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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 29 February 1996 Issue : 02/09
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Magnet ring sale to Pakistan
Ring magnet issue : US blocks all loans to China
Cabinet okays dual vote for minorities : ID condition waived
MQM team satisfied with talks
Talks offer renewed : Terrorists ready to surrender, claims Shah
Attempts at Sindhs division to be opposed
Ten shot dead in violence
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Income sharing gap rises
Money supply increased by 6%
Rupee under pressure from trade deficit
Pakistan moderate risk area: IRB
Dry port to be built near Chinese border
CCOP okays sale of UBL shares to Saudi firm
Stock prices fall across a broad front
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A security overkill Omar Kureishi
Imran Khan: why nurse a grouse? Hafizur Rahman
Karachi diary : Cricket is here Rifaat Hamid Ghani
Karachi: has the tide turned? Ayaz Amir
Should we trade with India? Shahid Kardar
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A fit Pakistan side can retain title
Team in fine fettle, says Wasim
Miandads sense of commitment
Batting order: Zaheer has doubts
S. Africa can beat Pakistan, says Cronje
Dutch captain tips Pakistan, S.A. favourites
Should the UAE, Kenya & Holland be here?
A dark horse may run away with the Cup
Where all the spectators have gone?
No clear winners can be picked yet
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960224
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Magnet ring sale to Pakistan
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Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON, Feb 23: The White House and the State Department have
clarified that a decision on sanctions against China and Pakistan was
not expected in the immediate future but the CIA has put the entire
Administration in a hot spot by publicly insisting that China had
transferred nuclear technology and M-11 missiles to Pakistan.
The Administration reaction came following a New York Times report on
Feb 21 saying the President intended to punish China "by applying
selective sanctions" and Pakistan "by blocking the military equipment
released by the Brown Amendment."
The White House spokesman Mike McCurry said the President was not
likely to be given any determination on the issue by his foreign
policy advisers that requires a decision in the immediate future.
Pakistan Ambassador to Washington Maleeha Lodhi denied that China had
shipped any nuclear technology to Pakistan.
But the Director of the CIA, John M. Deutch confirmed before Senate
Intelligence Committee that China was continuing to export
"inappropriate nuclear technology and missiles to Pakistan" and the
Administration was watching China's "menacing movements in Asia on a
minute to minute basis."
Although China and Pakistan deny all wrongdoing, senior American
officials say there is little doubt that a violation had occurred and
that the United States must respond.
Observers said in addition to the Intelligence Committee hearings of
the Senate, the House Foreign Relations Committee was expected to take
up the issue and the State Department was insisting that no decision
would be taken by the Administration on shipment of military equipment
to Pakistan before a full discussion with the Congress.
"If the matter is thrown back to the Congress, as it appears it will
be, the entire advantage which the Brown Amendment could bring for
Pakistan and the Benazir Bhutto Government could be wiped out,"
diplomats say.
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960229
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Ring magnet issue : US blocks all loans to China
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Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON, Feb 28: The United States may ask Pakistan to quietly put
the Chinese ring magnets back in the boxes and return them to Beijing
as the Clinton Administration watches Beijings reaction to the first
concrete step it took last week to punish China freezing of all
loans, at least for a month.
State Department spokesman Glynn Davies and other senior officials
gave interviews to US newspapers disclosing that all loans to China
had been blocked for 30 days, but olive branches had also been offered
to Beijing to reach a compromise.
The compromise solutions are being deliberated in Washingtons power
circles because the US does not want to enter a trade war with Beijing
and pressure may be growing in the Republican-dominated Congress to
stop all shipments of arms and equipment to Pakistan allowed under the
Brown Amendment.
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960227
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Cabinet okays dual vote for minorities : ID condition waived
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: The federal cabinet approved report of electoral
reforms committee suggesting to hold provincial and national assembly
polls on the same day, lifting the condition of National Identity Card
and giving dual voting right to the minorities.
The reports contains recommendations aimed at substantially changing
the countrys electoral system so as to make it more transparent,
eliminate chances of rigging, reduce election expenses and improve and
modernise the entire system to suit the requirements of a modern
democracy, said the federal information minister Khalid Ahmed Kharal.
The committee which was constituted in October 1994, suggested to
remove the requirement of the National Identity Card (ID) for the
voters and said it would eliminate the chances of abuse of ID cards by
wealthy and influential candidates as well as help check the use of
bogus ID cards for polling.
In the support of the holding national and provincial assembly polls
on same day it argued that it would help in the maintenance of law and
order, avoid unnecessary expenditure and reduce tension and disorder
during the intervening period between the polls.
The committee prescribed use of ballots boxes of different colours for
the facility of the voters. The committee also called for using
transparent ballot boxes in future general election so as to guard
their pre-poll stuffing.
The cabinet, he added, had also decided to give minorities dual voting
right. The minorities shall also cast votes in elections for general
seats in addition to their right to vote in elections for their
reserved seats, he said.
A number of other recommendations aimed at cutting down the election
expenses were also approved the cabinet, he said. In this regard it
was decided to put a limit on elections expenses by individual
candidates, however, the limit would later be prescribed by the
election commission. There would be complete ban on hoardings, banners
of all sizes and wall-chalkings. The poster and flags would be
permitted but advertisements by individual candidates in newspapers
would not be allowed only the political parties would be permitted to
place advertisements of a total cost of up to Rs 10 million.
The procedure for the announcement of election results would also be
changed with a view to make it faster and more credible. It was
decided that elections results would be tabulated by the returning
officer and announced by the district returning officer.
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960229
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MQM team satisfied with talks
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ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Senator Syed Ishtiaq Azhar, convener of MQM
Coordination Committee, described his meeting with President Farooq
Ahmed Khan Leghari as positive. He however, remained tight-lipped
about the details.
Responding to queries of the newsmen Mr Azhar said: We discussed all
our issues, like the situation in Karachi.
When questioned how soon the results of the meeting would be evident,
Mr Azhar said: It is too early to comment on it, however, he added:
These talks cant be called fruitless. The president is the head of
the state and we informed him about our grievances. Its up to him what
step he takes.
Asked if Mr Hussain was willing to come to the negotiating table, he
said: He (Altaf) may, but if the prime minister is willing, too. We
have not yet received any indication that she is willing to hold
talks.
To a question, he said the team had neither demanded dismissal of the
government nor did it call for withdrawal of cases against Altaf
Hussain.
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960228
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Talks offer renewed : Terrorists ready to surrender, claims Shah
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Abdullah Shah said that
his government would soon spring a surprise on MQM chief Altaf Hussain
after which he would have no option other than to accept that the path
of terrorism was neither in the interest of the country nor of the
Mohajirs.
The chief minister claimed that several terrorist groups and
individuals, including Naeem Sherri, had directly or indirectly
approached the government for surrendering their arms. High-level
consultations are going on to consider these offers, he said.
Mr Shah said the government was still firm on its stand that it was
ready to hold political dialogue provided the terrorists laid their
guns. In that case the government would even consider giving political
concessions, he added.
However, he reiterated that all those involved in heinous crimes would
have to get themselves cleared by the courts.
The CM claimed that peace was gradually returning to Karachi and it
was after several years that Ramazan had passed off peacefully. Not
only this, the MQM tactic of closing the city through its strike calls
has also lost its effectiveness.
He said during the Ramazan of last year, the terrorists had not only
killed innocent citizens but also attacked camps set up in Karachi to
express solidarity with the Kashmiri people on Kashmir Day.
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960220
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Attempts at Sindhs division to be opposed
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Shamim-ur-Rahman and Hashim Khan Bhurgari
BADIN, Feb 19: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on declared that her
government would not allow anyone to divide Sindh because it was
against the integrity of Pakistan.
Our struggle has been for the integrity and progress of Pakistan and
we will not allow anyone to undermine it by dividing Sindh, we will
not compromise on principles.
She said many people had suggested to her to patch up with Altaf
Hussain to save my seat, ignoring the cases instituted against.
But I brushed aside any such proposal because I believe in the
support of the people who have elected me to the high office, she
said.
She also renewed her offer of holding talks with the opposition in the
greater national interest if its approach was positive.
She nevertheless flayed the opposition leaders attempt to destabilise
her government and said Mian Nawaz Sharif was confined to Punjab
whereas in Sindh he had forged an alliance with Altaf Hussain and the
ANP.
She claimed that during the past 15 years opposition leader had done
nothing for other provinces, including Sindh and he was making false
promises to the people.
On the contrary, she said her party was broad-based and national party
doing its best for the whole country without any discrimination.
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960224
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Ten shot dead in violence
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Feb 23: A 48-year-old passport agent was killed and his
father and teenage daughter were wounded when their Korangi residence
was attacked by four armed youths.
Nazakat Ali alias Cheena, father of 12, was sleeping when the armed
men entered his house and ordered him to accompany them.
When he resisted, the four opened fire killing him on the spot. His
father Mirza Azmat Ali and daughter Ambreen received injuries in the
shooting. They were admitted to Jinnah Hospital.
Also, seven people, including a 12-year-old girl, fell victim to
violence.
A major incident of shooting took place in Chukra Goth, Korangi, in
which three people were killed and three others suffered injuries when
a crowded tea stall was sprayed with bullets in the night.
The incident triggered violence as residents of this predominantly
Baloch and Sindhi locality took to the streets, set ablaze a rickshaw
and pelted vehicular traffic with stones.
It was around 9 pm, as 15 to 20 people were sipping tea and listening
to PTV news in Cafe Jehangir, when three to four terrorists pulled up
there in a white Suzuki pickup and randomly fired at them.
In Pak Colony, Shahbana Kausar, 12, was killed when a stray bullet hit
her outside her Barood Khana School residence. Her body was brought to
Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for autopsy.
A young man described by the police as an MQM worker died in Korangi
in the morning in what the police claimed was an encounter.
Police claimed that Aleem Ahmed, 21, a member of Nadeem Chitta gang,
was living in an under-construction apartments in Labour Colony.
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960225
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Income sharing gap rises
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Muhammad Ilyas
ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: The income distribution gap recorded further
increase with the 20 per cent richest households of Pakistan
arrogating 44.5 per cent of total income to themselves during 1986-87
and 1990-91, according to a Federal Bureau of Statistics survey.
The remaining 55.5% of income was distributed among 80 per cent of
households of various socio-economic strata.
The survey figures cited in a recent World Bank report, indicate that
the entire rise in Household Income Gini Coefficient from 0.346 to
0.407 has gone to this highly resourceful class during the period.
That the concentration of wealth is being aggravated and not reduced
is manifested by the fact that the share of the middle 60 per cent of
households also dropped from 48.5% to 48.25% during the period.
Even more steep was the descent in respect of the households in the
lowest 20% category: from 7.9% to 7.3%.
Consequently, the ratio of income share of the highest to the lowest
changed from 5.5 to 6.1 per cent.
That this escalation in the income shares of the richest is not an
isolated phenomenon but a regular, persistent one is evident from the
fact that the share of the middle 60% during 1971-72 was 49.1%,
compared to 43.0% for the highest 20% and 7.9% for the lowest 20%. In
that year, the income distribution ratio of the highest to the lowest
20% was 5.4.
The urban-rural gap is also quite significant. For example, rural
areas contain 74% of the countrys poor, though they have about 70% of
the total population. Among regions, Punjab appears to be considerably
poorer than Sindh, largely because rural South Punjab has an extremely
high incidence of poverty of nearly 50%. Within Punjab, rural north
Punjab has better indicators than rural south Punjab which is
characterised by bigger feudal holdings. Evidence on the comparative
poverty of the two smaller provinces, Balochistan and NWFP is mixed.
