------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 01 April 2000 Issue : 06/14 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + India rejects peace talks offer + No military solution to Kashmir: Clinton demands full democracy + Highlights of US President Bill Clinton's TV address + Pakistan set to sue India for downing plane + Kashmir ruining economy: Pakistan may forego mediation option: CE + Sindh High Court quashes proceedings against Asif Zardari + Pakistan not to conduct more Nuclear tests: envoy + Supreme Court directs AG to give legal justification + Meeting called on April 9: PML strategy after plane case verdict + No alliance with PML: GDA + PML opposes proposed LB system + No timeframe yet, says Musharraf: Malaysia presses for democracy + Musharraf leaves on four-nation visit today + Ban on political parties ruled out + Valuable items of Surrey Palace can be sold: UK court + Army officer accused of killing MQM men + Sentence given to child killer un-Islamic, says CII --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Institutions asked to avoid savings schemes + Government may club taxation stages + FY 98-99: Budget deficit revised + Curbs on foreign exchange outflow eased + Warns of regulatory steps: SBP chief for merger of small banks + ADB focus on private sector + Zero duty on packing bag + G-77 summit: India-Pakistan contacts likely + Next year's PSDP estimated at Rs108bn + Assets, incomes survey in May --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + The fourth junta Ayaz Amir + Cost analysis of our Kashmir policy Irfan Husain ----------- SPORTS + Pakistan clinch Sharjah Cricket Cup + Pakistan end South African winning spree + Tauqir wants to guide Pakistan cricket to better future + Pakistan hockey team confident after Osaka
=================================================================== DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20000401 ------------------------------------------------------------------- India rejects peace talks offer ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DELHI, March 31: India on Friday rejected Pakistan's first formal proposal for the resumption of peace talks saying Islamabad must first halt its support for, what it alleged was, cross-border "terrorism" in Kashmir. An Indian spokesman confirmed Islamabad's formal proposal for talks at a meeting Wednesday between Pakistani Foreign Secretary Inamul Haq and the Indian High Commissioner G. Parthasarathy in Pakistan. "During the meeting, the Pakistan foreign secretary conveyed his country's desire to renew dialogue with India and also raised concerns about India's so-called aggressive postures against Pakistan," foreign ministry spokesman R.S. Jassal said. "But the right conditions have to be created first for a dialogue," he told reporters here. "What was articulated through the media was articulated in person," he said. "It makes no substantive difference. India's position, in substance and nuance, remains unchanged." "It is not a question of they (Pakistan) making an offer and we (India) rejecting it because we have always said we want a dialogue but the right conditions have to be created first," Jassal said. "The cessation of Pakistan's cross-border terrorism and the abandonment of its vicious propoganda are essential ingredients for any meaningful dialogue," the ministry said in a statement. Wednesday's offer by Islamabad is its first formal proposal since the military takeover in Islamabad in October, though the Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf has repeatedly made public offers for talks. The offer came four days after US President Bill Clinton wrapped up his March 19-25 tour of the subcontinent with calls on India and Pakistan to respect the Line of Control (LoC) for a halt to cross- border hostilities and for the resumption of a dialogue between the rivals. Peace talks between India and Pakistan have remained frozen since a military conflict last summer between Indian soldiers and Pakistan- backed forces in Kashmir. The 10-weeks of fighting in the Kargil mountains of Kashmir which began in May last year followed a landmark bus journey by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to Lahore in February. (Agencies) DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000326 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No military solution to Kashmir: Clinton demands full democracy ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ihtasham ul Haque ISLAMABAD, March 25: US President Bill Clinton called on the government of Pakistan here on Saturday to restore democracy and ease tensions with India. Sharing Islamabad's concerns about Kashmir and its conviction that the human rights of all people must be respected regardless of the flag they lived under, he said: " But a stark truth must be faced. There is no military solution to Kashmir. International sympathy, support, and intervention cannot be won by provoking a bigger, bloodier conflict. "On the contrary, sympathy and support will be lost. And no matter how great the grievance, it is wrong to support attacks against civilians across the Line of control", he said further. Addressing the people of Pakistan on radio and TV, the US president, who quoted from the holy Quran and the sayings of the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal in his speech, also offered to restore full economic and political partnership, provided Pakistan met various challenges. "I hope you will be able to meet the difficult challenges we have discussed today. If you do not, there is a danger that Pakistan may grow even more isolated, draining even more resources away from the needs of the people, moving even closer to a conflict that no one can win. But if you do, our full economic and political partnership can be restored for the benefit of the people of Pakistan", he assured. He said he was here as a great friend of Pakistan, a concerned friend who would stand with the people of Pakistan as long as "you seek the stable prosperous, democratic nation of your founder's dreams." Mr Clinton said that despite setbacks and suffering, the people of Pakistan have built this nation from the ground up on a foundation of democracy and law. "And for more than 50 years, we have been partners. Pakistan helped the United States open a dialogue with China. We stood together when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Our partnership helped end the Cold War. In the years since we have cooperated in the fight against terrorism". He said Pakistan could achieve great things in this new world. "But obstacles stand in the way. They are daunting. The political situation, the economic situation, the tension in this region. They are holding Pakistan back. They are making the lives of the people of Pakistan harder by the day. I do not have to tell you this. This is something you know. It is something you see. "But I have hope. I believe Pakistan can make its way through these troubles and build a future worthy of the vision of its founders - a stable, prosperous, democratic Pakistan secure in its borders, friendly with its neighbours, confident in its future. A Pakistan, as Jinnah said, 'at peace within and peace without'. "We share your disappointment that previous democratic governments in Pakistan did not do a better for their citizens. But one thing is certain, democracy cannot develop, if it is constantly uprooted before it has a chance to take hold. Successful democratic government takes time, patience and hard work. The answer to flawed democracy is not to end democracy, but to improve it." He said he knew that General Musharraf had just announced a date for local elections. "That is a step. But only a step - the return of civilian democratic rule requires a complete plan, real roadmap." The US president said there were obstacles Pakistan was facing, including violence and extremism. "Americans also have felt these evils. Surely, we have both suffered enough to know that no grievance, no cause and no system of belief can ever justify the deliberate killing of innocents. Those who bomb bus stations, target embassies, or kill those who uphold the law are not heroes. They are our common enemies - for their aim is to exploit painful problems, not to resolve them. Just as we have fought together to defeat those who traffic in narcotics, today I ask Pakistan to intensify it efforts to defeat those who inflict terror." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000326 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Highlights of US President Bill Clinton's TV address ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, March 25: US President Bill Clinton gave a frank 15- minute televised address to the people of Pakistan on Saturday, warning them to reduce tensions with India and return to democracy. The following are the highlights of his address: "I am here as a friend. A committed friend who will stand with the people of Pakistan as long as you seek the stable, prosperous democratic nation of your founder's dream. "This era does not reward people who struggle in vain to redraw borders with blood. It belongs to those with the vision to look beyond borders for partners in trade. "Pakistan can achieve great things in this new world but real obstacles stand in the way, the political situation, the economic situation, the tensions in this region, they are holding Pakistan back from achieving its full potential in the global economy." DEMOCRACY: "Clearly the absence of democracy makes it harder, not easier, for people to move ahead. "The answer to flawed democracy is not to end democracy but to improve it. The return of civilian democratic rule requires a complete plan, a real roadmap." NUCLEAR WEAPONS: "We must try to resolve the differences between our two nations on nuclear weapons. Are you really more secure today than before you tested nuclear weapons? Will these weapons make war with India less likely or simply more deadly? Will a costly arms race help you to achieve any economic development? Will it bring you closer to your friends around the world? "I ask Pakistan also to be a leader for non-proliferation. One way to strengthen your security will be to join the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The whole world will rally around you if you do." TIES WITH INDIA: "I believe it is also in Pakistan's interest to reduce tensions with India. Pakistan also must help create conditions that will allow dialogue to succeed. For India and Pakistan this must be a time of restraint, for respect of the LoC, for renewed lines of communications. "A stark truth must also be faced. There is no military solution to Kashmir. "No matter how great the grievance it is wrong to support attacks against civilians across the Line of Control. We (the United States) cannot and will not mediate or resolve the dispute in Kashmir. Only you and India can do that through dialogue." PAKISTAN'S FUTURE: "I hope you will be able to meet the difficult challenges we have discussed today. If you do not, there is a danger that Pakistan may grow even more isolated, draining even more resources away from the needs of the people, moving even closer to a conflict no one can win. "If you do meet these challenges our full economic and political partnership can be restored for the benefit of the people of Pakistan."