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.
Charges of mismanagement
Charges of mismanagement have dogged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government soon after Imran Khan took oath as the country’s 22nd Prime Minister on 18 August 2018 and thenceforth the country has been rocketed by a series of crises, sourced to: (i) previous administration’s flawed policies that accounted for a historically high current account deficit of 18.2 billion dollars (though the inherited budget deficit of 6.6pc in 2017-18 rose to 8.9pc by 2018-19 as a consequence of PTI’s decisions); (ii) massive rise in utility rates as an outcome of negotiations with the IMF which raised input costs to a prohibitively high level thereby constraining productivity, and employment opportunities as well as accounting for an ever increasing erosion of each rupee earned by an average householder; and last but not least (iii) failure to project demand (be it seasonal or not) and take appropriate mitigating measures to forestall shortages that may lead to massive escalation in prices of our major food items, including the staple wheat.
Today, there is an ongoing strong wheat crisis and an emerging sugar crisis whereby the prices of these two locally produced commodities have escalated to beyond what is affordable by the common man. What must be a source of concern for analysts is the routine dismissal by the PTI government of crises by sourcing them to artificial shortages created by mafia/political influentials with the objective of securing runaway profits; however, a government cannot disclaim its own responsibility in taking decisions that allow for runaway profits to be made thereby raising prices and creating the prospect of socio-economic unrest. It is obvious that serious issues of mismanagement in the country remain, particularly with reference to projecting domestic demand and/or adjusting the allowed exports and in the event of a shortage, to import well in time, an example being failure to import LNG in time to deal with the gas crisis.
QAZI JAMSHED SIDDIQUI
Lahore
It is Brexit & Brexit only
As per the ongoing controversial procedures, Brexit means the withdrawal of the United Kingdom [UK] from the European Union [EU]. Accordingly, UK has to take a final stand on Brexit by the end of Jan 2020 at the latest. With the aim of getting updates on such interesting news, I have been watching TV Channels like CNN, BBC.
Meanwhile, the UK has been struggling a lot to find a quick fix to the political impasse created by the Brexit. In the world today, all countries have been doing the best to make the best of all the resources they have in order to achieve many milestones on the economic front. So separating a country from the union is indeed a Herculean task requiring great strategies coupled with strength to meet with future challenges.
That is how it will function or unfold in the future or this is all the UK and the EU have to go through predictably in the days to come. In this context, all the policymakers and other politicos have their say on the whole Brexit process without endangering the economic growth of the region. Incidents like droughts and the Soviet Union collapse are all still fresh in memory. The authorities concerned especially the Boris Johnson government should be careful of each political move in the matter of Brexit keeping the well-being of the people and the region intact.
P SENTHIL S DURAI
Via email
Retaliation on filing complaint
On 10 November 2019, I had filed a complaint against Additional Secretary College Education Department, Sindh, Nuzhat Fatima on Prime Minister’s Citizen Portal, which was forwarded to the Secretary College Education Department, Govt of Sindh. In order to protecat Nuzhat Fatima, Secretary College Education, Sindh, Rafiq Ahmed Buriro, and his corrupt team, instead of rectifying my complaint, has begun retaliatory tactics against me by harassing me mentally.
I have long suffered from despair and crises due to difficult circumstances in life. Now the Secretary has further increased my difficulties by resorting revengeful departmental proceedings against me. Due to the mental harassment done by him, if I take any extreme step, then the responsibility will fall on the Secretary.
MAZHAR HUSSAIN ABRO
Khairpur Mir’s, Sindh
China’s highest scientific award
Chinese President Xi Jinping has conferred his country’s highest scientific award on a Pakistani scientist, Prof Attaur Rehman. He received the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award in the Great Peoples Hall in Beijing for his contribution in the field of Chemistry. He is the only Muslim scientist in the world who has been awarded with this unique distinction.
Dr Atta is a leading Pakistani scientist and the most decorated scientist in Pakistan. He has been awarded four civil awards: Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Nishan-i-Imtiaz. We urge the PTI government to work for the promotion of Science and Technology so that more and more Pakistanis may receive such laurels and bring good name to Pakistan.
SADIA HALEEMA
Jusak
Voiceless Balochistan
Recent flooding and snowfall have brought more woes and miseries to the people of Balochistan. It is a well-known fact that Balochistan is the richest province of Pakistan in terms of natural resources but no adequate arrangements are in place for the safety and security of the people. Unfortunately, flooding and snowfall have destroyed many parts of the province. People have become homeless in this atrocious weather. The worst affected areas are Bulieda, Band, Tump, but still the people of these areas have not received support from govt. In Quetta, people are facing unbearable challenges due to shortage of gas in this cold weather. It is extremely difficult to survive under this cold weather with snowfall.
It is high time to provide some facilities in order to protect the people from bad circumstances. It is my humble request to the Government of Balochistan to provide some relief to the affected areas of the province.
BANADI ALI
Balochistan
Hats off to Prince Harry
I would like to thank Prince Harry for stepping up efforts to fight against AIDS globally. AIDS is not over, but it is changing and time is now to end this epidemic forever. In Southern Africa particularly in Zimbabwe an estimated 1.5 million people are affected by HIV AIDS. In Zimbabwe the healthcare system is in desperate need of resuscitation and govt is always getting health priorities wrong.
Many rich people are travelling to South Africa and other countries seeking better healthcare including those affected by HIV. Zimbabwean President Emerson Mnangagwa should be pressurised to urgently reform the healthcare system in Zimbabwe or resign before Zimbabweans invade other countries seeking better healthcare and sound economic conditions.
TAPIWA MUSKWE
London
FBR tax collection: Guidelines
Government of Pakistan is again facing difficulties with tax collection by FBR. The Government should give organization small monthly targets to improve their performance. For example, the FBR should only concentrate on the big cities in the first year. First six months, FBR should target low effort business sources only like shopping plaza owners, rental buildings and homes, high agriculture land owners, high-value vehicle owners, big retailers and grocery stores, women branded clothes, shoes and fashion bag shops, wedding halls and gold businesses.
In the second phase, they can target the retailers renting shops in each shopping plaza, car showrooms and parts shops, two or more car owners, pharmacies, small shop owners who receive rent and don’t do business, tuition centres, restaurants and fast food outlets, amusement parks, parking owners, medium size agriculture land owners etc. In fact the Government should make efforts to reduce or end taxes on salaries because in Riyasat-e-Madina salaries were not taxed as these are payments for individual efforts and hard work.
The above phases can be further divided into monthly targets, where in one month plazas are documented, in next month large agriculture land owners documented and so on. It must be kept in mind that success of our nation rests on performance of the FBR.
SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar
