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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 13 September 1997 Issue : 03/37
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Foreign secretaries talks from 15th
Moves being made to avert judiciary-executive clash
'Senior govt officers involved in illegal arrest of Kansi'
Good governance IMF term for aid
COAS to get additional charge of CJCSC
PPP denies Sunday Times report
Literacy growth a poor show, says official
---------------------------------
Industrial economy slows down
Summit on investment, privatization
Banks' raw deal to savers
Pak rupee over-valued, says IDB economist
Omani co buys 19.6m shares of Schon Bank
Falling company profits keep share prices depressed
EPB to have four major divisions
Massive foreign buying lifts index by 58 points
---------------------------------------
Delinquents Ardeshir Cowasjee
B.P. rising Irfan Husain (Mazdak)
Changing mores Hafizur Rahman
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Pakistan to play 11 Tests, 25 one-dayers in 1997-98
Pakistan have edge over India
Stress on discipline by Haroon and Ramiz
Majid Khan denies demand of kickbacks
Jansher to lead team in world championship
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970913
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Foreign secretaries talks from 15th
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Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: The Foreign Office on Friday evening announced that the
third round of Foreign Secretaries talks between Pakistan and India would
be held in New Delhi from Sept 15 to 18. Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmad
and his team of officials will leave here for the Indian capital on Monday.
The Foreign Office spokesman confirmed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
would be in New York (for the UN General Assembly meeting) at the same time
as Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral. "I strongly hope that they
would be meeting each other", he said in reply to a newsman's question.
The announcement about the Foreign Secretary going to Delhi next week was
made by the spokesman at an unscheduled news conference, ending growing
doubts as to the holding of the third round of foreign secretaries talks,
in continuation of the dialogue between the two countries, which opened in
March after a deadlock of three years.
At the close of the second round in Islamabad in June, it was agreed in a
joint statement that the two Foreign Secretaries would resume discussions
in September.
Answering newsmen's questions, FO spokesman Tariq Altaf confirmed that "the
clarifications" sought from the Indian External Affairs Ministry, which
apparently stood in the way of fixing a date for the third round, had been
received from New Delhi, though he admitted that it was "partially
satisfactory" and would require further discussion.
The spokesman said Pakistan looked at the talks in "a very positive manner"
and felt that they should continue. In the coming discussions, he
emphasised, Pakistan would like both sides to "operationalize the
mechanism", a key to continuing the dialogue, as was agreed upon in the
joint statement in Islamabad.
Replying to another question, the spokesman recalled that the two sides had
agreed on a comprehensive agenda (listing eight specific issues) in the
Islamabad joint statement, which he pointed out, included peace and
security and Kashmir, which were of "primary and major importance".
There could not be any talks and agreement without taking them into
account, the spokesman observed.
Pakistan would strive to seek "operationalization of the mechanism" to deal
with the eight agreed issues in the coming talks in Delhi and emphasized
that "our focus would be on the primacy of these issues (peace and security
and J&K).
About the reported Indian unwillingness to set up a joint working group
under an agreement already reached to deal with the Jammu and Kashmir
issue, the spokesman said Pakistan had in fact raised the status of J&K
issue above the other listed items since it was decided that it would be
discussed at the level of foreign secretaries themselves, while other
issues could be discussed by other officials.
MUSHAHID MEETS GUJRAL: The Minister for information and media development,
Mr Mushahid Hussain Syed, had a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister in
New Delhi on Friday, agencies add.
The Foreign office termed the meeting satisfactory.
He said it had been a usual practice that whenever a minister visited India
or an Indian minister came to Pakistan, he was provided an opportunity to
have a meeting with the head of government
"It is appropriate and natural for a visiting minister to meet the top
leader during the visit," the spokesman added.
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970913
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Moves being made to avert judiciary-executive clash
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Shujaat Ali Khan
LAHORE, Sept 12: Intense consultations are in progress to avert a head-on
clash between the judiciary and the executive.
Attorney-General Chaudhry Muhammad Farooq left for Islamabad on Friday for
a few days' stay and will not participate in any likely meeting with Chief
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah on his visit to Lahore on Saturday, though he may
see the CJ along with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in the federal capital.
The Sept 7 meeting in Karachi had succeeded in ironing out some of the
differences but the prime minister's assertion of the supremacy of
parliament without referring to the principle of trichotomy of power
informing the Constitution and the announcement of Sept 16 as the date for
commencement of proceedings on the Supreme Court Bar Association's
constitutional petition against the curtailment of the Supreme Court
strength have again queered the pitch.
The parliamentary system, as rightly emphasized by Nawaz Sharif, does
envisage the supremacy of parliament.
But in federation, the judiciary has always enjoyed the power of judicial
review of legislative acts, a fact ignored by the PM while vaguely
referring to consultation with 'the members of the Bar and the Bench' in
the matter of appointment of judges.
The Supreme Court, under the Constitution, can strike down any law passed
by parliament if it infringes any fundamental right or impinges on the
independence of the judiciary, which the custodian of rights and liberties.
SHAHZAD JAHANGIR: Barrister Shahzad Jahangir, a member of the Pakistan Law
Commission and attorney-general during the latest caretaker regime, told
Dawn on Friday that both the president and the Chief Justice, whom he met
separately in Islamabad this week, were keen on smooth relations between
the executive and the judiciary.
He emphatically denied carrying any message from the president to the Chief
Justice. "The president does not need an emissary to send a message to the
chief justice," he said. Since there was no message, no question about its
contents should arise, he added.
When asked how could the president question the wisdom of the curtailment
notification of Aug 21 after signing it, the former Attorney General said
the president must have been assured that the summary for issuing the
notification had been prepared after consultation with the chief justice.
Mr Jahangir said he did not doubt the prime minister's desire to run the
government smoothly and without any friction in accordance with the
Constitution. However, the decision to curtail the number of Supreme Court
judges was not consistent with the government's resolve to expedite
dispensation of justice. It also ran counter to the Pakistan Law
Commission's recommendation for appointment of more judges at every level
for the sake of prompt justice. He pointed out that about 8,000 cases were
pending in the Supreme Court and the government admittedly sought to
withdraw its appeal against the Federal Shariat Court decision on interest
on account of delay in its disposal.
The former Attorney General said he had told the federal and provincial
home secretaries and the IGPs in the course of PLC meetings that any plan
for speedy justice would remain a gimmick without appointment of more judges.
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970911
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'Senior govt officers involved in illegal arrest of Kansi'
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Our Reporter
LAHORE, Sept 10: Pakistan Bar Council Human Rights Committee chairman Rana
Ijaz Ahmad said officials at the highest posts were involved in helping the
US illegally arrest Aimal Kansi.
Addressing a Press conference, here on Wednesday, he said the names were
revealed to him by Mr Kansi himself when he met him in jail in the US
recently. Mr Ahmad, however, said he would divulge the names only after he
got an assurance of personal security. A very important person, he said,
was murdered in the past due to his differences with people at high posts.
He said that the US claimed to be the champion of human rights but had
violated all legal norms in the conduct of Aimal Kansi's case.
The detenu, he said, was being kept in jail in very poor conditions. He was
not allowed to meet reporters and other Pakistanis and he himself had faced
difficulty in getting the permission to visit him. He demanded that private
counsel be engaged to contest the case.
Aimal Kansi was always kept in handcuffs and his sleep was disturbed at
night by the jail staff. He was not allowed to see his own case file and it
was said nomination of the defence counsel had been a formality.
Mr Ahmad said Kansi did not expect justice from the court. He also had
little faith in the defence counsel engaged for him at state expense.
The PBC member said Mr Kansi was arrested from a Dera Ghazi Khan hotel by
five US commandos. They were later joined by 10 personnel from some
Pakistani agency. Aimal Kansi, he said, also related the details of the
inhuman treatment meted out to him after his arrest.
The personnel of some local agency, he said, also met Kansi at the US
embassy in Islamabad before he was sent abroad.
Mr Ahmad said he would write a letter to the international human rights
organization for securing due rights for the Pakistani in illegal US custody.
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970910
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Good governance IMF term for aid
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Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: The executive board of the International Monetary Fund
at a meeting to be held in Washington on Oct 8 will take into account the
"good governance" issues while considering the proposal to extend $1.6
billion credit under ESAF (Extended Structural Adjustment Facility) and EFF
(Enhanced Fund Facility) for Pakistan, Resident Representative of IMF,
Shamsuddin M. Tareq, said here on Tuesday.
While releasing the IMF's annual report to newsmen, he said the agenda
included the long overdue consultation under Article IV on provision of
technical assistance.
To a questions Mr Tareq said the scope of IMF's focus on good governance
would be limited to macro-economic policies. Operational guidelines on the
matter were recently issued by the IMF Board.
He said there was a strong consensus in the Board on the vital importance
of good governance for economic efficiency and growth.
Mr Tareq said the report emphasized sound economic performance depended on
the efficient use of public resources, the creation of an environment
conducive to private sector activity, and public support for economic reforms.
The Board, the report added, also recognized that greater transparency in
macro-economic policy could contribute to private sector confidence in
government policies and that external financing - both official and private
- was tied closely to governance issues.
The report also outlined the programme objectives of Pakistan's Stand-By
Arrangement, which was approved in Dec 1995, and extended in December last
year through end-September 1997, and the amount available under it was
augmented by 160.74 million SDRs.
The programme objectives include: reduction of macr-oeconomic imbalances
and to address a range of structural issues - goals of the original
programme that were not met because of slippages in policy implementation.
In particular, fiscal policy entailed an excessive increase in bank
borrowing by the government that put pressure on the balance of payments,
the report observed.
As regards policies that were to be pursued by the government in order to
qualify for the stand-by credit, the report observes: "The authorities'
stabilization policy consists in reducing the budget deficit, increasing
interest rates, and depreciating the exchange rate to promote a rapid
recovery in the country's reserve position. These commitments had been
given by the Benazir Bhutto government.
But some of the policies adopted by the present government are in conflict
in that it has reduced interest rates, and tried to stabilize the exchange
rate as part of its efforts to revive industrial activity.
