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DAWN WIRE SERVICE
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Week Ending : 22 May 1999 Issue : 05/21
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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
+ Seven killed, hundreds missing: Cyclone ravages lower Sindh
+ Nawaz-Musharraf meeting: Reshuffle in water & power ministry soon
+ Kanju briefs Arab diplomats: Dialogue with India to continue
+ Gun-battle flares up along LoC
+ Govt to get Rs10bn from increase in oil prices
+ ISI status to be decided once for all: Saiduzzaman
+ 4 MQM men sentenced to death by ATC
+ Pakistan can meet any threat: PM
+ Benazir accuses police of trying to kill her husband
+ Registration of 273 NGOs cancelled
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BUSINESS & ECONOMY
+ Depositors to get about Rs51 for a dollar
+ Rs100 million for IT industry development
+ Six oil wells, new gas finds to be privatized
+ Investments decline by 2.3%
+ PIA evades Rs227m in duties, taxes
+ IMF mission due next week
+ Saudis show interest in Pakistan Steel
+ PM witnesses demonstration of solar power system
+ Pakistan Railways sell-off plan may be reviewed
+ Proposal to levy ST on power, gas under study
+ KSE 100-share index breaks 1300-point barrier
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EDITORIALS & FEATURES
+ The supplicant sovereign Ardeshir Cowasjee
+ Evolving into an excellent situation Ayaz Amir
+ 'Here lies a man...' Irfan Husain
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SPORTS
+ Pakistan recover to beat Scotland
+ Akram left with exceptional bowling options
+ Wasim leads Pakistan to victory over Windies
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NATIONAL NEWS
990522
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Seven killed, hundreds missing, Cyclone ravages lower Sindh
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Dawn Report
BADIN, May 21: At least seven people were killed and hundreds of
others reported missing as the gusty winds and rainstorm following
Thursday's cyclone continued to sweep through the coastal areas in
southern Sindh on Friday.
Army and navy rescue teams were sent to the affected areas and
according to unconfirmed reports the death toll was much higher.
Badin district and the towns of Keti Bunder, Shah Bander, Mirpur
Sakro, Sujawal, Mirpur Bathoro and Jati in Thatta district were the
worst hit.
The downpour and storm badly affected the agricultural lands, fruit
orchards and vegetable fields over a vast area in southern and
central parts of the province.
A good number of electricity towers and telephone poles were
uprooted, leading to the disruption of power supply and the
communications network.
The actual number of those missing could not be ascertained
immediately, but a majority of them belong to the fishermen
community. Many of them had left for fishing days before and were
thus unaware of the ensuing cyclone. At least, four fishermen,
whose boat was destroyed, were rescued by a navy helicopter from
the sea on Friday.
The Met office said the cyclone had slightly weakened but was still
a "cyclonic storm." By 9am, it was 210 km east of Karachi.
Though the district administration did not announce emergency nor
set up any relief camps, troops were reportedly dispatched for
rescue operations to the Seerani Sea area.
Following a breach in Morjhar irrigation canal, five villages -
Soomar Khaskheli, Allah Bachayo, Ali Mohammad, Soomar Lashari and
Jamali Farm - were inundated. The breach occurred late Thursday
night and could not be repaired till Friday evening. Water gushing
out of it ruined the sugarcane crop on 1,300 acres.
Naseema (5), Jaloo (7), Mohammad Ali (12) and their grandmother
Zulekhan Kumbhar died when the roof of their house collapsed in
Ward-1, Badin. In Ward-3, 60-year-old Ali Mohammad Abbasi was
buried alive when a wall fell on him. Another person, whose name
could not be known, died in a similar wall collapse in Kadhan
locality.
Some of the injured were identified as Razia, Yasar Bhurgari and
his mother in Ward-6.
Meanwhile, more than 300 people took shelter in a mosque in Ghulam
Hussain Mallah village of Badin after their houses had either
collapsed or badly damaged on Thursday evening. No rescue team
reached there to provide food or other essential items to them for
the last 24 hours.
According to an ISPR press release, troops had started removing
fallen trees and reinstalling electricity poles in the cyclone-hit
areas.
THATTA: The entire communication system and power supply was
disrupted in the area.
The roads leading to coastal areas of Keti Bander from Chauhar
Jamali onwards were flooded and even the district administration
officials could not reach the sites of devastation and had to
return in the early hours of Friday.
The wireless system of the district administration also collapsed
due to power breakdown.
Over 400 poultry farms were destroyed and thousands of chicken
killed and scores of trees uprooted.
Keti Bander coastal area's missing persons included Abu Baker,
Siddique, Ibrahim, Abu Qasim, Walu Sodho and several people of the
Jat and Mirbahar tribes. In Keti Bander, villages of Jaro, Khuda
Bux Wadero, Ismail Jat, Hajamro, Khober, and Haji Moosa Jat were
flooded and the residents were trapped.
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990522
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Nawaz-Musharraf meeting: Reshuffle in water & power ministry soon
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, May 21: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has agreed to Army
Chief General Pervez Musharraf's request to bring some top-level
changes in the ministry of water and power to finish off with the
"contradictions" between the ministry and the army-led Wapda on
authority's affairs, it is learnt.
Reliable sources told Dawn that as a first step the secretary of
water and power, Syed Shahid Husain, will be removed from his
present position and given some other assignment.
"The Wapda chairman is not comfortable with his governing
ministry," a source said, adding that he had expressed reservations
over the role of the ministry of water and power and these
reservations were conveyed to the prime minister.
The army chief has recently held a meeting with the prime minister
to discuss Wapda issues, and reportedly explained before the
premier the impediments the Wapda chairman is facing at the hands
of the ministry.
Acting director general of inter-services public relations (ISPR)
Brigadier Rashid Qureshi, in his recent press briefing, had also
confirmed the meeting between the two, and indicated a big change
in the ministry in the near future. Qureshi though did not divulge
any further details.
If the things do not improve with the departure of Shahid Husain,
then the minister for water and power, Gohar Ayub, is also likely
to be given some other ministry but at the time of the future
reshuffle of the federal cabinet, a source said.
Sources in Wapda say that the ministry has been a major hurdle for
Wapda in its pursuit for achieving the goals it has set for itself.
"We had asked for the induction of 110 army officers for
intelligence duties in Wapda headquarters but it was turned down by
the ministry. We had sought the promulgation of ordinance yet that
too was turned down," a Wapda source said, adding, "every time we
were faced with known bureaucratic hurdles under the cover of
rules."
Differences between the ministry (including the minister) and Wapda
came to the surface shortly after army's takeover of Wapda when
both sides publicly expressed divergent views on the question of
selling electricity to India. While the minister and his secretary
were openly supporting the sale of electricity to India, the
chairman in one of his press conferences had expressed his
reservations to this idea. It was only because of these differences
that India was not invited in March to a scheduled meeting on power
sale.
The views of the two sides are also different on Wapda's revenue
generation after the induction of the army. The minister has been
repeatedly saying that Wapda's income has been reduced from Rs9
billion per month to Rs7 billion per month since November 1998 but
the Wapda chairman is of the view that authority's income has
improved.
The ministry believes that there will be at least Rs40 billion
shortfall in Wapda's revenue target of Rs142 billion for the
current fiscal year. But the acting DG of ISPR had told reporters
in his recent news briefing that according to General Zulfiqar,
Wapda will break even this year.
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990518
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Kanju briefs Arab diplomats: Dialogue with India to continue
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ISLAMABAD, May 17: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammad
Siddique Kanju said on Monday that Pakistan was determined to carry
forward the dialogue with India in the light of Lahore Declaration
irrespective of the result of the political process in New Delhi.
He was spelling out salient features of Pakistan's foreign policy
in his address to the heads of Arab diplomatic missions here.
"Whatever may be the outcome of the current political process in
India, we are determined to carry forward the dialogue with the new
Indian government in the light of the Lahore Declaration and our
on-going peace efforts with India."
Kanju also expressed Pakistan's trust that "the new Indian
government will sincerely address issues of peace, security and
development with us in a substantive, structured and result-
oriented manner."
The minister apprised the diplomatic missions that it was only due
to the earnest efforts of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that Pakistan
and India, in June 1997, agreed to an agenda, which was adopted,
for an integrated dialogue process covering the entire spectrum of
bilateral relations.
The agenda, he said, included the issues of Jammu and Kashmir, and
peace and security.
"It had been several decades since the two states sat down to
discuss these crucial issues," he added.
PALESTINE ISSUE: He said lapse of interim arrangements on 4 May,
without an agreement on the "final-status" unfolds a volatile
situation in the Middle East, and urged the guarantors of peace
accord to extend clear assurance regarding Palestinian right to
establish an independent Palestinian state.
He said, it is important to emphasize that establishment of the
state is a birth right; not necessarily contingent upon the "final-
status" negotiations.
Kanju said, Pakistan is unwavering in its steadfast commitment to
the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif and welcomes the
decision of the UN General Assembly to upgrade the Palestinian
participation in its deliberations.
"We look forward to the State of Palestine assuming its rightful
position in the comity of nations as an independent state," he
said.
Kanju said, the path to peace in the Middle East lies in the
faithful implementation of all international resolutions and
relevant agreements.
