------------------------------------------------------------------- DAWN WIRE SERVICE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Week Ending : 4 August 2001 Issue : 07/31 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents | National News | Business & Economy | Editorials & Features | Sports
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CONTENTS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS + No compromise on Kashmir: Musharraf + Revival of democracy next year: Musharraf + Pakistan's claim to Jinnah House may never be accepted + Vajpayee says he will visit Pakistan + Musharraf not serious about peace: Vajpayee + Govt exploiting foreign policy issues: Benazir + 40 Indian army men face inquiry + West mulls proposals for resolving Kashmir issue + ARD team holds talks + Lifting of sanctions linked to democracy: Rocca + Joint screening of Afghan refugees: Accord signed with UNHCR + UN opposes forced repatriation of DPs + PML accuses government of manipulating LB election + Changes in NAB law: draft sent for approval + MQM slams agencies for alleged persecution + Ministries to be rightsized + Pakistan asks UNSC to rein in Israeli extremists + UN team to operate from Pakistan + Benazir concerned over state of affairs in Pakistan + General Ziauddin dismissed from service + Pilgrims to pay more for Haj next year: policy announced + Iran turns down Pakistan request + 40-foot rise in Mangla dam height approved + Tarbela Dam's storage capacity decreases + Two die as Tezrao derails + Govt failed to check terrorism: PML + Benazir voices concern over law and order situation + Jhangvi group says it is responsible + Siddiq Kanju, former MPA shot dead + Two more fall prey to target killing + Ex-IB chief gets eight years' RI in graft case + Mansurul Haq's remand extended for 11 days + Court orders Asif's production: Double-murder case + PPP claims victory on 80pc seats + Bureaucrats top list of men under NAB probe + Al-Qaida warns US against attack on Osama --------------------------------- BUSINESS & ECONOMY + Servicing of debt to cost Rs329bn in current fiscal + WB, IFC assessment under way: Private sector issues + IMF mission to open talks on PRGF: $596m SBA to end in Sept + WB official warns against risks in banks sell-off + $32m loan accord signed with Japan + PIA to get Rs4.730bn loan from local banks + CBR cell to review task force recommendations + 35 cos suspension creates unrest among investors + Sugar stock adequate, notes ECC: Forex reserves reach $3.2bn + Clouds hover around equities market --------------------------------------- EDITORIALS & FEATURES + Two wrongs do not make one right Ardeshir Cowasjee + Real democracy: the miracle at hand Ayaz Amir ----------- SPORTS + PCB not to allow ICC sleuths to grill Inzamam + Waqar retained captain for home series against Kiwis + BCCI approach govt for approval: Lahore Test + Cricket ties not feasible at present: India + Khayal and Zubair post second win + Wasim to coach youngsters + PCB's double-standards over fitness of players + 'Blue-eyed' Shoaib named in probables: Wasim, Moin axed
DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS =================================================================== NATIONAL NEWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- No compromise on Kashmir: Musharraf ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 31: President Gen Pervez Musharraf endorsed the nomination of Maj-Gen Mohammad Anwar as next President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. President also reassured that Pakistan would fulfill its obligations in securing right of franchise for the people of Kashmir and there would be no compromise on Kashmiris' right of self-determination. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Revival of democracy next year: Musharraf ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Hasan Akhtar ISLAMABAD, July 31: President Gen Pervez Musharraf reaffirmed his resolve to abide by the Supreme Court directive regarding the restoration of democracy by October next year. The reaffirmation came during talks between the president and US assistant secretary of state for South Asia Christina Rocca. The discussions focused on bilateral relations. Issues relating to regional peace and security, including the initiatives taken at the Pakistan-India summit at Agra, and the Afghanistan situation also came under discussions during Ms Rocca's meeting with the president and later separate talks with many ministers, particularly Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar. The US assistant secretary and her aides also held formal discussions with the foreign ministry officials headed by the additional secretary for Americas, Ali Sarwar Naqvi. The topics discussed included the latest developments in Pakistan-India relations, nuclear non proliferation and the US sanctions. At her meeting with Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider, Ms Rocca said that the United States believed in bilateralism and close cooperation with Pakistan in the interest of promoting regional peace and security. The interior minister briefed her on internal security, efforts to check narco-traffic, sectarianism, terrorism and other issues of mutual interest. Economic situation came under review at the US official's meeting with Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan's claim to Jinnah House may never be accepted ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Qamar Ahmed LONDON, July 30. Pakistan's claim to the Jinnah House in Mumbai may never be accepted because of a counter-claim by the founder of the nation's ageing daughter, Dinah Wadia, and her millionaire son, Nusli Wadia. During his recent visit to India, President Gen Pervez Musharraf had renewed Pakistan's claim to the house which was built by the Quaid-i-Azam in 1936 when he returned to Bombay from England to take charge of the Muslim League. The president had suggested to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that it should be given to Pakistan so that it could be turned into a consulate. But only last week, Dinah Wadia who lives in New York, wrote to the Indian prime minister demanding that the house on the Malabar Hill, now worth $15 million, be given to her. According to The Observer, London, the daughter of the Quaid-i- Azam, and his grandson, Nusli Wadia, who lives in Mumbai, have made it very clear to the Indian government that they consider President Musharraf's claim to the house " inappropriate". Nusli Wadia said last week :"Jinnah's house has absolutely nothing to do with Pakistan. It was my grandfather's personal residence and one that he loved dearly. How does that involve Pakistan?" According to the newspaper, Nusli had recently hinted that his grandfather, who believed in democracy, would be less than delighted at the way his beloved Pakistan had turned out. The daughter and the grandson's claim to the historical house has been endorsed by the ultra-nationalist Hindu Shiv Sena leader, Bal Thackeray, who has said: "Today they(Pakistan) are asking for the Jinnah House. Tomorrow they may want Taj Mahal and the day after Qutub Minar." The house was built by a British architect, Claude Batley, a Muslim contractor,a Hindu plumber and Italian stonemasons. The total cost in 1936 had come to Rs 200,000.The two- and-a-half acre property, overlooking the sea, is at a prime location, and in 1948 was leased to the British High Commission which occupied it till 1982. Indian government sources say that the claim by the Quaid's heirs will be treated sympathetically. " We have no intention of handing it to Pakistan,' said a spokesman. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010730 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Vajpayee says he will visit Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jawed Naqvi NEW DELHI, July 29: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee distanced himself from claims by party colleagues and reports that he would not or should not visit Pakistan nor meet President Pervez Musharraf elsewhere for the moment. Mr Vajpayee told an impromptu news conference during a tour of flood-ravaged Orissa state that his visit to Islamabad was very much there, and emphasized that the question was not if, but when, he would find the time to return the call here by Gen Musharraf. Restating that he had already accepted the invitation to visit Pakistan, Mr Vajpayee said: "I will surely meet President Musharraf but the date and venue for the meeting are yet to be decided." In his only on-camera comment on the issue since last week's parliament statement on the Agra summit, the prime minister said there was no pressure from the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh against his proposed meeting with President Musharraf. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Musharraf not serious about peace: Vajpayee ------------------------------------------------------------------- Monitoring desk NEW DELHI, July 28: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said that President Pervez Musharraf came to the Agra summit "as a military man with a specific self-serving goal and was not serious about restoring peace" between the two nations. Mr Vajpayee said that "from day one (of the summit), it appeared that the talks were going to break down because of Musharraf's attitude. He (Musharraf) even refused to acknowledge the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999." "By afternoon on the second day, Musharraf became quite desperate as he realized he would have to return to Islamabad empty handed," Mr Vajpayee said. The prime minister remarked that Gen Musharraf often appeared "ignorant" about Indian politics and history. India, he felt, had not lost anything from the Agra summit. "The world has seen India's resolve to achieve peace in the sub- continent," he pointed out. Mr Vajpayee's 30-minute speech was laced with humour and also contained a strong message that his government was not going to compromise on Jammu and Kashmir. "We have given a message to the world that India can never compromise on Jammu and Kashmir. It is an integral part of our country." The national executive also passed a resolution on the Agra summit, saying that "it must be clearly understood that no meaningful dialogue with Pakistan can be conducted as long as the Jihadi mentality dominates the Pakistani establishment." The resolution further warned that "if Pakistan continues to adopt a negative posture, the government of India should draw appropriate conclusions and plan for the future accordingly." During the discussion on the resolution, some members opposed the opening of additional points on the India-Pakistan border for issuing visas, which is one of the confidence building measures announced by India on the eve of the Agra summit. Said a delegate from Rajasthan: "If we allow easy passage for Pakistanis in India, very soon Jodhpur and other cities in Rajasthan will turn into another Kashmir." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt exploiting foreign policy issues: Benazir ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 28: Benazir Bhutto has said that the military regime is diverting domestic and international opinion by exploiting foreign policy issues while the domestic and regional situation becomes more critical. She was talking to the second Pakistani British elected to the House of Commons, Khalid Mahmud, says a press release. The PPP leader briefed Mr Mahmud on the political situation in Pakistan. She praised Britain's support for the restoration of democracy and highlighted cases of human rights abuses in the country. She said that her family and forty per cent of the PPP Central Executive Committee members were facing persecution at the hands of the generals because of their political beliefs. The former prime minister said the atmosphere of persecution in the country had affected the ordinary Pakistanis as law and order had worsened and the economy had continued to decline. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 Indian army men face inquiry ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: At least 40 Indian army men face Courts of Inquiry on charges ranging from failure of command and control to cowardice and desertion, during the Kargil operations. A report in the Indian magazine Outlook, under the caption "War and witch- hunts", says that the army men include majors, junior commissioned officers and jawans. The magazine says: "None of the generals, whose duty it was to conduct the war is facing any official inquiry for their flawed leadership. Instead, two of them have been decorated and awarded with plum posting. "This has triggered enormous resentment among the junior officers and men. This is the first time in the history of the Indian army that such a large number of inquiries have been initiated against officers and men. "But when allegations in the press and parliament surfaced that the top brass had mismanaged the Kargil operations, the generals concerned were quick to launch a cover-up operation. "The ploy they used was to selectively target battalions entrusted with the most difficult of tasks- charging up the mountain to evict the 'freedom fighters' perched atop, a strategy built around high human cost. "Other top targets are officers and men of those battalions charged with failing to detect the takeover while the top brass ignored the early warnings of heightened enemy buildups. The blame has been placed solely on those deployed in Kargil. Even the Subrahmanyam Committee talks of overall intelligence failure".- APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- West mulls proposals for resolving Kashmir issue ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 30: Pakistan and India will have to find out an amicable resolution of Kashmir dispute to ensure peace and stability in the region. Diplomatic sources told Dawn that the United States and the European Union (EU) were closely monitoring the latest developments in the region to resolve the half-a- century-old Kashmir dispute. They said that time had come when the Kashmir issue could not be allowed to linger on for an indefinite time and that its resolution was now one of the top priorities of USA and the West. The visit of US Assistance Secretary of State Christina Rocca is being termed very significant by the sources. "We hope she would also have fruitful talks with Pakistan officials as was done last week in New Delhi for settling the Kashmir issue," said a senior western diplomat. He said that various proposals were being discussed to settle the Kashmir issue. "One of the proposals is that India and Pakistan should jointly manage both sides of Kashmir," he said, adding that France and Spain had overcome their territorial dispute over Andorre region over 500 years ago by agreeing to run its affairs jointly. To a question he said that the proposal might not be accepted by both India and Pakistan but hastened to add, "If they can manage Wahga border jointly why cannot they do the same in Kashmir?" The sources lauded President Gen Pervez Musharraf's efforts to resolve the Kashmir dispute and said that centrality of the Kashmir problem was now being recognized by everyone including India. They expressed the hope that with the US Assistance Secretary of State visiting both the countries, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's forthcoming visit to Islamabad would be significant to address the Kashmir issue in its true prospective. "A European Union (EU) delegation visits Indian-controlled Kashmir once a year and some time twice a year and it is very much concerned about human rights violations there and as such the issue is not going unnoticed as many people believe in Pakistan," the sources said. They said that both Pakistan and India had unofficially been recognized as nuclear powers and if they went to war it would be disastrous for both the countries. "The US and West have come to the conclusion that India and Pakistan cannot have any territorial gain in case of war because both have formidable nuclear arsenals," they added. Therefore, they said, the two countries would have to hold talks to resolve their dispute peacefully. About the situation in Pakistan, they said President Musharraf had successfully improved the economy for which international donors would offer all possible assistance. However, they said, the president would get the legitimacy when he held general elections and help return the country on the path to democracy as he had himself promised on a number of occasions. The sources said that Pakistan's Afghanistan policy needed to be reviewed as the West was afraid of fundamentalism and spread of drugs and illegal weapons in the region as well as their exports to western countries. They said that Islamabad enjoyed a certain degree of influence on Taliban which should be used to get the desired results. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ARD team holds talks ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 31: A three-member delegation of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy called on US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca at the United States embassy. The delegation, which comprised senior vice-chairman of Pakistan People's Party Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Acting President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and President of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali, discussed domestic and regional issues at an hour-long meeting with the visiting US assistant secretary of state, ARD sources said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Lifting of sanctions linked to democracy: Rocca ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Syed Talat Hussain ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: The US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Christina B. Rocca, said that the United States wanted to find a way to re-engage with Pakistan. Talking to reporters at the end of a three-day visit to Pakistan, Ms Rocca said part of the purpose of her visit to Pakistan was to see where these relations could be fixed, which she said, had not been the best in the last couple of years. "We want to find a way to re-engage with Pakistan because Pakistan is important to us. We have got a lot of interests in common and we need to find a way to build on that," she said. The US official said all the nuclear-related sanctions against Pakistan were still being discussed. She said section 508 or democracy-related sanctions could only be lifted when democracy was fully restored. The US official said both Pakistan and India were important to the US and the US relations with them were not a zero- sum game for either. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Joint screening of Afghan refugees: Accord signed with UNHCR ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ahmed Hassan ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), after showing considerable resistance, has finally reached an agreement with Pakistan government on the screening of Afghan refugees who have fled to Pakistan to escape drought and war in their homeland. Both the sides signed what the UNHCR representative in Pakistan described as a "landmark agreement" which will set in motion a screening process for the Afghans who had fled their country in the past couple of years and are now living in Pakistan without being registered. Earlier, the UNHCR was adamant on screening of fresh Afghan arrivals on the grounds that no refugee under the conventional law could forcefully be repatriated while Pakistan insisted repatriation of such unauthorized Afghans. The government of Afghanistan, seeing no flexibility in Pakistan's stand, had announced to establish tent villages inside the country for those repatriated from Pakistan and Iran. The UNCHR representative in Pakistan Hasim Utkan said: "It was a major breakthrough and a significant step forward which will ensure proper protection to all those Afghans who deserve it." The UN Resident Coordinator Onder Yucer assured full support to the agreement and hoped that it will facilitate assistance to the refugees. Under the agreement, 30 joint UNHCR/Pakistan teams will begin screening of the Afghans in Jalozai and Nasir Bagh in the NWFP and within three weeks the teams will be increased to 55 who will eventually also cover new Shamshato refugee amp. Under the programme, an information campaign targeting the residents of Jalozai and Nasir Bagh will start immediately, to be followed by a data-gathering exercise for 20 days. During this phase, the Afghans will be asked for general family information. They will also be asked if they wished to return home. Those who will opt for going home would receive a voluntary repatriation grant. The Afghans opting for joining in the joint screening exercise will be interviewed to determine their status and those found to be needing protection will be allowed to stay in Pakistan and will be relocated to settlements specified by the authorities and will receive assistance from the UNHCR. The Afghans whose cases will be rejected would have the right to appeal. However, once a final decision is taken, they would have to return home. The UNHCR has urged the authorities to treat those screened out in accordance with international human rights standards and allow for the phased return of vulnerable ones. At present Pakistan hosts some two million Afghan refugees of whom 1.2 million lived in 203 villages grouped into 127 key refugee clusters - 105 in NWFP, 21 in Balochistan and one in Punjab. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010730 ------------------------------------------------------------------- UN opposes forced repatriation of DPs ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Abdul Sami Paracha KOHAT, July 29: The UNHCR and the ministry of state and frontier regions (SAFRON) have once again failed to reach an agreement on the criteria for screening two million "registered" Afghan refugees residing in different cities of the country. Dawn has learnt that UNHCR officials are adamant that, under the international law, the refugees cannot be forced to go back to their country unless normality returns there. They say that Pakistan officials' claim that these Afghans have, in fact, crossed the border to escape harsh economic conditions prevalent in their country, is not true because there are reports of heavy fighting going on between the Taliban and the forces of Northern Alliance. A senior UN official told Dawn on Sunday that" we are certainly not against the screening of those Afghan refugees who are willing to go back to their native towns, where peace has returned, but we are against forced repatriation of refugees who have been living here for the last 16 years. " The meaning of the word' refugee' is very clear and those falling in this category enjoy certain legal rights ensured by the UN. So, we hope that there will be no confusion about it in future talks over the screening of refugees." The official said:" The United Nations is aware of the problems faced by the government and the people of Pakistan due to the presence of such a large number of refugees and that is why it has started phase-wise repatriation from NWFP." He said billions of rupees were required for the rehabilitation of refugees in their country, whereas the response from the world powers, which were party to the Afghan war and responsible for bringing misery to that country, was very poor. The UN could not go the whole hog without monetary support from these countries, he added. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PML accuses government of manipulating LB election ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: The acting president of Pakistan Muslim League, Javed Hashmi, claimed that blatant manipulation in the fourth phase of local bodies election by the military rulers had caused irreparable damage to the army's image among the masses. "We still regard the army as a very sacred institution," Mr Hashmi said at a press conference, held at the party secretariat. He said the rulers were out to destroy the army's image. "The biggest crime of the rulers is that they have damaged the military's image beyond repair." He said military intervention in politics was not something new, but it used to be on a very high level. This time even the officers of major rank intervened and influenced candidates, he claimed. He said the overwhelming success of candidates backed by political parties was a major setback to the government's designs. "The new system has, in fact, broken down even before take off." He said the government had miserably failed to eliminate two major opposition parties from the political horizon of the country. Commenting on the election result, he said the PML had boycotted the election and had not fielded any candidate. However, he added, it had allowed its workers and leaders to make adjustments at the local level. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Changes in NAB law: draft sent for approval ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureau Report PESHAWAR, July 30: National Accountability Bureau has suggested changes in the NAB ordinance and submitted draft amendments to the federal government to bring it in conformity with the Supreme Court judgment. Speaking at a press briefing, NAB chairman Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool said: "NAB has sent a package of amendments in the NAB ordinance to the federal government for approval. The package has been so drafted that it will fulfil the directives of the Supreme Court judgment." In reply to a question, Lt-Gen Maqbool said these amendments would make the whole process more efficient, help in combating economic crimes and facilitate the procurement of corruption evidence from abroad. The chairman declined to go into the specifics of the proposed amendments but denied reports that one of the proposed amendments had been prepared to target Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari in the SGS case. "The proposed amendment has not specifically been drafted with reference to the SGS case," he explained, adding, "we have suggested things that would enable us to put before the court evidence received from abroad." The General said the accountability process had received international recognition and many countries were now cooperating with Pakistan in extradition and provision of documentary evidence against the corrupt. He said the British attorney-general had provided to the Pakistan government volumes of evidence comprising 22,000 papers against Ms Bhutto and her spouse. The evidence, he said, contained documents about the famous Rock Wood Estate. "Now we are taking our investigations beyond our borders." He revealed that NAB was investigating big corruption cases in the PTCL, Pakistan Steel Mills, Karachi Development Authority, Lahore Development Authority, ministry of petroleum and allied organizations, including the OGDC and Pakistan State Oil. In the NWFP, he said, NAB was looking into the Ring Road scam and Ghazi Barotha project in which, he added, land had been bought at exorbitantly higher prices. The three financial institutions in which investigations had been launched were: Bankers Equity, Indus Bank and the Prudential Bank. He said the State Bank was cooperating with NAB investigations. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010802 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MQM slams agencies for alleged persecution ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Aug 1: The deputy convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's coordination committee, Aftab Ahmed Shaikh, has said that government agencies' personnel were resorting to torture his party workers in order to get their loyalty changed. Speaking at a press conference Mr Aftab deplored the alleged barbaric torture to a Muttahida member, Mohammad Naeem, in Hyderabad, and stated that due to extreme infliction of pain and injury Naeem was compelled to attempt suicide in police custody. He also praised Naeem and maintained that his attempt to kill himself was just to keep his party loyalty intact. Muttahida's deputy convener said that the higher authorities were kept informed about the arrests of party workers, their victimization and torturous actions against them, but no encouraging reply was available from them. "In fact there is no acceptance of Muhajir people's human rights by the people at the helm of affairs and now we are informing the national and international human rights organizations about the injustices and damages being done to the Muhajirs," he said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ministries to be rightsized ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ihtasham ul Haque ISLAMABAD, July 28: The government has decided to substantially reduce the size of the federal structure to be unfolded by President Gen Pervez Musharraf on August 14 this year. Official sources said that a big downsizing and rightsizing of federal ministries and divisions were currently being finalised with a view to improving the economy. "There is no justification for those ministries and divisions which are performing equal functions," a ministerial source said. He added that President Musharraf had called for closing down those ministries and divisions which were performing equal functions and hence becoming a great burden on the public purse. He said the present 34 divisions were likely to be cut to half by having their mergers. In some cases, few of the divisions will be totally dissolved. The World Bank and the IMF have also reportedly called for reducing the strength of the federal government specially by removing the dead wood and those appointed on political considerations by both the PPP and PML governments. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan asks UNSC to rein in Israeli extremists ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 28: Pakistan has called upon the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to prevent Israel extremists from laying the foundation-stone of the Solomon Temple on July 29, 2001. Following is text of the government statement: "The government of Pakistan has received the extremely disturbing news that a group of extremists in Israel intends to lay the foundation-stone of the Solomon Temple, possibly on Sunday, July 29, 2001, threatening to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Holy Al-Quds. "Such a criminal act violative of the sanctity of one of the holiest Islamic places which is heritage also of human civilization, would be bound to trigger a strong reaction throughout the Muslim world, with grave and incalculable consequences for the maintenance of international peace and security. "The government of Pakistan calls upon the UNSC to take immediate cognizance of the criminal action planned by Israeli extremists, and to urge the Government of Israel to take prompt and effective measures to prevent violation of its international obligations under resolutions of the UNSC and principles of international law governing occupied territories.'' "The government of Pakistan also appeals to the Security Council of the United Nations to take appropriate action without loss of time in order to protect the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque," the statement concluded. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- UN team to operate from Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Syed Talat Hussain ISLAMABAD, July 31: Majority of the 15 members of the special team to monitor arms embargo enforcement against the Taliban will operate from Pakistan, diplomatic sources told Dawn. The Sanctions Enforcement Support Team, which has been approved by the United Nations Security Council, will coordinate with a five- member New York-based Monitoring Group. This group will work in the areas of counter-terrorism, financing of terrorism, money laundering, financial transactions and drug trafficking, diplomatic sources said. Most members of the Support Team, the field arm of the Monitoring Group, will be based in Pakistan, others will be sent to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and China. Diplomatic sources said the bulk of the operations of this team would be based in Pakistan because it had the longest border with Afghanistan (2430km) of all the other contagious countries. The other reason for basing the team's operations primarily in Pakistan is reports that the Taliban continue to get support from groups and entities based in Pakistan. As part of the functions and mandate of the team, it will also render assistance and training equipment to modernize services and the capabilities of Pakistani agencies involved in effective control and monitoring of its border with Afghanistan. The team members will not go inside Afghanistan, where the Taliban have already declared any such monitoring activity by the international community as enemy deployment. The members will have to rely considerably on the information gathered from all sources, including Non-Governmental Organizations and various embassies in Islamabad. Diplomatic sources say that Pakistan has already agreed to hosting and fully cooperating with team members and abiding by all other obligations under the new UNSC resolution. Government sources, however, say that various aspects of the operations of the new sanctions monitoring embargo system are not known as yet and will be worked out when the mechanism becomes fully operational. DECISION CRITICIZED: Pakistani officials on Tuesday slammed a UN decision to monitor sanctions against Afghanistan's Taliban militia, but promised Islamabad's cooperation, Reuters adds. A foreign ministry official said the Security Council's decision was an "intrusion" on Pakistan's sovereignty. "Pakistan wanted the United Nations to negotiate on the issue and be soft. Pakistan felt such an arrangement would be an intrusion in its sovereign status," said the official who refused to be named. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir concerned over state of affairs in Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ahmad Hasan Alvi ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: Former prime minister and chairperson of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto said that Pakistan was not progressing due to repeated martial laws in the country. According to PPP Media Cell, Benazir Bhutto was speaking at a news conference in Glasgow. She said martial law was giving bad name to the country. Recalling history, she said for five decades generals seized power and blamed the politicians for poor governance. Each time they became "dry cleaning machines to dry clean the politicians". She said the country had seen four military dictators and the generals should analyze the fact whether politicians were really responsible or something was wrong with "dry cleaning machines". She said in fact politicians were being systematically undermined by some generals, who had led to humiliation through Tashkent Declaration, loss of East Pakistan, Siachen glacier, the humiliating withdrawal from Kargil and the collapse of economy. Ms Bhutto expressed her concern over failure of the military regime to enforce United Nations' decision, which led to the physical presence of UN monitors in Pakistan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- General Ziauddin dismissed from service ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: Lt-Gen Ziauddin, who had been appointed chief of the army staff by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Oct 12, 1999, to replace Gen Pervez Musharraf as COAS, was dismissed from service, an official announcement said. Gen Ziauddin was the head of Inter Services Intelligence when he was appointed COAS. The appointment, however, could not materialize as he was not given charge and Gen Musharraf, after coming back from Sri Lanka, removed the PML government. Gen Ziauddin and Brig Javed Iqbal, the then military secretary to the prime minister, were taken into custody after the military takeover. Iqbal has already been dismissed from service. A terse Inter Services Public Relations announcement stated: "PA-6989, Lieutenant General Ziauddin has been dismissed from service for offences prejudicial/detrimental to good order and military discipline." DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010802 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Pilgrims to pay more for Haj next year: policy announced ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: The federal cabinet approved the Haj policy for the year 2001-2002, increasing the total number of Haj pilgrims to 120,000. Announcing the salient features of new Haj policy, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Dr Mehmud Ahmed Ghazi, told a news conference that due to sharp rupee devaluation the Haj expenses were increased to Rs105,500 for those going from Karachi and Rs109,000 for those going from four other stations. He said the banks would start receiving applications for Regular and Sponsorship schemes from August 8. Dr Ghazi said 45,000 people would perform Haj under Regular Scheme and 75,000 under Sponsorship scheme who would be allowed to opt for government-arranged accommodation or privately-hired buildings. He said an open Haj scheme had been launched which was a voluntary facility, designed to oblige those not interested in performing Haj under government arrangement. While explaining the justification for allowing PIA to raise fare by 15 per cent, the minister said last year dollar was available at Rs53, but now it was available at Rs66. Moreover, the PIA has increased its fares on all routes, he said. He said the new Haj policy had been prepared after a series of consultative meetings between stakeholders, Haj Directorate officials, Saudi officials and Ulema in order to remove all the complaints received in the past due to poor arrangements. The number of exit points for Haj pilgrims has been reduced to five - Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar - while Sukkur, Multan and Faisalabad have been dropped for the time being due to insufficient facilities at smaller airports, the minister said. The minister said personal exchange quota would likely to be $1200 per pilgrim while the duration of stay in Saudi Arabia would remain 40 days. Dr Ghazi said any individual or group who would like to make own arrangements for ticket and accommodation would be able to do so without needing the NOC from the ministry. He said those desirous of making their own accommodation arrangement would have to provide proof of accommodation before leaving for Saudi Arabia. Such applicants would have to intimate the Religious Affairs Ministry within a stipulated period enabling it to make proper arrangements. The Haj pilgrims who fail to furnish documentary proof of their independent accommodation arrangements will be able to get the government arranged facility in case their request is received on time. He said efforts would be made to acquire accommodation in Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawarah at the maximum limit of Rs1800 and minimum Rs1000 to ensure maximum comforts for pilgrims. The facilities for Haj pilgrims, the minister disclosed, have been divided into three categories A, B and C. He said the PIA would be asked to prepare its schedule in such a way as would allow return of every Haji within 40 days. The government has also decided to maintain the ban on all quotas except for labour organizations, benevolent fund and defence services quotas. The schedule of Haj applications under Regular and Sponsorship schemes and Open Hajj scheme will be as follows: Applications under Regular scheme would be received from Aug 8 to Aug 28. Application under Sponsorship scheme would be received from Aug 8 to Sept 8. Applications with late fee of Rs5000 under Sponsorship scheme would be received from Sept 8 to Sept 21. Applications for open Haj scheme would be received from Nov 1 to Nov 14. Applications with late double fee of Rs10,000 under Sponsorship scheme would be received from Nov 15 to Nov 30. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Iran turns down Pakistan request ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Rafaqat Ali ISLAMABAD, July 28: Iran has politely refused to entertain Pakistan's request for giving its vehicles transit facilities to approach Central Asian Republics. Official sources told Dawn that Pakistan, at the Joint Ministerial Commission meeting held in Tehran last week, had sought that its vehicles carrying goods be allowed passage to Central Asian Republics through Iran. The Iranian government responded that Pakistani vehicles would be permitted to travel deep into Iranian territory up to the CARs borders. However, they would not be allowed to cross CAS border as from that point goods would have to be transported in Iranian vehicles. Sources said that Pakistan had made the request for the transit facility last year as it wanted to take its fruits to CARs markets. The request was accepted by Iran but at a time when the season of citrus was already over. The Iranian authorities conveyed to Pakistan in the second fortnight of February that its request had been accepted and that Pakistan would be free to transport its citrus fruit to CARs till the end of March. At the last week meeting, Pakistan had also raised the issue of Iran's "going slow" on the development of the railway track from Zahidan to Kirman, which would allow Pakistan to establish railway links not only with Economic Cooperation Organization states but also with Europe through Turkey. Under the ECO decision in 1990, all the member states had to establish railway links. Iran, however, did not develop railway links from Zahidan to Kirman. Iranian authorities assured Pakistan delegation that the railway track would be ready by 2004. However, they asked Pakistan to upgrade its railway track from Quetta to Taftan, saying as it was not up to the mark. Pakistan had asked the Iranian authorities to make efforts for narrowing the trade imbalance. Last year, Pakistan imported goods worth $130 million from Iran. In contrast, Iran imported from Pakistan goods worth $11 million only. Pakistan had also raised the issue of levy of taxes from its truckers and bus drivers, asking the Iranian government to eliminate the taxes. The Iranian authorities assured that except $27 per truck, no other tax would be charged on vehicles coming from Pakistan. Iran is charging $27 from each truck up to Zahidan as fuel surcharge on the ground that fuel in Iran is available at prices lower than what they are in Pakistan. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 40-foot rise in Mangla dam height approved ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Faraz Hashmi ISLAMABAD, July 30: President Gen Pervez Musharraf approved the controversial Mangla Dam project under which the dam's height would be raised by 40 feet at a cost of Rs53 billion. "The project has been approved in principle. However, a formal announcement to this effect will be made later," a highly-placed source told Dawn. The approval was accorded at a meeting presided over by Gen Musharraf and attended among others by Water and Power Secretary Mirza Hamid Hassan, Wapda chairman Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan, and Information Secretary Anwar Mahmood. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010802 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tarbela Dam's storage capacity decreases ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Intikhab Amir TARBELA, Aug 1: Inability on the part of the Tarbela Dam's management to maintain the minimum operating level at 1,369 feet due to greater irrigation requirements during the Kharif season has decreased the life storage capacity of the dam, official sources told Dawn. The sources said the pressing irrigation requirements down the stream necessitated to bring down the level to 1,369 feet twice in April last, which was against the recommendation of consultants. The consultant firms, TAMS and HR Wailling Fort, in one of their three main recommendations under a study back in 1998, had suggested that minimum operating level (MOL) of the Tarbela reservoir should be raised by four feet every year to cope with the silt problem. It was recommended that MOL should be maintained at four feet higher than the preceding year. Besides, it was recommended that the MOL raised so (by four feet every year) should not be maintained beyond 15 days to avoid accumulation of silt in the reservoir. "They had recommended that maintaining the reservoir level at the MOL for more than 15 days would lend a negative impact to the water storage capacity of the reservoir," said a senior official. The sources said the recommendation could not be implemented due to increasing irrigation requirements in Punjab and Sindh. Officers of the water and power department of the Tarbela Dam project said the country needed a new mega water storage project to cope with its future irrigation requirements. The under water delta of silt, which was at a distance of nine kilometers from the dam, moved three kilometers close to it last year after the reservoir level had to be brought down to 1,321 feet. Official sources said by lowering the level to 1,321 feet last year the reservoir lost storage capacity equivalent to 10 years. Sources said the reservoir had lost 50 per cent of its dead storage capacity. After the reservoir lost three million acre feet (maf) of its total 11 maf water storage capacity, the minimum operating level was fixed at 1,369 feet in 1998, which was ignored on several occasions to meet the requirements of irrigation water in Punjab and Sindh. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Two die as Tezrao derails ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent BAHAWALPUR, July 31: Two persons were killed and 17 injured when the Rawalpindi-bound 5-Up Tezro derailed at Tibbi Izzat railway station near Dera Nawab (Ahmadpur East. Following the accident in which 14 coaches were derailed, traffic on the main line remained suspended for 21 hours. All express and passenger trains were either re-routed or halted at different stations. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Govt failed to check terrorism: PML ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 31: A spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League(N) said that assassination of six persons, including government officials, politicians and a religious leader, in broad daylight within five days testified to the failure of the military government in protecting life of law-abiding citizens. Taking exception to the unchecked killing spree of the terrorists, the PML spokesman said that on July 26, the managing director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Shaukat Mirza and his driver were assassinated in Karachi. Two days later, PML leaders Muhammad Siddique Khan Kanju and Aslam Joya were killed in Lodhran in a packed bazaar. He said that on July 30, the Ministry of Defence director, Zafar Hussain Zaidi, was murdered in Karachi, followed by the killing of a religious leader Syed Rizwan Shah in Lahore, the same day. These recent incidents showed that the government was not capable of providing protection even to important government functionaries, what to talk about common citizens. The spokesman said the never- ending incidents of terrorism, dacoities and abduction for ransom had tarnished the image of the country in the eyes of international community, strengthening their impression about Pakistan as a country without laws. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Benazir voices concern over law and order situation ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent ISLAMABAD, July 30: PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the country and demanded the government to fulfill its basic responsibility of providing security to its citizens. "It is shocking to see the country sliding into abyss of anarchy and lawlessness as the wielders of power turn a blind eye to what is happening," she said in a statement issued here by the PPP media cell. Masked terrorists gunned down Syed Zafar Hussain, Director of Research Department, Ministry of Defence, in Karachi. She said this was the fourth such target killing in as many days in different parts of the country - from Dera Ismail Khan in the Frontier province to Lodhran and Lahore in the Punjab and Karachi in Sindh. Ms Bhutto said that four high profile assassinations have occurred throughout the country during the last four days, had exposed the hollowness of the government's campaign to recover illegal weapons. She said that making the country weapons-free required political will and courage and could not be eliminated by hollow rhetoric. She asked the government to arrest all the terrorists involved in such heinous acts and give them exemplary punishment. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jhangvi group says it is responsible ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, July 30: The Lashkar-i-Jhangvi has claimed responsibility for the murder of PSO managing director Shaukat Mirza and the defence ministry official, Syed Zafar Hussain. In a joint press statement, chief of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi Riaz Basra and Lashkar's divisional chief, Lal Mohammed have claimed responsibility for both the killings. They also warned that any government functionary resorting to abuse of power would face the same fate. "We had urged the President, General Pervez Musharraf, not to implement the death sentence awarded to Sheikh Haq Nawaz as it could prove harmful for the integrity of the country but the government went ahead with its plan to appease a neighbouring country," said the statement. -NNI DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Siddiq Kanju, former MPA shot dead ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Nadeem Saeed MULTAN, July 28: Siddiq Khan Kanju, the former minister of state for foreign affairs, and former MPA Mohammad Aslam Joiya were shot dead by four assailants at Kehror Pucca. A candidate for the Lodhran district Nazim, Kanju and his companions were at a corner meeting in Karim Bazaar when a white Toyota Corolla car (MNY-4375) stopped there at 5:55pm. The driver remained on his seat as three men, who, according to some witnesses were in their early 20s, got out of the car and opened fire at Kanju with automatic revolvers. As Kanju and Aslam Joiya fell, the attackers shot and injured Dr Akbar Kanju, a cousin and brother-in-law of Siddiq Kanju, who was sitting in a jeep parked nearby. The assailants also shot and injured Sheikh Riaz Iqbal, a former vice-chairman of the Kehror Pucca municipal committee, when he tried to overpower one of them. The assailants then fled in their car. Kanju died on the spot and Aslam Joiya succumbed to injuries on way to the civil hospital. Akbar Kanju and Sheikh Riaz were shifted to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, for their serious condition. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Two more fall prey to target killing ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dawn Report KARACHI, July 30: A senior defence ministry official and a prayer leader were gunned down by unidentified people in Karachi and Lahore respectively, in what police said were target killings. In Karachi, a senior official of the Ministry of Defence was ambushed by three unidentified motorcyclists near his Nazimabad residence on Monday morning. His driver, however, miraculously escaped unhurt. It was the second target killing in the past four days. Earlier on July 26, the managing director of the Pakistan State Oil, Shaukat Raza Mirza, and his driver, were shot dead by two masked assailants in Clifton. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ex-IB chief gets eight years' RI in graft case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter RAWALPINDI, July 31: Former Intelligence Bureau chief Brig Imtiaz Ahmad was sentenced to eight years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs7.1 million in a corruption case, by the Judge, accountability court III, Sakhi Hussain Bokhari. The co-accused, Adnan A. Khwaja, was awarded two years' RI and fined Rs200,000 and Nadeem Imtiaz,son of the ex-IB chief, was sentenced to three years' RI under, section 31(a) of the NAB Ordinance, in absentia. The court directed Brig Imtiaz, who served as the director-general, IB, during the Nawaz Sharif government, to pay the fine within one month. He court also ordered forfeiture of all the properties, acquired in his name or in the name of his dependants, in favour of the government. The Islamabad properties, which will be confiscated, include house No 286 F-10/4, unit No 2 and 9, at I-S Plaza, F-10 Markaz; house No 7, Street No 20, F-7/2; and house No 6 on the 9th avenue, F-8/2. The court granted the benefit of section 382(b) to both the convicts, which means that the conviction will be counted from May 26, 2000, the day on which the former IB chief was arrested. Brig Imtiaz was charged with amassing assets, both movable and immovable, which were disproportionate to his known source of income. The properties were in his own name and in the names of his wife, son ( Nadeem) and his front men, including Adnan and approvers Abdul Ghaffar Chauhan and Shamshad Ali. The accused had also acquired properties as Benamidars and possessed foreign exchange bearer certificates, worth Rs20 million, which had been encashed by him, according to the case. Later, Brig Imtiaz told reporters that he would challenge his conviction in the high court, and added that, in his view, the punishment awarded by the court was quite stringent. He claimed that his conscience was clear as he had never committed any crime or compromised on principles. "During my 17 years of professional career, I served this country without fear or favour and countered both internal and external threats against the country and never allowed my personal interest or family matters to interfere in my duties," he observed. He said he had no remorse for the troubles he was in or hardships his family was facing, because he had always considered his job a sacred duty. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mansurul Haq's remand extended for 11 days ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter RAWALPINDI, Aug 3: The remand of ex-naval chief admiral (Rtd) Mansurul Haq was again extended for 11 days by the accountability court. Mansurul Haq is required to be produced again before court on August 13 with the assurance by the prosecution that investigations are on the last stage and a supplementary reference will soon be submitted. The former naval chief is facing charges of receiving kickbacks and commission in a defence deal. The additional deputy prosecutor general, Abdul Baseer Qureshi, appeared before court and asked for extension of remand for another 11 days. The prosecution stated before the court that the matter was sensitive as it involved many classified documents, besides new information had also come to light, therefore, more time was needed. He stated that a variety of material including details about defence deals, different offshore companies and properties had to be collected. This is the sixth time that the remand of the accused had been extended after his voluntary return to the country. The reference accused the former naval chief of receiving $3,369,383 through transfer of money from M/s Titan Europe to M/s Foraker and then to M/s Moylegrove. Similarly, Amir Lodhi, brother of Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, received $1,739,282 allegedly from these illegal transactions. The reference accused that Amir Lodhi was instrumental in obtaining commissions and kickbacks in defence deals on his own as well as on Admiral Haq's behalf. Meanwhile, the same court directed the authorities to provide a copy of corruption reference against Chaudhry Mohammad Zaman, ex-deputy director, Agriculture Extension Rawalpindi. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Court orders Asif's production: Double-murder case ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Correspondent HYDERABAD, Aug 3: The judge of Hyderabad STA court issued a notice to the Karachi Central Prison's superintendent to produce Asif Ali Zardari before the court for the hearing of a double-murder case of Alam Baloch and his gunman in the judicial complex of the central prison on Aug 25. The notice was issued after the jail administration did not inform the court whether Mr Zardari was confined in the jail. All the main accused in the case were on bail. The trial of the case would be held inside the central prison as per a notification, issued by the Sindh government. Farooq Hameed Naek, who was representing Asif Zardari in other cases, pending before an accountability court, did not file his power on behalf of him in the double-murder case on July 7. The main accused were former MNA Hakim Ali Zardari, his son, Asif Ali Zardari, former senator Abdul Latif Ansari, his brothers Abdul Shakoor Ansari and Abdul Hafiz Ansari, Porho Zardari, Ghulam Nabi Zardari and Zafar Meerani. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PPP claims victory on 80pc seats ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter KARACHI, Aug 3: The Pakistan People's Party has claimed that it has secured success in over 80 per cent of seats in urban and rural areas in the local bodies elections across the country. In a statement, a PPP spokesman said like other provinces the Awam Dost Panel of the party had also registered record success in Punjab. The spokesman said that the victory on such a large scale was a testimony of people's faith in the leadership of Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto. Meanwhile, the party has decided to form coordination committees as part of a new strategy for the run-off elections in Karachi on Aug 8. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Bureaucrats top list of men under NAB probe ------------------------------------------------------------------- By M. Ismail Khan PESHAWAR, Aug 3: Bureaucrats top the list of those who are under investigation of the National Accountability Bureau, followed by politicians, businessmen and personnel of armed forces, a document released by the NAB reveals. In its latest report 'Spectrum of Operations,' the National Accountability Bureau says it is investigating corruption cases against 314 bureaucrats including officers in grade 20 and above, which is 49.88 per cent of the total 594 under-investigation cases of all categories. Politicians with a total of 169 cases under investigation are second on the list as their share of comes to about 32.84 per cent. A total of 40 businessmen who are mostly involved in bank default or tax evasion or duty drawback are facing investigation by the NAB with a share of 6.25 per cent. The document says that the NAB had authorized 407 investigation cases against 388 bureaucrats including 112 officers in grade 20 & above and 276 in grade 19 and below. Similarly, 268 investigations were ordered against 177 politicians. NAB also authorized 17 investigations against 10 individuals from the armed forces. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Al-Qaida warns US against attack on Osama ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: The Al-Qaida organization, claimed to be affiliated to Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, has warned America against launching an attack on Osama, "lest the Mujahideen will retaliate" by targeting its citizens the world over. In a fax statement signed by the organization's self-proclaimed chief military commander, Naseer Ahmed, the Al-Qaida asked Pakistan not to cooperate with the US on the Osama issue as it was a conflict between Afghanistan and America. It said the "get Osama mission" being undertaken by the American assistant secretary of state would never be fulfilled since the "Mujahideen were fully alert and were capable of replying the enemy in the same coin." It warned the US and India that the American embassies in India and Pakistan could be targeted by the Mujahideen any moment. The statement said: "We have achieved balance of power by offering sacrifices, the Muslim Ummah should adopt a strong stand on Kashmir in order to secure its freedom, which will only be achieved through jihad and not negotiations." "No Muslim could evade the duty of jihad and wherever the Mujahideen were busy in armed struggle they were performing their bounded duty," it said, and added, "all the rulers of Muslim states were working on the Zionist and American agenda." It said the criminal intention of Jews to construct "Solomon Temple" was a conspiracy and a challenge for the Muslims that could be thwarted only through complete unity among Muslims.