| 19 December 2004 | Sunday | 06 Ziqa'ad 1425 |
Machine-readable passports
BBC and militants
'Pachyderms of unequal sizes'
Yesterday's heroes, today's villains
US currency in turmoil
Josh Malihabadi's interview
Promotion of doctors
Appeal for visa
A point to ponder
Carjackers on the prowl
Trading bloc
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The latest increase in petroleum prices (Dawn, Dec 16) has raised the question whether the 1999 decision to give a free hand to the Oil Companies' Advisory Committee (Ocac) to fix prices has resulted in manipulation, fraud and corruption in oil price fixing.
Ocac has as its members local and foreign oil marketing companies (OMCs) and refineries that are also mostly foreign owned. Thus, instead of promoting a healthy competition between them, these companies have been huddled up in a room like a cartel and tasked to fix oil prices.
A statutory body called the "Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority" (Ogra) already exists to ensure transparency in fixing oil prices but it has been kept out of the oil pricing business. When the authority demanded a say in it, the petroleum ministry asked it to shut up. This is a matter of record which can be verified. The following instances will help illustrate manipulation and collusion.
First, the C&F price set by OMCs for furnace oil in June 2002 was Rs13,600 ($230) per ton as against $125 per ton in the international market at the time. After adding freight, insurance, port charges and GST, the price should have not exceeded $182 per ton. Thus, $48 a ton or $336 million for seven million tons of oil imports in 2002 were overcharged.
Second, dumping kerosene into HSD has always been considered illegal and a punishable offence, but it was legitimized by altering diesel specifications, thereby giving a windfall benefit of Rs2/2.50 per litre of kerosene dumped to OMCs and refineries.
Before October 1999 the OMCs were allowed a fixed margin ranging from Rs0.22/0.55 per litre. It was later changed to two per cent of the CIF price and subsequently increased to 3.5 per cent of the retail price. This decision alone increased the margin on gasoline from Rs0.52 to Rs2.89 per litre or by nearly 550 per cent.
The OMCs were benefited and poor people fleeced again when in 2002 a regulatory tax of 11 per cent on HSD and six per cent on kerosene was imposed. As only 40 per cent HSD is imported and kerosene is not imported, the imposition of these taxes cost the poor people an estimated Rs4.8 billion. Obviously as no imports were involved, no taxes were deposited in the treasury and the benefit went to refineries and OMCs only.
The collusion between some hidden hands in the government and the oil companies floats on the surface. The matter has been raised with NAB also but the bureau prefers to look the other way.
SENATOR FARHATULLAH BABAR
Islamabad
Machine-readable passports
On Dec 15 I appeared for an interview at the visa counter of the consulate-general of the Federal Republic of Germany, with my minor son, for the grant of a visit visa to Germany/ Schengen states, as I am exhibitor in Pakistan pavilion, Heimtextile Fair 2005, being held between Jan 12 and 15.
To my utter shock I was told by the visa officer that the consulate as of Dec 15 was not entertaining any visa application of holders of the new Pakistani machine-readable passport.
The consulate must have its own reasons for not entertaining the new Pakistani passport, but one thing is certain that people like me have no other choice. We cannot under the present circumstances obtain the old version of the Pakistani passport as the government of Pakistan has stopped issuing the old Pakistani passport.
Besides the question of national honour and dignity, it is also a matter of great concern from the point of view of our new passport's practical use. The government should take immediate steps to expeditiously resolve this big problem at a high level.
The German consulate had fixed Dec 15 as the last date for receiving visa applications for visitors/participants in the Heimtextile Fair being held in January. It is requested that the German consulate should extend the period, particularly for such cases as have been turned away due to the new Pakistani machine-readable passport. Such persons are innocent victims of circumstances and have no blame to share.
LUBNA JAMIL HORANI
Karachi
(II)
I am a Pakistani businessman wishing to attend Heimtextil 2005, the largest textile fair of its kind in 2005, which will be held in Frankfurt from Jan 15.
Unfortunately, I have been told by the German consulate in Karachi that I cannot be issued a visa since I have a machine-readable passport. It seems that the Pakistan government has not told the German government of the fact that a new passport has been introduced and, as a consequence, hundreds of businessmen like me are not being issued visas.
So far our government has done nothing and because of this we fear that a number of important exporters will be missing out on this international fair. It is time the government matched deeds with words when it talks about efforts to boost exports for the country.
M. SIDDIQ REHMAN
Karachi
BBC and militants
Apropos of Mr Abd al Hameed's letter "BBC and militants" (Dec 12), I would like to say that the BBC's practice of attaching the label "Muslim" or "Islamic" to acts of terrorism is a gross distortion. When Timothy McVeigh blew up the US federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people, the worst atrocity committed on American soil before September 11, he was not described as being "Christian" despite his links to a fundamentalist white-supremacist church.
The truth is that westerners who have abandoned their own faith or are blinded by religious prejudice do not make an effort to understand Islam. Their attitudes are prejudiced by Islamophobia - the equivalent of anti-Semitism applied to Muslims instead of Jews - and their views distorted by a hostile media. This negative stereotyping of Islam has led to a situation where it is commonly accepted among educated people in the West that Islam is a religion that by definition oppresses women and encourages violence.
