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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 19 September 1998 Issue : 04/37
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Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
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CONTENTS
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NATIONAL NEWS
+ Pakistan to sign CTBT if sanctions withdrawn
+ Pakistan preparing for mass production of Ghauri: US paper
+ Iran-Afghanistan border situation tense: Pakistan to stay neutral
+ Massive power failure brings Karachi to a halt
+ MQM-Govt talks remain inconclusive
+ Administrative reshuffle in Balochistan
+ Expats seek SC relief on FCAs freeze
+ New public transport scheme in a month: PM
+ Drugs with identical names playing havoc with patients lives
+ IMF unlikely to meet $3bn ESAF needs
---------------------------------
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
+ Tax revenue target may be lowered, says Moin
+ CBR accepts fixed sales tax deposits by 10,230 industries
+ Non-payment of dues: PSO stops supplies to WAPDA
+ $3.2 billion frozen FCY deposits encashed
+ Investors avoid long positions as KSE index declines
+ Mini steel mill near Quetta suggested
+ Pakistan enters Gulf market via mutton export
+ Direct taxes collection up
+ Dar rules out further devaluation of rupee
+ FIA cracks down on illegal money changers
---------------------------------------
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
+ Absolute! Ardeshir Cowasjee
+ My way Irfan Husain
+ Agenda for change Imran Khan
-----------
SPORTS
+ Asghar punches his way into lightweight final
+ Yousuf takes on Saleh in Latif Masters final
+ Pakistan beat India in third Sahara Cup match
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NATIONAL NEWS
980917
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Pakistan to sign CTBT if sanctions withdrawn
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Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 16: Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz said on Wednesday
that Pakistan would not sign the CTBT until all economic and other
sanctions against it were lifted.
Winding up the three-day debate on the treaty in the joint sitting
of parliament, the foreign minister said Pakistan would not sign
the CTBT under any pressure and would take into account the
national interests before signing it.
"Referring to the reservations expressed by the MQM, JUI(F) and
some treasury bench members vis-a-vis the CTBT, the foreign
minister said the signing of the treaty would not have any adverse
effect on Pakistan�s nuclear capability.
During Wednesday�s debate most of the parliamentarians from the
treasury benches, MQM and JUI(F) took part. Most of the speakers
expressed strong reservations over the treaty. Some of them
supported the signing of the treaty on the condition that it would
not be detrimental to national interests.
The foreign minister assured the legislators that the proposals and
suggestions given by them during the debate or by the opposition
during briefings and press conferences would guide the government
in deciding on the issue.
During the winding-up of the debate, the foreign minister did not
allude to Kashmir in the context of signing of CTBT. The treaty, he
said, banned only nuclear detonation but did not restrict
simulation tests with the help of computers. He said that Pakistan
had itself imposed unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests. However,
he warned that if India conducted nuclear test, Pakistan would be
compelled to respond by carrying out tests.
The foreign minister said that Pakistan�s prime concern was to
maintain strategic balance in South Asia.
On Kashmir issue, Sartaj Aziz said that without resolving the
Kashmir issue, durable peace could not be established in the
region. He noted that recently, many countries had raised the
Kashmir issue identifying it as a flashpoint in the region that
could trigger a regional war. The government, he said, was keen on
finding a meaningful solution to the Kashmir dispute.
Talking about sanctions against Pakistan, the foreign minister said
that there was no justification for imposing economic and other
sanctions.
In his speech the foreign minister referred to the reservations
expressed by the opposition parties vis-a-vis CTBT and the point of
view of Sen Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch who had talked about peaceful co-
existence. He said that the government respected these views.
Referring to Sen Ajmal Khattak�s viewpoint who also advocated
peaceful co-existence during his speech, the foreign minister said
that despite the opposition�s walkout from the joint sitting, the
government gave consideration to their proposals put forward at the
news conference.
He thanked the opposition members for their suggestions and also
made a mention of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto�s statement in
which she had supported the signing of the CTBT.
The foreign minister held out an assurance that the government
would not take any hasty decision on the issue.
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980915
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Pakistan preparing for mass production of Ghauri: US paper
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Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON, Sept 14: Pakistan has acquired several shipments of
weapons material for mass production of the Ghauri missile after
its May nuclear tests, a report citing findings of satellite spying
by US agencies over Pakistan said on Monday.
"Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in Kahuta, received the shipments
in mid-June, according to US officials familiar with secret
intelligence reports circulated to senior Clinton administration
officials last month,"the Washington Times reported in a story by
Bill Gertz, the reporter who frequently uses secret CIA reports for
his stories on nuclear and missile issues.
"North Korea delivered several shipments of weapons material to
Pakistan this summer, including warhead canisters for the Ghauri
missile. Pakistan�s premier nuclear weapons development centre,
Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in Kahuta, received the shipments
in mid-June," the paper said quoting US officials familiar with
secret intelligence reports circulated to senior Clinton
administration officials last month.
It said the reports highlighted the close cooperation between North
Korea and Pakistan on missiles and raise new worries among US
officials that Pakistan is developing nuclear warheads for the
Ghauri missile.
Other reports indicate Pakistan is moving ahead rapidly with plans
to develop weapons-grade fuel for nuclear weapons from several
facilities, it said.
According to one intelligence report, satellite spy photographs
revealed increased activity at the KRL�s missile production and
assembly plant. The report concluded that the activity was a sign
that "Pakistan is currently producing more Ghauri missiles," one
official said.
A storage facility for the missiles was photographed by US spy
satellites less than a mile from the Kahuta assembly plant,
according to the officials.
A CIA spokesman declined to comment on the shipments, details of
which were compiled from several types of US intelligence
collection systems.
According to the officials, aircraft containing the warhead
canisters and missile production components were spotted in
Pakistan. The shipments appear linked to further production of the
Ghauri, they said.
A July 29 report by the congressional commission on missile threats
headed by former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the Ghauri
is a version of the North Korean Nodong missile, with a range of
800 miles. "We believe Pakistan has acquired production facilities
for this missile as well,"the report�s authors concluded.
Pakistan also has nuclear weapons fuelled with highly enriched
uranium, and it recently completed a nuclear reactor "that could be
used for the production of plutonium,"the report said.
"North Korean-Pakistani missile cooperation dates to the early
1990s, and it is continuing, it is significant and it does pose a
threat to stability in South Asia,"a specialist on the North
Korean missile programme, Joseph Bermudez, who has written
extensively on the issue for the military trade publications, told
the Times .
The commission report also said Pakistan�s missile infrastructure
is "more advanced than that of North Korea"and "developed quite
rapidly"with technical help from China and North Korea.
"Pakistan currently possesses nuclear-capable M-11 [short-range
ballistic missiles] acquired from China, and it may produce its own
missile, the Tarmuk, based on the M-11."
US officials said a test firing of the new Tarmuk missile is
expected in the next several weeks. State Department has already
announced sanctions on KRL and a North Korean missile manufacturer
for violating US export laws related to the Missile Technology
Control Regime.
State Department identified Changgwang Sinyong Corp., also known as
the North Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation/ Bureau, as
the missile component supplier that provided the goods to Pakistan.
US officials believe the entity�s name is designed to obscure the
company�s covert missile sales.
According to a US intelligence report obtained by The Times , the
Changgwang Sinyong Corp. obtained special "maraging steel"from
Russia last year for Pakistan�s missile programme.
The "top secret"intelligence report identified Kang Tae-yun, the
North Korean economic counsellor in Pakistan, as well as the local
representative of Changgwang Sinyong, as a key figure in the deal
with an unidentified Russian company.
Maraging steel is an ultrastrong corrosion-resistant alloy that can
be easily machined and welded. It is a key component of high-
technology missile fuselages and nose cones.
Pakistan�s Tabani Corp., which has close ties to KRL, sent a
delegation to Moscow in February to discuss purchases of mass
spectrometers, lasers and carbon fiber-all high-technology goods
with weapons applications, according to another intelligence
report.
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980919
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Iran-Afghanistan border situation tense: Pakistan to stay neutral
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Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz said here on
Friday the threat of a border flare-up between Iran and Afghanistan
remained unabated. He was addressing a news conference on return
from Tehran after talks with Iranian leaders.
The foreign minister flew for a day on Thursday to the Iranian
capital to deliver a message from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and to hold talks with some
other Iranian leaders. Incidentally, Mr Khatami was out of the
country.
Mr Aziz said he sought to assure Iranians of Pakistan�s non-
partisan interest in the Afghan-Iran crisis, but the Iranian
leaders reiterated allegations of Pakistan�s military support to
the Taliban. "I assured Iranian leaders that Pakistan will remain
neutral in case of hostilities between Iran and Taliban."
Mr Aziz said he rejected the allegation and told Iranians that the
charge against Pakistan was "completely untrue".
The foreign minister, who met Iran�s First Vice-President, Mr Hasan
Habibi, and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi for a total of about
four hours during his flying visit to Tehran, said he had
emphasized that it was most important to defuse the border tension.
"A conflict would have a devastating effect on peace in the entire
region"he told the Iranians, adding that it was most important to
avoid such an eventuality.
In a written statement at the end of the news conference, Mr Sartaj
Aziz rebutted the Iranian allegation of Pakistan�s involvement in
the Taliban military operations and said he had told the Iranian
leaders that "if there is any evidence (with the Iranians) about
it, that should be shared with us".
He informed the Iranians that Pakistan would be willing to
establish a joint commission "to determine the nature and level of
external interference in Afghanistan".