-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000401 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan set to sue India for downing plane ------------------------------------------------------------------- AMSTERDAM, March 31: Pakistan will sue India before the World Court on Monday for shooting down one of its naval planes last year, killing 16 people. Pakistan is asking the International Court of Justice in The Hague to rule that India was responsible for bringing down its surveillance aircraft, the Atlantique, on August 10. It wants India to pay compensation to Pakistan and to the families of the dead personnel, most of them young trainees. The incident, termed an "act of military aggression" by Pakistan, heightened tension between the neighbouring countries just a month after they pulled back from the brink of war over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Pakistan says the aircraft was in its air space when India fired air-to-air missiles. It also says Indian helicopters sneaked into Pakistan to pick up crash debris in an effort to convince others the Atlantique had been in Indian air space. India says the plane intruded into its airspace and was fired on after warnings were given, so Pakistan is to blame. The World Court is the main judicial organ of the United Nations and settles disputes between states in accordance with international law. Its decisions are binding and without appeal. LONG LEGAL BATTLE AHEAD: However, before the court can rule, it must first decide whether it has jurisdiction over the case at all. India argues the World Court's judges do not have jurisdiction, citing a so-called reservation it filed in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth states and disputes related to hostilities and armed conflicts. On Monday, lawyers from Pakistan will open their case, trying to convince the judges that these exceptions do not apply to the Atlantique incident. The hearings will last until Thursday, with two rounds of arguments from both sides. A ruling could take four months. Pakistan and India are among 62 countries to have signed up to the World Court's jurisdiction. The court has 24 cases on its docket including a complaint by Yugoslavia against NATO states involved in air strikes last year and a dispute between Libya and the United States and Britain over the Lockerbie airline bombing.-Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Kashmir ruining economy: Pakistan may forego mediation option: CE ------------------------------------------------------------------- JAKARTA, March 30: The Chief Executive, General Pervez Musharraf, said on Thursday that the Kashmir conflict was keeping South Asia in grinding poverty, and indicated his government would forego requests for outside mediation and deal directly with India. Musharraf, in Indonesia on the third leg of a Southeast Asian tour of five nations, reiterated that he was ready to hold direct talks with India to resolve the issue of Kashmir. The chief executive has already visited Malaysia and Singapore during the tour and is scheduled to depart Friday for Brunei. It was also announced on Thursday that he would visit Thailand over the weekend. "I and my government are for peace in the (South Asia) region for the sake of (an) economic uplift of the region," the general said during a joint news conference with Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid. "I'm prepared to meet anybody at any level at any time to address this core issue of Kashmir," Musharraf said. Asked whether Pakistan would stop requesting mediation by the United States or other countries, he said: "I am prepared to address the Kashmir issue whether it's through bilateral relations (with India), or through mediation, or through facilitation, or through whatever word you want to use." India has rejected outside mediation on the decades-long conflict that has sparked three wars with Pakistan. "The main issue is we need to talk about Kashmir. We need to initiate the dialogue, whatever the methodology," he said. During a speech in Singapore earlier Thursday, Musharraf said Kashmir "cries out for a just and fair solution". But Musharraf declined to be drawn on the likely fate of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. "I would not like to put cart before the horse. Let the sentence come. I am not a vindictive man. One would like to see what the sentence is and then we decide." Musharraf arrived in Jakarta from Singapore and was welcomed by Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid, who said Indonesia had no wish to interfere in Pakistan's domestic issues. "We as a state would not interfere in other country, especially with a brother country like Pakistan," Wahid said. "Don't think it (the visit) is a legitimisation," he said. "He leads a country, he comes to another country. There's no problem with that." Musharraf will fly to Brunei on Friday, and then onto Thailand, a last-minute addition on Thursday to his schedule, according to Thai government officials in Bangkok. PAKISTANI COMMUNITY: "I want a return to civil government as soon as possible, but I don't want to bring a system that is going to do away with whatever good we have done," General Musharraf told a gathering of the Pakistani community on the second day of a two-day visit to Singapore. His comment brought loud applause from the crowd, mostly businessmen. Musharraf told the Pakistani community that he was determined to reverse the bleak fortunes of the country and make them proud of Pakistan. "When I say something, I am saying it with full conviction ... We will turn it around, and with every passing day I am getting convinced that we can turn it around," he said as more than 100 members of the community applauded. "We want to improve the standard of Pakistan so that every Pakistani abroad walks with his chest up, and head up. That is what we are trying to achieve," he said. Musharraf also asked the Pakistanis to be patient as it takes time to rebuild a country. "It is in a pathetic state," he said, before leaving Singapore for Indonesia. He said his government was involved in a structural overhaul of the economy and society which would take a long time, and until then, plans for national elections would have to be put on hold. The revival of the moribund economy was a priority and efforts were being made on numerous fronts, including correcting trade and budget deficits, he said. "There is no lack of resolve and commitment (to reform) but we have a lack of resources to do it," he said. Musharraf said the army would be conscripted to help track down commercial criminals and to help audit the economy to strengthen the tax net. He said his March 23 announcement of local elections was a first step. "...then we will go to the provinces and national. Then we'll bring back civil government. But no dates, no dates will be given," he said. Musharraf, citing growing press freedom, said there was more democracy in Pakistan now than during civilian rule. Musharraf said saving Pakistan was more important to him at the moment than restoring democracy. "I will do it, and I am committed to bringing full democracy to Pakistan," he said. "Pakistan is more important to me now than returning to democracy," he said to the enthusiastic crowd. An unnamed Pakistani businessman, applauding, replied back saying, "we don't need" democracy. He later told AFP that he was very happy he had come to the function because Musharraf had given him hope for his country. "I truly believe he can turn the country around," he said. Members of the Pakistani association here said they were very impressed and moved by Musharraf's speech as he brought hope for them following many years of a corrupted government. "He spoke from his heart, and he really means what he says," Suliman Hamid, president of the Pakistani association here, told AFP. Hamid said he also agreed that this was not the time to be talking about democracy. "I want full democracy, yes, sometime, but it is not the time now," he said. "Pakistan is more important to me now than returning to democracy," he said to the enthusiastic crowd.- Agencies DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000401 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sindh High Court quashes proceedings against Asif Zardari ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, March 31: The proceedings in US$84 million corruption case against accused/appellant Senator Asif Ali Zardari were quashed on Friday by a bench of the High Court of Sindh (SHC), comprising Justice Amanullah Abbasi. The bench was hearing an appeal filed by Senator Asif Ali Zardari, seeking the quashment of the proceedings pending trial before the Federal Anti-Corruption Court, Central I. According to the prosecution, Senator Asif Ali Zardari, the spouse of the-then prime minister Benazir Bhutto, using his influence forced the KESC's board of directors to award a consultancy contract worth US$ 84 million to Messrs Laymayer Consultants for consultancy regarding the Sixth Power project. Farooq H Naek, appearing for the appellant, maintained that the accused/appellant was a private person and no state property was entrusted to him. Thus, the Anti-Corruption Act is not attracted in the matter and the accused cannot be tried for the alleged offences. The bench, agreeing with the contentions of the appellants' counsel, allowed the appeal. The co-accused, including Majid Bashir, Ghani Ansari and Javed Pasha, will be facing trial after the proceedings against the accused senator were quashed. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000328 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan not to conduct more Nuclear tests: envoy ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, March 27: The Pakistan ambassador to Russia, Mansoor Alam, has said Islamabad has already declared that it would not conduct any more nuclear tests. "Pakistan is prepared to sign Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty when a consensus is arrived at on it. However, two things have reduced the importance of the issue: firstly, US Senate did not endorse the CTBT and secondly, we have to keep in view nuclear doctrine of India. Our government is in favour of signing the CTBT but it cannot ignore these two facts," Mr Alam told Radio Moscow in an interview. On the Pakistan-Russia relations, he said the two countries had normal relations. They both were working to improve their ties. "We admit that there exists differences of opinion between Islamabad and Moscow on several issues but it is not a serious thing". He said it was hardly possible that any two countries held 100 per cent identical views on all the issues. The most important thing was that the two countries were desirous of promoting cooperation and relations. The ambassador again dismissed the allegations that Pakistanis were fighting along side Chechen guerillas and said that so far, there had been no evidence of their involvement. "Pakistan government does not support participation of its citizens in such acts. But it is not possible to stop those who want to take part in such activities," he said. Commenting on the visit of the former Chechen president Zelimkhan Yanderbayev to Pakistan, Mr Alam said he had arrived in Pakistan on a private tour. He was given visa for a brief stay. He started anti-Russia activities, therefore, he was asked to stop such acts and leave Pakistan. In view of friendly relations with Russia, he said, the Pakistan government authorities did not meet him.He said there was no change in Pakistan's policy and it still considered Chechnya part of Russia like the past. "We believe that Chechnya is an internal issue of Russia. However, we have expressed concern about humanitarian aspects of this issue".