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Week Ending : 29 November, 1997 Issue : 03/48
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===================================================================
Presidency refutes allegations
Army only helping to resolve crisis
SC's Quetta bench suspends CJ
Verdict declared illegal
Leghari declines to act on govt. advice
Petition filed against CJ for `treason'
News about judiciary Senators criticize PTV handling
No formula evolved as stand-off continues
Quetta bench overrules CJ's order
Peshawar SC bench suspends Sajjad
Nawaz vows to fight till victory
Sajjad demands army protection for judges
Sindh High Court urges CJ to form full court
Rowdyism at SC disrupts hearing
Quetta bench refers case to full court
Pakistan being forced to move court to get F-16s
Judge agrees to order winding up of Taj Co
Khosa's writs to be heard by SC
Pakistan opposes move for NPT ratification
IMO asks DIG for censorship list of mail
---------------------------------
Rupee gains 10 paisa
CBR withdraws ten customs, sale tax notifications
Money supply up by Rs32bn in July-Oct.
Businessmen respond cautiously to investment policy
Textiles: biggest industry, heaviest liability
Gulf money props up financial sector
Asian Bank concerned at political turmoil
ITOs threaten withholding tax payers of penalty
Rupee sheds 45 paisa; forex down by $215m
Buyers return to bourse amidst fluid political situation
Some foreign investors return to rings despite crisis
---------------------------------------
The crowing losers Ardeshir Cowasjee
The prospects for a turnaround M.B. Naqvi
The tension ceases
The crisis persists
-----------
Pakistan falls from grace in world squash
SAAF athletics at Delhi from Dec. 1
Waqar Younis recalled for second Test
Wasim Akram returns from London
Pakistan may give Test cap to Akhtar
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971125
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Presidency refutes allegations
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ISLAMABAD, Nov. 24: A spokesman for the presidency has said that
Ardeshir Cowasjee has made frivolous and baseless allegations
against the president in his article `The Crowing Losers' published
in Dawn on Nov. 23.
The spokesman said the gravamen of Cowasjee's allegations against
the president is that "his concentration has been on doing all that
he considered was necessary to gain him a second term." He said
nothing could be more ludicrous than this argument and added that
had that been the case the president would not have taken some of
the major decisions in the supreme national interest.
The spokesman said that the president had and would in future, too,
uphold the responsibility and the dignity the high office enjoined
on him. As for the allegation about the sale of land in Dera Ghazi
Khan and "re-acquisition of 29,000 acres of land in Leghari
Barkhan," the spokesman said that clarifications in this connection
had been issued on numerous occasions earlier.
The president's share was under 15,000 acres of mostly `ghair
mumkin' and `banjar qadeem' land and not 29,000 acres as alleged.
He, however, reiterated that the case of land surrendered in 1972
was under dispute with the government of Balochistan and later
under litigation in the high court. It was decided in favour of the
petitioners by the Balochistan High Court on merit, the spokesman
pointed out.
Referring to the allegation about the sale of land in Dera Ghazi
Khan the spokesman said the matter was examined in-depth by a high-
powered judicial commission which, in its report, had exonerated
the president from any misdemeanour.
Mr. Cowasjee has also alleged that the president's job is one long
holiday. The spokesman said the entire nation knows - and surely so
does Mr. Cowasjee - how the president has assiduously promoted
Pakistan's vital interests including its security matters,
development of human resources, science and technology,
agriculture, industry and the economy generally. However, Mr.
Cowasjee may be nursing grudges against the president for not
acceding to his unfair demands concerning appointments in the
Karachi Port Trust during the caretaker period (Nov. `96 - February
1997), the spokesman concluded.
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971126
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Army only helping to resolve crisis
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Raja Zulfikar
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 25: The army stated that it was helping to resolve
the constitutional crisis, but denied it had any political demands
or power-sharing plans.
An ISPR spokesman said the army had acted in the national interest
to "gain respite from the headlong rush into an irretrievable
constitutional crisis" but clarified it had no political ambitions.
In a formal reaction to newspaper reports, the spokesman said: "The
onus of resolving the present crisis is essentially on the state
institutions." He dismissed the impression that there were any
demands on behalf of the army for revival of the Council Defence
and National Security (CDNS) or any other forum like it.
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971127
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SC's Quetta bench suspends CJ
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Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, Nov. 26: A division bench of the Supreme Court held the
appointment of Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah in abeyance till
further orders and restrained him from performing judicial and
administrative functions.
The Quetta bench of the apex court comprising Justice Irshad Hassan
Khan and Justice Khalilur Rehman Khan passed a short order, as an
interim relief, on a constitutional petition filed by Malik Asad
Ali, a resident of Quetta, challenging the appointment of the chief
justice.
The bench also held in abeyance the operation of the notification
of June 5, 1994 issued by the president appointing Justice Sajjad
Ali Shah as the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
The bench admitted the petition and fixed it for regular hearing on
Nov. 28. It issued notices to all the respondents - the federation
of Pakistan through secretary law, justice and parliamentary
affairs, the President of Pakistan and the Chief Justice of
Pakistan.
The apex court bench issued notice to the Attorney-General for
Pakistan as the matter involved interpretation of the provisions of
the Constitution.
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971127
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Verdict declared illegal
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Sajjad
Ali Shah, declared the order of the two-member Supreme Court bench
at Quetta "without lawful authority", and directed the assistant
registrar, Quetta registry, not to fix any case before the two
judges till further orders.
Justice Shah, whose appointment as the chief justice was held in
abeyance by the two-member bench, continued working as the chief
justice of Pakistan.
In his order the chief justice observed that under Order XXV of the
Supreme Court Rules, 1980, a petition under Article 184(3) under
the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court was to be filed only
at the principal seat and not at any other registry.
"In this respect there are orders and directions that if any such
petition under that provision (Article 184(3) is filed at any other
registry, it is to be forwarded straight-away to the principal seat
for orders to be obtained from the chief justice for its fixation
before a proper bench," the CJ said.
He observed that if any orders had been passed in that petition
they should be deemed to have not taken effect for the reason that
proper procedure had been followed.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah further stated that even registration
number could not be given to such petitions at the registry without
the permission or express orders of the chief justice. The CJ
directed that the record of the above mentioned petition may be
summoned immediately from Quetta Registry for placement before him
for further orders in this respect.
Justice Shah further observed that "honourable" judges present at
the Quetta registry had acted without lawful authority and directed
the assistant registrar of Quetta registry not to fix cases before
them for disposal until further orders.
It is the second instance in the judicial history of Pakistan when
two judges of the Supreme Court have been asked not to perform
their duties. Earlier in 1996, two ad hoc judges of the Supreme
Court were asked by the same chief justice not to perform their
judicial functions after the March 20th judgement. They were late
Justice Munir A. Khan and Justice Mir Hazar Khan Khoso.
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971127
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Leghari declines to act on govt. advice
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26: President Farooq Leghari refused to sign a
summary moved by the federal government for the appointment of
Justice Ajmal Mian as acting chief justice of Pakistan.
The sources said the federal government had sent a summary to the
president in the light of an order by a two-member bench of the
Supreme Court working at Quetta registry.
The federal government had advised the president to appoint Justice
Ajmal Mian, the most senior judge, as acting chief justice, because
the post of the chief justice "has fallen vacant after suspension
of the government decision of appointing Justice Sajjad Ali Shah as
chief justice of Pakistan."
The sources said the president consulted his legal aides and
refused to sign the summary for the appointment of an acting chief
justice on the ground that he was not bound to act on the advice of
the prime minister.
President Leghari was of the opinion that Article 180 of the
Constitution was among those Articles in which the words "in his
discretion" were not there, but on the reading of which it was
evident that power conferred on him was to be used independently.
No official was ready to talk.
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971127
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Petition filed against CJ for `treason'
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26: The Supreme Court received a petition asking
the court to send a reference against Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah
to the Supreme Judicial Council for "having committed high
treason," the Registrar of the Supreme Court confirmed.
A well-drafted petition filed by an unknown lawyer, Mr. Asad Tariq,
asked the court to void the Judicial Officers Protection Act of
1850 or any other law giving immunity to a judicial officer for
being inconsistent with Article 25 of the Constitution. He further
asked the court to direct the federal government to file a
complaint against the chief justice for "having committed high
treason."
He contended that the executive-judiciary row had halted economic
progress and that the initiation of contempt of court proceedings
against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were aimed at ruining the
economy.
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971128
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News about judiciary Senators criticize PTV handling
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 27: Minister of State for Information and Media
Development Mushahid Hussain Syed told senate that PTV had highest
regard for judiciary and it was the responsibility of the PTV to
provide news correctly and in true perspective.
He made this observation over criticism made by some senators on
the way the PTV telecast news in its bulletin by splashing the
ruling of the Quetta Bench of the Supreme Court in headlines but
giving insignificant space to subsequent ruling of the Chief
Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah of the Supreme Court at Islamabad in
its night bulletin.
He said it was deliberate attempt to present the ruling in a
particular light. He deplored that it left an information gap which
would affect credibility of the PTV. Senator Taj Haider also
criticized the handling of the news and accused the government of
giving one-sided coverage.
Defending the PTV news policy the Information Minister said the PTV
was a national institution which believed in telling "the truth and
nothing but absolute truth." He claimed the government did not
interfere in the placing of news as it had left this function to
the professionals in the PTV as they best know how to go about
their job. There was no political angle in how they carry news, he
claimed.
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971128
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No formula evolved as stand-off continues
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Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 27: Two high-level meetings at the Aiwan-i-Sadr
here failed to resolve the political crisis.
Informed sources told Dawn that army chief Gen Jehangir Karamat had
not so far come up with a solution acceptable to Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif and Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah.
Officials at the President House said President Farooq Leghari had
not sent back to the government the written request to approve the
appointment of an acting chief justice.
"The president is still meeting the prime minister, the COAS and
the CJ but nothing has so far come out", said a spokesman for the
President, Mr. Salim Gul Sheikh.
"All I can say to you is that the president has not returned to
the government its request to approve the appointment of an acting
chief justice", the spokesman told newsmen.
