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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 10 October 1996 Issue : 02/41
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Only five per cent politicians corrupt
The bandit who was a constable
World Bank lists Pakistan among corrupt countries
Author was denied $15m, claims Shaikh
Cut in defence budget ruled out
Pakistan to continue its N-policy, says Leghari
Pakistan turned into police state, says PBC
China sold nuclear furnace to Pakistan: US paper
Britain, US also responsible: PM
---------------------------------
KSE opens on Friday after 19 years
KSE reverts to Friday as holiday
Peace in Afghanistan to open a vital trade route
Moody's poor rating to increase cost of borrowing
Private foreign investment in Pakistan
Modaraba committee to conclude findings
Petroleum prices raised again
USDA predicts 9.53m bales of cotton output
Black money now 50% of GDP
SPI shows increase of 0.16%
Leading scrips tend further lower
---------------------------------------
Democracy is a dirty word Ardeshir Cowasjee
What price Taliban victory? Mazdak
Who is conspiring against whom? Ayaz Amir
Pakistan and global disarmament Benazir Bhutto
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Cricket in Kenya
Needed: a clear-cut selection policy
Points to ponder for sports policy
S. Africa lift cricket cup with 7-wkt win over Pakistan
Afridi made three records, not two
Zimbabwean team arrive, hopeful of giving fight
Essex show interest in Saeed Anwar
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961007
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Only five per cent politicians corrupt
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Our Correspondent
SUKKUR, Oct 6: Federal Education Minister Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah has said
that talks were going on with the opposition to work toward a unanimous
bill on corruption in the light of the Presidents message and further
added that progress was expected soon.
He said Rs. 91 billion had been plundered, and the politicians were being
blamed for this massive looting of public money. He claimed that only five
per cent politicians were involved in corruption.
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961006
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The bandit who was a constable
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 5: A robber turned out to be a constable after he was shot and
wounded when attempting to rob an assistant sub- inspector of police on
Saturday in Saddar police station limits.
Initial police reports said as Arif Osman, ASI of Bahadurabad police
station, was in his car in mufti, near Masjid Romi roundabout on Sharea
Faisal, waiting for the traffic green signal, a young motorcyclist pointed
a gun at him and asked him to hand over whatever money he had on him.
Osman pulled out his gun and fired at the bandit. The motorcyclist was
injured after bullets hit him in the chest and in a leg. He was taken to
JPMC where he was identified from his ID card as constable Aijaz Ahmed,
posted in Gizri police station. He died in the hospital later on.
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961005
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World Bank lists Pakistan among corrupt countries
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By Our Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Oct 4: The World Bank has listed Pakistan among the three most
corrupt borrowing countries and has ordered surprise raids by special
squads to audit projects funded by the Bank in these countries.
"Pakistan has recently been added to the list which consisted of Kenya and
Poland and Bank President James Wolfensohn has hired the independent Swiss
accounting firm Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) to carry out the
audit raids," Bank officials said.
The new audit squads will hit countries comprising a World Bank portfolio
of at least one billion dollars, and 20 on-going projects in these three
countries have been targeted, including the Hub power project in Pakistan.
Mr Wolfensohn, who called on Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto at New York on
Thursday after the cancellation of his visit to Pakistan during his
forthcoming South Asian tour, ordered creation of special squads after he
learned that "billions of dollars were being lost through corruption and
negligent or non-existent supervision of projects".
The Bank decision to put Pakistan on the hit list came after Transparency
International, the Berlin-based firm, recently rated Pakistan as the second
most corrupt country in the world after Nigeria. The World Bank is said to
have taken special note of the rating.
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961004
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Author was denied $15m, claims Shaikh
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Our Correspondent
NEW YORK, Oct 3: A Wall Street Journal op-ed piece, which makes a strong
case against any foreign investment, including funding by the International
Monetary Fund, World Bank, and aid packages to Pakistan, was described as
being "infantile, vindictive and without any credibility" by Foreign
Secretary Najmuddin Shaikh.
At a Press briefing on Wednesday night, Mr. Shaikh observed that the
article, written on the eve of the most delicate talks with the
International Monetary Fund, was due to a "pique" that the writer, Mr.
Mansoor Ijaz, had against Pakistan government since he could not "derive
sufficient benefit" from projects he had given which were rejected by the
government.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Pakistan Embassy in Washington told "Dawn"
on Wednesday night that Mr Ijaz, who is chairman of the New York-based
Crescent Investment Management, is vilifying and damaging Pakistan, because
the embassy denied him 15 million dollars he had demanded to deliver votes
in the United States House of Representatives for the passage of the Brown
Amendment.
The spokesman said that in 1995, after the Brown Amendment had made it
through the US senate and then had to be voted on by the House, Mr. Ijaz
came to the embassy along with his lawyers with a proposal which smacked of
a "sting operation".
Elaborating on Mr Ijaz's proposal, the spokesman said "Mr Ijaz wanted us to
release fifteen million dollars for a satellite communications company
R.D.D.A. which had done some work for Pakistan in 1979 for which they were
not paid and they would sue the government to recover the monies".
"Ijaz told us that in this way you will kill two birds with one stone, one
we will ensure votes in the US House for the Brown Amendment and the other
the company R.D.D.A. will not sue you", the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that when Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi was given this
proposal she saw it as a trap wherein Pakistan Government could land in
bigger trouble; so she turned down Mr Mansoor Ijaz's proposal saying that
"it was illegal".
In the Wall Street Journal article, Mr Ijaz has implied that Ambassador
Lodhi used "aggressive tactics" in pushing for F-16 monies after the
passage of the Brown Amendment because her brother, Amir Lodhi, was
interested in the Mirage deal with France as he was the middleman as
alleged in the article.
Describing the article by Mr Ijaz as being 'outrageous and malicious
against Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, and saying "this is a
total travesty of facts", the Pakistan Embassy in a Press release pointed
out "Pakistan's publicly enunciated policy on the embargoed military
equipment has been the consistent demand for the release of this equipment
or the full reimbursement of the money paid".
"It was the US Administration which took a decision in July 1995 to back
legislation authorising the release of the military equipment except the F-
16s, for which the Administration pledged to return the money.
This was not Pakistan's decision but that of the US Administration and
Congress", the Press release said.
"Insinuations to the contrary make the preposterous assumption that
Pakistan's Ambassador was in a position not only to determine the policy of
the US Administration but also the decision of the US Congress on the F-16
issue".
As regards Mr Ijaz, it was pointed out that he had been pushing Pakistan
government to recognise Israel and he has himself visited Israel on several
occasions, once on the invitation of Jerusalem's Mayor.
Last year, Mr. Ijaz was given an award by a major Jewish organisation as
being the "Humanitarian of the year" for establishing clinics and schools
in Belgium and parts of Eastern Europe for the Jewish communities there.
Ambassador Ahmad Kamal, who attended the award ceremony, praised Mr Ijaz
and his "philanthropist activities". Then in his speech Mr Ijaz thanked
Ambassador Kamal's wife saying "thank you Mrs Kamal for Dal, Roti and
Kabab".
When the Foreign Secretary was told about the incident he said, "We all
make mistakes".
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961010
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Cut in defence budget ruled out
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M. Ziauddin
ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: A special cabinet meeting will be held here on Thursday
to consider a four-point proposal concerning the proposed IMF package of
reforms. The four points are: cuts in current expenditure; review and
reform of general sales tax; imposition of agricultural tax; and bank
reform.
The government is seriously considering accepting all the new
conditionalities of the IMF, except the one concerning reduction in defence
budget.
However, a gradual and creeping reduction in the countrys military budget,
to the tune of 30 per cent, starting from the next year, is not being ruled
out.
In their discussions with the government, the defence authorities are said
to have pointed out that while they understood the financial predicament in
which the country was finding itself currently, they felt it would not be
advisable to touch the defence budget at this juncture to bail out the
economy.
They, however, are to said to have extended full support to the government
in its efforts to increase revenues by taxing the incomes from agriculture.
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961010
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Pakistan to continue its N-policy, says Leghari
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Shamim-ur-Rahman
KARACHI, Oct 9: President Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari said here on Wednesday
that Pakistan was against the production of nuclear weapons but cannot
neglect the nuclear option which, by and large, provides an effective
answer to many of its needs.
Addressing the silver jubilee celebrations of the 137mw Karachi Nuclear
Power Plant (KANUPP) the only in Pakistan and the Muslim world the
president declared in unequivocal terms that Pakistan would continue with
its right to acquire and excel in nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
It was unfortunate that Pakistan was being hindered by some powers in
acquiring this technology even for peaceful purposes, and pressure was
being exerted to disband the nuclear programme, the president said.
Referring to Pakistans positive approach to nuclear non- proliferation and
the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, President Leghari said that CTBT should
be applicable to all, an implied reference to Indias refusal to sign the
treaty or the General Assemblys resolution in this regard.
Emphasising that an energy-resource deficient country in terms of fossil
fuel reserves, Pakistan needs to make large-scale use of nuclear power to
meet its future energy requirements.
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961007
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Pakistan turned into police state, says PBC
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: The Pakistan Bar Council, apex body of legal
practitioners, has expressed deep concern over killings by intelligence
agencies and the police.
In a resolution passed at its meeting here on Thursday but released on
Sunday , the council said: Fake police encounters have become a rule of
the day.
The PBC said that by giving a free hand to the police and agencies, the
federal government had made Pakistan a police state. The PBC noted that
gross violations of human rights and fundamental rights were taking place
and these cases should be brought to the notice of the Supreme Court for an
immediate remedial action under article 184(3) of the constitution.
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961010
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China sold nuclear furnace to Pakistan, says US newspaper
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Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON, Oct 9: China has once again sold a nuclear-related equipment to
Pakistan, this time a special skull-shaped industrial dual-use furnace, in
violation of a pledge to the US, the Washington Times said on Wednesday
quoting a top secret CIA memorandum.
A banner headlined first lead story written by the papers defence
correspondent Bill Gertz said the State Department had sent a diplomatic
note to Beijing protesting the latest sale of the furnace and some high-
tech diagnostic equipment with military applications.
