| September 4, 2005 | Sunday | Rajab 29, 1426 |
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Energy policy
Relations between provinces
Commercial importers
Renaissance
New Murree project
Dams and agriculture
Askari Park
‘Our colonial heritage’
Clarification
Law and order
Establishing democracy
Afternoon banking
Ayub’s gift
Notwithstanding the ongoing Indo-Pakistan peace process, the new Indian Army Doctrine (IAD) has gone through extended conceptual evaluation at various military tiers. The IAD has been put to an ‘efficacy test’ through a series of joint exercises involving the Indian army and air force.
It is now patently clear that the IAD is Pakistan-specific. In broad terms, the envisaged battle groups (eight in all) in tandem with the IAF have been structured to launch blitzkrieg strikes deep inside Pakistan. Elements of Indian naval aviation will form an integral part of these battle groups in the south and amphibious groups may be used further westward.
Central to the document are offensive strikes short of nuclear attacks but based on the concept of destroying the adversary’s military potential rather than the occupation of space. The IAD has other major features as well. The first is ab initio approval for the military command to commence operations without waiting for a signal from the country’s political leadership.
The second is the nuclear threshold that must not be crossed. Finally, the offensive deployment of strike corps.
War has its own dynamics and once triggered, events may not unfold as planned. Whether or not the Indians cross the nuclear threshold in a future conflict remains to be seen. Yet, it is fairly clear that the Indian army command is determined to act swiftly and decisively, virtually sidestepping the political leadership of the country, if required.
Given the vast geographical disposition and diversity of forces in the event of a general mobilization, the deployment of Indian forces becomes an arduous and time-consuming task. It usually takes 30 days for Indian forces to complete mobilization compared to Pakistan where deployment is much quicker. This, according to the Indian military command, has usually provided Pakistan with enough time to bring about international diplomatic pressure on India’s political leadership, thereby frustrating the Indian army’s efforts to achieve its military objectives.
Meanwhile, the contours of a new US policy towards South Asia are based on emerging realities, and India is being perceived by the West as set to become a major global economic power.
Washington is also backing India as a dominant military power in the Indian Ocean region in order to contain China that is rapidly emerging as a principal challenge to the global unipolar order and also to outsource its security needs, over-stretched at the moment, in the region.
The US predicament seems to have been clearly understood by the Indian political and military leadership. New Delhi has, therefore, no qualms about obliging Washington on its own terms both diplomatically and militarily.
It appears that India is about to complete its encirclement of Pakistan in the diplomatic sense of the term. Inroads into Afghanistan and Central Asia, an upswing in relations with Iran and deepening bilateral trade ties with China leave no doubt on that score.
Pakistan must earnestly explore the possibilities of regional alliances. A coalition with Iran and China and steady improvement in ties with Russia hold great promise for Pakistan. With such a diplomatic effort backing it, Pakistan must continue to enhance its strategic military capability and improve combat power to respond to the challenges thrown up by the IAD.
MUHAMMAD AZAM KHAN
Commander (retd), Pakistan Navy,
Lahore Cantt.
A LETTER published in Dawn on Aug 27 has again created interest in the country’s energy policy. Power plants also need to have the latest technologies for highest efficiency but this cannot be oversimplified by insisting on hydel projects which are supposed to provide “cheap” electricity.
The government is now considering to offer US cents 5.2/k WH for private hydel projects. The latest financial details of the Ghazi-Barotha project were made available recently and attempts have been made to deliberately show lower costs of power generation. In calculating operating costs, the agricultural production of “lost” land and evaporation loss of water are deliberately ignored. In this case a nearly 60km long passageway/ storage has eaten up a lot of fertile land and evaporation loss of precious water must be very high, specially in summer. In case of the Kalabagh dam, “lost” land and a permanent natural drainage problem for most of the NWFP would result in such high costs that this site should not even be considered, specially when you have good dam sites in Bhasha, Katzara and Skardu dams.
The arguments given favouring Kalabagh have no ground, Just by technical up-gradation, the existing thermal power plants, based on low efficiency steam cycles, can be converted to combined cycle at US $400-500 per kW additional capacity (depending on optimal sizing) with no extra gas consumption for additional 50 per cent extra power production. How can one talk of “cheap” hydel power at US $2,000 /kW when abundant power (up to 1500 MW) can be generated at one-fourth the price and with no extra fuel requirement.
The KESC’s plan to ask for extra gas for the Korangi power plant when the Bin Qasim power plant can be converted to combined cycle at lesser cost and without extra gas is really very unfortunate. Before Bhasha Dam is fully operational, additional peak capacity of the existing combined cycle power stations at Kot Addu and Guddu will ensure another 600-700MW in summer at US$ 200-250 / kW (additional capacity) with gas turbine inlet cooling which will also ensure the highest possible efficiency, thereby ensuring lower fuel costs.
