| November 05, 2008 | Wednesday | Ziqa'ad 6, 1429 |
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Private schools’ regulation
Plot against Obama
Plea to reduce Haj fares
Schemed ignorance
Reopening of Marriott
Give justice to Napa
Depoliticising bureaucracy
Reduction in bus fares
Mumtaz Hasan: a clarification
Electricity bills payment
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
THIS is apropos of Dr Ijaz Nabi’s article, ‘Making the IMF work for us’ (Oct 26).
I am glad Dr Nabi has finally joined those of us, as few as we may be, who agree that Pakistan must turn to the IMF quickly to halt the downward trajectory of the economy and turn it around.
Precious time has been lost in the naive hope that our friends will come to our rescue and bail us out. Without a coherent, well-thought-out programme of economic reforms, this was not going to happen.
Dr Nabi makes an important point about programme ‘ownership’. That is, a country must ‘own’ the programme of economic reform fully as being in its own interest.
Only in this way can there be a reasonable probability of successful programme implementation.
Yet, I fear from what I can glean in the Pakistan media, there is no ownership. There is a grudging acceptance that since the IMF is our last option, we might as well bite the bullet and make the best of a bad bargain.
Even at this late hour, there is still talk of finding an easier way out. A programme with the IMF with this frame of mind is akin to a shotgun marriage. Not a propitious beginning to a relationship and certainly not one which is likely to be a successful one.
Dr Nabi makes the point that IMF programmes give primacy to stabilising an economy and pay little heed to the importance of getting it to grow again, or what he calls moving it into the recovery phase.
This is rather dated criticism. IMF programmes have changed quite dramatically over the years to be more mindful of growth, distribution and poverty issues, as well as recognising the importance of deep structural reforms, previously the exclusive domain of its sister organisation, the World Bank.
The real problem which is amply demonstrated by the experience of Pakistan is that once the economy has stabilised and is poised to enter the recovery phase, we tend to relax the stance of policies prematurely and too quickly.
No doubt political pressures play a large role in the urge to ease policies before it is prudent and appropriate to do so.
If the IMF programme is over by then, we heave a sigh of relief and reverse all the reforms that we may have implemented, and abandon others, exposing, once again, the economy’s shortcomings and vulnerabilities which the reforms were intended to address and correct.
While policy easing may lead to a burst of growth, the rollback in the reform process means that we have unknowingly set the stage for a renewed crisis not far down the road.
This happens as soon as economic slack is taken up and the pressure on resources starts to build up once again. The principal manifestation of this resource pressure is widening macroeconomic imbalances (larger fiscal and external deficits), and accelerating inflation, or both.
Implementing economic reforms is a long and painful process calling for unwavering commitment and determination and, above all, a steady hand. Nothing is to be gained by a ‘start-stop’ approach to reforms which were never ‘owned’ in the first place and are quickly abandoned, or an ill-advised dash for growth.
Such a strategy is short-sighted and fundamentally flawed and will always end in tears as we are learning the hard way once again.
DR MEEKAL AZIZ AHMED
Virginia USA
(II)
HAVING worked in the US and international development agencies for 40 years, out of which 20 years were in project development and monitoring, I can say with conviction that most of the development and economic adjustment programmes do not achieve the desired results because our government’s input at the stage of development of the programmes is very negligible, almost none.
In 1984, I attended a course in development management at the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, based on which and based on my personal experience, I feel that there are three main reasons for projects not achieving what they aim for: (1) lack of proper planning at the stage of development; (2) inefficient delivery and (3) inadequate monitoring. The most important of these is the first weakness.
There are three important elements for success of a development programme. First, it should be ‘clear and achievable’; second, there should be enough ‘resources’ to implement the programme and, third, there should be an efficient ‘strategy’.
All three elements are equally important, but if, to start with, a programme has not been properly conceived and planned – and proper planning cannot be done without sufficient participation by the local government, however much resources and however good strategy may be applied, it would not achieve the desired result.
SHAHABUDDIN KHAN
Islamabad
THIS is apropos of the editorial, “Private schools’ regulation” (Oct 18), followed by Jehanzaib Khan’s letter (Oct 27).
