------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 01 January 2000 Issue : 06/01 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + Hijackers get three freedom fighters released + Defence again pleads for copies of audio tapes + Maniac Javed Iqbal makes dramatic surrender + PML not to oppose SC ruling on Riba: Sartaj + Arif Nakai disqualified for 21 years + PML to fight legal battle for Nawaz's release + Two NAB courts set up in Sindh + Textile quota policy for 2000 announced + Forcible recovery of arrears from tomorrow + Altaf to expose plot against MQM + No Y2K problem in communications sector: PTCL + Report rejects conspiracy in Murtaza case --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Petroleum sector deregulation: Proposal to be finalized by Feb + 20 held in Ehtesab's second drive + Foreign debt to be retired through sale of state units + Setting up of commodity stabilization fund urged + Provinces asked to draw up strategy for funding uplift plans + SBP says data on defaulters incomplete + Rs400m ADB aid to schools suspended + Pact with non-Paris Club within two months + Savings schemes' rates of return being cut + Six CBR divisions abolished + Sales tax for Northern areas notified --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Something after all to celebrate Ayaz Amir + Brave new world Irfan Husain ----------- SPORTS + Wasim Akram questions actions of other pacers + Javed Miandad incharge of domestic cricket + PHF abolishes Executive Board + Waqar replaces suspended Shoaib for triangular
=================================================================== DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hijackers get three freedom fighters released ------------------------------------------------------------------- KANDAHAR, Dec 31: The eight-day hijacking of an Indian airliner with 160 people on board came to a sudden end on New Year's Eve after India bowed to demands to release three Kashmiri freedom fighters. After five days of intense negotiations, the five hijackers gave up peacefully just after Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh arrived in Kandahar with the three Mujahideen whose release had been demanded by the hijackers. Wearing masks and armed with pistols, the five hijackers descended from the Airbus A300, got into a van and were driven away from the airport. Shortly afterwards the passengers, trapped and blindfolded for long stretches inside the plane since Dec 24, began to emerge. The 160 passengers and crew were immediately driven in buses to two waiting Indian aircraft and flown to India. Those released included the widow of the only fatality during the hijacking - a newlywed Indian who was stabbed to death, apparently for peeking at the hijackers through his blindfold when the plane was seized on Christmas Eve en route from Kathmandu to New Delhi. The plane eventually landed in Kandahar, the Taliban headquarters, on Saturday after crisscrossing South Asia and the Gulf. "As a result of the negotiations with the Taliban and the hijackers, there has been an agreement for the release of all the hostages in exchange for three militants," Indian National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra told reporters in New Delhi. He identified the three Mujahideen as Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Zargar and Ahmad Umar Syed. One of the key issues in the negotiations had been the fate of the hijackers. But Singh scotched rumours they would be given political asylum by the Taliban in Afghanistan, saying they had just 10 hours to leave the country. It was not immediately clear what had happened to the three Kashmiris freed from Indian jails when they arrived in Afghanistan. Azhar, a charismatic scholar arrested in held Kashmir in 1994, was a senior leader of the Harkat-ul-Ansar, one of several hardline Muslim groups fighting Indian occupation forces in Kashmir. India has accused the Harkat of staging the hijacking. Zargar is described by Indian officials as one of the founding fathers of "militancy" in held Kashmir.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991230 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Defence again pleads for copies of audio tapes ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, Dec 29: The defense in the October 12 PK-805 hijacking case, involving deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and six others, on Wednesday contested the prosecution claim that experts had stated that copies of the audio-recording on spools, connected with the flight, cannot be made, and demanded that the same be supplied as per court orders of Dec 20. An application to this effect was moved by the defence counsel Iqbal Raad and Arshad Khan Jadoon in the court of Judge Rehmat Hussain Jafferi of the Anti-Terrorism Court. He is the link judge in the absence of Justice Shabbir Ahmed. The defense counsel submitted that prosecution be ordered to supply copies of the cassettes containing the contents of spool without a further loss of time for which the prosecution had agreed on Dec 20 and the court had passed the orders accordingly. The prosecution had been insisting that copies on the spools cannot be made and had supplied transcripts of the recordings to the defense. The special public prosecutor, M. Ilyas Khan, had on Monday moved an application before Judge Jafferi, seeking "appropriate orders" in view of the statement given by the defence aviation expert Tanweer Daar that "it is not advisable to prepare audio tapes of the spools" of recordings. The defense now claims that its expert had not stated that copies of the recording on spools cannot be made but had asked the prosecution for identifying the portions to be copied. The defence counsel submitted that the prosecution is not supplying the copies and was making lame excuses. The prosecution had maintained that the same could not be copied. Since an earlier application of the prosecution, seeking appropriate orders on defence aviation expert's view was fixed for Dec 12, the defence application would also be taken up on the same date. Both the sides argued on defence application for the joint meeting of central PML leaders, Chaudhri Shujaat Hussain, Mian Ejaz Shafi, Shaikh Rasheed, Majeed Malik and counsel Iqbal Raad with the deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the prison on Dec 30. Special Public Prosecutor M. Ilyas Khan contested the defense point of view and submitted that the defense had "misused" the facility in the past. The SPP pleaded that according to rules the defense should first apply to the Jail Superintendent and if they do not respond, they should contact the IG and the Home Secretary before seeking remedy through the court. The order on this application would be announced on Thursday. The application for the meeting of Salim Zia, Nehal Hashmi and Khalilur Rahman with their clients was also fixed for Jan 12. The matter pertaining to keeping all the accused in one compound would also come up on the same date. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Maniac Javed Iqbal makes dramatic surrender ------------------------------------------------------------------- Azmat Abbas LAHORE, Dec 30: The self-confessed killer of 100 boys, Javed Iqbal, made a dramatic appearance at the office a newspaper here on Thursday to surrender himself that brought to end the country's biggest ever manhunt. Javed Iqbal surrendered at the same newspaper's office to which he had earlier sent a parcel containing the photographs and details of his gruesome killings. On December 2, acid-filled barrels containing human remains and sacks of cloths and shoes of at least 100 boys were recovered from his Ravi Road house. In his written statement, Javed claimed that he had sexually assaulted 100 boys and after killing them dissolved the bodies in the acid solution. The main accused in the crime that was described by some as 'crime of the millennium' surrendered following the arrest of his two accomplices at a bank in Sohawa, Jehlum, earlier in the day. The acting Lahore SSP was addressing a news conference at the district police lines regarding the arrest of Muhammad Shahzad alias Sajid and Muhammad Nadeem when he received a phone call and left in a hurry. Shortly, afterwards it was learnt that a heavily armed military contingent had entered the offices of the daily Jang and The News on Sir Agha Khan Road. The suspects told the police that as chances of their arrest increased they escaped to Gujranwala from where they went to Rawalpindi and spent a day there. They arrived Tarki near Sohawa and spent some days underneath a culvert. Later, they shifted to a cave. The police also raided the place where the suspects were staying and recovered various items. "Only police should be held responsible for what I did. It was the misdeeds of the police which led me to kill the boys," the sources quoted Javed as having told a military officer. Several senior officers were contacted but none was willing to go on record. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991227 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PML not to oppose SC ruling on Riba: Sartaj ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: Former finance minister Sartaj Aziz has dispelled the impression that the PML parliamentarians may not cooperate in enacting legislation in its favour (whenever the assemblies are restored) because their government had appealed against the earlier Federal Shariat Court decision. In a statement, on Sunday, he clarified that the purpose of the 1992 appeal was to seek guidance on evolving an alternative system to the interest-based one. This had now been provided by the Supreme Court. It was also necessary to obtain a time-frame for making such far- reaching changes in the existing system. That was why, the government had set up a commission for Islamization of the economy, under the 12th Constitutional Amend-ment. To assist the commission in its work, the services of 12 eminent scholars, from different Islamic countries, were sought, with the cooperation of the Islamic Development Bank. Sartaj Aziz said the work of the commission was completed in August 1997, soon after the PML government had gained power. He said the Supreme Court had not only declared the existing system of mark-up, National Saving Schemes and other debt instruments 'un- Islamic' but had also maintained the sanctity of the international and domestic loan contract that currently exist. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991228 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Arif Nakai disqualified for 21 years ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter LAHORE, Dec 27: Former chief minister Sardar Arif Nakai stands disqualified for 21 years from any public office because his release order of Dec 17 was subject to 'all the incidences/consequences propounded by Section 25' of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance entitled 'Voluntary return/plea bargaining'. Section 25 is to be read with Section 15 of the ordinance, which deals with disqualification. It says that voluntary return of the misappropriated public money or pardon for an approver shall be deemed 'conviction' for the purpose of disqualification. However, instead of Sections 25 and 26, it mentions Section 26 and 27. The error is apparent on the face of the text inasmuch as Section 27 deals with the accountability bureau's power to seek assistance from any public or private sector office or individual. Mr Nakai's is the first ever 'conviction' under the new Ehtesab Law. It is also the first ever voluntary return, though there was provision for voluntary return in the defunct Ehtesab Act also. The operative part of order passed by Sheikh Muhammad Rafiq Goreja, presiding officer of the Accountability Court No 1 says: "Today, when this reference came up for hearing, Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad, learned counsel for the accused, made petition under Section 25 of N.A.B. Ordinance No XVIII of 1999, seeking voluntary return of an amount of Rs 15,00,000 alleged to be spent out of Discretionary Fund amounting to Rs 19,00,000, withdrawn vide Cheque No A-532646, dated 08-02-1996 by Mr Saeed Aziz, the then PS to Chief Minister by, inter alia, contending therein:- "2. That in February, 1996 when the petitioner was holding the office of Chief Minister, Punjab, paid an official visit along with entourage to Saudi Arabia and performed Umra as well. The expenditure for the visit was arranged by the Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr Jalil Abbas as per previously settled practice/precedent from the petitioner's discretionary funds which was drawn and part thereof utilized in a bona fide manner under the bona fide belief that the same can be withdrawn and utilized for the aforementioned purpose as per past practice. The officials concerned had neither brought to the notice of the petitioner that head of the expenditure is not justifiable nor any objection had ever been raised by the Finance Department. 3. That on return from official visit to Saudi Arabia, Mr Saood Aziz, PSO, who was responsible for executing the actual expenditure and maintaining of accounts thereof, had submitted the accounts to the authorities concerned and has also deposited unspent amount of US.$10,300 and Saudi Rials 3,980 equal to approximately an amount of Rs 4,50,000. 4. That in view of the above position and a protracted trial which the petitioner is facing from last about three years, he offers to deposit the balance amount of Rs 14,50,000 to the National Ehtesab Bureau immediately and prays his release as an accused person with leave of this Hon'ble Court." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991228 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PML to fight legal battle for Nawaz's release ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter LAHORE, Dec 27: PML leader Mian Yasin Wattoo has said that his party will take all possible steps to secure restoration of the constitution, assemblies and democratic rights of the people without confronting the military government. "This policy has been adopted by the PML central working committee after lengthy discussion and we stick to it in letter and spirit," Mr Wattoo said while talking to reporters at an Iftar reception hosted by former MNA Pervez Malik here on Monday. A number of PML leaders, including Mian Azhar, Ms Tehmina Daultana, Ghulam Dastgir, Tariq Aziz, Chaudhry Ameer Husain, Birjees Tahir, Mian Munir, Akhtar Rasool, Mehnaz Rafi and Punjab general secretary Rana Nazir Ahmad, attended the reception. Mr Wattoo told a questioner that the PML would fight a legal battle for the country to return to democracy and the release of party president Mian Nawaz Sharif. Democracy as a system had been accepted the world over and no other system could succeed. The country would have to return to a democratic order and sooner it was decided the better. Asked on Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf's remarks that a huge mess had been left by the previous government, Mr Wattoo proposed a permanent commission of five high court judges to investigate into charges against political leaders particularly those affiliated with the Muslim League. He said accountability was a permanent and continued process and should in no way be linked with restoration of democracy and clearance of the mess. He said all politicians, civil and military bureaucrats and bank loan defaulters be made to stand trial in accountability courts. Accountability, Mr Yasin Wattoo said, should be transparent and even-handed and no element of discrimination should be seen in the process. Replying to a question, he said the party had not yet decided to establish contact with other political parties. But he himself favoured such a contact and close interaction of organizations to create an atmosphere of political understanding. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Two NAB courts set up in Sindh ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, Dec 30: Two national accountability courts were established in Sindh on Thursday, and all pending cases of the Sindh High Court's former Ehtesab bench stood transferred to them, an official of the NAB said. Dr Qamaruddin Bohra and judge Riazul Haq Phulpoto were appointed judges to the newly-created courts, said Shujaat Ali Qarni, joint secretary of NAB. These courts had started work at the Municipal Training and Research Institute, Clifton, where ATC courts were situated , he said, adding that notices had been issued to the concerned parties for two cases, including previous Ehtesab reference Nos 20 and 22. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991230 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Textile quota policy for 2000 announced ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ihtashamul Haque ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: The government has announced the Textile Quota Management Policy for 2000 on Wednesday, which specially facilitates genuine exporters and effectively curbs quota trading. One of the prime objectives of the policy for the next year is to effectively curb quota trading and ensure that quota premiums come down so that exporters, specially newcomers have greater access to quotas. The basic criteria for allocation of quota i.e. on the basis of performance would continue next year. The major departures from the existing policy would be as follows: i) Flexiblities available in each quota category would be announced in early January. Individual exporters, however, will only be allowed use of these flexiblities after physical shipment of at least 70% of their quota the basis for utilizing flexiblities including swing and shifts etc. ii) In the case of European Union, use of exceptional flexiblities by exporters will be subject to shipment of at least 70% of their quota by 30th September each year at the latest. iii) The flexiblities will be calculated on the basis of quota available in the passbook on the day it is requested for by the individual exporter and not the entitlement in the beginning of the year. This means that any transfer of quotas would be taken into account while calculating the flexiblities of individual exporters, that is, after deducting quota transferred out etc. The actual entitlement of flexiblities would, therefore, be calculated on the basis of quota in the passbook at the time of application of which at least 70% must have been shipped by the exporters. First-Come First-Served (FCFS) will be allocated both for reservations as well as post shipment in the following ratios: i) 70% quota in each category placed on FCFS will be allocated to exporters after they have made shipments. ii) 30% of quota in each category placed on FCFS will be available for reservations on the following conditions and rates of bank guarantee: a) For shipment within 60 days provided an irrevocable Letter of Credit/contract is produced, the bank guarantee equal to 2% of the FOB value of the quota being reserved. b) For shipment within 90 days, bank guarantee equal to 5% of the FOB value of the quota being reserved. c) For shipment in 120 days, bank guarantee equal to 7.5% of the FOB value of quota being reserved. d) No extensions will be granted. The last date for shipment in each case will be 31st October. On expiry of the reservation period or the deadline of 31st October, whichever comes earlier, the bank guarantee will stand forfeited and the quota would revert FCFS pool. Exporters who open new category passbook with transfer-in quota will have to ship at least 90% of the quota transferred in. Transfer out from new category passbook in such cases will not in any case be allowed above 10% of the total quota. To make Textile Quota Management Policy effective and efficient, the number of textile associations handling quota categories will be reduced. Effective from 2001, only those textile associations which handle 15% of the quota in any category will be allowed to operate in these categories. Any association which does not handle 15% or above of quota in particular category will cease its functions in that category. The exporters in such a case would have to process their cases through those associations which will then be permitted to handle quota categories under the above criteria. The government may also consider allocation of quota for value addition in 2001. The actual percentage of such quota, the criteria for eligibility of exporters to such quotas and other terms and conditions may be notified by the government through a separate Public Notice which will offer equal opportunity to all exporters to become eligible for additional quota under this scheme. To check any malpractice in quota allocations, distributions and utilization, audits may continue and will be made more effective under supervision of the government. The government hoped that the new policy which will be effective from 1st January, 2000, will facilitate better utilization of quotas and bring in higher value for our exporters. To finalize Textile quota Management Policy for the year 2000, extensive meetings have been held in the Export Promotion Bureau, Karachi under Chairmanship of the commerce Minister, Abdul Razak Dawood, as well as other senior officers of the ministry of commerce and the Export Promotion Bureau. The meetings were attended by representatives of textile associations, and exporters in addition to the Quota Supervisory Council. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991230 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Forcible recovery of arrears from tomorrow ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: 'There would be a round of forcible recovery from those who do not deposit the arrears by Dec 30 and those who make an attempt at evading the dues, would be listed for punishment under Sec 34 and 35 of the Sales Tax Act,' says CBR. Dawn was informed by CBR officials Wednesday the first task assigned to the newly appointed national negotiator on taxation, CBR is to communicate it to the manufacture and trade sector that the '99-2000 budgetary procedures and dates annouced for recovery of taxes and arrears, would not be changed. The CBR officials, all chambers of commerce and industry, and trade bodies have been issued final reminders by the negotiator's office that Dec 30 is the final date for depositing the arrears of Sales Tax at 75% concession, and there would be no extension in this date. 'We have been directed by the CBR chairman's office that all the collectorates of Sales Tax should be instructed to prepare for taking action under the relevant sections of the ST Act, '69. They have been communicated to activate from Dec 31, '99, their teams for making arrest of the arrears holders', said a senior CBR official. He added that more than 1000 ST registered persons are on the list for holding ST arrears. From five ST collectorates, the officials, including collectors, were sent to their regional chambers of commerce and industry offices, to impress upon their members that Dec 30 was the final date, it would not be extended, and reprisals would be the fate of those who do not deposit the dues. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991230 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Altaf to expose plot against MQM ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent LONDON, Dec 29: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has said that he will soon inform the nation about the plans of the intelligence agencies to annihilate Mohajirs. In a press statement issued here on Wednesday, the MQM chief claimed that his party has collected hard evidence and facts about the intelligence agencies' plans. The statement came a day after Altaf Hussain announced that he would reveal his future strategy to the people very soon. The MQM chief said that the details of the plans would enable the people to understand his new strategy. He said on the one hand the government and its officials were claiming that action would be taken against all those police officials involved in extra-judicial killings in the past while on the other hand, according to MQM information, government officials were conferring awards on those police officials who are involved in extra-judicial killings. Mr Altaf Hussain said that according to MQM Intelligence Bureau Report, last week Corp Commander Karachi, General Muzaffar Usmani invited all those Station House Officers (SHOs) who were involved in extra-judicial killings and not only praised their "efforts" but also gave them costly wrist watches. "Mohajir people should not expect any good from any senior government official," he said. The MQM chief said according to another MQM Intelligence Bureau Report, on December 4, 1999, the head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in Sindh, met the head of the "Haqqiqi activist" at Barrack No 73 of Malir Garrison. He claimed a telephonic meeting was also arranged between the "Haqqiqi activists" and the Director General of ISI in Islamabad. He called upon General Pervez Musharraf and other army officials in GHQ to investigate these incidents. Mr Altaf Hussain also asked the MQM workers not only to seriously read his statements but also keep the cutting of the newspapers in which these are published for future reference. NON-VIOLENCE: Meanwhile, MQM Convenor Dr Imran Farooq in a separate statement issued here on Wednesday said that MQM will continue to pursue a policy of non-violence in future. He said that some confusion has arisen because of the statement of Mr Altaf Hussain in which he had told workers that he would announce the MQM policy soon. Dr Imran Farooq said that Mr Altaf Hussain after the publication of these reports has told him in clear terms that MQM will continue to pursue a policy of non-violence. The MQM Convenor said that MQM's "new strategy" would also be based on "non-violence" and pursuing the objectives through peaceful means. The MQM Convenor also severely criticized the government for failing to produce Dr Farooq Sattar before the Sindh High Court despite a court order. He said on 26th November, 1999, Dr Sattar voluntarily courted his arrest from Karachi Press Club Karachi and since then is being kept in unlawful detention by the government. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No Y2K problem in communications sector: PTCL ------------------------------------------------------------------- Haris Anwar KARACHI, Dec 31: Pakistan is unlikely to face any major Y2K problem in the light of its telecommunication links with Australia and New Zealand, two highly advanced countries, which showed no sign of any communication disruption or difficulty at the beginning of new millennium, Dr Ejaz Khawaja, national coordinator for the Y2K task force told Dawn from PTCL's Islamabad control room. The successful communications link with that part of the world shows that both the ends are Y2K compliant. "Not only these two but any network linking Pakistan to that region is also Y2K compliant," Khawaja said. Khawaja said Pakistan International Airlines would ground its all local and international flights at 12:00am to avoid any Y2K related mishap. "They have rescheduled their flights in a way that there will be no plane in the air at 12:00am, but after that they will resume their operations normally," he said. A PIA spokesman said so far the timings of three international flights on the Middle Eastern route were rescheduled. These included: Lahore-Dubai, Multan-Dubai and Islamabad to Jeddah flights. "But we expect further delays during next 18 hours because of conjunction in the Asia Pacific region," he added. Iran has closed its airspace for four hours, which will result in re-routing of many flights to Afghanistan, causing conjunction in that area. However no domestic flight was corresponding with the millennium date changeover. The Y2K bug stems from mainly older computer systems which were programmed to read only the last two digits of a year. This problem could also apply in all financial services, utilities, health services, energy, transportation and other vital services where computers are involved. Pakistan is not heavily reliant on computerized systems and appeared to be somewhat prepared to deal with the Y2K problem. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991227 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Report rejects conspiracy in Murtaza case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ansar Abbasi ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: A fresh inquiry report prepared by senior police officers into the Murtaza Bhutto murder case has rejected the criminal conspiracy theory on the grounds of insufficient evidence. A three-member team of superintendents of police (SPs), which had reinvestigated the case and finalised its report on October 10, 1999, observed, "Mostly, there is heresay evidence which can not be relied upon.Hence, accused Abdullah Shah, Asif Ali Zardari, Masood Sharif, Dr Shoaib Suddle and Wajid Durrani can not be challaned on the charge of criminal conspiracy." Sources in the Central Police Office (CPO), Karachi, told Dawn that on the basis of this report, the trial court had already been requested to cancel the proceedings against the accused. The report had recommended the cancellation of two FIRs No.399/96 and 443/96 and said that FIR No.386/96 be registered on the complaint of Haq Nawaz Siyal, the-then SHO Clifton. The report said that on 20-09-96, a police party headed by ASP Rai Tahir, had taken position at Shahrah-e-Iran near the Clifton Garden in connection with performance of lawful duty of apprehending gunmen of Murtaza wanted in case FIR Nos.106/96 and 270/96. The gunmen of Murtaza, the report said, were not ready to be arrested and they fired at the police party, resulting in injuries to two of them namely, Haq Nawaz Siyal, SHO Clifton, and ASP Shahid Hayat. "Consequently, the police party fired in retaliation spontaneously," said the report, a copy of which was also faxed to Dawn by the CPO. "Had they not retaliated, there was a likelihood of casualties or injuries to other police officers. Gunmen of Murtaza preferred to fight as most of them had criminal record." The team also assessed the veracity of the complainants of all the three FIRs on the same incident and noted with surety that the complainant of the last FIR No.443/96, Mr Noor Mohammad, (the servant of Murtaza Bhutto) was not present at the scene of the incident and the facts narrated by him were "in fact dictated by some other person having interest in the matter". "The FIR was lodged on 9-11-96 which was the result of deliberations and after-thought instead of being a true account of the incident," said the report. The report said that the DIG Karachi did not come out of his house when the incident happened. He was rather implicated in the case at a later stage. Initially, no evidence was recorded to indicate his presence on the scene or his visit to the spot during and immediately after the incident. Later, the interested witnesses have tried to bring on record a few statements showing his presence at the scene. None of the twelve witnesses of the complainant sides or newsmen Najeeb Ahmed and Ghulam Hussain or police officers examined by the investigating officers indicated the DIG's presence or visit to the scene. About the SSP Wajid Durrani, the report said the statements recorded earlier by the deputy commissioner, South, Arif Elahi, and SP traffic Maula Bux proved that Durrani was at Traffic Kiosk near Do-Talwar and he accompanied the DC to the scene after the firing was over and Murtaza had already been shifted to the hospital. The report also referred to some other evidence and said that some interested witnesses had tried to assign Wajid Durrani a role in Ashiq Jatoi's killing. About another accused, ASP Shahid Hayat, the report said that he was injured during the incident. None of the witnesses have mentioned him firing at Murtaza or his gunmen. "There is not a slightest evidence to challan him in this case." The available evidence was manipulated to involve another ASP Rai Tahir in the case. Tahir was named in the FIR because one of the empties had matched the weapon issued to him. In order to ensure justice, a fairness board was constituted which could not bring any evidence against Tahir. However, later the board was disbanded on the recommendation of the investigating officer. After this, the report said, one of the unmatched empties was matched with Tahir's weapon, a 9mm pistol. The team of British experts decided that both the empties of 9mm bore, which had remained unmatched, were fired from the same weapon. "Furthermore, as per record of the Police Lines, South, the entire ammunition issued to the ASP was deposited with his pistol," the report said, adding that it was ASP Tahir who had actually evacuated Murtaza and took him to the hospital for treatment to save his life. Accused Inspector Agha Jameel and SI Shabbir Qasim Kiani, the report claimed, neither took part in the firing nor they were at the scene when the incident took place.
=================================================================== BUSINESS & ECONOMY 991229 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Petroleum sector deregulation: Proposal to be finalized by Feb ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: The government is finalizing a proposal to deregulate the petroleum sector by February 2000. Informed sources said here on Tuesday that the ministry of petroleum has been directed to finalize its proposal for the deregulation of the petroleum sector by February next year in the light of the announcement made by the Chief Executive general Pervez Musharraf in his address to the nation. However, sources said that many things were still unclear on how deregulation will proceed. For example the government could not make up its mind whether to allow private oil companies to import oil on their own. Currently Pakistan State Oil (PSO) was importing this oil and was selling it to others. It was also providing the oil to the army on subsidised rates. "But whether the PSO will continue to offer its oil to the army on subsidised rates is anybody's guess", asked a concerned official. When contacted he said that the deregulation of the petroleum sector was a very ticklish issue and could not be done so quickly. A special board meeting of the PSO, sources said, has been convened in early February next year to finalize all its accounts before the deregulation of the petroleum sector. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991229 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 held in Ehtesab's second drive ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Our Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 28: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested 20 politicians, bureaucrats and bankers out of the targeted 33 persons. NAB sources said that out of 33 persons, 20 had been arrested. Furthermore, raids were being conducted for the arrest of eight persons who were believed to be in the country. They added that five accused were perhaps out of the country. The names and charges of 33 persons whose summons were issued are: Azam Hoti, misuse of power as communication minister/Port Qasim and Motorway; Javed Alam Khanzada, excessive assets; Zahir Shah, corruption as chairman of the Peshawar Development Authority and ring road in Peshawar; Saeed Mehdi, misuse of authority and purchase of plots in Islamabad; Chaudhry Mohammad Sharif, excessive assets; Maula Bux Abbasi, misuse of power as chairman of the NBP and NDFC; Younas Dalia, corruption as banker; Asadullah Sheikh, case already in the banking court; Shafi Shewani, fraud and embezzlement in the CDA; Khawaja Asif, corruption as chairman of the privatization commission; Satar Keiro, Sakrand Sugar Mill and frontman of Asif Ali Zardari; Rana Maqbool Ahmed, corruption as DIG Lahore and IG Sindh; Nawaz Tiwana, corruption and illegal appointment as MD PIA; Liaquat Jatoi, corruption as chief minister of Sindh; Mahtab Ahmed Abbasi, wheat scandal and corruption in land deals in Abbattabad as chief minister of the NWFP; Malik Riaz, usurpation of land for Bahria Town and Church property; Sikander Jatoi, land grabber and frontman of people in power; Safdar Abbas Zaidi, corruption in HBL and IDBP; Mian Iqbal Farid, excessive assets; Maqbool Sheikh, corruption as food minister; Abu Bakr Sheikhani, usurpation of land in Malir; Rana Mumtaz Ahmed Noon, sale of job applications; Akbar Lasi, illegal appointments as labour minister; Habibur Rehman Tanoli, corruption; Alim Adil Sheikh, Mohammad Hanif Patwari, corruption; Kamal Qureshi, Javaid Kiani, Akram, Mukhtar and Haroon Pasha, assistance in corruption to Ittefaq Group. Those who have been arrested are Azam Hoti, Javed Alam Khanzada, Zahir Shah, Khalid Aziz, Saeed Mehdi, Chaudhry Mohammad Sharif, Shafi Shewani, Khawaja Asif, Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Nawaz Tiwana, Mahtab Ahmed Abbasi, Mian Iqbal Farid, Habibur Rehman Tanoli, Alim Adil Sheikh, Mohammad Hanif Patwari, Kamal Qureshi, Javaid Kiani, Akram, Mukhtar and Haroon Pasha. According to a source Malik Allahyar of Kalabagh is also charged in involving the purchase of helicopters for the Establishment Division. He has not been arrested as the investigators believe that he is too sick to be arrested. Liaquat Jatoi, Asadullah Sheikh, Liaquat Jatoi, Zulfikar Mirza and Sattar Keiro and Maula Bux Abbasi are probably outside the country. Raids are being conducted for the arrest of Younas Dalia, Malik Riaz, Sikander Ali Jatoi, Safdar Abbas Zaidi, Maqbool Skeikh, Abubakar Sheikhani, Rana Mumtaz Ahmed Noon and Akbar Lasi. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991228 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Foreign debt to be retired through sale of state units ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ihtashamul Haque ISLAMABAD, Dec 27: Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz will preside over a high-level meeting on Tuesday to finalize the government's new strategy for disinvestment of state enterprises. The ministers for petroleum, industries, commerce and senior officials would be attending the meeting to approve the new road map for the privatization. The chairman of the Privatization Commission, Saleem Altaf told Dawn "We are proposing a piece of legislation to make sure that the sale proceeds of the privatization are used only for debt retirement and not for development purposes". In an interview here on Monday, he said the military government has decided to retire 65 per cent of the most expensive short term external debt through privatization, shortly. "We need to retire this most expensive $8 to $10 billion foreign debt, and initially it has been decided to remove 65 per cent of such debt to improve our economy", he said. The chairman PC, however, pointed out that a decision has been taken to undertake bigger transactions for transparent privatization. He said that about 30 per cent of government shareholding in the oil and gas sector will be sold on priority. He said it will take four to six weeks to complete what he termed "home work" of the government for effective and early privatization. Saleem did not believe that there did not exist a favourable environment to undertake a large disinvestment process specially that of the oil and gas sector. He was of the view that the international investors always went in a high risk areas for investment. "We are still better than many countries as far as law and order and other problems are concerned therefore I am sure foreign investors will come here". He said nine of the oil wells owned by the government of Pakistan will be disinvested along with other state entities such as Pakistan State Oil, Sui Southern and Sui Northern etc gas companies. It will take 4 to 6 weeks to organize bigger privatization deals. After the oil and gas sector, he pointed out, the government has decided to privatize the banking sector minus the National Bank of Pakistan. "We want that we should privatize those banks which we are obsoletely ready for it", he said adding that once the reference price of any unit or bank was determined, it will not be changed as has been the case in the past. Also, he said that decision was being taken as to which strategic units should not be sold. "We want every thing in black and white so that there is no confusion about the privatization policy of the government". Responding to a question Saleem Altaf said that there will be a two prong strategy to deal with the process. "On the one hand we will determine as to which strategic assets should not be sold out and on the other hand we will have broad based disinvestment process mostly through stock market", the new chairman said. To a question he pointed out that there was no specific law which governed the privatization process in Pakistan. "Here too we will have new legislation so that nobody could challenge our efforts", he added. The government, he said, was examining the privatisation models of some countries, and "we will pick up the one that best suits us". Asked what has happened to four major transactions (PTCL, KESC, Habib Bank and the United Bank) which were ready for sale during the tenure of the previous government, Saleem Altaf said the government was having a fresh look at them. "We will not abandon these transactions and bring them in the market very soon after having developed certain consensus about them", he said adding that if the government could get a good price then there will not be any delay to complete all these four transactions. To a question he said that a decision has not been taken whether the Habib Bank should be sold in toto or its privatization should be carried out by separately selling its local and foreign operations. However, he said that if the government could get a good strategic buyers, the HBL will be sold in one go. Initially, he said that 5 to 10 per cent share of the state owner enterprises will be sold through stock markets. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Setting up of commodity stabilization fund urged ------------------------------------------------------------------- LAHORE, Dec 30: Federal Secretary for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Zafar Altaf Thursday urged the farmers associations to set up Commodity Stabilization Fund to help check problems related to the prices of the agricultural produce in the country. " This fund may help stabilize prices of the production in the market when ever these come below those fixed by the government," he said while speaking at a seminar on Herbicides organized by Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA) at a local hotel. Referring to recent price crises of the cotton and onion crops, he said that the farmers organizations should come forward to play their role to help avert the recurrence of such a problem in future. He said that these organizations could also ask the government to contribute a matching amount to the fund. Dr. Altaf said that the problem could also be tackled by entering into forward contracts for 20 to 25 percent of the cotton production in the international market every year. Speaking on the occasion, Director General, Federal Plant Protection Department, M.D. Mohsin said that about 23 pesticides had been banned by the Pakistan government due to their carcinogenic characteristics. He said ,since the year 1973, some 1663 pesticides had been registered with the Plant Protection department. " Of these , 208 are herbicidal preparations," Mohsin said. He said that Pakistan imported 40,000 tonnes of pesticides during the year 1998. Earlier, in his key-note address Chairman PCPA, Javed Saleem Qureshi said that only those manufacturers should be permitted to export in Pakistani market who commit to install manufacturing plants within the time frame as laid down by the government of Pakistan.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Provinces asked to draw up strategy for funding uplift plans ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The federal government has asked the provincial finance departments to streamline their resources for meeting the spending, especially the development projects implementation during the next half of the current financial year. A meeting was held Thursday under federal secretary finance, attended by secretaries of finance of the four provinces and other relevant senior federal and provincial officials. A review of the provincial receipts and spending position was undertaken in the special purview of the funding required for implementation of Poverty alleviation programme, announced by Chief Executive, Gen Musharraf. The meeting, examined the available resources of the provinces as far as the demands for meeting the current and development expenditure are concerned. On the development side, the project allocation and funding situation was reviewed which led to a formal decision that the provinces should submit details on how they can assist the poverty alleviation programme. Officials said the federal government, in the light of these details to be submitted in a fortnight, would finalise its funding strategy for the programme. The provinces were also asked to submit details on strategies so far chalked out in response to the directive from the Chief Executive, to list the projects and their funding sources under theoverall programme for devolution of authority to the local council levels. The programme entails shift of a bulk of funding based on locally generated receipts to the local councils, and the powers to plan their development projects as per the local needs. Most of these projects, falling under the Social Action Plan and the federally assisted ones which has so far been the jurisdiction of the provincial Communication and Works departments. The meeting is reported to have discussed the initial shifting process needed for such funding to be placed with the local government authorities, and their coordinated planning with the Poverty Alleviation Programme. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- SBP says data on defaulters incomplete ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Dec 30: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has said that the data submitted by banks against defaulters was not in accordance with its requirements. "Data submitted is not in accordance with the prescribed format. Information is not placed in correct column and key data like NIC number, address, father's name etc is missing," observed State Bank in its letter to heads of all chief executives of banks and development finance institutions (DFIs). The letter (BPRD/47/19250-99) issued by Central Directorate of SBP on Wednesday was received by banks on Thursday. It is second letter issued by SBP in three days with same nature of non-compliance, pointed out against banks . The letter required the banks to submit the details of defaulters of Rs 1 million and above and Rs 100 million and above, whom banks consider necessary for placement on Exit Control List (ECL). Banks were reminded in the latest letter to give all information correctly with full names in capital letters without abbreviation, NIC No. father's name, address and reason for recommending placement on ECL. The information being sensitive in nature, the heads of banks were asked to personally ensure that the information provided is complete and correct in all respects to avoid necessary referrals. The Central Bank had issued a similar letter on Dec 9, 1999 also with similar complaints that the information provided by banks against defaulters was not complete. A senior banker in a public sector bank said that the financial institutions lack detailed information against borrowers or defaulters. "Defaulters were given loans without completing the necessary formalities," he observed and added that many of the staff of the concerned banks who were directly or indirectly involved in giving loans were no more in the banks. "Hundreds of senior bankers of loan recovery and loan sanctioning departments are either retired or have opted Golden Hand Shake Scheme," he observed and added it was a major hurdle in recovery of loans and tracing the defaulters. He said that if the retired bankers are also held responsible for loan defaults and given targets to trace out the missing defaulters, it might be of significant help to the banks.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Rs400m ADB aid to schools suspended ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The ADB has suspended its Rs400 million assistance to an education project under which 140 primary schools of Balochistan would have been ungraded to middle level, following reports of misappropriation of funds by officials. The aim of the project was to make 7,700 students of those girls schools continue education at middle level. By upgrading their schools, the ADB planned to reduce girls dropout rate at middle level in Balochistan where female literacy rate is lowest in the country. Sources in the federal education ministry said the assistance had been suspended for a few months and the provincial government had been asked to remove "bottlenecks" immediately so that the suspended amount could be released. The ADB has declared the project a "problem project" owing to irregularities in the procurement of furniture and science equipment over the recent months. The Balochistan government informed the federal government that an inquiry had been initiated into the case and the auditor-general asked to conduct a thorough audit of the project. The project, sources said, was undertaken at a total cost of Rs508.4 million out of which the share of ADB was Rs396.5 million. It was to be completed by Dec 12, 1999. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pact with non-Paris Club within two months ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Negotiations with six non-Paris club countries for signing debt rescheduling accord worth $500 million are believed to be concluded within two months span, well placed sources told APP here on Thursday However agreements with 12 out of 18 Paris Club countries have already been inked while another rescheduling agreement with Russia will be signed on Friday, the sources stated. Negotiations for debt relief accord with remaining five Paris Club member countries are presently at advanced stage and would be completed by the end of next month (January 2000). Loan rescheduling accords signed with 13 countries amounted to around $2 billion including an agreement signed with France for $395 million, sources added maintaining, the whole process of signing agreements with 18 Paris Club countries worth $2.8 billion would be finalized by the next month. The negotiation process for signing debt relief pact with non-Paris club member countries including China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Libya and Czech worth $500 million will be completed by February 2000, sources stated. The sources said that Pakistan will not be facing any problem in getting debt relief from the non-Paris and remaining Paris Club member countries. Pakistan has already requested the Paris Club Secretariat for extension in the final date for negotiation beyond Dec 31, 1999 sources said hoping, all agreements would be finalized within the extended span. The bilateral agreements, signed so far, included $926 million accord with US, $255 million with Germany, $11.63 million with Norway, $81 million with Sweden, $22 million with Austria, $23 million with Spain, $4 million with Denmark, $30 million with Netherlands, $42 million with (CIDA, $27 million, Canadian Wheat Board, $15 million) with Canada, $35 million with South Korea and $395 million with France.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Savings schemes' rates of return being cut ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: The government has decided to rationalize the rates of return on all savings schemes from Jan 1, says an official announcement here on Thursday. The decision has been taken in view of the decline in the rate of inflation over the past three years. It said the revised rates would be applicable on defence Savings Certificates, Special Savings Certificate, Regular Income Certificates and on Saving Accounts. The rate of return (mark-up) on savings is an important instrument of macro-economic management and has a close linkage with the rate of inflation prevailing in the country. The present rate of return on national savings schemes were relevant and appropriate when inflation was in the range of 10 per cent or above. The inflation rate has come down in the last two years. In the current fiscal year (1999-2000), the rate of inflation is expected to be around 6 per cent compared with 11.8 per cent in 1996-97. With a significant decline in the rate of inflation over the last three years the existing rate of return on savings schemes has resulted in heavy budgetary cost to the government. Also, the differential between the real returns from investment in savings schemes and bank deposits has increased disproportionately and this has hurt the banking sector. By withdrawing the withholding tax on National Savings schemes, the government has taken a decisive measure to honour its past commitments to the savers and this has resulted in a benefit of 1.5 per cent to them. Since the government's inflation target for fiscal years 2000 is around 6 per cent, it now intends to reduce the cost of borrowing in order to minimize its debt servicing liability and to encourage investors in productive areas by the private sector. The banking sector requires a level playing field in order to increase its deposit base and to provide financing at reasonable rate for working capital to investors. The reduced cost of borrowing by the industrial, agricultural and the trading sector will eventually help in making Pakistani products move competitive and thereby enhance exports. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Six CBR divisions abolished ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: Central Board of Revenue has scrapped its six divisions under a down-sizing and right-sizing plan put in action here Friday. A CBR press release says that Members of the Customs and Sales Tax, Anwar Ali and Mushtaq Kazmi, have also been removed from their posts. In their place, Mir Fuad and Sarfraz Ahmad Khan have been appointed as Member Customs and Sales Tax, respectively. The six CBR divisions which were scrapped on Friday, were created by former chairman CBR, Moinuddin Khan, during the Nawaz Sharif government. The CBR senior officials said none of these divisions helped in achieving any improvement toward tax collection and they were rather proving a burden on the structure of this federal organisation. It said : In view of the government's desire to streamline various public sector entities, it was decided to reorganize the CBR. Based on discussions with the respective stakeholders, it has been undertaken to make the CBR an apparatus which is more service driven, taxpayer-friendly, and cost-effective. To translate this policy into action, the number of divisions and their supervising officers has been right-sized from 13 to 7, to ensure greater efficiency and promptitude. The six posts abolished are: Members of Tax Audit Division; Public Affairs Division; Human Resource Division; Management Information Services (MIS) Division, Judicial (Customs) and Judicial Income Tax Divisions. After removal of Members Customs and Sales Tax, the new assignments and their occupants are: Mansoor Ahmad, Member Direct Taxes; Sarfraz Ahmad Khan, Member Sales Tax; Mir Fuad, Member Customs; Mohsin Asad, Member Central Excise; Asad Arif, Member Tax Policy; Shuja Shah, Member Exports, and Riaz Malik, Member Coordination. As already announced, Riaz Malik will handle the task of streamlining and simplification of GST Law, Rules and Procedure. Details of placement of Members whose posts have been abolished or those who have been transferred will be notified separately. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sales tax for Northern areas notified ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: The federal government has notified imposition of sales tax in the Northern Areas with immediate effect. The notification No 9 (7)/91-NA-I., dated Dec 27, '99, issued by the Kashmir and Northern Areas and States and Frontier Region Division, has authorised the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to extend its apparatus of the Sales Tax Department to the whole of the Northern Areas. Previously, the Customs department had its apparatus extended to only the Sust Pak-China border post at the farthest tip of the Karakoram Highway. This post has so far been assessing only Customs Duty leviable on the goods consignments generating in China and transported through this mountainous border to the down-country destinations in Pakistan. Through the Dec 27 notification of the KANA Division, the Sales Tax deduction would also be made by the Tax collecting authorities on the China-Pakistan traded consignments. Sales Tax would also be leviable through this notification on the manufacture and supplies, including retail sector, in the Northern Areas, said federal government authorities. 'The KANA Division notification authorises the CBR to create at any point and location the Sales Tax collection and monitoring offices', said a senior KANA official. Explaining the specification mentioned in the notification 'as far as practicable', the official said 'it means wherever and howsoever the CBR deems fit to create the sales tax collection and monitoring apparatus, and in whatever possible way it wants to impalement the tax in the area.' The notification reads as follows: An order to enforce Sales Tax Act, '90 in the Northern Areas: Whereas it is expedient to adapt and enforce the Sales Tax Act, '90 in the Northern Areas, now, therefore, the government of Pakistan is pleased to make the following order: Short tile, extentand commencement: This order may be called the Sales Tax Act (Enforcement) Order, '99. It extends to the whole of the Northern Ares. It shall come into force at once. Enforcement of the Sales Tax Act, '90: The Sales Tax Act, '90, as in force immediately before the commencement of this order, and all amendments which may be made after such commencement, and all rules, notifications and orders which may have been, or may be made or issued thereunder shall, as far as practicable, be in force in the Northern Areas.Back to the top
=================================================================== EDITORIALS & FEATURES 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Something after all to celebrate ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ayaz Amir ONE of my deepest regrets has been that my generation came of age at the wrong time. When Pakistan was more at ease with itself than it is now, we were too young or down-at-heel to fully sample the amenities on offer. As a second lieutenant posted in Karachi in 1969 I with my salary of Rs 550 could only look at places like the Palace Hotel and the seedier Excelsior (the names stick in my mind) from the outside. Years later when I was in a position to walk into them with more confidence in my pocket, those places of repose for the thirsty and the lonely had disappeared forever. My other regret is about taxis. Once upon a time when the old discipline of the Raj still lingered in our midst, they used to have properly-functioning meters. Not anymore. With haggling and extortion now associated with this form of travel the joy has gone out of it. My third regret is about what we have done to our railways. They provided a civilized mode of transport but have since fallen on bad times which is why anyone with a choice before him no longer uses them. One of the saddest things to have happened to Chakwal is the dismantling of the railway track which going past Chakwal ended at the picturesque village of Bhoun at the foothills of the Salt Range. Anyway, General Musharraf's government is making noises about improving the railways. But whether inducting military officers into this department is the best way of