Opposition to KBD

Editorial

While not a single day passes without President Pervez Musharraf emphasizing the need for more dams, the voices against new water reservoirs are getting louder. On Tuesday in Quetta, while the president repeated his call for the construction of the Kalabagh dam, PPP chief Makhdoom Amin Fahim told a press conference in Karachi that the KBD was “a dead issue” because three constituent units of the federation had rejected it. The fiery speeches made on Tuesday in the National Assembly by PPP MNAs also highlighted in no uncertain terms what one of the two mainstream parties thinks about the dam. Mr Fahim is not only the head of the ARD, which is a grouping of 15 parties, his own party has always enjoyed a large following in Punjab. Thus opposition coming from Mr Fahim should be taken seriously, since his views mean that the anti-dam opinion is not confined to the smaller provinces. Also in Karachi, two days after the president’s consensus-seeking visit, seven “nationalist” parties of Sindh announced the formation of a new united front to strive for “the political, cultural, economic and geographical rights” of Sindh. Rhetoric aside, the Sindhi Qaumi Ittehad (SQI) is Kalabagh-specific. Headed by Sardar Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, the SQI leadership includes some respected Sindhi leaders, including Ibrahim Joyo. The Pakistan Oppressed Nations’ Movement, too, has come out categorically against the Kalabagh dam. The government’s own ally, the MQM, is also opposed to the project.Notwithstanding the need for having more water storage capacity and producing more electricity, nothing should be done that could weaken the federal structure. The parties grouped under the SQI may not have a large vote bank, but they are quite capable of sustaining a long campaign. They have already announced a strike for Dec. 20, and it goes without saying that this will not be the last Kalabagh strike. From the president’s statements it appears that the government is determined to go ahead with the project. Given the opposition from the three provinces, it would be unwise to proceed in a hurry. Developing a consensus may take time, and often the task may appear frustrating, but there is no alternative to a national consensus on such a sensitive issue as the Kalabagh dam.

-Dawn

..................................................................

Balochistan will favour nationalists stand on KBD, says Bugti
DERA BUGTI ( Online, Dec 15): Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) Chief Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti has said that people of Balochistan will favour Sindh and NWFP nationalists’ stance on the Kalabagh Dam. “Whether the KBD is constructed or not, Balochistan will not get benefit or face loss from it but it will continue favouring nationalists stance on the issue,” he told reporters here Wednesday. Bugti also welcomed the formation of Nationalists grand alliance in Sindh and said that it would bring positive outcomes. He noted that Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan were facing the same problems and “we will continue struggle to get our rights”.

ANP forwards conditional support on KBD

BUNAIR (The Post, Dec 13): The Awami National Party (ANP) on Monday announced conditional support for the construction of the Kalabagh Dam. In return for its support, the party has demanded that the government approve a package of irrigation schemes to develop canals for thousands of acres of dry and rain-irrigated land in the NWFP by utilising the water of the River Kabul. The party’s general secretary, Shakir Bunairi, made the offer while talking to reporters here. About the resolutions passed in the provincial assemblies against the KBD, he said these resolutions were not sacred and could be done away with. He said the people should be directly consulted on this project. If there was a disagreement between the federal government and any province over the issue, the Supreme Court could be asked to give its ruling, he said. Shakir regretted that the political parties had lost much of their value and status that could have form the basis for forging a consensus on the issue.

Govt should not confuse provinces on KBD: Fazl

LAHORE (The Post, Dec 13): Opposition leader in the National Assembly and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Secretary General Maulana Fazlur-Rehman Monday said the government should build non-controversial dams instead of confusing provinces over the Kalabagh Dam (KBD) issue.Talking to reporters Monday after a Jamiat Ullema Islam’s Shoora meeting, he said new water reservoirs were necessary but focusing on KBD only was against the country’s interests. He said the opposition was not against KBD but it was dangerous to the country’s solidarity. He said all controversial dams should be constructed after developing a consensus among provinces and the federal government. Talking about the opposition’s participation in the parliamentary committee on reconstruction and rehabilitation, he said the opposition had sent its reservations to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz but no response had been received from him. He went on to say said that the opposition would boycott the committee because the government had failed to remove its reservations.He said the international community took serious notice of the opposition’s boycott of the international donors’ conference. On registration of seminaries till December 30, he said the government should extend the date till June 30, 2006. However he said that the MMA’s Supreme Council meeting would be convened on December 19 to adopt a strategy regarding registration of seminaries. Denying the formation of a forward block in the NWFP Assembly, Fazl said: “Some legislators have complaints against provincial ministers but these would be addressed on the MMA’s platform.” He said a grand alliance of the opposition would emerge very soon, as all the parties were already in contact in this regard. He said the opposition was unanimous that dictatorship would not be tolerated any more. He said that preparations were underway to launch a movement against the government before the 2007 elections.Fazl said that a decision on NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani’s participation in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting would be made after looking at the NSC’s agenda. He said the opposition’s concerns over presence of NATO forces in the quake-hit areas were genuine.

Sindh Qaumi Ittehad against KBD formed
KARACHI ( The Post, Dec 13): Top Sindhi nationalist leaders Monday announced the formation of a Sindh Qaumi Ittehad (SQI) under the leadership of Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, the chairman of the Sindh National Front, to launch a campaign against the construction of Kalabagh Dam.The Sindhi nationalist leaders held an important meeting at the house of Mumtaz Bhutto in Clifton. The meeting that lasted for several hours deliberated on issues like Kalabagh Dam, the NFC Award and the geography and culture of Sindh.After hectic consultations, the Sindhi nationalist leaders agreed to form the new alliance that would voice the Sindhis’ rights. The participants of the meeting elected Mumtaz Bhutto as the chairman of the new alliance. In the first phase, the alliance would launch a contact campaign at the district level.Addressing a press conference on the occasion, Mumtaz Bhutto said the alliance was formed to protect and ensure cultural, economic, political and geographical rights of the province.In the mass-contact campaign that would be launched within two weeks, the alliance leaders would meet prominent political, social and literary personalities, MPAs and nazims to include them in struggle for rights of the Sindh province.The alliance condemned the announcement on the Kalabagh Dam construction despite tough opposition by the three provincial assemblies.To a question, he said all constituent parties would continue their struggle from their own platforms. He however urged them to get together for a general strike on December 20.

KBD against country’s interest: BNP

PESHAWAR (The Post, Dec 13): Leader of Balochistan National Party (BNP) and Senator Sanaullah Baloch has said we have a clear stand on the construction of KBD as we consider it against the interest of country because three provinces have serious reservations on it.Talking to journalists during his short visit to Peshawar Press Club Monday, Baloch said the KBD issue should not be raised in a time when the whole nation was mourning the 8/10 calamity. Asked about the Baloch nationalist’s stance on KBD, he said Balochistan assembly had already passed a resolution with consensus while they had also opposed the project in the PONUM meeting. Commenting on the National Finance Commission Award (NFC), he said decision on the award had been pending for the last 10 years, saying the last three budgets passed in the absence of NFC during the time were unconstitutional. “Under article 160 of the constitution, the federal government is bound to decide the NFC after each five years,” Sanaullah said.

Maintaining growth momentum

Editorial

Maintaining the growth momentumREPORTS suggesting that the current fiscal year would end with a lower than targeted GDP growth rate of seven per cent are disturbing. The reason for this reversal is said to be significant declines witnessed in the output of cotton and sugarcane. The government believes that the better-than-expected rice crop and good minor crops, plus increased hydel power production by Wapda and better performance by the financial sector during the year will help it maintain the high growth momentum begun in 2004. Then, GDP growth crossed the six per cent mark for the first time in almost a decade and was accelerated further in the following year to over eight per cent. This means the government hopes that the growth for the year would still be nearer to seven per cent if not on target. This appears to be an overly optimistic view because even growth in large scale manufacturing (LSM), which had contributed significantly to the high growth rates of the previous two years, appears to have slowed down.The LSM sector, which accounted for 70 per cent of total manufacturing output and 52 per cent of total output of the industrial sector in 2004-05 and was responsible for 27 per cent of the contribution of commodity producing sectors to overall GDP in that year, has fallen way behind the levels achieved in the last two years. During July-August in the previous two years, large-scale manufacturing grew by 28 per cent and a little over 13 per cent respectively but stagnated at 7.6 per cent during the same period in the current fiscal year. On the other hand, with inflation still biting into incomes, it is hardly likely that the financial sector would be able to perform profitably. Meanwhile, the trade gap is widening by the day and is projected unofficially to show a deficit of around nine billion dollars by year-end. In addition, the budget deficit is also expected to increase. This will certainly bring the rupee under pressure and further fuel inflation. This in turn will nibble at economic growth, making it even more difficult for the growth rate to cross even the six per cent mark.One would agree with the government’s assessment that the earthquake was not likely to have any significant impact on the overall economy because the regions affected by the disaster were the least developed areas of Pakistan and had very little by way of economic assets or economic activity. It is also likely that the inflow of a huge amount of resources and at a fast pace in these regions for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction may create enough economic activity to accelerate the overall GDP growth in the country. But then the associated inflationary pressures are likely to prove a handicap causing the growth rate to be adversely affected. One had expected that the upswing in the growth rates witnessed in previous two years would be sustained in the current year as well because of the claims of the government that macroeconomic stability achieved some three years ago was sustainable, that economic management had improved tremendously meanwhile and that the country was now entering the second phase of reforms after successfully completing the first phase. This is not happening. Therefore, one would like the government to take a closer and more analytical look at its fiscal and monetary policies, especially those which are fuelling inflation and causing the trade gap and consumer credit to increase.Dawn

