| April 30, 2008 | Wednesday | Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1429 |
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Curtailing nazim’s powers
Hijacked cars
Shoaib Akhtar’s potential
Sacking of employees
Open petition of an optee pensioner
TCS response
Clarification
Heavy cost of fertiliser
Southasian channel
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
“OIL prices will go further up before the next budget” was the lead news of Dawn (April 27). The finance minister has sounded out yet another increase in prices of petroleum products before the ensuing budget.
He, therefore, warned the nation to “get ready for higher fuel prices in the coming days as the government, in view of international soaring prices, will not be able to continue subsidies”
May I ask the minister to let the nation know the extent of subsidies being allowed on petroleum products when, on the other hand, for every litre the public is paying Rs40 as different government taxes and levies?
Apart from this, they are also being robbed of 10 per cent as surcharge besides extra transportation charges to fill the coffers of oil refineries/companies.
There is no denying the fact that an increase in oil prices has become a norm. Especially after the Iranian president’s recent statement that “the prices of oil are still very low”, there is no hope of any letup in the near future.
I suggest that the government instead of shifting the expected burden of increase to overall oil prices, which will impact the already shattered economy and further damage the underprivileged and poor strata of the country, should consider the following steps:
1. The wealth tax, a levy on the rich which used to add about 20 billion per annum to the national exchequer and which was abolished by the regime of Shaukat Aziz to befriend the wealthy class, should immediately be restored. This tax is being successfully collected in neighbouring India and Bangladesh.
2. One-time 10 per cent surcharge allowed to the oil refineries for a year to upgrade their facilities and capacity should be stopped immediately and the amount already credited to them over one year be recovered.
3. The changes are brought immediately in the tax laws so that the burden of direct taxes which was shifted to the consumer in the shape of withholdings again be passed on to those who are making profits, i.e. industrial and business/commercial sectors.
These sectors were allowed extra concessions by the previous regime by accepting their income returns as per their declaration. As a result of this blind reliance, instead of paying taxes due, most of the businessmen declared losses and obtained refunds of the amounts, which they have already recovered from the consumers.
4. There is fabulous increase in the profits on sale and purchase of real estate for the last five years. Similarly, the stock brokers have made amazing earnings by manipulating the gullible public. The profits of these most lucrative class, (after banking and oil) have either not been taxed or a very small amount only is collected from them. Taxing the rich will alone fill up the treasury.
5. ‘Wasteful expenditure’ of the administration pointed out by Dr Kazi Khadim Hussain and Rafique Ahmed Siddiqui, through their letters dated April 4 and 19 respectively, should be stopped forthwith.
The previous regime, headed by Shaukat Aziz, has not only committed a crime of ‘fudging the figures’ (April 27) as has been rightly disclosed by Dr Ali Akbar M. Dhakan, but has also damaged the fiscal and financial structure of more than six decades’ wisdom, for which he owes an explanation to the nation.
The finance minister is urged through the letter not to burden the already defrauded masses with extra load in the near future. Any prospective increase in the international price of oil could be met by taxing those ‘robber barrens’ that have the capacity to pay and discontinuance of wasteful expenditure.
This was the reason the nation voted you in power on Feb 18 and not for heaping more miseries on those who are already facing severe shortages and whose number unfortunately is burgeoning every day.
SHAFIQUE ANSARI
Dubai
IN relation to the news item (April 25) regarding the curtailing of the nazim’s power with respect to the KBCA and KWSB and the following power grappling, I would like to say that the removal of the city nazim as chief of these two authorities has added fuel to the belief by most Karachiites that Karachi would have to face the brunt of non-representation in the newly formed government setup.
Following this step, the interdepartmental tussle and go-slow tactics would only affect the masses and they’d have to find solutions to their problems on their own.
As a common citizen of Karachi, I can only appreciate the work done by Mustafa Kamal in regard to road construction and management of water and sewerage system of Karachi.
The CDGK’s support, prompt response to complaints and helpful attitude has led to permanent solutions to longstanding problems.
As the head of the KBCA, Mustafa Kamal has been taking bold decisions which were often not in line with the interests of the builder mafia but for the benefit and safety of common people of Karachi.
As KWSB chairman, an elaborate network of sewerage lines has been laid and drinking water has been provided by Mr Kamal to those areas of Karachi where it had never reached in the past. Even the islands surrounding Karachi have been provided with clean drinking water.
The mandate given by Karachiites must be respected to ensure continued development of the city. I appeal to the new government of Sindh not to indulge in any political tug-of-war which would be at the expense of common people. The ruling coalition has been given the mandate by the people to solve their problems and not to compound them. Any attempt to indulge in politicising matters of public interest would only shake the weak confidence in democracy that people might still have in it.
ARSHIA AZHAR
Karachi
This is apropos of Sqn Ldr (r) S. Ausaf Husain’s letter, ‘Hijacked cars’ (April 20). It was shocking to read his suggestion to use the services of a bomb disposal squad in the recovery of all such vehicles, which on being reported stolen are immediately shut down through the use of tracker services.