Why shouldn’t one consider these real low-cost and fuel saving options for additional power generation capacity and save the enormous capital cost being planned for Kalabagh dam, which will also result in the loss of large areas of fertile and habitable land and creating a serious natural drainage problem for NWFP? We do need large water reservoirs but these are to be sited where Allah has gifted us the special locations up in the mountains.
AAZA
Karachi
RELATIONS between Punjab and the rest of the provinces have reached breaking point which is very unfortunate and detrimental to the future of country. It is necessary that all four provinces, particularly Sindh and Punjab, start sincere deliberations on different issues to resolve their problems amicably.
In the meantime, the centre should avoid imposing its unilateral decisions on the smaller provinces particularly Sindh like the construction of the Greater Thal Canal in Punjab.
Differences between Punjab and Sindh had widened when the Chashma-Jehlum link canal was built in Punjab, instead of a flood canal as originally agreed upon. This was done in Zia’s days by the then Punjab governer, who happened to be a general himself. Those in power in Islamabad and in Lahore as well should avoid imposing their decisions based on their personal likes and dislikes on the rest of the country.
Sindh and Punjab should start sincere and meaningful dialogue quietly so as to build confidence between them. In the meantime, Punjab should do the following: (1) pay Sindh compensation for the additional water that Punjab has been taking during the last many years; (2) demand that the federal govenrnment immediately constitute the Council of Common Interest (CCI) so that it can meet and allow the provinces to discuss and sort out their problems; (3) Abandon its intention to build the Greater Thal Canal; (4) release 10 MAF (millions acre-feet) of water downstream into Sindh; (5) abandon advocating building the Kalabagh dam till a consensus is achieved between all provinces; (6) should admit that it has committed injustices against other provinces in the past.
IMRAN KHAN SIAL
Karachi
MAY I invite the attention of tax officers of the Central Board of Revenue regarding the difficulties faced by commercial importers and manufacturers of biscuits and confectionery while filing their monthly sales tax return-cum-payment challans?
For commercial importers who declared their import purchases, along with payment of 10% value addition at the import stage in the sales tax return-cum-payment challan, goods are sold in the month of August, and technically no sales tax is payable on these tax-paid goods. However, in the absence of any separate column in the monthly sales tax return-cum-payment challan to account for these supplies, the goods sold may again attract sales tax payable as per the present sales tax return-cum-payment challan. The Central Board of Revenue is requested to issue a clarification on this point.
For manufacturers of biscuits and confectionery special rules under SRO 694(I)/2005 dated 11.7.2005 have been prescribed. They shall pay, in addition to the sales tax payable at the rate of 15 per cent of the value at which the goods are cleared or supplied from the factory (ex-factory price), sales tax on value addition of 12 per cent in lieu of sales tax payable on the basis of the printed retail price. But no separate format of sales tax-cum-payment challan has yet been prescribed. It is necessary that separate sales tax return-cum-payment challan forms may be published on the pattern of those for distributors and wholesalers working under items of the third schedule, under SRO 812, dated 13.08.2005.
MUNAWAR HUSSAIN MANEKIA
Karachi
THIS refers to your news report “Body planned for renaissance: OIC being reformed, Musharraf”. (Aug 30) President Musharraf has asked the world community time and again to take concrete action to resolve festering political disputes, including Kashmir and Palestine.
He insists that unless these political problems are resolved, military action can provide only a temporary breathing space. I wonder who in his sanity would argue against the assertion that “justice must be done in all cases”. Although not the sole factor, injustice is one of the major causes of extremism and terrorism in the world today.
The point is not whether providing justice will lessen the pains of humanity on earth; it is how we plan to materialize our grand strategy of ‘enlightened moderation’. Actions speak louder than words. If we are not serious about establishing a society based on law and order, justice, mutual respect and integrity, our words lose all meaning.
The best place to start implementing our ideals of justice is within our own country, be it through a renaissance or simply by strengthening the democratic institutions. Let the world emulate the example we set, or at least let them have some credence in what we preach.
Unless its proponents are those who lead by example, the theory of enlightened moderation will remain nothing but a utopian notion that will not survive the test of time.
Let there be justice within and amongst the nations of the Ummah and world peace will ensue as a natural corollary.
S. MAJID KAZMI
Karachi
A SIX-star and three five-star hotels, hiking tracks, botanical parks, an 18-hole PGA-certified golf course, a shopping mall, trade centres, a cultural complex and a few other commercial units. A wonderful depiction of a highly developed city. This is what is proposed for the New Murree project in the Patriata reserve forest land.
The proposal in itself is wonderful but what is important is to know the cost involved and more importantly the non-financial cost. The “national cost” of the project is a lot higher than the perceived benefits.
The proposed plan requires cutting down 11,680 trees in an area of 4,111 acres. Almost all these trees are 150 to 200 years’ old and they play an important role in controlling the monsoon cycle.