These policies are reflected in the policy package it has sent to the IMF
in its request for the $1.6 billion credit under ESAF/EFF. However, the IMF
Executive Board is also likely to look favourably at the government's plan
to downsize its organs and reduce government expenditure.
According to the report, the current account position of Pakistan worsened
last year to 6.7 per cent of GDP after having remained stable at 3.7 per
cent of GDP during the preceding two years.
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970910
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COAS to get additional charge of CJCSC
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: The government announced on Tuesday it had decided to
give the additional charge of the post of chairman of the joint chiefs of
staff committee to Chief of Army Staff General Jehangir Karamat. Gen
Karamat will assume the new responsibility in addition to his duties as the
chief of the army staff from Nov 9.
A defence ministry announcement said the role and efficacy of the existing
higher defence organisation had been under discussion for sometime and
added that the ministry of defence had been directed to undertake a study
in consultation with the three services to review the organisation,
structure and the role of joint staff headquarters.
Air Chief Marshal Farooq Feroz Khan is due to retire on Nov 8, on
completion of his three-year tenure as the chairman joint chiefs of staff
committee.
Informed sources confirmed that the government would soon decide on the
retention or abolition of the post of chairman joint chiefs of staff
committee for future.
According to the sources, there was likelihood that the post would be
retained and its chairman would be from one of the three services.
On Sept 3, PPP had through a call attention notice in the National Assembly
sought the government's comment on press reports that the post of chairman
joint chiefs of staff committee was being abolished.
In response, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Yasin Wattoo, informed the
house on behalf of the defence minister that the post of chairman JCSC was
not being abolished.
He had said that there was no such proposal under consideration but should
there be one, the government would have to amend Article 243 of the
Constitution.
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970910
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PPP denies Sunday Times report
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: Pakistan People's Party on Tuesday wrote a letter to the
editor of Sunday Times, London, contradicting the report, "Benazir leaves
husband in quest for comeback" published in the newspaper recently.
The letter said that the report was based on typical gossip and hearsay.
"There is no truth, whatsoever, in the assertion that Benazir Bhutto has
decided to separate from her husband, Asif Zardari. Benazir Bhutto is
convinced that her husband is innocent and has no involvement in her
brother's murder. The charges framed against him (Asif) is only to harass
her," it said.
"How can someone say that Asif Zardari is nationally reviled?" the letter
said adding that he was elected to the National Assembly in 1993 general
elections with a wide margin. In 1997, he was elected to the Senate from
Sindh by securing the largest number of votes.
"It is callous to say that Benazir government tried to cover up the murder
of Mir Murtaza Bhutto," the letter said. It was Benazir government which
had set up a three-judge inquiry tribunal to probe into the murder, it said.
It was her government which appointed an investigation officer nominated by
the widow of Mir Murtaza, it added.
"This was unprecedented as even in the US the officer to investigate the
murder of President Kennedy was appointed by the government and not on the
nomination of Jacqueline Kennedy. And it was Benazir government which hired
British detectives and investigators to assist in the probe.
"Contrary to what Christina Lamb says, the cover-up of the murder case
began when Benazir's government was dismissed," the letter said.
It denied that Ms Bhutto owned a mansion in Surrey or she had sent goods
there.
"Christina Lamb has relied on pure gossip by saying that last September Mir
Murtaza Bhutto forcibly shaved off Asif Zardari's moustache. This story has
since been dismissed as mere gossip by the inquiry tribunal."
The letter also refuted the allegation that all government contracts went
through the desk of Asif Zardari.
"It is sad and unfortunate that the Sunday Times should have lent its space
to a story based more on gossip and speculation rather than verifiable
facts. The reporter did not even bother to contact Benazir Bhutto's press
office for comments on the report," it added.
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970909
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Literacy growth a poor show, says official
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Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Chairman Prime Minister's Literacy Commission, Dr. Mahar
Liaquat Ali admitted on Monday that in the fifty years since independence
"our literacy has increased by just 0.44 percent. At this rate it will take
us another 122 years to have universal literacy," he said.
In his message on the International Literacy Day on Monday, he said in this
golden jubilee year of independence "we as a nation cut a sorry figure."
"Even by a very loose definition of literacy (ability to read a newspaper
and write a simple letter in any language) our nation is only 38.9 per cent
literate," the Chairman PM Literacy Commission said.
"Why then we are still one of the most ignorant nations in the world,
ranking 138 in the league of literacy? Even in the SAARC region we are only
ahead of Afghanistan and perhaps Nepal," he asked.
"A dispassionate look at our past makes it abundantly clear we failed on
three counts. We did not fully understand the relationship between economic
prosperity and development of our human resources", he said.
He said "our political inability did not allow us to pursue long term
strategic planning and what ever little we did was spent inappropriately in
perusal of educational model ill suited to our circumstances."
He said "on top of all these inadequacies, true to our colonial past we
followed the educational model of the United Kingdom. To the planners of
this poor state, primary education meant building primary schools, putting
the trained teachers into these schools and a curriculum fit for a modern
system of education fell by way side," he said adding that indeed that is
the crux of the matter.
"1997 Election Manifesto of Pakistan Muslim League quite explicitly
promises to provide education facility for all primary school age children.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif holds this pledge highest in his priorities and
commitment", Dr. Mahar said.
He said the crucial task of increasing education facilities by 50 per cent
within five years would only be possible with the whole hearted commitment
of all the thinking souls of this land.
He said in the coming weeks and months the PM Literacy Commission, the
organisation which had been assigned this sacred task of nation building
would undertake a massive programme of mass literacy.
"Our first priority will be to provide a place for primary education to all
5-9 years old children in this country, second place in our priorities will
be to give a second chance to 9-14 years old who either never had a chance
to educate themselves in the first place or squandered it," the Chairman
Literacy Commission claimed.
To put things in prospective PMLC's pilot project of Non Formal Basic
Education Schools show that it is possible to put up a school for 30
children within six weeks and casts no more than ten thousand rupees and
such a school casts Rs. 15 thousand per year to run.
Attacking the nationalisation of educational institutions, he said economic
progress sans social development had its own consequences, unleashing the
disruptive forces which brought to naught our earlier development within a
short period of 1972-1977.
Bureaucratisation called nationalisation of educational institutions
destroyed what ever little educational infrastructure we had in the private
sector, he alleged.
He said "for our population of 137 million today (at the ratio of 16.5
primary schools going children per 100 population) we need 22.56 million
primary school places".
Even by the most optimistic calculation, Pakistan has primary school places
for not more than 15.5 million children. Leaving out a full 1/3rd (7
million children in all ) outside education system. Of those lucky enough
to find a place in a primary school, over 52 per cent will find the
curriculum too cumbersome to follow and will drop out before they reach 5th
years of their education, most of these even before they reach 3rd year.
Both these categories account for not less than 64 per cent of the existing
population of 5-9 year age group. Perpetuating the literacy rate of around
36-40 per cent, he said.
"This is the true picture of the desperate state that we are in. To cater
for the seven million or so children who are out of the education system we
should have one hundred thousand (100,000) primary schools.
At a cost of Rs. one million a piece we will have to spend Rs.100 billion.
At the very least it will take ten years to build these schools and those
ten years our population growth will add another seven million children
needing another one hundred thousand schools", he said.
The Chairman PM Literacy Commission said: " Quite clearly we have neither
the time nor financial resources to solve the problem through the formal
educational system. What then is the answer? I have no doubt in my mind
that the desperate literacy situation calls for desperate measures", he said.
He said through total social mobilisation " we must plan to put primary
education facilities for seven million children here and now . Under a
roof, any roof if possible, without one if necessary," he said.
His message ended with this optimistic note that the present overnment has
the will and the resolve to take this challenge with a revolutionary zeal.
Dr. Mahar expressed hope that Allah willing the necessary resources will
some how or other be found.
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970913
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Industrial economy slows down
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Muhammad Ilyas
ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: A little over 9% increase in exports and 1.7% decrease
in imports during the first two months of 1997-98 allowed Pakistan to
reduce the trade deficit to monthly average of $175 million from $282
million for 1996-97, according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics release.
A cursory look at the statistics spotlights a slowing of the national
economy across the board in terms of industrial activity in the country.
There was a marked decline in export of manufactured items as well as in
import of industrial raw materials and intermediate goods.
If, however, one is looking for a silver line in the bleak scenario, it is
also there. And this has been provided by the non-traditional items whose
exports almost quadrupled from $49.6 million during July-August, 1996, to
$197 million in the last two months, thus raising their contribution to
overall exports from a mere 4% to 14.5%.
During the month of August, exports totalled $662.2 million, showing a 3.8%
increase over the corresponding month of last year and 4% increase over
July, 1997.
The import figure for August has been recorded as $801.9 million, down by
9.23% of August, 1996, and 10.83% from July, 1997.
Pakistan's merchandise exports during the August-July, 1997, period
amounted to $1.35 billion, compared with $1.23 billion during the
corresponding period of 1996, leaving a trade gap of $350 million, down
from $491 million of the same period of last year. The imports also came
down, in absolute terms, from $1.729 billion to $1.701 billion.
Thanks to lower performance on the imports side, the ratio of exports to
imports increased from 71.6% in July-August, 1996, to 79.4% in the
corresponding period of current year.
Pakistan continues to face an uphill task also when it is noted that when
viewed from the angle of the annual target of $9.5 billion, its exports
should have amounted to $1.6 billion during this period. The actual
performance, however, leaves Pakistan trailing the target by $245 million
for two months.
Had Pakistan not exported about 134,556 tons of rice for $50.5 million,
12,846 tons of raw cotton for $19.3 million and about 11,000 tons of fish
and fish products for $23.1 million tons, the situation might have been
even more bleak.
The contribution of manufactured exports to total exports dropped from
81.8% to 74.5%. In July-August, 1996, the textile manufactures exports had
totalled $852.5 million. In the corresponding months of the current year,
these dropped to $839.1 million, depressing their share in total exports
from 68.7% to 62%.