While the BBC, CNN, Fox News et al thus routinely imply that violence is somehow inherent in the Muslim faith, we do not hear any similar accusations about the violence intrinsic to Christianity or European culture, or what it was about Christianity that motivated the world conquests of the 19th century or such recent atrocities as the massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims by Orthodox Serbs at Srebrenica in 1995.
The late Edward Said blamed the media, with its addiction to sound bites and adversarial confrontations, for such distortions: "When a religious extremist tells a television reporter that Islam requires holy war against the infidel West, this prescriptive minority view... suddenly acquires an authority from the media that it could never attain within its own social context."
ASAD SIDDIQI
Lahore
'Pachyderms of unequal sizes'
This refers to Mr S.M.H Bokhari's letter "Pachyderms of unequal sizes" (Dec 9). He has viewed the issue rather simplistically.
First of all, he has taken some Indian journalists' remarks as the Indian perception.
Second, he thinks India should not have come up with alternative proposals and that by pushing its own agenda it is dragging its feet on Kashmir.
Third, Mr Manmohan Singh has abruptly turned off the light seen by President Musharraf at the end of the tunnel.
Fourth, by building up its arsenal India wants to involve Pakistan in an arms race.
Fifth, India is planning to stifle Pakistan's economy by building a series of dams on the rivers Chenab, Jhelum, Neelum and Kabul (in Afghanistan).
Sixth, India is trying to flood Pakistan's market with its cheap products.
Last but not least, we should also ask Mr Hamid Karzai to stop India from constructing a dam on the Kabul River.
To boot, India should understand that Pakistan being one of the seven nuclear powers, pachyderms maybe of unequal size but they have equal strength.
While bilateral talks are meant to discuss various alternatives to build CBMs and arrive at a consensus for a future approach to a lasting peace, Mr Bokhari should have known that Afghanistan is neither a province of Pakistan nor part of India, but an independent country. His suggestion to ask Mr Karzai to stop India from building a dam on the Kabul River is most interesting. The threatening example of pachyderms is not the way to start a dialogue.
FAQIR AHMAD PARACHA
Peshawar
Yesterday's heroes, today's villains
This refers to the report "Senator alleges rampant corruption in PCB" (Dec 15). Former Pakistan Cricket Board treasurer Muhammed Naeem has pointed a finger at Ramiz Raja for mismanagement of PCB funds.
Cricketers these days are believed to be role models for the present generation. If allegations like these start surfacing about cricketers such as Ramiz Raja, a one-time cricket hero of Pakistan, what inspiration will our younger generation draw from such cases? As a nation of 58 years, we have not yet been able to design a law that can keep checks on people and departments where public finance is involved.
We have already heard of many unpleasant stories about match-fixing, tampering with the ball, players using marijuana, sex scandals, the selection committee being partial, players disobeying managers, lobbying and now mismanagement of funds by cricket heroes and higher authorities of the PCB.
Do we have any institution that we can label as free of corruption?
M. RAFIQUE ZAKARIA
Karachi
US currency in turmoil
This is with reference to the op-ed "US currency in turmoil" (Dec 14) by Mr Shahid Javed Burki.
Though Mr Burki gave a detailed account on what is wrong with the US dollar, he mentioned only one key reason behind the decline of the US dollar, and that is the pegging of Asian economies to the dollar. Pegging is a highly unfair practice of currency manipulation to gain all trade advantages against the United States. This unfair practice has led to this huge US currency crisis on the horizon.
In addition to whatever the US is supposed to do, Asian economies also bear a responsibility to prevent the US currency crisis. They can start by opening up their currencies in the foreign exchange market and stopping manipulation.
The United States accounts for more than 30 per cent of the world's GDP. Without this production most countries around the world will not have any GDP to speak of.
It is time Asian countries realized what they are up against and they just cannot continue their unfair trade practices.
KHURRAM HANEEF
New Jersey, USA
Josh Malihabadi's interview
At a function held in Islamabad earlier this month under the auspices of the Josh Memorial Society to commemorate the 106th birth anniversary of the poet, speakers referred to Josh's interview to PTV which had created great confusion because of premature disclosure. The following lines are intended to set the record right.
The interview was actually recorded for Radio Pakistan by a team of officials of the PBC in 1974. Shah Hasan Ata conducted the interview. Josh was persuaded to speak about his life and his views on certain controversial matters for the benefit of posterity. He agreed to speak the truth on the understanding that the interview would be broadcast after his death. The audio cassette was, therefore, sealed on orders by the then director- general, PBC.
Josh's closeness to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto rattled Gen Ziaul Haq. The then newly-appointed PBC director-general was aware of the contents of Josh's interview. He had the audio cassette unsealed; a transcript was prepared and presented to Gen Ziaul Haq. A copy of the transcript was also supplied to the defunct Urdu weekly Zindagi, which published the text in its issue of Dec 22, 1978, and demanded punishment for the poet.
