| October 26, 2002 | Saturday | Sha’aban 19,1423 |
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Banks’ non-performing loans
Pensioners’ problems
PTV’s internship programme
Elections: a voter’s view
AKU’s rising tuition fee
Arrest of Dr Aamir Aziz
BBCUrdu.com survey
Future PM
Poverty alleviation
Inefficiency of Nadra
What Bhutto said
UK student visas
THIS is with reference to the article “Tauqir right man to head PCB” (Oct 20).
The writer, while praising the PCB chairman, forgot that no one is indispensable, let alone the present chairman. He may have very noble intentions to improve cricket in the country but results of his last three year’s tenure do not support the praise showered on him by the writer.
Contradictions, hasty decisions, frequent changes in the team and its management and extravagant spending have been the hallmark of the present board.
The basic flaw in the present set-up lies in its ad hoc management. There is no representation of the country’s cricket associations in policy-making. The secretariat is abound with favourites; most of whom have never played even first class cricket and have no experience of cricket management at domestic or international level. So why blame Ramiz Raja alone. Ultimate responsibility lies with the head of the organization.
I am of the view that unless cricket affairs revert to constitutional structure with representation of all cricket associations, cricket management is likely to remain whimsical.
SALAH UDDIN
Karachi
IT is extremely disheartening that the Pakistan team has not been playing to its capability in the recent series. There have been heart-wrenching performances which have disappointed cricket lovers.
I appeal to the good sense of the board not to go overboard once again and announce a totally new team, a team devoid of any senior players, players with no proven track record, etc.
Continue with this young team. Even though these youngsters have been thrown into the deep end of the pool, they have shown their mettle that they can swim and survive. All they now need is good support and direction. The Pakistan Cricket Board should now work towards that. Give them another opportunity.
Somehow I get the feeling that by the time of the World Cup, Pakistan will have a team that will show to the world what a bunch of first-class players they are! Please do not throw the baby out with the bath water.
SAM SWAMINATHAN
Auckland, New Zealand
THE mind boggles at the praise heaped on the PCB chairman. Pakistan cricket team has suffered the most humiliating defeat of this century and Gen Tauqir Zia’s only commendable act was to offer his resignation.
We, the cricket and Pakistan-loving people, deserve answers to very obvious and simple questions: why does Pakistan not have dependable 1-3 batsmen? What do all the expensive foreign coaches coach when none of Pakistani batsmen can play quality spin bowling (like Shane and Murli)? What is the “real” problem between Waqar and other senior players? Why are Waqar, Misbah-ul-Haque, Mohammad Sami, Shahid Afridi in the team?
RIAZ UR REHMAN
Dubai
IT has off and on been claimed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that it has been successful in recovering in cash banks’ defaulted loans to the tune of Rs90-100 billion. This assertion is hardly believable and in my article, “Recovery of loans by NAB: myth or reality” (June 3), I endeavoured to substantiate my aforesaid point of view with facts and figures.
My viewpoint has now been confirmed by the State Bank of Pakistan governor in his article (Oct 21-22). He has put the figure of recovery through NAB’s assistance at Rs17.5 billion, inclusive of rescheduling. Even though the breakdown of the above amount, Rs17.5 billion, in terms of cash recovery/rescheduling has not been given, one can safely assume that bulk of it represents rescheduling.
The SBP governor has put the figure of the cash recovery of the defaulted loans since 1999 at Rs40 billion. In the rejoinder to my article by the chief spokesman for the SBP (June 13) the figure of cash recovery of the banks’ defaulted loans was put at Rs67.784 billion. How it has shrunk to Rs40 billion needs to be looked into by the SBP and explained to the public.
The SBP governor’s article is quite informative. It is gathered therefrom that the ratio of gross non-performing loans (NPLs) to gross advances remains as it was three years back i.e. 24 per cent. However, the ratio of the net NPLs to the gross advances has come down to 11 per cent from 15 per cent.
The amount of the net NPLs is arrived at by deducting from the gross NPLs the amounts of (a) interest accrued on such loans transferred to the suspense account because of non-recovery and (b) the provisions made by the banks by debit to their profit and loss accounts. In other words, bulk of the reduction in the NPLs (net) comes from the current profits of the banks year-over-year and not through cash recoveries. Should the banks and SBP really feel complacent by reduction in the volume of NPLs from lending banks’ own profits? Is this monitoring criterion justifiable and rationale?
A. M. TALHA
Karachi
THE pension branch of the district accounts office, Muzaffargarh, has put the burden of completing the pension papers on the retiring person. Retired people are entitled to gratuity but the pension branch makes it difficult for them to claim their amounts. It is but natural that the retirees should get fed up and agree to pay a certain amount to the branch officials to get their gratuities.
