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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 3 July 1999 Issue : 05/27
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Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
The DAWN Wire Service (DWS) is a free weekly news-service from
Pakistan's largest English language newspaper, the daily DAWN. DWS
offers news, analysis and features of particular interest to the
Pakistani Community on the Internet.
Extracts, not exceeding 50 lines, can be used provided that this
entire header is included at the beginning of each extract.
We encourage comments & suggestions. We can be reached at:
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mail DAWN Group of Newspapers
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Please send all Editorials and Letters to the Editor at
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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 1999
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CONTENTS
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NATIONAL NEWS
+ New Delhi rejects talks offer
+ Nawaz reiterates call for dialogue
+ Saiduzzaman takes over as CJ
+ Talks with Chinese leaders 'totally satisfactory': FO
+ OIC endorses Pakistan stand on Kashmir
+ PIA may opt for smaller aircraft
+ APC demands OIC summit at Islamabad
+ Local call rates increased by 20pc: PTCL
+ Sale up to $10,000 without travel documents: FAP
+ Zinni carried no specific proposal to Pakistan: US
+ Pakistan to receive eight French Mirage jets next month
+ Follow teachings of Holy Prophet, urge Tarar, Nawaz
+ NA passes Rs91.35bn supplementary budget
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BUSINESS & ECONOMY
+ Central Excise Rules amended
+ 'Two million people to slip below poverty line'
+ Software exports target raised to $1bn by 2005
+ Adamjee family retains insurance co management
+ Airlines to expand operations
+ 2.4 million unemployed this year
+ $300m IMF tranche to be offered this month
+ No decision yet on fund sharing by provinces
+ CBR amends import duty notifications
+ 'Business climate from bad to worse'
+ KSE index crosses 1,100-point barrier
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EDITORIALS & FEATURES
+ Weavers of lies Ardeshir Cowasjee
+ What is the political leadership up to? Ayaz Amir
+ The real cost of Kashmir Irfan Husain
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SPORTS
+ Majid going to office but not as CEO
+ No communication on EB investigation: PCB Chairman
+ PCB asked to arrange Miandad's presence on July 8
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NATIONAL NEWS
990703
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New Delhi rejects talks offer
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NEW DELHI, July 2: India on Friday virtually rejected any
possibility of a dialogue with Pakistan until "Islamabad abandoned
an armed intrusion in the Kargil sector of occupied Kashmir."
Foreign Office spokesman Raminder Singh Jassal told newsmen in
Delhi that India hoped Pakistan would heed the advice of the
international community to respect the sanctity of the military
Line of Control (LoC).
Reacting to news reports from Pakistan that a major breakthrough to
avert the threat of a third India-Pakistan war over Kashmir is
expected imminently, Jassal said he was not aware if any contact
has been established between the two neighbours in recent days.
"We will react when we are made aware of it (peace proposals by
Pakistan)," the Indian official said.
Delhi also claimed that its armed forces had checked Pakistan's
intrusion in Kargil but regretted that there was no evidence of the
Pakistani army withdrawing from Kargil.
"The Indian armed forces have checked the intrusions and are
engaged in reversing it. In some areas still under Pakistani
occupation, desperate efforts are being made to keep the intruders
supplied."-dpa
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990702
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Nawaz reiterates call for dialogue
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, July 1: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presided a meeting
here on Thursday to discuss the ongoing conflict with India
specially in the light of his three-day visit to China.
Informed sources said he told the meeting, which continued for over
75 minutes, that China had fully supported Pakistan's point of view
over Kashmir. The meeting was attended by the Chairman of Joint
Chiefs of Staff Committee and Army Chief, Gen Pervez Musharraf,
secretaries of foreign affairs and defence and the senior officials
of the security agencies.
The prime minister said that Pakistan wanted to de-escalate the
situation by holding talks with the Indian authorities. He
regretted that his Indian counterpart was not encouraging dialogue
between the two countries. He said Pakistan wanted peace but if war
was imposed on it, a befitting reply would be given to the enemy.
He briefed the meeting about his talks with the senior Chinese
leaders and said China had been informed about the latest security
situation in the region.
The prime minister also discussed the possibility of his visit to
the United States to meet President Bill Clinton and inform him
about the latest situation obtaining the region.
Sources said the army chief told the prime minister that all
possible measures had been taken to protect the Pakistan borders
against any Indian attack. He said that border positions on the
Line of Control (LoC) and at other places were further being
reinforced to meet any challenge.
The sources said that the army chief also said that Mujahideen were
giving toughest time to the Indian army in Kargil and that their
indigenous movement would one day become a success story.
The officials of the security agencies briefed the meeting about
various issues.
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990702
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Saiduzzaman takes over as CJ
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By Rafaqat Ali
ISLAMABAD, July 1: Justice Saiduzzaman Siddiqui, the senior most
judge of the Supreme Court, on Thursday took oath as the Chief
Justice of Pakistan. President Rafiq Ahmad Tarar administered oath
to him at a ceremony held here at the President House.
His appointment as Chief Justice-designate was notified by the
federal government on May 11. Justice Siddiqui is 14th chief
Justice of Pakistan (minus Justice Sajjad Ali Shah).
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the
chairman of Senate, Speaker National Assembly, all the judges of
the Supreme Court and members of the parliament.
The appointment of Justice Siddiqui has been made on the basis of
seniority as was held in the case of Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. A 10-
member bench headed by Justice Siddiqui had held that the senior-
most judge of the court would have legitimate expectancy to be
appointed as the chief justice, if there was nothing against him on
record.
In the light of the SC judgment, the federal government had
renotified the appointment of Justice Shah as the Chief Justice and
relegated him to an ordinary judge. The court, however, had held
that all the decisions made by Justice Shah as the Chief Justice
would be valid in the light of the doctrine of de facto.
Justice Siddiqui will reach the age of superannuation on Nov 30,
2002. By that time Justice Irshad Hasan Khan, Justice Raja Afrasiab
Khan, Justice Mohammad Bashir Jehangiri and Justice Nasir Aslam
Zahid would have retired.
If the principle of seniority is maintained, Justice Munawar Ahmed
Mirza would take over as the Chief Justice of Pakistan on Dec 1,
2002, after the retirement of Justice Siddiqui. He would continue
up to Aug 17, 2007.
Justice Siddiqui has a number of similarities with his predecessor,
Justice Ajmal Mian. Both started their legal profession as junior
of Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada. Both started their judicial career as
judges of the Sindh High Court. Later, both became chief justice of
the SHC.
The chief justices of Pakistan are: Justice Sir Mian Abdur Rashid,
Justice Mohammad Munir, Justice Mohammad Shahabuddin, Justice A.R.
Cornelius, Justice S.A. Rahman, Justice Fazal Akbar, Justice
Hamoodur Rehman, Justice Yaqoob Ali Khan, Justice Anwarul Haq,
Justice Mohammad Haleem, Justice Mohammad Afzal Zullah, Justice Dr
Nasim Hasan Shah, Justice Ajmal Mian and Justice Saiduzzaman
Siddiqui.
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990702
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Talks with Chinese leaders 'totally satisfactory': FO
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By Hasan Akhtar
ISLAMABAD, July 1: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's talks with the
Chinese leadership in Beijing earlier this week on the security
situation of South Asia, with particular reference to the Kashmir
dispute, were "totally satisfactory" from Pakistan's standpoint,
said a Foreign Office spokesman here on Thursday.
Spokesman Tariq Altaf referred to a statement of the China's
Foreign Office spokesperson, Zhang Qiyue, issued at the end of
talks and telecast by China Central TV.
He said that Ms Zhang's statement/interview with China Central TV
on the current Kashmir crisis had upheld the Pakistan viewpoint and
supported Islamabad's proposals to defuse the LoC situation.
According to him, the Chinese spokesperson stated that her
government would like to see maintenance of peace and stability in
South Asia with both sides making efforts to avoid worsening of the
situation.
The FO spokesman said that the statement reiterated China's deep
interest in maintenance of peace in the region.
The Foreign Office spokesman said China had observed that the
complicated Kashmir issue left over by history "should and must be
finally resolved by India and Pakistan through peaceful
negotiations" and in accordance "with the spirit of Lahore
Declaration".
He said that the statement clearly stipulated as had been proposed
to India by Pakistan during the June 12 Sartaj-Jaswant meeting in
New Delhi that the "pressing obligation" of the two sides should be
to avoid worsening of the situation and to adopt measures
respecting the Line of Control by resuming talks as early as
possible for "a fair and reasonable settlement of all the disputes,
including the Kashmir issue" .
However, the spokesman regretted, the Pakistan peace proposals were
not received in New Delhi which even turned down its invitation to
send Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh to Islamabad for further
consideration of those proposals.
