| September 26, 2006 | Tuesday | Ramazan 2, 1427 |
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Pakistan out of FTSE list
Might is right
Article 58(2)(b): dissenting view
Misinterpreting Jinnah
Presidential book tour
Economic outlook
New global resistance
Refusing to admit truth
Mideast plan
American friendship ploy
Stone Age
Vande Mataram
Readers are requested to restrict their comments to a maximum of 400 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for reasons of clarity and space. Letters, including those by e-mail, should carry the complete postal address of the sender. The views expressed in these columns do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.—Editor
YOUR editorial ‘KESC woes’ (Sept 6) has once again exposed the KESC’s violation of citizens’ trust and the commitment it had made to the citizens of Karachi after the German company took over the management. At that time it had promised that it would improve the services of the KESC and its complaint centres.
However, after the passage of one year there has still been no improvement in its performance and the residents of Karachi continue to suffer from power breakdowns, load-sheddings, low-voltage, etc. One appreciates the fact that there are some inherent problems in the KESC which are not easy to resolve, but the management should at least be able to improve the working of its complaint centres which are in a pathetic state.
We had visited two complaint centres located in Gizri and Phase II Extn., DHA, and found them in a terrible condition. But both these centres have only two telephone lines and they too are malfunctioning as the instruments were damaged when they were attacked by angry consumers due to inefficiencies of the KESC and have still not been repaired.
We wrote a letter to the managing director of the KESC informing him of the problems consumers were facing in contacting the complaint centres, together with the pictures of their pathetic state. We were amazed and disappointed by the reply from the MD, in which he informed us that he agreed that “the KESC customer service centres are in a very bad shape due to the lack of investment in the last several years”. He added that “the technical investment of Rs22 billion that the KESC is investing is to overcome the power generation shortage, but there is no budget to improve the working of the centres and that there is no provision to solve this problem quickly”.
According to newspaper reports, the government is going to pay Rs4.12 billion to the KESC as subsidy from the taxpayers’ money, yet the KESC claims that it does not have budget to improve its complaint centres.
The KESC’s reluctance to improve the workings of its complaint centres is a gross violation of the spirit of privatisation and a betrayal of the consumers’ trust in the new management of the KESC. It also reflects the lack of sympathy the management has for the suffering of the consumers.
We, therefore, request the KESC to reconsider its decision in delaying the improvement of the KESC complaint centres and its performance and suggest that they take immediate and appropriate action to improve its workings to alleviate the sufferings of the consumers due to inefficiency and mismanagement of the KESC.
HELPLINE TRUST
Karachi
FTSE, an independent company owned by the Financial Times and London Stock Exchange whose sole business is the creation and management of indices and data services, has removed Pakistan from its watch list of advanced emerging market, indicting the Karachi Stock Exchange. Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, central depository company (CDC) and the government of Pakistan for poor performance of regulations in Pakistan.
It has accused Pakistan of failing to meet the criteria set by the FTSE Country Classification Committee. The report has cited the lacklustre performance of regulators in Pakistan as the first and foremost reason for the country’s removal from the list. It has faulted the SECP for not actively monitoring the market in Pakistan and having failed to resolve the in-house settlement issue.
As regards the CDC, it has expressed reservations about the custody of traded scripts and its unsatisfactory working standards. FTSE suggests that there should be sufficient competition to ensure high quality custodian services.
About the brokerage business and standards, they have pointed out that there was not sufficient competition to ensure high quality brokerage services. FTSE reported that the Pakistan market lacks sufficient market depth information or visibility and timely trade reporting process.
There are very serious accusations and it for is the government of Pakistan to take corrective action. Interest of millions of middle class today is in the stock market where they have invested their hard-earned life savings and a crisis in the stock market will lead to financial chaos and great human tragedy. It is surprising that the media, as well as our financial wizards, did not take note of such important news.
A. REHMAN
Hyderabad
THE saying ‘might is right’ perfectly fits us in our society. Living in Pakistan is such a great fun as you never know what’s around the corner. Anything is possible. So when we hear one morning that a head teacher of Baghbanpura school, Lahore, was beaten up by a person of that area, we are not surprised.
Mr Ikhlaq Guddu, who beat the teacher, happens to have connections with the nazim, Mr Amir Mahmood, and claims to be a Muslim League leader. He decided to beat the head teacher because his phone call was not received by the latter.
Witnesses claim that Mr Guddu just walked into the office and threatened and beat the head teacher.
The head teacher has appealed to the education department to transfer him to another place. The minister of education, Punjab, stated that he has listened to the appeal of the head teacher and the department is ensuring that the people concerned are being charged. He also claimed that Mr Guddu has been put behind bars whereas no such thing happened.
The dilemma still remains. No FIR was ordered against Mr Guddu, no charges have been filed by the police and still after several days no results have been seen.
We all know the status of teachers in our society but this incident shows how easy it is to threaten and beat up anyone. Teachers who are the builders of this nation are being treated like criminals whereas the real culprits are the mighty heroes because they have influential friends.
