DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 14 December, 1995 Issue : 01/49
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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 1995
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C O N T E N T S
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Karachi Carnage
..........Sixteen shot dead, two vehicles set ablaze
..........Orangi women flay �police excesses�
..........50 MQM workers, relatives arrested
..........Dehlavi says US statement �significant�
Details pertaining to the deaths of Altaf�s brother and nephew
..........Altaf�s brother and nephew arrested
..........Altaf slates arrest of family members
..........Rangers deny arrest of Altaf�s brother
..........Kidnapping: PPP leader�s version
..........Altaf�s brother, nephew found dead
..........MQM announces three days mourning
..........MQM calls off Tuesday�s strike
..........MQM�s statement on murders
..........Altaf want�s registration of murder case
..........PM condemns killing of Altaf�s relatives
..........Nawaz condoles deaths
..........Shah grieved at murders
..........Babar blames vested interests
..........Leaders condemn murders
..........Murders setback to efforts for peace: Azfar
..........Police receive Altaf�s complaint
..........Law enforcers alerted for funeral
..........People being �bared� from attending funeral
..........Thousands attend funeral
..........Altaf appeals to leaders
Opposition
..........PML urges govt to defer PTC privatisation
..........Nawaz opposes COAS term extension
..........PML chief criticises govt on human rights
..........PML rejects govt offer for negotiations
Ruling Party
..........PM renews talk offer to MQM
..........PM blames foreign agents for terrorism
..........Law and Order has improved, say�s Benazir
..........Benazir formally invites Nawaz for parleys
..........Mumtaz meets PM amidst speculations
..........Govt�s conditional offer to opposition
MPA�s protest torture of MQM leader
Embassy blast probe in advanced stage: Kayani
Qureshi feels threatened by narco-terrorists
Nawaz�s threat to dislodge govt flayed
Cabinet spurns FACC move on asset issue
Situation �extremely disturbing�: US
Govt sees statement as �interference�
Moeen suggests mediation to break deadlock
COAS urged to order probe into excesses allegations
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IMF grant $596m stand-by loan
Forex reserves fall to Rs 28.861bn
Moeen sounds a warning bell on Karachi situation
LHC declares banking tribunal law defective
Stocks easy as volume soars to 29.2 million
Institutional funds to be released in 30 day�s.
Cash flow problem delay�s implementation of projects
Govt plans to print new currency, bank notes
Devaluation fails to achieve export targets
SBP increases cash reserve requirement
New package to improve stock market
Trade imbalance swells to $1.73bn during July-Nov
SBP allows direct repayment of debt through export bills
Banks advised not to penalise depositors
Record rise in share value of BOC Pakistan
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The bare bones - 3 Ardeshir Cowasjee
Illegal aliens amongst us M.B.Naqvi
The way to peace in Karachi Mahdi Absud
A nation forgetful of it�s advantage Ayaz Amir
National crisis in perspective Syed Shahid Husain
Credit control - and growth Editorial Column
Wrong economic remedies Sultan Ahmed
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Test in N.Z. evenly balanced as Pakistan collapse
Pakistan strikes back in test against N.Z.
Pakistan in commanding position against N.Z.
Pakistan on course to win New Zealand test
Pakistan wraps up Test win in New Zealand
Imran say�s Pakistan cricket in a mess
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951214
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Sixteen shot dead, two vehicles set ablaze
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Staff Correspondent
Sixteen people fell victim to on-going violence while arsonists setablaze two
public vehicles and tried to disrupt the vehicular trafficin parts of the city.
Heavy exchange of fire took place between apolice party of Latifabad and
unidentified armed youths following araid for the arrests of wanted MQM youths.
KARACHI, Dec. 7: An MQM activist killed and another critically woundedduring an
encounter in Baldia Town. Police claimed they surrounded NewLabour Square in
Rasheedabad after a tip-off that two terrorists wereroaming there to commit a
robbery.
In the shootout, Abdul Aziz and Sharafat Ali were wounded. They werefirst taken
to nearby Murshed Hospital and later shifted to CivilHospital. Sharafat Ali
succumbed to his injuries at Civil Hospitalwhile the condition of Abdul Aziz is
still serious.
Police found two pistols and four bullets from their possession.
HYDERABAD, Dec. 7: A heavy exchange of fire took place between apolice party of
Latifabad and unidentified armed youths following araid for the arrests of
wanted MQM youths.
Information pertaining to the whereabouts of Qazi Nadeem, an MQMworker was
received by the Latifabad police resulting in a heavycontingent of police
arriving at the spot and cordoning off the entirearea. Firing started in the
area with the arrival of the police. Whenthe police challenged the miscreants,
they took to their heels in theby-lanes.
Latifabad police reportedly took four persons into custody anddetained them at
B-Section police station for interrogation. Theirnames could not be ascertained
immediately.
KARACHI, Dec. 9: Four people fell victim to on-going violence whilearsonists
set ablaze two public vehicles and tried to disrupt thevehicular traffic in
parts of the city.
A body was found in Liaquatabad, stuffed in a gunnybag. The cause ofdeath could
not be known as there were no apparent marks of injury.
Gul Haider, was shot dead at Mehtab Fabrics. Police suspect an oldenmity as the
prime motive of the murder.
A pedestrian Munir Ahmed was killed in Shershah when unidentified menresorted
to indiscriminate shooting in the night.
A passenger bus and a minibus were set ablaze in Saeedabad. Policearrested two
suspects when they tried to set another bus on fire inNazimabad. The police
refused to disclose their names.
Arsonists also attempted to set a cargo trailer on fire in Korangi butfire
fighters salvaged the vehicle.
KARACHI, Dec. 10: Random violence claimed seven lives, including thatof a
woman. Four of them were killed in Orangi, and another two diedin Liaquatabad
when a police armoured personnel carrier allegedlyopened indiscriminate fire.
Arsonists set on fire seven public and private vehicles and the AlliedBank�s
Frere Road branch while sporadic gunfire echoed in parts of thecity.
Police found four bullet-riddled bodies in parts of Orangi. One ofthem was
identified as that of Wakil Hussain, a PPP worker and memberof the Salam group.
Two labourers were shot dead in Mujahid Colony. Shabbir Ahmed, waskilled
outside his residence while Mohammad Hassan was found dead inthe same street.
They were victim of targeted attacks. Their politicalaffiliations could not be
known.
Two people were killed in Liaquatabad when police allegedly openedfire in the
locality. Yaqub Zafar, was reading a newspaper in his homewhen he was hit by a
bullet. Noor Mohammad was a pedestrian.
KARACHI, Dec. 11: In random acts of violence, two people were killedwhile
arsonists set ablaze three vehicles, a petrol pump and a postoffice.
A fire brigade came under fire at Gujar Nullah, but all the firefighters in the
vehicle escaped unhurt.
A young man was killed and a ranger wounded in Usmanabad in thejurisdiction of
Kalakot police station. Police claimed the victim,Syed Nasir Ali had fired at
the rangers. In the shoot-out, he waskilled and a ranger, Khalid Mehmood, was
hit in the leg.
Police claimed to have found a pistol and some bullets from hispossession.
A body was found in Liaquatabad. It was later identified as that of Safir
Ahmed.
Three vehicles were set on fire in Buffer Zone and in Kharadhar.
Arsonists set ablaze a petrol pump in Arambagh and a post office in Azizabad.
Fire fighters saved the petrol pump from destruction butadmitted that the fire
destroyed its office and hundreds of tins oflubricants.
KARACHI, Dec. 12: During the day, three people were killed by thepolice while a
bus conductor was tortured and strangulated in randomacts of violence. A dead
body was found in Manghopir.
In parts of the city, APC personnel also exchanged fire with the armedyouths.
Arsonists set ablaze a store of Pakistan Telecommunication anda jeep in Malir
and a truck in Qasba.
In Liaquatabad, three people were killed and their fourth companionwas wounded
in a shootout. According to police, these four peoplewere travelling in a
stolen car from Liaquatabad after shooting atrangers and police at a number of
places. When it crossed the bridge,a police party tried to stop it, but the
police said the car occupantswhile fleeing fired on them. The police returned
the fire and the taxiwent out of the control of the driver and hit an island.
All thepolice bullets hit the back of the taxi killing its three occupants
�Zahid, Kamran Khan and Kamran, instantly and wounding their fourthcompanion,
Arif.
Three pistols and an AK-47 rifle were found from their possession.
951208
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Orangi women flay �police excesses�
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 7: Scores of women, all residents of Orangi town, onThursday held
a demonstration in front of Karachi Press Club againstcontinuing police
�high-handedness�.
Talking to Dawn, Asma Begum, mother of eight children, said the Orangipolice
had arrested her husband, Shamim Akhtar, two days back. Later,they raided the
house and picked up Mohammad Ashraf and MohammadNasim, brothers of her husband.
�I have four sons and four daughters. My husband is detained fornothing.
Mohammad Navid, 11, my eldest son, is the only bred-earnerwho works at a
embroidery shop,� she added.
She alleged that the police were demanding Rs. 50,000 against therelease of her
husband. �But it is difficult for me to pay a singlerupee to them,� she added.
Another women mentioned that Tahir, 20, was picked up by a policepatrol on
Tuesday. She said Tahir had been detained in Mominabadpolice station.
On Wednesday, she said, the police had implicated him in a murdercase. �The
police have demanded Rs. 100,000 for his release,� sheadded.
The father of Shahid Khan, said the police had picked up Shahid duringa
siege-and-search operation a week back and destroyed his ID card.
Mohammad Abdul Jalil, a retired armyman, alleged that the police hadfired at
his house on Thursday and terrorised his family members.
About police, he said they behaved harshly. �They have no respect forwomen and
abuse them,� he added.
951212
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50 MQM workers, relatives arrested
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Staff Correspondent
MIRPURKHAS, Dec. 11: Heavy contingents of police led by a sub-
divisional magistrate raided various localities late on Sunday nightand rounded
up about 50 people after unknown miscreants had set onfire a railway bogey.
The arrested people included relatives of MQM workers and itsactivists.
CONDEMNED: MQM�s former zonal organiser Lawyer Anees Ahmed Khan andmembers of
the zonal committee, in a Press statement issued here onMonday, have condemned
the raids on the houses of the MQM workers andarrest of their relatives.
951213
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Dehlavi says US statement �significant�
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 12: Chief MQM negotiator Ajmal Dehlavi described as�significant�
US State Department official�s statement in which he hasdeplored violence in
Karachi and called upon the government and theMQM to resume talks.
The statement, he said, was significant because it mentioned�extrajudicial
killings, extortion and custodial deaths by securityforces.�
When his attention was drawn to the need for resuming the stalledtalks, Mr
Dehlavi said �the MQM is always ready for negotiationsprovided they are held
with sincerity of purpose and the use of forceagainst Mohajirs is stopped
forthwith.
Mr Dehlavi contended that if the government was sincere aboutnegotiations, it
should honour its promises.
Political observers were of the view that following the StateDepartment�s �very
strong� remarks the two sides might soon be talkingto each other.
951208
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Altaf�s brother and nephew arrested
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 7: MQM chief Altaf Hussain�s elder brother Nasir Hussainand his
young son were arrested by rangers during raids on theirSamnabad residence
during the last 48 hours.
Heavy contingents of rangers raided the residence of Nasir Hussain andarrested
his young son, Arif Hussain. The troops again visited thehouse and picked up
the father himself.
Rangers were not available to comment on the arrest of Nasir Hussainand Arif
Hussain.
Nadeem Nusrat, personal secretary to the self-exiled leader, claimedthat
rangers also raided the Gulshan-i-Iqbal residence of SalehKhatoon, sister of
Altaf Hussain, and ransacked the house when theydid not find the family.
The family, he said, had abandoned their Gulshan-i-Iqbal residencefearing a
raid. Mr Nusrat claimed that young Arif Hussain was beingtortured in the
interrogation centre of the rangers. �A day after ArifHussain�s arrest, a
government informer visited the Samnabad residenceand told the family about the
torture,� he said.
The MQM chief has 10 brothers and sisters. Some of them are outsidePakistan
while others are living in Karachi with their families.
951209
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Altaf slates arrest of family members
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Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Dec. 8: Mohajir Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has saidthat
political victimisation by the government against him and hisfamily members
would not deter him from his path.
The MQM leader alleged that both Nasir Hussain and nephew ArifHussain, who were
arrested earlier, were being subjected to physicaldiscomfort and torture.
Mr. Hussain said he has not compromised on Mohajir rights and hispersonal grief
would not cause him to do so now. He is not at all sadover the arrest but is
proud to share with his community thesacrifices many Mohajirs have made for the
cause, he said.
He warned against despondency and said that cowardly acts will notbreak his
determination.
951209
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Rangers deny arrest of Altaf�s brother
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 8: The rangers denied on Friday night that they hadarrested
either the elder brother or the nephew of MQM chief AltafHussain.
The rangers denial sparked a fresh controversy as the MQM claimed thatthere
were several witnesses who saw rangers and police taking awayNasir Hussain and
his son Arif Hussain, brother and nephew of MQMchief Altaf Hussain.
It appealed to the President to help save the lives of Nasir and Arif,and added
that if anything happened to them, he (President) would beresponsible for it.
The MQM fact finding committee said rangers, had raided the house ofNasir
Hussain on Tuesday and arrested his son Arif. In the second raidon Wednesday
they had also arrested Nasir, it claimed.
951210
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Kidnapping: PPP leaders� version
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 9: PPP MNA Muzaffar Ali Shujra and a special assistantto the
Sindh chief minister, Ejazul Hasan, and others alleged that theMQM chief Altaf
Hussain himself had got his elder brother and nephewkidnapped.
In a lengthy statement, they said Mr Hussain had developed some
severedifferences with his elder brother, Nasir Hussain, as the latter
haddeclined his offer (Altaf) for leaving the country.
They alleged Nasir Hussain and his son, Arif Hussain, were kidnappedon
instructions issued from London. �The government is trying hard torecover them
immediately as it fears that they might be killed tosatisfy his (Altaf) whims.
After murdering them, he (Altaf) will placeblame on opposition parties or
secret agencies to take politicalmileage out of this,� they added.
951210
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Altaf�s brother, nephew found dead
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 9: Nasir Hussain, brother of MQM chief Altaf Hussain,and his
young son Arif Hussain were found dead in Gadap on Saturdaymorning.
Their blind-folded bodies with hands tied and bearing torture marksand bullet
wounds were later identified by the women relatives.
The victims� family had reported on Thursday that the two men had beenpicked up
by rangers and police during raids on their house in FederalB Area. Arif
Hussain was arrested on early Tuesday morning, while hisfather Nasir Hussain
was picked up on the next day in a similar raidon their Samanabad house.
Nasir Hussain and Arif Hussain were both subjected to severe torture.Doctors,
who performed the autopsy on the two, told Dawn that torturemarks were
distinctly visible on their entire bodies.
In an immediate reaction, the MQM announced a three-day mourning forthe murder
of the two.
SHO Gadap, who saw the bodies in the morning, told Dawn that each ofthem
received four bullets in the head and chest. �There were cutmarks on the
bodies. The father was hit in the temple and head. Thebody of his son also bore
torture and bullet marks,� said a witness.
Body of Arif Hussain was carrying cut marks. The injuries werevisible on the
entire body. His skull was also slashed with a sharpweapon,� said another
witness.
The rangers and police on Friday and Saturday twice denied having madeany
arrests.
Former provincial minister M. A. Jalil told Dawn by telephone fromLondon.
Bhai Sahib (Altaf Hussain) has personally seen their picturesand identified
them as his elder brother and nephew. Situation here isvery tense. We were
fearing their murder as the rangers and policewere denying the arrests,�
Describing the murders as the worst example of political revenge, itsaid that
soon after their arrests, the MQM urged the President, theChief of the Army
Staff, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, theChief Justice of the Sindh
High Court for intervention �but nobodytook notice of it�.
951210
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MQM announces three-days mourning
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 9: The MQM Coordination Committee at an emergencymeeting on
Saturday night announced to observe a three-day mourningover the death of MQM
chief�s brother and nephew.
In a late night communication to newspapers, the committee said it hadalready
informed the president, the prime minister and chief justicesof the Supreme
Court and the Sindh High Court through telegrams aboutthe possible threat to
their lives following their �arrest�.
Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain said that after the cold-bloodedmurder of
his elder brother and nephew he had joined the caravan ofthose whose dear ones
had been killed mercilessly.
In a brief statement faxed from London to Dawn, he said: �My brotherand nephew
were apolitical and innocent. Both were murdered for theirkinship with me.�
He asked his followers to demonstrate patience on the tragedy andintensify
their struggle for people�s rights. He appealed topoliticians, intellectuals,
writers and journalists to pinpointinjustice, cruelty and discrimination.
According to the Coordination Committee, the future line of actionwould be
decided on Tuesday.
951211
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MQM calls off Tuesday�s strike
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 10: The MQM co-ordination committee announced that itwas
withdrawing its call for observing a mourning day on Tuesday, theday set for
the burial of Nasir Hussain and Arif Hussain, to enable,the people in large
number to attend their Namaz-e-Janaza in Azizabad.
In a statement, the committee said a decision was taken to bury themon Tuesday
instead of Sunday to facilitate their relatives, living
outside Karachi, to attend their burial.
951211
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MQM�s statement on murders
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 10: The MQM information cell on Sunday released astatement on the
arrest and murder of Nasir Hussain, and Arif Hussain,who were found dead in a
vehicle in Gadap area on Saturday.
According to the statement, MQM Senators Ishtiaq Azhar and NasreenJalil had
contacted Sindh Governor Kamaluddin Azfar on Saturday andtold him about the
arrest of MQM chief Altaf Hussain�s brother andnephew, but Mr Azfar denied that
they were in rangers or policecustody.
The statement further said:
�But they were found dead the same day. Their relatives identifiedthem at the
morgue of Edhi Centre, Sohrab Goth. Even then blood wasseen dripping down
Nasir�s slashed skull. His chest was pumped withbullets fired from a point
blank range.
�MQM Coordination Committee Convenor Senator Ishtiaq Azhar and MQMDeputy
Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly Shoaib Bukhari hadseparately sent
telegrams to the president, chief justices of theSupreme Court and Sindh High
Court and appealed them to intervene andsave lives of Nasir and Arif but to no
avail.