This, of course, includes cotton yarn (which is bracketed with the category
"textile manufactures" by FBS in spite of the fact that in real terms it
has negative value-addition, according to exports). Although its export
accounted for 14.5% of total exports in dollar terms, quantitatively it was
less than the 77,739 tons exported in July-August last year. This year, its
export amounted to 72,745 tons. The statistics also show that cotton yarn
was sold for lower unit value this year.
Among manufactured textiles, the items whose exports indicate positive
trend are: bedwear, cotton bags and sacks, readymade garments, synthetic
textile fabrics, other textile made ups and waste material of textile
fibres/fabrics.
The share of non-textile manufactures also dropped from 13.1% to 12.4% in
spite of a slight improvement in absolute terms. While carpets continued
their downhill slide, encouragingly the sports goods, surgical instruments
and cutlery have registered substantial improvements. These increased,
respectively, by 37.3%, 13.6% and 37.3%.
IMPORTS: On the import side, the most dramatic jump has been recorded in
the food group during July-August, 1997. In dollar terms, these amounted to
$321.7 million, as compared to $177.5 million during the same period of
last year-a 81% increase! This group's share in the total import bill thus
almost doubled from 10.2% to 18.9%.
This was mainly accounted for by the import of 763,399 tons, as compared to
8,550 tons in the first two months of last year.
Another major import was of sugar of which nearly 80,000 tons were
imported, followed by edible oil, pulses, tea, spices, milk and cream etc.
By contrast, the import of machinery group, agricultural chemicals, metals,
and miscellaneous group including rubber etc. declined by a sizeable 20%,
34%, 42% and 32.4%, respectively.
In the machinery group, power generating group is on top as the biggest
consumer of foreign exchange, although its import bill at $90 million is
almost equal to $89 million during the corresponding period of last year.
The petroleum group is the only group in which the import has gone up,
although the petroleum crude shows a nominal increase of 0.09%, despite
7.19% rise in its quantitative import, indicating lowering of unit value in
the international market. But then it may also be due to stability of the
rupee against dollar. The import bill on account of petroleum crude was $98
million, while other petroleum products imported for $234.8 million claimed
the lion's share in this group.
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970913
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Summit on investment, privatization
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Asif Huda
SINGAPORE, Sept 12: Singapore based IBC Asia in collaboration with the
Pakistan government's Board of Investment (BoI) is to hold a three day
"international summit" on privatization and project finance in Pakistan at
Islamabad in November, according to an official of the IBC here. He said
the keynote speech would be delivered by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Mr Raj Chotrani, project manager for IBC Asia told Dawn, that a
distinguished panel of speakers from the Pakistan government, international
financial institutions and multinational companies would speak at the
"Summit". From Pakistan, Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz, will present a paper
on "Pakistan's restructuring programme with particular reference to
overcoming short-term imbalances and foreign financing requirements".
Commerce Minister, M. Ishaq Dar will discuss the role of foreign investment
in Pakistan, while the chairman of the Privatization Commission, Khawaja
Muhammad Asif, will speak on Pakistan's privatization programme: new
thrust, big push.
On the project finance side the discussions will be chaired by the governor
of the State Bank of Pakistan, Dr Muhammad Yacoob. There will also be
papers presented on the country's power sector, telecommunications and
transport sectors by the secretary water and power ministry, the chairman
of Pakistan Telecommunications Co Ltd and the chairman of the National
Highway Authority (NHA), respectively.
The international financial institutions like the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) are also expected to be represented at
the conference. Multinational companies are likely to field a strong side too.
Speakers will include senior executives from some key MNCs and their papers
are likely to cover some significant areas of trade and finances. A strong
turnout of banks operating in Pakistan is also expected to be the highlight
of the summit.
Mr Chotrani said the time was "ripe" to hold the international conference
on Pakistan now that the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had time
to settle down and formulate effective policies. It will also give
opportunity to members of the international banking community, financiers
and representatives of multinational companies to meet senior ministers and
officials of the Pakistan government, he added.
The Sharif government has received a lot of flak in the press in South East
Asia following the reported cancellation of tycoon Gordon Wu's plans to
construct a 5,000 mw coal-fired power plant in Sindh province, as well as
delays facing the 440 mw gas-fired Liberty Power plant being financed by a
consortium of Malaysian banks.
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970908
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Banks' raw deal to savers
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mohiuddin Aazim
MONEY SAVERS got a scant 9.87 per cent average annual return on savings
accounts and 12.71 per cent on one-year term deposits in January-June 1997.
The averages have been worked out from the annual returns declared by all
the 44 commercial banks including foreign ones operating in the country.
These banks offered an average return of 9.65 per cent on their savings
accounts and 42 of them declared 12.12 per cent average return on one-year
term deposits in July-December 1996.
A comparison of the two sets of figures shows that the average return on
savings accounts improved by a marginal 0.22 per cent within six months
while the average return on one year term deposits rose by half a per
cent-0.59 per cent to be accurate.
During January-June 1997 the four state-run banks namely (i) Habib Bank
(ii) National Bank (iii) United Bank and (iv) First Women Bank offered the
lowest average return of 7.52 per cent on savings accounts and 11.27 per
cent on one-year term deposits.
This means that the returns offered by the state-run banks on both savings
account as well as one-year term deposits remained intact at the
July-December 1996 level.
In fact, none of these banks draise its rates of return on savings accounts
or one-year term deposits. Since these banks claim a very large share of
total number of accounts in the country, it is obvious that the majority of
money savers got a negative rate of return in the face of not less than
13-14 per cent annual inflation.
On the other hand, the foreign banks operating in Pakistan offered the
highest average return of 10.88 per cent on savings accounts and 13.28 per
cent on one-year term deposits.
During July-December also the foreign banks had outmatched both
nationalised and private local banks by offering the highest average return
of 10.13 per cent on savings accounts and 12.74 per cent on one year term
deposits.
So the foreign banks managed to raise their rates of return by 0.75 per
cent on savings accounts and by 0.54 per cent on one-year term deposits
over a period of six months.
Thirteen local private banks plus two provincial banks together offered an
average 10.25 per cent return on savings accounts and 12.75 per cent on
one-year term deposits during the first half of the current year.
These banks had offered 9.87 per cent average return on savings accounts
and 11.80 per cent on one year term deposits in the second half of the last
year. This means that the 15 local banks managed to improve their rates of
return by 0.38 per cent on savings accounts and by 0.95 per cent on
one-year term deposits over a six months period.
Partly-privatised banks, Allied Bank Ltd and Muslim Commercial Bank
miserably failed to enhance their rates of return on savings accounts or
one-year term deposits. In fact the MCB only managed to keep its rates of
return at the level of July- December 1996 while the ABL had to witness a
fall in its rates.
Two specialised banks i.e. IDBP and ADBP also did not show any increase in
their rates of return on savings accounts and one- year term deposits
during January-June 1997 over July-December 1996.
The overall average return of 9.87 per cent that the depositors got on
their savings accounts from all the 44 commercial banks in the first half
of the current year is nothing but a negative return in the face of an
estimated 13-14 per cent inflation- more so because they have to pay a 10
per cent withholding tax plus Zakat on these accounts.
Bankers attribute the low rates of return offered on savings accounts to
the inability of the banks particularly the ones in the public sector to
earn handsome profits through efficient banking and secondly to the very
nature of the savings accounts. They say that maintaining a savings account
is more of a service rendered by the bank to its client than a profitable
business.
It is true that the banks incur costs in maintaining savings accounts but
it is also equally true that many a bank earns handsomely by investing the
saver's money - particularly the amounts that are placed with the banks at
the time of opening of savings accounts - in inter-bank market and other
business areas.
Besides not all the savings account holders frequently withdraw money from
their accounts leaving sizable amounts with the banks to use the same in
whatever areas they can to earn profit.
Normally once-a-week transaction is allowed in savings accounts but quite
often the savers are allowed to make more frequent withdrawals in the wake
of a tough competition in the banking industry.
The majority of savings account holders also manage to evade Zakat on
savings accounts either by withdrawing their deposits money or else by
issuing pay-orders just one or two days before the deduction of Zakat on
1st Ramazan. Nevertheless, all the savers have to pay a 10 per cent
withholding tax on savings accounts.
The overall average pre-tax return of 12.71 per cent on one- year term
deposits declared by the 44 commercial banks during January-June 1997 is
again not an inflation-matching return yet it is not as bad as in the past.
Currently the banking sector has been passing through a series of reforms
- some of which have become quite controversial.
There are indications that these reforms aimed at cutting the cost of
financial intermediation and bringing efficiency in the banking sector may
achieve some success in the coming months - at least in terms of lowering
of the spread between the lending and borrowing rates of the banks.
Many crucial monetary measures meant to enable the banks to do better were
initiated in the first half of this year and they may lead to boosting the
rates of return on bank deposits besides reflecting in various other ways
in the second half of the year, provided all goes well.
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970910
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pak rupee over-valued, says IDB economist
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Syed Rashid Husain
RIYADH, Sept 9: Pakistani currency is still overvalued and may require
readjustments. The recent battering of South East Asian currencies which
started with the devaluation of Baht, the Thai currency may prove to be
contagious and result in the overall readjustment of the value of Pak
Rupee, says Mr. D.M. Qureshi senior Pakistani banker, ex-chief Bankers
Equity who is now with the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah.
According to Mr. Qureshi three factors influence the economy and hence the
value of any currency: rate of inflation, debt to GDP ratio and the
budgetary deficit and in all these three parameters, Pakistan has not
performed satisfactorily. The economy of the country is thus not out of
woods and it may have overall impact on the value of the currency.
To rectify the problem and come out of this dark tunnel the country will
have to pass through a rigorous discipline over the next few years, ranging
from downsizing to debt recovery and dealing effectively with culture of
tax evasion in the country.
It will require drastic and at times politically unpopular decision such as
downsizing and only then can one expect some sort of economic resilience in
the years to come.
He also termed the recent decision of the government to amortise Pakistan's
Telecommunications earnings and proposed foreign remittances of the
overseas Pakistanis for the next few years as 'desperate' and an indication
of how bad the economy is.
Responding to questions on Arab money not flowing into Pakistan Mr. Qureshi
categorised Pakistan as a high risk country.
