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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 05 September 1996 Issue : 02/36
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Pakistan, India trade heavy fire at Siachen
Kashmir retained on UN Council agenda till 1998
New equipment will keep F-16s in order: Benazir
PM accuses India of training MQM men
New City housing project hits snags
Drug prices raised by over 32pc
Benazir rejects consensus govt idea
Imran gives govt choice on cancer hospital
Blast rips through power plant, two killed
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Household expenses exceed incomes
Pakistan ranks 7th in consumer prices growth
World Bank sees 25pc increase in power rate
The elusive foreign investment target
Banks stopped from financing modarabas
Conflicting demands of business, IMF
Karachi Stock Exchange moves over to ensure transparency
KSE shares index breaks 1,400 barrier
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A brief moment of elation Omar Kureishi
Turning the other cheek Mazdak
Celebrating 50 years of waste Mohammad Malick
Certainly not a lady in distress Ayaz Amir
Europe: economic paradise or fortress? Benazir Bhutto
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Pakistans all-round ascendancy convincingly confirmed
Wasim Akrams distinction
Pakistan once more a force to be feared
Jr cricketers case to be heard by Jamaican court
Wasim Akram satisfied with England cricket tour
Axe may fall on Rashid for Canadian, Kenyan tours
PSF to hold World Open squash in a befitting way: Aliuddin
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960903
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Pakistan, India trade heavy fire at Siachen
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By Ihtashamul Haque
SIACHEN GLACIERS, Sept 2: There has been a heavy exchange of fire between
Indian and Pakistani troops at Siachen during the last few days, including
a number of air violations by New Delhi in the area.
India has become so desperate due to Pakistans stand on Kashmir and
world-wide condemnation of gross human rights violations in Valley that
they have resorted to unprovoked firing at Siachen.
But we are here to protect every inch of our motherland at this highest
battleground in the world and tactically or otherwise we are better placed
here compared to Indian troops, said a senior military official.
Briefing reporters at an altitude of about 13,000 feet on Siachen Gyari
and Densome, he confirmed that an Indian aircraft had violated Pakistans
air space last week.
He agreed with a correspondent that the issue of Siachen was linked to
Kashmir and that India wanted Pakistan to give up its stand on the issue.
But we are not careless and I can tell you proudly that Indian troops have
always suffered more casualties than Pakistan.
However, he said that non-battle casualties on both sides were more because
of extreme cold weather ranging from 30 to 50 degrees below freezing point.
The official agreed that there was no tactical value of the area and said
Pakistan was confronting an aggression and trying to prevent new
aggressions.
Responding to a question he said that battle at Siachen was costing heavily
both in terms of men and material and the fighting there did not pay any
dividend to any side.
Major casualties occur due to intense cold weather which causes frostbite.
Diseases like pulmonary oedema, cerebral oedema, snow blindness, kidney
complications and mountain sickness are common.
According to the official, Indias one-day expenditure stands at around
Rs50 million, while Pakistans expenditures are much lower.
India uses helicopters for every work while we use them rarely and get our
jobs done through other means.
A single dress of a soldier costs the government about Rs45,000 which
becomes useless after 6 months. It is imported from Britain.
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960830
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Kashmir retained on UN Council agenda till 1998
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Our Correspondent
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 29: The United Nations Security Council on Thursday
formally amended its July 30 decision, wherein it dropped 50 items,
including, Kashmir and Palestine, from its agenda of matters it is seized
of.
But as a compromise reached on Tuesday by a consensus it decided to include
all items which member states wish to retain on the list by notifying it
before September 15, 1996. That means items including Kashmir will be
restored to the agenda until January, 1998.
The Council also decided that the secretary general would issue an annual
summary statement each year and all those items will remain in the list if
a member state notifies the secretary general.
However, it rejected demands by Pakistan, Arab and other member states to
do away with the procedure completely. The procedure, the Council members
say is essential for reforming and overhauling the United Nations Security
Councils agenda and cut peacekeeping costs.
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960901
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New equipment will keep F-16s in order: Benazir
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said on Saturday the
release of the embargoed US arms under the Brown Amendment was Pakistans
victory and a closing of a difficult phase of relationship between
Islamabad and Washington.
The completion of this (shipment) process would mark the closing of a
difficult phase of our relationship with the United States and the
beginning of a new phase in our bilateral co-operation, Benazir Bhutto
told reporters at Chaklala Air Base where a PAF Boeing aircraft brought the
second consignment of arms from the United States.
Bhutto said the release of embargoed arms had been achieved by adherence to
a principled stand, backed by well thought out diplomatic efforts and
considerable hard work.
The second shipment worth $50 million consists of F-16 spare parts and
modification kits.
Bhutto said India had created obstacles to stop the United States from
releasing these arms and equipment and even bribed the United States
officials for this purpose.
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960902
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PM accuses India of training MQM men
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By Masood Haider
NEW YORK, Sept 1: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said the political
process in Pakistan will resolve the Mohajir Qaumi Movement problem in
Karachi, but for India, which she accused of training MQM activists and
transforming them into terrorists.
Writing in the Harvard International Review on the politics of identity in
South Asia transcending divisions the consolidation of Pakistan, Ms
Bhutto observes: South Asia will have a bleak future if such cross-border
interference, masterminded by overgrown intelligence services, continues.
The political process will resolve MQM problems in Karachi, and Indian
interference will result only in injecting avoidable tension into inter-
state relations.
Accusing India of hegemonic ambitions in the South Asian region, Ms Bhutto
says: ... not a single state in South Asia has escaped gross interference
in its internal affairs. Even the smallest of states which pose no
conceivable threat to their great neighbour, have seen this interference
plunge them into long periods of internal turmoil.
OFFERS PEACE: Saying that Pakistan would like to open an entirely new
chapter of co-operative relations with India, Ms Bhutto called upon the
Indian leaders to negotiate a peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem as
well as reciprocally binding non-proliferation regime for nuclear weapons
and delivery systems.
She said as the two largest states of the subcontinent, India and Pakistan,
owe it to South Asia to transform its only regional organisation, the South
Asian Association for Regional Co-operation, into a more meaningful and
effective vehicle of regional economic and social development.
Ms Bhutto said most of the instability faced by Pakistan comes not from
the domestic separatism but from external interference and threats.
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960901
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New City housing project hits snags
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Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 : The multi-billion housing project, New City: Islamabad,
has run into snags as the land owners in the area are demanding the price
which the developers are not willing to pay.
This private-public joint venture was scheduled to be launched in March,
1996 but due to the failure of the sponsors to arrange the targeted 80,000
Kanals, the project has suffered extended delays.
A visit to the villages which are supposed to fall in the New City revealed
a story totally different from what the developers have been telling people
in the well furnished offices in Islamabad.
Agents of the MG Holdings, the key company which is developing the New City
are finding it extremely difficult to buy land as the villagers are
demanding exorbitant prices. So far the sponsors have succeeded in
purchasing some non-agricultural lands in deh shamlat (collective
ownership) lands and some other tracts. But villagers having land with
agricultural potential have so far resisted the attempts of the agents of
the New City sponsors, quoting prices which render the whole project
uneconomic.
At the time the project was made public through press reports, the rate of
land in the area varied between Rs20,000 to Rs 40,000 per Kanal.
Pakistan Navy which is developing a housing scheme, Anchorage Sihala, for
its officers, had purchased over 2600 Kanals in the area at the average
price of Rs40,000 per Kanal.
Similarly, Overseas Pakistani Foundation (OPF) had purchased about 800
Kanals in Mouza Ladhiot at a rate little higher than the one paid by the
Navy.
But no sooner had the developers of the New City announced that they would
be selling one Kanal of land in the proposed city at Rs6,50,000, the owners
in these villages began demanding a minimum of Rs100,000 per Kanal for
their land.
Mohammed Tahir, a member of lumberdar family of Ladihot, told Dawn that
people were selling only shamlat land in the area. He said his family owned
over 2100 Kanals of malkiat (individually owned) land in Mouza Ladhihot.
He said that not a single Kanal of malkiat land had been purchased for the
New City project from his village, Ladihot. Tahir further said that
according to his information the developers have purchased only a rocky
hillock near Bhimber Tarar. He said people were not willing to sell their
land at the price which the developers were offering.
People in the area are totally confused. We read in the newspapers that
people are purchasing plots in the proposed New City but we know that the
developers have no plots to sell because we have not sold them any plot,
he added.
He said that when the project was announced in late 1995, a number of
property dealers began visiting the target villages looking for a bonanza,
but as soon as they learnt the owners too were awaiting for a bonanza and
were not willing to sell their lands even at the prices that the Navy and
the Overseas Foundation had paid for their schemes, they began
disappearing.
The project needs at least 20,000 Kanals of continuous tract to start with.
But the 20,000 Kanals the sponsors have purchased so far are in small
pieces and these pieces are mortgaged with the CDA.
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960904
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Drug prices raised by over 32pc
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By Sarfaraz Ahmed
KARACHI, Sept 3: Pharmaceutical companies have come out with new price
lists showing an average increase of over 32 per cent including five per
cent general sales tax in the prices of five controlled items.
The increase which has come into effect from Sept 1 was made in accordance
with a health ministrys directive, issued in the end of July, asking the
pharmaceutical concerns that price adjustment in both controlled and
decontrolled categories shall be made from Sept 1, 1996.
A severe shortage of a number of both controlled and decontrolled items
exists, leading to black marketing.
Like last month, the new lists also include the five per cent general sales
tax levied on all types of drugs antibiotics, vitamins, cough syrups and
iron or dietary supplements.
A new list released by a pharmaceutical company through its distributors
show that prices of at least five controlled drugs have gone up.
The receipt vouchers issued to retailers showed new rates along with a
separate entry of sales tax, but the packing of medicines has no price
mark, nor the old ones, leaving it up to the retailer to write new rates as
he wished.