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960220
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Money supply increased by 6%
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ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: The Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet
(ECC) reviewed the prices and movement of essential commodities in the
country and noted that the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) decreased
by 0.15% against the previous week.
The decrease was mainly due to fall in the prices of onions, potatoes,
red chillies and gram pulses.
The Committee was presented a report on monetary and credit situation
by the State Bank. The Committee was informed that the money supply
increased only by 6 % as compared with the target of 12 % for 1995-96
as a whole and expansion of 9 % in the corresponding period last year.
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960224
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Rupee under pressure from trade deficit
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Dr. Farrukh Saleem
MONEY in today's rapidly liberalising and globally intertwined markets
is just like any other commodity. It no more recognises national
boundaries, it is traded freely in the super-liquid currency markets
and a particular currency's true worth is eventually determined by the
interplay of the free market forces of demand and supply. The
telecommunication revolution has added even more liquidity, speed,
efficiency and convenience at the finger tips of all market
participants: currency traders, speculators, investors, exporters and
importers alike.
Even the once all-powerful central bankers do not hold much sway
anymore. The 24-hour, world-wide, computer-linked. Over-the-counter
currency markets that trade around $2 trillion to $3 trillion worth of
currencies on an average day have developed a resource based that is
several hundred times larger than the combined reserves of all the
central banks put together. Take the Bank of England, for instance. A
couple of years ago it attempted to put a floor under the free falling
pound. A number of market players led by George Soros had, in the
meanwhile, put up a $50 billion leveraged bet against the Bank of
England (BoE).
The pound fell like Newton's apple, BoE pumped in a colossal $10
billion of its own resources to support the pound, eventually losing
it all to market forces while Soros and others won big. The Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) apparently failed to learn anything from Bank of
England's harsh experience. RBI has reportedly spent $3 billion out of
its accumulated reserves of $22 billion over the past few weeks in
support of the Indian Rupee. The market forces have even then managed
to bring it down to Rs. 38 from Rs. 32 a mere few months ago. Lesson:
No one should even try to mess with the potent forces of demand and
supply.
A historical review of the Pakistani rupee reveals that it has lost a
colossal 247 per cent against the US dollar since the early part of
1982 when a dollar cost a mere Rs. 9.88. SBP'S dollar buying (TT
clean) rate today stands at Rs. 34.29 while it costs around Rs. 36.50
in the open market.
The largest appreciation as a matter of fact, has that been of
Japanese Yen that has gone up by more than 600 per cent since 1982.
Hong Kong dollar, Deutsche mark and Swiss franc all appreciated by
around 450 per cent, 390 per cent and 375 per cent respectively.
Besides the wholesale, gradual depreciation of the rupee against all
the major currencies (since the fixed-peg was abandoned in favour of a
managed-float in the early 80s) there have also been a few instance
when the government undertook hastily decided overnight
depreciations. In 1972, for instance, there was a 100 per cent
devaluation and against in 1993 a 17 per cent downward adjustment
besides the recent overnight 7 per cent downward adjustment.
The international demand for a currency is its exports and a country's
accumulated imports essentially represent its currency's overall
supply. Other factors such as undocumented exports and imports,
workers remittances, direct foreign investment, portfolio investment,
investment income, donor grants and loans do also at times become
influential. These other factors may also at time become important-
e.g. when workers' remittances towards Pakistan had shot up to $2.8
billion in 1982-83 but by and large the main tug-of-war is between
merchandise exports and imports. The international demand for the
Pakistani rupee therefore, currently stands at around S8.5 billion
(our estimated official annual exports) while the supply this year
alone is expected to exceed $10.5 billion our documented estimated
imports).
The supply of Pakistani rupee is thus clearly a good $2 billion ahead
of its demand. What happens when supply exceeds demand? The price, for
sure, has to come down. This is what has been happening to our rupee.
There was a time when the State bank of Pakistan (SBP) had much more
discretion over the destiny of the rupee. It continues to possess
some. But governments around the globe have been deregulating,
disinvesting and denationalising Economies, at the same time are
closer becoming more interrelated and increasingly interdependent.
Markets-currencies, commodities, equities and debt all inclusive-have
not only become plaited but dynamically efficient and severely
penalising Any player that makes a mistake, whether individual or
sovereign, is almost instantly and severely punished.
Take Mexico, for example. The very moment that international investors
reached a consensus that the country was living way beyond its means
(represented by an unsustainable current account deficit). Mexico
City's stock market had to suffer a humiliating 50% hit while the peso
had to be devalued by 30% overnight.
Is the situation almost as bad here at home? The answer in all
probability, is in the affirmative. We continue to be an import based
economy rather than an export driven one. We have already surpassed
the government's expectation of a $2 billion merchandise trade deficit
for the entire 1995-96 fiscal year in the first seven months of
trading alone (exports for the July-February period. The current
account deficit has expanded to an unsustainable level. Inflation has
touched unprecedented heights The government remains excessively
wasteful and vested interests have mortgaged the future of several
generations of Pakistanis in the name of national security and the
maintenance of offensive (as oppose to defensive) forces. There is no
light at the end of the tunnel either. We may not even have begun to
build the tunnel yet.
The fate of a 130 million people is now being held hostage to a bumper
cotton crop which at best may yield a 2 million bale exportable
surplus and a paltry $500 million worth of additional export earnings.
If it were not for an estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion in
unofficial exports our rupee may have already hit the Rs. 50 to-a-
dollar mark.
Our undocumented exports have indeed provided a lot of dearly needed
support to the rupee and are expected to continue to play that role in
the future. Our economic managers, on the other hand, aren't bothered;
its like as if they had all their wealth in dollars already. The Prime
Minister certainly has no time for economics as the first half of her
day is taken up by affairs relating to political victimisation, the
other half is for part matters, bureaucratic mutations, the all-
important Punjab venture and then there are the frequent wild foreign
binges.
A widespread perception has somehow developed in the official circles
that devaluation shall increase exports. If devaluation was really the
magic formula, why don't we just devalue the rupee to Rs. 100 to-a-
dollar in one go and export everything that this poor country is in
possession of? The red issue is that the country truly does not
produce much of an exportable surplus. Whether it be a 37-rupee dollar
or a 50-rupee dollar we just don't have much to export. Our policies
have never been production oriented and we do not have any plans in
that direction either. the fifty-rupee dollar, therefore, remains a
mere few odd miles away.
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960228
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Pakistan moderate risk area: IRB
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Athar Ali
LONDON, Feb 27: Political instability and inadequate regulatory
infrastructures are considered to be the main threats businesses in
emerging markets will face in 1996. These issues pose greater risks
than crime and corruption, which have traditionally been the main
fears for businesses from the West operating in Asia or Africa.
The findings are the result of a survey conducted by the Industrial
Research Bureau (IRB) on behalf of Control Risks Group, a London-based
organisation, which has recently published its annual report.
The section on Pakistan shows the country as being in the moderate
risk category, but with the trend rising. rural Sindh, Balochistan and
the tribal areas of NWFP are declared to be high risk areas.
The paragraph accompanying the chart reads: government forces,
terrorism in Karachi, counter-terrorist campaigns, National economic
growth stifled. Many Pakistani companies have now left Karachi, Kidnap
risk to Westerners in isolated parts of Sindh province, Balochistan,
NWFP tribal areas.
The Control Risks Group does not hold the hope for a political
solution to Karachis problems emerging despite all sides agreeing
that the citys problems need a political solution.
The reports section devoted to global issues points out that problems
arising in 1996 will be more diverse and potentially more complex than
ever before.
Karachis problems have again been cited as an example. Each of the
strikes in the city cost on average $33 million. The strife has
inflicted direct physical and financial losses on locally-based
companies, some of which have tried to adapt by employing informal
quotas of people from specific communities. Investors have been
advised in the report to conduct themselves in environmentally-
friendly fashion in countries where they operate, or at least mitigate
any environmental damage which their activities cause.
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960227
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Dry port to be built near Chinese border
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Feb 26: Pakistan plans to build a dry port near China border
alongside Karrakoram Highway (KKH) in district Gilgit to facilitate
transit trade with China and Central Asian States.
With overland trade routes through troubled Afghanistan still
insecure, Pakistan as well some of the Central Asian States were in
search of a safer overland economical route through China.
This route at a high altitude is also expected to facilitate the flow
of inward and outward foreign trade under the recently signed
tripartite transit trade agreement signed between Pakistan, China and
Kazakistan.
Business circles said the government has already taken steps to make
the Karrakoram Highway an all-weather road.
The traditional Resham Route could hum with business activity during
the next few months as modern trade caravans will start to ply on the
centuries old overland route, linking the CAS and China with the hot
waters of Arabian Sea, another cargo hauler said.
Mr Abuzer Ali, Representative of the Moorkhun village, tehsil Gulmit,
district Gilgit, taking clue of the information that government of
Pakistan (GoP) was planning to establish dry port in the area has
offered a feasible place for the development of the port.
Giving main characteristics and information about the land offer for
the proposed dry port in Moorkhun Tehsil Gojal, District Gilgit, he
said, the location would be alongside KKH having easy access to water
and hotels.
He hoped the government would take quick decision and issue directives
to the concerned authorities to inspect the area as this would help
up-grade living standard and provide job opportunities to the poor in
the area.
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960229
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CCOP okays sale of UBL shares to Saudi firm
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Faraz Hashmi
ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: The Cabinet Committee on Privatisation approved the
sale of 26 per cent shares of Untied Bank (UBL) to Saudi Basharahil at
a rate of Rs15.19 per share which will bring Rs585 million to the
national exchequer.
The committee prepared a report and submitted it to the CCOP which
approved the report and accepted the Rs15.19 per share offer which is
Rs5.19 above the par of Rs10 share, said a press release.
The offer was totally unconditional based on the rule of as is where
is basis, the press release said.
The investor will bring in an independent team of highly qualified
professional management, mainly of Pakistani nationality, with
extensive experience in international banking, the commission said.
The Saudi company would also acquire services of reputed consulting
firms to immediately undertake financial and management restructuring,
but would not be allowed to make any drastic changes, it added.
The Privatisation Commission under an agreement with the employees had
held out a firm assurance that the future buyer would not be allowed
to carry out any retrenchment at least for one year after assuming the
managerial control.
The UBL has been suffering from the problem of over-staffing and at
present there were 22,000 regular and around 2,000 ad hoc employees.
The commission had also committed to sell 20 per cent of the UBLs
total 148,168,000 shares to the employees.
With the sale of 26 per cent shares, the employees will be
proportionally entitled to purchase 5.2 per cent shares at the same
rate of Rs15.19 per share.
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960229
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Stock prices fall across a broad front
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Commerce Reporter
KARACHI, Feb 28: Stock prices fell further across a broad front as
sellers again dominated the trading but there was strong buying at
dips on selected counters.
The Karachi Stock Exchange index of 100-share ended with an extended
decline of 31.29 points at 1,718.94 as compared to 1,750.23 a day
earlier, reflecting the weakness of the base shares.
Dealers said although speculative activity is banned in the premises
of the Karachi Stock Exchange, the Thursdays cricket match between
Pakistan and South Africa in the city has its bearing on stock
trading.
Floor brokers said the direction of the market on Thursday will
largely depend on the proceedings in the National Stadium as the match
will begin just at the time trading resumes in the rings.