"Israel must withdraw from all the occupied territories, including
the Golan Heights and South Lebanon," he said and added the
intransigence of Israel "is holding up the final status
negotiations agreed in the Oslo Accord and is obstructing peace and
stability in the region."
In April, the Human Rights Commission adopted a resolution,
presented by Pakistan which strongly condemns ethnic cleansing and
military operations by the Belgrade regime and demands an immediate
halt to repression, he said.-APP
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990521
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Gun-battle flares up along LoC
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NEW DELHI, May 20: India and Pakistan excha-nged artillery and
mortar fire across the Line of Control on Thursday, Indian army
officials said.
"Firing is going on today in the Kargil district, including heavy
mortars," an Indian army spokesman told Reuters.
Kargil, located 220km northeast of Srinagar, has been at the centre
of an 11-day gunbattle between the two countries in which dozens of
soldiers have died.
No casualties were reported on Thursday, officials said.
"The fighting still continues but we have no fresh reports of any
casualties so far. Details are awaited," an Indian army officer
told Reuters in Srinagar.
A Pakistan foreign office spokesman accused New Delhi of
"unwarranted military action" in Kashmir, and said it was contrary
to bilateral agreements to promote peace.
Indian army officials said Pakistani infiltrators had occupied the
vacant heights around the border town of Kargil, forcing Indian
troops to hit back. "Our aim is to get these heights vacated, it
will take a few days more," the army spokesman said.
afp adds: At least one Indian soldier was killed on Thursday, the
United News of India said.
Official sources told the news agency that the soldier died after
Pakistani troops opened "unprovoked" artillery fire on the Gurez
border outpost in northern Kashmir. Indian troops returned the
fire.
The sources said many people had lost their legs in the Pakistani
attack. There were no more details of casualties or injuries.
Hasan Akhtar adds from Islamabad: The foreign office here on
Thursday expressed its disappointment over the Indian violations of
various inter-State agreements and the spirit of the Lahore
Declaration by bombing and shelling into Pakistan side from across
the Line of Control (LoC), causing heavy loss to lives and
property, but reiterated Islamabad's commitment to pursue the
dialogue process with New Delhi on Kashmir and other contentious
issues in the interest of ultimate settlement and peace and
security in the region.
Foreign office spokesman Tariq Altaf, at his first news briefing on
the 12th day of the serious cross-border artillery duel between the
two sides along the LoC, said the Indian military violations behind
"the bogey of infiltrators would bode ill for the efforts to
improve the atmosphere since February this year" following the
Indo-Pakistan summit talks in Lahore, resulting in the Lahore
Declaration for peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes.
However, the spokesman averred: "On our part we remain committed to
the dialogue process," and said "we believe that Pakistan and India
should, as agreed in the Lahore Declaration, intensify efforts to
resolve all outstanding dispute, particularly the core dispute of
Kashmir."
The spokesman emphasized: "I would like to dispel the impression
that progress in promoting peace and security in the region is
somehow possible without a just and final settlement of the Kashmir
dispute, as stipulated in Article 6 of the Simla Agreement" of
June-July 1972. "The Kashmiris must be given their right to self-
determination in accordance with the United Nations resolutions,"
the spokes-man re-asserted.
He recalled that the Inter-Services Public Relations directorate-
general had already made detail report, as published in the press
on Friday, on the military developments and the Indian forces'
bombing and shelling across the LoC in Kargil and Drass regions,
which left little for him to say more to elaborate on the
situation.
On his part, he said, "I can only express our deep disappointment
that contrary to the existing agreement and, in particular, the
spirit of the Lahore Declaration , India is indulging in violations
of the Line of Control with heavy artillery shelling etc, resulting
in loss of lives and property of innocent civilians." He rejected
the Indian "bogey of the 'infiltrators'" as justification for its
"unwarranted" military action.
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990521
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Govt to get Rs10bn from increase in oil prices
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Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, May 20: The government will get additional Rs10 billion
from over 10 per cent increase in the petroleum prices announced on
Wednesday.
Official sources told Dawn that the revenue impact of hike has been
estimated by the finance division at Rs10 billion. However, they
said that actual impact of the exercise was still to be formally
calculated and that the government might get little over Rs10
billion.
Sources said that the petroleum surcharge was estimated to yield
Rs77.1 billion under the revised target when the fall in
international oil prices was not passed on to the domestic
consumers and local prices were raised by 25 per cent in July last
year. The loss in surcharge caused by recent global price hike is
expected to be compensated by the latest 10 per cent increase.
They said that it was inevitable to go for new oil prices specially
when they had already been revised upward in the international
market. But they conceded that it never happened in Pakistan that
when such prices were lowered in the world market, they were never
revised downward in Pakistan.
According to the announcement made by the ministry of petroleum on
Wednesday, the prices of motor gasoline (regular) have been
increased from Rs22.19 to Rs24.40 per litre, motor gasoline
(super/premier) from Rs23.64 to Rs26.04 per liter (14.38 per cent),
high octane blending component (HOBC) from Rs25.82 to 28.50 per
litre (14.6 per cent), MTBE from Rs30.73 to Rs34.05 per litre (10.8
per cent), Kerosene oil from Rs9.44 to 10.50 per litre (11.27 per
cent), high speed diesel oil from Rs9.66 to 10.66 per litre (10.35
per cent), light diesel oil from 7.79 per litre to Rs8.50 per litre
(9.11 per cent), JP-4 from Rs10.20 to Rs11.50 per litre (12.74 per
cent and furnace oil from Rs5500 per ton to Rs6070.50 per ton (10.8
per cent).
In real terms, an increase of Rs3.40 per litre has been made in the
prices of gasoline (super/premium petrol), Rs3.78 per litre in High
Octane Blending Component, Rs1.21 per litre in Motor Gasoline
(regular petrol), Rs3.32 per litre in MTBE, Rs1.06 per litre in
Kerosene Oil, Rs 1per litre in High speed diesel oil, Rs0.71 per
litre in light diesel oil and Rs1.30 per litre in JP-4 while
furnace oil prices have gone up by Rs570.50 per ton.
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990521
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ISI status to be decided once for all: Saiduzzaman
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Rafaqat Ali
ISLAMABAD, May 20: The Supreme Court said on Thursday that it would
hear the appeal filed by the wife of detained journalist Najam
Sethi, and decide the question whether Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI) was a military or civilian organisation.
The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice-designate
Saiduzzaman Siddiqui, after hearing the attorney general granted
"leave to appeal," and fixed May 31 from when the court would
commence daily hearing of the case.
"This is a question of public importance in which civil liberties
of a citizen are involved", Justice Siddiqui observed. The other
two members of the bench were Justice Shaikh Ijaz Nisar and Justice
Kamal Mansur Alam.
It was observed that the court would first decide the question
regarding the status of the ISI. "We want to decide it once for
all." The court observed that if the court came to the conclusion
that the ISI was a military organization, it would have no
jurisdiction under Article 199(3) of the Constitution to call into
question any action of the agency. But if it was proved that it was
a civilian organization, then the actions of the agency would be
open to judicial review.
Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari, former president, attended the
proceedings of the case along with his party members.
After the arguments of the AG, Justice Siddiqui observed that the
AG was arguing on the presumption that the ISI was a part of the
army. The judge observed that, "prima facie, the ISI is not part of
the army."
He said further that the mere fact that it was headed by a
uniformed officer did not make it part of the army. "There are many
organizations which are headed by the uniformed officers yet those
are not part of the army."
Justice Siddiqui observed that it was the case of the government
that the arrest of Najam Sethi was not made by the ISI but he was
being interrogated by the ISI. The AG said that in some cases
civilian authorities could be asked to arrest a person and hand him
over to the ISI.
Justice Siddiqui observed that this question whether the ISI was
part of the military would come again and again and the court would
decide it once for all. When the AG asked the court to examine this
question in an appropriate case, Justice Siddiqui observed: " This
is the most appropriate case."
The AG referred to the case of Maj-Gen Zaheerul Islam Abbasi in
which it was held by the Supreme Court that its jurisdiction did
not extend to the army.
Justice Siddiqui observed that the Zaheerul Islam Abbasi case was
different from the present case as he and his colleagues were
officers of the army and were involved in a conspiracy to overthrow
the legally elected government.
The AG said smilingly: "Perhaps this case is also like that." He
did not elaborate.
The attorney-general had argued that the decision of the Lahore
High Court that since Najam Sethi was arrested by the ISI it had no
jurisdiction to look into the actions of the agency under Article
199(3) of the Constitution was correct.
Saying that Najam Sethi was in the custody of the ISI, the AG
handed over a "secret" file to the court for its perusal only. The
court after looking into the file returned it within a few minutes.
The AG referred to the Official Secret Act and added that no
country in the world ever showed sympathy with those citizens who
were conniving with the enemy.
After reading section 12 of the Official Secret Act, the AG said if
there was reasonable suspicion that the loyalty of any citizen with
the State was in doubt, he could be arrested without any warrants.
Justice Siddiqui observed that the Official Secret Act which had
been referred to by the AG had provided that a person arrested
under the Act should be produced before the magistrate within 24
hours.
The AG said the Official Secret Act was a general law and he would
refer to a specific law - the Army Act - to show that a person
could be arrested without any warrants.
Justice Siddiqui observed that the Army Act also provided that a
citizen arrested under it would be produced before a magistrate or
a commanding officer. The learned judge further referred to Article
10 of the Constitution which guaranteed that if a person was
arrested, he would have to be produced before a magistrate within
24 hours.
