done. The authorities should launch a counter-campaign to educate the masses about the efficacy of anti-Polio vaccinations. The Polio stricken children of these areas will be a burden on themselves as well as the nation.
HUSNARA JAMIL
Swat

Money matters

Sir: The late ZA Bhutto made a mistake by nationalising industries when communism and socialism were dying. The bad economic decisions taken by PPP have damaged Pakistan greatly. Now a deal seems imminent between the government and the PPP. The people are entitled to ask whether Benazir Bhutto is only interested in such a deal to safeguard her wealth. Let’s reject seasoned looters and elect new educated, honest, and visionary leadership for our country.
HAYAT MALICK
Lahore

Aaj Kal’s launch

Sir: The announcement of launching an Urdu paper called Aaj Kal by the Daily Times’ team is very welcome. There is a clear difference between the English and Urdu press in Pakistan, based on language. Urdu paper readers are also much greater in number than English readers. It is hoped that the paper will be progressive and rationalistic in its point of view. Almost one and a half years ago, a letter writer praised Daily Times for its reporting on Kala Bagh Dam, calling it the Pakistan Times of the “post-communist” world. Will Aaj Kal be a post-communist world’s Imroze? Only time will tell.
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL KHAN
Islamabad

Restricted media

Sir: The show-cause notice by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to a private TV channel of Pakistan, which focused on the judicial crisis in its various programmes, is condemnable and a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression. Can the people of Pakistan be compelled to believe whatever their government wishes to portray? The action that Pemra has taken is merely an attempt to put pressure on the press. The president of the Divisional Union of Journalists has rightly stated that no democratic policy can flourish by curtailing freedom of information.
SHAIROSE ABDUS SALAM
Karachi.

Congestion at Lahore Airport

Sir: On Wednesday 25 April, lack of space at the immigration and security counters and departure lounge delayed passengers travelling out of Lahore Airport for various international destinations. This situation has prevailed for the last few years and is becoming more acute every day. The fact is that the original plan and design of Allama Iqbal International Airport envisaged almost 100% more covered area in domestic and international departure/arrival and check-in areas to cater for expansion in traffic. In the last decade Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar have become major hubs since they conveniently fall in airspace that offers shorter, more economical routes from Asia to Europe over former USSR territorial airspace. In spite of this, authorities in Islamabad slashed the design plan at Lahore by more than 57%, while they continue to delay construction of Islamabad Airport and expansion at Peshawar on flimsy pretexts.

Perhaps the individual airports at major cities need to be run by independent bodies, so they can reinvest funds generated by revenues in their development. It is time that commercial sense and consumer rights prevail over political biases and vested interests. Lahore airport badly needs expansion in its international departure and arrival lounges, along with construction of a cargo village and minimal hangar space for maintenance facilities. There is no shortage of land.
SHAHZAD KHALIL
Peshawar

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