| September 14, 2008 | Sunday | Ramazan 13, 1429 |
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Unmanageable macro-economic imbalances
Big Bang experiment
Asif: Sisyphean efforts ahead
Sincerity of politicians
Beyond reason and logic
Chitralis’ plea
International HR conference at Lahore
Beyond the war on terror?
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 political struggle for power has come to an end but the time to start delivering begins now. President Zardari has stayed on top of the wave of support with a great deal of political acumen and strategy. He is perhaps the most powerful president this country has ever had with the 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)(b) intact as these can only be changed at the instance of the prime minister and parliament and we do not see this happening in the near future.
Nawaz Sharif has publicly acknowledged Mr Zardari’s success on being elected democratically to the office of the president of Pakistan through a political process. Rival presidential candidates and political leaders have also accepted the election of the president. The government must get its act together and govern quickly and effectively as under:
1. The installation of a full cabinet of ministers who should function beyond the call of duty to serve the state and the people. The hope is for that all-embracing phrase ‘good governance’.
2. Instill in the cabinet the recognition of the grave situation which Pakistan is facing today involving shortages in food, energy, budget and fiscal deficits as well as internal and external security threats.
3. Take the parliament into confidence on all important issues and particularly homeland security.
4. Win the support of industrialists, business community and all professionals, particularly the legal fraternity, and involve them in government committees and decision-making process. A cabinet minister is the people’s representative, not a viceroy.
5. Revamp the Foreign Office so that we have qualified and efficient ambassadors, consul-generals and diplomats at all levels who will create a good image of Pakistan in the world and assist in promoting business and procuring investments in Pakistan. Develop a team of ambassadors-at-large who are dedicated to serving Pakistan ‘gratis’ and not only to take advantage of perks and position.
6. Take immediate steps to establish cordial relations with all our neighbours — India, Iran, China and Afghanistan — and tackle dispute resolution on an emergency basis. There is nothing which cannot be settled by discussions however long it may take. Insisting on age-old ‘principled positions’ which are not supported at the international level must give way to pragmatic solutions keeping in mind our own situation and the aspirations of the concerned people. Out-of-the-box solutions, of which we had plenty without any political process or parliament approval, must be avoided.
7. Tackle the issue of finance, budget and inflation on a war footing. Pakistan must stand on its own feet but if foreign assistance and support at this critical hour is needed, this must be procured with dignity and respect. Nothing comes free and the price to pay may be heavy but with the support of the people and their elected representatives in parliament, we can at least try to make a good job of it.
8. Ban wasteful expenditure, overseas trips, import of luxury goods and valuable money spent by government departments, institutions and individuals on advertisements, which are really meaningless. A lead has been given by the president and this must be strictly enforced
9. Instill the values of honesty, integrity and loyalty to the state of Pakistan. Root out the curse of hoarding, black marketing, corruption and nepotism from our society. Similarly, discourage provincialism, parochialism and sectarianism. Encourage people to be loyal to Pakistan in the first instance and then their province and district. Yes, ‘Pakistan Khappe’ and also ‘Pakistan First’.
10. Capitalise on the success of the lawyers’ movement and implement all decisions for establishing a truly independent judiciary
11. Provide adequate funds for education and health facilities.
12. Develop a national policy with broad-based political support to deal with the precarious situation in the NWFP arising from cross-border attacks by US armed forces.
The PPP, being the only political party at the national level with representation in all provinces, has the duty and responsibility to take the democratic political process forward and there is the need for the PPP to show political pragmatism.
This will involve reconciliation, tolerance and accommodation. If democracy is the best revenge, as stated by President Zardari on several occasions, it has been achieved but at heavy cost. So, let us preserve it as a way of life for future generations.
Let the status quo continue and build upon it to develop a national unity government at the centre, headed by the PPP. Ensure that the world takes us seriously and not for granted as a country where they can do as they please, including hit-and-run exercises without being answerable for violation of sovereignty and collateral damage. The task ahead is indeed difficult and the nation must rise to the occasion and act with unity, faith and discipline.
LIAQUAT H. MERCHANT
Karachi
PAKISTAN’s economic performance during FY 2007-08 has diverged significantly from the original targets. The massive trade deficit stemming from a sharp acceleration in imports has resulted in a disturbing increase in the external current account deficit, while a soft fiscal policy led to a destabilising fiscal deficit.