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971128
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Quetta bench overrules CJ's order
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Staff Correspondent
QUETTA, Nov. 27: The Quetta bench of the Supreme Court has held
that the impugned executive order of the Chief Justice is nullity
and is to be ignored.
The order was passed by a three member bench comprising Justice
Nasir Aslam Zahid, Justice Irshad Hasan Khan and Justice Khalilur
Rehman on a petition filed by Mrs. Ashraf Abbas Advocate on Record
late on Wednesday evening.
The court further said that the "order passed by a bench of two
judges of this court at Quetta on Nov. 26, in C.P. No. 248-Q of
1997 still holds the field and is hereby reiterated and confirmed."
Mr. Mohammad Aslam Chishti who is Advocate on Record in Malik Asad
Ali's case in which the Quetta bench of Supreme Court had suspended
the Chief Justice of Pakistan on Wednesday appeared on behalf of
the petitioner.
ORDER RULED OUT: The bench also over-ruled the executive order of
Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah regarding not fixing the cases
before it.
When the proceedings of the court started, it was pointed out to
the bench that a fax has been received from Chief Justice Syed
Sajjad Ali Shah with the direction to the Assistant Registrar,
Quetta Registry that no case should be fixed for hearing before the
said bench until further orders.
One of the senior judge observed that it is "misconduct on the part
of Chief Justice as none of the Supreme Court judge can be
restrained from the work on executive order and said that judicial
order had already suspended the Chief Justice to perform his duties
as Chief Justice."
The full bench after ignoring the orders of the Chief Justice
disposed off 10 cases. These cases were fixed before the bench by
Advocate General Balochistan and counsels of different petitioners.
ASAD CASE: The Quetta bench of the Supreme Court will hear the
petition of Malik Asad Ali on Friday in which he challenged the
appointment of the Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah as Chief
Justice of Pakistan.
The division bench of the Supreme Court had already admitted the
petition for regular hearing suspending the notification about the
appointment of Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah issued by the
President on 5 June, 1994.
The court had also ordered the Chief Justice of Pakistan that he
should not perform his judicial and administrative duties as Chief
Justice till the decision of the said bench regarding the petition.
Notices in this regard had been issued to Attorney General, Deputy
Attorney general and others.
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971128
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Peshawar SC bench suspends Sajjad
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Bureau Report
PESHAWAR, Nov. 27: The Supreme Court's circuit bench at Peshawar
endorsed the verdict of the Quetta bench on a petition challenging
the appointment of Justice Sajjad Ali Shah as chief justice of
Pakistan.
Justice Mukhtar Ahmed Junejo declined to sit on the three-member
bench, following which the other two members, Justice Saeeduz Zaman
and Justice Fazle Elahi Khan, admitted the petition and ordered
that notices be issued to the respondents - the chief justice,
Sajjad Ali Shah, President Farooq Leghari and the attorney general.
The court further ordered that since several important questions
relating to the interpretation of the Constitution have been raised
in the petition the full court, excluding Justice Sajjad Ali,
should hear the petition. It, however, declined the petitioner's
request of issuing interim injunction restraining the chief justice
from performing his functions.
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971128
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Nawaz vows to fight till victory
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 27: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has termed the
current crisis as "very critical", declaring he would fight till
the victory of "the democratic forces". Reiterating his stance that
"the people of Pakistan have given me the mandate to serve them,"
he said he would continue to serve the people "without caring for
reward or punishment".
The prime minister claimed whenever he wanted to do something for
the country, vested interest turned against him to block his move.
He asked, "Have I done anything wrong if got adopted the Anti-
terrorists Act to punish the terrorists and subversive elements?
Should I be blamed for trying to curb sectarian violence which is
spreading in the country like cancer!"
He regretted that the foreigners in Pakistan were being killed
every now and then. He referred to the recent killings of the
Iranians and the Americans and said, "Should I give up and go home?
No, this is not going to happen. I will do my duty without any fear
of the consequences."
The prime minister said it was his desire that the courts should
impart timely and inexpensive justice. He was of the view that
unless criminals and terrorists got severe punishment, the violence
and growing rate of crime could not be stopped. Nawaz Sharif said
there were so many problems which could not be resolved overnight
and that the government needed time and support of all the people.
Citing the law and order situation in Karachi, Nawaz Sharif said
Pakistan's biggest city was experiencing unmanageable problems. He
said the situation in other cities was also bad and called for
making serious efforts at the government's as well as the people's
level.
He expressed hope that the current crisis would be over soon,
allowing him to fulfill his economic agenda which is aimed at
bringing prosperity throughout the country.
The prime minister pointed out that the adverse law and order
situation was a serious issue and it had to be given top-priority.
He said the lives and property of the citizens was no longer safe.
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971129
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Sajjad demands army protection for judges
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 28: Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah requested the
president to take steps to post army or paramilitary soldiers in
the Supreme Court building, and at the residences of the chief
justice and other judges hearing the contempt case against Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif.
In his letter Justice Sajjad Ali Shah narrated the incidents which
took place in the court on Thursday and Friday. He stated that
during the hearing of the contempt case against the prime minister
and others, certain advocates stooped to rowdiness. He said some of
the intruders were overheard saying that they wanted to take the CJ
hostage.
The case was adjourned and the judges were taken to the chamber of
the chief justice under police escort. He said after Thursday's
rowdy scenes in the court room, he had directed the registrar to
issue passes only to people concerned as usually government
supporters jam-packed the court. The chief justice further said
several people had informed him over telephone that a BBC report
about the attack showed policemen doing nothing to stop the mob.
He said when court officials present at the gate asked the police
as to why they were not preventing the crowd from entering the
premises, they replied that since most of the protesters were
government supporters, they were helpless.
Justice Sajjad said films were available with court officials to
show how big the crowds were and how they broke into the court
room. He further said court officials told him that when the mob
was dispersing, they heard announcements that arrangements had been
made for lunch at the Punjab House.
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971129
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Sindh High Court urges CJ to form full court
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H. A. Hamied
KARACHI, Nov. 28: A division bench of the High Court of Sindh
requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to convene a full court
meeting of the SC, to be chaired by himself, to consider the
controversy surrounding his appointment.
The bench issued the order on a petition filed by Mr. Haider Iqbal
Wahniwal. The bench consisted of Chief Justice Wajihuddin Ahmad and
Justice Raja Qureshi. The court issued notice only to the President
of the Sindh High Court Bar Association (Mohammad Ali Sayeed) to
assist the bench as amicus curiae.
The petition will be put up before the bench after being served on
the amicus curiae and a copy of the order and the petition will be
dispatched to the Registrar of the Supreme Court.
The petitioner, Mr. Haider Iqbal Wahniwal, son of Mohammad Ishaque,
of 2/40, Al-Yousuf Chamber, Karachi, has cited the following as
respondents: the Government of Pakistan through the secretary,
ministry of law, justice and parliamentary affairs; President
Farooq Ahmed Leghari; Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Justice
Sajjad Ali Shah.
The petitioner urged the Sindh High Court to declare the actions of
President Leghari and Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah against their
oath and detrimental to the government, the parliament and
institutions created through the constitution. The petitioner also
asked the court to declare the appointment of the chief justice as
violative of the law. He further asked the court to declare the
administrative actions of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the
recent elevation of five judges as illegal.
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971129
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Rowdyism at SC disrupts hearing
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 28: Demonstrators demanding the resignation of the
chief justice forced the adjournment of the contempt of court
hearing against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Witnesses said the Supreme Court had to adjourn the hearing
abruptly when some demonstrators managed to get inside the apex
court building where Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah was presiding
over the bench seized of the case.
They said the demonstrators had gathered outside the Supreme Court
building before the session resumed, raising slogans against the CJ
and demanding that he (CJ) step down after he was suspended by two
SC benches. The court which assembled at 9:45am, could continue the
proceedings for only about 45 minutes. The case will now be taken
up next week.
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971129
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Quetta bench refers case to full court
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Staff Correspondent
QUETTA, Nov. 28: The Supreme Court Quetta bench has maintained its
interim order suspending Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah and
barring him from performing administrative and judicial functions.
The bench referred the matter to the full court for final decision.
The Quetta Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Irshad Hasan
Khan, Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid and Justice Khalilur Rahman took up
the petition filed by Malik Asad Ali against the appointment of the
Chief Justice of Pakistan, for regular hearing on Friday.
In the 19-page judgement, the court has stated that "after hearing
the counsel, Attorney General of Pakistan and Syed Sharifuddin
Pirzada, the learned amicus curiae, we direct that as soon as
orders are passed in the light of the orders of the Peshawar Bench
of this court in CP No 1-P 1997, constituting a bench of the full
court minus the Hon'ble Chief Justice (under suspension), the file
of this case may be sent to the principal seat or at the Registry
where the full court will hold its sitting."
It further said that "on the question of interim relief, the
learned counsel for the petitioner, the learned Deputy Attorney
General as well as Mr. Sharifuddin Pirzada, amicus curiae, are of
the view that the interim orders be passed restraining the Chief
Justice (under suspension) from performing administrative or
judicial functions till further orders by the full court minus the
Hon'ble Chief Justice.
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971126
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Pakistan being forced to move court to get F-16s
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Nov. 25: There is no hope of getting F-16s from the US and
Pakistan is left with no option but to approach a court of law to
obtain the aircraft or the price it had paid for them to Washington
in advance.
This was stated by Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Iftikhar Ali
Khan, who had recently gone to the United States to negotiate the
issue. The defence secretary said first the US kept the F-16s in
the "short storage" and then shifted them to the "long storage,"
leaving no chance of their delivery to Pakistan.
When asked to explain which court Pakistan might approach for
getting the aircraft or the money paid, he said it could be the
International Court of Justice or a court in the US.
Mr. Khan said the US had been denying the aircraft to Pakistan
because "they are after our nuclear program. But, I have told them
that our nuclear program is for our survival and there is no chance
of giving it up."
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971126
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Judge agrees to order winding up of Taj Co
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Staff Reporter
LAHORE, Nov. 25: The Lahore High Court company judge has agreed in
principle to order winding up of the collapsed Taj Company, which
is being run by a board of administrators appointed by the court
since 1990.