The rest of the episode is graphically told by a government handout issued by the Press Information Department on Dec 28, 1978, which was as follows:
"Islamabad, December 28.
"The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have blacklisted Mr Josh Malihabadi for participating in any manner in any programme over Radio and Television. It has also been decided that neither Radio and Television nor any official publication would carry any recitation, writing or poetry of Mr Josh Malihabadi.
"This action has been taken on an interview recorded by Mr Josh Malihabadi for Radio Pakistan in 1974. He used vituperative language against Islam and Quran, passed derogatory remarks against the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal and questioned the creation of Pakistan.
"It may be stated that Mr Josh Malihabadi's interview was recorded by Radio Pakistan in 1974. However, the authorities of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation found the contents of the interview objectionable and ordered that it should not be broadcast. No action against the poet was taken by the previous Government which had cordial relations with Mr Josh Malihabadi.
"The interview came to the notice of the present Government through a report in a section of the Press which has taken prompt action in this matter."
SYED AFZAAL HUSAIN ZAIDI
Islamabad
Promotion of doctors
I feel duty-bound to raise the issue of promotion of general garde doctors (GCDs) of the Sindh health department who have been working in grades 17, 18, 19 and 20 for many years now.
Promotions were last made by the PPP government in 1996 under a four-tier formula and around 3,500 doctors got promoted one stage up, i.e., from grade 17 to 18, from 18 to 19 and from 19 to 20. Unfortunately, the formula was applied only once.
According to the rules, a grade 17 government servant is entitled to getting promotion to grade 18 in seven years, to grade 19 after 12 years and to grade 20 after 17 years of service. But the promotion process is so slow that doctors have been working in the same grade 17 since 1991.
The fate of the special cadre is also hanging in the balance and hundreds in this cadres are still in grade 18 after more than 15 years.
It will be in the fitness of things if the health secretary expedites the rusty process in the health department and gets all deserving doctors promoted without any further delay.
NISAR AHMED KHUHRO
Leader of the Opposition, Sindh Assembly, Karachi
Appeal for visa
We had been counting the days to the arrival of our Indian friend, Uday Raj Anand, in Karachi for a travelling art exhibition (for peace) that we have jointly organized. He is the Delhi coordinator, and the premiere on Dec 20 at Rangoonwala Hall, Karachi, will be incomplete without his presence.
At this critical juncture when we think we have had enough of NOCs and permission, we are informed that he needs clearance from the interior ministry because he was honest enough to write art exhibition inauguration instead of tourism on his visa form. He was to arrive via PIA on Dec 17.
I appeal to Mr Tariq Mahmud, secretary to the minister, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and President Gen Musharraf to intervene and do the needful.
I will be responsible for the movement of this 17-year-old brilliant student of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya School in my country. If he doesn't get his visa, all our efforts will go to waste and we will be disillusioned forever.
W. JAWAID
First-year student, Karachi Grammar School, Karachi
A point to ponder
According to a news report (Dec 8), Pakistani police will train Yemeni police personnel and our navy will train their coastguards. But there is no mention of the training of their armymen by ours.
Is the Yemeni government aware of the role of our army in politics?
ABDUS SATTAR
Karachi
Carjackers on the prowl
Recently we were returning home when we got caught in a traffic jam on Karachi's Estate Avenue near Peracha Textile Mills. While waiting for the traffic to move, I heard a bang against my driver's window and saw a gun-toting man shouting at him to hand over the keys. I simultaneously heard a bang on my side and saw another person pointing a gun and shouting at me to open the door.
This drama continued for over three minutes, with both gun-holding men shouting that if we wanted to live, we should hand over the keys and open the door immediately.
Strange are the ways of Allah and I suddenly saw a gap and asked my driver to drive away. We had gone hardly 10 to 15 yards when we were stuck in another traffic jam. This was when we saw both men walk back, probably for more booty. This is the third incident I know of. In the other two, industrialists were looted in broad daylight in and around the same area.
Industrialists return after a hard day's work and such daring incidents will seriously hamper the pace of industrialization. I suggest patrolling and even stationary guards from Shershah Chowrangi to the Mauripur roundabout near the Khoja Jamaat Khana. If there is anyone who needs protection it is the hardworking industrialist.
MAHER H. ALAVI
Karachi
Trading bloc
Mr Liaquat Merchant (Dec 12) should be congratulated on his analysis of the measures needed for resolving the 50-year-plus standoff between India and Pakistan.
I suggest that both Pakistan and India should work towards establishing a European Union-style trading bloc. This would obviate the need for hostilities as matters of bilateral and multilateral concern would be settled in an "Asian Court of Justice" which would be the final arbiter for an "Asian Economic Union". Such an organization would not only rival but also challenge the supremacy of the EU and other such organizations.
The Indian minister for foreign affairs has articulated such a desire and it is time Pakistan showed it too is willing.
Let us follow the path of economic prosperity.
NAZAR MOHAMMAD KHATTAK
London, UK
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