For example, Aria tablets, which was previously available for Rs 53.25 (30-
tablet pack) are now being quoted for Rs 69.22 along with a Rs 2.68 sales
tax. Blokium tablets of 100 mg (15 tablets) and 50 mg (30 tablets),
previously available for Rs 68.69 and Rs 73.27, now cost Rs 100 and Rs 120
along with a Rs 3.87 and Rs 4.64 sales tax, respectively.
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960905
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Benazir rejects consensus govt idea
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Ihtashamul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday rejected the
idea of a consensus government run by technocrats and unelected people and
sought oppositions co-operation to strengthen the system and recover Rs95
billion stuck-up loans.
There is no question of accepting the proposal for a consensus government
only because some vested interests desire so. We simply reject the theories
of consensus coming from the adventurers and fortune seekers, she
maintained.
Speaking in the National Assembly after the conclusion of a two-hour debate
on loan default issue, the prime minister opposed the idea of a caretaker
government or of any new arrangement not based on democracy but autocracy
and authoritarian rule.
This is a wishful thinking of some people to grab power but I want to tell
the adventurers that I am here as a result of election and nobody can
snatch this right from me, she stated.
During the debate both sides accused each other of receiving loans from
banks. The mover of the adjournment motion Mehmood Khan Achakzi in his
speech had demanded of the prime minister, in her presence, to give up
politics and go home. We should get rid of both Ms Bhutto and Nawaz
Sharif, he said.
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960905
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Imran gives govt choice on cancer hospital
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By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Sept 4: Tehrik-i-Insaaf convenor Imran Khan on Wednesday urged the
government either to allow him to raise funds from educational institutions
for his cancer hospital or meet the needs of the hospital by extending it
financial assistance.
Addressing a news conference at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust Hospital,
he said Rs 161 million had already been spent on the treatment of the
cancer patients.
A total of 12,805 registered cancer patients paid 41,541 visits to the SKMT
Hospital. No fees were charged for 40,927 visits.
Imran Khan regretted that the Punjab government had not paid even a single
penny to compensate the Rs 30 million loss caused to the hospital because
of the April 14 bomb blast. He said the few patients transferred to the
Jinnah Hospital for treatment because of the blast had returned to the SKMT
Hospital within a few days.
Now, he said, cancer patients were having to wait for an appointment
because some outdoor patients had to be shifted to wards meant for indoor
patients.
If the government gave financial assistance to the hospital or allowed it
to raise funds from the educational institutions, Imran Khan said, the
delay could be shortened.
He alleged that the government had not only created difficulties for the
hospital but had also deprived it of the loans it was getting from some
foreign countries.
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960904
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Blast rips through power plant, two killed
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By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 3: At least two KESC engineers were killed and three other
employees were injured in an explosion which knocked out the 66mw Unit-2 of
the Korangi Thermal Power Station (KTPS) shortly after midday on Tuesday,
officials said. The KESC officials said all three were out of danger.
Besides the loss of lives, extensive damage was caused by the explosion
which forced the authorities to shut down the remaining three units of the
plant.
The blast immediately caused a shortage of 50mw but the crunch was felt
during the evening peak hours.
The KTPS had two units of 66mw and two of 125mw capacity and all of them
were operating much below their designated capacity, the KESC officials
said. The unit which caught fire was commissioned in 1965 and had completed
its 30-year-life span.
At noon the operational staff noticed sparks in the units exciter, perhaps
owing to unmanageable excessive power being generated at that time. Sensing
the danger, they started closing down the unit but before they finished
doing so, the Unit-2 exploded at 12:20 pm, ripping off the operations
control room and causing extensive damage to heavy equipment of the plant.
The PAF fire-fighting personnel were the first to reach the scene and
succeeded in extinguishing the fire after two hours.
At the time of the explosion the plant was generating 220mw power out of
which the damaged unit was producing 35mw or about half of its installed
capacity.
The closure of three other units compelled the KESC to resort to
loadshedding to the tune of 50mw during day time.
A KESC spokesman, however, said the company would not be resorting to
loadshedding during the evening peak hours because WAPDA had promised to
provide up to 400mw, if required by the KESC.
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960904
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Household expenses exceed incomes
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: The monthly expenditure of 82.88 % households in
Pakistan exceeded their incomes during 1992-93, according to the Household
Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) released by Federal Bureau of Statistics
Tuesday.
The biggest income-expenditure gap Rs 837 was suffered by households
with the income level of Rs 935 who represented 5.68 % of total households.
The highest income group saddled with the deficit were households receiving
a monthly income of Rs 4360. And these are 9.36% of the total.
The average monthly expenditure per household increased by about 23 %
during 1992-93 as compared to 1990-91 while the income rose by about 13 %
on average, thus further eroding saving capacity of the people, according
to HIES.
Worst affected were rural households whose nominal incomes during 1990-93
rose by only 4.6%, as against an increase of 23.7% in their monthly
expenditure, thus leaving a negative change of 19.1%. Their monthly income
has been computed in HIES as Rs 3070 in 1992-93, only Rs 139 more than in
1990-91, while their expenditure climbed by Rs 600 from Rs 2527 to Rs 3127.
On all-Pakistan basis, the average monthly income per household went up by
13% from Rs 3168 to Rs. 3590, as against 23% increase in expenditure from
Rs 2851 to Rs 3516. Given double digit inflation persisting in Pakistan
during the period, these statistics indicate that even the urban families
in middle income brackets scarcely broke even.
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960901
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Pakistan ranks 7th in consumer prices growth
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Muhammad Ilyas
ISLAMABAD, Aug 31: Pakistan recorded seventh highest growth rate in
consumer prices among East and South Asian countries during 1995, according
to an IMF report.
In a table of 29 countries included in the World Economic Outlook, May
1996, document of the IMF, Pakistan is shown to have undergone a sharp
rise in consumer prices from 9.5% in 1992 and 9.4% in 1993 to 12.5% in
1994. It is on the basis of the sky high benchmark established in that year
that the consumer prices are pegged 0.2% lower at 12.3% last year.
According to the table, Myanmar topped all the countries in terms of
consumer prices with a growth of 28.9%.
The other countries which were ahead of Pakistan in this respect included:
Vietnam (13.1%); Afghanistan (14.0%), China (14.8%), Laos (19.7%) and Papua
New Guinea (15.9%). In 1996, the IMF report expects the inflation in
Pakistan to remain above 9% (9.2% to be exact) owing, among other factors,
to unremitting depreciation of the rupee.
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960831
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World Bank sees 25pc increase in power rate
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M. Ziauddin
ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: The World Bank, fearing that the 34 power projects in
private sector which have already been issued with letter of support (LoS)
would, on their materialisation, generate far more electricity than the
requirements of the country, has advised Islamabad to withdraw LoS if these
projects fail to reach financial closure in the allowed time.
In a letter to government of Pakistan late last month, the World Bank also
predicted a 25 per cent rise in power tariffs with the private sector
projects going on stream next year and promised to help WAPDA and other
concerned bodies to overcome difficulties in implementing the expected
increase.
Taking note of the local fears being expressed about the viability of power
generation by private sector and resultant rise in power tariffs, the World
Bank in its letter also advised the government to ensure that the private
thermal power policy continues to be implemented.
A failure to do so could create a serious backlash resulting in a massive
erosion of investor confidence in Pakistan. Such an erosion would have
repercussions that would extend far beyond the power sector, warned Mr Per
Ljung, World Banks energy and project finance chief (South Asia region) in
the letter of July 29 addressed to Mr V. A. Jafarey, prime ministers
adviser on finance and economic affairs.
Extending World Banks unqualified endorsement to the private power policy
Mr Per Ljung termed it as the most straight forward and well thought out
policies in place in any developing country.
Disagreeing with the argument that the demand for power would slow down
considerably in Pakistan in the short and medium term, Mr Per Ljung quoted
from World Bank studies which had estimated that Pakistan would require an
installed generating capacity of 19,900 MW before Ghazi Barotha comes on
stream in 2001.
He also pointed out that there was a large unmet demand for electric power
in the country, furthermore, only half of the population has access to
power and the per capita consumption remains very low at 300kWh.
Arguing against the suggestion that the private power would be too
expensive, Mr Per Ljung said that price offered to the private investors in
Pakistan was well within line with international experience.
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960831
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The elusive foreign investment target
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Sultan Ahmed
PAKISTAN has set itself an annual investment target of $5 billion from the
year 2,000, while India has set a target of $10 billion, preferably from
the current year.
While the reformist Indian finance minister, Chidamparam, is confident of
India receiving such a large foreign investment, Mr Mohibullah Shah,
secretary of Pakistans Board of Investment regards the $5 billion
investment target by the end of the century a reasonable target.
And he is encouraged by his assertion that foreign investment last year was
a billion dollars compared to $450 million in the preceding year.
Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, on her part, claims that the total foreign
investment during the three years of her government had risen to $ 3.2
billion, and that that was the outcome of her many foreign tours. She did
not provide a break-up of that large figure.
According to the State Bank of Pakistans Annual Report for 1994-95,
foreign investment in the first year of her current tenure, 1993-94, was
$649 million and in the second year it rose to $1,530 million, inclusive of
$862 million received through the sale of 10 per cent of the Pakistan
Telecommunications shares abroad. And last year the investment was $1
billion, says Mr. Mohibullah Shah, and asserts they were not MOUs but funds
verifiable by the State Bank of Pakistan.
Evidently, all that investment did not come as cash but was largely
equipment which came from abroad for power generation and oil exploration.
So the total comes to $3.2 billion dollars only if the sale proceeds of
$862 million of PTC shares are included.
The PTC sale meant foreign investment all right, but in reality it was
replacement capital.
The need of the country right now is to attract foreign investment in the
manufacturing sector, prefer ably for exports. A great deal of foreign
exchange will have to be spent on importing furnace oil for the power
plants set up in Pakistan, for spare parts over the years and to repatriate
the profits they will be making. The total can be around $2.5 billion and
that kind of money could be earned only if we exported more and more, more
of the truly value-added, otherwise with a balance of trade deficit of $3
billion, and balance of payments deficit of $3.3 billion, we may see the
foreign investment aggravating our balance of payments instead of improving
it. Enhanced power production at a high cost has to be matched with an
expansion in the capacity of its users for productive and export purposes.