�Arif was allegedly picked up from F B. Area on Tuesday, while hisfather was
arrested on Wednesday at the same place by the rangers andpolice.
�On Thursday some of their neighbours visited Nine-Zero and informedabout
arrest of Nasir and Arif. The same night the MQM demanded theirimmediate
release.
�On Friday night the rangers issued a denial about their arrest. OnSaturday
their bodies were found in Gadap.�
951211
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Altaf wants registration of murder case
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Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Dec. 10: MQM leader Altaf Hussain, who is mourning the deathof his
elder brother and nephew, has said he is leaving the matter inthe hands of God
and is praying that he in his divine wisdom willpunish those responsible for
the crime in a manner that will be alesson for future rulers in preventing them
from imposing their willon others by force.
He also appealed to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and theSindh High
Court to register a case of murder against the perpetratorsof the crime and
order their public trial.
He claimed that the murders were part of a conspiracy and he held the government
- from the president down to the governor and chiefminister as being
responsible.
Mr Hussain said, the deceased, had no political connections and �likemany of
the party workers killed were innocent�. He alleged that ArifHussain, his
nephew, was �picked up by law enforcement agencies on thenight of 4-5 December�
while Nasir Hussain was �taken away the nextday�. As soon as the MQM
coordination committee and Mr Hussain came toknow about it messages were sent
to the president and the courts fortheir recovery. But the rangers denied any
knowledge for the arrestswhich, turned his �fears into belief that they were to
be disposed ofin false encounters�.
Mr Hussain claimed that the killers of Nasir Hussain and Arif Hussainwere
�known figures�. Their murders were �planned at a high-level� andthe whole
operation was �fully monitored�.
951211
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PM condemns killing of Altaf�s relatives
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 10: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto condemned thekilling of a
brother and a nephew of MQM chief Altaf Hussain andordered a judicial inquiry.
Ms Bhutto vehemently denied the allegation that Nasir Hussain and ArifHussain
had been kidnapped and killed by the law enforcement agencies,and said the
killing might have been the �outcome of gang war or anact of some foreign
agents.� Linking the murders with theassassination of a brother of Sindh Chief
Minister Abdullah Shah, shesaid this could be a conspiracy to �inflame� the two
major ethniccommunities of the province.
�The brother of Abdullah Shah like the brother and nephew of AltafHussain were
non-political persons and we are equally grieved on theirassassination,� she
added.
The prime minister said during the past few weeks the law and ordersituation in
Karachi had been improving as a number of notorious gangshad been busted. With
the noose tightening, she said the remaininggangs had adopted the strategy of
selective killings which could makenews at the international level.
Defending the government�s crackdown on Altaf group, she said nodemocratic
government in the world could tolerate terrorism on itssoil. �Altaf group is
not following the political path but the path ofbullets, killings and
terrorism.�
The prime minister alleged that the Altaf group had killed its ownmembers who
had agreed to cooperate with the government and givenstatements against Altaf
Hussain.
951211
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Nawaz condoles deaths
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 10: PML chief Mohammad Nawaz Sharif condemned the cold-
blooded murder of a brother and a nephew of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
He said removing relatives of political opponents physically andmaking target
of revenge to their kin were unprecedented in history ofthe country.
�Benazir Bhutto�s govt paints Altaf Hussain as a terrorist but I wantto ask her
whether Altaf Hussain has committed terrorism against hisown brother and nephew
or there are some other hidden hands involved,�he said.
The opposition leader said the government could not absolve itself ofthe murder
of Nasir Hussain and Arif Hussain.
951211
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Shah grieved at murders
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KARACHI, Dec. 10: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Abdullah Shah hasexpressed his
deepest sense of sorrow and grief at the sad demise ofNasir Hussain and Arif
Hussain.
In a condolence message to the bereaved family, he said every innocentcitizen
who is victim of terrorism is my brother and to apprehend theculprit is the
duty of my government.
Insha�Allah, the chief minister said: �We will be able to apprehendthe culprits
responsible for the tragic incident and give exemplarypunishment to them.�
951211
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Babar blames vested interests
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 10: Interior Minister Naseerullah Babar assured thehouse on
Sunday that the �conspiracy� behind the assassination of abrother and a nephew
of MQM chief Altaf Hussain would be unearthed,but blamed the killings on
�certain vested interests�.
These quarters, according to him, were trying to block the return ofpeace to
the embattled city of Karachi. He also claimed that theassassinations had been
�clearly engineered� to create a fresh wave ofviolence.
He pointed out that the families of the deceased had not had anycontact with
the authorities since the alleged day of their kidnappingand also that he saw
no �plausible cause� for delaying the burialrites of the two men �unless it was
meant to be used for politicalgains�.
He said that a senior police officer had repeatedly visited the houseof the
deceased had found the house locked and nobody seemed to knowabout the
whereabouts of the family.
The retired general went on to say that he was hopeful about MQMleader Shoaib
Bukhari providing them information about the whereaboutsand safety of the
family of the deceased.
Providing a detailed account of the government�s action during thisincident, he
said that immediately upon the publication of the news ofthe two men�s �arrest�
by the rangers, the matter was investigated andthe same day the rangers issued
a categorical denial of any sucharrests having been made.
The matter, he said, was again taken up the following day in the highlevel
meeting of various agencies and once again it was confirmed that�none of the
many agencies operating in Karachi had arrested any ofthe men�.
He claimed that the government had also immediately contacted MQMsenators
Nasreen Jalil and Ishtiaq Azhar to convey its concern and toseek their
cooperation for the progress of investigations. He said thekilling of the
brother of the chief minister and now that of the step-
brother and nephew of Altaf Hussain was clear proof that certainquarters wanted
a hardening of stances and working up of passions tothwart the gradual return
of peace to the city.
951211
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Leaders condemn murders
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 10: Various political, social and labour organisationshave
condemned the murder of Nasir Hussain and his son Arif Hussain,the brother and
nephew of MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
In their separate statements, they also demanded an inquiry into theincident.
The murder of the two, they said, was an outcome of thedeterioration in the law
and order situation in the city.
If the government failed to check such incidents, the organisationssaid, the
consequences would be disastrous.
951211
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Murders setback to efforts for peace: Azfar
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 10: Sindh Governor Kamal Azfar on Sunday expressed shockat the
murder of MQM chief Altaf Hussain�s brother and nephew and saidthe incident had
caused a serious setback to the government�s one-
point agenda of restoring peace to the city.
He said the government would do everything possible to track down theculprits.
He said the matter was being investigated. Mr Azfar alsowent on to add that no
FIR was lodged about their �disappearance� andurged witnesses to come forward
and help the government inapprehending the culprits. The government, he said,
had alreadyinstituted a judicial enquiry into the killings.
951212
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Police receive Altaf�s complaint
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 11: MQM chief Altaf Hussain held the President, thePrime
Minister, the Sindh Chief Minister and three others responsiblefor the arrests
and murder of his elder brother and nephew whosebodies, with marks of torture,
were found on Saturday.
On Monday, Mr Hussain sent the copy of the written complaint to partyoffices in
Karachi with instructions that this should be submitted tothe police as a First
Information Report on the incident.
In the afternoon, the Gulberg police station refused to receive thecomplaint
from Senator Ishtiaq Azhar.
Mr. Azhar, accompanied by a senior lawyer and some local and
foreignjournalists, had visited the police station to submit the complaint,but
the duty officer refused to accept it on the plea that he had totake permission
from his senior officials.
However, in the evening, the police officially received the complaintfrom MQM
chief Altaf Hussain who accused the President, the PrimeMinister, the Sindh
Chief Minister, the Interior Minister, the rangerschief of district Central and
the SHO of Gulberg Police Station, ofbeing responsible for the murder of his
brother and nephew.
951212
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Law enforcers alerted for funeral
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, Dec. 11: A Sindh government spokesman said that all lawenforcement
agencies, including police, rangers and district anddivisional administration
officials, had been issued specialinstructions to use all resources on the
occasion of funeral rites ofNasir Hussain and Arif Hussain to guard against any
possibleprovocation.
They have been instructed to immediately take timely action in case ofany act
of terrorism from any quarter during their funeral and burialrites.
The meeting was apprised of various reports in which the agencies hadsaid that
some terrorists had planned to play havoc during the funeralprocession so as to
disrupt the law and order situation in the city.
They have been directed to immediately arrest the elements who mayindulge in
any sort of acts of terrorism because the government wouldnot let anyone play
with the lives of innocent people.
The spokesman said the administration had also been advised to contactrelatives
of the deceased and organisers of funeral in connection withthe determination
of the route of the funeral, and the funeralprocession should be allowed to go
through a pre-determined routeonly.
He said they had been asked to convey to the organisers the specialwarning that
they would be held responsible for any damage which mightbe caused either to a
common man or a member of the law enforcementagencies or public or private
properties lying in the way of thefuneral procession.
951212
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People being �barred� from attending funeral
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAHDADKOT, Dec. 11: A fully loaded passenger bus bound for Karachi toattend
the funeral of the brother and nephew of Mr Altaf Hussain, wasstopped by the
local district administration and all the passengerswere forced to return back
to their homes.
According to a PPI correspondent the restriction in the movement ofpassengers
by road is learnt to have been imposed by the districtadministration on the
instructions of high officials, which willremain in force for two days with
effect from Monday.
When contacted the local MQM leaders took �exception to suchrestrictions now
being imposed by the district administration torestrain MQM supporters from
attending the Namaz-e-Janaza.
�This has now fully exposed the undemocratic attitude of the attitudeof the
present government and their approach to the problems of theMQM�, they said.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Thousands attend funeral
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 12: Thousands of mourners buried the elder brother andthe nephew
of MQM chief Altaf Hussain on Tuesday afternoon in theAzizabad graveyard.
The funeral prayers of Nasir Hussain and his son Arif Hussain, wereheld at
Jinnah Park in Azizabad amid tense atmosphere. Leaders ofPakistan Muslim
League, Awami National Party, Jamat-i-Islami and someother political and
religious parties also attended the funeral.
Hundreds of MQM women supporters also gathered at the Jinnah ground towitness
the funeral procession.
Soon after the funeral prayers, the MQM supporters started raisingslogans
against Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto holding her responsiblefor the murder of
the two. Some angry supporters also threw stones atpolicemen standing atop
roofs of nearby buildings, but the MQMvolunteers controlled the situation by
pacifying them.
Earlier, the troubled locality of District Central, was virtuallyunder siege as
rangers and police sealed its entry points and turnedaway minibuses and buses.
951214
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Altaf appeals to leaders
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Dec. 13: In an open letter addressed to the leaders of thePakistan�s
religious and political parties and others, the MohajirQaumi Movement leader,
Altaf Hussain, has urged them to raise theirvoices against tyranny and the
wrongdoings of the government. He hasappealed to their conscience and has asked
them to come forward toassist the Mohajirs.
Mr Hussain claimed that he has evidence about the killings of hiselder brother
and nephew but is reluctant to make it public because ofthe dangers to which
witnesses will be exposed. But he is willing topresent this evidence before a
commission consisting of judges ofinternational repute.
The President, said Mr Hussain, instead of acting to restrain thegovernment
from behaving in an unconstitutional and illegal manner isbeing partisan.
Besides the arrest of hundreds of MQM workers andsupporters on false charges
and the detention of Senators and MPAsfrom the MQM many of the party workers
and their family members havebeen killed and there is nobody who is willing to
heal their wounds.The operation which began in June 1992 continues, said Mr
Hussainregretting that none of the religious and political parties in
thecountry have made any effective protest. �This has encouraged theforces of
exploitation who shamelessly, without any check, arecarrying on their campaign
against the Mohajirs.�
The government, Mr Altaf says in his letter, has been trying to createa wedge
between the Sindhis and Mohajirs in order to perpetuate thePeople�s Party�s
rule. This, according to him, is evident from theinjuries inflicted on his
elder brother and nephew which showed theuse of an axe, an implement commonly
carried by the Sindhis.
951208
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PML urges govt to defer PTC privatisation
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 7: The Pakistan Muslim League has demanded of thegovernment to
defer the privatisation of Pakistan TelecommunicationCorporation (PTC) and
other major public sectors till the conditionsof the stock market in the
country improved.
�The government is desperately selling these prestigious public
sectorenterprises on throwaway prices to tide over the worst financialcrisis of
the country�s history,� Senator Sartaj Aziz, Secretary-
General of the PML, alleged.
He was of the view that at the present price the proposedprivatisation of the
PTC would hardly receive 1.2 billion dollarswhich will be equal to 14 months of
its earning. �We should not losebillions of dollars, simply because the
government is short of cashand is, therefore, in a desperate hurry to sell
national assets atwhatever price it can get,� the former finance minister said.
He also doubted whether the privatisation proceeds were being used fordebt
retirement as was originally conceived and given to understand tothe
international donor agencies.
Mr Aziz alleged that the government was misusing the privatisationfunds for
meeting out its current expenditures. He also called fordeferring the
privatisation of the UBL, since the procedure beingadopted was not very
transparent. �In the case of industrial assets,the Privatisation Commission can
sell them to the highest bidder,because, having received the value of its
assets, no further risk isinvolved. But in the case of banks, the reliability
and financialstanding of the purchase is more important because other
peoples�money is at stake and the bank has to protect the interest of
itsdepositors.�
Another shortcoming in the privatisation of the UBL arose, he said,from the
fact that the process was being pushed with top speed,without undertaking any
valuation of the banks assets and liabilities.�Valuation is the first important
step in the process ofprivatisation, in order to obtain a bench-mark price
below which theenterprise should not be sold.�
Replying to a question, he refuted V.A.Jafarey�s assertion that
theprivatisation proceeds were being used for debt retirement on fundinghigh
priority development projects. He alleged that about Rs 17billion of the
privatisation funds were used by the government toreduce its budget deficit.
To a question, he accused the government of signing a new agreementfor 900
million dollars under standby loan on 6 per cent mark-up. Hesaid had the
government accepted IMF conditionalities in the budget itcould have got funds
on 0.5 per cent interest.
Mr Aziz said due to wrong economic policies of the government half ofthe
industrial units had been closed down. He observed that theinflation which was
officially claimed to be 13 per cent wasunofficially admitted to be at 20 per
cent. The government, heremarked had failed to deliver anything on any account
and was blamingthe opposition and the media for every kind of mess.
Mr Aziz did not believe that the devaluation of the rupee could helpincrease
Pakistan�s exports.
951209
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Nawaz opposes COAS term extension
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Bureau Report
LAHORE, Dec. 8: Leader of the Opposition Nawaz Sharif on Friday onceagain
turned down Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto�s offer of holdingnegotiations for
repealing the Eighth Amendment and restoring women�sseats in parliament.
Mr Sharif said the prime minister had left no room for negotiations.She did not
care about negotiations when these were most needed.
When asked to comment on reports that Mr Moeen Qureshi had proposedextension in
service of the chief of the army staff, Mr Sharif said ifthe reports were true,
Mr Qureshi should not have done so as he was nomore the caretaker prime
minister.
Mr Sharif said the army was an important institution of the countrywhich must
be kept away from politics. By not giving an extension inservice to the COAS, a
good tradition should be maintained. Thegovernment must not make a decision
which could create despondency inthe army.
He said if the government wanted to utilise potentials of the presentCOAS, it
could assign him a duty after his retirement. The presidentmust also play his
constitutional role in this connection impartially,rising above the party
affiliations.
951210
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PML chief criticises govt on human rights
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 9: Leader of the opposition and president of PakistanMuslim
League, Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, has said the PPP regime hasundermined democracy
through its wilful and systematic violations ofhuman rights particularly rights
of the ordinary citizens,parliamentarians and women during the last two years
of power.
He deplored the situation in human rights in Pakistan under the PPPregime where
institutions like parliament and the judiciary �wereunable to play their due
role on account of the PPP regime being bentupon pursuing its agenda of
vendetta, vengeance and victimisation�.
Mian Nawaz Sharif said it was all the more unfortunate that graveviolations of
rights of women were taking place in Pakistan when awoman prime minister was in
the office, and in this connection citedcases of police violence against PML
woman MNA, Begum Tehmina Daultanawho was injured during the action.
He lauded the recent report of the Amnesty International which focusedon the
violations of human rights of women in Pakistan.
951213
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PML rejects govt offer for negotiations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
LAHORE, Dec. 12: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto�s letter to oppositionleader
Mian Nawaz Sharif came under discussion at a one-to-one meetingbetween Mr
Sharif and the Punjab PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Husainhere on Tuesday.
Party sources said the two were of the opinion that the prime ministerwas �not
sincere in her offer of talks with the opposition, and thatshe talked of
negotiations only to divert people�s attention fromserious issues,� they
alleged.
They also said that before offering to hold talks, the prime ministershould
make the atmosphere conducive. When the opposition leaders werebeing
victimised, and women opposition members convicted without anysolid reason, the
opposition could not be expected to agree to holdtalks, the sources quoted Mian
Nawaz Sharif as saying.
951208
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PM renews talk offer to MQM
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Salim Shahid
MASTUNG, Dec. 7: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto extending conditionaloffer to
the MQM for talks to restore peace in Karachi, has once againmade it clear that
her government would not negotiate with theterrorists nor any agreement would
be made with them.
The prime minister said if the elected representatives of the MQM wereable to
play an effective role for the restoration of peace, hergovernment was ready to
hold talks with them. �But we are not preparedto be blackmailed by anybody,�
she asserted. �Those involved inkillings of innocent people and those involved
in terrorist activitieswill not be freed under any circumstance,� she
reiterated.
She said if the MQM chief Altaf Hussain set himself right and gavelove to the
people of Karachi, he would be our friend. But if hecontinued his enmity with
the people of Karachi, he would be our enemyas well.
She condemned the frequent strikes and said these were affecting poorworkers
and common people. Severely criticising the Opposition, shesaid it has
obstructed the efforts of the government for the progressand prosperity of
people and referred to the steps of her governmentfor the development of the
country.
951210
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PM blames foreign agents for terrorism
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 9: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto blamed agents offoreign forces
for the killings and damage to the economy,particularly in Karachi.In a
reference to the strike call given by the MQM, she said: �Thosewho give strike
calls every now and then are not friends and well-
wishers of the people and the country� because this impeded
employmentopportunities and the overall socio-economic progress.
