| April 24, 2006 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1427 |
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Tribal areas
Save the trees
‘The future of nuclear non-proliferation’
Retreat from precipice
Better use of foreign aid
Sindh patch-up
Pakistani cinema
Violence in cartoons
‘Friend of Pakistan’
Wasteful expenditure
‘He heard the trees’
TRADE relations between India and Pakistan appear to be making some progress at last. Pakistan has given an indication that it is prepared to trade with India under Safta (South Asian Free trade Area) rules.
This is good news because freer trade will make several commodities cheaper in both the countries, besides injecting consistency in bilateral trade among Saarc members, where Safta becomes operational from July 1. India and Pakistan ought to be normal and natural trade partners.
However, the India-Pakistan trade and economic relations are closely linked with diplomatic and political relations between the two countries and, as the world knows, these have not been normal or natural most of the time. The official bilateral trade between India and Pakistan in 2004-05 was US$602 million, up from $345 million in 2003-04, $252 million in 2002-03, $209 million in 2001-02, $251 million in 2000-01 and $161 million in 1999-2000. Despite the impressive growth in recent years, the fact remains that for both the countries, bilateral trade with each other accounts for a negligible portion of their aggregate trade. India’s exports to Pakistan were only 0.64 per cent of its total exports and imports from Pakistan accounted for a mere 0.09 per cent of its total imports.
Two caveats are in order. Things were different in the past. In 1948-49, more than 70 per cent of Pakistan’s trade was with India and 63 per cent of Indian exports went to Pakistan. Trade between the two countries began to dwindle from the end of 1949 and hit the nadir of Rs 10.53 crore in 1965-66 in the wake of hostilities that year. There was a trade embargo between India and Pakistan after the war of 1965 and it continued till 1974 when it was resumed after the Shimla Pact. The volumes, however, have remained small.
The joint statement issued after the third round of talks between India and Pakistan on economic and commercial cooperation at Islamabad in March says: “Both sides welcomed the ratification of the Safta Agreement by all SAARC member countries and expressed the confidence that it would enhance regional trade.” The Pakistani commerce secretary went out of his way to clarify that since Safta was “a multilateral agreement valid for the whole of South Asia” and Pakistan was a signatory to it, “how can we exempt any country in the region from its purview?”
The extension of Safta facilities by Islamabad to trade with India would mean virtually conferring the most-favoured nation status to India. Apart from the explicit links between Safta and the WTO provisions on MFN and “national treatment,” Article 9 of the Safta text clearly states that “concessions agreed to, other than those made exclusively to the Least Developed Contracting States, shall be extended unconditionally to all Contracting States.”
If bilateral trade between India and Pakistan improves, producers in both countries could secure cheaper supplies of inputs from the other side. Greater trade could also mean lower prices for millions of consumers in both the countries. Finally, the governments of India and Pakistan could earn greater revenue through customs duties when smuggled items are traded lawfully. However, in the South Asian tradition of putting politics before economics, Pakistan has been saying that progress on the trade front is possible only if there is progress on the Kashmir issue.
The truth is that Pakistan will be the bigger gainer —- as Sri Lanka has demonstrated through its trade deal with India. Lankan exports to India trebled in two years after the two countries launched their free trade agreement in 2000, and negotiations are now on for deeper economic engagement. A sizeable section of Pakistan’s business community fears closer trade ties with India, which has a much larger economy with a well-diversified industrial structure and which will always enjoy a substantial transport cost advantage over all its competitors. These businessmen say that the Indian economy is far too regulated, and the large subsidies and protection available to Indian industry threatens the competitive position of Pakistani products especially in the engineering, automobile and pharmaceutical sectors. They say that India has manipulated its tariff structure to suit the interests of its exporters of finished and semi-finished products.
However, similar fears were voiced in India when it opened up its economy to international competition, tariffs were slashed and quantitative restrictions were removed. These fears have proved unfounded. Indian industry, even manufacturing, has gone from strength to strength after liberalisation. Pakistan’s experience would not be different.
India and Pakistan have both paid a heavy price for mutual distrust and needless bickering. It is time to get on with the real job: a joint pursuit of prosperity.
NADIR BALOCH
Karachi
IN the Bara Tehsil of Khyber Agency, two religious groups, one led by Mufti Munir Shakir, the other by Pir Saifur Rehman, have a sizable number of devotees, who are opposed to each other’s religious views. After a persistent campaign of hurling abusive language against each other in sermons, through their privately acquired and illegal FM radio channels, the verbal war culminated on March 28 in a bloody clash between the two groups.
The gunbattle started when workers of Laskhar-i-Islam, formed by supporters of Mufti Shakir, directed inmates, including women and children, of the house of Bacha Jee, a devotee of Pir Saifur Rehman, to surrender, which was refused by the head of the family. A pitched battle broke out; lasting for nine hours: seven Lashkar men were killed while 25 sustained serious injuries. The local administration intervened and enforced a ceasefire.