He pointed out that significantly the China's statement said
nothing about the Mujahideen's role in occupied Kashmir nor did it
suggest any withdrawal of the alleged intruders from Kargil.
In fact, he said, the statement made no specific reference to the
Kargil situation per se, apparently regarding it essentially an
issue arising from the main dispute on Kashmir.
This too, he said, conforms to Pakistan position that Kargil issue
was not exclusive of the Kashmir dispute which indeed demanded a
permanent settlement in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri
people and by giving them right to self-determination.
The spokesman further said it was also apparent from the statement
that the Indian claim of LoC violations by the Pakistan forces or
Mujahideen, for whose withdrawal or the ejection New Delhi had been
pressing hard, found no favour with Beijing. Instead, he added, the
statement urged the two sides to address the current problem
immediately without resorting to any pre-conditions for opening
negotiations to defuse the critical situation and finding a final
settlement.
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990702
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OIC endorses Pakistan stand on Kashmir
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OUGADOUGOU, July 1: The foreign ministers of Islamic countries on
Thursday, reaffirming their traditional stand, fully endorsed
Pakistan's stance on the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
They unanimously adopted two resolutions on Kashmir and reflected
complete support to the Pakistan's position.
This is for the first time that ICFM (Islamic countries foreign
ministers), representing over 50 countries, have adopted two
separate resolutions on Kashmir - one reaffirming its traditional
stand on the fundamental issue of Jammu and Kashmir and the other
on the current tensions along the Line of Control.
The resolutions are an endorsement of Pakistan's position not only
on the long-standing Kashmir issue but also on the current crisis
caused by India's war mongering and military actions along the LoC.
The resolution on the present tension expressed concern over the
serious escalation caused by heavy Indian shelling and air strikes
across the LoC.
It welcomed Pakistan's initiative for defusing tension and urged
both sides to exercise restraint and resume dialogue in the spirit
of the Lahore Declaration.
Under this resolution, the ICFM affirmed complete solidarity with
Pakistan in its efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, political
independence and territorial integrity.
In the resolution dealing with the Kashmir issue, the ICFM
reaffirmed the right to self-determination in Kashmir, condemned
the violations of human rights and called for an early resolution
of the dispute in accordance with the UN resolutions.
The ICFM agreed to appoint a "special representative" on Kashmir to
be nominated by the Secretary General.
The resolutions were introduced by Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz.
The vast majority of foreign ministers, who took the floor,
particularly underscored Pakistan's initiative in seeking a
negotiated solution to the current tension.
A record number of 24 delegations referred to Kashmir in their
statements. Their comments focused on the dangers of war in South
Asia. They emphasized the need for restraint and resumption of
dialogue in accordance with the UN resolutions, the Simla Agreement
and the Lahore Declaration.
BILATERAL MEETINGS: During his four-day stay here, Mr Aziz held
bilateral meetings with most heads of delegation where he explained
the background of the current tension in Kashmir.
The meetings led to consensus and smooth passage of both
resolutions presented by Pakistan. In the bilateral meetings, the
foreign minister also discussed major issues at the ICFM, including
Palestine, Kosovo, Bosnia and terrorism.
The heads of delegation with whom Mr Aziz held meetings included
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, PLO, Indonesia, Niger,
Malaysia, Iraq, Morocco, Sudan, Turkish Cyprus and Brunei.
The foreign minister was also received in audience by President
Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso. The FM was accompanied by
Shaharyar M. Khan, Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Burkina Faso,
who delivered a letter from the Prime Minister to the Burkina
President.
During the meeting, the president of Burkina Faso conveyed his full
support to Pakistan's sovereignty and called for a de- escalation
of the tension.
One of the highlights of the conference was the celebration of the
25th anniversary of the IDB, an important specialized institution
of the OIC. -APP
AFP adds: The annual meeting of foreign ministers of the OIC
wrapped up on Thursday, a day earlier than planned. No reason was
given for the meeting's early end.
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990701
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PIA may opt for smaller aircraft
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By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 30: The PIA has decided to place firm orders to the
aircraft manufacturers in mid August. For this purpose
representatives of the two major aircraft manufacturers - Airbus
and Boeing - which have been invited to finalize their offers, will
be meeting the PIA management in the first week of July, it is
learnt.
The two manufacturers have offered their products to the PIA
including 747-400, 777-300, and 777-200 by Boeing and A-340- 300,
A340-400, A330-300 and A330-600 by Airbus.
After missing two timeframes of December 1997 and March 1999 for
induction of new aircraft in the fleet, the management has decided
to go for small capacity aircraft. The fleet replacement committee
comprising Yawar Ali (chairman), Air Marshal Dilawar Khan, MNA
Mansoor Hayat Taman and Adnan Aurangzeb, after detailed studies of
the on-going recession in the Asian countries and downtrend in the
aviation industry has decided to go for small- capacity aircraft.
Moreover, IATA in its forecast for travel in Asia has slashed its
growth from 7.7 per cent to 4.4 per cent a year until 2000.
The PIA management, it is learnt, has already short-listed Airbus
330 series and Boeing 777 series as their final choice keeping in
view the opening of the northern gateway to foreign carriers.
The PIA's modernization of its fleet is overdue as most of its
aeroplanes have been over 20 years in service and their cost of
maintenance had become uneconomical.
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990701
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APC demands OIC summit at Islamabad
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, June 30: The All Parties Conference (APC) on Wednesday,
rejected government's move of "secret diplomacy" and called for
convening an emergency summit of the OIC, in Islamabad to muster
international support in the face of imminent threat of Indian
aggression.
The demand was made in the "Islamabad declaration," unanimously
adopted by the representatives of around 35 political and religious
parties at the conference held on the initiative of veteran
politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan.
The APC urged the government to take the nation into confidence
over the "secret diplomacy" going on between the two countries.
Referring to the visit of former foreign secretary Niaz A. Naik to
New Delhi, he refuted government's repeated clarification disowning
Naik's visit and asked as to who provided a special plane to Mr
Naik.
"No man of sound mind would believe that Mr Vajpayee would grant an
audience to any ordinary Pakistani in such a tense situation," the
Nawabzada later told reporters.
"Why the government is concealing it?" he aked and alleged that the
government was deliberately keeping the nation in dark.
On question from CNN correspondent about the western and American
pressure on Pakistan to withdraw "infiltrators" from Kargil,
Nawabzada said that these Mujahadeen were struggling for right of
self-determination, which had been acknowledge in the UN
resolution.
The veteran politician, who headed Parliamentary Kashmir Committee
during the previous government, said it was highly unfortunate that
the Kashmir resolution had been forgotten by the international
community.
He said Pakistan had always extended moral and political support to
the people of Kashmir and it would continue to do so. The
conference condemned Indian aggression on the LoC, violation of
Pakistan's air space and Indian threats of war against Pakistan.
The APC emphasised the need of full preparedness to counter Indian
aggression on all fronts.
Nawabzada regretted that the government had failed in highlighting
the Kashmir issue at the international level. "It appears that
Pakistan has been isolated diplomatically and politically, which is
evident from the statements of the US President, the European Union
and G-8 countries," he said.
The conference was of the view that the Kargil flare up could not
and must not be seen in isolation with the larger issue of Kashmir.
It welcomed the statement of the Chief of Army Staff Gen Pervez
Musharraf in this regard and described it as correct, realistic and
reflecting the wishes of the people.
The resolution, besides expressing complete solidarity with the
Mujahadeen and Pakistan Armed Forces, made a number of suggestions
aimed at restoring internal political stability.
The APC demanded an end to political victimization of one
opposition party in the name of accountability and to the
governor's rule in Sindh.
"The conference believes that the need for national integrity and
cohesion at this hour of internal and external threats to Pakistan
was the greatest today even before," the resolution said.
The print media should be freed of all unlawful pressures and the
electronic media be used to project national interests rather than
as the handmaiden of the regime, it added.
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990630
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Local call rates increased by 20pc: PTCL
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, June 29: There has been a 20 per cent increase in the
local call charges and not 17 per cent as was reported in a section
of the press, clarifies Pakistan Telecommunications Company (PTCL).
A PTCL spokesman in a statement here on Tuesday said that the
charges, including central excise duty, for five minutes' local
call (pulse remained unchanged), had been increased from Rs1.75 to
Rs2.10 - an increase of 20 per cent.
He pointed out that NWD call charges between Islamabad-Karachi had
been reduced from Rs28.56 to Rs21 per minute, envisaging a
reduction of 26.7 per cent.
But the installation charges, including CED, for new telephone
lines had been revised upward by 9.7 per cent from Rs4,000 to
Rs4,390. A considerable increase had also been made in the line
rent from Rs180 to Rs235, per month showing an increase of 30.6 per
cent.
