| July 29, 2008 | Tuesday | Rajab 25, 1429 |
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Dismissal of FBR chairman
Counter-insurgency strategy
IMF loans versus TB rates
Karachi: a foreigner’s view
Cricketer Asif
Petrol consumption
Scholarships
Protecting mangroves
We can still be good neighbours
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
THERE are departments in the centre and provinces which are duplicating each other’s work, and hence they are redundant. For example, there are federal tourism corporations and the ministry with hundreds of employees while each province is having its tourism department.
How much foreign exchange have these departments earned for the country by attracting foreigners during the last 60 years? There are countries with fewer historic sites than has Pakistan but are earning billions of dollars from tourism.
There are so many other dysfunctional federal and provincial government ministries departments, commissions, boards, authorities, corporations wasting billions of taxpayer money. These are white elephants contributing nothing for the betterment of the country and its people. People working in these organisations are just being paid monthly salaries with other benefits but in return they are contributing nothing to the nation-building.
Similarly, we have the board of investment at the centre, which has consumed much more money on its operation than what it has attracted in foreign investment. For the same purpose the provinces are having investment boards and agencies to attract foreign investment in infrastructures, industries etc.
It is now over two decades that we established the privatisation commission for selling government-owned industries, corporations, etc.. which numbered a few hundred. A European example is that of Germany which, after unification, privatised/sold thousands of industries, companies in East Germany just in three years. What they did was to compile in a booklet form the detail of each industry and company to be sold, published the information in leading newspapers of the world and deputed a few persons to supervise the implementation of privatisation.
Our ruling elites and those responsible for managing the country’s affairs are inept and first think of their own personal interest rather than the national interest, though they are never tired of the slogan ‘Pakistan first’.
If the purpose is to employee people for the sake of employment in government and to pay them for doing nothing, it is better to establish social welfare funds to pay those who are without job till they have skill to perform some productive function on job.
The need is to reduce the government structure and ministries/departments at the federal and the provincial level and delegate more subjects to the provinces.
The provincial governments, in turn, should transfer some of the subjects to the local government so that the benefits of development funds are distributed fairly and rapid development of the country achieved. The present system of government working has miserably failed to deliver.
ENGR.S.T.HUSSAIN
Lahore
THE government dismissed Abdullah Yusuf, Chairman of the FBR, while he was attending an international conference at Geneva and was stopped in his tracks when on the way to Moscow on another official errand.
Abdullah Yusuf was accessible and ready to change his mind, or decision, if he saw reason in the argument presented to the contrary. These are not the qualities to be found in a dishonest official. That was the general impression and also my personal experience with him.
He has been removed, it is obvious, only because the previous government made him secretary-general and then gave him extension in that unusually elevated position for three years after retirement.
The emerging lesson for the civil servants — even the competent and honest among them — is not ever to get close to the head of government in personal terms, and, secondly, to go when it is time to go.
The chief of the ruling coalition and the prime minister must also realise that by removing Abdullah in the manner he has been they have humiliated not just one individual officer (who indeed didn’t deserve it) but the public service and the country as a whole.
KUNWAR IDRIS
Karachi
THE event of 9/11 has changed the political dynamics of the world at large. The Afghan war and the prevailing situation in Pakistan’s tribal areas have a direct bearing on Pakistan’s security.
This has disturbed the political and social fabric of the country. Lack of a clear-cut counter-insurgency policy from our decision-makers is making the situation more complex. The military buildup of the Nato forces across the border and increasing international pressure require immediate attention and a more holistic approach towards the issue.
There is a need for a fresh look into the matter. The tactics terrorists are using, like suicide bombing, has a terrible impact on the socio-psychological life of the common man. The method of asymmetric warfare adopted by the insurgents, keeping in mind the hilly terrain, all needs a prudent and pragmatic approach. To counter this menace, we have to implement a two-pronged strategy: short-term strategy along with long-term strategy.
At the first ladder of the strategy (short-term), we should have a clear idea about the sensitivity of the situation, that is we cannot neglect the factor of using force at the first instance, but that use of force should be systematic. This is because the immense use of force can lead to civilian or non-combatant causalities, which can have a negative impact and strengthen the terrorists within the local masses or create sympathies for them.
