Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

What to talk of mango
& citrus, Himachal leads
in apple too

By Daya Sagar
Jammu & Kashmir State has held a status over the decades for being a producer....more

What makes Jayalalitha click?
TALES OF TRAVESTY

By Dr Jitendra Singh
An ironic coincidence. Precisely on the day when R. K. Narayan, the 20th century India's .....more

The donkeys and
the aging lion

By O P Modi
For over fifty years all of them lived happily....more

Pakistan makes
mockery of CTBT

By Wilson Vergheese
What are the possibilities of terrorists gaining.........more

Corporate education
shops
ACADEMIC PULSE

By Prof. S.K. Bhalla
Perhaps a majority of our people are unaware.........more

Deal with Pervez
saves Benazir's skin

By. M.R. Rao
The talk of the town in Islamabad these days is: Why........more

EDITORIAL

LUNCH DIPLOMACY

The two important national figures, Atal Behari Vajpayee and LK Advani. Both are old friends. Both are committed to the Hindutva thought and thrust. And even as both are considered to be the two sides of the same coin, they are not united on all issues. Differences, albeit not serious at all, between the two are natural, as Vajpayee has been classified as a ‘moderate’ in the Sangh Parivar, with Advani apparently enjoying being called a ‘hard-liner’. The talk of some kind of rift between the two has been going on for the last some many months. That the talk is not without a basis has been borne out by the unwillingness of the two stalwarts, all these months, to deny reports vis-à-vis differences between them. ‘Hard-liner’ Advani knows that Vajpayee, though ‘moderate’, can be ruthless while dealing with his opponents. And Vajpayee is also aware that the whole lot of the Sangh Parivar would unleash a storm in the event of any action by him against Advani. Both of them, significantly, have not refuted another set of reports, saying that they are watching each other. "All is fair in love and war", admit both of them, privately, though. No wonder, both of them continue to be watched by others within and outside the Government. And these watchers were not to blame when they, too, played their part in giving currency to rumours of sorts before and after the Prime Minister’s unscheduled lunch with the Home Minister recently. The lunch diplomacy, initiated by the Prime Minister himself, became an open secret at a time when some political and official circles had been found discussing the nature and extent of the Vajpayee-Advani rift. Vajpayee’s "political journey" from his 7, Race Course Road residence to Advani’s C-1/6 Pandara Road residence took place that hot afternoon, shortly after the Home Minister’s wife was contacted on telephone by the Prime Minister. Mr Vajpayee straightaway told Mrs Advani that he was inviting himself over for lunch at their place that day. When Vajpayee rang up Mrs Kamla Advani, the latter’s husband was in his North Block office. LK Advani rushed home after he was informed by his wife about Vajpayee’s "determination" to have his lunch with them. If Vajpayee is a clever man, Advani is cleverer. The latter stood near the outer gate and warmly received Vajpayee. This time, Vajpayee proved himself cleverer by ensuring that he drove to Advani’s residence without the usual hangers-on. Vajpayee had even left behind his Principal Secretary, Brajesh Mishra, and foster son-in-law, Ranjan Bhattacharya. Obviously, Vajpayee wanted to convey to Advani that he (Vajpayee) had chosen to distance himself from the "controversial" persons. The Prime Minister spent more than three hours talking exclusively to his Home Minister. So rare have become these meetings between the BJP’s two top leaders that this particular breaking of the bread became a matter of intense speculation with every political functionary spinning out his version of what happened at the "crucial" lunch. Both Vajpayee and Advani declined to divulge the details of their discussions. Hence, some theories began to do the rounds. One was that it was Vajpayee’s deliberate move to set at rest reports of serious differences between them over the handling of the Tehelka expose. According to another theory, Vajpayee has been worried about the attack on his office by the BJP hard-liners, and more specifically the RSS. He wanted Advani to use his good influence in this area to shackle the critics and allow the Government to function. Third theory said that a variety of matters were discussed. From Kashmir perhaps to the vilification campaign launched against the Prime Minister’s men by the RSS and his own colleagues in the BJP. In the absence of concrete information, it is the political message of the lunch that should have become important. And this is that the two leaders are prepared to talk about their differences, and work together to strengthen the party.