The CIA memo reportedly said this time the sale had been approved by the
Chinese leadership and Chinese technicians were already in Pakistan
preparing to install the furnace which was delivered early in September.
The paper said the State Department spokesman Nick Burns and senior CIA
officials had declined to comment on the story but a Pakistan Embassy
spokesman had denied that his country received any illegal shipment of
nuclear technology from China. A Chinese embassy spokesman called the
report groundless and irresponsible.
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961005
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Britain, US also responsible: PM
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By Athar Ali
LONDON, Oct 4: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said that if Afghanistan
can now be unified it would be a welcome development for the whole world as
it would have a government to deal with.
She was answering questions for a British television news programme,
following the capture of Kabul by the Taliban. Ms Bhutto added that the
unification of Afghanistan would be a welcome development because the
country was a gateway to Central Asia, and unless there was peace in
Afghanistan Central Asian republics could never be truly independent.
Those who also took part in the programme were former Pakistan army chief
of staff Gen. Aslam Beg , and the former Pakistan foreign secretary,
Shaharyar M. Khan. The risks to which the Taliban victory exposed Pakistan
were emphasised by Mr Khan who said that their fanatical attitude towards
Islam might well have an impact on Pakistan . He pointed to the sway of
opinion, especially of the people in the north, who believed in such an
attitude. He said it was now for the moderate and the centrist Pakistanis
to stand up and say whether they want this kind of Islam.
Gen Beg confirmed Pakistan's links with the Taliban and said their bases
were in Pakistan because all their madrasas were there.
However, Ms Bhutto denied that Pakistan alone had a hand in the creation of
this new force which had now taken over Kabul, for which Islamabad was
being held responsible. She said Britain, the United States, Saudi Arabia
and Pakistan, during the Jihad, had set up Taliban schools and made them
self-financing. They all must share the blame if the Taliban did something,
she added.
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961004
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KSE opens on Friday after 19 years
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 3: After about two decades, the Karachi Stock Exchange will
resume trading on Friday and analysts said the investors' optimism
suggested that the welcome could be spontaneous in the maiden session.
The board of directors of the Lahore and Islamabad stock exchanges have
also decided to observe Sunday as closed holiday and will open on Fridays
from Oct 4.
However, the other major local markets including the cotton, commodity and
bullion markets will continue to close business on Fridays at least for the
next couple of weeks but are expected to follow the lead provided by the
KSE.
The first Friday trading session on Oct 4 at the KSE could be eventful as
investors are inclined to make it an outstanding success apparently in a
bid to seek the central bank's approval for opening of the bank branches, a
floor broker said adding "funds have been lined up to give the short
session trading a respectable look".
"We have provided the missing link to foreign investors after opting for
Friday as a working day", claimed a leading member of the Karachi Stock
Exchange adding "after the internationalisation of the KSE through the
Reuter cable network it was long overdue".
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961010
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KSE reverts to Friday as holiday
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 9: The Board of Directors of the Karachi Stock Exchange again
decided on Wednesday to observe Friday as closed holiday, reversing its
last weeks decision to switch over to Sunday , apparently to defuse
tension caused by a campaign launched by some religious parties against
this change.
Sunday will again be a full working day and Friday a closed holiday for
the stock traders, said a member of the KSE.
There was no official word from the bosses of Lahore and Islamabad stock
exchanges but they would follow their apex body, dealers said.
Although there were some dissenting voices about the snap reversal and
that, too, on some external pressure, a general body meeting of the KSE ,
which met here on Wednesday, decided to respond to the call of some
prominent religious parties to maintain the sanctity of Friday.
The Board of Directors of the Karachi Stock Exchange had decided on Oct 1
last to declare Friday a working day from Oct 4, in response to Federation
of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industrys call and to express
solidarity with the business community.
Though the decision was bold , it seemed to have been taken a bit hastily,
without taking into account the objective political conditions and the
great divide between the contenders of power, said a member of the KSE.
But some others said the decision was not final and might be reviewed after
a month.
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961005
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Peace in Afghanistan to open a vital trade route
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M. Ziauddin
The dramatic developments that have occurred across Durand Line in recent
weeks augur well for Pakistan's economy in more than one way.
With the Kabul government falling to forces committed to bringing the eight
year long fractional war to an end and rising hopes in the wake, of
restoration of peace in a country that had remained in the grip of bloody
turmoil for more than 16 years, it is anticipated that two-way trade
between Pakistan and Afghanistan will soon be normalised and formalised.
Secondly, the transit trade which has over the years degenerated into a
vehicle of smuggling, especially after the Afghan war, is expected to come
under the discipline of international law impinging on such trade between
two neighbouring countries once normalcy returns to Pakistan's land-locked
northern neighbour.
Thirdly and more importantly, the trade routes between Pakistan and the
resource-rich central Asian countries which pass through Afghanistan would
hopefully become, as a result, secure from brigands of disparate warlords
desperately looking for money and provisions to sustain their bloody
misadventures.
War-ravaged Afghanistan produces next to nothing today and has become
totally dependent on supplies from neighbouring countries, mostly Pakistan.
Because the Iran-Afghanistan border is not as porous as that of Pakistan-
Afghanistan.
In recent years Pakistan has suffered continuously from food shortages
because of unchecked smuggling of these items across the Afghan border.
This has had two unwelcome effects on Pakistan's economy. Shortages push up
prices of food items domestically causing the rate of inflation to shoot
up, which in turn affects the rupee exchange rate.
Secondly, the country is forced to import food items to overcome domestic
shortages which in its wake causes the import bill to get out of control
widening the trade gap which again impacts adversely on the rate of
exchange. As a result of these two-prong negative pressures on the rupee,
the Pak currency has been taking a tumble on a daily basis for a long time
now.
This situation could be overcome more than adequately, if Pakistani
producers of food items and manufactures, especially those in NWFP and on
Punjab-NWFP border were to build up their inventories, keeping in view the
20 million strong market of Afghanistan but not before establishing firm
links with legitimate import houses in Afghanistan.
Today Afghanistan is not in a position to match its imports from Pakistan
with exports to this country, and neither does it earn enough hard currency
from any other sources to pay for these imports, it would be advisable if
Pakistan were to agree to allow the two-way trade in local currencies
(Afghans and rupees).
The Afghan transit trade has assumed the proportion of almost a menace for
Pakistan's economy. The smuggling which it facilitates not only robs the
government of its revenue, but it also impacts adversely on Pakistan's
manufacturing sector by promoting dumping of high quality competitive items
in Pakistani markets.
Pakistan can tackle the issue by entering into an agreement with a
legitimate government in Kabul to lift all economic barriers between the
two countries and let all imports meant for Afghanistan from beyond
Pakistan carry import duties at the same rates as charged for goods meant
for Pakistan (very soon the difference would become very negligible as
Pakistan is obliged under the WTO agreement to drastically slash its import
tariffs). These duties should be collected by Pakistan customs and then
passed on to the Afghan government after these goods enter Afghanistan.
In a way, what is being proposed here is a gradual integration of the
economies of the two countries, one of which is land-locked, for mutual
benefit. There is nothing wrong in doing so, because already Pakistan is
engaged in similar exercises in SAARC on the one hand and in ECO on the
other which also includes Afghanistan.
Being an economically better-off neighbour, Pakistan could also negotiate
with the Afghan government a transit fee to be payable in hard currency by
Islamabad to Kabul for the movement of goods to and from Central Asian
countries and Pakistan through Afghanistan. Traders from Central Asian
countries who wish to use the Afghan/Pakistan trade routes to trade with
countries beyond Pakistan could also be invited to enter into such
negotiations with Afghanistan and Pakistan separately.
Pakistani businessmen could also probe the possibilities of setting up
joint ventures having clear comparative advantages in Afghanistan in
collaboration with Afghan nationals as well as other Central Asian
entrepreneurs keeping in mind the expanding markets of ECO and beyond.
Peace in Afghanistan has become the key to prosperity of the entire region.
It is, therefore, imperative that any attempt by any force to bring
normalcy and restore peace in the country should not only be welcomed but
actively supported by all countries whose vested economic interests are
linked to this peace.
It would be too naive at this juncture to predict the future of the Taliban
government in Kabul. But the way this faction has speedily taken control of
the entire country and rendered all other factions, as of today, either
totally irrelevant or of no consequence, makes them the new force with
which Pakistan will have to deal with in the immediate future.
Therefore, Islamabad should take full care not to put a wrong foot forward
at this juncture.
The Rabbani faction which had ruled the country immediately after and since
Najib was ousted had shown on a number of occasions through its deeds and
utterances that it had misgivings about the intentions of Islamabad. It
would be a waste of time to debate at this juncture how right or wrong the
Rabbani faction was.
What should not be forgotten is the fact that during Rabbani's tenure, a
schoolbus carrying Pakistani children was hijacked by a group of Afghans
soon after Islamabad sealed off the borders to reduce smuggling through the
vehicle of transit trade. Next, the Pakistani embassy was ransacked by
Afghans in Kabul seriously injuring the Pakistani ambassador and some high
officials.
No transit trade of significance between Pakistan and Central Asian states
was allowed by the Kabul government during this period. In fact, a number
of trade caravans were looted by bandits backed by warlords. And finally,
the skies over Afghanistan were not considered safe for flying Pakistani
aircraft as long as Rabbani was ruling the roost in Kabul.
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961005
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Moody's poor rating to increase cost of borrowing
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Dr Farrukh Saleem
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, one of world's most influential credit rating
agency, has informed the Government of Pakistan (GOP) that the country's
long-term credit rating for foreign currency that currently stands at B-1
would be reviewed, with a distinct possibility of a downgrade.
Moody's review process may stretch over a couple of months, but the mere
fact that a country's debt is being reviewed (with the possibility of a
downgrade) shall scare away investors, raise the cost of GOP borrowing from
the international market, and depress the price of both the $150 million
Euro-bonds and the $140 million floating rate notes (FRN). Responding to
Moody's move, the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) also lost an additional 0.28
per cent of its value.
