The new suggestion forwarded by the ANP i.e. changing Pakistan’s
name from Islamic Republic of Pakistan to People’s Republic of
Pakistan. I don’t think there is any need to change the name of our
beautiful country and none of our any citizen in Pakistan would like
any other name. Why the ANP Govt want to remove the world Islamic?
It is creating problems for ANP which it faced since independence in
law making bodies e.g. Islamic Ideology Council etc. As soon as the
ANP proposed this change the MQM also supported it with out any
valid justification and reason. What I think is necessary is to do
practical work, to give jobs to the people, to give relief to the
people, to make education free, to make medical free everywhere, to
stabilize the country. ANP Govt has failed to achieve its real
objectives which are mentioned above. They are just passing time
i.e. to change the name of NWFP to Pakhtoonkhawa etc and now want to
change the name of Pakistan, after few month they will change the
names of cities, roads, schools, universities. Peshawar is the
capital of NWFP and has become been hit with daily suicide blasts
yet ANP the majority party here failed to provide security to the
people. We salute the Police and Army Jawans who died in this way.
Please Chief of ANP should do some thing else then changing the
names of province and country.—Peshawar
Corruption & governance
Mian Shamsuddin
This is with reference to Transparency International’s latest report
wherein Pakistan has been placed at 42nd position on the worst
corrupt countries list. Pakistan was last year at 47th position on
T.I. list of most corrupt countries. A review by any sane man of
integrity and ethics will reveal that all the countries on the worst
top 50 list of most corrupt nations, also have similar ratings on
Failed States Index and Human Development Index, which only proves
that good governance and development cannot take place as long as
corruption is prevalent at the level that it exists in countries
like Nigeria, Somalia, Chad, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Sudan,
Pakistan etc.
The list of NRO beneficiaries will reveal that our senior level
bureaucracy were the second largest beneficiaries, while the largest
benefactors was a particular ethnic group which thrives on politics
of violence like the Somalian pirates. The right to allot real
estate belonging to the state by City Governments, Provincial and
Federal Government, Evacuee Property and Cantonment Boards must
cease forthwith and the same must be sold through open auction to
fund welfare, health and education projects. We have not forgotten
the trillion rupee real estate scam in Karachi, where the local
government allotted over 400 houses and lodges belonging to the
Federal Govt and located at prime locations to select private
citizens and cronies during the Musharraf junta rule.
Pakistan needs to seriously tackle this cancer on a war footing, in
the same manner that it is engaged in the war against terrorism. The
rise in extremism is linked to corruption, because massive
pilferages to the tune of over Rs500 b to Rs 700 b has denied
investment by the State in welfare, education, health, provision of
security and basic needs to the people. The announcement of a
Committee comprising of 6 federal secretaries to review the
Transparency International allegations is just like handing over the
sheep to the wolves. Apologists, pseudo intellectuals and retired
former members of the civil and khaki establishment would have us
believe that corruption is not an issue or an impediment for growth
and development, because by and large they were all beneficiaries of
this menace.—Lahore
Unfortunate Sindh Bank
Dr Ali Akbar Dhakan
In late eighties, after bearing considerable resistance of federal
government and State Bank, the provinces of Punjab and NWFP were
able to establish provincial Banks such as Bank of Punjab and the
Bank of Khyber. Both these banks are functioning as commercial Banks
providing people of their provinces benefits of employment, finance,
training and economic development. The management of these banks is
in the hands of Provincial Governments, consequently all facilities
such as commercial, developmental, financial, employment and
improvement in social infrastructure etc are enjoyed by the people
of provinces.
An Act was passed by Sindh Assembly in 1995 to establish Sindh Bank
but the same group of negative approach tried to keep the project in
the abeyance and did not allow to install the project to provide
economic and financial benefits to the people of Sindh. Luckily Mr.
