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Week Ending : 09 August 1997 Issue : 03/32
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Ehtesab bodies to be given vast powers
Noor Khan wants cut in defence expenditure
PLC wants end to bar fetters, whipping
Special courts being set up to curb terrorism
US Attorney releases apology letter
Traffic rights for Trans-Atlantic flights to PIA
Ehtesab bodies set to go into action
West blamed for PPP govt's wrong power policies
---------------------------------
'Fears must be allayed to lure foreign investment'
MoU to boost Pakistan, India trade
Loan recovery Commitment worth Rs19.5bn secured
Cross border listing of companies discussed
Free access to Indian ports sought
Weekend mood restrains investors from trading
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Judges, good and true Ardeshir Cowasjee
The reformed wedding Rifaat Hamid Ghani
Is US rediscovering Pakistan? Dr Farrukh Saleem
Face-to-face with Gujral M.B. Naqvi
Time to crush terrorists Mahdi Masud
No more immune from scrutiny M.H. Askari
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Waqar, Mushtaq not available for Sahara Cup
Salman Taseer opts out as PCB Treasurer
Right man needed at the top in hockey
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970803
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Ehtesab bodies to be given vast powers
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Ashraf Mumtaz
LAHORE, Aug 2: The Ehtesab committees scheduled to be sworn-in by Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif on August 8 will keep a check on the working of
government departments in their respective jurisdictions and recommend
criminal cases against officials found involved in various irregularities.
The cases, official sources said here on Saturday, would be framed by the
FIA or the Anti-Corruption Establishment.
These committees will be empowered to get details of assets of any
government official and recommend action against him if he is found living
beyond his lawful means of income.
Initially, these committees are being set up at the district and divisional
levels but subsequently they will be brought down to the ward and union
council level. The Federal Ehtesab Council will work as the umbrella
organisation for these committees.
To ensure quick action on the recommendation of these committees, agencies
like WAPDA, PTCL, SNGPL, and Sui Southern have delegated their powers to
selected officials and they would enjoy these powers on behalf of their
respective organizations. The provincial governments have given similar
powers to divisional commissioners to order suspension or dismissal from
service of officials in grades 16 and below involved in corruption or other
serious irregularities.
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970804
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Noor Khan wants cut in defence expenditure
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Our Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 3: The former air chief Air Marshal Noor Khan said on Sunday
that size of the armed forces could be cut down 20 to 25 per cent without
affecting its real ability to meet the defence requirements.
"Considering the economic difficulties of the country and the government's
inability to maintain huge allocations for defence budget, the armed forces
should think of reducing the budget by changing the lifestyle," said the
former air force chief at a seminar on "armed forces and nation building."
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970809
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PLC wants end to bar fetters, whipping
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Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8: Observing that much more under-trial prisoners were
crowding the prisons than those serving terms, Pakistan Law Commission
(PLC), in its comprehensive report on jail reforms, has recommended the
government to abolish the inhuman punishment of putting bar fetters to
prisoners, and to repeal inhuman prison practices such as whipping of
prisoners.
In a detailed report on jail reforms, released here on Friday, the PLC
pointed out that the jails in Pakistan were highly overcrowded and the
facilities required by any living person are denied to the inmates. It also
pointed out that the prisoners under trial were, by far, in excess of the
convicted.
According to the statistics collected by the PLC, of the 75 jails in
Pakistan, 28 are in the Punjab, 16 in Sindh, 21 in the NWFP, 10 in
Balochistan, 3 in the Northern Areas, and 4 in Azad Kashmir. While the
total capacity of these jails is 34,014, at present 74,483 prisoners are
confined in them. In the Punjab, there are as many as 49,615 prisoners
confined in a space to hold only 17,271. In Sindh, there are 13,812
prisoners within a capacity for 8,005. In the NWFP, there are 8,466 inmates
where should have been 7,042. And in Balochistan, 2,351 prisoners are
stuffed within the capacity to accommodate 1,361.
The PLC report has stated that overcrowding in jails was due to the
abnormal delays in disposal of cases as the number of prisoners under trial
far exceed the number of the convicted.
Pakistan Law Commission also underlined the need for checking the abuse of
discretionary powers of the jail superintendents. It was recommended that
the prisoner should have the right of appeal before the Inspector General,
Prisons, against major penalties awarded by a jail superintendent.
The PLC recommended that the rules should be amended to allow every
prisoner to keep a radio (with a headphone), a wrist watch, some books and
writing paper and pen/pencil without having to obtain any permission.
The commission also recommended that all the convicts of class "C" should
be allowed to wear their own clothes instead of the jail uniform. It was
pointed out that the NWFP government had already allowed this to the
inmates of class "C" and suggested that the other provinces should follow
suit.
The PLC report noted that in each death cell, measuring 9x12ft, three to
six prisoners are confined. It recommended that the condemned prisoners
should be given reasonable space.
The PLC further recommended that the children of the convicted women should
be provided shelter, food and education outside the jail.
The system of granting remission on account of acquiring education and
higher qualifications should also be reviewed. For higher degrees, the
period of remissions should be greater, the report suggested.
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970809
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Special courts being set up to curb terrorism
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Aug 8: Governor Shahid Hamid said here on Friday that special
courts under the Suppression of Terrorist Activities Act, 1975, were being
established as a measure to curb terrorism.
Talking to reporters after a ceremony at the Bagh-i-Jinnah's tennis
coaching centre, the governor said officials had been appointed and other
arrangements were also being made to ensure that the courts started
functioning shortly.
According to an earlier information, the Punjab government has allocated Rs
120 million for the courts. Judges will be appointed by the Lahore High
Court which will also administer their service matters.
These courts had been working until last year when a Lahore High Court
verdict declared as illegal the notification under which judges of the
special courts were appointed.
The government now intends to set up more than 32 such courts, one each for
every district and more than one for Lahore. Their number was eight when
their functioning was stopped by the Lahore High Court.
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970809
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US Attorney releases apology letter
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Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug 8: Beleaguered Virginia Attorney Bob Horan released his
letter of apology to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday after
the defence team in the Kansi trial demanded his sacking and Pakistanis in
the US vowed not to raise any more funds for him again.
His letter written on Aug 6 offered the apology saying: "I sincerely regret
that anything I have said has been interpreted as a slur upon the Pakistani
nation or upon your government and I apologise to you and to the people of
Pakistan for any unhappiness that this incorrect reporting has caused."
"My position has been that one should not apologise for something one did
not say....the perception of having said it is as bad as having said it....
I hate to think that you and the Pakistan people perceive that I made the
shameful remarks attributed to me. I deeply regret that I said anything
that could cause that perception," Horan wrote to Mr. Nawaz Sharif. He also
explained that he was misquoted and said "the misquotes attributed to me
are a corruption of comments I made in a large television interview of June
23."
"In that interview, I discussed my opinion of the whereabouts of Kansi
during the time he was a fugitive, and my view of the criminal elements who
sheltered and harboured him after he left his family home in Quetta and
headed west in early February 1993. Nowhere in that interview did I say
anything about the Pakistani people, and nowhere in that interview was the
term "Pakis" ever used."
The Pakistani community in US has however devised a long term strategy to
get even with Mr. Horan and they have announced they would not donate a
dollar for his re-election campaign.
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970808
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Traffic rights for Trans-Atlantic flights to PIA
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Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Aug 7: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will soon get traffic
rights for its trans-Atlantic flights between Zurich and destinations in
the USA and Canada as well as to some other Swiss cities under an agreement
signed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Swiss Air. On the other
hand Swiss Air will get traffic rights for Karachi- Dubai sector.
Director General of CAA, Air Vice Marshal Aamir Ali Sharieff, who signed
the agreement during his recent visit to Switzerland, told Dawn the
agreement, signed under "the fifth freedom right", allows signatory
airlines to pickup passengers from one destination for other points in the
other country.
The agreement, which is still to be ratified by the respective governments.
The Swiss government has recently revised its policy after a long time
which has enabled PIA to get trans-Atlantic traffic rights from a Swiss
city. As there is substantial traffic between other European cities and
Switzerland, PIA after rescheduling its flights via Frankfurt will have
opportunity to generate more revenue from the route. The CAA chief said up
till now PIA used to carry passengers to Zurich and other destinations but
has no right to pick up passengers from Zurich for any other destination in
Switzerland or any other points on its route.
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970805
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Ehtesab bodies set to go into action
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: The Government on Monday issued a notification for
setting up Ehtesab committees at sub-divisions, districts and divisions.