The AG said the present case was still at the stage of inquiry. He
said the Commanding Office, Lahore, had been approached after the
arrest of Najam Sethi.
He contended that a person arrested by the ISI could be kept in
custody for 32 days without registering any case against him.
When asked by the court from how many days Najam Sethi had been in
the custody of the ISI, the AG said he had been under arrest for
the last 11 days. "If he falls in the white category, he would be
released but if he falls in the black category he will be handed
over to the Military Intelligence," the AG said while explaining
the procedure of inquiry.
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990520
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4 MQM men sentenced to death by ATC
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KARACHI, May 19: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) No 4 on Wednesday
awarded capital punishment to four workers of the Muttahida Qaumi
Movement (MQM) in a Ranger's murder case.
Presided over by Judge Hussain Bukhsh Khoso, the ATC also awarded
other punishments to Mohammad Faisal, Mohammad Razzaq, Mohammad
Imran and Syed Junaid.
The MQM men had allegedly killed the Sachal Ranger's Dildar Hussain
and injured its another member, Mumtaz, in Liaquatabad police
limits on July 2, 1998.
The judge awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment and Rs10,000 fine
under the Anti-Terrorism Act, life imprisonment under the PPC and
one-year term under Section 148 to all the accused.
The accused would also pay a compensation of Rs50,000 to the
injured soldier.
According to prosecution, the accused with 14 others attacked a
Rangers party at Poly-clinic police check-post between Liaquatabad
No 3 and 4.
One accused, Taha, being minor, would be tried separately under the
Sindh Children Act. While accused Nadir Shah, Ubaid K-2, Miru and
others have been shown absconding.
Defence counsel Mahmood Qureshi and Special Public Prosecutor
Ghulam Qadir Rajput appeared in the case.
The military court had reserved the judgment on this case before
being wound up on the Supreme Court orders.-APP/PPI
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990519
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Pakistan can meet any threat: PM
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Correspondent
QUETTA, May 18: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that enemy
could not even think of attacking Pakistan as it has become strong
enough after the nuclear tests.
"Pakistan could meet all kinds of challenges after acquiring the
nuclear capability", he said while speaking to the PML workers
after inaugurating the newly established provincial secretariat of
the party here on Tuesday.
He said the nuclear tests and many other things were not in the
agenda of the PML government but it is Allah who enabled the PML
government to make Pakistan the first Islamic nuclear country.
The Prime Minister announced that Pakistan was no more a weaker
country in the region and had the capability to meet any threat and
challenge in equal terms. "Pakistan tested first Ghouri and then
Shaheen missiles to reply Pirthvi and Agni missiles, however, it
was not in the party programme of the PML", he said.
He said due to economic sanctions the country faced economic crisis
with the steps taken by the PML government, it was showing gradual
improvement and Pakistan would soon emerge as a country with a
stronger economy.
He called upon the party workers to work hard to achieve the
national goals.
Referring to the appointment of new party leadership in
Balochistan, Nawaz Sharif said that fruitful results were coming up
out of the decision and the party was becoming more active and
popular among the people and expressed his confidence that in the
coming days the party would gain more support and strength in the
province.
Mr Sharif informed the audience that he had asked the chief
minister and other concerned people to give full attention to the
problems being faced by the party workers as they were true
Pakistanis.
He said the party workers had sacrificed for the party cause and
Pakistan and therefore they should be given preferential treatment
and those who were educated be given employment as it was their
right.
He directed the PML Balochistan leadership to form a committee and
evolve strategy to implement the party manifesto.
Nawaz Sharif said his government was paying full attention towards
speedy development of Balochistan and had allocated billions of
rupees for various development projects including Rs11 billion
Coastal Highway, Rs12 billion Gwadar port as well as agriculture
package worth billions of rupees. "No government in the past had
allocated such huge amounts for the development of this backward
province", he declared.
He said: "as I have said earlier, the future of Pakistan is linked
with the future of Balochistan. If Balochistan progresses, the
country will also progress".
He urged the party workers to support the provincial party
leadership and the chief minister.
Present at the function were governor Balochistan Miangul
Aurangzeb, chief minister Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, Jam Mohammed
Yousaf, president PML Balochistan Syed Fazal Agha, provincial
ministers MNAs senators and others.
Earlier, general secretary PML Balochistan Mir Abdul Majeed Bizenjo
presented the address of welcome urging the prime minister to
announce a development package for Quetta, construction of Bela-
Awaran road, provision of electricity to Awaran District and
increasing Balochistan's quota in the federal services.
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990519
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Benazir accuses police of trying to kill her husband
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DUBAI, May 18: Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto
accused Karachi police on Tuesday of attempting to murder her
jailed husband after he reportedly tried to commit suicide during
interrogation.
"She's really worried about his life. They have tried to kill him,"
said a friend of the family speaking on behalf of Bhutto, who
arrived in Dubai on April 28 from Britain.
Pakistani police said that Asif Ali Zardari, under interrogation in
a double murder case, slashed his neck with a broken glass.
"This is all just a cooked-up story... This is a cover up," the
family friend told AFP, asking not to be named. "We are filing a
report against the police that this is an attempted murder."
Zardari was "a strong character" and he would not have tried to
take his own life.
He said police had failed to take Zardari to hospital in violation
of a court order. "No friends or family have been allowed to see
him. We have no idea of his present state of health, apart from
that he is hurt."
The source charged that Bhutto's husband was "unlawfully taken to
the police station from jail on a case for which he was already on
bail."
Bhutto, Pakistan's main opposition leader, is appealing to human
rights groups to intervene on behalf of her family and will not
return home, where she and her husband have been sentenced to five
years in prison each on corruption charges, he said.
"Had she been there (in Pakistan), she would have been treated the
same way," said the friend of the former premier, whose mother and
children live in Dubai.
Bhutto's defence lawyers advised her not to return until an appeal
is lodged with the supreme court in Pakistan.
Bhutto, who was dismissed on charges of corruption and misrule in
1996, has rejected any wrongdoing and termed the case politically
motivated.-APP
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990518
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Registration of 273 NGOs cancelled
-------------------------------------------------------------------
KARACHI, May 17: The Social Welfare Department has cancelled the
registration of 273 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for
violating government rules and on the basis of other shortcomings.
This was stated by the secretary of social welfare, women
development and environment protection, Abdul Waheed Pirzada, while
addressing a press conference here on Monday. Director of social
welfare and director of women development were also present on the
occasion.
He said action was initiated against those NGOs which were involved
in anti-state activities and corruption.
He said about 5,282 social welfare organizations were registered
with Social Welfare Department. Of which 3,285 NGOs were registered
in Karachi, 513 in Hyderabad, 817 in Sukkur, 490 in Larkana, and
177 in Mirpurkhas.
In addition, he said, a total of 292 social welfare centres
including four Darul Amans, three Darul Atfaal, five rehabilitation
centres of disabled persons, 13 centres for mentally retarded
persons, 43 multi-purpose child welfare centres, 16 economic
centres, 30 medical social work projects, 6 school social work
projects, 50 commercial training centres, 58 vocational training
centres, 50 adults education centres, 10 women welfare centres are
operating in the province.
The secretary said the Directorate of Women Development has taken
measures for the welfare and development of women folk in Sindh in
collaboration with the NGOs.
He said five schemes have been initiated by the directorate for
imparting training to women at district level and added one of such
projects had already been launched in Karachi, Dadu and Larkana at
a cost of Rs1.123 million.
He said a project has also been started to provide shelter and
legal protection and consultation to the deprived women.- APP
===================================================================
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
990519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Depositors to get about Rs51 for a dollar
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mohiuddin Aazim
KARACHI, May 18: The State Bank on Tuesday finally announced the
much-awaited unification of exchange rates which paves the way for
conversion of frozen foreign currency deposits (FCDs) at close to
Rs 51 per dollar instead of Rs 46.
SBP issued a circular (F. E. no 8) to announce the decision which
would become effective from May 19.
"...the official exchange rate has been abolished and the floating
inter-bank rate shall apply to all foreign exchange receipts and
payments both in public and in private sectors," said the circular.
Until now there were three exchange rates in operation. First: the
official exchange rate of Rs 46 to a dollar which applied only to
imports of wheat and petroleum products and conversion of FCDs and
bonds etc. Second: floating inter-bank rate determined by the banks
through inter-action of market forces and third: composite exchange
rate with a mix-up of 95 per cent of floating inter-bank rate and 5
per cent of official exchange rate. From May 19 imports of wheat
and petroleum products would no longer be financed at Rs 46 to a US
dollar. Instead their imports would be made at floating inter-bank
rate which might hover around Rs 51 or so. Similarly there would be
no composite exchange rate i.e.banks would neither be purchasing 5
per cent of foreign exchange for the importers form SBP nor they
would be selling 5 per cent of foreign exchange earned by the
exporters to the central bank.
But keeping in view the significant impact the unification of
exchange rates might have on the inter-bank market the State Bank
has asked the banks to keep the difference between their spot
buying and selling rates at no more than 50 paisa per US dollar.
Top bankers say the step has been taken to check any speculation in
the forex market.
The SBP circular says that withdrawal from frozen FCDs would be
allowed at the average of the closing inter-bank buying rate for
the previous working day "as displayed on SBP reuter page."