-NNI DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Supreme Court directs AG to give legal justification ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, March 30: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Attorney General of Pakistan and advocate generals of the provinces to provide legal justification for the ban imposed on political activities in the country. The apex court asked the Attorney General and advocate generals "whether ban on political activities has been validly imposed, if so under what provision of law; and whether the restrictions are ultra vires of the fundamental rights guaranteed under articles 15, 16, 17 and 19 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973." The notices were issued when the matter came up for hearing before the court in the light of Chief Justice Irshad Hassan Khan's remarks that "the Supreme Court is guardian of the fundamental rights of the people" and suo moto action taken by the Chief Justice on March 20 following the announcement of ban on March 15. The full bench was headed by Chief Justice Irshad Hassan and included Justice Munir A. Sheikh and Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui. Deputy Attorney General Tanvir Bashir Ansari presented a copy of the handout issued by the Press Information Department on March 15, 2000, pronouncing ban on all political meetings in public places, strikes and processions. "Restriction on fundamental rights should be put by law and not by handouts," Justice Irshad Hassan Khan noted when the handout was placed before the court. Mr Ansari also placed on record a copy of letter issued by Interior Secretary on March 29, 2000, in which he had clarified that there was no ban on political activities but political meetings at public places, strikes and procession. He further clarified that the indoor meetings were allowed without the use of loudspeakers. He contended that in terms of Section 4 of Political Parties Act 1962, only lawful political activities were permitted for any body of individuals or association of persons to form, organize or set up a political party. He further stated that even holding of lawful political activities were subject to Section 3 of the Act, which inter alia, contemplates that 'no political party shall be allowed any activity, which undermines, or is likely to undermine, the security and solidarity of Pakistan.' Quoting Article 15, he said, every citizen has the right to remain in and subject to any reasonable restriction imposed by law in the public interest, enter and move freely throughout Pakistan and to reside and settle in any part thereof. The court noted that the deputy attorney general had stated that the political activities had not been banned in their entirety but in the interest of maintenance of public order, peace and tranquillity and only partial restriction had been imposed on all political meetings at public places, strikes and processions. However the indoor meetings were permitted without the use of loud- speakers. The court also took judicial notice of statements of Governor Punjab and other state functionaries and observed that the position of the federal government, provincial governments and other state functionaries on the issue of ban on political activities seemed to be divergent. The date of next hearing would be fixed latter. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Meeting called on April 9: PML strategy after plane case verdict ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, March 30: A joint meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League Central Working Committee and parliamentary group in the suspended National Assembly will be held on April 9, three days after plane conspiracy case verdict. The convener of the Muslim League Coordination Committee, Raja Zafarul Haq, has already convened a meeting of provincial leaders of the party on April 3, to formulate an agenda for the meeting to be held on April 9. Mr Haq, who met deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Karachi on Wednesday, said they had been directed by the party president to accelerate the process of making contacts with other political parties. He said that in the light of instructions issued by the party chief, they had already set up an eight-member committee headed by former speaker Gohar Ayub Khan, which had been contacting other political parties and alliances. Asked whether there was any proposal for launching a campaign in case of conviction of Mr Sharif, he said it could be decided only after a court verdict. Regarding the contact being made with other political parties, Mr Haq said the Muslim League wanted to develop working relationship or an understanding on broader issues with other parties. There was no question of forming any alliance, he added. On the issue of accountability, Mr Haq said it should be a continuous process and should be incorporated in the Constitution. The issue of selecting a president of the PML would also come up at April 9 meeting as it was being held as a follow- up to the party caucus held at Fakhr Imam's residence earlier this month, a party source said. Some hawks in the party, emboldened by Clinton's criticism of the military government were now insisting that PML should launch an agitation against the government in order to save its leader and the party's image, he said. The Awami National Party has already announced that it will launch a movement against the government with the help of other political forces. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No alliance with PML: GDA ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter LAHORE, March 30: Pakistan Awami Tehrik chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri on Thursday reiterated that the GDA would never like to forge alliance with the PML as it was the party which had destroyed all state institutions. Talking to reporters, he said the alliance might review its stand if deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was not on the scene and the PML elected a new president. "Mr Sharif and his cronies are a mafia. We have to get rid of it. Cooperation with them is out of question," he said. Qadri said that the policies of the present government were reviving the PML. He said the NGOs representatives inducted in the cabinet were not imaginative and they were not supposed to give policies to steer the country out of the multiple crises facing it. Meanwhile, the GDA has set up an eight-member committee to examine the new system of local government recently announced by the chief executive. The committee will be headed by Dr Qadri. Jehangir Badar, Haji Adeel, Nawaz Gondal, Malik Haider Usman, Prof A.K. Shams, Khan Iqbal Ahmed Khan and Khwaja Muhammad Jamil are its members. The committee will meet here on April 14 and prepare a package on behalf of the GDA. Meanwhile, Pakistan Awami Tehrik chief Tahirul Qadri on Thursday urged the government to satisfy people and not the IMF through its working. He said in a statement the people were being crushed under the burden of ever-increasing inflation and the government must have to set its priorities right, paying attention to their welfare. He said the people had been given no relief in oil prices and utility bills, while the government was continuing with its policy of downsizing. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PML opposes proposed LB system ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, March 28: The Pakistan Muslim League, NWFP, has rejected the government's proposed local government system declaring that it is bound to create a sense of deprivation among districts, thereafter, engulfing important national institutions on the question of their rights. Expressing his party's views on the proposed system, Pir Sabir Shah, the provincial chief of PML, while speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, said his party rejected the proposed plan for it was against the spirit of the constitution. The press conference was held shortly after a meeting of the provincial PML, which was attended by Gohar Ayub Khan, former ministers and members of the suspended National Assembly and Senate. Pir Sabir said the PML felt that the proposed system, if came into effect, would cause rift between districts and a sense of deprivation, as was the case with the existing federating units. He said the proposed system could never be an alternative to democracy. He said his party was a strong supporter of an effective local government system but the proposed system would bring the national institutions at odds over the question of rights and responsibilities, hence it could not be supported nor accepted. Throwing light on the outcome of US President Bill Clinton's visit to Pakistan, Sabir Shah said it caused more problems for Pakistan than helping it out from the increasing isolation at the international level. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No timeframe yet, says Musharraf: Malaysia presses for democracy ------------------------------------------------------------------- KUALA LUMPUR, March 28: Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf refused on Tuesday to set a firm date for a return to democracy, saying reforms must be introduced beforehand and economic objectives met. "No, we can't give any timeframe," he told reporters in Malaysia on the first full day of a Southeast Asian tour to seek economic and diplomatic support. "There are conditions for elections that have to be fulfilled, reforms, electoral reforms, delineation of constituencies. These are the concrete measures that have to be taken. "There are also other objectives in the economic field," Musharraf said without elaborating. Asked if Clinton's visit would help solve the dispute with India over Kashmir, Musharraf said: "It ought to do. With the passage of time we will know." Malaysia's Commonwealth representative Musa Hitam earlier met Musharraf. He said Musharraf told him he could not accept the Commonwealth timeframe of a two-year return to democracy following the military takeover. "General Musharraf told us he was unable to give a two-year timeframe," Musa told reporters. "He said giving a timeframe would make him literally a lame duck head of government, meaning that a government will be ineffective and everyone will jostle for position." Musa is Malaysia's envoy to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group which will recommend whether to lift the suspension. Musa said he would report to the group in May. About the fate of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Musa quoted Musharraf as saying the matter was for the courts but he was "not a vindictive person." "We are concerned for Nawaz Sharif's welfare, to make sure nothing untoward happens to him," Musharraf was quoted as saying. Malaysian ministers urged Musharraf, who goes on to Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia, to return to democracy. "I think that it is the principle of the Commonwealth that there must be democracy and civilian rule," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told AFP. "We do not generally recognize the replacement of a democratic elected government by a military coup, no matter how valid the justification." Syed Hamid said Musharraf, in a morning meeting with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, explained why he ousted Sharif. The minister did not elaborate. "He says he's not interested to stay forever. He wants to return to civilian rule and that he's a soldier. The only thing he can't do is to give an exact timeframe," Syed Hamid said. He said Musharraf told Mahathir he wanted to revive the economy, eradicate corruption, introduce more transparency and accountability and restore stability before moving to democracy. "The prime minister told him that while he may have justification for doing what he has done, ultimately he has to go back to civilian rule and democracy," Syed Hamid said. "Even with its shortcomings that system must be adopted. There is no way in the long run that you can justify the military government." The foreign minister called the 90-minute discussion "productive" and added: "As far as we are concerned it's for them to come up with a timeframe." He will also call on the President of the Singapore the same day.- Agencies DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000327 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Musharraf leaves on four-nation visit today ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, March 26: Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf leaves here on Monday on a tour of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei, officials said. The tour is aimed at boosting economic relations with the Southeast Asian countries. He will also discuss security in South Asia and the need for an early solution to the dispute between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, the foreign office said in a statement. The FO said Gen Musharraf would seek support of Southeast Asian states for Pakistan's full dialogue partnership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and membership of the ASEAN Regional Forum. "His visit is in pursuit of Pakistan's Look East Policy which is meant to enhance bilateral, economic, trade and investment relations," the statement said. In Malaysia, the CE would have talks with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, in Singapore with Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and in Indonesia two MoUs would be signed.