Has our democratic government forgotten that ordinary people are human beings who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity in our own country? How can we expect our children to be useful members of society when they are practically witnessing that might is always right?
Mrs A. Mahmood
Lahore Cantt
I AM inclined to answer M.H. Solangi’s queries (Sept 16), in response to my letter (Sept 10). First, I have spelt out the mandatory provision as of the president to file a petition in the Supreme Court for adjudicating on his use of Article 58(2)(b) and if his intentions are motivated only towards retaining his office of power, the Supreme Court will dismiss his petition and restore the government.
Parliamentary supremacy, as demanded by Mr Solangi, is not usurped. But a brute majority cannot be permitted to hold the country hostage and bring about a despotic rule.
As regards Nawaz Sharif, it is learnt, he was on way to declaring himself ‘Amirul Momeinin’ by using his brute majority in the parliament, so that his proclamations would constitute law of the land.
As regards the restoration of the 1973 Constitution, I may recall that Mr Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was able to obtain a consensus from all political parties and got the Constitution approved by the parliament. Thenceforth he immediately brought about several amendments to suit him.
The judiciary is non-partisan and has no axe to grind and thus has to protect the Constitution against any mala fide act of our parliamentarian, as well as of the president, which is contrary to the fundamental principles of our Constitution.
SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR
Karachi
THIS refers to Aized Nasim’s letter ‘Misinterpreting Jinnah’ (Sept 21). The following sayings of the Quaid will make clear what the Quaid-i-Azam really wanted Pakistan to be.
Explaining the creed of Pakistan to Sardar Shaukat Hayat Khan early in 1943, the Quaid said: “Pakistan would be a base where we would be able to train and bring Muslim intellectuals, educationists, economists, scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians and others who will work to bring about Islamic renaissance.
After necessary training they would spread to the other parts of the Islamic world to serve their co-religionists and create awakening among them.
Eventually resulting in the creation of a solid cohesive bloc — a third bloc — which will neither be communist nor capitalist but truly socialist based on the principles which characterised Caliph Umar’s regime” (The Two-Nation Theory by Dr Waheed-uz-Zaman)
The Quaid did not want Pakistan to be a theocratic country, nor did he want it to be a secular state. There is no doubt that Pakistan was meant to be an Islamic welfare state.
In January 1948, on the occasion of the Holy Prophet’s birthday, he said that “Islamic principles today are as applicable to life as they were 1300 years ago”
JABBAR BALOCH
Lahore
IT is a common practice for experienced professional columnists like Fareed Zakaria and Thomas Friedman to take several months of leave from work to write a book. Perhaps these worthy writers deem it impossible to handle a book-writing project concurrently with their day jobs. Or perhaps their bosses refuse to issue salary cheques when they are verifiably preoccupied with extra-curricular activities. Even incumbent MDs of medium-sized corporate don’t have the luxury to have requisite free time to scribe a book. So Gen Musharraf is a record breaker indeed.
According to media reports, he was given a hefty sum as an advance by the publishers Simon & Schuster in early 2005 for writing his memoirs. Since the tax-payers’ money is involved in financing his US tour, should the citizens of Pakistan expect to be reimbursed from royalty earned by the sale of the book?
SHAZIA SALEEMI
Sweden
THIS refers to a report (Sept 10) and your subsequent editorial (Sept 12) ‘A mixed profile’. The ministry of finance claims ‘extraordinary success’ in that the country is stated to have made great strides over the last year.
But our shiny begging bowl is still in circulation? The foreign financing institutions have so far (2006) lent us about $18 billion (details as follows, as per Dawn issues of dates as indicated):
a. $6 million WB loan for environment project (Feb 26).
b. $400 million UK loan for poverty alleviation (March 22).
c. $100 million loan Italy waives off for earthquake victims (March 24).
d. $100 million WB loan for improving irrigation system (April 16).
e. $400 million ADB loan for various mega projects in Karachi (April 9).
f. $800 million WB loan to Punjab government for education reforms (May 2).
g. $300 million WB loan (second phase) for poverty reduction (May 2).
h. $25 million by WB&ADB for bird flu crisis (May 9).
k. $600 million ADB loan for reforms in infrastructure and utilities (May 13).
l. $44.3 million grant by Japan for improvement of national highways etc (May 25).
m. $6.5 billion WB, part of the bank’s assistance strategy (June 3).
n. $2 million ADB grant for flour enrichment (June 14).
o. $5 billion US offering to Pakistan for arms purchase (Aug 1).
p. $124 million WB loan for telecommunications sector (Aug 1 Aug).
q. $2.5 million Japan donates for Afghan DPs (Aug 16).
r. $3 billion ADB loan for water and power sector (Sept 8).
S. $400 million ADB loan for energy sector (Sept 9 ).
The ruling classes are addicted to foreign loans and grants. As usual, the loans/grants would make the leaders, bureaucrats, consultant contractors richer and the services for which the loans are taken would not be any better. The poor become poorer.