It says the same rate would apply to encashment in rupees of dollar
bearer certificates/foreign currency bearer certificates and dollar
bonds etc. The circular further says that the average buying inter-
bank rate of the previous working day would also apply to forward
cover.
Top bankers estimate that the average closing inter-bank rate would
be close to Rs 51 which means that the holders of frozen FCDs would
get a benefit of Rs 5 per US dollar. Until now they were getting Rs
46 per dollar.
"With the coming into force of the new arrangement all foreign
exchange requirements shall be met from foreign exchange receipts
in the inter-bank market," says the SBP circular. "The authorised
dealers (banks ) would neither approach the State Bank for release
of foreign exchange for any purpose nor would they have to
surrender it to the State Bank."
But the State Bank "can and will, intervene in the market for the
sale and purchase of foreign exchange on its own account at rates
and timing of its choosing."
Senior bankers reached by Dawn said that with the unification of
exchange rates the dollar would gradually become dearer
particularly because of the about $3 billion worth of imports of
wheat and petroleum products at a rate higher by at least Rs 5 per
dollar. But they said it would be premature to say in what band the
dollar may be trading.
"It all depends on how SBP would intervene in the market," said
treasurer of a foreign bank. He said if the SBP made wise and
effective interventions it might be able to contain the greenback
in the vicinity of Rs 51. But then that too would be a depreciation
in the official worth of the rupee by Rs 5 per dollar or a cool
10.8 per cent.
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990521
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Rs100 million for IT industry development
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nasir Jamal
LAHORE, May 20: The Punjab government has decided to provide a
sizable sum of Rs100 million in the budget for 1999-2000 for the
development of information technology (IT) industry in the
province.
Sources in the Punjab government told this reporter here on
Thursday, it is for the first time that a provincial administration
has decided to allocate funds for the development of the IT
industry.
'It is a manifestation of the provincial government's commitment to
develop the modern technology and industry and attract foreign
investment in this sector,' a senior official said.
The budgetary allocation will be spent through the Punjab
Information Technology Board (PITB) set up by the government to
work for the development of trained IT manpower and academic
institutions and bring in foreign investment in this sector.
The funds will be spent on the establishment of a software park in
the Punjab capital to provide 'shade to the small entrepreneurs' as
well as to set up two IT centres on the pattern of one recently
inaugurated by the prime minister at the University of Engineering
and Technology in Lahore.
The second IT centre is proposed to be set up at Bahauddin Zakrya
University in Multan.
A part of the funds will be spent on the establishment of the
proposed IT university in the provincial metropolis for which
Microsoft has promised to supply software tools and training
material worth $25 million.
A part of the allocation will be spent to offer scholarships to
people to be trained by Microsoft and Oracle to create faculty for
the academic institutions wishing to establish IT departments or
centres.
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990521
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Six oil wells, new gas finds to be privatized
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ihtashamul Haque
ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan Privatization Board, which met here on
Thursday, has decided to immediately privatize six oil wells, and
some of the recent gas discoveries to earn foreign exchange.
The Board, meeting under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif, formally approved the disinvestment of 20 to 30 per cent of
government's shareholdings, which initially included six oil wells
and some new gas discoveries.
The prime minister was told that 26 per cent privatization of some
of the OGDC companies especially that of Qadirpur gas, Dodhak and
Dullian oil fields could fetch 400 to 500 million dollars. The sale
of six wells and a few gas discoveries, the meeting was told, could
bring another 50/60 million dollars to Pakistan.
Informed sources, however, told Dawn that there were sharp
differences between the ministry of petroleum and the Privatization
Commission over the disinvestment of the whole oil gas sector
which, according to one estimate, could give 13/14 billion dollars.
But the prime minister intervened and supported the PC to complete
the process of privatization of oil and gas as quickly as possible.
Sources said that Sharif expressed his displeasure that nothing has
been done during the last two and a half years to privatize the
major state-owned enterprises.
"The prime minister said why every time the country should raise a
begging bowl before everybody and why should not we get the money
by selling our assets", a source said quoting Sharif.
Minister for Petroleum Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan believed that it was
not all that easy for the PC to disinvest the oil and gas sector
and that there must be a certain strategic planning to achieve the
objective.
The officials of the ministry of petroleum believed that there
could be a political fallout, if the oil and has sector was
disinvested without proper preparation. "They said that people
might react over the sale of strategic oil and gas establishment",
an official said in the meeting.
The Board will meet again next week to discuss various irritants in
order to accelerate the process of the privatization.
The prime minister told the officials of the petroleum ministry and
the PC to get their differences narrowed and come in the next
meeting with certain clear proposals for the disinvestment of the
oil and gas sector.
Secretary Privatization Commission Zafar Ali Khan when contacted
told Dawn that the PC had given the presentation to the prime
minister on the disinvestment of oil and gas sector.
The meeting, he said, was told that gas prices needed to be revised
upward for making the gas companies attractive for the local and
foreign buyers.
Khan said that a decision had been taken to privatize the non-core
business and training institutions of the Oil and Gas Development
Company (OGDC). "The meeting today approved the appointment of the
Financial Advisor for the privatization of the OGDC", he said
adding that the FA would complete the due diligence before its
privatization.
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990521
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Investments decline by 2.3%
-------------------------------------------------------------------
M. Ziauddin
ISLAMABAD, May 20: Fixed investment during the current fiscal year
has declined by 2.3 per cent at constant prices with total
investment, as a proportion of GDP, declining from 17.1 per cent to
14.8pc. The proportion of fixed investment to GDP also declined,
though less from 14.5pc in 1997-98 to 13.2pc in 1998-99.
Official estimates indicate that private investment has declined by
5pc with manufacturing showing a fall of 2.9pc, mining 31.5pc and
construction about 23pc.
The public sector investment shows a decline in mining,
construction, transport, and communications and services by 17.9pc,
1.3pc, 13.9pc and 7.3pc, respectively.
The decline is mainly a result of declining private investment
levels from 9.6pc to 8.2pc of GDP.
National savings, as a percentage of GDP, have declined to 12pc in
1998-99 against the target of 15.8pc and last year's achievement of
14.1pc.
As a consequence, national savings financed only 81.2pc of the
total investment while the remaining 18.8pc is expected to be
financed from foreign savings.
Direct foreign investment declined by 34pc, whereas portfolio
investment declined by 94pc.
Investment in the power sector, the main contributor in the overall
foreign investment, amounted to 113 million dollars against 145
million dollars during the same period last year, showing a
decrease of 22pc.
Provisional estimates suggest a GDP growth of 3.1pc against the
target of 6pc as the growth in agriculture was restricted to 0.4pc
while in the manufacturing sector it was no more than 4.7pc.
Value added in the construction sector grew at the rate of 0.8pc
compared to the target of 5.5pc. This is essentially because of a
very slow growth rate in the investments.
Because of slackness in demand entailing slow down in economic
activity, growth of total energy generation during 1998-99 would be
restricted to 65099 GWh.
Growth in trade sector is expected to be 1.3pc against the target
of 6.2pc. The main factors causing deceleration include decline in
imports as well as lower growth in agriculture and manufacturing
sectors.
Between July 1998 and April 1999, the total tax collection stood at
Rs229.6 billion against the revised full year target of Rs310
billion. The government has attributed the slow down in tax
collection to the imposition of sanctions, restrictive policies in
foreign sectors, compression of external trade and slow economic
growth. The reduction in maximum tariff rate to 35pc may further
slow down the tax collection in the short term.
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990520
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PIA evades Rs227m in duties, taxes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Aamir Shafaat Khan
KARACHI, May 19: Pakistan International Airline (PIA) has has been
charged with evasion of Rs227 million customs duty and taxes from
November 1995 to June 1998 on the re-import of repaired aircraft
engines, originally from Pakistan for repairing abroad.
The Collectorate of Customs (Preventive) has informed the Central
Board of Revenue (CBR) on May 18 about the tax evasion. The amount
of Rs227 million is calculated from 44 cases, detected by the
Collectorate from 1995-1998.
Sources in the Preventive Collectorate told Dawn on Wednesday that
at least 44 show cause notices have been issued to the national
carrier under Section 32 of the Customs Act, 1969 to explain in
writing for not paying outstanding taxes.
The investigation, carried out by the Collectorate, revealed that
the PIA had been paying duty on the re-import of the repaired
engines at their own declared cost for such repairs, additions,
alterations etc.
Sources said that PIA, while filing the bills of entry, had not
been furnishing invoices covering the actual cost involved, issued
by the concerned aircraft engine service company. The repair costs,
consisting of import values for assessment purposes as declared on
the bills of entry, were far below than the actual costs as
invoiced and charged by the aircraft engine service companies.
The Collectorate in its letter to the CBR on Tuesday said that
manoeuvring of documents and mis-declaration of such high
proportions is a serious blow to the image of PIA which compels the
Collectorate for scrutiny in case of future imports by the national
carrier.
Sources said that the Collectorate is also working on some other
cases of identical nature.
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990520
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IMF mission due next week
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD, May 19: A four-member IMF mission headed by Ms Sena Eken
will arrive here next week to hold extensive negotiations with the
Pakistani officials on various important issues.
These issues on top of the agenda are declining revenues and fall
in exports during the first ten months of the current financial
year.