With inflation running into double digit, IMF conditionalities getting
tougher and tougher, Moodys and other ratings of Pakistan having gone down
in recent years, the system having broken down and Pakistan acquiring
finances at exorbitant rates who would invest in Pakistan?, Mr. Qureshi
asked.
Even individual like us would hesitate to invest in Pakistan in this bleak
scenario.
This is further compounded by the unstable political situation. Hardly 6
months have passed since a new government took over and there are talks on
national government. How does it make sense except to save the skin of a
few who may have to answer many questions?, asks Mr. Qureshi with disarming
logic.
Money will only flow where there is little risk and higher than market rate
of returns. In Mexico and Brazil the rate of returns over the past 6 months
have been 58%.
In Europe and Far East despite all the recent snags the rate of returns has
been between 25 and 30 per cent. How then the fund managers would invest in
Pakistan?, Mr Qureshi demands an answer.
To attract Arab money we need to have congenial environment and which we
don't have at the moment. This explains why Arab money is not flowing to
Pakistan.
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970910
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Omani co buys 19.6m shares of Schon Bank
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: Al Ahlia Portfolio Securities Company of the Oman
Investment Authority, here on Tuesday, purchased Schon Bank's 19.6 million
shares at a cost of Rs 456.64 million in an open bidding, arranged by the
Ehtesab (accountability) Cell of the Prime Minister's Secretariat.
Schon Bank's shares were sold at the rate of Rs 23.25 per unit. "This was a
very good price and now the management will be transferred to Al Ahlia
group after the formal approval of the State Bank of Pakistan", said a
spokesman of the cell Raja Shahid Hussain.
The Cell has received sealed bids from five companies which included Cres
Bank, First Capital Security Corporation, Siddique Sons, and Universal
Leasing. However, the Omanese group was the highest bidder to have the
management of the defunct Schon Bank transferred in it its name. Later, the
representative of the group told reporters that his group would change the
name of the bank to continue operating in Pakistan.
The Ehtesab Cell had received total of 8 bids but three of bidders Allied
Bank, PICIC and NDFC were disqualified by the State Bank.
The Al Ahlia Portfolio Securities Corporation plans to invest $10 million
in the bank. This group had earlier acquired 5 million shares of the Schon
Bank through stock exchanges.
"We also intend that this first step to acquire banking interest in
Pakistan's financial market, will eventually lead to portfolio investments
from Oman, in particular and the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) in
general, in other projects in Pakistan. We are, therefore, viewing this
initial venture as abeginning of long term relationship for expansion of
commercial trade between the two countries", said a letter, written by the
group to the Prime Minister's Secretariat.
The cell did not allow the bidders to raise their bids and said that it was
earlier decided that the management of the Schon Bank will be transferred
to a group or an individual who would offer a biggest price through sealed
bid. "This we had decided on the instructions of the State Bank", said
Shahid, Joint Secretary in the Cell said.
Responding to a question, he said, now the State Bank would now go through
the credentials of the Omanese company such as its portfolios and the
composition of the board of directors.
To another question, he said that the cell would ensure that Rs 620 million
of the Privatization Commission and utilities bills of various corporations
worth Rs 100 million against the Schon Group were deducted after having
sold all the assets and properties of the group.
The Ehtesab Cell also sold three bungalows and five plots of the Schon
group today through sealed bids.
According to the details, single story bungalow in PECHS, Karachi was sold
to Simco Estate at a price of Rs 10.67 million, another bungalow in the
same area to Simco Estate at Rs 24.12 million. And the third bungalow was
sold to one Mubashir at Rs 8.6 million.
The three plots measuring 1000 sq feet in Kehkashan Scheme No 5, another
plot of 2000 sq feet in Defence Phase VIII, Karachi, Apartment at
Shaheed-e-Millat Road Karachi, and a flat at Clifton were sold at 4.1
million, 2 million, 13.5 million and Rs 1.1 million, respectively.
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970908
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Falling company profits keep share prices depressed
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sultan Ahmed
THE FALLING profits of major companies are holding down share prices
despite the eagerness of the government that they should not only go up but
also stay there.
Unless the government takes the kind of steps that will help the companies
improve their profits, bull runs at the Karachi Stock Exchange will be
short-lived as has happened during the last six weeks.
Strikingly, the profits of these companies in the first half of this year
fell considerably compared to the same period last year and that has
happened despite the apparent concessions to trade and industry announced
by the Nawaz Sharif government.
These are market leaders who continue to be traded heavily in the Karachi
Stock Exchange and they are very efficiently managed companies and most of
them are multinational whose performance could determine the volume of
foreign investment in Pakistan after the private power sector has become
almost saturated for foreign investment.
The profits of companies like ICI, Lever Brothers which encompasses Lipton
and Brooke Bond, Pakistan Tobacco and Engro Chemicals have been affected by
the higher cost of production, high financial cost because of giddy
interest rates, wages etc and are not major gainers for the varied
concessions announced by the government through its series of packages.
Major revenue-yielding items like tea, cigarettes and toilet soap have been
hit by the smuggling of such items in vast quantities which have reduced
government revenues as well.
In the case of tea, import duties and other taxes have come down from 107
per cent to 70 per cent while the cost of smuggling is estimated at around
22 per cent. So instead of tea coming via Afghanistan, it is now stated to
be coming via Iran. And the government's loss on that score is as heavy as
the revenue loss to the companies.
In the case of Pakistan Tobacco, sales went up in the first half of this
year from Rs 5.855 billion to Rs 6.038 billion but instead of the pre-tax
profit of Rs 81 million made last year a loss of Rs 128 million was
incurred and the after-tax loss rose to Rs 138 million and instead of the
government's overall tax and duty revenues going up, they went down from Rs
4.214 billion to Rs 4.185 billion. And this is Pakistan Tobacco's first
loss in the first half of the year in six years.
The reason advanced by the company is the sale of smuggled cigarettes
because of the high duties on top quality cigarettes and the sale of
tax-evaded brands by other major companies in the country. Normally,
Pakistan Tobacco should have raised the prices of its top quality products
but that could drive them off the markets because of the flow of smuggled
top brands and sale of tax-evaded products of competitors.
The company's report says prices of its top quality cigarettes in real
terms are lower than they were 10 years ago.
Multinational pharmaceutical companies too are reporting larger sales and
lower profits. The fact is that the prices of their products have gone up
but not the sales volume, and so the profits have plummeted and they cannot
raise their prices steeply to beat the higher cost of production and price
themselves out of the market.
These factors may outweigh the positive effects of the Central Depository
system which was opened by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday as well
as establishment of the automatic trading system in the stock exchanges of
Pakistan.
Similarly, even after the Securities and Corporate Affairs Exchange
Commission is set up in place of the present Corporate Law Authority, the
stock exchanges may not present a pretty picture unless major companies
make larger profits and distribute them or retain them for reinvestment and
issue bonus shares to the shareholders. The ICI, whose shares are hotly
traded in the KSE, reports that its pre-tax profits for the first half if
this year have fallen to Rs 264 million from Rs 342 billion in the first
half of last year and its after-tax profits have fallen to Rs 165 million
from Rs 210 million in the first half of last year. As a result the
government suffered as the tax payments dropped to Rs 99 million from Rs
132 million last year.
Mr Yusuf Shirazi who heads the Atlas Group of companies says his profits in
the first half of this year had fallen substantially and it was only the
better profits of the preceding half-year which have helped his companies
to record the same profits as the year before while they were expecting a
much higher level of profits after the first half of the financial year
ending December 31.
On the other side are companies which despite making profits have not been
paying dividends to the minority shareholders, and the CLA and the KSE have
begun taking steps to expose and punish them.
Now 132 companies of the 782 listed on the KSE have been isolated from the
main counter for trading and a separate counter for these defaulting
companies, out of which 56 companies are textile mills, has been set up as
they did not pay any divided for the last five years.
The CLA looked into the accounts of some of these companies and got their
accounts re-audited by independent auditors, and found three of them had in
fact made substantial profits but did not pay dividend to the minority
shareholders. They have now been asked to pay the dividend at the earliest
possible period.
Out of the companies relegated to the defaulters counter in KSE, the Data
Textiles has approached the Sindh High Court seeking reversal of the action
of the KSE and CLA, arguing that the step had created serious problems for
the company with the banks and the international markets.
Data Textile maintains it has been losing money for the last five years and
has suffered a total loss of Rs 157 million in the period beginning with Rs
17 million in 1991-92 and ending with Rs 31 million in 1996-97 after the
losses had peaked at Rs 58 million in 1994-94.
Evidently, the CLA had not subjected Data Textiles to a new audit nor is it
ready to accept the heavy losses claimed year after year which indicates no
profits may be forthcoming in the current year as well.
The CLA's initiative after a prolonged period of absolute indifference to
the interests of the minority shareholders is a welcome step.
It has now to carry out independent new audits in cases of other companies
too which have not been paying dividends for long. And that will prevent
other companies from hiding their profits or paying too little dividend in
one year and none for the next two years.
The KSE has not done a great service to the minority shareholders by
opening the default counter although that does hurt the directors of the
companies to an extent.
The fact is the sponsors of such companies got large kick- backs at the
time of importing machinery and building the factory and the brokers of the
stock exchanges got all the commission by selling their shares one way or
another and the loser was the person who bought their shares, got no
dividend or bonus shares and saw the value of the share sinking and sinking.
The KSE has now to come up with additional remedies of a substantial kind
to prevent such corporate frauds and act as the protector of the shares of
the minority and small shareholders.
The KSE and other stock exchanges in Pakistan need strong research
departments and make the fruits of the research available to the public at
reasonable cost.
At a time when money costs 18 to 20 per cent because of the high interest
rates, it is cheaper to raise capital by selling shares to the public.
And those who indulge in various frauds thereafter should be subjected to
scrutiny by a Serious Fraud Squad of the kind they have in Britain. If the
banks are making it obvious, borrowers can't get away with the loans
forever, the sponsors of companies should also be forced to honour their
commitment to the shareholders.
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970912
--------------------------------------------------------------------
EPB to have four major divisions
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Ihtashamul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: The government has decided to overhaul the Export
Promotion Bureau (EPB) by creating four major divisions, and removing 21
people from the organization.
