| August 01, 2008 | Friday | Rajab 28, 1429 |
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Where is the rescuer?
Sale of mobile connections
Millions of rupees being wasted
Import of buses from India
A deal for an Indian young man
Law violators
Options for Pakistan
A joke
Afiya Siddiqui’s case
Medicines: price rationalisation
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
THE local banks have again increased their markup/interest rate with the increase of 100 basic points by the State Bank of Pakistan.
With increase by the State Bank all banks have increased their interest rate of various loans such as credit cards, car finance, home loans, personal loans, agricultural loans and industrial loans.
The ‘spread’ as defined above is still between seven to eight per cent, unheard of in the history of banking. The discount rate of 13 per cent as increased by the State Bank on July 29 is counter-productive and our supply chain (production and exports) is going down and down.
In fact, it was duty of the State Bank to check cartels of the banks but it has failed badly to deliver the goods. It is seriously suggested that the banking control department of State Bank of Pakistan employing thousands should be closed down.
Our SBP is only supporting the banks and not the 165 million people of Pakistan. That is why it has allowed a foreign bank to open its branches in Pakistan.
The bank’s profits are so high that this bank will remit back its initial investment of $100 million in just two to three years.
Pakistanis are one of the best bankers of the world and they have proved it. We do not need foreign direct investment (FDI ) in the services sector. We need FDI in manufacturing which will generate employment and earn most needed foreign exchange.
India, in her budget 2008-09, has waived $15 billion due from four million poor farmers. We in 2002-03 waived Rs54 billion due from millionaires of Pakistan?
In India and Bangladesh the interest rate for the farmer is seven per cent whereas in Pakistan the loans to farmers (if available) are at the rate of 14 to 16 per cent. Even micro finance banks are charging 20 per cent.
Hat off to the Grameen Bank and its founder M.Younus who have been rightly awarded Noble Peace Prize for helping the poor of Bangladesh by lending them a nominal rate of interest.
Now have some consideration for the poor and the hapless of Pakistan who are being crushed by unjustified markup charged by banks. While opening the State Bank of Pakistan on July 1, 1948 the Quaid-i-Azam said: “We will allow foreign banks to operate in port cities of Karachi and Chittagong.”
That was the vision. How much of foreign banks are here? How much of their profits earned from us are being remitted by them in the shape of dividends after fleecing consumers in Pakistan?
INAYATULLAH SHEIKH
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the photograph published on the front page of Dawn on July 25 with the blurb: ‘Rescue from killer peak’.
The image shows the two fortunate mountain climbers from Italy who were rescued from Nanga Parbat on July 24 in a daring operation.
While we all share the joy of two human lives being saved, it is unfair that neither the agency that supplied the photograph, i.e. Reuters, nor Dawn itself (courtesy of the Pakistan Air Force/Pakistan Army) brought us the photograph of the brave, highly-skilled Pakistani helicopter pilot (and others?) who risked his own life to save others.
We were only given the name of the pilot as Lt-Col Moinuddin. He deserves at least four cheers, a medal — and a photograph!
JAVED JABBAR
Karachi
NOWADAYS we read a lot of things being done by the PTA to control and curb the undocumented sale of mobile connections all over the country. Although the PTA has reacted to this alarming situation very late, it has nevertheless taken this responsibility seriously, So it can be assumed that things will start improving shortly.
If the government and the PTA are really serious about stopping undocumented sale of mobile connections, then they must amendment sales policies of mobile operators.
I am of the opinion that we must shift from pre-active mobile sims to inactive mobile sims. In the case of inactive mobile sims, these may be bought from any registered retailer. After purchasing the desired mobile sim, the user should be required to visit any franchise or business centre of that operator, with his original CNIC, and get his data input into their system.
After the required verifications from Nadra’s database, the sim should be activated by the operator. This data entry and verification process should not take more than 48 hours. So the user will be able to use his connection after about 48 hours of his visiting any of the data entry points of that particular mobile operator.
A mobile sim is a means of communication and not a toy. Therefore, if the user has to wait for 48 hours to start its usage, I do not feel anything wrong with it. Like nowadays it takes about four to six days to complete formalities of the SBP in order to open a bank account. So in this case it takes a day or two only. By adopting the non-activated sims policy, the PTA will be able to ensure correct data of the user and, also, there will be no misuse of the general public’s CNIC. The prospective user will have peace of mind that no fake connection can be initiated on his record and without his knowledge. This policy of inactive sims being available at retail shops will also ensure continuity of business of these shops, and the retailers will not lose their livelihood.