The decline in external financial inflows on account of political situation in the country aggravated the management difficulties of fiscal as well as external current accounts and unleashed uncomfortable inflationary trends in the economy aside from increasing pressure on exchange rate and depleting the foreign exchange reserves of the country.
The worrisome increase in external current account and fiscal deficits is a reflection of lacklustre domestic savings of the country in the context of investment requirements for a socially necessary rate of growth in our gross domestic product (GDP).
With a view to taming aggregate demand pressures in the economy, the State Bank of Pakistan on July 29 enhanced its policy rate by 100 basis points to 13 per cent. A detailed analysis of the disturbing prevalent economic situation was presented by the SBP in its monetary policy statement, July-December 2008.
The principal message that emerges from a careful study of the monetary policy statement is that macro-economic imbalances have reached unmanageable levels which pose a serious threat to macro-economic stability and are aggravating inflationary pressures in the economy.
The SBP governor has, however, in a recent press statement expressed the hope that macro-economic stability would soon be restored as the government and the SBP are jointly implementing integrated policies to that end.
Furthermore, welcome developments in this behalf are a fast track disbursement of $1.0 billion by the World Bank, of $500 million from already negotiated facility of the Asian Development Bank, realisation of proceeds of privatisation and curtailment of fiscal deficit.
The SBP should pay special attention to keeping inflation low which at present has assumed alarming proportions. Inflation measured by the sensitive price index (SPI) in the week ending Aug 28 was higher by 30.9 per cent. The SPI reflects changes in prices of 53 essential items, mostly kitchen-related.
It is generally insufficiently appreciated that many of our social, political and administrative problems have their roots in the persistent rise in prices. History tells us that countries in a state of inflationary ecstasy are generally prey to administrative breakdown, class conflict and disorder – the precursors of totalitarian regime.
AFTAB AHMAD KHAN
Karachi
THIS is with reference to the unbelievably fantastic news story published in Dawn (Sept 11) regarding the star-up of the physicist’s experiment of ‘atom-smashing’ at the special laboratory CERN, built 100 metres below the earth (underground) at the Swiss-French border. The experiment has cost $5.46. The circular tunnel below the earth is said to be 27km long.
The scientists are jubilant at the initial success of the experiment, which has been characterised by Newsweek as ‘the biggest experiment ever conducted’. It aims at finding out how the cosmos was created and exactly how many eons ago. This is being done by accelerating paralleled beams of ‘proton’ in the tunnel clockwise and anticlockwise.
Initially, the speed is slower but it is aimed at accelerating them at the speed of light! It will tell the scientists how the ‘particles’ acquire mass. In the words of the scientists, “the mission aims at resolving some of the greatest enigmas whether a so-called ‘god particle’ exists that would account for the nature of mass; an explanation for ‘dark matter’ and ‘dark energy’ that accounts for 96 per cent of the cosmos; and whether other dimensions exist paralled to our own.
While I rejoice at the efforts of the scientific community to unveil the secrets of creation and the Big Bang, I also share the apprehensions of knowledgeable people that it is an extremely dangerous game. The collision of the particles is going to create a massive energy of 14 teraelectrovolts!
The doubters like me are only worried whether the underground tunnel could withstand the creation and explosion of such massive amount of energy. The apprehension is that it may not and, consequently, a new Big Bang might occur which may destroy our earth!
SIRAJUL HAQUE MEMON
Karachi
WITH adroity, sobriety, ingenuity, fidelity, Asif Ali Zardari outpaced all competitors for presidency. His marvellous success demonstrates to the entire world as to how democracy is the best revenge. The coterie (or the establishment) which always happened to be his bitterest foe was finally compelled to bow to touch his toe. Yes, he won the throne by treading on thorns. Known to all for his courage and patience, Mr Zardari’s swearing-in as president of Pakistan proves him to be equally genius.
Leadership was thrust on him out of the blue but he turned out to be the right man at the right venue. Fitting in the void left by charismatic Benazir Bhutto was not an easy task but he accomplished that with amazing precision. Without him the Pakistan People’s Party would have gone into splinters but he alone provided the needed binding force and enabled it to become the ruling party.
His personal qualities too have a share in his becoming a cynosure. When his adversaries reviled, he smiled and outmanoeuvred them. Being capable of feeling the pulse of time, his words come so true. ‘August is always hard on dictators’, he remarked and the despot fell like a decayed tree later. Mr Zardari’s victory is being cheered by all because he truly represents the change which staged the fanfare of Feb 18 polls.