The spokesman said while revising the tariffs, due consideration
had been given to the ground realities like imposition of corporate
tax on PTCL, devaluation, inflation and increases in tariffs of
other utilities.
Justifying the increase in the local charges the PTCL spokesman
claimed that these had remained unchanged for the last several
years despite the increase in inflation and devaluation of the
rupee. These rates, in fact, had come down to about half (from
$0.06 to $0.03) since 1992, the spokesman claimed.
Despite no compensatory increase in local call charges, the PTCL
has been making drastic cut in NWD call charges for the last three
years - 20 per cent in 1997, 15 per cent in 1998 and about 15 per
cent in 1999 on weighted average basis.
It claimed that the reduction made on some routes was even higher
than 26 per cent. He said the long distance call charges had been
reduced to half in two years. Now the charges for long distance
call between Islamabad-Karachi, Peshawar-Karachi and Lahore-Karachi
had been reduced from Rs42 per minute to Rs21, which in real terms
was a 67 per cent cut.
"This has brought our long distance call tariffs in line with
international trends making a significant reduction in the cost of
telecom service for both business and residential customers.
"Now the residential customers can make NWD calls on major routes
for just Rs5.25 per minute from 10:30pm to 5:30am. Any one can make
long distance calls from customer services centres and PCOs (both
manual and card-operated) at reduced rates between cities and small
towns".
The PTCL believed that the increase in line rent and local call
charges were sufficient to compensate the impact of reduction in
NWD charges, decreasing international accounting rates and
concessions on leased lines to promote information technology (IT)
in the country.
Besides, it said, the overseas call charges had not been revised
for the last several years despite devaluation. Hence, there had
been a real decrease in the overseas call charges.
Citing an example, it said that the rate of a call for US was $2.50
per minute in 1992 whereas it was $1.20 per minute at present.
It further said that the telecom companies all over the world were
correcting their tariffs by reducing long distance and
international call charges and increasing local calls and fixed
charges.
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990629
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Sale up to $10,000 without travel documents: FAP
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By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 28: Licensed money changers will start selling up to
$10000 per person without demanding travel documents from the
buyers from Wednesday (June 30).
The Forex Association of Pakistan which represents licensed money
changers said here on Monday that those wanting to buy more than
$10000 would have to fill out a State Bank proforma disclosing the
purpose of the purchase.
"From June 30 money changers will not observe any fixed band of
buying and selling prices," said FAP president Malik Bostan.
He told Dawn on telephone that FAP had started fixing prices for
the open market after the rupee float on May 19 to contain the
skyrocketing of the dollar. Besides fixing the daily prices, FAP
had also restricted the sale of the dollars to $2000 per person.
"But that did not work. On the contrary people switched over to the
black market and started buying greenbacks at any price," Malik
Bostan said claiming that the decision to allow liberal sale of the
dollars by licensed money changers would check this trend.
Replying to a question, he said since FAP imposed restrictions on
the sale of dollars on its own it did not need to get a green
signal from the SBP to liberalize the sale from June 30 again.
He said around $15 million dollars were sold in the open market on
Monday implying that the supply of greenbacks had improved.
"We hope to bring in $20-$30 million more from Dubai within a day
or two," he said claiming that with the liberal sale of dollars to
be started by money changers the price of the dollar which shot up
to Rs 56 in the black market would come down to Rs 54 or less.
FAP fixed Rs 53.45 and Rs 53.55 as buying and selling prices to be
observed on Tuesday (June 29).
During the last four weeks or so when FAP prices were supposed to
be operative in the open market almost all money changers openly
violated the fixed price band and sold dollars at the rate of Rs
55-56. "That is why it makes no difference to the public if the so-
called price band is going to be discontinued from June 30,"
remarked Naveed Iqbal of North Nazimabad who bought $350 from a
money changer at Tariq Road at Rs 56 per dollar to pay for his
tuition fee to a private university.
The money changers have decided to liberalize the sale of US
dollars at a time when the greenback has been on the fall for the
past few days in inter-bank market. Bankers said the dollar closed
at Rs 51.30-51.40 in the market.
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990629
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Zinni carried no specific proposal to Pakistan: US
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By Shaheen Sehbai
WASHINGTON, June 28: General Anthony Zinni took no specific
proposal to Pakistan regarding withdrawal of troops and
infiltrators, the state department said on Monday.
The general has submitted his preliminary report to the Clinton
administration.
The comments came following Indian media reports that Gen Zinni had
proposed that a "safe passage" be provided to the fighters in
Kargil so that they could withdraw into the Pakistani side of the
LOC.
A senior official said Gen Zinni had "productive talks" with the
Pakistani leaders.
He categorically said there was no proposal to stop IMF assistance
to Pakistan, as reported in the Washington Post.
The official said the US was in close contact with the Chinese
leadership and Washington had urged Beijing to use its influence to
resolve the disputes between Pakistan and India.
Asked to comment on the reported visit of a special envoy from
Pakistan to India, the State Department officials said he could not
confirm the visit but such contacts were welcome.
"The channels should remain open and the issues should be settled
bilaterally between the two countries. The US is not a mediator and
it would not mediate," the official said.
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990629
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Pakistan to receive eight French Mirage jets next month
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ISLAMABAD, June 28: Pakistan will take delivery of eight upgraded
Mirage-V jets from France next month under a deal signed in 1996
for 40 used aircraft, Pakistani officials and diplomatic sources
said on Monday.
"The Mirages will be delivered by mid-July," a French embassy
official said.
The deal was signed in 1996 but the delivery comes as Pakistan and
India have been locked in border clashes in the disputed Kashmir
region for the past two months, raising fears of an all-out war.
Officials said the deal for the French jets involved $120 million.
Eight such aircraft were already delivered last year.
Under the "pre-paid" deal, French defence and mechanical
engineering firm SAGEM was to purchase the jets from the French air
force and elsewhere and modernise and refurbish them for delivery
in two years.
French embassy sources said the remaining fleet of 24 jets was to
be delivered to Pakistan by the end of this year. The fleet will be
a "combination of both" Mirage-III and Mirage- V types, a Pakistan
Air Force (PAF) official said.
"The multi-role planes have been equipped with the latest
technology," he said adding the $120 million deal includes the cost
of upgrading the aircraft.
Other sources said the contract envisaged the supply of 34 Mirage-V
F type and six Mirage-III. The PAF fleet already has six Mirage-III
and two Mirage-V planes, they said.
Pakistan entered into the deal with France after the United States
cancelled delivery of 28 F-16 aircraft in a vain attempt to force
Islamabad to abandon its nuclear programme.
Senior PAF officials have said the country needs to purchase the
French built hi-tech Mirage 2000-5 to match India's air power. But
poor cash resources have scuttled attempts to acquire modern
aircraft from Russia and France.
PAF Chief Pervez Mehdi Qureshi last year said PAF needs to induct
at least 20 state-of-the-art aircraft every year to counter the
threat posed by India's growing air superiority.
Reports here said India was acquiring Russian SU-30 aircraft and an
upgraded version of MiGs.
Pakistan's air force is outnumber by a ratio of 1:7 as Pakistan has
just 32 multi-role F-16 planes in its inventory against India's 232
high-tech aircraft, Qureshi added.
Pakistan recently decided to co-develop the Super-7 fighters with
China described here a "time-tested friend."
Officials said the agreement on manufacturing the aircraft was
likely to be finalised during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's current
visit to China.
Sources said the Super-7 will be a multi-role, medium tech aircraft
with Chinese airframe, Russian engines and systems from western
sources.-AFP
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990627
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Follow teachings of Holy Prophet, urge Tarar, Nawaz
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ISLAMABAD, June 26: President Rafiq Tarar said on Saturday said the
establishment of an ideal welfare democratic society is possible
only when" we abide by the universal principles of Islam."
In a message issued here on the eve of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the
president said the ideological basis of Pakistan was Islam and "we
can emerge as a developed and prosperous nation only after
following the teachings of Islam."
He said:"The solution of our problems lies in Islamic principles
and teachings of Holy Prophet."
He said:" 12th Rabi-ul-Awal is a landmark in our history as our
Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was born on this day."
President Tarar said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) preached brotherhood,
humility and tolerance throughout his life as these were the pre-
requisite for the establishment of an ideal state.
He said:" We should be aware of our rights and duties and those of
others as it is imperative for structuring a justice-based and
crime-free society."
He said : The personality of Holy Prophet is the rich source of
inspiration and knowledge for us.
He said the Holy Prophet always taught the lesson of humility and
tolerance and forbade cruelty and dishonesty. His teachings were a
permanent source of guidance for Muslims. He always urged Muslims
to be humble and true lovers of mankind, the president said. "We
should reiterate the pledge that neither we will be aggressive
against anyone nor will let anyone commit aggression against us",he
added.
