| 14 September 2004 | Tuesday | 28 Rajab 1425 |
Threat to Indus delta
Total audit cases
Combating terrorism the right way
Dry taps in Islamabad
Needed: overhead bridge
Growth, poverty & politics
Evening shifts
UK visa policy
Appeal for refund
Military land department
ISPs
Garbage heaps
Umpiring age?
Package for senior citizens
Blood group cards
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The prime minister has formed a cabinet of about 60 people for a country where about 40 per cent of the population live below the poverty line. Every ministry has been given two ministers - one federal minister and one minister of state. The only job these ministers are expected to perform is to move about the country with full protocol, causing inconvenience to common citizens.
Then there are advisers and parliamentary secretaries, as also chairmen of autonomous and semi-autonomous corporations and authorities enjoying the status of ministers and ministers of state, who will also enjoy perks. Also, there is a battery of chairmen of many standing committees of the National Assembly and the Senate.
So, every member of parliament would be more than gainfully employed as an incentive to parliamentarians to support Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Isn't this a negation of whatever Mr Aziz learnt in his banking career? In an interview with a Gulf-based channel, he had made a reference to China and Malaysia which have emerged as role models. We hope he learns a lesson from these two countries.
In China and Malaysia, unlike in Pakistan, advertisement supplements in newspapers are not sponsored at government expense to boost the personality of the president or the prime minister. This is a negation of a progressive economy.
Let us try to save every paisa that can be saved instead of spending it on winning over members of parliament. Parliament is more an arena now for struggle for supremacy rather than a nation-building forum. Its members spend most of their time in abusing one another, all at the cost of taxpayers.
What a layman has so far seen is that when Mr Aziz first became finance minister, the price of wheat flour was Rs5 a one kilo and a tandoori roti would cost Re1. Now when he has been elevated as prime minister, the price of wheat flour is Rs12 a kilo and a tandoori roti costs Rs2.50. Prices of other consumer items have also increased manifold in the past four years.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Via email
(2)
"Smile of the week" published in the ear panel of Dawn on Sept 3 reads: "What is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary."- (Richard Harkness).
Will it not be appropriate if we replace the word committee with cabinet?
ABDUS SATTAR
Karachi
(3)
There is no doubt that the government of Mr Shaukat Aziz has a priority to reduce unemployment (at least among politicians) by expanding his cabinet size to above 60 members. Who says governments do not fulfil their promises? Does anyone need any further proof of the government's commitment to reducing unemployment?
JAMSHED ZIA
London, UK
Threat to Indus delta
The Indus delta, the sixth largest in the world, is on the verge of dying. An artificial scarcity of water in the last many years has resulted in ruination on a large scale.
International organizations have been raising a hue and cry for a long time to save the delta but in vain. No serious endeavour has been made by the government to protect the delta. The livelihood of thousands of poor people living around the delta has been put at stake, besides its devastating effects on the ecosystem of the area.
In the absence of release of the minimum required 10 MAF water into the sea through the Indus delta, sea intrusion has ruined two million acres of agriculture land in the districts of Badin and Thatta. More and more land will be damaged as no corrective measures are being taken to check further intrusion.
It is interesting to note that when the river water was available in abundance in the past, some quarters suggested construction of large dams, and now when there is a severe scarcity of water, the same quarters are again demanding construction of large dams, basing their argument on the assumption that large dams will resolve the problem of water scarcity.
In my opinion, either their earlier or their present stand is incorrect. Large-scale displacements of people, 40 per cent seepage, large-scale devastation in case of breach and highly negative effects on the eco-system have discouraged the trend of building large dams throughout the world. There is a serious need to take corrective steps to cope with the situation.
IMRAN KHAN SIAL
Karachi
Total audit cases
Taxpayers whose cases have been selected for total audit for the tax year 2003 have not fully responded to the amnesty scheme announced by the CBR to avail themselves of the facility of exemption from total audit for the following reasons:
1. The criterion for selection was in contravention of law and tantamount to breach of trust. Hence the selection was challenged before various authorities/ courts, and representations have succeeded.
2. The scheme for exemption from total audit is not being whole-heartedly accepted by tax officers, and also taxpayers are being required to furnish documents/details/statements, etc., to the satisfaction of taxation officers. Thus, once again, officers are creating a situation of mistrust as they are not happy with the exemption scheme.
For these reasons, taxpayers are reluctant to avail themselves of the facility of exemption from total audit, though they are mentally prepared to suffer a monetary loss in terms of payment of an additional amount as tax.
A circular containing directions in unambiguous terms as regards the documents required for exemption should be issued and acceptance of the revised return should not be linked to the satisfaction of taxation officers.