Otherwise the mismatch between higher power production and its non-
productive use will confront Pakistan with a worse balance of payments
crisis.
Of course, if the foreign investment can come for import substitution and
rely largely on raw materials produced in Pakistan, it can reduce our
import bill which rose to $11.7 billion against the target of $10.4 billion
last year.
Walls Ice Cream, produced by Lever Brothers, who have taken over Polka as
well, is a classic case of increasing the import of raw materials to meet
the new demand for ice cream created by its advertising. It has been
importing milk worth half-a-million dollars from New Zealand to make the
ice cream.
Unless foreign investors are coming in the manufacturing sector to export
or will use indigenous raw materials largely when they help in import
substitution they can aggravate our balance of payments, and even more when
such profits are to be repatriated.
Mr. Mohibullah Shah says a major development in the inflow of foreign
direct investment is its diversification. The investment is coming in
different new productive facility or manufacturing capacity.
Surely a target of $5 billion is a large leap from the average of $1
billion per year achieved during the last three years, and Pakistan has to
strive relentlessly for that. However, Mr. Mohibullah Shah says the long-
term approach of the government in policy-making has greatly enhanced the
faith of the investors to make investment in big projects.
Major setback
Foreign investment suddenly had a major setback following the sudden
cancellation of the 12 Special Industrial Zones which offered generous tax
concessions and other facilities to foreign investors which made them
interested in those zones a great deal. The cancellation came under
pressure from the IMF which sought a reduction of the tax exemptions all
around, as the current budget indicates, and not an extension even for
attracting foreign investment in a big way. The SIZ also invited protests
from the already established foreign investors in Pakistan that the new
investors were being favoured a great deal at the cost of the old investors
who had played a pioneering role in the country. the government is now
taking up the issue of the Special Industrial Zones with the IMF, possibly
with reduced concessions to the investors.
The bulk of foreign investment, particularly US investment which tops all
foreign investment in Pakistan now has been coming in the power generation
sector followed by oil exploration., But since the government has decided
not to create an excess capacity in this area with too many power producers
and too few major consumers large further investment in the sector will
come down, unless that be to replace some of the companies which signed
MOUs and obtained letter of support but did not follow up.
However, if the privatisation of large power projects as at Jamshoro, KESC,
some units of WAPDA, and even the Heavy Mechanical Complex, were treated as
foreign investment, the foreign investment figures could rise substantially
which is a very healthy sign. They include oil and gas, power generation,
agro-industries, food and chemicals.
He says most of the US companies which entered the Pakistan market recently
have established a solid base within a very short span of time. He spoke of
the General Tyre and Rubber company, which had made a investment of $40 to
45 million within eight months period and its propensity to export tyres to
the Gulf and Central Asia. That is the kind of foreign investment we need:
both to meet domestic needs and to export. But then General Tyre has been
in Pakistan for a long time under the late Gen. Habibullah.
He spoke of the Chrysler International Corporation of the US which plans
local manufacture of the famous Chrysler Cherokee jeeps soon, in
partnership the Penta Motor Industries of Pakistan.
The issue which now arises is: how many foreign motor car companies are we
going to have when we already have quite a number and prices of their
products have been going up due to the steady devaluation of the rupee,
rising taxes, and the costly insurance premium they demand in our insecure
environment.
Of course, Pakistan could earn a substantial amount through foreign
portfolio investment or sale of shares of companies listed in Pakistan.
That, however, seems to be a kind of two-way flow. While some money comes
from one end more money is going out after making sizeable profits or
before the buyers could suffer large losses.
Steady devaluation
They are also upset by the steady devaluation of the rupee which makes
their shares lose their value in dollars.
A recent report said shares worth $25 million were bought by foreign
investors in the first four months of the year, but how much of that was
sold following the steady fall in shares prices and the hopelessness in the
stock market is not known.
The fact is that large foreign investment calls for political stability,
economic stability with a budget that does not burst like a bomb over the
heads of investors each year, a good labour policy and a stable legal
framework marked for rule of law and social liberalism.
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960905
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Banks stopped from financing modarabas
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Mohiuddin Aazim
KARACHI, Sept 4: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has asked all commercial
banks to stop financing modarabas on their own. The move has triggered
mixed reaction among modaraba managers most of whom fear it may hit small
modarabas engaged in trading.
An SBP circular issued on Tuesday says, the banks may provide finances to
modarabas only after seeking a prior clearance from the NBFIs Regulation &
Supervision Department of the SBP. The decision has taken effect
immediately.
The decision is going to create a negative perception about the
modarabas, said the chairman of Modarabas Association of Pakistan Mr
Fakhir Rehman.
But in real terms it may not have an adverse impact, he said but made it
clear it was his personal view. He linked his optimism to his expectation
that the SBP will not delay a clearance unnecessarily.
Mr Rehman said the decision may have its impact mainly on the modarabas
engaged in trading. But I believe the SBP has taken the decision to ensure
that the health of the financial sector is protected.
The number of modarabas operating in the country is 53 but only a small
number of themroughly one thirdmanage to seek financing facilities from
commercial banks. The rest stand no chance partly because of their ill-
performance and partly due to high borrowing cost.
Chief executives of some leading modarabas interviewed individually said
they would request the association to meet and discuss the issue in detail.
The association should ask the SBP what had spurred it to take the
decision and how it would determine whether or not to allow bank financing
to a modaraba, one of them said.
While the circular is silent on what prompted the SBP to take the decision,
modaraba managers believe the recent detection of financial irregularities
at a big business house might be an immediate reason.
The business house in question also owns a modaraba and those in the know
of things say the charges against which it is facing legal actions include
dishonouring of a large number of letters of credit.
Bankers say the overall deteriorating performance of modarabas might be a
rather more valid reason for the SBP decision. The decision seems to have
spurred from the need to protect banks from making imprudent financing,
said a senior executive of a private bank. Since the majority of modarabas
is not performing well, it is only logical to monitor bank financing in
this sector.
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960831
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Conflicting demands of business, IMF
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M Ziauddin
The government seems to have been caught between the devil and the deep
sea. On the one hand, the business community is continuously forcing it to
withdraw tax measures affecting the unearned incomes of some of its members
and on the other, the IMF is refusing to come to its aid unless the
likelihood of any changes in the Finance Act passed by the sovereign body,
called the National Assembly is precluded completely.
Meanwhile, the combined effect of an abnormal expansion in the foreign
trade gap last year, to a massive $ 3.2 billion and the 11 to 13 per cent
rate of inflation in the last 14 months has brought the exchange rate under
great pressure, resulting in a continuous slide of the rupee, not only in
the last year, but also in the first 50 days of the current financial year.
Foreign exchange reserves (FER) are up at $ 1.9 billion. But this provides
a misleading picture, because the amount in the foreign exchange currency
deposits estimated to be around $ 7.5 billion has also been in use since
early 1991 when exchange controls were lifted. Therefore, whatever amount
that is shown in the FERs, if it is less than $ 7.5 billion, it is in fact
a liability rather than an asset.
Debt servicing is a continuous obligation all through the year, but in the
months of September-October, it peaks. And the expected peak this year is
estimated to be about $ 700 million. So, in the absence of the concessional
tranches of the IMF, amounting to around $ 160 million and the expected
pressure in the current quarter on the FERs from the escalating imports, it
is feared that the Government of Pakistan (GOP) would find it too difficult
to mobilise the resources required for the upcoming amortisation.
Incidentally, the most contentious issue between the business community and
the government is the imposition of general sales tax (GST). The government
is trying every trick in the book to get the business community to accept
the measure, while the business community is using every threat in its bag
to force the government to withdraw it.
The GST is estimated to bring in more than half of the additional taxes of
Rs41 billion proposed in the current years budget. Most of the remaining
income from additional taxes has been proposed to be collected from
increases in the rates of excise duties which, even the supporters of the
new budget find it hard to defend and they readily agree that it was an
inflationary and regressive measure.
The principle is when you impose GST, the excise duties are withdrawn and
more so, when the GST rates are as high as 23, 18, 15 and 10 per cent.
During the last financial year, large scale manufacturing remained constant
at around three per cent reflecting stagnation in investment, production
and domestic supplies leading to a very low export growth. The stagnation
in investment has been partly attributed to the denial of its full
allocation of bank credits to the private sector, as more than double of
public sector credit allocation was mopped up by the government.
Prime Ministers advisor on Finance, Mr V.A. Jaffarey believes that the
stagnation in the manufacturing sector had occurred last year partly
because the lead industry (textiles) has been suffering from over capacity
for some time. He expected the private sector investment to pick up in the
coming months as the sponsors of independent power plants for which
financial closures have been achieved are soon expected to start their
spade work and launch the civil engineering phase. As much as one billion
dollars worth of investment is expected to start flowing in the power
sector during the next 10 months.
In another positive development, exports have increased by about 10 per
cent in the very first month of the current year while imports have
stagnated around 2.8 per cent, perhaps in response to massive depreciation
of the rupee in the last 13 months. As a result, the foreign trade gap has
contracted by eight per cent, compared to the corresponding period last
year.
If this trend continues over the remaining part of the year, the pressure
on the FERs is expected to ease considerably perhaps replenishing the FERs
back to over $ 3 billion, the amount which was in the kitty at the start of
the financial year 1995-96.
Reports of another bumper crop are in the air. The initial estimates of
cotton for this year are to the tune of 12-13 million bales. If this
materialises, the country is likely to have at least about three million
bales of exportable surpluses this year and the balance would be enough to
keep the supplies for the value added industry in abundance and at economic
rates.
This is the time for the government to offer international prices to cotton
growers through the Cotton Export Corporation, but on condition that they
would agree to pay tax on their agricultural incomes. Here, it would not be
out of place to warn the farmers not to confuse the issue by including the
freight differential between New York and Karachi in their reckoning of the
international cotton prices.