It must be remembered that as long as pre-active sims are available on retail shops, the documentation can never be ensured. The business centres of mobile companies and their franchises have necessary human resource and have made substantial investment to ensure the legal aspects to prevent any seal or termination. In this way the earnings of mobile operators will not drop, the retail shopkeepers too will keep on earning their livelihood, while documentation of mobile connections will also get completed.
ABDUL SALAM KHAN
Via email
UNTIL some months back those with a heart had been lamenting how President Musharraf had spent over a billion rupees on his numerous foreign trips, including the six million blown away in a few days’ stay in London.
There also were the regrets about the wastefulness of Shaukat Aziz, Chaudhry Shujaat and Mohammedmian Soomro on their Umra trips with large delegations or other matters.
Now, the PPP leadership, despite tall claims about cutting down on expenditure, is doing the opposite. A report titled “FM’s costly visit mocks govt’s claim” (July 21) is quite an eye-opener.
Among other things, it shows how the foreign minister travelled to India on a chartered flight – which only the president and the PM are authorised to use – instead of a scheduled one, thereby burdening the national kitty unnecessarily, despite being advised by foreign office to go by a regular flight.
While some previous FMs have also done that, a PPP leader should have shown more concern for the poor people’s money. It also says Prime Minister Gilani is no exception. He took his over three dozen-strong delegation from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai to meet Asif Zardari, instead of sending them home.
It is said that over there they were accommodated in one of the most expensive hotels in the world.
Thus, millions of rupees were wasted. According to an earlier report (July 14), the needlessly large entourages stay in Kuala Lumpur was in a hotel charging no less than $500 a night.
Likewise, during the recent federal cabinet meetings in Karachi and Lahore – which should have been held in Islamabad – a large number of bureaucrats and their staff left Islamabad that cost the exchequer heavily due to the TA/DA and usage of vehicles.
Talking of vehicles, instead of the 1600cc limit imposed by the PM during his first address to the NA, he and some other ministers are using bigger and frightfully expensive cars like BMWs, or SUVs.
Almost every day there are reports of poor Pakistanis killing themselves and, sometimes even their children, because of hunger and poverty but, shockingly, our rulers are mercilessly burning money.
A PAKISTANI
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Naseem Altaf’s letter, ‘Import of buses from India’(July 26).
I see no harm in concluding a deal for used Indian buses having already run for 10 or so years provided their price is determined in terms of weight for the whole lot at the rate of Rs40 per kg or near about ex-godown price.
In case buses are not found to be roadworthy the other safe option would be to consign them to local iron foundries for recycling to retrieve iron and steel to be put to better use thereafter.
I hope readers will support me that there is nothing to lose in the proposed transaction.
A. RAUF SOZER
Karachi
THIS is in response to Jawed Naqvi’s yet another thought-provoking article, ‘How the state connives with fanaticism, instead of fighting it’ (July 28). First of all, my deep sympathy to the young man who was victimised and fradulently drawn into irrelevant education.
I am deeply disturbed with the fact that even in this 21st century there are people who lure (rather cheat) young bright men into learning stuff that is by and large irrelevant to society.
By the description given in the article, the young man is surely a bright man and India needs many such talented men to serve the country. Unfortunately he was misled into something that cannot fetch livelihood.
They cannot escape their moral responsibility for their act against the nation. Here is a deal for the bright young man. I will be glad to sponsor his professional training, i.e., English, Computers and basic Math courses, for the bright mind. This would help him find a good job in any call centre in India in coming two years. This will help him to afford further education.
Mr Jawed Naqvi, please contact me.
KIRAN RAJ
21353 Park Lane
Farminton Hills, MI – 48335
USA
IT is very painful to note that our lawmakers/law implementers are actually the law violators. This shows our country in poor light the world over. Here are some examples.
First, it is a common trend that when a convoy accompanying any minister or other high official is passing through a road, the whole traffic is brought to a standstill until the VIP is gone.
What a pity! Some time this holds up an ambulance carrying a patient in a critical condition.
Second, according to the law, black tinted glasses are not allowed for private cars but it is an usual sight in our country without any let or hindrance.
The traffic police do not dare stop black tinted private cars because most of the time they carry flags of political parties on them etc.
Also, such cars occasionally do have sirens installed on them, though these are not permitted legally.
