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Pakistan Day, unfair division of assets
People of Pakistan and Pakistanis around the globe celebrate Pakistan Day on 23rd March every year. Alhamdolillah, Pakistan came into being only within 7 years after the passing of the Pakistan Resolution on March 1940 but the assets were not divided transparently and justly. The division of assets at the time of the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 was a complex and contentious process. The process of dividing assets between India and Pakistan was based on the Radcliffe Award.
The Award provided for the division of assets and liabilities between the two countries based on a number of factors, including the location of the asset and their use. The assets were divided into two categories: the “common pool” assets and the “separate” assets. The common pool assets included: Armed Forces, Railways and Post and Telegraph services. These were to be divided on a 50-50 basis between India and Pakistan. After much debate, the Air Force reserve command divided, that only 36% was to be given to Pakistan.
The separate assets included: buildings, furniture & other movable property. However, the process of dividing these assets was complicated by the fact that many of them were in areas that were not clearly defined as belonging to India or Pakistan. Similarly, another backlash faced by Pakistan was that only 5 small retail depots out of 40 ordnance depots were located in what is now Pakistan. Moreover, another injustice faced by Pakistan in division of the assets was that the country had received only 6 out of the 14 armored regiments and 8 out of the 15 infantry regiments.
The division of assets & liabilities of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) post-1947 remains incomplete to this day. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, India still owes it a little over Rs. 5.6 billion – mainly on account of assets held with the RBI pending transfer to Pakistan. Now it is the time that the Government of Pakistan should take up the matter with the Indian government for the release of its share and the international community must also come forward to help in this process.
ABDUL BASIT ALVI
Muzaffarabad
Educational issues in Balochistan
I am writing to draw the attention of the authorities concerned towards the ongoing educational problems being faced by the students of Balochistan. Balochistan, being the largest province of Pakistan, is in dire need of educational development to uplift the standard of living of its people.
The lack of educational facilities in Balochistan has been a persistent issue. The students in Balochistan face numerous challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teachers, insufficient learning material and a lack of access to quality education. As a result, the literacy rate in the province is the lowest in Pakistan with an estimated 45% of the population being illiterate.
The absence of proper educational institutions in remote areas of Balochistan is a major concern. The students in these areas face difficulties in attending school regularly, as they have to travel long distances on foot to reach their schools. This problem is further compounded by the poor condition of roads and lack of transportation facilities.
Furthermore, the shortage of qualified teachers in Balochistan is a major challenge. Most of the schools are understaffed and the teachers often lack proper training and qualifications to teach the students. This results in poor-quality education which ultimately affects the future of the students. It is essential for the government and policymakers to address these issues and take immediate measures to improve the educational sector in Balochistan.
This could be achieved by building more schools, providing better infrastructure, and increasing the number of trained and qualified teachers in the province. Additionally, it is crucial to improve the overall educational environment by ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for the students. Therefore,
AIMAL KAKAR
Karachi
Curse of debt on Pakistan
Pakistan has been struggling with a heavy debt load for many years. To fund its development initiatives, fill its budgetary gaps and maintain its balance of payments, the nation’s economy has relied largely on loans and aid from abroad. A number of causes, including as poor revenue collection, corruption, political unpredictability and poor economic management, have contributed to escalation of debt problem.
As of 2021, Pakistan’s external debt stood at over $115 billion, or about 38% of its GDP, after gradually increasing. The nation’s duties to service its debt have also grown, and in 2020 it spent close to $12 billion on debt payments, or roughly 30% of its export revenues.
The economic and societal effects of the debt burden on Pakistan are numerous. So first of all, govt’s ability to spend on social services, education, healthcare and infrastructure development is severely constrained by debt burden.
Second, the debt payment commitments divert precious foreign exchange reserves from more profitable investment like the importation of raw material, machinery and technology. Thirdly, the country’s propensity to external shocks like a sharp increase in interest rates or a drop in export revenues results from the high amount of debt, which causes macroeconomic instability.
Pakistan must execute a number of economic and structural changes to increase revenue collection, cut spending, improve export competitiveness and draw in more foreign investment in order to combat the debt curse.
The government must give top priority to measures that support inclusive and long-term economic growth such as spending on infrastructure, innovation and human capital. Pakistan also has to address issues of governance and corruption that have facilitated the mismanagement of its economy and debt accumulation. To ensure that its borrowing is sustainable and inexpensive overtime, the nation must develop its debt management and financial planning capabilities.
AAMIR KHALIL
Via email
World Meteorological Day
World Meteorological Day takes place every year on 23 March and commemorates the coming into force on 23 March 1950 of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. The themes chosen for the World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate or water-related issues. This year’s theme is “The future of weather, climate and water across generations.”
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