The pension branch requires that each applicant bring with them their entire service record (a gigantic task) and an NOC certificate from their department before their pension is released. The question is: when the competent authority has already pensioned an employee off finally and honourably, why does he/she need to prove that he/she has a clean record?
The government is requested to order the district accounts officers to release the gratuities of the retired people just on the basis of their retirement orders and their last pay certificates. The present system has given birth to nothing but corruption.
IKRAM SHAH
Muzafargarh
A FEW months back, the government had directed public and autonomous organizations to impart training to fresh graduates by offering them the facility of working in their respective professions as interns.
Accordingly, Pakistan Television Corporation, too, had invited applications for an internship programme based at headquarters as well as its regional stations. However, although interviews were held long back, there has been no further progress in this direction.
The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) and other departments which had also called applications for a similar programme are well ahead with it. But the PTV is just sleeping over the list of successful candidates. Rumours say that the PTV management is holding back further action so that it might be able to oblige the members of the new government, likely to be installed in November, by accommodating those to be recommended by them.
This situation is highly frustrating for those candidates who bank on merit only. Would any one look into it, please?
IRFAN ULLAH KHAN WAZIRI
Islamabad
I graduated last year, I’m working now and this was the first time I voted, though it was under protest. While I was being taken to the polling station I failed to make my parents understand that, despite the fact that we have a responsibility to the country, these candidates have a responsibility towards us.
Who are these people? I didn’t know anything about the personal contributions of the candidates standing from my constituency. That was why I did not want to vote. Would you just support someone whom you do not know?
I have never come across the true embodiment of Islam in our elections. First of all, who nominates these people? These individuals who stand for the elections I do not know them. Nobody really knows them. In fact, they just choose to stand from a certain constituency and decide on their own that they will be good for the country.
I really didn’t know that the Islamic form of government consisted of making parties and then standing on their behalf. Why is it not evident to anybody else that these are parties standing for the elections and not people? Why do we have parties in the first place? Is ‘united we stand and divided we fall’ just a worthless expression or does it really mean something?
Considering that in the end after all of them have won, it is only a dirty picture of personal interest hurled at each other in the national assembly. A chosen few play the game at the top and the people have no say.
Three years of military rule have perhaps been best for us; it was my wish they would have continued. Why? Because fake democracy doesn’t have point. The men in the military have a loyalty to the country and they would lay down their lives for it.
SHAISTA AYESHA FARHAT
Karachi
INITIALLY the tuition fee at the Agha Khan University was Rs30,000 a year, but in a span of 13 or 14 years, it has shot up to Rs300,000 per annum. This 1,000 per cent rise in a short period is unprecedented. It appears that there are no checks on this so-called trust university which has become highly commercial.
After spending two million rupees on graduation, no sane doctor would like to work in this country where doctors are given meagre salaries, specially in the government hospitals. This is also true of the junior doctors working at the AKU. The university graduates are forced to go abroad, specially those who have taken loans.
The authorities should look into the affairs of the university and see why it is becoming a white elephant for the poor country.
A GUARDIAN
Lahore
A doctor is a doctor. He or she is bound to offer his or her professional services to every patient, irrespective of their religion, colour, gender, ethnicity or political beliefs. I, as a doctor, would treat even the top terrorist of the world, that is, Israel’s Sharon, if he contacts me as a patient.
Dr Aamir Aziz has been arrested by the FBI on charges that he has provided medical treatment to Osama bin Laden! Even if he did so, that was Dr Aamir’s professional obligation. All doctors of the world must condemn this anti-human act of the US government.
In the recent past, the United States arrested the Taliban ambassador, Mullah Zaeef, breaking all diplomatic norms and values. It seems that Bush is taking back his country to the days of Hitler.
PROF (DR) ANWAR UL HAQUE
Islamabad
THIS is with reference to the arrest of Dr Aamir Aziz Khan.
The doctor was picked up in his own country by a security agency of a foreign power. This action raises a number of questions in one’s mind. Why has this power been given across-the-board access to subjugate our nationals in our own land? Why has not any political leader, except for Imran Khan, yet raised his/her voice over this very serious issue?
Why is the doctor community silent on this kind of treatment? Why are the human rights organizations in our country still keeping mum over the matter? Why is our sovereignty being trampled upon like this? Why have we become a nation of zombies, marching towards a certain death? Why?
DR RAJA SOHAIL ABBAS
Greenbelt, USA
BBCURDU.COM had conducted a survey before the Oct 10 election according to which Mian Muhammad Azhar was the most favourite candidate for the office of prime minister while the PPP was stated to be the largest political party. There was no mention of the MMA.
I do not want to make any comment on the quality of the BBCUrdu.com’s survey as the subsequent results have already established that it was a mere speculation. But I do like to make an observation: credibility is as essential for the media as soul is for body.