Moody's began rating credit in 1909 and has since developed a complex,
highly credible "system of gradation by which the relative investment
qualities of bonds" are measured. Institutional investors around the world
have, over the years, become dependent on how a corporation or a country is
rated and Moody's opinion is often treated as the last word on credit-
worthiness.
The credit rating agency maintains that a "rating change should serve
notice that the Moody's observes some alteration in the investment risks of
the bond or that the previous rating did not fully reflect the quality of
bond as now seen".
To be sure, our current rating is nothing to be proud of either. According
to Moody's Bond Record Manual, 1994: "Bonds which are rated B generally
lack the characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest
and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract
over any long period of time may be small". Technically, GOP-guaranteed
bonds already fall into the non-investment grade category which are
sometimes referred to as "junk bonds".
A survey of Moody's 1994 publication reveals that Pakistan's rating is
almost at the very bottom of the pool of countries regularly rated by the
agency. Besides Argentina which was rated B1, Indonesia (Baa3), Korea (A1),
Malaysia (A2), Mexico (Ba2), the Philippines (Ba3), Turkey (Ba1) and
Thailand (S&P, A-) were all, way above Pakistan.
The agency at times also allocates a numerical modifier to its generic
rating classifications of Aaa to C. "The modifier '1' indicates that the
company ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the
modifier '2' indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier '3' indicates
that the company ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category".
Cold war's end
In the pre-Cold War days when the two superpowers were always on the look-
out for creating their own areas of influence, strategically located
countries (like Pakistan) were always provided meat to chew on by either of
the competing powers. In the post-Cold War era, there has already been a
serious reduction in the pool of donor money and donor-dependent countries
are now required to become more market-oriented.
International markets run on pure economics and international providers of
investment capital base their investment decisions on ratings. In the
international capital arena, rating is to a country what water is to fish.
Even under normal circumstances, the possibility of a negative change in
credit rating by an internationally recognised credit rating agency is a
difficult pill to swallow.
It will be specially tough on Pakistan where the economy is under attack
from all directions. The IMF has already withheld its tranches under the
stand-by agreement, there is repetitive devaluation, depletion of foreign
exchange reserves, a massive trade deficit, a banking crisis and a general
crisis of confidence in the economy. While the once readily available donor
money gradually dries up, our economy would find it difficult to strive
without accessing the international capital market.
It is expected that between now and the year 2000, our economy shall need
an accumulated foreign resource inflow of more than $15 billion.
It is not that a lower rating shall halt all foreign investment, but that
the cost of attracting investment would sharply go up while a whole class
of foreign investors would turn their backs on GOP debt (a large number of
Foreign Institutional Investors are barred from investing into poorly rated
debt).
Debt servicing has already become the single largest expenditure item and
any addition to that burden shall simply break the back of the beleaguered
economy.
In the energy sector, for example, we have previously been able to attract
foreign utility investors by guaranteeing an 18 per cent rate of return
while a rating downgrade would force us to offer even higher rates of
return for attracting any future investment making the already expensive
power beyond the reach of consumers.
The First Floating Rate Note (FRN) that was offered for subscription in
June had to guarantee 2 per cent to 2.2 per cent over and above the
comparable treasury while the government shall be forced to offer even
higher rates for the contemplated $100 million second FRN.
The multi-million dollar financing of PTC receivables, however, not
directly related to the rating of sovereign debt, has also been delayed by
Citibank for unexplained complications.
To be certain, all is not lost yet on the rating front. The rating review
process has been initiated on the basis of increased political instability,
higher levels of short term debt and the deepening of economic uncertainty.
The IMF, on the other hand, is expected to make a crucial decision shortly.
If the stand-by agreement is put back on track or a new short term lending
support commitment is agreed upon, Moody's Investors Service may, after
all, decide on maintaining its current rating. We can, for the time being
at least, manage without IMF's money but a nod of approval is what is
needed to pacify the shrieking rating agencies and calm cautious, watchful
investors. The IMF has been supportive in the past and, in all likelihood,
Michael Camdessus can once again be persuaded to offer a helping hand just
when the incumbent government needs it the most.
It must, however, be understood that we cannot live without foreign capital
inflows. Continued expectations from donors shall not bear much fruit and
we must eventually compete for scarce capital on the basis of ratings.
As our rating goes down, our cost goes up. But, we have already exhausted
our allocated quota of sins and another cost increase may mean an end to
the economic life that we have become accustomed to.
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961005
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Private foreign investment in Pakistan
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Israr-ul-Haque
PRIME MINISTER Bhutto has been resting on her laurels with all that about
attracting record foreign investment, signifying the vigour and vitality of
the national economy during her regime.
In presenting the Federal Budget for fiscal 1996-97 the Finance Minister of
State too staked the claim of the regime's "unprecedented economic success"
on the same grounds, namely attracting record foreign private investment.
Thus waxed eloquent the Finance Minister:
"By the grace of Allah, we have attracted $3 billion in foreign private
investment in three years. Compare that to 2 billion dollars foreign
investment over the last 20 years. Foreign investment does not come without
social infrastructure"
And, finally he ended upon an exhilarating note of achievement:
"The foreign investment is predicated on a sound fiscal management which
enjoys the confidence of international finance institutions, including the
IMF and the World Bank, on political stability in the country and our
ability to project and promote Pakistan as an ideal place of investment".
According to Mr. M.I.Lashkar, in the News of June 21 '96, it is evident
that the gap of Rs 100 billion between the revenue and expenditure is going
to be met out of development aid of Rs 102 billion. The development aid
will comprise project aid of Rs 42 billion, community aid of Rs 4.2
billion, fund aid of Rs.13.7 billion and short-term borrowing of Rs. 42.1
billion.
Of late, a wave of foreign investment has been sweeping across the
developing countries. Studies made by the UN for its World Investment
Report show that there has been an upsurge of foreign investment into the
developing countries as the industrially developed countries have become
less and less attractive for massive investments. While 17 per cent of the
Foreign Direct Investment (F.D.I.) went to the developing countries in
1986-1991, the percentage spiralled up to 32 per cent in 1992 and it has
since continued to surge forward. The World Bank has estimated that the
flow of FDI into the developing countries shot up from $45 billion in 1989
to a whooping $170 billion in 1994 in response to the unification of
markets across the world. According to estimates transitional corporations
now Control one-third of the World's private sector productive assets. The
US and UK are the biggest owners, followed by Japan. Japan dominates in
Asia, the United States in Latin American and the European Community
countries, and Eastern European and Africa.
It is the cheap labour and the locational advantage that has proved a
catalyst in triggering off the upsurge of foreign investment into the
developing countries. The German worker earns as much in four hours as his
Vietnamese counterpart does in a month or the Indian counterpart in 20
days. Many companies in Hong Kong, in order to escape coming under the
sovereignty of China, have been planning to relocate themselves in Manila
or elsewhere.
During recent years when the yen has been constantly rising in value,
rendering Japanese exports less competitive, Japanese companies, in order
to stay competitive, have been sourcing more and more of their components
as well as their entire products from affiliates in other countries.
In view of Pakistan being strategically located at the month of the Gulf,
commanding easy access to the Middle East and Central Asia, with an
abundance of manpower of which a good portion is trained and skilled, has,
in its own right become a centre of attraction for foreign investment, and
the Government instead of adding any feather to its cap, seems to have
failed to fully exploit these highly favourable conditions.
The $20 billion MOUs signed by Pakistan in 1994 is nothing more than so
many declarations of intent. As against this, New Delhi has approved a
total of 4,063 projects financed by foreign investors between 1991 and
November, 1995, amounting to $17.5 billion.
The much-vaunted MOUs
Even these much-trumpeted American M.O.Us of $20 billion have since bogged
down in the administrative, economic and financial quagmire of the present
regime. The US Ambassador, Mr Thomas Simons, the other day observed
publicly that the law and order situation in Karachi had adversely affected
the projects of foreign investments. His observations.
"Karachi remained the centre of investment. Major American companies were
keen to invest here and elsewhere. However, the disturbed situation has
held them up from bringing capital. the M.O.Us between American and
Pakistan to the tune of 20 billion dollars has suffered from the lethargy
and paralysis that could easily be avoided."
Subsequently, while speaking at a function arranged by the Rotary Club at
Islamabad, he complained of the multiplicity of the Government agencies
dealing with the foreign investors and the lack of transparency in
processing cases of foreign investment. He also cited a case where one
foreign investor was asked out of the way to contribute to the development
of canal system.
IMF's coercion
The M.O.Us have been further stalled because of the IMF conditionalities.
The Chairman, Board of Investment, Syed Mohibullah Shah, gave out the other
day that the Special Industrial Zone programme which has been the main
attraction for foreign investment had received a serious setback as the
incentive package consisting of tax exemptions has been withdrawn under the
pressure from the IMF and the attempt to persuade the IMF to let the
Government revive the incentive package had not succeeded so far.
The Government of Pakistan has recently signed a number of M.O.Us with
America and other investors of the world of which the Enron Thermal Power
Station is going to be set up at Multan designed to generate 754 M.W. at
the cost of $670 million with the guaranteed sale of the entire power
generated by it at 6.5 cents (or more) by WAPDA with a contact of thirty
years. The other one is the Power House that is going to be constructed at
Keti Bunder by the Electric Power Asia (CEPA) a leading Hong Kong Company.
It would be a coal fired, generating 600 M.W. at the first stage and would
carry a guarantee by the Government of Pakistan of 18 per cent return on
its capital invested. It would be a gigantic $8 billion US project which
would also include exploration and exploitation of the coal reserve in the
Thar area in Sindh.
The main feature of private enterprise is to bear risks and take initiative
and the profit that it earns is the reward for its risk bearing and
initiative taking.
Both the crucial traits of private enterprise are conspicuous by their
absence in both these foreign ventures. These ventures have been guaranteed
the sale of their entire power generation at 6.5 cents (or more) per unit.
WAPDA will not only be under contractual obligation to buy up the entire
power generated but would also be required to take on the entire cost of
transmission and distribution, in addition to bearing the losses and thefts
in course of transmission and distribution.
