I Think, Therefore I blog

Zardari not trust worthy?

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:28:00 +0000

Cancellation of licence

KARACHI: In his recent interview which was shown on several television channels, our ‘popular’ president categorically stated that he would order the cancellation of the licence given to Air Indus (the airline said to be owned by his sister Faryal Talpur). However, in a national newspaper of January 15, this company had advertised for the opening of pilots and other technical personnel. Should we then assume that (as often said by the president on previous occasions), what he said should be ignored?

Shakir Lakhani
Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2012.

Re-making Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:51:00 +0000

Why remake Pakistan?

In his article, ‘Why remake Pakistan?’ (Jan 14) Ameer Bhutto says, “Besides, if administrative efficiency is the only concern, then smaller administrative units already exist in the form of divisions and districts. All that is needed is to enhance their authority and further empower the existing system of local government”. This is exactly what Pakistan needs. Either divide the whole country into 27 provinces (each division being a province), or give the divisions more authority and empower the system of local government.

But then, our present feudal rulers do not want this. They want to keep the power to decide how to spend the taxes paid by the people, while at the same time exempting themselves from paying taxes. As long as there is taxation without proper representation, there will be no progress. Switzerland, with a population half that of Karachi, has 22 provinces, each with the maximum degree of autonomy. As a result, Switzerland is one of the best-governed countries on the planet.

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, January 17, 2012

Pakistan's president's interview

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:12:00 +0000

President’s interview

There were so many other questions which Hamid Mir could have asked President Zardari. For example, why is it that the rupee always depreciates so much only in a PPP government? Why did his government do nothing to prevent what the president called the ‘weakening of PIA, the Railways and Wapda etc’? Why didn’t the government do anything to raise CNG production during the last four years?

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, January 10, 2012

FBR & missing containers

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:10:00 +0000

Missing containers

KARACHI: This is with reference to the news item “FBR files a dozen more references in missing containers scam” in your issue of January 6.
While appreciating the Federal Board of Revenue’s efforts to punish those involved in the scam, I would like to know why goods meant for Afghanistan (through the Afghan Transit Trade Treaty) can be found in just about every city of the country.
If the FBR administration wants proof of this, all it has to do is to carry out a survey of most major urban markets in the country. And if it wants to clamp down on this blatant misuse of the Afghan Transit Trade rules, it should also arrest some of the traders involved in selling these smuggled items.

Shakir Lakhani
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2012.

Does anyone care?

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:06:00 +0000

Does anyone care?

This is with reference to the news item ‘Brother of MPA gunned down in Karachi’ (December 31, 2011). After Prof Saleem Ahmed Kharal’s murder, who was the brother of PPP lawmaker Naeem Ahmed Kharal in a car-snatching attempt, perhaps the ruling party will devote some attention to the deteriorating law and order in Karachi. But I doubt if anyone at the helm will do anything, as they are seemingly told by their sycophants every day that all is well in the country and all negative news are the media’s conspiracy against the ruling party.

And if the PPP government has not yet noticed the scandalous waste of taxpayers’ money, I can help it. Outside Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s house in DHA, among the six police mobiles permanently stationed there (even when he and his wife are not in Karachi), one van has been rendered completely useless by bird droppings and corrosion. In any other civilised country, the people responsible for such negligence would have been sent to jail, but alas, this being Pakistan, these criminals might instead be promoted.

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, January 3, 2012

Mr. Jinnah's "grandson"

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:06:00 +0000

Mr Jinnah’s ‘grandson’

Sir: I was shocked to see on a private television channel a man by the name of Muhammad Aslam Jinnah claiming to be Mr Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s ‘nawaasa’ (maternal grandson). The man was speaking flawless Urdu and was treated like a VIP by the anchor and others present on his show. According to many sources, Mr Aslam is an impostor because the Quaid had only one child — a daughter named Dina, who married Neville Wadia from India. Any maternal grandson or granddaughter of the Quaid would therefore have the surname Wadia and not Jinnah. I also heard that Mr Aslam is being paid a stipend by the government for being the ‘Quaid’s maternal grandson’. I did not know that it was so easy to cheat the government. Obviously, those who invited this man on the television programme have never read a biography of the great founder of the nation, otherwise they would never have been given so much importance to anyone alleging to be related to our great leader contrary to the evidence and statements of the real family members of Mr Jinnah.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in Daily Times, December 28, 2011

Make Veena Malik Pakistan's information minister!

