------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 25 March 2000 Issue : 06/13 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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Latest News:
Clinton visited Pakistan for 6 hours, met Gen Pervez Musharraf and
addressed Pakistani nation.
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(c) Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan - 2000
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + District governments by August next year + Clinton sees election plan as inadequate + Ban on movement of wheat creates flour crisis in NWFP + Jamaat-i-Islami reiterates demand for ruthless accountability + Clinton, Musharraf to discuss regional security + US to ask for roadmap to democracy: Berger + No proceedings in Sharif family case + India, Pakistan can build hydrogen bomb: Scientist + MQM holds demo in London + Messages: March 23 termed a red-letter day + Prosecution demands death for Nawaz + Clinton calls for restraint, dialogue --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + DAP imports: Decision likely to be revised + United States economy heading for downturn + Economic implications of Clinton's visit to SA + Macro-role for micro-credit + Foreign portfolio investment falls + Another IPP signs MoU with WAPDA on tariff cut + Country to be Opium free By Year End: ANF Chief + Habib Bank plans to shut 110 branches + Micro Credit Bank by May + Overseas Pakistanis: One-window facility for investment --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Stepping into the real world Ayaz Amir + Immigration and identity at Eid Irfan Hussain ----------- SPORTS + India record comfortable win over Pakistan + Spain beat Pakistan 3-2 to clinch Osaka hockey title + Team unlucky to lose final
=================================================================== DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- District governments by August next year ------------------------------------------------------------------- M. Ziauddin ISLAMABAD, March 23: Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday announced the timetable for district government elections to be held on a non-party basis in two stages, with the process starting on Dec 15 and ending in July. Addressing a press conference here, he said that by Aug 14, 2001, the district governments would be in place with full financial powers. The CE clarified that the district governments would remain within the provincial framework and their relationship with the federal government would be through the provincial governments. The present divisions would cease to exist after the district governments were set up. Voting age for these elections would be lowered from 21 to 18 to increase the number of voters and also to bring youths into the mainstream. He said he would announce the schedule for provincial and national assemblies' elections in due course, after introducing electoral reforms. To a question, he implied that elections to the provincial and national assemblies would not be held until the suspended parliament completed its constitutional tenure of five years. However, for the new assemblies to start functioning as soon as the tenure of the current suspended houses ended in February 2002, elections would have to be held by early January that year and the date for it announced by early November 2001. In order to empower the local governments with enough financial autonomy, the CE proposed the setting up of 'provincial finance commissions' on the lines of the NFC which is a constitutional obligation. He said his government was analyzing whether the minorities should vote through a joint or separate electorate during the forthcoming district government elections. The CE then threw his plan open for analysis and debate in media till Aug 14, on which date the final shape of the district governments will be decided and the implementation machinery for the elections set into motion. The plan involves elections at three levels: direct elections at the Union Council and District levels and indirect elections for the Tehsil Councils. The UC would consist of 26 members elected through direct adult franchise, using multiple member ward system. The chairman would be elected directly and he would also be automatically a member of the district assembly. There would be 16 general seats in a UC house (eight each for men and women), eight for workers/peasants (four each for men and women), and two for minorities (one each for men and women). And for the first time in Pakistan, the CE said, urban areas would also elect union councils. Monitoring committees would be formed from amongst the UC members which would create 'citizen community boards' in villages, towns and cities for monitoring the functioning of all lower level departments/amenities like hospitals, basic health units, schools, colleges, police stations, irrigation etc. Members of the UC that represent a given village would constitute the 'village council'. The district government would be composed of: a district assembly of directly elected members, a directly elected Chief Mayor and Deputy Chief Mayor (contesting on joint tickets), a district administration and district police. The district assembly would consist of 66 members with 50 general seats, 10 reserved for women, three each for workers/peasants and minorities. The proposed provincial finance commission would work out the provincial finance award for allocation of funds in a transparent and accurate way to districts. The district assemblies will also have legislative authority to mobilize additional revenue. Being financially self-sufficient the district assemblies would be able to work out their development plans and approve the budget for the same, said the CE. The chief mayor would be personally responsible for district administration. He would have under him a senior District Coordination Officer (DCO) who would coordinate the functioning of all heads of government departments in the district to be called the district officers. All the district officers would maintain their links with their representative departments/ministries. The appointment of the DCO as well as the district officers would be recommended by the chief mayor and ratified by the district assembly by a simple majority. Removal of the DCO or any district officer would require to be ratified by the two-thirds majority of the district assembly. The chief mayor would head the district administration. He would formulate policies and plans for the development of his district with the help of the DCO and the district administration. The deputy chief mayor would be the speaker of the district assembly and would deputize for the chief mayor in his absence. The province would be responsible for the raising, organizing, training, equipping and maintenance of the police for the districts. Head of the district police (District Police Officer) would be selected by the chief mayor from a panel to be ratified by the district assembly. The police boss would operate directly under the chief mayor and not through the DCO. Removal of the police chief or any other police officer on the recommendation of the chief mayor would require the district assembly ratification by a two-thirds majority. Each Tehsil Council (TC) would have 34 members elected indirectly by all the members of the UCs and it would be headed by a mayor elected by the members of the TC. Each TC will have 25 general seats, five reserved for women, two for workers/peasants and two for minorities. In the new system of Tehsil administration the urban-rural divide was being sought to be bridged, asserted the CE. Bigger cities would be run as city districts. Each city district would be divided into a number of towns. It would comprise the same structure of district government as the rural districts with the tehsils being the towns. The elections would be held in two stages - first the union council, commencing in December 2000 in 15 districts and subsequently in February, March, April and May (20 to 25 districts each time). DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Clinton sees election plan as inadequate ------------------------------------------------------------------- JAIPUR, March 23: US President Bill Clinton views Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf's plan to hold limited local elections as a positive step but wants to see full democracy restored, the White House said on Thursday. Clinton, who will pay a fleeting visit to Pakistan on Saturday at the end of his six-day visit to South Asia, has taken an increasingly sharp tone with Pakistan's military government in recent days. Gen Musharraf, who seized power in on Oct 12, announced a timetable on Thursday for local elections, saying polls for a three-tier system of local bodies would be held between December and August 14, 2001. But he rejected demands for a timeframe for national elections, saying he must first carry out his plans for economic revival and political and administrative reforms. The announcements drew a mixture of praise and criticism from Britain and the United States. "It is a positive step but what we are looking for is a roadmap to national elections and a restoration of democratic rule in Pakistan," White House spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters in Jaipur. "This is a step in the right direction and I hope that a timetable for provincial and national elections will follow soon," British Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain said in a statement released in London. "I would also urge the military authorities urgently to reconsider their ban on various forms of public political expression." Clinton is scheduled to hold talks with Musharraf during his visit to Islamabad on Saturday afternoon and to make a televised address to the Pakistan people.-Reuters DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ban on movement of wheat creates flour crisis in NWFP ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, March 23: The ban on inter-province movement of wheat flour imposed by Punjab for the last many years has created hardship for the NWFP government, which, despite its best efforts has so far failed to overcome the shortage of the commodity throughout the province. The worst part of the crisis is that flour produced locally is so poor in quality that it cannot be used without mixing it with fine Atta brought from Punjab. Since the difference of prices between the two qualities is so much that a large number of people are engaged in this business despite the dangers involved. Most of the fine Atta supplied by Punjab is consumed by bread makers (Nanbais). Hence the additional demand is fulfilled through smuggling. Two provincial ministers Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani and Owais Ghani told newsmen on Wednesday that the ban on inter-provincial movement of Atta has led not only to rampant smuggling but has also jeopardized all efforts of the government to provide the commodity at reasonable rate. Apart from daily supply of a sizable quantity of Atta from Punjab, hundreds of flour bags are coming in through non-traditional routes from down country which has become a lucrative business. However, the smugglers keep escalating its prices in the market besides smuggling it out of the province into Afghanistan. The ministers, though not directly concerned with distribution and control of wheat or wheat flour, were equally perturbed over, what they said, the continuous crisis despite involvement of army officials at the head of food department. Atta crisis, which started since Sardar Mahtab came into power in March 1997 and continued with sporadic gaps, has been hitting with greater enormity all through this period and has once again put the provincial administration into quandary. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jamaat-i-Islami reiterates demand for ruthless accountability ------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Correspondent MULTAN, March 23: The Jamaat-i-Islami has reiterated its demand for impartial and ruthless accountability of the corrupt people before holding general elections. Addressing a Press conference here on Thursday provincial chief of the Jamaat Hafiz Muhammad Idrees said elections without accountability would be a fruitless exercise. Replying to a question he said the Jamaat would not form any political alliance nor it would join any alliance because "we cannot sit with the plunderers and looters." The Jamaat leader warned Gen Pervez Musharraf of hard times if he signed the CTBT. Hafiz Idrees claimed that the nation had rejected the plan to roll back nuclear programme in the referendum which the Jamaat conducted on Thursday. He said the present military regime had disappointed the common man by safeguarding the interest of world donor agencies at the cost of poor people. FOREIGN LOANS: The Justice and Peace Commission has appealed to President Bill Clinton to pressurize world donor agencies to write off Pakistan's loans. A Press release issued on Thursday said Chief Executive of Pakistan Gen Pervez Musharraf should demand in his meeting on Saturday with President Clinton to write off debts so that Pakistanis could have better health facilities, clean drinking water and education. The Press release added that the US president should present a logical solution to the Kashmir problem to restore peace to the South Asian region and stop killing of innocent people at the hands of Indian occupation forces in Kashmir. Sunni moot: The World Sunni Conference is being organized in Multan on April 1 and 2 to discuss international issues and the problems being confronted by Muslims in Chechnya, Kosovo, Albania, Palestine, Algeria, Indonesia and Turkey. Briefing the newsmen here on Wednesday, moot's reception committee chief Allama Hamid Saeed Kazmi said the delegates from Bangladesh, India, Palestine, Kuwait, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy and France had confirmed their participation, while renowned religious scholars from other parts of the world would also attend the moot. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000325 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Clinton, Musharraf to discuss regional security ------------------------------------------------------------------- By M. Ziauddin ISLAMABAD, March 24: US President Bill Clinton will speak to the Pakistan nation live on television for 30 minutes on Saturday from the presidency here after he has had a 40-minute-long formal meeting with Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf at the latter's secretariat. On arrival here at 12:45pm on March 25, the US president will be received at the airport by Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar. After presenting him with a welcoming bouquet, President Clinton will be taken straight to the presidency from the airport. The US president will call on President Rafiq Tarar at the presidency for 15 minutes and then proceed to the chief executive's secretariat for formal talks. There will be no welcoming ceremonies at the presidency as it is not a state visit. No guard of honour will be presented to the US president and neither would the national anthems of the two countries be played on the occasion. The formal talks between the two teams, led respectively by President Clinton and Chief Executive Musharraf, will be followed by a working lunch and later the US president will retire to his suite in the presidency from where he would speak to the Pakistan nation direct on TV at 4:05pm. President Tarar will see off the US president soon after he completes his speech at 4:35pm. From the presidency he will be taken to the airport where he will meet the US embassy officials and other personnel and prominent US citizens living in Pakistan. He is schedule to leave Pakistan at 5:35pm on his way back home. The major areas of US concern in Pakistan are nuclear weapons and missile proliferation, regional stability, democratization and human rights, and economic reforms. An ongoing Pakistan-India nuclear arms race, fuelled by rivalry over Kashmir, continues to be the focus of US nonproliferation efforts in South Asia and a major issue in US relations with both countries. This US attention intensified after Pakistan's May 28, 1998, nuclear tests, which followed India's tests in the same year on May 11, 13. South Asia is viewed by some US experts as one of the most likely prospects for use of nuclear weapons. India has developed short- and intermediate- range missiles and Pakistan has its own shot-to-medium range ballistic missile. Pakistan-US relationship, which dates from the mid-1950s, began as security arrangement based on US concern over Soviet expansion and Pakistan's fear of neighbouring India. Cooperation between the two reached its peak during 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. A deterioration in US-Pakistan ties in recent years springs from the aid cutoff by the US because of Islamabad's nuclear weapon programme. In October 1990, US aid and arms sales to Pakistan were suspended. Pakistan has been urging the US to play a decisive role in resolving the Kashmir dispute which, in its opinion, is the root cause of the perpetual tensions in South Asia. Pakistan finds the US insistence that Islamabad sign the CTBT before India does it as unacceptable but has promised, in the meanwhile, to develop a national consensus on the matter. Pakistan also expects the US to appreciate its current political predicament and support its efforts to restore democracy. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000325 ------------------------------------------------------------------- US to ask for roadmap to democracy: Berger ------------------------------------------------------------------- JAIPUR, March 24: US President Bill Clinton will urge Pakistan Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf on Saturday to back down in his conflict with India over Kashmir and provide a clear roadmap back to democracy for Pakistan, a top US official said on Thursday. White House National Security Adviser Sandy Berger told a small group of reporters that Clinton would convey some "hard realities" to Gen Musharraf when they meet in Islamabad. "I don't think we should turn our back on the Pakistani people, with whom we've had a very strong relationship," Berger said. "But it's a country that's in trouble and really needs to put all of its energy into self- renewal and not into territorial conflicts." Other senior US officials preparing Clinton for his high-stakes meeting with Gen Musharraf said the United States was resolutely against mediating the dispute between India and Pakistan over the Himalayan region of Kashmir because Pakistan, outgunned by India in conventional weapons, would see it as a "security umbrella". "It's very important to disabuse the Pakistanis of the notion that if they get into a conflict (with India), the international community will step in," said one official. "I think they feel they can be adventuresome because they feel the international community, particularly the United States, will bail them out," the official said. Berger said Clinton's message would be that "we're worried about Pakistan and we're worried about the future of Pakistan". "It's a country with deep-seated problems. It has economic problems, it has political problems, it has terrorist groups that are operating out of Pakistan. "And I think in some ways one of the great dangers in this region is the potential failure of Pakistan, and so the message the president will give in Pakistan is you've got to decide what's important here in terms of your future," Berger said. Clinton will tell Gen Musharraf that "you'll have a stronger basis generally on which to address these problems if people can see a clear roadmap back to a democratic government," Berger said. "The objective is to reaffirm to the Pakistan people that we care about their future, that we don't want Pakistan to fail...and to talk chiefly to the Pakistani people about the critical choices they face," Berger said.- Reuters AFP reports from Hyderabad: President Clinton will warn Pakistan it must choose the road to peace and democracy or risk becoming an ostracized and "failed state," a US official said on Friday. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000325 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No proceedings in Sharif family case ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Our Staff Reporter LAHORE, March 24: There were no proceedings on Friday in the case against the family of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif pending before an accountability court because Judge Shahid Mahmood Akhtar Siddiqui was on leave. Another accountability Judge Munir Ahmad Sheikh fixed April 3 as the next date of hearing. The former prime minister's brother Abbas Sharif was produced before the court. Mr Sharif was allowed 30 minutes to meet his family members after the proceedings. The family met under a tree outside the court room. Former premier Nawaz Sharif, ex-chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, Mian Sharif, Kamal Qureshi and Mukhtar Husain and the industrial unit, Ittefaq Foundry, is accused in the case about a loan default of Rs 1.08 billion. Judge S M Siddiqui is seized of an application filed by Mr Abbas Sharif under Section 265-k of the Criminal Procedure Code for his acquittal in the case. The applicant demanded his release during the pendency of the application. The former MNA said he had nothing to do with the affairs of the company. He said the alleged default took place in 1994 when the act being attributed to them was not an offence. He said no law could be applied retrospectively. The applicant said it was yet to be determined if theirs was a wilful default and that this question was pending adjudication before the Lahore High Court. The reference was premature and bound to prejudice the proceedings in the high court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000325 ------------------------------------------------------------------- India, Pakistan can build hydrogen bomb: Scientist ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Zafar Samdani LAHORE, March 24: Renowned international scientist Dr Saeed Akhtar Durrani declares that theoretically, both India and Pakistan possess the capability of producing a hydrogen bomb which is a 'thousand times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki'. Talking to Dawn, Dr Durrani, who recently retired as Professor of Physics from the Birmingham University, England, strongly supported the signing of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty by both India and Pakistan. "The two countries should pull back from the precipice," he said. Asked if Pakistan should have developed an atom bomb, Dr Durrani, who was a member of Pakistan's original team of nuclear scientists, replied in the negative but added that once India had detonated one "it became imperative for Pakistan". "After the Indian experiment in May 1974, I was asked by BBC to comment on the event. I said that detonating it was terrible, particularly by a country that preached the principles of Ahimsa and prided itself for being a follower of Gandhi. However, once India detonated the bomb, Newton's third law came into operation" he said, adding, from then on it was a case of 'action and reaction'. "A sense of responsibility should come with power," he said, regretting that "India had not demonstrated it". Asked if mere signing of CTBT would clear the dust darkening the horizons in the Subcontinent, he said that the issue which had turned the region into a nuclear flashpoint needed to be resolved. "Without that, the situation will remain unpredictable. It can blow up any time". The United States, in his opinion, "can help settle the Kashmir dispute"; once that was done, "the rest would follow", he said. "The US has played a role in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians. It was the same for Israel and Syria. The same analogy holds true in the Subcontinent. Flashpoints in the Middle East were mostly conventional. Here we are confronted with a nuclear flashpoint. The US should play a similar role here and Mr Vajpayee should not continue refusing to go along", he said. Reverting to the hydrogen bomb question, he said that theoretically, any country developing an atomic bomb could produce the H bomb "within a time lag of three to six years". Pointing out that France, UK, US, (former) USSR and China had produced hydrogen bombs in less than six years time of producing atomic bombs, he stressed that the capability of producing an H bomb was the next step after A bomb. But it is a "dangerous game and the two countries should consider its consequences". Elaborating, he said if a hydrogen bomb was dropped on Lahore, "it would have a destructive impact on, besides Lahore, Gujranwala and Amritsar too while if Delhi was the target, the area covering a radius of about 40-45 miles would be devastated." Asked if any country other than the five nuclear powers possessed an H bomb, Dr Durrani indirectly answered the question by narrating an experience at the centennial meeting of the US Physical Society last year. The nuclear programme of the US was started in 1899 and last year it completed one hundred years. The meeting, attended by over 1,300 scientists from across the world, besides 45 Nobel laureates, devoted two sessions to nuclear arms race. Dr Durrani was co-chairman for one of the sessions. Addressing the international congregation of eminent scientists, the Israeli representative openly stated that his country had possessed an atomic bomb since 1966. "I asked him: What about the hydrogen bomb? He smiled and said: What do you think?" Asked what inference he drew from that incident, Dr Durrani said that one should draw one's own conclusions. The fact remains that once a bomb is developed, developing H bomb comes within the reach of nuclear scientists. Discussing Pakistan's nuclear programme, he paid a tribute to Dr Abdus Salam and Dr I.H. Usmani. "They produced a command generation of scientists", he said. Dr Usmani, he said was the "prime mover in the rejuvenation of the vision. To his credit remains the application of nuclear research to medical, agricultural and power sectors (other than Chashma). He has been dead for eight years. He cannot speak for himself." "A nation with self-respect should recognise its heroes and in the nuclear field," Dr Usmani was a hero for Pakistan, Dr Durrani said. Ayub Khan gave the first signal for the expansion of Atomic Energy Commission of Pakistan. Z.A. Bhutto was also the minister for Atomic Energy and he too supported the programme. Asked if that meant nuclear bomb ambitions for Pakistan as early as in the fifties, Dr Durrani vehemently denied, stressing that the aim was purely peaceful, as was proved by the institutions established in that period. PINSTECH and research organisations in Faisalabad for agriculture were set up and research on medical aspects of nuclear science was initiated at that time. Pakistan took to the atomic bomb direction only after India had detonated a bomb, he said. He regretted that the contribution of Dr Usmani had gone unrecognised and suggested that PINSTECH should be named after him. He said that scientists of Pakistan agreed with this idea and not only that, leading scientists of Bangladesh also felt that a movement should be launched for recognising the services of Dr Usmani. "I keep meeting them at the Third World Academy of Sciences and know their feelings about Dr Usmani. They remember him with affection and respect." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000323 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MQM holds demo in London ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nasir Malick LONDON, March 22: The workers and activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of the US embassy in Central London to ask President Clinton to exercise his influence over Islamabad for ending, what they claimed, genocide of Mohajirs in Pakistan. Raising slogans for independence, around 110 demonstrators, including women and children, held an hour-long demonstration outside the US embassy building. "Lay Kay Rahein Gay Azadi" (we will achieve independence), the demonstrators, led by their leaders like Dr Farooq Imran, Saleem Shahzad, and M. Anwar, chanted. They also raised anti-Pakistan and anti Army slogans. The protesters also demanded that the army should go back to barracks and stop the killing of innocent Mohajirs in Karachi and other urban areas. The MQM activists also used this opportunity to distribute pamphlets among the people in the area, highlighting the atrocities against the Mohajirs in Pakistan with particular reference to the arrest of Dr Farooq Sattar. The pamphlet, headlined "Justice denied is life denied" claimed that more than 15,000 Mohajirs had been extra- judicially executed and thousands illegally incarcerated in Pakistan. The demonstrators also handed over a written petition, signed by MQM leaders, to an official of the US embassy. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000323 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Messages: March 23 termed a red-letter day ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, March 22: President Rafiq Tarar has said Pakistan Day testifies the fact that no difficulty can stand in the way of a motivated and determined people to achieve their objectives. In his message on the Pakistan Day, he termed 23rd March a red- letter day when 60 years ago the Muslims of South Asia resolved to have a separate homeland of their own where they could lead their lives in accordance with the tenets of Islam. To achieve this objective, millions of Muslims of the subcontinent waged a relentless struggle under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and transformed this dream into a reality with the blessings of Allah. Meanwhile,Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf has said the government has embarked on a multi-faceted programme of rectifying social evils and rejuvenating the economy. In his message on the Pakistan Day, he said that to achieve those national objectives, the government had set up new institutions such as NRB (National Reconstruction Bureau), NAB (National Accountability Bureau) which were in the process of improving the government system to make it more public service-oriented. He said Pakistan had seen many divergencies, both in political and in economic areas. "It was due to lack of stability in these two spheres that we could not make our beloved Pakistan economically and socially as strong as was conceived by the founders of Pakistan," he said. The government, he said, was bequeathed a wrecked socio- political structure, weakened institutions and, above all, a system of bad governance where people had lost confidence in government and leadership. He said political upheavals, social disorder and rampant corruption had created endemic conditions of uncertainty for the common man who had to suffer all kinds of deprivation.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000321 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Prosecution demands death for Nawaz ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Tahir Siddiqui KARACHI, March 20: The prosecution on Monday demanded maximum punishment - death sentence or life term - for deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other accused in the plane hijacking case. Advocate-General Raja Qureshi argued before Judge Rahmat Hussain Jafferi of the Anti-Terrorism Court No 1 that it was the mandate of this court to award maximum punishment to the accused under the law. Opening final arguments at 8:45am, the AG submitted that around 4:30pm on Oct 12, 1999, COAS General Pervez Musharraf was "purported to have been retired and General Ziauddin was purported to have been appointed COAS by principal accused Mian Nawaz Sharif". He argued that in the process of retirement and appointment a conspiracy was hatched at the Prime Minister's House at Islamabad to ensure that the COAS, who was on an official tour to Sri Lanka, did not land on the soil of Pakistan. He submitted that between 5pm and 7:50pm, Nawaz Sharif hatched the conspiracy with co-accused Shahbaz Sharif, Saifur Rehman and Saeed Mehdi in the PM's House and with co-accused Syed Ghous Ali Shah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Maqbool Ahmad and approver Aminullah Chaudhry at Karachi by telephone. "The conspiracy was hatched with the object of hijacking the PK- 805, which was to land at Karachi airport with 198 passengers, including 50 American students, the COAS and the crew members on board, and abducting and attempting to cause Qatl-i- Amd (intentional murder) of 198 souls." The AG argued that in order to ensure, execute, enforce and implement the objective of the conspiracy, Nawaz Sharif in collaboration with Shahbaz Sharif, Saeed Mehdi and Saifur Rehman contacted the then director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority, Aminullah Chaudhry, and the then PIA chairman, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, to ensure that the PK-805 did not land anywhere in Pakistan. "This step was taken by the co-conspirators at Islamabad with a view that the CAA and the PIA were the only two agencies which exercised professional and operational control on all flights flying to and through the airspace of Pakistan," he added. The chief prosecutor stated that the telephonic contacts were established from the PM's House in Islamabad and the CM House in Karachi between Nawaz Sharif and Ghous Ali Shah with Rana Maqbool Ahmad. Accordingly, he argued, orders were issued and received to the effect that "in the event PK-805 lands at Karachi airport, the same should be parked at the end of runway, refuelled through the bowser and no one should be allowed to get into or disembark from it; the aircraft be surrounded by heavy police contingent and APCs; and after refuelling, it be sent anywhere out of Pakistan". He said that accordingly, orders were passed and relayed by Rana Maqbool to all the SSPs of Karachi to bring one APC each to Karachi airport. "Further, accused Rana Maqbool conveyed orders to the SSP of Nawabshah, Ehsanullah Gondal, to go with heavy police contingent to Nawabshah airport (which was the alternative designated airfield for PK-805), and upon landing, arrest the COAS, take him to a rest house and confine him there, while accused Syed Ghous Ali Shah and Rana Maqbool Ahmad would reach (Nawabshah) immediately." Later, he argued, accused Syed Ghous Ali Shah and accused Rana Maqbool Ahmad arrived at Karachi airport while the former IGP had already issued directions to DIG Akbar Arain and SSP Bashir Memon to reach the airport for "implementation and execution of the orders emanating from the PM's House". DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000322 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Clinton calls for restraint, dialogue ------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW DELHI, March 21: US President Bill Clinton called on Tuesday for restraint and dialogue between India and Pakistan. Clinton's made his appeal on the first day of a state visit to India that was overshadowed by the massacre of 36 Sikhs in occupied Kashmir - the region that lies at the heart of the long-standing dispute between India and Pakistan. "Respect the Line of Control, show restraint, stand against violence, restore the dialogue," Clinton said in a clear message to both New Delhi and Islamabad. "The violence must end," Clinton told a joint press conference after his talks with Vajpayee. President Clinton said he had agreed to raise Indian concerns about terrorism, highlighted by the massacre of 36 Sikhs, with Pakistan officials. Clinton, speaking to reporters at a joint news conference with Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee, said Monday's killings demonstrated the need for dialogue, restraint and an end to violence in the disputed territory. "The prime minister said he hoped I would say that in Islamabad and I will," Clinton said after Vajpayee pointed an accusing finger at Pakistan for the massacre. Clinton refused to assign any blame for the incident but said attacks on civilians were unacceptable in any context. Asked if the massacre had come up in discussions with Vajpayee about terrorism - acts like the hijacking last year of an Indian airlines jet - Clinton said it had not. "I don't suppose it came up in the context of overall terrorism in the sense that it just happened last night," Clinton said. "We have to know who did it before there could be a conclusion about that."- AFP
=================================================================== BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- DAP imports: Decision likely to be revised ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rauf Klasra ISLAMABAD, March 23: The government may revise its decision regarding DAP import to meet country's requirements during kharif season (April-September 2000) to avoid '98 crises like situation when its (fertilizer) shortage had led to reduced crops production. Last month, the government had decided that it will not import fertilizer through FID during the season and will encourage the private sector to meet the requirements of the growers. If the decision to import DAP is taken, 200,000 metric tons of fertilizer will be imported worth $44 million. Rashid Mahmood Ansari, MINFAL spokesman told Dawn no decision has been taken on this issue. However, the government was closely watching the fertilizer availability situation. He said the government would continue to watch the situation. If any shortage was reported, the government will make it sure that growers get the commodity at their door step at cheap rates. Earlier, sources in the finance ministry said, ministry of food, agriculture and livestock had requested secretary general finance to arrange $44 million for DAP import in the season. Sources pointed out that if required, Fertiliser Import Department (FID) will be required to import 200,000 metric tons of DAP to meet the demands of growers during the coming kharif season.The ministry had told the finance division that among other cash crops of kharif, this ministry was going to launch a campaign for substantial increase in the cultivation of sunflower to cut the edible oil imports. The ministry also pointed out that a major output will of course will be the timely availability of DAP to growers. It was also pointed out that the ministry has estimated that in addition to imports by private sector, imports by the FID should al least line up imports of DAP totalling 200,000 metric tons. Later, it was decided that government will depend on the import commitments made by the private sector and will not allow its Fertiliser Import department (FID) to import DAP. According to estimates, demand of DAP during April-Sept 200 would be 360,00 metric tons. M/S Engro Chemical had already told the agriculture ministry that on the basis of domestic production estimates and import planned by the private sector, it was felt that the FID need not to import DAP for the next kharif crop.However, concerned circles felt that government must import some quantity of the DAP in order to ensure availability of sufficient quantity of fertiliser during coming season to stabilise the prices in the local market on the one hand and remove the pocket shortage and maintain a buffer stock. The government is not ready to take any risk like it happened in '98 kharif season when wide spread shortage of DAP had dealt a serious blow to the crops output. The sources added that estimated requirement of DAP fertilizer during next kharif 2000 indicates that total requirement during April-Sept would be 360,000 metric tons. Month-wise availability of DAP fertiliser through imports by private sector and local production during kharif 2000 indicates that opening stock is 314,000 metric tons, local production during kharif 163,000 metric tons, anticipated imports by private sector 190,000 metric tons. Thus, the total availability has been estimated at 667,000 metric tons. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- United States economy heading for downturn ------------------------------------------------------------------- By David R. Francis Despite its recent kinetic energy, the US economy is headed for a downturn. The only questions: when and how far? That, at least, is what economists are predicting. Of course, they have been forecasting a slowdown for the past four years. The economy has responded with mocking disdain. This time, however, there may be some truth in the predictions, for several reasons: - Oil prices have soared above $30 a barrel, putting a damper on consumer spending. Three times since 1973, a sharp jump in oil prices was followed by recession. - The federal budget has a big surplus. By not spending the money, Uncle Sam puts another brake on the economy - at least in the short term, some argue. "A natural cooling off of the economy," says Martin Bailey, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers. "I have great confidence in [Fed] Chairman [Alan] Greenspan." The Clinton administration forecasts economic growth of 2.9 per cent this year, after inflation. That compares to a vigorous 4.4 per cent annual average since 1996. And the economy ran at a blazing 6.9 per cent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 1999. Most economic forecasters have been predicting a walking - not running - economy for at least three years. They were wrong. Now their consensus forecast says 3 per cent in 2000. The Fed has waggled its finger four times since last July, raising the short-term interest rate 0.25 percentage points each time. In the US, the federal funds rate now stands at 5.75 per cent. This rate, charged by banks on overnight loans, could go to 6.5 per cent - or higher "if the economy does not slow by summer," says David Wyss, chief economist of Standard & Poor's DRI, a Lexington, Mass., consulting firm. Watch those auto loans the prime rate of banks. Now at 8.5 per cent, will rise in step. Homeowners with equity loans, car buyers getting auto loans, will see their rates zoom upward. Economists figure the Fed will eventually dampen growth. Last Thursday, the government reported that producer prices rose 1 per cent in February - the largest hike in nearly 10 years. The numbers were boosted by higher prices for home heating oil, gasoline, and other energy sources, and higher cigarette prices. The consumer price index upturn of 0.5 percentage points, announced Friday, may also encourage the Fed to act. A second key factor expected to slow output is the jump in the price of oil by some $20 to about $30 a barrel. That leads to roughly an $80 billion transfer of income from domestic consumers to foreign oil producers. "Think of it as a big tax hike," notes Lawrence Kudlow, chief economist of CNBC. Though Mr. Kudlow sees snappy growth at a 5 per cent annual rate in the first quarter, the oil "tax" could shrink the growth rate by half for the rest of the year. But recession is not generally expected. The magnitude of the oil price rise is relatively small. After the quadrupling of oil prices in 1973-74 and their doubling in 1979, Americans began using energy more efficiently. "In just 10 years, the average number of gallons consumed annually by passenger cars alone fell by 28 per cent," notes Irwin Kellner, an economist at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Even with more light trucks on the road today and average vehicle mileage up 16 per cent from 1973, gasoline consumption per car is lower today than 26 years ago. Cars and trucks are nearly 50 per cent more efficient. Industry also has cut energy consumption. Offices, nearly three- quarters of which have been built since 1980, use more efficient heating, cooling, and lighting. They're better insulated. Last year, the total value of crude oil used by the US fell to about 1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), the nation's output of goods and services. It was 6.5 per cent in 1981. Moreover, the crude-oil price of $28 a barrel in 1981 is the equivalent of $68 in 1999 dollars. Nonetheless, Mr. Wyss does expect the higher oil prices to have some impact on the economy. Dollars spent on gasoline are not available for buying other goods. The oil price hike acts as a "drag," concurs Donald Strazheim, president of the Milken Institute in Los Angeles. Mr. Bailey, the White House economist, sees the current federal budget surpluses as another drag, meaning interest rates need not climb as high as they might otherwise to slow the economy. Despite the forces slowing growth, few economists expect an outright recession. What could create such a scenario, though, is a major stock market bust, an unexpected inflation explosion, or dramatically higher oil prices. Cynthia Latta, another economist at Standard & Poor's DRI, predicts a 10 per cent chance of such a downturn late this year. The odds rise to 35 per cent in late in 2001 and 2002. As the economy is buffeted by various pressures, many analysts see investment fads changing on Wall Street as well. Prices of major industrial stocks rose at a record pace Wednesday and Thursday. Technology stocks, which had been soaring, plunged early last week, then recovered.-Dawn/CSM Service. (c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000320 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Economic implications of Clinton's visit to SA ------------------------------------------------------------------- By M.S. Qazi One of the dimensions of US President Clinton's visit commencing March 19 to South Asian countries, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, is being visualished as a source of economic stability in the region and is likely to boost trade and foreign investment in these countries. Given ground realities of the economies of the host countries, entangled Indo-Pak relations and US strategic economic interests, the basic question is: how far such a perception would hold? President Clinton's visit has many dimensions. Main thrust of his visit is to further US interests in the South Asian region who include economic as well as strategic. The later interests of the US conflict with the security perceptions and security concerns of regional states, particularly India and Pakistan. In the midst of varying perceptions and conflicting interests, President Clinton's visit aims at two points narrowing down the perceptual gap on security matters between the US on one hand and India and Pakistan on other and giving concrete expression to mutually beneficial economic interests between the US and the host countries. There are positive indications that India will be the major beneficiary keeping in view the strategic relationship which Washington and New Delhi intend to develop. Pakistan will be at the receiving end because of various policy constraints pursued by Islamabad and Washington. The Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Karl Inderfurth, in a statment on President Clinton's visit to South Asia said that there was a convergence of US and Indian interests in "maintaining an open international economy while addressing the potential inequities of globalisation and pursuing mutual benefit through private cooperation in the high technology sectors that will provide impetus to economic growth in decades ahead." About US-Bangladesh economic relations, the Assistant Secretary was not specific but as the indications are that economic matters will be discussed. The Indian economy is an emerging economy. It is faced with problems of trimming the fiscal deficit (projected 5.1 per cent of GDP for the year 2000-2001 against 5.6 per cent of GDP for last year) and mobilising resources for infrastrucural development. However, its forex reserve have increased form $26 billion to $32 billion in one year and it has attained an economic growth rate of 5.9 per cent of GDP. The NDA government led by BJP has kept the liberalisation programme of the economy alive that was initiated by the Congress government in 1991. The Indian finance minister in the budget for fiscal year 2000-2001 has projected growth rate of 7-8 per cent of GDP. He has expressed government's aim to attract foreign investment of around $10 billion by the year 2004- 2005, three times more than last years' investment. India also wants to boost its exports from I T industry from its current level of $3 billion to a higher level. Keeping in view the size of the Indian economy, its volume, growth rate and government's willingness to go alongwith the US and western economic development strategy Washington is certainly encouraged to seek a strategic economic relationship with India. India's financial markets are caught up with optimism that concrete results of President Clinton's visit would be increased trade and investment. Inclusion of a large number of the CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of US companies in the president's entourage is being cited as one of the reasons. It is also being argued that Washington is poised to give boost to bilateral trade between the two countries which totalled $10.9 billion during financial year 1998-99. India's economy worth more than $500 billion is considered to be one of the worlds strongest economy. (In the long-term US perspective, it could be useful to counter the region's economic heavy weight, China). India has demanded lifting of economic sanctions imposed because of N-explosions conducted in May, 1998. Under the changing scenario, the possibility of easing economic sanctions gradually cannot be ruled out. Presently, US is India's largest trading partner accounting for 21.7 per cent of India's exports and approximately 9 per cent of its imports. It is expected that exports, imports and volume of bilateral trade would improve substantially. However, some of the observers are of the view that miraculous growth of the Indian economy, US strategic economic relationship notwithstanding, on the pattern of South-east Asian 'tiger' economies is a far fetched idea because of the structural problems such as large public sector and high subsidies that plague the Indian economy alongwith other problems related to macro-economic indicators and management. Despite such reservations, President Clinton's visit is likely to open new vistas of economic and technological co-operation between New Delhi and Washington. President Clinton's visit to Hyderabad, a high-tech capital in the making symbolises desire for technological cooperation in future. Economic and commercial relations between US and Bangladesh will be the highlight of President Clinton's visit to Bangladesh. Washington is appreciative of the efforts made by the Bangladeshi government to end child labour in the garment industry and to alleviate poverty through micro-crediting. Washington's financial assistance is likely to come through substantially to make further progress in each of these important areas. US investment which has risen from $75 million to over $750 million in past three years. It is likely to get further boost as US companies are keen to develop large energy reserves of Bangladesh. Economic relationship between Washington and Islamabad has been marred by a sequence of developments during the last one-decade. The main contributory factor was Washington's reservation about Pakistan's N-programme. It resulted in economic and military sanctions against Pakistan. The relationship soured further when Pakistan exploded N-devices in May, 1998. Because of economic sanctions imposed by the US and as a consequence of poor management of the economy by successive governments since 1989 the economy was pushed towards a near collapse situation in late 1998. Forex crunch and stoppage of financial assistance committed by the IMF, the WB, the ADB and IFIs at the behest of Washington worked as catalyst to deepen the economic crisis. Economic and inter-state relations between the US and Pakistan have lost a common ground after army took over the reigns of power on October 12, 1999. Washington had earlier disfavored using extra- constitutional methods to change the government and has been pressing for restoration of democracy. The "cooling down" of US- Pak relations have serious implications for national economy. Pakistan's economy presently faces problem on three major accounts. First, it has not developed the capacity to meet foreign debt liabilities, which are likely to be around $5.5 billion by March, 2001. Second, the position of forex reserves, remittances by expatriates and FDI remains perilous. Third, Wapda-HUBCO row over electricity tariff has remained unresolved. It has sent negative signal to foreign investors. The IPP row directly concerns the US interests. In addition to these factors growth rate is depressing and is likely to continue to be so because of political uncertainty persisting in the country. The basic question is: will President Clinton's visit in any way help Pakistan to overcome such economic vows? Rescheduling of foreign debt for second time is urgently called for if Pakistan is to avert default. A default situation is worrisome both for Islamabad and Washington for their own specific interests and reasons. Islamabad can be helped by Washington. Debt rescheduling would help improving Pakistan's image in international corporate community. But rescheduling would be meaningful if the government worked to end political uncertainty and adopted consistent economic polices. The IMF will also help Pakistan only if it gets a nod from Washington. US economic interest in Pakistan during the past few years have been hurt. The Wapda-HUBCO row is specific to Washington's concern because besides HUBCO, five major IPPs were sponsored by the US companies and their investment comes to $1.6 billion investment. Winding up of business by five pharmaceutical companies due to price curbs for keeping price freeze, bare minimum activity by Bank of America and dissatisfaction of US oil and gas companies with ever-changing policies of the government have also sent negative signals to the US government and investors. These issues, in particular the IPP issue, is likely to come up briefly during Clinton- Musharraf talks. The Pakistan economy needs a strong dose of foreign investment, the IMF assistance, implementation of consistent economic policies in secure a political environment and lifting of economic sanctions against Pakistan by the US and western countries. General Musharraf has the opportunity at hand to capitalise on the brief stop-over. He may have to make his political agenda flexible to gain on the economic front. The opportunity should not be lost. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000320 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Macro-role for micro-credit ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Sultan Ahmed A billion rupees is a small amount as seed-capital for the new micro-credit bank in a country with total bank advances of Rs750 billion. But it is only the initial capital or first allocation for the bank in a country in which 40 per cent of the people lives below the poverty line. The bank headed by a prominent banker Ghalib Nishtar is to be capitalised further by the national commercial banks as well as international financial institutions. While the Asian Development Bank is to provide $70 to 100 million initially, the World Bank is to follow with more, and the IMF too is to assist the bank for the poor. International financial institutions are giving a great deal of importance to poverty-alleviation in a world in which after over 50 years of their role they find almost 25 per cent of the people of the world living in poverty. Recent studies showed the number of the poor had risen from 1.2 per billion to 1.5 billion following the economic turmoil of 1997, which though it began in East Asia had its impact on Latin America and Africa as well. The former Soviet bloc countries, passing through their prolonged transition, too were affected by that economic meltdown. Michael Camdessus who has retired as managing director of the IMF has voiced a sense of guilt on behalf of the IMF for its failure in this key sector and wants the IMF and other international bodies to do all they can to reverse the process. The World Bank president James Wolfensohn feels equally strongly about it and is expressing himself on the issue eloquently. In Pakistan, Chief Executive General Pervaiz Musharraf wants to give top priority to fighting poverty and has made it one of his five top objectives. And he has allocated Rs15 billion this year and Rs20 billion next year for his anti-poverty campaign which is part of his economic revival plan. While the initial capital of the Micro-credit Bank is small other banks have come up with larger funds to promote the same objective. The Habib Bank has allocated Rs2 billion for the purpose, and National Bank of Pakistan Rs1.5 billion. Habib Bank was the first to start a micro-credit scheme, in 1998, with the assistance of a NGO. The United Bank officials say they too are keen on playing their role in this sector but have not indicated their initial outlay. The reason could well be delay on the part of its new chief Amar Zafar Khan to take charge of the bank which he has now done. With the much lauded Grammeen Bank of Bangladesh as its model, the National Bank is to set up five centres - three in the Punjab and one each in Baluchistan and Azad Kashmir - to provide Rs5,000 to Rs30,000 per skilled person on the basis of personal guarantees of two persons from their own community. The interest rate is to be 16 per cent which is rather high. But the skilled persons have been borrowing from private money- lenders at higher rates of interest. But usually they return the loans quick as their trade does not involve large investment or long-term investment. Their turnover is also pretty quick. An earlier estimate by the State Bank had said the total of the bank credit availed by the small industrial sector was less than five per cent of the total credit. And that was returned pretty quick. Another study earlier showed that one person can be employed in the small scale sector at 1/80th it cost to employ a person in the large scale sector. In some sophisticated industries in Hub Chowk a person was provided employment after a capital out-lay of Rs10 million had been made showed a suty by economist Kaiser Bengali. No wonder despite the large capital employed too many persons are unemployed and eventually 4,000 industrial units are reported sick. And that meant they shed a great many workers, while the total bank default is over Rs145 billion. Of course, if the banks had been more vigilant and the State Bank of Pakistan had shown greater alacrity less capital would have been employed or for the same number of persons employed or far more persons would have been employed for the same. Now is the time to make up for the past. The policy to be followed is a deviation from the past when 4 per cent of the borrowers got 83 per cent of the loans and the rest of 86 per cent of the borrowers were left with 17 per cent of the credit. On a lesser scale an experiment was made with the Women's Bank, and it has a record of recovering 94 per cent of the loans, which is far better than the performance of the other public sector banks. What that means is the default by the small- borrowers is really small. In a country where barely 28 per cent of the people are employed with a small percentage of women, a great deal has to be done to promote self- employment and development of small industries. In Baglandesh the back bone of the Grammen Bank is women who borrow the money, use that largely in the garment manufacturing and return the capital in time. Their record is excellent. But in Pakistan, where the women are less liberated and more dependent on their men economically, the borrowers are more likely to be men and they may not be as conscientious in returning the money as the women are. And yet they have to be encouraged with the necessary safeguards for ensuring return of the capital or the culture of repaying loans. What is apparent is the scheme will be refined and strengthened as it makes progress. The banks will be playing by the ear, as they say in music. The reward for repaying the loans in time is more loans and larger loans for larger enterprises. And that can indeed be encouraging for development of the repaying culture. When Nawaz Shairf as prime minister was cautioned against his ambitious yellow taxi scheme he used to say if the very rich could vanish with the large loans we should not mind losing small loans given to small men. That approach made the scheme crash midway after a large number of unscrupulous borrowers who were not really poor got away with the taxis and quickly sold them to others. Many small taxi-owners were not the real gainers as much as the bank staff and the bank union leaders and others. Under the new scheme care has to be taken to ensure that a crop of middle men do not come up and grab a large part of the loans to be lent. That may delay the loan-giving to some extent. Secondly the amount of Rs5,000 to Rs 30,000 proposed per head-may not be enough to start one's own business for skilled persons. So there is likely to be flexibility in this area on the basis of merit of each applicant and the project on which he proposes to invest. The interest rate of 16 per cent is almost the same as proposed by the Nawaz Sharif government for his second taxi scheme as well as his 'Mera Ghar' scheme. And that is likely to come down as the interest rate comes down. Governor, State Bank, Dr. Ishrat Hussain is striving for that. Care will have to be taken to avoid a glut in any particular sector as a results of over-investment in that. It may not be easy in the initial stage to export their products, and if they do not sell well in the local market they may come to grief and the banks suffer. The banks, which lend the money, may have to play an advisory role. Or it should encourage some recognised NGOs to do that. It is also necessary to encourage cooperative societies in such sectors so that they could get their raw materials cheap and do the selling of their products profitably. A single or a group of skilled workers may not be able to produce their products, buy the raw materials and sell their output profitably at every level. The country needs to develop a good marketing structure for such products as the cottage industries departments do but without their red-tape or corruption. Clearly giving micro-credit and recovering it is only one process among several. The other activities must receive enough attention for the micro-credit to give macro results. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000325 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Foreign portfolio investment falls ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mohiuddin Aazim KARACHI, March 24: Foreign investment in Pakistan stock market fell in the first eight months of this fiscal year to almost half the amount it had attracted in the same period of fiscal 1998-99. Foreigners bought about Rs 3.2 billion worth of shares between July 1999 and February 2000: they had purchased Rs 6.25 billion worth of shares between July 1998 and February 1999. The data has been obtained from Karachi Stock Exchange that keeps a record of buying and selling of shares by foreigners. KSE management admits that the data cannot be treated final because it is complied on the basis of voluntary declarations by the stock brokers handling foreigners. Yet the data indicates the market behaviour to a big extent. KSE statistic show that foreigners sold around Rs 5.8 billion worth of shares in the first eight months of this fiscal year: In the same period in 1998-99, they had sold shares worth Rs 6.65 billion. An analysis of the two sets of buying and selling figures will show that the net outflow of funds in the first eight months of this fiscal year rose to Rs 2.60 billion from only Rs 390 million in the same period of fiscal 1998-99. KSE officials say loss of confidence of foreigners is a key factor impeding growth of foreign investment. Says KSE Chairman Arif Habib: "Loss of confidence is the main impediment. It kept foreigners for a long time from investing heavily in our market." What else held foreigners back was that they had gathered an impression of some kind of capital controls in Pakistan because of certain restrictions put on foreign remittances. "But now the situation is different. The performance of the market has partly restored the confidence of foreigners and we have seen sizable investment in late February and early this month." KSE statistics show, however, that foreigners purchased Rs 666 million worth of shares in February and sold shares worth Rs 812 million. The data relating to March is yet to be compiled. KSE chairman is confident that the stock market should attract more of foreign investment in the months to come. The State Bank cleared pending cases of repatriation of funds in mid January and it is not causing much delay in such repatriation any more. "This has partly removed an obstacle in the way of attracting foreign investment," says Arif Habib. "The task will become easier if the condition to seek the State Bank approval for remittances is done away with. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000305 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Another IPP signs MoU with WAPDA on tariff cut ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Our Staff Reporter LAHORE, March 4: Yet another IPP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WAPDA for reduction in its levelized tariff to US Cents 5.137 per kilowatt hour (KWH). Wapda Chairman Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan and Fauji Kabirwala Power Company Limited Managing Director/Chief Executive Lt-Gen (retd) Muhammad Maqbool exchanged the authenticated documents on behalf of their respective organizations at WAPDA House on Saturday. It is the 12th IPP which has voluntarily reduced its tariff from US cents 5.578 per KWH to US Cents 5.137 per KWH. The revision of tariff will result in total saving of US $ 156 million over a period of 30 years. The project is based on low BTU and pipeline gas in Kabirwala near Multan. The plan has a capacity of 157 megawatts. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000305 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Country to be Opium free By Year End: ANF Chief ------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON, March 4: Pakistan will be opium poppy-free by the end of this year, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director General Maj-Gen Zafar Abbas said in an interview with APP here on Thursday. He called Pakistan a "success story" because no longer was it a drug- producing country, but a "transit and victim state". He said Pakistan's achievement had won worldwide admiration and was cited as a worthy example that other countries affected by the problem could follow. He said the ANF was working on three fronts: liquidating drug supply, reducing and finally eliminating drug demand and ensuring national and international coordination. Pakistan, he emphasized, had shown dramatic results by slashing opium poppy cultivation from a high of 32,200 hectares in the 1980s to only 629 hectares in 1998-99. The total poppy crop last year was only 17 tons. He explained that poppy was grown only in the Bajaur, Mehmand, Khyber and Dir regions of the country. "Come to think of it, in 1985, we were growing 800 tons. By the end of the year, we will have no poppy cultivation at all. This is a remarkable achievement and Pakistan can be well proud of it," the general said. Gen Abbas, who was in Washington to witness Pakistan's certification second year running by the State Department as a country which was fully cooperating with international agencies and the US government for the eradication of drug production and trade, said that Pakistan had been able to practically eliminate opium poppy cultivation because of its commitment, help from international agencies and farmer cooperation. "Where we stop cultivation we try to build roads, hospitals, schools; we bring electricity and water. We encourage the cultivation of alternative crops. You have to make it worth-while for the locals. You must give something in return for asking them to abandon a traditional crop which is money-making." The ANF chief recalled the visit last year to Pakistan of Pino Arllacia, head of a Vienna-based UN drug agency (UNDCP), who called Pakistan a "success story". The UN official told his hosts that he had come to celebrate the success of Pakistan's efforts aimed at eradicating the opium poppy menace. Because of that, the UN agency's