Sources said that unresolved IPPs issue would also dominate the
discussion during two-week stay of the IMF mission in the capital.
The major power companies - Hubco and Kapco maintained that they
were ready to rationalize their power tariffs, provided there was
no pressure and the use of coercive methods.
On the other hand the Minister for Finance and Commerce Ishaq Dar
was on record having said recently that Hubco was not ready to
lower its tariff with the result that there was no agreement in the
offing to resolve the two-year old dispute which was also causing
serious problems in attracting foreign investment in Pakistan.
The mission will also take up Pakistan's balance of payments
position with special reference to the shrinking trade gap.
The new budgetary projections for 1999-2000 will also come up for
detailed discussion. Pakistan will also be asked to keep the next
Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) at Rs 125 billion as was
proposed by the Planning Commission. But the finance division was
opposing it and has said that it should not more than Rs 95 billion
keeping in view the weak financial position of the government.
The mission, sources said, will insist that the government adhered
to the macroeconomic targets which mainly include recovery of the
real GDP growth from 3-4 per cent during 1998/99- 1999/2000 to a
medium term range of 5-6 per cent; reduction in annual inflation
from about 10-11 per cent in 1999-2000 to about 6 per cent in 2001-
02; contraction of the external current account deficit (excluding
official transfers) from about 3 per cent GDP in 1998-99 to less
than 1.5 per cent of GDP in 2001-02; and stabilization of the total
public debt-to-GDP ratio by 2001-2002.
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990519
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Saudis show interest in Pakistan Steel
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Syed Rashid Husain
RIYADH, May 18: A delegation of Saudi businessmen would soon visit
Pakistan to identify the areas of joint ventures and enhance trade
between the two countries.
This was announced by Engineer Khalid Abdullah Al-Zamil at the end
of the investment conference organized in the eastern province of
Saudi Arabia by the Board of Investment (BOI), Pakistan.
The Pakistani delegation at the end of the two-day investment
conference also announced to organize single country trade
exhibition in Dammam.
The Pakistani side was led by Humayun Akhtar Khan, Chairman BOI and
Wajid Jawwad, Chairman Export Promotion Board, including its
secretary were also part of the Pakistani delegation.
Saudi entrepreneurs during the conference have expressed their
interest in acquiring Pakistan Steel and the flight kitchen of PIA.
Some of them have also sought further information for possible
joint ventures in agriculture, agro-based industry, assembly of
computers, hospitality industry including tourism.
Earlier, addressing the conference at Dammam Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, Pakistani ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Khalid Mahmood
emphasized on the deep rooted relations between the two states.
He also emphasized on the need to convert the excellent political
relationship between the two states into a more dynamic economic
partnership for the mutual benefit of both the states.
Minister of State and BOI Chairman Humayun Akhtar Khan highlighted
various aspects of Pakistani economy and the gradual liberalization
that it has undergone over the past few years.
He stressed that despite odds, Pakistani economy has been able to
manage itself and the investment environment has improved.
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990519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
PM witnesses demonstration of solar power system
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Correspondent
QUETTA, May 18: Demonstration for solar power system set up by the
World Water Corporation, New Jersey Commerce and Economic Growth
Commission, USA, was witnessed by prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif
here on Tuesday soon after his arrival from Islamabad.
Corporation representative briefed the PM and the members of his
entourage including federal ministers, governor Balochistan, Mian
Gul Aurangzeb and chief minister, Jam Jamali that the World Water
Corp uses solar power to pump water in arid areas. It is equipped
with solar water pumps, solar electrical system and water
management.
It has potential to expand the crop production and export through
solar energy technology. Such state-of-the-art technology will
facilitate accelerated development in rural areas of Pakistan,
particularly arid or semi-arid parts of Balochistan and other
similar terrain.
The system is capable of providing clean drinking water,
irrigation, solar- powered lights and communication. PM showed keen
interest in the demonstration of solar power system.
Another important engagement of the premier was the holding of
ballot for the distribution of 1,000 tractors among farmers in
Balochistan at the subsidized rate of Rs one lakh each less than
the market prices. Speaking on the occasion, PM said the federal
government would bear the expenses of the subsidy of the tractors
involving more than Rs one billion.
He said Balochistan with tremendous potential for the production of
cash and food crops was an agrarian frontier of Pakistan for the
next millennium. He said Balochistan is the fruit basket of
Pakistan with plenty of fruit and vegetables for export to the
international market.
PM advised that Civil Aviation Authority and others should
introduce special cargo flights for fruit, vegetables and other
perishable goods from Balochistan to the foreign markets.
Earlier, chairman, Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP)
Syed Fazal Mahmood said all the 1,000 tractors drawn by ballot by
Mian Nawaz Sharif Tuesday would be distributed within two months'
time. Every applicant whose name had been drawn on Tuesday would be
required to deposit Rs 25,000 only.
The balance would be payable by him by easy instalments over a
period of eight years. Under normal scheme, Fazal Mahmood said,
ADBP had already distributed 990 tractors among the farmers in the
province.
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990519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan Railways sell-off plan may be reviewed
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporter
LAHORE, May 18: The government may review plans for Pakistan
Railways' privatization if its employees work hard to improve
operations and facilities to the travelling public.
"We have told employees' unions that together we can salvage the
railways from a disastrous point where it has been driven to at
present", National Assembly's Standing Committee on PR chairman
Javed Ibrahim Piracha told a questioner at a news conference here
on Tuesday.
Asked whether the privatization process was backed by legal
measures, the MNA said the Railway Act of 1890 had been amended to
the extent of shifting of Railway Board offices from Islamabad to
Lahore.
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990518
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Proposal to levy ST on power, gas under study
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ikram Hoti
ISLAMABAD, May 17: The federal government is examining proposals to
impose sales tax (ST) on electricity and natural gas while looking
at the possibility of doing away with sales tax exemptions on less
sensitive food items, fertilizers and insecticides.
The proposals are aimed at generating an additional amount of Rs50
billion from the sales tax net in the financial year 1999-2000,
sources revealed to Dawn here on Monday.
Sources said the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has been directed
to work out details of tax amounts to be generated from imposition
of ST on power and gas supplying organizations and by doing away
with ST exemptions being presently enjoyed by the food, pesticides
and fertilizers sectors.
Sources further said that having decided to generate an additional
amount of Rs50 billion from the ST net, the CBR received twice the
directive to look for sectors which were sales taxable.
Exhausting all the currently ST sectors and items, the CBR is
reported to have submitted that an amount Rs50 billion in addition
to the (Rs70 billion) collectible for 1998-99, is not computable.
The CBR is learned to have explained that the present ST areas
would generate only about Rs20 billion additional.
It estimates to generate, furthermore, a total of Rs5 billion from
the retail sector and Rs3 billion from the services sector. It does
not expect to be extracting any extra amount from the manufacturing
sector.
An exercise has already taken place to compute as to what amount of
additional ST could be generated from the wholesale and
distribution plus a couple of textile intermediary sub-sectors, but
that amount does not exceed Rs1 billion.
The total added amount so far estimated for 1999-2000 is said to be
about Rs10 billion, without raising the tax rate from the present
15 per cent, which is deemed to cover the demand for growth
estimated by the federal government in 1999-2000 over the outgoing
financial year at 12 per cent, in each tax-head.
To meet the demand for another Rs40 billion from ST, the CBR has
now been asked to compute as to what amount of tax could be
generated if ST is imposed on electricity and natural gas supply,
and by removing exemptions allowed to the food, fertilizers and
pesticides sector.
Initially, say sources, the government plans to compute the tax
amount it can generate from imposition of ST on both commercial and
non-commercial sides of the electricity and gas supply sector; the
revenue generation from the food sector if it is not allowed any
exemption.
However, they added, the government might decide to impose ST only
on the commercial side and keep the most sensitive items of the
food and medicines basket exempted.
The CBR deems imposition of ST on electricity also as a tool to
confirm flawless auditing of the input adjustment claimed by the
manufacturing sector in the assessment of ST under a tax extraction
system covering the both supply and manufacturing lines.
The ST department has also been asked to review the list of
professionals to be sales-taxed through the provincial governments
in 1999-2000.
This review has been ordered for a study to confirm that no jobs
and professions are left un-taxable.
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990522
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KSE 100-share index breaks 1300-point barrier
-------------------------------------------------------------------
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, May 21: Stocks finished the last session of the week on a
bullish note, sending messages to investors that the current run-up
was not overdone, thanks to the strong presence of a prominent
speculator from Lahore.
'There might be more than one reason behind his cornering of the
floating stock of PTCL and ICI Pakistan but analysts said it is
could well prove deceptive in the final analysis'.
However, the positive thing is that the KSE 100-share index
breached the psychological barrier of 1,300 points and sustained it
despite late weekend selling in most of the blue chips at the
inflated levels.
The last session of the week saw many previous records broken, both
in terms of individual share price flare-up and massive turnover
and it appears more than certain the index could take a breather
after hitting the high mark of 1,500 points for the near-term.
It was last quoted at 1,314.32 as compared to 1,299.03, showing sa
fresh increase of 15.29 points or one per cent, telling that the
strength of the PTCL, which carries a weightage of 33% in the index
could take it anywhere along with it.
The market capitalization swelled to Rs 350bn as the massively
capitalized shares including Hub-Power came in for strong support.