Disregarding the agreement the Lashkar men, impatient to avenge, 24 hours later, on Tuesday, launched a pre-dawn attack on the house of Bacha Jee, where women and children were present. The women and children were made captives and driven away to unknown destination. The house, with dead male inmates, was set ablaze.
Whereas we take pride in our emancipation from the British, no effort is made to emancipate the tribesmen from the tentacles of the social octopus that has shackled their outlook. Within the tribal belt two categories are to be blamed: religious groups and Fata-domiciled bureaucrats. Religious leaders exercise tremendous influence on the social life of the common man.
The area is infested with seminaries. Their only contribution to society is to prepare youth for jihad. Educated tribal youth secure easy entry into the central services on the basis of their domicile and quota system. Once in service they never look back to repay their kinsmen by introducing enlightenment but choose to settle down in the developed cities of Pakistan.
Thus these self-centred Fata- domiciled bureaucrats defeat the very purpose of creating a quota to give representation to backward areas in the mainstream of the country. The madressah heads and the Fata-domiciled bureaucrats must make a common platform to bring about revolutionary changes in the mindset of the tribesmen towards social enlightenment.
Financially, the tribesmen need no help since they have gained tremendously through the drug trade, gun-running, liquor smuggling, car lifting and kidnapping for ransom.
We can exercise two options as far as Fata is concerned. Either FATA should be merged with the rest of Pakistan to make the two-nation theory applicable to them or it should be declared an independent state to bask in the Darwinian theory of “survival of the fittest.”
SAYED G.B. SHAH BOKHARI
Peshawar
WOULD the Chief Justice of Pakistan kindly take notice of the murder of about 19,000 trees in an area of over 100 kanals along Karachi Road in Bahawalpur? This forest which was developed around 1931 is in danger as the Punjab government has announced that a residential area called ‘Lawyers’ colony’ will be developed here.
It is hoped that this forest will be spared by the provincial government and the Lawyers’ colony will be built on an alternative site.
A NATURE LOVER
Bahawalpur
I AM writing this letter to mourn the chopping down of trees in Punjab. Trees are very important for curbing pollution and beautifying the environment. They provide shelter to animals and birds and shade to man. These trees are what makes our earth beautiful and green.
I am sorry to say that our government is showing a blatant disregard towards this. They should take steps to put a stop to the indiscriminate felling of trees. It is convenient for us to chop down trees in the name of development, but we must make sure to plant more trees than we cut down. If we do not sit up and pay attention to this pressing issue, we will leave only a barren and dead country for our coming generations.
MARYAM WAHEED
Lahore
I WANT to draw the environment minister’s attention to the indiscriminate cutting down of trees in Lahore. Everyday we see trees being cut in order to make various underpasses and roads. Doesn’t anyone care for the next generation? Or the increasing air pollution in the city?
Trees not only provide fresh air and shade, they also act as filters for the pollution that our cars produce. They provide birds with a habitat and beautify the city. I hope the ministry will make new laws dealing with this pressing issue and implement them as soon as possible. A timely investment to save the trees will profit the generations to come. SYEDA ALIZEH SHAH
Lahore
I AM writing in response to Mr. Ali Sarwar Naqvi’s article titled “The future of nuclear non-proliferation” (April 20). I agree with Mr. Naqvi that the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is doomed. The ground realities show that the current NPT is probably worth no more than the paper it is written on. The P5 never intended to reduce, and finally eliminate, their nuclear arsenal as the treaty stated. And, therefore, a few other ambitious nations built and became nuclear weapon states to get security, respect, and prestige.
The recent advances in science and technology are helping build necessary basic infrastructure that will eventually lead to deploying nuclear and non-nuclear assets in outer space. It is expected that this technological breakthrough will take about 10 more years to occur. It is also expected that the same time frame, about 10 more years, will be required to make significant advances towards missile defence systems.
The weaponisation of outer space with nuclear and non-nuclear assets coupled with a meaningful missile defence system will make land-based nuclear arsenal redundant and expensive. It will also make the NPT worthless.
VINOD K. VARMA
California, USA
AFTER long wasteful years spent in unproductive controversy which brought the country to the brink of precipice, the president mercifully has given his decision to build the Bhasha Dam in preference to Kalabagh Dam on the River Indus.
Now that the powers that be have bowed before the majesty of the will of the people, the controversy on the dams should cease and the resources of the state and the energy of the nation should focus on building the Bhasha dam. Parliament as the custodian of the rights of the people should take necessary measures to ensure transparency in the construction of the dam.
Afzaal H. Zaidi
Islamabad
THIS refers to Mr Sultan Ahmed’s article (April 13), describing how the UN wants its economic assistance to be made more effective and less wasteful. Unfortunately this cannot be so in Pakistan because of excessive corruption.
Pakistan already has a debt of US$38 billion. This amount stand injected in Pakistan’s economy so far but its impact on the social fabric of the country is not visible. A super rich class has been created and the rich are becoming richer and the poor, poorer.