The expectations are, that the rupee would slide to Rs 40 a dollar by the
end of December, 1996. Its value at present is nearly Rs 36 to a dollar
officially, while the kerb rate is as much as Rs 39.10. This level of
depreciation would surely put a hold on unnecessary imports and create the
right climate inside the country for accelerated investment in suitable
import substitution and export sectors. A realistic rate of the rupee is
also expected to enable the government to reduce the tariff rates to around
45 per cent as per the IMF prescription without the fear of an import
deluge in the face of the not so satisfactory FERs.
The process of privatisation is also expected to bring in another at least
$ 2 billion during the year as the Jamshoro power plant and the 26 per cent
strategic shares of PTCL are likely to be sold off before the end of the
current financial year. The two commercial banks, United Bank Limited and
Habib Bank Limited along with at least one more development finance
institution would also be privatised during the year, if the government
decides to make sincere efforts to sell them, without trying to have the
cake and eat it too.
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960831
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Karachi Stock Exchange moves over to ensure transparency
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Muhammad Aslam
KARACHI STOCK EXCHANGE (KSE) joined the select band of fully- developed
world stock markets, after it switched over to partial computerised trading
and analysts believe it will lead to greater transparency in the share
business, one of the major demands of foreign investors.
What is computerised or electronic trading? How will it ensure transparency
in transactions or attract foreign investors and how will the general
investor benefit from it, are some of the questions being asked by many.
In manual trading there is scope of price manipulation by those who hold
the key, as investors seldom get the price mentioned in the official
fluctuation list. Subsequently, there always was a difference of 25 to 50
paisa in the selling and buying prices, but investors had no option but to
rely on the figures provided by the agents or brokers.
But with computerised trading, this will be eliminated to a greater extent,
as the computer has a sharp vision and tremendous electronic power to
transmit the agreed rate of share transactions to millions of viewers
around the world through the Reuters cable network.
Under the computerised stock trading network, members or agents of the KSE
will operate from their offices. They will trade in securities through the
computer installed within their premises. The sharp eye of the computer
will mark the selling and buying rate and route the transaction directly to
the clearing house for settlement of the dues.
Apart from being a big saving on time and manpower, the brokerage houses as
well as investors will have a clear picture of deals struck, thereby
eliminating even vague chances of dispute between the buyer and sellers.
Automation has its own demerits too, the chief being its capacity to
displace manpower or manual labour, said a leading broker. But it was the
need of the our as most of the foreign investors and the nine foreign funds
operating on the KSE have some reservations about the existing levels of
transparency in the share business.
It is more important because of the fact that Pakistan has recently joined
the Federation of Euro-Asia Stock Exchanges (FEASE), which is expected to
pave the way for a greater inflow of foreign investment in shares,
financial analysts said. It is an important milestone in the trading
history of the KSE and credit must go the team led by its president Arif
Habib, said a foreign fund manager who is operating in the market for a
couple of years. He went on to add that there have been frequent complaints
from many foreign investors about the transparency of transactions
primarily because of manual handling of the stock business, but now most of
them are expected to be removed after the trading was fully computerise
possibly by the end of the current year.
Pakistans stock market has been on the top of the emerging market list
since the early 90s and had attracted massive foreign buying, as the
earning per share was around 25 to 30 per cent. But the Karachi killings of
1995 witnessed the outflow of the foreign capital, analysts said.
Stock analysts were of the opinion that switching over to electronic
trading has assumed an added importance in the wake of the recently set up
Asian Smaller Companies Fund by the Templeton Asset Management of the US in
Singapore.
Many Pakistani companies might not fall in line with the investment
criteria of the new Singapore fund, nevertheless, some MNCs stand a good
chance to attract fresh foreign buying, they added.
The KSE authorities, have initially selected eight sectors, ICP mutual
funds, modarabas, leasing, banks, insurance, synthetic and chemical, cement
and chemical and pharmaceutical shares which together total 294 or about
half of the total listed 785 scrips for computerised trading.
But we hope to cover the entire list by the end of the current year, if
all goes well with the trial run, said a member of the KSE.
Some analysts are of the view that the choice of sectors for electronic
trading is debatable, as it did not included the most active scrips,
including Hub-Power and PTC vouchers. Energy sector should have been the
obvious choice before the selectors as it would have added the much needed
depth to the new experiment, they added.
Many technicalities are involved in the switch over but we are expected to
master them during the next few weeks, said a member who indulged in
electronic transactions for the first time.
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960905
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KSE shares index breaks 1,400 barrier
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 4: The KSE 100-share index breached the psychological barrier
of 1,400 points on Wednesday at 1,388.19 on panic selling spurred by news
of second US missile attack on Iraq and fears of another Gulf war. The
selling in part was prompted by the perceptions of bleak economic outlook
at least for the near-term.
It had touched its career-lowest level at 1,323.53 on November 28, 1995, on
news of heavy casualties in the city in terrorist attacks and rumours of a
further devaluation of the rupee just at the heels of 7.5 per cent already
announced by the central bank in late October that year.
The Gulf war might not be imminent but oil now will be too expensive and
that worries investors, said an analyst.
But there was no matching buying which could absorb the mounting selling
offers from all and sundry as investors appeared to be in a bit hurry to
get out of the market.
The KSE 100-share index finally shed another 24.03 points at 1,388.19
points as compared to 1,412.22 a day earlier as base shares came in for
renewed selling.
The sell-off has some other local bearish factor behind it, notably among
them arrests of some top corporate giants for alleged bank loan default and
reported voluntary winding up of two modaraba companies. Analysts said the
winding up of Dawood group of companies modaraba, being quoted at around Rs
8.25 against its face value of Rs 10, provided a pleasant surprise to
investors as no other big business house has done it before, although most
of the modaraba companies are said to be not in an ideal financial position
after this sector was brought under the tax net some years back.
The management of Paramount Modaraba also did not give any reason for the
close of business but it was certainly doing well financially as is
reflected by its ruling share price around Rs 4 against the face value of
Rs 10.
However, there were no wide price fluctuations in their share values after
the news as the managements of both have reportedly undertaken to pay back
shareholders at the face value of Rs 10.
Thus, it was not a single bearish factor but a combination of them which
continued to inspire selling from all and sundry, pushing prices further
lower across a broad front.
The market might not collapse as its some of the basic fundamentals are
not that weak but it might take quite sometime to be back on the rails,
analysts said.
They said the current political confrontation is another deterrent as
investors are not inclined to make fresh buying until the dust is clear.
But rather everyone appeared to be in a bit haste to get out of the market
as early as possible to save themselves from fresh losses, they added.
Minus signs, therefore, again dominated the list, most of the MNCs being
the worst-hit owing to persistent selling but not many willing buyers.
Siemens Pakistan, Fauji Fertiliser, Telecard, Parke-Davis, ALICO, Lever
Brothers, Grays of Cambridge and Cyanamid Pakistan being prominent among
them, falling by Rs 2 to 10.
Among the local blue chips, which followed them, ICP SEMF, Orix Leasing,
Bank of Punjab, Faysal Bank, Mustehkam Cement, Dewan Salman and Adamjee
Insurance were leading, which suffered fall ranging from one rupee to Rs
4.75, the biggest being in Adamjee Insurance. All other shares also fell
generally but fractionally as selling did not assume an alarming
proportion. Among the leading MNCs, Shell Pakistan was an exception which
rose further by Rs 2 on stray short-covering followed by Atlas Lease, Lease
Pakistan and Kohinoor Sugar, which rose by one rupee each. Other gains were
fractional.
The most active list was topped by Hub-Power, lower 30 paisa on 4.394
million shares followed by PTC vouchers, off 60 paisa on 4.045 million,
Dewan Salman, down Rs 1.10 on 1.755 million, Fauji Fertiliser, off Rs 3.15
on 0.774 million, Dhan Fibre, lower 35 paisa on 0.556 million shares. Other
actively traded shares were led by Lucky Cement, off 45 paisa on 0.304
million shares, and Sitara Energy, unchanged on 91,500 shares.
Trading volume rose to 20.649 million shares from the overnights 11.776
million shares owing to hasty selling in the current favourites.
There were 331 actives out of which 195 shares fell, 55 rose with 81
holding on to the last levels.
On the corporate front, the board of directors of Balochistan Particle
Board has announced a cash dividend at the rate of 15 per cent for the last
year ended June 30, 1996.
Later in the evening computerised session, the KSE 100-share index moved
further down by 1.93 points at 1,386.26 on renewed selling in the base
shares. Business activity was relatively large rising to 107,000 shares,
bulk of which, 76,500 shares, went to the credit of Dewan Salman. Other
actives included Dawood Leasing, Schon Bank, Fauji Fertiliser and FFC-
Jordan Fertiliser. Out of the five actives, two each rose and fell while
the 5th was quoted unchanged.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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960901
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A brief moment of elation
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Omar Kureishi
OURS has become such a fractured society, so divided are we into bits and
pieces of angry conviction that we even blame natural calamities on one
another.
There seems to be no meeting point on which, we as a people, can collect
together. Differences of opinion have become vendettas. Or so it seemed
until last week when at The Oval, on a balmy evening (which spread out
against the sky) Wasim Akram and his men took a cricket ball, made it swing
and spin and demolished Englands batting. There was an outpouring of joy,
spontaneous celebrations, all memories were lost, all sorrows forgotten,
all sins forgiven (Bangalore). The entire nation was uplifted as if it had
been administered a massive shot of adrenaline. One was well aware that the
moment would soon pass, that it was the most transient of elations but
while it lasted it felt good.