Whereas his assumption of the office of president is testimony to his acumen, the real test of his calibre starts with that too. Though parliament would be having all sinews, he because of his own personality will be the pivot of all decision-making processes. Therefore, he alone will have to devise ways to bring home to every Pakistani that a hero has indeed replaced a Nero in the presidency.
He alone is needed to work out the modalities to resolve the judicial crisis simmering since March 9, 2007 which has further aggravated due to insensible mishandling of this extremely important issue by Farooq Naik.
He alone is now capable of snatching back our sovereignty from the US jaws. He alone is called upon by the time to restore citizens’ faith in the state institutions. Sisyphean efforts are required now but I am sure that President Asif Ali Zardari will prove to be as ingenious as the task is arduous.
MUHAMMAD WAQAR ASLAM
Quetta
THERE are a number of funny poems in Urdu but written in Roman English that are circulating on the Internet nowadays. These point out the problems of prolonged electricity outages, scarcity of wheat flour, ever increasing prices of fuel and gas being faced by the people and the lawyers’ movement, etc.
Even a new national anthem has been created highlighting all these issues which are turning out to be gruesome for public. At the same time senior citizens are now talking about the sincerity of politicians during the 1950s. Although people at that time were also critical of individuals who had assumed the position of prime minister in quick succession and their respective governments but they had never doubted their sincerity, integrity and loyalty towards the country and welfare of the nation.
Those were the politicians who had either participated in the Pakistan movement or had watched it closely. People like Chaudhry Mohamad Ali, Abdul Qayyum Khan, Sardar Abdul Rab Nishter, Malik Feroz Khan Noon and Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy wanted progress and prosperity of the country.
I once happened to listen to the speech by Suhrawardy, who was the prime minister in 1957, outside the Mochi Gate in Lahore. He spoke in eloquent Urdu although his mother tongue was Bengali. The audience was spellbound by his oratory skills and believed every word which he uttered. This healthy era of political governance came to a sudden and unfortunate end with the imposition of martial law by Ayub Khan in October 1958.
I am of the firm belief that those happy days of accountability by the politicians and sincerity amongst them can come back provided the democratic setup is allowed to stabilise and flourish without facing the unforeseen army interventions, which have engulfed the country over the last 50 years.
PARVEZ RAHIM
Karachi
IN Pakistan petrol was selling for about Rs57 a litre at a time when oil in the international market was selling for about $100 a barrel. The petrol price was increased several times within a few months in step with the rise in the oil price.The price at which the petrol is selling at present, Rs87 a litre, was set when the oil price was about $147 a barrel. The petrol price in this case turns out to be directly proportional to the oil price.
The increase in the oil price during this short period comes up to around 32 per cent while the increase in the petrol price is about 35 per cent. The relative increase in the petrol price made some sense.
Now that the oil price in the international market has come down by about 30 per cent and is back to $100 to $103 a barrel, the petrol price remains static at the increased price, though it should have come down accordingly and should have been fixed at Rs60 a litre. This would also make a lot of sense.
What does not make sense is the government not lowering the petrol price in proportion to the international oil price. Ideally, we should have a system whereby the petrol price changes dynamically according to the global oil price, having a definite place in the price equation for the subsidies provided by the government.
As far as electricity rates are concerned, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the minister for power, reasoned a couple of months ago that the government would have to increase the electricity rates as the oil price has gone up. He said this around the time when the oil price was close to $147 a barrel.
Again, the oil price has come down, so should the electricity rates. But instead of reducing the electricity rates, they have been unreasonably and illogically increased by up to 40 per cent. As per the latest news, official sources have been quoted as saying that the government would not lower the petrol price until the international oil price comes down to $80 a barrel.
Now, what is the rationale behind this, we do not know. What we do know is that reason and unreason, logic and illogic are mixed together around here with remarkable ease. We have a mindboggling state of affairs. God help!
SYED AQEEL SARWAR
Lahore
WE, the residents of Chitral, especially Garam Chasma valley, would like to bring to the notice of relevant authorities the problem of communication facilities in the area. VPTCL is the only service available in the area, as no mobile and landline service is available in most areas of Garam Chashma valley.
Unfortunately over the past few weeks the VPTCL service has deteriorated and the media remains off most of the time. The residents of this area are facing many difficulties communicating with their near and dear ones both within and outside the country. The authorities should look into the matter.
IRSHAD ALI
Chitral
RECENTLY I had the privilege of attending the international HR conference held in Lahore. It was an enlightening experience, as I was not aware that our corporate sector has become so HR-sensitive and aware. It was a revelation that there are separate HR departments and trained HR personnel working full scale in large industries.