What to talk of mango & citrus, Himachal leads in apple too

By Daya Sagar

Jammu & Kashmir State has held a status over the decades for being a producer of Kashmiri apple. Though Kashmir has been known for walnut and Almond as well but in the Indian market it has been only the apply that has remained associated with Kashmir as far as trade level is concerned. And more so it has been the Ambri Variety of Apple. Very less of Indian market is serviced by Walnut & Almond of J&K origin (Kashmiri Origin) looking at the total trade. These fresh and dry fruit have been a blessing in disguise for those employed in supporting government departments to the Horticulture Industry. A analytical look at the national and international level as regards fresh and dry fruits are concerned would as on date reveal that the investments made by the J&K State in this sector have more benefitted those who have been kept to support this Industry than helping the Industry itself.

Isolated cases of Kashmiri Almond or Walnut could be quoted in export market and looking at the trade quantum of imports of Almonds and Walnuts to India, the data could provide some cosmetic face lift only.

In the Horticulture sector of J&K it is only the Industry in Kashmir Valley that has been publicised and has been given techic-commercial support and there too the apparent success is more for the reasons of type of fruits, local soil & climate than it could be for the reasons of the hardwork of the government machinery. Rather even in Kashmir region that production of Walnut, Almond etc. has not shown any gains proportionate to the material inputs invested by the Government. Position regarding even apple, Walnut and other fruits of the class of the climatic zona similar to or near to that of Kashmir Region is very dismal as regards those falling in Jammu Region (Doda, Udhampur, Poonch, Kathua districts) what to talk of other fruits like orange Kinoo, Nimboo (Lime), mango, grapes etc. that have been totally neglected on the ground.

Even as regards apple, this day, the State of Himachal Pradesh has nearly taken a lead over Kashmir as far as the trade at National level is concerned. A couple of years before apple production in Himachal Pradesh was less than 4 to 5 Lac metric tons per years & in J&K it was claimed to be around 10 Lac metric tons where as today claims are being made in the Indian Market that Himachal Pradesh has acquired almost first position in the Indian Market over J&K; and apple production in India is presently around 15 lac tons only. Even the orchardists in Himachal are very much worried fearing heavy imports from China where annual production of Apple is nearly 200 lac Tons per year. And efforts are being made to force G.O.I. disallow import from China or levy heavy custom duty on the Import from China. This speaks a lot on our in-efficient production infrastructure having failed to increase the production of even apples which has been always over supported over last 3 decades interms of subsidies & development funds from both J&K Government as well as G.O.I And result will be that the Indian Consumer will have to get apple at high price without any justified reasons.

As regards the fruits like Mango & citrus are concerned, Himachal Pradesh has left J&K far behind. For Citrus & Mango, There is not even data to be quoted with anthenticity as regards J&K, where it is only the Jammu Region that can have such orchards. We cannot even quote a few names of Commercial orchards of Citrus or Mango from Jammu Region even for cosmetic look. Himachal Oranges, Kinoo and Mango are sold in J&K market during the seasons in abundance. Himachal has taken over good share for supply of Mango & Orange & Kinoo to J&K from Punjab, U P & Haryana.

It raises many questions on the performance of the government departments engaged in the development & promotion of Horticulture Industry of J&K. Have the fruits like citrus & Mango that could grow in Jammu region been neglected ? Is more priority given to Kashmir Fruits only? Why there is very less commercial production of temperate fruits like Apple Walnut etc of quality from areas falling in Jammu region? Why the production from Kashmir Region too is not appreciable? and like.

It was in eighties I asked the then Director Horticulture the reasons for so poor performance of Horticulture Sector in Jammu Region, particularly in reference to Mango & Orange. And the reply was that as regards development in Apple Industry of Kashmir the credit for success in new orchards should go to Mature since the climate soil & the plant did not need that hard efforts to establish the nursery plant in the orchard & hence the failure being less, the locals are adopting to raising new orchards. Where as, as regards Mango & Citrus the establishment of Nursery Plants in the Orchard is not that easy for first 2 to 3 years in Jammu region due to climate requirement of water and nature of plants that need very careful handling right from the time they are attempted for removing from the nursery to the orchard. Hence the farmers did not get that much encouraged to establish orchards in Jammu region. And ofcourse the government agencies too lacked seriousness and have not been able to motivate and support the people in Jammu region for raising orchards. Now it has been more than 15 years. Since then the position is still the same. Mr. Director had been surely very honest in attributing the success in Kashmir to the nature & God and not to the Horticulture department.

