| April 2, 2006 | Sunday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1427 |
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Lacking water supply
History of another blasphemy
Next UN secretary-general
HEC policies
No applause for Jack Straw
Spelling test
March 23
Bara clash
THE ministry of petroleum and natural resources (MPNR) has recently formulated its first policy package on liquefied natural gas (LNG), formally named Draft LNG policy-2006. The ministry has invited all stakeholders to give suggestions to make this policy meaningful.
It may be recalled that the government has planned to set up an integrated LNG import project. A consortium has been engaged for consultancy services. The MPNR has accepted the hard fact in the preamble of LNG policy that the country’s recoverable indigenous gas reserves will be insufficient to meet the demand and gas shortage is expected to emerge by 2010.
However, the LNG policy does have some shortfalls which are discussed along with a few suggestions as under:
* Clause 4.1 (c) states that LNG developer will ensure that the project complies with Pakistan health and safety standards, Pakistan does not have any approved health and safety standards whatsoever.
— LNG policy does not contain the validity period.
All LNG imports should be on free-on-board (fob) basis and it would be mandatory for Pakistani shipping companies to own a credible equity throughout the period of LNG shipping contract. By making fob imports mandatory for LNG imports, it is likely that domestic shipping companies gain an entry into the highly capital-intensive and lucrative LNG shipping sector through joint ventures with foreign shipping lines.
— Non-shipping companies should also be given an opportunity to take part in LNG shipping ventures in the country which would provide the necessary support for domestic shipping companies to get started in this new area of shipping which is considered to be highly worthwhile for them in future.
— The government should provide a 10-year tax holiday and easier royalty charges for the liquefied natural gas business.
— Besides developing new ports, the government should have to modernise the existing ports and upgrade their facilities in order to bring them on par with the leading ports of the world. A single point mooring (SPM) has to be installed at port to cater the situation.
— The government should build appropriate institutions to support training, research and development and other activities necessary to sustain the envisaged LNG sector.
Also, our selection of foreign consultant and others has to be done meticulously.
Since, under an LNG pricing formula for the Asian market, LNG prices have so far been based on crude oil prices as a benchmark, which are soaring at a phenomenal pace ($66/barrel as to date), SSGC should finalize their project at the earliest convenience before the price touches $100/barrel. A fixed price formula has to be adopted for stability which would not be affected by oil price fluctuations.
As mentioned earlier, SSGC has two options of building a LNG terminal either at Port Qasim or at Karachi Port. The LNG plant to be built at Port Qasim entails sufficient draft requirement. The average-sized LNG tankers operating in the world carry about 63,000-65,000 mt of LNG and the largest size carry around 100,000 mt. These average sized carriers require a sea water depth of about 11.35 meters (minimum) at the port. Pakistan oil and gas sector review document reveals that at Port Qasim, Marginal Wharf-1, FTCO and ETPL-13 have the draft of 10, 11 and 10 metres respectively, hence are not capable of handling such large hulls.
As regards the LNG to CNG conversion phenomenon, it must be recognised that as pure methane it will differ significantly from pipeline gas; this lack of uniformity may cause problems with standardisation of the CNG fuel. Another possible difficulty relates to the removal of all traces of lubricant, which may cause problems with engine gas injectors and other equipment.
However, our policymakers should remember that although option of piped gas seems a distant dream in current circumstances, if the country will get any of three proposed cross-border pipeline projects by 2010 or if natural gas is enhanced through exploration, in that case the LNG facility could become redundant. This may make the financing of the project almost impossible as the intending purchasers may not like to enter into any long-term agreements and if they do, they will be taking high energy cost which will adversely affect the competence of the industry in identified area.
RASHID ASHRAF
Karachi
MAY I seek the hospitality of your esteemed columns to attract the attention of the civic bodies concerned to the plight of people of our neighbourhood unit. This unit lies in Block 1 of Federal B Area, and is bounded on one side by the Circular Railway line and on the other by Syed Ahmad Shaheed Road. It consists mostly of houses built on small, 120 square yards plots, belonging to and resided in by lower middle class families. For the last several weeks water supply to the houses has either been in name only, or totally absent/missing.
What actually happened was that on March 2 residents of houses R-781 to R-804 found that the water entering their underground tanks was contaminated with dye, soap and starch — components of industrial effluents from the row of factories nearby. The matter was brought to the notice of the nazim of union council who stirred the relevant technical people to action. These people suspended the water supply to the houses so as to be able to locate the fault in the supply line wherever it had occurred.
Residents are since then relying on water they can fetch from places, or area mosque which has a well yielding slightly brackish water. Some who can afford are buying tanker water costing between Rs250 and Rs350 per tanker of 1,000 gallons capacity. As can be seen, this water is quite dear and is made use of sparingly. In either case, the well and tanker water cannot be used liberally as a consequence of which due flushing of toilets is going by default. This is resulting in the choking of sewer lines on the premises.