projects in Pakistan were extended for another five years. However, said Gen Abbas, this success had been all but nullified by the whopping increase in opium poppy cultivation and production in neighbouring Afghanistan which was now responsible for the bulk of poppy supplies in the world. Large heroin processing laboratories were also active there. The massive rise in Afghan production had come as an eye-opener for the world, he added. The Afghan poppy crop was now estimated at 4,600 tons. Questioned about the ANF, he replied that it was a tightly- run outfit with 50 per cent of its force made up of serving army personnel, 40 per cent by the police and 10 per cent by others. He said the integrity of the organization was universally recognized, adding: "There are absolutely no political or other pressures on us and if and when they have been experienced, we have just ignored them. We act in the highest national interest and all our decisions are taken on merit. We have direct access to the army chief, who also now happens to be the head of the government." "We seek the assistance of the Frontier Constabulary when we need it. We also use helicopters. We can do far more but we need to be better equipped. Most of our resources are from donor countries, principally the US and the UK. Smugglers are very well equipped. They have state-of-the-art equipment, vehicles, guns, and communication gadgets. There are often fierce encounters. Many times they get away because they are faster. They even have rocket launchers and missiles. There were 50 operations in 1999 and we lost some men, some were injured," he said. Gen Abbas said ANF seizures in 1999 were impressive: 5,000kg heroin, 16,000kg opium and 81,000kg hashish. He disclosed that between March 15 and September this year, a countrywide survey would be carried out in Pakistan with the help of the UNDCP to draw up the latest and most accurate drug- related statistics. Asked what in his opinion had been the major achievements of his organization, he answered that there were several: transformation of Pakistan from a producing to a transit and victim country, full US certification of Pakistan for the second year running, increase in seizures, and freezing of smugglers' and drug dealers' assets. He said so far this year not a single pilgrim to Saudi Arabia had been apprehended on a drug charge, thanks to the very strict search and scrutiny to which all intending pilgrims were subjected. "But I will keep my fingers crossed till the last Haj flight has departed from our soil," he added.-APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000321 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Habib Bank plans to shut 110 branches ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mohiuddin Aazim KARACHI, March 20: Habib Bank plans to shut down 110 domestic branches that are either loss-making or earning marginal profits: the bank has closed down 222 such branches in the past three years. HBL officials say they are waiting for State Bank permission to implement the plan. They need SBP permission because all 110 branches are located in villages and hamlets in un-banked areas - the areas where no branch of any bank exists within 2 kilometre. The officials say they have asked SBP to change the definition of un-banked areas so that they can withdraw banking facilities from the places where a bank branch exists within 5-10 kilometre. Bankers say state-run National Bank and United Bank and partly privatized Muslim Commercial Bank and Allied Bank want similar change in the definition of un-banked areas. But SBP continues to stick to its position. SBP officials say closure of bank branches in un-banked areas means depriving hundreds of thousand of rural men and women of the facility to save and borrow and receive money sent to them by their relations abroad. The central bank wants to see these branches operating either under the proposed Micro Credit Bank or under post offices for collecting utility bills. Senior SBP officials told executives of five major banks early this month that they could also retain these branches to conduct weekly banking business. What would be the most suitable recourse for Habib Bank. "For us the most suitable option is nothing but to pull the shutters of these branches down," said an HBL executive. He said the 110 branches that HBL wanted to close down were causing Rs50 million annual loss to the bank. He said his bank had reservations on allowing the Micro Credit Bank or Post Offices to take over these branches. "The idea of weekly banking through these branches cannot work because it will not make them profitable." The executive said the closure of 110 branches would render roughly 500 Habibians surplus but he said they would be posted in other branches. "There is no retrenchment plan. Nobody would lose job," he asserted. Habib Bank runs 1750 branches across Pakistan and more than 100 branches in 26 cities abroad. It has a workforce of 23,000 people including around 1000 working at its foreign branches. All five major banks namely (i) National Bank (ii) United Bank (iii) Habib Bank (iv) Muslim Commercial Bank and (v) Allied Bank plan to close their commercially unviable branches but they are waiting for the SBP nod. NBP plans to shut down 55 branches; UBL 176; HBL 110 and MCB 76. The number of ABL branches identified for closing down is not known. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000321 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Micro Credit Bank by May ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, March 20: The Micro Credit Bank is expected to start functioning in May this year. This was stated by the Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Shaukat Aziz, while talking to reporters here on Monday after the inaugural ceremony of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Pakistan. The Minister said that ordinance is being prepared for the bank and legal formalities are being chalked out. He stated that Ghalib Nishter, the CEO of the micro credit bank is in the process of forming his team and recruitment has started. The Minister said that the head office of this bank will be located in Islamabad. Earlier, Shaukat Aziz said that the small and medium enterprise sector has to be the leader in spurring growth and that the government is fully committed to promoting this sector and removing all bottlenecks that in the past have impeded its growth. He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SMEA) of Pakistan here on Monday. The Minister said that we want our banking system to redirect their efforts in favour of the small and medium enterprises which hardly get a fraction of bank credit but have consistently performed better in repayment of their obligations. Accordingly the provision of credit to this sector will help the banks in the improvement of their balance sheets. He stated that the government would also support the small and medium enterprises' growth by funding training and research programmes, marketing of their products through Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and simplifying the regulatory regime around their working including tax and labour law. Shaukat Aziz said that the subject of small and medium enterprises is of special significance for this government and that at the heart of the economic revival programme of the government lies the objective of human development and poverty reduction. He stated although we plan to undertake a number of measures for providing security and safety nets to the poor and vulnerable, we believe that providing greater burden of poverty alleviation will have to be shouldered by the process of growth. Earlier, SMEA President, Mr Zafar Iqbal, presented the 'welcome address'.- APP Our Staff Reporter adds: Finance Minister, Shaukat Aziz has assured traders that the 35 cash margin requirement on the import of various commodities will be reduced. In a meeting with Chairman Pakistan Commodity Traders Association (PCTA), Raees Ashraf Tarmohammad on March 18, the finance minister said he would take up the matter with State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) immediately. According to the press release, chairman PCTA said that the rate of three per cent additional sales tax was too high and a source of encouragement for corruption. He urged the minister to bring down the rate at one per cent. Shaukat Aziz assured that he would review the matter in the forthcoming budget. Shaukat Aziz on Monday said the government is evolving a simple and hassle-free system of general sales tax. In a meeting with a delegation of Pakistan Silk & Rayon Mills Association (PSRMA) the minister said to eliminate corruption the new GST system will ensure minimum interaction between taxpayers and tax collectors. The PSRMA delegation led by acting chairman Gulzar Siddiq apprised the finance minister about the problems being faced by the weaving sector with regard to GST. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000322 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Overseas Pakistanis: One-window facility for investment ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Our Correspondent ISLAMABAD, March 21: The federal government is planning to create one-window facilitation offices in major towns for the overseas Pakistani investors. The Board of Investment has started processing a proposal to set up these offices while the CBR and Ministry of Commerce have been asked to remove all the bottlenecks, sources said. They said representatives of overseas Pakistanis who have expressed intentions to invest in certain sectors, met the Chief Executive last month and submitted a list of requirements for their investment proposals to be realised. They met the CE in Islamabad. The CE invited them to visit Islamabad during his meeting with them at Dubai, soon after the military takeover. The potential overseas Pakistani investors' demands included one-window operation for the processing of their applications for procedural clearance, and smooth and trouble-free clearance of their import consignments for their projects. Facilitation offices in major towns, will be located in the close vicinities of the industrial zones and estates, where the Customs, Sales Tax, Central Excise and Income Tax departments. The offices are intended to be set up within this financial year. The CBR has also been directed to clear without any delay the already submitted cases based on demands for investment-promoting taxation measures. The overseas Pakistanis' representatives are reported to have written to the CE last month that they have been facing problems with getting the taxation related bottlenecks removed, and that the cooperation of Customs and Income Tax officials has not been forthcoming in this respect. The CBR would be deputing the relevant tax-wing officials for supporting the BOI programme within a week or so, while the BOI would be sending its case for special allocation for creating such one-window offices next week, after the proposal is duly cleared by other relevant ministries.Back to the top
=================================================================== EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Stepping into the real world ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ayaz Amir IS there no getting out of the world of make-believe in which we live, a world in which pious intentions pass for action and fantasy for reality? Anyone with eyes to see can make out that our external posture is overextended and our internal policies do not make sense. As a nation we are bereft of a sense of direction and yet think we are embarked on a course which in the fulness of time will lead us to the promised land. Of course our people are not without talent. Of course they are hardworking and require only the right touch for their energies to be released. All this is true but it is also true that there is so much about us that just does not look right and which indeed conveys the impression that while much of the world is racing ahead, mastering new concepts and new technologies, we are caught in a time warp and stranded somewhere in the past. The traffic on our roads, the chaos at our airports, the lethargy and procrastination of our bureaucracy, the muddle-headedness of our rulers, are just a few of the testimonials to our national condition. Of the countries in our neighbourhood only one has the distinction of looking worse than us: Afghanistan, whose warring factions have bombed their once peaceful and tranquil country into the 18th century. The others are not without their problems. Poverty and disease in them are rampant. But, if I am not overstating the case, they exude a sense of purpose and direction while we do not. As for India, much as we may abhor the notion, it is forging ahead on many fronts. It has invested in its education and is now reaping the rewards of this policy. By contrast, what a wreck we have made of our education system? The poor pick the weeds of vernacular education while the well-to- do are just not interested because their offspring have their eyes on foreign shores. While there is poverty at the bottom, the Indian middle class has come of age. The market that this creates for industry is huge. No wonder India is attracting foreign investment in a big way. Above all, there is a sense of political freedom in India which makes their media bold and vibrant and gives to their political discourse a confidence not to be found on this side of the border. None of these achievements has given India the speed or dash of the tiger. It is moving along at the pace of a bullock cart but it is moving in a certain direction and although the journey may be long and arduous, there is a sense in India of a final destination. Not so here, which is why