Mango & citrus have been totally neglected in J&K, so much so that in Jammu region the control of diseases and dis-orders born by wild (Desi) mango frees like malformations as well as the bugs & insects have never been attempted for control by the Government and these have been endangering the crops of those daring formers who attempted to raise Mango orchards in Jammu region thereby frustrating them due to failure of these orchards inspite of their using pesticides & fertilizer. Horticulture department should have taken the treatment of these large trees at government cost to start with.

The foliage of Desi (wild) trees in many cases could be as large as 10 times the volumes of a mango tree as raised in commercial Orchards. These Desi trees yield very less fruit, bear bulk of diseases and due to social attachment the villagers don't agree for cutting these trees as well as cutting trees is also prohibited. Height of these trees is also 2 to 3 times commercial mango varieties and even if the local orchardist decides to treat such trees with pesticides to save his commercial orchards, the machinery required does not fall in the reach of the local orchardists of Jammu region in view of the volume of folliage and height of the trees (in many cases), and above all it is much beyond the financial capacity of local Jammu "orchardists."

Almost the work has to be started from ground level in Jammu Region as regards Mango & Citrus fruits are concerned as far as commercial standards are concerned so far the performance of Horticulture Department has been dismal in the sector under reference. The result has been continuing poverty among the rural people of J&K, no commercial recognition to J&K Industry in this regard.

We need to take it very seriously, even J&K Government should not shy in taking the technology, field methods & commercial management techniques from the state of Himachal Pradesh to give immediate start to Mango & Citrus Industry in J&K and the research & development could be carried on to carry further after we atleast reach the level of atleast that of Himachal Pradesh.

Secondly the treatment of indigenous or local or wild Mango trees be taken up at total cost of the government for at least 10 years so that the local Orchardist who dare to raise Mango commercial plantations don't get discouraged due to disease & pest as born by wild trees. Thirdly the Technical staff deployed in the Horticulture department to assigned areas where they need to look after the new plantations of Citrus & mango as being raised by motivated farmers for first 2 to 3 years to secure that the Technology recommended and subsidy extended to Orchardists are not made casually & are just not in routine.

Forthly it is worth while to rather go for a separate Directorate to cover Mango, Citrus & Grapes Orchards in Jammu Region which has lost of potential as well as could improve the economic level of people in District of Jammu, Region, Udhampur, Kathua. The districts of Udhampur, Doda, Kathua & Poonch stand already neglected as regards Apple, & Walnut in comparison to Kashmir Valley where too the Hotriculture Department has been able to save it's skin by the grace to God due to nature of crops & region.

J&K has another department at State level known as Directorate of Horticulture Planning & Marketing. This Department has practically nothing from Horticulture Sector to plan & Market as regards the fruits of Jammu Division are concerned. As regards Kashmir Valley the position stands already discussed earlier. It is alleged that the activity to Horticulture Department remains more occupied in the jobs like procurement of pesticides, equipments, Inputs, construction works etc. than it is for the development, promotion, filed extention, research & technical evaluation.

Department of Horticulture Planning & Marketing does not have much to Handle. The Directorate could be given the job of raising the Cirtus & Mango Sector in the Jammu Region of J&K State. The Job of promotion of Citrus & Mango crops, the treatment of Mango Trees at Department cost, subsidies on the Inputs & the technic-commercial infrastructure support to the sector be brought under the Directorate of Horticulture planning marketing (J&K) so that this department also has some work to do and after a decade we can have some thing to plan and market in Citrus & Mango families as well.

What makes Jayalalitha click?
TALES OF TRAVESTY

By Dr Jitendra Singh

An ironic coincidence. Precisely on the day when R. K. Narayan, the 20th century India's greatest English novelist and author of such immortals as 'The Guide" and "Swami and Friends", breathed his last in a Chennai hospital, the people of the State passed on the political legacy of intellectual - statesmen like C. Rajagopalachari and C. Annadurai to a scam ridden, criminally convicted, former film actress and MGR's heroine turned chief ministerial contender.

Yet, this is not about all when we talk of Jayalalitha. And, this fact is borne out by a number of incidents personally witnessed by this columnist.

