| December 9, 2005 | Friday | Ziqa’ad 6, 1426 |
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Stock market inquiry
Investment in Gwadar
Citizens’ plight
KPT fountain & pensioners
Love the leopard
Legislators’ role
SPSC examinations
CSS exam results
Social responsibility
SJC decision
‘A matter of right response’
US Democrats and Iraq
Public health education
C’wealth
MR Kuldip Nayar has been around for a long time and his columns in Dawn attract a keen audience in both Pakistan and India. Whilst he appears from his writings to be genuinely interested in lasting peace in the subcontinent, he does not miss any chance to find fault with Pakistan. The usual accusations in his columns against Pakistan are “intrusion” and “terrorism”, especially “terrorism” which has now become along with “democracy” the standard stick which the West wields to beat Afro-Asian, especially Muslim, countries with.
By such accusations Mr Nayar is undoing all his efforts to persuade Pakistan and India to build lasting peace. He should be aware of how Europe has built up the Common Market which is slowly but inevitably leading to a federated Europe. The European states resolved and ignored deep political and historical differences and enmities before the EC became a reality. None of the European countries joined it on its “own” terms.
Similarly, India must forgo throwing its weight around as a large and developed country to pressure Pakistan and its other neighbours into a one-sided and meek agreement. One cannot keep harping on “sovereignty” in order to reject any solution to the Kashmir problem. Where does then the compromise lie? How do we admit the views of Kashmiris in a durable solution? The Indian leadership and Mr Nayar must consider that Kashmir could be the meeting ground of people of the two countries and of trade and cultural intercourse leading eventually to a pattern of relationship similar to the one in Europe today.
F.H. ANSARI
Karachi
“THE best performing stock market in the world” had two crashes within the last 18 months. After each crash, an inquiry was ordered but the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has still got to inform the public about the results.
One cannot understand why there must be so much fluctuation in share prices, even in those of the multinationals. To give just one example, Hub Power Co. (Hubco) shares are today trading at Rs23.75 even after they were giving Rs32 to Rs35 dividends year after.
Can the SECP explain why a share that touched Rs39 is now at a low price? It is unbelievable that every time the share market goes up, the price of Hubco shares goes down. Whether the market goes up or down, there is always a transaction of one to 1.5 million shares. Even on Dec 2 when the market went up by 145.88 points, the Hubco share went down by 20 paisa although there was a transaction of 823,600 shares. The SECP can easily find out who the buyer and sellers are and who the manipulators are.
Warning bells are ringing and if the government and the SECP keep on sleeping, middle class investors and companies whose provident funds are invested in Hubco will be wiped out. Is this what the government wants?
A. REHMAN
Hyderabad
THE government says it has provided an investor-friendly environment for the development of Gwadar. People from Pakistan and all over the world have been invited to come forward and invest and assurances given that the government will safeguard their investment/ interests. Investors have pumped in billions of rupees.
Recently the government has decided to relocate the venue of the new Gwadar international airport and also acquire land for the army establishment. The land required for both ventures will be 5,843 acres. They have designated the GDA area of Moza Gurundani Shumali/ Junubi and Moza Darbella Shumali/Junubi for that purpose. Such arbitrariness on the part of the government does not indicate an investor-friendly policy.
There is plenty of land available in Gwadar beyond the GDA-designated area and these two entities, i.e., CAA and the army establishment, have no dearth of resources to develop areas for themselves. A few kilometres away from the GDA, Gwadar land will be part of greater Gwadar in the near future.
I hope the government will reconsider its plan of acquiring such land and avoid spoiling the environment of Gwadar.
AN INVESTOR
Karachi
I AM 65 years old and retired on July 31, 2001 as professor of economics-cum-principal of the Federal Government Urdu Arts College, Karachi. I have been living in a rented house for 37 years with my six minor children. I have been a law-abiding citizen and have paid government taxes throughout my life. Now I am living on pension.
I had bought a car from my provident fund. The 1997 car, registration number ABC 273,was stolen from my house on the main Sharea Faisal in the early hours of Oct 16. I rang up #15 but in vain. FIR 756 was registered at the Ferozabad police station. I visited the ACLC head office, ACLC Ferozabad, ACLC Artillery, CPLC offices, Nazarat and other places several times but nobody paid any heed. Wherever I go, they ridicule me and demand a bribe. Only the computers of the CPLC show the registration of the stolen car.
As a citizen of Pakistan I draw the attention of the Sindh ombudsman to the fact that people have been left at the mercy of dacoits. Nobody’s property and life are safe. My seven-year-old car was not insured. I am worried and have suffered much because my whole life’s provident fund has been taken away.