The premier said the opposition was exploiting the Karachi situationfor its own
interests as they did a year earlier, and asked it todesist from �this negative
course for political gains�.
Prime Minister Bhutto renewed the offer of resuming dialogue with theMQM, and
said the Sindh government had given some positive suggestionsin this regard.
�We are ready for political dialogue but we are notready to release terrorists
and those who are involved in murders.�
Terming the MQM allegations of the arrest of Altaf Hussain�s brotherbaseless,
she said that no one had been arrested and this was just apretext for strike.
She offered every assistance to look into thematter for the sake of peace.
951210
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Law and order has improved, says Benazir
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 9: Presiding over a high-level meeting on law and orderhere on
Saturday, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has expressedsatisfaction on the city
situation and said there was no basis for astrike in view of the on going
political process, an official said.
Premier Bhutto expressed satisfaction over the improvement in law andorder
situation in the recent weeks in the city and appreciated therole of the law
enforcement agencies in this regard.
She was informed that there were no casualties in the terrorist-
related activities and other crimes in the city in the last two daysas major
terrorist groups had been busted a relative peace hasprevailed in the city.
The official referred to recent convictions and pointed out that thelaw
enforcement agencies were tracking down some terrorist groups,still operating
in the city. The official also stated that the brotherof the MQM chief Altaf
Hussain was not in the custody of Sindh policenor had he been arrested by the
government. The MQM has given a strikecall for Sunday on their alleged arrest.
951211
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Benazir formally invites Nawaz for parleys
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 10: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has made a writtenoffer to
the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif to sit with the governmentfor repealing the
eighth constitutional amendment and restoring thereserved seats for women in
the National Assembly, deputy law ministerRaza Rabbani said on Sunday.
The letter, delivered by the law minister N. D. Khan and primeminister�s
political secretary Ms Naheed Khan to the opposition MNAIftikhar Hussain
Gilani, is the third one written by Benazir Bhutto toNawaz Sharif to settle
political issues through negotiations.
Nawaz Sharif has already refused to hold talks with the government,which he has
vowed to oust through street agitation�s.
951212
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Mumtaz meets PM amidst speculations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nasir Malick
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 11: Former Sindh chief minister Mumtaz Ali Bhutto metPrime
Minister Benazir Bhutto amidst reports that he was being tippedas the new chief
minister of Sindh, highly placed sources said.
The source said the government has decided to replace its nominee inSindh to
create a congenial atmosphere in the province as suggested byformer caretaker
prime minister Moeen Qureshi during his recentmeeting with Ms Bhutto.
Furthermore, the replacement, he had told her, would create conduciveconditions
for holding the stalled talks with the Mohajir QaumiMovement (MQM).
951214
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Govt�s conditional offer to opposition
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
KARACHI, Dec. 13: Sindh Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister PirMazharul Haq
asked the opposition here on Wednesday to attend theassembly session, and play
their due role.
�We are for extending every facility to bring their detainedcolleagues to the
assembly provided they give assurance that they willattend the session
regularly,� the law minister said.
He said: �If they follow the procedure, the government has noobjection. It is
the earnest desire of the government that theopposition should attend the
session and effectively play its role inthe proceedings of the House.
951209
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MPA�s protest torture of MQM leader
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
HYDERABAD, Dec. 8: The Haq Parast members of Sindh Assembly haveprotested
against the alleged torture of former MQM zonal organiserHyderabad, Anis Ahmad
Qaimkhani, in Adiyala Prison and said that atthe instance of the government a
reign of terror has been let looseagainst the MQM prisoners.
The MPAs asked all the human rights organisations to raise their voiceagainst
the alleged state-repression unleashed against MQM internedworkers.
951210
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Embassy blast probe in advanced stage: Kiyani
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 9: The head of the team investigating the suicidalbomb attack
on Egyptian embassy, SP(Crimes) Haq Nawaz Kiyani, saidhere on Saturday that the
probe into the incident was in �advancedstage�.
He said the police had not arrested anyone suspected of involvement inthe
blast, which left more than 15 people dead, but were onlyinterrogating some
suspects.
�There are about 35 suspects that we are interrogating but have notarrested
anyone yet.� Mr Kiyani, however, did not say exactly how manyof the suspects
were of foreign origin but remarked, �some of them areforeigners.�
951209
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Qureshi feels threatened by narco-terrorists
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Shamim-ur-Rehman
KARACHI, Dec. 8: There is a threat to the life of former interim primeminister
Moeen Qureshi, especially from drug traffickers.
Mr Qureshi disclosed this while explaining reasons for the securitymeasures
adopted during his current visit. The former interim premiersaid threats were
received when he was leaving the country after beingin office for three months.
He said even outside Pakistan he had been advised to be extra-careful. Although
he did not explain why the drug traffickers wereafter him, the impression
gathered was owing to Pakistan�s policy ofextraditing some of them to the
United States.
951211
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nawaz�s threat to dislodge govt flayed
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 10: Federal education minister Syed Khursheed AhmadShah has
severely criticised the opposition threat to launch anti-
government movement to oust the people�s government through streetpower.
He said the lust for power has driven Mian Nawaz Sharif towardsmadness. He
said the obsession to grab power through street pressure andpolitics based on
disinformation would prove fatal for him (NawazSharif). The opposition will
lose credibility and respect due to theircontinuous politics of confrontation
and disinformation and publishedstatements, through which Nawaz Sharif has
depicted a gloomy pictureof over all socio-economic situation, blaming the PPP
government forall that has gone wrong. It is actually meant to create doubts in
theminds of innocent people.
He advised opposition leader Mian Nawaz Sharif to leave politics basedon
disinformation and confrontation, because these cheap tactics arenot a part of
a civilised and democratic system and come forward inassemblies with positive
attitude toward common points of manifesto ofboth PPP and PML (N) committed
before people during the last electioncampaign.
951212
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Cabinet spurns FACC move on assets issue
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 11: The federal cabinet on Monday rejected orders ofthe Federal
Anti-Corruption Committee (FACC) asking governmentofficers of Grade 17 and
above to submit statements of their assets aswell as expenditures by Dec. 15.
However, it allowed the FACC to seekannual statement of assets of those
officers against whom an inquiryis being conducted.
The FACC had asked the officers to submit statement of their assets aswell as
expenditures like their electricity, gas and telephone billsand the details of
the educational institutions where their childrenwere studying to ascertain how
many officers were living beyond theirmeans.
The annual practice of collecting the declaration of assets from thegovernment
officials is never made public nor is subjected to anyscrutiny or processed to
judge its authenticity. It also does notcontain information which was asked by
the FACC to ascertain thestandard of living of the officers.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Situation �extremely disturbing� : US
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12: The United States condemned what it called an�extremely
disturbing turn� in Karachi violence and urged thegovernment of Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto and the MQM to resumetheir political talks.
�We are deeply concerned by the escalating cycle of violence inKarachi and
particularly by the sharp increase in reported extra-
judicial killings, extortion and custodial deaths by security forces,�a
statement released by state department spokesman, Nicholas Burns,said.
The statement said: �Political violence in Pakistan�s largest city andmost
important port has claimed 1,800 lives since the beginning ofthis year. In
recent months the violence has taken an extremelydisturbing turn, with a sharp
increase in reported extrajudicialkillings and the targeting of family members
of government officialsand MQM political leaders.
�We are deeply concerned by the escalating cycle of violence inKarachi and
particularly by the sharp increase in reportedextrajudicial killings, extortion
and custodial deaths by securityforces.
�The United States deplores the senseless murder of family members ofgovernment
and political leaders. We continue to believe that the bestway to end the
current violence in Karachi is at the bargaining tableand urge the government
of Pakistan and the MQM to resume talks.�
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Govt sees statement as �interference�
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 12: The government has criticised the United Statesfor its
statement on the Karachi issue terming it an interference inthe internal
affairs of Pakistan.
Commenting on the substance of the statement, a Foreign Officespokesman said
the violence perpetrated by terrorists in Karachi wasbeing brought under
control by the strong measures taken by thegovernment.
Saying these measures were within the parameters of law, the spokesmandenied
the charge of extra-judicial murders. �There have been nocustodial deaths or
extra-judicial killings,� he said. �Action hasbeen taken where there have been
police excesses.
The spokesman said the Press was free and judiciary independent. Hesaid the
government had already deplored the murder of innocentrelatives of MQM chief
Altaf Hussain as well as the killing of thebrother of Sindh chief minister. He
said these killings were in fact asetback to the government�s efforts to
restore normalcy in Karachi.
�It appears this tragedy was the desperate act of extremist factionswho wanted
to inflame passions, harden positions on both sides andgive rise to a new cycle
of violence.
The Foreign Office spokesman said the government would continue tofight against
terrorism. �The government sincerely believes inresolving political issues and
differences in a peaceful mannerthrough negotiations but it cannot compromise
its stand on terrorism,�he said.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Moeen suggests mediation to break deadlock
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12: Former caretaker prime minister Moeen Qureshi hassuggested
third-party mediation to break the deadlock between thegovernment and the MQM
and to check the cycle of increasingly brutalviolence in Karachi.
�I am not volunteering for that role but the suggestion has to comefrom the two
parties themselves and if I could serve in any way, Iwould be glad,� Mr Qureshi
told Dawn.
The former prime minister, said the MQM and the government couldnegotiate in
their talks whether it would be useful to have a thirdparty come in which has
no axe to grind, is neutral and both rely onits integrity.
This suggestion has to come from them, Mr Qureshi said, describing theKarachi
situation as �very serious and one which could spread like acancer throughout
the body politic of the country.
�What is happening now is that on both sides there are allegations.Government
alleges and I think with some justification that there isextensive terrorism
being practised by MQM. MQM alleges that extensiverepression is being applied
by the government. There is some truth onboth sides. If we continue on the
present path we will not reach asolution.
On the government side they are beginning to recognise that eventuallythis
problem cannot be solved just by trying to enforce law and order.�I find that
there is in Karachi an administrative breakdown. Thereare special forces that
are trying to enforce law and order and theyare not always very careful as to
how they handle these matters.
951214
-------------------------------------------------------------------
COAS urged to order probe into excesses allegations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 13: The Chief of the Army Staff was urged to institutean internal
enquiry into the allegations of rangers� involvement in�extortion, custodial
and extra-judicial killings�.
The proposal was made by Nusrat Mirza, chief of the Mohajir RabitaCouncil. Mr
Mirza said such an investigation was necessary in view ofmounting allegations
of the rangers� involvement in excesses againstpeople. This was also necessary
to protect the credibility of anational institution, he said.
Criticising the government�s stance that it was not prepared to acceptthe
Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh, Prof Ghafoor said it was aninsult to their
patriotism and sacrifices given for the creation ofPakistan.
He said the repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis in Bangladesh hadbeen
acknowledged in the agreements the PPP and the PML signed withthe MQM.
Meet Sabz and Zaitooni.
They�ve been around for 180 million and would like to stay.
Can they?
It�s up to you
Pakistan harbours 2 of the 7 species of turtles found in the worldtoday.
For 180 million years, Sabz (Green Turtle) and Zaitooni (Olive RidleyTurtle)
have come to Karachi�s beaches to lay their eggs. Sadly todaySabz and Zaitooni
are in danger. Soon they may be extinct. Unless youhelp.
Once the eggs are laid, Sabz and Zaitooni returns to the sea. The eggsalthough
camouflaged in a nest hole are threatened by predators; Everyyear fewer and
fewer eggs hatch. If this continues, none of Sabz andZaitooni�s eggs will
hatch and they will disappear forever.
Are you going to allow this to happen?
Sabz and Zaitooni are a vital balancing link in our ecological system.They have
brought colour and variety to our beaches. They are one ofthe most ancient
vertebrate life forms in the world and play animportant role in our
understanding of nature.
Once Sabz and Zaitooni go they will never come back!
To save Sabz and Zaitooni, more enclosures to protect their eggs haveto be
built and maintained. But we cannot manage alone.
We need your help to ensure that Sabz and Zaitooni stay.
So it�s up to you.
Please join us in saying ........
SABZ AND ZAITOONI, PLEASE STAY
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SABZ AND ZAITOONI CONSERVATION PROJECT
Facts on the Marine Turtles of Pakistan
Two species of marine turtles nest on Karachi�s beaches at Hawkesbayand
Sandspit; the Green Turtle (Sabz Kachwa) and Olive Ridley(Zaitooni Ridley
Kachwa).
The Green Turtle (Sabz Kachwa):
* Latin name: Chelonia Mydas
* Adult shell length: 90-110 cms
* Adult weight: 280-300 Ibs
* Food: Seaweed
* Nesting areas: Tropical & subtropical beaches around the world
* Interesting Fact: They are the only vegetarian species among marineturtles.
It takes 12 to 15 years before they reach adulthood andreturn to nest. They
have the highest commercial value for food amongall sea turtles.
The Olive Ridley Turtle (Zaitooni Ridley Kachwa):
* Latin Name: Lepidochelys Olivacea
* Adult shell length: 70-75 cms
* Adult weight: 100-150 Ibs
* Food: molluscs
* Nesting areas: Costa Rica, India, Mexico and Pakistan
* Interesting Fact: The rarest and smallest among marine turtles.
How do turtles make a nest and by their eggs?
Coming ashore at night the female turtle digs a 3 feet deep hole withher
powerful flippers. Once fixed in this depression she lays anaverage of 100
eggs. After laying the eggs she covers the hole withsand using both her front
and rear flippers and then return to thesea.
What happens after the eggs hatch?
The eggs usually hatch after 40 to 60 days due to the heat from thesun and0 the
chemical composition of the sand. Once they hatch theyare attached to the
brightest spot over the sea. If there areartificial lights the hatchlings are
easily disoriented. They may thenrun inland and suffer exhaustion, desiccation,
death by predators oraccidents by vehicles on the road.
Why do Turtles Cry?
Turtles appear to shed tears when they come ashore to lay their eggs.In fact
they are excreting excess salt from their bodies to maintaintheir physiological
salt balance.
Why are Turtles disappearing from our Shores ?
All marine turtles species are in danger of extinction due to thefollowing
reasons:
- Commercial trade for turtle skins shells medicines and cosmetics.
- Destruction of the eggs by predators and poachers
- Accidental capture of turtles in fishing nets.
- Extensive shore-line development human disturbances and pollution.
Why Protect our Turtles ?
Turtles are known as the last of the world�s living dinosaurs. Theyfirst
appeared on earth between 150 and 200 million years ago duringthe Triassic
period. Their ancestors were land dwelling reptiles. Nowif through negligence
and greed we allow these magnificent animals tobecome extinct we will lose one
of the most ancient vertebrate lifeforms in our world today.
How can You Save our Turtles?
You can help save our turtles by making a donation to the Sabz andZaitooni
Turtle Conservation Project.
Payments can be sent in the following form to the address given below:
cheque orcredit card payment authorization (American Express or Visa)
Address:
The Sabz and Zaitooni Turtle Conservation Projectc/o Dawn Group of Newspapers
Haroon House
Dr.Ziauddin Ahmed Road
Karachi-74200, Pakistan
Sabz and Zaitooni need your help to stay on our lovely Karachibeaches.
===================================================================
951214
-------------------------------------------------------------------
IMF grants $596m stand-by loan
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13: The IMF approved a 15-month $596 million stand-bycredit
for Pakistan to support the government�s 1995-96 economicprogramme, an IMF
announcement said.
The loan, equivalent to 401.85 million SDRs, was approved afterPakistan
promised to achieve a number of objectives includingrestoration of
international reserves to the equivalent of 9.4 weeksof imports, to reduce
inflation to nine per cent and accelerate realGDP growth to 5.5 per cent.
According to the IMF announcement, Pakistan has devised a programme toachieve
these objectives. It includes cutting down budget deficit inrelation to GDP
through a combination of revenue and expendituremeasures.
Giving the background, the IMF said �Since 1988 Pakistan has beenimplementing
economic programmes designed to achieve a comprehensiveeconomic reform. After
several years in which impressive gains weremade, the effort faltered due in
part to unfavourable weatherconditions and political uncertainties.
Pakistan, the announcement said, became a member of the IMF on July 7,1950. Its
quota is SDR 758.20 million (about $1,123 million) and itsoutstanding use of
IMF credit currently totals SDR 983 million (about$1,456 million).
Experts said the background explanation given by the IMF was a
harshdenunciation of the policies adopted by the Benazir Bhutto governmentand
indicated that a tough road was ahead, if all the objectives wereto be
seriously met by the government.
951210
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Forex reserves fall to Rs 28.861bn
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana
KARACHI, Dec. 9: Country�s foreign exchange reserves have fallen totwo-year low
at Rs 28.861 billion, barely enough to foot the importbill for three weeks, but
official sources are not worried over thedeveloping situation.
�We have an outstanding export bill worth $1.8 billion and the recentstandby
credit of $600 million extended by the International MonetaryFund (IMF) to
balance the trade deficit,� sources at the ministry offinance said.
�There is nothing to worry as forex reserves could fall or riseaccording to
trade data,� State Bank sources said.
According to official figures released by the State Bank for the weekended
November 30, 1995, forex reserves have fallen by about Rs 4billion from Rs 32
billion to Rs 28.861 billion.
�The rate of depletion in the forex is an alarming one and could takean ugly
turn if timely corrective steps were not taken to arrest thedowndrift,�
financial analysts said.
Official sources said the forex reserves were stable around $2.72billion for
the last about one year, although the state of economy wasnot in a good shape
owing to the failure of major cash crops,including cotton, but 18 percent
increase in exports in 1994 at $8.2billion kept the forex reserves well over $2
billion.
The State Bank sources said the forex figure could fall further as thetrade
deficit has hit the high mark of $1.4 billion during the fistthree months of
the current year and exports did not pick up at theanticipated growth rate.
Annual debt servicing might be one of the major cause, which joltedthe forex
reserves, but the reported withdrawal by Kuwaiti governmentfrom its deposits to
pay back the instalment of the war debt amountingto about $550 million was said
to be the chief factor, they added.
951209
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Moeen sounds a warning bell on Karachi situation
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 8: Expressing grave concern over the prevailing law andorder
situation in the country, former caretaker prime minister MoeenQureshi has
warned that if the law and order situation in Karachi wasnot checked and
economic discipline not effectively implemented, asituation may be reached when
change through an in-house process, mid-
term elections or through any other means may become inevitable.
