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Letter To Editor
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Alcohol fills gaps |
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Clemente Ferrer |
Alcoholic beverages promotion is one of the most debated and controversial issues of advertising legislation. It is true that advertising bans are justified by the legislator in order to protect the health and safety of people. Thus, indiscriminate consumption is avoided.
Alcohol caused 12,000 deaths last year. "Alcohol abuse creates more health problems than drugs". The Government has invested more than 22 million euros to the different autonomous communities for anti-drug programs which includes, with a special emphasis, alcohol.
Moreover, The Red Cross' Foundation for Help against Drug says that a third of young people spend 90% of its money in alcoholic beverages. Thus, alcohol is the leading cause of death among youth, since 60% of fatal traffic accidents, during the night of the weekend, are caused by the consumption of alcohol.
Several campaigns against the consumption of alcohol have been launched under the slogan: "alcohol fills gaps" "Talk to your children, information is prevention", "drink with moderation, it is your responsibility" and "enjoy a responsible consumption". These actions have tried to invigorate behaviors and suggest the individual requirement in the waste of alcoholic beverage.
Ireland is the country of the European Union with the largest number of excessive consumers. Bulgaria has the lowest number.
Otherwise, alcoholism affects women more than men. This is due to the fact that cerebral palsy develops more quickly in them, according to a study of the German University of Heidel and the American university of Stanford.
Finally, we must recognize that alcoholic beverages are the most ferocious attack suffered by today's society. An aggression whose consequences reach all social strata but victims are especially young people, our most valuable treasure.
Clemente Ferrer
Independent Forum of Opinion
http://indeforum.wordpress.com |
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Members of Peshawar Diocese and Edwardes College invited my opinion; David L. Gosling (Dr) |
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David Gosling |
Editor
Pakistan Christian Post
Dear Mr Bhatti
I have been asked by members of Peshawar Diocese and Edwardes College to give my professional opinion about the expectation of Bishop Humphrey S. Peters to become the first chancellor or vice-chancellor of the proposed Edwardes University.
I am opposed for the following reasons:
1.Humphrey S. Peters totally lacks academic credibility. He came to Edwardes College as a clerk, and although he was allowed to teach some English, he was never appointed as a lecturer. His MBA was given by Preston University before it was accredited by the HEC, and he has never published any serious articles or books.
2.The credentials of Humphrey Peters in the Church of Pakistan are very doubtful. He was ordained a deacon in the UK without any proper training and became bishop eight months later, contrary to the bye-laws of the Church which state that a priest must be ordained for a minimum of eight years before appointment as bishop. There was a Stay Order from the Karachi High Court against his appointment still in force at the time, which was ignored. His claim to be Bishop of Peshawar is therefore open to legal challenge. (Professor Shujaat Ali Khan of Edwardes College helped me to write to the Karachi High Court about this.)
3.Humphrey Peters is alleged to have been involved in criminal activities. These include a threat given to the college lawyer, Qazi Jawad Ehsanullah, not to assist me with a Stay Order against my illegal termination (I believe this was to stop me pursuing criminal proceedings against the former college bursar, Kanwal P. Isaacs, also diocesan treasurer).
4.During my time as Principal I was told of many occasions on which Humphrey Peters had behaved in a morally irresponsible manner. For example, I received a letter via the Governor’s Office claiming that a church member in Mardan had been offered a bribe by Humphrey Peters to disrupt another church’s activities. He took the money but then changed his mind, whereupon Peters threatened his family with violence. He complained to the Prime Minister, and the complaint reached me via the Governor’s Office. I have an Urdu copy.
5.When Edwardes College was partially nationalised, the Provincial Government issued a Notification of membership of the new Board chaired by the Governor. This was accompanied by an Ordinance, copies of which have been stolen from the college, the principal’s house and the provincial archives. I believe Humphrey Peters is responsible for their disappearance. Previous principals tell me that the Ordinance does not favour local church control of the college.
6.It is vital for the future growth and reputation of this great institution to have as chancellor and vice-chancellor competent and respected persons of high professional, academic and moral standing.
7.I hope Edwardes College can achieve degree-awarding status. We discussed it at my first Board meeting in 2006. But the sponsoring body must be wider than the Diocese of Peshawar.
David L. Gosling (Dr)
(former Principal of Edwardes College)
University of Cambridge, UK |
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Refugee Status for Pakistani Christian |
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Babu Jee |
Dear Brohter/sir,
If you remember long time befor I sent you a concern/message about Pakistani Christians condition and you published that message securly and thanks for that one.
Now again the same thing repeating,as you know that day by day our servival is going to more worse over there.we all knows very well that no body will give us separate province in Pakistan, so why we are waisting the time on this way.we should stuggle on the alternate way that is "REFUGUEE STATUS FOR PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS" OR SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD OF THIS STATUS,I mean the Christian countries can limitize the requirements for pakistani christians for immigaration like this,
and what are the updates about that pettition which you have submitted last year for this status?