According to the notification, over 4,000 nominees of the Prime Minister
all over the country will be empowered on Aug 8 to recommend removal or
suspension of any government servant upto grade 16 on charges of corruption.
A total of 200 people, who will head these committees, will be sworn in by
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at a ceremony on Aug 8, Mumtaz Ahmed Tarrar,
the chief of the Federal Ehtesab Council, told Dawn.
The names of members and heads of these committees are being finalized and
will be notified shortly, Mr Tarrar said.
The chairmen of Ehtesab committees at the divisional level will be
nominated by the prime minister for a period of six months. The period may
be extended or curtailed at the Premier's discretion. However, the chairman
of district ehtesab committees will be selected by members from amongst
themselves.
"The prime minister will also appoint MNAs, MPAs or any other person,
preferably one for each district, as members of a divisional Ehtesab
committee," said the notification.
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970804
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West blamed for PPP govt's wrong power policies
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Staff Correspondent
LONDON, Aug 3: Interior Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has criticised
the West for its role in the framing of corrupt policies by the previous
PPP government.
Addressing Pakistanis at the High Commission here on Saturday evening, the
minister held the West partly responsible for the "corrupt policies" framed
by the PPP government in regard to power-generation projects.
He said the power-purchase agreements, signed by the PPP government with
power-generation companies, were such that neither the present government
was in a position to implement them nor pull out of them.
"I tell you that if all these power projects come on the line, no Pakistani
will be able to pay his electricity bill," Mr Hussain said, referring to
high rates at which the previous government had agreed to buy electricity
from these private power plants. " The people will rather prefer to use
candles", he added.
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970809
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'Fears must be allayed to lure foreign investment'
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8: An internationally renowned expert on privatization Prof
Savas has called upon the government to develop infrastructure facilities
in Pakistan to attract foreign investors in a big way. "While Nawaz Sharif
is pursuing a bold and effective privatization programme in Pakistan, there
is a need to develop and improve infrastructure facilities specially roads,
sea ports bridges etc", he further stated.
In an interview with Dawn here on Thursday, he also said that Pakistan
needed international capital for improving its infrastructure. "For example
Pakistan needs 2.7 billion dollars for upgrading water treatment system in
Karachi which could be taken up if foreign investors joined hands with
you", he added.
He stressed the need for making the privatization process further
transparent. Prof Savas said he knew that there had been complaints about
the privatization programme which was undertaken previously. "You got to
allay the fears of the investors about the privatization programme", he
said adding that there was also a need to restore public confidence in the
programme.
Responding to a question Savas who is a professor of Public policy, school
of public affairs of the City of New York and founder director of the
Privatization Research Organisation of the University, said that Pakistan
government was pursuing bold privatization policies. "The selling of
public sector organizations whether through bidding or through stock market
is good", he said. However, he pointed out that privatization through
international underwriters could fetch more money and could be more
acceptable to the foreign investors.
Savas who is also considered one of the pioneers in privatization said that
Pakistan's power plants could attract a lot of foreign capital. Similarly,
he said there existed a lot of opportunities for telecoms industry in the
country. Prof Savas said that partial sale of PTCL through capital market
went well in the relevant quarters.
He agreed that Pakistan was ahead of China and India as far better
opportunities for foreign investors in the privatization programme was
concerned. He said that China has attracted foreign investment because of
the liquidation of state sector and encouragement to foreign companies.
To a question, he said that losing state enterprises must be privatized as
they were a drain on the economy.
He said that he found a great political will in prime minister Nawaz Sharif
for privatization and capital-oriented economic policies." Sharif has a
proven background since 1991 and he has put together very good people for
undertaking the privatization programme". He expressed the hope that the
present government would remove a lot of scepticism and cynicism about the
privatization programme in Pakistan.
He was asked whether he believed that the Government of Pakistan looked
serious in retiring its 30 billion dollars foreign debt burden by selling
and getting 15 billion dollars in next three years through the
privatization. In reply he said, "I feel privatization is a means of market
economy for economic development and I am sure the policy of getting
foreign debt burden retired, would greatly contribute to achieving that
target."
However, he pointed out that the principle objective should not be to get
more and more money from the privatization but the objective should be to
have a long term economy development programme in place for the benefit of
the common man in Pakistan.
He also said that the policy environment after the privatization programme
would be very important for both local and foreign investors. "The change
of policies with the change of governments do not go well with the foreign
investors", Prof Savas observed.
He appreciated the government's economic policies specially the reduction
of tariffs from 65 per cent to 45 per cent but then hastened to add, "You
need to do away with restrictions and subsidies in Pakistan". He said undue
state interventions should also go for better economic environment.
Answering a question Dr Savas said that Poland had very bravely pursued its
privatization policies since January 1990 when it eliminated price control.
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970803
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MoU to boost Pakistan, India trade
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Our Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 2: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the
PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (India) on Saturday signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) to encourage and facilitate the
conclusion of contracts and commercial agreements of cooperation between
enterprizes authorized to execute operations of foreign trade and
international economic cooperation.
The two sides pledged to stimulate and facilitate, in conformity with the
rules in force in two countries, the decisions and actions leading to the
promotion and development of trade and economic cooperation between the two
countries.
The MoU, which was signed by acting KCCI President, Zakariya Usman and
PHDCCI President, Mr Binay Kumar at the Chamber is valid for two years and
this period can be extended by common consent for another two years.
The two chambers have agreed to boost trade ties and economic cooperation
besides striving to explore other avenues for trade diversification.
Meanwhile, a member of the Indian trade delegation, while giving his views
on atta crisis and 500,000 tons wheat purchase agreement from USA and
Australia by Pakistan, said he failed to understand why Islamabad did not
approach India where some states like Haryana are abundant in this
essential commodity.
Mr Satish Girotra, Managing Director, Ganapati Exports said atta is being
sold in India at the rate of Rs 6.50 per kg compared to from Rs 9.50 to Rs
10 per kg in Pakistan. "Wheat, if imported from India, will cost you less
in terms of value as well as freight," he added.
He also pointed out the same heavy cost of importing soyabean seed by
Pakistan from Australia and America when India is rich in this item. "These
countries import from India and then re-export to Pakistan," he added.
Satish said a vast scope of joint venture in food items, fruits, fabrics
and textile existed adding orange (citrus) could make its presence felt in
a big way as India suffered a marked decline in citrus production last year
compared to Pakistan's annual output of two million tons.
He said embroidery could make all the difference as Pakistani embroidery
was 50 per cent cheaper than that of India.
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970803
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Loan recovery Commitment worth Rs19.5bn secured
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 2: Banks and development finance institutions have so far
secured Rs 19.5 billion worth of commitment from loan defaulters under the
June 5 special scheme for recovery of loans and revival of sick units.
The fact came to the fore at a meeting of the apex committee set up to
oversee the implementation of the scheme that met here on Saturday under
the chairmanship of the State Bank of Pakistan Governor Dr Muhammad Yaqub.
The meeting was attended by heads of state-run banks and representatives of
the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry including its
Vice President Mr Mahmood Ahmed and the chairman of PFPCCI standing
committee on sick units MNA Naseem-ur-Rehman.
According to a SBP press release, the meeting was informed that upto 1st
August 1997, 18500 persons had committed to avail of the scheme "involving
Rs 19.5 billion and 211 cases of sick units involving an amount of Rs 17
billion were settled or were in the process of settlement." The scheme is
to remain in force till December 5 and those willing to avail of it are
supposed to sign an initial agreement with the banks and DFIs upto 5th
September. Under the scheme loan defaulters and sponsors of sick industrial
units can clear their outstanding debts by paying a lump sum amount for
which a formula has been put in place.
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970803
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Cross border listing of companies discussed
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 2: The visiting high-powered Indian business delegation on
Saturday mooted the idea of cross-border listing of companies with the
members of the Karachi Stock Exchange on the stock exchanges of both the
countries with a view to opening capital markets for the prospective
investors in shares.
Although the Karachi Stock Exchange was closed owing to official weekly off
but arrangements were made to receive the Indian delegation led by Binay
Kumar, president of the Punjab-Haryana-Delhi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry. However, the President of the KSE Arif Habib could not attend the
meeting owing to some of his pressing preoccupations and the Indians were
briefed by senior vice-president and the board of directors about the
operations and KSE switchover to automation and electronic trading.
