| April 28, 2006 | Friday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 29, 1427 |
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Laws and rules
Power failures
Devolution of power
Less rhetoric
Blight of bonded labour
Pemra head office
Democracy in Nepal
Twice is enough?
NBP insurance scheme
Calculating GDP
DERA Ismail Khan (DIK) is where the leader of the opposition, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, resides. It is the site of three sugar mills, owned by two sitting federal ministers (hailing from Punjab) and one former federal minister from the NWFP. It is an important city of the NWFP, perhaps more so because of its proximity to the tribal belt of Waziristan.
Whatever its claim to fame, it had an airport and flights to major cities, including indirect ones to Karachi and Islamabad. From Karachi to DIK one had to fly to Multan and take a connecting Fokker flight to Dera and the same applied for the return journay.
You could also take a Fokker flight to Peshawar and onward to Islamabad. And all these flights operated till not so long ago. Those of us who had to fly to DIK for family or business matters knew we had the option to fly. Suddenly, one fine day we hear that there were no more indirect flights operating to DIK.
Was the airport being renovated? No. A family bereavement and no way to reach except fly to Multan and then hire a car, drive 300 miles to reach Dera and you could well have missed the funeral. But who cares? Want to reach Karachi in a hurry from there, what options do you have? Either drive back all the way to Multan and catch a flight or drive 270 miles to Dera Ghazi Khan and another 30 kilometres to reach the airport there, for a flight back to Karachi. Incidentally, D.G. Khan airport is situated only eight miles short of Choti, the fiefdom of former president Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari.
The 30-kilometre journey from D.G. Khan city to the airport is anyone’s worst nightmare. The route or road if you can call it that takes you through a truck ‘adda’ and the jams recently witnessed on that road had many a traveller taking a katcha track, an apology of a parallel road, to get out of the jam and reach the airport in time.
On one such occasion, a number of passengers barely made it to the airport in time and that too after a hair-raising journey. What galled the passengers was that the delay was not of their making. Those who had to catch the 2 pm flight from D.G. Khan had begun their journey from DIK as early as 7.30 or 8.00 am. Four to five hours of bouncing and no luck. Ladies travelling better watch it as there are no toilets on the way.
What we heard about flights not operating out of DIK was even more frustrating. Apparently our politicos of the area struck a deal: an airport in D.G. Khan instead of D.I. Khan in return for some big political favour. And the present government says we are developing, our economy is racing. Please ask the common person what they think. Some facetious ones suggest that since the pace of development will continue on a lop-sided scale and since we are already doing several things that the state should be responsible for (providing safe and clean drinking, electricity, health facilities, etc.) and which it is not fulfilling, we should consider buying our own airplanes. After all we are buying drinking water from tankers charging Rs900 per visit, we’re generating our own electricity through small home generators, so why not jets? The government should look into the matter as to why one direct flight a week cannot be operated to connect D.I. Khan to Karachi, Lahore and the federal capital to say the least. And don’t give us the excuse that there is insufficient traffic from DIK.
HAMIDULLAH
D.I. Khan
IN my political and non-political experience, I have come to certain conclusions that I would like to express. Nearly all laws made in Pakistan are not for the good of the people. Their purpose is invariably either to benefit or victimise an individual. Article 6 of the 1973 Constitution was meant to avoid any army take over. Even so the army took over the government in 1977 and again in 1999. Article 6 could not and will not prevent the military from such action, but it has prevented the army from going back to the barracks as long as the coup maker is living, as demonstrated in the case of General Zia.
Therefore, Article 6 should be done away with and the army be allowed to intervene whenever there is a need to do so. But the chief justice of Pakistan should make this subject to full Supreme Court bench approval with mandatory elections within six weeks, under a CEC appointed by the chief justice. A new government should be in place within 10 days of the election results. If this provision of the Constitution is not carried out, then the 12 senior most officers of the army should stand retired and the chief justice will carry out the constitutional provisions. The oath too should be abolished, as no one has honoured it in the history of Pakistan.
The floor crossing article be repealed and members allowed voting according to their conscience. To avoid blackmailing of the government, all favours asked for by members must be submitted in writing to the PM. All unfair laws like MPOs and reducing and increasing tenure of officials as was recently done in the case of members of the FPSC be done away with.
A term for the PM means five years. Two terms mean 10 years. Both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto were twice removed before their terms were completed. To be fair they both have a balance of four years each. We have had no angels as presidents. Why not a similar restriction on the presidents, governors and chief ministers?
A watchful eye must be kept on transfers of civil servants. They must not be transferred before their tenures unless of course for promotions or corruption. What we have experienced is that in order to make room for a favourite, the incumbent is transferred even before he moves into the official residence.