Thanks
Christ Bless you.
regards
Babu Jee |
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Pakistan will utilize Musharraf for Indo (Kashmir)- AF – Pak region. |
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Hem Raj Jain |
To
The Editor
Sub:- Pakistan will utilize Musharraf for Indo (Kashmir)- AF – Pak region.
Ref:- (i)- Indo (Kashmir) – AF - Pak region will start changing after Pak elections, in view of 2014 US troops withdrawal from Afghanistan
(ii)- Musharraf will be voice in Pakistan for the interests of USA, Pak Military / ISI, Afghanistan and even China.
(iii)- For the first time in Pakistan there will be one person (Musharraf) who will be extremely influential in domestic / global affairs without government power.
(iv)- Pakistan will ensure that Musharraf is not overly harassed or curtailed through court cases.
(v)- AF – Pak Muslim fundamentalists will also not overly offend / attack Musharraf after some time, after seeing Muslim in Musharraf.
(vi)- India will find different Musharraf on Kashmir.
(vii)- India will have to alter its strategic / defense / foreign policy fundamentally, regarding Kashmir and ‘Arab-Spring’
Dear Sir
On return of Musharraf to Pakistan on Sunday the entire Pakistan & international media and political commentators have rightly said that Musharraf (and his political party) may not get any spectacular or even noticeable success in coming May 11, 2013 elections in Pakistan. But most of these commentators have not realized that for the first time in Pakistan there will be one person (Musharraf) who will be extremely influential in domestic / global affairs without government power, for the reasons given below:-
(1)- Unless some unforeseen development takes place in international political scene, as the situation stands today the USA & its Allies shall withdraw their troops from Afghanistan in 2014. Notwithstanding what the governments of USA, Afghanistan and Pakistan may say to the contrary at that time of this withdrawal, but the influence of Pakistan (especially of its Military / ISI) is going to increase hugely in the domestic / foreign affairs of Afghanistan
(2)- Of-course the whimpering of India will not matter at all in this development for the simple reason that the relationship of India with USA is based on water (economic matters) whereas of Pakistan with USA is based on blood (In Afghanistan, Pakistan shed its blood for USA in winning ‘cold war’ for USA and again post 9/11 for Global war against terror’). And blood of Pakistan is thicker than water of India.
(3)- In such a situation Musharraf (the ex-Army Chief and ex-President) in public field will be the right person to be the voice in Pakistan for the interests of USA, Pak Military / ISI, Afghanistan and will also be a back-door channel for the reconciliation of the interests of these groups.
(4)- Though China is an old friend of Pakistan hence do not need any mediator but given the trust between China and Musharraf (in view of operation Lal – Masjid ordered by Musharraf where some Chinese were also hiding), even China may utilize the services of Musharraf to protect her interests in Pakistan (and in Indo – AF – Pak region) especially related to defense and strategic matters.
(5)- But India will find different Musharraf on Kashmir. Role of Musharraf in Kargil was forgotten when Musharraf became President and started talking (including through backdoor channels) about out-of- box solution to resolve the Kashmir dispute (Musharraf famously used to say that borders should become irrelevant).
(6) But now Musharraf will talk differently on Kashmir due to three reasons :-
(i)- Out of office, Musharraf will be under no pressure to solve the Kashmir problem in haste.
(ii)- The situation has changed in democratic Pakistan as is evident from this month resolution in Pakistan National Assembly on Kashmir where hanging of Afzal Guru was discussed and terrorists are now again termed (which was suspended temporarily under US pressure post 9/11) as ‘Kashmir freedom fighters’. This is bound to lead to increase in number of such so-called ‘freedom fighters’ in Kashmir from AF – Pak region.
(iii)- In view of threat to his life from fundamentalists, Musharraf said just after his arrival in Pakistan that he is as good a Muslims as any one in Pakistan (meaning fundamentalists). Otherwise also Muslim in Musharraf will not permit him to forget that for Kashmir (as per media reports) about one hundred thousand Muslims have lost their lives.
(7)- In such a changed situation India has no other option than to bring-about following fundamental changes in its strategic / defense / foreign policy regarding Kashmir and ‘Arab-Spring’.
(8)- In relation to Kashmir:-
(i)- First and foremost, India should realize that till Kashmiris (practicing same religion and speaking same language) are on two sides of the border / LOC Kashmir is under dispute Therefore without unification of Kashmir there is no soltin to Kashmir problem. For this, like Pakistan (as it did in 1947, 1948, 1971, during Kargil and through on-going proxy war), India should try to finish this dispute by retrieving Pakistani side of Kashmir POK (even militarily) within a time bound period of say two years.
(ii)- Before this retrieve, India will have to change the demography of J&K (Pakistan has already done it in POK) by abolishing Article 370 of Constitution and by rehabilitating hundreds of thousand of Displaced Kashmiri Pundits (DKP) along with Hindu protector -companions in Kashmir valley.