So, there is a need for calculated use of force where we must emphasise on the special forces and well-equipped intelligence to have a pin-pointed targets to avoid the collateral damage. We need to put the grand strategy on the right track.
And, on the second ladder of this mechanism, there is a dire need to introduce economic and social incentives for the local people because the region has been neglected in the past.
As Taliban Tehrik Pakistan has become a political force to some extent, we should bring them into the political streamline and let them enjoy democratic values and decide about their fate.
ALI ZAMAN
Quaid-i-Azam University
Islamabad
A RECENT study on TB in East European countries showed that decline in TB rates stopped after the country received IMF loans. The research team found that “… death rates rose almost 1 per cent for each per cent increase in the size of the loan, and by another 4 per cent for each year of IMF involvement”.
It also found that “IMF programmes were associated with less government spending, fewer doctors per person, and a clear cut of nearly half in the number of people with TB that received … DOTS”. The heart of the problem, noted the research team, is : “IMF’s aggressive anti-inflation policies cut government spending.” Countries that had not taken loan from the IMF did not witness rise in TB [See PLoS Medicine (DOI: 10.1371/ journal.pmed.0050143 Communicated by: ProMED-mail
We may not have IMF forcing our government to remove subsidies, but we do have the World Bank twist our arms ! We all know that the government has removed subsidies because the WB told them to do so. I think the above study is enough to warn us as to what is going to happen in Pakistan as prices escalate, and subsidies are withdrawn.
We must look for ways to stop the IMF and the World Bank from forcing us to sicken our poor people more.
KAUSAR S KHAN
Karachi
THIS is apropos of David Cook’s letter, “Karachi: a foreigner’s view”(July 25).
What Mr Cook may not be aware of is that a lot of criminal activities or criminals in Karachi have their roots in political parties. ‘Bhatta’, for example is still collected. This goes unreported, as do so many other crimes because in this city and country the innocent are more afraid of walking into a police station than the guilty.
Senior appointments of law enforcement officials are politically motivated and even at the lower levels political parties use their influence to ensure favourable appointments. The obvious answer is that no self-respecting law enforcement official would bite the hand that feeds it.
In my student days, Karachi University was rife with violence between student unions, with each student union an arm or extension of a political party. How and where do students get arms from?
The May 12 scenario in Karachi was a shootout between political opponents and as usual no names come up, no criminals are apprehended. Here and there a ‘foot soldier’ may be caught, but never the generals behind the scenes. Why does a political party need arms?
Mr Cook may find it surprising that our law enforcement officials and political leaders not only have escorts and security personnel for their security but they also consider it a status symbol.
What they don’t realise is that their escort only reflects on their own failure to provide security for themselves and the citizens of this city.
The basic problem lies in acknowledging the problem: who are the people behind the crimes in this city? But there is no will in doing so. Even Hercules would find it impossible to clean the Augean stables of this city.
MOHAMMED YUNUS
Karachi
MOHAMMAD Asif should not be forgiven if found guilty of taking drugs. There is no place for drug cheats in sports and he is no exception. Be it American athlete Marion Jones or Shane Warne or any other big name in sports, all were dealt with sternly according to the law.
Recently a Chinese swimmer was barred from participating in the Olympics, to be held in China. Hats off to them for taking such a bold decision, in a bid to ensure that no drug cheats are included in their Olympics squad.
Shane Warne, who is arguably one of the greatest leg spinners the world has ever seen, failed a drug test in the 2003 cricket world and was sent home from the prestigious event. He was also handed a two-year ban which was later overturned to one year.
The PCB has done right by letting Asif face the music. Had the PCB not bailed Asif out for the first time he committed the offence and dealt with him severely, the latest episode would not have happened.
Asif is yet another one of those talents who came from small villages of Punjab, but could not handle the fame and pressure of international cricket. Although he is talented and can serve Pakistan for a long time to come, he is no bigger than the game and must be dealt with according to the law.
HAMDAN SIDDIQUI
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Dr Sayedain Jaffrey’s letter, ‘Petrol consumption, (July 25).
I did a little research and this is what I have found. I may add that 80km an hour is generally considered to be the most ‘fuel-saving’ speed for any car.