Ecnec approves Rs183.6bn projects
ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on Wednesday approved 29 development projects with an estimated cost of Rs183.6 billion. The projects will be executed in the next fiscal year as part of the Public Sector Development Programme-2006-07. Details

Pakistan joins Cairns Group
HONG KONG, Dec 14: Pakistan has joined the Cairns Group representing agriculture exporting countries belonging to developed and developing nations in the ministerial meeting of the group on Wednesday, thus becoming 18th Cairns’ memberThe group brings together developed and developing countries from Latin America, Africa and Pacific Asia region. It has been an influential voice in the agriculture reform debate since its formation in 1986, and has continued to play a key role in pressing the WTO members to meet in full the far-reaching mandate set in Doha. Details

Musharraf has a compelling vision: Crocker

By Nusrat Javeed
ISLAMABAD (The Post, December 13): Ambassador Ryan C Crocker of the US has said that Pakistan’s president keeps expressing the intent of transferring Pakistan to a stable, sustainable and institutionalised democracy and notwithstanding reservations expressed by “many sceptics” over his repeatedly saying this, “My belief is, he means it.

”He also believed that General Musharraf had a “compelling vision” and he wanted to leave with a different legacy than the previous military rulers, Ayub and Zia, had accumulated for this country.

Ambassador Crocker was talking to a select group of local editors and senior media persons at the residence of Peter J Kovach, the US counsellor for Public Affairs in Islamabad, Monday. The journalists were invited for a roundtable discussion with the US ambassador, specifically on earthquake relief efforts. But soon the interaction over a working lunch drifted to multiple areas. Most keenly discussed was Washington’s assessment of General Musharraf and the way he was leading Pakistan to democratic governance.

Ambassador Crocker avoided giving categorical answers to questions about how the US judged the recently concluded local bodies’ elections in Pakistan. But he did say that Washington expected general elections, whenever they occur, to be held in a free, fair and transparent manner. He did not endorse the statement attributed to a lady member of the National Assembly sitting on the PML-N benches. She is reported to have claimed that Ms Christina Rocca, the US Assistant Secretary of State, has been telling people that Washington might question the credibility of general elections, if President Musharraf continued wearing the military uniform at the time of their holding.

Although he had not checked with Ms. Rocca, he implicitly dismissed the veracity of remarks attributed to the Assistant Secretary of State by saying that Washington was not in the habit of communicating its thoughts in the manner the lady MNA suggested in her statement.He too remained hesitant in offering comments over the question whether Musharraf’s continuation in military uniform would damage the credibility of the next general elections. To him, most important remained the desire that these elections were held in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Ambassador Crocker was not willing to extend “any assurances” for the holding of general elections in the manner he desired. But he did stress that international community would be observing these elections in Pakistan “very closely”. When told that the same community had been doing the same sort of watching over recently held local bodies’ polls, he just said, “Local body elections are local body elections.

”The US ambassador also believed that the challenge to establish a stable, sustainable and institutionalised democracy in Pakistan also put some burden on its opposition. The opposition parties should get out of the “political culture here”, which appeared stuck in zero-sum tensions and calculations between the government and the opposition. Ambassador Crocker coolly digested remarks that blamed Washington for feeling more comfortable in dealing with Pakistan in a friendly manner, whenever it was led by a military ruler. Sustaining friendly relations with Pakistan, he stressed, served the long-term interests of the US and reviewing the down periods in the bilateral relationship of the past, Washington now believed that stable, sustainable and institutional democracy in Pakistan would greatly help sustaining this upbeat mood. Without this kind of democracy, Islamabad’s relations with Washington would always have “internal fragility”.

In the specific context of preferring democratic governance in Pakistan, Ambassador Crocker did not sound impressed by record of the elected governments of civilians that kept coming and going in this country throughout the 1990s. He rather desired that Pakistan did not return to the kind of civilian governance practiced in that decade. Crocker is close to completing his first year as the US ambassador in Pakistan. Some weeks after landing here, he had made the comment that Pakistan did not appear to be run by a military government and some journalists “have taken me to task for saying this.

” Yet, after spending less than a year in Pakistan, he did not hesitate saying the same for this country. The “pronounced freedom” of the print and the electronic media in Pakistan apparently justifies his comments, for he kept referring to it several times during the 70 minutes of candid talk with journalists.Initiating the talk, Ambassador Crocker expressed satisfaction over the state of Pak-US relations these days and believed that the Pakistan government and people have gradually begun perceiving his country as a reliable friend. The help Washington extended to relief and rehabilitation efforts for the earthquake victims had strengthened the said perception. The US ambassador avoided furnishing any solid promises, when told that perhaps the US could increase its reputation of a “reliable friend” by extending some help to the resolution of Pakistan’s imminent-looking crisis of meeting its energy needs. Although recognizing the importance of long-term fuel supplies to Pakistan, Ryan C Crocker was reluctant in supporting the idea of our buying oil and gas from Iran. Referring to sanctions the US congress had imposed on that country, he tried to justify his ambivalence in this regard.

Similarly, he had nothing to offer when told that Washington could extend the same kind of collaboration it had offered to New Delhi for generating electricity by nuclear means. The US Congress, he rather said, has yet to approve the said offer and no one could predict the conditions it might put for extending US support to India using nuclear energy for civilian use. Broadly appreciating Pakistan’s need for building mega dams, he was also not willing to commit any US funds for construction of dams like the one proposed on Kalabagh.Washington has pledged $510 million for the earthquake relief and rehabilitation efforts and out of the pledged amount, $180 million had already been spent. He clarified that all the money that the US had committed for relief and rehabilitation efforts remained outside the package of $5 billion that his country had committed to provide for Pakistan in five years since 2003. The money for the earthquake victims is “a grant or assistance in kind and it is not repayable.

” The amount of $510 million does not include the money used by the US military for various relief-related efforts that also need frequent flying to quake-hit areas by US helicopters. He denied the impression that Pakistan paid for the fuel of these flights and for buying the spare parts for them.No time limit has yet been set for the US military’s involvement in relief and rehabilitation operations. Ambassador Crocker felt that it might continue until the end of winter, or until the time Government of Pakistan wants it to. During the most difficult times of the relief operations, around 1,200 US military personnel were involved. Currently their number is reduced to around 1,000.Ambassador Crocker believed that “most satisfying thing” for the US services personnel involved in relief and rehabilitation efforts was the feeling that they were helping the quake victims and interacting with them positively. As a very experienced diplomat, he avoided in getting into the discussion whether the US military was involving itself in relief and rehabilitation efforts to improve its image amongst the people of Pakistan. Through a “curious and complicated” process, he believed, people developed perceptions about a particular country and “media moments” could not do much for changing them. The focus of the US services personnel engaged in relief and rehabilitation operations remained on “doing the right things.”Similarly, the ambassador was not willing to offer any comments over questions as to why the opposition remained far more vocal in criticizing NATO’s involvement in relief operations for the quake victims than the US services personnel’s role in the same context. He also was not willing to commit whether a US helicopter was really fired at during on its relief-related flights to AJK. “The question remains ambiguous and unresolved,” was the only comment he offered to repeatedly put questions in this regard.