We are not a rich country to indulge in wasteful expenditure. To begin with we must reduce the strength of the assemblies to the original 1973 size. The Senate must be cleansed of the so-called technocrats. What we have are no technocrats. In certain cases ordinary farmers have been declared as such. The country will lose nothing even if the Senate is done away with as its mode of election makes it a handmaiden of political parties instead of being the custodian of the genuine interests of the four provinces.
MIANGUL AURANGZEB
Islamabad
I WOULD like to add to your editorial of April 26, “Why that many power failures?”, that the present management of KESC was asked to complete the required formalities of the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan and take over management control last summer. But the consortium refused to take over on the plea that if the consortium took over management control, it would create a bad image, as a lot of work neened to be done to upgrade the electricity system before the next summer. Finally the transaction was completed on November 28, 2005 by the Privatisation Commission after receiving Rs15.9 billion of the Rs.20.24 billion from the consortium being the highest matched bid, at which time 73 per cent shares were transferred to the consortium.
The remaining Rs.4.34 billion were supposed to be invested by the consortium for improving the utility that has been running in technical losses for years. The most immediate challenge for the new buyer was to reduce KESC’s losses and control frequent power breakdowns in Karachi. Despite having four month in hand, the new management could not manage to prepare itself for the arrival of the current summer season.
The ultimate result is that people are still suffering due to unannounced load-shedding during the day as well as at night.
The best course of action under the present circumstances is to conserve electricity for night time. The KESC should ask shopkeepers to close their shops by 7pm everyday without fail so that the electricity saved should be supplied to the residents of Karachi at night.
The new management should also take immediate steps to and invest a considerable sum of money in upgrading the electricity system in the city in the shortest possible time.
SYED A. MATEEN
Karachi
THE concept of devolution of power to the grassroots’ level has not been a success as far as Karachi is concerned.The city government has failed to solve civic problems and has not been able to deliver. In fact problems have increased.
Things have gone from bad to worse during the last 12 months or so. As if the problems of battered roads, broken footpaths, overflowing gutters, open manholes, water shortage, traffic jams, erratic emergence of speed breakers and load shedding were not enough, the so-called mega uplift projects have been started without first completing the unattended / pending work and without proper planning. From I.I.Chundrigar to Sohrab Goth almost all important roads and side lanes have been dug up or are in the process of being dug up.
The city government has started work on three underpasses and two flyovers in the vicinity of Liaquatabad, Gharibabad, Meena Bazaar, Nazimabad and Sohrab Goth. Is it not advisable to do one project at a time to save people from trouble all around? In addition to these, two more flyovers close to these areas — one at Hasan Square and the other on the Stadium Road — are scheduled to begin very soon.
It is common sense to take a realistic view of the additional chaos and congestion these simultaneously upcoming projects are bound to cause in the heart of the city. Since it is virtually impossible for the civic authorities to meet the claim of completing these projects in the record time of four months, they should at least refrain from giving false hope to the already shattered Karachiites.
MOHAMMAD SADIQ
Karachi
THIS refers to Mr Irfan Husain’s article ‘A little less rhetoric would do’ (April 22) in which the author has referred to the statements of Iranian president Mehmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr Ahmadinejad is creating endless problems for himself and his regime by alienating his own people. Given his foreign policy stance, his blithe disregard for international diplomacy, his open hostility towards Israel — a country which is armed to the teeth, and has the backing of the superpower of the world —- and imposing further restrictions on Iranian women who already observe strict ‘purdah’, it can be gauged that his popularity is declining.
One hopes he will learn from the Taliban’s experience and behave a bit more leniently and sensibly with his own people. Instead of courting unnecessary danger and being preoccupied with his futile efforts to upgrade moral values in his country, he should focus on revising the stringent policies that he has adopted for his country.
SYED ADEEL AHMED
Karachi
THIS refers to your editorial (April 19). As per law, bonded labour stands abolished in Pakistan but on the ground the evil is flourishing. You have been too formal in conceding to the demand for the formation of judicial commission to look into working of the national committee for bonded labour and the vigilant committee. You have stressed that the government must demonstrate the political will to address this major social evil.
But one must face realities. Bonded labour and private jails exist for anybody to see and the persons (feudal lords) who maintain such labour camps are known to the government. No commission or committee is required to locate such places. No action can be taken against them because they are in the assemblies supporting the government. Similarly there are ‘ghost schools’ ‘ghost teachers’ and ‘ghost doctors’, etc. The people behind such scams are also known but political expendiency prevents any action against them.
In fact the government’s writ does not work one-hundred per cent in any area of life. Look at the sugar scam. The government has not been able to rein in the sugar mill owners yet. Hoarders, profiteers, blackmarketers, and smugglers are above the government writ.
Bonded labour cannot be eliminated in Pakistan so long as the country is being ruled by feudal lords who will continue to rule unless thrown out by the people.