Third, many vehicles carrying government number plates do not obey traffic signals or signs. This some time causes severe accidents.
Fourth, the traffic police are also not sincere as they normally stop vehicles only to collect some bribe from the owner instead of dealing with him/her according to the law.
The government should seriously look into the matter.
MUNTAZIR MAHDI
Karachi
I HOPE that the government is aware that support for the entire US and Nato operations in Afghanistan flows through Pakistan.
The entire logistics, i.e. aircraft, tanks, guns, equipment, spares, fuel, rations, medical supplies, even drinking water for troops, goes to Afghanistan through the courtesy of Pakistan. If Pakistan were to stop this flow of resources, the occupation of Afghanistan would come to a grinding halt.
The Nato/US forces would not last two weeks. The Afghan freedom fighters would overrun them like an avalanche. That would put an end to the US ambitions in the region, and shatter the US empire much as the Soviet empire evaporated after their defeat at the hands of these same Afghan freedom-fighters.
I hope the government is aware and realises the weight and clout of this awesome lever Pakistan holds in dealing with the US / Nato, and their intransigencies against Pakistan.
If it does, then why are they cringing at the feet of bullies? Why cannot the government stand up and put an end to this farce? The strategic safety of Pakistan lies in taking a stand. I can guarantee that the entire nation will stand solidly behind the decision.
AYAZ AHMAD
Rawalpindi
THE latest faux pas on PTV has reminded me of a joke. A minister, whose English language skills were not up to the mark, was provided with a secretary to write speeches for him.
‘Give me a 15-minute speech on ways to save time and energy sources’, ordered the boss. The text was prepared to last exactly 15 minutes. When the minister proceeded with his oration, it took him half an hour to do so.
The organisers of the conference were upset because their schedule went off beam. The minister was upset at being let down by his secretary. He reprimanded him, “I asked for a 15-minute speech; you gave me a half-hour speech. Why?” he demanded.
“Sir, I wrote a 15-minute speech, but you read out its carbon copy as well.”
IRFAN AHMED
Karachi
ACCORDING to the latest report released by the Asian Human Rights Commission, it is very much possible that Prisoner 650 at Bagram airbase is Dr Afiya Siddiqui who was picked up five years ago along with her three children.
No national or international law allows a government to abduct citizens of other countries and keep them locked for years without producing them before courts. What was the crime of those three innocent children? All human beings, whether they are Americans or Pakistanis, have same human rights.
The government should take up Dr Afiya Siddiqui’s case with the UN if the US fails to produce her.
IFTIKHAR ALI
Multan
THIS is apropos of your editorial, ‘A matter of life’ (July 11), linking the price rationalisation that the industry seeks to ‘price increase’.
We agree that every citizen should have access to medicines. However, the government’s role in reaching this goal is dismal. Pakistan spends less than 1.8 per cent of its GDP on health, as compared to some countries in the region that spend in the range of four per cent to 11 per cent.
Whatever little resources are available to the poor public are further reduced by the inefficient state machinery. On the other hand, the Pakistan pharma industry has made it possible for Pakistan to become self-sufficient in medicines and the pharmaceutical exports rank in the fifth largest export segment with an annual growth rate of 29 per cent. The industry provides jobs to about two million highly skilled and educated citizens of this country.
Medicines in Pakistan are the lowest-priced in the world because not a single price increase has been granted to the Pakistan pharma industry since December 2001 by the government of Pakistan.
Most medicines in Pakistan, on the average, cost 30 to 75 per cent lower than that of Indian products. Nearly every medicine in Pakistan is available at less than 10 to 20 per cent of the price at which it is available in neighboring UAE or Saudi Arabia.
The cost of production in Pakistan has increased by nearly 40 per cent in the past eight years due to devaluation of Pakistan rupee, and a massive increase in electricity and gas costs and inflation.
This has created an alarming situation and most products have crossed the red zone, which means that the cost of producing the medicines are exceeding the prices that were given to the industry some eight years ago.
We want everyone to understand the hardships faced by the pharmaceutical industry and support the legitimate reason for price rationalisation. If the prices of medicines are not increased by 20 per cent, many pharmaceutical companies will close down and the quality and availability and the exports of the medicines will be reduced and, in the end, it will be the poor man and the country that will suffer.
MOHAMMAD ALI MAJID
Vice chairman,
Pakistan Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers’ Association
Karachi
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