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000328 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ban on political parties ruled out ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, March 27: Omar Asghar Khan, Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower, Overseas Pakistanis, Enviro-nment and Local Government, has said the Federal Cabinet will further consider the question of whether to allow participation of political parties in local government elections. He said this while speaking at a two-day forum organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNST) of Germany in collaboration with the Liberal Forum, Pakistan. He reiterated that there was no plan to ban the political parties but that the government was contemplating the formulation of a code of conduct in consultation with them. The forum's participants expressed many misgivings about the viability and appropriateness of the local government scheme. In his response, the minister said that it was a transitional arrangement and we are thinking of replacing the system with "entrepreneurial bureaucracy", which would be filled with experts on contractual basis. He was far from forthcoming when the participants called for removal of any role for the deputy commissioner who has been re- designated in the scheme as "District Coordination Officer". It was pointed out that it was the bureaucracy who had not allowed the democratic institutions to develop. "Do you distrust the common man so much that you are foisting the bureaucracy again on the elected officials at the risk of sabotaging your own scheme," asked a community worker from Sindh. If at all DCO is to be retained, he should be removable by simple majority, it was suggested. The minister merely remarked, "The bureaucrats too want to participate in the experiment." Some participants wondered whether the scheme was really meant to ensure citizens' participation in local government. He was also evasive when asked, "How are you sure that the new experiment would succeed in the presence of the big landlords and that it too would not be hijacked by them?" In response, Mr Khan said that there was many difficulties in the way of land reforms. It was also suggested that the powers of local bodies to collect octroi snatched by Nawaz Sharif government be restored and that the elected district bodies be authorised to levy taxes on natural resources including forests, fisheries, minerals etc. as well as royalty. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000401 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Valuable items of Surrey Palace can be sold: UK court ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent LONDON, March 31: Paul Keating, the builder who renovated the Rockwood House (Surrey Palace) will be selling the valuable items of the house to raise pound sterling 20,000, which an appellate court ordered him on Friday to deposit as security money to cover the cost of fees of the defendant party. The appellate court ordered Mr Keating to deposit pound sterling 20,000 as security for defendant party's cost of fees in case he loses his legal battle. The court suggested that he could raise the money by selling the valuable items if, as claimed by him (Mr Keating), he was entitled to do so. "I am going to sell those items to raise this money," Mr Keating later announced outside the court. "I have many options," he said, "One is to sell these valuable goods and I will be going for this option." The Appellate Court also asked Mr Keating to deposit pound sterling 3,500 plus 17.5 per cent VAT as cost for Friday's hearing as well to pay the costs of an earlier hearing, which would be assessed later. Mr Paul Keating is suing Mr Javed Pasha, a former close friend of Asif Zardari, to recover pound sterling 353,364 the renovation costs, including the interest, which he had spent on renovating the palace. However, during the last hearing on November 12, 1999, Mr Pasha's lawyers filed an application before the District Judge, who is hearing the case, requesting the court to ask Mr Keating to deposit a security money of pound sterling 50,000 to ensure that they recover their fees in case he loses his legal fight. They claimed that the financial position of Mr Keating's company was not sound and they need a security to recover the fees. Their request was, however, turned down by the District judge. Mr Pasha's lawyers filed an appeal against that decision before the Appellate Court where the issue was decided late Friday afternoon after a heated debate. The Judge agreed with the contention of Mr Pasha's lawyers that looking into the balance sheets of the company, the financial position of Mr Paul's Company "Grantsbridge Ltd" was not sound and there was reason to believe that it would not be able to pay the fees of defendant's lawyers if it loses the legal battle. He ordered Mr Keating to deposit pound sterling 20,000 security. When Mr Keating's lawyer requested the court that he should be allowed to provide some valuable items of the Surrey Palace as security, the judge observed that Mr Keating could take loan over those valuable items from a bank or even sell them, if he has the permission to do so. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Army officer accused of killing MQM men ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent LONDON, March 30: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has appealed to the government to arrest an army officer who, it alleged, was responsible for the extrajudicial killings of its workers. MQM convener Dr Imran Farooq alleged that the officer had formed groups to eliminate the party workers, according to a statement issued here on Thursday. It said, during his posting in Karachi, the officer committed the extrajudicial murder of "several dozen MQM workers" in connivance with some police officers. The officer was later transferred to Hyderabad. Mr Farooq alleged that the officer was now using the same tactics in Hyderabad. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sentence given to child killer un-Islamic, says CII ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, March 28: The sentence of cutting serial child- murderer Javed Iqbal into 100 pieces runs totally counter to Islamic tenets, the Council of Islamic Ideology said here on Monday. The council quoted from Shariat and Ahadith to declare un-Islamic the sentence of cutting Javed Iqbal into 100 pieces and throwing them in acid, passed by the sessions judge, Lahore. The council statement was released under the signatures of its Director General, Research, Dr Ghulam Murtaza Azad. Javed Iqbal was convicted of molesting and then murdering 100 children in Lahore. The council said the verdict against Javed iqbal could create an impression inside and outside the country that it had been passed in keeping with Islamic injunctions, thus potentially giving rise to misunderstandings about the Shariat. It said there were categorical commandments in Islam for maintaining the dignity of a dead body, including that of a non- Muslim. In this connection, it said, that according to Ahadith, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had commanded his followers to stand aside and let pass a funeral procession even of a non-Muslim. It said the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had also asked his followers not to speak ill of the dead because they had already met their fate. The council said the cutting of a body into pieces was called "Masa'ala" in pre-Islamic terms and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) had strictly prohibited Muslims from undertaking this practice.-AFP
=================================================================== BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20000328 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Institutions asked to avoid savings schemes ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mohiuddin Aazim KARACHI, March 27: Institutions can no more invest in national savings schemes but they will continue to earn profit on previous investments. The State Bank of Pakistan has issued a letter to its offices across Pakistan informing them of the government decision to stop institutional investment in national savings schemes immediately. The SBP has directed its offices to ensure compliance not only on their part but also on the part of commercial banks functioning under their jurisdiction. Neither the SBP letter nor the government notification from which it has quoted the decision says anything on existing institutional investment in national savings schemes. But senior bankers close to the SBP told Dawn that institutions would continue to earn profits on existing investments until maturity. "What still remains unclear is whether a state-run or private company can invest in national savings schemes on behalf of its employees," said a worried executive of a state-run organisation. The ban on institutional investment in national savings schemes has won appreciation from banks and financial institutions that now hope to get more of institutional savings. But institutional investors are bound to feel the pinch of the move as earning a cool return of 13-15 per cent would now be difficult for them. "Institutional investors would now keep their savings in banks and other financial institutions," said treasurer of a state-run bank. "That will expand the base of long-term deposits and enable us to lend more to the private sector." Banks and other financial institutions lent Rs 28.5 billion to private sector in first eight months of this fiscal year against full year target of Rs 104.5 billion. One reason for this fall is that many banks are less liquid than they used to be in the past. Five major banks with a market share of more than 75 per cent in total bank deposits cut their lending rates by 2 per cent in January. Other banks just followed suit. But as a natural outcome the rates of return to depositors fell and the savers switched over to national savings schemes offering relatively high profits. This prompted banks to demand that returns on national savings schemes be further cut down: they were slashed by 2 per cent in December. But State Bank Governor Dr. Ishrat Husain said banks should reduce their operational cost to become more competitive. He also made it clear that further cut in the rates of return on national savings schemes was not desirable because investment in these schemes were the hard-earned money of retired people and widows. Top bankers pointed out that these schemes had become a safe haven for investment for state-run and private organisations whose investment in the schemes was much larger than that of the individuals. "The government has apparently realised that our point of view was correct," said head of a state-run bank. Bankers reached by Dawn said the ban on institutional investment on national savings schemes should result in additional monthly inflow of a couple of billions of rupees into inter-bank market. Such an inflow cannot be estimated exactly because the size of institutional investment in national savings schemes is not known. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Government may club taxation stages ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ikram Hoti ISLAMABAD, March 28: The federal government may club taxation stages for the 55 services sector items into one before finally deciding to separately listing those to be taxed by the provinces. The listing of taxable items of the services sector for levying by the provinces has already initiated and would be incorporated in the provincial taxation schedules with the announcement of the next federal and provincial budgets, said sources. However, the proposal that the collection of these listed, provincially levied items of the services sector be retained as the federal subject, is not being reviewed, they added. The 55 items from which the listing of the provincially leviable services sector items has been initiated, are presently taxable by the Income Tax, Sales Tax and Central Excise departments. The items to be retained by the federal government both in collection and deposits, are now being put onto a separate list. The estimates of tax amounts to be generated through taxation of these items by the IT, ST and Central Excise departments, separately, in the financial year 2000-2001, have already been sought, ahead of all other estimates through taxation measures viz a viz other sectors. Presently, the IT department collects Withholding Tax from the listed items while some of the service sector items are being levied by the Sales Tax department, while all such items stand taxed by the Central Excise department. Since this multiple taxation involves excessive machinery and procedural complexities, the number of tax-stages and involvement of the three departments is being reduced. In the strict purview of the military government's policy of reducing the taxation stages everywhere on tax schedules, and reducing the tax-rates as well, the Central Board of Revenue is learnt to have launched the process starting from the services sector, said senior CBR officials. The IT, ST and CE departments are coordinating in the special context of drastically reducing and doing away with the tax rate and levying of items through the CE department, the size of taxation through which is being minimised in the next year's federal budget. The tax estimates for the next year are thus being re-drawn under this formula, apart from the one now being laid down for reducing the taxation stages and rates under the ST and IT schedules as well. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- FY 98-99: Budget deficit revised ------------------------------------------------------------------- Haris Anwar KARACHI, March 28: A joint data reconciliation exercise by the government and the IMF has revealed a major discrepancy in the 98- 99 budget deficit figure which has been revised to about six per cent from 4.3 per cent of GDP. Official sources said, the exercise which was in progress for the last few weeks, is one of the major obstacles in negotiating a new IMF programme with Pakistan. Budget deficit is a key performance criterion set by donor agencies to agree on any balance-of-payment support. "There was a major misreporting by the Finance Ministry and the office of the Accountant-General of Pakistan Revenue, which has been detected by the new finance team," the source claimed. Owing to sustained misreporting under the heads of Non-bank borrowing and Expenditure, the budget deficit figure was shown to be around Rs 130 billion, while now it has been put at Rs 181.5 billion, up by over Rs 51 billion. Government borrows heavily from the national saving schemes, which comes under the non-bank borrowing to meet its shortfall on tax revenues. According to official figures, last year non-bank borrowing was to the tune of over Rs 106.8 billion. "I don't know whether it was a deliberate attempt or just an accounting error, but my concern is how they (IMF) will look at it," a financial source said. But another source said misreporting of such an extent could not be termed just an error. "You cannot rule out the element of fudging because misreporting of such an extent is simply not possible," another source said. According to an agreement with the IMF, Pakistan had to cut its budget deficit from 5.5 per cent of GDP in '97-98 to 4.3 per cent of GDP in '98-99 and to 3.3 per cent of GDP in '99-2000. At the time of the release of the last budget in June '99, previous government showed the deficit at 3.4 per cent of GDP. It was about one percentage point lower than the target set by the IMF. But later, the State Bank's annual report, released in Dec '99 did not agree with the accounting method used by the government, stating the actual deficit was at 4.3 per cent of GDP. The current figure for the budget deficit is 2.6 percentage points higher than the figure given at the time of budget and 1.7 percentage point higher if compared with the figure given in the SBP's annual report. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Curbs on foreign exchange outflow eased ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mohiuddin Aazim KARACHI, March 30: The State Bank has restored the freedom of foreign portfolio investors to remit funds outside Pakistan without its prior approval. The decision is effective from March 30. The SBP said on Thursday that foreign institutional investors can remit funds without its approval through the banks that act as their custodian as well as maintain their special convertible rupee accounts. The SBP made the announcement through a press release. Bankers said they had not received any circular till the close of the business on Thursday. Senior bankers close to SBP said those foreign investors who maintain their special convertible rupee accounts with the banks other than their custodian banks still need prior SBP approval to remit funds outside Pakistan. They say this restriction has been kept in place to check misuse of these accounts for flight of capital. Only three banks offer custodian services to foreign investors in Pakistan. These are: (i) Standard & Chartered Bank (ii) Citibank and (iii) Deutsche Bank. These banks also maintain special convertible rupee accounts of their customers. These accounts are so named as foreign investors use them for keeping sale proceeds or profits and dividends on shares in rupees that are converted into foreign currency by the State Bank when they want to remit them outside Pakistan. Many other foreign and local banks maintain these accounts but they do not offer custodian services. The decision on remittances of foreign portfolio investors came within 24 hours after SBP had received final recommendations on this subject by a committee comprising officials of Karachi Stock Exchange and SBP and custodian banks. "It is a welcome step from the Stock Exchange point of view," said KSE Chairman Arif Habib. "It will send a positive signal to international investors," he told Dawn. Pakistan placed restrictions on foreign currency outflow after exploding nuclear devices in May 1998. But in January this year it lifted curbs on remittances of profits and dividends on foreign direct investment as well as payment of private foreign loans. Tuesday's decision says that banks are also allowed to remit outside Pakistan the commission earned by international brokers. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000326 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Warns of regulatory steps: SBP chief for merger of small banks ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, March 25: If banks do not go for mergers on their own the State Bank may take regulatory steps to force them to do so. SBP Governor Dr Ishrat Husain hurled this warning-though in a subtle way-here on Saturday while speaking as the chief guest at 49th annual general meeting of Institute of Bankers, Pakistan. "I hope that the market players will...carry out voluntary and mutually agreeable mergers and consolidations..." he remarked. But if this does not happen "I am afraid the regulators will have no option but to discharge their fiduciary responsibility through appropriate regulations." Dr Ishrat said it is time for smaller banks to go for mergers because "small private banks are too weak either to withstand exogenous shocks or to manage risks prudently or to capture the market share from large established banks." He said the financial sector required mergers and restructuring and infusion of capital and human resources and technological upgradation to come up with fewer but stronger institutions. He said the aggregate paid-up capital of all banks and other financial institutions minus house financing companies in Pakistan was only $1.8 billion. He said that the capital base of National Bank of Pakistan is only $326 million whereas the State (National) Bank of India has announced plans to raise its capital base by an additional $2.5 billion. "In principle if a private bank fails it should be allowed to die," said the SBP chief. But as a matter of fact "the government and the central bank cannot afford the collapse of banks because "apart from political considerations "systemic risk" is a more serious threat associated with bank failures. He said that sudden and unexpected demise of one bank could have a domino effect leading to collapse of other banks or of the system as a whole. Hence the need for mergers. "The other reason for consolidation and mergers has to do with our future strategy of participating in exports of financial services," said Dr Husain. "Although the events of 1998-99 did cause a setback by politicizing top bankers in the nationalized banks we still have an impressive pool which can be harnessed and mobilised to penetrate the market for financial services particularly in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. "The governor further said that if Pakistan was able "to make some modest progress in Islamic banking instruments and products we should be able to find a market niche which will combine the particular product with our banking professional expertise." The SBP chief also urged the banks to diversify their asset base "functionally, sectorally, geographically and by size." "You have to move away from investing only in government paper or public sector securities or other risk-free instruments." "You have to move away from concentrating simply on textile, sugar, cement another saturated industries to finance other new, non- traditional manufacturing and service industry," he advised. "Within textiles, in addition to value-added and exportable products of good quality, balancing, modernization and replacement are needed to improve the productivity of the existing capacity," the governor remarked. "For export financing, the banks have to develop independent lines of pre-shipment, post -shipment credit and assist the indirect exporters and suppliers involved in the export value chain." The SBP chief said there is over banking in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. "Although other cities do not offer the same attractive living conditions we have to expand the network in medium size towns, mandi towns and market towns." He said that the banking industry could make good profits if banks extended their network to other emerging centres of economic activity. The governor said the repayment record of small and medium businesses is much better than that of large borrowers adding that the government had committed itself to helping expand small and medium enterprises. "We in the financial sector have to align our products, services and outreach to unleash these enterprises and tap their potential." "This not only makes good business sense for the banks and non-bank financial institutions but also means increased purchasing power in the hands of a large segment of population. This purchasing power will then translate itself into higher demand for goods and services produced in the country." The governor also informed the audience of the measures that SBP has taken to discharge its duties as watchdog of financial sector more efficiently. Earlier, he gave out gold medals, prizes and certificates and diplomas to successful students of the Institute of Bankers, Pakistan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ADB focus on private sector ------------------------------------------------------------------- MANILA, March 30: Asia's premier development bank on Thursday launched a new strategy aimed at strengthening the role of the private sector as the driving force to sustain the region's recovery from financial crisis. The new strategy announced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is seen as a complement to its main thrust of reducing poverty in the region because it would allow much-needed government funds to be freed for health services, education and social safety nets. The strategy consists of a systematic and coherent framework that will guide the ADB's activities to promote private sector development across the region, the Manila-based regional institution said in a statement. Under the scheme, the ADB will work toward three main aims: creating the conditions for business to thrive, generating business opportunities and catalyzing private investments. One major focus is rooting out corruption in order to encourage investment. There is no greater disincentive to business than the feeling of uncertainty and vulnerability brought about by corruption, abuse of discretion and bureaucratic interference, said the bank, which is assembling a new anti-corruption squad. In the private sector, the bank said it aimed to promote good governance through various means such as reviews of commercial laws and regulations and establishment of credible accounting and auditing standards. Developing a well-functioning financial system was another thrust, the bank said. This would include support for policy reforms, enhancing regulation and supervision, establishing sound banking systems and the development of a deeper and broader securities market. To balance development goals with commercial interests, the ADB said it will work toward greater involvement of private firms in fields such as energy, water, wastewater treatment, transport, telecommunications and even in the social sectors. For example, a private firm could be asked maintain and operate a government road network financed by ADB loans. The ADB will also work to involve the private sector in regional projects, saying that regional and subregional cooperation has emerged as an increasingly important strategy for development in Asia.