| November 1, 2002 | Friday | Sha’aban 25,1423 |
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Plight of senior citizens
Will KESC help?
Incredible price hike
Embezzling: Wapda’s version
Dropping food and bombs
Population growth
Students complain
Import of used machinery
Why abolish co-education?
Foreign coaches
Seafarers’ contribution
MUCH has been said about the recent poor form of Pakistan cricket team and the subsequent resignation of the chairman of the PCB.
I am surprised to read the overwhelming support lent to Gen Tauqir Zia by two very prominent people associated with Pakistan cricket, namely Omar Kureishi and Zaheer Abbas, in their columns. Gen Tauqir Zia took over as chairman in 1999 and Pakistan has not been able to register any comprehensive victory after that.
Let me just evaluate the current Pakistan cricket set-up on the basis of the team’s performance on the ground. Batting of the national team has been the greatest cause of worry in the recent years and the names of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana and Saeed Anwar have been cited usually as the better batsmen in the team.
This raises a very alarming thought in my mind. Since both Saeed Anwar and Inzamam-ul-Haq made their debut before 1992, is Yousuf Youhana the only “recognized” batsman who has emerged in the last 10 years? And pardon me if I say that Yousuf Youhana is not one of the best batsmen in the world by any means. Who then is responsible for the fact that Pakistan has not produced any “world-class” batsman in the past one decade. Isn’t the PCB responsible for this state of affairs?
Let’s take a look at Pakistan’s bowling line-up. The PCB should be proud of one glorious achievement in this department. It managed to unearth Saqlain Mushtaq — who undoubtedly is one of the finest off-spinners on the cricket circuit.
One thing where the PCB is consistent, though, is the fielding department. It is as rotten today as it has been in the last 20 years.
KASHIF JABBAR
Texas, USA
THE Pakistan cricket team has touched the lowest point. They have disgraced the country.
After the first test Waqar Yunus said they would surprise the Australians. And yes they did so in the second Test by making the record lowest runs, losing the Test by an innings in less than two days. It must have caught the Australians by surprise.
Again they lost the Third Test by an innings. The question arises: why was Shahid Afridi sent when he was not to be included in the playing eleven?
With this state of affairs it would be better to withdraw the team from the World Cup on medical grounds that our players are not well, otherwise they will lose every match and bring further disgrace to Pakistan cricket.
In order for the team to perform well, major changes should be made. A new captain be appointed and experienced players brought back to the side. Also the coach needs to work with the players on all aspects of the game to bring their performance to international standards.
RAZA QURESHY
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
LIP service is paid to senior citizens at every senior citizens’ day and at other similar forums. But nobody points out that there is flagrant discrimination against them so far the amount of income tax is concerned.
Reduction of 50 per cent in tax liability is available to taxpayers aged 65 and above up to the taxable limit of Rs200,000. This limit was fixed some four years back. However, 50 per cent reduction in tax is available to researchers and professional teachers, irrespective of their taxable income. A limit is fixed for senior citizens but no limit for prosperous salaried bureaucrats. Why?
The previous threshold of Rs300,000 for taxability of allowances and perquisites has been enhanced to Rs600,000. This benefit is in favour of the highly paid personnel, but no pains were taken to consider enhancement of outdated taxable limit of Rs200,000 for senior citizens.
Medical benefit or reimbursement and personal expenditure on medical service is also exempt in certain conditions. The handsomely paid salaried persons benefit the most.
The income tax rules are framed in a manner as to benefit the highly paid officials but the taxable limit of Rs200,000 for senior citizens is adhered to. Senior citizens are in distress, for the savings certificates’ rates have been drastically cut.
I request the finance minister to direct his ministry to enhance the limit up to Rs300,000 instead of Rs200,000 for salaried persons aged 65 and above.
FARRUKH M. S. TABBA
Karachi
RECENTLY, we also observed the Senior Citizens Day. I, being a senior citizen of about 70 years of age and a freedom fighter who fought both the Congress and anti-Pakistan Muslims, was expecting that the young and energetic rulers would restore the withdrawn facilities which were allowed to the senior citizens by the previous governments.
Senior citizens and freedom fighters in our neighbouring country are highly respected. They enjoy concessions and benefits some of which are allowed in other countries as well. I myself availed some of these benefits when I visited our neighbouring country last year.
I am certain that the president who himself is about to become a senior citizen will restore the facilities with some added benefits before the new civilian government takes over.
SYED KHURSHID AHMED
Lahore
I AM a widow and wish someone in the KESC were kind enough to help me. I live in house R-187/9, Asifnagar, Dastagir, Federal B. Area. Three years back, the wall containing the meter had to be demolished, and the KESC was kind enough to fix it at another place. In the year 2001, the controller of billing of the Gulberg area sent me a letter, saying that my meter was showing less than usual consumption. Then the local KESC authorities replaced it with a meter that runs at a mind-boggling speed.