The Iranians made no response other than to tell him that they
would "think" about it. Mr Aziz explained that there might be some
"confusion" about Pakistan�s involvement because it had been
engaged in the past in Afghan military resistance against the
Soviet military intervention and had been providing support to
whoever was in the saddle in Kabul from 1990 to 1995.
Answering questions from journalists, the foreign minister declared
it was Pakistan�s "policy decision"to stay neutral if armed
hostilities broke out between Iran and Afghanistan.
He, however, believed that a war between Iran and Afghanistan was
not imminent or immediate, but, he said "I won�t say the threat has
disappeared".
It would be a serious matter if the Iranians crossed the
international frontier with Afghanistan, he added.
Mr Aziz hoped that Pakistan�s efforts to defuse tension with Iran
would be reinforced next week by the expected meetings of the "six
plus two"(comprising countries in Afghanistan�s periphery,
including Pakistan, Iran, Russia and the USA) and efforts by some
other nations and the OIC.
The foreign minister reiterated Pakistan�s condemnation of the
killing of Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif and said the UN
secretary-general had already indicated that a UN mission would
soon be set up to investigate charges of the diplomats� killings,
the Bamiyan genocide and conditions of prisoners in Afghanistan.
He hoped these steps would induce Iran to lower its threat.
He said five more Iranian prisoners were expected to be released
soon as the Pakistan ambassador would visit to Kandahar on Saturday
to secure their release. The foreign minister expressed
satisfaction at the outcome of the talks in Tehran as it had helped
in "exchange of views".
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980916
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Massive power failure brings Karachi to a halt
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Shamim-ur-Rehman
KARACHI, Sept 15: A massive and unprecedented power breakdown
around 2am on Tuesday plunged this city of over 12 million into
darkness, bringing industrial production to a grinding halt for
over 16 hours and depriving millions of wage earners of their
livelihood as mercury shot up to 39 degree centigrade.
While the KESC officials were caught napping, the massive power
breakdown forced the harried people out of their beds in the middle
of the night.
The KESC spokesman claimed that a major portion of the affected
areas were "normalized", but desperate phone calls at the Dawn
office showed that KESC claims were exaggerated and in many areas
power supply had not been restored till our going to press.
Although the knockout punch came at 2am, power supply started
playing hide-and-seek in many areas after sunset on Monday.
Power breakdown and voltage fluctuation were reported from parts of
Clifton and Defence areas around seven in the evening. At 2am when
most of the people had just gone into deep slumber, their dreams
were shattered and they were forced out of their bed from
suffocating heat.
At this time when the KESC system was absorbing the load of 1400mw,
the KDA-Jamshoro circuit providing 300mw tripped, initiating a new
ordeal for Karachiites who had not yet recovered from the deepening
water crisis.
A KESC spokesman said due to "load rejection", Under Frequency
Relay (UFR) operated to shed about 250 mw. As a result KESC�s Bin
Qasim thermal power station�s unit No 6 tripped simultaneously.
Units 1, 3 and 5 still withstood the jolt.
The other units of KESC generating system also tripped as they
could not cope with the system load at that time.
Since the Jamshoro circuit could not be switched on due to some
technical problem, experts tried to back feed the system from the
132kv Kalo Kohar circuit, Gul Ahmed and Tapal power stations and
the site gas turbine.
On the first stage, Civil Aviation, Malir, Landhi, Korangi Town
Site, Lyari, Mauripur West Wharf and Ellander Road stations were
energized gradually and important feeders were switched on one by
one at 5am, the KESC claimed.
But the Site gas turbine, Gul Ahmed and WAPDA were the circuits to
be switched on first by the morning. Bin Qasim, KANUPP and �C�
Korangi Power Station take time in synchronizing after tripping.
The part of the city which could be switched on through the SITE
gas turbine, Gul Ahmed and WAPDA import, was "normalized"by 9am,
claimed the KESC spokesman, adding that the "synchronization
process of the entire system was completed by 10am".
But investigations showed that the power supply was restored to
limited areas by 11.30am and after that the load was gradually
increased.
But still many areas, where the KESC had claimed that power supply
had been restored, were without electricity due to what KESC
officials kept describing as "local faults."
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980919
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MQM-Govt talks remain inconclusive
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Nasir Malick
LONDON, Sept 18: The first round of talks between Mohajir Qaumi
Movement (MQM) and Provincial Coordination Minister Chaudhry Nisar
Ali Khan on the issue of MQM�s rejoining the Sindh government
remained inconclusive on Friday and MQM leaders said there was
still a long way to go.
"We have still a reasonable distance to cover,"MQM leader M. Anwar
told reporters after the talks which ended around 2030 GMT (0030
PST).
The second round will be held on Sunday. The day�s break has been
made to enable the provincial coordination minister to consult
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on various issues.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali has flown into London to hold emergency talks
with the MQM leadership to save the falling Muslim League
government in Sindh.
However, MQM chief Altaf Hussain distanced himself from these talks
and left it up to the MQM Rabita Committee members to decide
whether or not to rejoin the Sindh government which is facing a no-
confidence motion in the Assembly.
Mr Altaf Hussain held an informal meeting with the minister before
the talks at MQM�s International Secretariat in north-west London.
He later told reporters that the issue of re-joining the government
was not discussed during his meeting.
The Rabita Committee members, who held four-hour-long talks with
the Chaudhry Nisar included Rabita Committee members Anis Ahmad
Qaimkhani, M.A. Jalil and Anis Ahmad, advocate. They were assisted
by Senator Mustafa Kamal, Mohammad Anwar, chief organiser of MQM UK
& Europe and Tariq Mir, joint chief organiser.
The visit of Chaudhry Nisar Ali is attributed to the objective of
saving the government in Sindh.
A no-confidence motion against Sindh Chief Minister Liaquat Jatoi,
moved by opposition Pakistan People�s Party, is scheduled to be
discussed on 23th and Chaudhry Nisar Ali�s had apparently come here
with two clear objectives either to convince the MQM to rejoin
the provincial government or at least stop lending its support to
the no-confidence motion.
Briefing reporters after the first round of talks, Chaudhry Nisar
Ali said that he explained government�s viewpoint on various issues
which were raised by the MQM members.
"They (MQM�s) told me that they had quit the government because of
the non-implementation or very slow implementation on some points
of the accord."
However, he said that he did not agree with the MQM�s claim. "On
our side some think that we have been giving too many concessions
to the MQM and had been accepting their every demand."
He said that another major hurdle in the progress of talks had been
the clearance of no-go areas in Karachi. "I explained to them the
government view point on this issue."
Chaudhry Nisar said that MQM leaders also told him that one reason
for quitting the government had been that they were not made equal
partners in the Sindh government nor were they taken into
confidence over the law and order situation in Karachi. "The MQM
told me that it was because of this reason that their presence in
the provincial cabinet was proving counter- productive for them".
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980919
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Administrative reshuffle in Balochistan
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Correspondent
QUETTA, Sept 18: In another round of administrative reshuffle on
Friday, the provincial government posted and transferred some more
senior officers, including secretaries, commissioners and deputy
commissioners.
According to a notification issued here, secretary education Ahmed
Bukhsh Lehri has been transferred and posted as commissioner Zhob
division while Anwar Zahri, commissioner Zhob, has been asked to
report to the services and general administration department. Syed
Mohammed Hamid, commissioner social security institutions, will
take over as new secretary education while former secretary finance
Ata Jaffar has been posted as secretary forest in place of Nazar
Hussain Mahar who has been made an OSD.
Commissioner Kalat, Munir Ahmed Badani, has been appointed member
Balochistan Public Service Commission while Capt Naiz Mohammad
Jaffar will take over as commissioner Kalat division. Another
senior officer Mohammad Farooq Jogezai has been appointed
commissioner, social security institutions, Balochistan.
Member, Public Service Commission, Balochistan, Mohammad Iqbal, has
been asked to report to the education department while another
member of the BPSC, Syed Masood Ahmed, has been made an OSD.
Mohammad Idris Baloch, director-general BIAD will serve as member,
Balochistan Public Service Commission.
Director-General, Social Action Programme, Nahad Pervaiz, will take
charge of secretary, industries while Javed Ahmed, additional
secretary, planning and development department, will be the new
director-general of SAP. Ejaz Munir, deputy secretary, S&GAD has
been asked to take charge of DS chief minister�s secretariat.
Deputy commissioner, Nasirabad, Hafiz Shah Ali, has been asked to
report to S&GAD. He will be replaced by Abdul Manan Kakar. Akbar
Baloch has been appointed deputy commissioner Sibi vice Amir Khan
Tareen, who will now take over as deputy secretary, forest
department. Ata-ur-Rehman, OSD, has been appointed deputy
commissioner Awaran, vice Aziz-ud-Din, who has been asked to report
to forest department for further posting.
Earlier, Agha Nayyar whose services had been placed at the disposal
of Balochistan government by the federal government on the request
of the former has been appointed principal secretary to the chief
minister.
Balochistan government has also sought the transfer of four other
senior officers to Balochistan Major (retd) Ashraf Nasar, Mr
Ghausuddin, Mr Nasiruddin and Major (retd) Nadir Ali who had
served in Balochistan for many years.
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980918
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Expats seek SC relief on FCAs freeze
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Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Foreign currency account holders residing in
European countries, with Pakistani and non-Pakistani origin,
petitioned the Supreme Court on Thursday for the recovery of their
funds "frozen"on May 29 last.