"Capital inflow and outflow for both the countries now seems inevitable",
remarked the president of the visiting Indian team and added "the
electronic trading has removed all the barriers".
He said corporate laws should be changed to allow prospective investors
from India to invest in the shares of Pakistan companies and Pakistanis in
the shares listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Pakistan has already such cooperation arrangements with Turkey's Istanbul
Stock Exchange and seeking one with the Tokyo Stock Exchange under which
cross border listing might be possible. "There is a great scope for joint
ventures between entrepreneurs of the two countries in various fields as
our economies are complementary to each other in more than one way",he added.
Under the existing foreign investment laws, Indians are not allowed to
invest in Pakistan equities, although some of the leading Indian investors
based in Dubai do a lot of speculative trading in a number of local shares.
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970807
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Free access to Indian ports sought
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Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana
KARACHI, Aug 6: The private sector shipowners have urged the government to
remove restrictions on shipping services to India and to allow them to load
cargoes from Indian ports for third country presently being carried by
other foreign flag vessels.
For having free shipping movement and permission to carry third country
cargoes from each other's ports the private sector shipowners want the
government to delete Clause No.5 from the 'Protocol Agreement of India and
Pakistan,' duly signed in 1975.
Pakistan will be in an advantageous position if these restrictions are
removed as our shipowners would have more opportunities to load Indian
cargoes which are mostly destined to our neighbouring regions like Gulf,
Middle East and Africa.
At present, India's foreign trade is around $70 billion, with exports
accounting for $32 billion and imports close to $40 billion, while
Pakistan's imports and exports account for a little less than $20 billion.
Consequently, the shippers strongly feel that they would be getting more
opportunities for loading Indian cargoes for third country compared to
shippers from India.
Nevertheless, the private shipowners did not give the numerical strength
and the total tonnage capacity of their vessels and those of the public
sector even though it is a well-known fact that Pakistan presently has one
of the smallest fleet of merchant ships in the entire region.
Shipping experts ,however, doubt that Pakistan can gain any worthwhile
advantage by the deletion of Clause No 5 from the protocol agreement which
inter alia states: "Vessels of either country will load in the ports of one
country only such cargo as is destined for the other country." This
restricts both the countries from carrying third country cargoes from each
other's ports.
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970809
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Weekend mood restrains investors from trading
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Aug 8: Trading activity on the Karachi Stock Exchange shrank
significantly below the 100 million share mark as investors were not
inclined to make bigger commitments owing to weekend considerations. The
index closed with clipped gain of only 1.47 points after early rise by
about 17 points.
Blue chips played on both sides of the fence amid active bouts of buying
and selling, although leading among them ran into profit-selling and ended
modestly lower under the lead of Lever Brothers, Shell Pakistan and PSO.
Leading members of the Karachi Stock Exchange are worried over the last one
month's performance of the market as the current bargain-hunting in half a
dozen shares did not reflect the agony of general investor or the inherent
strength of the underlying sentiment. "Investors are expecting a
sympathetic increase in their shares on other counters but they are
neglected".
"The steep rise and fall in the KSE 100-share index does not reflect the
state of the market, which is still terribly bearish", said one dealer.
The index put on an extended gain of 17 points at 2,029.52 as compared to
2,013.21 a day earlier but losers held a strong lead over the gainers at
134 to 79, with 61 shares holding on the last levels, with the undertone
remaining weak.
But in the evening session, it fell by about 15 points at 2,014.68 closing
with a marginal rise of only 1.47 points.
All eyes remained focussed around the PTCL shares as local investors are
now following the line of some foreign investors."They buy its shares when
they can and sell when they sell", said a leading broker.
The PTCL after having hit the bottom at Rs 23 just two months back has
risen to Rs 44.20 since then after the advent of foreign buying and Rs 50
appears to be its next chart point.
Some three years back when it came on the trading board at one stage it
quoted as higher as Rs 105 and many speculators predicted it could scale
any highs before its privatization.
Hub-Power is following it on strong foreign demand but it came in for
modest selling despite news of a hefty profit on sales of Rs 18 billion for
the last year ended June 30,1997. Omission of the dividend seems to be the
chief factor behind the sell-off. However, the management has promised to
pay a good dividend in 1998.
Energy and insurance shares, which attracted heavy buying earlier in the
week came in for profit-selling at the higher levels and tended lower under
the lead of Adamjee Insurance, PIC, Pakistan Refinery, PSPO, Shell
Pakistan, falling of Re 1 to Rs 3.
BOC Pakistan, Dadabhoy Sack, Grays of Cambridge, Askari Bank, Platinum Bank
and Lever Brothers were among the other losers which suffered decline of Re
1 rupee to Rs 10. Some of the leading shares managed to finish with an
extended gains ranging from one rupee to Rs.10 for 7th ICP, Cherat Cement,
FFC-Jordan Fertiliser, Nestle Milkpak and ICI Pakistan which rose by Re 1
to Rs 1.65, biggest gain being in the ICI Pakistan.
Volume fell to 84 million shares owing to a short Friday session as
compared to 130 million shares a day earlier.
PTCL again topped the list of most actives, higher 80 paisa at Rs 44.20 on
27 million shares followed by ICI Pakistan up Rs 1.65 on 17 million shares,
FFC-Jordan fertiliser firm Rs 1.15 on 15 million shares, Hub-Power lower 10
paisa on 6 million shares, Dewan Salman up 30 paisa on 2 million shares and
Schon Bank steady 10 paisa on 0.500 million shares.
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970803
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Judges, good and true
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
PRESIDENTS and prime ministers, particularly the ignorant and devious of
those breeds, later often regret and are unhappy at having appointed
people-friendly liberal judges to their countries' courts. Such men of no
conviction or conscience, unlike their suffering people, resent other men
with these attributes.
One good and true man was former US Supreme Court Justice William Brennan.
He died this July 24 at the age of 91. Glowing tributes to his 41 years
judicial career, almost without parallel in its length and achievements,
have been paid by the Press of the English-speaking world.
Brennan was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower who "very soon became
disconcerted by the tenor of the new justice's liberal rulings. When
subsequently asked if he had ever made a mistake during his presidency,
Eisenhower answered, 'Yes, two, they are both sitting on the Supreme Court'
- a reference to Brennan and the equally strong and liberal Chief Justice
Earl Warren whose nomination was also characterised by Eisenhower as his
biggest damfool mistake.'
Brennan served in the Supreme Court under eight presidents. Throughout, he
ruled purely by conviction, without fear. In the USA, people's pressure
does not allow judges of the superior courts to be transferred, sidelined
or removed at the whim of the president.
"For Brennan, the judiciary was a wall against barbarism. He influenced
American civilization more profoundly than most other persons this century
... particularly more than any politician. His judgments on free speech,
due process, equal protection, voting rights, and privacy helped to write a
script that the nation was bound to follow."
One of his judgments, Baker vs Carr, 1962, was described by Chief Justice
Earl Warren as "the most important case decided in my time." This case
asserted the 'one-man, one-vote' doctrine that was to profoundly influence
the path of American democracy and thwart legislative corruption.
Brennan was the man who opened the doors of federal courts to citizens with
complaints against government officials. But it was perhaps the cause of
freedom of expression which he served best. It was his ruling in his 1964
judgment in the case of NY Times vs Sullivan which "resoundingly enshrined
the American Press's right to report freely on matters of public interest."
This Brennan judgment also revolutionized the libel laws in the US. Brennan
ruled that a public official could not recover damages for a defamatory
falsehood relating to his official conduct, unless he proved the statement
was made with malice. Thus, false statements were allowed when made in the
heat of debate. It defined for the first time the difference between the
reporting of people in public life and that of private individuals. Quoting
the constitution and Madison, he ruled: "Debate on public issues should be
uninhibited, robust, and wide-open."
In 1967, he further ruled in Time Inc. vs Hill that the same conditions
will apply to invasion of privacy suits brought against the Press by
"newsworthy persons."
In more than 1,200 opinions delivered from the Supreme Court bench, he made
an impact in most areas of the law, including the liberalization of
obscenity laws and the strict separation of the church and the state, and
he defended to the hilt the freedoms against government intrusion.
As was written about this liberator of the Press in one obituary in the
American Press: "Certainly, many journalists working around the world today
owe a great debt of honour to the clear-sightedness and intellectual
courage of Justice William J Brennan."