The following instances will show how borrowed money has been wasted and / or pocketed:
— World Bank loan of $55 million for officials’ training abroad (Aug 25, 2005). Who has benefited? Is good governance visible
— $350 million ADB loan for “access to justice” in Dec 2001. “Access to justice” is not any better today after receiving the loan?
Also look at the following loans recently approved:
— ADB loan of Rs. 24 billion for development projects in Karachi and further Rs. 790 million for studies. (April 9).
— WB loan of Rs 18 billion for the Punjab government for improvement and maintenance of its huge irrigation network. (April 14).
Karachi is the mega metropolitan city of Pakistan and should be able to finance its projects out of the revenue earned. Similarly users of irrigation network facilities should pay for their maintenance. As usual most of the loan amount is likely to be embezzled.
Taking of further loans from foreign financing institutions should be stopped forthwith. But since the ruling class is itself the beneficiary of loans, the government is not likely to act. The Supreme Court need to take notice of the situation, or an NGO / philanthropist may file a petition in the high court to stop taking of further loans and save the coming generations from the responsibility of paying off the loan.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
NORMALLY, a compromise between individuals or groups is a happy development and a praiseworthy act. But certainly not when it shapes up between public representatives who have accused each other of gross misconduct
It has been reported that a reconconciliation has been affected between Sindh Chief Minister, Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim and former revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh. They fell apart, perhaps more than a year ago, triggering investigations and unearthing of irregularities, costing a lot of official valuable time and money. Ordinarily, in any country, both of them should have been asked to pack up and go. But this is Pakistan.
It does not require much intelligence to understand the need for unity and strength in the King’s party to face the alliance of opposition parties, now in the offing, at next year’s polls. Hence, this decision to end the row between the chief minister and his former cabinet member to serve the interests of their political party rather then the welfare of the people and the Sindh province.
The patch-up decision is politically motivated and detrimental to democratic norms.
DR. AZIZ-UR-REHMAN BUGHIO
Islamabad
THE road map for reviving Pakistani cinemas as detailed by Mr Hasan Zaidi (“On reviving cinema in Pakistan”, April 16) is not only commendable and thought provoking but also very reasonable.
His suggestions of importing films from India, with financing from banks registered with the State Bank of Pakistan, seed money for script development, tax relief of five to 10 years to new cinema houses, holding of international film festivals, establishing international grade training institutes and promoting joint productions ventures should be considered by policy makers in the ministries of culture and finance if they really want to improve the image of Pakistan.
Regarding the import of films from India, I would like to add that based on the number of commercial cinema houses operating in India and Pakistan, a policy should be drafted according to which for the first five years or so the ratio of import and export of films from and to India should be one to ten —— that is, against the import of one film from India at least 10 films should be exported from Pakistan. This way the Pakistan film industry will not be swept aside by Indian films.
NAQI MUSTAFA
Karachi
The Cartoon Network is a favourite channel of children. A few months ago it want into the hands of a Pakistani management. Ever since the programmes being telecast are alarmingly violent.
Its programmes now usually have strange figures fighting each other. Who are the creators of such programmes? They must be some street fighters or gladiators. All they can think and telecast is “Fight, fight and fight we must”.
RANA MUBASHER
Lahore
IN her article “Yours truly, friend of Pakistan” (March 5), Anjum Niaz writes: “Where does the middle class fit into this bizarre imbalance made up of haves and have-nots? It is meant to be the bone marrow of a country, the intelligentsia of the nation, the engine to progress, and the hope of the future”. She then asks why the middle class is spineless.
Among many possible answers one is crass materialism. This is the sense of confidence derived from one’s bank balance when the confidence derived from good education and human values is lacking. The mushroom growth of mobile phone outlets, food streets, DVD shops as well as foreign food chains have encouraged the appeal of this uncouth materialism.
On the other hand, there is a dearth of libraries as people’s interest in reading books of literature, science and history is diminishing fast. The yearning for skills, culture and art is fading away. It has been replaced with the desire to mint money by any means possible. The middle class has to struggle to change its mindset before it is too late.
MUHAMMAD ARIF BUTT
Karachi
ACCORDING to the news item “Price hike, travel abroad criticised” (April 18) minority MNA Mr Bhandra has raised a very important point in the National Assembly about extravagant foreign tours made by the speaker of the National Assembly, parliamentarians and especially the prime minister who recently took a large entourage with him on a one-day trip to New York.
Millions of rupees are being spent on these trips at the cost of the poor taxpayers while the outcome of these trips is nil. Instead of spending millions on such useless foreign trips the government should spend money on health, education, research and the reduction of poverty. More than 40 per cent of the population is living below the poverty line; day-long trips to New York by government officials are of no benefit to them.
ZULFIQAR A. BHATTI
Islamabad
Thank you, Mrs Naheed Khan (letter, April 15). The successor has risen from the ashes. Roland deSouza can be reached at rvazz1@gmail.com.
ARDESHIR COWASJEE
Karachi
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