Ambassador Crocker did not sound that diplomatic, however, when it came to “banned Jehadi outfits’ high-profile involvement in relief and rehabilitation activities in AJK. We see, he stated categorically, “Jamiat-e-Dawa synonymous to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, an outfit strongly associated with “violence and terror.” He rather believed that the government of Pakistan should also be concerned with high-profile association of outfits like the JD with relief and rehabilitation efforts aimed at earthquake victims. The government should reach out to the quake victims on its own, or through the international community or the recognized NGOs. When pressed as to why he objected to involvement of Jehadi groups in humanitarian efforts, the US ambassador only said that he had not heard any of these groups publicly renouncing or repenting their association with various acts of “violence and terror.” He offered no comments when reminded that even President Musharraf publicly praised these groups’ role in proving some relief and solace to the quake victims, but conceded in an implicit manner that the US had conveyed its concern over the high-profile association of various Jehadi groups with relief activities for the quake victims.In the same vein, he did sound somewhat upset over stories that projected as if the Taliban were surfacing in Waziristan as some kind of moral correcting vigilantes. Stressing that “I do not want to sit in judgment on you”, he strongly desired that the “writ of the state of Pakistan should prevail from (one corner of) border to (another) border.”Despite the subtle conveyance of such reservations, Ambassador Crocker was not willing to question the government of Pakistan’s claim that recently it had killed a top ranking al Qaeda operative, Hamza Rabia, in our tribal areas. Through comments to a section of the global media, unnamed US officials have questioned the news of his killing, but General Musharraf retaliated by aggressively stressing that Rabia was no more. Crocker sounded as if he believed him by saying: “His (Musharraf’s) certainty (regarding the killing of Rabia) becomes my certainty (as well).

”The US ambassador in Pakistan was also very confident in asserting that Osama Bin Ladin was no longer in effective command and control of his outfit. He was perhaps hiding in a hole like Saddam had been for many weeks after the entry of US troops into Iraq during the April of 2003. The same he felt for the so-called number 2 of al Qaeda, Aiman Al-Zawahari. “The ability to produce a video in a gap of 4 to 5 months,” he said, did not prove that either Osama or Zawahari remained in effective control of the command and control structure capable of staging acts of terror on a massive and global scale.

President offers constitutional safegauards on dam

KARACHI, Dec 11: President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday held out an assurance of providing constitutional or any other guarantee that might help build confidence among the provinces on the issue of dams and address their reservations on the construction of water reservoirs. Details

PM invites opposition to discuss KBD
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz extended an invitation to the opposition on Thursday for having a discussion on the issue of the Kalabagh dam (KBD) and sought their comments on the working mechanism of the parliamentary committee on earthquake relief and reconstruction.
The prime minister extended the invitation in a meeting with opposition leaders, including Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Liaquat Baloch, during the National Assembly session.
During the meeting, which lasted for 20 minutes, the prime minister sought a response from the opposition to the government reply to the terms of references proposed by the combined opposition for the parliamentary committee.

He praised the cooperation extended by the opposition in the respect and asked the latter to make its position clear about the issue so that the parliamentary committee could swiftly begin working. He assured the opposition leaders that the committee would be made independent.
Later, talking to newsmen, Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy Chairman Makhdoom Ami Fahim said the prime minister showed his desire to hold discussion with the opposition with regard to the issue of the Kalabagh dam and other issues related to development projects.
He said the prime minister sought from the opposition comments about the working procedure of the parliamentary committee. He added that the opposition would soon take a decision on the matter in a meeting to be held within a day or two. "We will sit within next two days to reply to the government after holding mutual consultations," he added.
Regarding the terms of reference for the parliamentary committee, Fahim said the opposition would take a unanimous decision in this regard. Our Dera Ismail Khan correspondent adds: MMA Secretary-General and National Assembly Opposition Leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that a joint opposition meeting in response to the government’s terms of reference would be held in Islamabad on Saturday.
He said he has been invited to attend the meeting in the capacity of opposition leader. Representatives of all the opposition parties would attend the meeting, he added. Rehman termed the Kalabagh dam "a dead horse". "No one can deny the importance of big dams, but Kalabagh dam is a controversial issue. The government should instead focus attention on Bhasha, Munda and Kalam dams, which are not controversial," he remarked.

Kalabagh issue meant to misguide nation: Benazir
KARACHI: Benazir Bhutto, the ex-prime minister and the Chairperson of the PPP, has accused the regime of trying to divert the attention of the nation from its failure in providing adequate relief and rehabilitation to earthquake victims by raising the Kalabagh Dam issue once again.
The exiled leader said this in a statement issued from Bilawal House on Thursday, alleging that for the last three decades one military dictator or the other had been trying to divide the country and the people. She added that the raising of Kalabagh Dam issue at this juncture was meant to weaken the opposition against the present dictatorship.
The PPP leader said that three assemblies had voted against the construction of Kalabagh Dam, adding that her party opposed the Kalabagh Dam on three grounds - it was against the federal principle and therefore illegal; it would not resolve the water issue; and it would further add to the debt burden of the country crushing common people.
Benazir said that the father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had founded Pakistan as a federation and pointed out that the people of Punjab, who had given sacrifices during partition, would never want to endanger the federation by building a proposed dam that has outrightly been rejected by three of the federating units.
She urged the people of the country to get united in defeating "the designs of the dictatorial regime" and jointly oppose any act, which goes against federalism, against the strength and unity of the country and against the welfare of the common people.
The PPP leader asked the regime to rather rebuild Muzzafarabad, Balakot and other earthquake-affected areas of the country as well as make allocations for schools, hospitals, sanitation, water supply, strengthen irrigation canals, flood control and employment generation instead of wasting funds on white elephant projects such as the second GHQ in Islamabad when an adequate one already exists.
KHAR: Meanwhile, former Punjab Governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar called on Benazir Bhutto in Dubai the other day and assured of his loyalty with the PPP and its leadership.
He said he would like to help the party by mobilising its workers, particularly in Punjab. The former governor said that he was not interested in achieving a party office but in assisting the party in its campaign for the restoration of democracy as well as seeing the success of the party manifesto in the forthcoming general elections.

-The News International

Provincial autonomy stance to remain intact, says Achakzai
PESHAWAR: Chief of Pakthoonkhawa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Member National Assembly (MNA) Mehmood Khan Achakzai has said his party will not budge an inch from its principled stand on the provincial autonomy and rights of oppressed nations, who he added were forced to undergo starvation in the country obtained in the name of Islam.He was addressing the gathering of PkMAP workers at the jam-packed Nishtar Hall Thursday in connection with the 32nd death anniversary of late Abdus Samad Khan Achakzai, the nationalist leader. He said: “Withdrawing from our stand means we are coward but we will show to the world that Pakhtoons could embrace death when it comes to a matter of their honour.”He said Pakhtoons elders fought against the British Empire in the past, forcing them out of sub-continent and their successors were ready to fight with the same zeal against the followers of father of the nation. Coming hard on Punjab, he said instead of playing the role of elder brother, a particular class in Punjab was busy usurping the rights of small federating units, thus compelling them to resort to armed struggle for their inborn rights. Achakzai said his party had decided to move the federal government to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against its act of depriving what he called Pakhtoonkhawa of its right over its water, extending a gigantic canal from Indus River to Punjab through Gazi Barotha project. Commenting on the federal government notions on construction of big water reservoirs, the nationalist leader said Pakhtoon could die but would never allow the construction of Kalabagh Dam (KBD). “The government is talking of seeking consensus on KBD and we consider as Kufr saying even a single word in support of the dam project. Pakhtoon leaders should mobilise masses how to destroy the project if the government seriously kicked off work on this anti state project,” Achakzai said. Quoting Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, he said the minister had once told him about 30,000 megawatt electricity could be generated if the government constructed small dams on Swat River. Referring to the oil and gas reserves discovered in NWFP, PkMAP leader suggested for the convening of a grand Pakhtoon Jirga to decide how to get control over the Gurgori and Shakardara gas and oil fields. Several resolutions were also passed on the occasion that included empowerment of people in tribal areas, relief work in quake-hit areas by the elected representatives instead of army, payment of Rs 200,000 to each family and putting an end to army role in political affairs. The occasion was addressed among others by PkMAP provincial president Mukhtar Yousafzai, former minister Bashir Khan Matta and Dr Syed Alam Mahsood.

