Page 2/The Battalion/Wednesday, August 14,1985
"V ^
OPINION
Pakistan: On the movex
politically, economically
EDITOR’S
NOTE: This is the
First in a two-part
series on Pakistan,
which celebrates
its day of indepen
dence today.
For a country
that is situated in a
geographically im
portant place and
the only ally America has in the Sub-
Continent, it is surprising how few
Americans know about Pakistan. All the
average American seems to know about
Pakistan is its nuclear program. But Pa
kistan is a country which has its own dis
tinctive people, culture and way of life.
Perhaps what makes Pakistan so im
portant on the world’s political scene is
its location. It borders a communist su
per power, China, on the north. On its
east is the Soviet Union’s strongest ally,
India. On its west is Afghanistan.
The USSR is a mere 10 miles from its
northwestern boundaries, but for all
practical purposes, because of the inva
sion of Afghanistan, it touches borders
with the Soviet Union in a physical
sense. The Arabian Sea which leads to
the Gulf of Hermuz — the main stream
of world oil flow — touches the port city
of Karachi, which makes Pakistan more
than just an interest to the United States
and the Soviet Union.
Pakistan represents a variety of ethnic
groups mostly of Caucasoid stock who
can trace their heritage back to the no
mads who migrated to this part of the
world out of the steppes of Central Asia
after 2000 B.C. These were followed by
the Persians, Greeks, Pushtuns, Mogals
and Mughals. All these different people
lent to the rich culture of the Sub-Conti
nent.
In the late 8th Century came the Mos
lems who not only bent their own dis
tinct life style to this part of the world
but also introduced and preached their
religion. Thus developed a new class of
people apart from the others in this area
who established their empire in South
East Asia and ruled the area from the
12th Century until they gave way to the
British in the 19th Century.
These Moslems, revolting against the
British Empire, fought for and gained
an independent country — a country
where they could freely practice their
religious beliefs and live their own lives
— a country called Pakistan.
The different backgrounds of the
people can perhaps best be seen in the
national language, Urdu, which is a
mixture of many different languages,
such as Arabic, Turkish and Persian.
The major regional languages are
Sindhi, Punjabi, Baluchi and Pushto,
corresponding to the four provinces
which make up Pakistan.Due to the in
fluence of British colonization, Pakistan
borrowed heavily from British thought
in setting up the country — which is evi
dent in its politics and educational sys
tem.
Ninety-seven percent of Pakistan’s
83,200,000 population (1981 census)
are Moslems. Most of the other 3 per
cent are mostly Christians. All the reli
gious minorities are guaranteed com-
lete religious freedom in the
onstitution.
At the time of independence Pakistan
was an underdeveloped nation. All the
major industies in undivided India had
best set up in India. As such Pakistan
was economically hard pressed to meet
its urgent domestic need to keep pace
with the world which was advancing
technologically at a phenomenal rate.
Considering it had to start from
scratch, Pakistan’s development in the
past 38 years has been heartening. At
the time of independence, Pakistan was
providing raw materials to the indus
tries in India. But today Pakistan has
evolved its economy into a more inte
grated and diverse program and hence
made it more dependable. It processes,
manufactures and exports many goods
such as textiles, sports equipment and
surgical materials, from its own raw
materials . It is among the 10 major cot
ton exporting nations in the world. It is
also the fourtn largest rice exporting na
tion. Another major crop is wheat which
is largely used to meet domestic market
needs.
Among the mineral resources are
coal, low-grade iron ore and petroleum.
However these petroleum deposits are
too small to meet the industries growing
need for fuel. Most of this deficiency is
made up bv the large resources of natu
ral gas. Although seven fields con
taining enormous deposits of natural
gas have been discovered, Pakistan is di
versifying to more dependable energy
sources.
In this context, the nuclear program
is extremely important in order to pro
vide local industries the strong founda
tion on which they can base the coun
try’s economic future.
The backbone of Pakistan’s economy
is agriculture with 3/4th of the country’s
population living off the land, the major
land resource is the fertile, alluvial soils
of its eastern lowland which is irrigated
by the Indus River and its tributaries.
Due to this heavy dependence on
land, Pakistan has one of the largest,
most sophisticated and efficient canal
systems in the world. It also has a great
potential in hydro-electric programs
with some of tne largest dams in the
world including the Tarbela and Man-
gala.
Since the opening of the steel mills at
Pipri last year, the neavy and small in
dustries of Pakistan that were previously
dependent on imports of raw materials
have been given a boost. This has allo
cated the interest of the private sector in
Pakistan that competes for local and for
eign markets.
Pakistan is eager to make the most of
the micro chip revolution. There is no
duty on importation of computer equip
ment and accessories and emphasis is
placed on many aspects of basic and ap
plied research in the private sector and
the defense establishment.
Pakistan is marching ahead, knowing
its most important asset is the upcoming
eneration. As long as this resource can
e captalized through education and
productive jobs, it will continue to bol
ster its economy against the intensely
competitive world market.