I happened to be in Islamabad on this particular evening and had been
invited to dinner by a friend. Normally, I shy away from social gatherings
as I find it increasingly difficult to make small talk and I find it
tiresome to listen to rumours that are being constantly recycled, the same
rumours that one has been hearing for years with only a change in the cast
of characters (and villains). But I was persuaded to go to this dinner and
am glad that I did so. In terms of topics of conversation, it was a single
agenda get-together. We spent the entire evening talking of Pakistans
fabulous win and such was the gusto that one got the impression that it was
they who had wielded the willow and it was they who had extracted magic
from the leather ball. At my hotel, every member of the staff seemed busy
in congratulating one another and because I am identified with cricket,
they made a special point in coming up to me to share their happiness.
There was a certain irony in all this. My mind went back to Bangalore. On
my way back, I had to transit Delhi and our High Commissioner Riaz Khokar
had given a lunch for the cricket team who too were in transit. He was kind
enough to invite me to the lunch. The players looked really in the dumps,
forlorn, lost and almost frightened. They told me of the threats their
families had received, effigies had been burnt, their houses stoned. They
feared for their lives. Their flight had been re-routed and they would go
to Karachi instead of Lahore where a reception committee was awaiting
their arrival. Already accusations were flying about that the bookies had
got to the team. I spoke to some of the players, tried to buck them up but
their morale had been shattered. These cricketers had become arch-enemies
of the country. It was all out of proportion, a hysterical response but it
showed how intensely and deeply involved the people were in cricket. I saw
this as a silver lining. It showed this despite the political divisiveness
which has turned bitter, the people cared, national pride had not been
blunted. At the same time one became acutely conscious of the fact that
this same public tended to be fickle in its affections and garlands of
marigold could be turned into garlands of old shoes and winning and losing
decided what kind of garlands they would bring to greet the team. It seemed
to be a highly unstable relationship that apart from being inherently
unstable was conditional. It was certainly not for better or for worse.
We should not make the same mistake, this time in reverse. We should temper
our enthusiasm with the knowledge that the team cannot keep winning all the
time and it is bound to lose at some stage. It is a part of the game. We
should learn to be both good losers and good winners. And this applies more
generally. We must accept that there will be good times and there will be
bad times.
I have been a firm believer that our sportsmen can make an important
contribution in turning around the somewhat murky image of Pakistan. This
particular cricket team made a lot of friends for Pakistan and wiped out
the memory of the previous tour when Pakistan was being called cheats,
quite wrongly and unfairly but being called cheats all the same. There was
some apprehension that the whole distasteful exercise would be repeated
again but I think the English are reconciled to being losers and they might
as well be good losers. The message of John Major to Prime Minister Benazir
Bhutto was a most gracious one. But that is because John Major is an almost
fanatic cricket fan and one saw him at most of the test matches, prompting
me to inquire when he did any work! But it was and is instructive that he
went to the matches without any fuss and the chances are that most people
at the ground did not know that the was present. The same applied to a
former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke who too was a great cricket fan.
I remember once sitting in the press box in Melbourne and he was there a
few rows behind me. He was Prime minister then and nobody appeared to take
much notice of him. He certainly did not have a bunch of chamchas hovering
around him. In other words, he did not inconvenience other spectators. He
came to the match to enjoy the cricket and made sure that others were also
able to do the same.
It was good to hear someone like Ian Botham praising the Pakistan team and
Wasim Akram in particular. There was an element of poetic justice. Botham
was in the vanguard of those who had accused the Pakistan bowlers of ball
tampering. Now his praise for them was unqualified as were the reports in
the British newspapers who acknowledge that Pakistan had won cleanly. That
too is a victory of sorts.
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960831
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Turning the other cheek
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Mazdak
TO forgive may indeed be divine in an individual, but as a nation, we may
be carrying this virtue a bit too far.
In a recent article in a Lahore daily, Mir Murtaza Bhutto pointed out that
in Pakistans 50-year history, nobody had ever been held accountable for
anything ranging from the assassination of Liaquat Ali khan to the break-up
of the country in 1971. Frequent military coups and the abrogation of three
constitutions have remained similarly unpunished as has the judicial murder
of an elected prime minister.
As a counterpoint to our laid back, laissez-faire attitude, just across our
eastern border, the former prime minister of India and many of his cabinet
colleagues are being dragged over the coals for allegations of corruption.
Further to the east, a South Korea court has sentenced a former president
to death and another one to 22 years imprisonment. The charges include
corruption, the overthrow of a legal government and the misuse of power. In
South Africa, senior members of the white apartheid regime have been found
guilty of a wide range of crimes against the black majority.
In Pakistan, what happens to those involved in conspiracies against the
state and elected governments? They write newspaper articles in praise of
democracy, or serve as advisers to prime ministers. Some of them get
appointed our ambassadors to foreign capitals, while still others live it
up in apartments and villas bought abroad with money extorted as bribes and
commissions when they were in power. In several cases, their sons have
successfully entered politics using this same tainted money as a spring-
board. Whatever their fate, none of them has ever been put to the
inconvenience and embarrassment of having to appear in court or face public
accusations of any kind.
Take the case of Irfanullah Marwat as an example. As adviser to Chief
Minister Jam Sadiq, he was allegedly involved in a long list of crimes from
kidnapping to car-lifting. He was also a scourge of PPP workers, filling
Sindhs jails with political dissidents. While his sidekick Sami Marwat,
head of the dreaded CIA, languishes in jail, the elder Marwat is living
peacefully and comfortably, dividing his time between Islamabad and
Peshawar. Meanwhile, several criminal cases registered against him remain
pending. Although he was riding roughshod over the people of Karachi only
four years ago, there is no public outcry, no newspaper campaign to force
the government to make him pay for his misdeeds.
Apart from the lack of any legal sanction against these people, there seems
to be no public indignation or anger over their misdeeds. Even those
convicted of crimes like drug trafficking are lionised by Pakistani society
after serving their time. Invariably, they claim to be victimised for their
beliefs, and get invited to all the parties as soon as they are out of
jail.
Even Mir Murtaza Bhutto chose to appoint Subak Majeed, somebody who had
served several years in a British jail for drug smuggling, as his right-
hand man. The same Subak Majeed sat in Jam Sadiqs lap during the
persecution of the PPP in Sindh.
Such examples can be multiplied a hundred-fold. The present federal cabinet
and the national and provincial assemblies are full of individuals who were
just as happy to serve Zia-ul-Haq and his junta. The Prime Minister has
chosen to surround herself with holdovers from previous regimes known for
their hatred for her, her father and her party. It seems that her method of
neutralising her enemies is to offer them party tickets and choice official
assignments.
Take Haji Nawaz Khokhar as a prime example of the prevailing forgive and
forget mood. Here is a politician notorious in Islamabad and Rawalpindi
for his free and easy ways with other peoples land. In a well-publicised
case, as Deputy Speaker during the previous government, he held up a
serving colonel and his family at gunpoint for the crime of having
scratched his official limousine. A staunch supporter of Nawaz Sharif, he
was arrested on a number of serious charges by this government when it came
to power in 1993. Soon, lo and behold, he was released and welcomed to the
folds of the ruling party.
Recently, Khokhar is said to have played a distinguished role in winning
the Azad Kashmir elections for the PPP by using the simple but reliable
expedient of not permitting genuine voters from approaching the election
booths in Rawalpindi where many of them are registered. Obviously, it is
considered useful to have somebody like him in the cabinet when the next
general election rolls around.
And to underline this governments commitment to research and development,
who better to appoint Minister for Science and Technology than Haji Nawaz
Khokhar? To celebrate this appointment, his supporters spent several hours
and several thousand bullets firing their Kalashnikovs in the air, despite
the ban on the display of firearms in the nations capital. No signal
regarding this governments commitment to eliminate the flourishing gun
culture could have been louder.
How do some people manage to erase sins committed in the media limelight so
quickly? Or to put it another way, why is public memory so short? Not only
do we forgive and forget in a matter of months, we vote the same rascals
back into office time and time again. Inevitably, the lack of
accountability in our brand of democracy is forcing influential figures and
institutions to question the system itself.
One problem in elected governments enforcing even the most rudimentary
accountability is their narrow support base in parliament. In their blind
compulsion to stay in power, they are very vulnerable to blackmail from
their supporters.
Rather than discipline their ministers and MPs, successive prime ministers
and chief ministers have chosen the more expedient path of packing their
already-swollen cabinets with incompetents and crooks.
But while this explains why our leaders connive in venality of every
description, we are still left in the dark about our willingness to forgive
and forget whatever the provocation from public figures and criminals
alike; indeed, there is often no difference between them.
However, whatever the cause, the mafia that rules the destiny of this
nation will continue taking us for suckers as long we keep turning the
other cheek.
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960903
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Celebrating 50 years of waste
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Mohammad Malick
ISLAMABAD: It has been the irony of history that the largest number of
medals go to the soldiers of the losing army, as if stringing metal
trinkets on spotless uniforms would wash away the stains of incompetence
and failure. In a similar vein, countries with nothing or little to show in
terms of real progress trumpet their development by creating awe-inspiring
monuments to commemorate their non-existent progress. It was perhaps for
this very reason that our rulers deemed it fit to spend as much as
Rs646,325 million on erecting such a monument while the nation scraped the
bottom of the barrel to come up with external debt repayments, while the
rupee lost its value by the day, while everyone walked in fear of an
imminent fiscal disaster.
But as far as the non-chalant information minister was concerned, he could
have been talking about something as cheap as a loaf of bread, not that
bread loaf, too, would remain that cheap in the coming days. Replying to a
question posed by oppositions Rao Qaiser, he said the monument would be a
befitting monument for the 50th independence of Pakistans independence.
Independence from what, one could have asked. We need to beg the Americans
to return our money that we paid for buying weapons, we depend on IMF and
World Banks kindness to see us through our financial winter, we depend on
India to save us from signing the dreaded CTBT.....what independence are we
celebrating that justifies the creation of a fancy building on top of a
hill. Mr Kharal assured the House that the committee he was overseeing
would keep the cost within the original budget.