President Tarar said: "We can be successful in this world and
hereafter only if we follow in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet."
He called upon the nation to pledge for the promotion of unity and
integrity in its ranks.
NAWAZ SHARIF: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in his message said the
government was striving for the establishment of an Islamic welfare
state, but there was opposition from some negative forces.
He said the negative forces became active whenever endeavours were
made to create an Islamic society.
The prime minister said the best way to deal with such
disruptionist forces was through" our mutual unity, sectarian
harmony and brotherhood.
"We are brothers to one another and it is my faith that
disruptionist forces cannot separate us," he said.
Mr Sharif said he was sure that by acting upon the teachings of the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), the government would establish an
Islamic system to solve present problems. This would become a
bright example for the rest of the world.
In the context of problems, the prime minister recalled the initial
five years of the Islamic state in Madina Munawwara when the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) had faced heavy odds." Internal and external
machinations, opposition, disruption and attacks on the border of
the Islamic sate had disrupted law and order. But all this could
not discourage the Holy Prophet(PBUH) and his companions in their
determination and steadfastness. Thus, the image of the Islamic
state as an independent state remained untainted.
He said:" Such circumstances were not allowed to hamper efforts for
the creation of an Islamic state. An ambience of co-operation,
philanthropy, sympathy, help and obedience was created in the
collective life and healthy principles of a strong economy were
evolved.The status of women was determined and the world was taught
to respect the human rights. The power of the tyrants was
eliminated. The oppressed were given a new courage and the standard
of justice was established. He said the concept of Jihad in way of
Allah became popular and " this is a requirement of an Islamic
welfare state."
The prime minister said the government was striving to establish an
Islamic state, he added.
" Every aspect of life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is a source of
guidance for us. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) braved all opposition and
negative forces for speaking the truth. The last of the Prophets
was successful against the infinite number of infidels because he
relied on Allah and faced them dauntlessly. This was how he lighted
the ever-lasting beacon of Islam ,"he said.
Mr Sharif said:" With the sighting of Rabi-ul-awwal moon, the
atmosphere echoes with "Darood-o- Salam," and the teachings of the
Holy Prophet. This creates a renewed zeal among Muslims, and brings
the blessings and bounties from Allah. The teachings of the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) are a source of spiritual enlightenment to one's
mind and heart. This can become the basis for the progress and
slavation of the Muslim Ummah." -APP
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990627
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NA passes Rs91.35bn supplementary budget
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, June 26: National Assembly on Saturday passed the
supplementary budget of Rs91.35 billion which various ministries
and divisions had spent over and above their budgetary allocations
of 1998-99.
The supplementary grants approved by the PML legislators with a
repeated yelling of yes included a grant of Rs200 million for the
construction of a wrestling arena in Lahore and Rs450 million for
the purchase of two bullet-proof Mercedes for the prime minister's
security.
Opposition members lambasted the ruling party, particularly the
finance minister, for what they called its failure to even foresee
the general expenditure of various ministries and the prime
minister's office.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar defended the supplementary grants,
saying that Article 84 allowed supplementary grants and it was
nothing unusual but a routine matter.
He maintained that out of a total Rs91.35 billion supplementary
budget, general grants claimed Rs14.57 billion while technical
grants Rs76.96 billion and added that actually it was
reappropriation of funds from one head to the other.
Mr Dar had come with the figures of supplementary grants sought by
the previous government.
ANP leader Asfandyar Wali recalled that during the PPP regime the
PML members, most of whom were now in the federal cabinet, used to
raise hue and cry over the supplementary budgets.
"You used to condemn it," he shouted from his seat in the far
corner of the house when Mr Dar started defending the supplementary
budget.
"Faces on the government benches change but behaviours remain the
same," he remarked, recalling a speech of Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif in which he had said that nation could save billions if
every Pakistani would just reduce one cup of tea from his normal
intake.
The ANP leader noted that in the last year's budget the expenditure
of the prime minister secretariat was Rs177.937 million more than
its original allocation.
Earlier in his speech, Mr Wali had exhorted that it was the
responsibility of the government to tell the nation as to who was
responsible for the shortfall of Rs40 billion in revenue receipt
and expenditure of Rs70 billion in excess of budgetary allocations.
"You earned Rs40 billion less and you spent Rs70 billion in excess
of the budgetary estimates," he said, calling it a "big failure" of
the government and the finance minister.
Deputy opposition leader Syed Khurshid Shah also resented over
expenditures.
"I would not oppose the allocation of Rs200 million for the
construction of wrestling arena in Lahore as it is a matter
relating to the in-laws of the prime minister," he remarked.
Syed Naveed Qamar said that Rs91 billion, which the federal
government had spent in excess of its budgetary estimates, was
about one third of the total revenue receipts of the country.
Going through the supplementary grants, he noted that the PM
secretariat was the "biggest culprit". The nation had been given
sermons of austerity but the prime minister's own expenditure went
berserk.
MNAs Dr Fehmida Mirza, Pir Aftab Gilani, Waja Karim Dad, Sanaullah
Baloch, Hassan Musana Alvi and Abdul Matin Khan also spoke on the
matter.
They expressed reservations over a supplementary grant of Rs55
million sought by the ministry for information and media
development.
They pointed out that last year the budget of information ministry
had been increased by over 45 per cent and despite that increase it
was still seeking supplementary grant.
The ministry, they said, had failed to project Pakistan's stand on
Kashmir issue since it had been focusing on the vilification of the
opposition leaders.
===================================================================
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
990702
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Excise Rules amended
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, July 1: Central Board of Revenue has announced to do
away with the supervised clearance system for assessing central
excise duty.
In this connection, it has notified to change the Central Excise
Rules 1944, relating to supervised clearance system for collection
of excise duty.
A notification No SRO 1 (11)-CEB/99 dated July 1, 1999, says: the
following further amendment shall be made in Central Excise Rules,
1944: In the aforesaid Rules, in rule 235, in sub-rule (1), serial
numbers 40 and 48, the entries relating thereto shall be omitted.
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990702
-------------------------------------------------------------------
'Two million people to slip below poverty line'
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Sabihuddin Ghausi
KARACHI, July 1: A summary assessment of what the nuclear blasts in
Pakistan and the subsequent economic sanctions cost the people of
this country and even after the apparent bail-out by IMF and other
multilateral agencies through enhanced external assistance and debt
rescheduling presents a very bleak economic and social scenario
which has already emerged and heading for further deterioration in
the coming years.
It tells reduction in employment opportunities by over half a
million annually in the next five years and almost two million more
people could fall below the poverty line with number rising to five
million by 2002-2003.
Already, in the first year after the blast in 1998-99, about 80,000
people including 16,000 educated were deprived of the employment.
This number is predicted to rise to 740,000 in 2002-2003 and would
include 200,000 educated in the fifth year of 2002-2003.
The slowdown in the economy reduced the consumption expenditure in
the country by Rs17 billion last fiscal year. It will further go
down by Rs43 billion after four years.
"Rising food prices and lower incomes, along with contraction in
preventive health services such as immunization programmes, will
exacerbate the problem of high proportion (over 40 per cent) of
malnourished children in Pakistan" the document warns while
pointing out that almost 400,000 (four lakh) more children could be
adversely affected in terms of their nutritional status.
Simultaneously, the lower income growth and a tight labour market
will diminish the prospects for a rapid improvement in the status
of women.
Specific mention has been made on the move to market-based exchange
system and the resultant depreciation in the exchange rate,
broadening of the general sales tax and its increased rate, rise in
power tariff, cut in development expenditure, withdrawal of
subsidies are bound to push up the prices of basic goods, foods and
services, escalate the cost of debt servicing, broaden the fiscal
deficit and hence expansion in money supply and fuelling inflation,
lower the private investment and hence a decline in employment
opportunities and drop in incomes. Compliance of all these
conditionalities will enhance the poverty level. However the report
is equally candid on the positive aspect of these conditionalities.
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990702
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Software exports target raised to $1bn by 2005
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, July 1: Pakistan has targeted to raise its software
exports to dollars one billion mark by the year 2005 from the
present $30m, said deputy chairman Planning Commission, Ahsan
Iqbal.
Addressing a seminar on Electronic Business by Intel Corporation
Wednesday, he said the government intends to provide 0.3 million
Internet connections in the next three years.
He said Pakistan has a rich potential but resource gap crippled the
progress in information technology.
In order to reduce the resource gap, the government has planned to
open new centres of excellence for information technology to bridge
the gap and promote human resource development.
He called upon the private sector to come forward and take the lead
in the development of information technology.-APP
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990701
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Adamjee family retains insurance co management
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Dilawar Hussain
KARACHI, June 30: The Adamjee family managed to retain firm control
over their Rs 3.3 billion insurance company, when seven directors
nominated by the group, were elected to the nine- member board.