The petition was filed directly in the Supreme Court from the
platform of the Association of Foreign Currency Account Holders,
which claims to have over 7,000 members residing in the UK, Norway,
Germany, Denmark and the US.
The association, which filed the petition through prominent
Pakistani-American constitutional jurist Barrister Dr Farooq Hasan,
hinted to the apex court that if their grievances were not
redressed, they would be free to approach the international forums
like the International Court of Justice for the recovery of their
"frozen funds."
Dr Hasan, counsel for the petitioner association, told Dawn that
"no country can expropriate the property of such people or violate
guarantees expressly or impliedly given to such people under the
doctrine of the minimum international standards."
The petition has impleaded the Federation of Pakistan, through
secretary of finance, the State Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank of
Pakistan through its president, Citibank through its president,
Allied Bank through its president, National Bank of Pakistan
through its president, United Bank through its president, as
respondents.
The petitioners stated that the government decision of May 29,
1998, to put restriction on the withdrawal of the foreign currency
accounts, whether maintained by residents and non-residents, was a
totally unlawful step, and had disastrous consequences.
The petitioner association contended that it was morally and
legally shocking that the very people who had been asked from time
to time to deposit their hard-earned savings in Pakistan were
cheated and defrauded. "A state is a moral institution and when it
acts in this manner it is utterly shocking to mankind�s
conscience,"it stated.
The actual effect, the petition stated, was the forceful and
illegal expropriation of the property of the account holders since
May 29, which had affected their lives by depriving them of their
right to use their own money.
It is further stated that the government�s decision of May 29 also
violated the well-established rules of international law and
resolutions of the UN. Under the international law when a state
admits foreign nationals or residents of other states, it is bound
to protect their property which, in particular, cannot be
expropriated or de facto confiscated, temporarily or otherwise,
they argued.
"In case of non-redressal by the relevant legal fora of the state
responsible for such tortuous action, under the doctrine of state
responsibility, the said state is subject to international claims
by the national or resident state of the victim", the petitioner
association warned. It stated further that international financial
bodies, such as the IMF and the World Bank, were also under an
obligation to examine such shocking dereliction of the "offender
state."
The petitioners stated that the Association of Foreign Currency
Account Holders in Pakistan was established in London on Aug 8,
1998, at a meeting held at St.George�s Hotel Victoria. Its members
are expatriates, that is, British, US, or citizens of other
countries who were original natives of Pakistan. Masoodul Hasan, a
British national, was elected president of the association.
The petitioner association contended that its members were outside
the purview of the impugned legal instrument and hence entitled to
free transaction from their deposits held in foreign currency
accounts.
"It is up to the wise discretion of this court whether it would
like to adjudicate the grievances of the petitioner by relying on
the principles of international law. The petitioner sincerely hoped
that it does not have to invoke these remedies since it invested
funds in Pakistani banks in the face of clear guarantees, given as
sovereign state, to its foreign residents and nationals under the
laws mentioned above."
Dr Hasan, while talking to Dawn, said the apex court had been
approached after the expiry of August as the accounts had not been
freed as was contemplated in the State Bank circular 12/98.
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980918
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New public transport scheme in a month: PM
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif has
directed the ministry of communications and banks that a
comprehensive scheme be formulated for revamping public transport
system and report to him in a month.
He was addressing a gathering of Yellow Cab Federation
representatives here on Thursday.
The prime minister announced that a new scheme would cover urban
transport, inter-city transport and goods transport.
He asked all authorities concerned to devise the scheme within one
month, which should be based on strategy to activate local vehicle
manufacturing industry.
Chairman Yellow Cab Federation, highlighted the problems being
faced the yellow cab owners and drivers.APP
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980918
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Drugs with identical names playing havoc with patients lives
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Azizullah Sharif
KARACHI, Sept 17: Identical medicines and injections have been
playing havoc with patients, but there is nobody to check and
document these mishaps.
According to a Dawn survey, there are several drugs which either
look alike or their names sound alike and there have been cases
where such drugs due to their wrong administration not only
resulted in painful reactions to patients but even caused deaths in
some cases.
As medical stores keep drugs of a company in one shelf for their
convenience, the chances of picking wrong remedy because of close
physical appearance cannot be ruled out as most of pharmacies do
not employ qualified salesmen.
Only recently a person in the ENT department of JPMC lost his life
when he was administered Tracrium instead of Transamine.
In another case, a lady was wrongly administered Tracrium instead
of Transamine at Sobhraj Maternity Hospital. She was, however,
saved luckily owing to timely provision of emergency care.
According to Prof Dr Aleem A Kadar of JPMC, one of his patient�s
eyes were saved as it was timely detected that the medicine the
patient had brought was not liquifilm but duofilm.
Had the patient poured in duofilm in his eyes, both of his corneas
could have been damaged, he added.
PMA�s honorary secretary Dr Sher Shah Syed said: "The PMA is very
much concerned about incidents which have been reported in some
government and private hospitals in the recent past and is
collecting data. The details would soon be made public,"he said.
The medicines which sound alike include Abocin and Abocain; Mervan
and Mervain; Liquifilm and Duofilm; Parlodal and Panadol;
Mucosolvan, Maxolon and Muscholine, the sources said.
About Mervan, doctors said, it is prescribed in arthritis while
Merivan is given for thinning blood and is also commonly used for
killing mouse.
Regarding Mucosolvan, Maxolon and Muscholine, it was stated that
the first drug is given for the secretion of phlegm, the second one
is an anti-vomiting drug while the third is given to patient prior
to conducting a surgery.
The drugs which have a similarity in their packings, colours and
closer physical appearance are as follows:
Injection Omnipen-N (250 mg); inj. Omnipen-N (500mg) and inj.
Penidure LA (1,200,000 units); inj. Abocaine and inj. Zantac;
capsule Feldene (10mg) and capsule Feldene (20mg); inj. Licacin
(250mg) and inj Licacin (500mg); inj. Solu-Cortef (100mg) and inj.
Solu-Cortef (250mg); tablet Aldomet (250mg) and tablet Flagyl
(400mg); injection Cidomycin (20mg) and inj. Pavulon (4mg); inj.
Serenace and inj. Lasix; tablet Ventolin (2mg) and tablet Dicofen
(50mg); Inderal tablet and Incidal tablet (anti- allergic).
According to him, there could be several types of medication
errors. Among them are incorrect drug selection, failure to
administer the correct dose, administration at wrong time, right
drug to wrong patient, administering the dose less or above than
the stated dose, injection given instead of tablet, expired or
colour changed drug, inappropriate patient behaviour regarding
medicines.
Similarly, if an intravenous injection is administered very fast,
it can result in severe reaction, he said quoting the example of
Vancomycin which if administered very fast, can cause Red Man
Syndrome in the patient.
He was of the opinion that the drug manufacturers and the ministry
of health should involve physicians, paramedics and pharmacists in
taking decisions about drug names, their labelling and packaging.
Besides "look alike or sound alike trade names"must be avoided.
He opined that the pharmacist support should be made available to
the prescriber and nurses. Besides, drugs should be used with
auxiliary labels such as �must be diluted� and �for external use
only�, etc. wherever needed, he suggested.
He said patients could also play a vital role in avoiding the
chances of medication errors by asking questions about any
procedure and treatment they receive.
Advocating the need for creating an awareness among the healthcare
professionals about the severity of the medication errors, he said
all medication errors be documented and reported to one
body/authority so that this data can be used for future training of
people.
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980919
-------------------------------------------------------------------
IMF unlikely to meet $3bn ESAF needs
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ihtasham ul Haque
ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: The visiting IMF mission held wide-ranging
talks with the prime minister�s advisor on finance, Dr Hafeez
Pasha, here on Friday over a new ESAF/EFF arrangement of three
billion dollars.
Later Dr Pasha and Commerce Minister Ishaq Dar called on Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif and apprised him about what is generally
being described as the "IMF vision"of resuming Pakistan�s
assistance with a lot of new strings.
Pakistan was informed that the IMF was unlikely to enter into a
fresh ESAF/EFF agreement to offer three billion dollars. Instead,
Islamabad was told that there was a possibility of stretching the
previous 1.5 billion dollars ESAF/EFF to 1.8 billion dollars or a
maximum of two billion dollars and that too with new
conditionalities.
The sources said Dr Pasha and Mr Dar had informed the prime
minister that the IMF was now ready to bail out Pakistan, provided
Pakistan was prepared to levy across-the-board general sales tax
(GST) and start taxing agricultural income.
They said the IMF also did not believe that the disparity between
the official rate of Rs 46 to a dollar and the kerb market rate of
55 could continue for a long period and that a serious
consideration should be given to "new adjustments".
Sources said initial talks between Mr Pasha and the head of the IMF
mission, Mr Furtado, would end next week.
Later, Mr Paul Chabrier, head of the Middle East department or
someone equal to his position, will visit Pakistan to finalize
arrangements for concluding the agreement.
The IMF mission has also asked the Pakistan authorities to give a
serious thought to recurring revenue shortfalls.
===================================================================
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
980915
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Tax revenue target may be lowered, says Moin
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Muhammad Ilyas
ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: The tax revenue target for 1998-99 may have to
be revised down owing to the sluggishness of imports, the Chairman,
Central Board of Revenue, Moinuddin Khan told Dawn here on Monday.
He said that the receipts of direct taxes and sales tax over the
past 10 weeks had been in conformity with the target. While in
1997-98, the shortfall had been more steep in respect of customs
and sales tax than in other departments of taxation, the past two
months had seen good performance in collection of sales tax, too.
