| July 29, 2005 | Friday | Jumadi-us-Sani 21, 1426 |
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University projects
Presumptive tax facility
State Life service
Motor vehicle registration
London killings
Train drivers’ pay
VIP movement
‘Alternative’
Gothki train crash
HEC website
Savings scheme
FORMER ambassador Amir Usman too puts a gloss on the misery of the Afghan people (Dawn, July 16). He refers to the Afghans’ ‘fearlessly independent nature’, a euphemism for the tribesman’s arrogance of backwardness. He adds that the Afghans’ valour exposed the ‘invincibility’ of the British Empire as a myth. Of course, Britain was not invincible. No power has ever been. However, Britain could have subjugated Afghanistan if it had so wanted, i.e., if the country had produced enough surplus to be profitably exploitable. The British objective was not to occupy Afghanistan but to make it a buffer. They succeeded in that by a combination of force and money. And the Afghan rulers had to accept it. Just as there is no invincible power, so there is no unconquerable country.
The Afghans ‘were unable to manage their internal affairs’ (as Mr Usman puts it), because they were a tribal society. Tribalism arises in a situation of an extreme state of poverty. It does not produce a surplus. Therefore, it does not create a state. The Afghan state, Abdali on, existed by raiding the neighbourhoods, mainly the north Indian plains, receiving foreign subsidies and extracting a tribute from the trans-Hindu Kush area of the kingdom. Zahir Shah lasted long because he left tribal society, including warlords, in place.
Mr Usman is right that Daud, in making his coup, exposed the fragility of the state structure. But he did so for fear of forces working for social change. His ‘revolution’ was to stop a revolution.
The fact is that the PDP regime was the first and, up to now, the only one in Afghanistan’s history to work in the interest of the Afghan people, for their emancipation from tribalism and economic and social backwardness and from age-old misery.
It was a pity that we had to oppose the regime. The reason was that it had been sucked into the Cold War, allying itself with the Soviet Union. Since, on our other side, there was the Soviet-allied India, the consolidation of the PDP regime in Kabul would have placed us in a difficult situation. This forced us into a position which, though imperative for us, was objectively against the interests of the Afghan people.
However, Mr Usman’s sympathies are misplaced. Tribal leaders, princes, mullahs and warlords should not be confused with the Afghan masses. They are the flotsam of the country’s tribal stage.
M. ABUL FAZL
Karachi
THIS is to draw the attention of the governor of Sindh, who is the chancellor of Sindh universities, and Dr Atta-ur- Rehman, chairman of the Higher Education Commission, towards administrative irregularities at the Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, in projects undertaken by the department of computer science.
Currently, this department is running two projects, namely, strengthening the computer science department and setting up of Internet and Intranet, prepared at a cost of about Rs27 million and Rs38 million, respectively. Under the first project, teachers with PhD in computer science from other universities are to be hired, and the second project aims at setting up of Internet and Intranet in all teaching and administrative departments.
Both the projects have fallen prey to the curse of favouritism and nepotism. People who have got their own interests to grind have grossly mismanaged both the projects at the cost of students and the university. Instead of appointing a qualified person with a PhD in the department of computer science as chairman, the university administration has appointed a person with a degree in statistics.
Under the first project, qualified teachers are supposed to be contracted in order to strengthen the department of computer science, but local university graduates, without any teaching experience, have been appointed.
Under the second project, only Internet has been set up, but no Intranet, under which the university has to develop a “university information management system” (UIMS) to computerize the library, develop the admission system, the examination system, computerization of the finance wing and develop a state-of-the-art university website. Nothing has been done except 10 computers that have been placed in the central library. There is no computerization of books/journals. Immediate steps are needed to streamline the working of the projects.
PROF. MANZOOR ISRAN
Department of International Relations,
Shah Abdul Latif University,
Khairpur
THIS refers to the letter by Mr Fahim Kapadia dated (July 19). The government had earlier said that a person could show more income than was due according to the presumptive tax paid by him. He will not be required to pay further tax on the additional income.
In this respect I refer to the tax memorandum 2004 (page 25) issued by a firm of chartered accountants which says, “Whilst explaining the nature and source of any amount... a person could not take credit in excess of an amount of imputable income, computed on the presumptive tax paid by that person: In such cases, profits over and above imputable income were liable to tax. Such provisions have been abolished.” According to this extract the government has allowed additional income as tax free.
The Constitution of Pakistan says that no law repugnant to the Holy Quran can be enacted. The Holy Quran says: “Virtue is not in this that ye turn your faces towards the east and the west, but virtue is of him who believeth in Allah and the Last Day… and who fulfil the promise when they made one.” (Second Sura, The Cow, Verse 177).
“O you who believe! Fulfil promises, agreement.” (Fifth Sura, Al-Maidah, Verse 1).
The government cannot forget the agreements and promises it makes and disregard the Constitution by going against the Holy Quran. Such laws cannot have any legal basis. More taxes have been paid to the government under the presumptive tax regime than under the normal law. The government may have the right to ascertain that no sales have been evaded, i.e., no unrecorded sales have been made.