ABDUL SAMAD KHAN
Karachi
DURING a press conference, Pemra’s chief proudly announced construction of the authority’s head office in Islamabad at a cost of Rs120 million. What good has his organisation done this hapless nation that it needs to be housed in such a monumental building? Other than hounding cable operators and blocking informative channels, what else has Pemra done? The president is requested to take notice of this extravagance and utilise the money for promotion of art in the country.
KHALID RASHID
Rawalpindi
NEPAL is passing through a historic phase. The people of Nepal have stood up against heir king. I salute these heroic people for writing a new history. They have shown the will to make their country a democracy. I hope that if democracy prevails in Nepal it will truly be a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
MOHSIN
Karachi
IT’S hard to fathom why there are editorials suggesting that two former prime ministers be allowed to fight elections again, especially when one considers that such actions would actually hinder democracy. No individual should be allowed to perpetually stand for election, and both Ms Bhutto and Mr Nawaz Sharif have had two opportunities. Furthermore, it is also abhorrent to the democratic process to have political parties that operate under one family’s ownership. On the one hand, we read about how the system cannot rely on just the president but must also have mainstream parties. Yet at the same time, there is an insistence on having certain individuals fight elections, as without these individuals, the democratic process is presumed to be false.
If the PPP and the PML-N are capable of running only under the Bhuttos and the Sharifs, then they are as autocratic as the military. If these parties’ vote banks rely on the popularity of these individuals alone, then these can’t really be considered parties, but one-person shows.
If one wants serious democracy, then the concept of leaders for life and family control over parties must be banned by the Election Commission. The intelligentsia, including publications like your newspaper, should also stop pushing the one point agenda of allowing Benazir and Nawaz to fight elections. Two opportunities are enough for any individual. After all, the president hasn’t even had his second tenure in office and some people seem to think that’s long enough for him. So Pakistanis must look for solutions to stop this farce of democracy that exists within our political culture. Democracy is not about individuals, but a system.
If our two ex-PMs truly care about the democratic concept, they should help their parties move forward by allowing new leadership and simultaneously bowing out with grace. Sadly, I think we have seen time and again that our democrats need no military interference to violate the spirit of democracy.
SAAD KHAISHGI
Houston, USA
BENAZIR Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif met in London in a flat which Mr Sharif once claimed he never owned.
Should the people of Pakistan trust these two?
The short answer is no. In fact they were the most dishonest politicians in the nation’s history. Along with their followers they looted the nation with no regrets.
Now they want to produce a charter for democracy. More likely they want another chance to steal. No sensible nationalist should ever allow these two anywhere near Pakistan.
M.H. KAYANI
London, UK
I WAS amused to read the explanatory letter from Mr Qamar Hussain, senior vice-president concerned, NBP (April 25).
The facts, according to the NBP brochure, are that the bank holds no responsibility in case the insurance company concerned rejects any claim for any reason. Second, the seemingly small amount of Rs 20 every month towards premium payment will not be accumulated and will disappear as soon as the month closes. Third, the amount of policy, in case it is approved, is too meager considering the rate of inflation in the country. Fourth, there are about 1.2 account holders with the NBP and at the rate of Rs 20 per month, a hefty amount of Rs 24 million will be collected; a portion of the collection will certainly be kept by the bank and the other will be handed over to the insurance company.
This is a national loss and is rendering the account holders poorer every month. Is this “product” of the NBP, in any sense, a “welfare project”? In NBP branches without online system, mercifully, the benefit of this “product” is not available. Finally, I, my wife and my son have their accounts in the NBP; none of us received any letter from the bank in this connection.
If the NBP is so welfare-minded, it should immediately increase the rate of profits on deposits between 11 and 15 per cent per annum at least as the State Bank of Pakistan has upped the discount rate at which all Banks have been borrowing from the central bank at the rate over 7.5 to 9 per cent for the first time since November 2002. Even pensioners and widows have not been benefited.
Account holders are being charged if their deposits go down to Rs 5,000, or they withdraw more than Rs 25,000 from their accounts. The return on their savings is miniscule. And now the fleecing through the insurance scheme. It seems that the finance department of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has given carte blanche to banks to extract money from their account holders.
ALEEM SHAIKH
Karachi
ANY elementary book of economics will tell you that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) represents the total output/income of the entire population of a country. We can calculate per capita income if we divide GDP by the entire population. Barring rare exceptions, the population always has a positive rate of growth. Therefore, the rate of increase in per capita income is bound to be lower than the rate of increase in GDP.
Our government, supported by international agencies, claims six to eight per cent growth in our GDP. Our prime minister claims (see Newsweek of March 27) that our per capita income has gone up from $400 to $800 in two years. This reflects more than 40 per cent growth per year. With six to eight per cent growth in GDP how can our per capita income grow by 40 per cent per year? As our population is increasing by more than two per cent a year, the increase in per capita income is bound to be around four per cent roughly.
Is this voodoo economics? What kind of advice the government’s economic advisers are providing to the prime minister? Will somebody explain?
MUHAMMAD ILYAS
Quetta
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