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Servicing of debt to cost Rs329bn in current fiscal ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, Aug 2: Debt servicing, both domestic and foreign, will cost an amount of Rs329.184 billion during the fiscal 2001-2002, reflecting an increase of 6.8 per cent over the revised estimates of last fiscal. During the fiscal 2001-02, Rs197.86 billion has been indicated for payment of interest on domestic debt, Rs62.24 billion interest on foreign debt, and Rs69.07 billion under foreign loan repayments. Under the current expenditure, the civil government has been allocated Rs80.610 billion. The allocation under this head in the fiscal 2000-01 had been Rs80.174 billion. Under the civil government allocation, general administration will receive Rs47.55 billion, law and order Rs10.22 billion, community services Rs7.14 billion, social services Rs12.31 billion, and economic services Rs3.37 billion. Unallocable amount is to the tune of Rs10.29 billion against revised unallocable budget of Rs291 million during the fiscal. Grants will cost an amount of Rs49.29 billion during the current fiscal against revised grants of Rs36.76 billion of last fiscal, with Rs9.62 billion to the provinces, Rs3.19 billion to AJK, Rs4.80 billion to railway, Rs7.22 billion O&Z grants and Rs26.94 billion to others. While subsidies will cost Rs20.68 billion against the revised subsidies of Rs22.70 billion last year, posting a decline by over Rs2 billion.- APP DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- WB, IFC assessment under way: Private sector issues ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jawaid Bokhari KARACHI, Aug 2: the World Bank and its affiliate International Finance Corporation (IFC) are jointly carrying out an assessment of private sector issues and regulatory constraints to private sector development. A joint World Bank-IFC team is also currently engaged in an in- depth review of five main industries - sugar, cement, textiles, fertilizer and steel - which according to bank are operating under a very distorted policy environment. The World Bank has also initiated a firm-level survey to identify the constraints on the growth and performance of small and medium sized enterprises. These studies are part of the World Bank's Pakistan's assistance strategy (PAS). Simultaneously, the government has announced that it intends to set up a deregulation committee headed by an eminent personality from the private sector to identify problem areas and make recommendations for liberalization. Helped by analyses carried out by the bank, the PAS progress report says that the government intends to deregulate the large protected industrial sector, including power, oil, gas and telecommunications. For building an environment for private investment and sustainable growth, World Bank's key prescriptions are trade liberalization, deregulation and privatization including banks, power, oil and gas and transport sectors. The PAS report says that IFC's ability to do business in Pakistan has been constrained. The 1998 balance of payments crisis, large external indebtedness, political instability, disputes with investors (especially in the power sector) and loss of investors' confidence have increased the perceived risk and discouraged new investment. Moreover, distortionary policies, for example for cement, automotive oil and gas further deter private investment and handicap IFC's support. The IFC delegation led by Ellen Iskenderian told finance minister Shaukat Aziz late last month that several projects were under consideration of the corporation. The IFC is considering further investment in the financial sector, the gas sector etc. The World Bank report says that the pace of future IFC investment will depend on continued progress towards economic and political stability, a more transparent, non-discriminatory and market-based policy environment and privatization of banks and other public enterprises. Priorities for future IFC investment are to develop the financial sector to improve access to finance small and medium- sized industries and micro-enterprises, improve efficiency of commercial banking, investment in gas production and transportation, support for private investment in infrastructure and investment in industries with growth prospects which can be competitive without dependence on the government protection and subsidies. The IFC's investments in financial sector are, however, linked to removal of uncertainty regarding the implication and implementation of Sharia code on all financial transactions. So far, IFC has focused on restructuring its own portfolio and helping existing clients restructure and strengthen their companies's balance-sheet. This has led to cancellation of $260m in commitments to 23 companies. As a result, Pakistan now ranks as IFC's eighth largest exposure, down from sixth in December 1998. IFC's disbursed own account portfolio is currently $447m in 45 companies, of which 38pc is in five IPP projects, all of them operational. The B Loan portfolio is currently $254m in 13 companies, with a strong concentration (57 per cent) in power. Of the 45 portfolio companies, nine are not current, $64m are overdue and in non-accrual, while the reserves for loan losses are $80m. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- IMF mission to open talks on PRGF: $596m SBA to end in Sept ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mohiuddin Aazim KARACHI, Aug 2: The IMF standby agreement or 10-month standby credit programe currently in operation in Pakistan would end in September, and any extension in SBA or its conversion into a long term program seems out of question. Sources close to ministry of finance said that the IMF review mission due in Islamabad in mid-August would evaluate Pakistan's economic performance in fiscal 2000-01 besides holding talks on poverty reduction and growth facility. They said there are no indications about Pakistan seeking an extension in SBA or its conversion into PRGF adding the IMF is less likely to weigh such prospects. Since Pakistan has met most of key performance criteria set for the last quarter of fiscal 2000-01 the mission should not have difficulty in recommending the release of fourth tranche out of the $596 million standby credit. Pakistan has so far received three tranches worth $457 million and the release of the fourth one is linked to its meeting the performance criteria set for April-June 2001. The previous three tranches were also released only after Pakistan had met quarterly performance criteria. The sources said the five-member IMF mission would split into two groups: one would review the economic performance of Pakistan in line with the performance criteria attached to SBA, and the other would hold negotiations on PRGF. But they could not say how early the fourth tranche would come in. It will depend on how quickly the mission wraps up its report and how early the IMF board of directors takes up the issue. The third tranche was released quite late-in mid-July-although the IMF mission had visited Pakistan as early as in May to assess if it has met the performance criteria set for January-March 2001. The sources said since the 10-month SBA approved on November 30, 2000 is going to expire in September there is naturally no performance criteria for Pakistan in July-September quarter. But they made it clear that indicative targets already set for this quarter would remain in place. If Pakistan meets the same it would help Islamabad improve its image and pave the way for PRGF. The sources said the talks due in mid-August between Pakistan and the IMF review mission would be the start of a series of negotiations to be held in future at different levels. They also made it clear that the time-frame and the size of PRGF would be determined only after the IMF is satisfied that Pakistan can remain on track, a prescribed program stretched at least over three years. They further said that even before securing PRGF Pakistan would have to show its willingness to follow the IMF lead by taking certain specific actions. These actions might include further liberalization of foreign exchange regime (read convertibility of the rupee on capital account); further documentation of the economy and withdrawal of the remaining subsidies and a whole bunch of measures to ensure good governance at all tiers of government and state-run bodies. Pakistan is pinning high hopes on PRGF for bailing out the debt- laden country and its economic managers have been saying that PRGF would be of the size of $2.5-$3 billion. They say that after being on track, a three-year PRGF the economy would be stabilized and would start to grow at a desired pace. But lately several leading economists have questioned the efficacy of the IMF prescriptions tagged with $596 million SBA that, according to them, have failed. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- WB official warns against risks in banks sell-off ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jawaid Bokhari KARACHI, July 31: A World Bank official has cautioned authorities against the risks in process of privatization of state-run banks. In a presentation made before senior bankers on 'finance for growth' Patrick Honohan, lead economist, Development Research Group, Development Economies, said it should be ensured that the buyers put their own money "and it does not turn out to be a case of banks buying banks." He also recalled that Mexico's experience showed that the funds of the privatized banks were used by interest groups acquiring state- run banks "to channel resources to their (purchasers) own firms." Such a privatization is dangerous, he concluded. Under the prudential regulations, the State Bank allows a bank to invest 30 per cent of the paid-up capital of a company or enterprise. Normally, in the first phase, about 26 per cent of the government stakes in any bank is divested. Patrick Honhan, however, favoured privatization of state-run banks as politicians influence bank decisions and affect their efficiency. First on the privatization agenda is United Bank, which is expected to be followed by Habib Bank. The Expressions of Interest received for the UBL include four banks - two Omanese and two Pakistani banks. The domestic banks are Muslim Commercial Bank and Union Bank. Privatization of MCB has been a success. Market reports indicate that controlling group of MCB, led by Mian Mansha has acquired 38 per cent of the outstanding equity of the largest insurance company, Adamjee Insurance. Analysts at Merrill Lynch say that "we understand that the Mansha Group has given assurances to Adamjee's existing management regarding non- interference; we believe that it is only a matter of time before the dynamic Mian Mansha begins to manifest his influence on the company." In that eventuality, these financial analysts see a scope for significantly broadening the product range of MCB via cross selling through Adamjee's policyholder base and vice-versa. The Union Bank headed by former HBL and Citibank country chief Shaukat Tareen recently acquired Bank of America branches. The bank has been looking for opportunities to expand. In the past, it had also indicated interest in privatization of Allied Bank. The authors of the World Bank Policy Research Report "Finance for Growth" concludes that privatization design is of second order importance compared with the need to create a competitive-oriented banking system that will allocate credit in line with commercial, rather than political practices. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- $32m loan accord signed with Japan ------------------------------------------------------------------- ISLAMABAD, July 30: Japan's state agency for economic aid said that it would loan Pakistan up to 4.032 billion Yen (about $32 million) for the construction of Kohat Tunnel Phase-II. Agreement to this effect was inked in Tokyo by the governor of Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Kyosuke Shinozawa, and Ambassador of Pakistan to Japan, Touqir Hussain. The initial Japanese assistance for the same project was provided in 1994. The fresh assistance was announced last year during the visit of the then Japanese prime minister, Yoshiro Mori, to Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shinozawa appreciated the economic reforms of the government and expressed the hope that the loan would contribute to the economic development of Pakistan. The ambassador said that Kohat project would contribute to the development of the region. He hoped that the signing of the agreement would lead to a review of the sanctions by Japan. The loan will cover the second phase of the project to build the 1,885-metre Kohat tunnel on the Indus highway, linking Peshawar and Kohat, a bank statement said. The latest loan will carry an annual interest rate of 1.8 per cent and be repayable in 30 years with a grace period of 10 years.-Agencies DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PIA to get Rs4.730bn loan from local banks ------------------------------------------------------------------- KARACHI, Aug 3: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was able to obtain a loan of Rs 4.730 billion for bridge financing from a consortium of Pakistani banks described as the largest-ever consortium comprising of National, United, Allied and Askari Banks. The agreement was signed on behalf of PIA by its Managing Director, Ahmed Saeed and Syed Ali Raza, Aamir Zafar and others on behalf of banking consortium. Speaking on the occasion the MD PIA, Ahmed Saeed announced that the airline will return the loan in 60 days. Later talking to newsmen Ahmed Saeed said that the loan is expected to go up to Rs 5.5 billion when Muslim Commercial Bank will also join the consortium. The MD PIA said the amount will be used to repay the public debt, salaries of workers and bringing improvement in the aircraft like betterment of seats and inflight conditions and safety of aircraft. He pointed out that another Rs 6 billion will be restructured next week and remaining Rs 9 billion will also be coming in the next 60 days when PIA will go for sale of TFCs. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- CBR cell to review task force recommendations ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mubarak Zeb Khan ISLAMABAD, July 28: The government has established a Tax Reforms Cell at the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to review the recommendations of the Task Force on Restructuring Tax Administration. Sources in the CBR told Dawn that the cell would be headed by the newly promoted member CBR M.S Lal formerly Chief, Income Tax Coordinator. The proposed system of re-structuring the income tax, business process and organization would be implemented in three phases. The first phase, lasting about six months, would be devoted to extensive planning and budgeting, organizational restructuring, training, and reengineering of processes as preparation for the implementation of the proposed reform. In the second phase, beginning on January 2002, a pilot program would be run in two income tax regions - the proposed regions are the eastern region and Corporate Region, Karachi, the sources said. It is proposed that the reform program is implemented in its entirety in the pilot regions, and simultaneously during this phase. A number of new systems and procedure are introduced in the other income tax regions. In the third stage, beginning on January 2003, after learning lessons from the pilot, the system will be implemented in the other three regions as well, the source said. To make the income tax machinery an effective one, the task force recommended that the fundamental responsibility for declaring income and assessing taxes should lie with the taxpayer, there should be selective and professionally conducted audit supported by survey and research capability and databases which would assist in the selection of cases for audit and in the quality of audit. It was proposed that there should be stiff penalties, for taxpayers for willful tax evasion, there should be minimum direct contact between tax officials and taxpayers and information technology should play a central role in processing tax returns, selection of cases for audit and day to day work for tax officials. There should be separation of functions to enable specialization, a critical mass of tax officials and technology specialists should be assembled in selected places to ensure effective and efficient service to taxpayers, the committee proposed to the government. The task force recommended that the existing five regions, including the corporate region, be constituted as the nuclei of the organization, management, and systems of the reformed income tax organization. Each would be headed by a regional commissioner, responsible for all operational aspects of the administration of income tax in the region. It was recommended that under each RCIT there would be six divisions headed by CITs. These are management information system, operations and audit, legal and prosecution, survey and research, customer service, enforcement and collection and inspection and internal audit. Elaborating further, the sources said that the management information system division would be responsible for data entry, processing, storage, up keep, access and security of all databases. This will allow efficient handling of a number of important functions in the department, in particular processing of tax returns, filing and record keeping, tax audit, and its supervision and monitoring of tax collection and policy analysis. To make the audit less arbitrary and less discriminatory, the task force proposed to free all the auditors from all major non-audit responsibilities. This is the reason for creating a separate operations and audit division. The division, in addition to conduct income tax audits, would also be responsible for system audit for ensuring compliance to withholding taxes as well as compliance to audit of non-taxpayers. It was proposed that the criteria used for selection of taxpayers for audit should be objective as some taxpayers should be selected purely randomly and others on the basis of risk profile of taxpayers. The task force recommended that the Legal and Prosecution Division should first define precisely the probable offences discovered through the audit and prescribe penalties for them, handle appeals emanating from the audit process, and handle prosecution of cases of concealment and fraud. It was proposed that the Customer Service Enforcement and Collection Division (CSECD) would be responsible for tax collection as well as taxpayer assistance and education. However, CSECD will also carry out the responsibilities of receipt of requests for registration and de-registration and passing them on to the central data centre with findings and recommendations, receipt of tax returns for transmission to the information management center, pursuit of non-filers, recording of appeal effects, receiving requests for extension of deadlines for filing of tax returns, and deciding on them with given guidelines, receiving applications for rectification and passing them to information management center, collection, taxpayer education. The committee recommended that the Inspection and Internal Audit Division will carry out the responsibility of internal audit of the Operations and Audit Division, audit of tax refunds issued by MIS division, and reopening of cases under section 65 and revision under section 66 A. It was proposed that the income tax process will start with taxpayers sending their returns to the customer service centers and from there these returns would be sent to the MIS division. At the MIS division, the return would be checked for arithmetic errors. When these errors are found, demand notices will be sent to the taxpayers. The division will also send notices to non-filers. The tax enforcement and collection wing of the Customer Service, Enforcement and Collection Division will follow up on tax demand notices as well as track non-filers. All tax returns will also be reconciled with withholding taxes at the MIS Division. In case refunds are due, refund voucher will be issued. Disputes regarding refunds, and requests for exemption certificates by the taxpayer will be handled through the appropriate wing of the Customer Service, Enforcement and Collection Division. The selection of cases for audit will be handled by MIS division. Selected cases for audit will be assigned to CIT audit who will assign these audit teams some of which will be constituted around business specialization. After the audit is completed, the officer in charge of the audit team will issue the assessment order along with demand notice. Collection of tax demand will be the responsibility of the Customer Service, Enforcement and Collection Division. In cases of serious tax evasion, the matter will be referred to the legal department for prosecution. It was also recommended that the taxpayer Assistance Wing of Customer Service Division would handle cases of taxpayer queries and complaints. The appeal against the decision of the department will follow the same process as in the present system with the first appeal lying with the Commissioner appeals and thereafter with the income tax tribunal, the High Court and the Supreme Court. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 35 cos suspension creates unrest among investors ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Dilawar Hussain KARACHI, July 31: The decision by the Karachi Stock Exchange to 'suspend' as many as thirty-five companies effective July 16, has created unrest among the small shareholders, who lament that all their investment in those companies may have gone down the drain. But the managing director KSE, Noman Ahmed, justifies the move, which he says, was entirely in 'public interest'. The number of companies suspended- 35- looks phenomenal, compared with only eleven companies that were suspended in the last three years, combined. KSE MD told Dawn that the 35 companies put under suspension in July, were picked up from among the 120 that are languishing on the 'defaulters' counter' for violations under section 32 (1) of the listing regulations. He cited host of reasons for their suspension: "Many of them have not responded to KSE notices; some such as Bankers' Equity are under liquidation, while many others simply do not exist," said Noman. He agreed that small investors who had taken stake in those companies could go to lose money- unless they get something on liquidation. And unfortunate as that was, it was the new unsuspecting investors that the stock exchange wanted to protect. "If such companies remain listed, new investors not knowing their current status could dabble in those stocks and eventually find themselves trapped," the KSE MD said. The companies suspended by the KSE on July 16 include: 1st Tawakkal Modaraba; Hamraz Industries; Kohinoor Looms; Zahur Textile; Tawakkal Polyester; Mian Mohammad Sugar; Multipole Industries; Al- Husainy Industries; Tawakkal Limited; Standard Insurance; Ayaz Textile; Mohib Export; National Silk; Data Agro Limited; Muslim Ghee; Crown Textile; Marr Fabrics; Sarhad Ghee; Sunflo Cit-Russ; Ittefaq Textile; Tawakkal Garments; Sadiqabad Textile; Pearl Fabrics; Sunrise Textile; Aswan Tentage; Nilom Nylon; Karachi Pipe Mills; Hyderabad Electronics; Adamjee Paper; Adamjee Floorings; Calico Cotton; Harnai Woollen; Bela Engineers; Nusrat Textile and Bankers' Equity. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sugar stock adequate, notes ECC: Forex reserves reach $3.2bn ------------------------------------------------------------------- Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, July 31: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet here on Tuesday was informed by the governor of the State Bank that the country's foreign exchange reserves had reached $3.2 billion. The ECC, which was presided over by Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, was told that the $3.2 billion reserves included $1.7 billion that was being maintained by the State Bank and $1.5 billion with other commercial banks. The committee reviewed the sugar situation and noted that sugar supplies, both from local production and imports, were in adequate stock. It noted that there was stability in sugar prices. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010730 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Clouds hover around equities market ------------------------------------------------------------------- Muhammad Aslam The stocks failed to establish any set price pattern during the week. The KSE 100-share index suffered a fresh fall of about 18 points at 1,242.84 points as compared to 1,260.59 points a week earlier. The breach of the jealously-guarded support index level of 1,250.00 was taken as a bad omen for the market, which could lead to further price erosions, most floor brokers feared. The market capitalization also suffered a fresh setback of Rs4 billion at Rs314 billion as compared to Rs318 billion last week as all the heavily-capitalized shares, notably the Hub-Power, the PSO and the PTCL remained under pressure. "The persistent foreign selling, notably in the PTCL appears to be the market's chief worry and its inability to absorb it even at the falling prices. Its price has already fallen to two-year low at Rs15.10 and may fall further", the stock analyst at the W.E Financials said. The PSO share, did trigger panic selling, pushing it down to as low as Rs121.65 in early trading but the late support allowed it to finish partially recovered. The KSE 100-share index early was off but the mid-week saw it rising sharply on the strength of the leading base shares, notably the Hubco followed by the reports that its lenders would meet soon to approve 17 per cent interim dividend declared by its management. It touched the week's highest at 1,276 points but ended at the lowest for the week at 1,243 points, as all the leading base shares suffered fall under the lead of the PTCL. The stray flutters of the strong speculative activity were witnessed on the forward counters, notably in the PSO and the Hub- Power but there were no signs of identical two-way trading in their shares in the ready section. An interim cash dividend at the rate of 25 per cent by the Clariant Pakistan, for instance, was well-received in the market as was reflected by a smart increase in its share value. Some of the leading shares managed to put on good gains under the lead of Fazal Textiles, which rose by Rs7.90. Other good gainers were led by the Lever Brothers, the Sitara Chemical, the Ferozsons Lab, the Cyanamid Pakistan, the Sindh Abadgar's Sugar and Ishaq Textiles with few others posting some good gains. Losers were led by the Security Papers, the Glaxo-Wellcome, the Amin Spinning, the Adamjee Insurance, the MCB, the Alico, the Bolan Casting and the Aventis Pharma and several others but most of the price changes were two-way. The trading volume fell to 274m shares from the previous half a billion shares, bulk of which was shared by the Hub-Power, the PTCL, the PSO, followed by the ICI Pakistan, the Engro Chemical, Fauji Fertiliser, the CB, Adamjee Insurance, the FFC-Jordan Fertiliser, Dewan Salman and some others.Back to the top
EDITORIALS & FEATURES 20010729 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Two wrongs do not make one right ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ardeshir Cowasjee DELHI: Neither side can give the other what it wants. Very wisely, the inscrutable prime minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and General Pervez Musharraf have decided not to slam shut the door but to meet again. To dissipate rancour of fifty-four years standing requires far more time than fifty-four hours. Pakistan should make no mistake in its perception. The other side is light years ahead of it in too many ways. For instance, take the lush green Delhi which, once ranked amongst the topmost highly polluted cities of the world, is now smoke and smog and diesel- petrol fume free, thanks to the Supreme Court of India, and the Delhi administration which has implemented its order. Karachi: Back to its on-going strife, sectarian and other murders, pollution, traffic snarls, fading diminishing greenery, and the headlines of this newspaper's Metropolitan section which told us last week - 'Epidemics feared as flies invade Karachi', 'Centers refuse dialysis for want of funds' (the government has still to denationalize the Kidney Center erroneously nationalized), and 'Regularization to destroy town planning'. The governor of Sindh and his cabinet have once more arisen and approved the passing of a resolution that will destroy whatever has been left intact in the overtly highly illegally overbuilt city of Karachi. Many people will recall how the building mafia in 1999 had approached Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz and misled him into believing that industries and employment would miraculously be revived were all the illegal buildings in Karachi to be regularized. The then governor, Air Marshal Azim Daudpota, was also highly elated with the mafia's fairy story. However, when the true position was explained to both Aziz and Daudpota they realized they had been duped. In came Mohammadmian Soomro as Sindh governor, and he and his minister of housing and town planning, Dewan Yousuf, were once again revved up by the builders into believing that the regularization of all illegally constructed buildings was the answer to all Karachi's ills, and yet another committee was formed to examine the matter. The Tasneem Siddiqui committee was asked to submit its report to the governor, which it has done. On July 24 of this year, Governor Soomro and his cabinet approved the passing of the Sindh Building Control (Amendment 2001) Ordinance sanctifying a building policy for the