Two associations of the depositors of the company, which had been
carrying out banking business in violation of the law and its own
memorandum of association, are seeking its transfer to them. One of
the associations has been registered recently.
Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum, the LHC company judge, promised full
hearing of the Taj victims' point of view, but doubted whether
under the Companies Ordinance, the court has any power to transfer
a company instead of appointing liquidators for it.
In any case, Justice Qayyum said, he would make an order on the
winding up petition filed by the joint registrar of companies and
the corporate law authority.
Advocate Naazar Khan, who is one of the three administrators of the
collapsed company, said the liabilities of Taj at the time of its
takeover in 1990 stood at Rs 2,550 million. They have now been
brought down to Rs 2,400 million by repaying 20 percent of the
deposits received by the company. Its assets, the lawyer said in
reply to a question, amount to Rs 520 million.
Justice Qayyum observed that the assets were `peanuts' compared
with the liabilities and apparently the administrators would never
be able to satisfy the claims of the depositors. In such
circumstances, the court can only order liquidation and it is for
the government to lay down a policy in respect of the refund of
victims' stuck-up deposits.
The judge asked Deputy Attorney-General Khwaja Saeeduz Zafar to
make his submissions on the powers of the court after the companies
registrar has made a request for winding up and the rival claims of
the depositors.
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971125
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Khosa's writs to be heard by SC
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 24: Appeals of Sardar Zulifkar Ali Khan Khosa,
senior minister of Punjab, against the decision of the tribunal
consisting of three high court judges which had disqualified him
from public representation in 1997, will be heard by a five-member
bench of the Supreme Court, it was decided by a bench headed by
Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah.
Sardar Khosa was disqualified from public representation by a
tribunal on a petition filed by Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari, son of
President Farooq Leghari. He was disqualified by the tribunal after
being found to be a loan defaulter. Sardar Khosa was, however,
allowed by the Supreme Court to contest election, which he won.
The three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah,
Justice Bashir Jehangiri and Justice Chaudhry Mohammad Arif heard
the appeal of Sardar Zulfikar Khan Khosa.
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971124
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Pakistan opposes move for NPT ratification
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Masood Haider
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 23: Pakistan, India and Israel were in unison
opposing Japan-sponsored resolution on Nuclear disarmament at the
United Nations last Wednesday because it stipulated ratification of
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The Japanese resolution - nuclear disarmament with a view to
completely eliminating nuclear weapons - was adopted by a vote of
143-3 with one abstention in the first committee which deals with
issues of international peace and security.
The only three negative votes were from Pakistan, India and Israel,
while Cuba abstained. The explanations given by the representatives
of the three countries for negative votes were similar.
The operative stipulation of the resolution which called upon
states not parties to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty -like
India, Israel and Pakistan- "To accede to it (NPT) at the earliest
possible date, recognizing the importance of universal adherence to
the treaty."
Explaining Islamabad's reservations, Pakistan's envoy at Geneva
Munir Akram pointed out that the Japanese resolution did not
"renounce the doctrines of nuclear deterrence and nuclear threat
espoused by some nuclear weapon states and military alliances." He
said the resolution "instead of addressing nuclear disarmament,
focuses on nuclear non-proliferation", which was unacceptable.
Akram stressed that the negative developments taking place vis-a-
vis the nuclear weapons program of the declared nuclear states were
also not taken into consideration in the Japanese draft.
These were:
- the assertion by some nuclear weapons states that they will
continue to retain nuclear weapons indefinitely,
- the continued testing of nuclear weapons, under the cover of
programs ostensibly meant to keep weapons reliable.
- the development of new nuclear weapons for actual use in war,
-the approval of war fighting doctrines envisaging the use of such
weapons, against nuclear, and non-nuclear weapons state,
-the threats held out of the possible use of nuclear weapons
including against non-nuclear weapon states, in case of the use of
threat of use of other weapons of mass destruction's,
-the extension of the doctrine of nuclear deterrence to expanded
and renewed military alliances.
He said that Pakistan made several proposals to reduce nuclear
weapons and called for a step-by-step approach with a time frame,
but none of its proposals were ultimately included in the final
draft.
Pakistan's efforts were seconded by several countries including
India and Israel. However, at the end, when the vote was taken only
three voted against and Cuba abstained.
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971123
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IMO asks DIG for censorship list of mail
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By Nafisa Hoodbhoy
KARACHI, Nov. 22: The International Mail Office has recently
written to the DIG Karachi asking for the censorship list of mail
that they may give for screening to the Intelligence Bureau and
Special Branch officials - after finding them increasingly involved
in removing foreign currency from mail sent by post.
According to the IMO administration, the Special Branch officials
posted here open a maximum of 250 articles daily, without seeking
permission about the items that they may open. In addition, IB
officials carry away over 50 articles daily, leading the
administration to express its helplessness.
According to the sources, the union has become involved in passing
on bundles containing currency by representatives giving the
package a "special kick" after recognizing that it contained money.
This procedure, they maintained, has become common ever since the
Special Branch sat inside a room with a postal representative, with
a financial arrangement worked out to keep each side happy.
A still worse racket was reportedly flourishing at the Local
Sorting Office where lack of surveillance was enabling the Special
Branch officials to seize on bulky looking Karachi packages mailed
from the US and the UK, after passing through the post office in
Islamabad. While the customs staff had earlier this year been
sharing the same room as the Special Branch officials, sources
said, they no longer shared the screening of mail with the
intelligence staff.
Postal authorities said that since the Special Branch officials had
of late begun opening more than 250 articles, the postmaster-
general, Nusratullah Khan had issued instructions to the post
office not to allow the Special Branch to open more than their
prescribed limit. However, according to these sources, more
effective measures are needed to stop the extraction of currency,
including making the censorship list available to the post offices
and introducing transparency in the opening of packages by the
IB/Special Branch police.
===================================================================
971129
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Rupee gains 10 paisa
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov. 28: The rupee gained 10 paisa. There was, however, no
change in the official exchange rates which were quoted at Rs 44.05
and Rs 44.27 for selling and buying respectively.
The FEBCs, were sold at a premium of 3 percent at Rs 103 and Rs
103.20 for buying and selling, said to be at last six month's
highest level, also eased by 30 paisa to Rs 102.70 and Rs 102.90.
In an identical development, bullion market also faced crisis-like
situation pushing the gold price down by over Rs 100 per ten grams
to Rs 4,423 from the previous Rs 4,525 per ten grams.
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CBR withdraws ten customs, sale tax notifications
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Staff Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 28: Central Board of Revenue has withdrawn 10
Customs and Sales Tax notifications issued between the period of
May 1983 up to September 1996.
These notifications are SRO 539 (I)/83 of May 31, 1983; SRO 4
(I)/85 of January 1, 1985; SRO 96 (I)/85 of February 5, 1985; SRO
1185 (I)/88 of December 21, 1988; SRO 1186 (I)/88 of December 26,
1988; SRO 468 (I)/90 of May 26, 1990; SRO 1078 (I)/96 of September
30, 1996; SRO 1079 (I)/96 of September 30, 1996; SRO 1117 (I)/96 of
September 30, 1996; and, SRO 1118 (I)/96 of September 1996.
These notifications pertain to Survey & Rebate and in line with the
federal government's policy of reducing the import rebate duty
rates. The notifications now rescinded had previously allowed rates
which do not match the requirements of the policy now adopted,
stipulating the reduced duty rates followed by slashed rates of
rebate repayment.
The CBR, in its presentation on the issue to the ministry of
finance had argued that the rebate refund rates be slashed for all
the sectors enjoying reduced tariff rates announced since May 1997,
which were incorporated in the federal budget for 1997-98 with
another round of reducing the import duty and sales tax rates.
The note to the ministry from the CBR says: More than 400 duty
drawback notifications are in existence. Major commodities being
exported from Pakistan such as textiles, leather, carpets, sports
goods, surgical goods, tents and tarpaulin, shoes etc, are covered
by these notifications.
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971123
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Money supply up by Rs32bn in July-Oct.
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Mohiuddin Aazim
KARACHI, Nov. 22: A monetary expansion of around Rs 32 billion by
the end of October last may frustrate the government efforts to
beat inflation particularly if political uncertainty goes on.
A State Bank document reveals an increase of Rs 31.973 billion in
total money supply (M2) during the first four months of the current
fiscal year - from July 1 to October 25 to be precise. A massive
increase of Rs 28.533 billion in net foreign assets is the main
contributor to this huge monetary expansion which shows rising
dollarisation of the economy. Domestic credit expansion was
recorded at Rs 3.440 billion only.
The monetary expansion during the first four months of 1996-97 is
many times more than a meager expansion of Rs 1.164 billion in the
same period in 1995-96. Up to 27th September, 1997 the net foreign
assets had grown by only Rs 113 million. Many a banker feel this
has a linkage with the October 15 rupee devaluation by 8 per cent
amid feelers of further devaluation that lured numerous savers to
convert their rupee accounts into dollar accounts. They also link
it to raising of foreign currency funds last month by such state-
run organizations as CEC and WAPDA.
The SBP document reveals that domestic credit expansion rose by Rs
3.440 billion during July 1 to October 25 against that of Rs 58.263
billion in the same period last year. It shows that the public
sector borrowing grew by Rs 11.428 billion but borrowing by the
private sector and public sector commercial enterprises saw a
negative growth of Rs 2.598 billion and unclassified items of
borrowing also went down by Rs 5.391 billion. That was how the
overall domestic credit expanded only by Rs 3.440 billion during
the said period.
Up to September 27, public sector borrowing stood at Rs 13.243
billion but it had almost no impact on total domestic credit
expansion because the private sector and public sector commercial
enterprises together retired a debt of Rs 13.015 billion instead of
borrowing more during July-September. Only the unclassified items
of credit expansion saw a growth Rs 1.429 billion thereby pushing
the total domestic credit expansion to Rs 1.659 billion.