The biggest outcry against the imposition of some form of regulation on private schools was initiated in 1988 by a group of parents against a leading chain of schools, demanding a mandatory sum of Rs5,000 from each child under the garb of building fund.
The impact of this bold stand of the parents led to refunding the collected building fund, as well as preventing the unfair enhancement of fees, that even other commercial school networks stopped in their stride and did not revise their fee structure for another two years or demanded any additional contribution.
Unfortunately, the government did not put its act together and make progressive policies to protect the interests of the parents, as well as of all such entrepreneurs, by convincing them not to see it as only a lucrative financial undertaking, but compassionately as a very noble initiative.
Such a move would have had a positive impact, as the established ones are today getting away with exorbitant fee structures, increasing annually at their whims and wishes.
They also charge outrageous admission fees and deposits, even for the toddlers.
Sadly, on the other hand, the government has failed to monitor and enhance the quality of their own public sector educational network.
We should be grateful to the few concerned and compassionate citizens who over the years undertook to establish schools under trusts and societies, according an opportunity to the lower and middle class to access quality education at reasonable costs, yet leaving a lot to be done.
Today, even after 20 years we are still bickering over private schools’ regulations, affordable fee structures, and justifiable fee revisions and to have a uniform national school term and vacations.
With a people’s government once again at the federal and provincial levels, let us hope they will play their role wisely in inviting some reputable trust schools, including those from the missionaries and minorities, who impart quality education, adhere to directives and are operating their systems on affordable fee structures, to be a part of the steering committee.
We must seek their guidelines in putting in place friendly and progressive regulations which are also financially lucrative; to further encourage establishing school systems in the private sector.
Procedures of allotting amenity plots or conversions of residential plots into amenity, soft loans with tax benefits to help develop more custom-built quality schools and teacher training centres should be encouraged .
Offering government funding to private schools as subsidies to maintain affordable fee structures, while gearing up its own public sector schools on a war footing, is the only way to lead the future generation of this country on the path of progress and prosperity.
JAMEEL YUSUF
Karachi
THINGS appear to be getting very nightmarish in the world’s oldest democracy.
Some weeks back, famous American novelist Gore Vidal had predicted in an interview that the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama would win the election but would get shot, like President Kennedy had been in the 1960s.
Then, we heard that some of the participants in the Republican rallies have been calling Obama by such names as ‘terrorist’, ‘traitor’ and ‘Muslim’ and even demanding, ‘kill him’.
Now, all bounds appear to have been exceeded because the latest piece of news is about a plot to kill Barack Obama, which has mercifully been broken up, but which also included plans to shoot or decapitate 102 black people (Dawn, Oct 28).
The story further revealed that two neo-Nazis skinheads had planned on robbing a gun store and target an unnamed but predominantly African-American high school in the state of Tennessee.
That is undoubtedly terrible. It goes to show that some white supremacists hold their black compatriots in tremendous contempt and, despite the passage of centuries, have still not learned to tolerate racial or other differences.
The redeeming feature of the American society is that many whites are opposed to such a mindset and their intelligence agency has been able to foil the frightful plan beforehand.
Nevertheless, it ultimately devolves down to the political leaders and opinion-makers to lead their fellow Americans away from such destructive and inhuman thinking.
Unfortunately, John McCain and Sarah Palin do not seem to have put in any serious effort to curb the violent, undemocratic and paranoid streak in some of their followers.
Anyway, if, God forbid, something bad should happen to Mr Obama – the upholder of racial equality – not only the US but also the world at large would be the loser.
It is noteworthy that, according to a Reader’s Digest survey carried out several weeks back, most people in the world, outside the United States, wanted the Illinois senator to become the president.
Q. IQBAL
Karachi
I WOULD like to draw the attention of the president and the prime minister towards the highly inflated Haj fares being charged this year by authorities from the intending pilgrims.
This year the air fare for a short duration package of 20 days is around Rs87,000 as against the last year’s Rs56,000. It is around 55 per cent more.
And the 40-day-long duration package this year is Rs71,600 compared to Rs39,500 last year, around 81 per cent more.
It amounts to fleecing the intending pilgrims and making the performance of Haj expensive and unaffordable for the common people of Pakistan.
