Mr. Abid Sher Ali, MNA head of National Assembly Standing Committee for Education has now issued a statement that he would get the verification process initiated for all government departments including the Defence Forces. Being a retired Army soldier one can say with complete confidence that this is already being done religiously in Pakistan Army for all cadres. Verification of educational certificates/degrees is in vogue for officers’ induction since long and after raising the standard to ‘Matric” as the pre-requisite for induction as a soldier, the process has become a routine for soldier entry as well. Under matrics can join as cooks and tradesmen only but their middle standard certificates are verified from respective DEOs. Government approved Army Instructions are applied consistently and every certificate (for officer/soldier entry) is verified from the respective Educational Board/University. Fake certificate/degree holders are thrown out instantly and made to pay back the amounts spent on/paid to them (Isn’t it a discrimination that those who set the rules violate it deliberately and others are made to account for their misdeeds insistently?) In certain cases defaulters with pretty long service have also been discharged. (And this despite the fact that the most of the candidates aspiring to join the Army as Officers/Other Ranks come from low middle to poor classes of the society). Mr. Abid Sher Ali may verify this from the Army Headquarters but CAN HE ensure the same treatment which Army administers to the defaulters, to his colleagues?
Akhtar Nawaz Janjua
Rawalpindi
Killings in Karachi
This endless spate of target killings in Karachi must stop now through effective crime control, instead of the half-hearted measures that we have been witnessing for the past few years. No political party or group should be allowed to play politics on the dead bodies of innocent citizens. The problem is with those who consider this to be a political issue, which it is not. This is a purely criminal matter. Mere legislation does not control crime. It serves as a catalyst if criminal gangs are perceived to openly defy the law and evade judicial punishment. Crime can be controlled by awarding severe punishment to criminals. Even in the developed world with all its sophisticated electronic surveillance, it is effective policing, followed by prosecution, which serves as a deterrent. It is very unfortunate that Sindh’s interior ministry has failed and so have the chief minister, the governor and the three major political stakeholders. Nobody should have the right to indulge in ethnic or sectarian cleansing, which is what is being done through target killings in Karachi. The only solution is to enforce the writ of law.
Malik T Ali
Lahore
From personal funds
Congratulations to our young cricket team, and the (tour) management for earning (as a bonus), Rs5 lac and Rs2.5 lac each, respectively, thanks to the chairman PCB’s large-heartedness. One is sure that the donation must have come from the chairman’s personal funds. Or does he have the authority to squander public money on such pursuits? That is, to give a reward for a performance which is considered as the expected responsibility of a team and for which it is more than adequately compensated anyway. Financially and otherwise. And yes, congratulations also on winning the match against Australia. May the same commendable performance follow against England as well. I hope the PCB chairman has enough funds at his disposal to continue with his largesse.
Mazhar Abbas
Rawalpindi
We stand by you, Mian Iftikhar
The information minister of Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, deserves all the praise for he has valorously confronted the menace of terrorism and remained steadfast. I salute him for his courage. He is the most courageous and brave minister who has openly spoken against militants and condemned terrorism at all forums. He is the most fierce and strong critic of militants and terrorism. Throughout, the people of KP have seen him instantly arriving at the site of a terrorist attack, reaching out to the victims in hospitals and to their families, assuaging their concerns, and announcing government support for them. He has always been sympathetic. He has sacrificed his only son for the cause of the nation and has put his own life at risk despite being aware of the severe implications. Despite the assassination of his son at the hands of militants and later the death of some relatives in a suicide blast outside his residence, he continues to stand against the merciless terrorists.
Our words cannot express how sorry we are for his loss. While the loss of a loved one is never easy, even when anticipated, it is undoubtedly the hardest blow. We assure Mian Iftikhar Hussain of our sincere support. He stood by us through thick and thin, unfavourable circumstances, we stand by him and we will continue to do so whatever may come.
Badar ul Islam
Islamabad
The HEC’s mandate
As a member of the Higher Education Commission, I wish to express my full support for the principled stand of the HEC about its being the only mandatory body responsible for certifying the authenticity of post-secondary (i.e. university) degrees. I also condemn the unethical tactics being employed to pressurise the HEC chairman, Dr Javaid Laghari. The HEC must follow the ruling of the Supreme Court and act speedily. All the relevant records should be immediately sealed for fear of corruption or destruction of data, and help of external experts and civil society persons should be sought. To reinforce its credibility, ensure transparency and avoid conflicting press reports, the HEC should henceforth consider posting updated details of its work on its website. This should include the instructions given by the HEC to universities while also updating the progress of each university on the website. A time-line for the progress and completion of the work by presenting it to the Election Commission and the Standing Committee on Education is essential and should also be displayed on the HEC website. Finally, I view with great concern the recent reports that both the education and law ministries wish to be involved. This is uncalled for given the mandate of the HEC. The HEC and universities are responsible to the community, society and the nation at large in providing information in a timely manner about the verification of degrees. It is for the Election Commission to take necessary action against those found guilty.
Noorjehan Bilgrami
Karachi
A wise decision
The recent appointment of the head of the Competition Commission of Pakistan is an edifying decision. I had feared that some bureaucrat, or worse, a politician, with not a clue about competition policy would be the head. I am delighted and relieved, in fact, all the more so because the new head is a woman. The government deserves the credit and I commend it. All that remains to be done now is to let her do her job and back her up, starting with turning the CCP Ordinance into a law. The people of Pakistan have put up with anti-competitive abuse for too long. They need a break in the form of a powerful but fair institution that serves their interests.
Meekal Ahmed
Chantilly, VA
CSS exams: a suggestion
The well-being of a nation depends on how well it channelises the potential of its youth. Unfortunately, the case in our society is different; CSS examination forms a case in point. I have a few suggestions to make. The exam should be made uniform. There should be an initial screening of candidates patterned on the GRE exam. Optional subjects should be done away with while compulsory subjects, like the general paper on linguistics, history, geography and philosophy, should be increased. There is a lot of injustice in the marking of optional papers. Where merit rules, the role of luck is minimised. Candidates who pass the exam but remain unassigned must be given a chance. The age limit should be relaxed to at least 32 years while the attempt restriction needs to be relaxed to five times so that we may have better and committed officers.
Dr Altaf Salyana
Lahore
Encouraging high achievers
In the past few years Pakistan has seen a decline in the field of sports; we have a remarkable history and have been world champions in hockey, cricket and squash but now our teams are losing the spirit and excellence. A private cellular company has recently recognised Naseem Hameed (the fastest woman in South Asia and the only woman to win a gold medal in the South Asian Games) by appointing her as one of its brand ambassadors. A musical video was also launched to highlight her childhood life and how she became the fastest athlete. I think this is a very positive move and needs to be appreciated and replicated for other sporting activities too. The video also shows the passionate support provided to Naseem Hameed by her family.
Irfan Ali
Lahore
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