The cost of power to agricultural, industrial, and domestic consumers would
be prohibitive pushing up the cost of living as well as the cost of
industrial and agricultural production.
As the payment will have to be made in dollars the rupee cost would keep on
mounting as the lather would be sliding against dollar. In her briefing to
the Press on June 16, 1996, the Prime Minister conceded that government was
worried over the fact that it had to pay $4.5 billion annually for the
private power in the shape of the price of power produced in the private
sector and the price of the furnace oil. whereas its total foreign private
investment that the country has attracted during the last three years
amounts to only 3 billion dollars as against that it has created a net
payment liability of $4.5 billion annually.
The bankruptcy of economic policy could go no further. In addition, US
investors, under the terms of the contract, would be able to import
equipments and machinery free of duty, the power generation would
therefore be highly capital-intensive resulting in labour displacement from
the power sector.
In the case of the CEPA Power House Project a return of 18 per cent on the
capital invested has been guaranteed. WAPDA, inspite of frequent increases
and progressive rates of its charges and surcharges, has not been able to
break even and is incurring huge losses amounting to billions of rupees per
annum.
There is hardly any venture in public sector in Pakistan which has been
consistently earning a return of 18 per cent on its capital investments. To
the cost of the generation of power the cost of transmission, distribution
and losses in transit will have to be added rendering the cost of the power
delivery to the power consumers simply prohibitive.
The coal that this Power House near Keti Bunder would be using would be
imported and not the coal from the Thar area as originally envisaged at the
time of signing the MOUs in October 1994.
Why not take up the Kalabagh multi-purpose hydel project which is designed
to produce 3,600 MW of power and irrigate 2 to 3 million acres of land
where the cost of per unit of power would be much lower and the return to
the investment would be much higher.
It is reported that the Enron Contract for investment in power generation
in India had to be terminated having been found to be too costly and Enron
had to sign a revised contract with substantial reduction in the cost.
Similarly, it is reported that Gordon Woo ventures in China proved a flop.
It remains to be explained why the Government of Pakistan should have
rushed to sign such highly non-competitive, rather monopolistic M.O.Us with
foreign investors. "Data from the United States Commerce Department reveal
that the United States multinationals keep their highest wage jobs and
critical Research and Development operations in the US itself. Of the 4.8
trillion US dollars in sales garnered by US multinationals in 1991, parent
companies were responsible for 68 per cent largely because value-added
products were either produced or packed and sold from US territory.
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961007
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Modaraba committee to conclude findings
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Mohiuddin Aazim
KARACHI, Oct 6: The joint scrutiny committee on modarabas will meet next
week here to review the progress on its findings against 17 poor-performing
modarabas and suggest measures to steer out the sector from the crisis.
Headed by a member of Corporate Law Authority Mr Abdul Rahman Qureshi, the
committee is made up of representatives from State Bank of Pakistan,
Karachi Stock Exchange and Modarabas Association of Pakistan. Though its
primary objective is to ascertain the reasons for poor performance of some
selected modarabas, the committee can suggest steps to help out the entire
modaraba sector.
The committee has already received the inspection report on one of the 17
modarabas under scrutiny and that of another one may be ready any time.
We would discuss at the next meeting the inspection report on one of
modarabas under scrutiny, said a member of the committee who refused to be
identified. He added that a similar report on another modaraba was being
finalised.
He said the committee might call for inspection reports on a few more
modarabas after the meeting.
The committee that was set up in May this year to study the working of
modarabas has already held several sessions to examine the affairs of 17
selected modarabas whose financial position has long been on the decline.
It is assigned to ascertain whether the declining performance of these
modarabas is because of wilful negligence or due to gross incompetence.
The performance of the modaraba sector has fallen to the extent that more
than 90 % of them are unable to fetch even the face value of their shares.
Modaraba managers link this situation largely to over-regulations and
unfavourable policies.
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961008
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Petroleum prices raised again
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Omar R. Qureshi
ISLAMABAD, Oct 7: A little over six weeks after the last increase, the
federal government on Monday again raised prices of petroleum products.
A spokesman for the ministry of petroleum said that the prices of
petroleum products have been increased due to price rise in international
market.
According to the announcement Motor Gasoline (regular) which was selling
at Rs 15.42 (minus) octroi will now be available at Rs 15.85. Motor
Gasoline (super) which was available at Rs 16.48 will now be selling at
16.95.
The prices of petroleum products were last increased on August 20 when the
government increased the rates of super grade petrol by 24 paisa per litre
and regular grade petrol by 40 per litre.
Before this, prices of petroleum products were actually decreased. On July
22, prices of regular grade petrol were lowered by 15 paisa and those of
super grade petrol by around 9 paisa. Earlier the government had decreased
prices on June 12, decreasing the price of super by around twenty paisa
and that of regular grade petrol by 22 paisa.
However, the end result of these two decreases and two increases is that
the price of regular grade petrol is now 51 paisa more expensive than what
it was before the government initiated the first of the two price decreases
on June 12. Similarly, the price of super petrol now is a little over 43
paisa higher than that of June 12 decrease.
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961008
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USDA predicts 9.53m bales of cotton output
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Muhammad Ilyas
ISLAMABAD, Oct 7: The output of cotton crop is likely to be 9.53 million
bales during 1996-97, according to the estimate of the US Department of
Agriculture.
This is one per cent more than the last years production estimate,
although at world level, the cotton yield is shown to have dropped by two
per cent by the USDA bulletin World Agricultural Production.
This puts the 1996-97 output in Pakistan at only slightly higher by about
0.1 million during 1995-96, although the ministry of food & agriculture
claimed the output to have been 10.6 million bales. In the current year,
the official estimates vary from 9.7 to 11 million bales, although the
situation continues to be fluid because of the pest attack and sudden drop
in temperature cotton producing areas.
According to the USDA projection, the world cotton production for 1996-97
will be 89.0 bales (of 200 kg. each), down 2.0 per cent from 1995-96. In
the United States, production for 1996-97 is estimated at 19.0 million
bales, up 6 percent from last season.
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961010
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Black money now 50% of GDP
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 9: Qazi Masud Ahmad, a research economist of Applied Research
Economic Centre (AREC) has estimated current ratio of black economy in
Pakistan at 45 to 50 per cent of GDP which comes to about Rs 1,000 to Rs
1,100 billion.
In his presentation on Level of Black Economy in Pakistan made on
Wednesday, at a breakfast session of Pakistan Corporate Leaders Forum, an
affiliate of Economists Conferences, Qazi Masud explained that the black
economy ratio is estimated universally on a methodology worked out by a
Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Vitotanzi in 80s.
Estimation of black economy ratio in accordance with Vitotanzi methodology,
he said showed it at 9 per cent in USA, 15 per cent in UK, 28 per cent in
India and 39 per cent in Pakistan during 1987.
Elaborating on the issue he classified black economy into two components.
One component of such economy, he said, is reportable as it generates
through legitimate sources but remains unaccounted or concealed to evade
all three taxes which are income tax, excise and customs.
However, the other component of black economy, he identified, was
unreportable as it generates from entirely illegal methods that can be
smuggling of goods, drug money and leakages from public finance. The PIDE
has however quantified to some extent, the black money being generated
through inflow of goods from unauthorised channels but no one has been able
to estimate the amount of drug money and leakages from public finance.
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961010
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SPI shows increase of 0.16%
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Oct 9: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) with 1990-91 as base
for the week ended Oct 7, 1996 released by Federal Bureau of Statistics
showed an increase of 0.16% over the SPI for the preceding week.
The SPI showed an increase of 11.46% over the corresponding week of last
year (on Oct 7, 1996 over Oct 9, 1995) as against 11.16% in the previous
period (on Oct 9, 1995 over Oct 10, 1994).
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961010
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Leading scrips tend further lower
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 9: Leading shares on the stock market came in for renewed
selling and generally tended further lower in the absence of strong demand
from any quarter.
There are more sellers than buyers as the heating up of the political
scenario continue to inhibit new buying from most of the genuine
investors, dealers said.
However, there was no panic selling as bulk of the selling was centred
around the overvalued shares as a section of investors appeared to be in a
haste to get out of the market as early as possible on predictions of
further price erosions.
The investors and dealers apparently rejoiced the hasty retreat of the KSE
board to revert to Friday as closed holiday, although opinions differed
from broker to broker. The coming Friday, therefore, will be closed holiday
as usual after one weeks change to Sunday.
The KSE 100-share index, therefore, shed another 12.15 points at 1,352.93
as compared to 1,365.08 a day earlier as leading base shares fell sharply.
An idea of investor reluctance to re-enter the rings may well be had from
the fact that Fauji Cement made debut in a falling market. It came on the
board at Rs 11 against the face value of Rs 10 and steadily dropped to
quote the lowest for the day Rs 5. Although the closing was bit higher at
Rs 8, it was below Rs 2 its face value.
If the new issues from big business houses such as the Fauji Foundation,
which has over a dozen large units in its fold and is known for its good
profit-sharing policy, makes such a disappointing debut what investors
could expect from others, said a leading floor broker.
However, the market was not without some special feature both in terms of
large volumes and good gains though on selected counters.
Dadabhoy Insurance, for instance, surged by Rs 41 to 85, with 2,800 shares
changing hands at this peak level, reflected that selective buyers are
there.
Hinopak, which announced a good dividend of 50 per cent including 15 per
cent interim and bonus shares at the rate of 20 per cent continued to
inspire new buying on predictions that it could rise further. It earned a
profit of Rs 176m on sale volume of Rs 2.6 bn for the year ended June 30,
1996. It was traded higher by Rs 5.50 on 100 shares.
Other good gainers were led by 21st ICP Mutual Fund, Kohinoor Textiles,
Nafees Cotton, Shell Pakistan, Dawood Hercules, Wyeth Lab and Grays of
Cambridge rising by one rupee to Rs 2. Fourth ICP rose by Rs 10.
Although losses dominated the list, most of them were fractional and
reflected lack of support rather than large selling from any quarter.