That contention was, however, challenged almost immediately by Rao Qaiser
who asserted that the cost overruns were already nearing the Rs1 billion
mark and vowed to bring a privilege motion against the information minister
for distorting the facts, lying being an unparliamentary term. While Raos
billion mark fear may have been on a rather higher side there is very
serious apprehension about vaulting costs at the other important house on
the hill. The occupant of that hill told a senator that according to
estimates provided to him the monument would easily touch the Rs 850
million mark.
The opposition clamour notwithstanding, the information minister appeared
over the moon while talking about all that the # convention centre would
offer. The multi-million-rupee masterpiece is supposed to provide a state
of the art centre for holding international conferences and symposiums and
would also house a five-star luxury hotel. Maybe the next time the centre
issue comes up for discussion the information minister may like to
enlighten how many similar convention centres have been set up by the
government right across our hostile border because somehow, despite the
absence of such massive undertakings, the Indians have been managing to
hold some of the biggest and busiest international conferences.
They must be fools because instead of spending hundreds of millions on
creating glitzy buildings, the same money is being pumped into the
improvement of the basic infrastructure. The foreign investor does not come
because of the decor of the conference room but because of the
infrastructure and stable investment policies of the country. But then when
it comes to public money in Pakistan, who has ever given a damn. On second
thought the building of this monument might be a perfect idea to celebrate
fifty years of waste.
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Certainly not a lady in distress
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Ayaz Amir
FOR someone whose imminent ouster has become the staple of pundit
discussion these days, Ms Bhutto looks like a remarkably confident person.
To watch her in public, which really means to watch her on television, is
scarcely to get the impression that she is on her way out. It could easily
be that she is living in a world of her own and is cut off from reality.
But it is equally possible for her critics to be looking at things through
the wrong end of the telescope.
Back in 1994 when the PML (N) had launched its Movement for Deliverance
the government gave a beleaguered look. Some of the more thoughtful members
of Mian Nawaz Sharifs party now reluctantly admit that if at that time the
opposition had made a serious offer of talks, Ms Bhutto would have come
gladly to the negotiating table. It might then have been possible, say
these same people, to discuss a constitutional package with the PPP
including the holding of early elections. But with the PML (N) suffering
from a crisis of clarity not knowing what it wanted or what, in the
circumstances, it could hope to achieve that opportunity was frittered
away.
Today for all the dire forecasts made by retired and serving World Bank
mandarins, about how bad the economic situation is, the government is not
giving a beleaguered look. If there is an economic disaster waiting to
happen, this possibility is not reflected in the sparkle which is to be
seen in the Prime Ministers eyes or the blitheness accompanying many of
her actions. Asif Zardari may be accused of many things and in purist
circles Nawaz Khokhar may be considered the prime example of a turncoat but
that scarcely stops the Prime minister from naming them to the cabinet.
Some people might say this is bad politics; others will see it as a mark of
confidence. The Prime Minister wants to do something. She goes ahead and
does it without in the least being concerned about what the Press might
say.
Indeed as far as the Press is concerned the Prime Minister seems to have
liberated herself completely from its influence. Nothing that appears in
the Press seems to have the slightest influence on her behaviour or that of
her government. Damaging stories appear, some heat is generated, the
government either keeps mum or issues a few half-hearted denials and then,
the froth having subsided, it is back to business as usual. Take the Surrey
mansion story which created a commotion when it first appeared but around
which, despite the purported evidence provided in the National Assembly by
Nawaz Sharif, the dust appears now to have settled.
While the Press is more free and powerful than at any time since 1958, the
limits to what it can do have also been revealed. Moreover, despite its
new-found muscle the Press itself is not above being manipulated and
cajoled. In this connection the circumspection that has crept into much of
the Press when it comes to mentioning the First Couple will not have been
lost on more careful newspaper readers.
But to return to the sparkle in Ms Bhuttos eyes. She is even speaking
better than ever before. Take her address to the Bahawalpur Bar Association
during the course of which she was alternatively sly and humorous and sharp
in scoring points against Mian Nawaz Sharif and putting a gloss over the
achievements of her government. As a speaker Ms Bhutto comes close to being
insufferable when she is strident and high-pitched as is too often the case
when she is addressing a public meeting. At Bahawalpur, however, she kept
her tone and pitch low and spoke like an accomplished debator. A few days
before the Bahawalpur speech, in response to a question regarding the
opposition campaign against her, the answer she gave, with a slight smile
on her lips, seemed to mock her opponents. We will have local elections
this year, she said, then in January 1997 like good Muslims we will all
fast, then share the happiness of Eid, then celebrate the 50th anniversary
of the nations independence followed by elections not sooner than 1998. If
Ms Bhutto is indeed on her way out her insouciance betrays not the least
sign of it. If there is anyone looking confused it is the opposition which
knows what it wants but does not know how to get it. And if there is a pall
of gloom settled over anyone it is probably the President who in front of
visitors no longer makes any attempt to hide what he feels about the Prime
Minister but who, to judge by appearances, is driven by doubts as to what
he should do.
After all Article 58 2(b) of the constitution is a double- edged sword.
While it can spell death for an elected government it can also bloody the
fingers of the person who wields it. When Zia dismissed Junejo in 1988 he
created more trouble for himself than he had bargained for. When Ghulam
Ishaq Khan used this weapon in 1990 it was a smooth affair for him. When he
used it in 1993 he covered himself with ignominy. the moral is obvious.
Using 58 2(b) is not as easy as it sounds.
True, Ms Bhutto may be guilty of over-confidence. But her opponents may be
guilty of over-estimating her difficulties and under-estimating her
fighting qualities. Look at the three crises whose outline loomed so large
in mid-summer: Ms Bhuttos fight with the Supreme Court; the stories of the
Surrey mansion which were thought to have done grave damage to the
governments standing and credibility; and the potential effects of what
was seen on all sides as a killer budget. Where are these crises now?
Being the wilful person that she is, the Prime Minister has stuck to her
guns in her confrontation with the Supreme Court. The judges affected by
the Supreme Courts March verdict have yet to be dismissed by the
government. Nor is the government in a hurry to choose their replacements.
While Benazir Bhutto was certainly ill-advised to seek this confrontation,
the point remains that she has lived through this crisis while it is the
Chief Justice who may be showing signs of strain.
True, there are some important matters pending before the Supreme Court:
the local bodies case, Manzoor Wattoos appeal against his dismissal and
Nasim Wali Khans petition against Aftab Sherpao. While anything can happen
in these cases, what will not change is the Prime ministers defiant
attitude towards the Supreme Court. Nor is this attitude as shorn of
realism as it might appear. Benazir knows when and where to trim her sails.
She knows through hard-earned experience that she should not trifle with
the army. She knows that it is in her interests to pander to the whims of
the PML(J) and the likes of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and Maulana Fazlur
Rehman. But her attitude to the Supreme Court is a bit like Stalins who in
argument about the Pope cut short the discussion when he asked: How many
divisions does the Pope have? If the Chief Justice had any divisions at
his command Ms Bhuttos attitude would certainly have been different.
As for Surreygate, for all the damage that it might have done the Prime
Minister and her husband initially, it has now receded from the forefront
of public discussion. And as for the budget, despite all the strikes that
we have seen this summer and despite minor changes here and there, it
stays. When Qazi Hussain Ahmed tried to launch his movement from Rawalpindi
it seemed as if the floodgates of public discontent were about to be
lowered. three months down the road sugar is selling at 22 rupees a kilo
but the awam are keeping their dissatisfaction to themselves.
The received wisdom now is that September and October are going to be
crucial months for Benazir. Judging by the sparkle in her eyes my hunch is
that come the new year it will be Benazir and V.A. Jaffrey who will have
the last laugh rather than any of the World Banks artists who have been
dabbling in dark paint this summer. If Pakistan defaults on its
international payments that will be a crisis that everyone will be able to
feel and see. But if, as is fairly certain, it does not, then who stands to
benefit from the spin-off: the doomsayers or Benazir Bhutto?
In any discussion of the governments performance and its resultant
standing, let it not be forgotten that peace has been brought to Karachi by
the ruthless single-mindedness of this government. As recently as the
middle of last year parts of Karachi had become no-go areas for the law
enforcing agencies. Today the back of the armed insurgency which threatened
the city has been broken. Given the effect that the situation in Karachi
was having on the rest of the country, it is not too much to say that this
achievement makes up for failures in many other fields.
To say all this is not to put Benazir in the league of Metternich or
Bismarck but only to say that for all her personal failings and the
weaknesses of her administration she is far from looking like a person who
is about to go in a hurry.
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960905
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Europe: economic paradise or fortress?
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Benazir Bhutto
ITS hard to believe that only 50 years ago, Europe lay in ruins, shattered
by the most horrible war the world had ever seen. And yet, from the horrors
of bloodshed, an era of peace and prosperity has dawned that the region has
never before seen.
The rewards of this peace have been increased co-operation and unity,
leading to unheralded economic prosperity. Today, the European Union is the
worlds largest trading entity, with more nations eager to join. And it is
this trend toward increased integration that holds the promise not only of
regional tranquillity in Europe but prosperity on a global scale if
Europe shows a willingness to co-operate with its global trading partners.
The process of European integration has been slow but steady. I often
wonder what factors helped the Europeans overcome the legacies of a violent
past. Are there some ingredients in this union that are peculiar to Europe?
Perhaps the heritage of a Greco-Roman civilisation, the common beliefs and
the will to defend shared values, helped nurture and cement the pact.
Certainly during the cold war, the common perception of a threat from
communism united Western Europe. Now in the post-cold war era, it is the
motivation and the determination of Europe to defend its interests as an
important actor on the international scene.
Perhaps, then, the success of the EU teaches us that no monumental
achievement is possible without patience and perseverance. As Robert
Schuman put it in 1950, Europe will not be made all at once, or according
to a single plan. It has taken the EU almost 25 years to attain maturity.
This is no small achievement, considering the difficult road traversed.
Bottlenecks, prejudices, suspicions and national pride were obstacles in
the path of unity. But they were obstacles that could be overcome.