As regards the customs duty, for which the target for the current
year was Rs88.9 billion, there had been a shortfall of
approximately Rs5 billion, so far. This means that the total
collection under the head "customs"by the middle of September
would be Rs12 billion instead of Rs17 billion, as per the annual
target. This may affect the accrual from import-related sales tax
also.
The CBR Chairman said this was because the imports in the first two
months of the year had dropped by a sharp 17.21 per cent. "There is
a serious shortage of foreign exchange and, moreover, there is no
demand for imports from the industry,"he remarked.
Asked about the levy of general sales tax, Khan said that it would
be imposed within the next couple of days. Refusing to elaborate
how and in what shape it would materialise, he said with an
enigmatic smile, "You will see."
His attention was invited to the recommendations of the Commission
on Tax Reforms headed by Saeed Ahmed Qureshi, former Deputy
Chairman, Planning Commission, the CBR Chairman said the GSP will
be levied initially in 12 cities. The proposal, if implemented,
Khan remarked, would have created a lot of problems in its
implementation. The traders would have resorted to providing
receipts from other cities to evade their sales tax levy, he added.
On the question about the reason for introducing GST at the level
of shops with a minimum annual turnover of Rs5 million. He replied
this was done in view of the problem of infrastructure such as the
electronic cash register. The government has already exempted their
import from customs duty, but so far there had been very poor
response, he added.
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980916
-------------------------------------------------------------------
CBR accepts fixed sales tax deposits by 10,230 industries
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The Central Board of Revenue has accepted sales
tax at fixed rate by 10,230 industries in 26 industrial sectors
even after the clear Finance Bill 1998 order that there would be no
fixed tax for any industry in 1998-99.
About 1800 industrial units previously falling under the category
of the sectors depositing sales tax at fixed rate, have not paid a
penny but there is no action in sight.
These non-payee corporate sector members paying FST by the end of
1997-98 financial year, have paid Rs76.363 million in the two
months of the current financial year (July-August). Last year,
these units had paid Rs980.86 million.
The CBR had clarified, in a statement issued on July 16, that: A
decision will be taken regarding the revival or otherwise of the
Fixed Sales Tax Scheme for the 12000 industrial units by the
federal government and not the CBR. The CBR wishes to clarify that
no decision has been taken with regard to FST.
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980917
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-payment of dues: PSO stops supplies to WAPDA
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Correspondent
MULTAN, Sept 16: Pakistan State Oil has turned down the request of
WAPDA for the resumption of supply of furnace oil to the thermal
power stations of Muzaffargarh, Multan and other areas and said
that the supply will be resumed only after WAPDA arranges full
payment of arrears of Rs 11,000 million. As a result of this
disruption of supply from PSO, thermal power stations of Multan,
Piran Ghaib, Muzaffargarh and Guddu are lying closed.
In the meantime, Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd has served a notice
to WAPDA authorities for payment of Rs 3,000 million forthwith
otherwise, supply of natural gas to thermal power stations and
colonies of staff will remain suspended till the clearance of dues.
Sources said that SNGPL and PSO have referred their cases to the
Ministry of Natural Resources to ensure the recovery of dues from
WAPDA.
WAPDA authorities said only one unit of 220 megawatt was being run
in Muzaffargarh to meet the consumption with the existing stock of
furnace oil.
They further said that power consumption had fallen down because
domestic and commercial consumers were using power very sparingly
and a number of industrial units had been closed, while many
industrial units had established their own power generating units.
TAXES GALORE: Chamber of Small Traders demanded withdrawal of an
increase in power tariff, levy of additional surcharge, surcharge,
excise duty and income tax on power bills, revised rate of Sui gas.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday Khawaja Muhammad
Shafiq and Hakim Mehmood Khan said that Municipal Corporation had
increased the octroi duty by 30 per cent and district council had
increased exit tax by 100 per cent, property tax stamp duty,
professional tax were increased tenfold as a result of which they
were on the verge of quitting business in sheer exasperation.
They warned that traders would observe countrywide strike if prime
minister did not redress their grievances in the meeting of the
traders and the government taking place on Sept 16 on the issue of
general sales tax, self-assessment scheme.
CONCERN OVER PEST ATTACK: Pakistan Small Land Holders and Farmers
Association chairman Syed Ishtiaq Jafari has expressed concern over
the pest attack on cotton crop and apathetic attitude of
Agricultural Task Force and gross mismanagement of Pest Scouting
and Management Department.
In a press statement he also demanded an inquiry into the supply of
defective cotton seed which might deplete per acre yield.
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980917
-------------------------------------------------------------------
$3.2 billion frozen FCY deposits encashed
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 16: During the last two weeks, some $200 million
worth of frozen foreign currency deposits were converted into
rupees, senior bankers told Dawn on Wednesday. This increased the
total amount of conversion from $3 billion on Sept 2 to $3.2
billion on Sept 15.
Consequently total frozen foreign currency deposits came down from
about $11 billion on May 28 to $7.8 billion on Sept 15.
The conversion at the rate of Rs 46 per dollar has created Rs 147.2
billion worth of rupee funds which is equal to about 13 per cent of
the total bank deposits. But only a part of these funds have been
redeposited with the banks and the lion share has been invested in
other areas including real estate, currency and stocks.
Up to Aug 8, $2.5 billion worth of frozen foreign currency deposits
had been converted into rupees and only $700 million worth of these
deposits were encashed during the last 38 days.
The pace of conversion started decelerating since July 21 when the
government withdrew the deadline of Aug 31 set on May 28 for the
conversion of FCY deposits.
Another factor that slowed the pace of conversion is that the
holders of frozen foreign currency deposits can still earn profit.
The State Bank has allowed the banks to accrue profit on the frozen
FCY deposits as usual in foreign currency. But the holders of these
deposits can get it in rupees only.
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980919
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Investors avoid long positions as KSE index declines
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporter
KARACHI, Sept 18: Stocks finished the weekend session on an easy
note as investors were not inclined to hold long positions owing to
some discouraging news from the economic front and took profits at
the available margins. The KSE 100-share fell 13.36 points eroding
another Rs 4 billion from the market capitalization.
Bulk of the selling was confined to most of the market leaders as a
formidable section of leading operators sold in a bit haste on
prediction that the current bull-run was overdone.
"The market could resume its upward drive by next week as by that
time the outcome of aid talks with the IMF team will be known,"
some others said.
"The expectation of signing of the CTBT, which pushed the index by
105 points last week, seems to have been delayed for an indefinite
period and those who had made anticipatory buying, anticipating a
sustained bull-run, sold in a haste, causing snap reversal,"they
added.
The selling in part was also attributed to weekend considerations
as jobbers and short-term dealers took profits at the available
margins fearing further erosions.
The index shed another 13.36 points at 1,056.74 as compared to
1,070.10 a day earlier as the weakness of the leading base shares
spilledover to other counters. The market capitalization also
shrank by Rs 4 billion to Rs 301 billion.
Talks with the visiting IMF delegation for the resumption of aid
are said to be in an advance stage but as it is tied to the signing
of the CTBT, investors doubt any positive nod during the current
parleys, dealers said.
Perception triggered sellstops both from the bargain-hunters and
speculative traders but foreign investors held on to their
positions apparently awaiting further developments in regard to
talks with the IMF team, they added.
Dividend news from the leasing sector were fairly encouraging but
they came at a time when investors were worried over some other
negative developments both on the financial and political fronts.
Leading gainers were led by Dawood Hercules and Lever Brothers,
which posted gains ranging from Rs 14.58 and Rs 44.00, while
Dreamworld and PSO, which fell by Rs 3.00 to Rs 4.20, were among
the prominent losers.
Trading volume fell further to 76 million shares from the previous
89 million shares as losers maintained a strong lead over the
gainers at 80 to 22 with 40 shares holding on to the last levels.
PTCL topped the list of most actives, off 45 paisa at Rs 25.95 on
40 million shares, followed by Hub-Power, lower 35 paisa at Rs
14.40 on 25 million shares, FFC-Jordan Fertilizer, easy five paisa
at Rs 13.95 on 3 million shares, ICI Pakistan, off 45 paisa at Rs
12.30 on 2.131 million shares, and MCB, off 80 paisa at Rs 17.20 on
0.981 million shares.
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980918
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mini steel mill near Quetta suggested
-------------------------------------------------------------------
S. Azam Ali
QUETTA, Sept 17: Pre-investment feasibility study on the discovery
of 100 million tons of iron ore deposits in areas of Pachinkoh and
Chigendik in Chagai district of Balochistan suggests setting up of
a mini steel mill at Quetta.
Discovery of the deposits by the Geological Survey of Pakistan has
been followed by geophysical survey by China, metallurgical study
by Japan, test by M/s ARMCO of the United States and finally the
feasibility study by M/s Engineers and Consultants of USA. All
these amply prove that Chagai iron ore reserves can be used by
Pakistan Steel Mills Karachi.
Director Geological Survey of Pakistan, Mr Abdul Latif Khan when
contacted by Dawn here on Thursday confirmed potential of 100
million tons of reserves of iron ore with proven reserve of 50
million tons of good metallurgical grade ore having 50 per cent
iron (FO) content.
Chigendik iron ore can be upgraded to 66.5 per cent and Pachinkoh
ore to 64.10 per cent of total iron ore.
Pakistan Steel is trying to develop these deposits to make use of
indigenous ore.