the question we most often ask ourselves is not about our journey's end but whether there is light at the end of the tunnel. Let us by all means compete with India. Let us not forsake the people of Kashmir in their hour of suffering and distress. But at least let us have the sense to see that it is not only in tanks and warplanes that we have to match India but in the two things that in this day and age matter the most: education, for without it a country's foundations are built on sand, and political liberty which alone can lend a sense of dignity and strength to a people. Why do our high officials behave so cravenly in front of foreigners, especially if they happen to be white? Because they lack inner confidence. Why is Indian television so much better than ours? Because it operates in an environment of freedom. Why don't English dockers or New York cabbies take nonsense from anyone? Because they have been used to social and political freedom for a long time. If we want to put flesh on our rhetoric we have to change our attitudes. And to begin with we have to discover the holy grail of political stability so that once and for all we get over this destructive and soul-destroying thraldom to military rule. This will not, overnight, make our politicians virtuous or exemplary keepers of the national flame but it will make at least one distinction clear: that the defence of our national frontiers, no mean task, is the job of our soldiers while the management of national affairs has to be left to the representatives of the people. Mixing the two will no longer do. In fact, as we have seen so often before, mixing the two is a recipe for disaster. The question is how is this to be accomplished? Not by any rider on horseback because great as our fascination is for heroes - Salahuddin Ayubis, Ataturks and de Gaulles - we must after 52 years come round to the realization that our soil is not propitious for the sprouting or cultivation of mythical heroes. It is with mortal figures that we must make do. Firstly, then, on its own volition, because no one else can compel it and certainly not Pakistan's bankrupt political parties, the army must perform a supreme act of self-abnegation. Sheathing its sword it must go back to barracks. This has never happened before, the relinquishing of power seldom being a voluntary affair, but this must happen now if the soul of this country, tormented by nightmares and spectres, is at last to know some peace. Secondly, the army having decided to conduct an orderly retreat - an orderly retreat, it must be remembered, being the most difficult operation in war - it must impose a political solution incorporating a few salient points. (1) The purge of the most corrupt political elements so that the political landscape is cleared to some extent of the foulness which litters it. This can be done in an arbitrary, Ayatollah Khalkhali-like, manner without an excessive care for legal niceties because time is of the essence. (2) The immediate holding of fresh elections. (3) Transfer of power to elected representatives, in whatever guise or colour they come. (4) The appointment of President Rafiq Tarar as Rector of the Islamic University in Islamabad. (5) To loud acclaim, General Pervez Musharraf's unanimous and uncontested election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Leaving aside canal desilting and district monitoring, the corps commanders should be concentrating on this agenda which, provided the will and heart are there, can be fulfilled in two or three months' time. As for General Musharraf's seven-point agenda, it can be left as a guiding beacon for the next government. Should it come to that, it can even be made a part of the Constitution. Over the years our lawmakers, forced to bend to the prevailing winds, have done worse than this. The appointment of the service chiefs can be made a presidential prerogative. The president, however, should not be able to dissolve the National Assembly. One last thing. Pakistan Television, which has led many a ruler astray, should be made an honest woman of: its state of concubinage should finally come to an end. The new democratic republic that thus emerges from its cocoon can be monitored by the army so that the politicians of the new dispensation remain on the straight and narrow. Other countries have had transitions from dictatorship to democracy: Greece, Spain, Portugal, to name only three. Making a success of these transitions required, in equal measure, forbearance and restraint from the representatives of the old order and wisdom and vision on the part of the standard-bearers of democracy. With a bit of effort there is no reason why we cannot do the same. Even if in the past our standard-bearers have been soiled figures (Benazir and Nawaz Sharif) there is no reason we should not be able to improve upon them. Before we can teach the Indians a lesson, we have to put our own house in order. At present our affairs are in a mess and what is worse, no one who matters seems to have the remotest clue about how to go about clearing this mess. The way the army is going about it will only make things worse: affect its professionalism and make the return to democracy more painful. There is nothing novel or brilliant in what I have said. It is just common sense, and common knowledge, arising for the most part from our own experience. How many times must it be said that we have tried military rule on three occasions previously and each time the country has had to pay a heavy price for it? How long must we keep on repeating the same experiment, how often tread the same well- worn path? Meanwhile, let there be no mistake about it, the world and even the region are racing ahead leaving us far behind. What, essentially, is Clinton telling India and Pakistan? That we must be sensible and solve our problems not through pretending that they do not exist but through dialogue. When it comes to Pakistan India has blinkers on its eyes. Viewing the Kashmir problem rationally seems impossible for it. But we have blinkers on our eyes regarding a greater number of problems, both external and internal. In the overall competition for the irrational stakes then we seem to have the edge over India. General Musharraf still has time to carve a niche for himself in our history. Although disenchantment with his rule has already set in, there is still time to make amends and strike out in a new direction. But only just because the shadows are lengthening and any more delay will only drag the present team into deeper waters, making a return to the shore all that more difficult. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000325 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Immigration and identity at Eid ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Irfan Hussain AS I write this, it is the day after Eid-ul-Azha in England and the Daily Telegraph has carried photographs and stories of the ritual slaughter of sheep in France and Britain. Apparently, sacrificing animals is illegal in France, but given that there are four million Muslim immigrants there, the police are reluctant to make arrests. In many cases people have erected plastic screens to mask the blood and gore from the road as they despatch newly bought sheep in suburban fields. In Britain, local authorities have permitted this slaughter in abattoirs. In either case, locals have reacted to these photos and news items with some revulsion. Another custom imported into the West by foreign immigrants is the business of forced marriages. A number of horrifying stories have been printed in which the plight of young women brought up in the United Kingdom and then virtually kidnapped and forced to marry relatives back home and endure conditions they have no experience of. This, too, has been criticized and parents have often been prosecuted. These random reports of cultural differences underline the difficulties faced by guest workers in adapting their customs and lifestyles to fit into their new homes. Or in these cases, not adapting. For host populations, these frequently bizarre (and often barbaric) practices are a test of their tolerance. Britain has been much more accepting of cultural differences than most other European countries. The uproar in France over girls wearing headscarves to school simply would not have occurred in the United Kingdom. In the current climate of political correctness prevailing here in the UK, it is considered to be ill bred to comment openly and disparagingly on foreign customs that fly in the face of local culture and traditions. The Brits have long become accustomed to the smells and aromas of subcontinental cooking; indeed they have taken to the cuisine like ducks to water. But things like West Indians driving fast and flashy cars with the music going at full blast raise hackles as well as eyebrows. Muslim women swaddled in traditional veils are objects of scorn and pity. Islamic radicals in Bradford fulminating against western values and demanding the enforcement of the fatwa against Salman Rushdie cause alarm and fury. The subtext here is that if these people refuse to change their customs to fit into their adopted home, why don't they go back to where they came from? In this seldom-articulated debate, immigrants reply that they are not breaking the law by clinging to their cultural roots. They are generally hard-working, tax-paying citizens and are simply exercising the freedom of expressing their identity by dressing and behaving as they are accustomed to. And if the locals don't like it, tough. When we complain of racism and intolerance - the most extreme example of these attitudes being the phenomenon of 'Paki-bashing' - we need to put things into context. Would Pakistanis accept foreigners buying and eating pork in Pakistan, just because their dietary habits permit it? Would we tolerate the skimpy dresses men and women wear in the summer? So before we accuse others of intolerance, it is important to examine just how tolerant we are. But more to the point in a discussion of multiracial coexistence, we need to analyse the motives that brought these migrants to western shores, and how best they can cope with life in a strange and unsettling environment. Clearly, the vast majority are economic refugees who have endured great hardship in order to make a better life for themselves and their families. They are not generally bothered about what locals think of them as long as they are allowed to get on with their lives. Not very educated, their overriding concern is that their children are not 'contaminated' with what they perceive as the lack of morals in the West. They are particularly protective of their daughters, just as they would be back home. These rigid parental attitudes cause the second generation of immigrants great emotional confusion and turmoil. Already different by virtue of their colouring, school-going children of migrant workers try to blend in by adopting the accents and mannerisms of their schoolmates. But at home, they are expected to behave as South Asian children with all that implies in terms of deference to elders, respect and obedience. Girls in particular are not supposed to meet boys, although their western girlfriends do so without any social stigma attached to this normal interaction. This schizoid behaviour creates its own tensions and pressures as children are forced to lead two very different lives from an early age. In the working class areas, they are often subjected to racial taunts despite their efforts to fit in, and at home they have to switch back into the role of good Asian children. As a protective shield, and in an effort to re- assert their identity as they grow older, many of them become more 'desi' than they would have back home. For some, this search for identity takes on a fundamentalist form. But this deliberate return to their roots causes greater isolation and alienation, and although racism is now muted, the fact of commercial life is that nobody wants to employ a ferociously- bearded man, no matter how qualified he is, just as women receptionists wearing head-scarves are not seen as the best advertisements for a company. So when complaining of unemployment among young immigrants, these factors need to be kept in mind. It is not my purpose here to minimize the element of racism in the West. Although it has declined significantly in a single generation, it continues to mar relations between the guest and host communities. But more than colour differences, it is the contrasting cultures, traditions and values that separate the two. The fact is that Africans and Asians now play an important role in everything from sports to fashion to medicine. Educated immigrants are accepted as equals in the upper echelons of society because they do not make a point of flaunting their differences. The problem arises more among the working classes where both communities are generally poorly educated. Third generation children of immigrants who have no first-hand knowledge of their homeland have far fewer hang-ups, and are therefore more easily accepted. Above all, they have acquired professional education and training and have been absorbed into a booming economy. In the United States, most South Asian migrants are better educated and without a social safety net, have had to sink or swim. In most cases, they have swum, and now form one of the most affluent ethnic communities. Very few of them have the time or the inclination to aggressively flaunt their cultural identity as they work harder than most other groups to get their share of the American Dream. For most migrant groups, there is a need to cling to their identity lest it be submerged under a foreign culture. But courtesy - and practical considerations - demand that local customs and traditions be respected.