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:09:00 +0000

KARACHI: The prime minister should have immediately accepted Firdous Ashiq Awan’s resignation as information minister. Instead, the government should have appointed Veena Malik as information minister since she would probably be able to do a far better job than all those who have preceded her.

Shakir Lakhani
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2011.

Crisis in Pakistan and lack of governance

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:36:00 +0000

Crisis in Pakistan

26 December 2011

This is in response to the editorial, ‘Crisis in Pakistan’ (Dec 25). If the present government had devoted its attention towards improving the lot of the people, rather than trying to stay put in power, it wouldn’t have found itself in such a precarious situation today.

Rather than learning from their mistakes, however, the ministers will continue to indulge in loot and plunder — until the masses vote them out of office.

Shakir Lakhani
Published in Khaleej Times, 26 December 2011

DHA's waste of taxpayers' money

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:39:00 +0000

Karachi DHA affairs

I have long been convinced that there are government officials whose only job is to find new ways of wasting our tax money. Take Karachi’s DHA, for instance. Here, for the past week, road dividers on many roads are being demolished and new ones are being built to replace them.
I have tried hard to find why this is necessary. There is nothing wrong with the existing dividers, except perhaps they require fresh paint. Yet a lot of money is being spent on breaking and replacing them.
The irony is that there are no dividers on many DHA roads. The portion of Khayaban-i-Shaheen in Phase VIII, for instance, urgently needs dividers to prevent more head-on collisions (there is at least one every fortnight). Only a really horrible accident involving some VVIP’s relatives will persuade the DHA to spend money where it is really needed.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in DAWN, December 22,2011

Bank robberies & our "efficient" police

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:34:00 +0000

Rampant bank robberies

This is with reference to your editorial ‘Rampant bank robberies’ (Dec 15). Your query about what good is the taxpayer-funded police force if it cannot track down the criminals despite the clear CCTV footage.
I think you are being rather too harsh on the police force, one-third of which is always on VVIP protection duty, another third is always on sick leave, and the remainder is either absent or indulging in gossip.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in DAWN, December 22,2011

Male:female ratio in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:14:00 +0000

Population: male-female ratio

THIS is with reference to the letter ‘Population bomb and social maladies’ by Abaidur Rehman (Dec 13). According to the writer, one reason for over-population is ‘gender preference in favour of a male child.’
This is not always so. I have worked with Baloch and Pashtuns for many years and have observed that a female child is also valued in these two communities, principally because the male-female ratio has increased over the years.
In such groups, when the girl is ready for marriage, she is given away in marriage to the highest dowry bidder. Many of my workers have had to go and work in the Middle East for two or three years to earn the dowry demanded by their future fathers-in-law.
And contrary to popular belief, the male-female ratio in the country is 100:90 (meaning that for 100 Pakistani men, there are only 90 women). In the years to come, this will prove to be a major social problem.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in DAWN, December 26, 2011

Dynastic politics

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:11:00 +0000

Dynastic politics

I cannot understand how Aitzaz Ahsan, Amin Fahim, Sherry Rehman and Raza Rabbani can remain silent when they see an inexperienced youth like Bilawal Zardari being foisted upon them to head the party. Apparently there is no one in the PPP who has the guts to stand up and say enough is enough!

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, December 15, 2011

Veena Malik conspiracy

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Veenagate

KARACHI: Trust the Indians to spoil everything. We were fully occupied trying to find out the truth about memogate and the killing of our soldiers, and now we have nothing else to talk about but Veena Malik. Could it be one of those heinous Indian conspiracies engineered by RAW to take our minds off more pressing matters?

Shakir Lakhani
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2011.

Allowing women drivers in Saudi Arabia will be 'end of virginity'!

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:26:00 +0000

I've always known that most Pakistani Islamic scholars have below-average IQ, but I didn't know that Saudi mullahs were such morons. According to The Telegraph, London, academics at the Majlis al-Ifta' al-A'ala, which is Saudi Arabia's highest religious council, said the relaxation of the rules would inevitably lead to “no more virgins”. Just how would a woman lose her virginity if she were allowed to drive a car is not explained. All the scholars agreed that in those countries where women drove, promiscuity is rampant.
Moreover, the mullahs claimed, "allowing women to drive would "provoke a surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce". I don't think they meant male homosexuality, which has been practiced all over the world for thousands of years. As for pornography, it has probably been there since before homosexuality. If the mullahs meant "lesbianism" (female homosexuality), they didn't explain how driving by women would promote it. I wish they'd have been more explicit about this. I don't think female homosexuality has ever been a problem in the Muslim world. In all the Islamic literature I've read, I've never come across it. The reason could be that most Muslim women were married before puberty (this still happens in most parts of Pakistan and most Muslim countries). So even if there were lesbians, they'd have a tough time finding partners to satisfy themselves.