Leading losers were led by PSO, which suffered a fresh fall of Rs 7 on
renewed selling followed by Engro Chemicals, Gatron, KESC, Brooke Bond,
National Foods and Crescent Bank, falling by one rupee to Rs 2.50.
Dividend news both from Dadex and Ghemni Leasing at 22.5 and 10 per cent
final were good but they came at a time when the market was overshadowed by
some other depressing external factors. Both have paid an interim dividend
at the rate of 20 and 10 per cent in that order.
The most active list was topped by PTC vouches, off 90 paisa on 8.140m
shares, followed by Hub-Power, easy five paisa on 5.301m, ICI Pakistan (r),
lower 45 paisa on 1.726m, ICI Pakistan down 40 paisa on 1.110m, and FFC-
Jordan fertiliser, lower five paisa on 0.724m shares.
Other actively traded shares were led by Dewan Salman, up 30 paisa on
0.255m, Fauji fertiliser, steady 15 paisa on 0.360m, MCB, off 75 paisa on
0.138m, and Genertech, lower 35 paisa on 0.117m shares.
Trading volume rose to 19.698m shares from the previous 16.696m shares
owing to large selling in the current favourites.
There were 282 actives, out of which 137 shares fell, while 66 rose, with
79 holding on to the last levels.
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961004
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Democracy is a dirty word
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
TODAY, in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, democracy is a dirty word. To
borrow Oscar Wildes famous phrase: It is the bludgeoning of the people, by
the people, for the people.
When this age of democracy dawned in 1988, we had visions of ancient
Athens, of Cleisthenes and his reforms that replaced the old tribal
constitution with the novel idea that political power should lie with the
entire citizen body. We imagined that the revolutionary idea would be
introduced whereby all citizens would be equal before the law and would be
free to say what they wanted without fear of their rulers, their peers,
their fellow citizens, or the mob. We thought that the time had come when
the people would be the rulers, and the son of a peasant would be as good
as a landlord. We were mad, we were very, very stupid.
What we should have known is that the greater majority of those that came
into power, posing as the peoples representatives, had not the vaguest
notion of the meaning of democracy. All they knew was how to manage their
free and fair election victories, how to use, dupe, and buy the
electorate. They came to preserve democracy, not to practise it.
Of the 130 million people of the country, how many vote, and out of those
who vote, how many are literate? The aim of those that claw their way into
our parliament is to sit out their full term, by hook or by crook, to
justify the amount spent and squandered on being freely and fairly
elected, to rob, to plunder, to lie, to cheat, and to exit fatter and
richer than when they entered, so as to be able to do it all over again.
We have a written constitution, there to ensure that the government works
for the betterment of the people and the state and not to their detriment.
When it is read it must be read as a whole, and when it is interpreted what
must be borne in mind is how it has been abused in the past and how it may
be abused in the future. The paramount consideration must always be its
original unambiguous spirit and purpose the larger interest of the state.
Elsewhere, it is presupposed that those men and women elected as the
peoples representatives possess unimpeachable characters. Not so in our
case. Taking into account the quirks and drawbacks of the national
character, it has been specifically mentioned in Article 62 that to qualify
for election to parliament a person must possess eight specific endowments,
the most meaningful being: of good character, sagacious, righteous, non-
profligate, honest and ameen.
How many of our bludgeoners possess any such qualifications? If the laid-
down standards were even liberally followed, we would be left with empty
assemblies. As these past eight years have gone by, during which we have
suffered three free and fair elections, our representatives have steadily
worsened. With the lot we now have, may we hope we have at last reached
rock-bottom.
There are only two ways in which a sitting government in Pakistan can be
constitutionally sent home one is a vote of no-confidence, the other is
dissolution. It is absolutely impossible that any sitting government could
lose a vote of no-confidence. Our government goons bully the opposition,
abduct legislators and transport them at state expense to safe houses
where they are kept at state expense. They win by terrorising and by
bribing.
Thus, the use of Article 58(2)(b) by the President is the sole way out.
Constitutionally speaking, the President is supposed to be neutral, strong,
just and generous. Our President, Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Tumandar
Leghari, failed us. However, of late, realising his own predicament and
having satisfied himself that under no circumstances will his former party
nominate him for a second presidential term, with the support of the
bayonet he is now attempting to walk the straight path. Having fortified
himself with yet another free Umra at our expense, he is trying to do the
right thing to weed out corruption. He is likely to endorse, in toto, the
lists prepared in Rawalpindi and to recommend punitive action against the
persons listed. Should he continue to sail on this new tack, he must be
supported.
Having changed his approach, having stiffened himself and taken cognisance
of the sins of the government he has supported for too long, he should
change his life-style and win over the people. President Gonez Arpad of
Hungary, for instance, lived in a modest house, answered his own doorbell,
made his own toast, boiled his own egg, drove his own car, and did not go
hunting and shooting and on pilgrimages at the expense of the Hungarian
people. Leghari should try to act as is expected of a leader in this
poverty-stricken country, bankrupt and broke, reeling from the ever-
increasing blows it has borne over the years.
The single brightness in the gloom: the Chief Justice of Pakistan Sajjad
Ali Shah, atop the other pillar of equal strength, supported by his brother
judges (most of whom have refused to bow to pressure), has finally achieved
the implementation of the Supreme Court judgement of March 20, 1996.
Adding to our woes is the slaying of Murtaza Bhutto, leader of the
terrorist organisation, the AZO, and male head of a political family that
deems its birthright is to rule Pakistan. He did not approve of the ruling
princes, white, red or black, nor did the princes approve of him. Being the
brother of the prime minister, he was a law unto himself and led his own
army of unauthorised armed men, many of whom had allegedly trained in
India. Days before his killing, in search of one of his lieutenants, Ali
Sonara, who had been arrested on a series of charges of terrorism, he and
his army raided two CIA posts in Karachi, disarmed and roughed up the
police forces. This was an excuse for the authorities to be
authoritative, and orders were issued to deal with Murtaza.
The Prime Minister, a student of Islamic history, knows that succession is
determined by the length of the sword and the sharpness of its blade. She
declared that the killing was a conspiracy, that her brother had been
murdered. She did not name the conspirators or the suspects. The only
person she named was an SSP, Wajid Ali Durrani, who had put himself in
charge of the operation of September 20. Without any loss of time, she
declared that he was totally innocent of any involvement in the
conspiracy. Durrani has links with the Zardari family, was hand-picked by
Islamabad and posted as SSP (South), Karachi. Also sent to Karachi by the
Prime Minister, a few days prior to the 20th, was Petaro-crony Masud
Sharif, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, ostensibly to help out in
Sonaras interrogation.
So far, apart from Murtaza and his men, a police officer who allegedly
suffered a self-suffered injury during the shoot-out on the 20th, has
been mysteriously shot and killed. To help clear the haze, Interior
Minister General Babar has deputed his own axeman, Rahman Malik, chief of
the FIA, to join the investigation team.
Worse to follow, the Taliban, trained and armed by Pakistan, the United
States and others, have conquered Kabul and are on their way North, a move
serious enough for a sick Yeltsin to get out of his bed and take note. The
Great Game of last century has resumed. This time, in the mountains, the
challenge comes from Mullahs and Maulanas Omar, Ghous, Muttaqi, Hafizullah
& Co and their heavily armed men who are taking on Dostum & Co. Whoever be
the winner, we will be the losers.
I hope the ISI has reported to the Chief of Army Staff, General Jehangir
Karamat, the recent exchange between Taliban Ameer-ul-Momineen Mullah
Mohammed Omar and his foreign minister Maulana Haji Mohammed Ghous: Who
was this man Mortimer Durand and where did he draw his Line the Pakistan
keep hankering about? Queried the Ameer. Whoever he was, we know not, and
whatever he may have drawn wherever, we see not, was Ghouss reply. Where
is our Palmerston?
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961005
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What price Taliban victory?
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Mazdak
THOSE of us hankering to bring back an idealised notion of the past have
only to look across the border into Afghanistan to realise what nightmares
such daydreams can turn into.
Aptly dubbed "donkey boys" by more sophisticated Afghans, the Taliban have,
with suspicious speed, taken over Kabul and are now in charge of our
unfortunate neighbour's destiny. Although a succession of their
predecessors have not left them with brilliant models of governance to
follow, the Taliban's initial moves have not exactly been designed to
placate their detractors. Indeed, their contempt for the rule of law as
well as all norms of civilised behaviour was evident in their first few
hours in the Afghan capital. By gunning down and then hanging Najibullah
and his brother for days after desecrating the bodies, they signalled that
finally Afghanistan had regressed into the stone age.
With the Taliban victory has come the most backward attitude towards women
in the world. No other society not even Saudi Arabia has relegated
women to such an inferior position as the Afghans under the Taliban.
Although the new leaders of Afghanistan made no secret of their intentions,
we tended to dismiss their zealotry and their viciousness as yet another
localised bit of nastiness our neighbours had inflicted on themselves.
Women in Kandhar and Herat had been virtually incarcerated after the
Taliban established their rule in those historic cities.
But the reality of Taliban rule came home to us when their rag-tag army
rolled into a virtually defenceless Kabul without having to fire a shot.
One of their first decrees was to tell women to stop working and stay at
home; several women have been severely beaten in public for not adhering to
the strict Taliban dress code. Civil servants have been directed to grow
beards in six weeks, or else. Children have been ordered not to fly kites.
Clearly, such a nation is bound to become first an international pariah and
then a basket case. No country with any kind of liberal democratic
credentials would want to have anything to do with such a government. No
international agency will lend money to a country which treats its women
like third class citizens.
What are the implications for Pakistan of a Taliban government in Kabul?
Apart from the spate of refugees this latest crisis will inevitably cause,
there are a number of internal and external problems that will flow from
the change of guard in Kabul. For starters, the whole world is convinced
that some organisations in Pakistan have helped the most backward group in
Afghanistan (or anywhere else for that matter) to gain power, thus pushing
that ravaged country back still further.