=================================================================== SPORTS 20000324 ------------------------------------------------------------------- India record comfortable win over Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Viren Varma SHARJAH, March 23: That's one-day cricket, exactly like the golf swing. One day you feel on top of the world and the next day everything goes bust. No one knows why. The Indians were pretty indifferent on Wednesday, losing their opening match by 10 wickets. What went wrong with them was something difficult to figure out. But on Thursday, the story was entirely different. Everything worked pretty well for them. They did a remarkable job to fire out a tentative Pakistan for a modest 146. They then overhauled the score in 43.3 overs, taking a good 12 balls to score the last two runs. Pakistan did raise a vision of a compelling fightback when they removed skipper Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, the two known for scoring bulk of runs, in the space of two runs, but it proved an illusion. Experienced Mohammed Azharuddin and Rahul Dravid played with a cool head to see off blistering spell from a three-pronged Pakistan attack, spearheaded by Wasim Akram. That was the only period when Pakistan held sway. Once the three fiery bowlers - Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar being the other two - were taken off, India paced their innings well. Dravid and Azharuddin prospered in a stand of 70 runs to put India on the road to victory. Dravid hit 26 off 70 balls while the former skipper led the scoring business. By the time Azhar left after scoring 54 off 89 balls with seven fours - his 58th fifth in 329 matches - India needed just 15 runs in almost 13 overs, a task they took a de tour to complete. Earlier, Ganguly (25 off 32 balls) chased Akram and was well snuffled by Moin Khan while Tendulkar was trapped lbw by Akhtar with a 149km per hour delivery. India, no doubt, bowled pretty well, but Pakistan themselves made the life even easier for the Indian bowlers with poor cricket. What has gone wrong with the Pakistan batsmen is a sort of puzzle. Their frontline batsmen are scoring 30 or 40 odd runs, but have not been able to build up a good partnership in the middle, something which has greatly contributed to their inconsistent showing. Pakistan do have the stuff, but what the use unless they don't score. On Thursday, they lost the last seven wickets with the addition of just 38 runs and two run outs further contributed to the mess. In fact, Pakistan looked pretty okay when Inzamam and Yousuf Youhana were the crease after they lost the first three wickets for 62 runs by the 16th over. Inzamam and Youhana, pacing the innings with singles and twos, took the score to 108 in the 29th when things went haywire for them. Youhana ran himself out in a freak fashion when the Indians appealed at the both ends. First, a direct throw at the non- striker's end by wicketkeeper Saba Karim found both the batsmen being stranded well short of crease. And the ball ricocheted to mid-on, Inzamam hurriedly completed the run amid a forceful appeal from the Indians. But umpire Peter Manuel upheld the first appeal made by Ganguly, ruling Youhana after a TV replay. The drama on the wicket seemed to have upset Inzamam, otherwise a cool headed person, as he snicked the very next ball from Robin Singh to wicketkeeper. Four balls later Younis Khan was bowled by Anil Kumble while to play a square cut. Three wickets in the space of six balls reduced Pakistan to 110 for six. All marks to India, who fully exploited the situation thereafter, hardly allowing stroke players like Moin Khan and Wasim Akram to play their shots freely. Akram took 28 balls for his 10 runs while Moin, the last man out, played 33 balls for 14 runs, the statistics amply confirming the command of the Indian bowlers. Pakistan were eventually folded up in 45.3 overs. The highpoints, if any, were the innings of opener Imran Nazir who chipped with a fine 43 off 51 balls with five fours and one six while Inzamam hit 41 off 77 balls with three fours. The third player to reach the double- digit mark was Moin himself. For India, all the bowlers, backed up by effective fielding, bowled wicket to wicket, something which will pleased Ganguly who too blunt in berating his attack against South Africa on Wednesday. Kumble returned with the most economical spell of two for 26 while Venkatesh Prasad, returning to side after Javagal Srinath was ruled out because of groin problem, and Sunil Joshi snared two each as the Indian went to the dressing room wearing a look of satisfaction. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000321 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Spain beat Pakistan 3-2 to clinch Osaka hockey title ------------------------------------------------------------------- OSAKA (Japan) March 20: Half-back Irfan Yousuf missed a penalty stroke as unlucky Pakistan went down fighting 2-3 against Spain after an exciting final in the Olympic Qualifying Hockey Tournament which concluded at Negai Sports Complex here on Monday. Pakistan's star penalty corner striker in the second session. Substitute Eduary Tubau, Fullback Xavier Ribas and centre-forward Xavier Arnau scored the goals for Spain. Spain led 2-0 at the interval. Prince Takamado Nomiya, Honorary Chairman of Japan Hockey Association (JHA) was guest of honour who made the presentation to the players at glittering closing ceremony. Osaka Mayor Isomura Ueda Muneyoshi was also present on the occasion. All teams took part in closing march-past. Piotr Mijula (Poland) was declared the best player of the tournament. Jun Takahashi (Japan) got best goal-keeper award. Sohail Abbas took the highest scorer award and South Korea were awarded the Fair Play Trophy. Pakistan was awarded a penalty stroke after Kamran Ashraf was virtually obstructed from scoring point in 22d minute. Irfan Yousuf took the stroke but goal-keeper Ramon Jufresa safed it on the chest and it sailed over the bar. Pakistan forwards showed good speed, dribble and deception in the first- half as Muhammad Nadeem, Atif Bashir and Kashif Jawwad generated several threatening moves into th Spanish defence. However, poor marksmanship and fine goal0-keeping by Jufresa denied them to open thee account. Spaniards surprised Pakistan in the 17th minute when substitute Eduard Tabau scored the open ing goal on a pass from Xavier Ribas after getting a free ball. Spearhead Kashif Jawwad, who suffered a minor injury, was replaced with Kamran Ashraf in 20th minute. Soon after his arrival he got a free ball inside the circle and when on scoring he was obstructed by Kiko Febregas. New Zealand umpire John Mcracken awarded the penalty stroke. Pakistan's Irfan Yousuf took the stroke and Jufreas blacked the stroke to the delight of the his team-mates. Haider Hussain came in for Atif Bashir just before half time but it failed to work. Pakistan secured their first penalty corner in 31st minute but Sohail Abbas's scoop rebounded after hitting the goal post. Spain consolidated their position three minute before interval. They were awarded their first penalty corner and Xavier Ribas prefect scoop beat goal-keeper Ahmed Alam to make it 2-0. This was Ribas fifth goal of the tournament. Confident Spaniards enjoyed upper hand as Pakistanis looked under pressure. Soon after resumption, Spain got their second penalty corner but Ali Raza thwart the attack with a dash. The match halted for few minute after Ali Raza collided with Ribas who took the hit. Ribas went out after a neck injury. Pakistan got their second penalty corner of the four in the match and Sohail Abbas reduced the deficit to 1-2 with a low scoop which beat Jufreas. But Sohail attempt on a penalty corner was smartly deflected by a defender in 49th minute. After waisting a penalty corner in 52nd minute, Spain forged ahead 3-1. Xavier Arnau took the ball from the top of 265 line and beat a couple of defenders to score the third goal. Arnau came close to score another one off a pass from Santi Amat but missed the target by few inches. At the fag end of the match Pakistan scored their second goal when Sohail Abbas low push struck the board. This was Sohail's 13th goal of the tournament.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000321 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Team unlucky to lose final ------------------------------------------------------------------- OSAKA (Japan), March 20: Pakistan had achieved its prime goal to qualify for the Sydney Olympics but their real task to prepare the team for world's biggest hockey extravaganza starts now. These assertions were made by Pakistan Hockey Federation Secretary Brig (Retd) M.H.Atif in an interview with APP at Nagai Stadium here on Monday after Spain beat Pakistan 3-2 in the final. He said Pakistan played a good game against Spain but was a bid unlucky to lose in the final. However he said winning and losing winning was no matter. "We are now facing gigantic task to mould the boys into winning combination" he said. Atif said he was hoping good results in Oympics but before that a lot of work is still to be done. He praised the team for their good performance and results in recent weeks. He said Olympic qualifying event was not easy for the players as after winning the Azlan Shah Cup in Humid weather in Kuala Lumpur, they played in severe cold weather of Osaka. He said each an every player deserves the credit for their success. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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