We here, with a Press that is trying to unravel itself from the long years
of government imposed shackles, but which, because of constraints and
restraints imposed by society and what is mistakenly known locally as
'culture', finds difficulty in shedding its own self-imposed shackles, must
hope that one day a visionary such as Brennan will arise to give our Press
legal liberation.
In death, Brennan is mourned by the American people. The nation remains in
official mourning until later today, when Brennan is to be interred, and
all over the world flags on American missions are flying at half-mast.
Two days after Brennan's death, former judge of our Supreme Court, Saleem
Akhtar, was honoured in Karachi at a gathering at the United States
Consulate organized by the Society for Conservation and Protection of the
Environment in collaboration with the USIS. The Chief Justice of Pakistan
was the chief guest, and his brother judge Nasir Aslam Zahid participated,
as did the defender of Karachi's public causes, Barrister Mohammed Gilbert
Naim-ur-Rahman. SCOPE President Tanveer Arif outlined the major role
played by Justice Saleem Akhtar in the country's environmental
jurisprudence and gave details of some of the landmark rulings handed down
by him whilst on the bench of the Supreme Court.
In Shehla Zia vs WAPDA, concerning the installation of a grid station near
a highly populated area, Justice Akhtar ruled that WAPDA must issue public
notices and hear objections before installing grids in any localities. His
ruling also recognized environmental right as a fundamental right. And, as
to Article 9 of the Constitution: "No person shall be deprived of life or
liberty save in accordance with law," he ruled that "life" includes all
such amenities and facilities which a person born in a free country is
entitled to enjoy constitutionally, legally and with dignity. This judgment
has been quoted in many international journals.
In the matter of a complaint made by the Karachi Administrative Women's
Welfare Society about insanitary conditions in a Karachi locality, Justice
Akhtar instructed the KMC and KWSB to deal with it and clean up. He took
suo motu action against smoke-emitting vehicles plying on Karachi's
polluted roads. The traffic police and authorities were directed to ensure
that an effective check system was established. This, of course, was never
implemented because of the lethargic and uninterested attitude of the local
bureaucracy and police force. In the matter of a complaint against the
dumping of nuclear waste off the Balochistan coast, Justice Akhtar passed
an order banning such practice. In the matter of the Khewra Salt Mines,
where a local community approached the Supreme Court seeking protection
from the pollution of their water source, he directed the miners and the
PMDC to restrict their activities and provide a safe catchment area and
reservoir.
These judgments and many others handed down by Justice Akhtar have set a
new trend in Pakistani jurisprudence and in the observance and respect of
environmental laws.
Gilbert (referred to by our Chief Justice as a champion of the people's
causes) spoke at length and with much feeling. He spoke on the ever-growing
world-wide environmental problems and dwelt particularly on the degradation
of our own environment and the lack of public awareness which is not helped
by the mass illiteracy from which we suffer. However, the members of our
judiciary, the life-friendly judges, continue bravely to do as much as they
can to stem the rot.
Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid, the noted liberal judge, the defender and
protector of our fundamental rights and of human rights in general, dwelt
on the distress caused to the population in general by all the millions of
people who have an absolute disregard for the environment, who so
carelessly contribute to its pollution and degradation. One saying of his
that struck me profoundly was his belief that the doings of one single
corrupt judge cannot be cloaked by the gowns of all the judges of all the
courts of the country.
Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, as usual, shot from the shoulder. He read
out to us, again with great feeling, excerpts from the famous speech made
by Red Indian Chief Seattle last century (a speech enshrined in Gilbert's
heart). His emphasis was on the importance of an unpolluted and protected
environment in all our lives and that we should ignore it at our peril. He
paid great tributes to his friends and brother judges, to Justice Akhtar
for his major achievements in the field of the environment, and to Justice
Zahid for his dedication to human rights.
Our Chief Justice was surprised at the rather poor showing in the hall of
the US Consulate that evening. He remarked pointedly on the absence in the
audience of the lawyers of Karachi. He was right. It made me and many
others there extremely angry that the lawyers of this city could not be
bothered, or were not interested in attending a seminar on environmental
law and particularly one at which the Chief Justice of Pakistan was to speak.
The nomination of Justice Shah as her Chief Justice was later bitterly
regretted by his nominator. Reportedly, when once angry and berating him
for his good deeds, she asked him to remember who it was that had appointed
him. He turned to her and said, "Madam Prime Minister, you appointed a
Chief Justice, not a mali."
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970807
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The reformed wedding
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Rifaat Hamid Ghani
COLD drinks and tea. Now that they are having to live with that tepid
reality, nobody likes the idea of weddings that offer no better inducement
to guests. People espouse austerity and simplicity only up to the extent
that those virtuous practices do not interfere with personal enjoyment and
interests.
And so, the men don their Savile Row suits or brocaded and embroidered
'achkans' and the women their finery feeling that aqua vita is just not
enough to justify the effort. Yet, the parents of the bride and groom
persist in inviting people around the dinner hour, and enriching five-star
hotels where a glass of juice can be guaranteed to cost five times more
than its worth. The proceedings are still liable to inordinate delay so
that long-suffering guests return home to wolf down dinner at one a.m. or
top up the unseasonably early one they wisely took before departing.
Society has to reconcile itself to a season of dreary weddings which offer
nothing more to talk about than whether the beverages were or were not free
of the hepatitis-B virus.
Conspicuous consumption on the part of some is the livelihood of others.
Marriage hall proprietors and caterers were among the first to produce the
most convincing arguments in favour of gluttony and ostentation at
weddings. Where else can the unskilled 'mashalchi' find employment except
at the rich man's tables? The fall in the price of chicken instead of being
hailed as it is by the common housewife, is read as a failure in the
poultry farmers' crop, with disastrous consequences for a chicken-minded
economy. And carping critics maintain the excess and display continue
unabated for those who can host lavish affairs within the parameters of the
grounds of their stately mansions. Others simply feast for a month instead
of getting it over within one fell swoop. So what has been achieved?
Quite a lot really. The pressure is towards minimising rather than
maximising, and for the middle class there is a definite easing in what
guests and in-laws have the right to expect or demand. Every man and his
wife are no longer compulsory entries for the guest list, people understand
that numbers are limited; and you don't really have to serve several
varieties of juice unless you want to. But the Ayub Khan formula of one
'gulab jamun' and a 'samosa' did seem sounder.
In these days of frantically pursued elegance though the patty and pastry
option for a self-assessed sophisticate might well take the form of a
singularly unfortunate combine of caviar and marzipan. You cannot stop a
man from spending his money and flaunting it to the envy of all and sundry
when that is the cause to which he is committed.
It is true that it would be a violation of the right to privacy to check
how many courses a man served at his home, or legislate the number he may
invite to enter it. But perhaps ehtesab vigilantes to come will begin doing
just kind of thing, always of course excluding their own turf. Ehtesab
never begins at home: only charity does.
Social values can only be dictated by society itself. We are not yet a
society which believes that simplicity commands respect.
Has the PM moved out of the PM house? Has the Presidency changed style? Do
ministers dispense with airconditioning? Do government servants have
smaller car pools? Isn't it the ultimate slur to have to admit to worrying
about expenses? We are all judged by the cars we drive, the clothes we
wear, the schools we go to, the places we shop and holiday in, because
perhaps that is all our society has the ability to gauge. Character,
intellect, effort, hard work, professionalism, these are for the
marginalised. There are many keen sharp minds about but they only leave an
imprint on society if they cater to the value warp.
An astringently agnostic acquaintance pointed out the grotesque incongruity
of some piously expressed thanks vouchsafed to the Almighty by a penitent
ehtesaabi for being able to return some (and keep some?) ill-gotten gains.
What are we instilling in terms of honesty but that massive fraud is
condonable.
It's business as usual in Pakistan. That is the sum total of normality the
ordinary citizen experiences here.
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970809
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Is US rediscovering Pakistan?
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Dr Farrukh Saleem
AMERICAN decision makers seem to be in the process of amending their
strategy towards Pakistan. Gone are the days when Senator Larry Pressler, a
Republican from South Dakota, was hailed as the "champion of disarmament"
while authoring the country-specific Pressler Amendment in 1985.
Gon are the days, when in 1990, President George Bush had cut off all aid
to Pakistan. Gone also are the days when the 'Gujral doctrine' overshadowed
every argument that Pakistan's Foreign Office presented.
It has been seven long, stressful years while Pressler (the Amendment)
barred the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) from providing
political risk insurance to private US investments in Pakistan. Pressler
had also barred Pakistan's armed forces officers from the US
government-funded International Military Education and Training Programme
(IMET). Even before the application of the now infamous Pressler, Pakistan
had $368 million worth of arms lying in the US, $120 million in cash and 28
F-16s.