The elections to the Adamjee Insurance Company board of directors
were held at the company's annual general meeting on June 30. All
the month-long sound and fury of a possible hostile take-over of
the largest insurance company of Pakistan, died down with a whimper
as I.Puri Securities (Pvt) Ltd., managed to bag only a single seat.
The securities firm was said to be eying seven. The ninth seat was
captured by HBL.
Contrary to expectations, proceedings at the AGM turned out to be
quiet and peaceful. Shareholders participated in large numbers and
at least four past presidents of the Karachi Stock Exchange
(Jahangir Siddiqui, Amin Issa Tai, Ferozuddin A.Cassim, Arif Habib)
and the sitting chairman, Mohammad Yasin Lakhani, were conspicuous
by their presence.
Earlier, the Adamjee family had filed eleven nominations, but
withdrew four; all of the seven in the run up to the elections were
successful.
They included Mohammed Hanif Adamjee; Abdul Hamid Adamjee; Abdul
Razzak Adamjee; Mohammed Choudhury; Izaz Ahmed Rafiqui; Akhtar
K.Alavi and Iqbal Adamjee.
Of the two candidates who stood for HBL, Mian Asif Saeed was
elected. Saad M.Ali, nominee of the I.Puri Securities (Pvt) Ltd.
filled the ninth place on the Adamjee Insurance board.
The successful candidates secured on average 30 million votes,
each.
Before the shareholders were called to vote, the accounts for the
year ended Dec 31, 1998 came up for discussion.
Chairman Mohamed Hanif Adamjee pointed out that the company had
made after tax profit of Rs 196.4 million during the year.
He did not agree with a shareholder that the company was losing
money on the core insurance activity and that it was deriving all
of the profit from investments.
He said that the underwriting profit for 1998 had improved to Rs
90.9 million, from a year ago profit at Rs 87.8 million. But he did
concede that in line with the general trend in the industry, motor
business was contributing major losses; motor revenue account
posted loss of Rs 95.2 million for the latest year, up from Rs 31.6
million in 1997.
The company MD, Mohammed Choudhury said it was unfair to criticize
the company for a lean year.
All of the reserves and investments that the company had built up
over the years, he argued, had been made from the insurance
business, which was still showing steady growth.
He firmly brushed aside a shareholders' demand that the accounts be
released and AGM held in less than six months' time. "For an
insurance company- and of the size of Adamjee- it is not possible
to furnish audited accounts in a shorter period", he said.
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990701
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Airlines to expand operations
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, June 30: Three private airlines, including Shaheen Air,
plan to expand their operations from Lahore on both domestic and
Gulf sectors in the near future, their officials told Dawn on
Wednesday.
An AeroAsia official said the airline will start its flights to
Mashhad from the Punjab capital some time this month. The company
also plans to start its flights to Kuwait and Quetta. The official
said the airline is acquiring a 320-seater Airbus 320 to commence
new flights. Currently the airline operates three Boeing 737 and
five BAC 111 aircraft.
Bhoja Air is also in the final stages of securing a Boeing 737
aircraft by the end of July to launch new flights to Doha and Abu
Dhabi. Its present fleet comprises two YAK42B Lithuanian planes.
Shaheen also plans to acquire two Boeing 737 aircraft as well as an
Airbus 320 to add to its three TO154 aircraft fleet by the end of
this year to expand its domestic and Gulf operations from Lahore.
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990701
-------------------------------------------------------------------
2.4 million unemployed this year
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, June 30: The countrywide unemployment is estimated at 2.4
million in 1999 compared to 2.3 million in 1998, official figures
reveal.
Labour surveys indicate that the growing unemployment rate is 6.1%
in 1999. The rate was 4.73% in '93, 4.84% in '94 and 5.37% in '95
and '96 which has remained at 6.1% from 1997 to 1999.
According to Pakistan Economic Survey, unemployment is defined as
all persons of ten years and above who during the period under
reference were: without work i.e. were not paid employment or self-
employed, currently available for work i.e. were available for paid
employment or self employment and seeking work i.e. had taken
specific steps in a specified period to seek paid employment or
self employment. Official figures show the rate is more in urban
areas than the rural areas. According to labour surveys, the total
number of employed labour force in '99 is estimated at 36.2m as
against 35.4m in '98.
The total number of employed persons in urban areas has slightly
increased to 1.8m in '99 from 11.4m, a year before. Rural
employment increased to 24.4m in '99 from 24 million in 1998.
Agriculture is the largest source of employment with 44.1% share
followed by finance and social services 15.6%, trade 14.6%,
manufacturing and mining 11.2%.
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990701
-------------------------------------------------------------------
$300m IMF tranche to be offered this month
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ihtashamul Haque
ISLAMABAD, June 30: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will
offer the next tranche of $300 million to Pakistan by July this
year.
Sources in the multilateral agencies told Dawn here on Wednesday
that an IMF review mission was arriving here in early July to
finalize the arrangements for offering the next tranche, out of
$1.6 billion Extended Structural Adjustment facility (ESAF) and
Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
"The fund authorities are expected to disburse 200 million Special
Drawing Rights (SDRs) by next month which are roughly equivalent to
$300 million", disclosed a source in the local multilateral agency.
When contacted he said, IMF has no plan whatsoever to withhold the
next tranche as was reported in the section of the international
press, especially in the Washington Post. "And we do not know from
where this figure of $100 million came which according to the Post
was being withheld", he said. The IMF, he added, has informed the
Pakistani authorities that future funding from the ESAF/EFF
programme was very much on "schedule" and that it was not being
suspended.
However, the government has been advised to improve the stock
market position by removing the element of unnecessary speculations
by the vested interest. Also authorities were told to regulate the
capital market by further liberalising the corporate laws and
providing new modes of mobilization of resources in the corporate
sector.
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990630
-------------------------------------------------------------------
No decision yet on fund sharing by provinces
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Intikhab Amir
PESHAWAR, June 29: Centre and provincial governments have yet to
finalize modalities with regards to the collection of taxes on
services and their disbursement to the four federating units from
the next financial year, official sources told Dawn here on
Tuesday.
Whereas, the NWFP wants the tax proceeds to be distributed on
population basis, the other view is that provinces should get
actual collection made within their respective territories.
"NWFP's stand is that distribution of funds that would be raised as
taxes on services from across the country should take place in
accordance with the four federating units' population," said the
official sources.
NWFP's stand is in contrast to other proposal which asks for the
financial disbursements in line with the amount of collections made
from any province under any specific head, according to sources.
The NWFP government, said the sources, viewed the other proposal
harmful for it making it to substantially suffer financially.
"There are certain major services on which tax is applicable
throughout the country but the amount collected is deposited to the
central account of the department concerned like WAPDA in whose
case the amount collected goes to its Lahore account whereas in the
case of gas the receipt is made against their main Islamabad
account," said the official.
The NWFP government, said the sources, was of the view that the
amount collected as taxes on services should be distributed (by the
Centre) among the four provinces in accordance with their
respective share in the over all population of the country.
With regards to identification of services which would be taxed,
the officials concerned of the provincial government said that as
per IPCC's decision, the collections already being recorded on
account of federal excise on services would be distributed among
the four provinces, for which formula had yet to be devised, said
the sources.
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990630
-------------------------------------------------------------------
CBR amends import duty notifications
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, June 29: Central Board of Revenue has made changes in
its previous notifications relating to collection of import duty
and central excise duty on a number of items, in accordance with
the federal budget 1999-2000.
A Central Excise SRO 667 (I)/99, dated June 12, 1999, has changed
the previous procedures laid down in SRO 456 (I)/96 of June 13,
1996, as follows: In the aforesaid notification, for heading No
2710.0099 and entries relating in columns (2) and (3) the following
shall be substituted: transformer oil:- ten per cent of the retail
price of seven rupees and fifteen paisa per litre, whichever is
higher; other:- 30 per cent ad val.
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990629
-------------------------------------------------------------------
'Business climate from bad to worse'
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, June 28: The government's tussle with Independent Power
Producers (IPPs) and pharmaceutical companies is turning investment
climate in Pakistan from bad to worse, US ambassador William Milam
said in a meeting with Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(LCCI) president Pervez Hanif on Monday.
Milam said these issues have caused a severe setback to the direct
investment flow into the country. He also cited the law and order
situation in Karachi and sectarian killings in other parts as major
hurdles in attracting foreign investors.
He said some of the negatives of the investment climate could be
overcome if comparative advantages of the Punjab are highlighted
properly. However, he added, under the new globalization regime no
country can be automatic choice for the investment without
accountability - monitoring by larger companies who gave credit
rating.
Milam urged the businessmen to put pressure on the government to
quickly expedite IPP and other issues ensuring free flow of foreign
investment.