"We are going to induct in the EPB leading professionals of the private
sector who would replace at least 21 incompetent and ill-reputed officials
in the Bureau", said the minister for commerce and investment Muhammad
Ishaq Dar.
Talking to Dawn here on Thursday, he said that without having public and
private sector blend, the EPB could not be made an effective organization.
"We will bring in solid professionals from the private sector by paying
them handsomely so that they should deliver", he added.
About re-organization, Ishaq Dar said that a decision has been taken to
create four new divisions in the EPB which included World Trade
Organization Division, Textile Division, Non-textile Division and the
Administration Division. These divisions, he pointed out, would coordinate
with each other to promote Pakistan's exports by removing the genuine
grievances of the exporters.
Responding to a question, he said initially 12 experts from the private
sector will be inducted in the Export Promotion Bureau. "Then few more
could be attracted to join the government's plan of promoting exports and
earning substantial foreign exchange".
Asked about the proposed investment policy, the minister for commerce said
that it was being finalized and would be announced at the end of September
this year.
To a question, he said that since the World Bank was opposing tax holidays
some other ways were big explored to attract investors in Pakistan. "There
may not be direct fiscal incentives but we would certainly find out some
via media to lure the local and foreign investors in the proposed
investment policy".
"We would have to find out the substitute of the tax holiday", Ishaq Dar
said adding that brain storming sessions were currently being organized to
pounder over the issue. He said Pakistan needed to attract investors and
without offering certain incentives they may not be coming to Pakistan.
"We are giving a presentation to prime minister Nawaz Sharif here on
tomorrow (Friday) during which some thing would be decided as to how much
the government could concede with respect to fiscal incentives.
"We would try to remain committed to WTO and the World Bank about not
offering tax holidays but then I would use my experience of living in the
West to offer certain concessions to the investors", the minister for
commerce smilingly said.
Asked about the industrial policy, he said that since petroleum policy and
water and power policy have not been finalized, it would be difficult to
come out with the industrial policy so soon.
He said that the proposed investment policy would take care of the
industrial policy and that some new incentives would be there in the
investment policy to address the issue.
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970913
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Massive foreign buying lifts index by 58 points
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 12: Massive foreign buying in Hub-Power and PTCL at the lower
level on Friday triggered sympathetic buystops in other pivotals, lifting
the KSE 100-share index by about 58 points or 3.15%, a big single session
gain at the weekend session.
Suspension of sale of NIT units by its management, which analysts termed a
move to switchover to Net Asset Value (NAV) return to its unit holders, was
said to be another aiding factor indicating that it has overcome its last
year's financial problems after having met a spate of redemption orders
from its unit holders.
"It could well mean the NIT will expand its portfolio holdings on selected
counters rather than selling which in turn will impart strength to the
market," analysts said.
There was a virtual scramble for the shares of both the companies as local
investors followed the lead of the foreign one on the perception that
another price flare-up might be imminent.
Both the shares had hit the high mark of Rs 62 and Rs 46 in the last
month's run-up before profit-taking clipped their initial gains, dealers said.
Having 43% weightage in the KSE 100-share index, both the shares rose
sharply, setting the trend for others to follow them. At one stage
Hub-Power was quoted Rs 3.75 higher followed by PTCL and took the index
higher along with them.
It was last quoted at 1,883.61 as compared to 1,826.06 on Wednesday,
showing a rise of 57.55 points as other base shares also rose on active
follow-up support.
"A price flare-up at the weekend generally points to a big turnaround when
the trading resumes next week and it could be good omen for the investing
public," said a leading floor broker.
He said apart from massive selective buying from some leading foreign funds
the underlying sentiment was also boosted bullishly after the news of
suspension of sale of NIT units reached the market.
"The suspension of sales could well mean that the liquidity position of the
NIT has improved significantly over the last two months and it needs no
money to further liquidate its share portfolios," said an analyst.
He said the market showed real sparks of bull market and there is a
perception and shared by all that it could resume its upturn when trading
resumes next week.
Big gainers were again led by leading shares such Bank Al-Habib, Adamjee
Insurance, Dewan Salman, PSO, Sui Northern Gas, PTCL and KESC, rising by
one rupee to Rs 9, biggest gain of Rs 9 being in PSO.
Barring sharp setback in Fauji Fertilizer, which fell by Rs 1.55 on selling
at the higher level, other falls were fractional and reflected lack of
support rather than large selling.
Volume figures rose to 67 million shares from the previous 41 million
shares as gainers managed to force a comfortable edge over the losers at 90
to 63 with 70 holding on the last levels.
The most active list was topped by Hub-Power, up Rs 3.75 on 26 million
shares, followed by PTCL, higher Rs 1.90 on 14 million shares, FFC-Jordan
Fertilizer, higher 80 paisa on 8 million shares, ICI Pakistan, up 85 paisa
on 6 million shares, Japan Power, firm 40 paisa on 2.455 million shares,
and Dewan Salman, up one rupee on 1.588 million shares.
The other actives were led by Schon Bank, up 25 paisa on 3.699 million
shares, followed by Bankers Equity, firm 30 paisa on 0.847 million shares,
Sui Northern, up Rs 1.10 on 0.398 million shares, MCB, steady 10 paisa on
0.381 million shares, Fauji Fertilizer, off Rs 155 on 0.330 million shares,
Nishat Mills, up 40 paisa on 0.286 million shares, and KESC, higher Rs 190
on 0.259 million shares. There were some other notable deals also.
DEFAULTING COMPANIES: Trading in this sector was relatively dull owing
partly to a short Friday session and as a result only seven shares came in
for trading out of which five stayed unchanged without any transaction
while two fell by 20 paisa to one rupee, biggest decline being in Pakistan
Engineering at Rs 3.50 against the face value of Rs 10. However, there were
no sellers or buyers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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970907
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Delinquents
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
"Delinquent: Hereupon they [the Commons] call'd whom they please,
Delinquents." Clarendon, 1647 (OED).
CONSTITUTIONALLY, our president must be a person who is a Muslim adult, not
"less than 45 years of age," with a mind sufficiently trained to perform
his duties and obligations as provided by law and the Constitution.
November 14, 1993: Upon entering into the office of president, Farooq Ahmad
Khan Leghari swore a solemn oath whereby he promised "to perform his
functions honestly, to the best of his ability, faithfully in accordance
with the Constitution of Pakistan and the law and always in the interest of
the sovereignty, the integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of
the people of Pakistan." He also swore "to do right to all manner of
people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection, or ill-will."
August 20, 1997: The sanctioned strength of puisne judges on the Bench of
the Supreme Court of Pakistan being seventeen, the Chief Justice of
Pakistan, Sajjad Ali Shah, sent a summary, via the law ministry, and
addressed the president on the subject of the elevation of five High Court
judges, namely, Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court Mamoon Kazi, Chief
Justice of the Peshawar High court Abdul Rahman, Chief Justice of the
Lahore High court Shaikh Riaz Ahmad, and Justices Mohammad Arif and Munir
A. Shaikh of the Lahore High Court, to fill five vacancies on the Court's
Bench.
August 21, 1997: To nullify the recommendation of the Chief Justice made in
terms of the law and the Constitution, the law ministry, as instructed by
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, sent a summary to the president, asking him to
notify the reduction of the strength of the puisne judges of the Supreme
Court from seventeen to twelve, in terms of Article 176 of the Constitution:
"The Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice to be known as the
Chief Justice of Pakistan and so many other judges as may be determined by
an Act of Parliament or, until so determined, as may be fixed by the
President." Without consulting the Chief Justice, without either
ascertaining why it was that the Chief Justice wished the vacancies filled,
or why it was that the prime minister wished to reduce the strength of the
Bench, the president obliged Nawaz Sharif and issued the desired notification:
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 176 of the Constitution of
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President is pleased to fix the
number of judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, including the Chief
Justice, at twelve."
Although this notification is purported to have been issued on August 21,
this was actually done on August 22.
Had the president felt honour-bound to abide by his oath, to do his duty by
the Constitution and the people, had he tried to exercise his mind, he
might have found that 4,036 petitions and an additional 4,793 appeals,
making a total of 8,829 cases, are in the Supreme Court pending hearing and
disposal, and that these numbers are increasing by the day. He might also
have felt compelled to move to increase the strength of the Supreme Court
Bench to cope with the heavy backlog.
August 30, 1997: The executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar
Association (SCBA) met and unanimously resolved that the "whimsical
reduction in the strength of the Supreme Curt by an executive order of the
government is contrary to the very letter and spirit of the whole scheme of
the independence of the judiciary as envisaged in the Constitution of
Pakistan."
The members also unanimously agreed that the president and the government
be called upon to withdraw the "whimsical notification" and that parliament
be asked to fix the number of judges in consultation with the Chief Justice
of Pakistan, as mandated by Article 176 of the Constitution. The secretary
of the SCBA was authorized to initiate necessary and appropriate
proceedings in the Supreme Court.
September 2, 1997: The SCBA filed Constitutional Petition No 14 of 1997 in
the Supreme Court.
Inter alia, the petitioner has traced the history of the court. After the
birth of Pakistan, the highest court in the land, the apex court was the
Federal Court, the strength of which up to 1950 was limited to one, the
Chief Justice. In 1950, this was raised to CJ plus two puisne judges, in
1955 the number of puisne judges was raised to four, and in 1955 to five.
In 1956, the Supreme Court was created, and the number of puisne judges
raised to six until 1977 when it went up to seven, in 1979 to eight, in
1981 to ten, in 1986 to twelve, and in 1987 to sixteen.
The petitioner states that despite the fact that half the country was lost
in 1971, thus reducing the work-load by half, the strength of the judges of
the Supreme Court remained the same. The strength has never heretofore been
decreased. The petitioner Association respectfully prays that the order of
21.8.97 be declared "unconstitutional, void, arbitrary, capricious,
whimsical, mala fide, of no legal effect, violative of fundamental rights
and without lawful authority." It prays also that the strength of the
judges, as it was prior to the order, be restored.