I know some people who pay around Rs3 million income tax under the presumptive tax regime but live in rented houses. They have opted for the presumptive tax regime only because they like to keep themselves away from bribery. The presumptive tax regime keeps the taxpayer aloof from the income tax officers and clerks and thus it is easy to lead a bribe-free life.
I know one manufacturer at least who refused to take a refund after being offered one. In some cases only where documentation is possible, more tax may be paid under the normal tax rules.
But in the undocumented sector, the presumptive tax regime is the best option, because in its absence the government will not receive additional revenue and the additional revenue will be divided between government officers and businessman.
ILLIAS
Karachi
ON July 15, I went to Karachi’s Awami Markaz to pay my State Life policy premium. Arriving there at 9.30am, which I thought was rather late for a business day, I discovered about 200 people waiting in line to get into the Awami Markaz, which opens at 10am. A common perception is that the ‘awam’ starts its day early to get enough hours into the day to earn its livelihood. However, I learnt that was a misconception.
Having wasted 30 minutes of a precious day, a new lesson emerged when the doors of the Awami Markaz were opened. The security company’s guards and beat up some people waiting peacefully in line, just to get their authority and might established.
That was not the end of my education. Reaching the door of the State Life office, I found it closed. Complete darkness inside the office, there was not even an indication on the office door to announce the office timings or a contact phone number for assistance. I asked neighbouring shopkeepers what time the State Life office opened, and some said 10am, some 10.30am and some 11.30am. One even said that it was up to the State Life office people what time they wished to open the office. Plus, it was a Friday, so they told me that it would definitely close at 1 pm and not open after Friday prayers. I waited till 10.30am and then gave up.
Will the State Life authorities please make a note of this performance level? We would like to be good citizens and pay our dues, but only if State Life allows us to do so.
SHIREEN ADIL
Karachi
A SUBSTANTIAL increase in the number of new vehicles of all makes is being witnessed everyday and similarly the demand for used cars is also on the rise. A suggestion to the competent authority is to check and control the sale of used vehicles.
A new vehicle has a brand new registration. This should also be applicable to used vehicles i.e., once a vehicle is sold to another party it must apply for a new registration, as is done in developed countries. The seller should have the option to retain his old registration number, with his particulars either surrendered to the department or reissued for his new vehicle to safeguard his interest. Each time the excise department would get a re-registration fee and motor vehicle tax from the new owner and get records updated on new and used cars in the province.
This will help curb the misuse of vehicles. Currently, only new vehicle records are available at the excise department. Resold vehicles are mostly run on open transfer letters and keep on changing hands without the transfer formalities being completed. The original owner’s particulars are at stake if any accident or misuse of vehicle occurs. This is in the interest of genuine owners of the vehicles.
A. I. KHAN
Karachi
THE biggest test of professionalism and competence of an organization comes when it is under stress. The London police are definitely under a lot of stress these days but they have failed this test. They say that the innocent Brazilian man their men killed on July 22 emerged from a house that was under surveillance.
If the police were sure that illegal activities were taking place in this house, why didn’t they obtain a judicial warrant and raid it? Why were they waiting for someone to emerge from it? This suggests that they knew that their intelligence information about the house was not reliable. Yet, when the time came to decide whether or not to shoot to kill based upon this information, the agents assumed that the information was reliable. Moreover, why kill a suspect who has been pinned down? If he really was a terrorist, the police have lost a source of valuable information.
Even if the police thought that the man was going to explode a bomb, they should have used methods other than a stream of bullets to immobilize him. It is nonsensical window-dressing to say that the agents only had a second to decide whether or not to shoot to kill. They ran behind the man for many minutes, and this is enough time for professional law-enforcement agents to get on the top of a situation. They simply assumed the worst based upon the man’s features and were bent upon killing him.
If the intention is to get tough with terrorists (and this is a noble intention) then bring the back death penalty (especially for terror acts) instead of making the police the prosecutor, judge and executioner.
Britain always operated in this ruthless fashion in its colonies and even today in Gibraltar, a colony inhabited by a pro-Britain population, any law and order situation is handled with brutality. Bringing this approach within Britain will be an unwise idea, as its image is at stake. This modus operandi will be counterproductive to the cause of defeating terrorism. Innocent people will continue to get killed. In a global village and ever-shrinking world, how can you expect someone to be a terrorist based upon looks? This approach will add to the social tensions in a multi-ethnic society like Britain, and will make its ethnic groups stop trusting their protectors, not a very desirable situation when everyone’s help is needed in combating the menace of terrorism.
SIDDIQUE MALIK
Kentucky, USA
THE British police should learn something from the Pakistani police to avoid tragedies like the one at the Stockwell station in London, in which an innocent Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes, was shot dead.
In case of security emergencies, the Pakistani police set up check posts at all key points, besides patrolling sensitive areas. If a suspect is noticed, all check posts and patrolling policemen in the surrounding area are alerted and given his description and location. While he is followed discreetly, the focus is on facing him from the front. The police can then easily stop him and, if he tries to escape, shoot him.