However, the power to overcome air resistance increases roughly with the cube of the speed, and thus the energy required per unit distance is nearly proportional to the square of speed.
Because air resistance increases so rapidly with speed, above about 30mph (48 km/h), it becomes a dominant limiting factor.
Driving at 45 rather than 65 mph (72 rather than 105 km/h), results in about one-third the power to overcome wind resistance, or about one-half the energy per unit distance, and much greater fuel economy can be achieved.
Increasing speed to 90 mph (145 km/h) from 65 mph (105 km/h) increases the power requirement by 2.6 times, the energy by 1.9 times, and drastically decreases fuel economy.
In practice, rather than doubling or halving the fuel economy, the difference is actually closer to 40 to 50 per cent, because engine efficiency varies greatly with the torque/speed operating point.
Millions of litres of fuel is wasted across the globe because motorists do not adhere to the correct tyre pressure.
Rolling resistance, which is broadly proportional to speed, is a factor particularly at lower speeds. Also, turning off engines at signals greatly reduces fuel consumption in city driving.
Cleaning of air filters and engine tuning are equally important. Rash driving should be avoided. And, of course, limit the use of ACs in cars.
I hope that helped, at the moment there is no better alternative than CNG in Pakistan, if one wants to save cost.
ALI M. KHAN
Lahore
THE recent announcement of scholarships by a multinational company is a welcome move. Multinationals can play a crucial role in the infrastructural development of the country they operate in provided they do in the sectors which the country needs most.
In order to reduce social inequalities, they should invest more in the educational institutions which are working in the rural milieu and award scholarships to poor and deserving students as well.
MANZOOR ALI ISRAN
SZABIST
Karachi
IT was disheartening to read about the insensitive cutting of mangrove forests at the PAF Base in Karachi. We are naturally blessed with other such mangrove forests at the KPT and the DHA. Such lush green mangroves are not only eye-soothers and drive away pollution, but also a natural habitat for fish, shrimps and other sea animals.
Mangroves also protect against tsunamis and cyclones. In foreign countries, such mangroves are considered worthy and protected as they give us such natural protection. The forest department should take these mangrove forests under its protection and help save our natural assest.
SUMAIRA KHOWAJA
Hyderabad
THIS is apropos of Tahira Mazhar Ali’s letter and a Pakistani’s response (July 24).
Most people who have nostalgia about the ‘good old days’ of undivided India belong to a privileged class.
They did not have to suffer discrimination by Hindus like the common man.
The above group of people forget that the Quaid did work with Hindu leaders for many years before the parting of the ways, because of Hindu narrow-minded attitude.
It is said humorously that the real architects of Pakistan were Ghandi and Patel who could not accept Muslims as equals.
The word ‘partition’ is a misnomer in the case of subcontinent. The subcontinent was a melting pot in 1947. It included numerous provinces and hundreds of princely states.
Independence from the Empire meant birth of two states and not a partition. One was called Pakistan and the other was called ‘Indian Union’ because the latter was not a federation yet and the fate of hundreds of princely states was undecided.
New borders on independence from an empire are quite common all over the world. For example, a whole province of British Cameroon was given to Nigeria in the 1960s because people in Sardauna province had ethnic/religious affiliations with Nigerians. Demise of the Ottoman Empire led to similar situations.
Undivided India in 1947 was just an administrative unit in the British Empire.
Historically, this unit was not having the same boundaries in previous centuries.
For example, MacMohan line and Durand line were recent innovations.
The British treated Sri Lanka and Burma (Myanmar) as part of India. Punjab and the NWFP once formed a Sikh empire.
For Tahira Mazhar Ali those may be fond memories but for most of us those were unforgettably terrible days, when our dear ones were slaughtered and the survivors expelled from homes in a ghastly wave of ethnic cleansing.
She was lucky to be a resident of Lahore. I lived only 30 miles away in Amritsar and witnessed the unimaginable horror of bloodshed.
We should be ever grateful to our founding fathers who achieved for us not just a state but a nationhood.
Of course, we are now two nations who should become good neighbours. Good neighbours live in their own separate houses. They do not try to demolish walls to try to convert two houses into a single dwelling.
KHALID A
London UK
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