By looking at religious dogma in isolation from a swiftly changing world,
we blind ourselves to how the world community views these utopian attempts
to recreate an imagined ideal society. For one, the tribal order that
existed hundreds of years ago has no relevance to present-day issues and
problems. The world has shrunk too much to think we can go our own way. The
only reason Saudi Arabia can insulate itself from notions like democracy
and human rights is that it has the oil wealth to buy off internal and
external pressures. We do not have this luxury.
It is not tenable to ascribe sundry excesses to our faith because Islam
certainly does not condone torture, execution without due process or the
subjugation of women. On the contrary, it was an enlightened religion when
it was revealed and has enjoined justice and good governance on rulers. For
the Taliban or our own home-grown begots to use the scriptures in support
of their poisonous words and cruel deeds is utterly outlandish.
Almost inevitably, all obscurantist movements and parties place heavy
emphasis on curtailing women's rights. It is almost as if religious zealots
feel threatened by them. Indeed, they alienate much of the civilised world
by their archaic desire to lock up half the population in an era where
women are more active in every field than ever before. And while some of
our religious preachers keep predicting the imminent collapse of an
"immoral" Western society, we can see that the same society is making rapid
progress while we stand still. Or, if the Taliban among us have their way,
go back to the stone age.
An inevitable consequence of the change in Kabul will be the strain the
Taliban victory will put on our relations with Iran. The reason we
supported the Taliban is that in our calculus, they have the best chance to
impose peace in Afghanistan, thus finally giving us access to Central Asia.
Fat chance. It is inevitable that the Tajiks and other non-Pushtun elements
will hole out in the north and continue to fight on with help from their
brethren in the Central Asian Republics.
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961007
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Who is conspiring against whom?
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Ayaz Amir
ALTHOUGH, as every last newspaper reader in the country is aware by now, Ms
Bhutto of the swinging gait and the sharp handbag has been tempting the
fates, the furies and the other elemental forces which bring mortals to
their doom, the game is still not lost for her. Even at this late hour she
can retrieve it provided she can rein in her hard instincts and remove the
blinkers from her eyes.
President Farooq Leghari has not taken to his assertive role in a void. If
anyone has pushed him to it, it is Ms Bhutto herself. Indeed, with the
entire country virtually howling that he should do something, the President
would have had to be made of stone not to try even now to bring the
government to its senses. It is only the malicious, therefore, who will
charge him with intriguing against the bastions of democracy. No such game
is afoot in Islamabad. Neither the President is scheming against Ms Bhutto
nor for that matter the top brass of the army which has no desire to act as
the fire brigade of democracy. Hard though it may be for hardened
conspiracy theorists to believe, both want the democratic system to be
strengthened and for the system itself to correct the failings of
Pakistani-style democracy.
If there is any conspiracy afoot, the strands of it are being woven by the
government itself, through its pure blindness and its refusal to see the
light. If the government stands discredited, as it surely is, it is not
because of any misinformation campaign mounted by its enemies. Through
their actions and their brazenness the men and women (what need to recount
their names?) running this latter-day Mughal court which passes for the
government of Pakistan would have discredited a nunnery or a college of
cardinals.
The question therefore is not what the President might do or what the army
is likely to support. It is altogether different: can Ms Bhutto read the
writing on the wall and, having performed this arduous task, can she bring
herself to change her ways? The age of miracles might have passed but if
she can suffer this transformation she can still, conceivably, sort out the
mess in which she and her government are mired.
It was a Hitlerian maxim that one should always concentrate on the
essential and eschew ruthlessly the non-essential. Ms Bhuttos great
contribution to the art of government has been to focus her formidable
energies relentlessly on the non-essential. In the process she has
manufactured artificial crises which the government, to the exclusion of
other business, is then required to resolve. The crisis with the judiciary,
a prime example of the non-essential, need never have erupted. But through
a mixture of short-sightedness and arrogance once it had, it should have
been quickly settled. After all, Ms Bhuttos survival, which must be the
first concern of every politician, did not hang upon the outcome.
Similarly, the President, given a measure of sensitivity on the
governments part, need never have been goaded into his present mode of
self-assertiveness. But this having come to pass, wisdom lies in moving
fast on accountability, which the Presidents message to Parliament
desires, thus pre-empting further strictures or action from that quarter.
But the question again is: is Ms Bhutto capable of curbing her instinct to
tilt at windmills? The omens certainly are not propitious. It is not only
that temperament (more than character) is destiny. Ms Bhutto is also
hamstrung by the quality of the people she is surrounded by. What good is
it possible to expect from a dispensation whose Chief Magician is Mr Ahmed
Sadiq, Lead Trumpeter Mr Kharal and Chief Policeman General Babar? These
names are taken at random. There is not a sliver of independent thinking in
all the glittering array of Ms Bhuttos court. Who then is to tell her of
the elder von Moltkes dictum that cardinal strategic errors should not be
made because once committed they are impossible to rectify? The fight with
the Supreme Court was one such error. The straining of ties with the
Presidency another.
In this dialectics of strategy consider for a moment the plight of the
hapless people of Pakistan. If through a supreme act of self-control Ms
Bhutto forsakes her fight with the windmills, all that will happen is that
her present stricken chances of completing her term will improve.
Otherwise, will it have the slightest effect on the public good?
It needs to be remembered that all the crises afflicting the Pakistani
state over the last ten or twenty years have revolved around issues of
power, not the welfare of the people. Bhutto vs Zia, Zia vs Junejo, Ghulam
Ishaq Khan vs Benazir, Ghulam Ishaq Khan vs Nawaz Sharif: what was the
relevance of these mighty battles to the common man whose lot has been to
carry the burden of the extravagance and maladministration of the Pakistani
state? And now Farooq Leghari vs Benazir Bhutto. This struggle is different
from its forerunners if only because some issue of principle rather than of
naked power is involved. All the same, even if it is satisfactorily
resolved it takes a leap of faith to imagine that the frontiers of the
extravagant state will be rolled back or that work will start in earnest to
erect a more caring dispensation.
What a big deal is being made of corruption these days. But every one is
aware of the hurdles in the path of bringing the corrupt to book. Even if
an independent accountability commission is set up it would need an army of
honest and vigilant investigators to come up with cases with evidence hard
enough to stand the test of judicial scrutiny. We have seen in the recent
past that even when governments have been bent upon victimisation, all the
states resources have not been sufficient to bring foolproof cases before
the courts. That is why every politician, general and bureaucrat worth his
salt against whom a charge of corruption is brought is proudly able to
declare his innocence.
Admittedly, an independent accountability commission (if government and
opposition, overcoming their misgivings, can set about agreeing on one)
will be a step forward in the present situation but it will face an uphill
task. Fat cats in the business of making money by foul means are usually
not in the habit of leaving any traces behind. In the capital it is no
secret as to the governmental and bureaucratic figures who have grown fat
on the slime and corruption of the last three years. But even if that
bright day dawns when a crusade is launched against the pot-bellies of
Islamabads richest and finest, what will be the chances of bringing them
to book?
According to our Anglo-Saxon legal system, the onus of proving guilt rests
with the prosecution, the most consummate blackguard being considered
innocent unless otherwise proved. Unless the spirit of the proposed anti-
corruption laws is changed so as to put the burden of proving innocence on
the shoulders of the defendant against whom a prima facie case of
corruption can be made, cleansing the national stables will not be an easy
task.
But all this is to anticipate the future. At the moment both sides in
Parliament are yet to go beyond their thunderous rhetoric about corruption
and get down to actual legislation even though they are well aware that
delay in this regard would be fatal as it would compel the President to
weigh other options in order to force the governments hands options not
necessarily to the oppositions advantage.
Will Ms Bhutto, therefore, recognise the necessity of taking urgent
measures to meet the challenges she faces or, true to her temperament, will
she keep giving hostages to fortune? In this predicament she could do worse
than to consider what Edward Crankshaw (a biographer of Bismarcks) has to
say about the masters ability to conduct an abrupt retreat: ...he knew
better than anyone in the world how to go into reverse and extricate
himself from a difficult situation. The trick was quite simple: it was to
stop what he was doing and do the opposite without asking whether he could
afford to lose face. He was one of the very few public men to understand
that if you do not care about face you have nothing to lose.
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961010
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Pakistan and global disarmament
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Benazir Bhutto
WITH the madness of the cold war behind us, today, nuclear disarmament is
both more feasible and more imperative.
It is essential that we at last heed the very first resolution of the UN
General Assembly and begin the elimination from national arsenals of
atomic weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.
No one needs these weapons including the current nuclear powers. And if
the armaments are retained, they will only be more improved and are likely
to proliferate. And in these uncertain times, the danger of nuclear
miscalculation or accident is greater than ever before.
Pakistan finds itself squarely in the middle of the nuclear conundrum, and
we stand firm in our support of both nuclear and conventional arms control
and disarmament both globally and regionally. For instance, last month in
the Geneva Conference on Disarmament, Pakistan and 27 other non-aligned
countries proposed a specific plan for the complete elimination of nuclear
weapons.
In fact, even the International Court of Justice has ruled that the nuclear
powers have an obligation to undertake good- faith negotiations for nuclear
disarmament. I certainly hope these talks begin in the Geneva Conference
early next year.
Nuclear disarmament is just one side of the coin, however, with nuclear
non-proliferation being the other important issue. This is of particular
importance to Pakistan, given the development of Indias nuclear weapons
programme. Although we voted in favour of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty in 1968 and have supported a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, India
has been particularly resistant to any and all efforts to free our region
from the nuclear threat.
When Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated Indias Atomic Energy
Commission in 1948, he spoke of the use of nuclear technology for
protection. By contrast, when Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto began
the Karachi Nuclear Power Reactor in 1972, he called for the creation of a
nuclear weapons free zone in South Asia. Since 1974, India has been the
sole opponent in the region to a zone of this type.
Beginning as early as the 1950s, India was assisted by many advanced
countries in developing its nuclear programme, mostly outside international
safeguards. Pakistans repeated and explicit warnings that India would
misuse its civil facilities to build nuclear bombs were ignored.