They also said that they would charge me extra money for the allegedly low consumption shown by the previous meter. The result is that I receive constantly inflated bills, even though something went wrong with the old meter when it was re-located.
Whenever I gave an application to the KESC authorities for installing a correct meter, they promised it but never fulfilled that promise.
On Sept 9, 2002, I paid Rs10,380, but then on Sept 15, I received a new bill requiring payment of Rs2,240. Each time I protest about the overbilling and demand a new and correct meter, the KESC people invariably say “yes, we will replace it soon”, but then forget about it. I thus continue to receive inflated bills, even though we economize on electricity consumption as much as possible.
Is there anyone among the KESC high-ups who could save me from overbilling and have a correct meter installed? I am not asking for the moon, nor for a concession. I am merely demanding a KESC client’s right to a correct meter and fair billing.
MRS QAISER MOEEN
Karachi
AFTER three years of army rule, President Musharraf and his team may have proved that they are sincere and honest people but sorry to say they have been unable to solve Pakistan’s problem. I was utterly disappointed when I read the news item on Oct 17 stating that leather garment exports have declined by 29 per cent over the last 12 months and 20,000 people have lost their jobs due to the massive shutdown in industry.
Then only a few days back I was shocked when I saw the electric supply bill for my leather tannery in Korangi. Without any prior notification, the KESC has increased its fixed load charges from Rs200 to Rs300 per kilowatt, an increase of 50 per cent.
No matter how many excuses are given to support incredible price hikes such as this one, these rising costs are virtually destroying our industry which is already going through the worst crisis as numerous leather garment factories have either closed down or are producing much below their normal capacity.
Massive unemployment has already been triggered due to our industrial decline and in such a precarious situation, such preposterous increases in costs of production cannot be sustained by our industry and will cause an industrial collapse which means more unemployment and poverty.
The government can surely boast of increases in revenue collection but if this results in industrial closure, then this is disastrous for our country. Even our seven billion dollars’ foreign reserves, which the government frequently speaks about, are not enough. They cannot remove unemployment and poverty.
Subsidizing our industry is now necessary for its survival and further expansion. It is the only way to achieve economic growth and eliminate the menace of unemployment and poverty from our country.
REHAN SALMAN
Karachi
This is to clarify a news item captioned “Rs4.5 billion embezzled in Wapda” (Oct 29) which is contrary to facts.
The factual position is that the matter was discussed in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meetings held on November 19-21, 2001 and December 7-8, 2001. The report consisted of 54 paras for a total amount of Rs4.586 billion and, as a result of discussions, the PAC and Audit finally settled 19 paras for a total value of Rs2.395 billion.
Replies of Wapda in respect of 30 paras for a total amount of Rs1.503 billion were accepted by the PAC and the auditor general was advised by the committee to verify the replies of the authority. The verification process is in progress.
In three cases for a total value of Rs0.059 billion, the PAC directed Wapda to investigate the cases with association of representative of the auditor general. The investigation is in progress. The PAC in two cases with a total amount of Rs0.629 billion deferred its decisions till the finalization of the cases by the NAB and the ministry of commerce.
In the above audit report, total irregularities to the tune of Rs4.586 billion were reported by audit, out of which irregularities to the tune of Rs3.345 billion pertain to the projects and formations which were concurrently post audited only by the branch audit offices of the auditor general and as per procedure these formations do not fall under the purview of audit by the internal division.
UZAIR AHMAD
Assistant Director (Press) Wapda Lahore
THIS refers to a full-page colour ad appearing in a section of the press on Oct 28, carrying a message from one Mohammad Farooq, a paramedic in the New York fire department.
The contents of the ad desperately tried to make one believe that a Muslim working in America is treated equally with fellow Christians, Jews and Hindus.
However, the US atrocities against Muslims all over the world before and after 9/11, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan and indirectly in Palestine, have given rise to a strong feeling among the Muslims against America.
The Americans (read the US government) are greatly mistaken if they think that they can change Muslim public opinion in their favour by resorting to public relations stunts such as the aforementioned press ad. They should realize that actions speak louder than words do. What they did in Afghanistan is still fresh in our memories.
The ‘crusade’ speech of the US president will also take some time to get erased from the minds of the Muslims. Hundreds of Muslim families are suffering humiliation at the hands of the so-called civilized Americans and the Britons. Those, harassed by the FBI and the US immigration department, also have horrible stories to tell.
The US must revise its policy of dropping cookie packs and cluster bombs together. Costly newspaper commercials using Muslim names for credibility might work in an American election campaign but not in countries bleeding due to the mean policies of the US. An average Pakistani can hardly be persuaded to change the image of the US in his mind with such testimonials.