He was of the view that if the situation was allowed to furtherdeteriorate
�some change may take place � whether an in-house orthrough mid-term elections
or some other basis,� Mr Qureshi said.
He offered a five-point solution to the present problems, includingholding of
local bodies elections, ending confrontation betweenpolitical parties,
introducing stringent financial discipline, taxingagricultural income and
rooting out corruption and all kinds ofprejudices.
He was of the view that the government had greater responsibility oftaking the
initiative through �meaningful political dialogue with theMohajir Qaumi
Movement as a first step toward improving law and ordersituation.� �Without
that no economic policy of the government can besuccessful,� he emphasised.
The government, he said, had greater responsibility but the oppositioncannot be
absolved of its role and responsibility in improving thesituation.
He believed that holding of local bodies elections could be one way
ofinstilling a sense of participation. The next three years for thePakistani
nation, he said, were crucial as it would be passing througha very critical
phase where its metal would be tested.
He expressed concern over economic and financial crisis reflected insoaring
inflation, decline in balance of payments position, loss ofresources,
increasing unemployment and continuing low levels of socialdevelopment.
He urged major political parties to shun differences and build anational
consensus on vital economic and foreign policy issues. He wasof the view that
there was hardly any difference between thegovernment and the opposition on
major issues but what was botheringthem was "who is in power." In the context
of the country's economiccondition, Mr Qureshi said rising inflation had
deterred smallinvestors and pushed the cost of living up by at least 20 per
centwhich had serious implications.
Pleading for strict financial discipline, he said the "government musttake
strict economic measures to cut down inflation and expenditure." He said there
was no need to burden the tax payer but there was a needto improve tax
collection, ensure that utility bills were paid andthose not complying should
be disqualified. He also supported taxingagricultural income. Emphasising the
need to increase foreignexchange reserves, he said unless "we export we-will
perish."
To a question, he said the present economic problems were owing
tomismanagement, increased government borrowing and budget deficit. Hewas of
the view that owing to this indiscipline the country was stillindebted and
dependent on foreign assistance. He believed that thecountry can pay back its
debts if government expenses were scaled downand corruption was checked.
951208
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LHC declares banking tribunal law defective
-------------------------------------------------------------------
LAHORE, Dec. 7: A full bench of the Lahore High Court has declared theOrdinance
XI of 1984 pertaining to the constitution of bankingtribunals as defective, and
directed the government of Pakistan toimmediately fill the lacuna in the
legislation as has been done in thecase of ordinance LXVIII of 1984.
The bench observed that although the federal government has power toconstitute
more than one special court, yet there is no provision inthe existing enactment
under which the cases can be transferred orentrusted from one court to another.
The notification, issued under Section 3, does not take care of theterritorial
jurisdiction of the two special courts with exactitude andthe choice to file
the challan before any of the special courts hasbeen left to the prosecution.
�Therefore, the said ordinance require amendment to that extent.Furthermore,
there is no provision in the said enactment for framingthe rules. This lacuna
in the legislation also requires to beimmediately filled in, as has been done
in case of ordinance LXVIII of1984.�
The bench, however, observed that it was clear from the language ofSection 3
that the federal government may constitute more than onespecial court for the
whole or any part of Pakistan for the trial ofthe scheduled offences.
951208
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Stocks easy as volume soars to 29.9 million
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Commerce Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 7: Stocks finished the weekend session on an easy noteas
investors took profit at the higher levels amid a briskly tradedsession. Volume
soared to over 29 million shares thanks to massiveactivity in Hub-Power and PTC
vouchers.
Selling though dominated the trading, but selective buying re-emergedstrong on
a number of counters.
The Karachi Stock Exchange index of 100-share suffered a fresh setbackof about
24 points at 1,401.07, but did not breach the psychologicalbarrier of 1,400
points. The overnight closing was around 1,425points.
Minus signs again dominated the list, with Dadex, which has risensharply over
the last couple of sessions, being in the lead falling byRs 15.50 after dealing
in it were made on spot basis.
ICI Pakistan followed it, which was also massively traded on heavyselling from
some long parties and was marked down by Rs 2.50 onvolume of 0.873 million
shares.
Other prominent losers were led by Parke-Davis, Orient Board, CrescentSteel,
Sui Southern, Dewan Salman and Shafiq Textiles, which sufferedfall ranging from
Rs 2 to 10.
Adamjee Insurance, Crescent Bank, Union Bank, Metropolitan Bank, andDadabhoy
Insurance were among the other leading losers.
The market was, however, not without some special features as a someof the blue
chips managed to put on fresh good gains under the lead ofPakistan Hotels, Apex
Fabrics, Engro Chemicals, Pakistan Gum, PSO andLever Brothers, which posted
gains ranging from Rs 1.5 to 10.
Muslim Insurance, Universal Insurance, Colony Woollen, and Packagesalso
attracted good support and rose modestly.
The most active list was topped by Hub-Power, unchanged on 7.670million shares
followed by PTC vouchers, easy 45 paisa on 7.357million shares, Dewan Salman,
off Rs 2 on 1.509 million shares, FaysalBank, lower 60 paisa on 936,000 shares,
and Dhan Fibre, lower 35 paisaon 735,000 shares.
Other actives were led by Pioneer Cement, down 10 paisa on 337,000shares, LTV
Modaraba, easy also by 10 paisa on 179,500 shares, HondaAtlas, lower 30 paisa
on 137,500 shares and Askari Bank, off Rs 1.30on 110,100 shares.
Trading volume soared to 29.291 million shares from the previous 13million
shares thanks to massive activity in Hub-Power and PTC.
There were 330 actives, which came in for trading, out of which 214shares
suffered fall, while only 60 rose, with 56 holding on to thelast levels.
951208
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Institutiona l funds to be released in 30 days
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaukat Ali
LAHORE, Dec. 7: Corporate Law Authority Chairman Shamim Ahmed Khan hassaid that
the government wants market forces to play their role torecover stock markets
from their prevailing plunge.
Mr Khan said that the government handling of the stock markets�deteriorated
situation was not repugnant to the principle of freemarket economy but what the
government had been doing was to help thecapital market by ensuring release of
institutional funds which werestuck up due to some reasons.
He said these funds, belonging to National Investment Trust (NIT) andthe
Investment Corporation of Pakistan (ICP), were stuck up with thePrivatisation
Commission in the form of shares which they had in thepublic sector
organisations which the PC had sold out now.
He said 40 per cent of their dues had already been paid to theseinstitutions
but the blocked 60 per cent � Rs 398.22 million of theNIT and Rs 190 million of
the ICP � would be released within 30 days.
Mr.Khan said that the government, had also agreed to two-wayconversion of the
GDRs (Global Depository Receipts) into vouchers fortrading. The government had,
however, not accepted the demand ofwithdrawing 10 per cent tax on bonus shares
but, according to him,held out an assurance to the committee that this matter
would be givena sympathetic consideration. Replying to questions, he said it
was too early to blame anyone forthe current debacle of the capital markets but
added that whathappened was not very uncommon in this sphere of economy.
951209
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash flow problem delay�s implementation of projects
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ihtasham Ul Haque
THE cash flow problems of the government have caused delays infulfilling half
of the 650 major development contracts. WithInternational Development Authority
(IDA) of the World Bankthreatening to suspend disbursing its share of resources
in caseIslamabad does not manage release as early as possible.
"We note with concern that nearly half of the 650 IDA assisted on-
going contracts are running behind schedule, primarily due to cashflow
problems, inadequate management, and lack of intensive progressmonitoring and
corrective actions by the Co-ordinators" writes ChiefResident Mission of the
World Bank, Mr. Sadiq Ahmad
The government has already stopped payments for purchasing new itemsfor the
offices and issued a directive to only ensure payment ofsalaries of its
employees. The Financial Advisories of the Ministrieshave been asked not to
approve any new budget for anything other thanthe salaries and medical bills.
Numerous contracts in Punjab have been delayed due to cash flowproblem that
continues till today. Inordinate delays in payments tocontractors have not only
stymied progress but in many cases haveforced contractors to abandon the sites.
The World Bank has said that the Punjab government should immediatelyprovide
Rs. 230 million of additional funding. Of this amount, Rs.1.50 million will be
released to C&W and Rs. 80 million to the PunjabIrrigation Department. Punjab
Finance Department will allow use of theprovincial "suspension accounts" by the
project implementing agencies.
Besides the flood restoration project the world bank is believed to
befinalising reports on other major development projects being delayeddue to
funding problem of the government. It is said that-all themajor lending
agencies are asking the government to arrange matchingfunds, as agreed earlier,
to undertake old and new projects.
951212
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Govt plans to print new currency, bank notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mohammad Malick
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 11: The government plans to print new bank andcurrency notes to
the tune of Rs82,252 million and Rs940 millionrespectively during the first
half of 1996.
The value of the currency notes in circulation presently in case ofbank notes
is Rs226,556,956,277 while the worth of currency notes incirculation has been
tabulated at Rs2,069,168,000. Foreign Exchangereserves by the end of November,
meanwhile, were put at US$ 1132million, down from the October�s relatively
higher figure of US$ 1286million.
Citing efforts to stabilise the currency the House was informed thatthe focus
of fiscal policy continued to be the reduction of overallfiscal deficit.
The fiscal deficit is projected to be reduced to 4.6 per cent of GDPin 1995-96
while monetary expansion is expected to increase by 13 percent in the same
period as against 16.6 per cent.
The government also appeared confident that �this coupled with a pick-
up in growth rate is likely to reduce the inflation rate to 9.5 percent in
1995-96�.
951212
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Devaluation fails to achieve export targets
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sabihuddin Ghausi
KARACHI, Dec. 11: The government�s decision to devalue Pakistanicurrency by 7
per cent, on October 29, has apparently failed toachieve the objective of
pushing up exports, as an unofficial reportmentioned only 1.2 per cent rise in
export earnings, during Novemberover October exports.
Information gathered from various sources revealed that the exportearnings in
November amounts to $629 million, showing an insignificantrise, over $540
million exports during October. Total exports duringJuly to November 1995-96
amounts to $2.79 billion as against $2.96billion realised in July to November
1994-95 period, indicating a 5per cent shortfall.
When compared to total export target of $9.2 billion set for thefiscal 1995-96,
indicating a monthly average projection of $766million, the total export
earnings during the last five months areover $1 billion, less than the
proportionate target of $3.06 billion.
Interestingly, the Prime Minister�s Advisor on Finance, Mr V.A.Jafarey in his
numerous statements after devaluation, and the StateFinance Minister, Makhdoom
Shahabuddin had pointed out that thedepreciation in Pakistani rupee had been
done to push up the exports,curtail imports and improve upon the balance of
payment position.
While the impact of this move on imports and trade imbalance will beknown after
a day or two, when the Federal Bureau of Statisticsreleases the figures
officially. Meanwhile the traders doubt, whetherthe deficit of $1.4 billion
sustained in July to October 1995 periodcould be substantially, bridged.
�It all, however, depends on the improvement of law and ordersituation in
Karachi�, the one condition that planners are lookingfor, without which they
fear that all their projections would beknocked out.
951212
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SBP increases cash reserve requirement
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mohiuddin Aazim
KARACHI, Dec. 11: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) imposed on allcommercial
banks a special reserve requirement of 3.5 % of their timeand demand
liabilities and also raised the discount rate by 0.5 %.
An SBP announcement said the decisions aimed at reducing monetaryexpansion and
subsequent inflation would take effect from next Monday.It said the special
reserve requirement would not apply on the foreigncurrency accounts adding that
the special cash deposits would carry anannual 9.2 % of rate of return. With
the imposition of the specialreserve requirement of 3.5 % the total reserve
requirement for thecommercial banks has risen to 32.5 %�8.5% in cash and 25 %
in the formof government securities.
Some senior bankers and money market analysts also attributed theimmunity
accorded to the foreign currency accounts from the specialreserve requirement
to the SBP efforts to attract foreign currencyaccounts and help build up the
foreign exchange reserves that recentlytouched a two-year low of less than $1.0
bn.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
New package to improve stock market
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 12: Expressing satisfaction over the approved packagefor stock
exchanges, president, Islamabad Stock Exchange, Tariq IqbalKhan said this would
ensure the required vehicles available for thestock market to improve.
Of the total funds of Rs 25 bn, 10% (Rs 2.5 bn) could be invested bythem in the
capital market and not more than 1% of the 10% could beinvested in one company,
thus laying down stringent conditions which,he added, would provide safeguard
to the interests of the fundholders.
He presented details of the recommendations presented by the threepresidents of
the stock exchanges during their meeting with the PrimeMinister, earlier this
month.
Mr. Tariq said the recommendations presented by them except two wereapproved by
the Government market. The management of institutionscited in the new package,
would be at liberty to invest the funds evenin the capital market.
The fund of the institutions, he said, was so far been invested in
thegovernment securities, while the stock exchanges recommended that
someportion of the funds be allowed to be invested in the stock market,provided
conditions suited.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Trade imbalance swells to $1.73bn during July-Nov.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 12: Pakistan�s trade imbalance during July to November1995 period
swelled to about 1.73 billion dollars mainly because of26.2 per cent rise in
import bill in the last five months. It is over300 million dollars more than
trade deficit of 1.4 billion dollarssuffered during July to October 1995
period.
Official trade figures released revealed that imports during July toNovember
1995 amounted to 4.52 billion dollars as against 3.58 billiondollars in same
period of 1994. Exports on the other hand showed adecline of 5.7 per cent and
were worth 2.79 billion dollars in July toNovember 1995 period as against 2.96
billion dollars in same period of1994.
During single month of November, imports showed a marginal decline of0.8 per
cent and amounted to 952 million dollars as compared to 960million dollars in
October 1995. Exports, however, went up by 15.4 percent to 629 million dollars
in November from 545 million dollars inOctober but were less by 1.2 per cent
less than export earnings worth637 million dollars in November last year.
Notable increase in exports during single month of November was incase of
cotton which went up by about 497 per cent to 28.49 milliondollars, rice by
65.5 per cent to 45.97 million dollars, cotton yarnby 19.66 per cent to 115.66
per cent, garments by 8.96 per cent to45.08 million dollars. However, 13 major
items including fish,carpets, sports goods, tarpaulin and canvass goods,
synthetic fabrics,fruits and vegetables showed decline in exports during
November.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SBP allows direct repayment of debt through export bills
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 12: The SBP Foreign Exchange Department said it is notnecessary
to repatriate the proceeds of export bills to Pakistan firstand then arrange
remittance for repaying the debt. �The amounts of theexport bills realised
abroad can straight-away be used in repayment ofthe amount of the relative debt
and interest less taxes.
�Previously it took 10-15 days to realise the export proceeds inPakistan and
then use it to clear the export debt acquired outside thecountry.� �From now
onwards the exporters would clear their foreigndebt acquired for the export
purpose as soon as their export bills arerealised abroad... The saving of time
that would become possible inthe process would naturally reduce the cost of
borrowing.�
Through another circular, the SBP allowed the banks to make paymentsagainst
import bills without seeking the SBP prior approval in casewhere the import
documents have been received directly by the importerand not through the banks.
The circular said the banks had been permitted to exercise this powerprovided
the requests for remittances are accompanied by all necessarydocuments
including the customs bill of entry.
951213
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Banks advised not to penalise depositors
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 12: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) instructed thebanks to
refrain from debiting the customers deposits accounts in casethey show a
decline below a certain level.
�Banks are advised that unless and until the depositor has agreed inwriting to
the payment of such charges and the rate of charge has beendeclared in the
Schedule of Charges required to be printed on half-
yearly basis no such recoveries shall be made from such accounts,� thecircular
said.
A couple of executives of leading banks told Dawn that the
instructionexclusively related to the foreign banks operating in Pakistan.
A source close to the SBP said if the foreign banks were attractingdepositors
by offering them saving account rates of return on currentaccounts...�it is
their business...but the central bank cannot simplyallow them to debit the
depositors account for any reason other thanthose permissible.�
Some local bankers welcomed the SBP move. They said lately someleading banks
particularly the foreign ones had indulged in increasingthe minimum balance
limit for their account holders and hoped that theSBP instruction would check
the trend.
951214
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Record rise in share value of BOC Pakistan
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Commerce Reporter
KARACHI, Dec. 13: A record rise of Rs 315.75 in the share value of BOCPakistan
followed by news of a handsome cash and bonus shares of 100per cent featured
the Wednesday�s stock market where all other leadingshares also rose under the
lead of MNCs.
The management of the company has announced a cash dividend of 80 percent, 40
per cent interim already paid and a record bonus share at therate of 200 per
cent.
Never before in the history of the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), anyother
company has responded so bullishly to a record dividend as didthe BOC, partly
because of the reported shortage of the floatingstock. Only 500 shares of the
company were traded as there were notmany sellers at the inflated level. It was
last quoted at Rs 600against the face value of Rs 10.
Floor brokers said the notable feature was that some of the leadingforeign
funds were also in the rings and made massive buying in PTCvouchers, Hub-Power
and some other MNCs at the lower levels.
The market recovery was led by bank shares, which recovered broadly onheavy
buying at the lower levels, major gainers among them beingAskari Bank, Bankers
Equity, Al-Faysal Bank and Prudential Bank. Butmutual funds and modarabas were
traded fractionally and mostly on thelower side for want of support even at the
lower levels.
Insurance shares also rose under the lead of Adamjee, Century andMuslim
Insurance and so did some others. But textile shares generallyfell barring
Gadoon Textiles and some others.
Synthetic shares were actively traded as leading dealers coveredpositions, with
National Fibre, being the largest gainer. However,bulk of the activity remained
centred around Dhan Fibre and DewanSalman, which were traded higher.
Cement shares showed mixed trend amid alternate bouts of buying andselling but
leading among them including D.G.Khan, Gharibwal and MapleLeaf Cement fell.
Pakland rose modestly.
Energy and auto shares followed their lead falling sharply under thelead PSO.
But Hub-Power, Sui Southern and Sui Northern and some othersrose. Hub-Power was
massively traded as some of the foreign fund madelarger buying. Honda Atlas
also rose in autos.
Most of the MNCs in the chemical and pharma sector showed good gainson active
support, rising under the lead of Dawood Hercules, ICIPakistan, Pakistan Gum,
Searle Pakistan, and Bawany Air. WellcomePakistan was the only exception, which
fell sharply.