Higher Haj fares were determined by the authorities on the plea that oil prices in the international market had gone up to $147 a barrel.
But since then the prices of oil in the international market have come down to $60 to 65 per barrel, fallen by more than half of the previous price.
Moreover, it is a matter of great surprise to learn that instead of decreasing the Haj fare, the authorities are contemplating increasing the Haj fare further up to Rs102,000, making it more costly. This is highly unjustified, unethical and unfair.
In all fairness, the authorities should have passed on the impact and benefit of such huge reduction of oil prices in the international market to the intending pilgrims by reducing the Haj fares substantially.
The authorities concerned are also responsible for the misery and woes of the pilgrims performing Haj every year.
The stay in Saudi Arabia for performing Haj should not exceed 28 to 30 days.
However, as PIA is not able to arrange Haj flights for more than 150,000 pilgrims, the Hajis have to overstay by 10 to 12 days at great costs.
What a pity? PIA should be asked to engage other airlines to operate Haj flights. A fair competition will also lead to reduced fares.
Haj fares and other charges for pilgrims of Bangladesh and India are much lower than ours. Their governments are also offering them subsidies etc.
Our government should at least revise downward the Haj fares in the face of the decrease in oil prices worldwide.
MUHAMMAD IQBAL SIDDIQUE
Karachi
I THOUGHT it was about time someone set a few things straight about the credit crunch.
The global financial crisis and looming world depression have been a massive shock, and people at all levels of society are getting hurt as a result, but the knee-jerk rush to blame bankers is not only ignorant, it is grossly unfair.
Bankers are the hardest knocked community in this pecuniary fiasco and the twisted monetary system that now exists.
It is not only costing them their jobs but well-deserved earnings as punitive damages for dealings prior to and outside this financial mayhem.
My basic point here is not to exonerate anyone or vice versa (apart from anything that would stray into writing about the crisis itself, which I’m still not going to do).
I am sure that at the levels of individual institutions, stupid things were done and irresponsible risks were taken.
But blaming people who extended aid to those who needed it in their dire circumstances is entirely ridiculous.
For all the hardships though, what infuriates the most is the notion that we are somehow ‘greedy’ and it is our ‘greed’ that has caused this mess.
When a banker is making money for the consumer, no one talks about voracity because everything is hunky-dory.
It all started in the world’s biggest economy, and not a word about all those trailer trash living in slums that tried to get their grubby mitts on houses they couldn’t possibly afford!
It’s not greed we hate in this world, it is success.
NAUSHAIR MALLI
London
THIS is apropos of the letter by Jamil Khawar, Media Adviser to Hashoo Group.
It is surprising that instead of acknowledging the valuable and timely comments by Eijaz Ahed, President, Institute of Architects, in a positive way, these have been mostly taken negatively.
There are still some doubts about the functionality of the services such as the fire-fighting system, guest evacuation system, staircase pressurisation to keep away the smoke.
We have not seen any report in the media about the building, neither from government agencies nor from independent forum about the building condition.
How can a structure which has been exposed to more than 400°C remain stable and specially in the area which has been seismically classified as zone 3-B?
The views mentioned in this letter and those mentioned by Eijaz Ahed, who is a well known architect, should be taken positively.
YOUSUF HASAN
President-elect.
ASHRAE Pakistan Chapter
Karachi
THE National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) has been targeted and scrutinised in the last two months. The Sindh government wants Napa to close down its premises.
The government has also issued a legal notice dictating terms that Napa should return the building to the Hindu Gymkhana.
As a final year student studying music at Napa, I request the government to let the only recognised institution which can teach both music and theatre to continue working as it has been for the last four years.
We have learned a lot from our teachers. Never before in Pakistan’s history has such massive revitalisation of art and culture been promoted in the form of an academy. Students at Napa are trying to revive what we call our lost culture.
Faculty members of departments that include music and theatre are working rigorously to transform this dream into reality.
Music students learn various aspects of western and eastern theory along with practical. They are entitled to become experts of their instrument and voice.
Students also learn to master compositional tools which will help them to become more creative.