restoring its lost glory remains to be seen. My last regret is about the vanishing of decent bookstores. In all the major cities - and not counting Dhaka, we had four of them: Peshawer, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi - good books used to be available. The habit of reading is in any case on the decline but reinforcing this trend is the disappearance of the old bookshops. Inviting saloons, convenient public transport and the availability of books are essential to any idea of civilized living. Having systematically stripped itself of these amenities (or should I say necessities?) Pakistan has succeeded in driving out whatever little culture it had in the first place. Material progress we have undoubtedly made since 1947. We live better and despite the economic downturn we are seeing, there is more money to go around. Villages (most of them at least) have been electrified. Roads have been laid. On the land there is an abundance of tractors; in towns and cities no shortage of consumer goods. But against these plus points must be weighed the crassness and vulgarity which have come to dominate our collective thinking. That this cultural degradation is not simply a matter of abstract idealism but a downward trend with serious political consequences is to be seen in the changing outlook of the classes which historically have held the reins of power in Pakistan. While it is true that these classes could never lay claim to an excess of virtue or piety, their civic behaviour in the old days was a model of rectitude compared to what it was later to become. >From the sixties onwards, and here Ayub Khan's martial law has to carry some of the blame, the political class which collaborated with the Ayub regime was slavish in its outlook and also guilty of minor forms of corruption like getting route permits and other concessions from the government. But much worse was to follow. So much so that by the eighties, in the midst of our longest and most destructive spells of military rule, greed, acquisitiveness and ostentation had become the defining passions of the privileged classes. Since architecture is often a faithful mirror of the human soul, it is hardly surprising that the mock-Roman pillars which are to be seen everywhere now, meant no doubt to convey the expansiveness of our architectural thought, made their first appearance then. These pillars also adorn many new army buildings especially, since it is so visible, the Armour Mess on the road from the old presidency to GHQ in Rawalpindi, a telling reminder that the new spirit pervading the country had affected the military as well. If further proof of this was needed it was provided by another circumstance. The frugality and austerity hitherto associated with the armed services gave way to a new-found preoccupation with cars, houses and other forms of real estate. How could politics remain unaffected by this mood? General Zia-ul- Haq indeed turned financial inducements into a prime instrument of policy. The political virtues he prized most were silence and acquiescence and, provided anyone who could be a political nuisance paraded these virtues, the doors of the public sector banks were opened for him. Stuck-up loans which the Musharraf regime is now trying to recover owe their origin largely to that period. While the political elite was never made up of angels, corruption was now becoming a way of life for it, indeed the moving spirit of politics. In Punjab, the power-house of Pakistan, there arose a new class of predator-politician best exemplified by the Sharifs and other lesser stars who found themselves enrolled in the resurgent Muslim League which, just as the Convention Muslim League had created a civilian constituency for General Ayub Khan, gave a civilian face to General Zia's regime. Old traditions die hard and so it is not a little quaint to see many years later Zia's son, Ejazul Haq, trying to strike a deal with another military regime although to Haq's discomfiture his overtures, frantic at times, have gone unanswered. But to return to our theme. While political corruption had spread, its triumph could not be wholly complete as long as Benazir Bhutto and the PPP, both standing for the spirit of defiance and idealism, remained outside its charmed circle. But with Benazir returning to the country and soon thereafter becoming prime minister this omission was made up with a vengeance. For the next decade the choice before the people of Pakistan was between two varieties of corruption. Tired of one they could settle for the other. Only in October this year was this cycle broken. But whether this means a return to civilization and some honesty in public life we do not know because this latest experiment is in its infancy and has yet to play itself out. But what has this to do with saloons, orderly taxis, trains on time and decent bookstores? Perhaps a great deal because these are some of the symbols of a civilized form of existence which was to be found in Pakistan at one time and which, when it disappeared, made public life in this country poorer and a prey to greed and the acquisitive mentality. The corelation between culture and politics is greater than Pakistanis generally care to assume. What after all is the function of culture? Primarily, to mellow human beings and to soften their rough edges so that they come to the realization that while material things are important, because without them existence becomes impossible, there is also something beyond the mere material. In other words, it brings idealism with it which in politics distinguishes the statesman from the mere politician. What has happened in Pakistan? In material terms it has progressed but culturally it is more impoverished than ever before. As McDonald joints proliferate and the sounds of advertising get shriller (surely two of the worst afflictions to hit humankind this century), is all lost and is there no hope for the future? I do not know. This century has seen marvellous leaps of technology but it has also produced a great deal of junk and erected temples to the new gods of consumerism and wasteful consumption. Pakistan too has been hit by this destructive religion with none of the civilizing influences that are to be seen elsewhere to balance the outcome. But if so much remains uncertain, of one thing I am pretty sure. For all its maddening frustrations - and lack of saloons and proper taxis - this remains a great place to live in which, and this is a personal choice, I would not exchange for the south of France. So as the bells toll this evening and the sounds of revelry spread across the globe, it is to this sum of frustrations that I will be raising my glass, sure in the conviction that the next century can be no worse for it than perhaps, on a cynic's reckoning, the departing shades of this one might have been. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Brave new world ------------------------------------------------------------------- Irfan Husain I SUPPOSE every columnist and editorial writer across the globe is writing a piece to mark the end of the millennium and the start of a new one. But more than an arbitrary date, the end of 1999 represents the transition from one era to another. Just as 1950 saw the beginning of the end of colonialism, we are now on the threshold of perhaps the most exciting period of human history. Never before have science and technology been more central to our lives, and never before have they moved at such breathtaking speed. And never before has legitimate wealth been created so rapidly for so many people. The sky, it seems, is the limit in this brave new world. Much of this revolutionary and explosive transformation has been driven by computers. These ubiquitous agents of change have penetrated every aspect of our lives in a way that is even more profound than the impact of electricity at the turn of the century. >From cars to dishwashers, virtually every appliance is controlled in varying degrees by the ever-present microchip. In a few short years, the whole world has become so dependent on computers that the Y2K bug is dreaded from Los Angeles to Lahore. The dramatic new discoveries in the biological sciences have triggered ethical debates over the limits of scientific knowledge. Cloning and the mapping of the human genome will soon give man almost god-like powers to create new life and perpetuate lives virtually indefinitely. The exciting work currently under way to peer into the ultimate building blocks of life - DNA and the chromosome - hold out the promise to cure any disease. Perhaps the Internet will have the most far-reaching impact among all the new technologies. Already, western marketplaces are being revolutionized by people shopping on the net. But more importantly, giant corporations like Ford and GM are now buying their spare parts on the net, speeding up the procurement cycle and creating greater economies and efficiency. Shares are being traded globally, people are getting university education on the net, and millions are exchanging letters or just chatting. In brief, within five years, the Internet has come to dominate our lives as no other single technology has done. To cash in on this new technology, very little capital is needed. What you require is a good idea, and thousands of people - mostly in America - have become millionaires overnight by floating what are known as dot.com startups. The beauty of this computer revolution is that you can be sitting anywhere in the world and still be able to log on and be at the cutting edge. Indian software firms have done very well by developing programmes for clients all over the world, and now export software worth well over a billion dollars, and this is just the start. And where do we stand in this brave new world? Despite having some excellent programmers, we have lagged far behind our neighbour. Thousands of qualified Pakistanis have emigrated, discouraged by the lack of opportunities at home. Entrepreneurs have been dissuaded from investing in a country where successive governments have