The recent Symington Amendment was also interpreted to be barring all aid
to Pakistan "except for the defence items purchased or money paid before
the Pressler Amendment went into effect (Symington Amendment did not apply
to India)." The Clinton administration, therefore, decided that "Pakistan
will get 368 million dollars worth of arms, 120 million dollars in cash,
plus the proceeds of the 28 F-16s if a buyer can be found but not the
planes." This was indeed the first substantial reversal in US policy
towards Pakistan since President Bush declined to certify Pakistan's
non-nuclear status.
The authors of the Brown Amendment had also promised OPIC cover and a
resumption of military exchange programmes. But all that could not happen
because of certain technicalities in the Symington Amendment. During the
debate on the Brown Amendment, the Pentagon actually managed to convince
the legislators that the IMET programme was really for the "Pentagon to
keep in touch with the new generation of budding Pakistani armed forces
leaders." In order to straighten out the flaws of the Symington Amendment,
the Harkin-Warner Amendment was introduced and adopted unanimously by the
US Senate on July 16, 1997, which essentially reaffirms OPIC cover and the
IMET.
US foreign-policy think-tanks are, perhaps, rediscovering that a 9 million
square kilometer area that lies between Bangladesh on the east, Sri Lanka
on the south, Georgia on the north and Armenia on the far west has Pakistan
as the only reliable ally and a dependable surrogate. These 9 million
square kilometers has more than 1.3 billion people and is thus home to more
than 20 per cent of the planet's population. From among the 14 countries in
this part of Asia - countries that include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan,
Sri Lanka and Nepal - Pakistan is the only entity that can offer any real,
secure and steady conduit towards the maintenance of US endowment in this
region. Admittedly, it is more of a unipolar world now than it was prior to
the September of '91 (when the Soviet Union began splintering and the three
Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania achieved full
independence) but the US must in its own long-term interests continue to
harness this strategically important region of Asia.
Some of the pieces of the retooled US policy puzzle are now falling into
place. Going back to the first quarter of this year, the IMF agreed to
relax its cap on our budgetary deficit from 4 per cent of GDP to 5 per cent
of GDP. Sartaj Aziz then came out with a budget that depicted a 5 per cent
deficit. Then there was the Kansi affair in which Pakistan's decision
makers agreed to sacrifice their sovereignty to please the US.
The US Senate followed through by allowing the crucial OPIC insurance
coverage to American companies interested in investing in Pakistan. The US
government also withdrew its notice sent earlier to Pakistani exporters of
combed cotton yarn. Now we hear that "a resolution is to be tabled in the
US House of Representatives purported to stress that a permanent solution
to the Kashmir dispute will not be possible without the people being
allowed to exercise their right of self-determination." In addition to the
above, there have lately been several top-level US military officials
visiting their Pakistani counterparts.
Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, towards the end of his three-day
visit to Pakistan said that "not... giving Pakistan back the money it paid
for the F-16s not delivered by the US... was a patently unfair situation
where the US can neither supply the promised F-16s to Pakistan because of
its anti-proliferation laws nor is it returning the money Pakistan paid for
these planes." Senator Harkin pleaded that the US administration 'should
return this money with interest so that Pakistan can use it for its balance
of payment support." Senator Harkin has been a long-time Pakistan
supporter, but these public statements are strong enough to be noticed in
all the important circles.
US Senator Sam Brownback in a recent speech at the Heritage Foundation
(Washington, D.C.) has said that Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrghyzstan are all areas of vital American
interests. Senator Brownback feels that all of these states remain
subjected to a high degree of volatility and the US must, therefore, focus
"and take action in this region" adding that "we have the opportunity in
helping these countries rebuild... and to encourage them to continue their
strong independent stances, especially in relation to Iran and the spread
of extremist, anti-Western fundamentalism, which is one of the most clear
and present dangers facing the United States today."
One mistake that parts of the developing world often make is to confer the
status of an omnipotent sovereign to the US which it certainly is not. Just
consider the Noriega episode of the late '80s. By the year 1986, the US
administration had already begun accusing General Noriega, the Panamanian
strong-man, for drug trafficking in addition to money laundering and acting
as a double agent both for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and
Castro's intelligence outfit.
In 1987, the US Senate explicitly asked the government of Panama to remove
Noriega from office. In 1988, Noriega was even indicted by a Florida grand
jury. In spite of all sorts of US pressures, Noriega continued calling
shots until the US forces actually invaded Panama and arrested the General.
Noriega then became the first foreign head of state to be found guilty by a
US jury and "sentenced to two concurrent 20-year terms, five concurrent
15-year terms, and one 5-year term - a total of 40 years imprisonment." In
Iran, for example, massive US presence and infiltration into each and every
aspect of Iranian life could not do a thing to prevent Khomeni from taking
over.
The status that the US cannot be denied, however, is one that of an awfully
powerful economic powerhouse. Its well-greazed industrial giants and its
strongly capitalized financial institutions can move economies and stock
and bond markets within these economies. Industrial management, financial
discipline, entrepreneurial skill and competitive spirit are the things to
be learned from the US free-market experience.
The Nawaz Sharif government must be more than pleased by these pleasant
winds of change. Sartaj Aziz must also be taking some well deserved sighs
of relief. After the IMF relaxation, the OPIC coverage, the withdrawal of
notice to the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and the
tabling of the Kashmir resolution, the resumption of an Extended structural
Adjustment Facility (ESAF) does seem to be a distinct possibility. Our
economic managers can expect some respite in the form of concessional
multilateral funding and some additional bilateral lending to relieve the
debt servicing pressure from the cash-strapped Nawaz administration.
This unexpected respite on the economic front ought to be expended in
restoring some sanity in the on-going sectarian uproar and political
violence. Sectarianism is actually just another symbol of our social
immaturity and economic poverty. Time, education and prosperity would take
care of our sectarian wolves. Nawaz Sharif and his team should concentrate
on political solutions to the problem of widespread political violence. It
should also concentrate on getting Karachi's industrial engine churning
once again without which there is not going to be the tax revenues to cap
the deficit at 5 per cent of GDP.
The other priority of the government ought to be the creation of conditions
whereby present or future politicians are not able to enrich private
pockets at public expense. Try and get the government out of the affairs of
the private market. The most immediate beneficiary of these winds of change
has so far been the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE). Stock market investors
have made a colossal Rs 150 billion over the past three weeks alone. The
next logical transition would be direct American investment in our
industrial sector. The Pakistani rupee has also been behaving rather
uncharacteristically strong.
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970809
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Face-to-face with Gujral
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M.B. Naqvi
MORE philosophical than usual and somewhat off-colour, Mr Inder Kumar
Gujral was extraordinarily supportive and understanding of Mian Mohammad
Nawaz Sharif. He said that "his difficulties are perhaps even greater than
mine" and did not much elaborate. But it was not difficult to see in what
context: this was vis-a-vis the simultaneous upsurge of hawks in both
countries against their respective prime ministers, especially over their
efforts to improve bilateral India-Pakistan relations.
Mr Gujral showed keen interest in another meeting with the Pakistan PM in
America next month when both are likely to be there to attend the
forthcoming UN General Assembly session. He was altogether very conscious
that the subcontinent's own peace process appeared to be losing steam,
although for record he assured that the next meeting of the two foreign
secretaries in September is on course and will be held. He saw much promise
in that. He appeared keen on imparting more vitality to the impulses
generated by the meeting of the Indian and Pakistani PMs in Male last May.
There is no doubt that the Gujral government is under pressure from the BJP
and other hardline opponents to his conciliatory style in and over Kashmir
and other questions of ties with Pakistan. Leadership contests in his own
Janata party had also rattled Mr Gujral earlier that day (Saturday Aug 2)
when he received this columnist at his residence. In most New Delhi drawing
rooms the longevity of their central government was a daily topic, though
many keen observers think that the Gujral government might after all
complete its full term - mostly by default.
All parties dread the prospect of going to the voters at this time, with
the notable exception of the BJP which is putting out the message that it
is a sure winner the next time round. But the sources that hold that a new
poll now is unacceptable to all parties, including the BJP, because the
saffron brigade too has much to worry about in the Hindi-Hindu heartland
(the Gangetic plains) from both lower castes and minorities; its strategy
of dividing lower castes by alliance-making with Kansi Ram and Mayawati in
UP is making its hard core too unhappy.