While the board of directors of Engro Chemicals has announced a final
dividend of 20 per cent plus bonus shares of an identical amount,
after having already paid an interim of 40 per cent, Nestle Milkpak
came out with an interim of 40 per cent.
Mitchells Fruit came in for renewed support after the announcement of
dividend a few days back and was quoted further higher and so did Bata
Pakistan, Shell Pakistan, Reckitt and Colman, PSO, rising by one
rupee.
Other good gainers were led by Prince Glass, Indus Jute, the newly
listed Legler Nafees, 6th ICP, Trust Leasing, and Taha Spinning,
rising by one rupee to Rs 4.
Barring Gul Ahmed Textiles, Lever Brothers, PIC, Pakistan Tobacco, and
some others, which suffered fall ranging from Rs 2 to 5, losses
elsewhere were fractional and reflected lack of support rather large
selling from any quarter.
The most active list was again topped by PTC vouchers, easy five paisa
on 14.535m shares followed by Hub-Power, unchanged on 12.985m shares,
Lucky Cement, lower five paisa on 0.820m shares, ICI Pakistan, down 25
paisa on 0.791m shares, Sitara Energy, lower five paisa on 0.768m
shares, Fauji Fertiliser, off 25 paisa on 0.523m shares, Dhan Fibre,
lower 10 paisa on 2.091m shares, and Faysal Bank, unchanged on 0.188m
shares.
Trading volume showed a sharp decline owing to the absence of leading
sellers falling to 34.471m shares as compares to 39.255m shares a say
earlier.
There were 324 actives, out of which 199 shares suffered decline,
while 67 rose, with 58 holding on to the last levels.
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960225
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A security overkill
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Omar Kureishi
THE expectation is that staging a mega sports event like the World Cup
will enhance the esteem of the host countries, that it will accentuate
the positive and downplay the negative. It doesnt quite work this
way. It puts the host countries under immense scrutiny and with so
many media persons on the loose, the slightest hitch can be blown up
into an administrative cock-up.
There is to start with a certain built-in scepticism about the Third
World, we are perceived to be living on the edge of chaos and nothing
is expected to work. A British Airways flight can be ten hours late
and this is accepted but a delayed flight of one of our airlines
represents a logistical nightmare and proof that not only are we
unworthy of staging such a major tournament but unfit for self-
government. When Shane Warne has an upset stomach it becomes world-
wide news and grim details are given of what he might have eaten or
whether the offending bug may have been acquired from an ice-cube. It
becomes a comment on the general standards of hygiene and sanitation
in the host countries.
The physio-therapist of the England team has forbidden the players
from biting their nails because the grounds on which they play use
sewage water on the outfield and a player fielding can pick up
goodness knows what. It is not just eating and drinking that can be
dangerous but also fielding. Obviously one cant be too careful. I do
not wish to seem to be mocking the care and caution that visiting
teams take to safeguard their health. Normal precautions are one thing
but the World Cup is not being played in tropical swamps of darkest
Africa of the last century.
The visiting teams live in five-star hotels and cannot be said to be
roughing it out. When the last England team toured India, one of the
defeats was attributed to the air pollution in Calcutta by no less a
man than the chairman of the England selection committee and another
defeat was apparently caused because some of the players had eaten
prawn curry and had been laid low. Apparently no credit was given to
the superior skills of the opponents.
There is obviously a difference between the bomb blast in Colombo and
the one in London. The Colombo bomb blast frightened off two teams and
they refused to play in Sri Lanka. There has been no disruption of any
sports event in England. The publicity that Sri Lanka got must have
made them question the wisdom of their decision to co-host the World
Cup. There have been bomb blasts in Colombo in the past and they
attracted no more notice than the bomb blasts in other cities of the
world and which are now a common feature. But because it was linked to
the World Cup, Sri Lanka suddenly became a terribly dangerous part of
the world.
India and Pakistan are due to tour England later this year. Does
anyone really believe that the bombings in London will have any effect
on these tours or that two countries, India and Pakistan, are having
second thoughts about touring England? Yet the TCCB chairman is
reported to have said that Australia and the West Indies might have a
case. Would the TCCB have taken this reasonable view if it stood to
lose a lot of money and be slandered in the bargain? Clearly Sri
Lankas expectations were that it would enhance its esteem by becoming
one of the co-hosts of the World Cup, those expectations have been
shattered. Far from generating goodwill, it has earned it suspicion.
But security, a word with a multitude of implications, has become the
nightmare of this World Cup. It would have been an important
consideration irrespective but the Australians have ensured that the
cricket grounds and the hotels resemble fortresses, not only for them,
but for the entire tournament.
Perhaps, the concern is justified but it can be taken to absurd
lengths. Consider simply this news item with a Visakhpatnam dateline:
Indian gunships have been called in to strengthen the ring of steel
thrown around Australias World Cup cricketers. Police sources said
the vessels would be positioned in the Bay of Bengal off Visakhpatnam
to guard the coastline. On dry land, meanwhile, the Australian
tournament favourites who refused to play in Sri Lanka over security
fears, will be watched over by contingents of armed police, snipers,
anti-terrorist and explosive experts armed with metal detectors and
tracker dogs.
It remains only for the Indian Air Force to get into the act and
provide air cover for the security to be complete. All things
considered, both for the peace of mind of the Australian cricketers
and for the enjoyment of the rest of us, it would have been the best
had Australia pulled out of the tournament. According to this news
item, the Australian players have been advised to stay on a common
hotel floor and move about only in groups. They would be escorted to
the stadium through pre-arranged routes and their food at the hotel
would be monitored round-the-clock.
When I was in Calcutta for the opening ceremony of the World Cup, the
Australian team was staying at the same hotel that I was. I did not
see very much security in evidence though it was surely there but I
did see the Australian players soaking in the sun as they sat around
the swimming pool... They did not look like a bunch of frightened men
and appeared perfectly relaxed. Even Shane Warne.
But the best answer has been provided by Sri Lanka itself. Not only
was it able to host an exhibition match against a joint Indo-Pakistan
team but the match against Zimbabwe played before a capacity crowd
went off without a hitch. To be sure security was tight but both the
players and the spectators enjoyed themselves as did Keith Stackpole,
the Australian TV commentator who did not give the impression that his
life was on the line.
I dont know about the Australians but the West Indies must be kicking
themselves that they went along and forfeited their match. Their
captain Richie Richardson has clearly indicated that the decision was
taken by the West Indian Cricket Board and not by the players. The
West Indies were conned.
Concern or too much concern about security has shifted the focus of
the tournament away from the festive nature of it. We find ourselves
in a Catch 22. If there should be an incident, no matter how minor,
the tournament will be remembered for it and if there should be no
incident the tournament will be remembered for that!
But a tournament as competitive as the World Cup is not calculated to
make friends. There is too much at stake. It is not just the teams
that are fired up but the supporters as well. And the character of the
supporters has changed. There would have been tension without the
palaver about security. I had looked forward to the World Cup. Now, I
cant wait for it to finish.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
960228
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Imran Khan: why nurse a grouse?
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Hafizur Rahman
THERE are so many things about Skipper Imran Khan that people are not
able to appreciate, or even understand. This always happens when a
person who has become famous in one field wants to take on other
fields too. But what I have not been able to understand is: why should
Imran Khan nurse a grouse against the ruling regime?
As I see it, he should be grateful to it for giving him so much
importance. Undoubtedly his achievement in setting up a great cancer
hospital is worthy of being written in letters of gold, as they say in
Urdu. But then, that was all. He had nothing more to his name than the
hospital. The regime has made him a truly national figure, fit to be
launched in politics. And yet he cribs.
His main grudge is that he was not allowed to display his
advertisement on television asking the people to donate their zakat to
the hospital. This again was a favour to him by the government. Had
the ad appeared, people would have associated it with the
establishment and given him nothing. Now Im told they are donating
with a vengeance. And yet he cribs.
Then, he went out of his way to affirm and re-affirm that he was not
going into politics. However, the Information Ministry, very subtly,
created the impression that he was, and made him out to be a second
Nawaz Sharif. Where the ministry had failed to build any government
figures image not even the Prime Ministers it succeeded in
boosting up the political potential of Imran Khan. And yet he cribs.
The only thing about which he has not cribbed in public is that PTV,
while going over Pakistans cricketing history, forgot to mention him
or show him in action. He didnt have to complain on that score, for
almost the whole nation made its indignation known in the matter,
obliging the Federal Information Minister not only to tell a whopper
that PTV had done nothing of the sort, but also to promise at the same
time that it will not repeat the mistake in future.
And Imran Khan, with all his graces, didnt have the grace to
apologise to the minister for placing him in such a difficult
position. The least that he could have done was to request the nation
not to make an issue of the business of the PTV ignoring him like
that.
He should know that it has happened to better people before him.
During the 49 years that Pakistan has been in existence, successive
rulers have sought to prove that, where good works are concerned,
their predecessors had never existed. They made up for this by blaming
the same non-existent forebears for their own bad deeds and
mismanagement of the country.
By common consent, perhaps the most glorious days in Pakistans
history were those during which the Islamic Summit was held in Lahore
in 1973. The spirit of the people and their emotional involvement in
the occasion were such that they went mad with joy. I was in Lahore at
that time. Even the bitterest foes of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
were inclined to forgive him his faults.
And yet, during General Ziaul Haqs time, I had occasion to see a
documentary film of the Summit on PTV. It tried to convince me that
ZAB had nothing to do with that historic and up-lifting occasion; he
was nowhere in the film. Simply nowhere. In the idiom of film-making
this is called deft editing.
So, if the PTV can hold the Islamic Summit without Mr Bhutto, it is
childs play for it to depict the Cricket World Cup of 1992 without
Imran Khan. An adage in English is very popular: Staging Hamlet
without the Prince of Denmark, or words to that effect. Seemingly an
impossible task, I am sure the PTV could do it, if the Ministry of
Information thought it was in the interest of the government in power.
The other day a wag was making what I thought was a farfetched
conjecture. Suppose, he said, most of the national cricket team
were somehow to annoy the rulers of Pakistan; will they all be
boycotted by the PTV? Will the PTV act as if there is no cricket in
Pakistan? Yes, I replied, why not? If it comes to that the PTV must
react patriotically. Its a question of principle.
Another wag (there seem to be so many around these days) made the
rather cheeky statement on Eid day that Imran Khan has taken his own
back by inviting Princess Diana as his personal guest to Lahore,
leaving the Pakistan Foreign Office wondering if its prescribed
protocol for Her Royal Highness would rub the Prime Minister the wrong
way. Of course he made it sound like a joke, but this is hardly a
joke.
This is a serious national issue. Imran Khan may be a patriot par
excellence, but he cant be allowed to place the ruling regime (after
all it is elected democratically by the people) in an embarrassing
position. How dare he invite the Princess of Wales over the heads of
the government in Islamabad? And how dare the Princess collude in this
conspiracy?
I dont know what the Prime Minister thinks about this situation
created by the Princesss so-called private visit to Lahore. Private
my foot! Take it from me this is a Jewish conspiracy, and if General
Naseerullah Babar were to probe deep into it, he would discover a
Hindu connection too. What a pity that Imran Khan should lend his
person to this shady business.
If I were in the Prime Ministers place, I would have summoned a
cabinet meeting at once to see what the Information Minister and the
Interior Minister had to say about the whole thing. They should be
properly put on the mat for allowing Imran Khan to exploit the royal
visit to his advantage.