-The Post

India Pakistan agree to amend shipping protocol

ISLAMABAD, Dec 12 Asia Pulse - Shipping officials from India and Pakistan on Thursday agreed to amend a 1975 protocol to permit shipping companies of the two countries to transport cargo to any third country using each other's port facilities and allow third-country vessels to pick up cargo from their ports.
Susheel Kumar, Joint Secretary (Shipping) who led the Indian delegation at the talks with his Pakistani counterparts in Karachi, told the media that the meeting was unanimous to repeal the articles of Pak-India Shipping Protocol 1975 to make it up-to-date with the current needs of regional and international markets.
"We want to open ourselves for third flag carriers," which would bring more business to both the countries, he said.
Experts meeting would finalise the contents of the revised protocol/agreement which would be formally signed by the two governments after approval by their respective cabinets, Kumar said.
The existing Shipping Protocol only permits the Indian and Pakistani vessels to carry point-to-point cargo to each other's ports and bars the third-country vessels to pick up cargo from their ports.
The amendment was contemplated as the trade between the two countries was growing in view of the current peace process between them.

Arrangements to enforce SAFTA complete

ISLAMABAD (Dec 06): The Committee of Experts (COE) from seven member countries of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has finalized all arrangements for enforcing the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement on January 1, 2006. The COE meeting held at Kathmandu from Nov 28 to Dec 4 agreed on Rules of Origin, Negative List, Revenue Compensation for Least Developed Countries for enforcement of the much-awaited SAFTA agreement on the due date for promotion of enhanced trade among the seven member states, an official told the Daily Times on Monday.

The meeting agreed that the negative list of the member states under SAFTA would be retained with less than 20% of the total tariff lines of the member countries. The member states of SAARC would maintain negative lists of the items on which they would not allow tariff concession to other member countries for protection of local industries and trade under SAFTA. Pakistan will maintain a negative list of about 1,310 items and India is expected to fix it to 927 items. However, the other member states of SAARC will also maintain negative list according to their national needs. The items not included in the negative list would be allowed for import and export among the member states on reduced tariff with effect from Jan 1. The tariff concession would be allowed on the basis of Rules of Origin agreed at the Kathmandu meeting, according to a formula that at least 40% value addition, separate tariff heading and packing would be necessary to claim the tariff concession under the Rules of Origin formula agreed among the member states.

The member states would be able to deny the tariff concession on any tradable item on the basis of minimum value addition of less than 40% by giving solid proof. The official said the issue of Revenue Compensation to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, was also finalized successfully at Kathmandu. At the COE meeting it was decided that the developed countries of SAARC, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, would compensate revenue loss of the LDCs to the extent of customs duty only. The LDCs were demanding earlier that the revenue loss of surcharges and fees charged at the time of imports in their countries also be compensated along with the customs duty by liberalization of trade under the SAFTA agreement. The SAFTA agreement shall come into force on January 1, 2006 and the member states shall reduce their tariffs through the Trade Liberalization Programme that will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, Pakistan and India will reduce tariffs up to five percent within seven years, that is, by 2013, Sri Lanka within eight years, that is, by 2016 and the four LDCs of SAARC by 2016. Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, however, will complete their Trade Liberalization Programme for the four LDCs within three years, that is, up to 2009. At the final stage till 2015, all the contracting states of SAFTA will ensure free trade area for one another for their economic development and reduction in poverty. Under the SAFTA arrangements, each member state shall maintain two sensitive lists, one for the developed countries of SAARC and the other for the LDCs of SAARC. Daily Times

MQM contacts PML dissidents?

By Fasihur Rehman Khan

ISLAMABAD (The News, December 13): Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), coalition partner of the Muslim League government in the centre and major partner in the Sindh province, is learnt to have contacted the forward bloc of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (that also includes two PPP Patriot members) and extended an invitation to visit its headquarters in Karachi, it was reliably learnt.
Sources without disclosing names of MQM members in the National Assembly said some of its legislators recently contacted forward bloc leaders and extended them an invitation to visit 90 Ñ headquarters of the MQM in Azizabad Karachi.
The forward bloc leadership is learnt to be planning to fly to Karachi sometimes this month to meet the MQM leadership.
The News contacted forward bloc spokesman MNA Farooq Amjad Mir to learn whether such an invitation was extended to the forward bloc. "I cannot disclose whether such an invitation has been extended. But what I can say is that we are in contact with the allied parties of the government and MQM is a coalition partner".
He further added: "We are extending all out support to the Shaukat Aziz government but our stance against the PML Chief Ch Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi is very clear. We want their removal. And if MQM, ally of the government, invites us, we will be willing to pay a visit to Karachi and meet its leadership", he added.
In their maiden press conference at the parliament house cafeteria last week, Farooq Amjad Mir had clearly hinted that a government ally party was in contact with the forward bloc. MQM leaders and MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi, however, denied having extended any invitation to the forward bloc members to visit its Azizabad headquarters. "Not at all. We have not extended any such invitation," was his immediate reaction.
Asked whether they had some grievances against the PML chief or the Punjab chief minister, Rizvi bluntly replied: "had we any grievances, we enjoy the capability to deal with it on our own". Though grievances of the MQM leadership regarding the PML Chief Ch Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi were not known, but recently an MQM Member National Assembly, Kunwar Khalid Younas, had gone public against elements in the Shaukat Aziz government whom he alleged were remnants of the former military ruler the late General Ziaul Haq government.
This outburst came as Younas's bill to amend Hudoon Ordinance was recently rejected by the National Assembly as he could not muster support of the MNAs, especially of the ruling PML. The government also did not take any interest in his bill for obvious reasons.

Altaf declines support on KBD

KARACHI, (Dawn, Dec 12): Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has refused to side with the government on Kalabagh dam or any other issue which was against the interests, hopes and aspirations of the people of Sindh.

Addressing Haq Parast parliamentarians on Monday, Mr Hussain said that the MQM stand was clearly understood by all sections of the Sindh population, including intellectuals, writers, columnists, teachers, historians, critics and political analysts, who all were aspiring for progress and prosperity of their province. They were also been witness to the firm stand taken by the party on other crucial issues, like the NFC Award.

He said the MQM had taken a principled stand on the question of the award, and stuck to it. No other political party had taken such a principled stand on the subject before, he said.He felt happy that conspiracies of the past to create urban-rural divide in Sindh and widen the gulf between them had not only been foiled, but the unity that existed among them today had never been seen before.

Altaf Hussain said that people of Sindh had seen through the game and were no longer willing to fall in the trap of the conspirators.He said that Urdu-speaking Sindhis on the MQM side were equally sincere, loyal and faithful like the old Sindhis, who had made the province their abode centuries and thousands of years back. “They know well that they have to live and die, and sink and swim together. Their destiny lay with the survival and progress of the province,” he remarked. It should, therefore, be very clear that MQM would oppose Kalabagh dam and all other projects which the majority of the people of the province did not approve or against which they had reservations.

He directed party workers, whether Urdu-speaking Sindhis, Sindhi-speaking Sindhis, Punjabis, Baloch, Pakthoon, Seraikis, or Kashmiris, to fan out to every nook and corner of the province to convey the MQM message, and ask people not to give weight to conspiracies, disinformation or propaganda which would obviously be aimed at destroying their unity and undermining their interests.

IMF dismayed over inflation

By Dr Mahnaz Fatima
In its recent annual analysis of Pakistan’s economy, the IMF executive board expressed disappointment over widespread poverty and high inflation. In addition, it is concerned about the increasing current account and budget deficits, stagnant tax-to-GDP ratio, and the subsidies to the power sector. While the latter set of concerns could be discussed in separate articles, this piece focuses on inflation and poverty. Details

Companies call for 25pc hike in gas prices
ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: Oil and gas companies have asked the government to raise gas production prices by 25 per cent to encourage them to produce higher quantities and reduce dependence on imported fuels, it is learnt. The demand comes at a time when the government estimates it will face major gas shortfalls by 2007-08 at the current rate of domestic production and plans to import gas from Iran, Qatar or Turkmenistan to meet energy shortages. Details

Low level operation launched in Balochistan: Bugti

QUETTA, Dec 11: Jamhoori Watan Party President Nawab Akbar Bugti and Balochistan National Party patron Sardar Attaullah Mengal have said that the government is planning a military action in Balochistan. Talking to the BBC on the Balochistan situation, Nawab Bugti said that the Rangers from Punjab and Sindh and Frontier Corps had surrounded the province and could launch an attack any time. Deatails

Terrorist camps deteccted in Balochistan

By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Dec 7: The government has detected existence of five to six camps in Balochistan where people are being trained to carry out terrorists activities. The presence of the camps, known as Ferari camps, was discussed on Wednesday at an inter-provincial conference on law and order during a discussion on the situations of Balochistan.According to sources, the conference was informed that the camps were operating under the supervision of some tribal sardars and that terrorists were also being paid money to carry out ‘assignments’.The camps, the conference was informed, were located in Sibi, Bolan, Shoran and Tilli areas. The sources said that the conference discussed different steps to rein in outlaws and stop them from escaping from one province to another after committing crimes.During the past year, 261 bomb blasts occurred in Balochistan and 167 rockets were fired.However, the conference was told that the federal government had no intention of launching any operation in the province, only some measures were being taken to protect gas pipelines, government installations and assets.In this connection the need for early implementation of a decision to set up a joint border force was stressed. According to the decision, three police stations and 25 police posts would be set up at the junctions of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab provinces. These posts and police stations would be manned by 1,300 men of the joint border force to be recruited in Sindh, while in Punjab 2,500 will be recruited by January 31.The conference directed Sindh and Balochistan authorities to take immediate steps to set up the posts and police stations and recruit personnel. The conference also directed the provinces to take measures for protection of judges of tribunals trying terrorist cases and witnesses.