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Zero duty on packing bag ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, March 28: Central Board of Revenue has notified here on Tuesday, the zero rating duty on imports of PAT packing bags of more than one ton capacity by the ICI Pakistan Ltd. Through a notification No 6 (25)/97-CB, dated March 28, 2000, the CBR has also reduced the duty rates on VCM, a raw material used in production of PVC, and on polyester yarn. Duty on these two items has been reduced from 25% ad val to 15% ad val. For this purpose, the notification No 555(I)/98, dated June 12, 1998, has been amended. The amending notification says that in exercise of powers conferred by section 19 of the Customs Act, 1969, the federal government is pleased to further amend SRO 555 (I)/98, dated June 12, 1998. In Table II of the said notification, an induction has been made for providing the exemption. An additional provision has been created at the end of the Table-II for reducing the duty rates. The exemption and rate reduction would be valid subject to the conditions specified in the notification. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- G-77 summit: India-Pakistan contacts likely ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, March 28: The G-77 summit meeting is scheduled to be held from April 12 to 15 at Havana providing first ever opportunity, in the backdrop of Clinton's visit to South Asia, to Pakistan and India to establish a contact for the resumption of dialogue. Diplomatic sources expect that after Clinton's stern warning that the two countries should resume the dialogue process for the resolution of their outstanding issues, India would now positively reciprocate to Pakistan's offer for talks. Pakistan has been consistently offering India to resume talks. Even the military government including the Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf has been offering India since October 12, when the army took over, to resume dialogue process to resolve all the irritants through peaceful means. New Delhi, however, has always turned down these offers under the pretext that it did not want to talk to a military ruler. The foreign ministers of the G-77 countries will meet in Havana on April 11, a day prior to the summit meeting, while senior officials of the developing nations will gather there on April 10. The sources though do not see any chance of Musharraf- Vajpayee meeting at Havana, expect an official level contact. The US President during his visit to Pakistan and India, had asked both the countries to resume the dialogue process for the de- escalation of the tension and to secure peace in the region. The diplomatic sources said that there was pressure on India, even from inside, to re-establish the lost contact. In its editorial on the issue of March 27, The Hindu (an Indian newspaper) observed, "now that the long awaited Clinton 'mission' is at an end, New Delhi must realise the futility of the no-talks-now stance and demonstrate the vision to return to enlightened bilateralism." Last time the two sides met in Lahore during early 1999 when the prime ministers of these countries agreed to Lahore Declaration which envisaged the solution of all issues, including Kashmir, through talks. The secretary level talks were tentatively scheduled to be held between Islamabad and New Delhi sometime in June-July 1999 but remained a far cry because of Kargil crisis which rather strained their relations and brought them near to an almost full fledge war. During the Kargil crisis the then foreign minister of Pakistan Sartaj Aziz visited New Delhi to de-escalate the increasing tension but India reluctantly received him and the two foreign ministers met for sometime without any outcome. The secretary level talks as agreed under the Lahore Declaration, were to take place in India which had to intimate Pakistan about the exact dates for negotiations but it closed all its doors for talks. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000328 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Next year's PSDP estimated at Rs108bn ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, March 27: The government has tentatively determined at Rs 108 billion the size of the new Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2000-2001. According to informed sources, the government was unable to have even 10 per cent usual increase in new PSDP due to its growing financial difficulties. The size of the current year PSDP had been slashed from Rs 116 billion to Rs 108 billion and further Rs 7 billion cut was being envisaged. The Priority Committee has been directed to firm up the funding requirements of the ministries and divisions for next financial year. The finance ministry will finalize these allocations. The proposed Rs 108 billion size of the new PSDP was subject to improved tax recovery by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR).As a matter of fact, the sources said, the government has no firm basis on which it could determine the size of the next PSDP but it was tentatively determined at Rs 108 billion. The National Economic Council (NEC) will eventually approve the size of the new PSDP in early April. The sources said that the government was just unable to ensure some increased funds in the new PSDP even for ministries of information and interior. "Both these ministries would perhaps be given additional funds from secret funds", a source said. A total of Rs 102 million has been allocated for the ministry of information against Rs 107 million of last year. It included Rs 75 million for Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation against 20 million of the last PSDP. It was done with a view to help replace some of the old and ineffective equipment of the PBC. Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) will get Rs 7 million in the new PSDP and it was being asked to go for self-financing. Some of the sectors will get increased funds on the cost of other sectors. For example, the sources said, railway, water and sewerage sector will be offered more funds compared to last year. Generally, it was being argued by the Planning Commission that social sectors should be offered additional funds in the new PSDP so that more matching funds could be collected from the international donor agencies. "The World Bank says if the government allocates more resources for social sectors in the new PSDP, the bank will oblige it by offering more funds", a source said. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been approached by the government to offer separate funds for poverty alleviation and undertaking new development projects. The bank has reportedly expressed its willingness to help and its mission was expected to arrive here in April to discuss the issue. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000328 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Assets, incomes survey in May ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, March 27: All the income tax regional commissioners have been directed by the Central Board of Revenue to launch a door-to- door and shop-to-shop survey of property in 13 major cities as soon as the two-month period for benefiting the Amnesty Scheme comes to an end on April 30, 2000. A meeting of all IT regional commissioners was held here onMonday with the Chairman CBR and it was decided that there should be a thorough survey for collecting data needed to broaden the net of registered IT assessees and for ensuring whether the properties and incomes remained untaxed and un-disclosed even after the 60-day immunity-offer through 10% IT payment. Under this scheme, more than 100,000 persons were expected to disclose the untaxed property and assets and deposit Rs5-6 billion. However, the data computed up to March 15, 2000 suggests that the response to the scheme is not as positive as was expected. A sum of Rs0.75 million has been reported as received under the scheme in the Northern, Eastern and Southern regions. The figures on corporate and central regions are awaited. The data to be collected through the survey is planned mainly to form basis for scrutiny of the declarations. It is also meant to help assess whether the un-declared (existing) property and incomes, which should have been declared as taxable, was in violation of the laws applicable for not responding to the scheme. The official sources said that the survey would be short, brisk and thorough, and would be extended beyond the 13 major towns of the country as soon as the survey teams complete their work in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, Multan, Sukkur, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur.Back to the top