Mr Gujral and many Janata Dal publicists have tried to reassure that Mr
Gujral's Pakistan policy is not likely to be upturned by any next
government, not even of the BJP. One heard this with interest, but not
without some reservations of one's own. It is true that Mr Gujral does not
propose anything revolutionary that others cannot share. But his friendly
style and personal commitment to ways of earnest persuasion are seen by
hawks as somewhat unbecoming of a PM and government of a great power like
India. For the rest, Mr Gujral is not about to present anything substantial
on a platter to Pakistan; all he insists on is to let India and Pakistan
continue talking and reduce tension.
He pointedly mentioned the almost daily cases of exchange of fire across
LoC in Kashmir and he complained that of late even international border in
the Narowal-Sialkot sector has come within the ambit of tension and
firings. He elaborated that his officials and generals had been giving him
elaborate analyses of the possible Pakistani purposes for this too frequent
exchange of fire. Two of them are notable. One reason adduced by Indian
generals is that their Pakistani counterparts are keeping Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif under pressure for his eagerness to open trade and improve
relations with India. The second was that this was the modus operandi for
sending infiltrators under the cover of fire. Mr Gujral naturally wants
this exchange of fire to end.
On Kashmir he was emphatic: Pakistan and India should continue the jaw-jaw
permanently; he made it plain there was no early solution while putting war
out of the question. And then he grew more philosophical and envisaged 30
to 40 years of normal friendly and cooperative relations between the
estranged neighbours before they will be able to evolve a peaceful
resolution of the specific Kashmir problem. What was implicit in it was
that Kashmir and other matters - trade, economic cooperation, SAARC, free
cultural exchanges - should be consciously delinked for obvious mutual
benefit.
Mr Gujral comes through as a sincere and dedicated Indian nationalist. He
consciously eschews jingoism and paranoia that is all too common among
Indian leadership. But one essential point is that he is solidly for making
India great without demonstratively throwing its weight about. He is also
not a conscious imperialist, which is not easy to say about many other
Indian politicians and officials. The way he has successfully tried to
accommodate Bangladesh and Nepal is illustrative of his approach. But that
was possible before he became PM in a still intensifying crisis; as a
respected foreign minister in the post-Congress euphoria, he could rely on
the combined strength and wisdom of all anti-Congress leaders for support.
Now he has to save his government first from almost daily assaults from its
open foes and nominal friends. The way he drew flak over his "unconditional
talks' offer to the Kashmiri 'militants' and he had to explain away the
soul and substance of his idea in the Parliament shows how strong the
hawkish lobbies are.
Mr Gujral can and did take credit for consistency in at least one issue: he
said that India has submitted itself to every single detail and demand over
the banning of chemical weapons because it has signed on the dotted lines.
Not only did his government ratify the treaty, it has disclosed all its
stocks, production capacity, facilities and has thrown itself open to all
inspections as detailed in the treaty and may be desired. He asked: when
will Pakistan ratify this treaty?
He was all but evasive on the subject of nuclear weapons in South Asia. He
chose more to talk about the Americans' inexplicable behaviour over the
nuclear and missile questions rather than to address the hard, specific
question about the desirability of both India and Pakistan assigning high
priority to the difficult problems that such weapons and their delivery
systems pose to 1.4 billion men, women and children in the area. He went on
to dilate on the mystery of why leaks like those about Prithvi's storage,
Agni and M11 are made at times when India and Pakistan were showing signs
of coming closer to each other.
He claimed that New Delhi had long known about the storage of M11 rockets
in Sargodha while Pakistan knows a lot about what we keep and where. In
this context, he debunked the story about May 1990 hair-trigger crisis and
the supposedly imminent threat of nuclear war in the Indo-Gangetic plains.
He says that now there is documentary evidence from unimpeachable American
sources that all this was a huge fib.
This is quite a different story to what one wanted to hear from the Indian
PM regarding any readiness to apply the mind afresh to the wholly different
aspect of the problem: the issue of two adversarial nuclear programmes,
complete with delivery vehicles, on the subcontinent. One's viewpoint holds
that the American interest in the subject is fundamentally irrelevant to
the main problems of the people inhabiting this well-defined geographical
region. The problem posed by America, with its power and role, can be
tackled separately and more efficiently if the two threshold powers could
get their bilateral act together. The latter needs, and is not getting, the
priority it deserves from the hawkish Indians and the Gujral government is
not defining its stance in any detail.
One wonders whether Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif should not probe the
possibilities implicit in his own, and Mr Gujral's, approach further by an
early meeting. He can reciprocate his Indian counterpart's eagerness to
carry forward their own dialogue in New York; they could easily do some
coordination about timing to be able to find an adequate opportunity to
discuss things, though the better time and place would have been Islamabad
and New Delhi especially on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the two
countries' independence. Perhaps in this surcharged atmosphere it is a far
cry, though common sense and normal courtesies would demand some joint
celebrations by all the legatees of the British Indian empire.
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970809
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Time to crush terrorists
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mahdi Masud
ANY attempt to ignore or gloss over our shortcomings would not be in
national interest. But the terrible beating which our morale and
self-respect has long taken at the hands of prophets of doom is generating
a suicidal wave of demoralization and loss of faith in our future as a nation.
Do we deserve this? Should we write off the potentialities of a people
who launched one of the most massive popular movements to win within a
short space of seven years an independent homeland in the teeth of bitter
opposition of the majority party and the British overlords?
Is there any other country which at its birth had to absorb nearly 10
million uprooted people and another 3.5 million refugees subsequently - the
highest total ever hosted by a single country? Is there any country which
had to face from its inception the unsparing, unremitting hostility of its
larger and stronger neighbour, involving three wars, dismemberment and
destabilization? Was there not a world of difference between the hurculean
task faced by a new state which had to start from a scratch in every sphere
and a residual state which inherited the running paraphernalia of the
British Empire?
It would be pertinent to quote here from a review by Ralph Braibanti, a
leading South Asian scholar and Professor Emeritus at the Duke University.
Says Braibanti "Pakistan has been pummelled by external events to a degree
which no other state established since 1945 has suffered (including three
wars with India, massive influx of refugees and separation of half the
country). The persistence and enormity of these difficulties and the
resilience with which the people of Pakistan have absorbed and survived
these challenges must be regarded with awe and admiration" (Article on
Pakistan's geo-political importance in the fall 1996 issue of the Journal
of South Asian and Middle Eastern studies).
Elizabeth Drew, the American journalist, has well said that democracy like
any voluntary association rests on a shared understanding of limits. This
understanding is totally lacking in us, engaged as we are in blackening the
faces of our opponents even if the country's name becomes mud in the process.
While our sins of omission and commission would have damaged our external
image in any case, our assertive and chauvinistic religion-based
nationalism has led influential quarters abroad to blacken our picture with
even darker hues. Mr Gandhi had described Katherine Mayo's book on India as
`a drain inspector's report.' No less foul is the coverage of Pakistan in
the Newsweek review of India and Pakistan's fiftieth anniversary.
While the Newsweek review on India is a mixture of negative
characterizations as well as tributes and accolades, there is not a single
good word for the fifty-year record of Pakistan in the review written by
Tony Clifton. While Pakistan's debt figures are highlighted, India's which
are even higher are not even mentioned. The growth rate given for Pakistan
and India, zero per cent and seven per cent respectively are not based on
facts.
No Pakistan prime minister had to say about his country what Gujral said
about his last week. The Indian prime minister was quoted by Indian print
and electronic media as stating that "Corruption has seeped into the veins
of our people. The nation is convinced that nothing can be accomplished
without corrupt means." In spite of the endemic corruption at every level
in India, its economic prospects are applauded in the western media while
not a single silver lining is discerned in the clouds over Pakistan.
While the Newsweek review goes into raptures over the impression made in
the West by a couple of Indian film directors and authors, not a single
dignitary from any field in Pakistan is considered worthy of attention. Not
even the Nobel laureate in physics, Dr Abdul Salam and the pioneer in
nuclear scienses in Pakistan, Dr Abdul Qadeer.
It has become a fashion in the Western media to refer to India having won
its three wars against Pakistan. As known to any military observer worth
the name, the war of 1965 or the Indian military operations in Kashmir in
1948 could not be described as an Indian victory over Pakistan. Never in
the history of human warfare was the dice loaded so heavily against one
side militarily as it was in the 1971 war against Pakistan when its army
was heavily out-gunned and out-numbered, deprived of naval and air cover
and of contact with its home base. The pity is that no rebuttal of this
distorted military claims has been forthcoming from our diplomatic or
defence quarters.