Another importance of the Patriata forests is that they receives the highest rainfall in Pakistan. The fact that Pakistan is an agrarian economy where the requirements of water are high and which is already facing a shortage of water due to reduction in monsoon rains, a direct result of deforestation, is being ignored by the Punjab chief minister who has already approved the master plan of the project.
The Punjab government set up the New Murree Development Authority in January last year. It doesn’t include any representative of the local community, and all its members are government servants. This has been done obviously to avoid any kind of opposition to the project.
A link between the longstanding demands of Murree and the financial cost of this project can also be drawn here. The local community demands provision of natural gas, running and clean water, the absence of which causes a lot of health and other problems, and an institution of higher education for local students many of whom at present sit at home and waste their time.
The community also demands clinics, especially child dispensaries, for quick access, the absence of which results in the death of many children each year.
All this can be achieved by spending a quarter of the amount which the Punjab government wants to spend on its New Murree project.
It is proposed that the water requirements of the New Murree area should be met by pumping up water from the River Jhelum, the cost of which is said to be Rs2 billion. Isn’t it strange that the area that receives the highest rainfall in the country should have its water requirement met by pumping water from some other source?
It is said that clean, running water would be provided to people who have yet to go to the area when those living their for ages are deprived of this necessity.
The spending of public funds on such a generous scale on a project that greatly damage the ecology, environment and natural beauty of the area calls for accountability .
RAJA F. MAJEED ABBASI
Karachi
POOR countries depend largely on agriculture for which they need water. The total water availability in Pakistan is about 150 MAF which is quite below our requirements, and Sindh is probably suffering most.
Also, for cheap energy production large reservoirs are needed but only about 6,000MW of energy out of 19,600 MW of total energy consumption in Pakistan are generated from water. Both these problems have one solution: large dams for water and energy requirements. Otherwise, the year 2010 will be the first year of disaster for Pakistan.
HAMID AHMED HASSAN
Lahore
I HAVE been reading plenty of letters on dams. From the fruity exchanges it is more than amply clear that if our current attitudes had prevailed earlier, neither Mangla nor Tarbela would have ever seen the light.
MASOOD HASAN
Lahore
THIS is with reference to Mr Samad Khan’s criticism on the president’s remarks on “Askari Park” (Sept 1).
I just hope one should have the wisdom to differentiate right from wrong and look at least at the positive contributions ‘positively’. Just to clear Mr Samad’s thoughts, may I ask him, did someone force the army or was it morally or legally obliged to contribute to create this facility for the people of Karachi? If not, then one should at least pick up the courage to acknowledge the ‘good work done’ rather than criticizing just for the sake of criticism.
G. H. GHUMMAN
Rawalpindi
THIS has reference to Mr Irfan Hussain’s article ‘Our colonial heritage’ (Aug 20).
The British did develop the subcontinent but at the cost of the subcontinent. They plundered and looted, killed and suppressed. The writer’s seems to be a simple recipe for development. Accept slavery of the superpower and the reward will be development.
SYED MUHAMMAD HAMID
Kasur
THIS is with reference to Mr G. Samad Shah’s letter (Aug 28) regarding telephone No 6666052 — bill issued and no line. The PTCL connection/line was installed on Aug 26 before publication of the complaint.
SALEEM KHAN
Public Relations Officer PTCL,
Karachi
I have recently moved back after six years to Karachi. Since I have been here in the last two weeks, my brother was robbed twice in the Korangi Industrial Area, my car broken into, leaving me without my cassette and CD changer, a fate similar to many other residents of Karachi.
Is there a complete breakdown of law and order in this city and is every day to be counted as a blessing that we were not gunned down over a petty mobile phone? Are we supposed to live in fear for the rest of our lives? Is anyone listening to our security needs?
SHOAIB SAVUL
Karachi
PAKISTAN is probably the only country that came into existence through a democratic process. But it is ironic that the country has not enjoyed democracy even for one day. This started within days of independence with the dismissal of the Frontier government, enjoying a clear majority in the provincial assembly.
The process continues till today. Isn’t it time after 58 long years for intellectuals, political scientists and scholars to undertake research to find out the reasons for this? Maybe that might help to find a way to establish real and true democracy in Pakistan.
GHULAM KIBRIA
Karachi
ONE leading bank has advertised in your newspaper that they are commencing afternoon banking throughout Pakistan. This is welcome news. Many housewives, especially those who teach, can avail of this opportunity. I am sure other banks can emulate this gesture and start afternoon banking.
Meanwhile, one multinational bank is not issuing letters of appointments on their own letterhead but these are being issued on the letterhead of their consultants.
I shall be obliged if the State Bank of Pakistan can clarify whether this is proper.
FARHAT AZHAR
Lahore
SIR, I only wish to highight the contribution of an army general and a ‘dictator’. I just wonder why nobody ever mentions the name of Field Marshal Ayub Khan for his far-sightedness in buying the land called Gwadar from the sultanate of Muscat.
ZAHEERA AHMED
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