=================================================================== EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20000331 ------------------------------------------------------------------- The fourth junta ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ayaz Amir THIS is the fourth junta in the nation's star-crossed and chequered history and although I am not foolish enough to say that it is the worst - for valour must stop somewhere and discretion begin - it certainly is the most precariously placed. Pakistan's other strongmen lived in simpler times. The follies they could get away with is not a luxury afforded to a regime which finds itself in an environment infinitely more complicated. Clinton rubbed in some of these points. The principal usefulness and not the least of the ironies of his brief stopover was that it showed us where we stand as a nation. The military government went to absurd lengths to play up to the Americans but what it got for its pains was a lesson in concentrated humiliation, with the American president in effect telling Pakistan to remove the blinkers from its eyes. Some commentators - an over-populated breed in this country - have drawn comfort from the fact that General Pervez Musharraf stuck to his guns and took no dictation from the American president. Even the gods have no remedy for those living in a fool's paradise. Clinton did not come here to get anything. Since he had persuaded himself to come here for a few hours, he used the opportunity to puncture our complacency and tell us a few home truths. This he did in a very effective manner. A country more sure of itself would not have put up with such tutoring. But then we do not fall in that category. The afternoon of Clinton's visit we handed over the keys of Islamabad's security to the American secret service and listened quietly as Clinton told us to wake up and enter the real world. Far from this message grating on patriotic ears, the fact is that for the first time in Pakistan's history many Pakistanis find themselves in complete agreement with what an American president has said. During the cold war Pakistani governments sat in the American lap whereas the Pakistani people were swept by 'Ugly American' sentiments. Not so on this occasion. Lest we think Clinton's attitude was unusual, we only have to watch the Chief Executive's progress during his South-East Asian tour to realize that he has had to hear much the same lectures from his hosts in Malaysia and Singapore: return to barracks and restore democracy. The wonder is he still gets a kick out of foreign travel. Part of the problem of course is that there is a disconnect between how we appear to the outside world and how we look at ourselves. The world sees us as a problem-ridden country wedded to extremism in thought and action. We preen ourselves on our atomic capability and what we think is a unique geography which gives us a unique strategic importance. From this flows the conviction that whatever we might do the world owes us a living and that, in any case, no one will allow us to collapse under the weight of our problems. For this mindset there is no cure. While our national condition has been critical for many years, three successive blunders have brought us close to the edge of the precipice: the nuclear tests of May 1998, the Kargil adventure last year and its sequel in the form of the military takeover. We had nuclear capability and the world knew it. There was no need to take our firecrackers out of the closet. But panicked into action by a few statements of the Indian home minister, L. K. Advani, we fell into what looks increasingly like an Indian trap and carried out our tests, without coolly considering the pros and cons. If for once we had allowed judgment to prevail over raw emotion, we would not have been in the desperate straits in which we find ourselves now. Our begging bowl would not have been broken as a consequence but some crumbs or morsels would have come our way. Our begging bowl is intact; in fact it is about the only sturdy thing we have, but nothing can rival its unadorned emptiness. Kargil was a disaster whichever way we look at it. Forget about anything else, it made no military sense because it was not placed in any strategic setting. But blinded to common prudence by our nuclear tests and the accompanying nonsense that our defence had become impregnable, we thought we could get away with a limited conventional intrusion without inviting a wider response. As the fighting progressed and our international isolation deepened, we started getting cold feet. Eventually we had to back-track but the damage had been done. We thought we were reactivating the Kashmir issue. It has been reactivated but in a way we never thought of. The growing international calls for respecting the Line of Control and preventing "cross-border terrorism", a formulation which goes against the grain of Pakistan's entire Kashmir strategy in recent years, are the foremost fruits of this ill-considered venture. As for the takeover, for a brief moment after October 12 it was seen both here and abroad as an opportunity for national renewal. Not any more. If the men on horseback had trimmed their reaction to fit Nawaz Sharif's provocation (his attempt to remove the army chief in a cavalier manner), if instead of digging in their heels they had unfurled a quick plan for civilian restoration, they would have earned the nation's thanks and been hailed as heroes. The reality has been different. As the shadows of military rule have lengthened, a sense of dejection has spread in the country. The issue is not the army's popularity but the clear-cut realization, born of our experience, that there are certain things the army can do and others it cannot. When the army stands guard over national frontiers, the nation's heart beats with that of its soldiers. But when transcending its real duties the army turns the national arena into a military parade ground, the nation has reason to fear the worst. It is not as if General Musharraf is a good or bad person. He may have a heart of gold (although the jury might be out on this one too) but that again is not the question. The agenda he has set for himself is unattainable because political and economic revival is not the army's cup of tea. The average politico, or indeed any politico, cannot command a battleship. The average soldier - that is, anyone not Julius Caesar or Akbar the Great - is not up to the successful management of politics. At least not in this day and age when the cold war has become a nostalgic bit of history and military dictators have lost their usefulness as pawns on the global stage. But what to do? General Musharraf is here to stay and even his local bodies revival plan, the centrepiece of his democratic intentions, comes on a time frame that would put an insomniac to sleep. And yet there is no ready instrument which can help change General Musharraf's mind or compress his timetable. The internal political scene is dismal. The Muslim League faces a gender crisis. There are more women than men in its upper councils. The only men are Kulsoom Nawaz and Tehmina Daultana. The rest are women. The PPP does not count. The religious parties have pipe- dreams of their own. They cannot come to power (and long may it remain that way) but they are capable of exercising a negative influence. Let us not forget that Talibanism is more a mental than a physical phenomenon and the religious parties are helping to warp national thinking by reducing national debate and discussion to a primitive level. The chances of any democratic movement arising are therefore nil. If the army returns to barracks it will do so on its own and not because anyone tells it to. So if things must change and Pakistan is to get out of its present abnormal situation, the army has to be a party to democratic restoration. But at the moment the present crop of military riders are in a conquering mood. They do not like being reminded of the past or being told that dark clouds line the horizon. While Pakistan need not wallow in pessimism, the dangers of political militarism cannot be under-estimated. The horsemen eventually will go back from where they have come. But how much damage to the country and its standing will they have caused in the meanwhile? DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000401 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Cost analysis of our Kashmir policy ------------------------------------------------------------------- Irfan Husain IN his unusually blunt address to the Pakistani nation during his brief stopover last week, President Clinton warned us of the dangers of "increasing isolation" if we continued with our present policies. Although he was stating the obvious, I have little doubt that his warning will fall on deaf ears: as it is, we stand isolated to an extent that would have been unimaginable even a few months ago. The fact that it took much diplomatic effort to persuade the US president to spend a few hours on Pakistani soil is a measure of our isolation. The Turkish prime minister has refused to include Pakistan in his Indian visit this week because he is 'too busy'. Considering our strong links with Turkey, and General Musharraf's personal admiration for Kemal Attaturk, this is an unprecedented snub. We have been suspended from the Commonwealth, and are kept at arm's length by most democracies. So what? ask the many hawks in our establishment and the media. So plenty. These snubs add up to a loss in trade, economic ties and technical cooperation. During Clinton's visit to India, deals worth four billion dollars were announced; during his five-hour visit to Pakistan, bilateral trade was not even mentioned. Military assistance is a distant memory. But our isolation is not just diplomatic: most of the major airlines no longer stop in Karachi, KLM was the latest one to announce that it was shutting down its operations here. Most of them pulled out long ago, citing high fuel cost and exorbitant Civil Aviation Authority charges. Unofficially, their functionaries have complained of the existence of many government agencies operating at Karachi airport, all of them demanding some kind of gratification whether in the form of upgrades or bottles of booze. In the old days, these airline operations resulted in considerable revenues for businessmen as hundreds of crew members broke their journeys in Karachi and were accommodated in local hotels and spent money shopping for presents. But one unstated reason why airlines no longer let their crew stop in Karachi for any length of time is that their safety cannot be ensured. The instability in the region is another reason why Pakistan is an undesirable tourist destination. Until the seventies, buses full of tourists would stop in Lahore on their way from Europe to India, and bachelor friends would descend on Falleti's Hotel to check out the talent. But after the Iranian revolution and the Afghan war, this stream of tourists has dried up completely. Of course, Pakistan's image abroad has not exactly helped in attracting visitors: after Zia took over in 1977, photographs of public floggings and hangings have made front pages across the world. Ethnic and sectarian terrorism has prompted foreign ministries to advise their citizens not to travel to Pakistan. Upmarket glossy magazines in the West contain dozens of advertisements for holidays in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka without a single one for similar package tours to Pakistan. The repeated violence initiated in Chitral and neighbouring areas in the North by fundamentalist groups demanding the imposition of Sharia law over the last few years has frightened away those hardy foreign trekkers who travelled to such remote valleys. I have no doubt the "so what?" brigade will immediately declare that our national interests outweigh such mundane considerations. But this insular approach loses sight of the fact that in today's interconnected world, no country can afford to stand in splendid isolation. North Korea and Myanmar (earlier known as Burma) are two countries that have basically said: "to hell with the rest of the world; we will go our own way". Both are basket cases where the citizens are suffering for their leaders' egomania and insularity. Do we really want to travel down that path? But isolation is ultimately a state of mind, and individuals can cut off contact with society. Thus, hermits and sufis have sought solitude to commune with God. But while individuals can afford this luxury, nations can't. Trade, finance and technology drive development and economic well-being. In today's wired world, countries either compete and cooperate, or get left behind. There are no prizes for sulking or for being forced to sit in the corner with a dunce cap on the head. If a set of policies gain no results and instead cause a nation to be sent to Coventry by the rest of the world, clearly those policies need to be re-examined. And if they aren't, then the policy-makers need psychiatric help. In our case, our stand on Kashmir has led inexorably to unending confrontation with India, the militarization of Pakistan together with its political fallout, and to the acquisition of nuclear weapons with its international ramifications. Along the way, a slew of fanatical militias have been encouraged to dictate the nation's agenda. And what result has our Kashmir policy produced apart from thousands of casualties in India, Pakistan and Kashmir itself? For a moment, forget about the rights and wrongs of the whole issue, and how much India is to blame for the problem. If we do a cost- benefit analysis of our 50-year old Kashmir policy, we will find that it has been a disaster for the people of Pakistan with the breakeven point nowhere in sight. Here again, the "so what?" school of thought will say this does not matter as long as we continue to stand on "principles." Perhaps, but it is a lonely place to be when the rest of the world is telling us to grow up, get real and get on with life. One point that is consistently overlooked in discussions about our place in the world is that a progressive, modern and forward- looking Pakistan is much better placed to persuade the international community than a mediaeval country full of zealots that is seen as supporting terrorism. In the battle for public opinion, image is all; the contents of an argument are secondary. Despite having a weaker legal case on Kashmir, India is seen as the aggrieved party, and Pakistan as the instigator of the violence in the Valley. This may seem unfair, but that's life in the real world. If we are to break out of the largely self-imposed isolation we find ourselves in today, we need to have a hard, objective look at our failed policies that we insist on following. But I doubt if our leadership - whether civilian or military - has the imagination and courage to act on the results of such a review.