The initial impression, after the end of the cold war, that Pakistan has
lost its geopolitical importance, has been belied by events. While many
international authorities have written on the subject, I refer here to a
speech made in July 1996 by Mr Frank Wisner, the US Ambassador to India, in
which he said, inter alia, that "If peace and stability are to be secured
in South Asia, Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East, Pakistan
would have to play its role as a great Islamic nation, a regional power and
a decisive actor in the subcontinent." He also referred to Pakistan as "a
state which has greatness within its grasp."
One of the most eminent historians, Paul Kennedy, has recently named
Pakistan as one of the nine pivotal states that could determine not only
the fate of their regions but also influence international stability. Paul
Kennedy maintains in his article in the Foreign Affairs Quarterly that
"progress by a pivotal state such as Pakistan would help not only the
region but also promote US interests in trade and in investment."
It has been said that an epoch comes to an end when its underlying
illusions are no longer credible. In spite of the many undeniable
disillusionments, the ideals on which Pakistan was based, are still valid
for millions of Pakistanis including the bonds of Pakistani nationhood and
the aspirations of building a progressive and strong Pakistan.
With the achievement of political stability with the help of a decisive
parliamentary majority, the elimination of certain provisions in the Eighth
Amendment and the enforcement of constitutional provisions against floor
crossing, the stage is now set for sustained economic development if the
government can meet two basic conditions.
One is the need to take courage in both hands and crush the sectarian
terrorists in Punjab and the criminal elements in Karachi. The second
condition is to restore popular confidence in the political process by
bringing all corrupt elements, including those associated with the ruling
party, within the net of accountability. Integrity, in its wider context,
is the giving of priority to collective, social, national interests over
personal, group and party interests. This has to be the guiding light of Mr
Nawaz Sharif's government if Pakistan is to make a fresh start.
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970806
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No more immune from scrutiny
--------------------------------------------------------------------
M.H. Askari
IT has taken most of the past fifty years for the military establishment in
Pakistan to shed what may be called its exclusivist cantonment culture,
opting to offer itself to public scrutiny, not being shy of being exposed
to the search-light of public questioning to which most other segments of
the government have been subjected, at times with undeserving relentlessness.
With a naval chief being relieved of his command on account of his
unfavourable public image, questions being raised about the transparency of
defence purchases, an army officer being hanged for his alleged involvement
in the murder of a common hari and an air force officer being detained in a
foreign land on the charge of drug smuggling, it can no longer be said that
the armed forces are able to - or even wanting to - escape the search-light.
To an extent this transformation is the inevitable outcome of the frequent
intervention of the armed forces in various spheres of public life, either
of their own accord or because of circumstances created by the patently
inadequate and inept functioning of other institutions of governance. The
present situation is also the result of the military establishment itself
becoming increasingly conscious of the futility of remaining unaccountable
to the people among whom their presence today is vastly more visible than
it ever was.
The cantonment culture was essentially the legacy of the Raj. At the time,
it was inevitable for the armed forces not to be publicly too visible as
they represented the authority of an alien imperial power and were
answerable only to their foreign masters. With the democratisation of
society, though not without distortions, the armed forces cannot help being
drawn into the national mainstream. Consequently, they are also exposed to
the same factors which determine the course of the lives of the rest of the
people.
For nearly two decades after independence, with the massive resources of
the American military aid being available to them during the cold war
period, the military could regard itself as being an exclusive privileged
class. With the armed forces being dependent upon the nation's own
resources, this can no longer be so.
Within less than a week the chief of army staff, in an informal
conversation with the media representatives, conceded in principle the
desirability of a reduction in the defence expenditure after the Baloch
leader Sardar Ataullah Mengal, at a Press conference in the Karachi Press
Club, called for reducing defence spending in view of the serious financial
crisis faced by the nation. Shortly afterwards the Inter-Services Public
Relations Directorate, whose main function is to create an environment
conducive to the functioning of the armed forces, sponsored a seminar to
discuss the role and performance of the armed forces. This demonstrated a
clear willingness on the part of the defence establishment to allow a free
and open debate on the subject.
The eminent speakers at the seminar recognised the importance and
sensitivity of the task assigned to the armed forces. The Speaker of the
National Assembly, Illahi Bukhsh Soomro, who chaired one of the two
sessions at the seminar, paid a glowing tribute to the vital role played by
the armed forces in emergencies, stressing that people looked up to them
"as the last hope in the event of a catastrophe." Several other speakers
outlined the contribution made by the armed forces towards the social
advancement of the people, among whom they lived and worked. They brought
into focus the pioneering role of the armed forces in promoting schools and
health facilities in remote places such as Chhor and Ormara and providing
the people of the backward areas to take advantage of advances in the
various social sectors in the more developed parts of the country.
However, the need to reappraise the security environment and readjust
defence spending to the diminishing resources of the country was also
expressed over and over again by several of the speakers. A leading Sindhi
intellectual, Dr Shafqat Shah Jamote, who likes to describe himself as an
agrocrat, expressed the need for redefining national security in the light
of the present disturbed internal situation. Expressing deep concern at the
rise of terrorism in different parts of the country, he posed the question:
are the bullets fired by the terrorists any different from those fired by
an external enemy?
A most thought-provoking perception on the role of the armed forces was
presented by the former air force chief, Air Marshal (retired) Nur Khan,
who questioned many of the assumptions about the armed forces' public
image. He challenged even the basic validity of the prevailing threat
perception in Pakistan and suggested, though perhaps in not so many words,
that the popular notion that India posed a threat to Pakistan's security is
not substantiated by the objective conditions.
Contrary to the popular assumption, he stressed that the wars of 1965 and
1971 were not the result of any aggressive designs on the part of India and
referred to them as "unnecessary wars" which could not have ended in
Pakistan's favour mainly because of its heavy dependence upon foreign aid
which in fact was not forthcoming. He believed that India's obsession with
its 'big power' image and rivalry with China should be of no concern to
Pakistan which should invest its resources in economic advancement and not
enter into competition with New Delhi. He maintained that if Germany and
Japan were much stronger today than the United States, even though they
made a start with American help, it was because they had concentrated upon
their economic advancement. He made an interesting comparison between
Pakistan and Bangladesh, emphasising that if Bangladesh, which owed its
independent existence largely to the military support provided by India in
1971, was not overawed by India and its military potential, there was no
reason why Pakistan should continually feel threatened by India. He
declared: "If Bangladesh is not scared of India, why should we?"
Nur Khan believes that Pakistan's real strength would lie in its making a
massive investment in economic development. It can of course not be assumed
that Nur Khan's proposal that Pakistan could reduce its defence expenditure
by 20 to 25 per cent, without affecting its real ability to meet its
defence commitments, would be shared by many. However, he seemed to believe
that at the present rate India would collapse under the weight of its own
defence spending, like the Soviet Union did, and, therefore, there was no
need for Pakistan to enter into an arms race with its neighbour. Pakistan's
defence spending, in his view, which now stood at about six per cent of the
GNP, should be brought down to about three per cent over the next ten years.
>From the point of view of the people of Karachi, Nur Khan's suggestion that
the armed forces should engage themselves in 'de-weaponising' the country,
which is plagued by a surfeit of illicit arms, was perhaps most important
of all. It has been stressed by saner elements over and over again that the
countless stocks of arms belonging to various warring factions in Karachi
should be recovered through a determined campaign in order to restore calm
in the city. If Nur Khan had his way, he would get the army to be given the
task and he felt confident that the needful could be accomplished. However,
he significantly made the observation that "unless the problem of terrorism
is addressed and police and other organs (of the government) work for the
government and not for one particular political party or the other, there
cannot be peace in Karachi."
Incidentally, Barrister Shahida Jamil, who was also one of the principal
speakers at the seminar, appears to be under the illusion that the armed
forces under the Raj made a contribution to the independence struggle
(which, in fact, she did not quite define). The fact is that the British
masters made absolutely certain that the mercenary army which they expanded
to more than a million strong during the second world war, would
scrupulously stay out of politics. In their recruitment policy, even under
pressure because of the advances made by the Japanese army, they made sure
that young men belonging to what they regarded as a rebellious background
(such as the descendants of the Moghuls except those whose forefathers had
been loyal to the British during the 1857 war of independence) were denied
commissions.