dragged their feet in permitting the private sector to establish direct satellite links without which close and instant contact with overseas client is not possible. The PTCL has consistently adopted a very conservative and monopolistic strategy on communications, thus driving away potential investors in Pakistani software firms. In more ways than one, we have missed the bus. As it is, the entire Muslim world lags far behind the West: all Muslim countries put together do not produce a fraction of the scientific papers written in Israel alone. In Pakistan, the problem has been compounded by a ramshackle educational system and a stifling bureaucracy. Education has long had such a low priority in the allocation of resources that it is small wonder that literacy is at an optimistic 30 per cent. But more than money or the number of classrooms, the fundamental problem is one of attitudes: the last thing our feudal and tribal leaders would like to see is the spread of education in the areas they control. Similarly, our urban elites are quite happy with the status quo as they send their children to private schools where English is the medium of instruction. The children of the average Pakistani are condemned to study in the awful government institutions which are designed to crush any notion of independent thought and creativity. Then there is the fundamental contradiction between rational thought and religious dogma. This is the real reason why Muslims have fallen so far behind the rest of the world, content to be users of technology, but not inventors. The handful of Muslim scientists who have broken new ground have had to do so abroad as their own soil is too barren and inhospitable for new ideas to take root. Parvez Hoodhboy has written eloquently and persuasively on this topic in his book "Muslims and Science", but other than him, very few people seem to be concerned about this immensely important issue. As a nation, we seem to be forever bogged down by such puerile matters that it should surprise nobody that we are where we are. Currently, there is a furious debate going on in the pages of this newspaper over provincial rights. One would have expected that after 52 years of independent existence, we would have sorted out such a basic issue. And although we aver that Urdu is our national language, the state and the corporate sector continue functioning in English. Indeed, hardly any books are translated into Urdu, so it is small wonder that this linguistic confusion continues long after independence. These examples can be multiplied to show that after half a century, we have been unable to get our act together and sort out the basics. But these problems accurately reflect the unending crisis of leadership we have faced virtually since Pakistan came into being. Compounding this has been the identity crisis we have created for ourselves: in our determination to prove to the world and to ourselves that we are different from Indians, we have gone to the other extreme of asserting that we are somehow closer to the Middle East. These historical and geographical contortions have cut us off from our roots and thus the fount of creativity. Then, of course, we insist on carrying the crushing burden of Kashmir that has been like a millstone around our necks these last fifty years. I mention these problems not to depress my readers but to, hopefully, start a debate on them. As a people, we prefer to brush problems under the carpet. But at the end of this millennium, the pile is now too large; clearly it is now high time to face these fundamental issues with a view to resolving them. Meanwhile, a very happy new year, a new century and a new millennium to all my readers.
=================================================================== SPORTS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wasim Akram questions actions of other pacers ------------------------------------------------------------------- SYDNEY, Dec 31: Pakistani pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar said he was "totally shocked" after being suspended on Friday, but vowed to return. "They've just told me to re-model my action, but I can't say anything more because I'll be in trouble," he said. Pakistan captain Wasim Akram said the decision was "sad" and questioned other bowlers' actions. "I've played more cricket than anyone else in the world and I think his action is fine - more than fine," Wasim told Ten News. "If arm bends are (illegal), every second bowler does the same thing so it means they are going to ban everyone - let's see. "The poor guy - I can't imagine what he must be feeling now. My heart goes out to him." The Australian Cricket Board remained silent on the suspension, saying it was a matter between Pakistan and the ICC. "The Australian board does not come into the picture," a spokesman said.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991231 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Javed Miandad incharge of domestic cricket: Ramiz Raja named chief coordinator ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent LAHORE, Dec 30: Former Test captain Ramiz Raja was namedchief coordinator of the newly formed Pakistan Cricket Board adhoc committee Advisory Council on Thursday while celebratedcricketer Javed Miandad will be the incharge of the domesticcricket. Former Pakistan captain Miandad will also represent Pakistan in the ICC CricketDevelopment Committee. The decisions were taken in the first meeting of theAdvisory Council which was presided over by the PCB chairman Lt.- Gen Tauqir Zia at the Gaddafi Stadium. Talking here to reporters, Ramiz Hasan Raja saidthatNasim-ul-Ghani would deal with the affairs of the umpiring andscrutiny of bogus clubs in all the associations. Wasim Azhar andYawar Saeed were given the task of marketing and finance,respectively. The chief-coordinator said that as the advisory councilwould also select the team besides appointing its official.Theselection committee headed by Salahuddin had been dissolved,he said.However, he was uncleared about the fate of the junior selectioncommittee. No discussion was held on this issue, he said. Ramiz Raja said that assignments had been given to theadvisory council members and they were independent in formingsub-committees. The advisory council will again meet on Jan 18 totake further step, he said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 991230 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PHF abolishes Executive Board ------------------------------------------------------------------- Muhammad Yaqoob LAHORE, Dec 29: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Council, which met under its changed set-up on Wednesday here at the National Hockey Stadium, decided to abolish the Executive Board, filled three vacant posts and also took some other decisions. The PHF Congress also met to approve those decisions. Both the council and congress meetings were presided over by a senior member Mir Zafarullah Jamali because PHF president Arif Ali Khan Abbasi and vice-president Mohammad Saeed Khan did not reach here. Arif Abbasi was reported to be feeling high temperature while Mohammad Saeed Khan was overseeing the developments at Haripur in his capacity as the NWFP Inspector General of Police. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000101 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Waqar replaces suspended Shoaib for triangular ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, Dec 31: Waqar Younis was named to replace Shoaib Akhtar who was suspended from international cricket by the ICC after its advisory panel ruled his bowling actionillegal. Waqar is expected to fly out to Perth on Saturday to the join the cricket team that reached there on Wednesday for the tri-nation series starting from Jan 9. Immediately after Waqar's arrival, Shoaib will be released from the squad. The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia told Dawn on telephone on Friday that he had received the International Cricket Council (ICC) findings on Shoaib Akhtar late on Thursday evening. "At the moment, Shoaib has been ruled out from the triangular series in Australia. But he will be provided with the best possible facilities to rectify his action and become eligible for selection for the series against Sri Lanka in February" said the general from Mangla. Sri Lanka arrive here on Feb 8 to play three Tests and as many one- day internationals. The general minced no words in expressing his disguise over the ICC decision. He said the PCB would challenge the outcome of the advisory panel and would also request to review the decision. "We would request the ICC to review its decision but will protest to Sir Clyde Walcott (chairman of the advisory panel) on the judgement which we feel is not fair." "Questions have been raised over Shoaib's action while bowling a particular delivery (bouncer). Now how can the ICC put Shoaib's career on line because of one delivery. Besides, his disqualification from the Australian series is also contestable because bouncers are no-balled in one-day cricket," the general argued. For Waqar Younis, it was a welcome surprise on the eve of a new millennium. The paceman was facing heavy cash penalty, if not suspension, for accusing his long-time bowling partner and now captain Wasim Akram of victimizing him and settling old scores. Younis had made the allegations after he was ignored for the second half of the Australian tour after being a member of the team that toured the kangrooland for three-Tests series which it lost 3-0. Younis has 284 wickets from 173 one-day internationals. ------------------------------------------------------------------- You can subscribe to DWS by sending an email to <subscribe.dws@dawn.com>, with the following text in the BODY of your message: subscribe dws To unsubscribe, send an email to <unsubscribe.dws@dawn.com>, with the following in the BODY of you message: unsubscribe dws ------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to the top.
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