Attached to the petition was an urgent stay application that urges: "Since
no Bench of the Court is sitting due to vacations, it is requested that the
application may kindly be fixed for hearing in the chamber on September 3."
September 3 1997: The Chief Justice ordered that notice be issued to the
Attorney-General to appear on September 4.
September 4, 1997: The stay application was heard by the Chief Justice in
his chamber. The SCBA was represented by its secretary, Advocate Shamim
Abbas Bokhari, and the government by Attorney-General Chaudhry Mohammad
Farouq.
The stay application, inter alia, prayed:
"That the balance of convenience leans on the side of the petitioner
Association which represents the advocates of the august Supreme Court of
Pakistan and the people of Pakistan and if the operation of the impugned
order is allowed to stand the members of the petitioner Association and the
people of Pakistan who have a fundamental right of access to expeditious
justice through the judiciary will suffer irreparable loss and injury.
Reduction of the number of judges of the honourable Supreme Court will
definitely impede the disposal of the large number of cases pending before
the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan.
"Wherefore, the Petitioner respectfully prays that pending the decision of
title petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution of the Islamic
Republic of Pakistan, 1973 this august Court may very graciously be pleased
to suspend and stay the operation of the order dated 21.8.97 purported to
have been passed by the President of Pakistan in the purported exercise of
powers under Article 176 of the Constitution. The strength of judges of the
Supreme Court as existed before 21.8.97 may kindly be allowed to stand in
the meanwhile."
Opposing, the A-G pleaded that the stay application be heard by a regular
bench to be constituted for the purpose. The CJ ordered:
"Learned Attorney-General has opposed the grant of stay on the ground that
let this matter come up for full hearing before the Court. On query whether
a Bill is to be passed by the Parliament on the subject of reduction of the
number of judges of the Supreme Court he has requested for time to seek
instructions and then make a statement. At the request of the learned
Attorney-General, adjourned till tomorrow (5.9.97). He will also produce a
copy of the summary and the letter received from the Supreme Court with
regard to appointment of judges by the Ministry of Law."
September 5, 1997: Both parties were heard in the chamber. The
attorney-General stated that the government has no plans "at present" to
introduce any bill on the subject. The Chief Justice's order concludes:
"Since the question involved here is of the independence of the judiciary
and of public importance, I direct that this matter may be placed for
hearing before a Bench of three judges or more to be constituted later.
Messrs Sharifuddin Pirzada and S.M. Zafar are requested to assist the Court
as amici curiae. Meanwhile, the operation of the impugned notification is
suspended."
Ironically, we, 'the commons', pay for the wisdom which exudes from the
president's trained mind. Willy-nilly, to keep him and his secretariat in
opulent comfort, we dole out Rs 1.8 billion each year, or Rs 35 lakh per
day (Rs 3.5 million). This we will pay until Leghari's term expires on
November 14, 1998, if, prior to that date, he ceases to hold that office
for whatever reasons.
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970913
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B.P. rising
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Irfan Husain (Mazdak)
MY doctor as well as my friends have advised me to reduce my blood pressure
before I get a stroke or a heart attack.
The problem is that every time I read a newspaper or leave the house,
something or the other sets my heartbeat racing. Even normally pleasurable
activities like going to a party can be a source of tension: sooner or
later, somebody comes up with a recent horror story. This can be anything
from an armed attack on the narrator to a hold-up at gunpoint. The national
press is full of murder, mayhem and stupidity on a grand scale. The list is
long and irksome, so it is small wonder that my blood pressure is always
threatening to go off the scale.
If you think I'm exaggerating, let me tell you of a recent trip to the
cinema as an example. Last week, I took my niece and two young nephews to
"The Lost World." OK, so the sequel to "Jurassic Park" can hardly be
considered a relaxing experience, but the aggravation I experienced had
little to do with what was happening on the screen. One bright spark had
brought a spotlight with a narrow red beam, and he would flash it on the
screen every few minutes, provoking great merriment among his comrades.
Every time there was slight lull in the action, the crowd would begin
chattering loudly among themselves, drowning out the dialogue. My niece and
nephew on either side kept asking me why people were behaving so badly, but
I had no answer for them, excepting to say that they were badly brought up.
No wonder my blood pressure read 150/110 when I got home. Readers with a
medical bent of mind will immediately recognize this level as dangerously
high.
During this ordeal at the cinema - not my first one in Pakistan, by the way
- I made a mental comparison between this display of boorishness with the
restraint and dignity displayed by the hundreds of thousands who turned up
to pay their respects and show their love and affection for Princess Diana
recently. Many of them had camped outside Westminster Abbey for two days to
secure a vantage point. But as the cortege passed solemnly by, there was no
pushing or shoving, no signs of hysteria; a hushed, reverential silence
prevailed, broken only by the clip-clop of hooves.
Fast rewind to August 14 when our prime minister went to pay his respects
at the Quaid's mausoleum on Pakistan's golden jubilee. The milling,
undisciplined crowd got so out of hand that the police were forced to open
fire, killing two people. Visit any crowded venue on any occasion and you
will be greeted by the sight (and smells) of utter chaos. Nobody will
patiently wait his turn in a queue; but these same people will refrain from
queue- jumping abroad.
Let's face the fact that we are a fundamentally impolite and inconsiderate
people. This aspect of our national character is noted by most visiting
foreigners, excepting that they are usually too polite to say so. We stare
openly at anybody who looks different, and the male of our species
positively ogles any woman not swathed from head to foot in 43 yards of
material. Visitors complain of being jostled in public places, and tourists
say they are never left alone, with crowds of locals forming around them
even in the remotest corner of Skardu.
This is in sharp contrast with the politeness I have encountered almost
invariably when I have been abroad. Total strangers have smiled and said
hello as I have walked in the countryside of England; neighbours I had
never met before came to ask if they could help in any way when I was
setting up house in Washington; and policemen and shop assistants have been
helpful and considerate wherever I have gone. Here, such an attitude is the
exception rather than the rule. From cops to airline personnel, there is
the same surliness and the same reluctance to be helpful. This churlish
outlook has come to characterize our public conduct.
Basically, good manners are not about form or outward veneer; they have to
do with a consideration for others that is instilled by society and by
upbringing. Such an outlook is based on a genuine concern for others to the
point where it is internalized and institutionalized. For example,
virtually all public buildings in the West have special ramps for the
handicapped who use wheelchairs; similarly, there are lower urinals in
public toilets; and there are special parking slots reserved for them. This
is a small example of considerate behaviour that just would not occur to
those in charge of planning and designing public buildings here.
Every time I see some yahoo throw a cigarette butt or a plastic bag out of
his car window, my blood pressure goes up a few notches; ditto when I see
somebody hawk and spit a gob of phlegm or a mouthful of chewed betel leaf
onto the street or inside a building. Indeed, there are moments in my life
when I would love to be a dictator so I could simply have these louts
flogged on the spot. In fact, I daydream of having absolute powers that I
would use to fix inconsiderate drivers who swerve in front of me, drive
with their full beams on, or turn without flashing their indicators.
Specially severe and swift punishment would be handed out to those drivers
whose vehicles emit enormous clouds of noxious black fumes. Actually, I
would make a very tough dictator and few backs would remain unscarred
during my stint.
So what is it about us that makes us so rude and inconsiderate? We pride
ourselves on being good hosts, but this happens within the confines of our
homes. Good manners should be the norm, reflected in our behaviour towards
strangers, and not just guests. And here, I'm afraid, we are among the
least polite people I know. Perhaps in a dog-eat-dog world, we think it
would be a sign of weakness to let another car go first, or stand in line
and await our turn. It is the macho thing not to let anybody overtake you
or to stop and let another driver enter the traffic stream. These primitive
attitudes permeate our public behaviour and have come to colour our
thinking and our interaction with the rest of the world. Local film heroes
are much admired for their swagger, not for their sensitivity. The
unpleasant fact is that we are a crude, rude people, and unless things
change for the better, I have little hope of my blood pressure returning to
normal.
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970910
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Changing mores
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Hafizur Rahman
IT is interesting to see how, with the passage of time, and with changing
values, adjectives become insufficient or acquire different meanings
qualitatively.
Take corruption, for example. Not so long ago indulgence in corruption was
described as an anti-social act, but since it was not so widespread nobody
thought of calling it a heinous crime.
But gradually the act is losing the ignominy attached to it and is now
practised on such a large scale that a few years ago the chairman of the
National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee was obliged to refer to it as
"out-and-out banditry" and like "robbery at gunpoint."
I am sure that bandits and robbers, if given the opportunity to comment,
would protest most vehemently at the dirty and the sleazy corrupt being
counted among them; at the names of the two groups being taken in the same
breath.
Bandits and robbers probably consider themselves a respectable class who
earn a living dangerously, like acrobats and stunt flyers and those who
drive cars in "the well of death." They might resent that immoral and
unethical crooks dealing in graft and kickbacks should be raised to their
level.
It could be said that both the groups rob mainly the rich and are,
therefore, not different from each other. But the truth is that the
similarity begins and ends there. When the bandit robs a rich man his aim
is to leave him poor, or at least less rich than before. But the
corruptionist (if I may coin a word) takes away the wealth of the rich man
and, in lieu thereof, provides him means to enrich himself even further.
And that too without putting himself out, or risking his life and
reputation, because the job no longer carries any disrepute with it.
Actually it is this absence of disrepute which makes it difficult to assign
these crooks their proper place in society. There was a time when the
rishwat-khor was looked down upon and the whole town would know him as
such. Respectable people would avoid his company, and he himself would be
at pains to hide his dirty tricks from his wife and kids.
I can recall a number of naive and faithful wives of corrupt officials who
sincerely believed (and said so) that though the salary of their husbands
was not much, the TA/DA was substantial and looked after the luxuries. At
home the extra income was explained as TA and DA.
However, it is no longer so. The wife and the children are now two steps
ahead and would probably lose faith in the head of the family and de-throne
him if his "takings" showed a decline. They don't ask questions, but they
know where the money comes from and just enjoy it.