(9)- But such highly important geo-political change regarding territory and demography, India can not do unless militarily and economically powerful West concurs with it. This India can easily achieve if India helps the West in its mission of ‘Secular Democratic Globalization’.
(10)- Presently Western Christian world (USA & its European and European origin Allies) find itself in excruciating dilemma. West can’t go back on ‘Arab Spring’ in NAME countries due to ideological reasons. But at the same time can’t further promote it for the simple reason that of-their-own these Muslims countries are simply not only unable to work democracy but also due to the fact that in democracy, fundamentalism always gain ascendancy in a Muslim country, hence a threat to human rights in their countries and to neighboring countries too. In this matter (of ‘Arab – Spring’) India can help the West, NAME and other Muslim Countries as given below:-
(i)- This problem can be solved if West is persuaded by India to give-up its present gory military policy of hit & run and / or of supporting the rebels (which have terrorists also in their groups). Instead the West should develop elaborate mechanism of human rights enforcement and for ensuring democratic elections under UN approved constitution [chosen from 4 or 5 democratic models], through UN Election Commission and under UN Peace Keeping Force (UNPKF) and UN Election Force (UNEF), where-ever necessary.
(ii)- Also the Optional Protocol - 1 (OP1) of International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - which presently allows intervention (including military) of UN in only those countries which blatantly violates human rights and have ratified this optional protocol – should be repealed and replaced by Mandatory Protocol MP -1 with elaborate enforcement mechanism (through UNPKF) in every member country.
(iii)- India can help the West by providing armed forces and others for UNPKF & UNEF [if India could provide 2 million persons, including combat element, to Britishers during World War I & II then there is no reason, why 1.2 Billion India cannot provide at-least 5 million persons for UNPKF & UNEF for furthering the cause of ‘Secular Democratic Globalization’]. But for this, UN has to be reconstituted where there will be no Veto power to any country and voting power to every member country as per its commitment to secular democratic principles of free society and as per contribution of money, resources men etc to UN.
Therefore India better wakes-up, if it does not want to be caught unawares.
Yours truly,
Hem Raj Jain
Bengaluru, India |
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WELCOME TO FREEDOM |
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Jesus Sancho Bielsa |
The freedom of man is wrapped in dust of stars. This gift is so high, admirable, important, strong, and huge; a privilege so untouchable among those which enrich and adorn the person. This is a unique gift despite affects everyone. We are all free and owners of our acts. Thanks to the freedom we are owners of our life, thoughts, actions, wishes, acts and decisions. We direct life toward good or evil, according to our will, our freedom. Even in physical and violent coercion that is exercised against oneself, man does not lose on the contrary keeps his inner freedom and is owner to accept or reject what is being proposed or required. History oozes and is full of surprising and heroic examples in the defense of freedom. Persecutions and violence are open field where freedom is showed. We must judge the man by his freedom; his live develops according the free use of his freedom. His behavior is the mirror where his freedom is reflected.
The unquestionable truth of man's freedom has been staged at a funny joke. A man argues with another man; he defeated and thrown him into the river. While he sinks into the water, takes the arms out above the current, and putting together the big or thumb toe of both hands, such as rubbing the nails, gestures that insults the enemy, telling him lousy.
In order to understand and appreciate the sense of freedom it must be anticipated an observation: freedom has a social limit. It must be harmonized with the freedom of other free people. That is called respect. Respect is incumbent upon each one and is not transferable: we have it or not, we live it or not; each one is responsible for its behavior. Respect is essential for the coexistence between citizens. This is as important as the authority that watches, looks after and promotes the common good of society. I would say that it is more important because if there is no respect, the coexistence is impossible, and then the authority is superfluous, the authority is not needed; unless authority decidedly declares itself in favor of the order and respect, until impose order and mutual respect that make possible the coexistence among all. Few people feel that if the authority does not watches and promotes the social order and respect among the citizens, the authority becomes no more than a decorative element but disastrous; an element that is not wanted.
This consideration has countless applications in the social field: in education because it regulates the order in classrooms, an indispensable requirement for the benefit in the study and training of the student character; in the family so parents and children respect and love each other, working with a great union which postulates the most elementary voice of human nature in the marriage. It is also present in the company, respecting and defending rights and duties of the employee and worker -without lies-, alleging fraudulent issues which are detrimental to the peace and benefit of everyone, which are sacred rights and duties; in the policy, which assumes responsibility for the development of the well-being of people, a commitment that is essentially inevitable between those who swear or promise to serve -do not serve themselves- with the powers and prerogatives that the charge give them. A parliament that is not able to discredit and replace an unworthy politician, because he does not comply with his serious obligation, does not deserve any respect and is as responsible as the unworthy political. God will ask us for an explanation by our acts, by our freedom.
Jesus Sancho Bielsa
Independent Forum of Opinion
Spain.
http://indeforum.wordpress.com |
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