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990703
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KSE index crosses 1,100-point barrier
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, July 2: Stocks On Friday staged a snap rally giving a
pleasant weekend surprise to even the most well-informed analysts
and they just watched the index breaching its psychological barrier
of 1,100 point with some of the buystops remaining unsatisfied till
the closing bell.
'Peace on the borders might not be around but investors made it
look so after indulging in massive speculative buying in PTCL, Hub-
Power, PSO and Fauji Fertiliser at their current lows', said an
analyst adding 'rumours of some understanding to defuse tension in
Kashmir after a friendly diplomatic offensive appears to be the
chief inspiring factor behind the snap rally'.
The buying euphoria though was selective but reminiscent of boom
conditions as institutional traders appear to be a bit crazy to
grab all the floating stock of some of the pivotals and the
consequent price flare-up massive institutional buying aided
largely by peace feelers from across the border as a result of
secret diplomacy.
'The fighting might not end abruptly but the warring parties are
moving to that end thanks to friendly diplomatic offensive', said a
leading stock analyst.
The KSE 100-share index jumped by 38.72 points of 3.56% and
breached the psychological barrier of 1,100 points just in one go
and was last quoted at 1,104.83 as compared to 1,066.11 a day
earlier.
'The market seems to have taken a pause as both Pakistan and India
claim success on diplomatic and military fronts over the ongoing
fighting in] Kashmir', said an analyst.
But the chief stabilizing factor behind the current trading pattern
appears to be unconfirmed reports of 'positive contacts 'between
the highups of the both to ease the situation, they added.
'Whether or not the secret diplomacy works is not clear but the
intensity of fighting along the Line of Control points to an
escalation', said a member of the KSE and added 'investors are now
learning to play in war like conditions and that is good for the
market'.
Losses on the other hand were fractional barring Bank Al-Habib,
Askari Insurance and Nestle MilkPak, which suffered fall ranging
from one rupee to Rs5.00.
Back to the top
===================================================================
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
990629
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Weavers of lies
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ardeshir Cowasjee
THE profession of weavers of facts into fiction, and fiction into
facts, gained prominence in this country in the good old days of
Ayub Khan, back in the '60s.
To emphasize their super-loyalty to their masters they adopted
stereotype measures such as the nationalization of newspapers,
promulgation of oppressive ordinances, imposition of black laws,
planting of informers in press offices, retaining columnists and
letters-to-the-editor-writers (the count today is 80), purchasing
journalists (commonly known as 'lifafas'), purchasing editors and
thus control of a publication. The unpurchasable are harassed and
persecuted in various ways, one favourite being the filing of false
cases against them. In Punjab the current saying is 'Kharido nahi
to kaso' (if you cannot buy, beat). Recommended reading for those
interested is Zamir Niazi's trilogy : 'The Press in Chains,' 'The
Press Under Siege,' 'The Web of Censorship.' What he has recorded
has never been contradicted.
The maximum harm done by our weavers of lies is the bolstering of
our leaders' euphoria by convincing them that they are the be-all
and end-all, the state embodied. They encourage these megalomaniacs
to destroy, to rob, even to maim and murder.
Our roll of honour of notable weavers includes, but is not limited
to, Altaf Gauhar (Ayub), Maulana Kausar Niazi and Nasim Ahmed
(Bhutto) Lieutenant-General Mujibur Rahman (Zia), Husain Haqqani
(Nawaz I and Benazir II), and now Mushahid Hussain.
Altaf, a civil servant, in the service of Ayub Khan, dealt with his
master's challenger, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, so nastily that one of
the first things that Bhutto did when he managed to grab power was
to arrest Altaf on the charge of possessing an old copy of
'Playboy,' a forged passport, and half a bottle of whisky. He was
unduly harassed for months on end.
The Maulana was used by Bhutto to appease and pacify his brethren,
the maulanas and maulvis. He bought and sold. He was most useful
when the Arab Sheikhs visited. He made their stays comfortable,
provided them with the recreation they sought, and conversed with
them in their own language. Maulana Sahib was a relatively poor man
when he joined Zulfikar, but when he left office he had managed to
amass a small fortune.
Nasim Ahmed was a proficient flatterer, good at buttering up those
that needed verbal buttering. He also constantly sought
approbation. On one of my Islamabad visits, he invited me to a
party he hosted in honour of local, foreign, and visiting
journalists. Taking me aside, he asked how I thought he was doing,
how I rated his performance. Keeping a straight face, I told him he
was doing brilliantly. Happy to hear it, he beckoned some of those
around us to join us. Come and listen to this, he told them. This
man is no flatterer, hear what he has to say about me. And he
handed the floor to me.
Brilliant, yes, I said to Nasim. You have welded the nation into
one No one, just no one, believes one word uttered on PTV or on
Radio Pakistan, or printed in one of the government newspapers, or
uttered in public by Bhutto. Infuriated, he addressed me in Urdu. I
had no business to say what I had said in the presence of foreign
journalists. It was traitorous. I had ridiculed the state. Soon
after this incident I was arrested without any charge, sent to jail
for 72 days, and released still not knowing why I had been
arrested. There was some speculation by men who had been at Nasim's
party that I had to be taught a lesson for my 'traitorous'
utterances.
Mujibur Rahman was a good harasser of publications that displeased
his master Zia. 'Musawat,' the PPP mouthpiece, was his particular
target. He had 140 newspaper men arrested and jailed, including
Nisar Osmani and Mazhar Ali Khan. He also encouraged Zia to change
the penal code, making the writing of truth an offence.
After Zia's heavenly flight, democracy was reborn in Pakistan and
we had Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif
alternating at the top, both adding to our woes. During Nawaz I and
Benazir II the most prominent weaver and damage-doer was Husain
Haqqani. From 1988 to 1990, Husain was Punjab Chief Minister Nawaz
Sharif's special assistant, becoming his press assistant when Nawaz
became prime minister in 1990, until in 1992 he was sent off to Sri
Lanka as high commissioner. As soon as Nawaz was forced to step
down, Husain joined Benazir's camp and from 1993 to 1994 was
Secretary to the ministry of information and broadcasting, until
Benazir also shunted him out to head the House Building Finance
Corporation.
Husain was born and schooled in Karachi, went to Karachi University
where he was a Jamaat student leader. He then became a professional
journalist and for some years was with the 'Far Eastern Economic
Review,' both in Hong Kong and here in Pakistan, until he was
picked up by Nawaz. After his experiences with both 'leaders' he
claims he is a chastened man, who has learnt a lot and who now
recognizes both as being marginally as bad as each other. He writes
columns for various newspapers, both in English and in Urdu and all
largely critical of this government. He has formed his own
political party, the Urban Democratic Front. He considers himself
capable, with the necessary help, of climbing up the greasy pole
and leading the 140 millions to glory.
Brittle and paranoiac as it is, this government for some mad reason
considers Haqqani to be a threat, possibly because it thinks he has
armed himself with copies of compromising documents picked up
during his days of officialdom. He is now tied to the rack. The
government has not denied that its dirty-tricks brigade kidnapped
him in the middle of the night, had him beaten up, kept in solitary
confinement, initially incommunicado, but now under judicial
custody in a safe house near the Rawal Lake. His cuts and bruises
have been brought on record, his bail applications have been
rejected. Ostensibly he has been charged with corruption,
embezzlement, and the squandering of government wealth. Could he
even remotely have squandered one-hundreth of what has been
squandered by Benazir or Nawaz?
Governments in our country are known to be vicious and Husain can
expect little help from our 'independent judiciary,' many members
of which are ignorant of the value and importance of liberty, of
the fact that a writ of habeas corpus cannot be rejected, and that
every man is due his rights. If there is an understanding judge
around, who has suo motu powers, he should help, give him bail and
get him out.
Mushahid Hussain claims to be a profoundly educated man, but his
association with Nawaz Sharif seems to have washed away all his
qualifications. He is responsible for Haqqani's predicament and for
all the troubles faced by Najam Sethi. The government has also not
denied that Sethi was abducted in the middle of the night by its
dirty-tricks men, beaten up and kept in solitary confinement. He at
least has been released, without any charges having been made
against him as none could be proved. Now free, he has been banned
from leaving the country and is facing 28 income tax cases. The
systematic income-tax-cases harassment is a hangover from the
Bhutto days. Sethi would do well to refer to the White Papers
compiled by Burney, 'Misuse of the Instruments of State Power' and
'Misuse of the Media.' With this vicious government, Najam may
suffer. All we can do is to stand by him and help as much as we
can.
One of the worst mistakes cocky Mushahid has made is to have sought
to stand trial in the BBC televized court of 'Hard Talk'. He cut a
sorry figure in front of his griller, Tim Sebastian, and managed to
successfully disgrace our nation. We have him on tape, and this is
one tape he will never be able to claim is doctored.