Syed Naved Aftab and Fayyaz ul Haq
are members of the Pakistan Club at
Texas A&M.
Syed Naved
Aftab
&
Fayyaz
ul Haq
Guest Columnists
United Feature Syndicate
Mail Call
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff reserves therigliii
letters for style and length but will make every effort to maintain the author's intent Each hr
be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer.
One way Ireland not
the right way to go
EDITOR:
For the benefit of those who missed
the notice:
streets.
Anthony Tripp
Bryan
Red tape monster
attacks A&M students
EDITOR:
Has Texas A&M become a red tape,
bureaucratic society to you?
Today, I went to East Kyle to play
basketball, but to my dismay, I was not
allowed entrance because I did not have
a current Texas A&M identification
card. However, I did have in my posses
sion 1) a paid fee slip for Summer Ses
sion II 2) a fee slip for the Fall of 1985
that had been marked “paid” on that
same day 3) a current Texas Driver’s Li
cense. This identification said I was en
rolled at the present time, and I would
be enrolled in the fall. Even with all the
identification I did have, I could not en
ter. Something is severely wrong!
People ask me what I think of A&M. I
used to say, “A&M is a friendly, people-
oriented place.” Today, my view nas
changed. A&M is now a place where
your number and your card are all-im
portant. Rational thinking and common
sense are no longer a part of the process
at A&M. A giant, ugly monster has
grown. It is time that A&M attempts to
recall what made it into what at one time
was a great place. At the present time,
this institution is not being all that it can
be to its students.
Robert Stanfield
Class of ’87
Simple cure for AIDS
EDITOR:
Modern living presents us with some
complex health problems. Medical re
search seeks solutions, but —once sci
ence and the media raise awareness of
the threats —society at large has a good
track record for finding ways of mini
mizing the immediate dangers.
We were told of a link between to
bacco and various cancers. Millions of us
responded by giving up smoking.
We were told alcohol was injuring our
unborn babies, damaging our livers,
and making us fat. Millions of us re
sponded by giving up the bottle.
Now that the human tragedy of
screen star Rock Hudson is front page
to ml
news, may I propose a way
AIDS epidemic?. A way I nearni
its desperate victims advocating,,
Bill Hough
Class of’T
Nicaragua explaii
On August 12, after many years of
consideration, Asbury, Spence and Ire
land streets become one-way. This to re
lieve the traffic bottlenecks that occur a
few times each day. Since Asbury and
Spence are narrow streets with no con
trolled access to University Dr. it seems
reasonable to make themone-way com
ing into the campus, since the main
problem is trying to leave the campus by
crossing University Dr.
EDITOR:
After reading Karl Pallmeyer’s
id mg
of August 2,1 feel compelled tobi
But Ireland St. is a wide 2-lane street
with controlled access to University
Drive via a traffic signal. Making this
street one-way off of the campus in no
way lessens tne bottle neck that forms
during the rush periods. (I refrain from
using the word ‘ nour” since the “rush”
never lasts for more than 20 minutes.)
ipt
light some facts about tne current
lion in Nicaragua. Since the
nista victory two moderate memte
the Junta have resigned in frustnt
due to the Marxist path taken b)l
cohorts. One of these former
Arturo Cruz, heads the Coordii
Nicaragua’s most prominent oppoi:
group
It will probably increase the traffic
problem, since people on Asbury and
Spence will have to use Ireland when
leaving the campus.
In the-so called free election
Coordinatora along with five (
moderate parties refused to panic:
citing Sandinista harassment
censorship. Furthermore every i
European democracy, save the Nei
lands, refused to send official elec
observers to validate the proceed
In 1982, Sandinista defense nil
and war hero Eden Pastora resiptt
disgust and took up arms
former comrades.
So why make Ireland a one-way street
when it will only be making it more in
convenient for the driver? Why imple
ment this change when in a short time
30,000 people, not familiar with this
change, arrive on campus? Why not
leave Ireland St. alone and postpone the
change for another month so that the
returning students and visitors for
home football games can be informed?.
Until these people know what is being
done it will not be safe to use these
While some Contras are uni
nably former members of the
national guard, many others are
cuted Miskito Indians and d
Sandinistas who feel their leaden!
lost touch with the revolution's y
ciples.
They fight against an army wbi
armed and trained by the sameG
advisers responsible for the blood;
wars in Angola and Ethiopia. Thev
visers also train Marxist guerrillas'
are trying to topple the duly elt:
government in neighboring El Salu:
To blame the Reagan administU
for aiding the Contras and notr
mention the millions of dollars s|
arming the Sandinistas by Cuba f
pocrisy at its best.
Mr. Pallmeyer might claim that!'
the situation in Nicaraguawii
blinded eye. To this I say, ’
blinded eye than one that sees
it would like to see.
Andrew Whelan ’87
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
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