The meaning of respectability has also changed with the times. In the past,
the amount of money that a family possessed had nothing to do with its
status and stature in society. A chap with a noble reputation could be as
poor as a church mouse and yet was held in high regard. People considered
it an honour to be connected with him through marriage, and he would be
invited to impart distinction to all ceremonies in the neighbourhood.
Again, this is no longer so. If there are any such persons left, the
general reaction to their mention in society conversation is, "How much has
he got? Has he any clout with the top people?"
It does not matter where the money came from as long as it is there, and
visible. The rich man may be a rishwat-khor of a high order, or a smuggler
of heroin, or a trafficker in human bodies, or even a downright dacoit and
murderer. No matter. He has no problem where recognition as a pillar of
society is concerned. Only he must have lots of cash to prop up the pillar.
The trouble with writing for a decent paper is that you can't name any
names. I could rattle off a dozen names of "respectable" people - both
bureaucrats and those who deal with them - who would have been ostracised
by their peers thirty or forty years ago (and most certainly before
partition) but who now rule the roost, and without being shamefaced about it.
What we really need is a yellow rag of a newspaper published from
Islamabad, devoted exclusively to the doings of this gentry, their money
scandals and other scandals, with no names withheld, no holds barred. It
would make delightful reading, and maybe put some people to shame.
But what am I saying? How could I be so naive? The way things are going,
when the corrupt have started taking positive pride in their shady
acquisitions, who would be really afraid of their names coming in the
yellow newspaper?
While the whole of Islamabad would be agog to see what appears about whom
in the next issue, and looking forward to ever-new exposes, the victims of
the exposure would be the least bothered. Instead of wasting time in
reading their exploits in the rag, they would be devoting their attention
to thinking up fresh ways of making money under the counter.
In fact, they might even bribe the editor to make sure that a good juicy
story about them is frequently published so that details of their
ill-gotten wealth, so far unknown to the public, are broadcast as widely as
possible and their vanity is satisfied.
If values have become twisted so much that filthy lucre and respectability
have become synonymous, what will be the state of affairs in the future?
Already on the strength of your money, whether dishonestly gathered or
honestly earned, you can become whatever you want to: a respected citizen,
an industrialist, an MNA or Senator, a religious divine and perhaps a
minister, if not prime minister.
Taking a dark view of things, I can foresee that in the not too distant
future good and decent citizens will be consigned to the limbo of
uselessness, and their place taken by villains and frauds who will receive
state awards (which the former will refuse to accept) in acknowledgement of
their "meritorious service" to the country. Everyone of us will rush to
make their acquaintance in the hope that some of the spoils may also fall
in our lap.
===================================================================
970910
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan to play 11 Tests,25 one-dayers in 1997-98
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 9: Pakistan, in the forthcoming 1997-98 season, will play at
least 25 one-day internationals besides 11 Test matches.
The Test matches will be against South Africa (three), West Indies (three),
South Africa (three) and Zimbabwe (two).
The tally of one-day internationals may be increased to 33 if Pakistan play
all the finals.
For the one-day internationals, Pakistan will go to Sharjah (Dec 11-19),
Bangladesh (Jan 10-18), South Africa (April 3-22) besides playing a
four-nation tournament here between Nov 1 and 8.
Pakistan's rivals in the golden jubilee tournament will be South Africa,
Sri Lanka and the West Indies. The total cash purse at stake will be
US$25,000 with the winner taking away US$15,000 and the losing finalist
winning the remainder.
Pakistan will then face England, West Indies and India in Sharjah where the
Sharjah Trophy will be played under lights for the first time.
In connection with Bangladesh's silver jubilee, a tournament will be held
in Dhaka and will be competed by India and Pakistan besides the host.
Pakistan will visit South Africa for three Tests between Feb 13 and March
10 and will then fly to Zimbabwe to play two Tests and as many one-day
internationals from March 14 to March 29.
Pakistan will then return to South Africa and play in a three-nation
one-day tournament to be played on triple league. South Africa and Sri
Lanka will be the other teams to play in the event.
However, the most interesting part of the schedule is that Pakistan and
India, the traditional rivals, will face each other in at least 12 one-day
internationals - five in Canada, three in Pakistan, once in Sharjah and
thrice in Bangladesh.
The following is the complete programme of the cricket team in the 1997-98
season:
SAHARA CUP IN CANADA
SEPT 13: 1st one-day international.
SEPT 14: 2nd one-day international.
SEPT 17: 3rd one-day international.
SEPT 20: 4th one-day international.
SEPT 21: 5th one-day international.
INDIA IN PAKISTAN
SEPT 28: 1st one-day international at Karachi.
SEPT 30: 2nd one-day international at Hyderabad.
OCT 2: Third one-day international at Lahore.
SOUTH AFRICA IN PAKISTAN
OCT 1-3: three-day v Patron's Trophy winners (UBL) at National Stadium.
OCT 6-10: 1st Test at Rawalpindi.
OCT 12-14: Three-day at Peshawar.
OCT 17-21: 2nd Test at Sheikhupura.
OCT 24-28: 3rd Test at Faisalabad.
GOLDEN JUBILEE TOURNAMENT
NOV 1: Sri Lanka v West Indies
NOV 2: Pakistan v South Africa
NOV 3: South Africa v West Indies
NOV 4: Pakistan v West Indies
NOV 5: Pakistan v Sri Lanka
NOV 6: South Africa v Sri Lanka
NOV 8: Final.
WEST INDIES IN PAKISTAN
NOV 11-14: Four-dayer at Rawalpindi
NOV 17-21: First Test at Peshawar
NOV 24-26: Three-day at Hyderabad
NOV 29-DEC 3: 2nd Test at Rawalpindi
DEC 6-10: 3rd Test at Karachi.
SHARJAH TROPHY
DEC 11: India v England.
DEC 12: Pakistan v West Indies
DEC 13: England v West Indies
DEC 14: Pakistan v India
DEC 15: Pakistan v England
DEC 16: India v West Indies
DEC 19: Final.
SILVER JUBILEE INDEPENDENCE CUP IN BANGLADESH
JAN 10: India v Bangladesh
JAN 11: India v Pakistan
Jan 12: Pakistan v Bangladesh
JAN 14: First final
JAN 16: Second final
JAN 18: Third final
PAKISTAN TO SOUTH AFRICA
FEB 13-17: 1st Test at Johannesburg
FEB 26-MARCH 2: 2nd Test at Durban
MARCH 6-10: 3rd Test at Port Elizabeth
PAKISTAN TO ZIMBABWE
MARCH 14-18: 1st Test at Bulawayo
MARCH 21-25: 2nd Test at Harare
MARCH 28: 1st one-day at Harare
MARCH 30: 2nd one-day at Harare
THREE-NATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
APRIL 3: Pakistan v South Africa at Durban
APRIL 5: South Africa v Sri Lanka at Johannesburg
APRIL 7: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Kimberley
APRIL 9: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Paarl
APRIL 11: Pakistan v South Africa at East London
APRIL 13: South Africa v Sri Lanka at Port Elizabeth
APRIL 15: Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Benoni
APRIL 17: Pakistan v South Africa at Centurion Park
APRIL 19: South Africa v Sri Lanka at Bloemfontien
APRIL 21: Final at Cape Town.
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970913
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan have edge over India
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Khalid H. Khan
KARACHI, Sept 12: Pakistan start the annual five-match Sahara Cup series
against India in Toronto tomorrow (Saturday) odds-on favourites to come out
victorious, considering the make-up of the two arch-rivals.
The two countries are scheduled to meet in the remaining matches on on
Sunday (Sept 14) and Wednesday (Sept 17 before the series winds up next
weekend (Sept 20 and 21).
In the inaugural series in the Canadian city last year, Pakistan ended up
winning 3-2 at Cricket, Skating and Curling Club ground. On that occasion,
Pakistan and India were at full strength. However, a year later, both sides
are somewhat depleted for different reasons.
As in the recent Independence Cup in India and the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka,
Pakistan will be without their most potent bowling trio of Wasim Akram,
Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed, who between them boast of 639 wickets in
the One-day Internationals.
On the other hand, India's bowling resources are virtually non- existent
with the untimely axing of experienced duo of regular vice- captain and
leg-spinner, Anil Kumble, and pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad, both paying the
price of some indifferent form during the recent tour of Sri Lanka.
On top of that, India will sorely miss strike bowler Javagal Srinath, who
is still recuperating from a shoulder injury.
The absence of these key bowlers has drastically reduced India to field a
thin bowling line-up with the recently-reinstated off- spinner Rajesh
Chauhan the most experienced with 34 One-day International appearances.
In contrast, Pakistan have two men with well over 100 wickets in One- day
Internationals. Medium-pacer Aaqib Javed has taken 160 scalps in 142
matches, while 20-year-old Saqlain Mushtaq, arguably the finest off-
spinner currently, has an incredible tally of 115 in just 59 appearances.
As far as the batting is concerned, here the edge clearly lies with
Pakistan. In the current squad, Saleem Malik (6,751 runs in 262 matches),
skipper Rameez Raja (5,767 in 192), Saeed Anwar (4,520 in 126),
Inzamam-ul-Haq (4,349 in 140) and Ijaz Ahmed (4,302 in 176) lead a very
strong and vastly experienced Pakistan batting line.
In addition, Pakistan also have the unpredictable but prodigiously talented
Shahid Afridi, who blasted the quickest One-day International century (102
off 40 balls after reaching the landmark in 37 deliveries) in his first
visit to the crease (against World Cup champions Sri Lanka) in his second
match after being called in as a late replacement during the quadrangular
tournament in Kenya last October. The robust youngster is sure to relish
the small playing field in Toronto against the innocuous-looking Indian
bowling now.
India will bank on ex-captain Muhammad Azharuddin (7,037 runs in 251
matches), current skipper Sachin Tendulkar (5478 in 156), Rahul Dravid and
Saurav Ganguly to provide the bulk of runs. Azharuddin became only the
third player after Desmond Haynes and Javed Miandad to reach the milestone
of 7,000 runs in One-day Internationals during India's disappointing tour
of Sri Lanka recently.
In the past 12 months or so, these two great rivals have met on seven
occasions. Apart from the inaugural edition of Sahara Cup last September,
they met in the Independence Cup in Madras and the aborted Asia Cup tie in
Colombo.