In the service of his master, he makes a pretence of believing what
the world does not believe about the present Kashmir situation. His
performance may have made us lose whatever residual sympathy we had
from a few quarters in the world. Mushahid further disgraced our
judiciary with the lies he told about the storming of the Supreme
Court. He told the world that the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Sajjad
Ali Shah, was not sacked by his government but by his fellow
judges. He omitted to say what the government's role was in this
affair.
Having done such a tremendous job on 'Hard Talk,' we can only hope
and expect that in appreciation of his service to the nation, his
tool, the valiant PTV, will show to the people how well its wielder
performed.
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990702
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What is the political leadership up to?
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Ayaz Amir
OF the situation arising from the flare-up in northern Kashmir
nothing is more dismaying, nay mind-boggling, than the smug
attitude of the political leadership. While the army is in a state
of near-war, for the political leadership it is business as usual:
cricket on Saturday afternoons, politicking in Sindh, the unveiling
of more gimmicks, like the housing scheme, on the home front.
India has conducted itself far better in this emergency.
Government, opposition and the armed forces are one about removing
the 'intrusion' in the Kargil sector. There has been criticism over
the intelligence failure in detecting the freedom fighters; there
are no differences over the objective of flushing them out from
their positions. Indian diplomacy has been more effective and
quicker off the mark. Indian television does not insult the
intelligence of its viewers the way PTV does.
As for public opinion, it is aflame in India and all for teaching
Pakistan a lesson. In Pakistan by contrast there is apathy at the
popular level simply because the government, apart from the tripe
on PTV, has not taken the trouble to mobilize the people. Every
Indian politician worth his or her salt has visited Kashmir and
gone near the Line of Control. It took Nawaz Sharif over a month to
make a similar visit to forward locations on our side of the
border. Farooq Leghari, to his credit, has also been there. But
which other politician of note?
It might have been thought that for an elected leader, heavy
mandate and all, this was the one supreme occasion to speak to the
people, if only to take them into confidence. What have we seen
instead? Ghaus Ali Shah is to be the saviour of Sindh, the Ehtesab
Bureau is to investigate the affairs of the cricket team (or so at
least a bemused nation has been informed), there is endless
propaganda about the housing revolution which is set to take the
country by storm, after the news headlines on PTV there is the same
footage every evening which, to the strains of an Iqbal song, tells
us of the prime minister's abiding love for the poor. This has been
the political leadership's way of preparing the nation mentally for
the emergency it faces.
To be sure, PTV has been the one great instrument of governmental
direction. But, as always, so shallow and pathetic has been the
drivel from it that even standing its higher bosses against a wall
is inadequate punishment for their appalling ineffectiveness. The
ISPR and its spokesman, it must be conceded, have done a better job
of putting the national viewpoint across but then against
collective disarray and the rooted idiocy of a fossilized
propaganda machine, what can a slim institution do?
How convenient the labels 'freedom fighters' or 'Kashmiri
Mujahideen'. They enable us and the political leadership to believe
that Kargil is a distant affair and that since, in any case, we
cannot afford to proclaim our involvement, it is strategy of the
highest order not to get too emotional about this affair. Nawaz
Sharif certainly seems cool and collected about it. No let-up on
the dazzling shots to the boundary at the Bagh-I-Jinnah. No beads
of sweat or marks of tension on a forehead known to be receptive to
the first signs of stress. Is Kargil indeed on a different planet?
This is not to say there is no enthusiasm at home for the success
of our arms in Kashmir. Threatening India's life-line to Leh,
Siachen and Ladakh has been the dream of Pakistan's fighting
commanders. If it has finally happened there is bound to be
excitement and even a heady feeling induced by the predicament in
which the Indian army has been placed. But tragically for Pakistan
this feeling is confined to two pockets: the rank and file of the
army, which think that a major tactical victory has been won, and
the Mujahideen groups which have been involved in the Kashmir
uprising since 1989.
This public aloofness is intriguing. Even during the disaster of
1971, when retrieving the last shreds of national pride from the
maelstrom of humiliation had become a problem, there was greater
popular backing for the war effort. A disaster there was but the
nation as a whole (minus the people of East Pakistan of course) was
in it together. This time - when through no small expenditure of
blood and resources a limited military advantage of some strategic
significance has been gained - the nation is apathetic or it is
keeping its enthusiasm well-concealed. Our soldiers are on their
own.
Who is to blame for this state of affairs? Did the political
leadership not know of the Kargil operation? Did it not give its
approval to it? While it is entirely conceivable, given the Caesars
that we have, that all the implications and ramifications of this
operation may not have fully struck the prime minister (or, for
that matter, the military command which appears to have confused
tactics and grand strategy) whose fault is that? Why should
Pakistan's fighting men have to carry - as much in 1999 as in 1971
and 1965 - the burden of leadership failure?
Since the policy was jointly approved, what accounts for the
confusing signals that are emanating from Islamabad? While fighting
rages in the north, peace overtures are being made which appear not
to take into account the successes gained on the battlefield.
Former foreign secretary Niaz Naik who went as Nawaz Sharif's
emissary to India has hinted at the possibility of a deal and said
senior military officials may meet soon to prepare a schedule for
withdrawing the 'freedom fighters' from the positions they occupy.
If this is indeed the case, what is Pakistan demanding in return?
Will India forswear bilateralism and agree to discussions on the
future of Kashmir involving the UN? If not, what will Pakistan get
for the valour of its soldiers? If it is seen that it does not get
a great deal, that an agreement for withdrawal is being brokered
under American pressure, how will our soldiers and officers react?
Will they not have reason to feel betrayed by their political and
military leadership?
There is little point in saying at this stage that the Kargil
operation was flawed. That it was ill-conceived, with its political
objectives not clearly thought through, seems to be pretty clear.
But then the responsibility for this rests on the shoulders of the
political and military leadership. In any event, we ventured forth
and along the way precious lives have been lost. These sacrifices
should not be in vain.
It is important therefore for Pakistan to salvage something from
the Kargil situation. A verbal concession on Kashmir if no more, an
avowal by India to discuss the problem more meaningfully than it
has hitherto done, is the minimum that Pakistan should demand of
the international community if the Kargil and Drass peaks have to
be evacuated. Or else a profound sense of disenchantment will take
hold in the armed forces.
Not the least of the ironies of the Kargil venture is that going
ahead with it is as full of hazard as winding it down abruptly. If
the first course can invite a wider conflict, a sudden withdrawal
will demoralize the army, set back the Kashmiri freedom struggle by
many years and raise the sanctity of the Line of Control which is
anathema for Pakistan because it makes nonsense of its stand on the
Kashmir dispute. And there will be no repeating the Kargil venture
because the Indian army henceforth will be on its guard. In other
words, this will have been a glorious feat of arms with nothing to
show for the valour of our soldiers.
So Pakistan needs to keep its nerve if it is not to be panicked
into a bad agreement. This requires forceful and steady leadership.
Herein lies the rub for if we have not seen much of leadership
during the last two months, by what magic wand will we suddenly get
it at this juncture?
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990703
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The real cost of Kashmir
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Irfan Husain
UNTIL the Internet entered my life a couple of years ago, I was
spared the news of fresh disasters at home when I was abroad. For a
few all-too-brief weeks, I was virtually cut off from the perpetual
doom and gloom in Pakistan as I met friends, saw good films and
plays and ate at new restaurants.
But the advent of the wired world is not without a price: now, I
check the front page of the Internet edition of this newspaper
every day. My excuse is that I need to stay in touch with
developments to be able to comment on them.
In reality, I suspect the readers have no desire to read yet more
analysis of the constantly worsening situation, which is not unlike
taking the blood pressure of a man on the way to the ground, after
he has jumped off the top of a skyscraper.
However, there is something hypnotic about the steady escalation in
Kashmir: both on the peaks of Kargil, and in the Indian and
Pakistani media, the drums of war are sounding louder and louder.
Mercifully, their echo in the western media is very faint. The
comings and goings of the American envoy to the region rates
perhaps a small paragraph on page 8 in Britain, while the
hysterical rhetoric of South Asian leaders is mercifully ignored
totally. The news here has predictably been dominated by Kosovo,
with Wimbledon being the second lead story. So much for the efforts
of Indian and Pakistani diplomats to put their respective
viewpoints across.
The truth of the matter is that the rest of the world is heartily
sick and tired of Kashmir. People here simply cannot understand why
India and Pakistan have been unable to sort out the problem in over
half a century. Even well-informed Britons look blank when one
recites the well-worn history of the conflict: "Yes, but that was
years ago. Why can't you people get on with life, reduce defence
expenditure and address the huge backlog of unmet needs in your
respective governments?"