Elsewhere, Quice Food, Lever Brothers, Treet Corporation and UnitedDistributors
were among the other major gainers.
Hub-Power topped the list of most actives, up Rs 1.40 on 8.439 millionshares
followed by PTC vouchers, lower 45 paisa on 3.734 millionshares, Dewan Salman,
up Rs 1.95 on 981,000 shares, ICI Pakistan, upRs 2.60 on 344,500 shares, LTV
Modaraba, unchanged on 214,500 shares,Dhan Fibre, up 10 paisa on 209,500 shares
and Faysal Bank, firm 25paisa on 432,000 shares. There were some other notable
deals also.
Trading volume fell from the previous peak level of 29 million sharesto 21.402
million shares owing to the absence of leading sellers.
There were 317 actives, out of which 136 shares fell, 125 rose with 56holding
on to the last levels.
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951208
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The bare bones � 3
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
NO ONE I have met is surprised at what is happening, at the slide downthe
slippery slope. It was all on the cards, we expected nothing elseof this second
Benazir government. Innocent of public finance as shehas demonstrated herself
to be, she has chosen not to appoint a full-
fledged full-time finance minister.
It is no use hoping that �something� will happen to save us, as domany who put
their faith in a benevolent kismet. We must rely on logicand reason.
�Something� cannot appear out of the blue and save us atthis point in time in
the life of the Islamic Republic. Let us go backover 400 years to the time of
Akbar the Great, who guided thedestinies of millions. His finance minister (so
to speak), Raja TodarMall, urged Akbar to indulge in trade to enrich his
progeny. Feelinguneasy, he consulted his wise men, amongst them Dasturan
DasturMeherji Rana, who reminded him of the old Zoroastrian saying,�Maharaj,
jaino Raja wiapari, teynee praja bhikari.� (When a sovereignbecomes a merchant,
his subjects are reduced to beggary).
Four hundred years down the road, this saying holds true. When LeeKuan Yew
visited this country he told us how, when he first becameprime minister of
Singapore at the age of 35, he had two choices: tomake himself rich or to make
his country rich. He unhesitatingly chosethe latter. Lee is an educated man in
the profound sense of the wordand such an attitude is expected of him. He did
not score points indebating societies; he scored in learning. At Cambridge he
took adouble first in law, and in the final examination ranked first in
thehonours list, winning a star for special distinction. He was fortunatein
having a wife who was awarded a Queen�s Scholarship, who went toCambridge and
was the first Malayan woman to be awarded first classhonours, after only two
years of study.
The welfare of the people of Singapore, of their country�s worth andwealth,
ranks uppermost in the minds of the two Lees and has beenhanded down to Goh
Chok Tong, an unassuming man, now prime minister ofperhaps the richest Asian
republic. When he went to New York for theUN celebrations he stayed in a hotel
suite costing $1,700 per night.Our Daughter of Destiny chose a hotel where a
suite costs up to$15,000 per night and she took with her in her special plane
ahundred-odd acolytes. Our money was squandered with gay abandon.
Our present economic and political predicament is all our own fault.We are 130
million largely illiterate serfs living on an estate spreadover 796,000 square
kilometre�s, lorded over by an oligarchy of feudalfamilies. Our sole purpose in
life is merely to toil and sweat for theenrichment of the rulers and their
cronies. �We can be dislodged onlyby the masses,� said Benazir in Ghazni Khel
on the 6th of December.
After I had written the first of the �Bare Bones� series predictingthat perhaps
by the next century Pakistan, as we know it, would ceaseto exist, our Chief
Minister took it upon himself to ask his legaladvisers whether I could be tried
for sedition. When Nazim Haji, wholives and works so close to misery and
reality, wrote suggesting thatI was being optimistic and that my prediction
could well come to passbefore the close of the century; our Governor asked his
staff toarrange to replace Nazim, joint chief of the CPLC, a voluntary
workerfor the people�s welfare. Now, another Pakistani, Shahid Javed Burkiof
the World Bank, has suggested that �we are in danger of losingJinnah�s legacy�
(Dawn, Dec. 6). Let us hope that the President doesnot suggest he be tried for
treason. Burki made it abundantly clearthat he is very aware that the country
is now left with no viableinstitutions, including that of the judiciary.
Last week I heard Moeen Qureshi sermonising in Karachi, sounding likeBilly
Graham and Martin Luther King rolled into one, before he flewoff to lunch with
the President and the Prime Minister in Islamabad,and to meet the third of the
ruling troika, Big Chief Waheed. Did theycomprehend what he was trying to
convey? Understandably, he has aguilt complex, for was it not he who contrived
the installation ofthis government?
In the �70s, when Peter Cargill of the World Bank told General TikkaKhan (who
was then lording it over a falling, seceding East Pakistan)that our country had
a liquidity problem, Tikka, genuinely surprised,waved his arms, raised his
eyebrows, and pointed to the waterssurrounding Dacca. When Tikka�s mind finally
grasped the true meaning,he exclaimed, �No problem! All I have to do is to
telephone Yahya Khanand tell him to have more notes printed.�
In the �90s, our present day Tikka, General Babar of Khajiloo,proclaimed his
conviction that we are rich since we have a printingpress that can print as
much currency as is needed. Worse still, wehave a minister in charge of
commerce, a shoemaker by profession, whothinks the same way and said so. There
were those who expected thePrime Minister to rebut this ridiculous nonsense,
but she endorsed it.An apprehensive man of finance was heard to say that he
hopes we donot now hear the President inform us that we can even print
dollars,as many as we wish.
Institutions can only be as strong, as capable of administration andas
judicious as are those that head them. Competent and honest menappointed on
merit, who have no fear of the �high-ups� takingadvantage of their weaknesses
and calling the shots, obviously outdothose appointed on the basis of nepotism
and favouritism. But now, noone is ever appointed on merit.
A case in point: Young Asadullah Shaikh, an officer of the DMG, in1993 was Home
Secretary in the Sindh government. He had never beforeworked in a bank or a
DFI, and had no experience at all of handlingfinance, shares, investments, etc.
In early 1994, he was elevated byBenazir�s second government to Grade 20 and
appointed CEO of NIT. Hewas put into a chair normally occupied by a senior
Grade 21 or 22officer.
Asadullah was hand-picked for his servility and implicit obedience tothe powers
that be. All in the equity market are well aware of how hehandles the people�s
money held in trust, one of his most infamousdeeds being the KESC and SSG
shares transaction in June this year,ending with the federal government
announcing that it intended to soonpromulgate a law to make �insider trading� a
cognisable offence. Thisso far, it seems, has not happened.
Asadullah was never expected to follow the ground rules, the rules ofbusiness,
or the principles of sound finance. �To hear is to obey.�Recently, without
advertising the sale or inviting bids, he privatelynegotiated the sale of 4,610
square yards of prime NIT property onBeaumont Road (next to Dawood Centre),
giving vacant possession at thelow rate of Rs 12,000 per sq. yd.
Another case in point: Pakistan Steel Mill in the days of engineer-
General Sabih Qamar-uz-Zaman was well run. Naturally, the Generaltotally
disregarded the recommendations of Baaji Naheed Khan, so histerm was not
extended. The acting charge of the mill was given toSajjad Hussain, a man known
neither for integrity nor ability. Hefailed to deliver to Islamabad the
expected spoils, and two days agowas summarily displaced. Salman Farooqui�s
brother, �Dr� UsmanFarooqui, took over as acting chairman and managing
director.
In a well-researched article published in August 1992, Altaf Butt ofNewsline
wrote on this man. �Usman Farooqui has worked in keypositions in state-owned
public enterprises for more than a decade,with fake degrees. But since he
happens to be the brother of apowerful secretary, Salman Farooqui, he continues
to work on animportant post in Pakistan Steel with impunity.�
Farooqui�s 1985 Annual Confidential Report rated him as �belowaverage� in
leadership quality, intellectual integrity, and sense ofresponsibility in
financial matters. Prior to his PS appointment, hisservices were relinquished
by PACO, whose chairman noted on histransfer papers, �he must be watched
closely as he gives preference topersonal benefit rather than the interest of
the organisation. He doesnot hesitate to make incorrect statements for his own
benefit.�
Why has this man been appointed, and to deliver what to Islamabad?
951208
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Illegal aliens amongst us
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M.B. Naqvi
THE episode of over 150 alleged Bengali-speaking illegal immigrantsbeing
shuttled between Dhaka and Karachi after their arrest in Karachiand being
rearrested in Dhaka. This should bring Pakistan authoritiescloser to sober
reality.
The Bangladesh government refuses to take them and has warned Pakistanthat in
future deportees from here will not be allowed to stay inBangladesh and shall
be sent back by the same return flight. That putspaid to the current enthusiasm
of Interior Minister Gen. NaseerullahBabar. Would Islamabad now think before
acting?
Our intelligence agencies had promoted the idea that many of Karachi�stroubles
owe their origins to the existence of a large number ofillegal immigrants
living among us, particularly in Karachi. Thefailures of security agencies in
re-establishing peace and order inKarachi was being explained away in terms of
such a large number ofillegal aliens.
As concerns rose, many ministers and officials of the Sindh governmentbegan to
see an easy alibi for their political failures. Opponents ofthe PPP see
possible ugly designs in this hysteria over foreigners.Originally, most of the
illegal aliens were supposed to be Bengaliscoming in large numbers. But lately
a certain class of governmentservants is claiming that the pool of foreigners
living in Karachiincludes a substantial number of Indians i.e. Indian Muslims.
ManyKarachiite�s say this is a red herring, if ever there was one. Theypoint to
the stringent measures that the Pakistan mission in Delhi andinterior ministry
and home department here have taken to keep a tab onvisiting Indians in recent
years: it is next to impossible for anyIndian visitor to disappear and remain
undetected. However, manyissues are thereby raised.
To begin with, people will ask how did the foreigners come in? If upto two
million illegal immigrants have trekked into the country, itmust be because the
security agencies have facilitated their arrival.They have also acquired
Pakistani identity cards and many of them evenpassports. Any state which allows
its documents to be given toforeigners for the asking has only to accept and
own them up as itscitizens. It is not open to it to turn round and say that it
was bymistake.
It is likely that there was some illegal immigration, because of thesecurity
agencies� inefficiency and or corruption. Many of thesepersons may have been
Bengalis. There may also be some Indians, thoughit is most unlikely because the
Indians who come here are, rigorously,often offensively, watched.
There are two wholly different categories of other illegal immigrants.One is
the Afghans. Their presence in tens of thousands, possiblylakhs, is due not so
much to their illegal actions as to Pakistangovernment�s open-door policy. All
Afghans were, in fact, welcomedwith open arms and this welcome included free
rations and so manyother facilities. The other category is actual refugees from
Iran andArab countries who have bribed their way into Pakistan; they came
inones and twos. While some of them commit crimes, the focus of theirattention
are other refugees or citizens of their own country orregion � and not
Pakistanis.
The interior ministry and Sindh government stand committed todeporting these
illegal aliens who are said to number up to twomillion. The fact of the matter
is that there are no logisticalfacilities for doing so. If Pakistan had so much
difficulty and up to$800 million had to be collected by foreigners in order to
bring inscarcely three lacks Biharis from Bangladesh, how much more moneywould
be needed to deport two million people?
Moreover, where will they be deported to? That proposition presupposesother
countries agreeing to receive them. Would they? One can bet thatno country
would accept any number of its alleged nationals. The wholeidea of sending back
Bengali-speaking residents of Pakistan has provedto be misconceived. If this is
so in most cases and Gen. Babar insistson arresting them all, he is on a course
to set up concentration campsfor up to two million people. Are we rich enough
to do so and for howlong?
Two points emerge: one, the mind that makes political capital out ofthe misery
of a recognisable minority � poor and horribly maltreatedby the loquacious
general�s corrupt underlings � is called xenophobic.In the experience of all
people, their politics is extreme right-wingroguery. That debases democracy.
If the state agencies have been inefficient and corrupt enough topermit the
entry of up to two million aliens, well the country isstuck with them. They are
here for keeps. But do let us think. Whatare all these people doing here? They
are not like the economicrefugees that went from the subcontinent to England or
other countriesof Europe for enjoying social security benefits and to get jobs.
Herethe state has not given them anything whatsoever. It has not giventhem any
job. No doubt, they are doing some jobs to sustainthemselves. But this is a
helpless wave of humanity that, underpopulation pressure, tries to work out a
living wherever possible.
At any rate, they are doing jobs that others were not willing to dobecause by
all accounts they are paid pitifully inadequately. Theirdisplacement would most
likely leave an economic void. But none ofthem is a burden on the community or
the state. Already the facts areheart-breaking, particularly regarding the
hapless Bengalis. Many ofthem are bona fide and legal Pakistanis. Investigation
shows that mostof them are those Bengalis from pre-independence days who had
beenhere and who did not wish to go back, for whatever reasons. As ithappens,
they are constantly being fleeced by our security forces:money is extorted
heartlessly from them; they are harassed; theirwomen are frequently molested by
law enforcement minions.
Every time a press campaign is run about the �huge number� of illegalBengalis,
a large number of arrests are made, more money is extortedfrom them and they
are eventually released. This has happened tens oftimes. It is sure to happen
again. The modus operandi of the police inthis regard is well known. This is a
social tragedy that even humanrights workers have not highlighted adequately.
Supposing a given number of illegal immigrants, properly so- called,exists,
what then? How do we treat them? even aliens have humanrights; some human
rights cannot be taken away from people simplybecause they happened to be in
the wrong country at any given time. Wecannot actually maltreat them in an
uncivilised manner. We have alsoto obey our own laws. The procedures that are
laid down for thepurpose need to be followed.
Before any action is taken, some actions need to be taken againstthose who may
have permitted them to enter the country. At any rate,natural justice demands
that those who are already here in somefashion or settled and are doing a job,
they should be accepted asPakistanis for practical and legal purposes, if they
have lived herefor over five years without committing a cognisable offence.
Theyshould be naturalised as Pakistanis and given adequate documents
andprotection. This is probably the only way out of the situation. Onlythose
may illegal immigrants may be sent back who are clearly recentarrivals or those
who do not want to become Pakistanis or live here onthe terms on which others
Pakistanis do.
There remains the running sore of the so-called Biharis in Bangladesh,some two
lacks-plus. All governments in Pakistan, including thepresent one, have
recognised them as entitled to Pakistanicitizenship. Each government, at one
time or another, promised tobring them back. Public-spirited foreigners have
helped collect $800million for their return and rehabilitation in Pakistan. But
eachgovernment has reneged on its promise on the morally and legallyshabby
ground. But the net immigration into Karachi and Hyderabadevery year far
exceeds the number of Biharis. No Sindhi can doanything about this immigration.
This is one of the inescapable legacyof history that should not be dodged.
Let Islamabad take due care to settle them in northern parts and helpthem make
a living there. If they do trek to south, well, it cannot behelped. That price
must be paid for history�s tragedies and mistakes.With what face can we tell
the Bangladesh government to accept ourdeportees, if we are not willing to
accept back those whose legaltitle to return is 100 per cent valid and who want
to?
The real problem lies with the approach so far adopted. At the back ofthe mind
is the fear that the goodies are few and the more claimantsthere are, there
will be less to go round. The true approach andendeavour should be to increase
the quantum of goodies and thereadiness to be honest and fair in distributing
them. If we are readynot to corner more than the fair share for one�s favoured
group and ifwe are planning a co-operative effort, there is sure to be enough
forall � within reason.
951209
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The way to peace in Karachi
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Mahdi Masud
THE recent financial crisis, reflected in the run on the dollar andthe slump in
the Karachi Stock Exchange, stemmed basically from acrisis of confidence, in
which the single most important contributoryfactor was the situation in
Karachi. If the political stalemate andthe conflict on the ground continue in
Karachi, expedients such aspalliatives for the stock exchanges or assurances
regarding improvedeconomic performance are not going to bring any
significantimprovement in the economic scenario.
While the need for restoring peace and harmony to Sindh is essentialon its own
account, there is the concomitant external factor arisingout of India�s
designs. In a recent article in �Strategic Analysis�,the organ of the
prestigious Institute of Strategic Studies andAnalyses, New Delhi, the Director
of the Institute, Air CommodoreJasjit Singh, said:
�If Pakistan with its fragile political institutions and culture isunable to
manage its internal contradictions and domestic ethno-
sectarian divisions (aggravated as they are by the Afghan imbroglio,colossal
spread of small arms and the debilitating effects of dungtrafficking), its
internal turmoil may present India withunprecedented challenges and difficult
policy choices.�
If memory serves one right, no internal crisis in Pakistan has lastedas long as
the on-going conflict in Karachi. This includes theuprising in Balochistan
during the early seventies, the MRD movementagainst General Zia, the PNA
movement against Prime Minister Bhuttoand sporadic agitation by the PNA and
others.
The question of responsibility for the continuing violence, which
haseffectively thrown the negotiating teams of the two sides out ofcourt,
constitutes the vicious circle in which Karachi is trapped.Government maintains
that it would continue its drive againstterrorism (leading to killings in
alleged encounters, arrests andinterrogation of suspects and, occasional, siege
and searchoperations). While denying its alleged role in terroristic
attacks,the MQM leaves unsaid the presumed inference that killings by
itsactivists would continue to provoke reprisals. This vicious circle hasto be
broken.
The crux of the situation is the inability of the MQM, after thebattering it
has received during the past few years, with the bulk ofits cadres under
detention or eliminated, to sustain an offensivecampaign against the
government. This means that it is up to thegovernment to take the initiative in
defusing the situation bysuspending its siege and search operations and its
continued drive tonab all suspects on its lists. Only thus can the
stalematednegotiations be resumed.
If an organisation such as the MQM can be considered acceptable as anegotiating
partner, it should be considered acceptable as a party toa ceasefire without
which there is no hope for serious negotiations onKarachi. If in spite of a
government initiative for a truce on theground, the MQM is unable to enforce
discipline and restraint amongits activists, it would be held responsible for
keeping Karachi inturmoil.
The situation is complicated, however, by the apparent expectationthat the
government would be able to physically crush the movementwithout requiring to
make any concessions or peace overtures. Even ifthey succeed in crushing the
activists, they would still be left witha large community disenfranchised and
largely deprived of theopportunities due to it in the political and economic
life of theprovince and the country. Would this ever serve the purpose
ofnational cohesion unity and morale and of durable peace in Karachi,the
economic hub of the country?
