------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 06 May 2000 Issue : 06/19 -------------------------------------------------------------------
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + Border talks begin with India + No military help to Colombo + Pakistan denies involvement: US terms South Asia hub of terrorism + Bara traders decide to contact politicians + Judges took oath in national interest, says CJ + IPU suspends Pakistan's membership + Foreign Office rejects US report + Chashma Nuclear Reactor goes 'critical' + Ban on trade unions in WAPDA lifted: Umar + Attorney-general opposes relief to Nawaz, others + Sindh slams Punjab over wheat sale to NWFP + Provinces to get 90% of poverty funds: Shaukat + Army top brass briefed on LoC --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Budget 2000-2001: Agenda to provide basis for IMF credit + Tax survey, assessment: CBR set to net Rs3 billion from Karachi + Sailiya gives May 10 deadline for talks + Mission coming to Islamabad: IMF ready to back reforms + Vegetables, poultry become costlier + Cut in Internet rate to promote IT: minister + Cotton, yarn hedge market: Proposal under study: Dawood + State Bank of Pakistan clarifies + Shaukat's China visit to focus on stalled projects + General Sales Tax, Income Tax survey postponed + Software park feasibility under study + State Bank of Pakistan to launch website --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Till the rains come Ayaz Amir + Intimations of mortality Irfan Husain ----------- SPORTS + Contracts to be amended to offset bookies + Saleh beats Naveen to retain snooker trophy + First Test begins: Ambrose sends Pakistan reeling
=================================================================== DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20000504 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Border talks begin with India ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, May 3: The biannual India-Pakistan border talks between the Pakistan Rangers and the Indian Border Security Force began on Wednesday at Jalandhar, India. Talking to newsmen before departure, head of the Pakistan delegation Major-Gen Abdul Qadir, who is also the director general of the Pakistan Rangers, said discussion on escalation of tension along the borders went out of the purview of talks which were held in accordance with an agreed code of conduct. "However, Pakistan is not interested in creating tension (along the borders)," he said, adding that the talks would not cover national-level issues. According to a handout issued by the Pakistan Rangers, the meeting is part of a mutually agreed programme and aimed at coordination of measures being taken by the two forces to maintain sanctity of the border line. The two sides will discuss matters encompassing a wide range of issues, including smuggling, illegal border crossing, drug trafficking, repair and maintenance of border pillars, cattle grazing and repatriation of inadvertent crossers. The meeting will continue till May 6. -NNI DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000505 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No military help to Colombo: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hasan Akhtar ISLAMABAD, May 4: Pakistan on Thursday asked India to drop pre- conditions for talks if it really sought resumption of a peace dialogue between them. Accusing India of launching a "hate campaign" and a propaganda war against Pakistan, Foreign Office spokesman Tariq Altaf told a news briefing: "There is no doubt that it is war of a kind". To a question about a recent suggestion by the chief executive, Gen Pervez Musharraf, to the Indian prime minister for a meeting at a neutral Middle East venue, the spokesman said: "It shows our positive approach to dialogue at the highest level and our willingness to resolve the outstanding disputes, particularly the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir". He said the Indian leader's negative response towards the CE's offer also showed the negative attitude of India, which, he added, needed to undergo a change. "Intransigence is part of their perennial attitude," he observed. The spokesman told a questioner that Sri Lanka had requested both India and Pakistan for help against Tamil Tigers. He did not elaborate the point. He, however, declared that Pakistan upheld the sovereignty of Sri Lanka which had accused India of assisting the Tamil invasion of Jaffna town. He rejected the Delhi charge of using Pakistan missions in Nepal and Bangladesh for spying against India, saying that was also part of the same malicious anti-Pakistan propaganda. "One expects greater intensity in this campaign if they don't succeed," he added. About Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar's visit to Saudi Arabia from May 6 to 8, the spokesman said it was in pursuance of Pakistan's continuous consultations with the Saudi leadership on important regional developments and international issues. "With Saudi Arabia, we have very substantive and special relationship at all levels - at the highest as well as at the people-to-people level," Mr Altaf observed. He pointed out that there had been many developments in the region in recent times, many important visits had taken place and the situation remained difficult about which the Saudi leaders would be briefed. To a question about Osama bin Laden, the spokesman said the foreign minister would brief the Saudi leaders on Pakistan's "position" if the issue came under discussion. He deplored the killing of nine people by Indian artillery and mortar firing on Wednesday across the Line of Control in the Chakoti sector. It was, he said, a proof of Indian behaviour of wanton killing of innocent civil population and raising tension across the LoC. He rejected the Indian allegation that the firing was made to prevent "infiltrators". CONTACT WITH UN: The Pakistan government was bringing the issue of May 3 killing to the notice of the UN secretary-general, an FO statement said. Pakistan condemned the killing and demanded India must stop such wanton acts and desist from escalating tension in the region. Instead of making unprovoked attacks and intimidatory action against Pakistan, India should commence dialogue, the statement said. The Indian troops using heavy artillery, mortar and field guns fired about 300 rounds, in two hours at the villages near the LoC, the statement said. Agencies add: Pakistan said it will back any consensus reached by the Kashmiri Mujahideen groups on holding talks with India to resolve the dispute. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000501 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan denies involvement: US terms South Asia hub of terrorism ------------------------------------------------------------------- Masood Haider NEW YORK, April 30: The US States Department has, for the first time, identified South Asia as a major hub of international terrorism, the New York Times reported on Sunday. A 107-page report, to be published on Monday and a copy of which was provided to the paper in advance, accused Pakistan and Afghanistan of providing safe haven to international terrorist groups. However, it did not include the two countries among states- sponsors of terrorism. Washington's list of the states harbouring and aiding terrorists since 1993 contained the names of Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Certain tough sanctions automatically apply on the states named in the list, the paper said. "When contacted to comment on the report, Zamir Akram, the deputy chief of the Pakistan mission in Washington, vigorously denied that his country was supporting or tolerating terrorism," the paper said. "Washington has refused to present evidence to support such charges. If they have evidence, they should share it with us," it quoted the diplomat as saying. "We are more of a target and victim of terrorism than the United States has ever been. We need to jointly fight against terrorism. Charges like this simply get our backs up." Talking to Dawn Mr Akram said: "The US, when it walked away from Afghanistan, abandoned that country (which) fell in the trap of all these problems like narcotics, terrorism, gunrunning etc. They (Americans) are as responsible as anyone else for creating the forces that they are now condemning. Terrorism can only be tackled by resolving its root cause and the issues that created it." Mr Akram, while commenting on Pakistan's support to the Kashmiri freedom fighters, said describing their struggle for self- determination as terrorism would be travesty of facts. "Millions of Kashmiri people fighting against the Indian occupation can not be called terrorists," he said. The State Department report has accused Pakistan of harbouring and aiding "known terrorists - many fighting to wrest control of Kashmir from India." It said Afghanistan was posing a major terrorist. The US wants custody of the Saudi exile, Osama bin Laden, and some other Afghan- trained militants hiding in Afghanistan. Laden has been accused of being involved in the 1998 bombing of two US embassies in Africa which had caused a lot of casualties. "While Americans were once threatened primarily by terrorism sponsored by states, today they face greater threats from 'loose networks' of groups and individuals motivated more by religion or ideology than by politics and financed increasingly by drug trafficking, crime and illegal trade," the report observed. Such a network, it added, supported the failed attempt to smuggle explosives material and detonating devices into Seattle in December, it added referring to the arrest of Ahmed Ressam, an Algerian, and several others in connection with the attempted millennium bombing. The assessment is decidedly more upbeat than in years past about some other regions, including the Middle East, and notes that while terrorist attacks worldwide increased, the number of casualties declined, with only five Americans killed last year. Michael A. Sheehan, the State Department's coordinator for counter-terrorism, told the New York Times that Afghanistan was not added to the list because Washington did not recognize its government. Pakistan, it claimed, was not included because "it is a friendly state that is trying to tackle the problem although its record badly needs improvement." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000503 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bara traders decide to contact politicians ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, May 2: Bara market traders of the Muttahida Tajir Ittehad (MTI) have decided to contact politicians and representative bodies of other provinces' Bara market traders to press the government to accept their demands. A decision to this effect was taken at an MTI meeting held here on Tuesday. The Muttahida Tajir Ittehad had also formed a five-member committee to contact politicians and Bara market traders of other provinces, said a press release issued by Muttahida Tajir Ittehad press secretary Ibrahim Shinwari. The Muttahida Tajir Ittehad had asked the government to reconsider its recently announced package, said the press release. The Bara traders expressed the resolve that if they were forced to pay duties at the rate announced in the package, they would close down all the Bara markets for an indefinite period in protest. The meeting was attended by that faction of the MTI which had stayed away from a press conference organized by the MTI on Monday. The meeting decided that nobody from the MTI would contact the government functionaries or hold meetings with them on behalf of the traders. It also decided that action would be taken against those members of the Muttahida Tajir Ittehad who tried to contact the federal government or paid duties at the rate announced by the government. Such persons would be subjected to heavy fines, it decided. Earlier, the meeting reviewed the government's package and rejected it, declaring it against the April 28 agreement reached between the Bara traders and Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider. The meeting expressed the resolve that in the future instead of negotiating with the government alone, the Bara traders of other provinces would also be included in negotiating teams. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Judges took oath in national interest, says CJ ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, May 1: Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan on Monday observed that the judges who took a fresh oath under the provisional constitutional order, had done so in the national interest. The chief justice of Pakistan was heading the full bench of the Supreme Court that resumed the hearing of the constitutional petition challenging the Oct 12 military takeover. He remarked that those of his colleagues who opted not to take the fresh oath, had done so according to their conscience. In response to Wahabul Khairi's request seeking an order from the SC regarding the privileges of those judges who had resigned instead of taking the fresh oath, the CJ said "we bid farewell to them in a befitting manner because this court believes in the human dignity and gives full respect to the legal fraternity". Mr Khairi, chief of the Al-Jihad Trust, is among the seven petitioners who have challenged the proclamation of emergency and the PCO. During arguments, he sought the court's intervention for abolishing the political cell of the ISI. Otherwise, he alarmed, the future election would again be a farce like the previous ones. He said the ISI had always been subverting the election process and thus it had deprived the masses of true representatives by installing "puppets". Mr Khairi alleged that the ISI had doled out huge funds to Mir Afzal, Nawaz Sharif, Lt-Gen (retd) Rafaqat, Abida Hussain, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Jam Sadiq, Altaf Hussain Qureshi (journalist), Salahuddin and many others to manipulate the elections. He urged the court to intervene. The CJ explained that the petitioner wanted to say that it was the duty of the court to safeguard the integrity of the territories, sovereignty and rights of the federation besides issuing appropriate orders if the integrity was jeopardized. Khairi disagreed that the judges had surrendered their independence by taking a fresh oath under the PCO. On that point, the CJ recalled that both Khalid Anwar and Chaudhry Mohammad Farooq had conceded that taking a fresh oath did not effect much as the judges had to take decisions according to the law and the constitution. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- IPU suspends Pakistan's membership ------------------------------------------------------------------- AMMAN, May 1: The international Inter-Parliamentary Union decided on Monday to suspend the membership of Ivory Coast, Pakistan, and Sudan, whose parliaments have been dissolved, secretary general Anders Johnsson said. The IPU's governing council decided "to suspend the membership of the parliaments of Sudan, the Ivory Coast and Pakistan until parliamentary life is re-established in these countries," Johnsson said. An attempt by China, Indonesia and Iran to postpone the decision to suspend Pakistan until the next IPU conference in October failed, as did a similar Egyptian effort on behalf of Sudan. Neither request was able to muster the majority of votes required to override the council's decision, Johnsson said. The council also assigned its executive council the task of "pursuing contacts with the US Congress to persuade it to join the IPU." The IPU conference, which is held twice every year, opened Sunday night and continues until Friday.-AFP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Foreign Office rejects US report ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, May 1: Pakistan on Monday rejected the US State Department's allegations against Islamabad and termed them "unfounded". "Pakistan is opposed to terrorism in all its forms," a foreign office spokesman said in a statement issued here as a rejoinder to the State Department's report launched on Monday. The spokesman said Pakistan had always cooperated with the international community, including the United States, to combat terrorism. The spokesman, however, noted that the report acknowledged Pakistan's efforts to tackle the problem of terrorism. "A number of suspect terrorists have been handed over to the US government and to other countries. Recently, the government of Pakistan announced a de-weaponization drive aimed at cleansing society of all illegal arms that are being used by militants and extremists." President Clinton during his visit to Pakistan, the spokesman said, had also appreciated the level of cooperation that existed between the two countries on this issue. The chief executive, the spokesman added, had also assured the US President of Pakistan's serious approach to the problem and its commitment to continue to fight terrorism. The chief executive, he said, had also referred to the state- sponsored Indian terrorism in Occupied Kashmir where fundamental human rights of the Kashmiris had been suppressed. Indian atrocities against the Kashmiris naturally generated sympathy and support in Pakistan which should not be misinterpreted, the spokesman said, adding, "contrary to the conclusion drawn in the report, Pakistan believes that state terrorism is far more pervasive and pernicious in today's world." Referring to Afghanistan, he said the carry-over of the Afghan war had left many problems in Pakistan, particularly the influx of arms and presence of militants of various nationalities who had come to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet military intervention and had been lauded internationally. "Pakistan has itself been the major victim of the Afghanistan war," the spokesman remarked. He said Pakistan had always conveyed international concerns to the Taliban and had emphasized the need for cooperation with the international community. "Pakistan, however, cannot be expected to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan," the spokesman said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000504 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Chashma Nuclear Reactor goes 'critical' ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent MIANWALI, May 3: The Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP) crossed another important milestone of its final phase of completion on Wednesday evening when the reactor was made critical. "This is the first major step towards nuclear power plant start-up for producing electricity," says a Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission press release. A nuclear reactor becomes critical when the fission chain reaction is made self-sustaining in a highly-controlled and regulated manner to produce energy, it said. Earlier, nuclear fuel was loaded in the reactor between Nov 22-28, 1999. After rigorous testing of various reactor safety systems, the plant was made ready to go critical. CHASNUPP, like all nuclear power facilities in the country, is regulated by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Board (PNRB). The board monitors all plant activities and grants the permit to make the reactor critical. CHASNUPP will now be made ready in the coming weeks for its connection to the national grid for supplying electricity. The plant will be formally inaugurated later this year. The criticality event was witnessed by Dr Ishfaq Ahmad, Chairman PAEC, Member (Power) of the Commission and some members of PNRB; senior Chinese and Pakistan experts were also present. On successful completion of the criticality procedures, Dr Ishfaq Ahmad congratulated the Chinese and Pakistani engineers and thanked them for their painstaking efforts to make this project a success. He said CHASNUPP is a symbol of successful South-South cooperation in high technology and yet another landmark of everlasting Pakistan-China friendship. Mr Pervez Butt, Member (Power), also thanked all involved in the event and said that PAEC engineers have gained valuable expertise by directly participating in various stages of plant construction and commissioning of the plant. He looked forward to efficient operation of the plant for the economic development of the country. General Manager CHASNUPP Mirza M. Azfar Baig was also present on this occasion. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000504 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ban on trade unions in WAPDA lifted: Umar ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, May 3: The government has lifted ban on the trade union activities in Water and Power Development Authority and restored public holiday on International Labour Day, Labour and Manpower Minister Umar Asghar Khan announced here on Wednesday. The ban on trade union activities in the country's major labour- intensive organization was imposed by the deposed government of Nawaz Sharif after handing over WAPDA management to the army. Mr Khan said the government had also decided to streamline the workers welfare fund that was constituted for the welfare of industrial workers in 1974. The minister added that the government was considering a proposal to increase the participation of workers and employers in the WWF board of directors. The government, he said, was encouraging dialogue between employers, workers, government and the consumers to achieve sustainable economic revival in the country. To a question about the hitches in formulation of a new labour policy, he said a number of issues had already been addressed and the policy would be finalized in near future. However, he did not give any time-frame for announcing the policy. Labour secretary Yousaf Kamal in response to a question about any amendment in the WWF charter said that they could utilize the fund for providing medical and educational facilities to the workers without amending the charter. Though the charter gives priority to providing housing facilities to the workers, it can be used for other welfare activities, he added. The International Labour Organization in January had warned the government to lift ban on union activities in WAPDA otherwise they would recommend the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to suspend aid to Pakistan. The ILO experts committee on a complaint filed by All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions in Feb 1999 had recommended a six-point indictment against the GoP. It had also deplored that the government had backed down from its obligations regarding ILO conventions 87 and 98, pertaining to freedom of association and the right of collective bargaining. It had asked the government to repeal ordinances banning trade union activities in WAPDA. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney-general opposes relief to Nawaz, others ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, May 5: Attorney General Aziz A. Munshi on Friday asked the twelve judges bench of the Supreme Court, seized of petitions challenging military take over, not to provide any relief to the party of Nawaz Sharif who indulged in all kinds of financial irregularities for amassing wealth by using official position. The AG consumed whole day in informing the bench how much land - rural and urban- was acquired by the family of Nawaz Sharif when he entered into politics in 1983-84. The AG asked the court that if relief was granted to the petitioners who were followers and associates of Nawaz Sharif, they would try to bring him again in power. The AG tried to convince the court how the former prime minister made fortune while in the corridors of power. The former prime minister whose family owned an industrial empire worth over $3 billion was paying tax amounting to Rs. 897 in one year. They not only acquired lands at nominal rates also plundered nationalised banks. In 1980 the number of industrial units owned by the family of Nawaz Sharif was only one. It rose to 10 industrial units in 1990 during the time when he held the office of finance minister Punjab and chief minister Punjab. During the period of his first stint as prime minister in 1990-93 the number of industrial units rose to 30. For rising from "furnace to fortune", the deposed prime minister used nationalised banks. He said total loan from nationalised banks for industrial units stood at Rs 350 million in 1983. In 1985, at the time when he became finance minister Punjab, it rose to Rs 850 million. In 1989, when he was chief minister of Punjab, it rose to Rs. 2.25 billion. After becoming prime minister the loan from nationalised bank had rose to Rs 10 billion. He said 31 nationalised banks and development financial institutions (DFIs) reached at the verge of bankruptcy as the loan obtained by the Ittefaq Group was never returned. The AG said that family of Nawaz Sharif purchased land on the nominal rates from the farmers. After coming to power the place was declared as industrial and tax free zone. Within four months, the family of the former prime minister made Rs.30 billion by using their official position. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000504 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sindh slams Punjab over wheat sale to NWFP ------------------------------------------------------------------- Rauf Klasra ISLAMABAD, May 3: The Sindh government has protested against Punjab's unilateral decision of selling 80,000 tons of wheat to NWFP from the stock which it had already sold to Sindh last month to meet its requirement. Sources told Dawn here on Wednesday that the Sindh government had approached the federal government to register its protest against Punjab food department's decision saying the "Punjab government must review its decision in the best interest of smooth and uninterrupted supply of wheat stocks to the government of Sindh from the same allocation." Sources said the Sindh government has pointed out to the Centre that it has already sent its team to lift the wheat from the areas identified earlier by the Punjab food department. The sources quoted the Sindh government as saying to the federal government that it had signed an agreement with the Punjab food department for the purchase of 125,000 tons of wheat to meet its requirement. However, it added, the Punjab government reduced the allocation to 100,000 tons. The Sindh government said the transportation of wheat to Sindh from Punjab was negotiated with private contractors and the National Logistic Cell (NLC). After hectic efforts, it added, the NLC was given the contract of wheat transportation to the province as no private contractor turned up on the occasion. Meanwhile, sources said "Punjab diverted its 80,000 tons of wheat to NWFP without taking Sindh into confidence". They said the matter was brought before the federal minister for food, agriculture and livestock by the Sindh minister for agriculture and the food secretary on April 25 in Islamabad during the wheat coordination committee's meeting. Sources said the federal minister instructed the Sindh food secretary to contact the Punjab food secretary to get the details. They said Punjab was of the view that Sindh would be given wheat only on a written request by the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (MINFAL). They said the Punjab government was of the view that in the past the Sindh government had been taking different positions as far as wheat import from Punjab was concerned as it did not take any interest in the transportation of wheat from the province. That was why, sources added, when NWFP contacted the Punjab government for the purchase of wheat, it sold 80,000 tons of wheat immediately to the wheat-deficient province which started lifting the wheat immediately. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Provinces to get 90% of poverty funds: Shaukat ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, May 1: Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday unfolded a poverty reduction strategy under which 90 per cent of the poverty funds would be allocated to the provinces on the basis of their populations and the rest will be distributed equally between Balochistan and the NWFP. He said funds would be given for the Small Public Works Programme (SPWP) which had been launched to create employment opportunities for the deprived sections of society and improve their income. The new programme was named "pro-poor public works programme". Inaugurating a workshop organized by the planning and development division, the minister that under the programme the share of each district will be determined by the concerned provincial government itself. He explained that less developed districts and poverty pockets in rural areas will get a larger share. Mr Aziz said the government will pay special attention to the rural areas as social indicators had tended to be substantially worse in rural areas than urban centres, adding that women and children were particularly disadvantaged. The sorry state of affairs as far as poverty was concerned, he said, could be judged from the fact that incidence of caloric-based poverty in Pakistan had increased from 17.4pc in 1987-88 to 33pc in 1998-99. Now, he said, almost every social indicator of the country (literacy, education, health, nutrition, population growth, and access to family planning services) compared poorly with other developing countries. However, he contended that our development record showed a remarkable progress both in terms of growth in gross domestic product and structural changes in its composition. During 1980-99, he said, the real GDP grew at an annual average rate of above 5.4pc with performance in the key sectors being generally satisfactory. But this performance needed to be improved significantly, he added. He said the key elements of the new strategy were: comprehensive understanding of poverty and its determinants; choosing public actions that have the highest poverty impact; transparency/good governance; outcome indicators that were set and monitored using participatory process. The strategy, he pointed out, recognized that the development of the country was synonymous with the development of people. In the poverty reduction strategy, he said, sustained growth was critical to mobilize he resources. Without growth, he added, we would be embarking upon a road that lad to the redistribution of poverty. "Our strategy is to develop those sectors where most of the poor live. The agenda is