If there were armed policemen outside the Stockwell station, they could have, on being alerted, stopped Menezes and ordered him to lie on the ground face down. Had he refused, they could have shot him in the legs to immobilize him. Even if he was a bomber and had blown himself up, he could not have harmed the policemen, who would have been at a safe distance. The people around him would have also saved themselves by taking cover immediately.
Even inside the Stockwell station, the policemen could have stopped Menezes. They could have blocked entry to the station and asked all passengers to form a line and enter one by one. There might have been casualties if he was a suicide bomber. But then, he could have caused casualties also by blowing himself up after he saw the policemen chasing him, even seconds before he was shot.
MUHAMMAD ABD AL-HAMEED
Lahore
I WAS stunned to read in Dawn (July 27) that besides reducing the duty time of drivers from eight to six hours their pay-scales are also being revised upward from BS-9 to BS-14. A driver was getting paid in BS-9? Do the railway highups sitting in airconditioned offices in big tastefully decorated rooms realize what emoluments were being paid to a driver? A pilot flying a plane must be getting at least 15 to 20 times the salary of a train driver, besides having a co-pilot.
I would urge the prime minister to personally look into this matter and order payment to train drivers of a salary commensurate with the responsibility they carry in taking charge of a very valuable asset of the railways besides safely delivering about 600 to 700 human lives from one place to other. I would suggest the government to have a co-driver in every express train.
There must be a thorough inspection of all the signalling and interlocking systems on the rail track. There is an urgent need to install the latest state-of-the-art signalling and interlocking systems. A report must be made public urgently, besides being tabled in the Senate and the National Assembly, by the railways as to the improvements they plan to make travel by rail safe and comfortable and in that order.
KHALID RASHID QURAISHI
Karachi
COMMUTERS pay a heavy price each time the president or the prime minister or a foreign dignitary visits Lahore. The Mall is closed to the general public well in advance of the VIP movement. Even pedestrians are not allowed to cross important intersections.
The president and the PM can avoid visiting the city for public meetings. This will not only eliminate the risk to their security but also save the public from traffic jams. The people and officials the president and the PM want to see should be summoned to Islamabad.
Also, VIPs should be given helicopters which, I believe, will not be as costly as the movement on the road that involves bullet-proof cars, hundreds of security personnel and official vehicles.
SAYYED AHMAD ASHRAF
Lahore
IN the visitors’ log piece by Mr Shamim-ur-Rehman ‘An alternative paradigm’ (July 19) it is said that Mr Mulayam Singh was chief minister of UP when the Babri Masjid was demolished. This is not correct.
At that time Mr Kalyan Singh was UP chief minister. It is also relevant to note that Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has got the reputation of being a liberal person with a good understanding with Muslims.
ALI ZAFAR AFREIDI
Karachi
SENATOR Naeem Chatha said on a PTV programme on the recent Gothki triple train crash that no amount of education for drivers or increase in their emoluments would make any difference unless a sense of responsibility and duty was inculcated in them. How true it is for every government department in Pakistan.
Our senior officials are just chair-bound and confined to their air-conditioned offices. They rarely go out on inspections, tours or surprise checks. They simply rely upon all-well reports from their subordinates.
In pre-independence days, there used to be only one Anglo-Indian or “gora” traffic sergeant in the entire city of Lahore, but amazingly somehow he was everywhere on his motorcycle. And what a salutary effect it had on the smooth running of traffic in the entire city. I had also often seen the “gora” cantonment executive officer (CEO) in his shorts and “sola” hat making rounds of the Rawalpindi cantonment area on foot in the scorching summer heat and how delightfully clean and orderly the cantonment used to be then. The sanitary inspectors used to be on their toes lest the CEO found a clogged drain or an eatery without nets and wire gauze.
Similarly, the ACs, the DCs and even the commissioners had to log in every month certain fixed hours on tour of their areas. Such on-the-spot checking and inspections not only made everyone in the department disciplined, dutiful and responsible but also productive.
COL (retd) RIAZ JAFRI
Rawalpindi
THE Higher Education Commission website www.hec.gov.pk has a list of Pakistani students’ associations for various countries. The University of Western Ontario is placed in the United States’ column instead of Canada, western is misspelled as “westren” and university is misspelled as “universty”.
In the United States’ column, California State University is misspelled as “Calofornia” State University. There are several other misspelled names that I have not mentioned. I have e-mailed the webmaster as well as Prof Dr Attaur Rehman, pointing out the bloomers but there has been no change on the website.
SAJJAD TARIQ
Manitoba, Canada
IN continuation of the letter by Mr M. Anwer Qureshi (July 23), it is strongly recommended that the government and the State Bank of Pakistan must allow scheduled banks to process savings schemes, as savings centres are neither well-equipped nor have sufficient staff to satisfy the huge turnout of customers.
One must also congratulate the government for increasing the rates of return, which will definitely attract investors.
IBRAHIM KHALIL
Karachi
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