Meanwhile, pre-investment feasibility study report by the American
firm, Engineers and Consultants Inc, under the aegis of Asian
Development Bank, with the four-point proposal is awaiting approval
of the federal government for final decision on Chagai iron ore
reserves in the following forms: iron ore concentrates; iron oxide
pellets; direct-reduced iron pellets and iron ore oxide pellets
partly as blast furnace and partly as direct-reduced iron as
electric furnace charge.
Mini steel mill proposed by the American firm could produce 250,000
tons of billets. It would use direct-reduced iron pellets based on
Chagai iron ore alongwith steel scrap.
It would use natural gas as reducing agent. Quetta where mini steel
mill is proposed to be set up, has sufficient natural gas,
electricity and water.
Alternatively, American consultants have suggested that 250,000
tons per year of concentrates from Chagai iron ore could be
supplemented by 100,000 tons per year of concentrates from gold
copper Saindak project to provide a total of 350,000 tons per year.
This could be converted to direct-reduced pellets and charge along
with steel scrap to a new electric furnace, producing billets.
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980918
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan enters Gulf market via mutton export
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana
KARACHI, Sept 17: Pakistan entered mutton market of Gulf by
exporting two separate consignments of the chilled commodity
weighing five tons each. The consignments were air lifted to
Muscat.
A spokesman of the company told Dawn that they have earned
substantial amount of foreign exchange on the consignment.
There is a strong demand for mutton and beef in the Gulf and in
Middle East which is being met through import of live animals and
chilled meat.
"We plan to export up to 100 tons of mutton per month to Saudi
Arabia, UAE and other Gulf states where monthly demand for mutton
and beef is up to 340 million tons,"said Tariq Mahmood Butt of the
exporting company.
Pakistani exporters so far could not tap the Middle East and Gulf
markets because of a ban.
However, the current policy allows exports and the government
expects to earn huge foreign exchange after it has lifted all sort
of duties, including that of customs.
Presently, Middle East and Gulf markets are dominated by Australian
exporters for the supply of live animals whereas chilled mutton and
beef is mostly coming from India.
"We would be facing uphill task in competing and getting our share
of the market particularly with Indian exporters who had been in
the market for long,"said another exporter.
Nonetheless, Pakistani exporters would be having an edge of lower
airfreight because of proximity and a little extra efforts from
their side could bring in good results. Even then the government
should initially allow concessional freight charges and should fix
air cargo space for export of beef and mutton so that regular
supplies are maintained which is essential for high-turnover and
perishable consumers� goods.
The main objective of the government for liberalizing the export of
live animals, beef and mutton is to encourage investment in
development of feed lots in the country, Tariq Butt said.
"We would like to take full advantage of the government policies
and develop a dairy farm near our existing feed lot situated in
Moosa Goth Razzakabad, near National Highway,"Steve Meerwald,
General Manager, Wellard Rural Exports told Dawn who was recently
in city to prepare a feasibility report for future investment.
Wellard Rural Exports of Australia in collaboration with P.K.
Livestock and Meat of Pakistan during last two years imported over
75,000 sheep and 350 cows and developed a feed lot by investing
over $5 million.
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980918
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Direct taxes collection up
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ikram Hoti
ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: The Central Board of Revenue has recorded a Rs
1.45 billion improvement in collection of direct taxes in the first
two months of financial year 1998-99 over what was collected under
this head in July-August, 1997.
The total amount of direct taxes collected in July-August, 1998, is
Rs 9.2 billion. Last year, in these two months, the total direct
taxes collected were worth Rs 7.75 billion.
The total target of collection of direct taxes set for the
financial year 1998-99 is Rs 115 billion and the monthly target
deduced is Rs 9.7 billion. The CBR was supposed to collect Rs 19.4
billion under this target.
The shortfall in collection of direct taxes this year in the first
two months is Rs 10.2 billion. However, the CBR officials claim
that the actual target of collection of direct taxes set for the
first quarter of the financial year 1998-99 is Rs 24 billion, and
thus the target set for the first two months comes down to Rs 16
billion.
Even by that reduced target, the CBR was supposed to collect Rs 6.8
billion more than what it has collected under this head in July-
August.
The CBR officials also say that the actual target of Rs 115 billion
set for the direct taxes is to be cut down by at least Rs 3 billion
for the first quarter of the current financial year. They argue
that if that is effected the CBR would have to collect Rs 7 billion
a month and Rs 14 billion for July-August period. Thus the actual
shortfall would be Rs 4.3 billion and not Rs 10 billion or Rs 6.8
billion.
The Income Tax senior officials are indicating that a downward
revision for all the federal tax targets is on the anvil. The CBR
chairman has already said in clear terms that the present target of
taxes set in the federal budget 1998-99 is not collectible under
the prevailing circumstances of slump in the market and poor
imports of raw materials and machinery.
He has also indicated in a number of his comments on the current
targets that "unrealistic"targets have been set in the past
without keeping in view the potential of the market.
The Income Tax senior officials say that the corporate sector
(companies) have been recording a significant downswing in their
incomes, while the amounts collectible under Wealth Tax and Capital
Value Tax have also not been improving as per the current targets.
They do not hope that the situation would improve during the next
quarter of the financial year 1998-99. Supplementing this view, the
CBR officials indicate that the overall tax target would be cut
down from the budgeted Rs 338.2 billion to somewhere near Rs 315
billion. This would help the Income Tax side to gain a Rs 10
billion downward revision.
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980916
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dar rules out further devaluation of rupee
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The Minister for Commerce, Mohammad Ishaq Dar
here on Tuesday categorically ruled out any further devaluation of
Pakistani rupee irrespective of what the International Monetary
Fund may demand.
Addressing a press conference, he insisted that all the
fundamentals of economic situation were right and nothing had
happened since the last devaluation in April to warrant yet another
devaluation. He said he had been authorized to make this statement
by the prime minister who also holds the portfolio of finance
minister and also as a member of the government team engaged in
negotiations with the IMF review mission.
He said the on-going talks with the IMF mission which would be
joined today (Wednesday) by its head, Antonio Furtado, are aimed
not only to revive the suspended ESAF/EFF programme but also to
obtain a more long term loan. So far, only junior members of the
mission have been holding discussions with a view to gathering data
about the economic situation. Substantive talks would be held with
Furtado.
The minister, however, denied that the negotiations with IMF were
tied with the question of signing of CTBT.
Pakistan expected enhancement of loan arrangements with IMF,
particularly as it had suffered a huge lose as a consequence of
IMF�s decision to withhold its third tranche. Pakistan had expected
to receive $1.9 billion but couldn�t get it because of the
suspension of its loan programme. This had brought Pakistan to the
situation of what Dar called "engineered default". IMF was willing
to negotiate both the revival of the old programme and also a new
programme, Dar stated.
When his attention was invited to the 18 points agreed upon with
the Paris Club by a Pakistani team comprising the then finance
minister and Moin Afzal, the Finance Secretary, the commerce
minister said that some of these points were not found to be
conducive to the national interest. Among these was the decision to
unify to exchange rate which was tantamount to devaluation.
In reply to a question he said, the question of whether and when
Pakistan would approach the Paris Club and the London Club for
rescheduling of debt repayment, would depend on the outcome of the
current negotiations with IMF. These talks would possibly last till
Sept 25 or 26, and then the IMF Executive Board would require
another two to three weeks to arrive at a decision. Only after that
a decision would be made as to whether to go to the Paris Club
and/or London Club, Dar added.
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980915
-------------------------------------------------------------------
FIA cracks down on illegal money changers
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporter
LAHORE, Sept 14: Federal Investigation Agency on Monday started a
crackdown against the unregistered money changers through out the
country to put an end to speculations regarding foreign exchange.
In Lahore seven persons were arrested from infront of duty free
shop by FIA Lahore�s State Bank Circle. The arrests were made in
contravention of the provision 4 of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act
1947.
The provision-4 of the Act reads,"except with the previous general
or special permission of the State Bank of Pakistan, no person
other than an authorised dealer shall in Pakistan and no person
resident in Pakistan other than unauthorised dealer shall outside
Pakistan, buy or borrow from or sell or lend to or exchange with
any person not being an authorised dealer any foreign exchange".
The government had extended the date to Sept 31 for the
unregistered money changers to get themselves registered with the
State Bank. Earlier the date was fixed to the first week of
September.
Other than regulating the foreign currency business, through this
operation, the government had also conveyed a message to
unauthorised, unregistered and unscrupulous elements to stop
speculation, said a highly placed FIA official.
The official said that the sharp rise in the US dollar was un-
natural. How could the difference be of Rs 20 between the State
Bank rate and open market rate, he said.
The official said that the money changers were intimated of this
operation and the US Dollar rate came down to Rs 56 from Rs 66 in
the open market in a period of one week.
Once again bankers were remembered in the corridors of FIA for
their involvement in the unnatural rise in foreign currency rates.
This time bankers from private sectors were talked about.
The seven boys arrested in the city were- Zeeshan Butt, Abid
Mahmood, Shahid Nadeem, Mohammed Yawar, Khalid Mahmood, Mohammed
Asif, Mohammed Faheem.
Two persons were released by FIA, Lahore. One was a mason who was
passing from that road while the other had come to get the money
changed.
Reportedly, the authority to arrest unregistered money changers had
recently been rescheduled in the FIA State Bank Circle.
Back to the top
===================================================================
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
980913
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Absolute!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
"ABSOLUTE: In quality or degree perfect. Free from all
imperfection or deficiency; complete, finished, consummate. Of
degree : complete, entire, in the fullest sense."