Rail track blown up in Quetta
QUETTA, Dec 6: Rail traffic was restored between Quetta and Sibi on Tuesday after remaining suspended on Monday night following a powerful explosion on the main rail track linking Quetta with other parts of the country. Saboteurs blew up the track near the Balochistan University. “A piece of one and half feet long rail track was blown by a powerful blast,” a senior official of the Pakistan Railway’s Quetta division said.The saboteurs blew up the track with powerful explosives planted under the track, sources said and added that after the explosion railway engineers and other staff rushed to the site and started replacing the affected track.The sources said that the blast took place after the passing of a goods train on the track. Quetta-bound passenger trains coming from Punjab and Karachi were stopped at the Sibi railway station. Dawn

Teaching Sindhi in Sindh

By Dr Tariq Rahman
The language controversy, which has plagued Sindh since the early fifties, has again reared its head in this troubled province. The immediate reason is that the Sindh chief minister is said to have agreed to introduce easy (salees) Sindhi in intermediate (HSSC-level) examinations for non-Sindhi students; i.e. those whose mother tongue is not Sindhi. As the English and the Urdu press is against this measure, let me provide the background of the teaching of Sindhi in Sindh.
Sindhi, called ‘Hindi’ by Arab writers, existed in Sindh and was even used in official business as early as the 8th century soon after the Muslim conquest. It was written in variants of the Brahmi as well as the Arabic script (variants of naskh). There are books from the 16th century in Sindhi in variants of naskh which Dr Nabi Bakhsh Baloch has collected and published as Sindhi Boli Jo Agatho Manzoom Zakheero (1993).
Most of these books in Sindhi were concerned with the rituals and beliefs of Islam. I call them Shariah ‘guidebooks’ and the paradigmatic text, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi’s Bahishti Zevar, is an example. All major languages of South Asia have these Shariah guidebooks as well as books with folk-Islamic themes such as Nur Namas, Karbala Namas and Hashar Namas. In Sindh, however, there is some evidence that Sindhi was actually taught in madrassas when Persian was the formal medium of instruction.
The British removed Persian but in Sindh, unlike the Punjab and NWFP, they replaced it with the actual vernacular of the people — Sindhi. Moreover, they standardised a variant of naskh creating the modern Sindhi script which is used today. This was because the big feudal lords were Muslims and the British did not wish to antagonise them. They did not, however, want to alienate the Hindus either so they gave them the option of uniting Sindhi in their own script. This did not work as the language of the workplace was Muslim Sindhi and the Hindu Sindhi died. Muslim Sindhi became a fairly strong vernacular for legislation, correspondence, journalism and teaching. This was the condition when Pakistan was created.
After independence, Sindh’s cities were flooded by Urdu-speaking mohajirs. Migrants understandably flock to where the jobs are and Karachi was a port city, a business centre and soon became the federal capital. But the Sindhis cannot be blamed either because they lost their major cities to mohajir cultural domination and, as the federal government promoted Urdu to counter Bengali ethnicity, Sindhi was relegated to a secondary status. As one-unit and Ayub Khan’s martial law opposed the concept of different ethnic groups and languages in one country, Sindhi kept suffering throughout the sixties. Meanwhile, both the Sindhi and the mohajir middle classes kept growing and everybody wanted jobs. The clash for power was coming to a head and it was in linguistic terms that it was to be expressed.
On December 21, 1970, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Hyderabad announced that mohajir students would be examined in Sindhi in the Secondary School Certificate (matriculation) examination in 1972. The mohajirs protested because they thought they would lose marks. The Sindhis felt the mohajirs looked down on their language and did not want to assimilate. Both communities clashed in January 1971 which was a bloody month for Karachi and Hyderabad.
This drama was repeated in 1972 when the PPP in Sindh, now in power, passed the Sindh (Teaching, Promotion and use of Sindhi Language) Bill of 1972 on July 7. The mohajirs felt that Sindhi would now be used in offices, courts, schools and the legislature, and they would be disempowered. The Sindhis felt it was only fair to restore Sindhi to its former position. They argued that since Urdu was the national language, the mohajirs had no right whatsoever to complain. The mohajirs, for their part, feared that Urdu would be dominated by English at the centre while the Sindh government would use Sindhi — where would they go for jobs? Anyway, the two communities clashed and it was only by July 16 that they agreed to share power. The mohajirs were given a twelve-year reprieve to learn Sindhi (for details see my book Language and Politics in Pakistan, OUP, 1996).
In 1973, the teaching of Sindhi started from class 4 but when this batch reached class 9 the mohajirs protested that their children would fail. After this standards were brought down and Sindhi was taught to mohajirs only in name. Employees who took up the learning of Sindhi in 1973-74 also lost their enthusiasm after some time. In short, the teaching of Sindhi to the mohajirs remains a dream.
Now let us look at the recent order to teach Sindhi. From the Sindhi point of view, it is in keeping with the agreement of 1972 which said non-Sindhis will learn Sindhi in Sindh. If the mohajirs study Sindhi, it will remove one cause of alienation from the Sindhi-speaking majority. However, the mohajirs regard the learning of Sindhi as an extra burden. The truth is that nobody wants to learn an extra language — barring linguists and scholars — only to please neighbours.
People learn a language when they gain prestige, power and money through it. If the Government of Pakistan had created a truly multilingual state, the mohajirs would have learnt Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto and Balochi out of their own self-interest. This would have awarded due respect to people’s mother tongues and made it impossible to scorn and avoid them by hiding in federal institutions, elitist private schools, armed-forces-administered schools or madrassas. But we do not have a multilingual policy and people do not want only one province resorting to one.
Therefore, this bill will antagonise the mohajirs, further alienating them from Sindhis, as such bills did in 1970 and 1972. The solution is to sit down and work out a compromise not only for Sindh but the whole country. And in this compromise the people’s languages — Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, etc — should be the languages used in jobs, examinations and the public and corporate services.
Urdu can function as the language of wider communication since it already works in that role and English can be an international language, a library language and a language of scholarship and research to be acquired by experts and be generally known at other academic levels. Then everyone will learn the indigenous languages of this country, not only the mohajirs of Sindh. But when this is done, there should be no exemption of the elite or even foreigners. If someone lives in Pakistan, he or she must learn and respect the languages of our people.
The author is a linguistic historian
For details about the history of the teaching of Sindhi, see the author’s book Language, Ideology and Power (Oxford University Press, 2002)