Easier said than done, alas. As is true in other countries, defence
budgets and establishments acquire a life of their own, and like
all life-forms, they multiply and proliferate, seeking a
justification for more resources year in and year out. We cite
Indian arrogance, while they refer to our aggressiveness. Whatever
the cause, the result is that both military establishments continue
to burden us and divert scarce human and material capital from the
pressing needs of development.
And whenever politicians make an effort to break the deadlock, a
security threat is conjured up to ensure that there is no progress
on the peace front. The Lahore Declaration is now a dim memory, and
all the optimistic words written and spoken on that occasion have
been cancelled out by artillery fire across the Line of Control.
Once again, the hate-mongers have triumphed and the tiny but vocal
peace movement on both sides has been silenced by the shrill
jingoism emanating from both capitals.
In this escalating war of words and cannon fire, the real victims
are often lost sight of by the two governments, excepting as fodder
for official propaganda. A recent headline in this newspaper caught
my eye: ten Hindu kiln workers had been shot dead as they slept by
masked men. How does anybody in his right mind imagine such
barbarism will advance his cause? Similarly, Indian security forces
have done more to alienate Kashmiris from Indian rule by their
vicious repression than years of corrupt and inefficient government
from New Delhi.
For Pakistan, the Kargil incident may have been a brief military
triumph, but it has been a major diplomatic disaster. The weak
support we enjoyed from a few die-hard friends has been tested to
breaking point. China, for example, has urged us to enter into a
dialogue with India to defuse the situation. This is a far cry from
their earlier steadfast support for our position that the 1948 UN
resolutions be honoured.
Without going into who started it, the fact remains that virtually
the whole world has asked us to put a stop to the fighting,
implicitly blaming us for initiating and controlling the outbreak
of warfare. Frankly, whatever the official version, it does strain
credulity to suggest that Kashmiri freedom fighters have the
military skills, equipment and logistical support to conduct this
campaign entirely on their own. While respecting their courage, any
intelligent observer is forced to conclude that it took more than a
wink and a nudge from our government to put them where they are and
sustain them all these weeks.
Granted, this sharp escalation has put Kashmir on the international
agenda, albeit very low down. And let us remember that it is only
there because the world is concerned that the irresponsible and
immature leadership in both countries is capable of resorting to
nuclear weapons in case the conflict escalates still further. So to
get the international community's ear, we are engaged in a kind of
dangerous nuclear bluff that is putting millions at risk.
Meanwhile, much of the rest of the world gets on with real life
while we stand frozen in a time warp with our single point agenda
of Kashmir.
Apart from the direct financial price we have paid for our
unswerving (some will say blind) commitment to Kashmir, internal
political development has been warped as well. Because of our
perpetual state of confrontation with India, we have developed a
siege mentality that has blocked rational and legitimate debate and
discourse on a wide range of topics. The "crime" for which Najam
Sethi continues to be persecuted even after his release from
illegal incarceration is that he had the courage to voice his
concerns for the state of the Pakistani nation. Most Pakistani
writers and thinkers are now so cowed by the current environment
of repression that they no longer analyse the causes of our steep
decline.
One problem with what passes for our decision-making process is
that the establishment views the world through the blinkers of
Kashmir. This tunnel vision has blinded them to pressing needs in
other sectors. As a result, Pakistan languishes near the bottom (or
at 138 to be precise) of the Human Development Index. It is no
consolation that India is right there to keep us company. Our stock
markets are in the doldrums, and in the last three years, hardly a
single new company has been floated.
Industry is stagnant, and the financial sector is still reeling
from scores of billions of bad debts and the continuing fallout
from the decision to freeze foreign exchange accounts last year.
Against this dismal backdrop, you would think our leaders would
have their hands full instead of embarking on rash adventures on
our borders. On the other hand, knowing their capabilities, perhaps
they have done so because they know their limitations and are
trying to divert our attention from our real problems.
===================================================================
SPORTS
990702
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Majid going to office but not as CEO
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Sports Reporter
KARACHI, July 1: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is virtually
working without a chief executive after Majid Khan admitted that he
was not attending the office in that capacity.
"Yes, I am going to the office but not as chief executive of the
PCB," he remarked when asked what was the official stand of the PCB
on cricketing relations with India.
"My tenure expired on May 22 and until I am given future
instructions by President Rafique Tarrar, I will continue to go to
the office but not as chief executive," he said from Lahore.
According to the constitution of the PCB, President of Pakistan, in
his capacity as Patron of the PCB, is empowered to appoint the
chief executive besides the chairman and treasurer.
Majid was recently in England for the World Cup but didn't attend
the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting that was held
between June 22 and 24.
Majid's salary and other benefits have been stopped by the other
officials of the cricket board as the former captain waits for
future instructions from the presidency.
"What is the position of the PCB, whether the Sahara Cup will be
held? I think these are the questions you should ask the secretary
of the PCB if the chairman is not available," he added.
The Sahara Cup which is to be organized and participated by
Pakistan and India until 2001, is in jeopardy following Indian
Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) president Raj Singh Dungarpur's
statement that cricket can't remain in isolation.
"The sentiments of the people have to be respected," he was quoted
as saying.
Pakistan's former stalwarts have criticised Dungarpur but the
policy decision of the PCB will only be known after Khalid Mahmood
returns from England. He is expected sometime next week.
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990701
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No communication on EB investigation: PCB Chairman
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ISLAMABAD, June 30: The Pakistan Cricket Board has not received any
official communication about Ehtesab Bureau's reported
investigation into the national team's conduct in the recent World
Cup. This was stated by PCB Chairman Khalid Mehmood in an interview
to BBC World "Asia File" programme, telecast on Wednesday.
Admitting that competent authority has the power to hold
investigation, the PCB Chairman said he was not "really sure"
whether such an assignment has been given to Ehtesab Bureau.
To a question, Khalid Mehmood said he had spoken to team management
and based on these reports, he denied that the matches were thrown
away or that some players had night out before the final against
Australia.
He said a Judicial Commission was already holding probe into match-
fixing allegations "and I don't think any other agency is more
competent to do so".
He also said the players, who had been desposed to make way for
Wasim Akram as skipper "had their ethnic and regional support"
The following was the BBC tv question-answer session with Chairman
PCB.
Q: Why do you think these recriminations have been so savage?.
A: Well, based on historical evidence one can say that some of our
people specialise in self destruction. A matter which was purely
sporting has been completely politicised and there is a background
to it.
During the time that Wasim Akram, our current captain, was not
Pakistan captain, there were other players who were given a chance
to lead the team. And they did it with partial success. But as soon
as I took over as the Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board, it was in
my mind that Wasim Akram, because of his track record, had the
ability to lead the team out of all kinds of trouble. And therefore
I encouraged him to get into the act. I first promoted him as a
player and later when the opportunity arose, we as members of the
Cricket Board and with the council support appointed him Pakistan
captain.
And naturally the players who had been deposed had their ethnic and
regional support.
Q: So you think this lies behind the criticism of the captain and
some of his top team members.
A: I am in a position to say so and I have reasons to say so
because as soon as Wasim Akram was promoted to be in the side,
there were a lot of commotions and in fact the matter was discussed
also in our parliament. So therefore - (interrupted).
Q: But is there any truth in the accusations.I mean lot of people
think there is no smoke without fire and the fact that
Accountability Bureau, a government department, is investigating
(the matter). Is it true one of your top batsmen was out in the
night club from ten to four in the morning before the match?.
A: As regards these accusations, I have heard about it. These
accusations were brought up first in 93,94,95.
Q: (Interrupting Chairman PCB) But we are talking about this World
Cup.Aren't we?
A: I am giving you the background.
Q: (Again interrupting PCB Chairman). But is it true? We haven't
got time to go into history.
A: OK.I am not in a position to either confirm or deny.
Q: Why not?. Haven't you asked your captain, haven't you asked your
players?.
A: Yes, most certainly.Based on the reports that I have got from
the team management, from the captain, they are very categorically
denying that there was any such thing. That the matches were thrown
away, that the players were violating the team management's curfew
and based on those reports, I am able to confirm that no such thing
happened.
Q: So you think you will get a completely clean bill of health from
the Accountability Bureau when its report comes out.
A: Well, that is something arguable.First, I am not really sure
whether the Accountability Bureau has been given such an
assignment. Becuase had they been given such an assignment, of
course, the competent authority has the power to do so, but that
could not have been done without taking the Cricket Board into
confidence. So far there has not been any official communication on
the subject. We have not been informed about it and therefore I am
not in a position to say whether such a thing has happened or not.
And secondly, just to add to this, there is already a Judicial
Commission which is looking into this matter and I don't think any
other agency is more competent to do so.-APP
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