| June 16, 2005 | Thursday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1426 |
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NAB budget
Islamabad sprinklers
Workers’ participation
Lessons from the Caribbean
Kidneys for sale
Afghan visa for Pakistanis
Government pensioners
Privatization
Power failures
Pavement blocks
The problem of poverty
AN APP report in Dawn (June 9) quoted the Punjab University vice-chancellor, a retired army general, talking of “better education standards”. The news item also spoke of “better teaching methods, a congenial environment” and so on. All these things appear very good on paper. In particular, the setting up of so- called new department by the VC is hailed as a great achievement. The reality is entirely different.
The fact is that educational standards have gone down in Punjab University. The enervating decline has to do with a mindset unsuited for universities. Universities require stable policies and departments need a critical sized faculty. They cannot grow faster than at a natural pace. What the VC does is to break stable and strong departments with a faculty size of 10-20 into several small departments, housed in the same buildings with name boards put up. The faculty gets distributed among the “new” departments. The new departments have nothing in terms of space and facilities and the old department is bled practically to death. But who cares?
Take three examples. The Geology Institute which had about 15 teachers was broken up into environmental sciences, an earthquake centre, a Hydrology centre, an earth sciences centre, mountain research and geology. Thus, with a stroke of the pen, “new” departments were set up with not a single PhD teacher added. Recently, two of these “new” departments have been, according to news reports, merged into a “new” College of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
The departments of botany and zoology, two of the strongest departments, were broken into mycology and plant pathology, microbiology and molecular genetics, a potato seed centre, a honey bee centre, a department for farming, botany and zoology. Most of these are housed in the same premises as the original botany and zoology departments. An additional School of Biological Sciences was set up and a Centre for Excellence in Molecular Biology has been in existence since the 1980s.
The Centre for Solid State Physics had a faculty of 13 PhDs before this administration took over. It had four PhD teachers left when I last heard of it. But now the centre has been split into two — a microelectronics department with a single PhD teacher has been set up. The remaining three PhDs continue to languish at the original centre. And so it goes on. I will not mention how many overlapping courses are being taught in the numerous “new” departments.
I see no end to this decline unless the president intervenes. But the last time he intervened he came out in favour of his former course mate. Is there any hope that the money that he is pouring into universities will be properly utilized? Certainly not in PU.
KALIMUDDIN
Lahore
THE government has allocated Rs752 million for NAB in the new budget. But why this hefty allocation when most NAB employees are on deputation from banks and financial institutions which bear their salaries and other perks?
Further, expenses pertaining to training of employees and supply of equipment to NAB are also referred to the respective institutions. Recently, the government has appointed a banking mohtasib, expenses of whose secretariat will be borne by banks and financial institutions.
In an interview recently, the NAB chairman said that the bureau NAB earned 25 per cent commission on the proceeds recovered by it. So, it is not understood what happens to this money/commission when most of the expenses are being borne by banks/financial institutions.
As a depositor I would like to ask the SBP governor why he did not object to these deputations when there is a dearth of competent bankers in view of unproductive severance schemes. Why doesn’t NAB approach former or retired bankers to play their role in eradicating corruption? Why should banks bear expenses when NAB already charges 25 per cent as commission on receipt of proceeds? Why should depositors bear the expenses being incurred by the government on travelling, purchase of foreign-assembled cars and undertaking joyrides on the excuse of signing protocols?
Moreover, in the budget all depositors have been forced to pay tax on each bank withdrawal exceeding Rs25,000. This is another unwise decision. Small depositors who are already a getting nominal profit on their investments, ranging from one per cent to two per cent on PLS accounts, will have to bear another tax whereas the government has been claiming that no new tax has been imposed. Will NAB or any other relevant authority take the touuble to clarify these points?
A SENIOR BANKER
Karachi
THE other day while a fire raged at some places in Margalla Hills, the sprinklers installed by the CDA were at work with full force on the green strip that divides the two sides of the Constitution Avenue in Islamabad. Fortunately, the fire did not go on for long and was put out after only one day. One hopes that the damage caused by it was not extensive.
It would appear that the CDA has firmly set down its priorities. While water being supplied by it through pipes continues to be below the standard prescribed for human consumption, it has gone ahead with its plan to install sprinklers on the grassy strips dividing the main thoroughfares in Islamabad. Another CDA priority is setting up food parks/streets.
The CDA pursues this without giving due consideration to the requirements and standards which need to be kept in view in this regard.
For instance, the CDA has not bothered to ensure the basic sanitation/cleanliness of the food park in the Melody Market established several years ago, the CDA’s first experiment in this field. The place is littered with plastic bags, empty takeaway plates and glasses, etc. The odorous fumes coming out from the covers over the sewerage lines passing underground in the Melody Market would greet you if you visit that place.