-The News International

Opposition stages walk out from NA on oil prices, agri issuess

By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD (Dcember 9): The combined opposition on Thursday staged walkout from the National Assembly twice to protest against the speaker’s attitude for not allowing them to raise the issue of high petroleum prices in the country and on agriculture related issues.
Before opposition’s staging a walkout, the National Assembly proceedings remained suspended for a while due to lack of quorum. At the outset of proceedings of the lower house of the parliament, opposition member Nawab Yousaf Talpur pointed out the quorum and the speaker had no other option but to postpone the proceedings for a while.
PML-N acting parliamentary leader Ch Nisar Ali Khan, on a point of order, raised the issue of high petroleum product process and demanded a thorough discussion on the price mechanism in the country.
He said big fraud is being made with the people in the name of the petroleum prices mechanism as all the profits made by the oil marketing companies and government through tax despite the reduction of the prices in the international market. He stressed for a detailed debate in the house so that the opposition could expose the government policy.
However, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Jadoon denied any decrease in international prices saying the government will decrease the petroleum products prices as soon as the international prices will come down.
He claimed that the government is providing Rs 70 billion as subsidy to the people in petroleum prices. He said Pakistan has to fulfil 88 per cent need of the petroleum products through imports and the prices are linked with the international market. He said the government has taken adequate measures to ensure transparency in the oil prices and assured the house that there is no fraud being done in this regard by the OCAC.
PML-N’s Tehmina Daultana also wanted to speak on the issue but was not allowed by the speaker, which prompted the opposition to use the option of staging walkout from the National Assembly. The opposition had also staged a walkout earlier when speaker did not allow Nawab Yousaf Talpur to speak on agricultural issue on a point of order. On a point of order, Nawab Yousaf Talpur while referring to the quorum said the speaker should run the business of the house according to the laid down rules and procedures. On these remarks, the speaker asked the opposition MNA not to dictate him while speaking on the floor of the house and switched off the member’s mike.
However, on Nawab Yousaf Talpur’s protest, the speaker allowed him to speak. Talpur drew the attention of the house towards the problems the agriculture sector is facing. The speaker remarked that Talpur wants to say every thing on a point of order leaving all other tools meant for raising such issues in the house, and ruled out the point of order.
Yousuf Talpur reacted to the speaker’s remark and the opposition staged a walkout from the National Assembly. The speaker also reserved his ruling on the issue of not presenting the Islamic Ideological Council (IIC) report in the house for further reviewing the matter.
Speaking on a point of order, MMA legislator Maulana Sherani said that according to the constitution, the Islamic Ideological Council report should be presented before the house after three years but since 2002 no IIC report has been presented.
However, the NA speaker maintained that the report was presented in the house in 1997, but the MMA leader said that he was not talking about 1997 report but about the current report. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior Dr Shahzad Wasim told the house that Waziristan’s political administration is making efforts to recover the kidnapped journalist in Mir Ali area of the agency.
Responding a point of order, he said investigations are under way to establish the facts about his kidnapping and a report in this regard would be presented in the house. Responding to a calling attention notice regarding non-awarding of degrees to the students of the OPF Girl’s College, Minister for Labour and Manpower Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that process is under way for getting affiliation of the OPF Girls College, Islamabad, with Balochistan University, Quetta, for awarding them degrees. He said the college signed affiliations with various institutions in the past, which were terminated, and no other university in Islamabad or Punjab showed their willingness to accept the college affiliation with it.

-The News International

Knitting nationalists together

By Hashim Abro
Sindh is going through turbulent times because of incompetence, mal-governance, mismanagement, corruption both in administration and politics and tribal feuds and near-starvation, hitting of deadly Congo Virus and Bird Flu are as clear as day. As the ruling alliance of Arbab-MQM and the largest opposition in the Assembly PPP (Parliamentarian) lock their horns both inside and outside the assembly, the only victims of their self-gratifying behavior are the downtrodden and deprived people of the province. As the PPP (P) is being pushed to the wall and the MQM- Arbab government is mum over the genuine issues of the province such as NFC Award, construction of KBD, implementation of specified job quota of Sindh in the federation, frustration and resentment amongst Sindh is on the rise. Consequently the nationalist parties who were inactive are in action nowadays. Efforts for a new alliance are in full swing.
Realistically speaking, this is the sixth attempt during the last twenty years to unite the scattered nationalist leaders of the province. The fisrt attempt was made by the late GM Sayed in 1987, which formed, the famous Sindh National Alliance (SNA). This was the first and rare time in the history of nationalist politics in the province when all of them sank their deep seated differences and sat together to resolve for collective struggle. That alliance emerged as a strong force on the political landscape of the province. It pushed the populist PPP to the walls. PPP was on the decline.
It gave tough time to the PPP in the polls of 1988 but unfortunately, it could not brave the fluctuations of politics and ended in fiasco. As a result, most of the turn-coasts entered into the fold of victorious PPP.
Hoping against hope, Mumtaz Bhutto again rose from the ashes to form an alliance known as the United National Alliance (UNA). This alliance too died a premature death. It was in 1997 another alliance known as ‘Anti- Kalabagh dam Committee (AKBDC) came on the fore. This committee was composed of PPP and all nationalist and religious parties and factions in the province. It has come into being to oppose the construction of controversial Kalabagh dam. Sindhis considers the construction of Kalabagh dam a conspiracy to turn Sindh into sea of sand and ruins. Despite having rounds of meetings this Committee has yet not come up with any tangible anti- KBD strategy. It is still intact but sounds like a defunct body. It was in 2000, once again, Mumtaz Bhutto, tried to assemble all feudal lords, pirs and influential peoples of the province, inter alia, politico- religious leaders, on a single platform known as Sindh Solidarity Council (SSC).
This SSC convened a historic conference in the provincial capital and port city, Karachi. Attended by all prominent players of national and political politics such as Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, former caretaker Prime Minister, Yousaf Haroon, former speaker Provincial Assembly, Illahi Bux Soomro, former speaker National Assembly, raised a ray of hope among the deprived and downtrodden people of the province. It was during this conference, Mumtaz Bhutto and architect of the Constitution 1973, Hafeez Pirzada, has warned the wizards of Establishment saying, “ if the Establishment continues denial of constitutional rights to Sindh as enshrined in the Constitution of 1973, then a case will be filed with the international legal and arbitrary bodies to stanch our long- denied rights.” The nationalists of this alliance tried to contact nationalist parties and groups of other provinces too and it was in the end of 2000 a conference was arranged in London which was attended by Baluch leader Attaullah Mengal and others. Resultantly, the PONAM was brought to the fore. Except Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) all parties inclusive in it. The tug of war between Nawaz Sharif, the then prime minister, and the Awami National Party (ANP) played a pivotal role in the creation of this alliance. The role of veteran politician, Mr. Ajmal Khattak, can also not be underestimated in it. The ANP struggled with them and after sometime parted its ways. The PONAM under the headman-ship of veteran politician Attaullah Mengal is present but there is no warmth in its struggle.
In 2003, anti- Thal Committee was formed and in 2005 the Sindh National Front (SNF) and Sindh National Party (SNP) initiated for “ SIndh Unity Alliance.” The need for alliance amongst the Sindhi nationalist is always felt but this time too much because there is no one voices the concern of SIndh in the corridor of power and politics. Corruption, crime and cable culture, after Kalashnikov culture, has ruined Sindh.
The MQM leadership, with the exception of its self-exiled leader Altaf Hussein, does not consider woes of SIndh are their own woes and pains of SIndhis are their own pains. Some Sindhi intellectual like the late Ali Ahmed Brohi, brother of late great jurist AK Brohi, and Tajal Bewas has pinned hopes in the MQM leadership to challenge the status quo and ameliorate the lot of people of Sindh but all has gone otherwise. In addition to this, whenever the-so-called nationalist leaders have ferried around the province, the poverty-stricken and traumatized people of Sindh have posed one question to them: Why not an alliance amongst the all nationalist parties?”
They have always come with insipid explanations to this eighty billion dollar question but of avail to the people of Sindh. Of course, whenever there is an alliance on the fore, the people of Sindh are always skeptical about its survival. Same is the case with the alliance in the offing. Reasons are simple. The nationalist alliances do not have strong and stable track record in the history of the province.
Even now in the expected alliance six parties of nationalist are in and the six are yet out. The parties which are out these include: Awami Tehrik of Rasool Bux Palejo, Sindh National Party ( SNP) of Amir Bhmabro, Qaumparast Party of Qamar Bhatti, Jamiat-e- Uelema-i- Islam, SIndh, and Sindh Sagar Party. Rumour mill is rife about rift between the SNF and SNP. The leadership of PONAM has already predicted that it would be a futile attempt saying, “in the presence of PONAM there is no need of another alliance.” To this the Consultative Council (CC) has said that there was no room for any conflict in the emerging alliance. The spiritual leader of Hur Group and the President of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) Pir Pagaro has said that the emerging alliance would not cut any ice. But Bhutto seems to be determined even to go to the Pir and bring him round the point to join them to save Sindh and Sindhis. The leadership of the alliance is trying its utmost to revive hope and confidence among the people of Sindh saying that this alliance would not let them down and was able enough to survive the viscidities of politics and conspiracies of anti- Sindh and Sindhis.
The analysts hope that this alliance would play decisive role in the history of Sindh because in the past race for party positions gobbled up the alliances but this time it is not the bone of contention. This time the soul issue is ‘Save Sindh and Sinhis.” One has just to follow Policy of “wait and watch” and has to see whether it delivers or goes to the dogs. It is an axiomatic truth that as long as all the nationalist parties are not sewn into an alliance, one can not keep fingers crossed. It is only time to tell the truth whether it is the last ditch effort or the last war of the nationalist forces?