Although some of the leading shares ran into selling at the fag end
of the session followed by profit-taking by jobbers and short-term
dealers, the overall trend remained uppishly inclined, which also
is a signal that the market will reopen on a firm note next week.
'Both the PTCL and the ICI Pakistan are under bull-squeeze for the
last couple of sessions and taking the entire market along with
them', analysts said.
They said the bulk of the speculative support is originating from
Lahore-based investors but it could hardly be reliable and is
terribly deceptive, which could leave behind many casualties after
its exit.
Big gainers were again led by Nestle Milkpak, which showed a fresh
sharp rise of Rs 35.00 for its 10-rupee shares. It was quoted
around Rs 210.00, its career's best levels.
Apart from enhanced dividend, the current price flare-up was
attributed to higher interim sales for the current year. There is a
shortage of floating stock, which is causing price increases almost
daily.
Other good gainers were led by 10th ICP, Bannu Woollen, Pak
Datacom, Sitara Chemical after the news of its merger and Lever
Brothers, rising by Rs1.50 to 8.80.
Energy sector led the list of losing shares as leading among them,
Shell Pakistan and PSO came in for active selling at the higher
levels and was marked down by Rs2.00 and Rs4.55 respectively.
Other prominent losers were led by Adamjee Insurance, National
Refinery, Engro Chemical, and some others, falling by Rs 2.00 to
2.10. Trading volume was maintained on the higher side totalling
212m shares as compared to 219m shares a day earlier. Gainers
maintained a strong lead over the losers at 95 to 52, with 32
shares holding on to the last levels.
The most active list was topped by PTCL, up 45 paisa at Rs 25.85 on
74m shares followed by Hub-Power, steady 10 paisa at Rs 19.40 on
36m shares, ICI Pakistan higher 90 paisa at Rs 13.50 on 39m shares,
PSO, off Rs 4.55 at Rs133.45 on 10m shares and Dhab Fibre, up 55
paisa also on 10m shares.
Other actively traded shares were led by Sui Northern, lower 40
paisa on 5m shares followed by KESC, off 30 paisa also on 5m
shares, Adamjee Insurance, lower Rs 2.10 on 4m shares, D.G.Khan
Cement, unchanged on 3.494m shares, Ibrahim Fibre, up 40 paisa on
2m shares, Fauji Fertiliser lower 20 paisa on 3m shares, ICP SEMF,
easy 25 paisa on 1,716m shares and LTV Modaraba, up 15 paisa on
1.5m shares.
DEFAULTING COMPANIES: Al-Asif Sugar came in for active support and
was quoted higher by 80 paisa on 20,000 shares followed by Shahpur
Textiles, which rose by 10 paisa on 3,500 shares.
Back to the top
===================================================================
EDITORIALS & FEATURES
990516
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The supplicant sovereign
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Ardeshir Cowasjee
THE Supreme Court of Pakistan summoned me to Islamabad to testify
before it on May 6, in the case of its storming, on November 28,
1997, by the parliamentarians and the street squads of the ruling
party. On May 14, the historical judgment in the case was
delivered. It must be printed in letters of gold and forever held
high in the annals of the history of the judiciary of Pakistan.
On the evening of May 6, in Islamabad, I met Chanel Khan of the
American Broadcasting Company, who also freelances for the BBC. She
told me how she had recently been harassed - received threatening
phone calls, watched, followed as she moved around our capital.
This had been going on since the BBC team had been in Pakistan
making their documentary on the doings of the Sharif family. I
promised to raise this point with the prime minister's favourite,
Saifur Rahman, the man in charge of all such affairs, who I was to
meet for lunch the following day, and also with Information
Minister Mushahid Hussain.
When I rang Mushahid the next morning he naturally pretended to
know nothing about anything, and said we could not meet as he was
very busy organizing the celebrations for "Bomb" week.
At lunch, I asked Saifur Rahman how it is that those in power in
Islamabad manage to become so proficient in record time at shooting
themselves in both feet and demolishing all ten toes with one
bullet? Why did the government have to pick up Hussain Haqqani and
his brother, a serving colonel of the Pakistan Army, in the middle
of the night? Why did they want to make a 'leader' out of Haqqani
and foist upon us yet another useless man? Why was Chanel Khan, a
single woman living alone with her young children, being harassed
for doing her job? Why was Najam Sethi being hounded, ostensibly
for what he had said in India? Does the government not realize
that, in this day and age when news is flashed through the ozone
layers in seconds, such bully-boy tactics rebound? Why don't you
meet Sethi? Saif said he would meet Editor Najam and his publisher
wife Jugnu at 1300 the next day, Saturday May 8. This I conveyed to
Sethi in Lahore from Saif's office and he confirmed they would be
in Islamabad at the appointed hour. That evening I flew back to
Karachi. At 0330 in the morning of May 8 a naturally very disturbed
Jugnu rang to tell me that a gang of plainclothes men, accompanied
by police officers, had stormed her house, battered Sethi, and
taken him away after trussing her up and locking her in her
bedroom. Will they kill him? she asked. Unlikely, I told her, but
why does this thought cross your mind? Because when I asked the men
if they had a warrant for Najam's arrest, I was told by one that
their warrant was a bullet.
I rang Saif to ask what was going on. He knew nothing about it; he
had done nothing. Why don't you speak to Mushahid? Later that
afternoon, Saif arranged for a three-page statement to be faxed to
me from Mushahid's office, most of which appeared in the press the
next day. Najam was 'suspected' of having a 'nexus' with RAW, to
prove which he had been taken into custody by the 'Agencies' and
was being held and interrogated by the ISI.
The next day, May 9, I finally got hold of Mushahid in the evening
at Karachi airport . He was on his way to Hong Kong and Macao to
attract tourists. A joke, I said. Which tourists will come to a
country where journalists are arrested in the middle of the night
on trumped-up treason charges ? Mushahid declared he was not
responsible for the Sethi episode.
On Monday the 10th, I had several conversations with Saif and he
finally admitted to being convinced that wrong had been done, that
no civilized man in any country could condone the manner in which
Sethi had been arrested. It was time, I told him, that some sort of
damage control was exercised, and exercised before Washington awoke
to their Monday morning. He should talk to his Lord and Master ,
Nawaz Sharif. Saif suggested that I address a fax to Nawaz Sharif,
send it to him, and he would deliver it. Right, I said, and sent
off the following :
"Dear Prime Minister
Najam Sethi
1) You are fortunate in having Saifur Rahman as a loyal friend.
Whatever right or wrong he may do, he does with the intention of
doing right by you.
2) What Najam Sethi may think of you and your doings is of little
consequence to the people. What Wolfensohn of the World Bank may
think of you and your government's methods and means, converted
into real terms, can affect the lot of 140 million poor suffering
people.
3) Please read the 3-page statement broadcast by your government, a
copy of which was faxed to me by Mushahid's office. Dateline
Islamabad May 8, it narrates what "a spokesman of the federal
government" has said. It appears to be Mushahid's doing, but he
denies it. Whoever may be the author, the credibility of your
government is such that not one person believes one word of such
press handouts. It states: "It is suspected that the journalist has
some nexus/connection with RAW ........To unearth such links, it is
considered imperative to investigate him in the matter of national
security..... Consequently, Inter-Services Intelligence Agency
(ISI) has taken him into custody."
4) "Some nexus/connection with RAW" is merely 'suspected'.
Questions: Could the nexus/connection have been developed
overnight? Were our watchdogs asleep? On a mere suspicion, "to
unearth such links," our clueless and inept government has acted
hamhandedly, without, to our knowledge, having unearthed any links.
5) Sethi was "taken into custody for interrogation by the law
enforcement agencies." Question: Could the agencies not have
summoned him, or even called on him? When he was 'picked up' at
0230 hours he was not on the way to blow up parliament house, he
was asleep in his bed.
6) Wolfensohn has telephoned Sethi's wife, Jugnu, promising help
and support. Before he goes to work today, Monday May 10, and moves
his machinery, it might help if Sethi were to be released and a
statement issued to the effect that the prime minister, having
learnt of the unfortunate manner in which Sethi was apprehended,
has intervened and ordered his release. The investigation can
continue without Sethi being in custody until the 'suspicions' are
converted into proof and solid charges.
7) Ours being a one-man government, may I suggest that you take
action before you leave for Brunei."
Saif arranged for this to be delivered to Nawaz Sharif, who was at
Lahore recovering from his Dubai trip and preparing himself for his
Brunei/Singapore foray. According to Saif, the prime minister read
it and asked him to convey to me his thanks for my concern and his
assurance that he would do all in his power, within the ambit of
the law, to protect the safety, integrity, and ideology of the
country.
Najam remained in custody. On May 12 his habeas corpus petition
came up for the third time before the Lahore High Court. I flew to
Lahore that morning to be in the court with Jugnu. It was most
heartening to hear the two young women, Jugnu and Asma Jehangir,
and lawyer Khalid Ranjha, stand at the bar and plead Najam's case.
But one look at the judge was enough to convince me that Nawaz
Sharif's writ would take precedence over the writ of habeas corpus.
And so it did.
That same day, The Friday Times was to be printed. The printers
were put under tremendous pressure by the powers that be, but
resisted and brought out the paper. The Lahore consignment was
confiscated the next day before it could reach the news-stands. The
Karachi consignment was confiscated at the airport.