Of particular interest to those of us outside Europe is the process of
political integration and the development of a joint position on security
issues. At this point, however, the region has yet to achieve a level of
synchronisation in foreign policy where the decisions on critical issues
are taken with the swiftness that they merit.
One glaring example of European indecisiveness, for instance, is Bosnia-
Herzegovina. Too many precious lives were lost and principles of
international law sacrificed in the search for consensus.
A greater success has been Europes economic integration. The EUs trade
with Asia, for example, has received a tremendous boost. Between 1990 and
1994, European imports from the Asian trading bloc, ASEAN, rose by almost
80 per cent. European imports from Asia between 1984 and 1994 increased 139
per cent, while Asian imports of European goods rose by 110 per cent during
the same period.
The recent summit-level meetings attended by Japan, South Korea, China, the
EU and ASEAN countries, was a good omen for Asia-Europe co-operation.
Despite the increase in trade, however, mutual suspicions still run deep in
relations between European and developing countries.
Europeans tend to see developing economies as condoning human rights abuses
and environmental pollution to undercut competitors abroad. The developing
countries, on the other hand, view the EU as a fortress Europe. Some
believe that the European Unions decision to invoke the Social Clause is
merely protectionism cloaked in the attractive slogans of fighting drug
trafficking, promoting good governance, preventing terrorism and nuclear
proliferation, and protecting intellectual property rights.
In the case of Pakistan, the unfortunate murder of Iqbal Masih last year
prompted the European Parliament to pass a resolution on child labour. The
resolution quoted an international agencys figures on child labour in
Pakistan that were later denied by that very organisation.
These are issues that need dialogue and discussion between Europe and the
developing world, especially Asia.
The same patience and perseverance that went into building the European
Union is needed now to build an understanding between Asia and Europe. I
believe both continents are ready to make that commitment as we leave this
centurys troubled history behind and chart a course toward global
prosperity.Copyright 1996 Dawn- Creators Syndicate, Inc.
===================================================================
960831
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Pakistans all-round ascendancy convincingly confirmed
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Lateef Jafri
Pakistan emphatically and decisively beat England in the final Test at the
Oval in a match which had its element of drama but which ultimately proved
the overall superiority of the winning side. The series victory by a margin
of 2-0 in a shortened itinerary was the fifth in a row for Pakistan since
1984 when it clinched the honours of a home rubber by a lone win at the
National Stadium.
The success of the Pakistan team grows in importance due to the fact that
77 overs had been lost in the match to inclement weather yet the Pakistan
squad put to rout the England side struggling, rather unavailingly, to save
the match.
In the earlier part of the last day nobody could have predicted a swing of
the match towards Pakistan; Englands ship sailed in calm waters with the
score at 158 for 2 at lunch and enough batting resources left to tackle the
Pakistan bowling and the situation. However, once Graeme Thorpe, Nasser
Hussein, who exhibited some stubbornness, and Nick Knight were trapped by
the vicious spin and the curling flight of Mushtaq Ahmad the writing was
truly and luridly on the wall. The procession started and there was no
stopping Pakistan gaining the honours of the Test and the series by an
impressive margin of 2-0. This despite the fact that many confident leg
before appeals by the Pakistani bowlers, especially Waqar Younis, were
spurned by the umpires. And here umpire Kitchen played his part, if rain
was not coming, to save England from the ignominy of another London defeat
after the Lords one in the latter part of last month.
Mushtaq bowled splendidly and looked dangerous after the lunch break with
his twisting and crafty spin, disallowing strokes and putting England in
distress. Though captain Wasim Akram later described him as the best of his
type in the world and called him superior to the Australian wizard Shane
Warne any comparison is unjustified and irrelevant for Shane has
demonstrated his class and calibre in similar situations. Mushtaq proved a
true match-winner with an unbroken spell of 30 overs in the crucial second
innings and was uplifted to the level and skill of another great performer,
Abdul Qadir, whose trickery confounded even the soundest of batsmen. With a
bulky frame he bowled in the style and manner of the famed spinner of yore,
Amir Elahi.
It is really surprising why young Saqlain Mushtaq was ignored throughout
the Test series, especially at the Oval after successfully bowling against
Leicestershire and Essex. One noted that at times Robert Craft, the England
off-spinner, was quite difficult to be handled. With Saqlain, operating
from the other end with Mushtaq, Englands ordeal would have magnified. At
last he has been given a chance in the limited-overs series to show his
talent. One hopes he does not suffer the indictment of the officials on
return to make way for Rawalpindis Arshad Khan, whose career haul of two
wickets with an average of 79.50 can hardly give him a chance in the
national outfit for the Indo-Pakistan duel for the Sahara Cup in Toronto.
Besides, in the only appearance in the international limited-overs fixture
against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi last October Arshad was wicketless in seven
overs effort in a match lost by Pakistan.
Both the pacers, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, had fiery spells in the
match, the former in particular reached the milestone of 300 wickets in 70
Tests. Only Imran Khan is in his company from Pakistan in the 300-club,
though the former captain played lesser number of Tests (68 to be exact) to
attain the figures. The two Ws bowled well even in the first innings when
the strip had become a batting cushion after the rain. It was Wasim who
settled the issue for Pakistan by crashing through the defences of Croft
and Mullally, the tail-enders.
The series put Waqar again among the most destructive trundlers of the
present day cricket. He had eight wickets to his credit in the Lords
success, picked up three wickets at Leeds and had five scalps at the Oval
to have a wicket aggregate of 16 in the series. Certainly both Wasim and
Waqar are ready for the assault against India in the neutral setting of
Canada.
While assessing the Oval Test one cannot but laud the brisk and assured
batting of Saeed Anwar, who deservingly got a century, and the serene way
in which Salim Malik batted to reach three figures. It was on the whole a
team effort, as both the captain and tour manager, Yawar Saeed,
acknowledged after the Oval outcome.
In the earlier Tests Inzamams aggressive century at Lords, Saeed Anwars
crisp batting at the headquarters, hundreds by Ejaz and Moin Khan at the
drawn Leeds match raised the morale of the team in a country where cricket
encounters are usually full of controversies.
This time even the tabloids refrained from undue attacks on the visiting
team and the players. The game was played in the best spirit and as
Englands coach and the captain have admitted the verdict was clinched by
the better side with all-round capacities.
Now that the series have ended in favour of Pakistan the selectors
(regretfully ousted before completing their tenure) deserve a pat on the
back for choosing a strong and balanced side, entirely on the form and
record of the players. The selection of a few youngsters appeared risky on
paper but even Shadab Kabir showed guts at the important and responsible
slot of an opener when Aamir Sohail was ruled out to play. Mohammad Akram
too was a good ally of the senior pacers even though he was not much
encouraged during the tour.
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960831
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Wasim Akrams distinction
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Mohammad Shoaih Ahmed
Pakistans Captain and main strike bowler Wasim Akram, (30) became the
second bowler of this country to take 300 wickets in Test cricket when he
had Englands Alan Mullally clean bowled on August 26, the last day of the
third and final Test at the Oval.
Wasim Akram who was playing in his 70th Test, is the 11th player to take
300 wickets, behind record-holder Kapil Dev of India, New Zealands Richard
Hadlee, Englands Ian Botham, West Indies Lance Gibbs, Courtney Walsh and
Malcolm Marshall, Pakistans Imran Khan, Australias Dennis Lillee,
Englands Bob Willis and Freddie Truman. Of these bowlers, ten come in the
category of quick bowlers, ranging from fast to medium-fast. Only one West
Indian Gibbs, an off-break bowler was a slow spinner. Wasim is the third
Asian, after Kapil Dev and Imran Khan to have achieved this feat.
Lillee and Hadlee have the highest strike-rate of most wickets per Test in
excess of five per match, closely followed by Truman and Marshall with jut
under five wickets per Test.
The table hereunder details the deeds of the 11 who took 300 wickets in
Tests:
Wkts Balls W/B Runs Ave 5W1 10WM Best
Kapil Dev 434 27,770 63.98 12,868 29.64 23 02 9-83
R. Hadlee 431 21,918 50.85 9,611 22.29 36 09 9-52
I. Botham 383 21,815 56.95 10,878 28.40 27 04 8-34
M. Marshall 376 17,584 46.76 7,876 20.94 22 04 7-22
Imran Khan 362 19,458 53.75 8,258 22.81 23 06 8-58
D. Lillee 355 18,467 52.09 8,493 23.92 23 07 7-83
B. Willis 325 17,357 53.40 8,190 25.20 16 8-43
Lance Gibbs 309 27,115 87.75 8,989 29.09 18 02 8-93
F. Trueman 307 15,178 49.43 6,625 21.57 17 03 8-31
C. Walsh 309 17,569 56.88 7,738 25.04 11 02 7-37
Wasim Akram 300 16,064 53.52 6,867 22.89 20 03 7-119
Their Test-career basic data is as follows:
Career playing Wkts Test Wickets Span years taken played per tests.
Kapil Dev Ind 1978-94 16 434 131 3.31
R. Hadlee NZ 1973-90 17 431 86 5.01
Ian Botham Eng 1977-93 16 383 102 3.75
M. Marshall WI 1978-92 14 376 81 4.64
Imran Khan Pak 1971-92 21 362 88 4.11
D. Lillee Aus 1971-84 13 355 70 5.07
Bob Willis Eng 1971-84 13 325 90 3.61
Lance Gibbs WI 1958-76 18 309 79 3.91
F. Trueman Eng 1952-65 13 307 67 4.58
C. Walsh WI 1984-96 12 309 82 3.76
W. Akram Pak 1985-96 11 300 70 4.28
TESTS NEEDED TO REACH THE TARGET
BOWLER 100 Wkts 200 Wkts 300 Wkts 400 Wkts
Kapil 25 50 83 130
Hadlee 25 44 61 80
Botham 19 41 72
Marshall 26 42 61
Imran 26 45 68
Lillee 22 38 56
Willis 28 58 81
Gibbs 34 46 75
Trueman 25 47 65
Walsh 34 58 80
Wasim 30 51 70
Break-up of Wasim's haul of Test wickets:
TESTS BALLS MDNS RUNS WKTS AVE 5W 10W
V.NZ 09 2566 106 1013 60 16.88 6 2
V.S.L 13 2414 123 952 44 21.63 2
V.WI 11 2209 54 1087 47 23.12 2
V.IND 09 2183 80 964 31 31.09 2
V.ENG 14 3106 111 1378 50 27.56 2
V.AUS 08 1975 78 791 40 19.77 4 1
V.ZIM 05 1258 45 516 24 21.50 2
V.S.A 01 354 15 166 04 41.50
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960903
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Pakistan once more a force to be feared
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Deeley
LONDON: Meetings between Pakistan and England tend to bring partisan
instincts in some sections of the British Press. It was no exception this
time, even though in Wasim Akram Pakistan had a captain held in almost
universal respect.