MUHAMMAD UMAR
Karachi
THIS refers to the letter “KPT fountain and KPT pensioners” (Nov 5). The position given by Mr Muhammad Hayat has been incorrectly stated. It is incorrect that the KPT is focusing its attention on its development projects and giving very little attention to the welfare of its employees and pensioners. As a matter of fact, the KPT is equally concerned about the welfare of its employees and pensioners. In the first instance, their cases are processed and finalized for payment expeditiously and, second, KPT pensioners are far better off than pensioners of many other organizations/departments in terms of increase in pension granted to them from time to time.
The pay scales and other facilities given to KPT employees are better than in most organizations in the public sector. The KPT has given pay raises to its employees in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, and 2004 as per agreements with the CBA. Accordingly, pension worked out on the basis of new pay has always been far higher than the pension given in many other organizations.
The KPT does not currently have plans to scrap pensions. However, it has received a large number of applications from pensioners requesting a consolidated paid-up package instead of recurring pension for each individual. This request of the pensioners is gaining some momentum, but no decision on the subject has been taken.
SHAFIQUE AHMED FARIDI
Senior PRO, KPT
Karachi
APROPOS of the letter by H.A. Haji (Dec 4), I want to add that the leopard is one of the most beautiful cats in the larger cat category — only the tiger is a step ahead of it. International efforts are being made to protect the tiger in every habitat it is found, the reason being the heavy premium paid by Far Eastern pharmacists for using every part of the animal for medicinal purposes on the assumption that the user will become as strong as a tiger. When skinned, a tiger resembles a lion but no one wants a lion for medicinal purposes.
The leopard has been spared so far by the medicine men, but it is never spared anywhere for its nightly, silent prowling for sheep, goats, dogs and poultry. It does so when deprived of its natural diet in nature by man.
In a technical context the leopard is the most irreplaceable genepool of the species and no human efforts by applying modern biotechnology can recreate a leopard. Once it vanishes, the forest will lose a courageous, lovely denizen. It is neither a man-eater nor a surreptitious pilferer of dogs. It also hates entering villages or urban areas; it is sheer desperation that makes him blind to the peril he will face in a human habitation. Hunger is a cruel tragedy that can drive even humans to dig wild roots, snap grass and eat wild bush.
We should love and respect this nature’s gift to the biodiversity of Pakistan.
Dr A.A. QURAISHY
Karachi
THIS has reference to two Pen-Pricks cartoons (Nov 24 and 26) depicting the endeavours of opposition MNAs to gain the stature of persons concerned about the earthquake victims.
The people are not unaware of the performance of our law-makers at the national and provincial levels. The perception is that a majority are fond of money. They start whirling around like honey bees once the bills are in sight.
Thousands of young men would have registered themselves as national volunteers to offer their services towards rehabili-tation and reconstruction in quake-affected areas had our representatives come forward to send young men from their families for the volunteer force.
GHEEWALA
Karachi
THIS is with reference to Mr Barkat Ali Abro’s letter “SPSC’s examinations “ (Nov 27). Mr Abro rightly reveals the sufferings of prospective and eligible candidates and the poor performance of the SPSC over the years, causing delays in conducting examinations without giving any justification in this regard.
This is not for the first time that a candidate has brought the matter before the public and the authorities. There have been so many other letters in different newspapers criticizing the performance of the SPSC. That’s why the SPSC chairman in October came out with a statement on a private TV channel saying that the SPSC would hold the examination of mukhtiarkars after Eid.
It is regretted that in spite of that, nothing seems to be happening.
Since I am working in the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), I would like to put forward some suggestions to improve the performance of the SPSC.
The FPSC conducts its examination expeditiously within one month after the closing date of application forms and conveys to every candidate the date of the examination and provides the syllabus at least 15 days before the examination. Any request for change of centre is entertained in this short time.
The FPSC conducts two competitive examinations every year — one for the CSS and the other the section officers’ promotional examination. The cases are finalized within six months in all respects.
The FPSC charges Rs200+100=300 as examination fees, as against Rs500 charged by the SPSC.
More importantly, the FPSC refunds the fees paid by the candidates for any post which is withdrawn by the ministry or the department concerned and could not be filled up by the FPSC. The SPSC has collected thousands of rupees from candidates in the shape of fees but does not refund the amount even when the required posts have been withdrawn by the department concerned.
The SPSC should work on the pattern of the FPSC and other public service commissions in order to alleviate the sufferings of applicants who look forward to government jobs.
LAL DINO KALHORO
Islamabad
THIS is with reference to your editorial on the CSS result. You have ignored one important cause of the poor result: the reduced age limit for the exam. The maximum age limit for candidates was reduced from 30 to 28 years in 2000. This means that there is less time for those who have finished their higher education to prepare for the exam. Moreover, you also ignore the fact that the majority of the candidates come from low- and middle-income backgrounds and are unable to take the three attempts allowed. On the other hand, the reduced age limit benefits the affluent.