-Pakistan Observer

New initiative launched for clean water

ISLAMABAD (December 08 2005): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said federal government along with the provincial governments had launched a new initiative to provide clean drinking water to the people.Talking to newsmen in Islamabad on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said the federal government had already announced this programme, which was now being implemented in collaboration with the provincial governments.He said that the provincial governments would establish special units at their respective capitals to monitor this programme and would bear local expenditure while the federal government would provide major expenses.He said that provincial governments had also been assigned the duty for site selection of constructing water purification plants at union council level.The Prime Minister said, under this programme overall 5,400 water purification plants would be constructed in all union councils during the next two years. He said provision of clean drinking water would help ensuring better health of the people through preventing water born diseases.Earlier, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting to finalise the strategy for the implementation of the programme, which was attended by the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh and NWFP, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Chaudhry Naurez Shakoor and Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam.The meeting was briefed about the progress made so far on the establishment of water purification plants and future plans of implementation.It was disclosed that Rs 495 million would be spent in the first phase of the programme and 445 water plants would be completed under this phase.Clean drinking water programme was approved by President Pervez Musharraf in August this year with an objective to ensure clean drinking water for each one to save the people from water born diseases. Business Recorder

Provincial govts again get control of colleges

By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, Dec 6: A meeting of the education ministers from all the four provinces and Azad Kashmir on Tuesday decided that colleges would be taken back from local governments and given under the administrative control of provinces, which had been in vogue prior to the devolution.

Speaking at a press conference after the 9th inter-provincial meeting of the education ministers, the federal minister for education, Lt-Gen Javed Ashraf Qazi, who also chaired the moot, said that the EDOs (education) would only control schools, while colleges would again be handled by the provincial governments.

Replying to a question, he said that the president, prime minister and the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) had already been apprised and taken into confidence on the issue and the provincial governments could adopt the colleges after the issuance of the notification.

At present, colleges for general and technical education and comprehensive or higher secondary schools, primary, middle and secondary schools are handled by the EDOs at the local government level. It is still not clear that which of the two governments in question would run the affairs of the comprehensive schools meant for intermediate level education.The education ministers were of the view that the EDOs concerned were under pressure while handling the college affairs, along with the schools, and that had also affected the standard of college education.

The inter-provincial education ministers’ moot was held at the Sindh Secretariat and among others, was attended by Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro, two ministers from the Punjab, Mian Imran Masood (education) and Hussain Jahanian Gardezi (Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education), NWFP’s minister Maulana Fazal-i-Ali Haqqani, Balochistan minister Maulana Abdul Wahid Siddiqui, AJK’s minister Chaudhry M. Aziz, secretary of education departments and other officials.Unfolding the resolutions, the federal minister said that all the decisions of the meeting were taken unanimously and with the sheer objective to improve the educational system and make it as one system.

He said that the meeting had decided that all the exams up to the HSC level would be held in the country in April and May, while summer vacations would be held in June and July.Mr Qazi said that educational boards and departments would hold exams during the two months as per their convenience, while assessment of the answer scripts would be carried out during the vacations and results would be announced during the first half of August.He said that the new academic session would start in the last week of August or first week of September uniformly all over the country from 2006.

Flexibility in the commencement of the academic session, however, can be allowed in the case of educational institutions located in some parts of the NWFP and the AJK keeping in view the severity of cold weather, he added.The meeting also decided to reduce the existing marks of practical exams from 25 to 15 at the SSC level. The marks curtailed would now be added to the theory exams, thus increasing the total theory marks to 85. The rationale for the changes in the distribution of practical and theory exams marks, the minister said that the decision was taken in view of the inadequate laboratory facilities at schools in the rural areas. The decision would be implemented from 2007 throughout the country.

The meeting also decided to change the allocation of marks for three sections of question papers from next year. In future the multiple-choice questions would carry 20 per cent of the total marks, 50 per cent marks would be given for short-answer questions and 30 per cent marks against descriptive answers of questions.

The meeting also rejected the existing system of awarding grace marks to candidates for passing any exam. Under this decision, candidates throughout the country would be allowed a total of 6 marks for two papers. A candidate can be allowed 3 marks in each of the two papers, but if he failed in three papers, he would be declared fail.

It was further decided that both the SSC and HSC candidates would be given a choice of question option up to 33 per cent of the total questions of a paper. The decision would be implemented all over the country from the next academic session.

The minister informed that the meeting also discussed the merger of different education boards for conduct of exams at provincial level. There were two proposals, one to reduce the number of boards and second was to have one master board with some satellite boards.

Majority of the participants of the meeting were in favour of a master board in each province, which would prepare one question paper for SSC and HSC candidates in the entire province and ensure assessment of scripts as well, while the satellite boards would be responsible for affiliation and recognition of institutions and enrolment and collection of examination forms, he added, saying that any decision, however, would be taken after consulting the education authorities and boards of the provinces later.The meeting also deferred a proposal of the Punjab education department regarding the abolition of A and O levels.

We have decided that the ‘A’ and ‘O’ level system should be allowed for another five years as by the time we would be able to shape up and raise our local system of education at par with the international standards, added Mr Qazi.He said that a committee headed by the chairman of National Education Foundation, with one representative from each province and the AJK, had also been formed to formulate a national textbooks policy and standardized the curricula.Under the new national textbook policy no material from anonymous or unidentified authors would be included in the future, he pointed out.

A committee will also carry out works to reduce the number of elective subjects at schools and colleges. Possibility of including technical subjects in the list of elective subjects is also being considered, the minister said.

He said Pakistan would apply for international assessment of its education system in 2012.The federal minister said that the provinces would also prepare plans for the utilization of Rs100 billion allocations for providing facilities like boundary walls and labs, at schools, particularly in the rural areas. The fund will be provided in the next five years, in addition to the routine budgetary allocations, he mentioned.

A presentation on the proposed education policy was also made by Javed Hasan Aly, consultant of the ministry of education, Islamabad, during the meeting.Mr Qazi informed the newsmen that the new education policy would be ready by June 2006 and would be placed before the cabinet and the parliament later.

He said that after the completion of the ongoing educational census, data of all educational institutions would be available at central level by June 2006.

-Dawn

NIT to be split into six parts

By Dilawar Hussain
KARACHI, Dec 6: The National Investment Trust (NIT) -— Pakistan’s largest mutual fund that holds Rs75 billion under management — would be split into six parts, three would be distributed to three banks — Faysal Bank, Bank of Punjab and National Bank of Pakistan — that hold the letter of comfort (LoC) and the remaining would be put on public auction.An executive officer at the NIT recalled that in March this year, the proposal was to split the fund into five parts, with two going to the LoC holding institutions and three under the hammer. Did the three institutions with LoC then ask for a bigger slice of the cake?NIT was earlier planned to be privatized by June, but that date, like most of the transactions under the Privatization Commission, was shifted ahead. Abdul Ahad Effendi, consultant to the Privatization Commission told Dawn on Tuesday that it would be the endeavour to complete the transaction by the end of February or early March. He observed that all issues, including the LoC, had been resolved. There was no systemic risk and the privatisation would be an absolutely clean affair. He said he would be able to give more details about how LoCs would be redeemed after seeking permission from Minister for Privatization and Investment Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.Indications are that the NIT sell-off would be completed in time by virtue of the resolution of debatable outstanding issues: suitability of timing; decision on number of parts in which the fund would be split and finally the resolution of issue of redemption of LoCs.Like most upcoming transactions, the date of the privatization of NIT would be difficult to shift ahead, since the redemption date of Faysal Bank’s LoC is drawing dangerously near.And handling of the LoC is perhaps the most interesting aspect of the NIT’s privatization. But what really is the letter of comfort? The story goes as far back as July 2001 when the NIT was in dire financial straits; the price of the unit had nosedived to just about Rs7 and there was a run on the fund for redemption. In order to protect the NIT from total collapse, the government restrained those three major banks and a few other comparatively smaller holders of NIT units not to go for redemption. In exchange, the government issued them LoCs for five years with the guaranteed price of Rs13.70 on the date of redemption.The institutions had varying units covered under the LoC, but Faysal Bank’s 157 units stand first in line for maturity which is due in coming June. The remaining two, NBP’s 432 units and Bank of Punjab’s 149, matures in August. The banks have benefited tremendously in the sense that the NIT unit value has left a comfort price of Rs13.70 far behind.The net asset value (NAV) of the NIT unit had touched its all-time high of Rs52.80 on Monday, which was even higher than Rs51 that the NAV had climbed when the KSE-100 index had breached the 10,000-point level in March this year. The incremental windfall benefit, the difference of current unit price and the comfort price to LoC holders, now run into billions of rupees. The banks are making tremendous additions to their after-tax profits accrued from capital gains from appreciation in NIT units. Since the unit price is carried in the books of all three banks at the purchase price of Rs14, the banks have made a big boon of unrealized capital gains.But what in case the Privatization Commission is unable to privatize the NIT latest before June, it would have to redeem first the Faysal Bank’s LoC, which would require a mammoth sum of Rs8.3 billion to be paid to the bank. Next would come NBP and BoP in August. Since the NIT can not afford to part with that kind of cash, both the auction of the three split parts and the offer of three NAV based funds to LoC holders look certain.The Privatization Commission has asked the interested entities to submit their expressions of interest (EoIs) by December 22, 2005. “The management of the funds will offer a one-window entry into Pakistan’s equity markets as each will be invested in approximately 430 of the 662 listed companies at the Karachi Stock Exchange,” stated the Privatization Commission in its invitation for EoIs, adding that after the split, each of the funds would continue to constitute a significant portion of the mutual fund sector in Pakistan. The commission also notified that it would commence dispatch of request for statement of qualification (RSOQs) to the prospective bidders by November 28, 2005. However, the last date for the submission of statements of qualification was January 23, 2006. Dawn