Arbab Rahim, the CM could not be prevailed upon and advertisement
appeared in the daily news papers regarding the establishment of
Sindh bank in the years 2004-05. However another setback came when
process for establishing Sindh bank was stopped with the change of
regime on one or the other pretext. It was happy occasion when the
new Chief Minister of Sindh, Sayed Qaim Ali Shah in his oath taking
speech announced establishment of this bank in 2008. After expiry of
full one year, advertisement appeared to obtain expressions of
interest for establishing Sindh bank neglecting all the provisions
of the existing Act which obviously showed violation of 1995 Act by
the Finance department Govt. of Sindh.
Although this legal lacuna was pointed out to the team organized by
the Finance department working on the project and who promised to
remove it but as per news item appeared in daily Kawish dated 9th
November 2009, surprisingly following serious violations of Sindh
bank act 1995 have been observed. According to Act of 1995, majority
of shares about 51% will be of the Sindh Govt and 49% of the Private
sector which meant the management should have been belonged to the
Sindh Govt. but in the new proposal Sindh Govt’s share has been
shown as 40% whereas private sector holding 60% share meaning
thereby the management unlike Punjab and Khyber banks will remain in
the hands of private sector and as such Sindh Govt. will not be
managing affairs hence accruing benefits will not go to the people
of Sindh.—Karachi
BIS Programme
Zubaida Jabeen
Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is a ray of hope for the
poor and vulnerable segments of society. The Benazir Income
Programme, formed with an initial allocation of worth Rs 34 billion
is providing relief to the people who really deserve help from their
own Government. Under the programme Rs1, 000 per month would be
given to each deserving family. It is indeed is a remarkable step of
the Federal Government to implement its agenda that had been earlier
promised before launching the election campaign. BISP (Benazir
Income Support Program) endeavored to help the deserving and needy
and people of the country from national resources, and was the
foremost priority of Pakistan Peoples Party.
The Benazir Income Support Programme is the main social safety net
mechanism established by the GOP for alleviation of poverty. BISP
was initiated with initial allocation of Rs.34 billion (US $ 425
million) for the year 2008-09 which was the third largest allocation
in the total budget and was 0.3% of the GDP for the year 2007-08.
This was intended to pay cash benefits of Rs.1000/- to 3.5 million
poor families. The allocation for the year 2009-10 is Rs.70 billion
to cover 5 million families and the Government of Pakistan has
planned to cover 7 million families in the medium term by the year
2010-11. It is estimated that 36.1 percent population of Pakistan
was living below the poverty line during Financial Year 2008-09.
Hence 62 million people (11.83 million families) are facing the
sufferings of poverty. Hence covering 5 million families in 2009-10
means paying cash benefits to almost 20% of total population. BISP
covers all four provinces including FATA, AJK, FANA & ICT.—Via email
Obama’s Asia visit
Moez Mobeen
American President Barack Obama’s recent visit to Asia, has
highlighted to the full extent, how America’s grip over the world
has weakened tremendously. In fact on three important issues of
international relevance to the US; location of US Marine Air Base in
Okinawa (Japan), the Value of the Chinese Currency and Chinese
support on US backed sanctions against Iran, the US failed to have
its way. While White House officials and aides were quick to dismiss
the failures as America’s new soft approach towards the world, it is
evident that the sole reason behind Obama’s fruitless trip to Asia
is the diminished influence of the once mighty super power.
America’s increasing inability to influence the world and
international politics is no secret. Just before Obama’s visit to
Asia, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly criticized
America and demanded that the US shun its unilateralism. Israeli
Prime Minister has openly defied America’s call for settlement
freeze in the West Bank, the Iranian government is backtracking from
a US sponsored nuclear deal, North Korea is proactively challenging
the US over its nuclear program, Venezuela and other South American
states are creating problems for the US in its own backyard and a
belligerent Russia is expanding its influence in Eurasia.
At a time when the world is rising up to America and resisting its
plans and designs it is a shame that Pakistan is marching towards
further US subservience. There has always been a talk in Pakistan
about breaking away from the American shackles and pursuing an
independent foreign policy. This is the time and opportunity for
Pakistan to join the global anti-American wave and radically
redefine its foreign policy. Any inability to do so only proves the
inability and incompetence of the Pakistani rulers and their lack of
vision and leadership—Islamabad
