| October 10, 2007 | Wednesday | Ramazan 27, 1428 |
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Import into AJK
Presidential polls
A better tomorrow ahead
Rawalpindi blasts
Traffic mess in Lahore
Proposals ofNCGR
Minor girls as maids
Incomplete & abandoned schemes
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
SO pending court adverse entry, Pervez Musharraf has secured 57 per cent (second division) marks in the presidential examination from current assemblies. The role of the
government-‘loyal opposition’ in re-election of the president was best exemplified by the PPP and the JUI-F. Less loyal opposition being the ANP and the JI. True opposition was limited to some injured lawyers and leading journalists and that was all .
The whole exercise turned suspicious from day one when after a momentous ‘chief justice’ restoration campaign, a less known public figure, a quiet sober retired judge , was cast as a presidential candidate by the opposition, so by then on it was clear the opposition is not serious in contesting presidential elections .
He was made to give a few press conferences and lodge a few suites and that was all . Where were the supporting rallies which these opposition people are expert in and the momentum of elections. It was a fix from the beginning. In fact, when Aitzaz Ahsan said he was not a candidate, that was the end from lawyers in that regard. Still he got the brick in his tummy and a dislike certificate from Benazir Bhutto who regards his struggle as a means to displace her, according to her closest confidantes.
The same policy of inaction was the hallmark of the Jamaat- i-Islami. If the Jamaat was firmly behind the judge candidate, then where were the supportive rallies the Jamaat is so known for ?
Then it was the ANP. On the one hand, the ANP is in the APDM and, on the other hand, Asfandyar Wali is up to the neck in the Pakistan-Afghan jirga with Sherpao, which is clearly a pro-American co-project .
In essence, liberators and opposition turned out to be co-conspirators of the establishment. Every possible method was used to hoodwink the civil rights movement and it succeeded partially due to enlightened moderates and their supporters not only in the JUI, PML-Q, PPP but perhaps the ANP and JI. Left were journalists to take the secret agencies head on .
Nevertheless, out of all this mess there were only two clear winners: Nawaz Sharif who tried to do what he promised to the public despite risk of jail and public humiliation and the other was Altaf whose killer urban ‘lashkar’ got amnesty of a sort en masse as a result of Reconciliation Ordinance .
There were clear losers in abundance such as Bhutto Benazir whose pro-democratic and pro-Pakistan credentials are in tatters. Yet other losers include Fazl.
History has buried the ‘loyal opposition’ in public eyes.
M. SHAIKH
Islamabad
AZAD Jammu and Kashmir needs special attention of the government of Pakistan, particularly the Federal Board of Revenue, Islamabad, for taking serious steps to increase trade and industrial activities.
Under SRO 565(1)2006, the federal government has allowed importer-cum-manufacturers having suitable in-house facilities in Pakistan to import, on applicable concessionary and statutory rate of custom duty, raw materials that are not manufactured locally.
But such concession is not allowed to industrial units in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The AJK government has adopted Pakistan Custom Act 1969 and other federal tax laws, and the FBR is collecting taxes on imports of goods/raw materials used or consumed in the AJK area.
If such a concession under the said SRO is not allowed in area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on import of raw materials, then the industrial units in AKJ will be forced to close down, as they will not be able to compete in the market price-wise. All products or goods manufactured in Pakistan are marketed in AJK. The FBR should create a fair, free and healthy competition among manufacturers of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir and help to expand the industrial activities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
SAAD HASSAN MALIK
Bhimber, Azad Kashmir
PRESIDENTIAL election held on Oct 6 is the upshot of the Supreme Court’s order allowing the electoral process to go unhampered. Gen Musharraf presented himself in uniform seeking votes from the present assemblies. However, the apex court has restrained the election commission from announcing official results till it finally decides the pending petitions against the general.
In my uncompounded view, I feel that as Musharraf has been bailed out by securing almost 66 per cent of votes, he is now a de facto president but not de jure till the final verdict of the apex court. The big question now is whether Gen Musharraf is qualified to get elected in uniform. Whether the present assemblies whose tenure is to expire very shortly could elect a president for a five-year term. And whether a person in government service could contest elections before two years of his relinquishing office.
The ground realities reflect that Gen Musharraf has been elected and has pledged to doff of his uniform before taking the oath as civilian president. Had he removed his uniform before offering himself for election, he still stood assured of a thumping majority. So this is a matter of technicalities which could be overlooked in view of national interest.
The other two issues would be viewed with scepticism in many quarters. I may say that transition from military dictatorship to civilian rule is the basic need of this nation and should be welcomed. A former judge of the Supreme Court, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, has opined that the apex court may not reverse the entire electoral process, which would render it nugatory and a futile exercise.
The doctrine of necessity may wear now the garb of expediency, it is felt in many quarters. It is feared that in case of any averse situation the president may be inclined to invoke Article 58(2)b of the Constitution and dissolve the assemblies or may declare a state of emergency or even martial law. In any case, democracy would be derailed for a long time.