They have proper guidance, no tension of finding a job to support the family, and are able to appear in the exam at a lower age. Had the age limit been 30 years, the pool of potential applicants would been larger and perhaps more qualified. It is time that the FPSC reconsidered the age limit condition. I request the president to take note of this demand, which if allowed can benefit many young people in this country.
IMRAN SANAULLAH
Faisalabad
I HAVE been reading with interest articles/letters on the poor pass percentage in CSS written examinations recently held by the Public Service Commission. Various points of view have been expressed for and against this low percentage.
One very important factor which is missing is the fact that the CSS is not attracting bright candidates any more due to various reasons such as the falling standard of the superior services and induction of outsiders from the armed forces. DMG, police and even the foreign service have been demoralized. The diminishing of the powers of district and divisional heads due to the local body system has also played its part in keeping bright candidates away from the CSS.
Last but not least is the increasing disparity between public and the private sector compensation which has made public sector jobs unattractive.
It will be unjustified to put the blame for the recent pass percentage on our education system.
SHAHID ANWAR
Karachi
THIS refers to your editorial “Pneumonia cases up north” (Dec 1) which says: “With the onset of winter the worst nightmare of doctors and health personnel working in Azad Kashmir is coming true as thousands of cases of pneumonia are being reported in the quake-affected zone”. Although the government, independent organizations and individuals are doing their best in safe-guarding the quake victims from winter and rough weather, the problems of food, shelter, warm clothing and winter-related diseases are increasing the challenge.
It is now an appropriate time for international pharma-ceutical companies to subsidize the price of antibiotics, vaccines and other medicines directed to the quake-affected areas. Furthermore, distributing free medicines in tent villages will serve as a social investment, which can be capitalized in the future through enhanced goodwill.
MUHAMMAD ARIF BUTT
Karachi
THE Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) deserves praise for bringing the superior and subordinate judiciary into the purview of accountability. One hopes that the SJC will implement its decision in letter and spirit. Hopefully, the benefit of this will also pass on to the litigant public.
SATTAR MUHAMMAD KHAN
Vehari
PLEASE allow me to make a response to “A matter of right response” by Najmuddin A. Shaikh (Nov 30) and to others who believe that peace and prosperity will not be restored to South Asia until the Kashmir quagmire is resolved.
It appears that the momentum for the “United States of Kashmir” or independent Kashmir, given free choice, is gaining ground with the support of western countries. If that happens, there will be a similar movement in Balochistan, the NWFP and even in Sindh. Mr Shaikh and others are prisoners of the old concept of religious and communal separation, despite the formation of Bangladesh.
As a first step to allow sovereignty to Kashmiris, there should be an election in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan should allow autonomy for them. It is likely that autonomy will be given to the Valley. If the situation in Kashmir returns to what it was in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, then India will be compelled to withdraw its troops. It is not diplomacy, only rhetoric, to tie all people-to-people contacts, cultural, educational and humanitarian exchanges, communications links, and trade to a single territorial dispute.
People will forget the quake, but not their geographical, cultural and historical bonds.
NIRODE MOHANTY
California , USA
THIS IS response to Mr Vincent Bemowski’s letter where he has skirted the main issue (Nov 22). It is the consequences of lying, often used by Democrats and Republicans, that need to be accepted by every US citizen. It has been proved that the US government lied about WMDs/links with Al Qaeda and used 9/11 as a pretext to invade Iraq which posed no threat to the US. The same was true of Vietnam where the so called Gulf of Tonkin incident has now been belied. These are prominent cases in recent history but it is known that the US has been using false pretexts to intervene in Latin America and elsewhere.
What was once a highly developed country, Iraq has been destroyed as far as its infrastructure, educational institutions, health facilities, museums and libraries are concerned. What was once a prosperous welfare state has now become a waste land. Innumerable children, women, old men have been killed and maimed. Lying makes a person and a nation senseless and heartless. The US has lost all moral authority to preach to others about fairness, progress and freedom.
F. HASAN
Karachi
I WANT to draw the attention of the authorities concerned towards the Congo virus, an issue which is getting dangerous day by day. For the last several weeks there have been deaths due to this virus. But still very few people know about it.
The only thing the people know about it is that it can kill a person within a week if not identified. This disease is spreading quite quickly as it has already swallowed a couple of people in just a week or so. Therefore, some measures must be taken immediately to stop this disease from spreading.
To investigate its causes and origin and incidence in Pakistan, the authorities must set up a helpline. And the people must be educated about it.
M. SAMAR JAMIL
Karachi
I AGREE with the Commonwealth’s observation that there is no such thing as democracy in Pakistan. But I was surprised to see that after making such a candid observation, the same body let the Pakistani president retain his dictatorship for at least two more years. I request the Commonwealth to shun this kind of hypocrisy and act according to its true conscience.
PROF ANWAR UL HAQUE
Islamabad
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