I request the CBR chairman to look into the matter and let taxpayers avail themselves of the benefits of the exemption scheme, pay the tax willingly with an assurance from the CBR that the revised return will be accepted if no definite information is available on record before filing of the original return.
YOUNUS
Hyderabad
Combating terrorism the right way
Apropos of Mr Irfan Husain's column (September 11) regarding involvement of Muslims in terrorism, it may also be noted that at this point in history it is Muslim lands that are being targeted and attacked in different parts of the world.
A few decades ago, terrorism emanated mostly from Latin America when foreign manipulations in South America were rampant. With fewer interventions from abroad and a decline in foreign-imposed despots, one does not hear of South American terrorists blowing up bars in Europe. Terrorism does not occur in a vacuum.
With factories all over the world spewing forth death-machines in ever powerful modes day and night, terrorists have also become deadlier. I fear that the oft-repeated concern of WMDs' falling into terrorist hands may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Continued stress on force alone to combat terrorism will just escalate the deadliness of these acts. The powers that be must solve political issues that give rise to such hopelessness and fury.
That will take the wind out of the terror organizations' sail. That is the only solution of a 'war' that even President Bush has declared unwinnable.
JAMAL H. KHAN
Charleston, WV., USA
Dry taps in Islamabad
For the past many weeks, there has been no water in the taps in my section of Islamabad's I-10/1 sector. The residents living in the streets affected by this serious problem have been ringing up the office concerned but to no avail. They have even signed several mass petitions and submitted them to the office, but these have also brought no response.
The cause of the problem is not clear; some say that it is due to pipe leakage, while others say that the water supply meant for our sector is being diverted elsewhere. The streets most affected are 81, 80 and 17.
I do not have to elaborate the inconveniences that we have been going through because of the dry taps. Simple everyday tasks like boiling water and cooking have become cumbersome because there is no water.
In this day and age, and within the capital city, too, no household can go through a day without water, let alone be forced to do so for weeks on end. Trying to get water from the water tanker service is another headache altogether.
Where is accountability? If the office concerned cannot fix our water supply problem, whom should we approach to solve the problem?
MAJ (RETD) KHALID MEHMOOD
Islamabad
Needed: overhead bridge
I would like to draw the attention of the National Highway Authority to a serious problem faced by thousands of people residing in Dhok Kala Khan. Many of them work in Islamabad, and many of the women and children travel to Islamabad for medical treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Federal Government Services Hospital. On returning from Islamabad, all residents have to cross the busy Highway Road to enter the vicinity of Dhok Kala Khan.
First, the U-turn at Dhok Kala Khan was closed, and then an iron fence was erected in the middle of the road, preventing people from crossing the highway. There is also no traffic signal or zebra crossing here, and thus the traffic speed here is very dangerous for people trying to cross the road, especially old women and children. Many pedestrians have lost their lives in accidents here.
I request the authorities concerned to look into this matter immediately. An overhead bridge at Dhok Kala Khan should be constructed at the earliest to facilitate the residents.
SHAHARYAR
Dhok Kala Khan
Growth, poverty & politics
This is apropos of Mr Shahid Javed Burki's article "Growth, poverty & politics" (August 31) in which he claims that Pakistan's economy performed well under military rule when the number of the poor decreased.
Please also refer to Mr Javed Bokhari's article "Downside risks to national economy" (August 30) in which he says unemployment and poverty were reduced during the civilian rule of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, though there was stagflation in the 1970s.
First, civilian governments, except that of Bhutto, cannot be blamed for economic failure because they were never allowed to work independently and complete their tenures, while military governments have ruled the country for decades.
During the Ayub regime, poverty in rural areas was brought down because of the use of fertilizers for the first time, which increased crop productivity. There is, therefore, no question of the military playing any role in that.
Mr Burki is himself not sure about its role. He says: "Economists have disputed the impact of Ayub Khan's model of economic growth on the incidence of poverty, as well as on income inequality. No firm data is available to suggest what happened to these measures of welfare during this period."
The writer claims that Z.A. Bhutto's government added six million poor people to the country. But the fact is that Mr Bhutto had inherited a dismembered country and a demoralized nation. There were natural calamities at the beginning of his rule.
There was stagflation, witnessed for the first time in the history of Pakistan in the 1970s. It has been now acknowledged worldwide that Bhutto not only fought stagflation but also reduced unemployment and poverty. His government brought investment and gave jobs.
MANZOOR CHANDIO
Karachi
Evening shifts
I pity my granddaughter, who is studying in Class 2, when she comes out of the school van in the evening, pulling a long face and perspiring. She is studying in the evening shift. I think this is no less than a punishment for children of her age.
I request the education minister to put an end to evening shifts and enable all small children to study in morning shifts. There is no scarcity of teachers in the country; many are just waiting for a job.