HR basically deals with tapping the resources of humans. It deals with catering to the needs of employees, customers and vendors, thus establishing a congenial and workable environment, where everyone is happy. All the speakers spoke well about various aspects of this wide subject.
A good positive point was that there was an equal representation of female corporates among speakers’ panelists and attendees. One thing commonly emphasised by all was stress on values: work values, human values, ethical values, etc.
However, there are a few things to be looked deeper into: how much is the gap between these speeches and their practice? Also, all the speakers represented the working of big international companies which have separate budgets for HR-ing: does the same apply to medium-sized and small businesses which do not have such resources at their disposal?
Plus, the customer, the man on the street, is not aware of his rights as a customer so as to demand a certain level of efficiency: thus resulting in a certain complacency in the department of customer services.
A very good point, however, was raised that our managers need to document their experiences, so that the students entering into this field can get a first-hand knowledge of the working environment, pertaining to our society and culture, and not study books by western authors, who offer different social and cultural values.
All credit to the organisers of this mega event. It is a harbinger of more positive changes to come, more human values attached to the corporate sector. Hopefully we will see more of these in our city, bringing a healthy change and awareness among the young working executives.
AN OBSERVER
Lahore
WHEN the Pakistan military achieved ascendency over the militants in Bajaur Agency, the two recent US-led attacks in Waziristan have destroyed the government’s credibility painstakingly built amongst the tribes for community-based action against the militants.
Our government was successful in mobilising the Salarzai tribe of Bajaur against militants — unfortunately that moral high ground has been lost after the US-led ground assault on a village near Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, killing 20 innocent people (Sept 4) and a US drone attack in the Momadkhel village of North Waziristan, killing six people (Sept 5).
Due to these incidents a very good opportunity for gaining ascendency by our government was squandered. The motives of the US for these attacks inside Pakistan’s tribal belt are not understandable. These attacks have imperilled the lives of hundreds of Pakistani military personnel who were spread over tribal areas in small guard units. The tribes will seek revenge from them after these attacks.
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, very rightly rejected US claims that the rules of engagement gave the coalition forces in Afghanistan the right to enter Pakistan, and declared that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will be defended at all costs (Sept 11).
According to a report, ‘US told not to back terrorism against Pakistan’, published in a section of the press on Aug 5, Pakistan has complained to the US military leadership and the CIA that Washington’s policy towards terrorism in Pakistan was inconsistent with America’s declared commitment to war against terror.
The said report says that strong evidence and circumstantial evidence of US acquiescence to terrorism inside Pakistan was outlined by former president Pervez Musharraf, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Kayani and ISI Director-General Lt-Gen Nadeem Taj in their separate meetings with US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mulen and CIA Deputy Director Stephen R. Kappes on July 12 in Rawalpindi.
Admiral Mullen and Kappes were also provided information about the activities of the Indian consulates in Kandhar and Jalalabad and were asked how the CIA does not know that both Indian consulates are manned by Indian intelligence who plot against Pakistan round the clock, the report said.
It was also mentioned in the said report that the top US military commanders and CIA officials were also asked why the CIA-run predators and US military did not swing into action when they were provided exact location of Baitullah Mehsud, Pakistan’s enemy number one and mastermind of almost every suicide operation against the Pakistan Army and the ISI since June 2006.
One such precise piece of information was made available to the CIA on May 24, when Baitullah Mehsud drove to a remote South Waziristan mountain post in his Toyota Land Cruiser to address the press and returned to his safe abode. While the US military has the capability to direct a missile to a precise location at a very short notice as it has been done close to 20 times in the last few years to hit Al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan.
According to a news item in a section of the press (July 21), Prime Minister Gilani was informed that the latest figure of foreign fighters present in the tribal areas is estimated to be more than 8,000. Mr Gilani was also informed that some foreign intelligence agencies are pushing their agents into the Pakistani tribal areas from Afghanistan under the cover of Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters. These undercover agents are trying to instigate the local population to fight against Pakistani forces as part of a ‘great game’ in the region.
A report, ‘6,000 Afghan troops in Kurram’ (Aug 23), which had revealed that two Afghan soldiers were apprehended and produced by local tribesmen at a press conference held at an unspecified place have admitted that their government has sent 6,000 troops for fighting against one of their warring groups in Kurram Agency.
SQN LDR ( r) S. AUSAF HUSAIN
Karachi
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