Pakistan again at crossroads

APROPOS of Mr Hari Jaisingh’s September 17 article (“Pakistan again at the crossroads: India should control dialogue impulse”), the Kargil misadventure has made Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s position highly precarious. True, Pakistan is on the threshold of another military coup.

Sensible Pakistanis are getting increasingly worried about Talibanisation of Pakistan which means that it will have to depend on a heady but dangerous mix of Islam and militancy. Religious bigotry that has come to be associated with the Taliban can itself prove to be a constricting influence on the growth of a new nation; automatic arms, bought with drug money, can keep Pakistan absorbed, causing greater uncertainty. Its rulers will not know how to handle it.

Mr Nawaz Sharif’s playing Islam is unlikely to help him; the militants will outplay him on their turf. Unchecked, religion and militancy, roughly called Talibanisation, could create a new situation that should be of concern to the USA and China and, in a way, to India, perhaps believing that a stable Pakistan is in the interest of not only Pakistan but also India.

After 52 years of existence, our neighbour is still trying to look for an identity particularly after 1971 when Islam could not keep Pakistan united under one flag. Army rule for over two decades further sapped the confidence of the country. Its continued dependence on the USA and China might have given it a sense of security and military hardware, but no inner strength. This lack of self- confidence and uncertainty about its future is at the root of Pakistan’s continuing feeling of insecurity and many of its policies, including repeated confrontation with India. Exaggerated fears about this country led Pakistan to go on for nuclear weapons but despite its arsenal, Islamabad is feeling unsure of itself. How does one save a country from itself?

Under the present circumstances can Mr Nawaz Sharif make a fundamental departure from his negotiating stance on Kashmir? Would he be in a position to accept a compartmentalised proposal of strategic restraint from India which could cause security concerns to Pakistan? Will the military establishment, the Islam-pasand parties of Pakistan and the PPP allow him the liberty of adopting a practical problem-solving approach towards India? The answers to these questions are likely to be negative.

Pakistan’s friends have now started to regard it as a “failed state”. And once it collapses, no one would be able to handle the splinters — not the United States or China not even India. The author rightly urges India to negotiate with caution, controlling “dialogue impulse”. I am, however, of the view that New Delhi should sit back and think about the emerging situation in Pakistan. Maybe it has no option but just wait and see. It will, however, have to guard itself against Pakistan’s transborder adventures.

K.M. VASHISHT
Mansa

UN & HUMAN RIGHTS: Mr Jaisingh points out: “We must make clear to Pakistan that it has to pay a price for unleashing the Taliban on this country.” India is not the only country where Pakistan is letting loose terrorism, but it is involved in Islamic militancy elsewhere in the world too.

Pakistan-sponsored Taliban have infringed human rights in Afghanistan. There, women are the worst sufferers. Even the right to education is reported to have been denied to Afghan women.

Where are human rights activists? Where are women’s liberators? They seem to have become dummies before the threats of Islamic fundamentalists. Their silence sends a message loud and clear that they are unable to act. They strike only at soft targets.

The hard-hit women’s sufferings call for immediate and effective steps. Either the organisations of human rights and women liberation act, and act early and effectively, or close down their “shops”.

The UN seems to have turned a deaf ear towards the incidents of violation of women’s human rights. Terrorism has become a world problem. Like-minded countries ought to put their heads and souls together to wipe out terrorism from the face of our big, bright and beautiful earth. Sanctions should be imposed against erring countries that perpetrate acts of terrorism on others’ soil.

IQBAL SINGH
Bijhari (Hamirpur)

WHY A SOFT STATE?: It is only “half truth” that Pakistan’s entire global perspective revolves around “hate India”. The “full truth” is that Pakistan is involved in Islamic militancy all over the world. This fact has also been accepted in the article. The USA, China and specially Russia are all victims of Islamic fundamentalism and militancy, in which Pakistan has its due share.

Since India is Pakistan’s next-door neighbour, a soft state and speaks the language of Nehrus and Gujrals, we suffered the most at the hands of Pakistan. We must understand that Pakistan is a true Islamic state, and its primary aim is to spread Islam throughout the world by all possible means, including terrorism and militancy.

Since India has too many Nehrus and Gujrals, Mr Vajpayee also started with a friendship bus to Lahore, to shut the mouth of those who chant peace and friendship with Pakistan at all costs. But once again it proved to be a futile exercise. We, however, spoke the language in Kargil which Pakistan understands.

Mr Vajpayee should ensure that India ceases to be a soft state, for which some hard measures would be required. One of the most important measures would be to make India militarily very strong so that Pakistan does not dare to repeat Kargil like mischief.

ANAND PRAKASH
Panchkula

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Recession in Punjab

Until a decade ago, the Punjab Industry was at its zenith. Punjab was also one of the prosperous states then. A major recession in the share market in 1991-92 weakened its economic structure like in many other states. The Congress’ globalisation policy has opened the floodgates for foreign products and companies, leaving the home-made products to rot.

Over and above, a long spell of terrorism has also worked for its deterioration. Consequently, industry has lost a lot of strength within the country. Sluggish exports have also hit it hard.

Sad to say, the Punjab government is also in a serious debt-trap and hence unable to help its industry to come out of the financial crisis. Overloaded with debt are also farmers, who have been repeatedly thrashed by the rot-caused crop failure for the past two-three years.

There are two other reasons too: our craze for foreign products and a negative attitude towards home-made products.

The electronic and print media have failed to highlight the crisis in detail. It is time the government formed a committee to find out the reasons, and arranged industrial exhibitions all over the India as well as abroad. A grant from the centre would be highly appreciated.

TARUNDEEP AGGARWAL
Chandigarh

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Punjab pensioners

This refers to “Punjab government’s clarification on medical bills” (January 2) in which it has been stated that “Keeping in view the government’s commitment to the welfare of its employees and pensioners, the state government has fixed the medical allowance of Rs 250 per month instead of Rs 150 per month with effect from January 1, 1998, without any option, as recommended by the Pay Commission”. Simultaneously, the reimbursement of outdoor treatment expenses for chronic diseases was stopped.

Is this an act of welfare? The retired persons suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension require regular outdoor treatment, which facility has been withdrawn. To quote an instance, the price of insulin has recently been hiked by Rs 22.50 per vial. Thus the expenses on insulin alone have increased by Rs 360 p.m.

The Punjab government should think about the plight of pensioners in this year of senior citizens by announcing a list of chronic diseases and order the reimbursement of the expenses incurred on outdoor hospital treatment.

PADAMJIT SINGH
Mohali