A few months ago, we were participating in a Diabetes Awareness programme at the Thousand Lights locality of Chennai which is the address of the prestigious Sacred Heart Convent School. The Sister-Principal of the school took pride in telling us over and over again that Jayalalitha was an ex-student of the school --- notwithstanding all the criminal cases pending against her which could have hardly added to the glory of the school.

Last year, when Jayalalitha was issued summons to appear before the court for one of the several criminal cases pending against her, she immediately contacted her personal doctor who happens to be a senior Chennai based Diabetologist and asked him to issue her a false certificate of illness so that she could avoid the court. Incidentally, Jayalalitha is a patient of Diabetes and this senior Diabetologist --- much to the discomfiture of all of us who were his former students and colleagues --- readily obliged by issuing a false certificate stating that in addition to Diabetes Ms Jayalalitha had developed "Viral Fever" which required her to take rest. The court took a very strong exception to this and warned that in case such a thing was a repeated again, the Hon'ble Judge would order constituting a board of doctors to examine her.

Recently, the Superintendent of Police, who was supervising the security arrangements during an academic meet at Ooty, kept narrating to us his experiences and his fond memories of the years when he was a member of the Madam's security during her earlier term as the Chief Minister.

In other words, Jayalalitha is gifted with the knack to enamour and influence the people who come in her contact. Call it charisma, glamour or anything. But, all those who have known Jaya from closer quarters would rather give the same description of hers. They call her dynamic, they call her assertive, they call her effective. Even if she tends to be autocratic, she wields unchallenged authority in administration unlike the Karunanidhi Government which patronised more than one centres of authority. Unfortunately, in the contemporary Indian polity, assertiveness and authoritarianism are essentially accompanied by corruption as a necessary evil. Hence, Jayalalitha is "corruption personified" and still the people are ready to throw their lot with her and elect her as the Chief Minister. This, indeed, is an inexplicable paradox of 21st century India.

Besides the anti-incumbency factor, there are atleast two other important factors that favoured Jayalalitha against Karunanidhi in the recently concluded elections. First, more than Karunanidhi it is Jayalalitha who has the capacity to assert the regional Tamilian pride against New Delhi and to show the door to any non-Tamilian peer whether it is Atal Behari Vajpayee or Sonia Gandhi. This certainly appeals to an average Tamilian who has never liked to receive diktats from New Delhi's non-Tamilian leadership. Second, unlike Karunanidhi's blue-eyed heir-apparent Stalin, Jaya has no son or daughter to perpetuate and impose a dynastic rule on her people.

Be that as it may, the matter of fact is that Jayalalitha today stands vindicated in the people's court inspite of the numerous criminal cases pending against her. You can blame the people for it but you cannot blame her for it. Whatever the country's intellectuals and opinion-writers might say, the common man has voted his preference in numbers. To use Allama Iqbal's words, "Jamhooriyat Ek Aisi Tarze-Hukoomat Hai Ke Jis Mein, Bandon Ko Gina Jata Hai Tola Nahin Jata". Disillusioned by political chicanery all round, Umapathy has no complaints against Jayalalitha emerging as the victor. Who, then, has the right to ask, "What makes Jayalalitha click?"

The donkeys and the aging lion

By O P Modi

For over fifty years all of them lived happily in beautiful valleys and forests. There were a number of green pastures and crystal clear streams running through their habitat. Besides the asses the jungle was full of other creatures; big and small; carnivorous, omnivorous and herbivorous. The scheming fox made a fool of the donkeys who wanted to become independent of the Lion and rule the jungle themselves. At last an opportunity came their way which they thought could enable them to get hold of the territory by ousting the Lion. Though grown old the Lion still ruled his jungle empire. When he roared no one dared to challenge him yet.

One day one of the donkeys felt unbearable itching on his body. To relieve himself of the irritation he lay on his back on a wet brown mud patch of land in the jungle. After rubbing himself over and over again, against the brown mud, he got up and while he walked towards his kin he came across a fox. The clever fox, jokingly said, "Friend! you look like a lion". On seeing him other donkeys, at first, were frightened. But recoganising his fellow donkey one of them said ," Oh! I thought you were a lion! From where did you get this wonderful dress?". Now the muddy donkey was too elated and when all others of his pack also took him for a lion he could not contain himself. He narrated how he had turned into a lion. He himself started believing that he had become a lion. While he was being closely inspected by his fellow donkeys the leader of the pack got a bright idea. He said, "Brothers we all could don this dress and become lions. We could then make the Lion, the king of the jungle, to run away and leave the jungle for us to rule ever afterwards. Let all of us go to the brown mud patch and do with our bodies what our brother donkey has done."