Napa has arranged many musical concerts such as friends of Napa and the all-Pakistan music conference.
On the other hand, theatre students are mastering the art of acting, stage performance, and collaboration, script writing, directing, producing and, most importantly, learning the methodology to act live on the stage.
Some of the very famous stage shows recently held at the Arts Council were Vakeel Sahib and Habib Mamu all directed and produced by Napa faculty and students.
This progress is just a sign of how well Napa is keeping its promise to revive performing arts in Pakistan, but during the last couple of months we students have been asking frequent questions about the future of our academy.
Napa students are not politicians who will protest to inform people about our side of the story.
We, the artists, would use no protesting tools or consider taking to the streets but instead we will talk through dialogue and hope the government listens to us. I appeal to the government to let go of this issue as this will benefit our society and thus Pakistan.
The government should help Napa become even stronger rather than backfiring from different sources. Let Napa be the art and culture icon of the country. We will certainly come up to everyone’s expectations.
IBRAHIM PETIWALA
Karachi
APROPOS of H. H. Zaidi’s advice on the above subject (Oct 25), may I request him to seek from the Sindh Governor’s House files, a note of the year 1952 written by the then revenue commissioner, Sindh, wherein Sir Sidney Ridley had warned (on receipt of the governor’s order empowering Mr Rashidi, revenue minister, to transfer mukhtiarkars) that:
(i) ministers can only lay down policy and give directions for its implementation, and
(ii) if ministers are given powers of executive heads of department to transfer officers, there will be a complete chaos and if the practice is extended to other provinces, our Pakistan will be destroyed within 20 years.
Sir Sidney refused to continue extension of his contract to serve further and what became of Pakistan in 1971 is history.
RAHIM JUNEJO
Karachi
It is good that the government has reduced petroleum prices, though this announcement is very late.
The benefits of this reduction will go to transporters or car owners. Poor commuters who are already suffering under the burden of high inflation have to pay tickets at the same old rates.
The transport secretary should pass on the reduction in petroleum prices to the bus passengers and issue a revised fare list showing reduction of at least Rs2 in each ticket.
KHALID UMAR CHHURA
Karachi
TUESDAY’s column of Dr Rauf Parekh, ‘Mumtaz Hasan – a multifaceted diamond’ (Dawn Metropolitan, Oct 28), has been written on the life and personality of my late father, Dr Mumtaz Hasan, who passed away on this date, Oct 28, 1974.
It has been published exactly 34 years after his passing away. My children and I were thrilled to read this as, obviously, a lot of effort and hard work has gone into its writing. Its contents fully show the person he was and what we have been missing in the family and the country since his departure from this world to his heavenly abode.
However, I must point out a slight factual discrepancy in the piece which needs to be pointed out. Mumtaz Hasan had joined Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IAAS) in 1931 and not the Indian Civil Service (ICS).
This service was known, after Independence, as Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service (PAAS). Incidentally, he had passed this service’s examinations with flying marks and was selected on an all-India merit basis.
He was very proud of the fact that he did not enter the service through the Muslim quota.
Before I conclude, I must agree with the writer that Mumtaz Hasan had a soft corner for Allama Iqbal and also Mirza Ghalib but another very important fact missing from the piece is that he had fallen heads over heels for the Quaid-i- Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah during the time he spent with him during the famous December 1946 journey to England.
In order to cope with the Quaid’s legendry punctuality he had advanced his watch by half an hour. The result was that the Quaid was happy to observe that some one in the delegation was able to match his time-keeping.
After this we in the family and his circle of friends never used to ask the time from him.
IMTIAZ HASAN
Karachi
THE decision on payment of 60 per cent of billed amount came later in the month while some of the consumers, like me, had paid the bill in full. My normal electricity bill ranges between Rs2,000 and Rs3,500 depending on the usage of weather-dependent appliances. This time the bill was Rs6,300 and I paid the same to avoid default on my bills, as I was travelling.
There were a few other people in the queue who paid the billed amount. I am wondering as to how the adjustment of amount will be made, especially under the situation when the government is thinking of reducing the tariff as well. Can the relevant authority please clarify the concern?
SHAHABUDDIN VALIMOHAMED
Karachi
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