beleaguered city of Karachi that is supposed to jump-start the urban economy and provide a boost to the 'Program for the Economic Revival of Karachi' (PERK). Every citizen can now become a legal "illegal and prosperous builder." The proposed liberal ordinance allows one, within the next 12 months, to build a multi-storeyed commercial building on even a public park if one does not: use the structure for any environmentally degrading or hazardous activity; cater to the services sector to transport (whatever that means); convert parking spaces to other use; violate a road-widening cut-line reservation or property line; or, erect a seismically unstable structure. One can, however: cover the entire compulsory open spaces all around (meant for the privacy of neighbors, sunlight and ventilation, access for emergency fire/ambulance vehicles, running of utility services, etc); construct unlimited excess built-up area, with unlimited additional floors; convert an amenity park plot into a commercial plot; not provide visibility chamfers on corner plots; not provide NOCs from the KESC, KWSB, and SSGCL; contravene the Civil Aviation Authority's 'flying gap' limitation; construct higher than the podium of Mohammad Ali Jinnah's mazar (within the prohibited 3/4th mile radius); and commit many other violations of the building regulations. All one has to do is pay Rs. 300 per square foot (sft) of violation space as penalty charges. One can then sell the 'regularized' commercial space at a profit of over Rs. 1,300 per sft for offices and Rs. 19,000 per sft for shops. The Tasneem Siddiqui committee report specifically states that land-use violations would not be regularized, but the cabinet- approved ordinance allows the condonation of exactly such violations. It seems of no consequence that this conversion cannot be done under the SBCO ordinance as it contravenes multiple town- planning laws and plot-lease covenants. On October 5, 1999, the KDA governing body wisely cautioned the public through a KBCA notice published in newspapers of record that numerous unauthorized structures had been constructed in Karachi under the cover of court orders, and that the law did not permit the 'regularization' of such blatantly illegal and dangerous buildings. The KDA/KBCA went on to correctly clarify that "condonation is only possible when the deviations from the approved plans are still within the building regulations." In an about-face, on May 3,2001, without debate the KDA governing body pushed through the Tasneem Siddiqui committee report recommending virtually blanket 'regularization'. Two public representatives, ex-Senator Syed Mazher Ali (himself a builder and founder-member of ABAD) and I, both present at the meeting, dissented strongly. I insisted that my detailed objection be attached to the report, along with my following note of caution: "These documents, without any specific recommendation of the GB, should confuse the governor, as they should any other reasonable man. It is not fair to throw the ball in the governor's court and make him take a wrong decision for which he will be held responsible, and for which he would have to face an inquiry which any subsequent government will hold. He would have to suffer the consequences, presuming that he would then be in Pakistan, not having absconded." This 'regularization' policy has the whole-hearted support of businessman/builder-turned-vice-chairman of the Economic Development Council of Sindh, Shahid Firoz, who is committed to making Karachi "the most livable city in South Asia by 2007." Shahid spouts a smooth line of patter while explaining the details of his grandiose plans. He has been motivated by the builders of 'Fortune Towers', 'Saima Trade Towers', 'Business Avenue', 'Clifton Shopping Galleria', and numerous other illegal structures on Sharea Faisal who explain how advantageous it would be to the government of Sindh if illegalities were to be condoned -- at a price. All, however, is not lost. The High Court of Sindh is still acting as the guardian of the 'right to life' of the citizens and is delivering on issues brought to its judicial notice. Two cases in the High Court involving the built environment of Karachi have fared well over the past fortnight. In the 'Karachi Playhouse' petition challenging a mammoth commercial structure being constructed on an amenity/public building plot reserved for a theatre at Teen Talwar, the division bench recognized the prima facie validity of the citizens' petition that Clifton Cantonment Board's building regulations could not override the original zoning/town planning of the KDA Kahkashan Scheme. In the 'Saima Trade Towers' case, dealing with a grossly over-built structure on I. I. Chundrigar Road, the division bench placed a liberal interpretation on the concept of locus standi while recognizing that "certain individuals or groups have over the years proved their bona fides for championing the cause connected with certain aspects of the city." The court rejected the stand of the builders/interveners that such public interest cases could be heard only in the Supreme Court, and admitted the petition. The lethal ordinance is still in the making with the law department of the Sindh government. Governor Soomro should take a second look. How much excess baggage can President General Pervez Musharraf carry? DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Real democracy: the miracle at hand ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ayaz Amir With the election of corps headquarter-approved nazims and naib nazims, the spearmen of the real democracy that General Musharraf had promised to gift the nation are finally in place. They make a princely collection. Monitored closely by the corps commanders who constitute Gen Musharraf's ruling college of bishops, this electoral exercise has been carried out with all the single mindedness of a military operation. Its objective has been a disarmingly simple one: the creation of a military-friendly civilian constituency (forget the contradiction in this phrase) for the latest in Pakistan's long line of distinguished saviours. Given the importance of this objective, minor irritants such as those the tender-hearted would call democratic niceties have not been allowed to stand in the way of its fulfillment. It is a mark of this approach that the list of approved candidates was compiled in close consultation with the Like-minded or Sarkari League headed by Mian Azhar, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Ellahi- -the three luminaries who should now be taken as the leading apostles of the real democracy to whose tune the country is all set to march. Where the corps commanders had no favourites, the wishes of Mian Azhar and the Chaudhries prevailed. But if, as we have seen most spectacularly in Rawalpindi, there was a military favourite, nothing could block his anointing as the certified candidate of the Official League. It is instructive to dwell a bit on the 'Pindi contender. Before these free and fair elections who could have considered Tariq Kayani as the front runner? The Chaudhries first chose Raja Basharat as their man only to be told (face-to-face) by Commander 10 Corps, Lt-Gen Jamshed Gulzar Kayani, that the national interest was better served by Tariq Kayani (the similarity of surnames being entirely coincidental) as Rawalpindi nazim. Not a man to miss the writing on the wall, Basharat withdrew his candidature, contenting himself with the consolation prize of tehsil nazimship for his younger brother. Ten Corps is the formation whose responsibilities include the guarding of the Siachen passes. Hawk-eyed vigilance in the north and a keen civic sense in Rawalpindi: this is what is called versatility. No one can accuse the modern Pakistan army of not being protean in its capabilities. Similarly illuminating has been the performance of the 6th Armoured Division based in Kharian whose commander, Maj-Gen Ghumman, has been closely watching the election scene in Chakwal. By now he should be as familiar with the political personalities of his diocese as with his troops and columns of armour. It is this facet of military training, or call it expertise, which gives the Pakistan army an edge over its Indian rival. The Indian army is narrow in outlook, concerned only with professional militarism whereas the Pakistan army with its multifarious responsibilities has a range truly Napoleonic in its reach and vision. A clarification, though, is in order. In north Punjab, the heart of the martial belt and the region regarding whose nazim elections I can say something, the corps commanders have intervened only at the macro or strategic level (military officers being fond of these terms), ensuring that the mantle of official candidate fell on the right shoulders. They have been clear on one point: no PPP or Nawaz Sharif supporter should enter the hallowed circle of nazims, the future constituency of Gen Musharraf. Otherwise, to the best of my knowledge, there has been no micro-intervention in the form of majors or colonels pressuring the administration to get 'positive' results. To this extent this election has been free and fair. But the point to examine is the outcome of this exercise in military planning. No better collection of yes-men could have been gathered for giving a civilian face to the present order or advancing Gen Naqvi's devolution plan--about which we have been told that it is the answer to all the country's problems. Are these men of straw, in awe of their respective corps commanders, the messiahs whose approach the nation has been awaiting? Indeed, what Gen Musharraf and his knights are asking of the nation is nothing less than a total suspension of disbelief. We are being asked to forget the non-performance of the last year and a half and to believe that a revolution, a quick-fix for all our ills, is at hand. In other words, through Gen Naqvi's attempt at administrative restructuring, we have at last discovered the Holy Grail. Credulity needs stretching to believe any of this. Consider the talent on offer. Can the army-vetted nazims who will be carrying the burden of Gen Naqvi's district engineering be the harbingers of a social upheaval? We might with equal assurance believe that gilded lilies will sprout from municipal cesspools. The newly-elected nazims do not come from a crop of fools. Knowing the keen interest taken in their welfare by the corps commanders, they are all too aware of their real status: pawns in a larger power game. From creatures thus elected (or selected) is it at all fair to expect justice, impartiality and similar administrative wonders? Products of an exercise whose central principle has been the lack of even-handedness, are they now expected to discharge their district duties in an even-handed manner? The Like-minded Leaguers are chips off the Nawaz Sharif block, people who took part in the loot, plunder and maladministration of the decade that Gen Musharraf likes to associate with 'sham' democracy. The same people, having been vetted by their respective corps commanders, are now being expected to play the role of knights in civic armour. We are all entitled to our day-dreams. But this one would leave even confirmed Freudians a bit out of breath. Instead of administrative rigour, far more accurate to think of administrative vandalization. The western embassies and donor agencies pushing the devolution plan and saying it is the best thing to come Pakistan's way will have a lot to answer for. Wait till the nazims get into their stride. The mismanagement of the last year and a half will pale by comparison. Hitherto, politicians used the bureaucracy to win power and influence. Now it is the politico, in the form of the nazim, who will sit atop the bureaucratic pyramid. Who is to prevent him from misusing this power? Gen Musharraf and his mentor in this sphere, Gen Naqvi, take this change to be the key to the golden kingdom. Concentration of authority in any field has been the ruin of Pakistan. Is it likely to be any different in this instance? Of course devolution of power is a good thing. Sure, the old administrative system needed a knocking. Equally certain, the old deputy commissioner and commissioner's offices had outlived their utility. But let us not forget the relationship between end and means. Are the likes of Mian Azhar and Chaudhry Shujaat going to lead the nation to the promised land? Are the nazims of what must now be called the Official League going to be the heralds of a new dispensation? Let us not fool ourselves. At issue is not any question of administrative regeneration as the think-tankers of the regime would have the nation believe. At stake is the creation of a civilian base for the military government. Once the nazims assume control of their district baronies, attention will turn to the next stage of real democracy: the election of military-friendly assemblies, at the centre and in the provinces. Nor, if we care to remember the Ayub model with its docile and quiescent legislatures, is this such an unlikely outcome. The valuable election experience gathered by the corps commanders makes it entirely possible for the Ayubian model to be replicated in the coming round as well. But why quarrel with the inevitable? I for my part have pre-empted even the smartest gunslingers by being the first to offer my congratulations to Gen Musharraf for the successful outcome of the nazim elections. On Wednesday morning as he met a group of us journalists who had carried the Pakistan flag at Agra I told him, full two days before the event, to rest easy because the right kind of nazims, their hearts in the right place, were being elected. To his credit, he did not take my remark amiss, his embarrassment lasting for no more than a passing second.