Wasim and the tour management played a major role in ensuring that this
visit went off smoothly. Old skeletons such as ball tampering were rattled
in the media but this Pakistan side demonstrated that not only are they
once more a force to be feared in the international game, they were also
excellent ambassadors for their country.
It helped considerably that the opposing captains Wasim and Englands Mike
Atherton are colleagues in the Lancashire dressing room and were able
quickly to defuse any potential flash-point.
On two occasions, first at Lords and then during the final hours at The
Oval hints were dropped by a television source that a Pakistani player had
been seen possibly tampering with the ball. But the evidence was never
produced on film and so was dismissed out of hand.
England came into the series on a high after beating India 1-0 in the first
Test series of the summer and 2-0 in the one-days that followed.
The Indians were poor fare yet and at no time did England match the bowling
firepower of the Pakistanis and it was in the world class quality of their
attack that Pakistan were superior throughout.
As a journalist who has seen more of Pakistan cricket than any of his
English counterparts in the past decade, I was struck by the way the side
had pulled itself together after the disasters of the previous years, the
Salim Malik allegations involving Australia, the defeat at home by Sri
Lanka, then in Australia and the World Cup flop against India at Bangalore.
It was difficult to imagine how the side could rally for the visit to
England, yet everything came together in time and in remarkable fashion,
for which Wasim and senior players like Mushtaq Ahmed must take great
credit.
Wasim himself did not produce the quality of fast bowling of which we all
know he is capable until the final Test. Then at the death in the last Oval
innings he was almost unplayable as he managed his 300th wicket.
Waqar Younis, on the other hand, appeared to have overcome all past fitness
problems and was simply too quick and lethal for even experienced England
batsman. Mushtaq with his variety of spin went from strength to strength
and was always an example to others in the outfield.
Yet for many the player of the series was Saeed Anwar who began the tour
with a double century and was never anything else but a batsman of
consummate stroke-playing ability allied to unexpected ferocity. Hopefully
he will entertain us for many years to come now that he seems to have
thrown all the virus which once kept him out of the game.
Both Wasim and Atherton were of the opinion that this should have been a
five - Test tour. Quite why Pakistan is bracketed to three Tests is not
entirely clear though that may partly be due to the Englishmans antipathy
for people who are different to himself.
The writer is cricket correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, London.
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960904
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Jr cricketers case to be heard by Jamaican court
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Samiul Hasan
KARACHI, Sept 3: Pakistan Under-19 cricketer, Zeeshan Pervaiz, accused of
raping a 36-year-old Jamaican in the West Indies, faces a preliminary
hearing in a Jamaican court of law on Wednesday morning, Chief Executive of
the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Majid Khan, said.
The case will be put up for preliminary hearing on Wednesday morning in
which the honourable court will decide if the petition of the complainant
has to be accepted, Majid, said while speaking from his Lahore residence
late on Tuesday evening.
Majid further revealed that the 18-year-old batsman has been released on
bail. The bail was asked for by the Jamaican Cricket Association. He is no
more in the custody of the police.
The cricket board official, however, was unsure what will happen on
Wednesday. It is premature to say at the moment. But it is a very
sensitive situation. We have absolutely no clue whatsoever what will happen
if the honourable court accepts the petition of the woman.
Majid emphasised that the outcome of the hearing will not be known till
late Wednesday night (according to PST) because of the time difference.
When it would be morning in Jamaica, it will be night in Pakistan. We will
only know about the whole proceeding of the court early Thursday morning.
Majid, who sounded worried and concerned, stated that the Pakistan Cricket
Board (PCB) was in constant contact with the Jamaican Cricket Association.
They are extending their full co-operation and besides getting the bail of
the cricketer, have also hired a team of reputed lawyers who will be
contesting the case.
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Wasim Akram satisfied with England cricket tour
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Farhana Ayaz
RAWALPINDI, Sept 4: Skipper Wasim Akram termed the England tour as the best
Pakistan ever had but blamed bad one-day itinerary as one of the reasons
for losing the series 1-2.
The Pakistan captain made these remarks upon return from London at the
Islamabad airport early Wednesday morning. Amongst the lot which did not
return were the Karachi-based cricketers. They will be arriving on the
direct London-Karachi flight on Sept 5, it was learnt.
A satisfied Wasim Akram gave full credit to the behaviour, determination
and spirit of each and every individual of the team. I am very glad the
way each and every player backed each other up, and especially the way they
co-operated with me throughout the tour. The discipline on and off the
field was perfect. I had no problem whatsoever.
Wasim further termed the recently-concluded tour as the best ever any
Pakistan team had in England. We did not have any problems which previous
sides had. No scandals, no bad Press, nothing went wrong amongst the two
teams. Everybody played good positive cricket, the captain said, adding
that the English players also behaved in a very friendly way during the
tour.
Pakistan won the three-Test series 2-0 but lost the three one-day series by
1-2.
Commenting on the one-day loss the captain blamed the itinerary which was
fixed without break between the one-day games. My team was totally drained
at the end of the Test series where every one tried to give his best and we
succeeded, Wasim said.
However, the skipper said that `being drained out was no excuse for the
loss but nevertheless he said this was the case. We should have had one
day break during one-day games.
Besides, Wasim maintained that three of the top players were injured before
the one-day series which included Saqlain Mushtaq, Inzamamul Haq and
Mushtaq Ahmed.
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Axe may fall on Rashid for Canadian, Kenyan tours
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Samiul Hasan
KARACHI, Sept 4: The Pakistan cricket team for the Sahara Cup and the
quadrangular tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, has been selected, sources close
to the National Selection Committee, said on Wednesday.
Sources, requesting not to be identified, stated that the selection process
was completed in the last week of the England tour.
They stated that Chairman of Selectors, Salim Altaf, had arrived in England
before the first one-day game while member Selection Committee, Zaheer
Abbas, landed there before the second one-dayer.
Nasimul Ghani (third selector) and co-opted members Wasim Akram and Mushtaq
Mohammad were already in England.
Sources say the team for the two coming tournaments was decided after the
third one-day international which Pakistan won by two wickets.
Sources disclosed that wicketkeeper Rashid Latif was one of the five
glaring omissions from the 17-member team that undertook a 72-day tour of
England. Rashid Latif, it may be recalled, steered Pakistan to victory
single-handedly in the final one-day after the middle-order had collapsed.
The other notable absentee is medium-pacer Shahid Nazir who impressed with
his pace, line and length in the final fixture. Shahid finished with
figures of 10-0-47-2.
The other three players who have reportedly been left out are Asif Mujtaba,
Ataur Rahman and Shahid Anwer.
To complete the 14-player team, the selectors have thrown their weight
behind Salim Elahi, the opener, who slammed a century on his one-day
international debut against world champions Sri Lanka at Gujranwala but was
later a failure in other outings, and Islamabads talented allrounder Azher
Mahmood.
However, question mark is still hangs over the fitness of Inzamamul Haq,
who is nursing a bad knee, and paceman Mohammad Akram, who has pulled a
side muscle under the rib-cage.
The 14-member team for the two tours( as revealed by sources)are:
Wasim Akram (captain), Aamir Sohail (vice-captain), Saeed Anwar, Salim
Elahi, Shadab Kabir, Inzamamul Haq, Ijaz Ahmad, Salim Malik, Moin Khan
(wicketkeeper), Waqar Younis, Azhar Mahmood, Mohammad Akram, Mushtaq Ahmad
and Saqlain Mushtaq.
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PSF to hold World Open squash in a befitting way: Aliuddin
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A. Majid Khan
KARACHI, Sept 1: Air Marshal Aliuddin, Senior Vice-President of Pakistan
Squash Federation, announced here today that the biggest world squash gala
the World Open carrying the richest prize money of US dollars 1, 30,000/
in Karachi in November would be organised in a spectacular way befitting
our traditional hospitality for the comfort of participants.
It would be the biggest assembly of the world renowned squash stars and the
main attraction would be our world number one and currently world champion,
Jansher Khan, who would be bidding for his eight win after establishing a
new record of seven wins last year, said the Air Marshal. The PSF Vice-
President confidently predicted that Jansher Khan, the best player of
international circuit, would retain the World Open , scheduled to commence
from Nov 17 at the Defence Housing Authority Squash Complex.
Addressing a Press conference at the Air War College, Air Marshal Aliuddin
stated that the World Open, being staged in Pakistan for the third time,
would be of 32-man draw but eight places are reserved for qualifiers who
would earn the slots in the main draw by competing in the 32-man qualifying
round.
However in the qualifier eight places would also be reserved for those who
come from the Sindh Open which will be staged before the qualifying round
for the World Open.
The Sindh Open will be preceded by the World Open qualifying round and
these two events will be staged at the PIA Jahangir Khan Squash Complex,
the dates for which will be announced later, said the Federation Senior
Vice-President.
The Air Marshal further stated that Pakistan State Oil (PSO) is the main
sponsor of the World Open with a support fund of Rs five million and the
process is on for securing co-sponsorship for the richest squash
championship of the world in Karachi.
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