As reported in Pakistan Observer (November 26) in a departure from
the normal practice, British Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth took
the unprecedented step of publicly criticising the US President over
what is described as his ‘dithering’ on Afghanistan and his delays
in sending more troops to bolster the mission against the Taliban.
This feeling has been echoed by several former British Defence
chiefs as well. According to Bob Ainsworth, this indecisiveness has
resulted in further slackening of the already dwindling support from
the British people for Afghan ‘war’. Being an independent state,
Britain should be able to chart its own course instead of leaning on
the US shoulders all the time, which has earned it the title of
being America’s ‘poodle’ It is exactly for this reason that the
Europeans look at Britain with suspicion, regarding it as a divisive
rather than a unifying force in Europe. In Charles DeGaule’s time,
Britain just could not get into Europe and it was only after his
demise that it managed to sneak in.. The suspicion still remains and
Britain has done nothing to dispel this impression.—Karachi
India should stop terrorism
Wajjia butt
During his official visit to United States Prime minister Manmohan
Singh repeated once again India’s desire to have Kashmir by hook or
by crook. He also expressed his concern on the safety of Pakistan’s
nuclear weapons and over Pakistan’s policy on Afghanistan. Both
leaders declared India and United States the victims of terrorism
but isn’t it a joke that they forgot Pakistan, which has been
severely affected by terrorism created by wrong US policies and
India’s continuous attempts to destabilize Pakistan. India’s illegal
and brutal occupation of Kashmir against the will of Kashmiri
Muslims has been the bone of contention between India and Pakistan
and it is impossible to have peace in south Asia without solving the
Kashmir issue.
India again denied to give Kashmiries the right of self
determination and Obama in a way supported India’s policy over
Kashmir which is not acceptable for Pakistan and Kashmiri people. On
the other side Afghanistan is slipping away from united states and
India which has spent millions of dollars to set up terrorist
training camps in different parts of Afghanistan, seems worry on the
current situation because it will not be able to stay for a long
time on Afghan soil. What ever India says or does to stop terrorism
but dear Manmoham Singh the truth is that India itself is the
largest supporter of terrorism in Pakistan and to stop terrorism we
need to stop India. Hope you agree—Via email
All about NRO
Agha Haider Raza
So the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) beneficiaries list
comes out. The government is trying to push forward the argument of
how they have respected the Supreme Court’s judgment and have
publicized the list. It seems to be a win-win situation for all
parties. But is it really? Calls for the resignation of ministries
and portfolios have echoed from all corners.
As we all now know, the NRO was a ‘bail-out’ for politicians and
businessmen, giving them a clean sheet. This not only cleared the
way for billions of rupees to be kept in the hands of defaulters,
but also allowed plenty of politicians to get re-elected as their
corruption charges were taken out of the court as well. Though many
readers would say that I am playing the ethnic card here, I’d like
to know why 96% of the beneficiaries are Sindhi’s? Secondly, if the
PPP, claims itself to be a liberal-democratic party, why have they
not asked for a majority vote on such a sensitive issue? After all,
the billions of rupees that have been siphoned through this
ordinance are Pakistani’s money, not the beneficiaries’. Why should
this debt be written off?
Sacrificing for the greater good seems to be what is really required
at this point. Article 58 2(b) and the 17th Amendment are two other
sensitive issues that require a Pakistani stance, not a Presidential
one. Frankly speaking President Zardari, no one is going to forget
your title of Mr. 10 per cent, and although you may have never been
convicted of corruption charges your money laundering stories will
always remain tied to you. But I can tell you this much Mr.
President: if you become the bigger man, rise to the occasion and
annul the NRO and bring accountability to Pakistan, you will get the
political limelight you strive for, and Pakistan will get the honor
it truly deserves!—Via email
NATO’s role in Iraq
Afsha Qureshi
Currently, NATO and many partners in the international community are
helping the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to achieve peace,
stability and the opportunity for a brighter and more prosperous
future.Though NATO’s efforts in Afghanistan tend to garner greater
attention, less well known are the significant contributions NATO is
making for the people of Iraq through an organization called NATO
Training Mission-Iraq, or NTM-I.
At the request of the government of Iraq, NTM-I has been involved
since 2004 in helping Iraq develop security forces that are
professional, operate in accordance with international standards and
the rule of law and have respect for human rights. NTM-I’s role in
Iraq is not a combat role. NTM-I’s sole purpose is to help equip,
train and mentor Iraq’s fledgling military and police forces.
Stability in Iraq is in the best interests of the international
community. It is also morally right that we help the people of Iraq
in this small but meaningful way. NTM-I will continue to work at the
direction of the NATO Council and in partnership with the government
of Iraq to enhance the stability of Iraq and the safety of Iraq’s
citizens.—Rawalpindi
KESC and power theft
Dr Alfred Charles
Recently I attended a seminar arranged by the Institution of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers Pakistan with the collaboration
of a prominent NGO Sheri, CBE on ‘Tackling non-technical losses in
the KESC System’ COO of the KESC Jan Abass Zaidi well spoke on the
occasion and also spoke about power theft. I think organizer of this
seminar were well-educated people that they selected this hot topic
but with caution they avoided term of theft. In my opinion this is
also all about KESC affairs that people working for this company
have proved that they are not performing their duties in right
honestly.
Surely by organizing this seminar both the IEEEP and Sheri, CBE
tired to help KESC but its duty of the KESC officials to make
strategy to tackle this situation technically at their own end. In
this seminar Electrical Engineer Roland deSouza of Sheri very
rightly said that it is our duty to help KESC in this regard. Its
good that KESC has obtained a ‘Fatwa’ from eminent religious
scholars about power theft that it is a sin. In his well-prepared
and attractive presentation Engr deSouza mentioned that as consumer
those who pay their electrical bills regularly are paying from our
own pockets for these thefts. It’s quite obvious because KESC try to
recover amount from those who pay their legitimate bills on time
regularly. This is KESC duty to tell people that what is actual
situations right now. I am very happy and totally agree with the
KESC measure already taken to expose those who are stealing and
putting more burden on our pockets.
The KESC should also mobilizes its honest field workers to actively
check system including proper inspection and monitoring of meters
etc. Unfortunately, it has been observed that the KESC technical
staff is also involved in this theft as they not only encourage
consumers towards illegal theft but they provide them technical
assistance. Now if we come to another aspect meter tempering. Few
years ago KESC has already shifted these electrical meters out side
of the consumer’s residences. It is already clearly mentioned on the
KESC meters that these meters are KECS property. Thus it is KESC
duty to protect meter as well as technically check meter if it is
running too fast or slow.—Karachi