Then all the donkeys went to the place in the jungle where there was that patch of mud, wet and brown, and rolled over it several times. The sight of so many strange creatures was really frightening. The clever fox quickly understood what the real intention of the donkeys was. She thought if the donkeys get the jungle kingdom from the Lion she would become the real ruler. She knew the Donkeys would be dependent upon her; she feared the Lion very much. She decided to make a bigger fool of the donkeys. So she said "My God! all of you look like lions. Lion the king would simply be frightened away from the jungle; leaving the place to you to rule over all of us".

The donkeys started jumping and kicking the air, making strange noises of joy and hope. "But there is a snag in this plan" said the donkeys’ leader to his pack. "You can never roar like the lion" said he. All the donkeys felt disappointed and depressed. They saw their plan of ruling the creatures of the mighty jungle crumbling like a house of cards. The fox could read the misery on their faces. But she was very cunning. Said she, " My dear fellows I will tell you what to do. If you bray individually you will be exposed and the lions and the tigers will kill you and make an easy feast of all of you. Let all of you bray together and then watch how the lions, the bears and the tigers will be frightened to death. All of them will run away from the forest". The donkeys marveled at the genius of the fox and thanked her.

The strange looking donkeys then got together in a circle with their heads facing outward. On a signal given by the leader they simultaneously yelled with all the force of their lungs. It was a tumultuous but unrecoganisable roar that sent shivers down the spine of every living thing in the jungle. The first impulse of the Lion, the king, was to run away thinking that some terrible monster had entered his kingdom. But the mischievous fox was at hand . She advised the Lion to try to negotiate with the donkeys. Not very sure the old Lion hesitatingly moved towards the spot from where the strange howl was emanating. But after seeing the menacing creatures that the donkeys looked like, he once again thought of abandoning the jungle; his kingdom. He was an old and confused lion.

In the meantime the media got wind of the strange and weird incident in the jungle. Soon journalist and the photographers were heading for the spot from where the donkeys, every now and then, were braying together. On seeing so many media persons focusing their cameras and ready to take note of their statements the asses were not only pleased with themselves but thought that they were going to gain the jungle kingdom pretty soon. The media gave such an intense publicity to the donkeys that even the Lion felt depressed and doubtful of his hold over his empire. The cunning fox again pressed the Lion to hold talks and negotiate a settlement with his adversaries. Her argument was that only the strange looking animals (donkeys) could bring peace and resolve the dispute! But the king could not ignore millions of his subjects who also inhabited the forest.

Despite strong opposition from other subjects the old king offered to talk to the strange looking creatures. But while the talks were about to begin heavy rain and storm lashed the jungle. The mud on the skins of the donkeys quickly washed away and the lion, to his utter surprise, saw that he was negotiating with none else but the donkeys. Regaining his self confidence the Lion roared so loud that the donkeys ran helter-skelter for fear of their lives. Even though other inhabitants of the forest were frightened yet they were happy that at last the law of the jungle had been restored ending the lawlessness in their land.

Pakistan makes mockery of CTBT

By Wilson Vergheese

What are the possibilities of terrorists gaining access to Pakistan's nuclear arsenal? This question has come to agitate the anti-proliferation lobby in the past few months as the Musharraf regime has begun to buckle under the pressure of fundamentalist Sunni groups. The remarks of Benazir Bhutto, a former prime minister of Pakistan now living in self-imposed exile, that her country is fast emerging as the Caliphate, has fuelled more speculation on the shape of things to come. Jessica Stern, an expert on ''Jihadist'' organizations in Pakistan, believes the risk (fundamentalists gaining access to nuclear arsenal) cannot be ruled out. She shared her concern at an international workshop held in Islamabad last month. Surprisingly, the workshop did not attract much media attention in India though leading experts from the US and Europe joined their Pakistani colleagues in the two-day deliberations on 'Nuclear Risk Reduction in South Asia.'' The workshop coincided with two developments of far reaching significance to the Pakistan nuclear programme.