Such is the degree of the moral bankruptcy of those who sit in our
parliament. The latest manifestation, the prime minister�s two-day
trip to London at our expense, in the prime-ministerial special jet
which supposedly had been returned to serve the nation.
His reason for the sudden flight: to express his concern about the
health of the ruler of the UAE, Sheikh Zaid. If this be so, why
carry with him Begum Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif, Miss Asma Nawaz, friends
F. Mehmood and Rahila Isa, Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz and wife,
military secretary Brigadier Javed Iqbal, personal physician
Brigadier Masood Siddiq, protocol chief Farooq Ubaid, an unnamed
assistant, chief of security Pervez Rathore, press secretary Rao
Riaz Hussain, personal secretary Qamruzzaman, valet Shakil, three
un-named guards, four staff members, and two pressmen?
The real reason, some say, is that he went to see Altaf Hussain as
he badly needs numbers to push through his 15th Amendment (that is,
if he is as serious about it as he leads us to believe), Altaf
having announced that he will no longer talk to the likes of
Chaudhry Nisar, Saifur Rahman, Chaudhry Shujaat, who cannot deliver
what they promise. Others say, his visit involved a private family
matter, which is no longer private as he used state apparatus. For
either of these reasons, or the declared excuse, he had no need to
carry with him an entourage of twenty-four ( "Tussi ve sadey naal
challo").
It is the duty of the leader of the opposition to criticize such
wasteful expense, and it is comical when the leader raves about it
after she herself, as prime minister, behaved in a far more
extravagant manner, her free trips being more numerous.
Benazir Bhutto insists on embarrassing us, oblivious of the disdain
and the sniggers aroused here and abroad by her protestations of
innocence. Recently, when the Bow Street magistrate in London was
asked by her lawyer to grant an injunction preventing disclosure to
the government of Pakistan of her holdings in Britain, he
questioned: "Would the learned counsel tell us what his client has
to hide? If there is nothing to hide, the learned counsel�s client
should welcome complete disclosure by Her Majesty�s Government to
the government of Pakistan regarding her finances,"and declined
her request.
Nawaz Sharif and his government are steadily taking us deeper into
the mire. First came the �bum� (as it is affectionately known),
long after our expert had told us that he has the capability to
nuke 27 Indian cities at one go, time and time again, and reduce
them to ashes. Using this as an excuse, the government saved itself
by declaring an unnecessary �Emergency�, telling lies, spending our
dollars, and depriving us of our fundamental rights. On top of it
all, someone among our rulers and their cronies surreptitiously
sent out of the country 200 million dollars between the time the
government enforced the freeze and the bank opening time the next
morning. The government has in its possession a full tally of who
sent out what and through which bank. The governor of the State
Bank even declared that the money whisked away will be ordered to
be brought back, and the remitters and the banks concerned
penalized. This has not been done and the people now justifiably
hold that the guilty were insiders.
Nawaz Sharif then floated the Kalabagh Dam scare and the stupid
opposition, rather than saying �go build it if you can without
having the money you need to build it,� flared up, ranted and raved
senselessly.
Then came the cruise missiles. Again the government lied to us. We
were told that it had not acquiesced. Did it not realize that by
thus stating it had admitted that it was unprepared, that it had no
intelligence forewarning? The Americans, knowing our stupidity and
fearing that someone may press the wrong button, informed the
government what was happening while the missiles were flying over
the country.
This event was closely followed by the announcement of the tabling
in the Assembly of the Fifteenth Constitutional Amendment Bill.
This upped the hype, exacerbated the sectarian strife already
eating into us because of all the discriminatory laws that exist.
To gain support, Nawaz Sharif summoned and addressed a gathering of
learned divines, asked them to go out into the streets and spread
the message, and told them that the forces of the government would
back them in their crusade. Does Nawaz Sharif not realize that to
incite a civil war of sorts is a grave offence?
Having undermined the judiciary as he has, what hope have the
thousand or so of our people in jail on the charge of having
intoned �Bismillah-ur-Rahman-ur-Rahim� or of having had the phrase
engraved on a tombstone, who are unable to even get bail? What hope
have the uncounted others, such as Akhter Hameed Khan and many good
men, who under the blasphemy laws are summoned on frivolous charges
to appear before lower courts in various remote areas of the
country? Mushahidsaab tells us each day that the Kashmir issue is
being kept alive, that it is festering, rather than being put on
the backburner. Do people not know that all we are doing by sending
in �freedom fighters� is killing more and more men, women and
children of the same faith? Our men are sent out to various
international forums to ask for help to settle the Kashmir issue.
Out of sheer courtesy, the host countries agree to give their
support. This news is disseminated as if it is a great
breakthrough. We will make no headway on the Kashmir front until we
are strong. As things are, it is unlikely that this will be the
case in even the distant future.
As for the difficult terrain of the playing fields of the Great
Game, what has this country gained from the Pakistan and US
inspired and supported guerilla war against the Soviets? Nothing
for the country, but much for the pockets of the few top men
involved. Who are the Taliban? Where were they born and nurtured?
Who now finances them? Why and for what and to whose gain? Are we
not raising a rebel rabble force to meddle in the internal affairs
of another country? When the crunch comes, as it soon may, this
�tiger�, when forced back into the weakest bordering territory of
Afghanistan which is the country that spawned them, may well chew
us all up and swallow us.
Coming home to Karachi, we read every day of killings related to
political enmity. Life has ceased to have value. This province has
an incompetent chief minister in Liaquat Jatoi who is incapable of
holding a government together. Granted, he is forced to deal with a
nasty greedy coalition, but that was always on the cards. Nawaz
Sharif made a �high-powered� peace-keeping committee of sorts,
chaired by Jatoi, which amongst others included a couple of federal
Chaudhrys, the landlubber Master Mariner, the chief secretary of
Sindh, the home secretary of Sindh, the IG Police of Sindh and the
commander of the Rangers. A diverse committee, its members working
in diverse places and thus with an inherent difficulty in
assembling all together at any given time.
Very sensibly, this committee formed a sub-committee of men on the
spot who matter, chief secretary Zubair Kidwai, home secretary
Wajid Rana, IG Police Aftab Nabi, Rangers chief Major General
Imtiaz Shameem. A strange combination of luck and sympathy willed
the providence to ensure that each of these four are competent,
efficient and able men, capable, if left free to work together, of
bringing about a semblance of peace and tranquillity to this
troubled city. This was not in the interests of power-seekers and
money-makers, so the chief minister ordered that the sub-committee
cannot meet unless it is he who presides over and directs the
meeting. Thus, it now stands suspended with the chief minister
hell-bent on ridding himself of the chief secretary and the IGP.
Jatoi is trying to bring in pliant Salik Nazir Ahmad as his CS.
Why?
In the frying pan right now is the CTBT, the latest point of
contention. Despite noises to the contrary, it will be signed, as
will the ABC, the XYZ and anything else the US asks us to sign.
There will be further devaluation every couple of days, and one
fine morning we will find that the rupee has been officially
devalued. No new fish, big or small, will be brought into the tax
net and those of us in it will be taxed to the hilt. We are
courting recession, unemployment and perhaps even famine.
Absolute disaster? But which man in Islamabad realizes that moral
bankruptcy can only breed every other possible sort of bankruptcy?
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
980919
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My way
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Irfan Husain
THE downside of writing a weekly column is that one is caught on a
treadmill, forever reacting to events without being able to step
back and look at the bigger picture.
So it is no bad thing to occasionally get cornered by articulate
critics who force you to re-examine the relevance and value of your
output. This happened to me last week when my friend Sami Mustafa
invited me to meet a small group of his associates to take stock of
the current situation over lunch. Normally I politely decline such
invitations as I doubt if anybody is going to add significantly to
what appears in the press. Also, I find that heavy talk inhibits
the free flow of gastric juices. But I have a lot of respect for
Sami who is a serious person and has devoted much time and effort
in trying to raise standards in education and governance.
We all agreed that the press in Pakistan is at liberty to publish
almost anything it wishes to. I did not voice my private
reservations about the editorial blue pencil because I didn�t want
to shatter the group�s illusions, but it is a fact that Pakistan
today has the freest press in the Muslim world. Which isn�t saying
too much, I suppose, given the despotic nature of most regimes in
Islamic countries. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that journalists
in Pakistan today can write about pretty much any subject, and
criticize anybody they want to.
Under these fortunate circumstances, the group wanted to know why
all the major columnists (whose well-known names I will not mention
here) were so pessimistic about the situation. Why so much gloom
and doom? Surely there were positive elements, even in the current
scenario. While I was flattered to be included in such august
company, I could not honestly identify any bright spots to write
about. Individual efforts and private collective initiatives, yes
and I have written about many of them in the past. But no trends
that promote optimism.
One member of the group let me call him T.A. pointed out that
in material terms, the average Pakistani was better off today than
he was twenty years ago. Although the educational system may be
near collapse, more children were at school than ever before, with
even working class parents sending their kids to private English-
medium schools. There were many more cars and motorcycles on our
roads, more TV antennae visible over the roofs of low-income
houses, and despite all the talk of economic meltdown, the shops
were still full.
So why all the pessimism? The fact is that the perception of the
average Pakistani today is that he is not better off; indeed, he
nostalgically recalls "the good old days."The group felt that this
paradox could be explained by the negative attitude of the press.
Readers have been brainwashed into believing all the nihilistic
columns that kept appearing day in and day out, and simply do not
accept that some positive things were also going on.