Then, when India conducted its nuclear explosion in May 1974, Pakistan was
confronted with tangible evidence of an open nuclear threat. Perversely,
our International Atomic Energy Agency-sponsored nuclear energy programme
was the primary victim of the Indian explosion. All peaceful nuclear co-
operation with Pakistan was stopped, and penalties were imposed on us for
obtaining the same technologies that had been readily available to India.
The United States joined in with a series of laws that were aimed against
Pakistans programme while ignoring Indias proliferation activities. And
after 1991, the Pressler Law halted virtually all co-operation between
Pakistan and America. Fortunately, the actions of Sen. Hank Brown and
President Bill Clinton have begun to redress this injustice.
Despite repeatedly being the scapegoat of the international community,
Pakistan has continued to make proposal after proposal to promote non-
proliferation in South Asia.
Among the suggestions we have made and India has rejected are: simultaneous
signature of the non-proliferation treaty, simultaneous acceptance of IAEA
regulation, reciprocal inspection of each others nuclear facilities, joint
renouncement of the acquisition, manufacture and deployment of nuclear
weapons on our soil, and a regional conference on non-proliferation.
More recently, Pakistan has proposed the creation of a Zero Missile Zone in
South Asia, and once again, a deafening silence prevails in New Delhi.
For over 40 years, India has masked its nuclear ambitions by posing as the
champion of nuclear disarmament. It spurned Pakistans proposals for
regional non-proliferation in South Asia on the grounds that it could
accept only global measures. But this hypocrisy has been exposed by Indias
recent solitary opposition to the test-ban treaty.
How has the international community responded to Indias obstinacy? With
appeasement and supplication, thereby emboldening Indias leaders. Now,
preparations are underway for a second nuclear test at Pokharan, and short-
range Prithvi missiles are in the process of being deployed along our
common border. In addition, India is now testing the Agni medium-range
missile.
US Secretary of Defence William Perry has rightly described South Asia as
the most dangerous place in the world. And Pakistan is committed to
giving a matching response to any nuclear escalation by India.
It is essential, then, to find a resolution to this crisis. This could be
accomplished through three interrelated goals: a just and peaceful solution
to the Kashmir dispute, negotiation of agreements on conventional arms
control, and non-proliferation arrangements beginning with some measures
for nuclear self- restraint, such as the restriction of missile deployment
and an end to nuclear tests.
Such a comprehensive dialogue was rejected by India two years ago, but we
remain willing to try. The world community must recognise that a solution
to the problems of conflict, arms control and non-proliferation in South
Asia is essential for the safety of everyone. Nuclear weapons are a global
problem and they require a global solution.Copyright 1996 Creators
Syndicate, Inc.
===================================================================
961005
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Cricket in Kenya
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By Mohammad Shoaib Ahmed
When the Sri Lankan and Kenyan captains went in for the toss in Gymkhana
Ground Nairobi on September 27, to mark the start of the first match of the
four-nation tournament between the two countries, Kenya became the 14th
country and 104th centre to stage a one-day International. Such matches
have been played on 111 grounds. If the two grounds in London, Lord's and
The Oval, are treated as separate ODI centres. Colombo has stayed one-day
International at three different grounds while Ahmedabad, Bombay, Hobart
and Rawalpindi each have hosted these matches at two different grounds.
Cricket in Kenya was first played in Mombassa on the coast at the turn of
the century. The game began to spread as the country developed. The major
fixture of the year being the three-day officials vs Colonial settlers,
first played in 1910. European and Asian (people from the sub-continent)
developed along separate lines as the Europeans formed the Kongoni Cricket
Club in 1927 and the Asian, the Asian Sports Association, which started in
1933.
In 1953 the Kenya Cricket Association was formed, uniting the Asian and
European organisations. The year 1963 over the visit of MCC side led by
M.J.K. Smith. Cricket until then was played on matting wickets. The first
turf wickets were laid at Nairobi Club in 1969 and Suleiman Verjee Indian
Gymkhana in 1973. The triangular tournament with Uganda and Tanganjika (now
Tanzania) began in 1966 and was played on an annual basis, rotating from
country to country. Zambia joined in 1973.
Since mid-60s numerous clubs and representative sides have visited Kenya,
including Hyderabad Blues, Rajisthan, Warwickshire, Nigeria, Denmark,
Combined Countries XI, Bangladesh, Pakistan "B", India as well as England
"A" and Zimbabwe, both of whom were beaten by Kenya in one-day games. Kenya
participated in a tour to England in 1972 as part of an East African
cricket conference side and also took part in the first World Cup in 1975
under that banner.
Kenya withdrew from the East African cricket conference in 1981 and toured
UK in 1984 as guests of Minor Countries. Kenya has taken part in the past
four ICC tournaments in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994. In 1990 Kenya reached the
semi-finals for the first time losing an exciting match to host Holland.
The 80s saw the emergence of some fine young African players, nine of whom
made the squad to the 1990 ICC tournament. This augurs well and is one of
the main reasons why Kenya looks forward to a bright future for cricket.
When the Indian team stopped here on their way home from the South African
tour for a friendly game in 1993, captain Azharuddin was full of admiration
for the indigenous Kenyans. "Right kind of training and they could blossom
into international stuff," observed the Indian skipper. Kenya has excellent
infrastructure and together with Ireland Bangladesh are the only associate
countries with grass wickets.
Four years ago Collin Eager, former President of Australian Cricket Board
passed through Kenya and after looking at the grounds he was amazed at the
excellent infrastructure and complimented the Kenyans on the quality of the
wickets provided.
Many ex-Indian Test players play for the local club as professionals.
Players like Sandeep Patil, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Chanderkant Pandit and
Ghulam Parkar have been playing for the last five years while Inshuman
Gaikwad, Raju Kulkarni, Dilip Vengsarkar and Vinod Kambli have done short
stints with some of the clubs.
Who would have expected Kenya to beat the West Indies? It was a big
surprise West Indies once deemed invincible in the limited overs games and
twice world champions, were humbled and humiliated by Kenya. If the Kenyans
failed to use that stunning success as a springboard, then you can put that
down to inexperience. For, there is no doubting their talent. Are said and
done the Kenyans have succeeded in making a mark for themselves and, with
greater exposure in future they might as well to knocking at the doors of
test cricket.
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961005
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Needed: a clear-cut selection policy
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By Lateef Jafri
THE recent string of illness and injuries among seasoned players has
considerably depleted the forces trying to measure strength with the
formidable assemblage of cricketers that South Africa and world champions
Sri Lanka have in their ranks. The woes of the visiting squad in Kenya were
compounded when even captain Wasim Akram, not in full health, had to rush
back to the Punjab metropolis to attend on his father, having suffered a
massive stroke.
However, the choice of the players to fill the breach created by such
experienced campaigners as Inzamamul Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Aamir Sohail
and latterly the dispatch of a replacement for Wasim betrayed utter
confusion among the selectors for the time being reduced to a membership of
two instead of the original and normal three. It also gave the impression,
rather superficially, to the fans and followers of the game of extreme
dearth of talent at home, whatever may be the activities of cricket round
the year and official schedule of tournaments as chalked out by the board
itself.
Initially the selectors spurned the demand of the tour committee, which
included two of its ex-officio members viz skipper Wasim Akram and cricket
manager Mushtaq Mohammad, for certain players and opted for a junior
bowler, who was on tour of the Caribbean with the second string. Certainly
his inclusion would strain the physical capabilities of Waqar Younis,
Saqlain Mushtaq, the regular bowlers, and Salim Malik, who is only a casual
and change bowler. Besides once the Waqar and Wasim combination, the two
fastest of contemporary speed merchants, is broken, the former may be
contained and countered, with comparative ease, by the opposing batsmen. It
was surprising how one player, the junior Shahid Afridi, a leg breaker,
would have made up for the absence of a wily spinner of world class and
invariably an insoluble problem for the batsmen. Later on when Aamir Sohail
also voluntarily opted out the Chief selector, Salim Altaf, had to make
telephonic communication with his associate in Karachi, Zaheer Abbas, and
it was decided that all vacancies, caused due to unfortunate circumstances,
would be filled. Ramiz, a former captain, and Saeed Azad, a middle order
batsman, were chosen to accompany the altered conglomerate for Kenya.
After one match in the quadrangular in Nairobi Wasim Akram too flew back
home, leaving the selectors in a quandary. As media reports indicate the
selectors tried to locate Mohammad Akram, presently in England, but could
not contact him. Their choice, Mohammad Zahid, a raw pacer, came as a
complete surprise to the cricket watchers. Everybody thought if at all the
Kenya one-dayers are to be taken seriously and are not to be written off
then Aqib Javed will get the chance. A hard trier with control over line
and length, Javed has the scalps of many an organised batsman. He
challenges the willow-wielders with his skilful pacers from the very first
ball. Then his energy, rhythm and accuracy earn the appreciation of the
onlookers. It is still not known why he is being passed over though the
selectors' chief says he will get his pound of flesh during the coming
season when foreign teams will be visiting this country.
The game's officials, cricket manager included, have been stressing that
they are building up a squad for the next World Cup. However, if talented
cricketers like Aqib Javed and Rashid Latif, who was twice mentioned as an
essential requirement, once it was known that the knee problem of Mushtaq
and Inzamam has aggravated, are ignored how the hunt for new faces for
future will be successful.
One finds that Zahid, with 22 wickets last season, has superseded Ali Gohar
(47 wickets), Sajid Shah (46 scalps), Ather Laiq (40 victims) and gutsy
all-rounder Aamir Hanif (36 wickets) to name only a few from a long list of
fine performers.
The logic behind the selection of Ramiz Raja and Saeed Azad cannot be
understood. Ramiz, 34, had his baptism in Test cricket thirteen years ago
and must now be at the end of his career. He is not a brisk strokeplayer
for limited-overs ties. As can be seen from the scorecard in the match
against low-rated Kenya he returned to the pavilion with a duck to his
credit. Besides, how many openers are required in the line-up?
