| February 28, 2003 | Friday | Zul Hijjah 26, 1423 |
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Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh
Turkey’s strategy & Pakistan
The Karakoram Express
Noise pollution in urban areas
Renaming the NWFP
UNDP’s choice
Migrating to Canada?
Cultural values
‘Motorbikes for postman’
Clash of MNCs
PAF modernization plan
Islamabad
A LARGE number of retired employees (not only pensioners), widows and the people belonging to low-income groups depend mainly on the profits from the national/special savings schemes on which the rate of profit has been reduced from 14 to 8.67 per cent (by about 40 per cent) in the last couple of years.
The object of the government action is to reduce its servicing liability on the domestic debt. The sole consideration of the adviser to the prime minister on finance (former finance minister Shaukat Aziz) has been compliance with the directives of the World Bank and the IMF.
In his addresses, Mr Aziz quotes many figures to project the performance of the economy during his tenure as finance minister, but a figure which he failed to mention is the percentage of retired government employees who live beyond the age of 70 (now 75), the age at which the commuted part of pension was required to be restored to them.
The railways department has not complied with the directive. Gen Ziaul Haq restored the commuted portion at 70 years, modified by a civil government to 75 years, but during the Musharraf government, it was withdrawn.
It was in 1973 when the PPP government, for the first time, increased employees’ pensions, but no corresponding relief was given to non-pensioners. After a few feeble convulsions, it has also become a part of our economic history.
The additional two per cent profit on the national savings scheme (NSS) announced for pensioners should be given to all retired people, that is every person of 60 and over.
Ever since independence, Pakistan has had the lowest per capita savings ratio in South Asia. To ensure savings for the elderly, the government tied the Pension-cum-Gratuity Scheme 1954, with compulsory contribution of 10 per cent of salary to the newly-created national provident fund. An employee could contribute more to this fund. As the rate of interest was substantial, many employees contributed more than 10 per cent, but subsequently, it was restricted to 10 per cent.
This restriction was the first step in the withdrawal of old age security. An alternative was sought in the NSS as private financial institutions proved to be unreliable. The Pension-cum-Gratuity Scheme was also extended to the railways department and its state railway provident fund was abolished for future entrants.
The department, however, failed to obtain option to the pension scheme from every employee before his retirement. Consequently, most of the illiterate, low-paid employees, specially those posted along the line and at way-side stations, were deprived of the benefit of the pension scheme. The railways department has so far failed to extend the pension scheme to all employees in service at the time of its introduction in 1954.
A CITIZEN
Karachi
IT seems that everyone in Pakistan has forgotten the Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh three decades ago. These people number about 250,000 and live in appalling conditions in refugee camps and slums. But successive Pakistani governments have not made any efforts to bring them back to their homeland.
These people proved their loyalty to Pakistan in 1971, but they have been suffering for more than 30 years. Our people who waste their time in discussing non-issues have not shown any interest in trying to alleviate the sufferings of their fellow countrymen in Bangladesh.
It is the moral responsibility of the government and the people of Pakistan to bring these stranded Pakistanis to their homeland. If we can accommodate millions of Afghan refugees, why can’t we accommodate a few hundred thousands Pakistanis who have the right to be in Pakistan?
The government of Pakistan must help them. Those who want to come to Pakistan must be allowed to do so while others who wish to stay back in Bangladesh must be helped financially.
TAIMUR MASUD KHAN
Philadelphia, USA
TURKEY’S resistance to the deployment of US forces against Iraq and the condition of a pre-war economic package being set by its government show the dynamic strategy of its foreign policy.
Despite the increasing pressure from America, Turkey has remained consistent in its demands. It is likely to eventually concede to the deployments of American troops, but the final decision will compensate Turkey for war-related losses.
The Gulf war of 1991, which cost Turkey $40 billion, and the American failure to assist it to meet its losses have made the Turkish government cautious.
Why was the same strategy not adopted by Pakistan soon after the 9/11 incidents when it was asked to allow its bases to be used against Afghanistan? Pakistan could have made a demand for the write-off of its huge burden of foreign debts which have been a stagnant and unresolved problem.
If Pakistan had demanded of the US economic aid for extending full support to the latter in its war against the Taliban government, it, too, would have made a successful deal.
MOHAMMAD TARIQ AFRIDI
Karachi
ON Feb 6, I travelled to Lahore by the Karakoram Express. I was very impressed with the shining get-up of the newly-acquired bogies from China.
I wished the ultra-modern exterior of the bogies had been matched with the aligning of the height of the platform with the floor of the bogies, thereby eliminating the use of stairs. The stairs are awfully short and straight one below the other. They have been terribly designed. Compared to them, the stairs of our own old bogies are far more elegantly designed and can be more conveniently used.