Most of the loans for developments are embezzled (60-80 per cent). We are already in debt of foreign loans worth $38 billion, but the ruling elites continue to take loans. There is no one to stop them from taking further loans.
The Supreme Court may take mercy on the poor masses and come to their rescue by taking suo motu notice of the situation.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
THE speech given by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at the United Nations was refreshing to say the least. The views expressed by the president in front of literally the whole world must have sent shivers down the spine of the Washington war lobby.
It expressed the sentiments of those who have been oppressed around the world by the hegemonic US regime under the banner of extremism.
He mentioned how the US has had a history of hypocrisy where it has supported so-called terrorists when it needed them. Most importantly, he expressed solidarity with Iran, something that is yet to be shown by any Muslim leader.
We are witnessing the beginning of a new global resistance movement and countries which are tired of suppression, injustice and poverty are finally rising up against imperialism.
This presents an opportunity for a country like Pakistan to start thinking about a gradual foreign policy shift. It is no secret how the US used and abused us constantly in the past.
Even now, after we have complied with all demands in the war on terror, the US with the help of the Afghan president continues to blame and put pressure on us.
It is a fact that we are never going to be able to satisfy Washington and if the blind support of their agenda is continued, the consequences would be disastrous.
SYED OMER SALAM
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Earlier Ardeshir Cowasjee had asked Kaiser Bengali what he would have done placed in the same predicament as Pervez Musharraf. A good question. But the answer is, another person in his position could have achieved similar results even by not selling his soul and compromising Pakistan’s sovereignty.
But on Sept 21 Saad Gul in his letter ‘Bravado and incompetence’ betrays the typical West Pakistani (read Punjabi) syndrome. Quoting a filth like Kissinger does not carry his argument any farther. Ask an eyewitness. And he will tell you that, Indira or no Indira, approaching the issue democratically, which meant giving the prime minister’s office to Mujib as Yahya had clearly indicated in one of his earlier post-election visits to East Pakistan, was the answer.
As today’s Bangladesh demonstrates, the masses are staunch Muslims at the core. As they oppose Indian hegemony now, so they would have opposed then. It’s a pity that some diehard ‘West’ Pakistanis still refuse to admit the truth.
S.G. Jilanee
Karachi
ON Sept 20 a joint press conference by Mr Bush and Mr Abbas at New York has further clarified the US position on the so-called democratic palns for the Middle East. While Mr Bush’s adherence to the formation of Palestinian national unity government is welcomed, Mr Abbas’s remarks for replacement of the Hamas-led government with his own Fatah section are not understandable.
On the one hand, the US wants to develop democratic values in the Middle East and, on the other hand, it wants to retard its own plans. The Hamas-led government has been formed after their victory by the established democratic norms, and to replace it with other one because they do not move according to the US wishes is a setback to the USA’s own plans.
I fear the US welcomes only those democracies which move with its globlisational plans and not those like Iran, Palestinian or Veneuzuela.
WALI MOHAMMAD BALOCH
Nawabshah
RECENT news of Musharraf-Manmohan agreement in New York to revive Indo-Pakistan peace efforts which were immediately welcomed by US president Bush, but followed with a hurriedly-announced offer to provide latest Harpoon missiles to India, reminds me of a joke coined by a famous TV artist at a private gathering in honour of a doctor.
The joke goes as: Once there was a street fight going on between two persons and a good Samaritan passing by intervened, but instead of disengaging them as expected, started advising fighting tactics to both in such words as, “Come on , take this brick and break his leg, twist his arm and break it” and so on. By that time, some other people gathered and stopped the fight.
Then they inquired from the person as to why he was giving bone-breaking advice. The good Samaritan replied: “Friends, I am an orthopaedic doctor and can only survive in profession if people continue breaking each other’s bones. If horse makes friendship with grass, what is he going to eat?”
For those expecting peace overtures from the US should remember that the US had supplied latest war tools, including cluster bombs, to Israel during the recent Middle East peace crisis.
M.S. QURESHI
Islamabad
WE don’t need bombs from the US to take us back to the Stone Age. The KESC and WAPDA can do the same job at home, thank you very much.
IBRAHIM M. KHALIL
Safat, Kuwait
I REFER to the letter ‘BJP’s bigotry’ by S. Qadri (Sept 24). The writer has got the facts wrong. First, it was the Congress government (not BJP) which made it compulsory for all to sing the song on Sept 7 being the centenary day of the song.
After the Muslims refused, Congress realised that it may lose Muslim support and, accordingly, Mr Arjun Singh issued a notice that it is not compulsory to sing Vande Mataram.
What is wrong in singing the song which only treasures the motherland? What about Muslims actors and actresses who even wear Hindu dresses and worship Hindu gods in films?
If someone pays money, these actors can do anything against their religion? What is wrong with doing something for the sake of the country which is giving you livelihood?
GOKUL SEETHARAM
New Delhi, India
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