That apart, Pakistan should not take this affront lying down. Private
visit or no private visit, the Princess is daughter-in-law of the
Queen, the head of the Commonwealth. If I were the Prime Minister I
would lodge a strong protest with Whitehall and threaten to leave the
Commonwealth if the British royal family is to behave like this
consorting with the ruling regimes pet aversion and taking the
Government of Pakistan for a ride.
Some other steps can also be taken to let the British Foreign Office
and Buckingham Palace know that such an attitude wont do. It is true
that the ruling family in Pakistan has not set up a cancer hospital to
show to the Princess, but that doesnt mean that she should accept
invitations from every Tom, Dick and Harry who starts a billion-rupee
free hospital to commemorate his mother.
All said and done, I am for putting Imran Khan in his proper place
whatever that is. And that goes for Princess Diana too.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
960229
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Karachi diary : Cricket is here
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Rifaat Hamid Ghani
THE sanctioned line of reasoning seems to be that there is no kind way
of dealing with an insurgency or terrorism. The terrorists and
insurgents in mind are categorised as MQM(A).
The ministry of the interior has done law-abiding, peace- loving
citizens of Karachi a favour by breaking their backs (not of the
peace-lovers, of course, only the insurgents) and now that faith in
the salutary regulatory powers of the agents of law enforcement is
being restored and terrorists are less and less of an impediment in
the way of Karachiites, they will soon be busy as bees at their lawful
businesses, not held hostage to extortion, bhatta and intimidation
from the MQM.
In case you are in one of those unrepresentative areas of Karachi
where peace is not yet happily prevailing (75:25 is one version of the
peace-strife index ratio) know and take heart from the fact that it is
reputed to be alive, doing well and growing apace, and will soon catch
up with your districts. Then we may have local bodies elections, and
even a census.
Now all this is on the anvil because action was taken by the law
enforcement agencies against the MQM (A). It has also been pointed out
several times by the authorities that the operation, (sometimes
criticised by those who could not recognise the blessing in disguise)
was initiated in the time of Premier Nawaz Sharif. So do grateful
citizens thank him too? Well the operation is still 25 per cent
failure so we can hold him responsible for that: it must be the bit
begun in his time. Something may have to be done about that.
Anyway, shoppers may look forward to returning to bargain- hunting for
benarsi fabrics and handlooms in Orangi; browsing among the books at
second-hand bookshops around Haidery; tucking in at Mulla Halwais.
And, as we are a liberal, liberated society, lets bear in mind
driving creekwards to Korangi when the moon is full, and a midnight
spin to Jinnah Terminals smart new rooftop restaurants for a cup of
coffee. Home is home again folks, Karachis its old self, or as good
as there.
And the proof of the pudding is in the slice of the World Cup cake we
are getting. Driving towards the stadium, we see not only Rangers and
sandbags, but also welcoming arches. And what could be more typically
normal than the griping about hideousness at the Teen Talwar? We shall
never know whether they could have made even Imran look that ugly as
his picture is not allowed. Cricket is an international sport,
however, and as the rest of the world kept showing snippets of our
onetime idol, the PTV finally gave in and followed the trail blazed by
other channels on the dish yet again.
What to do about Imran? He just is good copy. He gets away even with
being a son-in-law of the West.
And what if some imp of mischief were to prompt him into going to one
of those World Cup cultural shows and the audience cheered? If he put
in an appearance and was not enthusiastically mobbed, it might merely
go to show that the audience was more elitist than awami. For in the
cricketing context Imran is a popular hero, whatever fault may be
found with him and brownsahib theorising.
Forget about the establishment, said one sports-lover, what about our
boys in the team? Its disgraceful the way they have been tight lipped
about acknowledging and remembering an outstanding captain. Also
occasioning comment in sporting circles is the lack of recognition
extended to Nur Khan in the general exchange of plaudits. Fulsome
praise has been showered on personalities who have done much less than
Nur Khan did for not just cricket, but squash, hockey and putting
Pakistan on the sporting map in general. Why do we magnify
contributions where virtually none exist and fail to give credit where
its amply due? There may be political reasons for ostracising Imran
and making him persona non grata on PTV, but even though Nur Khan has
a certain political dimension as a former governor, he is scarcely
likely to raise a roar of Nur Khan wazir-i-azam anywhere he way go.
They could have risked acknowledging him, and they should never have
tried to black Imran out, even though he was a terror on the field.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
960226
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Karachi: has the tide turned?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ayaz Amir
DISCOUNTING the hysteria and the breast-beating of which there is no
shortage in Karachi these days, all the evidence suggests that in the
ongoing turmoil in the city the government after a hard slog has
gained the upper hand thereby putting the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM)
under a great deal of pressure. This is a situation vastly different
from what it was just eight months ago.
At that time the police went in fear of their lives, thanas were being
attacked while parts of Korangi, District Central and Orangi were no-
go areas for anyone in uniform. If ever Karachi stood on the brink of
anarchy it was then, a situation made all the more serious because the
army, the last bastion of order, had withdrawn from the city after
licking its wounds. In a state of near panic the PPP government
decided on a clutch of desperate measures to contain the rising
spectre of violence.
The pointman, if not the architect of this policy, was the interior
minister, General Naseerullah Babar, who assumed personal control of
the drive against the MQM. An officer of known integrity and
competence was put in charge of the Karachi police. Better
coordination was ensured between the police, the Rangers and the
different intelligence agencies. While the shutting down of mobile
phones devastated the MQMs communication channels, the police started
receiving a flow of information from the Intelligence Bureau (IB)
which had greatly improved its phone-monitoring capability. It was not
long before these measures started bearing fruit.
The first important breakthrough against the MQM came with the arrest
from Islamabad of one Hisham Zafar whose interrogation yielded a list
of telephone numbers which the IB started monitoring. Then on a tip-
off from a crucial source (later generously rewarded) came the arrest
of Farooq Dada, reputedly a leading MQM hitman, who was picked up from
a flat in Garden by SHO Anwar Ahmed Khan and subsequently shot dead in
a fake encounter near the airport. Soon after this, on the basis of
information yielded by an IB phone-tapping operation, the police were
able to arrest Faheem Commando, another alleged MQM hitman with scores
of cases against him. When the Sindh secretariat came under rocket
attack in October last year, Faheem and three other MQM activists who
were then in judicial custody were shot dead by the same SHO Anwar
Khan in a fake encounter which triggered a storm of public criticism.
Since June last year about a hundred people have been shot dead in
police encounters. Even though there is evidence to suggest a new
trigger-happiness on the part of the police and the Rangers, not all
of these encounters have been fake or contrived affairs. But the
credibility of the so-called law-enforcing agencies stands so badly
damaged (mainly because of the killings of Farooq Dada and Faheem
Commando) that the MQMs frequent outcries about fake encounters fall
readily upon receptive ears. Add to this the highandedness and
extortion that have been intrinsic features of the so-called siege-
and-search operations and it is easy to see why ordinary Mohajirs view
the security agencies with so much fear and loathing.
This is not to deny the MQM its highly-developed martyr complex but at
the same time there is no denying that this has been fed and kept
alive by the actual and perceived atrocities of the law-enforcing
agencies.
Far from being unduly perturbed by the negative effect on the public
mind of what with considerable justification can be called state-
sponsored terrorism, officials who have anything to do with Karachi
hold to the view that extraordinary circumstances justify
extraordinary measures. They also point to the undoubted success of
the present hard-line policy.
Last year the police and ordinary citizens bore the brunt of
terrorism. Today it is the MQM which is at the receiving end of police
violence. According to a report in an Urdu newspaper, in the month of
Ramazan last year 56 people died as a result of sectarian violence
while 156 people were victims of other forms of terrorism. This
Ramazan, while there was no sectarian violence, 38 people died in
police encounters. In what were formerly no-go areas the police has
now established its presence. The pattern thus has visibly changed.
Small wonder then that just before Eid Altaf Hussain counselled those
of his followers who were underground not to take unnecessary risks.
When General Babar, whom it is all too easy to dismiss as a loud-
talking blunderbuss, boasted last year that peace would be restored in
Karachi in three months (a period later extended to six months) most
people were inclined to scoff at him. Eight months down the road it is
he who is probably laughing and the doubting Thomass who have had to
swallow their ridicule.
Which makes one think what a tragic phenomenon in Pakistani history
the MQM has been. In the right hands it could have laid the
foundations of a new, middle class-oriented politics. In the hands of
its present leadership it has become a blind instrument of terror
pursuing messianic goals which are based upon thoroughly unrealistic
considerations. The Awami League, helped above all by geography, could
carve out an independent state.
The MQM, try as it might, cannot sever Karachi from the rest of
Pakistan. What is more, even revolutionary parties avoid pitting
themselves against the armed might of a state especially when that
might is cohesive. The Bolshevik revolution succeeded when the Tsarist
military disintegrated; Khomeinis revolution in Iran succeeded when
the Shahs military broke up. Altaf Hussain, blazing the trail of a
new revolutionary doctrine, is trying to pit his movement against the
armed might of the Pakistani state. Not only is this venture
inherently foolish. It also puts the MQMs constituency on a suicidal
course of action.
But if the MQM is embarked upon foolish seas, so are the civilian
field marshals of Benazir Bhuttos government. It is folly on their
part to imagine that the police and the Rangers can be kept for ever
at their present pitch of activity or for them to suppose that
military tactics (such as are being pressed into service at present)
can be a substitute for the political measures without which the
demons of violence and extremism will not be laid to rest.
Admittedly, it is difficult to negotiate with a movement which draws
sustenance from a very narrow chauvinism and whose actions proclaim
that it is committed to the use of violence for the furtherance of its
aims. In Karachi, however, what is generally understood by a political
solution does not necessarily have to result from negotiations. The
ingredients of it can be offered unilaterally by the government.
There are basically four steps which need to be taken and which the
government can take on its own: giving every job in Karachi on merit
without the favouritism and the Sindhi bias which is currently to be
seen; giving the people of Karachi a sense of participation in the
existing state of affairs by the immediate holding of local elections;
announcing a credible amnesty for all those MQM supporters who are not
accused of major crimes; and curtailing the activity of the Rangers
and putting credible checks on the activity of the police force.
These are scarcely revolutionary measures but it requires a certain
amount of wisdom to take them. Does Benazir Bhutto have it in her to
show this wisdom? She and General Babar have won a temporary success
but unless they rise above the ineptitude which their government is
displaying in other sectors of national life, they are quite capable
of squandering the opportunity that is thus opened before them. In
other words, while they have won a battle they are still quite capable
of losing the war.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
960226
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Should we trade with India?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Shahid Kardar
BEING a politically sensitive issue the subject of potential trade
with India and of granting it the status of Most Favoured Nation (MFN)
has evoked a variety of responses from both commentators and parties
likely to be affected-either adversely or favourably. Much of the
reaction has tended to be emotional and devoid of content that could
be seriously debated. Some of the views have been balanced while a
minority has supported the opening up of trade. By far the most
enlightened view on the matter has been that of the Lahore Chamber of
Commerce and Industry.
The community of industrialists who would have ordinarily been
expected to reject the granting of MFN status to India (even if
Pakistan had such an option) seem to have welcomed an opportunity to
improve the quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness of local
industry through greater exposure to external competition. What was
most heartening was the eagerness displayed by a Pakistani film
producer to compete with Indian cinema as an instrument for improving
the quality of local films.