In a less violent and more conciliatory atmosphere, the
government-MQMnegotiations can focus on both the effects of the
long-festeringconflict (including the question of an impartial tribunal
fordetermining the fate of the large number of detainees) and on thebasic
issues of a fair deal (economic, political, employment andeducational) for all
sections of Sindh�s population.
Meanwhile, the MQM must avoid any action, internally or externally,which could
adversely affect the national cause, including Kashmir.The movement for the
rights of the people of Karachi will be over assoon as a fair understanding
with the ruling party is reached. But thestakes that the people of Karachi have
in the security and prosperityof Pakistan are for ever. The Mohajirs stand to
lose most if there isany serious setback to Pakistan.
Increasing economic pressures underline the pressing necessity ofbolstering
public confidence by associating with the governmentrepresentatives of major
segments of the population, including theMohajirs. The need for building the
city�s infrastructure alsoemphasises the desirability of the widest possible
publicrepresentation at the level of local and provincial governments. It isby
sharing the responsibility that the two major communities (Sindhisand Mohajirs)
would develop greater confidence and trust and it is byworking in concert that
the long list of mutual grievances would bebrought into focus and resolved.
John Morley had said: �Tolerance is reverence for all possibilities ofthe
truth.� Is it not amazing how people, including those with formaleducation,
overlook completely the fact that none of us had anycontrol over the place of
our birth, our race, creed or language? Thefact that each one of us could have
been born in a totally differentmilieu does not seem to make any difference to
feelings of ethnic orsectarian hostility, prejudice and intolerance which
account for manyof the world�s man-made tragedies.
Genuine tolerance involves an instinctive appreciation of the feelingsof
others, an ability to put oneself in the other man�s situation.There can never
be a better definition of justice than that given bythe Holy Prophet (PBUH). In
reply to a question as to when wouldjustice be established on this earth, he
said, �Not until he who seesinjustice done to another, feels it as much as if
the injustice wasdone to him.� This must be the guiding motto of all of us if
we wishto make our contribution towards making Pakistan the land of ourdreams
and towards the building of a peaceful and just world order.
951211
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A nation forgetful of its advantages
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Ayaz Amir
A LINE that I recently read with regard to Nigeria fits Pakistan evenbetter:
this is a nation made poor by its leaders. We have so manystrengths, our people
so much resilient, fortitude and forbearing thatit is a pity that their destiny
has always been entrusted in the handsof a succession of charlatans. Whatever
their failings or sins ourpeople surely have deserved better than this.
What did Pakistan not have in 1947? The rule of law, the trappings ifnothing
more of democracy, a bureaucracy schooled in the tenets of theRaj, political
parties, an educated elite, a free press and a peoplewaiting for a revolution
to transform their lives. These advantageswere more considerable than those
enjoyed by other Asian countries,the same countries whom in our emotional
moments we seek to emulatetoday.
True, these advantages which constituted the brightest aspects of
ourcolonialist legacy (a legacy which the ranks of Pakistani
punditryunthinkingly condemn when they can think of nothing else to explainour
miserable plight) were accompanied by a great deal of backwardnessand poverty.
But had the country�s destiny been entrusted in the handsof a caring and
competent elite, there is no reason why these problemscould not have been
tackled. After all, other people placed in farmore adverse circumstances than
ours have tackled and fought fargraver challenges.
But if ever a promising legacy was squandered it was by the Pakistanigoverning
class which dissipated its energies, and forfeited its moralauthority, in
fighting political battles which had nothing to do withthe welfare of the
people. Defining Pakistani statehood, the laborioussearch for a constitution,
provincial autonomy, the role of Islam inthe working of the new state: these
were the epic questions whichconsumed the attention of Pakistan�s new masters.
While important inthemselves, these scholastic issues could have been settled
and doneaway with in a relatively short time by an elite with more vision
andcompetence than ours possessed.
Leaving aside these excursions into the distant past, the opportunitysquandered
by the governing class since 1985, when the frontiers ofmilitary rule were
pushed back, also makes for a painful examination.How high were the hopes of
the people about what democracy would dofor them? According to the mantra
chanted by the high priests ofdemocracy, all the country�s ills were rooted in
authoritarianism.Once democracy was established in its place, these ills
wouldgradually disappear. Democracy, of course, would be attended by itsown
shortcomings but, as the conventional wisdom of the time went, theanswer to the
problems of democracy lay in more democracy.
In fits and starts and with periodic lapses, we have now had democracyfor the
last ten years. With it have come four general elections and atrain of prime
ministers, both elected and appointed. The press isfree to rave, the
politicians free to rant while that large cadre ofdistinguished men and women
who have an opinion on every subject underthe sun but can never hope to get
elected even to a municipal councilis free to intrigue and draw the national
scene in the darkestcolours. The sun of democracy is thus at its zenith but the
country isunder the shadows of gloom and uncertainty.
No elected prime minister has been able to govern in peace - notBenazir Bhutto,
not Nawaz Sharif - partly because of the machinationsof their enemies but to a
great extent also because of their ownfailings rooted in corruption and
incompetence. External enemies canbe fought. Hitler�s armies could be defeated.
But how does one facethe enemies lurking within one�s bosom? How does one fight
corruptionwhen one�s own hands are tainted with the spoils? How can
pygmiesraise themselves to the stature of giants? This is the
Pakistanipredicament, an answer to which scarcely lies in a freshconstitutional
dispensation or a reversion to a presidential form ofgovernment � a nostrum
which that prince among charlatans, Dr MahbubulHaq, is trying to peddle these
days. He can have a divinely-inspiredconstitution tomorrow but our own hopeless
governing class will stillhave to work it. We can appropriate the Singaporean
constitutiontomorrow but will a Lee Kuan Yew be a part of the package?
The many people of distinction who like nothing better than to throwstones at
the shenanigans of our democracy would, if only their heartscould be examined,
dearly love to demolish it. Although our democracyis clearly not working
because all it has done over the past ten yearsis to throw up a series of
scoundrels, no tragedy would be greaterthan to accede the wishes of these
malcontents who come dressed in thecolours of patriotism. This country has few
real assets left, socomprehensive has been the squandering of its moral
resources by itsgoverning class. Where would it be if even democracy and its
attendantnoises were taken away from it?
The two most suffocating periods in the nation�s history have been thereigns of
those two military Bismarcks, Ayub Khan and Zia-ul-Haq.Another such period and
the country will be unable to bear the strain.However much we may denounce the
present state of affairs, do we notrealise that without democracy Pakistan will
be little better thanthat long line of Arab and Muslim countries groaning under
monarchistor republican dictatorships? Bad as our affairs may be they still
donot compare with those of countries like Egypt and Algeria whichprecisely
because of the absence of pluralism are being rocked byinternal strife. Our
problem is different. We have the mechanism andthe means to resolve our
internal problems and even to set out on thepaths of development. if we are
failing in this it is not because wedo not have the right constitutional means
at hand, as the brighter ofour pundits would have us believe, but because of
the degeneracy andlack of vision of our ruling classes.
Still, in the absence of an alternative there is no course open to thenation
except to suffer the abuses and depredations of the presentpolitical class: no
matter whether its manifestation is a Bhutto, aZardari, a Nawaz Sharif or
someone else. Other countries have livedthrough bad times. Maybe our penance is
proving longer but what is thealternative?
Surely not another night of the generals. And surely not another MoeenQureshi
interregnum. Apropos of which is it not pertinent to ask whythe man does not
leave us to our misery? The greatest gift hedisplayed during his short stint as
prime minister was for unabashedself-promotion. How will a further display of
this quality lift theeternal depression of Pakistani politics?
Nothing, therefore, could be worse for the country at this juncturethen to have
Benazir Bhutto�s term cut short prematurely. The countrycertainly needs to be
cleansed of the corruption and ineptitude whichdistinguish her government. But
through a process of naturalelimination: Benazir completing her term and then,
as a consequence ofher record, being booted out fairly and squarely at the
nextelections. How many more political windbags can we make martyrs of? Ifwe
talk of the collective wisdom of the people then we should leave itto the
people to pass judgment on their leaders.
One government completing its term and being booted out at the propertime
through fair elections and the country will take a giant stridetowards the
stability which has so far eluded it. As for the notionassiduously cultivated
by the nation�s breast-beaters that the countrycannot survive three more years
of kickbacks and Argentinean ponies,it can be taken with a pinch of salt. This
nation has more resiliencethan its well-wishers give it credit for. If it could
survive 11 yearsof Ayub Khan and eleven and a half years of Zia-ul-Haq, it can
surelysurvive three more years of the Benazir-Zardari dynasty. And whoknows,
having lived through the experience, its democracy, which hasbeen so far a
victim of impatience, may even emerge stronger from theoutcome.
951212
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National crisis in perspective
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Syed Shahid Husain
SOME time ago, my friend Ardeshir Cowasjee did me the honour ofpublishing my
analysis of Pakistan�s current situation in his column.For this he was
threatened with the charge of sedition. I now feelobliged to own up to the
views in Cowasjee�s column of September 1.Our situation is so serious that the
nation badly needs candour anddebate on society and government. There is no
room for the harassmentof thinkers and writers. After all, our independent
Press is about theonly institution espousing accountability while every
otherinstitution is emasculated or corrupted.
What does one see in Pakistan? What do people say? What does the Presssay? What
does one feel? One sees a burgeoning population, increasingfaster than in most
countries, likely to double in seventeen years.One sees illiteracy, higher than
in almost any part of the world. Onesees the breakdown of cities, led by
Karachi. One sees a crumblinginfrastructure. One sees a runaway national debt �
domestic andforeign. One sees reckless public expenditure and the breakdown
offiscal management. One sees a country where the rich and powerful takefrom
the state but pay little or no taxes. One sees systematic lootingof public
financial institutions, now largely bankrupted. One hears ofcorruption reaching
into the highest echelons of government. One seesthe cynical disregard of
instruments of the accountability of thepeople in power. One sees the erosion
of the very institutions of awell functioning nation state. One senses public
cynicism aboutgovernment, its processes and its leaders. Lately, one has seen
thebeginnings of the loss of confidence in the national currency and arush for
the dollar � the ultimate vote of no confidence in anysystem.
We have a tendency to lay the blame for our ills on foreigners, andlately the
fundamentalists. Foreigners have intervened in Pakistan�spolitics. In fact, our
politicians beg them to intervene. Desperatepeople, disillusioned by corrupt
and inept �modernists�, will seekanswers in fundamental beliefs and some of
them will resort toviolence. However, none of these explains why we are where
we are. Wehave to seek answers in our own social, political and economic
decay.Individual governments, all worse than their predecessors representthe
progressive decline of our institutions and values. Now, we arecoming to the
end of the road.
Perhaps the most important single phenomenon in Pakistan is the steadyextension
of, and the ultimate take over by, feudal values. Punjab,Sindh, Balochistan and
parts of the Frontier were, in the old BritishIndia, the most feudal provinces.
Land holdings were large. Most ofthe benefits of the expansion of irrigation
went to leading familiesand the landowners were an integral part of the system
of government.Prominent and wealthy families, mostly land-owning, were
theintermediaries between the government and the people. It was anoligarchical
system, an essential pillar of the imperial state and, inturn, nurtured by it.
Since independence, we have expanded this system not just in the ruralareas,
but to the urban economy as well. The instruments have beenland, permits,
licences, loans from public financial institutions andtax exemptions. In each
case, government favour has conferred instantwealth on individuals and
families. A substantial renter class hasbeen built up, a direct result of
governmental policies and actions.The resulting system of values emphasises
loyalties within smallgroups � families, clans and political groupings � rather
than societyat large. Of course, no nation state is totally homogeneous, nor
doall governments act in a totally equitable and democratic manner. Theissue is
balance. There is a limit beyond which feudal values andgroupings vitiate
nation states. We may not be far from it.
After independence, in allocating evacuee property and land, we merelytried to
replicate the pattern that existed before independence. Wespent large amounts
of public money to develop land in the southernand northern Sindh and in
Punjab. The beneficiaries were not thepeople at large; they were existing
landlords, senior civil servants,military officers, and politicians. We
developed land in cities, andmost of the benefit went to the well-off. We
acquired land inIslamabad from poor herdsmen and the benefit went to senior
publicservants and politicians. Loans from public institutions, often notpaid,
went to the elite.
The result is the monopolisation of economic and political power by arelatively
small political and economic elite. Thus, feudalindividuals, higher-echelon
civil servants and the militaryestablishment are tied into a single web. The
system excludes the massof the people from the concerns of the state and
depends upon theloyalties and manipulations of a relatively small number of
familiesand groupings. It breeds narrow relationships and discretionaryfavours,
rather than open and transparent systems.
This system of values would have died a natural death if we had arapidly
expanding and fiercely competitive private sector, independentof government.
Unfortunately, however, the control of the publicsector over the lives of
individual and business entities has expandedsteadily since independence.
Government and entities controlled by itare the largest employers. Government
entities control the buying andselling of major agricultural commodities.
Government controls majorfinancial institutions and insurance companies. Few
economicactivities can be initiated or thrive without the intervention ofpublic
functionaries. Increasingly, the belief across the land is thatmoney is made,
not by genuine enterprise and innovation, but throughfavours extracted from
government � a loan, a permit, an industrialunit, a power plant, a piece of
land.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto represented a massive assertion of feudal valuesand power,
as well as the expansion of the role of government. Hisslogans were populist,
his methods and ends were feudal. Hisnationalisation of industry and banks
destroyed, at least temporarily,a nascent capitalism, particularly in Karachi.
He expanded the ambitof government, as an instrument of power rather than
social well-
being. The nationalisation of schools destroyed private initiatives
ineducation. Naturally, the schools where his children and the childrenof his
friends went to were not nationalised. He hated the highercivil service for its
independence and destroyed the system of meriton which it was based. Everything
was personal and, in accordance withfeudal morality, personal loyalties counted
far more than principlesand ability. In the end, the People�s Party with all
its populistrhetoric became the party of landed aristocracy, particularly
inSindh.
The values of a democratic nation state are the very antithesis offeudal
values. A democratic state requires participation by a literateand politically
conscious population. In a nation state, nationalloyalty and national interest
take precedence over sectionalloyalties. A well functioning democratic system
requires liberalvalues, transparency and accountability. All these are anathema
to afeudal system. Finally, in feudal values the difference between thepersonal
belongings of the powerful and the resources of the statedisappears. The state
is merely an extension of their personalities,and its resources are fully at
their disposal. Legality and dueprocess are not relevant. Every transaction,
every favour has to bespecific and discretionary, as an aspect of personal
loyalties andenmities. In a modern liberal system, government has to pull back
fromcommercial transactions and concentrate on providing social goods
e.g.education, health and security and a predictable, competitive, openand fair
environment for private activities. In a feudal system,provision of social
goods is not important, since society at large isnot important. Transactions
are important, since that is how favoursand penalties are dispensed.
In the system left behind by the British � reasonably independenthigher courts,
a structure of civil service and, above all, the ruleof law � there was the
nucleus of a modern nation state. As feudalvalues and institutions have
expanded, this nucleus of the modernstate left behind by the British is in
tatters. The state and itsfunctionaries are largely immune from rules and the
workings of thelaw. The extent of this breakdown of systems was recently
brought hometo me in a conversation with a very senior member of the
financeestablishment. I asked him, who appointed the heads of
financialorganisations, and what was the sanctity of the budget.
Wereexpenditures incurred without provision in the budget? His answersconfirmed
my suspicion of a breakdown of systems and accountability.Similarly, many would
say that the independence of the judiciary isalso a matter of history. The
common man certainly has no hope ofjustice from the organs of the state.
Karachi represents the growing tension between this governance systemand the
rapidly changing economic and social realities in Pakistan. Asin all developing
countries, our cities are growing rapidly. Anincreasing part of our population
lives there; in the absence of acensus, my guess is close to fifty per cent. In
a highly concentratedway, cities mirror the economic and social issues of
Pakistan. In themthere is much enterprise and dynamism and also extremes of
misery anddeprivation. Given modern communications, aspirations as well
asresentments are high.
Urban peace and social tranquillity, particularly in large cities, canbe
achieved only if there is a rapid growth of jobs, adequate socialservices,
working infrastructure and due representation in nationaland local governments.
In our feudal environment, none of these wouldhappen. In the bigger cities,
particularly in Sindh, government islargely absent from social services. The
private sector is expandingand dynamic in education and health, but it cannot
reach the lower andmiddle classes and the poor.
The urban infrastructure, particularly in Karachi, is crumbling. Largecities
have no meaningful city government. The people of Karachi donot select their
city government, nor control it. They do not evenknow how their taxes are used.
Alienation is inevitable. Worst of all,the feudals would not allow even a
census, for it would certainlychange the political balance.
Nominally, we have a parliamentary system of government. In fact,because of the
underlying power structure, the system is anything butdemocratic. It takes a
few million rupees to contest a seat in theNational Assembly. votes are bought
and sold. For all practicalpurposes, the people are largely disenfranchised.
Parliamentary elections are a game of musical chairs among the ruraland urban
elite and their hangers-on. When they get elected and getinto government, they
use their power and influence to recover thecost of elections and some more.
Land and other wealth buysrepresentation. Representation is used to solidify
economic andpolitical status quo. For example, thanks to the domination of
ourpolitical system by landlords, we still do not have a meaningful taxon
agricultural incomes. Valuable irrigation water is provided to themat a cost
which cannot even pay for the maintenance of canals. Our so-
called democratic system is bereft of democratic values and anyconcept of
equity and social justice.
In fact, in terms of attitudes and basic values, there has been
littledifference between the military government of Ayub Khan and Zia andthe
parliamentary government of the two Bhutto�s. Ayub, in fact, hadsome
progressive ideas � land reforms, population planning and basicdemocracy. His
own incorporation into the feudal structure � he becamea large landowner and
his son overnight a large industrialist � andthe feudal resistance led to the
demise of his programmes. After all,two of his closest advisers were Bhutto and
Kalabagh. Bhutto�s concernfor the masses lacked depth and conviction. I had a
personalexperience of it while serving as his Special Assistant for
EconomicAffairs in 1976. The cabinet was discussing housing in Karachi and
Isuggested that instead of the large plots developed by the KDA, a lowlimit be
set for plots developed at public expense and sold. I saidthat in this way
public funds would be used for the benefit of lowerincome groups and many more
houses would be constructed. �I do notwant slums,� said the socialist Prime
Minister! He did little forbasic education or health, issues close to the
welfare of the commonman.