On the National Reconciliation Ordinance, I would say that this matter is before the Supreme Court and the Lahore High Court on the plea that it violates several articles of the Constitution and, therefore, be declared mala fide.
SAIFUDDIN E. CONTRACTOR
Karachi
MAULANA Abul Kalam had once said: “... ... and Pakistan is an experiment.” True to his observation, we have witnessed Pakistan undergoing all kinds of political dispensation all through its existence.
Now the presidential election of Oct 6 is remarkable evolution of unprecedented system based on unethical manoeuvrings to perpetuate and legitimise corrupt system and corruption committed in the past. Hats off to our military, civil and political heavyweights with the prayers fo survival of the country and its 160 million teeming people.
M. ZAFRUL HASAN
Karachi
YOUR editorial, ‘Her master’s voice’ ( Oct 3), assails Benazir Bhutto for being a mouthpiece of the US State Department, because she would permit further access to and questioning of Dr A. Q. Khan (was the military also involved?) and she might in certain circumstances permit the US to conduct anti-Taliban strikes across our Afghan border. What is new in this? It already has and is taking place.
Anyway, the happy news is that the deal is done, and in all likelihood, Benazir Bhutto will be our next prime minister bolstered by the army and General Musharraf as president. Ms Bhutto’s greatest challenge will be the threatening thrust of Islamic extremism (Talibanisation), that is spreading rapidly eastwards from the northwest, from what has elsewhere been called the ‘fault line of Islam’.
On the western hills are the Taliban and what they stand for; while our eastern plains are mercifully and so far still the domain of what might be called ‘enlightened moderation’? In the management of this challenge Ms Bhutto will require the help and close cooperation of the army, as well as of all the political support she can muster.
There are writings on the wall which indicate a victory for the PPP, a successful sequestering of the Taliban, a possibly long march back to the barracks for the army, and a slow march back to the days of democracy or whatever passes for it in our country of the Quaid’s creation. “The wheels of fortune will turn and in the turning of that wheel a better tomorrow will dawn”.
S. ASIF MAJEED
Karachi
RECENTLY, on a private channel, there was a discussion on Rawalpindi blasts wherein a question came under focus: “Are security alert measures sufficient in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi?” The views were varied. One point, however, stood out to be confirmed that each one stuck to his school of vision. The listeners were benefited with as many lines of arguments as the number of the guests. The casualty was the ‘consensus of opinion’, notwithstanding the abundance of ideas. Even the type of explosion whether it was suicidal or otherwise is still in doubt.
The most significant concern remains the ‘security’ of life, property and peace. When the need is to raise the security to an alert or red alert level, it forecasts a climate of an imminent danger of some harbinger of a security disaster.
The root causes of existence of security hazards are visible to all. These are no secret. The presence of the Taliban in the Fata region; the growth of nurseries of religious fanatics and their extreme zeal to destroy other peaceful Muslims exist everywhere; facilities given to India to set up consulates close to the Durand Line with dubious activities to subvert our citizens with money and explosives; anti-government stance of the NWFP with pronounced tilt towards quick Islamisation in every sphere of life, etc., are some examples.
In Rawalpindi, the influx of Afghan labour and petty businessmen have not been controlled. The new construction has some big buildings which look like business houses.
The present law and order situation and increased adverse entry of the Taliban in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi warrant urgent action.
A stocktaking of the population that has entered in the last decade is overdue, especially from security and their original domicile points of view. The government will have to be bold enough to raise a special force to do the job, with power to search houses at will to locate suspected people or dangerous material stored.
Brig (r) A.Q. Anjum
Rawalpindi.
YOUR editorial, ‘Traffic mess in Lahore’ (Sept 30), offers a grim picture of many roads dug up, ignoring all the present need of the citizens for access to homes and work for business. This is despite the notice of the Supreme Court to ensure the basic right of the people, rightly requiring a permanent solution, besides temporary ones.
Based on the experience of other cities of the world, it is essential to fix priorities in this respect, namely to (a) minimise vehicle population, (b) reduce environmental pollution, (c) cater for future needs for utilising underground space for trains and other essential utilities, (d) ensure recession of new buildings, enabling road widening and, above all, the present need of the citizens to enable them to perform their normal activities.
To achieve these priorities, careful planning is most essential, first to prepare a model for projecting foreseeable future travel demand on various routes of the city based on future size and development pattern, which will indicate where such underground trains will be essentially required. This will indicate how the sewerage and other utilities should be kept clear of the future construction of such underground rail lines, to avoid the utilities becoming stumbling blocks in their future implementation.
Apparently this has not been done in our large and fast growing cities, including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi Islamabad, Pehawar, Quetta, Multan, Hyderabad, etc, where the work of laying sewerage and other utilities is being done at fast rate, especially as the election year priorities, which are most likely to lead to costly repositioning, when the need for underground rail projects might most likely become essential.
