| January 19, 2009 | Monday | Muharram 21, 1430 |
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Operating Haj flights
Dowry prohibition
Surge in murky spending
Israeli offensive
Independence of judiciary
The threat of militancy
Unbridled capitalism
Financial crisis of PIA
Microwaving in plastic
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 a news report (Business pages, Jan 16) regarding experts’ opinion on the present state of economy. Dr Hafiz Pasha, a renowned economist, is quoted as saying that the government may not be able to achieve its budgetary estimated revenue collection of Rs1.3tr.
On several other accounts Dr Pasha is right and given the slowdown in the economy, he may be right in his assessment. However, I do not agree with him on one account, that is when he questions the government’s ability to collect Rs1.3tr revenue.
First, because the government has already surpassed its target of 25 per cent increase in tax collection in the first six months, which is a historic record. With 16 per cent GST, part of highly irrational tax policy, the government will not have any problem in achieving the target.
Rather at the end of the year it could turn out to be the only major achievement of the government. Taxing people — working classes, poor segments of society, people without voice — is the easiest thing to do in this country.
Tax evasion is the highest in the country but not among working classes and poor masses, because they pay all indirect taxes, with 16 per cent GST, excise duties, federal duties, tax on purchase of mobile card, tax on every single call that one makes. Is there anything in this country which is not taxed, not even marriage.
This taxation policy will not lead to any equitable growth, it continues to cause income disparity, deepening poverty and hunger, people would never be able to save, thus saving ratios would remain stagnant.
The challenge is to do away with unjustified indirect taxes, or at least reduce the degree and percentage, it’s a huge burden on our incomes, it takes away common’s meagre income resources.
Unfortunately, every sector of economy, from stock exchange to banking, manufacturing to agriculture, all have their lobbies to defend them to safeguard their interests, there is no camp for poor, working class and lower middle class, no lobbies for them.
Supposedly, the people’s government too hires its economic adviser from the banking sector, why cannot this country have a finance minister from development economics background as someone having expertise in planning, finance, banking and chartered accountants does not make economics, this domain of economy is much wider.
It is regrettable that our topmost economists who used to write on development issues, regional imbalances, income gaps and disparity, most of them now seem to be working for big banks, there has been erosion of economic thinking and development economics in the country.
The economic schools cater to the needs of corporations, banks and stock brokers houses, we are not producing economic thinkers, experts on development economics and public policy, social development, thus marginalised have no voice.
People like Dr Pasha should come back to own research institutes, inspire and train new researchers with a focus on an economy which shakes society in a positive forward direction. I hope we have not assumed that backwardness and social stagnation is not our fate and that poverty and inequality are not natural, these are consequences of anti-people economic policies, we need voice for rethinking and redirecting our resources.
MUSHTAQUE RAJPAR
Karachi
THIS is apropos of Khalid Iftikhar’s letter (Jan 5). It is unfortunate that the ministry of religious affairs allowed PIA etc to overcharge Haji pilgrims here while the Indian government subsidised Haj flights by 50 per cent.
The clarification of PIA that Haj fares are finalised in coordination with the ministry of religious affairs considering the economics of the flight is contrary to the facts. The facts are that oil prices in the international market had gone down substantially from $147 per barrel on July 8 to $59 a barrel in early November, 2008 and fallen by more than half of the July prices. On Sept 12, much ahead of the start of Haj operations, oil prices in the international market were already $97 a barrel.
PIA says that the flight operates empty one-way, but failed to clarify to what extent the fuel consumption is less or is saved when an empty flight operates compared to a full capacity flight. Haj flights are normally ‘all economy’ and PIA increases the seats to accommodate more pilgrims in the aircraft, thereby resorting to extra earnings by such increased capacity in the aircraft.
PIA clarified that they do not earn any profit from Haj flights and their operating costs are sometimes barely met. This is unbelievable and a misleading statement. In fact, it is widely believed that the very survival of PIA is dependent on Haj and Umrah operations and if you take out these two operations from PIA, it will collapse economically.
If they are not earning any profit or meeting their operating costs from Haj operations, then why have they monopolised Haj operations and are not allowing others to operate Haj flights which will actually lead to a fare competition and reduced fares and will eventually benefit the pilgrims?
In fact, for performing Haj, 30 days are more than enough but since PIA is unable to manage Haj flights for nearly 140,000 pilgrims, Hajis are forced to stay in Saudi Arabia additionally for 12 days (i.e. for 42 days) at great extra costs.