The selection of Saeed Azad, whose contribution in the match against Kenya
was just 1, can hardly be justified. His score in an earlier exposure
against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi last year (a match lost by Pakistan) was
insignificant. But why exclude Asif Mujtaba, a tried all-rounder, Sohail
Jaffar (1,465 runs last season), Mohammad Nawaz (1,205 runs), Azam Khan
(1,281 runs). The last-mentioned can be utilised at any position. Many are
doubtful if the decisions of the selectors are based purely on merit. There
is no clear-cut policy but experiments and makeshift arrangements.
One hopes that after the selectors trio is complete with the endorsement of
former Test all-rounder Ejaz Fakih by the Council an in-depth discussion
will take place on the right mode and method of selection. The quality
players batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders are not in short supply in
the country but fair judgement is needed for a balanced outfit and for
lifting home cricket.
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961005
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Points to ponder for sports policy
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Alauddin Ghuari
The Federal Sports Minister, like his predecessors, has gone on record to
state that the National Sports Policy would soon be announced. However, it
is to be seen as to when this long-standing commitment is honoured. We do
not know as to what briefing he has received and by whom and whether or not
various causes leading to the dismal state of sports have been brought to
his notice.
In our humble opinion the Sports Minister should keep the following facts
in mind. It is an accepted and recognised fact that Pakistan occupied a
very respectable place in Asia during the first fifteen years of its
existence. This country won 13 medals in the 2nd Asian Games in 1954; 26 in
1958 and our tally in 1962 was 28. History is a witness to the fact that
these achievements were due to dedication, devotion and sincerity displayed
by the Federations.
The Federal government promulgated an Ordinance in 1962 and the Pakistan
Sports Board (PSB) came into being. The new-born was a bad omen for
Pakistan sports as we could only manage 8 medals in 1966 in Bangkok;
Pakistan could not, thereafter achieve heights to win 28 medals in any of
the subsequent Asian Games.
The reason for the sudden fall was the interference by the so called
technocrats of PSB using the cover provided by the Ordinance which reads.
This Ordinance shall be called the sports development and 'control'
Ordinance 1962'. First part i.e. development, was totally ignored and the
bureaucrats of PSB exploited the word control to their own advantage.
Development to the bureaucrats meant building of an odd stadium, swimming
pool and raising the economic standards of sportsmen.
The PSB, with a view to exercising tight and full control over the sports
bodies, completely alienated honest and devoted sports administrators which
caused abrupt decline in the standards and of course success role.
Comparative amply confirm and prove the pound.
Success of any policy and system depends on the persons who implement it.
Those responsible to ensure the success of the 1962 policy, however,
demonstrated lack of sense of purpose and loyalty thus causing irreparable
damage to the policy itself. The PSB did not pay any attention towards
development of sports or infrastructure as people at the helm were neither
mentally nor technically equipped for the task. The National Institute of
Sports and Culture (NISC) a high sounding name established in 1975, has NOT
done anything to justify its establishment or to help develop positive
mental attitude of sportsmen which is the top prerequisite to improve
standards.
News media, particularly electronic, plays an important role in the
promotion of sports in any country. It is highly regrettable that the PTV
does not have its own sports policy. Its sole consideration to fill its
coffers. The Sports Minister can use both PTV and NISC to help develop
positive mental attitude. The latter under the existing conditions should
either be abolished or placed under the PSB.
It is an irony of fate that the officials connected with sports misused and
misinterpreted the meanings of the word 'control 'used in the said
Ordinance. All sports bodies, the world over, affiliated with the
international sports organisations, carry out their functions in accordance
with their constitution. Sports bodies of a country are controlled by their
parent international federations. Similarly, all international federations
are governed in accordance with the International Olympic Committee
charter. Sports officials do not have the right or authority to exercise
control over indigenous sports federations. They need only to regulate the
functioning of these bodies within the bounds of respective constitutions.
The misuse of the word 'control' has brought two important institutions of
sports i.e. Federations and PSB, to a state of confrontation rather than
co-operation to the determent of both on the one have partial approach
towards certain games has further aggravated the situation and on the other
the enthusiasm and desire to improve economic standards of athletes has
totally destroyed the club system which in the real sense helped to promote
the standards through discipline.
Semi-government institutions fully exploited the situation to their
advantage and managed to lure top athletes. The intention was also to deny
services of the top athletes to other institutions. This policy took away
the competitive spirit resulting in premature retirements. These
institutions are wasting a huge sum on non-promotional measures.
The PIA sports, for example is headed by a Director who is assisted by 6
GMs. The huge amount of money spent on their salaries, perks, facilities
and TA/DA could have been better spent on the development of the games and
expansion of facilities. Similarly the patronage of those sports which have
glamour and ignoring of others which have talent in abundance in the
country wrought havoc.
Why are sports like athletics boxing and swimming meted out step motherly
treatment by these institutions which also come under some ministry? The
government should in consultation with POA and Federations lay down terms
and conditions including national pay scales for the employment of
sportsmen at the national and provincial levels.
The Minister of Sports has the right and authority to formulate sports
policy. It may, however, be advisable and prudent to assess the performance
of the institutions and sports set ups at the Federal and provincial
levels. His efforts would be productive if he ensured that necessary
infrastructure exists and sports flourish in a conducive atmosphere.
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S. Africa lift cricket cup with 7-wkt win over Pakistan
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Ilyas Beg
NAIROBI, Oct.6: Showing in a thoroughly professional manner, South Africa
beat Pakistan by seven wickets to lift the four-nation cricket trophy at
the Nairobi Gymkhana ground on Sunday afternoon.
Nothing went right for the Pakistan team, comprising half a dozen young
players who came as replacement for the injured stars, during this all-
important match of the competition. Pakistan were shot out for 203 in 46.2
overs after acting captain Saeed Anwar had won the toss and opted to bat
first on a pitch full of runs. Alan Donald, Brian McMillan and David
Crookes bowled superbly on this batting pitch and restricted Pakistan to a
low and manageable score. Later, despite South Africa having lost two
wickets on two consecutive deliveries from young leg-spinner Shahid Afridi,
Gary Kirsten batted like a sheet-anchor to take his side home. He was
lustily cheered by a strong jam-packed crowd of 12,000 when declared as Man
of the Final.
By dint of excellent performance throughout the competition, Alan Donald
earned the Man of the Series award and a prize of 3000 dollars. Pakistan
team captain Saeed Anwar got the runners-up trophy and an award of 25,000
dollars while South African captain Hansie Cronje was awarded a beautiful
trophy (depicting traditional Kenyan wildlife) and a cheque of 50,000
dollars.
Not a single Pakistani batsman could score a half-century. That was because
of the dominance of the South African bowlers despite many dropped catches
and fielding lapses early in the Pakistan innings.
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Afridi made three records, not two
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Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 6: Shahid Khan Afridi during his whirlwind knock of 102 from
40 balls against Sri Lanka at Kenya on Friday made three records and not
two, investigations revealed.
The two records mentioned in the agency reports are: quickest 100 from 37
balls surpassing Jayasuriyas 100 of 48 balls; and youngest-ever batsman at
16 to score a one-day century.
However, the record which went unnoticed is he has also hit the highest
number of sixes in his 100 i.e. 11 which is equal to sixes hit by
Jayasuriya in his 134 against Pakistan at Singapore. Previous record of the
highest number of sixes in 100 was also with Jayasuriya who had hit seven
sixesfour less than Shahid Khan Afridi.
Shahid Khan Afridis break-up of 102 from 40 balls is: 13 non-scoring
shots, eight singles, two twos, six fours and 11 sixes.
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Zimbabwean team arrive, hopeful of giving fight
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Our Reporter
LAHORE, Oct. 8: Zimbabwe cricket captain Alistair Campbell hoped his side
would do well in the coming Test and one-day series against Pakistan. He
was talking to newsmen on arrival of the team after a long journey here
Tuesday afternoon.
Campbell, who was one of the few players to have left a serious impression
when Zimbabwe last toured Pakistan in 1993, said his side was much more
experienced than three years ago and that he was not much worried over the
teams recent drubbing at the hands of Sri Lanka in the Test and one-
dayers.
It was very early in the season and we got undone by the spinners in Sri
Lanka, who are quite formidable at home and have also beaten a number of
top Test-playing countries. but we are not unduly worried, he said.
Alistair Campbell said his players have worked very hard for the series
against Pakistan and would go all out to prove themselves against a mighty
opposition. Zimbabwe, he added, were a much more experienced side as
compared to 1993 when they last toured Pakistan.
I wont say our team is much more stronger than 1993. Its much more
experienced...and experience counts a lot. Last time there were a lot of
positive things that came out of our play and the Press here wrote very
highly of us. I think weve come out leaps and bounds from that. And if we
play according to our potential, I am sure we can achieve some results,
said Alistair Campbell.
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Essex show interest in Saeed Anwar
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By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 9: Flamboyant Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar is in serious
negotiations with English county Essex for the 1996 season, well placed
sources said.
Essex are looking for Stuart Laws replacement who will be touring England
next year with the Australian team for the Ashes.
Saeed Anwar, who scored more than 1,000 runs on the England tour earlier
this summer, has a tie with Inzamamul Haq for the vacant slot but sources
said Anwar may overcome his team-mate and may be announced as Essexs
overseas player later this month.
Another English county, Surrey, have shown their interest in Pakistan off-
spinner Saqlain Mushtaq. Surrey are searching a replacement for Australian
Brendon Julian who is also expected to be in England with the Australian
side next summer.
After Surrey lost Waqar Younis because of their laziness, the English
county has now diverted its attention to a spinner and have also held
deliberations with Indian Anil Kumble besides Saqlain Mushtaq.
Kumble, the Indian vice-captain, had a season with Northamptonshire in 1994
in which he took 105 wickets but was replaced with West Indian Curtly
Ambrose.
With Northamptonshire having signed Pakistan pacer Mohammad Akram for the
1997 season, indications are either Saqlain or Kumble will be Surreys
overseas professional.
Wasim Akram (Lancashire), Waqar Younis (Glamorgan), Mushtaq Ahmad
(Somerset) and Mohammad Akram (Northamptonshire) have already confirmed
their return to English Championships next season. If negotiations
materialise, Saeed Anwar and Saqlain Mushtaq may take Pakistans
representation in the summer of England to six.
Dawn page