Based on the assignment given to RTS Cell in 1974 and some initial sketch planning work done in Lahore and more detailed work on RTS plan for Karachi, besides studies on Victoria Tube Line in London in 1965, Paris Metro overhaul in 1977, I feel that these aspects deserve urgent attention of the Planning Commission and the provincial and city development authorities in the future interests of all such cities, to avoid such costly bottlenecks, for which our future generations might curse us.
S. M. RIZVI
Karachi
APROPOS of Kunwar Idris’s article, ‘Pakistan’s rising corruption’(Oct 7), I should like to clarify that the National Commission for Government Reforms (NCGR ) has made no recommendation whatsoever to exclude the recruitment of officers of corporations from the purview of the Federal Public Service Commission.
On the contrary, the selection process of the chief executives of 100 major corporations/autonomous bodies in the public sector has been made transparent at the recommendation of the NCGR. A search committee in which the majority of the members will be eminent persons in their field chosen from the private sector, professionals or academics will invite applications, interview candidates and submit a short list of three persons in order of merit to the prime minister for selection of the chief executive.
I will also like to invite your readers’ and particularly Mr Idris’s attention to the papers on NCGR website which describe the proposals we have developed on open, merit-based recruitment, strengthening training and linking it to promotion, education governance , police and health among others. These papers are posted to solicit comments from the members of the general public before they are finalised.
ISHRAT HUSAIN
Chairman, NCGR
Islamabad
THE other day our domestic helper brought her pre-teen daughter at our place. The waif girl worked in several other homes and assisted her expecting mother. The girl said that whenever she puts on washing machine and does the laundry, she can never go to sleep. The reason for such sleeplessness is extreme tiredness because of a very hectic job of doing the laundry not suitable for her age.
There is not one girl; there are many minor girls who help at so many homes across the country. Deprived of basic right to education and food, these girls are earners. The situation is worsened by the fact that our state has no laws to protect them.
Domestic helpers in our homes are employed without any processing, therefore, no laws of their safety and rights can be applied. At work they are exposed to exploitation, assault and maltreatment. This social unjustness is a sign of future turbulence. Since they are helping hands in their families, parents are reluctant to send them to schools. Considering the situation, the government can look into some possible suggestions.
• Countrywide evening schools can be initiated in which these helpers can access education while helping their families.
• Checks and balances should immediately be carried out as to assess the number of helpers and their conditions.
• An age limit should be imposed at working places with regard to child labourers.
• Child protection laws should be turned into reality by aiding children in need.
• There should be child emergency numbers and the masses should be educated about them through the media.
• Most importantly, every case in connection with children should be handled with care, and proper investigations must be conducted. Severe punishments should be ordered for criminals.
There are more problems in this country than Gen Musharraf’s uniform. Unfortunately, our lawmakers and law-enforcers have their eyes closed to such social problems that are in dire need of solutions.
SONIA JAWAID SHAIKH
Karachi
UNFORTUNATELY from the year 1988-89 to 1999 due to frequent changes of the governments, huge numbers of schemes initiated were either abandoned or remained incomplete as the next incumbent government had its own priority. Those schemes were funded through People’s Programme, Tameer-i-Pakistan programme and provincial and federal resources.
It was apathetic that none of the successive governments bothered for the loss of the public funds squandered while the schemes conceived for masses were consigned to dustbin of history.
In Sindh alone, more than 1,200 schemes were abandoned for the above reason. For this reason the president of Pakistan, at one time, had observed that the Sindh government was the graveyard of incomplete/abandoned schemes. In the year 2001-02, in view of the backlog, the then governor, however, decided to give low priority to new schemes, and ordered completion, in a phased manner, of abandoned schemes requiring more than Rs2 billion.
A gallop tender issued by the district government in newspapers on Sept 30 spoke of construction of 57 new road schemes. On a query, the district government concerned revealed that Rs10 million is available for these 57 schemes. Thus the allotment per road would be around Rs170,000. With this financial allotment, 57 road schemes will require to be completed in a decade.
Keeping in view the paltry amount available, it appears that these funds are given to the elected representatives to create sympathy in the forthcoming general election. The elected representatives obviously do not bother whether public schemes are completed or abandoned. Moreover, the next government may or may not own those schemes and in that case the investment would go to waste.
Besides, it is a known fact that because of low funding there is no constructive competition in the bidding. The big and solvent parties always avoid such small contracts and as such petty contractors get the awards. As they are not experienced and have no technical staff, the quality of their work is always extremely substandard and below the approved specifications.
It may be noticed that gallop tenders for initiation of works are invited by the relevant quarters regularly, without having full financial resources. Under these circumstances the planners, the bureaucrats, the officers in charge of execution of schemes and the elected representatives may please stop this practice for allotment of thin funding of schemes, which is nothing but wastage of public resources.
Only selected schemes may be taken up for which sufficient financial resources are available or schemes in hand be completed so that the masses get the benefit, otherwise another graveyard for abandoned schemes is in the offing.
DR ALI AKBAR M. DHAKAN,
Karachi
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