According to the 1997-98 credit plan, the public sector can borrow
up to Rs 66 billion - Rs 58 billion meant for government borrowing;
Rs 5.5 billion for financing commodity operations and Rs 2.5
billion earmarked for autonomous bodies. The plan has allocated Rs
82 billion for the private sector including PSCEs.
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971123
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Businessmen respond cautiously to investment policy
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Aamir Shafaat Khan
KARACHI, Nov. 22: Any positive outcome of new investment policy is
being ruled out by business community as long as the political
instability coupled with law and order situation looms large.
Chairman, Site Association of Industry, Shoaib Munir told Dawn that
the government had once again given no indication of providing a
constitutional cover for the new policy. He said the policy,
despite covering every sector, lacked incentives for attracting
investment in the infrastructure development.
Shoaib said the Site area, comprising more than 2,500 small to
large-sized units, had not witnessed any organized investment for
last many years due to various reasons. He said it was strange that
political stability was hanging in the balance since the government
had come into power.
Chairman, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, Akbar Farooqui
told this correspondent that the government had again not assured
that no further notifications or SROs would be issued after the
policy. He said the government planned an investment of Rs 3,700
billion in the Ninth Five Year Plan (1998-2003), three times more
than Rs 1,100 billion earmarked for 1992-97 Plan.
Former Chairman, KATI, Shaikh Manzar Alam said that the present
government-judiciary tussle should be ended otherwise it would have
disastrous implications for the economy.
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971124
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Textiles: biggest industry, heaviest liability
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Sultan Ahmed
A MAJOR reason for the varying but persistent economic crisis in
Pakistan is the ever-ailing textile sector. The largest industrial
sector of the country has become its heaviest liability, instead of
becoming its primary asset.
In spite of the large concessions given to the textile sector by
every government, including frequent devaluation of the rupee which
destabilize the economy, the net contribution of the industry with
450 textile mills to the economy is very small.
It is a very poor tax-payer, the largest defaulter in repayment of
bank loans, gives poor or no dividends to minority share holders,
is guilty of varied malpractice's in the employment sector and is
too slow to modernize and go for the value-added exports instead of
low price products which often face anti-dumpling charges abroad.
The lowest foreign exchange earner is cotton yarn. And yet out of
503 mills installed 18 are spinning yarn while 32 are waste-
spinning mills. And it is doubtful whether some of the spinning
mills are earning more foreign exchange or losing more if all the
imported inputs in to the industry are taken into account. And if
to add to that the exporters have to pay anti- dumping charges as
in Japan earlier and now in the European Union the whole things
becomes a tragic comic exercise. But the remarkable performance of
some textile mills which produce quality products, sell to top
buyers abroad, earn large foreign exchange and pay pretty good
taxes shows what other mills too can do so.
These few mill-owners are committed to the growth of the industry
and helping the country. But these are few islands of excellence.
The country needs far more of them in a highly competitive world
textile market but the industry is too slow to reform and put
itself on a fast-growth track.
The failure of Pakistan's textile industry becomes too apparent
when compared with Bangladesh which is able to export thrice as
much garments as Pakistan does. Finance Minister Sartaj Aziz
underscored this lamentable feature of the industry when he
addressed businessmen recently. For all that, Bangladesh imports
cotton and also some fabrics, while Pakistan has everything
beginning with cotton and infinite supply of yarn and fabrics.
Even in the garments export sector while much is being exported at
very low prices there are rare examples of excellent exporters
whose products sell at high prices abroad. A cotton garments
exporting company tells me it had entered into arrangements with
Fifth Avenue, New York, department stores to sell its shirts at
over $100 a piece.
The textile industry in Pakistan as a whole is said to earn 60 per
cent of the export earnings, but that share is falling. Last year
out of the total exports of $8.2 billion, textile exports were for
$4.5 billion and in the preceding year out of total exports of $8.7
billion, textile exports were worth $4.5 billion and the year
before they were $4.3 billion.
That means textile exports are getting to be rather static instead
of achieving a 20 per cent growth as they can. However, the
industry is not focusing on quality growth and exporting more of
the value-added. Instead it is focusing on the getting more and
more concessions from the government, including frequent
devaluation of the rupee to make exports cheaper.
In fact that most militant voice in the industry is that of the
spinners as they are very large in number and organized under the
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association as a mighty pressure group
and getting their way most of the time.
Garment exporters earned $600 million last year-July to April-
marking an improvement of 27 per cent over the same period in the
preceding year the scope for increasing these earnings is far more
with the right official assistance is plenty, but the garment
exporters are not well organized and do not have much political
clout or financial leverage.
The latest demand of APTMA is that the no-duty and no-refund should
also cover polyester staple fibre. And it came out with large
advertisements in newspapers to press its claim. But the polyester
makers countered that claim saying that polyester fibre was
available in plenty within the country and its prices were
competitive with that of India which APTMA quotes as an example.
The fact is APTMA chiefs avoid holding Press conferences or come
out with proper studies of their problems. They do not like being
questioned by the Press in detail. Annual reports of APTMA once
made available to Press regularly also seems to have become a thing
of the past. Instead they opt for advertisements in newspapers and
argue that way they are able to say what they want, get the kind of
headlines and display they choose and have their advertisement
right on the front pages of newspapers. But since that has become a
habit such advertisements at a high cost carry small weight with
the government.
The new chairman of APTMA Jehangir Elahi said at the largely
attended Golden Jubilee Textile Conference in Lahore this week the
government had made no genuine efforts to remove the bottlenecks in
the development of the textile sector. He asserts the government
had paid no heed to developing upstream and downstream industries
of the sector which had increased production cost and made its
exports non-competitive.
The story of all the textile mills collectively paying less income
tax than the ICI is well-known. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who
owns several textile mills had told them in Karachi after becoming
the Prime Minister last time that while the mills should have paid
over Rs 2 billion as income tax they paid just Rs 160 million,
after paying Rs 250 million the year before.
While the textile sector has 450 mills, unlike in India, it has
made no serious efforts to manufacture machinery. In fact, it did
not encourage the two textile machinery manufacturing plants set up
in the 1970s. Now a shuttleless loom is being manufactured by the
private sector with South Korean collaboration. But the general
preference is for importing machinery because of the large
kickbacks usually obtained from such imports and kept abroad.
Now at a time when the country should be importing the latest
machinery to achieve increasing value-added in its exports, very
little of such machinery is being imported as the banks are not
liberal with the loans to the defaulting industry and some of the
banks are trying to check the actual prices of the machinery.
In such a situation an experts committee set up by the government
in July last years with the former chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission, Mr. Munir Ahmad Khan as its chairman, come up with
comprehensive recommendations for reforming and upgrading the
industry and enabling it to export more of the value-added. He
had the assistance of 26 experts and sub- committed for each
sector.
What the country needs now is a textile commission comprising
representatives of the government and all sectors of the industry
to take the final decision and come up with a five-year strategy
which can make the mills meet the exactings demands of ISO-9000 and
then ISO 14,000.
There is no time to be lost and the perennial tug-of-war between
the APTMA with its habitual negativism and the government must come
to an end. We also need a separate foreign exchange budget or
account to ascertain whether the country gains or losses more of
foreign exchange through the textile sector and determine what can
be done to improve the situation. We also need an annual monetary
and fiscal profile of the industry, inclusive of the taxes paid by
it and loans received by it, so that we can sift the truth from
falsehood.
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971124
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Gulf money props up financial sector
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By Muhammad Aslam
THE STEADY inflow of Gulf money into Pakistan's financial sector in
the recent past might not have rung alarm bells in the western
banking circles but it certainly points to a major breakthrough
judged in the perspective of typical local conditions and the state
of economy.
Pakistan needs money from any quarter to boost its corporate sector
and to break the current sluggishness on the industrial front after
luring prospective sponsors back into the arena and if it comes
from the Gulf it is more than welcome, said a leading banker. The
major thrust of the Gulf investors is on the banking sector for
obvious reasons. The perception behind it appears to make it a
viable launching pad before moving out to the industrial sector.
"After having bought Schon Bank last month at Rs 23 and Women's
Bank during the current month at Rs 28 per share, Gulf investors
are awaiting the bid dates for Habib, United and National banks,"
banking sources said. But unlike the current turmoil in the local
banking sector there is no post-sell-off right-sizing or
downsizing, which reflects the confidence of Gulf investors in the
local talent
Gulf investors have already a big stake in the banking sector both
as sponsors and equity shareholders in about a dozen investment and
commercial banks including Al-Faysal Investment Bank, Faysal Bank,
International Investment Bank and Al-Towfeek Investment Bank,
having combined paid capital of more than Rs 2 billion.
Out of about four dozen commercial and investment banks including
foreign ones, investors from the Gulf own over a dozen banks, which
means literally they are among the `big three' local, foreign and
Gulf having an equal stake.
In addition, they have also invested massively in Modaraba and
leasing companies over the last one decade, most of them are
earning concerns despite being taxed at the corporate rates after
early exemption. "About $2 billion Gulf money is floating here. A
half as a long-term investment as sponsoring companies and a half
is a floating capital ready to find its way where needed," said a
chief executive of a Gulf bank.
The newly appointed senior executive vice-president of Pak- Kuwait
Investment Company, Zafar Aziz Osmani who has already worked in top
executive positions in Exxon Pakistan and American Express Bank and
is a well-known banker says, "Pakistan is a second home for the
Gulf money as there are no inhibitions or reservations on the part
of investors from there."
Pak-Kuwait Investment company, which along with Islamic Investment
Company of Gulf, Bahrain(IICG), Kuwait Auqaf Public Foundation and
Islamic Development Bank and Saudi Pak is setting up here one of
the largest investment bank, has the dominant position among the
Gulf investors as its financial stake is much bigger than many
others. "Al-Meezan Investment Bank will be the premier Gulf bank,
having the biggest paid-capital and working capital and could well
prove nerve centre of financial transactions between Pakistan and
the Gulf region," Zafar Osmani who has been entrusted with the job
to preparing corporate structure for the new bank said.
The management will, along with other new products compatible with
the modern banking system, try to develop a workable mode of
Islamic banking here in a bid to rope in a sizable section of
religious minded small savers in its fold, he added.