It is amazing how the government is attempting to embroil the army
in the Sethi affair. However, Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf's army is
holding its position. As it has always held, it holds that the ISI
though partly manned by serving army officers and headed by a
serving general, does not operate under the command of the COAS.
The ISI, takes its orders and reports directly to the minister of
defence who is normally the prime minister. The army is aware that
Sethi was not picked up by the ISI and that he was put into ISI
custody by the 'agencies' concerned for 'interrogation.' The
question of Sethi being tried by the army under the Army Act has
not arisen.
Now that our Great Helmsman is returning from his triumphant tour
(for which he used our 400-seater aircraft) we must hope that he
will see sense and release Sethi. Who has damaged our country,
Sethi or Nawaz Sharif?
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990521
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Evolving into an excellent situation
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ayaz Amir
Brute force bereft of wisdom falls to ruin by its own weight. Power
with counsel tempered even the gods make greater. But might that in
its soul is bent on all impiety, they hate.
- Horace
DURING the Cultural Revolution, Chairman Mao's attempt to spread
the waves of creative chaos across the face of China, it was
obligatory for every Chinese official, from the great Zhou En-lai
downwards, to mouth the following piece of Maoist dogma: "There is
great disorder under the heavens and the situation is excellent."
With some important variations, this adage is coming to fit the
Pakistan of today. While the Muslim League even in its more
expansive moments might hesitate to compare Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif with Chairman Mao (although, in truth, there is no telling
what the information ministry, which is acquiring a reputation for
inventiveness, might come up with next), there is a sense of unease
spreading across the land which is a direct outcome of the
shortsightedness and obtuseness which are coming to be seen as the
principal hallmarks of the ruling dispensation.
Today this unease is giving rise only to whimpers of protest about
the government's high-handedness and the violation of fundamental
freedoms. Tomorrow, such being the uncertainty of Pakistani
politics, it might develop into a greater disorder, the kind which,
as on many previous occasions in our history, has brought mighty
governments low. To the regime's opponents, now scattered and in
disarray, this would be an excellent situation.
If this government had gone about its business with soft feet - if
indeed it had taken a leaf out of the book of its godfather,
General Ziaul Haq, who seldom used a bludgeon if a small knife
would suffice - it could have imposed on the country the peace of
the graveyard for the next 15 years. Mexico has had a single ruling
party since 1911. After the February 1997 elections which sealed
the Muslim League's triumph, the Sharifs had it within their power
to set in place a single-party democracy, in fact if not in name.
But provided they had gone about their business sensibly.
The emasculation of the presidency (an operation in which Leghari
with his supineness actively assisted), the taming of the judiciary
and the easing out of General Jahangir Karamat were events which
dramatically upset the balance of power then existing in the
country. Almost overnight a new arrangement came into being with
the locus of power in the prime minister's office, much as it was
in the time of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. But although across the land
questioning eyebrows were raised, the newspaper-reading public by
and large took this development as a logical consequence of the
Muslim League's election victory, its so-called heavy mandate. In
other words, at the bar of public opinion this development was not
only condoned but greeted with a measure of understanding and
sympathy.
If only the Sharifs could have been persuaded to leave petty
concerns aside and consolidate their triumph. Instead of which, by
a series of wholly unnecessary actions, they have created a public
relations disaster for themselves and, if the past be any guide,
sown the seeds of future unrest.
There is a bizarre dichotomy in the Pakistani spirit. Pakistanis
have a remarkable capacity for putting up with what they consider
to be providential occurrences or part of the natural order of
things: bad crops, road accidents, foul hospitals, brutal police
stations, justice which is bought and sold. Of their spirit this is
the fatalistic side.
But at the same time, and strange as it is, they have never had
much patience with authoritarian rulers or their high-handed ways.
This is the emotional and anarchic side to the Pakistani
temperament which is best seen at political rallies, the favourite
art-form of the subcontinent, where the poor and the deprived think
nothing of shouting themselves hoarse and braving police lathis
and, not infrequently, police bullets.
More than economic factors it was prolonged political suffocation
which fuelled the revolt against Field Marshal Ayub Khan's
paternalistic regime. It was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's brutal handling
of political opponents, the streak of sadism in him, which created
a groundswell of hatred against him, leading even mutual enemies to
bury their differences and forge a united front against his
increasingly authoritarian government.
General Zia was a different man. Through his actions he may have
done more harm to the country than any other dictator-figure before
him but apart from Bhutto whom he hanged, he handled his opponents
deftly and usually with kid gloves without leaving enduring scars
on their personalities. That is why he did not excite among his
opponents the hatred and loathing which are the precursors of
reckless and desperate action.
There is a famous verse of the Quran much quoted in Pakistan which
says that respect and disrespect, honour and dishonour, are Allah's
gifts, for Him alone to bestow or inflict. This is one reason why
ordinary Pakistanis are not bitterly envious of their betters,
believing with all the fervour of their faith, that their betters
have been placed above them by the will of Heaven. By the same
token, gross disrespect shown to elders or humiliation inflicted on
those who have a 'respectable' place in life goes down badly with
them.
When Benazir Bhutto imprisoned the elder Sharif, Nawaz Sharif's
father, there was a wave of revulsion even among people who were
not partisans of the Muslim League. She had over-stepped the mark,
it was said. The conviction of Asif Ali Zardari on a corruption
charge left most people cold and indifferent. But they would not be
Pakistanis not to be cut to the quick by reports of his having been
tortured during police custody. These are actions which Pakistanis
do not like in their rulers. Similarly, the arrest of journalists
is nothing unusual in Pakistan but their beating in custody has
spread a wave of alarm throughout the country and given rise to the
feeling that this regime is getting drunk on power.
For two years the regime's opponents lacked a clear focus of what
they should be doing. Suddenly they have been shaken into realizing
that their collective safety lies in coming together. The middle
classes, the intelligentsia, the newspaper-reading public, even the
press itself are awaking to the realization that a supra-powerful
government, its power unleavened by any sense of proportion or
balance, poses a dangerous threat to the liberties which the
chattering classes had come to take for granted for the last 14
years.
It is a sign of the times that of all people Mustafa Khar, that
ageing Loin of Punjab, should have emerged from the woodwork of
political oblivion to find a new raison d'etre for himself. And the
important thing is that he is not speaking to echoless walls for
his words are finding a resonance among the dispirited and
directionless ranks of People's Party workers.
There is another thing the knights of Nawaz Sharif's round table do
not realize. The best thing for them was to let Benazir Bhutto and
Asif Zardari remain in effective command of the PPP. That way for
the foreseeable future the PPP would not have been a threat to the
ruling family. By removing the two from the active political scene,
the government has created the necessary conditions (whether
exploited or not by anyone is beside the point) for the PPP's
renewal and resurrection. Verily, whom the gods wish to destroy
they first put blinkers on their eyes.
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990522
-------------------------------------------------------------------
'Here lies a man...'
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Irfan Husain
AS I write this, nine days have passed since Eqbal Ahmad died. But
memorial meetings continue to be held for him, just as letters
mourning his death and articles honouring his memory are still
being printed in the national dailies.
Indeed, so much has been written and said about Eqbal that it might
seem redundant for me to write this piece about him. But I would
like to share with readers the personal side of Eqbal that I was
privileged to see.
All the thousands of people around the world whose lives he touched
still feel a sense of profound loss and bereavement. When a public
figure dies, there is a ritualistic and public expression of grief:
the high and the mighty send their condolences to the family that
are printed in the press, and there is an obligatory, formal
condolence meeting. But there has been nothing formal about the
spontaneous outpouring of grief for Eqbal's passing, and the fact
that nobody in power publicly condoled his death must have given
great satisfaction to his spirit. All his life, he stood four-
square against the establishment and only met its representatives
when he had to, and with great reluctance and distaste.
Our paths first crossed in 1973 or 1974 when I was writing for that
iconoclastic weekly, Outlook. The editor, I.H. Burney, rang me in
Lahore and told me about a maverick Pakistani academic who was in
Pakistan on a visit and asked me to interview him. When he
mentioned the famous trial of the Berrigan brothers and their
associates for the alleged plot to kidnap Henry Kissinger in 1970,
the penny dropped. I made an appointment for the same afternoon at
Eqbal's hotel, and quickly jotted down a few questions.
I must have spent over an hour with him in his room; the late
Safdar Mir was present, but only joined in the conversation when
the interview was over and Eqbal ordered tea. The interview was
duly published, and some months later when I met Burney in Karachi,
he said Eqbal had told him that no interviewer had asked him such
perceptive questions about the changing international scenario.
While I was flattered at the time, I came to cherish the compliment
more than any other I have ever received when I got to know him
better.
Indeed, when I met him again some years later, I was sure he must
have forgotten me, and introduced myself. He replied that he
remembered me very well, and referred to the interview. We became
closer when I moved to Washington in 1989, and he came and stayed
with me on several occasions, introducing me to his wide circle of
friends there. He and his wife Julie welcomed me graciously to
their apartment whenever I visited New York. I moved back to
Pakistan toward the end of 1990, and he followed a few months
later.