Double water charges!

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:27:00 +0000

Water meters: some suggestions

THIS is with reference to the letter ‘Water meters’ (Nov 25) by Rauf Karim. It would be very good if the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board installed water meters in every building in Karachi.
However, at the moment it is not practical since most apartments in multi-storeyed buildings are supplied water from an overhead tank through a common vertical line.
According to the ridiculous billing system in vogue, four people living in a two-bedroom apartment are charged less than two people living in a three or four-bedroom apartment (since the water tariff is based on the covered area of the apartment).
As a result, people living in apartments are paying less than a third of what they would if supplied water through meters.
It is necessary for the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to immediately demand that all
flat owners should arrange individual piping to incorporate water meters.
Until this is done, the water tariff should either be based on the number of people living in the apartments, or if this is not feasible, water charges per square foot should at least be doubled.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in DAWN, December 4,2011

THIS

We can do without U.S. "aid"!

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:24:00 +0000

December 5, 2011
US assistance
Sir: This is with reference to Awais Hasan’s letter, ‘Without US assistance’ (Daily Times, November 30, 2011). Over the last 10 years, the US has given $ 2 billion a year in aid to Pakistan and that translates to around $ 12 annually for every Pakistani. On the other hand, the American aid to Israel, which has a population of eight million, is $ 3 billion a year and amounts to $ 375 a year for every Israeli. Each citizen of Israel, therefore, gets more than 30 times the aid given to each citizen of Pakistan.

But this is not all! It is no secret that most of the aid given by the US to Pakistan is of no benefit for the common man. The aid, which is conditional upon using American consultants and equipment, together with other demands amounts to about 70 percent of the total aid amount. From the rest, a good chunk is siphoned away to private bank accounts leaving about 10 percent for the common man. So it is the US that benefits the most from the aid that it gives. Should we continue taking aid from the US, since it is not really aid considering that it has to be repaid with interest? The only losers — in case we stop taking American aid — will be the American consultants and industries.

In fact, the best thing to happen to us would be if the US stopped giving us aid. If it really wants to help us and considering what we have sacrificed to fight the war on terror, it should write off all the so-called aid that it has given us.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi

Dark deeds

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:19:00 +0000

Dark deals

With reference to your editorial ‘Dark deals’ (November 25) in which it is written, ‘...They are about the misuse of public money and wrongdoing by people whose chief responsibility should be to serve the people they represent’. Sir, that’s the last thing on the minds of our elected representatives. They are not in the assemblies to serve the people. Their sole aim is to amass as much money as possible before they are booted out.

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, November 26, 2011

Ban on "obscene words"

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 08:16:00 +0000

Obscene ban

With reference to your editorial ‘Obscene ban’ (November 23), we should be glad that the person who came up with this hare-brained scheme didn’t ask the PTCL and other cell-phone companies to prevent Muslim women from receiving telephone calls from men who are not close relatives.

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, Friday, November 25, 2011

Indian and Pakistani superstitions re. women

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I was once a witness at a meeting to decide the date of marriage of a couple. When the date was agreed, the groom's brother told the girl's father that he should ensure that his daughter stayed at home until the day of the wedding. I was incredulous. "How can she stay confined at her home for two months? What if she has to go to a dentist or something?". Both the girl's father and the groom's brother gave me dirty looks. "It's a religious custom, about which you seem to know nothing," I was told. Later, I asked my father about this strange custom. "Back when people lived in small villages, most men had deadly enemies who would do anything to disrupt a ceremony," my father explained. "So it was necessary to protect the bride from being kidnapped. Even if she had to go to the toilet (which was a few yards away from the house), she had to be accompanied by at least two women." I could understand why the mother and sister of a Pakistani bride-to-be in the rural areas had to stand outside the bathroom whenever she was there, but I couldn't understand why this was necessary in a three-bedroom flat in the city!
Then there are other superstitions involving women (meant solely to keep women within their houses). During a solar eclipse, a pregnant woman should not venture out of her house. The obvious reason for this was that during a solar eclipse, there is a lot of commotion and panic, and women are likely to get hurt. But in the subcontinent it is assumed that it is part of all religions.
The cleaning woman who works for us asked a pregnant neighbour to keep a picture of a beautiful woman or a handsome man by her bedside and look at both the pictures many times a day. "That way, your baby will be fair and very pretty". I thought this very strange, because the pregnant woman was black and married to a black man!