ISRAR SHAH
Lahore
As stated by Ms Sakina Qamar (Oct 23), under the existing circumstances, Zubeda Jalal would be the best choice for prime ministership. If she takes over and even if our differences with India remain unresolved, at least, there would not be a war because women hate bloodshed.
Jihad, however, she would be launching instantly. Of course, it would be against illiteracy, lack of health care and social injustice to women. The PPP, the MQM and the PML-N should not have any objection to her nomination as the task ahead cannot be achieved without collective and sincere efforts.
The Maulana Sahibaan, too, have the ability to deliver, but their priorities would be less worldly while the ground realities demand otherwise.
ARIF I. WALI
Karachi
THIS is a fact that eradication of poverty has always been the main slogan of all rulers to woo the common man. Unfortunately, despite repeated claims of bringing about a positive change in the lives of the poor by the rulers, Pakistan continues to remain in the clutches of poverty which, with each passing day, gets a firmer grip.
Slum-dwellers in Pakistan are fighting for survival. They have no access to basic amenities like clean water, health facilities and education. With a daily income of Rs50 to Rs70, and a family of 10 to feed, these basic amenities have become more of a luxury. Malaria, tuberculosis, respiratory and abdominal diseases, dysentery and various other diseases have made a permanent abode in their areas.
According to a survey report, it has been observed that most of the Kutchi Abadis are notorious for being a haven for criminals. These areas are also inhabited by a number of labourers who work on daily wages. According to a news item, one of the inmates of these Abadis said that if the food they ate was put before the dogs of the elite, he was sure they would not even smell it.
In order to set things right, we will have to make concerted efforts to turn our economy around, eradicate poverty and construct a pro-poor institutional edifice. We must initiate a genuine and durable national-building process by devising new participatory development strategies, which directly aim at the betterment of the under-privileged.
S. A. KHOKHAR
Lahore
NADRA promised over a year ago that it would issue 10,000 computerized national identity cards daily, but it has failed to keep its words, for most people have not received their new NICs.
I cannot figure out why the National Database Registration Authority, despite having advanced technology, has been delaying the issuance of the NICs. The people have to face many problems when they are asked by most of the government organizations to show their new NICs. They often fail to get things done on time.
It is surprising and regrettable that the Karachi city government is not taking this matter seriously.
ZIA UR REHMAN RIZVI
Karachi
“GOD forbid that a day comes when King Faisal of Saudi Arabia visits Pakistan and is received at the airport by Maulana Mufti Mahmood as the prime minister of Pakistan. Oh God, have mercy on me. Take my life away before I see that day.”
These words were spoken by Z. A. Bhutto, a former prime minister of Pakistan and the founder of the PPP.
Now Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Mufti Mahmood’s son, is a candidate for the post of prime minister. I fear that the apprehensions of Z. A. Bhutto might be coming true.
I also share the agony of Zamir Ajmal (Oct 18). In fact he has reflected in his letter the feelings of the majority of Pakistanis.
HAFEEZ AHMED
Kew Gardens, USA
AS your readers may know, British Council offices across Pakistan were closed to public access in May early this year for security reasons. This was a difficult decision for us as we did not want to inconvenience our customers by not being able to provide personalized services.
On the other hand, it was essential to give top priority to the safety of our customers, as much as it was for us to consider the safety of our staff. Closure,in turn, would mean that service procedures would become lengthier, and some delays would ensue. Unfortunately, all this was unavoidable. We decided that our public services would have to be suspended; our libraries and teaching centres would have to shut down indefinitely.
Meanwhile, the British High Commission, Islamabad, also closed to the public and most visa staff were sent back to the UK. It thus became impossible for visa applicants to be interviewed on the High Commission premises. With the student admissions season approaching, it was decided that the British Council would, from Aug 5, receive student visa applications, interview short-listed applicants and forward their applications to the High Commission for consideration.
As the volume of applications increased and chances of war between Pakistan and India diminished, the British High Commission decided to recall some of its visa section staff.
From Aug 15, students were able to apply through Gerry’s/ FedEx, to the High Commission instead of just through the British Council.
In the absence of counter services, we decided to place all information and forms on our website www.britishcouncil.org.pk. All callers were provided basic information on applying for a student visa and asked to download further information/application forms. They were asked to either courier us their documents along with a processing fee, or send them through Gerry’s/FedEx to the British High Commission.
There is no doubt that services to our customers have been affected by the introduction of these procedures. Again, this has been unavoidable. Your readers will appreciate that working to high standards difficult conditions cannot be easy and some slippage can occur.
As a public service organization committed to the highest quality customer services possible, we understand our customers’ frustration of having to go through lengthy and, at times, complex procedures and we regret any inconvenience these might have caused.
CHARLIE WALKER
Acting Director Pakistan
The British Council
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