First, Pakistan commissioned its second Nuclear Power Plant at Chashma built with Chinese assistance and announced plans to build a series of nuclear power plants. Kannup, Pakistan's first nuclear power plant, was completed in 1972. The celebrated Pak nuclear scientist Dr Ishaq Ahmed declared that new plants would have less gestation period. ''We are now in a position to build a Nuke power plant in seven years and so we hope to have our third plant very soon'', he has said.

Second, Pakistan has begun to source uranium from a new source, the Congolese rebel groups. How and when the two sides established contacts is not clear but according to my information, eight to nine canisters of uranium isotope 235 have already been sold to Pakistan. Islamabad is said to have paid an exorbitant price indicating that it was desperate. The going rate is put at $150 million to $ 180 million per canister. Like in any clandestine operation, here too, both the seller and the buyer have established a network of conduits. Many of them are of Asian origin, particularly Pakistani descent, settled in Tanzania. They are familiar with the nitty-gritty of uranium trade. These uranium traders have been making offer of uranium isotopes to various interested parties as well.

Nairobi, the Kenyan capital has emerged as the major transit point of the contraband. It is probable, though evidence is yet to surface, that Pakistan established first formal contact with the underground uranium dealer network when Dr A Q Khan, father of Pakistan Bomb, visited Nairobi in March 2000 at the head of a Pakistan delegation.

There is absolutely no doubt that Pakistan is in urgent need of increased supplies of uranium and other atomic fuels as Musharraf government has embarked on massive nuclear power programme (the immediate target is seven plants) and its plans to set up the National Defence Complex (NDC), as the man production facility for nuclear weapons and missiles, are in an advanced stage. The NDC takes over the roles of both the atomic energy commission and Khan's research laboratory. Along with Khan, Ashfaq Ahmed, chairman, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission masterminded the Chagai nuclear blasts in May 1998.

Gen Musharraf has rewarded them suitably. He made them his advisors with the rank of a minister. The Khan-Ahmed duo is not happy to leave their present jobs. But the motive behind the Musharraf action is to keep them and the NDC away from preying eyes since he cannot afford the continued projection of Pakistan as a rouge state, when he is looking for international aid to bail out the economy.

It is public knowledge that Pakistan's nuclear base has been created stealthily leaving a trail all over the western world. How it manages the nuclear process, especially the waste accumulated at facilities, which do not fall under the International Atomic Energy Commission's safeguards, is a matter of concern, according to nuclear scientists. There has been a veil of secrecy on Pak nuclear quest over the years and very little is known to the outside world about the safety aspects and the accidents at any of the Pakistani nuclear reactors and their ancillary establishments.

Against this backdrop, not only he views of Jessica Stern, but also of other speakers particularly on command-control failures voiced at the Islamabad workshop assume importance. Prof Scott D Sagan, of the Centre for Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, presented a paper on the ''Perils of Proliferation in South Asia'' at the session devoted to Command and Control Failures. He traced to history of false warnings and alerts as well as of accidents in the nuclear and missile fields. At the time Pakistan was considering a response to the Indian nuclear tests in May 1998, there was a false alarm about Indo-Israeli pre emption. His Pakistani counterpart readily conceded that military experts in Pakistan lacked both the awareness and the technology to develop effective command and control mechanism on nuclear weapons. In the discussion that followed the hosts agreed that there was asymmetry between India and Pakistan in terms of their goals and arms policies.

The conclusions should make India and other countries up their ante. Because, the experts felt that the low-intensity conflict (LIC) in Kashmir could precipitate a showdown and that had to be averted through nuclear dialogue. The Pakistan speakers emphasized that the imbalance in conventional capability could lead the weaker party to rely more heavily on a nuclear response to a massive conventional attack by Indian forces in the event of a conflict between the two South Asian neighbours.

Given this nuclear orientation of Pakistan defence, the Musharraf regime's readinessed to sign the CTBT and not to link it with New Delhi moves makes a mockery of global non-proliferation effort. (Syndicate)

Corporate education shops
ACADEMIC PULSE

By Prof. S.K. Bhalla

Perhaps a majority of our people are unaware of the lurking dangers of division of Indian society as a result of non-egalitarian school system. The corporate education shops with air-conditioned buildings, five star facilities, unrefundable donations and slim and trim teachers with slang-dominated English conversational skill are paving the way for a societal unrest with large numbers living with a sense of hurt, neglect and a pinching discrimination.