My personal experience after nearly three decades of freelancing
under different guises is that not many people bother too much
about opinion pieces like this one. Some of them cause a brief
flutter of interest or titillation among readers, but governments
are largely oblivious to the views of the chattering classes. It is
my firm belief that if op-ed pieces and editorials stopped
appearing tomorrow, the heavens would not fall. Indeed, the only
people who would be directly affected are hacks like me and the
anonymous editorial writers.
Despite my cynical and irreverent attitude towards the power of the
press, Sami and his friends were convinced that journalists are
largely to blame for the general despondency and malaise that are
so widespread in contemporary Pakistan. I held that our corrupt and
inefficient leaders are the ones responsible for the mess we are
in, and journalists merely report what they see around them.
Columnists give their own interpretation of events; they do not
cause them to happen.
Despite this difference of opinion over the effect the press has on
public perceptions and morale, I think the criticism that opinion
pieces in recent years have tended to be fairly gloomy is fair. The
performance of each government has come in for scathing attacks
from the day it has been inducted. Granted that our venal and ham-
fisted politicians make easy targets as they charge around the
corridors of power like bulls in the proverbial China shop. But
they don�t get much of a break from the press, unless, of course,
journalists are firmly in one camp or the other, for one reason or
the other.
Although Sami and his friends and I parted company after agreeing
to disagree, I have been thinking about the conversation for the
last week. What is the purpose of the press? To inform readers and
to present them with different points of view. And how about the
role of independent columnists like me? I see myself as a sniper
who takes pot shots at the crass, grabby people who have seized
control of our destiny. I take particular delight in deflating the
pompous, and exposing the crooked. And every now and then, I enjoy
doing an offbeat piece for the sheer pleasure of it, without caring
too much if it serves a useful social purpose; and here, I must say
the editor indulges me in my occasional flights of fancy.
Ultimately, I think I am too much of an anarchist at heart to
conform to any particular ideology or party. I must confess to a
certain amount of relish in my weekly public outing, and I cannot
always burden it with a heavy message. I usually go with the flow,
and if Sami and his friends don�t like it, I�m afraid that I am too
old to change my style or my approach at this point. This is not to
imply that my computer keyboard is not at the service of a project
that strikes me as innovative and helpful to other people. Indeed,
lost causes and underdogs are my particular weakness. But I don�t
think it is the job of independent columnists to write articles in
praise of government policies as there are enough people and
departments already engaging in this PR exercise. As I see it, our
task is to be constantly critical and keep our rulers on their
toes. We may not always succeed, but we must give it a good try.
So all in all, this was not the best lunch I have ever had. In
fact, at the risk of sounding ungracious, the sandwiches had
virtually no filling at all.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
980917
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Agenda for change
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Imran Khan
THERE is great depression in Pakistan today. We have a government
that has lost the trust of every section of the Pakistani
population by consistently betraying them. Because of its economic
mismanagement and poor governance that has brought us on the verge
of complete collapse, it is about to compromise on our security by
signing the CTBT unilaterally.
All our institutions have virtually ceased to function. As a
result, the law and order situation is out of control, especially
in Karachi. The federation is under great danger as the Nawaz
government accumulates more power at the Centre to compensate for
its dismal and disastrous performance. The 15th Amendment, if
implemented, would mean the end of democracy. The foreign policy is
in tatters with Iran and Afghanistan on the verge of war and the
latter accusing Pakistan of undermining its interests in
Afghanistan.
Amidst our greatest economic crisis the government has no policy
except borrowing expensive short-term loans (11% from the IDB)
while it has already mortgaged the future incomes of PIA, PTCL and
the earnings of Pakistani workers abroad.
To cover up its inadequacies, the Nawaz government has launched a
PR blitz at the taxpayer�s expense. Hundreds of thousands of rupees
are spent daily by the oppressed people of this country to project
Nawaz Sharif on TV and newspapers to prop up his sinking image.
I feel the only way out of this quagmire is to set up a �Reform
Government�, through the doctrine of necessity with a two-point
agenda Ehtasab and reforming and strengthening institutions.
Our democratic system has lost its self-corrective process. The
political mafias have worked out this system, and elections now
will only perpetuate our misery. Four governments have been removed
on corruption yet the same people were returned to the assemblies.
Our political system must separate the executive from the
legislature. This could be done through an amendment in the
Constitution. Our constitutional lawyers can work out the details
of a new system with due safeguards against one province dominating
the others. Moreover, to keep out the corrupt, Article 62 has to be
strictly enforced.
Secondly, a ruthless Ehtasab of all those who have been in power
since 1985 needs to be conducted. No government can mobilize the
people unless it brings these looters to justice; and without
public mobilization no reform is possible. We will get substantial
amounts of money from the crooks, and this will give us a breathing
space before the reform process starts paying its own dividends.
The greatest benefit of Ehtasab of the powerful will be to
encourage virtues like honesty, hard work, decency, merit and
accountability. Corruption has destroyed the moral fabric of our
society and because hard work and honesty does not pay, it is
causing a massive brain drain from the country. Honest people are
considered fools, especially those who pay their taxes and don�t
give bribes to get things done.
A major reform would be decentralization and devolution of powers
from the Centre to the provinces and down to the local government
level. There can be no participation of the people in the
government unless the local bodies are reformed and empowered. In
Switzerland, one of the most successful democracies, the Cantons
(local governments) are almost autonomous units. In the West over
40% of the government spending takes place through the local
government while in Pakistan it is less than 1%. The local
governments should have plenty of autonomy and they should control
schools, hospitals, roads, sewerage, the administration, and,
especially, the police stations. Not only will this system
eliminate feudalism once and for all (along with the implementation
of the 1973 land reforms) but it will also allow the common people
to share power for the first time in our history.
To reform, the government should start a programme of lining the
canals as soon as possible and build farm to market roads. Not only
will this create employment and stimulate demand but we can also
increase our water resources by 33%.
The next reform is the most crucial for our economic survival. It
is that of the income-tax department. Unless we collect revenues we
cannot remain a viable country any more, given the level of our
debt-servicing. The CBR or PRS should be computerized and the human
element needs to be reduced. Salaries should be increased and
bonuses be given for higher collection. Uganda increased its tax
revenue by 600% by raising salaries and bonuses of the income tax
department plus punishing the evaders. Peru set up a completely new
department to get better results because the old one had been
corrupted beyond repair.
One thing, however, is clear and this was confirmed by a study of
the South Korean and Malaysian tax experience that it is
impossible to collect taxes if the people are not willing to
cooperate. In order to mobilize the people, a tax culture has to be
created.
First taxes have to be lower, fewer and equitable. The burden of
taxes must fall on those who have the ability to pay, as happens in
all civilized countries. In Pakistan, the poor have always
subsidized the rich. Secondly, the people must feel that their
taxes are not going to finance the extravagant lifestyle of our
ruling elite. Why should the people pay for Nawaz�s press
propaganda or for the building of roads, canals, and utilities for
his Raiwind palaces or for that matter his recent holiday in the
Maldives and the trip to London?
Third, the people must feel the benefit of their taxes. This will
only happen if a substantial amount of their taxes is spent through
their local government and benefits them directly. Fourth, the
leadership must set an example by paying taxes.
The entire National Assembly three years ago paid half as much as a
lawyer from Karachi, Mr Khalid Ishaque, alone. Moreover, all
"benami"transactions should be abolished. All incomes, including
agricultural, should be taxed at the federal level.
Most importantly, all money whitening schemes and exemptions that
the ruling elite have given themselves have to be abolished
immediately. Top tax evaders should be given exemplary punishments.
Finally, smuggling can be drastically reduced if it is attacked at
the retail level. This step alone can enhance revenues
substantially. I have no doubt that a determined government with a
strong political will can more than double the revenues.
The next crucial reform is to free the people from the clutches of
the bureaucracy. It has to be drastically reduced as per the
recommendations of the 1991 Civil Service Commission. Experts
should be hired from the market to improve efficiency. In New
Zealand, government department posts are advertized internationally
and, they are performance-oriented. Margaret Thatcher in the 80�s
gave targets and bonuses and achieved tremendous results. Some
departments that failed to perform were abolished; others improved
their results dramatically.
The bureaucratic salary structure needs to be reviewed. Rather than
give perks that are inefficient and extremely costly, a proper
living wage needs to be paid. After that the corrupt should be
punished severely. Merit must be awarded with promotions and better
salary packages (in line with the private sector). An independent
body with a set tenure to investigate corruption in government
departments (like the National Audit Commission set up by Margaret
Thatcher in the 80�s) needs to be established. Transparency is a
must in government departments and this should be imposed through a
freedom of Information Act. The electronic media should be freed
from government control to be a check on the executive as happens
in the West.
Privatization is urgently needed. However, in our present
situation, we are unlikely to get much for our national assets. So
I suggest we privatize the management (as was done with the Coal
Board in U.K. in 1980). PIA could immediately become profitable.
Certain key industries like WAPDA can actually be handed over to
the public through a voucher scheme as has been done in
Czechoslovakia, while the management is given to professionals.
This restructuring is going to be extremely painful in the short
run. Therefore, a safety net for the unemployed will have to be
provided and �Langars� will have to be opened in most cities.
Judicial reforms are also crucial. Rather than giving justice to the weak
it protects the powerful mafias. The judiciary also needs
to be decentralized. I believe that 80% of the cases can be solved
at the local government levels, as happens in successful systems.