The CDA does not care a damn about improving the hygiene of the area. At present the CDA is working at setting up a food street in the Blue Area. No one knows what will eventually be its shape in terms of the standards of basic hygiene and sanitation.
Perhaps as a people we care more for cosmetics rather than the fundamentals. Hence we would continue to have such incongruities: unhygienic water coming from our taps and modern sprinklers on road embankments; blocked sewerage lines, choked natural streams but food parks and streets; highrise buildings but no place to park vehicles, etc. What a horrid prospect await us in the future.
NASIRUDDIN KHALID
Islamabad
WHILE glancing through the Companies Profits (Workers’ Participation) Act 1978, one sees a contradiction in the definition of “worker”. In Section 2(f) of the act it is stated that “worker” in relation to a company means an employee of the company whose average monthly emoluments computed in the manner set forth in the scheme do not exceed Rs3,000 per month and who has been in employment for a period of not less than six months.
In the attached schedule of the act (described as “Scheme”), in paragraph 4(a) the workers are divided into three categories for distribution of benefits. The third and highest category includes “workers drawing average monthly wages exceeding three thousand two hundred rupees but not exceeding five thousand rupees.” Of course, the figures were changed subsequently through amendments, acts and ordinances.
At one place, employees getting not more than Rs3,000 as average monthly pay have been described as workers, and hence the beneficiaries of the act, and again at another place employees getting more than Rs3,200 but not more than Rs5,000 as average monthly pay are also allowed to get benefits. Is this not a contradiction?
Anyway, whether the threshold is Rs3,000 or Rs5,000 to define a worker to be benefited under the act, the question is how many employees in today’s Pakistan will come under the definition of the act and can be benefited by it? Today, the average workers in Pakistan may be earning more than the amount determined in the act, and their lives may be much worse than those who used to earn Rs3,000 in those days. Yet, they might not get benefits under the act that is still in force.
Who will look into this?
SYED SAYEF HUSSAIN
Islamabad
AFTER losing the first Test match at Barbados by 276 runs, Pakistan squared the series when they beat their hosts by 136 runs at Kingston Jamaica.
The just concluded Caribbean tour once gain shows that we still do not have a reliable opening pair. Despite having played 20-odd Test innings each, Yasir Hameed and Salman Butt have not played more than two innings worth mentioning. About Shoaib Malik, the least said about his contribution in the second Test, the better. To pile up runs against weak teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe is no skill as a Test class player.
However, middle-order batsman Bazid Khan has been most impressive of all the youngsters. In the third ODI against the West Indies, he batted like a seasoned player and scored an 66 runs. His smartly-executed on-drives reminded one of his illustrious father, Majid Khan. Unfortunately in his maiden, he fell victim to bad umpiring.
Looking at his style, technique and temperament one can say that in him Pakistan have found a reliable middle-order batsman who can also open the innings. It would be interesting to see him playing a full home series against England in the next October.
RAFAT MAHMOOD ANSARI
Islamabad
IT is a slap on the face of the poverty alleviation programmes of the government and other social welfare agencies operating in the country that jobless youth are forced to take the extreme measure of offering their kidneys for sale, (Dawn, June 2).
It is alarming to read that the trend to sell kidneys is gaining ground with the help of some “dealers” while the Punjab government takes no action to curb the menace by offering jobs or financial help or farm loans to qualified and deserving youths.
A close look is required to find out why the benefits of poverty alleviation programmes are not reaching the poor in the areas of Sialkot, Sambrial, Pasrur, Shakargarh, Zafarwal and Narowal whose young people are forced that sell their kidneys for a living.
M. SHAFIQUE AHMED
Karachi
THE government issues free six months’ multiple visas, with multiple entries, to many of those Afghan nationals in Kabul, Qandahar, Herat, Jalalabad and Mazar-i- Sharif who meet the criterion.
The visas are issued on a reciprocal basis throughout the world. Therefore, Pakistani nationals rightly expect the same policy/treatment from the government of Afghanistan and its embassies and consulates located in Pakistan. But unfortunately, this is not being done.
I live in Afghanistan with permanent posting for a three-year period but I have been issued a multiple visa for six months only. Recently, my son applied for a six-month multiple visa at the Karachi consulate but he was given a single entry for 15 days only and told to apply for a multiple visa at Kabul.
When he applied for a six-month multiple visa at Kabul, the director of the visa cell of the ministry of interior asked him to first contact the ministry for transport at Kabul where a senior officer told me and my son that a six-month multiple visa could not be issued to my family members as the Afghan government as per policy does not issue such a visa to the family members of Pakistanis. I tried to convince the officer in the presence of the deputy minister for transport (who was very helpful) that visas everywhere in the world are issued on a reciprocal basis.