"We plan to snatch our share from the $80 billion global banking
system from our new base in Pakistan and that is not a wild guess
but is the 21st century strategy," Mr. Usmani says. "The Gulf money
perhaps is the only one, which do not go by political developments
in Pakistan and any adverse local event could hardly check its
inflow," the chief executive of another leading Gulf bank who was
not inclined to be identified said.
The Gulf financial perceptions about the Pakistan economy and its
corporate culture seldom worry investors from there and what is
more important is that their "overwhelming confidence in Pakistani
talent," he added. He said the Gulf money thus plays a dual role in
Pakistan financial sector.
On the one hand it lines up funds, not the `hot money' for long-
term investment and employment opportunities to the talented
jobless but well-qualified persons on the others.
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Asian Bank concerned at political turmoil
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 24: The Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is
providing 250 million dollar loan for Capital Market Development
Program, believes that the growing political uncertainty could
hamper the proposed CMDP in Pakistan.
It said although the present government enjoys a majority in the
Parliament, which allows for smooth passage of the policy and
legislative reforms, political expediencies could threaten the
macroeconomic stability, given the vulnerability of the fiscal
deficit and balance of payment positions.
The second risk, the ADB believed, stems from the potential
opposition of vested interests. For instance, members of the stock
exchanges may resist the tightening of corporate governance
standards, market integration through automation and the
centralized clearing and settlement systems, and tightening of the
rules and regulations that would curb insider trading and other
irregularities.
The third risk relates to the lack of capacity within the
government to undertake the desired policy reforms in a timely
manner. Finally, CMDP includes a set of legislative reforms
pertaining to company affairs and the securities market as well as
the insurance industry.
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971126
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ITOs threaten withholding tax payers of penalty
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Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov. 25: Contrary to the provisions of the law, tax payers
falling under withholding regime are being asked by the Income Tax
Officers (ITOs) to make available complete records of their
accounts.
Tax payers deducting withholding tax under Section 50 of the Income
Tax Ordinance, 1979, have received notices from ITOs asking them to
furnish all the details and records of accounts.
These ITO notices, besides asking the assessees to provide over
half a dozen of accounting books and records, have also threatened
to take stern action in case of failure for doing so.
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971128
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Rupee sheds 45 paisa; forex down by $215m
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Mohiuddin Aazim
KARACHI, Nov. 27: The foreign exchange reserves dropped by $215
million to $1.406 billion; the rupee lost 45 paisa to a dollar in
the open market; the rate of forward cover shot up by 2% to 8.25%
and international trade experienced a slow-down.
According to a State Bank report, forex reserves fell by $215
million to $1.406 billion on November 22 from $1.621 bn on November
15. Bankers and financial analysts link the fall-the biggest one
during the second quarter of the current fiscal year -to sliding
inflow of foreign currency funds and increasing capital flight.
The bankers say the rate of forward cover that stood at 6.00- 6.25%
a fortnight ago rose to 8.00-8.25 % on Thursday adding one per cent
rise was recorded within last two days only. The State Bank rate
for forward cover remained intact at 8.25%.
After shedding 20 paisa, the rupee lost another 20 paisa to a US
dollar in the open market as the supply of the greenback fell and
its demand increased. At the end of the day the rupee was quoted at
45.35 and 45.45 to a dollar for spot buying and selling. Official
buying and selling price of a dollar remained pegged to the October
15 level of Rs 44.05 and Rs 44.27.
Inquiries at large local and foreign banks revealed that the crisis
has apparently hit the external trade also which is evident from
the a decline in the opening of LCs for imports and delay in
meeting export commitments.
Bankers estimate a fall of around 50% in the number of the import
LCs opened during last one week but they do not offer detailed
statistics. They further say that many of their clients in the
export sectors are not meeting their export commitments in the wake
of the ongoing crisis coupled with an economic turmoil in the Asian
region.
No figures again. Inquiries further show that conversion of rupee
accounts into dollar accounts is also on the rise in apprehension
of a further devaluation.
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971124
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Buyers return to bourse amidst fluid political situation
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By Muhammad Aslam
The KSE 100-share index after breaching the barrier of 1,700 points
at one stage to touch 1,687.79 points, finally managed to finish
partially recovered at 1,750.08 points as compared to 1,784.95
points a week earlier.
The market capitalization after hitting the six-month low at Rs
517.461 billion managed to finish recovered around Rs 533.010
billion as compared to Rs 542.128 billion a week earlier. However,
unlike the previous, some of the leading shares managed to recoup
initial losses under the lead of Fauji Fertilizer and Adamjee
Insurance, which rose by Rs 2 to Rs 4.25. Other good gainers were
led by Orix Leasing, Mehmood Textiles, Knoll Pharma, Pak-Suzuki
Motors and Askari leasing, which recovered one rupee to Rs 1.50,
the biggest gain of Rs 5 being in Knoll. Pak Apex Leasing, Gadoon
Textiles and Ferozsons Lab also attracted good support at the lower
levels and finished partially recovered amid active trading.
The biggest rallies, however, were noted in PIC, which rose by Rs
75, Shell Pakistan Rs 27, Engro Chemicals Rs 12.70 and Hub- Power
and PTCL Rs 2.45 and Rs 1.95 respectively on heavy covering
purchases at the weekend session. But PSO remained under pressure
throughout the week and suffered sharp fall on persistent selling.
Energy shares came in for renewed heavy selling under the lead of
Hub-Power, which showed a fresh decline of Rs 1.25 on 126 million
shares followed by Pakistan Refinery and Lever Brothers, which
suffered decline ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 9.50. Network Leasing,
Kohinoor Textiles, Rupali Polyester, KESC, BOC Pakistan, Reckitt
and Colman, Cherat Paper and Shezan International also attracted
active selling at the still higher levels and suffered fall.
Trading volume was maintained on the higher side thanks to heavy
covering purchases at the weekend sessions, rising to 340 million
shares. Both Hub-Power and PTCL were massively traded in each
session both ways as after initial liquidation, investors covered
positions at the lower levels, enabling them to recoup some of the
initial losses. Together with ICI Pakistan, they accounted for
about 230 million shares.
Other actively traded shares were led by FFC-Jordan Fertiliser,
Southern Electric, Japan Power, Kohinoor Energy, Sui Northern, Sui
Southern, and PSO. Bank shares finished partially recovered under
the lead of Bank of Punjab, MCB, Schon Bank, Bank Al-Habib and some
others, accounting for large volumes and so did most of the
chemical shares and Pak-Suzuki Motors and some others.
DIVIDEND: Honda Atlas Cars cash 5 per cent, Hashimi Can 40 per
cent, Confidence Modaraba 10 per cent, Leather-up 15 per cent,
Pakistan Paper Products 25 per cent, Al-Towfeek Investment Bank,
cash nil; right shares 50 per cent, Lafayette Industries, Indus
Polyester nil, Bawany Air Products bonus 20 per cent, Haroon Oils
32.5 per cent cash.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
971128
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Some foreign investors return to rings despite crisis
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov. 27: The KSE 100-share index, showed a fresh modest
decline of 10.68 points at 1,772.24 as compared to 1,782.92 a day
earlier. Losers led gainers by 62 to 44, with 36 shares holding on
to the last levels. The total market capitalization also fell by Rs
2.468 billion from overnight's Rs 540.468 billion to Rs 538.017
billion as the highly capitalized shares fell on renewed selling.
Price changes were mostly fractional, reflecting the absence of
leading sellers and buyers, and as a result traded volume fell to
27 million shares from the previous 60 million shares.
The most active list was again topped by Hub-Power, off 45 paisa on
14.693 million shares, followed by ICI Pakistan, easy 20 paisa at
Rs 21.20 on 7.819 million shares, and PTCL, lower 25 paisa on 0.373
million shares. The other actively traded shares were led by Japan
Power, easy 20 paisa on 0.321 million shares, FFC-Jordan
Fertilizer, lower 10 paisa on 0.292 million shares, Kohinoor
Energy, down 10 paisa on 0.255 million shares, Sui Northern,
unchanged on 0.221 million shares, and Dhan Fibre, lower 15 paisa
on 0.201 million shares.
Big gainers were led by Jahangir Siddiqui & Co and IGI Insurance,
ICP SEMF, Bank Al-Habib and Shell Pakistan, which posted gains
ranging from Rs 1.50 to Rs 10.
Lever Brother Pakistan and PIC, falling by Rs 20 to Rs 45, led the
list of losers followed by Confidence Modaraba, Dawood Leasing,
Adamjee Insurance, Nagina Cotton, BOC Pakistan and Pakistan
Refinery, which suffered decline ranging from Rs 1.15 to Rs 4.
DEFAULTING COMPANIES: Only Haydery Construction came in for stray
support but was quoted unchanged at the last close of Rs 1.50 on
business of 2,000 shares.
DIVIDEND: Equity Investment Modaraba, cash 10 per cent, Kohat
Cement, Fecto Cement, Maple Leaf Cement, First Providence Modaraba,
Amin Fabrics and Sardar Chemicals, all nil.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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971123
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The crowing losers
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
KARACHI, Friday, November 21, noon: At the moment, all the losers,
President Farooq Leghari, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, leader of
the opposition Benazir Bhutto, and all our parliamentarians, all
the fallen ones, may well believe that they have won, they may well
crow. the real losers, the sufferers, we the people, cry.
Helpless as we are, we can only hope beyond reasonable hope that
these mountebanks and zanies of patriotism have learnt some sort of
a lesson. We know it is a false hope because it is greed,
arrogance, and ignorance that form the foundations on which these
men stand and from which they operate. These three afflictions,
when combined, are triply lethal. The parliamentarians jointly and
severally, incessantly hypocritically bleep on and on about the
`Supremacy of Parliament,' which to the people simply means, `Jo be
ho, hamaari dookaan nahi bund hona chahiye.'
What has nine months with these patriots bequeathed to the country?