At the dawn of our freedom came two education systems: One, the English medium public schools producing aliens and the other State-run schools. Since the majority of parents have withdrawn themselves as role models the films of today do not promise a homogenous body politic important for shaping a nation.

It is a suicidal self-deception on the part of planners that they look upon education not as a means of transformation of the personality of the child as a responsible citizen but for only having an ability to read and write. But is that education?

Since times immemorial education has been a tool transformation of man's instincts failing which he is likely to be selfish, greedy, agressive and uncooperative. Education was not for merely imparting information as to socialise the young. The life style of teachers and their qualities of head and heart prepared the students for a purposeful community life.

But what do we see today? The City-bred child of today is an unfortunate being with both the parents in a majority of cases working. He/She spends the early childhood in a sophisticated creche and "becomes a stranger to the warmth of the mother's breast". The child remains at the disposal of maid servants and in many cases it has been seen that he/she turns into a juvenile delinquent.

To be precise the educational problem which we are facing today is not that of literacy as our planners' think but the setting-up of a system of a quality of education which will make the child conscious of roots and his rightful place in the society.

In J&K these days it has become fashionable to prefix Quality with education by all not realising the real connotations of the word. Right from computer centres to private operators of ever increasing Colleges of education insist on the word quality to accord respectability to their product. But how for the quality is maintained is open to debate as the private players keep their cards close to their chest. To conclude mass literacy is not education. Non-serious persons should refrain from interfering in the working of academic institutions as the damages of educational negligence have a long range impact. Francis Becon had said "Silence is the Virtue of fools". Let us cry out for rectification in the form of ensuring an egalitarian system of education for our youngsters.

Deal with Pervez saves Benazir's skin

By. M.R. Rao

The talk of the town in Islamabad these days is: Why did Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the dogged fighter, compromise with the Generals and propose to make Pervez Musharraf the President of Pakistan? And why had Nawaz Sharif, in the first place, framed Mr Fifty Percent in his bid to corner Benazir politically?

It is true that commonality of interests has brought the People's Party of Pakistan (PPP) leader, who had earned the nickname Perpetually Pregnant Prime Minister; and the Mohajir General, who seized power in a bloodless coup two years ago. The General is searching for some legitimacy to his rule. And the PPP lady wanted formal rehabilitation of her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who is languishing in jail.

Benazir appears to have taken the initiative for rapprochement with the Army. While it is difficult to fix a date for the contact, it was certain that the first moves were made after Nawaz was exiled to the Saudi capital alongwith his family. He surprised his friends and foes alike by buying peace with the Musharraf regime, after all the brave talk he made from the Attock Fort prison. In fact, there was no reason to suspect that Nawaz was upto something of a deal with the army till the actual announcement came on a holiday. He made Kulsoom Nawaz take over the reins of Pakistan Muslim League (PML— Nawaz faction) and joined forces with arch rival Benazir and the grand old man of opposition politics, Narrullah Khan.

The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) is a formidable combination of bid and small parties. The businessman-turned-politician, obviously used, without hesitation, the potential of the Alliance to unnerve the junta for the eventual trade-off he managed. Nawaz has been a role model to many politicians who are keen on making it big with the least effort. His own PML has produced many Nawaz clones, who are trying to be on the right side of the army junta. That suits the military brass too, which finds in PML an easy prey for creating His Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

Sindh province, particularly its main hub Karachi has been nursing a grievance against Islamabad for years. The federal system of governance has failed to take deep roots in Pakistan due to a variety of reasons. Religion could have been a cementing force, since the country was founded on the basis of two-nation theory. It did not. That is because religion can become the opium of the masses, if only life is normal, not when every day is a struggle for survival for hungry stomachs and parched throats. Successive rulers failed to realize this truism and instead allowed the feudal Punjab dominate all walks of life-government, army etal.

When Musharraf seized power from a discredited regime, people looked upto him for deliverance. Sadly, success has eluded him till date. Economy is refusing to look up. Water shortage has provoked riots almost daily across Balochistan and the Sindh. His decision to push to the backburner the Kalabgh dam has not earned him any brownie points. This project, which has been talked about for decades, would have irrigated more area in Punjab, while denying drinking sater to thirsty Sindh villages.