based on the development of agriculture sector whose growth reduces poverty because it generates income for farmers and increases demand for goods and services that can easily be produced by the poor," he said. He said the government will emphasize on the farm water management as it helped conserve water and increase farm productivity, particularly in wheat production. Another main area will be to enhance industrial sector efficiency. "An efficient and growing industrial sector raises the overall growth of economy leading to improved income and employment," he added. He also put literacy on his list of priorities, saying there was a direct connection between illiteracy and poverty. Nearly all the poor were illiterate, he said, adding that there were about 50 million illiterate of 10 years and above in the country. The government was initiating a reform agenda for education and health programmes, he added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Army top brass briefed on LoC ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report ISLAMABAD, May 5: Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf on Friday discussed the security situation of the country in a meeting with senior army officers and reiterated his peace talks offer to India. Presiding over a meeting of the 71st Corps Commanders' conference held at the General Headquarter in Rawalpindi, Gen Musharraf reviewed the country's defence situation with special reference to the Line of Control (LoC). According to an ISPR press release, the conference, which was attended by all corps commanders and principal staff officers, deliberated on operational preparedness of the troops. "They received operational briefings pertaining to the prevailing situation along the LoC," the ISPR said, adding that Gen Musharraf expressed his satisfaction on the measures adopted to ensure security along the LoC. The officers also carried out an analysis of the army monitoring system, which had been set up to assist the government.
=================================================================== BUSINESS & ECONOMY DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000505 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Budget 2000-2001: Agenda to provide basis for IMF credit ------------------------------------------------------------------- Haris Anwar KARACHI, May 4: A full-fledged IMF review mission is expected to visit Pakistan after the announcement of 2000-2001 budget whose findings will provide the basis for a reactivation of the IMF lending to Pakistan. Economic experts are of the view that expectations of an early resumption of IMF assistance may be unrealistic, as restoration of Pakistan's credibility would be a necessary first step. "In this regard, the forthcoming budget will be a litmus test for the reform agenda of the present government, and the required follow up actions, will provide the basis of reactivation of IMF lending," economists at the ABN AMRO Bank observed. Foreign bankers said the sequence of events suggested that a team from the Fund was likely to visit Pakistan before the forthcoming budget, which would be followed by a full-fledged review mission afterwards. The Executive Board will then decide on whether to resume lending on the basis of the recommendations of this mission. The International Monetary Fund last week promised early talks on a new loan programme after Pakistan offered to repay $55 million to compensate for the misreporting of fiscal data by the last government. The disclosure of extensive misreporting of budgetary figures by previous governments has compounded efforts for an early reactivation of an IMF programme. The government is looking for a new IMF credit to replace the $1.56 billion loan agreed by the previous administration. Sources said the recent visit of an IMF mission, followed by the continuation of negotiations in Washington DC, represents a return to serious dialogue between the two sides after an impasse of almost one year. "While it appears a lot of ground has still to be covered between the two sides, the reengagement is an important first step in the process towards a new, augmented facility from the Fund," an economist said, adding that, the speed with which Pakistan's standing and credibility is rehabilitated depends on the strength of reforms in the new budget. The IMF has been pushing Pakistan to raise revenues by broadening the tax net, and to control the budget deficit and contain trade imbalances to bring down the current account deficit. The previous programme was suspended last July after it delayed meeting the IMF conditions, such as imposing a retail sales tax and resolving a bitter tariff row with private power producers which had hurt foreign investment. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax survey, assessment: CBR set to net Rs3 billion from Karachi ------------------------------------------------------------------- Parvaiz Ishfaq Rana KARACHI, May 5: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR), under a pilot project, has set a target of over Rs3 billion from the planned tax survey and spot assessment of the city's business centres and residential areas. Though the government has deferred the survey and spot assessment after allowing extension in tax amnesty scheme up to June 15, official sources disclosed on Friday that preparations were afoot to set up survey teams comprising CBR officials and army personnel after imparting short courses. Sources said that recommendations and the target revenue collection from city business centres on account of income tax, wealth and sales tax forwarded by local tax offices had already received CBR approval. Under a pilot project the city's business and residential areas have been earmarked into six different revenue potential areas with Clifton, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Johar expected to yield highest revenue followed by Saddar, SITE, Defence and Bahadurabad, sources said. As per the pilot project of operational plan for survey and spot assessment the highest revenue collection on account of income, wealth and sales tax has been targeted from Clifton area where around Rs850 million is expected to be realized. It has been estimated that Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e- Johar are two other revenue potential areas having expected yield of up to Rs800 million. Officials feel that SITE, Timber and Lea Market areas, have a revenue potential of up to Rs500 million. Similarly, Saddar, M.A. Jinnah Road and adjoining areas are expected to yield around Rs500 million in revenue. Bahadurabad and PECHS are being targeted for collection up to Rs200 million and Defence up to Rs300 million. However, it is difficult to understand that under what method tax officials have fixed area-wise revenue collection as there is a lot of disparity in the expected amounts to be realised from these areas. Official sources disclosed that these surveys and spot assessments could not be challenged in any court of law. Similarly no stay could be granted to stop these revenue collecting and tax net expanding drive of CBR to be carried out with the assistance of army. However, in case of difference of opinion a departmental appeal could be filed, sources added. In case of businesses, decision with regard to turnover would be made after assessing stocks of individual entity during the survey and spot assessment, official sources maintained. Our correspondent from Islamabad adds: The government is likely to promulgate an ordinance for providing legal cover to conduct the proposed tax survey, said the sources on Friday. Senior CBR officials met the Directorate of Operations (Army) officials on Friday and discussed the legal aspects of the survey on the pointation of CBR officials that there did not exist an operating law allowing door-to-door and shop-to-shop survey. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000430 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailiya gives May 10 deadline for talks ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter LAHORE, April 29: Traders will observe a countrywide strike from May 19 to 21 if the government fails to negotiate with their true representatives till the May 10 deadline. This was stated by All Pakistan Organization of Small Traders and Cottage Industries Chairman Umar Sailiya at a news conference at the Lahore Press Club on Saturday. Mr Sailiya, who had reportedly suffered a heart attack a few days ago, was administered a drip during the news conference by an accompanying medicoman. He said the decision to go on strike had been taken after due consideration as "we do not want to damage national economy by unnecessarily resorting to such actions." Mr Sailiya said the imposition of general sales tax, income tax survey and raids to recover smuggled goods had made the lives of traders miserable. "But we will put up a stiff resistance if anybody tries to enter markets for any survey because this is a matter of life and death for us," he said. Mr Sailiya said a meeting of his organization had decided that the traders would neither receive the GST from their customers nor would they keep a record of it or pay it to the government. He said the government should not disturb and harass small traders and instead wind up the corrupt departments of the CBR which were costing billions of rupees to the national kitty. Mr Sailiya said the traders would have to take direct action if any attempt was made to collect the GST. He said the corrupt among income tax department officials were not allowing expansion in the tax net. At present, only 450,000 people were paying the tax while the income tax officials were keeping scores of others out of the tax net by receiving bribes from them. He said the organization had offered to the government that it would bring the tax-evading traders to the tax net. But this offer was not heeded to because of the corrupt income tax officials, he alleged. He blamed big traders for evading taxes and duties. The small traders were providing jobs to 70 per cent of the unemployed youth in the country. He said the traders wanted to pay the tax and had reached an agreement with the government on Sept 9, 1999, in this connection. According to the agreement, the government was to impose the development tax and to realize Rs 14 billion from the traders under this head. But the CBR officials misled the government making it to tread some other path. Mr Sailiya appealed to the government not to follow the wrong advice of the CBR officials and negotiate with the traders on the issues confronting them. He condemned what he said an attempt of the administration to disallow a meeting of the traders unions' meeting at a local hotel. Replying to a question, he said his organization would negotiate only with the chief executive. He said his organization was against smuggling but instead of taking an action against the small traders, the government should lay hands on the 'big fish'. Meanwhile, the Punjab home secretary held a meeting with the traders in his office earlier in the day. Reporters were informed that the proceedings of the meeting would be made public through a handout but this was not issued. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000430 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mission coming to Islamabad: IMF ready to back reforms ------------------------------------------------------------------- Masood Haider WASHINGTON, April 29: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed its readiness to send a mission to Islamabad in near future for talks on bold and wide-ranging reforms programme. Eduardo Aninat, the managing director of the IMF and chairman of the Fund's executive board, acknowledged here on Friday that Pakistan had agreed to repurchase SDR18.95 million in outstanding debt to the IMF and to voluntarily repurchase another SDR22 million (or $55 million) by May 31, 2000. The IMF directors appreciated Islamabad's finance team for discovering the discrepancies in the fiscal data and reporting them to the Fund. "Once the misreporting of fiscal data episode is put to rest the (Pakistan) authorities could move forward with a bold and wide- ranging reform programme designed to achieve a high and sustainable growth path that could be supported by resources from the IMF," they said. In a statement, issued after a meeting of the Board of Directors, Mr Aninat said that the directors commended Islamabad's cooperation with the staff in data revision process. The directors expressed concerns over the misreporting between 1997 and 1999 and observed that a mission from the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department had visited Islamabad in January 2000 to assess the magnitude of the discrepancies and the factors responsible for the faults. As a result, they noted, Pakistan's budget deficit for 1997/98 was revised upward by two percent of the GDP to 7.5 per cent, and the deficit for 1998/99 was raised by 1.4 per cent to 5.9 per cent. The technical assistance mission found that the discrepancies had arisen principally in the domestic non-bank financing data, where the amount of sales of National Savings Schemes (NSS) instruments had been erroneously recorded in the fiscal reports, they acknowledged saying that the external and domestic bank financing data also required revision. The corresponding adjustments to the expenditure data, which have so far been completed for 1998/99 only, pertained mainly to interest payments - corresponding to the higher than previously reported domestic non-bank debt and defence spending. "In addition, some unbudgeted spending was identified," it was noted in the statement. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Vegetables, poultry become costlier ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aamir Shafaat Khan KARACHI, May 1: The kitchen budget swelled in the last one month due to price hike in various vegetables and poultry products. The rates of other essential items either remained unchanged or fell on imports and local crop arrivals. According to a market survey (from April 1 to May 1), consumers now pay more on potato, Rs10 per kg at retail level as against Rs6-8 per kg. The commodity is currently arriving from Punjab's cold storage. In Subzi Mandi, it is priced at Rs6-6.5 per kg. The new crop will arrive in October. Tomato from Sindh's crop is also available for Rs12-14 per kg as compared to Rs8-10 per kg due to shortage in the markets. It is arriving from both Punjab and Sindh. Its wholesale price is now tagged at Rs8-10 per kg. Good quality onion from Sindh crop in big markets is being retailed at Rs7 per kg as its wholesale price has surged to Rs4-5 per kg from Rs2-3 per kg. Last month, the commodity was selling at Rs3-6 per kg at retail level. The price of mash, currently arriving from Burma, Thailand and China, ranges between Rs40-42 per kg as compared to Rs38-39 per kg. At Tariq Road and other posh localities, it sells at Rs42 per kg while in areas like Korangi and Nazimabad it is tagged at Rs40 per kg each. Mash price is likely to go up further as its wholesale price has reached to Rs42 per kg on Monday due to flare-up in international prices. As the heat is reaching its peak gradually, the price of lemon (from Sindh crop) is also shooting up. At the wholesale levels, it is now priced at Rs60-70 per kg as compared to Rs30-40 per kg last month. At the retail side, sellers demand prices on their own from minimum Rs80 to maximum Rs100 per kg depending on the quality. Broiler live poultry bird prices shot up to Rs60 per kg from Rs44 per kg last month while its meat, selling at Rs77 per kg last month, now sells at Rs105 per kg. However, egg prices fell to Rs17 per dozen from Rs19 per dozen. Gram pulse from local crop, which swelled last month, held unchanged due to frequent arrivals, maintaining at Rs28 per kg. Its wholesale price is Rs23 per kg. Consumers of posh areas now pay the old price of Rs28 per kg to buy mung (from local crop) while the price in Korangi and Nazimabad areas, its price is Rs24 per kg and Rs26 per kg. The wholesale price of mung is Rs21-22 per kg. Masur from Australia on Tariq Road sells at old rate of Rs34-35 per kg while some shopkeepers are charging Rs36 per kg. In Korangi, Landhi and Malir its price is Rs32 per kg while in North Nazimabad and Nazimabad it is available at Rs32-34 per kg. Its wholesale price is Rs26-27 per kg. Arhar (from Burma) prices were also stagnant at Rs44 per kg while in middle class localities it is priced at Rs42 per kg. The commodity sells at Rs35-36 at wholesale price. Sugar price is unchanged at Rs22 per kg. Fine atta price fell to Rs12 per kg from Rs13 per kg while the price of atta no. 2.5 is Rs10 per kg compared to Rs11-12 per kg. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Cut in Internet rate to promote IT: minister ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, May 5: The minister for science and technology, Dr Attaur Rehman, has said the government is committed to promote information technology (IT) in the country. Speaking at a briefing conducted by the Lucent Internetworking System at the PTCL headquarters on Friday, he said the recent reduction of 53 per cent tariff in internet bandwidth rates showed that IT promotion was the foremost priority of the government. "Reduction in bandwidth rates will further open new avenues in IT sector," he said. He said the PTCL had tremendous potential of expansion but commitment from vendors in the form of training, software, etc, was necessary. He said the government had already established advisory boards in New York and San Francisco, which were being looked after by seasoned professionals. "The global scenario is changing so fast that services we are offering may become obsolete in a year or so. Therefore, the most modern technology should be adopted to meet the future challenges," he stressed. Speaking on this occasion, Mr H. Wang, a Lucent representative, underlined the areas where his company could help Pakistan. He said they offered services like virtual private network, distance learning, linking university campuses, tele-medicine, e-commerce, bell labs, etc. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Cotton, yarn hedge market: Proposal under study: Dawood ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, May 1: Minister for Commerce Razak Dawood on Monday hinted at opening of hedge market for cotton and yarn trading. During a visit to APTMA on Monday, he said the government was looking at a possibility of opening up hedge markets for these commodities. A policy providing road-map to textile industry for achieving an export target of $13.8 billion, ahead of phasing out of textile quotas by year 2004, will also be announced by the end of this month, he added. In a meeting with APTMA members, Razzaq Dawood said,"I will be discussing the financial aspect of the textile policy on Tuesday with the Governor State Bank, Dr Ishrat Husain and later on with the finance minister." The minister categorically told the APTMA members that in order to face the challenges arising out from the phasing out of textile quotas given under MFA, the industry would have to change its concept and outcome of course (20 count) yarn production ideals. Razzak Dawood said that presently Pakistan ranks eight amongst top ten Asian textile exporting counties at $5 billion textile exports, whereas China is ranking at the top at around $39 billion and India fifth with exports of $9 billion. He said that under the draft proposal named 'Textile Vision 2005' the country would have to spend billions of dollar to upgrade and expand its textile industry which was the only way of increasing export earning in a short period of five years. He asked the APTMA members to make available their suggestions in ten days time, if any, towards the textile policy which will be announced ahead of budget, and in any way will not be as usual part of annual trade policy. Giving other details, he said the textile policy also suggests to open market allowing innovative and dynamic and free flow of ideas through global integration and open competitiveness. The minister was critical of the typical 'mental setup' of the textile industry as a whole and said you have to come out of this if you want to face the challenges of year 2004 and beyond. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- State Bank of Pakistan clarifies ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, May 1: The State Bank of Pakistan does not set market interest rates for any sector or general borrowers directly but provides the benchmark for the banks and other lenders to follow its discount rate and auction rate. This clarification has been issued by an SBP spokesman with regard to a report that appeared in Dawn with APTMA quoting governor State Bank, Dr Ishrat Husain, as saying that he had assured availability of bank financing for working capital and BMR requirements at 14 per cent mark-up. The governor told an APTMA delegation that the average lending rates had declined significantly and he expected the banks would be able to provide BMR financing at the average lending rate of 14% to creditworthy borrowers, the clarification adds. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaukat's China visit to focus on stalled projects ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, May 5: Finance minister Shaukat Aziz is scheduled to visit China for three days from 15th of this month to attend Pak- China joint economic commission meeting and discuss arrangements for Chinese investment in five mega projects including the development of Gwadar port and leasing of Saindak copper-gold project. Official sources told Dawn here on Friday that both sides were also likely to review the slow response to Chinese offers. The finance minister who will head a delegation comprising professionals both from private and public sectors is likely to make final deals with Chinese firms for the execution of these projects. Mr Shaukat Aziz has also asked the Farmers Association Pakistan (FAP) to nominate two of its members to accompany him to China. Both sides are expected to take final decision about the award of contract for development of Gwadar port to the Chinese contractors. The Chinese government had already indicated to extend financial assistance to Pakistan to complete that huge development project in Balochistan. Similarly, the two sides are also likely to discuss leasing of the Saindak copper-gold project to Chinese contractors. Pakistan has planned to hire the services of Chinese contractors for the development of other big development projects too. The Pakistan government has now identified five mega projects to be offered for Chinese investment. Pakistan is likely to ask China to supply rolling stocks and tracks for Pakistan Railways. Pakistan will finalize arrangements for leasing of land to Chinese agriculturists in the four provinces for developing model farms as well as the setting up of a pesticides plant with Chinese assistance in Pakistan. Chinese investors have also offered Pakistan to develop Karachi Fish Harbour on modern lines. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000502 ------------------------------------------------------------------- General Sales Tax, Income Tax survey postponed ------------------------------------------------------------------- Correspondent ISLAMABAD, May 1: The Central Board of Revenue has postponed the GST and Income Tax survey which was due to be launched in the first week of May. Meant to increase the number of registered taxpayers under the Sales Tax and Income Tax/Wealth Tax net, the survey will now be launched either in the first week of June or after the presentation of the federal budget for 2000-2001, say CBR sources. No reasons for postponing the survey were officially given but Dawn learned from officials that the finance ministry wants changes in the schedules of taxes to be approved by the Chief Executive by May 15, before setting a new date for the survey. These changes are believed to be related, apart from a few other aspects, to the treatment of Wealth Tax (which is expected to be removed from the next year's Direct Taxes schedule), changes in the taxation format for the services sector (which is to be shifted from Central Excise to GST schedule), and cutting down on Withholding Tax deduction stages. They added that the training of army personnel, tax officials and provincial staff in this regard has been completed in all the 13 cities where this survey is to be launched. The scope of survey includes information regarding telephones installed by a privately; warehouses/stores; NTN (if any), passport number; Sales Tax and Central Excessive registration numbers, National Identity Card number; nature of business; license number; total investment; value of current stocks; raw materials and their value; value of finished products; equipment used; rent amount on place of business; personal and family bank account numbers; monthly expenses (family); salaries paid; number and places/time of visits abroad; utilities bills; schools/ fees where children are educated. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000504 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Software park feasibility under study ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aamir Shafaat Khan KARACHI, May 3: The proposed Indus Software Technology Park (ISTP) will now be set up in the heart of the city instead of at Nooriabad industrial estate as planned earlier. Chairman SITE Association of Industries, Abdullah Rafi told Dawn that the Industries and Production Minister of Sindh wants software park to be located in an easily accessible area. An official in the industries ministry said that a feasibility report on the software project is under preparation. Sources said that Sindh Minister of Industries and Production, Dewan Yousuf Farooqui has objected to the proposed site of Nooriabad, terming it unviable for the software development park. Some city-based IT experts had asked the minister to allot land for software park but the minister refused the same holding the view that it can be set up anywhere and no big land was required for that purpose. Previously It was planned to set up the park on an area of 50 acres at Nooriabad but the Ministry of Industries was not in favour of allotting land to the prospective parties free of cost. Officials said that the project will be based on the model of Silicon Valley in Banglore, Madras and Hyderabad where India's top companies of information technology are located. India's exports of software have touched around $3bn annually as compared to Pakistan which is crawling at 15-20 million dollars per annum. At present, India has 5,800 export-oriented software companies whereas in Pakistan the companies could be counted on finger-tips. Sources said the Sindh government will not invest any amount in the project due to liquidity crunch faced by the province. Pakistan needs trained manpower, infrastructure facilities, reliable energy source and communication facility to develop a software park in the city. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000504 ------------------------------------------------------------------- State Bank of Pakistan to launch website ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, May 3: The State Bank of Pakistan has created its website which will be formally launched on Thursday, says the SBP Governor, Dr Ishrat Husain, at a press briefing here on Wednesday. He said objective for launching the SBP website is to maintain transparency in providing information to people and media about the actions of the Central Bank and movements of the country's economic indicators. "The website is the window to the SBP", the Governor observed. He said the availability of the data, SBP circulars, regulations, orders and other important documents with the media and the public will avoid the element of mis-reporting and speculation. "You don't have to wait for the release of weekly, monthly, quarterly and other reports by the Central Bank. These will be available on the SBP's internet page", Dr Husain said. He said through website, the Central Bank will also be responsive to various queries about issues of foreign exchange, remittances, external debt, credit, loan defaults, SBP balance sheet, etc. He said mis-reporting and speculations causes severe injury to the investment environment and investors withhold investment decisions. "We have opened up our books to you and now it is your responsibility to avoid the element of speculation or mis- reporting in news items", the SBP Governor advised. We want to elevate accountability and transparency of the SBP and other institutions through website, he added. Later, a demonstration of website, head of Information Systems Department Mehmood Siddique said the address of website is sbp.org.pk. APPBack to the top
=================================================================== EDITORIALS & FEATURES DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000505 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Till the rains come ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ayaz Amir LAST week I picked up bootleg stuff worth Rs 6,122 from Islamabad and felt happy if not triumphant that at least for a few weeks in Chakwal I would not have to look to the local Christian Colony for moral sustenance. This morning (Thursday) I am feeling ashamed of myself. What would Rs 6,122 not mean for a family in Thar or the drought-hit areas of Balochistan? This is a national emergency. It is also a challenge to what remains of our national honour after the piled-up humiliations of the last year and a half. If anywhere in Pakistan human beings and animals are dying from hunger and thirst, food and drink (and bootleg stuff) for the rest of us should come seasoned with a bad conscience. I say 'should' because immune to so much else, it is possible to be left untouched by starvation and suffering in remote regions most of us have never seen and perhaps never will. But then other considerations prey upon the mind. If a dog went hungry by the banks of the Euphrates, said Caliph Omar, the Lord of the Universe would hold him responsible on the Day of Judgment. In the entire corpus of Islam there are no words more ringing than these. In Thar and parts of Balochistan not only are dogs dying but goats, donkeys, cattle, camels, men, women and children. This is an