Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Bentley heist
The Bentley Mulsanne allegedly stolen from London and bought by an affluent elite in DHA Karachi was only caught because of the efforts of British investigators, otherwise it was registered here, cleared by customs and met all formalities, to be driven around as a legally cleared limousine. Have we forgotten the Ferrari Sport car crash in November 2014 in Quetta which led sacking of senior officers.
We live in a country where scores of containers loaded with luxury goods including prohibited weapons bound for Afghanistan went missing from Karachi Port in 2011. The Minister Ports and Shipping, affiliated with Altaf Hussain has since gone to USA, where he lives in Houston. Except rhetoric for public consumptions, he lives there in luxury. If memory serves us right there was a BBC report which implicated many involved in smuggling stolen vehicles across the land border in Baluchistan.
If anyone ventures to visit Quetta and the gated community where the paid elite lives, such vehicles are commonly seen. Karachi is another city where they are found and so is Lahore and Peshawar. Where else in the world are amnesty schemes given for regularizing smuggled cars, except in Pakistan. The Elite VIP culture considers violating laws as their perks. BMW, Audi E-Trons and Mercedes cars drive around with strange registered number plates starting with AFR etc and no police officer dares to stop them. When irregularities are indulged in by the elite at the very top, then corruption, bribery and abuse become an accepted norm.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
South Asian test case
The status quo hegemony has been cherishing the power structure for decades. Their global hegemony comes from their greater military capability, strong political and economic institutions and other indicators like trade surplus, export with extensive savings. Yet a country breaking the horns in the east, posing questions to the shaped international order of western giants, China threatens the US to fulfil its organic capacity through the means reformed and reshaped, much similar but diverse than the incumbent superpower. The competition among giants juggles on economic battlefields as one noted “a battle of efficiency”, to match other’s capacity. China’s neoclassical economics let the country accumulate human capital, technological progress, and Industrialization process despite her extractive institutions.
Obviously, Chinese emergence as a global competitor has found a loop left by the United States. The dysfunctional political system renders the superpower less capable to compete in terms of efficiency with the country in the east which is growing miraculously. Chinese growth remained much ahead of the rest of the country with Beijing lifting up its economy with 2.1 % ahead of the rest of the world in the period of 1950 to 2001, aiming to reach at the peak of the world economic ladder by 2049.
The western scholars and states perceive this as an emerging threat to the liberal world order. Yet China claims to redraw it in its reformed shape. The rivalry among the two has many implications for the modern economies and developing nations particularly in Asia where there are almost 20 economic powers holding their residence. This will be a test case for these countries to pick the side among two distinct forms of capitalism, that is, the one is free, liberal and democratic while the other is authoritarian yet more economically modernized.
USMAN ZULFIQAR ALI
Islamabad
Diseases outbreak in flooded areas
Reports from the flood-devastated areas reveal about the outbreak of different deadly diseases that have killed dozens of children, women and elderly people. There has been reports of rising cases of cholera, dysentery, malaria, dengue, Hepatitis A and E and other diseases in the camps as well as evacuation centres.
The federal and provincial governments are yet to send doctors and the desired medicines to prevent any outbreak diseases. Millions of people have been affected in this natural-cum- men-made disaster. A great number of people drowned, electrocuted, buried in the mud or suffered cardiac arrest.
The WHO and other humanity caring world bodies such as PRCS, ICRC, Red Cross, Save the Children are requested to come forward to help treat and heal the devastated/traumatized people in the worst ravaged areas of Sindh as well as in other parts of the country.
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad
Well-done green shirts
Being a fan of green shirts, I am really pleased to congratulate the green shirts for 5-wicket victory against India. Undoudtedly, the boys played well, especially Muhammad Rizwan scoring 71 runs from 51 balls and Muhammad Nawaz scoring 42 runs from 20 balls and adding 73 runs partnership.
The bowlers bowled very well and the batsmen were outstanding with bat. Their first defeat didn’t disappoint them rather that strengthen the green shirts and helped them to beat Indian team with a ball to spare. All the best green shirts and waiting to see you with the trophy on Sunday next.
IMTIAZ ALI
Kech