The key questions that need to be examined regarding the issue include
the following:
a) Can we deny MFN status to India in view of our obligations as a
member of the WTO?
b) Would national security be compromised as a consequence?
c) Would trade and economic cooperation help in defusing tensions?
d) Will Pakistan industry be able to compete with Indian industry?
e) Should we continue to protect inefficient industry at the
consumers cost? Is there any justification for continuing to punish
him if industry in Pakistan somehow just does not (or refuses to) grow
strong enough to survive competitive pressures?
f) Are there safeguards under the umbrella of the WTO to check dumping
by Indian manufacturers or Indian government supported targeted
actions that threaten the durability of some important sub-sectors of
Pakistani industry?
To begin with we need to understand that, contrary to the impression
that the term MFN might convey, according MFN status to India does not
imply that it is to be granted favourable terms of trade. All it means
is a non-discriminatory approach towards all members of the WTO. This
non-discriminatory treatment has to be non-conditional, i.e., there
can be no proviso. Pakistan has no choice in this matter. In its
trading transactions, and in matters concerning the granting of access
to its markets, Pakistan must treat all members of WTO equally,
without prejudice. It must observe the rules of the WTO to be able to
gain from the expansion in world trade.
Furthermore, the basic principles governing these trade policies
revolve around transparency, predictability and stability. Under WTO
rules domestic industry can be protected but only through duties
rather than non-tariff barriers unless the aggrieved member can
provide evidence of dumping by producers of other countries.
Pakistan traders are expected to favour the opening up of trade as
they will get access to cheaper goods. While Pakistani industrialists
are expected to be worried that the well- established Indian industry
would have an edge because it is paying a significantly lower cost for
critical inputs like electricity, labour and working capital, while
having access to cheaper raw materials. Therefore, a stumbling block
could be the lobbies of the production structures in the individual
countries that have developed not because of the comparative advantage
provided by the national stock of resources but simply as a result of
government policies that encouraged import substitution.
On the surface the two economies may look to be in competition with
each other. In view of the lack of adequate information this is
understandable. As there is limited economic contact between the two
countries greater emphasis is, therefore, being laid on the problems
likely to be encountered because of the differences in tariff
structures. However, there is sufficient evidence of some
complimentary in trading activities. There are sub-sectors in
agriculture and industry in which trade and cooperation between the
two can be mutually beneficial.
The fear of the Pakistani manufacturing sector being swamped and
rendered uncompetitive by Indian goods is highly exaggerated. There
are several reasons for this. The average Pakistani consumer has
tended to be more quality conscious. Our industry has, for a long
time, had to compete against both smuggled goods and official imports
under the highly generous baggage schemes (for resident and overseas
Pakistani travelling or returning to Pakistan). Industry has,
therefore, learnt to survive against the heavy competition that it has
had to face on account of rather porous borders. Pakistani governments
have historically not only had a rather lax attitude to widespread
smuggling (including that from India) but have also followed fairly
liberal import policies in respect of capital goods, technology import
and production processes.
However, one industrial unit whose future is likely to be seriously
compromised by the opening of trade with India is that white elephant
called Pakistan Steel Mills. The political implications of its
closure, particularly the overnight potential unemployment of
thousands of workers, look daunting today.
There are several advantages of making trade freer between the two
countries. To begin with, the advantages of geography cheaper
transportation costs and trade complementarity in goods which each
country has a comparative advantage are overwhelming. The shorter
distance will also render it unnecessary for industry to carry high
levels of inventories, thereby reducing the cost of operations.
Cooperation in the agriculture sector could turn out to be
particularly beneficial to Pakistani farmers. The success achieved by
India in raising yields per acre offers opportunities that Pakistani
agriculturists can exploit, while the Pakistan textile sector should
be expected to benefit (through increased production and higher
productivity and profits) from an improved access to the huge Indian
market.
Opening up trade with India will also have a salutary effect on
prices. By depressing inflation rates it will also ease the
inflationary burden of the hapless consumers in Pakistan.
Both governments will also gain. Revenue from import duties and sales
taxes will grow when the estimated US$ 1 billion worth of trade in
smuggled goods flows through official channels. This unofficial trade
will continue even if both governments unnecessarily delay the
decision to make it official.
The Indian machine tool and capital goods producing industries are
regarded as highly developed and efficient. Therefore, access to
cheaper capital goods should, by reducing the cost of investment, also
improve the productivity and efficiency of Pakistani industry.
However, because of political tensions and the high degree of mistrust
between the two countries, particularly following the testing of the
Prithvi missile, there may be a lot of reluctance to purchase plant
and equipment from India, even if trade is opened up. This hesitation
would be understandable in view of the perceived operational problems
that would have to be faced by potential buyers of machinery in
respect of access to parts and components in the event of heightened
friction.
Another hindrance to trade expansion could be an attempt by developed
countries to neutralise the advantages of intra-regional trade by
tying aid flows and capital finance availability to purchases from
donor countries.
The one major concern that Pakistan will have to guard against could
be predatory trade practices that India, because of its size, could
afford to indulge in. The Indian government could take a conscious
decision to help a segment of the Indian manufacturing sector destroy
Pakistans capability in that sector, e.g., textiles, through dumping
and discriminatory tariffs. To avert such an eventuality the Chambers
of Industry in Pakistan will have to be more vigilant, if not fully
alert, and suitably equipped in technical skills to detect as well as
collect adequate evidence of such practices quickly enough to prepare
a case that could be taken to the WTO to support defensive action.
Views differ on the question of sequencing in respect of diffusion in
political tensions and opening up of trade. One group argues that the
economic benefits that will accrue from trade will provide a stake for
lobbies to demand a lowering of political tensions. This writer
subscribes to this point of view. However, another group contends,
equally persuasively, that security issues should be settled first. In
support of their argument they refer to the case of South-east Asian
countries, who solved their political and security issues prior to the
opening up of intra-regional trade.
However, the nature, level and products in which trade between the two
countries may eventually take place will essentially depend upon the
availability of information on production facilities and technologies
and the ease with which people in general, and manufacturers in
particular, can travel from their home country to the other. The
example of South-east Asia shows that a lot of trade in the area is
intra-regional, suggesting that countries in a region grow together
and that no one country in a depressed region can grow rapidly on its
own without the region growing as a whole.
In other words, if trade between the two countries is to be promoted
their governments will have to play a much more positive role. The
viability of the process will depend upon a continuing political
commitment in support of an expanded degree of trade.
However, it will take time for trade to become freer because I suspect
some segments of Indian industry producing inferior quality products
may be just as apprehensive as some Pakistani industries about the
opening up of borders. A steady step-by-step approach is, therefore,
likely to succeed, partly also because it is likely to get greater
acceptance and attract a wider support base.
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960224
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A fit Pakistan side can retain title
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Zawwar Hasan
ARE the hosts or co-hosts of the World Cup jinxed to win this
prestigious event? The history says so. But some clue to the answer
will be available by March 6 when the contest reaches the quarterfinal
stage.
Not that any of the three co-hosts, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka,
risk elimination from the starting point for a serious assault on the
world championship. That would go beyond even what is generally
described as the glorious uncertainties of cricket.
The preliminary round matches would unfold the contenders' current
form in batting, bowling and fielding. Of the three hosts the fast up-
and-coming Sri Lankans would be the only side who would reach the
quarter-final stage without a serious challenge.
The cricket lovers in the cricket-crazy Sri Lanka have been deprived
of the opportunity to see Australia and the West Indies in action
because of their refusal to visit the violence-hit island.
However, the Sri Lankans in their recent engagements with the two
countries in a triangular contest in Australia have already shown
their prowess. Confirming their victory over the West Indies in the
final of the Sharjah tournament, the Sri Lankans barred the West
Indian's way to the finals in Australia.
Had rank partial umpiring, ball-tampering charges and no-balling their
best attacking bowler not ruffled the visiting Sri Lankans, the
Australians would have found the fighting islanders more than a
handful to manage. Despite constant pressures exerted one the Sri
Lankans both on and off the field, they proved to be tough opponents.
How the re-grouped West Indians and the highly rated Australians fare
in group A against India and Sri Lanka will be watched with keen
interest. So will be the matches that Pakistan play in group B against
England, South Africa and New Zealand. Even the matches where the
minnows appear to have special significance. The run rate and the
winning margin would be crucial in deciding a tie-up among the main
contenders.
The three co-hosts face a serious challenge from the Australians and
the West Indians for the sixth World Cup. The West Indies won the
first two editions of the tournament. India dethroned them to win the
Third. The fourth was won by Australia while Pakistan are the current
holders. Will Pakistan retain the crystal cup is the most debated
question in homes, offices and bazaars of the country. The answer lies
in a set of imponderable factors. Their permutations and combinations
make it even more tantalising.
The question presumes that Pakistan will figure in the finals. Not a
far-fetched presumption at all. It has no Lara or Tendulkar in its
batting line-up but it has a Javed Miandad who has totalled 1029 runs
to top-score in the World Cup.
Pakistan is also blessed with an opening pair that can throw any
attack into disarray. Both Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar are known to
have plundered runs by lofting over the heads of a restricted field in
the preliminary overs.
With Inzamam, Salim Malik, Miandad, Ejaz or Rameez to follow the
Pakistan team is capable of setting up a winning total. On a good day
the late order batsmen like Wasim Akram and Rashid Latif too can add
up some quick runs.
Like the Pakistan batting the bowling has variety and penetration.
Even on the true wickets in the sub-continent Wasim, Waqar and Aqib
are capable of generating pace and moving the ball both in the air and
off the wicket. The spin attack, led by the much-improved Mushtaq
Ahmad, and Mushtaq Saqlain and Aamir Sohail is capable of penetrating
through any defence.
Given a support by the fielders the bags of wickets claimed by Wasim
and Waqar would have been bursting on the seams. The number of runs
conceded through misfielding and dropped catches have not only spoiled
the averages of the Pakistani bowlers but have also told on the
success rate of Pakistan in one-day matches.
Poor fielding is the biggest chink in Pakistan's otherwise strong
armour. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Pakistan gives
away at least 25 runs through bad fielding. This is not to count the
runs conceded by giving lives' to the opposing batsmen and the failure
to hit the slumps directly to prevent quick singles.
In the recent weeks Pakistan's manager and coach Intikhab Alam has
sought to assure the Pakistani supporters that the weakness in
fielding has been removed. As we know, bad fielding is a chronic
disease and cannot be cured in days and weeks. Not unless the
selectors make it a point to deliberately exclude bad fields from the
team even if they perform well with bat or ball will the importance of
fielding be realised by cricketers who aspire to play at the national
or international level.
With its fielding being so poor Pakistan can hardly afford to field a
half fit bowler or batsman. Unfortunately the followers of the game in
Pakistan have serious doubts about the physical fitness of Waqar Yunus
and Inzamamul Haq. Both the cricketers are highly talented and can
walk into any worldside. Their past record speaks for it.
At this stage of their career they are the best judge of their
physical fitness. To be fair to themselves, their captain and the
team-mates and above all to the country which has provided them the
name and fame they should not make themselves available for selection
if they are not one hundred per cent fit.
The way Waqar Yunus has performed after his re-entry into the team
does not promise much. His quest for his two hundredth Test wicket in
New Zealand was pathetic. The manner in which he was hit all over the
ground made one rub his eyes in disbelief. Once reputed to be the
dreaded paceman he conceded more than 50 runs in his allotted ten
overs. The situation has not improved much in the warm-up matches.