When water supply was suspended by the KWSB on March 5, residents were assured that they would be supplied water through an alternative, existing line for a couple of days while work on the affected line progressed. Water from the alternative line has been no more than driblets, and, as for work on the affected line the KWSB’s team of technical people has done nothing more than cluelessly dug a few pits for locating the fault. Even in this, sense of urgency is conspicuous by its absence. The mishap of contamination of residents’ underground storage tanks is being taken as casually as it could. There seems to be no realisation of the hardship being faced by residents for want of potable water.
The unending misery which has been visited upon residents, for no fault of theirs, makes them wonder if in the situation the KWSB should not provide water through tankers gratis. It claims through bills for the cost of water supply deliverable the whole year round. As such in the event of any breakdown of supply, water should be delivered by it through tankers, but without charge. Why charge for it? There is need for such a law to be enforced forthwith. Only then will the KWSB be able to mend its neglectful ways.
MAHMOOD A. MUFTI
Karachi
AROUND 1825, the then superpower recognized the importance of Kurrechee as the gateway to northern India, Afghanistan, etc., and decided that it should be annexed.
Accordingly, missionaries, travellers and agents started pouring into the city. The representative at the court of Mirs became active. Out of the agents sent, most important or successful was Capt V.W.S. Hart, who camped in Kurrechee around 1830, and went straight to work, contacted all possible groups — the Syeds, the Hindus, even the slaves but found all uninterested in a rising against the Mirs, except his host, Naomal: the great grandson of Bhojomal, founder of the city, fired with the idea of a city state under him. In the words of Henry Pottinger (the company representative at Hyderabad), “as governor-general at Calcutta, so Naomal at Kurrechee”.
For a scheme they dug back into history and found that about 50 years before the city had changed hands from Khan of Kalat to the Mirs, due to a mandir-mosque issue. The opportunity came their way when a Hindu student tired of beating by his teacher took refuge in a mosque. Taking advantage of the tension, one Mr Nooral Shah (probably a plant) came to the house of Naomal and started creating a scene.
Parsram, the younger brother of Naomal, answered back. During the heat, Parsram is said to have uttered some blasphemies, and was immediately whisked away to Jaiselmer.
And Nooral Shah took to all the important cities of Sindh crying blasphemy, blasphemy, raising a hue and cry among the Muslims of Sindh.
It was demanded that since Parsram has fled outside the jurisdiction of Mirs, his father Hotchand should be tried in his place (it is interesting to note that Hindus were so confident of justice under the Mirs, and of their influence that only Parsram fled and no other male or female member of the family).
Mir Murad Ali, the then ruler of Sindh, was intelligent enough to see through the ploy. He handled the whole issue so that it petered out. This sagacity on part of the Mir earned him a reprieve of eight years. That Kurrechee fell in 1939 is a different story.
What I want to ask is: “Are we today more void of gray matter than even the Mirs and can’t see through the plot hatched by the superpower”
KHALIL AHMED
Karachi
THE selection and election of Mr Kofi Annan’s successor is sure to remain the focus of keen debate in international circles for the rest of this year. This is so because the personality of the new incumbent, who may well occupy the secretary-general’s chair for the next 10 years, will not only be of central significance to the world organization but also in helping our planet in turmoil to steer a beneficent course towards peace and inter-dependent tranquillity.
I feel quite strongly so for our civilization at the moment is seriously threatened by a snub-nosed waving of a doctrine of pre-emptive strikes across international borders, in all sorts of masquerades, but essentially to impose global dominance. Well- known analysts have already taken the cue and have started writing to stir a debate on what role the UN could and should play to instil the spirit of democratic values in international intercourse.
The search for a right fit for the eminent job must be guided stringently by Article 100 of the Charter highlighting some important aspects of the secretary-general’s heavy responsibilities now, in the light of the proposed UN reforms, being laced with onerous accounta bilities too.
The current unwritten convention, not without merit, calls for someone from Asia. Considering the far-reaching sensitivities, born of the inter-play of power politics surrounding the job at present, I think for this once the search, rewardingly, may have to reach out right across the world. Many a name of serving and former heads of government and state has already begun to attract focus of attention.
Besides acknowledged stature and experience in world affairs, the job’s critical requirements in the up and coming decade we would, very much more so, need a firm, plain-speaking, yet suave political leader who will be listened to with respect. Additionally, considering the importance of an unshakable devotion to the ideals and principles of the UN Charter in the total equation, to me, the name of Mme. Mary Robinson stands out with great lustre .
M. J. AS’AD
Karachi
THIS has reference to Mr Noman Ahmed’s article “HEC policies: a scientific approach needed” (March 26 in which he has rightly suggested that higher education policies should be formulated on a firm scientific basis, and for that matter consultative process must be initiated to obtain the feedback of faculty members and university administrations. This is a sane idea, for which the teachers are crying high and dry that the AEC needs to adopt participatory approach to address the issues of declining standard of education and the emergence of rouge private colleges /universities.
Even FAPUASA, the apex body of the university teachers, has come out with the statement criticizing the unilateral approach of the HEC to reform higher education. But, very sadly, the HEC has brushed off all suggestions to change its handling of universities.
