8	The Appellate committee headed by an eminent jurist has set aside the bans against ace pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Muhammad Asif after giving a fair and transparent trial, where the duo pacers were represented by their veteran lawyers as against the initial Tibunal trial, when Asif didn’t even engage a lawyer quite naively. Noman Ahmad
8	Firstly, it was not a military tribunal that conjured up a verdict at random. Secondly, the Judge, Mr Fakhruddin Ebrahim is renowned for his integrity and legal acumen. Thirdly, the verdict brings to shame the slaves of the foreign masters, who would go overboard to appease their masters - right or wrong, true or false. You may recall that Dr. Towfiq had earlier questioned the integrity of the test itself. There is a case on record (and there be many unrecorded) where the national consideration overtook the disciplinary mockeries. A UK player was granted the benefit of doubt, primarily because the tampered evidence was insufficient to warrant the punishment. And since the eminent Jurist Mr. Ebrahim has adjudicated the case, any contradictory opinion could, at best, constitute contempt of the court. S. Nasrullah
8	This whole exercise is exasperating as in the first place, ‘internal dope testing’ at very in-appropriate juncture raised huge cloud of distrust about our maturity as international cricket playing country. The timing and placing was highly un-thoughtful, as we had merely wriggled out of Oval Test quagmire and the two ace bowlers had just landed in India, the land of our bigger than the game opponent, when the dope bombshell was dropped on the nation and the two celebrated heroes were recalled in disgrace. That immediately followed with the unfortunate incident of the drug test failure and resultant stripping of medals and life long career ending ban on our boxing heroes. Now the appeal of the two topmost bowlers against their earlier decision has been accepted and verdict quashed, giving rise to another tide of reactions. This was highly expected and should have been suitably addressed in the Appellate Committee's verdict itself. This at least could have saved some face of the nation, already in the grip of several similar issues in sports as well as in other national and international matters. Continued chain of wrong things is happening at all sorts of wrong places. M.Saeed
8	It is good to hear that the Appellate Committee overturned the Tribunal decision. One only hopes that after this mess everybody has learnt their lessons. It is also imperative that the world-class athletes like Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif should not behave like third-class athletes outside the field. Drugs are no good -- drugs can never substitute time well spent in a well equipped gym under the guidance of professional strength trainers -- avoid drugs like plague -- if you use it they will detect it -- no need to embarrass your country and yourself. Secondly, as rightly pointed out by some one -- never appear before the Tribunal without a lawyer. To the PCB, I would like to say that to be a world-class Cricket Board at par with its peers in the West does not mean going overboard to prove its fidelity. Dr. Naseem Ashraf is a neophyte -- he doesn't need to prove himself in a hurry with such earthshaking decision that can almost break the back of Pakistan's cricket. Patient deliberations with extensive investigations combined with consultations with retired cricket aces, coaches and ex-team captains along with full access to the accused giving them plenty of time and venues to explain themselves in the company of lawyers should be the order of the day before any catastrophic decisions to debar a player are taken. And for heaven’s sake do not debar anyone for life it is only sports -- not a battle of do or die for country's survival. NASAH
8	The decision is right. But players do need education in these areas and it is the responsibility of PCB to educate players. The matter was handled badly by the PCB top executives. How many other Western or Asian/African countries have done the same such thing to their players? Our Board executives are ‘self-destructive’ in giving Pakistan bad name. They should also be investigated and if found guilty, they should be kicked out of the Board. Zafar Bokhari
8	While I don't have doubt over blatant ignorance of pacers in taking the substance, I believe that the decision by the Appellate Committee will only complicate the situation. They had banned level of nandrolone in their bodies, generally persisting for one year, giving them unfair advantage over others. Secondly, what would happen in the WC, when ICC would carry out its own doping test? PCB won't be fool enough to field both of these in the tournament. So it will be like un-ban for South Africa and ban for the tournaments where ICC will carry out tests. The best decision in my view would have been to acknowledge their innocence and keep them out until the substance is below the required threshold level. Ammar
8	The doping test issue has become an embarrassment for Pakistan as a nation. The responsible people doing in such a bad fashion must be punished. Specially, timing of bringing the issue, while team was in India, was a big nonsense. Nasim Ashraf must resign. He may be a medical doctor who does not know the ABC of management and cricket. Will any one allow an engineer to operate a patient or prescribe any medicine? Why nation tolerated this? Let Imran Khan or even Hanif Mohammad be the Chairman or some educated businessman may be suitable for this position. The culture of backdoor entry must end and Musharraf has to stop these non-productive people play with the image of Pakistan. What if ICC goes to the International Court where the ‘negative perception of Pakistan’ is the root cause brought by these ‘shafarshis’ and backdoor entrants. On of high moral ground Nasim Ashraf must resign or be fired. Zafar
8	As the present Government is keenly interested in construction of new dams both for growing energy and water requirements for Agriculture sector.The recent Inaguration of Mirani Dam in Balochistan Would definitly boost up the province economy.But if we see in case of Gomal Zam dam in District Tank,the situation is totaly different.Initially the Contract was given to A chinese company,but within year it stopped working due to both security as well as lake of funds reasons.Then Wapda gave the contract to Federal Works Organisation(FWO).The people welcomed the dicision,and hoped for immidiate construction,but once again traditional tactics of Bureaucracy are being used to creat obstacles for the construction of dam.Both president and Chairman WAPDA should interfer to resolove the problem Ihsanullah Tipu
8	December 11, 2006 DEATHS-UNJUSTIFIED Two week ago, news papers reported that several children and adults died at the Services Hospital from poisonous anesthesia gas. It was also state that the anesthesiologist continued to use the gas even after the death of his first patient, causing several more deaths before the gas was stopped. Nothing has been reported in the news since that time about the inquiry into the incidence. This reflects the callous and careless attitude of medical professionals towards their patients. They never account for personal mistakes and often say, “It was God’s will” if the patient dies. Most hospitals do not analyze the causes of death which may result from the mistakes of anesthesiologists, surgeons, wrong medications, improper and inadequate management of patients. In western countries, every death in hospital is carefully scrutinized to determine the cause and responsibilities of various medical professionals involved in the care of the patient. They learn from these mistakes to avoid future happenings. The responsible staffs are duly warned, sometimes suspended and even stopped from carrying out operations and management of patients in cases of gross negligence.. In this case, there appears to be serious mistake on the part of some hospital professionals. It should be thoroughly investigated till responsible persons are identified. Hospital administration should not be allowed to hush up the whole matter. Newspaper reporters have great responsibility to keep the news alive till a fair inquiry is carried out. Similarly, lawyers, in the spirit of public service, have responsibility to provide free consultation to the grieving families and take the guilty party to court, including hospital administration, medical professionals and manufacturers of the poisonous gas. We, as a society, can not advance unless we can account for our responsibilities and mistakes. Sincerely, Nora Saeed, 16 Judicial colony Lahore, Ph: 03334667464 Nora Saeed
8	MMA was provided every opportunity to give their inputs in the Women Protection Bill, while it remained under discussion in both the houses of the parliament for a very long time and later when referred to the Select Committee. But, for reasons best known to them, they preferred staging boycotts and triggering ruckus in the assembly sessions. Finally National Assembly and the Senate passed the draft of the Bill, as approved by the Select Committee, which attracted the support of even a large chunk of the opposition. This matter should have been closed in accordance with the norms of democracy, but MMA deciding to launch a movement against the Women Protection Act (WPA) appears to be quite baffling for all sensible people, who want to see democracy flourish in the country. Hassan Hameed

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