Has the ministry of Haj affairs and PIA ever bothered to ponder over this issue as to who is responsible for this forced stay of 12 days and costs related to it? Haj flights are operated to full capacity but the routes of New York, Barcelona or of any other European destination normally do not operate to full capacity and, therefore, it is certainly profitable for PIA to divert or postpone such routes in favour of Haj operations.
It is inaccurate to say that PIA is doing a national obligation by transporting the Haj pilgrims to the Holy Land. The reality is that they are doing it for their own financial survival at the cost of the Hajis who are the victim.
Saudi Airlines charged my family Rs101,495 per person as Haj fare for Karachi-Jeddah-Karachi route for a short package in the recent Haj, whereas last year such fare was only Rs56,000. How can one justify an increase of fare to the extent of Rs45,495, around 81 per cent more than the last year’s.
Haj fares and policies need to be made by competent and professional people in a pragmatic, realistic and justifiable manner so as to facilitate and not to overburden and create difficulties for the intending pilgrims.
MUHAMMAD IQBAL SIDDIQUE
Karachi
THIS refers to Dr Rakhshinda Parveen’s letter, ‘Dowry prohibition’ (Jan 13), in which the doctor has very correctly said that she was shocked to learn that the “Council of Islamic Ideology has advised the government not to legislate on dowry as its a custom and may encourage the police to take bribe”.
What an illogical argument; is the so-called ‘honor killing’ also a ‘tribal custom’ and that should it also be condoned or left unchecked? Should innocent girls and women be left to die in the name of ‘honour’? If there is a danger of the police taking bribes, let there be no traffic rules, no traffic signals then?
Dowry in our society is a disease that is spreading day by day with its main victim being the womenfolk of the country, as many girls remain unmarried throughout their life as their parents cannot arrange the dowry due to extreme poverty.
Dowry has been a prevailing custom in Hindu society, and is mostly practised in Indian subcontinent. We rarely see it practised in the Arab countries and most of the Muslim countries.
The bridegroom is responsible for arranging for all the necessities of life considered to be necessary for a newlywed couple, even the main reception to announce the wedding is arranged by the bridegroom side.
Unfortunately in our society it is quite the opposite. Poor parents of the bride have to bear all the expenses of the marriage, along with a dowry worth millions of rupees in some cases.
This dowry not only includes jewellery, clothes and furniture for the bride but also the clothes and jewellery for the relatives of the bridegroom, known as ‘pahnaawni’ in the local language. This trend is unfortunately increasing day by day.
Is it not a matter of shame, disgrace and ignominy for the bridegroom and his family to accept such things from the parents of the bride? At times I really wonder how these people can put up with such things.
The solution of this unethical, unprincipled, illogical, fallacious, irrational and mad practice doesn’t lie in legislation only. It’s the responsibility of civil society to raise a strong voice against dowry, using all possible means of the media to educate people. Moreover men should take the lead in eradicating this age-old tradition by refusing to accept anything from the family of the bride.
‘Salami’ is another form of handing over an envelope full of currency notes to the bridegroom which is nothing but a crude form of bribe in order to make the boy ‘happy’ so that he takes good care of his future wife.
How ridiculous and funny it looks when the bridegroom accepts cash in front of everybody from his in-laws.
It simply needs some courage and willpower on the part of the groom to resist dowry and make the bride happy and comfortable. Surely a newly-wed girl will be proud of the gifts given by her husband.
It’s time we behaved like a civilised and mature society. Voice should be raised against the prevailing custom of dowry.
Through these columns I request the readers, especially those aspiring to marry, to make sure that nothing gets into their houses in the name of dowry.
AAMIR AQIL
Lahore
APROPOS of Afshan Sabohi’s article ‘Surge in murky spending’ (Economic & Business Review Jan 12), I would like to add that aspects of the fiscal fiasco should have been discussed comprehensively, encompassing public and private sectors at large.
Political expediency apart, even at individual level no steps are taken to reduce the cost by slashing unnecessary expenditure. Once the prices are increased on one pretext or other, these are not reduced as is evident from the prevailing market prices come what may.
In fact, the laws of economy are non-existent in our country. How far patches will be resorted to mend the holes in the economy? For how long can the holes in the economy be patched up. The area becomes weak after sometime.
The concessions and half-hearted measures taken cannot retrieve lost ground because we have traveled to a point of no return, with no foreign exchange reserves to meet current account deficit, debt servicing and other obligations.