On the contrary, it seems that he was suggesting more to the car thieves to plant bombs in such vehicles and retaliate on those innocent conscientious citizens who, to protect their property, use the services of various security devices.
Car thieves are professional and have sportsmanship qualities accepting gracefully, “You win some, you lose some”. The moment a car is shut by tracker, they leave the car and run away as they do not want to be apprehended.
So let us not convince them to resort to terrorism by writing such ridiculously imaginative theories. The writer should exercise constraint with his imagination or furnish ample proof and evidence to substantiate his contention of at least one incident from the thousands of vehicles recovered over a period of seven years by tracking companies, instead of spreading panic within civil society.
To add to Ausaf Husain’s knowledge, the worst of vehicle snatchers of South Africa — which has the highest crime rate — who are known for their ruthlessness, and where 95 per cent of vehicles not only have tracking devices but also flame throwers on the side panels of their vehicles to severely burn such perpetrators, even then they do not resort to such an act.
Moreover, tracking companies of repute are even otherwise conscientious of the safety of their clients and do not even disclose the location of the stolen vehicle, lest the owners try to intercept it and upon its being recovered, do not allow them to approach the vehicle but initiate the recovery process themselves with the assistance and cooperation of the ACLC police.
JAMEEL YUSUF
Karachi
SHOAIB Akhtar, no doubt, is the fastest bowler this country has ever produced and one of the fastest of all times the game of cricket has known. The Pakistan Cricket Board should realise that Shoaib Akhtar needs to be handled with care.
Mismanagement and lack of knowledge of the game on the part of the PCB officials have prevented Shoaib Akhtar from utilising his potential to the full. Had a player of Shoaib Akhtar’s calibre been in another country, he would have performed much better in test as well as in ODI cricket.
If he had an attitude problem, the board could have devised a special plan/strategy, like other countries do, to utilise his services to the best of his potential. Even in the past many countries had players with similar attitude problems but the boards concerned paid special attention to such players and worked out a special plan for them and utilised their services to the best of their abilities for the benefit of their respective countries.
No doubt, Shoaib Akhtar is temperamental and finds it difficult to adjust with his teammates, the board could have surely found a way of handling it tactfully and pressed him in the service of the game and his country.
Even now despite all the charges levelled against him and the punishment announced, the board should find the middle ground to utilise his services for the forthcoming World Cup as he is nearly 33 years of age and is left with only three to four years before he retires from the game of cricket.
Even if some of the PCB officials need to swallow their pride, they should do so in the larger interest of the country.
KHAWAJA SHUJAUDDIN
United States
I WAS really shocked to read in a section of the press that the Sindh chief minister has ordered the sacking of over 8,000 employees appointed by the previous government, and has issued an order to the district accounts officers concerned to withhold their salaries.
This order of the CM is taken in haste and negates their own party’s manifesto that underlines the need to provide jobs to the people rather than sack them.
Besides this, if such a large number of employees are sacked or their salaries withheld, starvation and frustration will stalk the lives of their families and their children may not continue their studies.
The chief minister should order maintaining the status quo till detailed inquiry reports have been received from the chief secretary, as the sacking order of government employees and withholding their salaries are against rules and humanitarian laws. It is, therefore, proposed to the CM that instead of taking such a drastic action, proper action be instituted against all those who have given jobs against rules and regulations. I do hope that the CM will reconsider his decision to save thousands of poor families from starvation and frustration.
GHULAM KADIR SHAHANI
Hyderabad
RECENTLY it was reported in the media that the services of the leaders of the Pakistan Movement should be recognised by giving them VIP treatment at all airports and at all official functions.
Next in priority and importance in terms of invaluable services to Pakistan in its infancy are the optees. Their services during its historical first decade and those of others who entered its service after Aug 14, 1947 were very crucial in making Pakistan countable among the comity of modern nations.
The Quaid-i-Azam gave a call to the Muslims employees of the then government of India in New Delhi secretariat and across India to opt for Pakistan. The enthusiastic response was beyond expectations. Some of the optees were ordered one month ahead of Aug 15, 1947 to proceed to Karachi, which was going to be Pakistan’s capital.
I am one of them who moved to Pakistan without our families, worked very hard for long hours under tough conditions to put Pakistan’s secretariat and regional and other offices on the rails and give them a much needed jump-start. Pakistan had to start from scratch without buildings, furniture, stationery, etc.
We performed our duties whole-heartedly and enthusiastically despite Ghulam Mohammed, the first finance minister, denying us the new pay scales ordered by Liaqat Ali Khan, the finance minister of the interim government of India, to be implemented in India and Pakistan after Aug 15, 1947.
India implemented that order but not Pakistan. Still out of love for the Kashmiris, we contributed one day’s salaries every month to the Kashmir Fund. Instead of coming to our aid, Pakistan’s rulers spent millions, including disbursements of largesse to sportsmen, men of letters, artists and others who won laurels for Pakistan.
Paradoxical though it may sound, when the government increased the pensions of those who retired on or after July 1, 1986, who started their careers under comfortable conditions after Pakistan became an on going smooth running well-oiled machine and served until superannuation, those increases in pensions were unconscionably denied to us.