=================================================================== SPORTS 20000401 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan clinch Sharjah Cricket Cup ------------------------------------------------------------------- Viren Varma SHARJAH, March 31: Things didn't come easy. Pakistan needed to produce their best to stave off a compelling fightback from South Africa before inscribing their name on the Coca-Cola Sharjah Cup with an exciting 16-run victory in the final which had all the ingredients of a quality match. South Africa, chasing 264 for victory, were very much in the running, scoring 198 for four by the 40th over. But the fall of three wickets with the addition of just one run choked them. One doesn't know what happens to the South Africans when it comes to playing the big matches, their invariably tend to falter as they did on Friday evening. The man of triggered the slide was once again Waqar Younis, who seems to be getting better and better after every outing. Maybe it's the luck of his wife or anything, the guy has developed the knack of striking when his team needs the most. With successive deliveries in his seventh and the team's 41st over, he removed Nicky Boje and dangerman Lance Klusener to firmly swing the match in favour of Pakistan. Shaun Pollock averted the hat trick with a brace, but the successive blows took wind out of the sails of South Africa and they had no clue how to handle the charged-up Pakistan attack. Mark Boucher held the faltering South Africa innings together in the face of a spiralling required run-rate, but it was Waqar's day who sealed a dramatic Pakistan victory by first clean bowling Pollock and then shattering the stumps of Boucher (57 off 49 balls with three fours and three sixes) to win both the Man-of-the-Final and Man-of-the-Series awards. He ended with match figures of four for 62 to take his tournament tally of wickets to 13. South Africa stuttered early in their innings, losing in-form Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis by the eighth over with just 30 runs the board. But skipper Hansie Cronje and Neil McKenzie were in no mood to repeat the mistake they did in their previous match on Tuesday when they fell flat after Shoaib Akhtar's three-wicket burst in one over. They defied the fiery Pakistan pacers, who charged in with the crescendo of the noise from the packed-to-capacity stadium which made them look even more threatening. The absence of Shoaib, who failed a fitness test, further made things easier for them. Man of the Match: Waqar Younis Man of the Series: Waqar Younis Top Scorer of the Tournament: Inzamamul Haq Best Bowler: Waqar Younis, Lance Klusener DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000329 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan end South African winning spree ------------------------------------------------------------------- Viren Varma SHARJAH, March 28: One blistering over and it all made the difference. It doesn't happen so often. But on Tuesday it did. South Africa were cruising when Shoaib Akhtar produced a telling burst to swing the match in his team's favour from nowhere, leaving the startled South Africans biting their nails in disbelief. Three wickets in one over simply destroyed an under-strength South Africa, who thereafter caved in under the intense pressure applied by Pakistan. With India out of the way, the match was reduced to a dress rehearsal for Friday's final. The only interest left was to see whether Pakistan would be able to snap their 14-match losing streak against South Africa. They did and that too in style, unfolding their amazing fighting qualities when things were loaded heavily against them. South Africa, chasing 169 for victory, were 74 for one when Shoaib, bowling with awesome speed and accuracy, began his sensational over - his fourth and the team's 17th. On his second ball he forced an edge from Mark Boucher, then clean bowled Dale Benkenstein and Lance Klusener with his fourth and sixth deliveries to bring the match alive. The quick blows reduced South Africa to 74 for four, but Shoaib, who bowled the fastest delivery of the day - 156km per hour - aggravated his groin injury in the very next over. Still, there was no respite for the South Africans, who just failed to figure out what was happening out there in the middle. Abdur Razzaq completed his over and he was too rewarded with the wicket of Peiter Strydom. With Pakistan on fire, the proceedings were reduced to a one-sided affair. Pakistan fully exploited the utter confusion in the South African camp to return home with a grin of pride lighting up their faces. They couldn't have asked for a better dose of success before the final. South Africa, who rested five of their regulars including skipper Hansie Cronje, were further handicapped by injury to Gary Kirsten (back spasm) who had to retire hurt after scoring eight runs. Only Herschelle Gibbs stood firm amid the ruins, but his unbeaten innings of 59 off 79 balls with nine fours only helped South Africa cross the 100-run mark. Amid Shoaib's exploits, Waqar Younis' feat was almost eclipsed. The veteran pacer, playing his 186th one-day international match, joined the exclusive 300-wicket club when he removed Neil McKenzie for one. The sensational stuff produced by the fiery Pakistan bowlers, who shot out South Africa for a 101 in mere 26.5 overs, amply made up the inept showing of their batsmen earlier in the day. Shaun Pollock, leading the side for the first, marshalled his resources effectively to fire Pakistan out for 168, only Yousuf Youhana rose to the challenge with a cultured 65 off 88 balls. Even if South Africa had scored all the runs in zero over, Pakistan would have still qualified for the final, such was the one-sided equation in their favour. Pollock himself set the tone for pedestrian top order batting, claiming young Imran Nazir in the very first over. Pakistan just failed to recover from the early shock and kept losing wickets in quick successions Flamboyant Shahid Afridi, though he exhibited to such instinct in this tournament, hung on for a while, scoring 26 off 45 balls, life wasn't easy for the Pakistan batsmen. But, in the end, it was Pakistan's compelling fightback that made all the difference and it also ended South Africa's eight-match victory run at Sharjah.-Dawn/KT Service DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000327 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tauqir wants to guide Pakistan cricket to better future ------------------------------------------------------------------- SHARJAH, March 26: New Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia explains a lot of things. He is trying to rein in the hitherto unbridled players power in Pakistan cricket team. "I am determined to root out the menace of so-called players power from Pakistan cricket and I'll make sure it never pops its head out again by putting in another system in place which my successor will find it hard to undo," he said on Sunday at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. "I want to leave behind a system containing a cohesive set of principles to guide the fortunes of Pakistan cricket towards a better future," he said. "True that as along as I am around there will be no politics and no groups in the team but at the same time I am going to give a lot back to the players. I want them to feel secure to begin with both in terms of their places in the team and financially. But after providing them with all the facilities, I would like to see them perform at their optimum level," the general said.-Dawn/KT-Service DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000327 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan hockey team confident after Osaka ------------------------------------------------------------------- Lateef Jafri Under difficult weather conditions in the Japanese city of Osaka, with biting cold and chilly winds dampening the enthusiasm of the Pakistani players, it was commendable that they displayed effervescence in the competitive format, barring two ties, to qualify for the millennium's first Olympics in Sydney. Had not half-back Irfan Yousuf committed the blunder of missing a penalty stroke in the final against Spain, the character of the contest may have been transformed and Pakistan, and not the Atlanta Olympiad silver medalist, may have run away with the highest prize of the tournament. As manager Islahuddin said, "Anything could have happened after the conversion of the stroke." Contrarily the final was played under sunshine on the Nagai stadium's astro turf and the Pakistanis fashioned charming sequence of moves to enthuse the spectators but regretfully they proved poor marksmen or was it that the quick reflexes and anticipation of custodian Ramon Jufresa time and again denied them the advantage? Whatever may have been the mode and method of the Pakistani players it were the Spaniards who had their noses in front at the lemon- time with a lead of 2-0. It was some time after resumption that Pakistan got a wake-up call from Sohail Abbas, who successfully sounded the boards through a penalty corner hit. However, it was too late for they had lost more ground with a third goal by Spain. It was only at the fag-end of the match that Sohail sent the ball zooming into the net off a penalty corner with a hard grounder to reduce the margin. It is surprising that despite the tips and pep talks given by Olympians Islah and Hanif Khan the Pakistanis were invariably late- starters. Even against a non-entity like Switzerland they had to make a leeway after a 0-2 deficit upto the 20th minute of the first session. But the management may explain away the early pedestrian approach of the game to shivering cold and problems of adjustment to the surface. The trainers have to inject vigour and variety in the gameplan right from the push-off. The whole framework for hockey competitions in the pre-independence days in South Asia was always set for the wintry season. Whether it was Ramlal Shield of Lucknow, the Scindia contest, the Delhi Cloth mills, the Beighton and the Aga Khan the wizards of yore viz Latifur Rahman, Habibur Rahman, Munir, Shakoor, K.D. Singh Babu, Dara, Kishenlal, Balbir (Sr), Udham, Latif Mir and Idris provided thrilling moments for the connoisseurs with their excellent pattern - weaving. What is wrong with the present breed of players that a change of temperature from Kuala Lumpur's Azlan Shah to Japan's Osaka makes them phlegmatic and sluggish? May be the old timers were more fit. It will be the responsibility of the coaches after the camp reassembles for the upcoming contests, perhaps in Europe, to make the squad members more enterprising and energetic from the opening whistle, whatever may be the nature of the weather and setting. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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