The so-called circular debt rising to an astronomical figure of Rs. 400 billion has resulted in undesired phenomenal increase in tariff rates of electricity and gas, thereby paralysing the industries and burdening the poor masses (there is no middle class left) which speaks volumes of the economic policies introduced and followed from time to time.
A shackled nation with loan strings has no option but to submit to the wishes of the lenders. The financial crisis globally, has demolished the renowned business empires but we are not learning the lessons and not curtailing unnecessary expenditure, ignoring the ground realities that we do not have even local funds for development projects.
The mountain of sand is bound to collapse one day as the worldwide effects of recession engulf the developing countries. So, it is time to wakeup, ponder and take steps to survive, sustain and succeed. Alas we continue to maintain our status.
ZAKARIA KARIM
Karachi
IN the last few weeks there have been several news reports and discussions about Israel’s attack on Gaza. World leaders, as well as regional leaders, not only support Israeli offensive on Gaza but hold Hamas responsible for the current situation. A remarkable quote by Bertrand Russell caught my attention. “War does not determine who is right — only who is left.” Indeed, the recent Gaza offensive launched by Israel has killed at hundreds of people, including children, women and paramedics. Another thousands of people have been wounded in the fighting.
Only 10n Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed by Palestinian militants. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said the conflict in Gaza is not a fight by Israelis against Palestinians, it is a conflict between moderates and extremists. United Nation Security Council has urged an immediate ceasefire on both sides, but Tzipi Livni has said in her interviews that she does not like the term ceasefire because it looks like an agreement between two legitimates sides. It is clear that the Israelis will not show restraint and are more interested in annihilating the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the response of the Muslim countries and their mouthpiece, the OIC, has been pathetic, as with countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Iran in the recent past, by merely condemning the Gaza offensive with words. One wonders what the OIC is waiting for, as no concrete action has been taken by it so far to address the issue and suggest possible collective solutions to end the crises.
FAIZA SULTANA
Lahore
(II)
How much more blood will it take before the conscience of the Muslim World will stir to try and stop the massacre of innocent civilians in Gaza?
The Organisation of Islamic Countries, should seriously think of renaming itself as “Organisation of Indifferent Countries”.
Looking at the genocide in Gaza the quote attributed to Adolf Hitler is proving not all that wrong when he said: “I could have annihilated all the Jews in the world, but left some of them so that you would know why I was killing them.”
DR IRFAN ZAFAR
Islamabad
NO one can disagree that the country is entitled to an independent judiciary being one of the three pillars of the state government of any civilized country. It is independence of an institution, not a person. Unfortunately, in Pakistan this issue erupted in November 3, 2007 when former president Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency. Since then our lawyer’s fraternity became active and started a campaign for the restoration of independence of the judiciary.
Their campaign has been successful to a great extent as we can see that most of the judges, except a few including Iftikhar Chaudhry, have been taken back in the system. Now we see a fresh campaign that is aimed at doing away with all the actions taken by the government since Nov 3, 2007.
Even a layman having reasonable intelligence can make out that there is a sinister purpose behind it. To put it in plain words it is some persons with vested interests who are trying to bring in the chief justice of their choosing in order to have their own cases decided in their favour. It is not a secret that Iftikhar Chaudhry had in the past decided their cases in their favour.
In short, they want to dislodge the elected government through their favoured judge. It is obvious that Iftikhar Chaudhry will scrap the NRO and will remove the shelter provided to Mr Zardari. The result will be that cases instituted by Nawaz Sharif’s government against Mr Zardari will be reopened. This may also culminate in sending Mr Zardari back to jail. One has to look very carefully at how this campaign is being carried out and who is financing it. The total number of lawyers, practicing or inactive, is hardly 40,000. Only a small percentage of these lawyers have enough resources to sustain the campaign for more than three months without any outside support.
Since I am myself, a practicing lawyer, I have first-hand knowledge that for the past one year the progress of work in courts has considerably declined. The client of a lawyer pays only when he gets the results. It is as such evident that the lawyers have also been financially affected. It amazes the mind as to how these lawyers are making their ends meet.
It is not a secret that some persons are at the back of this whole affair. The country has also seen the days when a military dictator had sacked chief justice Yaqoob, brought another person of his choice and hanged Z.A. Bhutto, a popular leader of Pakistan.