There are now, since February, 3.3 million more hungry mouths to
feed, a galloping two-digit inflation, a destroyed stock market, a
shattered economy, lowered investment confidence, a devalued rupee,
and greater indebtedness. All the fresh investments that have come
in are for fried chicken and chips, fried hamburgers in buns, and
over baked pizzas. Such investors bring in one dollar and take out
six, and in the bargain deprive many people of this country of
their meager livelihood.
Let us list the individual achievements of these fallen men and
women, with their particular and peculiar motives and intentions -
their `niyat' and their `irada' - whilst in office in the service
of the nation.
President Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari was elected by the members of
our six houses with a resounding majority, all considering him to
be the best suited of the bunch. He has been, to say the least, a
disappointment. From Day One, his concentration has been on doing
all that he considered was necessary to gain him a second term. He
cannot be blamed. His job is one long holiday, and he is now left
with no responsibility. He has lots of attendant pomp and
vainglory. However, he is a total waste of money. To keep him in
the style to which he has become accustomed, it costs the nation in
the region of Rs 3.5 million per day, and a whole lot of
unaccountable invisible perks and privileges. No known person of
substance has claimed or taken possession of the land he is said to
have sold in faraway Dera Ghazi Khan for which he was paid by
Karachi townsman Yunus Habib. Apart from that, he managed the
reacquisition of 29,000 acres of land in Leghari Barkhan which he
had voluntarily surrendered to the 1972 land reforms. Other acts of
commission and omission remain unexplained. Had he unselfishly
dissolved the assemblies in 1994 rather than in 1996, would we not
have been solvent today? His weaknesses stand exposed. Fortunately
for him, the attempt made last week by Parliament to impeach him
misfired.
The only good so far done by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is the
restoration of Sunday as the weekly holiday, the conversion of
wedding feasting orgies into receptions, the thinning of the ranks
of the marriage food industrialists, and the making of the right
noises towards India.
On the debit side: He has subverted and attempted to destroy the
judiciary, fostering dissent amongst the ranks of our judges. His
attempt to rush through the 15th Amendment had to be aborted, as
will his misadventure into the realm of invoking the provisions of
Section 8(5) of the Contempt of Court Act.
He has deliberately and purposefully canceled his programmed
census. He has indulged in midnight legislation, amending the
Constitution and making laws to enable him to rule with absolute
power and to perpetuate that rule.
Of great concern is the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Contrary to his
agreement with the Chief Justice of Pakistan as to the methods of
the trial of terrorists, he created a parallel judiciary,
disallowing a man his right to appeal to the High Courts and the
Supreme Court and prohibiting the special appellate tribunals from
granting bail. He has made a mockery of Macaulay's Evidence Act,
and has given unfettered powers to a lowly corrupt policeman to
shoot and kill on mere suspicion of an anticipated act of
terrorism. A draconian law drafted by, it is said, Abbaji's
personal legal adviser, the former judge and now a Senator, Afzal
Lone.
Suspending rules of debate, Nawaz rushed through the 13th
Amendment, emasculating the president and increasing his hold on
the Service chiefs. Where his `niyat' clean, and his `irada' to do
right by the people, he and his mandate could well have sailed
through their five-year term, living with half a dozen Article
58(2)(b)s without ever attracting the dreaded provision.
He struck again in the same manner, rushing through the 14th
Amendment, supposedly to prevent defection but in the bargain also
prohibiting dissent or abstention from voting. He chose his own
people in his parliamentary party, who constitutionally must be
honest and clean. By this amendment, he implicitly admitted that
the chosen were capable of selling themselves to the highest
bidder. However can he claim an overwhelming mandate and still fear
`lotaism'?
Today Nawaz also stands accused of misusing his power as chief
minister of Punjab and giving away valuable state land - 5,000
plots. He and many of his cohorts and cronies stand accused of
having manipulated the banks for their own profit.
He has been in politics since 1985, and cannot claim to be immature
or `innocent' of its art and science. He cannot be excused. He
stands exposed, he stands accused of contempt of court. We can no
longer afford to support him merely on the basis of his being the
last but one, the lesser of the two evils.
The wrong and harm done to the country by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto,
honorable leader of the opposition, does not bear repeating. We
know it too well. She has robbed and plundered and rendered the
nation bankrupt. The Swiss cannot be influenced by media trials.
She (and her party) did not oppose the 13th or the 14th Amendment
as both were to her advantage. Why did her talk- show specialists,
Cambridge Chaudhry Aitzaz and Rabbani, remain silent? Many endorse
co-columnist Irfan Hussain's comment that her party needs her as
much as a fish needs a bicycle. She has failed not only as head of
government but also as opposition leader. The outside world is
slowly discovering exactly what she is, slowly shedding its
infatuation with her youth, charm, glib talk, and slick PR.
There are two others of importance, two non-losers, who have held
their ground.
Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah may have his faults, and he may in
the past have made errors of judgment, as we are all prone to do.
But on this last issue he was, and still is, on high moral ground.
He has not dithered in his resolve. Apart from the contempt case,
he has on his anvil the ATA and the two amendments. He can justly,
fairly and squarely strike down all three. Since 1988, when was
Article 58(2)(b) ever abused? If at all, the fault lay in its
belated invocation.
COAS General Jehangir Karamat heads the most disciplined, most
powerful `party' of the land. His strength lies in his knowledge of
the weakness of his army and its inability to govern us and get us
out of the present mess. He knows when to sound the call.
Now to the system. We must accept that even if we start educating
our people from tomorrow, the better part of the population will
still be voting with their feet for the next fifteen years. During
this period, we will be misgoverned by ignorant, arrogant,
obstinate people. We must have a system with multiple checks and
balances. Bankrupt as we are, we cannot be governed by absolute
laws and rules, and we cannot afford the luxury of being ruled by
Dracos and their absolute whims and fancies. Even before the 13th
and 14th Amendments, the system was inadequate. Sooner or later
(and we must hope sooner) there will have to be an interim
government of no more than ten good men and true, whose motives and
intentions - `niyat' and `irrada' - can be trusted, who can be
given sufficient time to have unlimited non-selective Ehtesab
before Intekhab. Guilty politicians, with guilt hanging over their
heads like halos, cannot govern.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
971124
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The prospects for a turnaround
-------------------------------------------------------------------
M.B. Naqvi
WHILE ordinary folks are reduced to discussing the survival of the
state, more sophisticated observers of the national scene talk
about turning around Pakistan and are ostentatiously promoting
optimism. It all sounds so officious.
The fact is that the country is drifting primarily on the
intellectual plane. Enthusiasm to be noted at grassroots is
characterized by narrow group loyalties: all kinds of sectarian
prejudices are uppermost in many people's minds; the more extreme
among them are sometimes ready to kill their countrymen. Elsewhere
it is tribalism of various sorts while various kinds of ethnicity-
based nationalism's are keeping Pakistanis effectively divided and
mentally polarized. Nation-building, if anyone ever undertook it,
has succeeded only very partially.
But need we despair? Pakistan enjoys certain advantages. it does
not face serious external threats. One is aware of the much-
propagated view that India has not accepted the partition of the
subcontinent and would eventually undo Pakistan. But the kind of
India that has emerged from 50 years of independence is more
narrowly Hindu and obsessively concerned with caste. It has no use
for the territories that are peopled so solidly by the Muslims -
Pakistan and Bangladesh.
An Akhand Bharat was at one time the dream of the Hindu- majority
India. But to the majority of high caste Hindu community in
northern India today it would seem to be a nightmare. In the
changed context, they would do nothing to imperil the survival of
Pakistan and Bangladesh. Insofar as major foreign powers are
concerned, there is near total unanimity that the states of
Pakistan and Bangladesh ought to be preserved in conditions of
peace, stability and internal harmony. This is a tremendous
advantage. Such threats as do exist spring from inside.
Pakistan is certainly engulfed in well-identified crises. The
immediate one is economic, although it is primarily one of balance
of payments. No doubt, it is a complex phenomenon and it has many
causes that go to the very basics of the economic management. But
all its dimensions are being constantly discussed and the country
has entrusted, more or less, its fate to IMF and World Bank
experts. Doubtless, it is a very dangerous thing to do. All the
indications are that our establishment is thinking in terms of
handing over at least the running of the economy to the
multilateral agencies. Although one disagrees with all the possible
versions of that notion profoundly, there is unlikely to be any
effective opposition. Here it is necessary to take note of the
crisis and the establishment's trend of thought about what is
likely to happen.
The major cause of the basic political crisis is the peculiar
social, political and economic evolution of this country's
governance. It resulted in the cornering of power primarily by a
narrow social and economic elite within the very first decade, with
the collapse of democracy and the take-over by the army chiefs
coming in its wake. We all know the denouement of this trend: the
1971 civil war and the third war with India resulted in the
dismemberment of the country. The highlight of the politics of the
entire period was the extraordinary emphasis placed on the disputes
with India, particularly over Kashmir, leading to an
extraordinarily rigid national budget structure in which the
highest priority went to military build-up to cope with India,
while the civilian priorities like improving economic conditions
and removing disparities of incomes in East Pakistan and working
toward social justice everywhere were ignored.
Politics at the federal level comprised unending rhetoric of
Islamic solidarity and brotherhood while practising over-
centralization with a clear view to rejecting the demands of the
poorer and more backward regions for social justice - as also for
more egalitarian distribution of incomes among social classes. That
is how regional nationalism's were born and grew stronger and
stronger. In the majority province of East Pakistan it created what
is called the East Pakistan crisis. But the ethnic minority areas
in West Pakistan had their own newly-born nationalism's that were
sympathetic to the grievances and demands of East Pakistani that
eventually led to the 1971 civil war in the eastern wing.
The Pakhtun, Baloch and Sindhi nationalism, it is important to
recognize, owe their birth to over-centralization policies,
frequent suppression of political and democratic rights,
repudiation in theory and practice of the federal principle and the
combination of anti-democratic and elitist economic and taxation
policies with arbitrarily determined priorities in public finance.
Political rhetoric and the refrain of national unity and Islamic
solidarity were cynically used to prop up despotism, and hide all
manner of political, social and economic discrimination against the
large majority of the people in both wings of the country, although
the sense of injustice deprivation and discrimination in the
eastern wing was understandably stronger and widespread. It is this
situation that spawned tragedy of 1971.