The government of Pakistan issues a multiple visa for six months to every Afghan national who applies for the same and meets the required criterion. But the same facility is being denied to Pakistanis.
Will someone in the government of Pakistan look into the problem and convince the Afghan government about the need to issue a multiple visa for six months to the family members of Pakistani officers who are on permanent posting in Afghanistan?
M.K.SIAL
Kabul
THE budget has plunged the poor community of pensioners into the ocean of distress and disappointment. The budget details appearing in the press make no mention of any monthly increase in pensions as if pensioners are not part of the awam. The budget report on TV, however, indicated an increase of 10 per cent, which is shameful.
Can this petty increase compensate for the phenomenal rise in the prices of goods, especially in the case of old pensioners whose pension is no more than peanuts? The government perhaps has no realization that the majority of these pensioners is old, ailing and disabled. The pension is not enough even to meet the expenses of their medical treatment.
Government servants have been given a raise of 22 to 30 per cent in addition to an increase in various allowances, perks and privileges. Why couldn’t the same increase be given to government pensioners? Aren’t their needs the same as those of serving government employees? There is a general impression that the government wants to eliminate pensioners to get rid of a financial liability. The speed with which privatization is going on, the day is not far off when there will be no government departments left. No government employees, no pensioners.
RAFI NASIM
Lahore
THE privatization of the KESC is not a new issue as it is being attempted for more than a decade. In February, the Saudi Group Kanooz Al Waton purchased 73 per cent of shares by giving the maximum share price. They offered an incentive to contractual employees that the basic salary would be increased by 20 per cent.
This is to remind the higher authorities that the status of contract employees in the KESC is poor; they have been deprived of all benefits including house rent, free electricity, family medical or any sort of allowance. Last year the government enhanced the salaries of contractual employees by 15 per cent in the name of inflation, but they have yet to receive the benefit.
The privatization of the PTCL is a burning issue and PTCL employees have been offered great benefits.
We are afraid that the fate of KESC contractual employees is bleak.
KESC CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES
Via email
THE takeover of PTCL installations by the military and the arrests of scores of PTCL activists shows the hollowness of the claims of the present government: that it is pursuing an economic policy in the interest of the people and that the people are free to express their disagreement with its policies.
If privatization was good for the public and the ‘package’ for the PTCL workers was so well-meaning, then why are so many workers against it? If the government can dish out Rs4 billion to the workers to bargain on privatization, then why can’t it give them these benefits without privatization?
In a similar vein, if the government does not wish to sack 40,000 of the workforce,
then has the security force taken over to prove that the PTCL can work without the existing pre-privatization workforce?
The fact is that the economic policy of liberalization is only benefiting local and multinational capitalists; it is their quest for profit that is creating widening inequality, and privatization adds to that inequality.
Privatization through military is certainly not in the public interest. PTCL workers are the ones who should get support from all for an equitable society.
DR RIAZ AHMED
Karachi
WE are residents of Liaquat Colony, Street 4, Wali Mohammad Yaqoob Road (Memon Society, Khadda), Karachi. For the last many days, we have been facing round-the-clock loadshedding. The problem is especially severe for those who live in flats. Every day the loadshedding continues for more than five hours.
Non-availability of electricity results in non-operation of pumping machines installed in flats to supply drinking water. Subsequently, the residents suffer doubly on account of loadshedding and water supply suspension.
We request the authorities concerned to resolve our problems.
RESIDENTS
Karachi
FOR quite some time now, we have been seeing that cement blocks being fixed on the sides of the footpaths and islands on main roads all around Karachi. Many footpaths on M.A. Jinnah Road have been raised in level with these blocks, creating problems for shopkeepers whose shop levels have gone below the footpaths.
Each of these blocks with labour charges must cost something like Rs250 and will amount to crores of rupees for when appears to be being totally unnecessary.
This is plain and simple waste of public money. Will the city government look into this?
MOHAMMAD RAFI
Karachi
“IN the next five years, poverty will be reduced by 30 per cent,” so estimates our National Security Council (Dawn, June 9).
Taking into consideration that Pakistan has about 50 million poverty-stricken people, the task appears to be ambitious as compared to our financial resources. But, in this connection, some new ideas can play role.
Last month I spent some time in a shanty locality, talking to the inhabitants. They looked tired waiting since long for a better life and appeared to have lost all hope. A 30-year-old labourer told me that it would take his whole life’s wages to build a two- room house on an 80-square-yard plot. What can be done by the government under the existing circumstances?
One such step can be a new rule that says that henceforth all residential plots can be sold only by the government. I find that the Germans did so long ago for the benefits of all their citizens. Can we? Rather, why not? As far as the monitoring of the progress of the eradication of poverty is concerned, we should adopt the Chinese system which makes public the percentage of the progress every year.
Z.A. KAZMI
Karachi
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