The golden rule for effective public relations is that whatever is said should be based on truth, honesty and respect for others.
If the Americans want to create a favourable opinion for themselves, they must come out openly and apologise for their unjustified past and present actions against the Muslims the world over.
ARSHAD KHAN
Karachi
THIS refers to Anil Khan’s letter, “Population growth” (Oct 22). Endorsing the writer’s ideas, I would suggest that we should adopt a practical and serious approach towards population growth.
Like China, we, too, should adopt a ‘one-child population growth policy’ according to which one pair is entitled to have only one child. Unless we bring down the birth rate to one per cent annually, our survival would become difficult because at the present rate, our population would double in only 30 to 32 years and we do not have sufficient resources to support such a huge population.
SAALIM SALAM ANSARI
Karachi
WE the students of MBBS first professional part-A (DMC and SMC) have learnt that our enrolment forms have not been sent to the University of Karachi yet, though we filled the forms at the time of admission.
We entered the portals of DMC and SMC after giving admission tests twice due to the faults of IBA. Now when our colleagues in NED are giving examinations and in the KU examinations are starting in November, we have not been even enrolled in the KU? Who is to be blamed for this? We appeal to the authorities concerned to come to our rescue.
AFFECTED STUDENTS
Karachi
THIS is with reference to a letter on this subject by Mohammad Anwar Khan (Oct 25).
In this regard, I want to make the following observations for the benefit of readers.
Over the last 25 years or so our London-based company has supplied used machinery, made in the UK, other European countries and the US, for textile and other industries in Pakistan.
Most of our machines are still working in perfect condition after many years of good service.
If you buy on ‘where is, as is’ basis, then you are asking for trouble as spare parts are expenses. But if you buy re-conditioned machinery from a reputable company, then you can make an excellent bargain. Most of these re-built machines are better than many new ones being imported in Pakistan. The reason for this is that the new ones are off the assembly line while the re-conditioned ones are re-built from the scratch by experienced European professionals, who replace and double check each and every working part.
To produce our own machines of that standard, massive investment and technical know-how would be required. We lack in both of these skills. India imposed a ban on imported machinery for a long time because they produced their own machines. During that period, the quality of Indian products suffered badly whereas the quality of Pakistani products improved. So, finally, India had to allow import of used machinery and has not looked back since.
A. A. KHAN
Islamabad
RECENTLY, the JI chief gave a statement that the MMA will abolish co-education at all levels after forming government. One wonders what kind of service to the nation it would be. Co-education gives women the confidence to compete with men in every walk of life. They should not be deprived of this facility.
The need is that the attitude of men towards women should change. They should have greater respect for women.
MOHAMMAD YAMIN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the news item “PFF likely to sack foreign coaches” (Oct 27). I think that by doing so the concerned authorities will do no good to the game of football which has already suffered a lot due to lack of proper management.
I request the authorities not to take such a decision.
TAHA SIDDIQUI
Karachi
A NUMBER of letters published recently in these columns on the subject of “Seafarers’ agony at foreign ports” have brought into discussion the seafarers’ community of Pakistan. However, the real potential of this small bunch of professionals is still not very well known.
There are some 18,000 Pakistani seafarers who serve on foreign ships. They send home close to $200 million every year and this they do through official channels and without any break, irrespective of the situation in the country. Currently, our forex reserves are unprecedentedly high. But not too long ago, when remittances from overseas Pakistanis were hardly around $1 billion a year, the seafarers’ contribution amounted to over 25 per cent of the total remittance to this country.
Seafarers remain the most productive of Pakistani overseas workers as a large part of their earnings comes to Pakistan as savings and is available for investment.
Unfortunately, other Pakistani professionals who command high wages, leave this country for good and tend to keep their savings where they work and live. The unskilled workers who do remit their money home have meagre earnings and most of the money sent by them goes into meeting the day to day needs of their families. Very little or nothing remains as savings.
With a little official patronage, Pakistani seafarers could, in a few years, become the largest source of foreign exchange earning for this country. We should be proud of the fact that in these times when very strict training and certification standards are in force, Pakistani seafarers are second to none and their professional qualifications and competence are recognized worldwide. What is needed from the government is that the world should be assured of the fact that due to very strict multi-level checks, which have been in existence since the 9/11 incidents, there is no possibility that Pakistani seafarers would ever harm peace and tranquillity in any country.
Finding employment for these professionals is not a difficult task. Yet, it would be in the interest of the country if the government secures work for our seamen in the mercantile fleets of brotherly Arab and friendly Western countries.
MOHAMMAD MOHSIN ZAIDI
Karachi
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