So, for the General in the driver's seat, an ally like Benazir with roots in the Sindh is something akin to manna. How effective she would prove to be in the long run in containing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Jiya Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (ISQM), which have made common cause, will be interesting to watch. At this point of time, what interests is the fact that Benazir Bhutto needs Musharraf as much as the latter needs her Props to sustain himself and his rule. Over the past few months both have been systematically working at building bridges of understanding. They are also trying to senitise the public opinion, yes very unobtrusively.

The PPP leader took the public position that she would prefer Musharraf any day to Nawaz, certainly after careful deliberation and after sounding her trusted lieutenants. This remark she made in the course of an interview to an Indian journalist a month ago was followed up with some astute moves.

The Bamiyan vandalism indulged in by a desperate Taliban came in handy to Benazir. On the one hand, through a syndicated column (picked up widely by the press in the Indian subcontinent) she projected herself to the Western world as the liberal face around that can save Pakistan from clerics who are out to create a caliphate in her country. On the other hand, she has let it be known to the military ruler that she can be counted upon in his scheme of things for the future and that she is prepared to come back home at short notice, at least by August when the local bodies elections would be over.

Undoubtedly, she counted on the fact that the public memory is short. Otherwise she would have been a little less strident on the Taliban factor. After all, how many remember that it was her government, in its bid to checkmate the army and the ISI that had pampered and promoted the Taliban. Her pitch for the high moral ground has received a boot from an unexpected quarter, rather inadvertently. The MQM, once upon a time an ally of Benazir, cautioned the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) early this month that Pakistan could meet the fate of Bamiyan Buddhas unless rescue act was put in place quickly.

"Unless the world displays necessary resolve to address the systematic destruction of Pakistan civil society and civic institutions, the day shall not be far when every edifice on which Pakistani nation is based goes up in smoke in a manner not dissimilar to the once towering Bamiyan Buddhas, "the MQM delegation told the UNHRC gathering in Geneva, while making out a case for a genuine devolution of power to the provinces and to the grass-root level.

Musharraf has already set in motion his own version of genuine democracy and is holding ‘party-less’ elections to create a new multi-tier power structure from the village to the provincial capitals. While other parties are fiddling the thumbs, Benazir has allowed PPP members to enter the fray. This has helped her achieve two objectives to move closer to her once hate symbol and to part her loyal cadres at a vantage position in the emerging power equation.

The Supreme Court's detailed verdict on April 18, saying the conviction of Benazir and her husband in a corruption case slaped by the Nawaz Sharif regime was not fair came as the crowing glory of the behind-scene efforts to cement the deal between Benazir and Musharraf. Offer of support to Musharraf to become President announced by PPP central executive member Khurshid Shah, is a natural corollary.

His rider- PPP will determine the terms of support and Musharraf must give up plans to give constitutional role to the Army in power-sharing are the politician's bluff to cover an embarrassment. Nothing much should be read into these remarks.

In fact, it is the Supreme Court verdict that takes the lid off the Benazir-Musharraf deal. No fieri facias is needed for Pakistan judges who willingly endear themselves to the executive by taking a fresh oath every time the ruler decrees. One can only pity Abdul Qayyum Malik, the Lahore High Court Judge. He had convicted Benazir and her husband on April 27, 1998 and two days later, on April 30, received the fancied diplomatic passport for himself and his wife from the Nawaz government. Malik's is certainly not an isolated case in Pakistan. Without official connivance, his misdemeanour would not have become talk of the town three years after he helped friend Nawaz Sharif, presently licking wounds in Saudi Arabia.

The judicial imprimatur on Musharraf coup is another classic example of "We- breathe- at-your-pleasure syndrome'. Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan's call to hold general elections before October next year (as directed by the apex court while validating the Musharraf coup) has to be taken with a broad grin and shrug. Whey did he feel necessary to recall the verdict in his foreword to the Supreme Court's annual report?

Like Benazir and like Musharraf, Justice Hasan Khan may be sending a message of reassurance to the outside world. Because, like Benazir, and like Musharraf, he too has a stake in the scheme of things that is taking shape. Till another General comes the way and makes a Malik of him — CNF.