In the midst of this social and political malaise, the economy is injeopardy.
the government�s time horizon is day-to-day; a larger socialpurpose is missing
and it has become the engine of transfer from thepeople at large to the
privileged few. Our defence expenditure and therising domestic and external
debt service soak up the tax revenue ofthe federal government. The paltry
social expenditure, the entireadministration of the government and development
projects are paid forfrom borrowed money, domestic and external. Increasingly,
there is astraight resort to the printing press. We are sitting on a debt
bomband the fuse is short.
While serving as the World Bank�s vice-president for Latin America, Isaw this
phenomenon in Brazil and Argentina. Ultimately, people lostconfidence in their
governments, ran away from currencies, boughtdollars and there was unacceptably
high inflation. Those who sufferedwere not the rich � they took their money
abroad and had theinformation and the skills to protect themselves. It was the
poor.Their real incomes, wages and standard of living were seriouslyeroded.
Their economic crisis was merely a manifestation of the crisisof the state.
Things did not begin to change until there was majorpolitical change and deep
reform of the state.
In Pakistan, we have an un-sustainable combination of social andpolitical
structure and economic management. If these remain intact,economic and
political crisis will recur and each time they will beworse than before. The
measures taken recently are a patchwork, inresponse to a crisis that should not
have surprised anyone. A littledevaluation, increase in customs duties, a
promise of improved taxcollection and a promise of reduction in public
expenditures.Inflation has been high, higher than admitted by the government,
anddevaluation was certainly needed to improve the competitiveness of
ourexports. If inflation remains unchecked, it will not be enough. Addedimport
duties are extremely inefficient and should be reduced beforelong.
But does the government have a programme to raise resources withoutburdening
the few who already pay high taxes? That would require atotal overhaul of the
taxation system, its administration andenforcement. On expenditure control, the
government lacks credibility.It is not sustainable without the elimination of
politically motivatedexpenditures and employment, shutting down of inefficient
governmentorganisations and cutback of uneconomic programmes.
Continued, perhaps rising, inflation has become a reality in Pakistan.The debt
burden will keep on increasing unless the situation changesradically. Unless
there is deep economic reform, Pakistan will havedifficulty in servicing its
debt to its own people and foreigners.Borrowing abroad without such reform
would merely add to our futurewoes. Our financial crisis is in the context of a
poor economic baseand severe social and political problems. The solution may
not be assimple as in the basically rich Latin American countries. As time
goeson it will be difficult to avoid comparison between Pakistan and someof the
failing African economies such as Nigeria�s.
I often ask myself how peaceful change will come to Pakistan? Withinthe current
system, is there a stimulus? Is there a mechanism? Changewithin a system comes
from checks and balances, accountability,constructive debate and discussion. In
our political system these donot exist any more. The judiciary is no longer a
check on the excessesof the Executive. The civil service is deeply demoralised
andcorrupted. The legislators are busy in transactions. The one thingthey do
not do is legislate and demand accountability from theExecutive. The
opposition�s disputes with the government are largelypersonal. It has developed
no understanding of the basic issues of thecountry and has no programme to deal
with burning questions, such asthe governance of cities, education, employment,
population,independence and integrity of the judiciary, deregulation, size of
thegovernment and an un-sustainable defence expenditure. The Vacuum
ofleadership is palpable.
The critical question for Pakistan today is how to stem the despairthat has
resulted from the successive failure of leadership. For, wheninstitutions fail
and leadership fails to adapt to social and economicchallenges, violence takes
over.
There are no clear solutions. I suppose, nations in crisis do notchange neatly.
And, no doubt, the future will have its own dynamicsdictated by social issues.
However, people who think and care forPakistan must mobilise a constituency for
political and economicreform. The central theme of such reform has to be broad
participationin governmental processes, accountability, devolution
ofresponsibility and authority, deregulation and reduction of the sizeof
government and its control of private activities, and freedom ofthe media.
Above all, people, their welfare and development, must bethe central concern of
all governmental activity.
951213
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Credit control - and growth
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Editorial Column
WITHIN a space of three month�s, the State Bank has reversed itsposition on
commercial bank�s liquidity as inflation shows no signs ofcoming under control,
although the latest figures show it isrelenting. On September 30, the State
Bank has eased the liquidityposition by abolishing the credit-deposit ratio and
reducing the cashreserve requirement by 1.5 per cent. On December 11, the Bank
raisedthe cash reserve requirement by 3.5 per cent of the total time anddemand
liabilities, excluding foreign exchange deposits. The latestmeasure has raised
the reserve requirement at 32.5 per cent - 8.5 percent in cash and 25 per cent
in securities. This raising of thereserve requirement will siphon off about Rs
13 billion net from thebanking system, thereby tightening the liquidity
position of thebanks. Simultaneously as a demand curtailment measure, the
CentralBank has increased the discount rate by 0.5 per cent to 17 per cent.This
will raise the general mark-up rate by at least an equal amount.The State Bank
found itself compelled to take these actions becausethe banks have not followed
it advice to be cautious and selective insanctioning credit to the private
sector and in intensifying effortsfor the recovery of stuck-up loans. During
the period from July toNovember 23 this fiscal year, the non-government sector
recorded acredit expansion of Rs 23.3 billion as against Rs 14.5 billion
duringthe same period last year - an increase of about 60 per cent.
The culprits is not the private sector alone. The public sector hasbeen a
greater violator of the credit ceiling. It borrowed Rs 55.5billion during
July-November this year as against Rs 35 billion lastyear. The two sectors
together caused a credit expansion of 9.8 percent compared to 5.6 per cent last
year. While the State Bank hasreduced the bank�s lending capacity to restrict
credit expansion inthe private sector, it has directed the government to reduce
itsborrowing for budgetary support by retiring at least Rs. 15 billionloans,
thereby bringing the total borrowing of Rs 55 billion down toRs 40 billion by
end December. The government should achieve the goalset by the State Bank by
improving revenue collection, curtailingcurrent expenditure and increasing
non-bank borrowing. The fiscalmeasures adopted following the devaluation of the
rupee in October areexpected to yield a substantial addition - about Rs 16
billion - inrevenue collection. The issuance of two high-denomination prize
bondsand net accruals in the national savings schemed would increase
thenon-bank borrowing. There is, however, no convincing evidence ofefforts to
reduce current expenditure. Unless the political leadershipsets examples of
austerity, government officials will not be motivatedto bring the spending on
their perks and privileges within theofficial allowed limits, although these
limits themselves are verymuch on the high side.
The State Bank is rightly concerned about the breach of credit ceilingbecause
it erodes the value of the rupee. The Bank, being responsiblefor keeping the
value of the rupee stable, has to see that money doesnot expand
disproportionately vis-a-vis the growth in production.Excessive expansion in
money supply over the last many years hasgenerated impulses for inflation which
at present is running in doubledigits. The State Bank Governor has warned the
bankers, and indirectlythe government as well, that no window-dressing of
accounts as at end-
December would be countenanced and statements of bank affairs mustreveal the
true picture of finances. All these measures are good asfar as they go but the
crux of the matter is that inflation cannot be curbed by monetary measures
alone. Production has to be increased andthe biggest impediment in the way of
production increases is the lawand order situation, especially in Karachi. The
sector which is notaffected by civil unrest is agriculture and it is likely to
do muchbetter - better than envisaged. The bumper cotton and rice crops
areexpected to provide an impetus to the remaining sectors of the economyduring
the second half of the fiscal year. The State Bank will have tobe vigilant that
is current tight money policy does not throttle theexpected recovery. Cotton
alone will require larger credit than wasallocated on the basis if a lower
target of production. A large numberof infrastructure projects, which are
either under implementation orat the planning stage, will have to be
accommodated. The State Bankand the government, in making adjustments regarding
these projects,need to be fully mindful of macroeconomics stability and
therequirements of future growth.
951214
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Wrong economic remedies
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Sultan Ahmed
THE top economic priorities of the government should now be rapid andsustained
economic expansion, particularly in the all too sluggishindustrial sector, and
reducing the soaring inflation. Butunfortunately its monetary agency, the State
Bank of Pakistan (SBP) iscoming up with some wrong moves which will grievously
hurt the economyeventually, while it may succeed in containing monetary and
creditexpansion briefly.
The governor of the SBP, Dr Muhammad Yakub, who had spent 21 years inthe IMF,
is trying some classical remedies in very un-classical timesin Pakistan. What
he is doing and the government is confusedlyendorsing, is completely at
variance with current world trends anddevelopments in the region.
His first option was, of course, to tell the government to spend
less,particularly in the non-productive sectors and on itself, and borrowfar
less from the banking system, which simply means printing morecurrency which is
our ugly or awesome financial legacy. Having failedin that effort so
conspicuously, he is turning around and trying toreduce the volume of credit as
well as it makes it fares more costlyat a time when the real national need is
for more credit and cheapercredit to the productive sectors. His current effort
to curtailcredit, and make it too costly too, will eventually fail as it
resultsin critical economic contraction.
He has a good example of the outcome of similar measures tried by hiscolleague
from the World Bank, Mr Moeen Qureshi as care-taker primeminister. He raised
interest rate from 20 to 22 per cent in an effortto contain inflation as part
of a mini-budget in August, 1993, whichincluded a ten per cent devaluation of
the rupee within eight weeks.The result was a fall in exports by 1.4 per cent
and rise in inflationfrom 9.3 per cent in the previous year to 11.2 per cent
and 12.9 percent last year.
Inevitably interest rates in Pakistan will rise further and foul upthe economy.
It will soon be the pleasure of Dr. Yakub to bring downthe interest rate as the
industrial economy stops working or justkeeps crawling.
Our rulers are fond of comparing their steps with what India has donein the
economic sphere compared to that of the State Bank is notsatisfied with
reducing the volume of money available with the banksto lend and has enhanced
the rate at which they can borrow from it byhalf a percent more to 17 per cent,
which means that 33.5 per cent ofthe bank funds - 8.5 per cent as cash reserve
and 35 per cent investedon government securities are not available to the
public. And what isavailable now will he more costly than before at a time when
the primelending rate in Japan is two per cent, Singapore 6 per cent
Malaysia7.5 percent and the US 8.75 per cent. All of them are also marked
fortheir low inflation and high economic growth rate, while ourindicators in
this area are frightfully disappointing and absolutelydemoralising and lend
themselves to no quick fixes now.
Why are we facing this predicament? Because the government will notcut its
billowing current expenditure and reduce the vast waste inpublic spending and
the pervasive corruption in many areas includingits numerous autonomous bodies.
As a result while the bank borrowingor extra printing of currency for the whole
year was budgeted at Rs.30 billion, a very large sum in an inflation-smothered
economy, thegovernment has by now borrowed Rs. 55.5 billion while in the
samefive-month period last year it had borrowed Rs. 35 billion. The
PrimeMinister, however, wants to reduce the excessive borrowing to Rs.
40billion by the end of this month. Indisputably after the revenues ofRs. 20
billion to be collected through the mini-budget of October 28,the government
should have reduced its bank borrowing or printing ofnotes by at least Rs. 10
billion. Instead the government�s borrowingis to be Rs. 10 billion above the
budget.
If the private sector has borrowed more than last year, where did muchof that
money go? It went to the government as enhanced taxes morerigorously collected
or as a result of official steps, like the 12 percent increase in POL prices
through two steps and drastic increases inprices of industrial inputs through
official measures and to pay highbank charges as numerous company reports show.
In such inflationaryconditions with the government taxing the industrial sector
heavilyand spending unwisely, the velocity of circulation of money gainsgreater
momentum and aggravates the inflation. So the projection ofthe current 13 per
cent inflation coming down to 11 or 10 per cent byJune, when heavier new taxes
are to be imposed under the agreementwith the IMF will fall on us and will not
materialise.
Today trade and industry face a three-pronged drive from officialinstitutions
1. very tight money policy and costly credit. 2. Toolittle of new loans and
pressure for recovery of old loans. 3. Highand varied taxation and stringent
collection methods. It is not thatthese steps are wrong individually or even
collectively but the timingand methodologies are as relevant as clear
discrimination in thisarea. And simultaneously large, politically motivated,
loans continueto be given by public sector banks.
Dr. Yakub�s new theme song is commercial banks should not give long-
term investment loans but the development financial insinuationsshould do that.
But the official DFIs are as broke as public sectorbanks are and they range
from the Bankers Equity to the Small BusinessFinance Corporation and the
Agricultural Development Bank.
After three years of poor economic growth at 2.3, 3.8 and 47 per cent,and
large scale manufacturing growing at 2.69 per cent after 4.14 percent during
the preceding two years in a country with a popular growthof 3 per cent what is
the right role for the government and the SBP?It is not that all our
industrialists and traders are angels butsurely the government cannot bring in
another set of people fromabroad to replace them or recruit a brand new set
here. Insteadthrough proper cost studies rigorous audit and
scientificsurveillance, the malpractice in trade and industry will have to
beeliminated.
If not, the share prices will continue to suffer regardless of anykind of
rescue package devised for them by the government. In fact, atthis high cost of
credit it will be hard for stock exchanges to returnto normality.
Look at what has happened in Japan whose businessmen are proverbiallyknown as
honest and competent. The government has come up with a 142billion dollar
stimulus package to revive the recession-boggedeconomy. And its banks with bad
debts up to 800 billion dollars arebeing encouraged to write off much of the
bad loans and have cleanreliable profiles.
So in the kind of predicament we are it is wrong for the government toprint
more and more money and borrow more for itself andsimultaneously make the
credit for private sector less, and too costlyand then come up with varied
taxes and boost the cost of productionand exports. It must think clearly and
act prudently now.
===================================================================
951209
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Test in N.Z. evenly balanced as Pakistan collapse
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Qamar Ahmed
CHRISTCHURCH, Dec.8: There was no rhyme or reason for yet anotherPakistan
batting collapse in the one-off Test against New Zealandbeing played at the
Lancaster Park here. The pattern set from thestart of this twin-tour continues
to haunt their batting which cannotreally afford to boast about its strength or
the lack of it whichremains unreliable and unpredictable.
The least one would have expected after they had been put in, andtheir openers
Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja had shared a stand of 135,was a score well over 350
runs. But it was not to be. Instead theycollapsed and crashed to 208 runs in
their first innings, losing theirlast eight wickets after lunch for the
addition of only 60 runs. Andthis was a pathetic performance.
Pakistan�s plight could have been much more devastating had AamirSohail, who
made a blistering 88, was given out hit wicket when hetripped on to his wicket
and dislodged a bail when 29. As luck wouldhave it, it went unnoticed and no
one even appealed. Sohail�sdismissal later after he had struck fifteen four in
94 balls was inmuch the same manner. He was wrapped on the pads by Chris
Cairns, gotunbalanced and shattered his stumps behind him with his back leg.
That was after his partner Ramiz Raja, was leg before to Cairns havingmade an
attractive 54 when their stand had taken them to 135. Cairnswas their main
destroyer with 4 for 51. With 98 for 3 in reply by theclose of the first day,
New Zealand surely must have taken a sign ofrelief for their reprieve.
Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja had no difficulty on a wicket of evenbounce and
pace to take the score past fifty in only 36 minutesbatting. Danny Morrison and
Chris Cairns were as much on the receivingend as were Dion Nash and Gavin
Larsen as Sohail and Raja carved thefield, picking up boundaries.
In the first hour 85 runs were scored and Sohail had reached his 13thfifty in
Tests not much later with the help of eight fours and withonly 51 balls. Ramiz
Raja had his half century soon after in 98minutes batting having hit five four.
But by lunch both had gone to Chris Cairns with Pakistan on 148 for 2.After
resumption, it was a complete reversal of fortunes as wicketstumbled and
Pakistan batting perished.
Inzamam-ul-Haq was leg before to Cairns while playing back and SalimMalik, it
was thought, was a victim of a poor decision by umpire SteveDunne who adjudged
him leg before off the medium-pacer Dion Nash evenbefore he was off the mark.
Malik was astonished and stayed for awhile at the crease before parting.
Suddenly Cairns had taken 3 for three runs in 21 balls and Nash wasalso in the
hunt. Basit Ali, still in poor form, was caught at thewicket by Lee German off
an outgoing delivery from Gavin Larsen for 5and Ijaz Ahmed, who had defied for
98 minutes to provide a littlesanity to the crumbling batting line-up, then
hooked straight into thehands of long leg when Larsen sent a bouncer and
tempted him. Ijaz�s30 was one of the four double- figure scores in Pakistan
innings.
Rashid Latif was taken at third slip by Craig Spearman off Morrisonand Wasim
Akram was caught low down in the second slip by Bryan Youngoff the same bowler.
There was no stopping as the rot continued andMushtaq Ahmed and Ata-ur-Rehman
also fell at the stroke of tea.
Later New Zealand openers Bryan Young and 23-year-old debutante CraigSpearman
put on 48 runs for the first wicket. Young edged one fromAta-ur-Rehman to the
keeper when 16 and Spearman played some handsome-
looking shots for his 40 before being beaten by Mushtaq�s top-spinner.He hit a
six off Mushtaq and five fours during his 105 minutes at thecrease.
Adam Parore�s was the other wicket to fall off Rehman when 9 butStephen Fleming
and Roger saw the day off without any further damage.
951210
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Pakistan strikes back in Test against N.Z.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Qamar Ahmed
CHRISTCHURCH, Dec.9: The one-off Test being played at the LancasterPark is
unarguably poised for a result. Balance in the last two dayshas swung from one
side to another, and Pakistan, after conceding asubstantial first innings
78-run lead to New Zealand, have playedthemselves back in the game to finish
the second day�s play on a muchhappier note.
Having wiped out the deficit, they now lead by 60 runs on the secondinnings by
virtue of an impressive 138 for one and if one could trustthe way in which Ijaz
Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq have batted to share anunbroken stand of 83 for the
second wicket and score a half centuryeach, then surely Pakistan seemed to have
taken control of the match.One could only wish that there is not another
collapse as was in thefirst innings. Two hundred more runs and that could be
unassailablebecause New Zealand have to bat last which does not bode well
forthem.