Nation united on the urgencey of dams: Shaukat

MULTAN: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday new water reservoirs, which were dire need of the country, would be built with consensus and the whole nation was united on urgently addressing the issue.
Talking to various delegations representing Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), growers, PML legislators, Nazims and local journalists at the Circuit House, the prime minister said: "The whole nation is united on the urgency of this issue so that our irrigation and power needs could be adequately fulfilled."
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Federal Agriculture Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan, provincial Minister for Agricultural Marketing Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon and District Nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar were also present on the occasion.
The prime minister said new dams would be constructed after consultations and the opposition parties would also be taken into confidence on this vital subject. He said Pakistan had a great potential in agriculture sector and if new methods of husbandry would improve productivity and bring prosperity to the farmers community.
Shaukat said the existing dams were facing silting problem. "But now, water reservoirs are built on scientific methods which do not create desiltation problem," he said. He said southern Punjab has great potential for setting up agro industry. He urged the local industrialists and entrepreneurs to focus on this hitherto ignored sector.

PPP lawmaker to challenge govt in ICG
ISLAMABAD: Lawmaker of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians Mujeeb Pirzada Monday challenged the announcement for construction of Kalabagh dam and vowed to take this issue before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Speaking on a point of order he said the president is representing the federation and did not have constitutional powers to announce the construction of Kalabagh dam. "Under article 164 of the Constitution, the Council of Common Interest was assigned to settle controversial issues among the federating units and this council is still not constituted," he added.
He said the water issue has been settled in the 1991 Water Accord among the federating units and there is no space for the construction of any controversial dam on which the federating units have any differences.
He said President Musharraf has no right to take such an important decision all by himself as it right of people of Sindh are against this controversial project.
Responding to another point of order by Mujeeb Pirzada, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Sher Afgan Khan Niazi said the Council of Common Interest CCI was established in 1991 and set a criteria regarding water distribution and usage and Punjab will construct this dam, as it is necessity of the hour. He said under the 1991 Water Accord, the provinces could construct dams on their allocated share. " Either the Kalabagh dam constructed or not it is not come under the purview of CCI," he added.

Fazl calls for construction of Bhasha dam
ISLAMABAD: Leader of the opposition in National Assembly Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday urged the government to arrange, through Wapda, a detailed technical briefing on the Kalabagh dam issue for all the heads of political parties and bring the matter to parliament.
"We are not opposing the government on this issue for the sake of opposition. In fact, we are of the view that the government should announce immediate construction of those water reservoirs on which there is a consensus," he told newsmen at the Parliament House.
Fazl said there was almost a broader consensus on Bhasha dam and therefore the government should announce its construction. "There is an urgent need to address grievances of the provinces which are opposed to Kalabagh dam. The provinces have their stated positions on this issue, and they think that this dam would inundate many areas and rest would be rendered barren," he added.
Terming statements of the president and the prime minister on the issue of water reservoirs uncalled for, Fazl said their statements had actually confused the nation.

The News International

Economy escapes the big shock!

By Riaz Missen
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz could be the happiest man on earth. Being the architect of economic reforms in progress for the last five years, he has had the responsibility to bail the economy out of crisis resulting from the devastating earthquake of October 8. Though the international financial institutions had been forecasting that the economic growth rate of Pakistan will not be affected, the pledges through the recent Donors’ Conference have really proved reassuring for him.
Pakistan has been lucky enough to find favours in the eyes of the international community regarding the rehabilitation of quake victims. It got more than its expectations. The entire cost of reconstruction, assessed by the government itself, is going to be paid by external resources. The premier has thanked the international community for its generosity and assured it of transparent utilisation of the funds. The country doesn't need to delay the development projects underway in other parts of the country; the economic growth may sustain itself somewhere between 6-8 per cent.
For the last five years, not only have the economic indicators of the country improved, but also a serious effort has been made to retire foreign debts. The economy hit a record GDP growth rate of 8 per cent whereas foreign debt has reduced by $4 billion. The deregulation and privatisation drive accumulated huge funds, providing breathing space to the local and foreign business community.
The foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow is certainly rising as the government has put state-run businesses on sale. The country has earned Rs290 billion during the last two years through this exercise. The telecom sector is fetching foreign investments to the tune of one billion dollar a year, only the PTCL deal has become a headache for Sheikh Hafeez.
It has also been the policy of the government to tax the well-off little; to meet its growing expenses more taxpayers from the middle classes were brought into the net by increasing the volume of the general sales tax (GST). The government also stopped setting energy prices as a matter of policy and left the matter to oil firms. However, it kept on collecting the 20 per cent surcharge on oil and gas that it claimed to be paying back in the form of subsidies.
During the first-generation reforms, or the initial four years, restructuring of public institutions took place to bring efficiency and many raw hands were seen off. While interest rates were brought down to encourage investors, small savers were negatively affected. The cost of reforms fell heavily on the lower and middle-income strata.
Right before announcing the budget this year, the economic managers found it appropriate to announce launching the second phase of reforms. The statement of the premier hit front pages of national dailies that the country had achieved an unprecedented 8 per cent GDP growth rate. This phase of reforms had to focus at improving standards of living in Pakistan. Health, education and communication networks were declared priority areas. The government made a pledge to complete water conservation schemes while electricity, gas and clean water had to be provided to the whole population of the country by 2007.
The second-generation reforms also meant bringing transparency in the working of public institutions. Parliament, judiciary and political parties, have to pass through this process. Provision of speedy but fair justice makes an essential part of the second phase of the reformation process. What becomes evident from the objectives of second-generation reforms is that it involves politics more than the economy. Consolidating the gains of the first-phase reforms essentially means continuing with the policies of that era but it also means compensating those who have felt the axe of these reforms. A sovereign, not merely functional, parliament is necessary to complete the reformation process - improving standards of living being its objective.
The governor, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), an important pillar of first generation reforms, is going to be retired; Hafeez Sheikh seems too much tired of the tricky PTCL affairs. Shaukat Aziz has been elevated to a political slot but it needs a fair time to change one’s attitudes and habits. The progress on second-generation reforms has been slow while the next general election is getting closer.

Coming back to the Donor’s moot, more than 60 per cent of pledges constitute soft loans that will have to be definitely returned back to their sources at the end of the day. Who will pay off this debt would have been a relevant question had there been a tradition of observing justice in the matter of finances.
The $4 billion the country has recently paid to foreign creditors was not necessarily utilised in the public interest but this amount has been paid off by increasing the size of indirect taxes and selling off state-owned businesses.
Why is Pakistan burdened with huge foreign loans? Where were these funds utilised? And, who is going to pay them off? These questions need to be answered to put economy on a stable course. The state needs to shake off many a parasite that has been sucking its blood since the times of the partition. They have a natural tendency to keep the state’s finances in shambles, politics in confusion, and people in abject poverty.
The state has to take care of its people to ensure their dignified survival in the global age. Consumers take the centre stage in any debate over economy. It does not make sense to patronise big businesses instead. Trade and industry have to stand on some solid-ground while development of domestic markets has been pending for over five decades. There is a need to break the nexus between monopolies in the agricultural and financial sectors.

-The News Interantional

Review

Political insiders tell Asia Times Online that Aziz's bold actions are of concern to Musharraf. The general is still powerful and required and backed by Washington, but he cannot understand why a constituency such as the one that Aziz now commands, and seemingly also with US support, is assuming more power.