There is, therefore, a big question mark over his inclusion. Unless he
is satisfied with his own performance at the nets in the recent past
he should not declare his availability. His fans will not like their
hero lose his halo and be disillusioned.
The same goes for Inzamam. He too is remembered with affection and
admiration for his innings in the 1992 World Cup. But for his
wonderful innings against New Zealand and England Pakistan would have
never been able to lift the Cup. As a mature cricketer he should know
that he can neither afford to play with the team's chances or with his
own reputation.
All the players will have to be tough not only physically but mentally
also. Each one of them is highly talented. To win the Cup they will
have to exploit their talent in a disciplined manner. No room for
mini-collapses. No thoughtless run outs. No wide balls and no balls.
Almost all the teams, except the new-comers, are evenly matched. The
Cup will go to the team that is more disciplined and cohesive. In 1992
nobody gave a chance to Pakistan when they had just three points from
five matches - two from Zimbabwe and one from rain-god.
Instead of surrendering, Imran's men fought like cornered tigers and
went on to win each and every match till the World Cup was theirs. The
present team has the talent and the spirit and provided eleven fit men
take the field, they have a fair chance to overcome their weak
fielding and retain the Cup.
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960225
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Team in fine fettle, says Wasim
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Walter Fernandez
KARACHI, Feb. 24: Pakistan captain Wasim Akram in a post match
television interview said that the team is in fine fettle and is fully
capable of retaining the World Cup. He made these comments after
Pakistan had notched up an emphatic victory over qualifiers United
Arab Emirates (UAE) in their opening tussle in the quest to retain the
trophy.
We were pretty sharp on the field and held onto our catches besides
bowling and batting well in this rain-shortened encounter. Yes, it was
frustrating to wait for about fours hours in the pavilion before the
match got under way. However, it did not wear us down to that extent
and we were intensely focused for the task at hand, Wasim remarked.
Sir Richard Hadlee of New Zealand, one of the greatest fast bowlers in
post-war cricket, was of a similar opinion in his expert comments on
television today. He said: The one drawback in this highly talented
Pakistan team when they visited New Zealand last year was the ragged
fielding. Pakistan seems to have done a lot of hard work on this count
and look a superb outfit to retain the cup. There is plenty of flare
and all round skills in the squad.
Master-batsman Javed Miandad, who has staged a comeback to
international cricket after 19 months in the wilderness appears to be
as fit as a fiddle while fielding and held a splendid catch in the
deep to prove his fitness. He was also seen advising Wasim Akram, the
man who has assumed his mantle as the skipper, on the field in the
fashion he used to talk to the former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.
For one, Waqar Younis, who has been struggling with his form for the
better part of a year and had looked a shadow of his great past, has
regained the rhythm and venom in his bowling. He bowled an inspired
and fiery first spell.
For another, Mushtaq Ahmed, who captured three for 16 in a seven over
stint to earn the Man-of-the-Match award at the finale, sounded a
warning to all and sundry that he also will be vying alongside
Australias Shane Warne and Indias Anil Kumble for the crown of the
worlds best leg-spinner in a World Cup competition billed as the
tournament of spinners.
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960228
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Miandad's sense of commitment
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By Ayaz Memon
WHEN the opening ceremony for the World Cup was being held in the Eden
Gardens, Javed Miandad was missing. Instead, he was on a pilgrimage.
This was a most astonishing occurrence for Miandads pilgrimage venue,
over the last two decades, has usually been a cricket field. Moreover,
in this 20-year-period, he had never shown any proclivity for seeking
help to play the game. Is crickets most renowned maverick going soft?
Cricketing middle age can tame even the unconventional into
submission. Miandad, 38, two years out of international cricket, at
least five kg overweight, and nursing a recurring knee injury, was
chosen for the World Cup ahead of players like the young and talented
Basit Ali.
The wisdom of such choice was hotly debated, from Karachi to Peshawar
in a cricket-crazy country, and doubtless in other far-flung places
across the globe where Pakistanis reside. He could become the first
cricketer to play in all six World Cup tournaments, a unique record
for a country which thirst for such recognition. But was Miandad still
good enough?
For the first time in his career, Miandad found that his very presence
in the national team was under scrutiny. He now had a point to prove.
The pilgrimage had perhaps become necessary. The good thing about
mavericks, however, is that even when imbued with a sense of goodness,
they cant shed their innate sense of fun and unpredictability. For
instance, Miandad sent a missive to Indian politician Bal Thackeray
that all rancour should be buried in the interest of the game, and
that he should lead the rapprochement for India and Pakistan to resume
cricketing ties.
If that seems like misplaced gumption, Miandad also suggested that
Pakistans cricketing problems were now over, and that they were going
to win the World Cup.
For those who know their cricket, and the man, the second proposition
from Miandad may not seem as outrageous as the first. Even if Pakistan
have tested more troughs than crests in recent times, and the team
still appears fragmented, unfocused and lacking in spirit, the
knowledgeable would sound a nole of caution. If there is one man who
can galvanise this disunited side into a winning unit, it is Javed
Miandad.
Such a formidable reputation demands sustained excellence and there
have been few more consistent, or influential, batsmen in the history
of the game. Miandad began as a batting prodigy, incidentally in the
first World Cup in 1975, made a Test match hundred on debut, a double
hundred in his third Test match, six Test match, six Test hundreds
before he was 19, and is now ranked the third highest run-getter ever.
In making these runs and hundreds, he has not only established himself
as one of the games most outstanding batsmen, but also a most
colourful cricketer, either adored or abhorred, but never ignored.
Miandads impact on Pakistan, and even world cricket, has been
enormous. He is an iconoclast as batsman and individual. His technique
is unique, and his behaviour on the field is often in contravention of
accepted cricketing norms. But so successful has he been in both
endeavours, that he has created what could be called the Miandad
School of Playing Cricket.
The credo of this school is simple. You have to play to win. You have
to win anyhow. No cost is big enough for the team cause. Who says
cricket is a gentlemans game anyway?
It is a credo that has revolted puritans through Miandads 20-year-
career, but has hardly fazed the man himself. His proud record is
testimony to the success of his methods. In batting and sundry other
battles. And thats why the bottomline defines him as one of the
games truly greats.
Miandads personality finds fascinating and splendid expression in his
cricket. He is vivacious and wickedly cunning. The puckish sense of
humour is genuine and spontaneous, but is often laced with
dishonourable intent. At least thats what opponents, who have felt
his sharp tongue would like to believe.
As far as Miandad is concerned, all is fair in love and war, and when
playing cricket, he is certainly not out to make love. Like the boxer
Muhammad Ali, he tries to destroy opponents even before they enter the
arena, employing a rapier-like repartee and an intrinsic understanding
of human fallibility to twist most situations to his advantage.
Miandad, his opponents will vouch, is a scrapper streetsmart,
terribly ambitious and with an intense loathing of losing. He has a
delightful lisp, but his taunts and jibes can sting, deflate, destroy.
And if he does not get you with his gamesmanship, Miandad the batsman
takes over, awesome in his talent, phenomenal in his run-getting,
ruthless in his treatment of the bowling.
He has soft hands that enable him to change grip easily, adapt to any
kind of wicket or bowling, use the bat like a sword or a baton,
depending on the circumstances and his mood. When he was young, he
moved on twinkling feet which made nonsense of a bowlers length. He
is extraordinarily adaptable, shifting easily from being the games
most innovative to the most punishing batsman.
When Miandad gets his eye in, there is nothing but heartbreak for
bowlers.
The moot point then. Does Miandad still have the zest and fitness to
play at this level? For the past two years, he has been in and out of
competitive cricket. For two years before that, his form
had shown a frustrating and prolonged slump. In the last year, he has
been coaching the son of the Sultan of Brunei (he always did value the
greenbacks, and without pretensions), which is a cosy and rewarding
job, but hardly the right kind of preparation for the World Cup.
There were endless doubts and controversies about Miandads recall,
but what finally won the day for him was his sense of commitment to
the cause. Even his bitterest critic will attest that when it comes to
playing for team, flag and country, there is no better man, injury and
old age notwithstanding.
In the 1980s, when international cricket was blessed with brilliant
batsmen, it used to be said that if you needed runs to save a match,
you had to befriend Sunil Gavaskar, if you needed runs to win a match,
you had to get Vivian Richards, but if you needed somebody to save
your life, there was only one man who could help Javed Miandad.
Can the lion still roar this winter?
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960221
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Batting order: Zaheer has doubts
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Samiul Hasan
The greatest improviser of one-day cricket in the not too distant a
past, Zaheer Abbas, thinks that the best possible team has been
selected to retain the sixth World Cup.
However, the stylish stroke-maker has doubts about the prowess of the
packed batting, not in the sense of form or experience, but in terms
of batting order.
You have Inzamamul Haq, Javed Miandad, Salim Malik, and Ijaz Ahmad.
What confuses me is their placement in a given batting order? says
the bespectacled Zaheer who had slammed seven centuries in 62 one-day
appearances for Pakistan.
As the situation suggests today, says Zaheer, Ijaz Ahmad would come at
No. 3, followed by Inzamamul Haq, Salim Malik, and Javed Miandad.
Miandad is too great a batsman to come down the order. Secondly, he
has the ability to carry the innings together and for that he needs
time and overs. But if he bats at No. 6, there will be hardly any
overs left for him to graft his innings, adjust to the conditions
before he could launch any assault.
Similar is the case with Salim Malik. That leaves only Inzamamul Haq
and Ijaz Ahmad who can be demoted down the order. But I have my
reservations if they would be able to deliver the goods in the middle
of the slog overs where there is a need of around seven or eight runs
an over, argues the former Pakistan captain.
I think this is the most important issue which needs to be sorted out
with the consent of all the four batsmen, says Zaheer, and adds:
Its the psychology of an accomplished batsman that he wants enough
overs before using the long handle.
Zaheers stress for an immediate decision is based on the logic that
when the mega event gets under way and Pakistan get down to business,
there will be no room for experiments. It would be suicidal if
batting order is changed in every match.
A proper strategy should be chalked out immediately. The batsmen
should be informed about their positions so that they are mentally
prepared to bat at those positions.
Zaheer is of the firm view that except the batting confusion, there
was no other loophole. In Miandad (Javed) and Malik (Salim), Pakistan
has the most experienced batsmen. The two are now matured and have the
ability to carry the entire team under their wings. After playing 200
and more one-day internationals, they have perfected their art and
dexterity in the game. They can accelerate scoring, repair the initial
damage and steer the team to victory without further trouble.
Ijaz and Inzamam, Zaheer continues, are talented, swashbuckling and
true entertainers. Inzamam has been showing his mettle since the 1992
World Cup while Ijaz Ahmad, who through his dedication to perform
well, has succeeded in cementing his place in the team after a series
of ins and outs.
About the openers, Zaheer feels that Pakistan is quite lucky that it
has blasters like Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar. They have the
potential to tear apart any type of attack. In addition to this,
Pakistan has a third opener in Ramiz Raja who has played over 165 one-
day internationals.
Though the combination of left and right will disturb the bowler
whose line of attack will be continuously changing, I think, Ramiz
will only play if either of the two is out of form or injured, thinks
Zaheer, who scored 2,572 one-day runs at 47.62.
Discussing the Pakistan bowling, Zaheer is of the view that it has
always produced the best but it has always been the batting letting
the team down. The combination exists and I dont see any
justification to change it. Wasim Akram and Aqib Javed will share the
new ball to be followed by Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmad. Aamir
Sohail and Salim Malik could share the remaining 10 overs.