At that time no lawyer even raised an eyebrow. That military dictator then brought a PCO when Justice Maulvi Mushtaq of the Lahore High Court was about to deliver the judgment to rule for holding elections and handing over power to the elected government.
At that time, too, no one saw any lawyer’s movement or campaign. This is a very dangerous game that some persons having their petty interests, are playing. At least the time is not right. The country is facing a threat from a neighbouring nuclear power. It will be disastrous if the elected government of a smaller is dislodged. Things might get uncontrollable.
Last but not least, Iftikhar Chaudhry must himself realize that he is no more eligible to be a judge. He has become a controversial figure and he cannot remain, by any stretch of imagination, unbiased. He will have to lean towards those who are backing him. It will be best and also in the interest of the country that he himself withdraw gracefully. He has now become a politician and the party which is backing him will have no problem in having him elected as member of the National Assembly or even the president of Pakistan. Let us hope that better sense prevails.
M. AKBAR A. ANSARI
(Advocate) Karachi
RECENTLY, a picture was published in a section of the press showing the Taliban flogging an alleged narcotics smuggler in Swat. This is not a unique incident of its kind but part of a series of brutalities committed by militants in the northern areas. Taliban are challenging the writ of the government within the state, but the government has no time to think about how to control the situation. It is still stuck in the groove of division of powers between the president and the prime minister.
The president is busy awarding medals to US officials for their sterling contribution to the progress of Pakistan through drone attacks. The government has shrugged off all internal crises without any qualms, leaving the masses at the mercy of cruel circumstances. There is a dire need to curb the militants who often take the law in their own hands, creating a state within a state, if we want to uphold the integrity of Pakistan.
RIZWAN ASGHARCHAUDHRY
Lahore
THIS refers to a report by M. Ziauddin, ‘Era of unbridled capitalism over’ (Jan 2)
The British prime minister, reiterating his opposition to ‘unfettered capitalism’, has lamented ‘the old era of unbridled free market dogma was finally shown the door’.
He seems to have hit the nail but sidetracked while suggesting a correct solution. The only solution he suggested was that of establishment of a new IMF capable of early warning for any future crisis. The world today does not need another IMF or likes of it but perhaps a new ‘economic world order’ free from injustices and oppression. The justification given for bailing out failing financial institutions may have temporary effects but it will not work in longer terms.
Therefore, a just economic order coupled with environmental upgradation is the need of the hour to save growth on this planet.
MOHAMMED ALI JAWAID
Karachi
PIA, having acquired fuel-efficient long range B777s, which are being successfully operated by leading airlines of the world, needs to ground fuel-guzzling B747s as per the original business plan submitted to financial institutions, which funded the deal.
Had the airline properly negotiated financial loans required to fund the B777 purchase and gone for white-tailed United Airlines B777s, which were on offer, the airline could have saved hundreds of millions of dollars, which were needlessly wasted by those seeking huge cutbacks.
The business plan submitted was based on replacement of B747s which were not found to be viable at fuel price in excess of $29, 10 per cent annual increase in revenues, reduction in maintenance costs, etc.
Instead of that we have seen the last quarter loss skyrocketing to Rs20.4 billion or Rs9.49 million an hour, which exposes the competence level, pilferages, poor planning, bad marketing strategies of the management.
The loss of Rs38.4 billion, incurred by PIA from January to September 2008, is more than the total losses of the airline during the last nine years.
This is mindless wastage of taxpayers’ money and should not be allowed to go unchecked.
ABRAR H
Faisalabad
IT is common to see people microwaving foods in plastic dishes, heating up meals in plastic containers they come in, or placing plastic wrap over foods to protect from splatters.
While plastic has many useful uses, when it comes to cooking it should be avoided. DEHA [di-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate], sometimes found in cling wrap, and other chemicals commonly found in plastic are potential endocrine disrupters, and can negatively influence hormonal activity.
It is best to steer clear of using plastic and plastic wrap in the microwave, as the heat can drive plastic molecules into the food. Instead, glass or ceramic containers should be used and foods should be covered with waxed paper or a paper towel.
Pre-packaged foods that come in cling wrap should be avoided. If used, the foods should be transferred to a different storage container, once a person gets home.
Plastic bottles are used for storing drinking water. Hot water should never be poured in the plastic bottles, as it will dissolve potential harmful constituents of the plastic bottle. Always allow the water to come to room temperature before pouring it in plastic bottles.
F. H. MUGHAL
Karachi
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