Almost immediately after his return, he plunged into his Khaldunia
University project. When he showed me the draft feasibility report,
I was overwhelmed by the scope of the project, and secretly afraid
for him as he had no experience of the Pakistani bureaucracy or the
power structure. I urged him not to ask the government for land as
all kinds of conditions would be imposed on him. He suggested I
leave government service and join him on the project, painting a
rosy picture of us sharing a house in Islamabad.
While nothing would have pleased me more than to have worked on the
project with him, the caution bred into me by all my years in the
bureaucracy made me suggest that he get government approval before
he took on any overheads. In fact, we even discussed my salary.
However, the real reason I did not accept the offer immediately was
that I valued our friendship too much to jeopardize it by working
so closely with Eqbal. We had disagreed strongly over politics
before, and while these arguments did not strain our friendship in
the least, I wished to avoid potential conflict.
But while Eqbal waited nearly eight years for the permission that
never came, I did take early retirement and took over the helm of
the Textile Institute of Pakistan. When our board agreed that he
should become our first chancellor, I was delighted to persuade him
to accept. Although he was with us all too briefly, he was
wonderful with the board, the students and faculty. Eloquent,
enthusiastic and unfailingly considerate, he was always there when
I asked him to come to Karachi for a meeting. Right at the end, I
suggested that he use some of the space at our large new campus to
run a social studies programme. He was agreeable in principle, but
was also looking at another offer, again in Karachi shortly before
he became ill.
When I convened our students and faculty last week to tell them
about the kind of a man they had lost in their chancellor, I dwelt
on his gift to listen to people. While we all hear, we seldom
listen, thus ending up in talking at cross-purposes. This is as
true for inter-personal relationships as it is for public debate
and dialogue. But Eqbal had the rare ability of making other people
feel that he was really interested in what they were saying. This
made people relax immediately in his presence, and made them
cherish the briefest contact with him. I read an article about
Eqbal recently by a person who only spent one evening with him.
I have never come across a better public speaker than Eqbal.
Marshalling his facts and arguments meticulously, he would speak
with a conviction and passion grounded in his immense erudition and
his humanity. I once heard him address a congressional committee in
Washington on the thorny subject of Palestine. Although he was a
legendary scourge of Zionism, his address was measured, devoid of
the fire he was normally given to, especially on a subject so close
to his heart. He realized instinctively that if he was going to
influence his hard-boiled audience of Israel supporters, he would
have to do so by logic and facts, and not by emotion.
Although he was one of the least acquisitive people I have ever
known, he enjoyed his collection of Gandhara pieces. Towards the
end, I think he must have had some sort of premonition, because one
evening in Islamabad a fortnight before the end, he said to his
close friend Agha Imran Hamid and me: "Yar, what will happen to my
Gandhara collection after I go?" Surprised at the question, I
replied: "I suppose it'll go to your daughter Dohra." He explained
that it couldn't as Dohra lived in the United States and it was
illegal to export antiquities. Imran and I urged him to stop
talking such morbid rot, and changed the topic.
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, when Mark Antony is delivering the
funeral oration for the murdered Caesar, he points at the corps of
his friend and says: "Here lies a man! When comes such another?" In
Eqbal's case, we will not see his like in our life-time.
===================================================================
SPORTS
990521
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan recover to beat Scotland
-------------------------------------------------------------------
CHESTER-LE-STREET (England), May 20: Shoaib Akhtar, the world's
fastest bowler, ripped apart Scotland's top order to spearhead
Pakistan to a 94-run win in the World Cup here on Thursday.
The 23-year-old grabbed three wickets for six runs as Pakistan shot
out the amateur Scots for 167 after helping themselves to 261 for
six.
Pakistan's second successive win in Group B following their 27-run
defeat of the West Indies put Wasim Akram's men in line for a place
in the Super Six second round.
Akhtar showed why he has been labelled 'the 100-miles-an-hour man'
and the 'Rawalpindi Express' as he tore into the bewildered Scots
in his first four overs.
After skipper Wasim Akram had removed Bruce Patterson, Shoaib clean
bowled Michael Smith with a superb inswinger that smashed the off-
bail into two pieces.
He then trapped Iain Philip leg-before with a toe-crushing yorker
and had skipper George Salmond caught behind by Moin Khan with a
ball that moved away.
As Akram struck again to make it 19 for five, Scotland were in
danger of being dismissed for the lowest World Cup score ever - 45
by Canada against England at Old Trafford in 1979.
The Scots, who prepared for Shoaib by facing net bowlers from 18
yards, were spared that embarrassment by their Yorkshire
professional Gavin Hamilton, who made 76 before he was last out.
Hamilton put on 59 for the sixth wicket with Brinkley (22) and 61
for the seventh with Alec Davies (19).
Earlier, Yousuf Youhana and Moin Khan helped Pakistan survive a
shaky start by compiling a run-a-ball stand of 103 for the sixth
wicket after half the side had been removed for 92.
Skipper Akram, after smashing 42 off 28 balls against the West
Indies, this time hit out in the slog overs to make 37 not out off
19 balls.
Scotland, however, undid their own good work in the field by mixing
fine swing bowling with 33 wides and 15 no balls, conceding a
massive 59 extras in all.
But after Shahid Afridi was run out by a direct throw trying to
steal a cheeky single, Saeed fell to another Asim Butt outswinger
when he was caught behind to make it 35 for two.
It soon became 60 for four when pinch-hitter Abdul Razzaq was
dismissed by Brinkley and veteran Salim Malik, trying to hit
through mid-wicket, fell leg before to Gavin Hamilton for a three-
ball duck.
Pakistan reached 89 without further loss by the half-way mark but
lost their fifth wicket at 92 when Inzamam-ul-Haq charged off-
spinner Nick Dyer and was stumped.-AFP
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990519
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Akram left with exceptional bowling options
-------------------------------------------------------------------
BRISTOL (England), May 18: Pakistan captain Wasim Akram is spoilt
for choice.
Wasim dropped one of the world's most-feared pacemen - Waqar Younis
- and demon leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed before Sunday's Group B match
against the West Indies and still won by 27 runs.
Pakistan gave World Cup debuts to the world's fastest bowler,
Shoaib Akhtar, and promising young all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and
both made impressive starts.
"As a captain I always like to have an extra bowler in my side and
Razzaq has the potential to be a very good allrounder," Wasim said.
"I believe you take a bold step and in the end it works."
"It worked - he got three crucial wickets," Wasim added. "He got
the best batsman (Brian Lara) in the world out today, so it
worked."
Wasim's decision to play Razzaq paid off.
Although the 19-year-old only made seven runs going in at No. 3, he
took 3-32 including Lara's prized scalp.
Shoaib was more expensive, his two wickets costing 54 runs, but his
blistering pace was the talking point among the 8,500 crowd.
Also impressive was Azhar Mahmood, who scored 37 runs and took 3-
48.-AP
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990517
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Wasim leads Pakistan to victory over Windies
-------------------------------------------------------------------
BRISTOL (England), May 16: Wasim Akram hit 43 off 28 balls to
inspire Pakistan to an important 27-run victory in their World Cup
Group B opener against the West Indies here on Sunday.
Pakistan overcame their chronic lack of match practice ahead of the
tournament to dismiss Brian Lara's West Indies for 202 after they
had made 229 for eight in their 50 overs.
It was Pakistan's second win in seven World Cup matches against the
West Indies and gave them a perfect start.
"This win is a bonus for us," Akram said. "I was a bit worried
because we went into this match without any practice at all.
"But we stuck to our task with both bat and ball. We can't wait to
get to our remaining matches now."
Akram's gamble to bat first in overcast conditions almost backfired
as West Indian pace duo Mervyn Dillon and Courtney Walsh reduced
Pakistan to 42 for four, then 135 for six.
Akram, however, hit two sixes and four boundaries to lead the
revival in which Pakistan hammered 85 runs in the last 10 overs.
"I have been due for a big innings for a long time - it's good it
came at the right time when the side needed it most," he said.
Pakistan, whose three warm-up matches in England were washed out by
rain and whose request for another game was denied by the World Cup
organisers, were also well-served by the most lethal attack in the
business.
Abdur Razzaq, the fourth seamer, and Azhar Mahmood picked up three
wickets each as the West Indies' reply faltered after the loss of
Lara.
He hit two consecutive fours off his first two balls but soon hit
across the line and skied a catch to cover.
After Shoaib Akhtar, regarded as the fastest bowler in the world,
had castled Sherwin Campbell with an express delivery, Jimmy Adams
played away from his body to edge a simple catch to the slips.
Ridley Jacobs followed Lara when he nudged Razzaq to give Inzamam-
ul-Haq his second close catch, while Ricardo Powell holed out in
the deep against Saqlain Mushtaq.
Left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the last man out, top-scored
for the West Indies with 77.
There was at least some consolation for Walsh, returning to Bristol
where he played for Gloucestershire for 14 years. Both he and
Dillon took three wickets each.
Pakistan's top order, however, had not helped their own cause.
Opener Saeed Anwar drove wildly for Lara to take a catch while
running back at mid-on and a Inzamam-ul-Haq casually top-edged a
pull off his first ball to short fine leg.
The worst culprit was Yousuf Youhana who, after making 34, swung
wildly and skied a return catch to Phil Simmons.
Lara's plans, however, were thrown into disarray when Keith
Arthurton, his side's fifth bowler, went off with a sprained ankle
while tripping over the ball in the outfield. He was not able to
bowl but returned to bat lower in the order.-AFP
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