Asked what happens if Waqar Younis fails to regain his composure and
rhythm, Zaheer says: He will play because he has been selected.
Secondly, Wasim will hate to disturb the bowling combination by
playing with two pacers and two spinners with Sohail and Malik the
other bowlers.
Ata is not in the class of Waqar. If you make a change, you try to
get as much closer as possible to the talent of the player you are
replacing with. I think, there is world of a difference between Waqar
and Ata.
Zaheer, who represented Pakistan in the 1975, 1979 and 1983 World
Cups, does not believe in any specific strategy. What strategy or
gameplan you are talking about? In modern day cricket, no gameplan is
prepared in advance. It is made only on that day.
In fact, you come to the ground. Then inspect the wicket. Analyse
oppositions strength and weakness. Similarly, your own. After that
you decide what you are going to do.
I think its time that the so-called theory of a strong batting line-
up chasing the target and a good attack should be changed. Why not bat
first with a formidable batting and post 275 odd in 50 overs and bring
the opposition under pressure or why not bowl first with an attack
like Pakistan and dismiss the opposition for around 175? Zaheer
suggested.
Zaheer, who has picked Pakistan as favourites, maintains that
Pakistans job would become much easier if the wickets are prepared
keeping in view its requirements.
Its the only home advantage Pakistan has.
Our batsmen and bowlers love wickets which are slow and have low
bounce. It is chiefly because during the domestic circuit, they get
these type of wickets. Thats why when they go to England, Australia
and New Zealand, they take time to adjust. However, they face no such
problems when visiting India, Sri Lanka, West Indies where you find
wickets like Pakistan.
Zaheer believes that Pakistan should forget with whom they will be
clashing in the quarter-finals and onwards. I admit that the addition
of quarter-finals have increased an elimination round, Pakistan should
play match-by-match. Who is coming from the other pool should not be
Pakistans concern. They have beaten all the teams that are in Indias
pool, so it should not be their concern.
I dont think that Shiv Sena threats will affect Pakistans show. In
fact, it might help in improving it.
However, Zaheer was extremely critical of Pakistan field. At present
Pakistan is the poorest fielding side. The fielders have to support
the bowlers otherwise all the efforts of the bowler goes in vain.
If a tournament like World Cup has to be won, fielding will have to
be excellent. Even half of the chance has to be collected.
Zaheers four favourites, besides Pakistan, are Australia, India and
South Africa. Australia would have been my firm favourites if they
had included David Boon and Dean Jones in place of Ricky Ponting,
Shaun Lee and Stuart Law. The three are extremely raw. I think it is
an ill-timed decision.
India has the home advantage and a brilliant track record at home
while South Africa are a fast emerging nation. They have the desire to
win at any cost. They are true professionals.
West Indies are not Zaheers favourite because it is not consistent.
Even the inclusion of Brian Lara might not lift the West Indies
because there is no other batsman who can give the record-holder a
helping hand. I had some hopes in the West Indies but they too
vanished when Carl Hooper withdrew.
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960226
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S. Africa can beat Pakistan, says Cronje
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RAWALPINDI, Feb 25: South African Captain Hansie Cronje said his boys
have the guts to beat Pakistan in the World Cup at Karachi but still
considered the defending champions a real challenge specially when
they are playing at their home ground.
So far we have not decided as to what would be our tactics against
Pakistan as we are evolving our strategy from match to match. But we
can beat them, Cronje said after they comprehensively beat sickly
English side in the one day game here.
Our team have beaten them when they came to play in South Africa but
havent had the better of them here in Pakistan.
He said: Bob (manager) and I and the rest of the team would sit
together and work out a strategy how to bowl and bat against Pakistan.
When we compete against the best in the world we would have to make
sure that we go well prepared.
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Dutch captain tips Pakistan, S.A. favourites
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Feb 26: Holland team captain Roland Lefebvre said here that
South Africa and Pakistan could win the World Cup but one could not
also rule out the chances of India.
At a brief talk with mediamen at the end of the match, which his team
lost by 8 wickets, he said his team faced the fastest bowlers of the
world Wasim Akram and Waqar Yunus and was able to put on a modest
total of 145 in 50 overs.
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Should the UAE, Kenya & Holland be here?
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By Lahori
THERE have been adverse comments on the participation of the UAE,
Kenya and Holland in the World Cup. Some say that this has devalued
the tournament and killed spectator interest in the game.
This is really rather unjust and the UAE captain, Sultan Zarwani, was
well within his right to react sharply to some of the remarks made by
Sadiq Muhammad and Sarfaraz Nawaz. The two are reported to have said
that the three sides were creating low-total records in the World Cup.
These Rasputins should shut up or comment fairly on the matches.
Cricket is an old game but it has not made rapid progress because it
is played only in a handful of countries, Zarwani said end I agree
with him entirely.
Let us go back to the First World Cup in 1975. The countries which
took part in the tournament were England, Australia, the West Indies,
India, Pakistan and New Zealand with Sri Lanka and East Africa being
the fledglings.
The first match was played between England and India. England made 334
for four while India were restricted to 132 for three with Gavaskar
carrying his bat for 36. And mind you, it was a 60-overs-a-side match.
I write these lines on Sunday and to date, the UAE, Holland and Kenya
havent done half as badly as India did 20 years ago. Kenyas
performances against Australia and India particular were commendable.
The Sri Lankans were shot out for 86 in their first game. They were
the babes of cricket then but even so, they put up magnificent
resistance against Australia at the Oval on June 11, 1975. Excerpts
from a Wisden report:
Australia won by 52 runs but their victory did not gain them many
admirers. Facing a total of 328, the Sri Lankan batsmen....put up a
brave show against the hostile Australian bowlers. They cut and hooked
short balls with marked skill and accuracy, but Thomson caused two to
retire hurt. The tiny Mendis was hit on the head when he ducked into a
rising ball and Wettimuny played another riser onto his body and now
assisted by a runner, was hit on the right step by the next ball. As
he staggered in and out of his crease. Thomson threw down the wicket
and appealed for a run out that was disallowed. Both batsmen went to
St. Thomass Hospital....
Wettimuny who had made 53, never returned to the crease nor did
Mendis. He had contributed 32. Sri Lanka might have won had the
Australians been a little more sporting. But then, everything that the
White Man does is legit and honourable and everything that the black
man does is illegal and dishonourable.
East Africa, bowled out for 120, were beaten by India by ten wickets.
Australia were shunted out for 192 by the West Indies seven runs
short of the 199 Kenya made against India the other day. The Africans
could have made a match of it, had they brought on their slow bowlers,
especially Asif Karim a bit early. That would have put the brakes on
Tendulkar.
I dont say the Indian genius is vulnerable against spin bowling but
he does slow down. He is happier against pace than against slow
bowling and if you are accurate, you can get him. Bowl short at him
and he will murder you.
Poor East Africa were shot out for 94 by England but they played 52.3
overs. Then Sri Lanka were bowled out for 138 by Pakistan. Even so,
East Africas 94 was not the lowest total of the tournament.
The `honour was reserved for England who were shunted out for 93 by
Australia in the first semi-final with Gilmour taking six for 14 in 12
overs, six maidens.
So low scores there will be in such tournaments and the UAE, Kenya and
Holland are not here to set low-scoring records. Such sides cannot
improve unless they play in the senior league and learn by defeat.
Look at the 1975 babes, Sri Lanka. They are no longer pushovers.
Earlier this season, they beat Pakistan 2-1 in the Test as well as the
one-day series. They won the Champions Trophy at Sharjah and then
pipped the West Indies into the finals of the World Series in
Australia. Again, there were accusations that the hosts had not won
fair and square. Zimbabwe, too, are improving every season and have
some very talented cricketers.
The UAE may have a long way to go yet but give Kenya and Holland a
couple of years and they may yet surprise the pundits. Let no-one
laugh at them. They are here to learn and they must get the respect
which their due.
xxxxxx
And now the crazy perennial. The best combined side-ever for a one-day
game. My choice is for you to approve or disapprove. But here it is:
Roy Predericks
Gordon Greenidge
Vivian Richards
Clive Lloyd (captain)
Ian Chappell
Greg Chappell
Rodney Marsh
Derek Underwood
Denis Lillee
J.R. Thomson.
Andy Roberts
But look at the players I have omitted. Viswanath of India, one of the
best I have seen. Sunil Gavaskar? Well, he was too good to be a one-
day cricketer. Gavaskar was for the gods, not for ordinary mortals
like me.
Some of the others I have not selected are K.D. Walters, Ross Edwards,
Alan Turner, Alan Knott, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Imran Khan, Sarfraz
Nawaz, Mushtaq Mohammad, Asif Iqbal, Wasim Bari, Dulip Mendis, Glenn
Turner, Kallicharan, Kanhai, Richard Hadlee and, God have mercy on me,
Javed Miandad. Nor would I have missed Malcolm Marshall but he didnt
play in the 1975 World Cup.
You see the deterioration? Dont tell me I have missed Brian Lara and
Sachin Tendulkar. They are good but they are not great. They have got
the money, Tendulkar, especially, but Gavaskar and Hanif Mohammad were
my men. They were high music. The Laras and the Tendulkars are pop
singers and if you prefer pop to Beethoven, I am not to blame.
I dont like instant food. It is as simple as that and one-day cricket
is instant cricket. It has raked in the money but it has killed the
game as an art form. This is a generalisation, though. There have been
and are players who lend grace to the one-day game. The Waugh
brothers, for example, Majid Khan, Glenn Turner, Martin Crowe, Kanhai
and Kallicharan and beautiful but brutish, Vivian Richards, name but a
few. The standards are falling but we are still managing to get our
Wasim Akrams, our Tendulkars and our Laras. So lets share the magic.
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960224
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A dark horse may run away with the Cup
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Ayaz Memon
SINCE the Australians are already under duress in coming to the sub-
continent to play cricket this season, let's alleviate their tension
by giving them good news first. Most bookies, including Ladbrokes,
most critics, including the Poms and Sri Lankans rate them as
favourites to win the World cup even if they have forfeited their
first two matches.
That achieved, now the bad news for Mark Taylor and his boys. They
might, in fact not win the tournament, Bookies' estimations,
especially in cricket, are notoriously fickle. India's win in 1983 was
achieved at odds of 1-60, Australia in 1987 were touted at a
marginally lower price, while for Pakistan in 1992, there were surely
no takers, except Sunil Gavaskar.
The Dark Horse syndrome, therefore, haunts the World Cup. Three rank
outsiders have won the last three tournaments. Will the impending
World Cup be any different?
Already, there is a wave of public opinion in favour of Sri Lanka to
assume the Dark Horse mantle this season. Undoubtedly, this has
something to do with their rise to eminence last year, and more
pertinently, the courageous performances in Australia on the last
tour.
Sri Lanka are an effervescent, talented side. The batting runs deep,
there is tremendous support for the team at home, and a spate of wins
has kindled the desire to excel.
The flip side is that Arjuna Ranatunga's side has had a harrowing time
Down Under, and there is now added pressure from the complications
that riddle the World Cup games in Sri Lanka. Are they then in the
right frame of mind for this major tournament?
There are also cricketing factors. The bowling remains weak, even if
the beleaguered Muttiah Muralitharan is played, and the fielding is
atrocious. More than anything else, I believe that the Lankans may
have peaked too soon. In Australia, towards the end of the tour, they
looked angry and jaded.