Requests for our pensions to be raised to the levels of the post-1986 pensions were being ignored. The Federal Shariat Bench was, therefore, approached. Its verdict, given in 1992 in the name of Islamic justice, was that the pre-and post-1986 pensions should be at par. The government appealed against it. Nawaz Sharif, who was then the prime minister, realised that the appeal wasn’t just, announced on Oct 1, 1999 that the pensions of the pre-1986 retirees shall be at par with the post-1986 pensions. The present finance minister, Ishaq Dar, was also the same at that time.
To our misfortune, a non-people’s government which assumed power on Oct 12, 1999 didn’t implement this decision and claimed shortage of funds. As the appeal against the FSB’s verdict wasn’t withdrawn before Oct 12, 1999, the appeal against the verdict of the FSB of 1992 was taken up by the Supreme Court’s Appellate Shariat Bench. It was learnt that the government’s appeal was upheld — on what grounds, it still isn’t clear.
I beg to petition to Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and PML(N) leader Nawaz Sharif to implement the previous decision taken on this subject and reimburse us for the time period that has passed.
JALAL AHMED
Karachi
APROPOS of Hussain Siddiqui’s letter, ‘Inefficient courier service’ (April 23), we at TCS sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to him.
However, in the Mangla case (CN # 23092200238) our investigations have revealed that the TCS courier did present himself with the document within the prescribed period at the Wapda installation, but was turned away by a new security guard who was misinformed about office timings and said that the offices were closed for the day and that our courier should return the next morning.
The document was duly delivered the next morning. These details have been confirmed in writing by the personal assistant of the resident engineer, Mangla, Ghulam Qamar.
This was clearly a case of misunderstanding on the part of the new security guard at Mangla, a high security area.
Regarding the second shipment that Mr Siddiqui has written about, in which his document wound up in Lahore and Larkana before being delivered in Lakhra (CN # 2309191174), this we accept was due to lapses on our part, which we sincerely regret.
As we process over half a million time-sensitive shipments each day, human error cannot be eliminated completely.
ALI LEGHARI
Group Head, Corporate & External Affairs,
Tranzum Group
Karachi
IN The Review (April 24) you published an article about jewellery designers. The article talks about an Islamabad-based unethical jewellery designer who sells fake jewellery, and holds exhibitions in Karachi. The fact that you warned the people of a con artist is public service but not naming the person places regrettable doubts on all Islamabad-based jewellery designers.
Shafaq Habib is also an Islamabad-based jewellery designer for the past 14 years. No complaint from any patron about quality of our products has ever been received.
Shafaq was trained and has worked in the United States and uses international quality control techniques to ensure 22 carat gold in her jewellery.
The House of Shafaq has a certified gemologist with a degree from the US. This ensures the quality of gems used in jewellery.
Shafaq Habib is holding a jewellery exhibition at a hotel in Karachi on May 3-4 . It is hereby stated that all our jewellery is authentic.
RAJA HABIB
Islamabad
The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) has set a ‘national task force’ to curb hoarding and smuggling as reported in Dawn (April 25). While ruling out point blank any increase in the support price beyond Rs625 per 40 kg, the minister of food and agriculture also formed a committee, headed by the secretary of the ministry, to monitor procurement and availability of wheat in the country.
The minister also admitted shortfall of 1.5 million tons of wheat which the government has decided to import; of course, at a cost of Rs1,445 per 40kg, meaning, thereby, subsidising the foreign farmer at the cost of local grower.
Isn’t it strange logic?
The minister must realise that it was the farmer who, in order to feed the urban people, had agreed to Rs625 per 40kg, though the selling price all around Pakistan is Rs1,250 and the government is importing the same at Rs1,445 per 40kg.
However, the grower is facing another grave problem, i.e. the rates of inputs. For instance, the fertiliser DAP/Zoorawar is being sold at Rs3,800/Rs700 per bag. Surprisingly, no task force has been set up to investigate as to how the fertiliser companies, such as Fauji/Engro, which have already enjoyed subsidy on their stocks and have no fresh imports in the last nine months, are still charging excessive rates.
With these overpriced fertilisers, the Kharif crop will not even match half the expectations. Probably those sitting in the cool environs of Islamabad have the feeling that peasants and growers are just animals ordained too till the land and produce and feed the people: nothing less or nothing more.
Food Minister Chaudhry Nisar himself has admitted that food prices are going up globally but at the same time has failed to appreciate that the world over agriculture is being subsidised whereas in Pakistan misery is the destiny of the farmer whatever prices their products fetch.
ZURAIN KHAN
Mehar, Dadu
CAN we request the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to facilitate the telecast of ‘Southasian’, the TV channel Jawed Naqvi wrote about in his dateline of April 21? The details he gives are:
THAICOM 5 satellite on a downlink frequency of 3199 MHz, symbol rate 13.30 Ms/sec, FEC ¾, polarisation vertical
We would love to watch it.
HUMA
Karachi
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