SPORTS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB not to allow ICC sleuths to grill Inzamam ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Samiul Hasan KARACHI, Aug 3: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it would not make Inzamam-ul-Haq available to International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit for interview. "There is no question of allowing Inzamam to appear before Sir Paul Condon's unit when Pakistan has a packed and demanding international season," a top PCB official said. The ICC sleuths want to investigate Inzamam in connection with their probe against betting and match-fixing. The Pakistan vice- captain, fined Rs300,000 by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum for hiding facts, has again been targeted by Condon's men and the English media. The latest allegations against Inzamam revolved around his second ball duck against Australia in the tri-nation one-day tournament in England. Inzamam danced down the track against Shane Warne only to be stumped by Adam Gilchrist. According to highly placed sources, Condon has reported the latest allegations against Inzamam to the PCB and has urged Pakistan authorities to allow his unit to question him. PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia neither confirmed nor denied the report but admitted that three Pakistan players were grilled by ICC sleuths during Pakistan's tour to England that concluded in June. "Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis were questioned by ICC investigators who were also supposed to examine Inzamam but he was not available. After the England tour, Inzamam proceeded to United States and has just returned," Zia said. But the PCB boss said he would not like his senior most batsman to pass through mental trauma of facing investigators at a time when Pakistan has to play 12 Tests and around 20 one-day internationals. Inzamam, talking to Dawn from Multan, said he would wait for instructions from PCB before proceeding to England to face ICC investigators. But he minced no words to express his frustration. "Every player is sick of these allegations and I am no different. I am fed-up. I just don't understand why every dismissal or team's defeat is linked to ungamely tactics. "Naturally, these allegations affect the concentration of the player because every time he walks out in the centre, he has it in the back of his mind that if he fails to deliver, he will be under suspicion," Inzamam said. The PCB, which has come down hard when it comes to defending players for the right reasons, further said it would not get the allegations investigated by its inquiry committee. "There is no need to toe the line of media allegations and start inquiries," Zia said. However, the general said Justice Bhandari's inquiry into World Cup allegations which had to be submitted to the ICC has been delayed. "Although the President has appointed Justice Bhandari, the Law Secretary has yet to release a notification," he said, adding that the inquiry was unlikely to be completed before the start of fresh season. "I would have liked to close this chapter before the season starts. But now, either Justice Bhandari's inquiry will be held between a six-week gap after the Sharjah tournament and tour to Bangladesh or after the conclusion of the season in March-April. "I will be meeting Justice Bhandari on Saturday and will seek his plan of action. But frankly speaking, I would not like to bother my players during the season," Zia said. Justice Bhandari will be probing the allegations levelled by former South African board's managing director Ali Bacher that Pakistan deliberately threw World Cup matches to Bangladesh and India. Bhandari will also be probing Bacher's claims that retired Test umpire Javed Akhtar had been on the pay-roll of the bookies. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010804 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Waqar retained captain for home series against Kiwis ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter KARACHI, Aug 3: Paceman Waqar Younis was retained as Pakistan captain for a three-Test and as many one-day internationals home series against New Zealand starting Sept 19. The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia told Dawn from Lahore that although his establishment would like Waqar to continue till the 2003 World Cup, decision on his future would be made after analyzing his form and fitness. "According to our policy, Waqar has initially been appointed captain till the home series against New Zealand. Inzamam-ul-Haq will continue to serve as vice-captain," Zia said. Waqar replaced an out of favour Moin Khan for the Sharjah and England tours in March where Pakistan put up a mixed performance. Nevertheless, Waqar's own performance remained outstanding when he finished with 17 wickets in the England tri-nation one-day competition. After the New Zealand tour, Pakistan are to play in a three- nation tournament in Sharjah and then proceed to Bangladesh for a two-Test series before hosting West Indies for a three-Test series. "Waqar will be conveyed about his additional responsibilities for the second half of the international season in advance," Zia said, hinting that the pacer would be entrusted with captaincy for the entire season during the New Zealand series. The appointment means Waqar will also captain Pakistan in the icebreaking Test against India at Lahore in the Asian Test Championship between Sept 12 and 16. Waqar made his Test debut against India at Karachi in 1989-90. The PCB chief said he was pleased with Waqar's individual performance and the way the team had responded under his leadership. "But we don't like to jump the guns. Although I am confident that Waqar will maintain the highest standards of fitness, we have to stick to our policy of appointing captains on series-by-series basis," he said. Zia admitted that Pakistan lacked Waqar's replacement as captain. "Inzamam is the vice-captain but that doesn't necessarily mean that he is the future captain. We have Saeed Anwar and Rashid Latif but I don't want to hand over the charge to Rashid because he has just forced his way into the team. "He (Rashid) still requires time to adjust to the rigors of international cricket. It would be unjustified if he is handed over this demanding job. "Besides this senior trio, the others are inexperienced." The PCB supremo said the decision to retain Waqar was not difficult in the backdrop of his and team's performance in Sharjah and England. The general said the PCB would award contracts to a select group of players before the international season begins with the Test against Bangladesh at Multan from Aug 29. He said half a dozen players would be awarded contracts but didn't promise that the players would be from the 27 named to attend the training camp starting in Karachi from Aug 6. "Before we award contracts, two things have to be gauged. Firstly, do we have enough funds in our coffers and secondly, will our players be at par with other teams. "The basic objective of awarding contracts is to avoid the embarrassment of players entering into individual deals with PCB sponsors competitors," he said, with reference to players agreement with Coca Cola which put the PCB in an awkward situation as Pepsi is the team's sponsor. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010803 ------------------------------------------------------------------- BCCI approach govt for approval: Lahore Test ------------------------------------------------------------------- MUMBAI, Aug 2: Indian cricket authorities have asked their government for permission to play a Test match in Pakistan in September, their first on Pakistani soil in 12 years, a leading cricket official said. India are scheduled to play Pakistan in an Asian Test Championship game in Lahore next month, but it is uncertain whether the government will allow the trip. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010731 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Cricket ties not feasible at present: India ------------------------------------------------------------------- Monitoring Desk NEW DELHI, July 30: Government reiterated its stand that bilateral cricket series with Pakistan could not be allowed under 'present circumstances' but the Indian team was free to play against that country in multilateral tournaments. "After taking all the relevant factors into consideration, the government has come to the view that circumstances prevailing at present are not fully conducive for Indian cricket team to play bilateral matches against Pakistan," Minister of State of Sports Pon Radhakirishnan said on Monday in a written reply in Lok Sabha. "There is, however, generally no objection to playing against Pakistan in multilateral matches at regular venues," he said. To a related question, the minister said there was no proposal for organizing hockey matches between the two countries. "The Government will take a decision on receipt of the proposal in this regard," he said. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010730 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Khayal and Zubair post second win ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Correspondent LAHORE, July 29: Khayal Mohammad and Zubair Ali registered their second consecutive victories on the second day of three-day trials which are being held at the Punjab Squash Complex to pick up two players from Punjab for the national trials. The national trials will be held at Karachi in September to select two Pakistan teams for the World Team Championship and SAF Games which are being staged at Sydney and Islamabad, respectively, in October this year. Khayal Mohammad who toppled Zulifqar Ali in the opener easily, faced a stiff challenge from Asghar Khan as he went the full distance to earn his second win. Khayal Mohammad fought for 105 minutes to win with a score of 12-15, 15-10, 15-7, 16-17, 15-12. Zubair Ali outplayed Yawar Islam 15-3, 15-5, 15-14 to complete his second win. Yawar Islam had also lost his first match to Ibraheem Gull. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010802 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wasim to coach youngsters ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Reporter LAHORE, Aug 1: Six cricket clinics to train youngsters in two age- groups are being established at six major cities of the country. The first group of boys to be chosen for the clinics will be between the ages of 10-13 and the second between the ages of 14-16. For setting-up the clinics, a contract was signed between former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who will be heading the group of Test stars engaged as coaches, and a multi-national soft-drink company. Wasim will be assisted by Test cricketers Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Sami and Imran Farhat. The open trials to select the boys will be held at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground, Sunday (Aug 5) at 9.00am. Besides Lahore, the same exercise will also be held at Karachi, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan and Peshawar. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as in the past, will again be co-operating with the sponsor company in making the clinics a success. The PCB coaches will be scouting talent while the clinics will be in progress. After selecting boys, clinics will be run for six weeks. At the end of training on Sept 18, talented cricketers will be short-listed at each of the six cities to form 16-member teams. Matches will be organized among the teams of each center. Speaking on the occasion, Wasim Akram said that Pakistan was blessed with abundant talent that the boys participating in these clinics would have the advantage of learning from our experience. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010802 ------------------------------------------------------------------- PCB's double-standards over fitness of players ------------------------------------------------------------------- By Imran Naeem Ahmed ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: Pakistan cricket chief, Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia said that both Wasim Akram and wicketkeeper Moin Khan would have to prove their form and fitness if they cherish any hopes of returning to the national team. Both Akram and Moin were dropped Tuesday from a list of 27 probables announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a training camp ahead of this month's Bangladesh match of the Asian Test Championship. "They have to prove themselves in domestic cricket if they want to make a comeback," said the general who did not appear too happy with the "attitude" of some of the senior players. The selectors, headed by Wasim Bari chose wicketkeepers Rashid Latif and Atiq-uz- Zaman leaving out Moin to rue his fate. Tauqir dismissed the impression that Shoaib Akhtar, who is among the probables, was injured. "He has no fitness problems." Fingers are being raised again over the inclusion of this injury-prone bowler who has spent more time in recent months watching cricket from the dressing room at the cost of PCB's money than actually playing it. His injuries have cost the board millions but the fatherly PCB officials continue to pamper him hoping that one day he might pay them back in form of taking wickets, the prime duty of a strike bowler. While Tauqir did not say much about Shoaib, he disclosed that Mohammad Sami and Shabbir Ahmad who are still recovering from injuries have been included in the list of probables so that they could practice with the other players which would help them regain fitness. Asked if the PCB had now given up its search for a foreign coach following the refusal this week of South African Kepler Wessels, Tauqir said: "We have not given up but will continue our hunt. He did not say who the board was presently pursuing. Australian Darryl Foster, South-Africa born Richard Pybus and Englishman C. Medlycott, have all expressed their inability to take up long-term coaching assignments in Pakistan. Tauqir said that Sikander Bakht had been appointed coach because he was based in Karachi, the venue for the training camp beginning from Aug 6. "We have no intention of giving him a long term appointment," said the general. Meanwhile, Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq has been refused permission to play, reportedly for a World XI in England. Inzamam, who phoned up Tauqir Wednesday to seek permission, was told that it would be better if he concentrated on playing for Pakistan. He was told by the general that he could not grant him permission with the training camp about to start and the Asian Test Championship looming. Inzamam was to get a purse of 2000 pounds for playing the match. DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS*DWS 20010801 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Blue-eyed' Shoaib named in probables: Wasim, Moin axed ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sports Correspondent LAHORE, July 31: Pakistan selectors have left out veteran Wasim Akram and Moin Khan from the 27 probables to attend the national senior training camp due to be held at the National Stadium, Karachi, from Aug 6. It appears that Wasim Akram has been finally shown the door while Moin's future hangs in balance as the selectors headed by Wasim Bari have picked Atiq uz Zaman as Rashid Latif's deputy. However injury-prone and controversial Shoaib Akhtar, - despite his poor record as Test bowler and millions of rupees wasted on him over the years - once again finds favor with the selectors. Even young Mohammad Sami who was also unfit but toured England and remained with the team as a "joyrider" gets the selectors nod although he was reported to be suffering from a stress fracture of the shin. "Indispensible" Yawar Saeed has been retained as manager and former Test paceman Sikandar Bakht, who earlier quit as selector, once again has been rewarded with the job of camp coach. Probables: Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Taufiq Umar, Saeed Anwar, Faisal Iqbal, Hasan Raza, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousaf Youhana, Younis Khan, Abdur Razzaq, Danish Kanaira, Rashid Latif, Waqar Younis, Irfan Fazil, Shabbir Ahmad, Mohammad Sami, Naveed Lateef, Rana Naveed, Shahid Afridi, Saqlain Mushtaq. Atiq-uz-Zaman, ShoaibAkhtar, FazleAkbar, Mohammad Akram, Yasir Arafat, AzharMahmood and Shoaib Malik. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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