Much as current sentiment and sympathy veers towards the Sri Lankan
cause, I would look at four other teams to upset the calculations of
the bookies, prick the pride of the Aussies South Africa, Pakistan,
England and India.
The West Indies, with the return of Brian Lara, will be more than
twice the bubbling side which crashed bizarrely to so many defeats in
the recent World Series tournament. Lara's very presence is going to
elevate the morale of his side, never mind his personal problems with
skipper Richie Richardson.
Lara's batsmanship all silken touch, superb timing and a dazzling
range of strokes is perhaps unmatched in contemporary cricket. If he
finds his rhythm early, the West Indies could reach the 225-250 tally
more consistently than they have seemed likely in recent times. But
even this may not be good enough.
The bowling, with Ambroze and Walsh clearly on the decline, lacks
venom. The support bowlers are not in the same category, and the
fielding, to put it mildly, is simply not in the class that has come
to be expected to the West Indies.
South Africa, the most hardy side in the world today, appeared
formidable. They may lack star value though Jonty Rhodes and Allan
Donald are household names here but each player, in his own way is a
star nonetheless.
The batting appears a little fragile. But with the brilliant all
rounder Brian McMillan batting at number six, this could be
misleading. South Africa's bowling, based on pace of course, is
arguably the best in the tournament and the fielding, without
argument, the best. Add to this, their great determination to excel,
and here is a team to beat.
There might be a query how England have even included in this elite
category. They have had a traumatic tour of South Africa recently, and
are best already with injury problems.
But the Englishmen can never be discounted in limited-overs cricket.
Three finals out of five is a fabulous record, and if they have failed
to win even once, it could be because in the past England relied far
too much on experience, very little on youth.
This time, they have come here with a good blend of both. Skipper Mike
Atherton, Graeme Hick, Alec Stewart and Robin Smith provide the
batting meat and maturity. Graham Thorpe, Darren Gough and Dominic
Cork in particular give the team gusto and zest. and let's not forget.
There's something called the law of averages.
Pakistan, composed of brilliant but enigmatic individuals, are a team
on the mend, and dangerously for the others, slowly reaching peak
form.
In skipper Wasim Akram, they have the world's finest owner, in Javed
Miandad, the world's most creative batsman, whose slow reflexes and
tired knees might not support the team in the field for all the games
but whose brilliant cricketing brain remains a threat even from the
confines of the dressing room.
Akram has in support Waqar Younis who has reportedly recovered from
injury and bowling those deadly in swinging Yorkers at full throttle.
Aqib, accurate and parsimonious, should make up the pace attack. Then
there is Mushtaq Ahmed, the leg spinner, who matched Shane Warne
wicket for wicket and trick for trick in the last series, and off-
spinner Saqlain Mushtaq who is already rated as the world's best.
That, if it clicks, represents the world's best balanced attack. The
batting is awesome too, Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail make a dashing
duo of left-handed openers. Few people hit the ball harder than
Inzamam-ul-Haq, more skilfully than Miandad or more elegantly than
Salim Malik. Ijaz Ahmed, his career revived, is on song, and Rameez
Raja, after relinquishing the captaincy, looks more comfortable with
himself and full of runs.
While Pakistan's talent has rarely been in doubt, their ability to
play as a team always is. But then as the 1992 tournament sowed, when
they have their backs to the wall, and when cricket becomes a cause,
there can be no more ruthless side.
And finally, India.
There is surely no better batting side in the tournament. From the
blazing magnum of Sacin Tandulkar, through the delectable virtuosity
of Azaruddin, right down to the pinch-hitting ability of Javagal
Srinath and Salil Ankola, India's line-up sends signal of match-
winning proficiency. Look at the other personnel in this department
Navjot Sidu, Vinod Kamli, Sanjay Manjrekar, Ajay Jadeja, Manoj
Prabhakar, Naan Mongia to make the picture clearer.
It is a truly formidable line-up comprising a master blaster, an
artist and sundry players of genuine class. It is a batting line-up
capable of getting 250 plus scores every time, if Tendulkar decides he
must bat more than 5 furious overs, and the others realise that the
dismissal of Tendulkar is not really the end of the game.
And this time, India even have a splendid bowling attack, with three
pacemen, including the hungry-for-success Srinath, and three spinners,
including the most dangerous bowler on Indian wicket, Anil Kumble.'
Indeed, India have perhaps the most gifted team in the tournament, if
they can raise their fielding a couple of notches. But perhaps even
more critical is the need for self-belief, and creating the urge to
win.
A good way to reaching that state would have been for all the Indian
players to recite a simple mantra over the last couple of months, "We
will win the World Cup," least a 15 times a day.
Let's see if the Indians have done this.
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Where all the spectators have gone?
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Think of Gary Kirstens feelings when he broke two World Cup and a
South African record on a single day in front of about 1500 souls at
the Rawalpindi Club ground, which ironically included about 1000
policemen, PCB staffers, vendors and the family members of local
administration. What a pity ! One wonders where have all the
spectators gone. The Pakistan Cricket Board chief has a strange logic
to justify the absence of large crowds at the four matches so far
played in Pakistan.
Firstly it was Ramazan. Majority of Pakistanis fast and would not
come to sit at playgrounds for the entire day. Then three of the four
matches played during Ramazan involved minor teams. You will see
people flocking the venues after Eid, the indomitable Abbasi told me
on phone in his ever-assured style.
One would very much like to share the PCB chiefs optimism. What one
fails to understand is that in the same period the six matches played
in India, of which four involved the minor teams, attracted many
times more cricket fans. The crowd at just one centre, in Cuttack, a
small city in eastern India, was more than the total number of
spectators present at the four matches played in Pakistan between
February 15 to February 22.
At least two of the three minor teams Holland and Kenya played like
professionals and but for the lack of exposure gave a good account of
themselves. Ramazan is now over. On Saturday Pakistan played their
first match in Gujranwala , a city known for its love of cricket and
the enthusiasm of its residents for cricket matches. But according to
the most optimistic account not more than 8 to 9 thousand people were
there to watch Pakistan launch its title defence.
One really feels concerned. Where have all the spectators gone after
all? Why there is not the euphoria generally associated with such
sporting extravaganzas like the World Cup.
Frankly speaking the organisers for the Pakistan side of the contest
have failed to rise to the occasion. They have not done enough by way
of publicity to involve cricket fans so that they associate themselves
not only for the teams success but the ongoing contest as well.
The Pakistan Cricket Board seems to have the strange notion that once
they have acquired sponsorship of some 50 million dollars from ITC,
Coca Cola they are not pushed if the cricket fans are catered to or
not.World Cup has been turned into a commercial proposition more than
a sporting event. Anybody who has any link with the PCB bosses is
out to make some fast buck. And the PCB chief is generous enough to
oblige who has any pull. This is the second World Cup Pakistan is
hosting. But in the 1987 edition there was no such chaos as was seen
this time. There were no IMGs World Tels or Big Bangs, being dished
out huge amount to do the job which by any logic should have been
performed by the PCB and its affiliates, the regional associations and
the organisations as was the case in 1987. And to top it all no
genuine and practical efforts seem to have been made to promote sales
of tickets. So much so that scores of cricket fans daily phone
newspaper offices to find out from where they can buy tickets. And
whose idea it was not to sell tickets at the venues? Let us take the
case of a city like Karachi where the National Bank has assigned half
a dozen branches to sell the tickets. If someone is residing in
Landhi, he will have to come all the way to say, Saddar, to buy a
ticket. And then go to National Stadium the other day to watch the
match. This is nothing but discouraging people driving them away from
the pleasure of watching their favourite sport. Why are cricket fans
being subjected to this strenuous exercise is anybodys guess?
But as far as the PCB is concerned it is already assured of huge
profits even before the tournament started and they could care less
for the comfort (or discomfort) of those who want to see their cricket
heroes in action.
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No clear winners can be picked yet
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Zafar Samdani
THE leading teams which played the first four matches of the sixth
World Cup failed to produce even a potential dark horse although they
included the 1992 finalist (England) and two semi-finalists (South
Africa and New Zealand), plus winners of the first two World Cup
tournaments (West Indies).
Except the opener between England and New Zealand at Ahmedabad on Feb
13, and to some extent, the West Indies-Zimbabwe tie, the matches were
cruelly uneven, pitting fresh recruits from the countryside (UAE and
Holland) against professionally-trained and experienced troops of
South Africa and New Zealand. Even so, success for the elite forces
was on points, regardless of victory margins.
And the teams playing the opener proved a match for each other
mostly for limitations.
England fielded atrociously and received the wages for fumbling.
However, this can happen to the best of the teams on some days. Really
disappointing was the two teams resourcelessness in batting and
bowling, though Astles ton was undeniably refreshing and Graham Hick
was convincing. Beyond that, the batting was lacklustre and uncertain
while the bowling had sterility as its main expression.
Alec Steward played anchor for what appeared to be a timeless Test
match and Graham Thorpes uneasiness at being bogged down brought his
downfall while Fairbrothers was a friendly, indeed brotherly,
innings.
Englands bowling had a certain sting in Dominic Corks wayward
mediocrity. The best to be expected from others should not be more
than accurate up-and-down stuff.
New Zealands batsmen looked long distance runners, only Chris Cairns
appeared capable of producing fireworks. High grade bowling available
to some participants, is unlikely to allow them beyond two hundred
which should be gettable on the subcontinents pitches. The bowlers
Morrison and Nash were lively and Larsen exhibited accuracy and
experience but the others, including Kennedy who played against
Holland, looked to be material for domestic cricket despatches. They
could not get Holland out in its baptism in international cricket.
South Africas Gary Kirsten ran up a massive individual score against
UAEs predominantly expatriates, discordant ensemble composed of part-
time, non-professional instrumentalists. Still he settled down to
fluent strokeplay only after Sri Lankan Samarasekara had finished his
first spell and even then his was not an unblemished innings. When it
was their turn to bowl, the South Africans failed to dislodge the last
pair who added 80 runs against seven bowlers, including Donald and
McMillan. Apparently, they needed de Velliers too, who was not played
in the match for an outfit like UAE.
That major teams failure to get irregulars out hardly reflected
outstanding bowling skills and suggested that against genuine batting
line-ups, the bowlers could be wading in troubled waters.
The West Indies-Zimbabwe fixture was not a total mismatch it ran
itself out of reckoning early in the innings and ended with an
undependable 151 as three of its batsmen, including one and two drop
players stumbled between wickets.
The West Indians bowled with unusual discipline and their usual
liveliness but they too failed to see the whole team back to the
pavilion. And their batting fell apart despite a 78-run opening stand
between a somewhat already Richardson and not too sure Campbell.
Though they won the match with six wickets and more than 20 overs to
spare they left every one wondering that if they could not stand up to
Paul Strang, what would be their fate against the superior leg spin of
Shane Warne and Anil Kumble who would have a go at them in Group A.
They have a suspect track record against spin bowling, particularly
leg spin. All the four wickets they lost in overhauling the target of
151 fell to Strang and the survivor, the brilliant Brian Lara, came in
to his own after he was dropped of the same bowler. Incidentally,
Zimbabwes attack looks capable of winning a match or two.
Admittedly, it is neither fair nor authentic to pick or dismiss teams
on the basis of one or two outings. Players can strike better form
later.
Assessment of talent can nevertheless be made. On that count, no clear
winners emerged in these matches. England and New Zealand lack
penetrative bowling and authoritative top order batting.
West Indies have a suspect batting line-up.
South Africa has a balanced side but winning the World Cup would take
more than their performance against UAE.
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