But politics in the post-1971 period has not been fundamentally
different. It is also largely characterized by the same old factors
and motivation as if the experiences of that traumatic year had no
significance at all. Policies of over- centralization have not
changed much. The same old ruling elite has continued to rule.
Although for a longish period, almost 18 years, emphasis on Kashmir
disappeared largely because of the 1971 debacle, the national
budget structure has not changed significantly.
In fact, military spending increased, as did the size and strength
of the military establishment, together with an increase in perks
and allowances. No other major policy change can be discerned
except Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's bureaucratic nationalization
policies which were certainly a departure from the set pattern. But
the aberration was quickly corrected, though major nationalized
industrial units and banks have continued to remain the state
sector because it suited the non-democratic elite groups.
In the subsequent period under Gen. Zia the centre's policy was
what it had always been during Ayub Khan or Yahya Khan or even
earlier, with some additions. The social and economic policies were
essentially laissez faire, overlaid with a lincence-permit
patronage system, especially during Gen. Zia's period. Zia's
martial law was particularly brutal and more rightist than any
previous right-wing regime. Zia's period was remarkable for
proliferation of all kinds of fissiparous tendencies, including the
sectarian parties and militias, along with new ethnic nationalist
parties and groups. As a result, Sindhi nationalist groups
proliferated and the people began to be polarized by sectarian
slogans, while the air in Sindh was rent with the slogans of Sindhi
and Mohajir nationalism's.
It was in this context that formal democracy was reintroduced in
1985, though it was superimposed by Gen. Zia's extraordinary powers
that he had extracted from his specially-elected non- political
parliament. The social and political policies have undergone no
change since. In the meantime, the economy had become even more
vulnerable because almost all chicken of racklers borrowing and
spending began coming home to roost and also because the successive
governments since 1985 have been exceptionally weak.
The economy now requires constant infusion of loans and credits in
order to get by from one day to another. This vulnerability has
gone on increasing. Pakistan remains on the brink of default in
external payments, with the economy in deep recession and suffering
from high inflation and a very tight budgetary position obtains.
The combination of weak governments and dangerous economic
vulnerability can be deadly.
All kinds of sectarian parties have grown popular at the grassroots
and are calling the shots over wide stretches in the north. Sindh
and Karachi continue to remain divided within themselves over
ethnic issues while it looks as if incitement and help from outside
continue to stoke the fire of sectarian hatred and violence. The
economy is lurching from crisis to crisis and the dominant mood,
let us face it, is defeatist and pessimistic. That is the
situation.
The question whether anyone can effect a turnaround remains
unanswered. So long as the dominant elite's or the Pakistani
political class, along with their basic social and economic
policies, do not change, the state of the economy and the polity
will remain troubled. The dominant mood will remain pessimistic, or
get even worse. Unless the people of Pakistan throw up a new
leadership with new visions, the hope for change and improvement
with remain wishful.
In a situation of despondency and dispair, Islamic rhetoric
provides a potent weapon for right-wing regimes in this country to
mislead and confuse people and deny democratic rights to the people
and to reject the demands for regional autonomy and sidetrack
issues of economic betterment, equity and justice. The right-
wingers have triumphed in the name of Islam. Not only the left was
wiped out but even formal liberalism has been sought to be snuffed
out, though they have not succeeded entirely. A strong liberal
opinion in the country has survived, especially in the press. But
the fact that the religious and ideological confusion persists and
indeed provides an excellent instrument to the right-wing to
perpetuate its hold over the levers of power, bodes ill for the
much talked about and badly needed turnaround, politically and
economically.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
971123
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The tension ceases
-------------------------------------------------------------------
IT WOULD take a brave man to say that the beleaguered government of
Mian Nawaz Sharif is completely out of the woods but the sense of
impending doom and disaster which had built up by Thursday evening
certainly has dissipated. It was on that day that the government,
feeling itself hemmed in from all sides, had decided to initiate
moves to impeach President Farooq Leghari. It had arrived at this
decision because of the perception that the President, by refusing
to give assent to the amended contempt bill, had become a party to
their distress. Mercifully, the government was saved from the
consequences of its impulsiveness by the reported intervention of
the army chief. There is no knowing what might have happened if the
impeachment process had once been set in motion. Earlier that
morning, the Supreme Court had passed an order which said that if
the amended contempt law had been signed by the President it stood
suspended and if it had not been signed then the President was not
to sign it. This was the casus belli which had set passions aflame
in the PML(N) parliamentary party, resulting in the decision to
impeach the president. On Friday morning it was an indication of
the easing of the situation that the Chief Justice granted an
adjournment of a week in the contempt case being heard against the
Prime Minister and a list of other respondents.
All what has happened has not cast any flattering light on the
government which in recent days has made a virtue of blowing hot
and cold and of adopting stout stands and then beating the hastiest
of retreats. That this behavior has taken the last glimmerings of
shine off its `heavy mandate' and damaged its credibility is
perhaps of no consequence to anyone else. In the process, however,
the government's repeated sallies into the dark have cost the
entire country dear, because for the past month if not more the
country has been gripped by a sense of crisis, with everything else
being kept on hold as the stand-off between the government and the
judiciary went from bad to worse. In the end it was not the wisdom
or prudence of the Muslim League which contributed towards the
easing of tensions but the shuttle diplomacy of the army chief.
If civilian leaders cannot sort out their own problems, what
becomes of the notion of parliamentary sovereignty? Furthermore,
can the protagonists of `controlled' or `guided' democracy be
blamed if they continue to hold a dim view of the capabilities of
the country's politicians? It is for Mr. Nawaz Sharif to sit back
and take stock of the situation or rather of the narrow straits to
which his vaunted government has been reduced. From the heady days
of February to the repeated tremors of November there indeed has
been a precipitous fall in the party's strength and fortunes. At
the heart of this predicament lies the PML(N)'s inability to
understand the limits of its power or to comprehend that the
essence of democracy, not only here but wherever the creed is
practised, is the dispersal of authority among the various branches
of the state. It is this which creates a system of checks and
balances, an arrangement conducive to stability and inimical of the
despotism of one organ over every other.
Hopefully now, after having learnt a costly lesson, Mr. Nawaz
Sharif will concentrate on essential tasks such as administrative
reform and economic revival instead of frittering away his
government's energies on non-essential matters. This is not to say
that his travails in the Supreme Court have come to an end. The
contempt case still has to play itself out fully. Besides, there
are a couple of other cases which could prove troublesome for Mr.
Sharif and his government. But the way to meet these judicial
challenges is to fight them in court, with the weapons of the law,
instead of thinking that the PML(N)'s brute majority in Parliament
is an answer to every situation. If the events of the past few days
have proved anything, it is this that the mere strength of numbers
in a democracy is no substitute for restraint and discretion.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
971126
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The crisis persists
-------------------------------------------------------------------
TO ANYONE watching Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif talking to the press
on Monday, it would have been painfully obvious that the sense of
relief felt by the nation as a whole after the Supreme Court gave a
week's adjournment in the contempt case pending before it was all
too premature. What we had seen was a temporary reprieve brought
about, to the no small embarrassment of the country's democrats, by
the intercession of General Jahangir Karamat. As the belligerent
and defiant mood in the Muslim League parliamentary party on Monday
vividly demonstrated, there are still no signs of this reprieve
turning into something more enduring. The sentiment in the PML(N)
parliamentary party still turns towards taking a tough approach
towards both the President and the Chief Justice. Behind this
sentiment lies the bitter feeling that while the government has
been made to suffer a series of political reverses, there is no
sign of flexibility coming from the other side. The President too
is seen as having been unhelpful to the government. Hence the cries
for his impeachment. In the background to all this lurks the
thought that once again a conspiracy is afoot against the Muslim
League government. From this to drawing dark parallels with the
events of 1993 when Mr. Nawaz Sharif was compelled to step down
from the prime ministership even though the Supreme Court had
restored him to office is but a small step. The mood of defiance in
the PML(N) parliamentary party is linked directly with this
perception of conspiracy. Better to go down fighting than to suffer
one humiliation after another.
What the PML(N) parliamentary party, or at least the hotheads in
its ranks, appear to forget is that much of the troubles their
government is facing are of its own making. In other words, this is
not a crisis forced upon the Muslim League but one which it has
largely created for itself. The greater onus for showing restraint
and patience accordingly must also fall to its share. Admittedly,
what the prime minister is facing in the Supreme Court is not an
easy situation for him or his government. But the answer to this
lies in submitting before the rule of law, uncomfortable as this
notion must seem at present, instead of being swayed by the
tantalizing but fallacious notion that the PML(N)'s strength in
Parliament will serve to change laws and even the Constitution to
suit the Muslim League's convenience. To instant legislation the
Supreme Court has already made its attitude clear. What guarantee
is there that more of this legislative haste will not meet the same
fate?
That leaves the president. What purpose will the PML(N) achieve by
initiating moves for his impeachment? Very likely such a step will
imperil the very foundations of our existing democratic order.
Impulsive behavior in any case does not sit well on the shoulders
of a sitting government. It must show the patience and indeed the
resolve to see this crisis through, both for its own sake and for
the sake of the country at large which is being kept hostage to the
high-rope drama being enacted in the capital. But if lectures on
patience must be read to the Muslim League, other institutions for
their part must respect the verdict of the electorate.
The mistakes that the prime minister may have committed does not
take away anything from the fact that he continues to enjoy
overwhelming support in Parliament. He has probably learnt his
lessons (that he must not overstep the bounds of his office) the
hard way. It is essential for others too to imbibe the lesson that
any crisis of power will have a destabilizing effect upon the
country. Restraint, therefore, must be shown by all concerned, by
all the protagonists in this drama. Meanwhile, the PML(N) would be
doing itself and the nation a favour by not embarking upon any more
instant and thoughtless legislation. It would do no good and just
might lead to a great deal of harm.
===================================================================
971124
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan falls from grace in world squash
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Lateef Jafri
It was a poignant ending for Pakistan in the World Open, the most
sought-after honor for players belonging to the upper echelon of
global squash, and the biennial team championship.