Despite dropped catches and disappointing fielding, Pakistan didmanage to bowl
New Zealand out for 286 runs in the first inningsthrough Wasim Akram 5 for 53,
and Mushtaq Ahmed having a haul of 3 for115. They were lucky too that despite
running high fever Wasim Akramin his last spell of ten overs bagged 5 wickets
for only 14 runs orelse things may have been rather gloomy.
There is not much Pakistan can afford when they take the field for thelast time
in the Test after a sizeable lead is taken because theyremember it well too
that in the 1993-94 Test at this venue NewZealand chasing a target of 325
against Pakistan had reached itthrough centuries by Shane Thomson and Bryan
Young.
There will be no room for complacency if they have to keep the grip onthe game.
After Ramiz Raja was hit on his right forearm while missinga hook shot off
Danny Morrison and had to retire, both Ijaz Ahmed andInzamam-ul-Haq have shown
that with a little bit of determination andgritty batting a big score can be
reached.
Aamir Sohail�s dismissal at 55 off a quicker delivery from the off-
spinner Dipak Patel when he had made 30 was the only success that NewZealanders
had in the afternoon. Both Ijaz and Inzamam battedmagnificently to frustrate
the bowlers. Ijaz, who was off the markwith a four to long-leg off Patel, was
the first to get his halfcentury in 116 minutes batting, having hit nine fours
in 71 balls.
When 35, Inazamam also reached the landmark of 2,000 runs in his 30thTest. With
two blistering hits, one an off-drive and another athundering pull off
Morrison, Inzamam was past his fifty, his 14th inTests. In sixty deliveries he
had struck nine fours and it took himonly 59 minutes to reach it.
Ijaz Ahmed is on 54 and Inzamam on 52 and a lot will depend on howlong the two
stay in the middle when play gets underway tomorrow.
Earlier during the day Pakistan bowlers had a frustrating session inthe field
as New Zealand resuming at their overnight 98 for 3 added 81more runs to the
score to go to lunch. The only batsman out wasStephen Fleming who was smartly
stumped by Rashid Latif for 25 offleg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed after he had put on
46 runs with Roger Twosefor the fourth wicket.
Chris Cairns was lucky to survive a leg before appeal off Mushtaq when0 and
even luckier when Ramiz Raja dropped a sitter at mid-on off thesame bowler when
Cairns was 30. He made full use of that lapse in thefield to share 102 runs for
the fifth wicket with Twose. But it wasnot him but Twose who was the first man
out after lunch when WasimAkram trapped him in front of the wicket for 59 made
in 210 minuteswith five fours.
Wickets started to tumble at the other end but Cairns, who reached hisfifty
with six fours in 80 balls, continued to cane the Pakistanbowling, Akram being
an exception. Lee Germon was caught at the wicketoff him for 21, adding 41 runs
with Cairns for the sixth wicket.
Cairns was bowled for 76. Patel was taken at short leg by Sohail off alifting
ball and Dion Nash edged one to the keeper to complete Akram�sfive wickets�
tally in a Test innings for the 20th time.
And when Mushtaq bowled Morrison for 0, a record of 24 ducks in Test,he
equalled Bhagwat Chandrashekhar of India�s who had been the proudpossessor of
the previous record.
951211
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Pakistan in commanding position against N.Z.
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Qamar Ahmed
CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 10: Pakistan with a commanding lead of 291 on thesecond
innings ended the third day�s play in the one-off Test with afirm hold on the
game against New Zealand at the Lancaster Park. Atclose they were 369 for 7
with Wasim Akram and Mushtaq Ahmed at thewicket.
With two days remaining, there is plenty of time for Pakistan to tryand add
another 40 runs to make the lead look more impressive. As itis, Pakistan looks
a firm favourite. For this the frontline batsmenwill have to make sizeable
scores as did Ijaz Ahmed who made 103, avery valuable century, and
Inzamam-ul-Haq who hit an enthralling 82 toshare a partnership of 140 runs for
the second wicket with Ijaz.
Later during the day Ramiz Raja who scored 62, his second score ofover fifty in
the match and Rashid Latif who while making 39 added 74runs with him for the
sixth wicket were as much responsible forPakistan�s healthy score.
It was heartening to see a change in the attitude of the Pakistanbatsmen who
appeared much more keen and enthusiastic to ensure achallenging lead. That they
lasted the day�s play to pass a score of300 for the first time in a Test on
this tour was itself anachievement. Ijaz Ahmed�s fourth Test century and his
second in thelast three Tests and Inzamam�s authoritative batting had a lot to
dowith the imposing score.
Having resumed the third day�s play at 138 for 1, Ijaz Ahmed andInzamam had
taken the score to 195 before they were parted. In a spaceof half an hour Ijaz
hit two towering sixes off Chris Cairns and DipakPatel to add to his overnight
54 and Inzamam also played somehandsome-looking drives through covers to pass
the fence.
A catch in the first slip by Stephen Fleming off Dion Nash endedInzamam�s
innings of 82 after he had batted for 156 minutes and hadhit 13 fours. Ijaz was
lucky to be dropped when 81 at point when hecut Danny Morrison hard and chest
high to Adam Parore. At lunchPakistan with 215 for 2 were well in control of
the situation.
After resumption with only nine runs added Salim Malik, who came infacing a
pair just before lunch, was caught at the wicket by LeeGermon off Morrison for
21 but Ijaz unruffled by the dismissal kepthis head down to concentrate hard
and reach his fourth Test centuryand the first against New Zealand. At 89 he
hit three scorching foursoff Morrison and Cairns to get to three figures in 292
minutes battingin which he faced 197 balls and hit 13 fours and 2 sixes.
Just before tea he was caught at the wicket off Nash when 10 and BasitAli had
an ignominious exit before he had scored. Shuffling across toCairns he was
trapped in front of the wicket.
Ramiz Raja, who had retired on the second day after being hit on theforearm by
Morrison, came at the fall of Salim�s wicket and held hisend intact to play
steadily and with a lot of patience to get to hissecond fifty in the match with
seven fours. Rashid Latif, his partnerat tea, was as much meticulous.
The two put on 74 runs for the sixth wicket in a stand which meant alot for
Pakistan. Ramiz was leg before to Morrison stepping back to anincoming ball
when 62 and Rashid Latif, who had batted for two andhalf hours for his 39,
edged one from Cairns to the keeper with stumpsonly a few minutes away. But he
had done his job with gusto.
For his 11 runs Wasim Akram stayed there till the close batting for anhour to
make sure that when he and his bowlers take on the New Zealandbatting in the
second innings, they are fresh and raring to go.
951212
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Pakistan on course to win New Zealand Test
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Qamar Ahmed
CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 11: Pakistan is well set for a victory in the one-
off Test against New Zealand. Having taken a formidable second inningslead of
356, their bowlers had reduced New Zealand to 158 for 7.
Tomorrow, of the final day, the match may be over within an hourbecause still
199 runs are to be scored if New Zealand is to win butwith only three wickets
remaining there is no hope for them. ThePakistan bowlers will be fresh and
leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, whodevastated a rather poor batting line-up that New
Zealand has on offerby taking another haul of five wickets, will be looking for
more.
Waqar Younis, who was unlucky not to have bagged his 200th Test victimbecause
of two dropped catches by Wasim Akram and Ijaz Ahmed off hishowling, may also
fulfil his dream of joining the club of those whohave taken 200 and more in
Test matches. If he does tomorrow then hewould be the youngest at 24 years and
26 days to reach that landmark.
Wasim Akram dropped a difficult chance at gully and later when RogerTwos, who
was unbeaten at close with 44, hit a full toss to mid-on,Ijaz Ahmed a safe
fielder, dropped an easy catch.
The fourth day�s play was fully dominated by Pakistan who resumed at369 for 7
with an already handsome lead of 291 runs. The last threewickets added 65
valuable runs before Pakistan were all out for 434 inan hour and half play in
the morning. Though Wasim was out for 19 off Chris Cairns when Stephen
Flemingcaught him in the first slip in the fourth over of the day, MushtaqAhmed
and Waqar Younis hammered the bowling to the tune of 41 runs forthe ninth
wicket.
Dropped at 11 by Cairns off his own bowling, Mushtaq was caught at thewicket by
Lee Germon off Larsen for 24 and Waqar Younis, the last manout, was leg before
to the same bowler for 34, his highest score inTests which also included seven
lusty boundaries.
There was not much resistance by New Zealand batsmen once the
openingpartnership between Bryan Young and Craig Spearman, which yielded
50runs, was broken. Wickets fell at regular intervals and by tea timeNew
Zealand were five wickets down for 85.
With Waqar not being able to find his line and direction, the twoopeners Young
and Spearman who had resumed after lunch on one withoutloss had posted the
fifty of the innings in 58 minutes. Theintroduction of Mushtaq and later that
of Ata-ur-Rehman changed allthat. Ata-ur-Rehman, bowling within his limits,
restricted the freedomwith which the two batsmen were scoring and Mushtaq
taking advantageof that lured the batsmen into making mistakes.
Young was caught at the wicket by Rashid Latif when 18. Adam Parolewas leg
before while attempting a sweep off Mushtaq and StephenFleming played across an
incoming delivery from Ata-ur-Rehman beforehe had scored. Mushtaq Ahmed then
picked up two more wickets that ofSpearman and Chris Cairns to reduce New
Zealand to 75 for 5 from beingnone for 50.
Spearman for his 33 had battled for 95 minutes. Going down the wickethe edged
Mushtaq into the slip to Aamir Sohail and Cairns drovestraight into the hands
of Salim Malik at mid-on when 8.
It seemed that the match would be over by the end of the day when LeeGermon,
the captain, was run out off a throw from Ijaz from mid-wicketafter Roger Twos
went for a run and Germon could not make it to thecrease, the television umpire
had to be consulted.
When Dipak Patel went for a sweep and was bowled round his leg byMushtaq, the
bowler had taken his third five-wicket haul in threesuccessive Tests and that
was really a good effort.
Waqar Younis then had the disappointment of watching two catchesdropped off
him.
951213
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Pakistan wraps up Test win in New Zealand
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Qamar Ahmed
CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 12: The final day�s play in the one-off Test atLancaster
Park was only a formality. Pakistan, needing the last threewickets, wrapped up
the match in just over an hour and a half torecord success against New Zealand
by 161 runs.
With only 37 more runs added to their overnight 158 for 7 the NewZealand second
innings folded at 195 but not before Waqar Younis, thePakistan pacer reached
the landmark of 200 wickets. His victim wasmedium pacer Dion Nash who after
having made 22 runs was foxed by aslower delivery from Waqar.
Nash had put on 29 runs for the ninth wicket with Roger Twose and hadalready
hit four boundaries three for which had come off Waqar Younis.Not in any
trouble against harmless deliveries from the Pakistanbowler, Nash missed a
freighted off-spinner to be bowled. WaqarYounis, who had bowled 19 overs on the
fourth day without any success,had at last bagged the elusive wicket and
attained the target. Inelation or in frustration, he dived on the floor in his
follow throughafter bowling Nash to vent his feelings.
He is the fourth Pakistan bowler beside Imran Khan (362) Abdul Qadir(236), and
Wasim Akram (289) to take 200 wickets or over in Testmatches and the 32nd in
the history of the game but being 24 years and26 days old he also became the
youngest to reach the milestone.
Had injuries not hindered his progress in this game, he could easilyhave beaten
Clarie Grimmett�s record of reaching the target in only 36Test matches. This
was Waqar�s 38 Test and the toughest one toobecause he finished the match
taking only one wicket for 113 runs. Hismeteoric rise to the pinnacle of fast
bowler�s league had begun withhis first fifty wicket in only his tenth Test,
his hundredth in his20th and now his tally of another hundred wickets had come
in the last18 Tests � a marvellous achievement by any standards.
The morning was also made memorable by the fact that Mushtaq Ahmed,the
leg-spinner with 7 for 56 finished the match with 10 wickets for171. For the
first time he had a tally of ten wickets in the match tobe named the Man of the
Match � a magnificent performance with theball to add to his 18 wickets in the
last two Tests against Australia.
New Zealand had started the final day�s play at 158 for 7, needing 199more runs
to win. A rather impossible task. In the third over of thematch and in his
second of the day Mushtaq Ahmed had Cavin Larsencaught in the slip by Aamir
Sohail for 13.
Larsen had added only five to his overnight score before edging onefrom Mushtaq
in the only slip. He had put on 32 runs for the eighthwicket with Roger Twose.
Left-handed Twose, an Englishman and a county professional forWarwickshire
dogged as he was wouldn�t take any chances. From 44overnight in 35 minutes he
deservedly reached his second fifty of thematch soon after Waqar Younis had
shattered Dion Nash�s stumps. Twosehad batted for just over four hours and hit
four boundaries.
Danny Morrison, who had equalled the record of Bhagwat Chadrashekaharof India
in the first innings by being out for the 23rd time for aduck, needed another
for a record but he picked up a single and waslater caught at long-on by Salim
Malik off Mushtaq Ahmed as Pakistancompleted their second Test win in the last
12 days.
951212
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Imran says Pakistan cricket in a mess
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Walter Fernandez
KARACHI, Dec. 11: �No one can understand the mess Pakistan cricket isin at the
moment, unless one understands the structure of Pakistancricket,� said former
Pakistan Captain Imran Khan in an exclusivetelephonic interview to `Dawn� from
Lahore.
Whereas in the rest of the cricketing world regional teams aresponsored by
organisations, in Pakistan the organisations like banks,airlines, railways
compete in the first class cricket. Some regionalteams also participate in
first class cricket but no one takes anyinterest in them, because all the top
players are contracted by theorganisations,
This set-up gives rise to some major problems. Firstly, since
theorganisations are based in the two main cities, Lahore and Karachi, itis
more or less impossible for either the rural populations (70% ofthe country) or
players from cities other then Lahore. Karachi,Rawalpindi to have any chance to
represent their country�.
Secondly, this system has led to favouritism and nepotism in teamselections.
There is no criteria of selection in the organisations.Selection depends upon
who one knows. Players who are not influentialenough have little chance of
playing first class cricket,� opinedImran Khan.
Because there is not a proper regional competition � like in the restof the
world, first class cricket in Pakistan is non-competitive.Pakistani cricketers
suffers a great disadvantage compared to onesplaying in other countries � that
no first class teams possess theirown cricket grounds. Matches are played on
rented grounds which arenot exclusively for cricket and as a result are over
used. Hence theproblem of Pakistani wickets. Most of them are under prepared
wherethe ball neither bounces nor moves off the wicket. As result, ourbowlers
always struggle to bowl on green wickets while our batsmennever quite develop
the techniques to play on bouncy or seamingwickets. Moreover, because of the
low bounce there are hardly manycatches that carry to the slips. It is
significant that Pakistan beatAustralia in Sydney a wicket which in character
is more like aPakistani wickets,� asserted Imran Khan.
Perhaps, the single biggest flaw in Pakistan cricket is the way thePresident of
the Cricket Board is nominated by the President of thecountry. Clearly, the
President of the country has neither the timenor the understanding of the game
to select the right man for the job.Some of the heads of the cricket board do
not have even the a basicknowledge of the game.
Recently political appointees have also been made in the cricketboard, which
means that with the change of government the whole boardis likely to be
changed. What ought to happen like in the rest of thecricket world is that the
President ought to be democratically electedby the regional elected committees
� and should be answerable to them.Since the chief executive is nominated, he
is answerable to no one andis essentially a dictator who has access to enough
patronage tomanipulate dissenting voices in the elected council as well as
thepress,� stressed the former Pakistan skipper.
Pakistan�s recent disastrous run in Test cricket is almost entirelydue to the
incompetence of the current chief executive. To begin withduring his tenure
which is roughly two years, five captains have beenchanged. Firstly, a players
intrigue was allowed to succeed againstWasim Akram and he was removed as the
Captain. Salim Malik took hisplace but was removed on allegations of bribery
without there being aproper inquiry. Then Moin Khan, a junior player who could
not find aregular place in the team was made the captain. He was removed after
aone-day series and Rameez Raja was made the captain. Raja had not beenable to
find a regular place in the team for almost two years? Was heunfairly dropped
for the past two years? If not, then it was wrong tomake him the captain now,�
inquired Imran Khan.
After losing the series against Sri Lanka last October he was sackedand finally
Wasim was brought back. How can any team perform when fivecaptains are changed
in less than two years. Had the Board taken astand against the rebels in the
first place. Pakistan cricket wouldnot have been in its current state. Equally
bizarre have been someteam selections. Ejaz Ahmed was the second highest
run-getter forPakistan during last winter�s tour to South Africa and
Zimbabwe.Inexplicably he was dropped from the team. He was called as
areplacement for the injured Salim Malik and immediately made animpact.
Majid Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad two of the best cricketing brains inthe country
were made manager and coach of the team, for the seriesagainst Sri Lanka in
October. After losing just one series both weredisgracefully kicked out.
The chief executive also is directly responsible for mishandling thebribery
allegations. When Salim Malik was blamed by the Australianplayers for offering
bribes rather than immediately holding a properinquiry into the allegations,
the chief executive sacked the captainand the manager and banned Salim Malik
from playing any first classcricket 10 months. Later, an inquiry was held and
Malik was cleared.It was the action taken by the chief executive that condemned
Malikeven before he was tried,� added Imran Khan.
As for the team � I feel it is far more talented than the one thatwon the 92
World Cup. Indeed, stars of the previous World Cup likeAaqib Javed, Mushtaq
Ahmed, Rameez Raja, have been struggling to holdtheir place in the team � such
is the depth of the talent. It isarguable that had Wasim been captaining this
team for the past twoyears it would have been among the top teams of world
cricket now.Although Australia is the most efficient team and as the
averageAustralia player is of a higher calibre than other Test teams yetthere
are no outstanding players like the Lillees and the Chapples.With the decline
of the West Indies, Pakistan is now the most talentedteam in the world. Given
that the World Cup will be played on the lowbounce Pakistani wicket, I make
them the favourites to reach the finalof the World Cup. The question is that
does Wasim have enough time tomould the team into a fighting unit before the
world cup? He hasalready made a good beginning by coming back from two
demoralisingdefeat to win the last Test in Australia and on the border of
winningagain at Christchurch, concluded Imran Khan.
Dawn page