Banning "Jesus Christ" in Pakistan!

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:59:00 +0000

I always knew that Pakistan was run by morons, and the latest attempt by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to ban what it considers "obscene words" proves it. I also know that these nincompoops have practically nothing to do all day, so one of them came up with the bright idea of asking cell phone companies to block messages which contain the so-called "obscene" words (among which, strangely enough, is "Jesus Christ").
Now every mullah I know has emphasized that the names of the prophets are sacred, and one must utter their names with respect. So how did this hare-brained person come to the conclusion that "Jesus Christ" is an obscene word?
There are of course more words in the list which defy logic. "Tongue" and "fairy", for instance are words in everyday use, but these two are also in the list of obscene words.
I wish the newspapers would do some research on the man who thought up this bizzare scheme. Maybe they'll find out why this chap turned out to be like someone who should have been strangled at birth (I hope "strangle" is not a word he considers obscene!).

An Indian who speaks the truth

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:53:00 +0000

SPEAKING THE TRUTH

11 November 2011

It’s heartening to note that there is one courageous Indian who has the guts to say what Indians need to be told again and again. “Eighty per cent of the people are living in horrible poverty, unemployment, facing price rise, healthcare,” said ex-Supreme Court Judge, Markandey Katju.
The country’s leaders are only fooling themselves by projecting a false picture and calling it “Shining India”. They should try to reduce hunger and poverty in India before trying to achieve superpower status for their country. For a start, the two billion dollars India gives to Afghanistan every year should be spent to alleviate poverty in India.

Shakir Lakhani

Imran Khan's future

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:33:00 +0000

KARACHI: This is with reference to Ejaz Haider’s article of November 2 titled “The future remains unlimited”. Asghar Khan was also expected to win many seats but he didn’t win any, although he appeared to be as popular then as Imran Khan is today. I don’t think Imran can win more than 20 seats. He is virtually unknown in Sindh and Balochistan. And it will take many years for him to win enough seats to form a government. In the meantime, he is needed today to keep the government uneasy.

Shakir Lakhani
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3, 2011.

The leopard can't change his spots

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:30:00 +0000

Leopard’s spots

WITH reference to the news item ‘Karzai backtracks on remarks’ (Oct 25), we should not be surprised. One day, Pakistan is Afghanistan’s ‘twin brother’, the next day ‘Afghanistan would side with Pakistan in case it is attacked by the US or India’, and then it is said that ‘remarks were misinterpreted’.
As they say, the leopard cannot change its spots.

SHAKIR LAKHANI
Karachi
Published in DAWN, October 31, 2011

Say no to nuclear energy!

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:57:00 +0000

No nuclear energy, please

This is with reference to your editorial, ‘Kannup’s fate’ (Oct 22). I was a final year engineering student in 1966 and as part of my subject ‘nuclear power’ I studied the then under-construction Kannup project.
I distinctly remember that this plant was designed to produce 137 megawatts. I also remember that in its initial years it used to produce 132 megawatts. How is it that nowadays it can produce only 80 megawatts and that too sporadically and with many breakdowns every year? I agree with you that the plant should be decommissioned, but I do not subscribe to the view that more nuclear power plants should be built in the country. Nuclear energy is lethal and can play havoc with the environment in case of natural disasters or human errors, as the recent tsunami-struck plants in Japan have proved.
It’s time now to invest in solar and wind energy, for which we can turn to China, which has vast experience in both these fields.

A Citizen
Karachi
Published in DAWN under a pseudonym on October 31, 2011

Unlimited corruption

noreply@blogger.com (Shakir Lakhani) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:48:00 +0000

NICL again

With reference to your editorial ‘NICL again’ (October 27), even if all your questions have answers, nothing can be done. Even if the Supreme Court takes action against the DG FIA and sentences him to a term in jail, the president has the power to pardon the convict (as he did in the case of ‘Doctor’ Rehman Malik). Moreover, Moonis Elahi is no ordinary man. His father and other Muslim League-Q leaders apparently joined the PPP-led coalition government – which needed them to secure the required number of legislators to survive – so they could ensure Elahi’s freedom.
It is also obvious that our illiterate voters will bring back the same people into power. No wonder democracy has failed in Pakistan. Unless our electorate comprises of educated people, there is no hope for the country.

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi
Published in The News, October 29, 2011