The HEC problem is that it has introduced reforms without reforming universities where reforms have to take place. As a result, such steps as establishment of quality assurance agency, quality assurance cells, award of PhD scholarships, establishing linkages with universities of technologically advanced countries and funding of various projects have failed to produce any substantial result, at least in weaker universities like Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur.
The most nagging problem faced by universities today is that of governance, which has been ignored by the HEC. The HEC has to address the issue of governance before introducing reforms. Bad governance leads to corruption, mismanagement and widespread irregularities. And this is true that HEC reforms are not working in universities where governance is weak, irresponsible and corrupt.
To illustrate my above point, I shall cite an example of Shah Abdul Latif University where poor governance is the main cause of the university’s under-development. The university was opened in 1976 as campus and upgraded to the status of full-fledged university in 1986. Political inference and bad governance was mainly responsible for the failure of its first project, resulting into loss of around Rs90 million (for details see the article of Dr Pervaz Hoodhboy at htt://www.savesalu.com).
Still the spectre of bad governance is haunting university with impunity. The HEC talks about research, but no research can be done in an environment where even the basic infrastructure of research does not exist. Can one believe that the central library has got a few thousand books and inadequate computing facilities, with a few foreign journals coming irregularly as donation? The research projects for IT and date palm research are also riddled with financial and administrative irregularities, to which the HEC has paid no attention, though the problems have been pointed out through emails.
The state of bad governance and management can be judged from the fact that recently the Sindh auditor-general through a letter No DGAS/DP/SALU-02-03/101-104, dated 15/9/2004, has informed the HEC chairman about the serious financial irregularities and non-adherence to rules and regulations pertaining to the university.
In the end, I will advise the HEC to strive for establishment of accountable, open and responsive administration in universities and to address core issues of capacity building, bad governance and political interference that largely subvert HEC reforms in public-sector universities. If these measures are not taken, then whatever reforms being undertaken by the HEC will not have any substantial impact on higher education reform.
MANZOOR ALI ISRAN
Shah Abdul Latif University
Khairpur
EXCUSE us for not applauding Jack Straw’s recent remarks about averting a nuclear war between Pakistan and India. “The British Foreign Office and the US State Department worked tirelessly to defuse the standoff between the two countries,” the minister said.
His words were dripping with self-importance: “if people ever say to you: ‘What is a diplomat for?’ say a diplomat is partly for stopping wars and if you want to know about a war that diplomats stopped, the British and the Americans stopped a war” .
His words are very ironic considering that these very diplomats start up wars all over the place when it suits them. Why don’t they roll up their sleeves and get to solving the crucial Kashmir issue, the reason India and Pakistan have already fought two wars.
But no, that would be too much work. Why go through all that hassle when you can take credit for making the world a safer place by doing the bare minimum? “The benefits for the whole world from having British and American diplomats on the ground in India and Pakistan four years ago were huge. In the end, Pakistan and India looked over the abyss, saw starkly that they simply couldn’t start another conventional war, where it might lead and pulled back,” declares Straw.
How nice for us all to have these gracious diplomats watching out for us. It would have been better if American and British diplomats had used some of their admirable diplomacy skills to tackle Saddam instead of making up lies to invade and occupy Iraq.
And it would be nicer still if the diplomats would stop wasting time with issues such as Iran’s alleged nuclear programme, and start solving issues that are of real significance to the world such as the Palestine issue.
S. KHAN
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
IT would be interesting to know if our Prime Minister can spell Thar. The prime minister needed a constituency and his boss suggested that Tharparkar would make convenient place to get into Parliament. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz promised to make Tharparkar the Paris of the East.
Now, after some years in power, I wonder if he can even spell Thar or point it out on a map.
AHMED ADIL
Karachi
THIS year again we celebrated March 23 as Pakistan Day. Is is not that the significance of March 23 became redundant after the achievement of independence on Aug 14, 1947. No doubt the importance of March 23 and the need for its celebration was there from 1940 to 1947, but when its objective was achieved on Aug 14, 1947 the significance of the day should belong to history only.
Celebration of March 23 vis-a-vis Aug 14 is as incongruous as a married couple celebrating their engagement day every day side by side their marriage anniversary.
Moreover, it can also be said that after the creation of Bangladesh, the significance of March 23 has diminished considerably, as such it is best to leave it in the memory of historians rather than remind the people of Pakistan every year about the loss of majority of the people of the country created by the Quaid-i-Azam!
Under the circumstances, it is hoped that the authorities concerned will take the necessary action to stop the celebration of March 23 as Pakistan Day in the context of Aug 14, 1947.
A.M. SAYIED
Karachi
WITH reference to the news report “25 killed as followers of clerics in Bara clash” (March 29), both the clerics Mufti Munir Shakir and Pir Saifur Rehman should be brought to justice as they are responsible for the lives of their followers. The only way to stop such incidents is to give exemplary punishment to those who fuel sectarian hatred and brainwash emotional people.
ASHFAQ AHMAD
Geneva, Switzerland
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