M. NAWAZ KHOKHAR
Islamabad
UK visa policy
I applied for a UK visa on July 1 but so far there is no news whether I will get it or not. When I contacted the mission's relevant section to learn of the fate of my application, I was told that all those applying for a visa for the first time would have to wait.
How long? Nobody knows. Until that time the passport remains stuck. I asked them to return my passport and almost 15 days have passed, but they haven't bothered to do that as well.
Other embassies like those of the US and EU countries are not taking the same amount of time to process visas. The US embassy is taking about 21 days, the EU countries 15 to 21 days and all other countries take less than two weeks. So, there should be no special reason for the British mission to be different from others.
NAFEES BARRY
Lahore'
Appeal for refund
We booked a flat in the name of our daughter at the time of her wedding in 1995. The flat's postal address is: apartment No. 607, 6th Floor, Block-2, Type-C, Al-Rauf Royal City, situated at Al-Rauf Builders, NC-118, Block-19, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Scheme 36, Karachi.
We paid a total of Rs16,500 for which we were issued receipts of Rs7,500 on April 1, 1995, Rs4,000 on September 2, 1995, and Rs5,000 on December 6, 1995. It was most unfortunate that we couldn't pay further instalments because of a tragedy in our family. So the booking was cancelled in 1996.
Two years back we asked the builders to refund our money. They say there are many such hapless clients, and we will have to wait for our turn to come. I am a widow with no resources. I appeal to the authorities concerned to intervene and help me.
SHAMEEM DALLAZY
Karachi
Military land department
I endorse the views expressed by Mr Irfan Zaidi in his letter "Good governance" (August 6). Officers and employees of the military lands and cantonments department are going through troubled times. Transfers and postings of low-grade employees to far-flung areas, disciplinary action such as issuance of charge-sheets and removal from service on flimsy and whimsical grounds, and postings of junior officers to senior appointments have become a common practice.
All this has agonized diligent and honest officers and employees. It is time President Musharraf took notice of this and did the needful.
MUHAMMAD JAVAID MIAN
Karachi
ISPs
It is regrettable that despite complaints appearing in the press, Internet service providers (ISPs) and the PTCL are least bothered about explaining why Internet surfing has become a frustrating experience.
It is hoped that the authorities concerned will come to our help and resolve the problem.
DR TALHA M. SIDDIQUI
Karachi
Garbage heaps
Heaps of garbage are piled up in the vacant area around Silver Star Chowk at Gujranwala bypass and along both sides of the road leading to Lohianwala. The garbage poses a serious health hazard and needs to be removed quickly.
MANZAR MUSHTAQ
Daska
Umpiring age?
With reference to various letters appearing in Dawn regarding the warning letter sent to chief selector Wasim Bari by ICC CEO Malcolm Speed, I would like to suggest that the Pakistan Cricket Board should request the International Cricket Council to impose an age restriction on cricket umpires.
David Shepherd can make mistakes as he is above 60. He cannot be expected to remain mentally alert throughout a match. I agree with Imran Khan's and Omer Kureshi's comments that if Bari made a mistake for publicly passing comments, why did Malcolm Speed make the same mistake by sending a warning letter to Bari and then by releasing it to the press?
According to Speed's letter, Wasim Bari has not breached the ICC code of conduct. What then was the point in writing the letter to him? I would like to ask the ICC president whether Malcolm Speed has breached the council's code of conduct by writing a warning letter to Bari.
MALIK MURAD ALI
Karachi
Package for senior citizens
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain's so-called 'comprehensive relief package' for senior citizens is a joke; it includes courtesies like special treatment at railway stations, airports, hospitals and banks but indicates no concessions.
Islam teaches us to respect the elderly. Providing them with a chair or a bench to sit instead of standing in a queue is no favour. As for free entry into parks and places of entertainment, how many senior citizens visit them and how big will be the financial impact?
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who is supposed to be a financial expert, must improve this package by incorporating the following items:
a) Immediate removal of disparity between the pensions of old and new pensioners.
b) Concession in rail, air and bus fares.
c) Free medical treatment in all hospitals.
d) Concession in utility service bills.
e) Exemption from all taxes, including sales tax on all types of purchase.
RAFI NASIM
Lahore
Blood group cards
If you get your blood group tested by any reputable laboratory, you will get a beautifully printed plastic coated card along with the report, which is obviously meant to be carried on your person so that in case of any emergency the attending physician knows the blood group immediately.
The utility of this card will increase many times if it also carries the address and the phone number of the card holder. If a person so desires, any special medical condition such as diabetes and angina and/or allergies to any medicines can also be mentioned on the card. The card should be small enough to be kept in a wallet.
N. A. KHAN
Karachi
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