Is the width of these bogies smaller than the width of our bogies? The corridor is too narrow to comfortably reach one’s compartment. At this high fare rate, I was under the impression that it would be a two-tier bogie, but I found it was a three-tier one. In all fairness, the height of the bogie can take only two berths, upper and lower, with no room for the middle berth. The space between the two opposite berths is too narrow. The lower berths are also very narrow and it is very uncomfortable to lie on them.
As a rule, two toilets should have been provided on each side of the bogie, but the bogie I travelled in (No 7) had only one toilet in the corridor I entered from.
Even the third-class bogies on long-distance Indian trains provide wash-basins with a mirror in the corridor. But there is nothing in the compartment of the Karakoram Express.
On the day of my journey, the train had already left the Karachi station when it was announced that the dining car had been damaged and thus had not been attached. The passengers were advised to make their own arrangements for food and drink.
The running staff did not have the courtesy even to apologize for the failure of the railway administration to provide meals and breakfast to the passengers. There was a public-speaking system in the bogies, but it proved to be a source of mental torture, instead of being of some comfort.
Will the Railways authorities do the needful to make travelling by trains somewhat comfortable?
SALAHUDDIN MIRZA
Lahore
ROAD traffic in Karachi has been increasing at an astronomically high rate of 10 per cent annually, thus resulting in many environment-related problems for the citizens and posing challenges for the civic bodies. One such problem is noise pollution.
Many constituents of road traffic contribute to the noise pollution; a large number and varied types of automobiles, specially heavy vehicles, faulty engines and defective silencers, particularly in rickshaws, and injudicious use of pressure horns. Of these, the nerve-shattering noise emission by rickshaws in Karachi and other cities of Pakistan merits immediate attention.
International standards suggest from 85 to 90 decibels for eight hours a day as the maximum permissible noise emission. According to a study by the Institute of Environmental Studies of the University of Karachi, recently quoted in an article in your newspaper, the average noise level for rickshaws in Karachi is 99.46 decibels, much greater than for buses and minibuses.
This abnormally high level of noise is harmful for people, leading to physiological and psychological ailments, including stress, intolerance and heart and kidney problems.
Many half-hearted efforts have been made to control the menace of noise pollution by rickshaws in the past. When the Karachi city government was constituted in August 2001, this issue was taken as one of the tasks to be dealt with on an urgent basis. Later, the citizens were informed that within six months, all rickshaws would be fitted with cost-effective silencers to curb the noise level. To the utter disappointment of the city dwellers, no concrete results have been observed yet.
The political will in India was able to overcome the stiff resistance put up by the transport mafia in Delhi, and heavy vehicles were forced to convert their engine to be CNG compatible and to become more environment-friendly. Similarly, there are other success stories around the world.
With many achievements to its credit in its short span of over the last 18 months, the Karachi city government can surely overcome obstacles and ensure compliance with the installation of low-cost silencers in rickshaws. This will be a gift and a meaningful contribution towards the enhancement of quality life of Karachiites, thereby creating another good example worth emulating by other cities of the country.
DR PARVEZ NAYANI
Karachi
THESE days in the NWFP Assembly, a bill for renaming the province is about to be presented, and a few names such as Khyber, Abasin, Pakhtoonkhawa and Pakhtoonistan have been suggested.
I think it is not an ordinary issue to be discussed like this. First, the name of the province should be selected by consensus. Secondly, and more importantly, a referendum should be held to effect any change in this regard. Only then will a new name of the province will be acceptable to all.
More than 50 years have passed since we got independence, but still we are not independent in many respects. At least, we should get rid of this geographic name. We should choose a suitable name for the province, reflecting our identity.
ENGR SAJJAD KHAN
Swat
THIS is in response to an article in Dawn (Feb 26) by United Nations Population Fund Goodwill Ambassador Feryal Ali Gauhar.
To put the matter in perspective, a consultative meeting with representative organizations from government and Civil Society was held on Feb 6 in Islamabad for the purpose of reviewing and discussing our entire upcoming programme of cooperation in Pakistan.
The Planning Division hosted the meeting and invitations were sent from the Centre for Poverty Reduction and Income Distribution. Invitations were extended to over 50 institutions from Civil Society, including the four provincial chambers of commerce and industry and the FCCI.
We understand that the individual in question attended the meeting in his capacity as president of the Sarhad Chamber. It is important to note that such invitations are addressed to and target institutions and not individuals in their personal capacity.
The organizational arrangements and management of such institutions is beyond our control and thus the UNDP cannot take any responsibility for the participation of persons whose legitimacy and credibility may be in serious doubt.
In light of the above, we feel that the facts should be put on record.
ONDER YUCER
Resident Representative,
United Nations Development Programme,
I RECENTLY went through in these columns a couple of letters titled ‘Migrating to Canada?’. Being a Canadian immigrant myself, I can very well visualize the situation faced by new immigrants in Canada.
Most of the families who want to migrate to Canada are quite settled in Pakistan, the Gulf countries or in Saudi Arabia. Generally, immigration lawyers show them a very rosy picture of Canada. Their motto is, ‘migrate to the land of opportunities’.