After the explosive World Cup quarter-final clash in Bangalore on March 9,
1996, Pakistan avenged that World Cup defeat in great style on May 21 this
year.
The sheer brilliance of Saeed Anwar's truly memorable world record
contribution of 194 off only 147 deliveries virtually decided the final
league match in the sweltering humidity and heat of a late afternoon in
Madras.
The Indians made a brave attempt to make the finals against the eventual
champions, Sri Lanka, but failed by 35 runs after Dravid had scored a
gallant 107. Pakistan's total of 327 for five in that epic encounter is
their highest against India.
In fact, the highest individual innings and the best bowling figures in
One-day Internationals belong to Pakistanis since Aaqib Javed has the
best-ever bowling analysis of seven for 37 at Sharjah in 1991-92. And guess
who were the hapless opponents on that occasion? India!
Pakistan hold a decisive psychological advantage over India, having won 33
of the 52 matches played so far, India winning 16 and three matches ending
in no-results, including the last meeting in the Asia Cup.
This season, Pakistan and India are set to meet at least on ten occasions.
Apart from five matches in Toronto (which ends on Sept 21), the two
sub-continental giants face each other three times in Pakistan before they
clash in Sharjah and Bangladesh by next January. And if both are successful
in reaching the final in Sharjah and Bangladesh (best -of-three finals),
then this number will naturally go up.
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970910
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Stress on discipline by Haroon and Ramiz
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sports Correspondent
LAHORE, Sept 9: Pakistan Cricket team Captain Ramiz Raja and coach
Haroon Rasheed have said that they will give special attention to maintain
discipline in the team during the second Sahara Cup Cricket Tournament to
be played between Pakistan and India at Toronto (Canada) from Sept 13.
Talking to journalists at the conclusion of the national training camp at
the Qadhafi Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, Ramiz Raja said that the Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan held a detailed meeting with
the touring squad and had warned them to obey the code of conduct failing
which severe punishment would be awarded to them.
He said that the self-disciplinary committee headed by paceman Aaqib Javed
was constituted as was done during last Pakistan tour to Sri Lanka. The
committee could punish the members of the team for breaching code of
conduct, he said. Ramiz Raja said that Inzamam-ul-Haq and Ejaz Ahmad were
members of the committee.
Coach Haroon Rasheed said that the discipline in the team would be his top
priority during the tour. He admitted that various indiscipline incidents
taking place in the past could not be stopped.
When asked what measures he would take to check the alleged betting and
match-fixing practice of his team Haroon Rasheed said that PCB chief
executive has warned the team that a strict action would be taken against
any player found in this dirty practice. He said, however, it was very hard
to prove these charges. He said that scandals had been reported in this
regard but no single case had been proved correct. He said that Indian
cricket board was sending a special observer with its team to watch the
movement of their players. PCB did not send any observer,he said.
While replying to a question, Ramiz said that Pakistan side was strong as
its most of the players had played more than 150 one-day international
matches. He said that Indian team was also in good position, but the
exclusion of Prasad, Mongia and Anil Kumble could affect their performance.
Haroon Rasheed said that no team could predict victory in one-day cricket
matches, specially when two equally balanced team were competiting with
each other. He said that both the teams would depend on their strong
batting orders. He said that despite the absence of pacemen Wasim Akram and
Waqar Younis, Pakistan had an edge over Indian in bowling department. "We
have match-winner bowlers like Aaqib Javed, Saqlain Mushtaq and Muhammad
Akram," he said. Haroon said that fielding would play a vital role in every
match of the series and he had tried his best in the camp training to
improve it.
Talking about the fitness of the team, Haroon Rasheed said that slogger
Shahid Afridi and paceman Kabir Khan were facing minor fitness problems,
but these would be removed before the start of the series.
While replying to a question, Ramiz said that he was ready to leave
captaincy whenever Wasim Akram was declared fit for the game.
To another question, Ramiz said that Aamir Sohail was a good player but his
exclusion was the decision of the PCB selection committee.
He said that he with Saeed Anwar would open the innings and Shahid Afridi
would be sent as opener under special circumstances. He said that
Shahid Afridi was basically a bowler and trying to become a regular player.
Haroon Rasheed said that he did his best to improve the bowling style of
Shahid Afridi, but it would take more time. He said that due to wrong use
of hands, Shahid Afridi had been used to bowl short-pitch ball, giving an
easy chance to batsman to pull him every where at the ground.
The 17-member Pakistan squad will leave here for London enroute Canada in
the wee hours of Wednesday.
The team is: Captain Ramiz Raja, Saeed Anwar, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Ejaz Ahmad,
Salim Malik, Hassan Raza, Moin Khan, Shahid Afridi, Aaqib Javed, Saqlain
Mushtaq, Kabir Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Muhammad Akram and Muhammad Hussain.
Coach: Haroon Rasheed.
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970909
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Majid Khan denies demand of kickbacks
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Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 8: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), for the first time in
four days, denied that its three officials had demanded kickbacks while
finalising a deal with a multinational insurance company.
"It (the allegation) is not true. I deny that any of my officials demanded
commission," the chief executive, Majid Khan, said during a function hosted
by the domestic cricket sponsors.
"I don't wish to make any further comments," he said. But when pressed
further, he added: "The case has been forwarded to the PCB legal adviser
who will take up the issue."
S.M Aslam Khan, General Manager (Development), Adamjee Insurance Company,
had alleged that a three-member committee had demanded a 22% commission
from the pending claim of Rs 1167,050.
The three-member committee included Waqar Hasan, Asad Aziz and Tahir Memon,
all paid officials of the PCB.
Aslam had further claimed that when the kickback was refused, the PCB, on
the advice of the three-member committee, ended its 12-year-old
relationship with Adamjee and hired the services of another multinational
insurance company, EFU.
Majid Khan, on the case of Shoaib Akhtar, stated that the case will not go
to the disciplinary committee. He said the player has already been
penalised by failing to make to the national team for the Sahara Cup.
When asked Shoaib Akhtar and Zeeshan Pervaiz had violated the code of
conduct on respective tours, why similar actions were not being taken,
Majid Khan said: "Zeeshan had presented forged documents with British High
Commission.
"We had initially thought to review the punishment but now we have decided
to stick to the two-year ban."
Majid further said Shoaib Akhtar will be allowed to represent his
department and association in the forthcoming domestic season.
Shoaib Akhtar was involved in gross indiscipline on the just concluded tour
of England. He was accused of regularly visiting night clubs and pubs
besides indulging himself in other immoral activities.
Majid refused to conceive the logic that Zeeshan Pervaiz was one of the
supporters of his family. "Was he the only supporter? Who was looking after
his family when he was not playing cricket?" were one of the questions he
posed at the reporters.
On the organisation of the one-day international and Test match in Karachi,
Majid Khan said everything would be clear by Tuesday. "There is a
possibility that the PCB may organise the matches while another probability
is that there may be a joint venture between PCB and the KCCA with the
latter responsible for the management."
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970909
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Jansher to lead team in world championship
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Farhana Ayaz
ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: World number one Jansher Khan will lead Pakistan team
in the forthcoming World Men's Team Championship being held at Kuala Lumpur
in the second week of November, it was announced here on Monday.
Both Jansher and Zubair Jehan, the other member of Pakistan team, have been
exempted from trials. Remaining two members of the team will be picked
after selection trials to be heldatKarachi from Oct2-6, it was learnt. Top
10 Pakistan Squash Federation ranked players will be eligible to
participate in the trials.
Jansher was named to lead Pakistan team following a two and half-an-hour
meeting of the stalwart with recently elected Senior Vice President, PSF,
Air Vice Marshal Zahid Anis at the Air Headqu-arters, Chaklala on Monday
morning. Senior national coach Mohibullah Khan was also present.
Talking to this correspondent on telephone from Peshawar, Jansher said that
various aspects of squash at national and international levels were
discussed during the meeting. The newly elected AVM expressed his deep
concern over the future of Pakistan squash at international scene following
Jansher Khan. "I gave him various suggestions regarding the future of
squash, especially concentration of work on youngsters," he said.
AVM Zahid Anis maintained that non-presence of Pakistan after Jansher Khan
has been a major concern with the national federation and unprecedented
efforts are required to reduce the gap or produce a new champion with
concentration of work on the youngsters within next four years.
Jansher, who retained his title at the Hong Kong Open,stated thathe felt
physically very strong and hoped that he would be able to maintain the
number one slot for a period of four to six years. "I have already started
playing in very selective events which would also ensure my world number
one slot besides keeping me away from the dangers of burn-out," Jansher said.
Asked to comment on the formation of Pakistan team for the World Men's Team
Championship, the world number one assessed the team would not be as strong
as last year when Zubair Jehan, Zarak Jehanand Mir Zaman Gul besides
himself represented Pakistan at Cairo. Pakistan lost to England in the finals.
"I feel that the players selected last year are physically and mentally
have become a lot weaker."
Jansher maintained with an exception non of the Pakistani crossed the
qualification rounds at the Singapore and Hong Kong open events.
Jansher viewed that fast improving Amjad Khan was capable of giving a
strong fight during the selection trials for the two-member Pakistan team.
The world number one suggested to AVM Zahid that a one-month training camp
was required to hone up for the world event. "This way I will train with
the boys and better results can be attained."
Jansher also suggested that from next year exemption should be granted to
players have number one to number four ranking in the world.
Commenting on NWFP Squash Association's failure to get sponsorship for an
international event, Jansher said that such event solid boast to the
associations in a collective manner. "Theprovincial associations in NWFP,
Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan should hold these events to grow financially
so as to make progress in other areas especially on junior programmes."
Meanwhile, Jansher will be leaving for London for his medical check up. "I
plan to stay in London for about four days, I will have thorough medical
check up, especially, the tonsils which are troubling me a lot will be
checked whether they need to be removed or not."
Jansher who has already announced to not to participate in the US Open,
will have start off his campaign again during the Kuwait Open schedule for
Oct 20-23 at Kuwait in top eight players in the world will be figuring. The
event will be followed by the super series Pakistan Open which is set for
Oct 26.
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