awful lot to answer for when the final bugles sound and the walls of Jericho come tumbling down. Three days ago the caliph we have was gracing with his presence another of those meaningless functions without which Islamabad would not be Islamabad: a national conference on 'employment promotion, human resource development and industrial relations'. May God have mercy on us. Till this killer drought in the south lasts can we not do without such high-minded ceremonies? The Chief Executive has acquired a reputation for being always on the move. For the next few months he might consider cutting down on his travel plans, leaving all else alone and reserving his attention for the calamity which has struck Thar and Balochistan. Like his counterpart across the border is it not high time he too went on television to make an appeal, an impassioned one if possible, for funds and other forms of relief aid? But it is not only the government which needs to kick itself out of its torpor. What about the rest of us? What about the well-heeled citizens of Pakistan? If only they were to forswear their Black Label and their determined partying this summer, and put the money thus saved into a properly supervised national fund, there would be resources enough to fly - yes, fly - water to the thirsty regions of Sindh and Balochistan. If only they could forswear their foreign trips this summer imagine the money that would be saved. We do not have to spread our hands before foreigners for this purpose. There are other disaster regions of the world competing for foreign sympathy and attention: Ethiopia, Mozambique, other parts of Africa, large swathes of India. Southern Afghanistan I have left out of this list because the West, and the US in particular, wants to punish and not help Afghanistan. We can come to the help of our own with our own resources provided: (1) there is a clarion call to arms and (2) some remnants of shame and humanity are still left in our hearts. What then, as this cruel summer gets underway, should be the national agenda? To begin with, the caliph we have should get his priorities right: with a ruthless pencil he should cut pomp, glitter and waste from his schedule and devote the last ounce of national energy - or what remains of it after the constant exercise of cynicism and despair - to the plight of Thar and Balochistan. A moratorium on seminars and similar functions at which the good and great like to congregate. No verbal histrionics, please, from Lt-Gen Moinuddin Haider. No further additions to the sum of national confusion on the part of the finance minister, Shaukat Aziz. For any three days running I find it hard to make out what his latest position is on tax survey and the documentation of the economy. Javed Jabbar was supposed to have his heart bleeding for Thar. What is he doing round the lecture circuit? In the constitutional petitions before the Supreme Court Sharifuddin Pirzada is regurgitating the same old arguments that a thoroughly tired nation has heard so often before. Is he being paid for his pains? Since this is not the age of miracles, very likely he is. Wouldn't this public money be better spent elsewhere? The chattering classes need not sweat or worry too much. Just a bit of excess fat cut from their conspicuous and often tasteless consumption could mean the difference between life and death in the desert. To the various jihadi organizations holding aloft the banner of righteousness a word is in order too. There is no greater jihad at the moment than the one waiting to be joined in the southern districts of Pakistan. Some of the intensity of these organizations needs to be turned in that direction. But speed and a sense of urgency are essential. For better or worse General Musharraf is the commander of the faithful. More than anyone else it is his responsibility to sound the gong and summon up the spirit of sacrifice among the people. But before he does that he must rouse his government to a consciousness of its duty. This government has justly been pilloried for its confusion and cluelessness. Six precious months (an eternity in politics) it has wasted without being able to find a direction for itself or the nation. The cup of popular patience is already full. Soon it might spilleth over. This is the chance for the government to redeem itself in its own eyes and in the eyes of the people, gullible as always, who saw the events of October 12 as the answer to their dreams. The constitutional petitions in the Supreme Court, the plane hijacking appeal before the Sindh High Court, the Chinese torture that is General Amjad's concept of accountability, the district power devolution plan which is the smokescreen behind which wittingly or unwittingly confusion is being spread, the district monitoring system which has already demoralized the bureaucracy and looks set to further demoralize the people, are not the important issues before the country. All these pressing things can wait till meaningful (as opposed to token) assistance is rendered to the devastated areas of Sindh and Balochistan. But what about myself who have been so free with advice? A bit, I must confess, like Joseph Surface, the smooth hypocrite in Sheridan's School for Scandal who is generous with his advice and little else. The sense of contrition I felt at hauling bootleg from Islamabad does not mean that like Emperor Babar before the battle of Kanwaha I will break my cups or pour the guilty liquid down the drain. That would be a waste. In any case, the municipal drain in front of my house is so full of uncleared sludge (so much for the heroic exertions of the army monitoring team) that any honour done it will go unnoticed. What is more, from long experience I know the sad truth that with me the stern resolves of the morning all too often turn to dust by the time the day is done. No, there is little point in testing the flesh beyond its limits. But short of that there is still plenty that even slothful souls can bring themselves to do. First, contribute in cash, which I propose to do, to any properly organized drought relief fund. Second, three months' voluntary service in the desert which I pledge to undertake with any decent NGO (are there any decent ones around?) or with something like Medicins sans Frontieres should it happen to set up camp in the drought-hit areas of Pakistan. A further pledge: while in the desert, no use of moonshine. From an occasional hauler of contraband spirits what greater sacrifice can be asked? DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Intimations of mortality ------------------------------------------------------------------- Irfan Husain LOOKING for some papers in a battered old steel trunk that has been following me from city to city over the years, I came across some fifteen-year-old photographs of myself. Vanity aside, they show me as a relatively presentable man whose hair had not turned gray, and whose midriff had not begun to succumb to the force of gravity. Inevitably and predictably, I began thinking about the intervening years and their ups and downs. While most of us take our bodies for granted when we are young the passing years remind us of our mortality. Now that we are middle- aged, the conversation around the dining table is more about blood pressure, revolutionary new diet plans and cholesterol level more than politics, books and movies. If readers (and my long-suffering editor) are bemused by the direction this column is taking, let me reassure them by breaking the good news that they will not have to suffer me for the next three months: by the time you read this, I will have left for England where I will undergo bypass surgery later this month. For a couple of months after I am released from hospital, I intend to recuperate quietly and then to travel a bit in Europe before I return in mid-August. I must confess that I am not exactly looking forward to this experience, especially as I have no symptoms or pain. Nevertheless, good living and a sedentary lifestyle have silently been depositing plaque in my cardiovascular arteries. This was discovered during investigations carried out when a pacemaker was put in last year (at huge expense, I might add. In fact, if anybody needs a second- hand pacemaker, please let me know...). When a well-known cardiologist in London recommended a bypass, Shakir, my cynical son, suspected that the doctor had a mortgage payment to meet, and was therefore proposing an unnecessary operation. But this diagnosis has now been reinforced by another highly reputed (and therefore expensive) specialist, so the surgery is now on, regardless of Shakir's dark suspicions. Since I read every bit of useful or useless information that comes my way, I had equipped myself with details about new procedures when I met the first specialist in London. For instance, I asked him, what about gene therapy? This consists of injecting the heart muscle with a chemical that induces the development of collateral blood vessels that bypass the blocked arteries. No chance, he replied. This is still very experimental and is only being tried on patients who cannot undergo an operation. Then what about keyhole surgery? Again, it seems that this would not be appropriate in my case. Cursing the conservatism of the British medical fraternity, I had resigned myself to the inelegant procedure of open-heart surgery until a friend mentioned a brand new technique available for the first time in Pakistan. My old friend Fazal is a medical magpie who picks up all kinds of weird health-related information. According to a photocopied brochure he got me, chelation (pronounced 'key- lation') therapy consists of a series of injections of a chemical that bonds with the chemicals in plaque and flushes them out of the system, thus clearing the arteries. The medical team offering this treatment here claimed that it had not been permitted in the United States because of the power of the hospital lobby. For a Pakistani raised on conspiracy theories, this explanation was eminently believable, so I tried to make an appointment, but could never get anyone on the telephone. Meanwhile a close friend suggested that I seriously consider consulting