The cases going to the higher courts should not take more than six
months. The judiciary has to be independent of the executive and
the salaries of the judges need to be raised substantially. Above
all, the judiciary must protect the people from the excesses of the
executive.
Finally, no country can progress without education. Local
government reforms will help primary education but we need to
declare an education emergency in the country, so serious is the
problem. The syllabus needs to be drastically changed to the
demands of the country and the 21st century. Plus it needs to be
standardized so that we should not have one system for the masses
and a different one for the elite. We need to improve the quality
of our universities, especially encouraging research, which is non-
existent at the moment.
It is clear that Pakistan cannot go on much longer with the unjust,
mafia-controlled decadent system. We can sink with the system or
take the path of radical reforms and progress towards an
independent and self-respecting nation. The people of Pakistan are
dynamic and capable of huge sacrifices (they will even eat grass)
provided they trust the government and believe that there is light
at the end of the tunnel.
===================================================================
SPORTS
980919
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Asghar punches his way into lightweight final
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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18: Canada and England destroyed African hopes
of a gold medal safari as the Commonwealth Games boxing finalists
were decided here on Friday.
Amid Ghanain claims of bias, the impressive Canadians produced six
finalists and England four, while the Africans who boasted before
the Games of being the modern boxing force were reduced to five
finalists from four nations.
But boxing, devoid of superstars in the league of Ato Boldon and
Susie O�Neill, failed to draw people to the remote 12,000 seat
Melawati stadium.
About 400 people, mainly from overseas with pre-paid tickets,
watched the bouts, briefly boosted by 400 local Games volunteer
workers who watched two Malaysians fight early and then left well
before the one boxer near international recognition stepped into
the ring.
The imposing England super heavyweight Audley Harrison, at six foot
five and nearly 18 stone, knocked out Australian Justin Whitehead
in the third round. The cocky Australians had talked of four gold
and ended with four bronze.
In the lightweight, Asghar Ali Shah of Pakistan qualified for the
final after a narrow 12-10 win over Mauritius�s Giovanni Frontin.
His opponent in the final will be Raymond Narh of Ghana, who
stopped Englishman Andrew McLean in the fifth round.
The Games boxing has been marred by accusations from England and
Ghana that teams are receiving points information during bouts, and
a television cameraman was reprimanded for on passing scores during
the final round of the bantamweight contest involving Malaysian
Adnan Yusoh.
The cameraman, crouched near Yusoh�s corner, denied he was speaking
to the Malaysians, claiming he was giving the scores to his
assistant.
Yusoh lost the bout by one point to Michael Yomba of Tanzania who
fights Herman Ngoudjo of Cameroon for the gold after Ngoudjo upset
the fancied Canadian Andrew Kooner, also by one point.
Chris Bessey, the English light middleweight, rattled up 41 points,
the highest at the Games, before the referee stopped his contest
against Scot Jackie Stewart in the fifth.
The long awaited clash between English middleweight John Pearce and
Brian Magee of Northern Ireland favoured Pearce, the fresher of the
two following his walkover in the quarter-final after Australian
Danny Green broke his hand.
Pearce won 29-19, with Magee showing he had not fully recovered
from his tough points win Thursday over defending champion Rowan
Donaldson of Jamaica.
Mike Strange remained on target for his second consecutive Games
gold beating Davie Mwale of Zambia 19-1. The Canadian light
welterweight, who has come through the tough end of the draw, has
dropped just two points in his last two fights.
The one Malaysian into the finals, light flyweight Sapok Biki, was
four points clear of England�s Gary Jones at the bell, but he will
have to lift his performance in the final against the rapid hands
of Kenyan Moses Kinyua.
The Seychelles with Mauritius and Kenya have two boxers each in the
finals. Roland Raforme, the Seychelles heavyweight, provided the
biggest semi-final upset, with a big last round to beat New
Zealand�s Garth da Silva, third ranked in the world and who led the
fight for all but the final 30 seconds.
The luck of the Irish was with Scotland�s Alex Arthur who arrived
at the stadium without his boots and Irish flyweight Liam
Cunningham, also into the finals, was the only boxer he could find
with similar size feet.
Results of semi-finals:
Light-flyweight (48-kg): Moses Kinyua (Kenya) beat Boudik Kazanjian
(Cyprus) 33-14; Sapok Biki (Malaysia) beat Gary Jones (England) 15-
11.
Flyweight (51-kg): Liam Cunningham (Northern Ireland) beat Phumzile
Matyhila (South Africa) 21-8; Richard Sunee (Mauritius) beat
Jackson Asiku (Uganda) 31-16.
Bantamweight (54-kg): Herman Ngoudjo (Cameroon) beat Andrew Kooner
(Canada) 17-16; Michael Yomba (Tanzania) beat Adnan Yusoh
(Malaysia) 16-15.
Featherweight (57-kg): Marty O�Donnel (Canada) beat Lynch Ipera
(Papua New Guinea) 14-12; Alex Arthur (Scotland) beat James Swan
(Australia) 16-10.
Lightweight (60-kg): Raymond Narh (Ghana) beat Andrew McLean
(England) stopped round five; Asghar Ali Shah (Pakistan) beat
Giovanni Frontin (Mauritius) 12-10.
Light-featherweight (63.5-kg): Gerry Legras (Seychelles) beat Casey
Johns (Australia) 31-11; Michael Strange (Canada) beat Davie Mwale
(Zambia) 19-1.
Welterweight (67-kg): Absolom Okoth (Kenya) beat Colin McNeil
(Scotland) 27-12; Jeremy Molitor (Canada) beat Lynden Hosking
(Australia) 15-5.
Light-middleweight (71-kg): Scott Macintosh (Canada) beat James
Tony (Ghana) 22-14; Chris Bessey (England) beat Jaxkie Townsley
(Scotland) stopped 5th round.
Middleweight (75-kg): Jitender Kumar (India) beat Trevor Stewardson
(Canada) 21-10; Pearce John (England) beat Brian Magee (Northern
Ireland) 29-19.
Light-heavyweight (81-kg): Courtney Fry (England) beat Samuel
Odindo (Kenya) 17-8; Troy Amos (Canada) beat Charles Adamu (Ghana)
stopped 2nd round.
Heavyweight (91-kg): Mark Simmons (Canada) beat Kevin Evans (Wales)
19-11; Roland Raforme (Seychelles) beat Garth da Silva (New
Zealand) 15-13.
Super-heavyweight (+91-kg): Audley Harrison (England) beat Justin
Whitehead (Australia) knockout 3rd round; Michael Macaque
(Mauritius) beat Aloryi Moyoyo (Ghana) 21-11.AFP/Reuters
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
980919
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Yousuf takes on Saleh in Latif Masters final
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By Ian Fyfe
KARACHI, Sept 18: Old rivals Mohammad Yousuf and Saleh Mohammad
will once again meet in the final of the 12th Latif Masters Snooker
Championship, when they beat off the challenge of their respective
rivals at the Karachi Club on Friday evening.
Defending champion and top seed Mohammad Yousuf, came from behind
to end the pretensions of Vishan Gir 6-3, while in the first semi-
final played in the morning session, third seed Saleh Mohammad with
a splendid break of 101 points, backed up with another of 92, swept
past Naveen Perwani 6-2.
Naveen began his quest for a final berth on a confident note,
picking up the opening frame 65/25. But Saleh levelled the frame
scores 1-1, after winning the second 57/42.
>From then on it was Saleh Mohammad all the way.
Chalking up 101 points on the trot, his second century break in the
tournament, Saleh pocketed the next frame 115/2 and aided with
another break of 47, in the following frame, was cruising along
merrily 3-1.
Winning the fifth frame also 84/14, aided with a quick break of 39
points, Saleh increased his lead 4-1, before Naveen scoring with
every visit to the table, stopped the landslide by bagging the
sixth frame 81/25, cutting down the deficit 2-4.
Drawing repeated applause from the snooker fans, Vishan chalking up
46 points and then following it up with an excellent round of 79
points, was racing ahead 3-1, after picking up the next two frames
76/20 and 95/14.
Realising that he had to curtail Vishan�s scoring abilities, Yousuf
who always brings out his best when the chips are down, began to
play safe, a ploy which seemed to aggravate the young left-hander
who began to play a series of unforced errors.
Yousuf the master craftsman fought his way out of trouble and after
levelling the scores 3-3, went ahead 4-3, snatching the next three
frames, with breaks of 40, 33 and 46. Soon the lead increased to 5-
3 with victory awaiting Yousuf around the corner.
Vishan began the ninth frame scoring 21 points on his second visit
to the table and adding another 15 points on his next visit was
leading 36/0.
But with the scoreboard on the move, Yousuf slowly but surely
closed the gap 37/39, after potting the last red with the yellow
ball. The scores were now tied 39/39, when Yousuf potted the yellow
once again. Vishan however managed to keep his head in front 39/41,
sinking the green only to miss the crucial brown ball.
The 15 frame final will be played from 11.00 a.m. on Saturday
morning, with the winner receiving a handsome purse of Rs.50,000
and runner-up going home richer by Rs.30,000.
The President of the Karachi Club, Jameel A. Sakrani, will be the
chief guest at the final and will present the trophies to the
winner and runner-ups.
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS
980919
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan beat India in third Sahara Cup match
-------------------------------------------------------------------
TORONTO, Sept 16: Pakistan went 2-1 up in the Sahara Cup by beating
India by 77 runs in the third match here on Wednesday. Replying to
Pakistan's 257 for five, India could collect 180 all out in 46.2
overs.
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