Pakistan had shared the ultimate accolade in the World Open since
it was instituted 22 years ago and it had clinched the honours since
1981 through the demolition work of Jahangir and Jansher. Pakistan
had not fallen as low as sixth since its successful appearance in
the team championship in 1977 and later the Khans' magical strokes
and glorious assaults gave pleasure to the connoisseurs in all
corners of the globe wherever this high intensity and energy-
oriented squash competition was organized. The squash squad has
made a return journey empty-handed. No official of the game, based
in the country, has come out with any comment, though one finds
that the manager has lauded the efforts against comparatively
stronger opposition of the younger members of the competing set.
Would Jansher's presence have made a world of difference in the
morale, resilience and strength of the team? The answer to the
question is `yes' with the rider that if another sponsor was
available and the competitions were staged at a venue other than
Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. No doubt Jansher had quelled
the challenge of the Australian Chris Dittmar at the same place
with felicitous ease in 1989 and had lifted the World Open trophy.
But it was different occasion; the setting and atmosphere were
pleasant. This time the situation was a different one. A lawsuit
was pending in the Malaysian court with Jansher's divorced wife,
Violet (Rukhsana) Soh, demanding maintenance money for, as she
claims, the squash wizard's son, Kamran. Jansher feared arrest on
entering the Malaysian soil for Rukhsana wanted 800 pounds a month
to be paid as alimony or 70,000 American dollars to be credited to
her account. This was the legal condition for Jansher's entry in
Malaysia and participation in the two prestigious squash contests.
The temperamental and moody Jansher spurned all help the indigenous
squash federation wanted to extend to him officially and
diplomatically. The matter may have been sorted out but the amount
to be given was too high, which only Jansher could have agreed to
provide. The mishandling of the issue, led to Jansher's failure to
appear in the World Open for a new record and sad fall from
acclivity of the country in the team game.
It is to be seen if Jansher continues to maintain his top form and
fitness to bag the next world title in the Indian port city to
which the competition has been allotted. After having wrapped up
the titles of the Hong Kong Open and the Egyptian Open in
Alexandria he stumbled last month in Kuwait and lost to Peter Nicol
of Scotland, his conqueror in the Al-Ahram contest in Cairo last
June.
The squash wizard is set to play in Bombay in the Mahendra Cup,
which he skipped last year. His form and bold forecourt play will
be on test against the galaxy of world racket-wielders in India.
Then comes the richly-prized Qatar Open and Cairo's Heliopolis
contest before the new year heralds. Will he have the nerve and the
quick reactions to go through the strains of the above competitions
after the Kuala Lumpur tiff with his former wife. Even the feeling
of a missed title, which he was reasonably sure to claim, may give
him trouble mentally, if not physically. However, the great
repertoire of strokes that Jansher has and the artful craftsman
that he is it is difficult to deprive him of the triumphs and
glory. He has, in the opinion of experts, to be wary and careful
for at times he gets flustered.
As the latest world rankings for November have been released
Jansher is still on top of the world and has a wide difference in
the computer-calculated points. The ranking plus the deft and
beautifully-timed shots would stand him in good stead in the
upcoming programs. Regretfully no other Pakistani is in the first
10. Even the improving Zubair Jahan Khan slipped to 15th from an
earlier 10th which had given cause for hope for the future. If
Zubair slumped internationally Mir Zaman Gul dropped further to
35th.
Where was the improvement in the players? Some may point to Amjad
Khan, a young and neat stroke-maker, but he is to go some distance
to develop the sharpness and confidence to control matches and
contain the powerfully-wristed strokes of his opponents.
Why Pakistan had a poor record in this year's World Open, ask the
enthusiasts of the game? An unfit Zubair Jahan with hamstring and
kidney trouble was found wanting to cope with the cunning tactics
of South Africa's Craig Wapnick, given 33rd spot in the
Professional Squash Association's listing, in the very first round.
This was a heavy blow to Pakistan. Only Amjad Khan was to fight a
lone battle in the singles event. He moved upto the pre-
quarterfinal, earlier settling the pretensions of Ireland's Derek
Ryan after a five-game tussle. He played precise shots, often
accelerated the pace to cruise home after a 76-minute see-saw
battle. But the next encounter was against Canada's Jonathan Power,
a quickly-moving and sound hitter of the black ball and having
jumped to three in the global ranking. Certainly the task was
tougher and it was beyond the capacity of Amjad to reply to the
unsettling tactical variations of Power. Amjad lost the match,
though the rallies, quite exhilarating, won him the appreciation of
the critics and some of the foreign veterans.
It was tortuous for the squash fans to daily read the news of the
country being thrashed in the team championship apart from the
first day when Pakistan pipped Germany by 2-1 with Zubair going
down to Simon Frenz due to physical injuries. As the competitive
exercise progressed in Kuala Lumpur it was quite evident that the
task was beyond and above the duo of Amjad Khan and Kumail Mahmud.
It was, however, creditable that they stuck to the job upto the end
even though the conclusion was sad and melancholic with Pakistan
going down the hill, taking a sixth position. On the second day of
the team event Canada blanked out Pakistan 3-0, then Egypt dumped
it without conceding a match, South Africa ran out winners by 2-1.
After being engulfed by a stream of troubles due to poor form of
Zubair and his setback in the first match against Malaysia the
young campaigners, Amjad and Kumail, saved the situation against
Malaysia by what should be taken as wafer-thin margin of 2-1.
In the play-off for the fifth place South Africa, climbing the
global squash ladder, as advancing in all games gave little chance
to Pakistan and sent it to the poorest todate sixth spot. The
country's fans can only express concern and consternation over the
squash predicament. Minus Jansher it is perhaps a wide gulf between
Pakistan and some of the rising powers, especially Canada, who have
become a heavyweight in a few years, South Africa and Egypt, whose
players introduced the game to England and Europe. Even Finland are
a threat and the days are not far when Scotland will find more
players, apart from Peter Nicol, to throw down the gauntlet to the
rivals in the world team championship.
What Pakistan has to do for future is a million dollar question?
The team is back, the officials may meet soon for detailed analysis
of the reasons behind the setback in Kuala Lumpur. Where are the
players to meet internationals challenge. If Jansher is not
available and is not in proper physical shape to help the country
earn laurels? If the new hands have the bustling vitality, the
needed tenacity their strokes have to be honed for purposes of
appearing in European, American and Oceanic circuit. The
youngsters, Amjad and Kumail to name only two, are playing quite
well but that is not enough. They have to mix their game discreetly
with aggression, angles and drops. The important thing is to work
for every point the hard way. Day by day the world level is going
up and the challenge is growing. Let the squash federation and the
Federal Sports Board arrange more coaching and then test the
progression of the players with competitive rigors. Kuala Lumpur's
descent must awaken our officials from slumber for more damage may
be done.
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SAAF athletics at Delhi from Dec. 1
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Sports Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 25: A 28-member Pakistan athletics contingent
comprising 18 men and 10 women is scheduled to participate in the
1st South Asian Athletics Championships at New Delhi from Dec.
one, it was learnt here.
The Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation (PAAF) was in the process
of obtaining required approval for travel by road of the
contingent from Lahore.
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Waqar Younis recalled for second Test
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Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Nov. 25: Speedster Waqar Younis was recalled by the
Pakistan cricket selectors for the second Test starting at
Rawalpindi from Saturday.
Younis, a veteran of 46 Tests in which he has bagged 231 wickets,
was surprisingly left out from the first Test which Pakistan won by
an innings and 19 runs.
The selectors have picked Younis in place of Shahid Nazir who had
the wickets of Stuart William's and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the
first innings of the Peshawar Test last week. But his inability to
penetrate when the wicket eased out on the third day followed by a
bruised toe led to his downfall. The selectors have also named an
uncapped Shoaib Akhtar, Rawalpindi-born boy who represents ADBP in
the Patron's Trophy.
The selectors have also named an unchanged top order batting which
gives another opportunity to Aamir Sohail and Mohammad Wasim to
score runs and cement their places for the future challenges.
The 13-member team is: Wasim Akram (captain), Saeed Anwar, Aamir
Sohail, Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamamul Haq, Mohammad Wasim, Moin Khan, Azhar
Mahmood, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmad, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib
Akhtar and Ali Naqvi.
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Wasim Akram returns from London
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Sports Reporter
KARACHI, Nov. 27: Pakistan captain Wasim Akram returned home from
London after consulting his specialist who operated his bowling
shoulder earlier this summer.
When contacted in Islamabad where he is with the Pakistan side,
Akram said his surgeon was very happy with the shoulder. "He told
me that it (shoulder) was progressing way ahead of time. He advised
me about some exercises to be done for another two months which I
will do with the assistance of Dr. Dan Keisal," said a jet-lagged
Akram.
Akram said the exercises were basically to further strengthen the
muscles around the shoulder. "He has given me another appointment
in April."
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Pakistan may give Test cap to Akhtar
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Farhana Ayaz
RAWALPINDI, Nov. 28: Local boy Shoaib Akhtar may be cap when
Pakistan take the field in the second Test, starting from Saturday,
with a chance to score a first ever series win against the West
Indies.
Akhtar will partner Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Azhar Mahmood as
the home team has bolstered his pace attack battery on a wicket
which is green and firm. The inclusion of Akhtar means that Saqlain
Mushtaq will carry the drinks like he did in Peshawar.
Teams (from):
Pakistan - Aamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamamul Haq,
Mohammad Wasim, Moin Khan, Wasim Akram (captain), Azhar Mahmood,
Mushtaq Ahmad, Saqlain Mushtaq and Ali Naqvi.
West Indies - Sherwin Campbell, Stuart Williams, Shivnarine
Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, Carl Hooper, Roland Holder, David
Williams, Courtney Walsh (captain), Ian Bishop, Rawl Lewis, Curtly
Ambrose, Franklyn Rose and Mervyn Dillon.
Umpires: David Shepherd (England) and Javed Akhtar (Pakistan).
TV Umpire: Mian Aslam.
Match referee: Raman Subba Row (England).
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