The only group of soldiers and officers of the British Indian Army which
contributed to the independence movement was from among the prisoners of
war under Japanese occupation in Malaysia and other places in the Far East,
who joined the Indian National Army (INA) at Subhas Bose's bidding. Most of
them were 'nationalists' (i.e. pro-Congress). That is the reason why
'General' Shah Nawaz, who was Subhas Bose's chief of staff in the last
phase of the INA, chose to stay on in India after partition. The only
distinguished exception were the ex-soldiers belonging to Poonch who had
been recruited during the war and who at the time of partition waged a war
against the British administrators to liberate their homeland - Kashmir.
===================================================================
970809
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Waqar, Mushtaq not available for Sahara Cup
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Samiul Hasan
KARACHI, Aug 8: Pakistan's bid to retain Toronto's Sahara Cup against India
is under severe threat after Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmad informed the
board of their non-availability for the five-match series to be played
between Sept 13 and 19.
According to sources close to the national selection committee, the two
bowling stars have let it known to the authorities that they are available
for only the one-day home series against India and onwards.
"The two are not only the key to success for Glamorgan and Somerset (both
having equal chances to win the county championship), Waqar Younis is
reportedly suffering from some injury which has sidelined him from the
previous three or four county matches," sources told Dawn on condition of
anonymity.
Waqar is in his first season with Glamorgan while Mushtaq is representing
Somerset. The duo along with Wasim Akram also missed the Independence Cup
as well as the Asia Cup. Wasim Akram has already informed the board that he
is unlikely to regain fitness from shoulder injury before the home series
against the West Indies.
However, the good news is that Ijaz Ahmad and Saqlain Mushtaq have
confirmed their availability for the Canadian trip. Ijaz, it may be
mentioned here, skipped the Asia Cup as he went to England on vacation.
The three-member national selection committee, meanwhile, meets at the
cricket headquarters in Lahore on Saturday afternoon to finalize the Sahara
Cup outfit. It has been hinted that the selectors will submit the squad to
the Chief Executive of the PCB, Majid Khan, for the Council's approval.
The squad, it is anticipated, will be officially announced on Aug 20.
The expected 14 are:
Ramiz Raja (captain), Saeed Anwar (vice captain), Aamir Sohail, Shahid
Afridi, Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamamul Haq, Salim Malik, Hasan Raza, Azhar Mahmood,
Moin Khan (wicketkeeper), Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Husain, Aqib Javed and
Shahid Nazir.
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970808
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Salman Taseer opts out as PCB Treasurer
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Samiul Hasan
KARACHI, Aug 7: The Treasurer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Salman
Taseer, on Thursday took the officials as well as the followers of the game
by surprise when he resigned from the key post after holding the office for
29 months.
The Chairman of the PCB, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Bokhari, was as stunned as
Chief Executive Majid Khan. The initial reactions of the two officials was:
"We are surprised. He never indicated that he was quitting."
Salman Taseer, an influential political figure, confirmed the story, saying
it was the last time that he was ever associated with a cricket set-up.
"I am not resigning because I have anything against my colleagues. I simply
don't have time to tackle the files of the PCB," said Taseer from his
Lahore residence.
Salman Taseer will go down in the annals of Pakistan cricket history as the
first-ever Treasurer of the renamed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) along with
Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Bokhari (Chairman) and Arif Ali Khan Abbasi (Chief
Executive). The trio was appointed by President Leghari on March 20, 1995.
Majid Khan took over from Arif Abbasi on May 22, 1996, after the latter
resigned for reasons yet unknown.
Taseer stated that he talked to President Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari on
telephone in which he informed the President of his decision.
"I had a chat with the President on Wednesday and after he verbally
accepted my resignation, I faxed my regrets to him. I also discussed the
matter with Javed Burki (Adviser to President on cricket) and he has also
been sent a letter on Thursday," Salman Taseer stated, adding: "A copy of
my resignation has been delivered to the PCB."
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970804
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Right man needed at the top in hockey
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Lateef Jafri
Mr Muhammad Nawaz Tiwana's departure from the post of administrative chief
of the national carrier was expected for sometime. In fact he was passing
only routine orders as Mr Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, an MNA voted to the lower
house of Parliament from the country's capital, was made the de facto
executive head of PIA taking vital decisions in Islamabad or air-dashing to
Karachi for putting his stamp of signature on the papers relating to the
airlines.
Many may guess that his shifting to another semi-autonomous organisation
was due to political reasons. However, the above reference to Mr Tiwana's
transfer from PIA was only because by tradition in this country and since
the days of Air Marshal Nur Khan it is the Managing Director of the
national carrier who takes upon himself the onerous job of running the
affairs of hockey. Not that it is an imposed slot; the PIA head is an
elected president of the hockey federation as per the clauses of the
constitution. As such Tiwana continues to be the hockey head until replaced
by a new incumbent through a consensus of the electoral college of the PHF.
As soon as the breach in the PIA setup is filled Mr Tiwana gives up the
hockey charge.
Certainly the game's fans are worried; they do not want the affairs of
hockey to fall into a wrong hand. The new PIA Chief executive is to take
interest in the game and is to give time to its many-sided issues, apart
from going into the heavy load of the airlines work.
Having been handed back the PIA charge in the first quarter of last year he
did not at once take over the reins of the hockey federation for the
Olympics were approaching and it was the desire of the previous government
that Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Farooq Umar should continue with his planning
and programmes till the end of the high-intensity Atlanta competition.
After the debacle at the Olympiad Mr Tiwana could not have taken a back
seat. He was duly voted president of the PHF on Oct 12, 1996.
The coming months were not easy; there was heavy schedule ahead, especially
the tough Champions Trophy at Madras, a place which had proved to be the
country's Waterloo in the regional SAF Games exactly a year earlier. The
amalgam of experience and junior players had to go through the mill to meet
the big challenge in the Indian city. The opener left the Pakistani fans in
a state of shock as the Netherlands summarily dismissed them with a 2-0
victory. However, in the next encounter against Australia the resilience of
the pack was back and they outsmarted the swift-running Australians by a
margin of 4-2. Their tails were up.
In a crucial and needle match Pakistan, revealing a good measure of
understanding and co-ordination in their patterns, outwitted India to the
surprise of the Madras supporters of the host team. Pakistan finished
second to the Atlanta gold medalists, Holland, above Germany, India,
Australia and Spain. The experiment of building-up of the squad with young
blood had proved successful considering that the Champions Trophy is
reckoned as the toughest trial in the hockey calendar.
There were ups and downs in some other tournaments, particularly in the
Pakistan-organised five-nation golden jubilee contest in March. The draws
saved them from getting a drubbing but in the end slided to a third
placement. The purple patch was the match against Australia on the last day
to decide the third side to ascend the podium. Pacy movements symbolised
the escalating pressure on the Australians and they caved in to the tune of
7-4 to the thrill of the home supporters.
The lead changed hands in Tests on a hockey tour of Australia in May-June.
However, the set came back with the result of the tied series in favour of
Pakistan on goal aggregate (12-11).
The form of the players wavered in the June competition in Breda, Holland,
where they were shocked by England after having their noses in front before
the lemon time. Holland continued their dominance by lifting the
four-nation contest. Pakistan finished behind England with South Africa
coming last. Travelling to Germany they could not stand to the attacking
tactics of the home formation and lost a one-off Test at Mulheim.
Perhaps this was a trip and a competition to test the strength and
weaknesses of a team still being in the process of building up.
Tiwana's exit from PIA will create a void in the hockey hierarchy. He
worked hard for the country's hockey ascendancy and was successful to a
considerable degree, with the help of dependable technocrats. It is to be
seen if the new PIA appointee is as dashing as Tiwana. However, the hockey
circles hope that since the sports-loving Prime Minister happens to be the
patron of the hockey federation he will make a suitable appointment to see
that the game is not ignored.
There are suggestions from important quarters that Air Marshal Nur Khan
should be brought back as PHF chief, considering that this is the age of
marketing and sponsorship and capital into the game will flow as soon as
the Air Marshal is elected to the helmsmanship of the federation. The
Champions Trophy is his brain-child and perhaps many contests at the global
and domestic level may be planned by him.
Let us hope hockey is not in the loss as the year 1997 is packed with the
game's competitions, especially the Champions Trophy in Adelaide and the
juniors World Cup at Milton Keynes, London. The preparations have to go on
with the right person at the top.
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