her homeopath in Delhi. As she suffers from an impressive range of ailments but still soldiers on for her various causes, I thought this was good advice. So I spoke to the doctor in Delhi, explained the nature of my problems and she promised to send me a course of medication that I would have to take for three months. I figured that between chelation and homeopathy, my arteries would soon be as clean as a bottle after a party. But when I discussed these possible cures with my wife, she went ballistic and immediately made another appointment with yet another expensive cardiologist in London. This worthy had never heard of chelation, and flatly said he had never encountered a single case where homeopathy had been successful in treating any disease, leave alone a blockage of the arteries. I thought this was a very unscientific attitude, and told him so. But prosaically, he said he only dealt in facts, not faith. When I told Shakir about this exchange, his worst suspicions about the medical profession were confirmed. So I'm afraid it's back to the operation theatre. As a sweetener, my wife has added trips before and after surgery to overcome my reluctance and hasten convalescence. Although several friends have volunteered to undergo the operation if they can come along to Morocco, France, Spain and Turkey with us, I remain unenthusiastic: the thought of my heart being removed and placed on ice even for a couple of hours is not one that fills the soul with joy. Given my lack of confidence in a profession that ascribes any disease for which it has no explanation to a 'virus', I am taking no odds on the outcome of the operation despite, assurances that it is now about as straightforward as clipping one's nails. Many well-wishers have suggested that I have the operation in Pakistan and save some money. No chance. How many people come here from abroad to have open-heart surgery compared with the number of people who go to England? Also, the private hospital in London where I will spend a week is supposed to run an excellent kitchen. For the last couple of years, I have been going to the French Beach on weekends to relax and get away from it all. On most Saturday nights, I am alone and sit for hours looking at the stars and listening to the sea. I cook for friends who drop in for a meal, but generally relish the solitude. Of late, however, sundry groups of yuppies have taken to assembling there in large numbers on Saturday nights for their so-called charity balls. I would have no objection if they came to enjoy nature, but they insist on loud music and lots of lights, shattering the peace and ruining it for everybody else. The latest such assault on the beach took place last week when somebody had the bright idea of selling tickets at Rs 1500 per couple for a Karaoke evening. Mercifully, I found out about this travesty in time and cancelled my weekend at the beach. Anyhow, I hope to get lots of rest over the next three months, and my health and editor permitting, will resume inflicting my views on readers in August.
=================================================================== SPORTS DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000503 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Contracts to be amended to offset bookies ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporter KARACHI, May 2: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will include new clauses in the players' contracts in which the cricketers would be clarified what they have to do if approached by any bookmaker in future. The chairman of the PCB Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia told newsmen at the National Stadium here on Tuesday that the addition of the clause was now essential after all the boards have done it because of the growing trend of bookmakers approaching the cricketers. "The clause was not added in the contracts which were given to the players before their departure for Sharjah. But now the addition appears essential as one realizes that the entire world is involved (in match-fixing)," the general said. He, however, said the players have been briefed in detail that they have to immediately report to the team management if approached by any bookmaker. Besides, he continued, the players have been banned from using mobile telephones or entertain friends in their rooms. "If the players have to meet their friends, they have to meet in the manager's room. That practice was followed in the home series against Sri Lanka and would be implemented in future," he said. According to sources, the clause in the player's contract would clearly mention that if a player was found having any contact with a bookmaker, not only his contract would be cancelled but he would also be banned for life. The general said not only the cricket board had a directory of bookmakers, an additional list has also been mentioned by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum in his report. QAYYUM COMMISSION REPORT: The general said he would get the possession of the judicial commission report on Friday. But he set no deadline to publicize the Qayyum commission report. "I have to submit the report next month to the International Cricket Council (ICC). But before that, the report would be made public." General Tauqir, nevertheless, clarified that the delay in the publication of the report was because of a misunderstanding. He said the report was submitted to sports ministry rather than the President's secretariat. He said the PCB was an autonomous body and didn't come under the sports ministry umbrella. He, however, added that President Rafiq Tarar was given the report by the sports ministry last week which will be passed on to him on Friday when he calls on the PCB patron. The PCB chairman added that he has already had a meeting with Justice Qayyum in which the Lahore High Court judge briefed him on the contents of his report. "The judge confirmed to me that he has recommended life bans besides cash penalties against certain players. But he didn't reveal any names of the players against whom he has recommended penalties. "It was never a question of making up my mind. As soon as the PCB would get the report, it would be implemented," he said. PLAYERS ARE HANDSOMELY PAID: The PCB chairman said the players were handsomely paid with each player having an annual earning of approximately between Rs eight million to Rs 9.5 million. He said these were figures from the payments the board made to the players in 1999. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000430 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Saleh beats Naveen to retain snooker trophy ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ian Fyfe KARACHI, April 29: Top seed Saleh Mohammad emerged the proud winner of the Fourth Red & White Style Snooker Championship when he downed Naveen Perwani 8-4 in the final to retain the title here at the Karachi Gymkhana on Saturday evening. These two cueists also clashed in the final of the same tournament last year when Saleh won 8-5 and then went on to win all the four ranking tournaments. But defending his National title this year at Faisalabad last month, Saleh surrendered his crown to the former World and Asian champion Mohammad Yousuf, who came through a 8-4 winner and become the national champion for a record ninth time. But Saleh gained a measure of revenge when he brushed aside Yousuf 6-3 in the semi-finalshere to set up a final encounter with Naveen Perwani, who in turn surprised third seed Farhan Mirza 6-4. Naveen, who captained the Pakistan team in the six-nation snooker championship held in Dubai last October, it was a case of being so near and yet so far away once again. Naveen has appeared in six ranking tournament finals and has yet to receive the winner's cheque. When play began, Naveen was leading by 49 points in the opening frame before Saleh, with a splendid break of 64, took the lead 1-0. Helped on with another fine break of 52 points, Saleh breezed through the next frame to double the lead. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20000506 ------------------------------------------------------------------- First Test begins: Ambrose sends Pakistan reeling ------------------------------------------------------------------- GEORGETOWN (Guyana), May 5: West Indies, inspired by veteran pace bowler Curtly Ambrose's three-wicket burst, reduced Pakistan to 68 for five at lunch on the opening day of the first Test on Friday. Ambrose took three for 17 in a hostile eight-over, new ball spell while fellow pacemen Courtney Walsh and Reon King each took a wicket. Walsh started Pakistan's woes when he bowled Wajahatullah Wasti with a beautiful outswinger for eight. In the next over Ambrose bowled Mohammad Wasim off the inside edge to leave the touring team 12 for two. Ambrose then enjoyed a double strike in his sixth over, trapping Younis Khan leg before for two and then having Yousuf Youhana well caught behind by a diving Ridley Jacobs for nought. That left Pakistan precariously placed on 21 for four. King, playing his first Test on his home ground, captured a wicket with first delivery which Moin cut powerfully but straight to West Indies's captain Jimmy Adams in the gully. At that stage Pakistan were reeling on 39 for five but Inzamam-ul- Haq and Abdur Razzaq halted the slide. Inzamam, who survived a difficult chance to Sherwin Campbell in the penultimate over before lunch, was unbeaten on 38 off 53 balls at the interval. Pakistan left out injured paceman Shoaib Akhtar, Imran Nazir and Shahid Afridi, who opened the batting in the triangular one-day series which they won 2-1. Shoaib played in the decisive third final in Trinidad 12 days ago after resting a groin injury in the early part of the tour. He is now suffering from a side strain. West Indies were missing Franklyn Rose, out with an injured finger on his bowling hand. They also omitted the uncapped Guyanese duo of leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and teenaged batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan.-Reuters/AFP ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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