After spending a lot of money on immigration, a tough situation waits for them in Canada. They are not used to the lifestyle and the system of this country. It takes them at least a year to adjust themselves to the new system.
Jobs do not wait for anyone. Immigrants from Pakistan mostly arrive in Toronto which is already oversaturated. Most qualified people and even doctors, engineers, MBAs, etc. do not get jobs at first. They have to get a Canadian licence or qualifications first. Even with impressive resumes or years’ of experience, they are politely rejected, “Sorry, you are overqualified for this job.”
So, the situation becomes very frustrating for the immigrants and a number of them are forced to do odd jobs. I have seen an experienced lawyer cutting and selling meat at a meat shop, an architect from the NCA doing babysitting, a doctor as a receptionist in a clinic and so on.
Canada is much better for younger people who can get qualified from a local school or a university and can indulge in the system easily. It surely is difficult for the middle-aged ones and white-collar professionals. For blue-collar workers, it’s the same as everywhere.
If you have a family or business here, then the situation is different. They can provide you with some help or with a job in their work. But if you want to live in the West, it is advisable to visit this place first.
ABIDA RAHMANI
Oakville, Canada
SOME news items in your issue of Feb 12 have made me confused as to what is Islamic and what is not. The MMA leaders and other champions and saviours of the Pakistani virtue get worked up about innocent fun, but they say and do nothing about serious crimes.
Can they explain as to why they cannot declare a ‘day of despondency’ or a ‘black day’ when a woman is raped, a poor man murdered and people are reluctant to go to mosques and Eidgahs because they fear for their lives?
If Valentine’s Day and Basant are celebrated by the slaves of Hindu/weternized culture, who are these followers of Pakistani cultural values about whom they have nothing to say and do?
LUBNA HAJJ
Islamabad
APROPOS of the new report titled ‘Motorbikes for postman’ (Feb 15), it is clarified that the Pakistan Post Office is making efforts to provide better services to its customers.
In order to improve the delivery of mails in big cities, the Universal Postal Union has agreed to provide us with motorbikes which will be handed over to the postmen of selected beats. For this purpose, the necessary action is being taken.
Within our resources, we are ensuring the grant of suitable incentives to the delivery staff for the distribution of computerized national identity cards (CNICs) and telephone bills.
The work of distribution of computerized national identity cards was assigned to the Pakistan Post Office by the National Database Registration Authority in February 2002 owing to the inability of some private couriers to do the job. From February 2002 till Jan 31, the post office staff satisfactorily delivered about 3,143,953 CNICs at the doorsteps of the applicants throughout Sindh.
About 368,460 CNICs were returned to Nadra on account of either incomplete addresses or due to the reason that the applicants had left their residents. These also included rejected CNICs. In addition to this, the delivery of CNICs is also made on Sundays and on other public holidays.
ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL (Ops)
Karachi
TIME is going to prove that there won’t be any clash of civilizations. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, the capitalist forces were united against it. Now, a decade after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, differences are cropping up among the one-time allied multinationals to capture markets and resources, mainly oil.
The policy of the US and its allies towards Iraq on the one hand, and the worldwide protests against any invasion of Iraq on the other show the clash of interests among multinational companies.
It seems that we are moving towards World War III, not the one which President Bush declared against his pseudo enemy, Al Qaeda.
MOHAMMAD SAEED
Peshawar
Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal, while addressing senior PAF officials at the air force headquarters in Chaklala, dwelt on the same old rhetoric that the Pakistan Air Force will be equipped with the most modern weaponry.
This promise has become part of a customary speech which is delivered on such occasions by top government and military officials. We have yet to see when these words will be translated into action.
The PAF today stands overwhelmingly outnumbered as compared to its adversary in the region. While our ministers and top officials make bold statements, mostly reserved for such ceremonies, the quantitative as well as the qualitative gap with its eastern neighbour is widening by the day.
Successive governments, since the end of the Afghan war, have failed to equip the PAF with modern fighter aircraft. Even before that, the induction of F16s into the air force in mid-80s was only done out of the necessity to serve the objectives of the United States.
One attempt in this direction by Benazir Bhutto’s government resulted only in depriving the exchequer of foreign exchange and in stalling the Pakistan-China’s Super 7 aircraft development project.
While it is hoped that Super 7 will take Pakistan on the road to self-reliance, still the need to equip the PAF with a fourth generation aircraft is becoming critical.
In the light of the fast changing geopolitical situation in the region, it is imperative that the requirements of the PAF are met on an urgent basis by inducting a front-line fighter aircraft in an adequate number. Also, the Super 7 development programme should be accelerated to put Pakistan on the road to self-reliance.
The tragic loss of the PAF’s top echelon in a crash may result in further slowing down the process of the PAF’s modernization programme, as the deceased air chief and his fallen colleagues were known to be the driving force behind it. The government should ensure that this unfortunate incident does not hinder the progress at any cost.
TANWEER ABBAS
Ontario, Canada
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