Zaicha

As the global age takes its course, Pakistan has an unparallel opportunity to estabelish its identity as a pluralist state

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Location: Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Governance

By Shahid Javed Burki
The 50,000 or so families that fit in the income category of the very rich owe their wealth and income either to land they have owned for decades, perhaps for centuries, or to the industries they established since the birth of Pakistan, or to dealings in properties that are now valued very highly at the peripheries of the major cities. In all these cases the state has either helped in protecting the source of income or assisted in creating the wealth that produces it.
PESHAWAR, Dec 11: Describing Pakistan’s volatile tribal region as a virtual “mini-state” used by Taliban and foreign militants “to regroup, reorganise and rearm,” an international think-tank on Monday accused Islamabad of following an ambivalent approach....
ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: For the first time Population Census Organisation has published district-wise report of all union councils of Punjab that contain population data and its division by sex, rural and urban areas and literacy rate....
National security redefined
A careful study of the Pakistan Economic Survey 2005-06 leaves one in no doubt that historically speaking our policymakers, whether under military or civilian governments, have over-emphasised the military dimension of national security to the neglect of the economic dimension, particularly human resource development which provides the foundation for the process of sustainable economic development.
In Pakistan, constitutions have been abrogated, held in abeyance, mutilated beyond recognition and trifled with to suit political expediency or personal ambitions. But all said and done, the 1973 Constitution has managed to survive all crises and dictators.
By Dr Tariq Rahman
PAKISTAN faces many dangers from within and without. This discussion looks at the former. There are three broad categories of dangers from within: ethnic conflict, class conflict and ideological conflict.
Contrary to their generosity in overspending billions of rupees on VVIP Jets, Mercedes Benz, foreign visits of the rulers and other non-development areas, the federal ministries left unspent huge development funds meant for the well- being of the masses.
ISLAMABAD, May 25: Despite insistence of the audit department, a sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) here on Thursday showed reluctance to refer the Kamra grid station scam, in which...
It has been found out during the NAB investigations that the 65 percent directives, which were made to remain unchanged or decrease the oil prices, since the year 2001, were made verbally by the competent authority, while the directives to increase the oil prices were made in writing by the approval of finance ministry.
Pakistan is a federation only in name; the centre has always dominated, and this has led to heart-burning and grievances among the provinces, leading to serious consequences such as the break-away of East Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD, April 25: Four new faces were inducted into the federal cabinet on Tuesday while some portfolios changed hands the most prominent among them being the ministry of information and broadcasting....
A law forbade a person from becoming prime minister a third time, and the government used all its administrative machinery to ensure the Muslim League’s victory. Against this background, Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Mohammad Farooq’s disclosure about an acting set-up for the next general election deserves to be welcomed, though certain questions remain unanswered.
ONCE again the provinces and the centre are at loggerheads over the question of resource sharing. This time they are not fighting over who would share how much from the divisible pool, because that has already been settled for the time being. What is at issue today is whether or not the provinces qualify for allocations from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) after their share in the divisible pool has been increased.
A week of unprecedented urban fighting in the wild tribal belt of North Waziristan has left scores dead and forced thousands to flee their homes, raising the stakes in Pakistan's war on Islamic militancy along the Afghan border.
The cartoons published in the European press have provided a fresh impetus to religious extremism. Religious parties are clearly drawing on the reservoir of genuine public fury at the blasphemous sketches to whip up an anti-government and anti-US campaign. Every party is complicit in contributing to the current hysteria where the form that the violent protests have taken has pushed the original calumny in the background and let loose a horde of rabble-rousers on the streets. Another strike is planned for today; yesterday’s attack in Karachi has set the scene for it in the most gruesome way possible.
ISLAMABAD, March 2: President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said Pakistan would continue to fight extremism and terrorism in a holistic manner as curbing these menaces was crucial to long-term national security and economic development....
Terrorism high on Bush’s agenda for talks in Islamabad
WASHINGTON, March 2: US President George W. Bush’s pledge to visit Pakistan despite Thursday’s terrorist attack was no surprise for diplomatic and official circles in Washington already aware of his determination to visit Islamabad at all costs....
ISLAMABAD, March 2: The federal cabinet has condemned Thursday’s bomb blast in Karachi as “a dastardly act of terrorism” but expressed confidence that it would not affect US President George Bush’s visit to Pakistan which would go ahead as planned....
Low-profile government-sponsored rallies to condemn publication of cartoons featuring the Prophet Mohammed have swiftly escalated into a campaign directed against Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.
While some of the agitation was in fact directed toward the cartoons, religious leaders and secular analysts agree that the ensuing violence has little to do with religious offenses committed far away, and more to do with grievances at home.
Without any relevant constitutional or legal accommodation, Pakistan has silently but informally moved from a cabinet to a prime ministerial form of government. The emergence of the prime minister's secretariat and its gradual growth as a parallel secretariat in the federal set-up has diminished the role of the federal ministries and divisions.
The report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Balochistan is extremely depressing. The report can be termed depressing for a number of reasons, such as the details and pictures of missing persons, the list of children killed in the violence, accounts of torture and pictures of Sui as a ghost town. However, what is most depressing about the report is that it highlights the fact that when the writ of the state has not been established and an area is allowed to run as the wilds for decades there is nothing pretty about the plight of the people.
Parliament can re-elect Musharraf, says Shujaat
Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that parliament can re-elect President Pervez Musharraf for a second term in 2008....
Senate’s HR body to visit Balochistan
Senate’s standing committee on human rights on Monday constituted a sub-committee to visit Balochistan soon after the current session of the upper house of parliament to ascertain first hand knowledge of the situation in the volatile province....
PQP-ANP merger announced: Unity of Pukhtuns through peaceful democratic movement sought
The Pukhtunkhwa Qaumi Party (PQP) on Monday merged with the Awami National Party (ANP). The president of the PQP, Mr Afzal Khan made the announcement of merger with...
Efforts fail to merge BSO factions
The Baloch Students Organization (Aman) said on Monday that efforts to merge the three factions of the BSO had failed. Speaking at a press conference, BSO chairman Amanullah...
The Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) a representative body of farmers has observed that government will have to spend Rs42 billion in foreign exchange on sugar import to plug the shortfall in local production.
Sugar sector places onus of high prices on govt
TCP sitting on stocks as sugar soars above Rs36 per KgBy Masood AnwarKARACHI: Sugar trade and production circles have placed the onus of sugar price hike on the flawed policies of the federal government.
Afghans, India fuelling unrest in Balochistan’
Balochistan Governor Owais Ghani has accused Afghan warlords and drug barons of arming tribal militants in the province and India of financing them.
Rs60bn plan unveiled for Balochistan roads
The National Highway Authority (NHA) on Monday unveiled five-year package for Balochistan road network amounting to Rs60 billion. The package was announced by NHA Chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed at a press briefing held at the authority’s headquarters....
Balochistan in turmoil againThe war in Balochistan is once again making headlines. 2005 was a troubled year for the province with the insurgency simmering throughout the year interspersed with military action by the Frontier Constabulary from time to time. It is a pity that as the year draws to a close the army has stepped up its operations and there are reports of casualties that include women and children.
Details
Balochistan: Yet another crackdown
AT A random reckoning, we are seeing the fifth major military/paramilitary operation in Balochistan since independence. This is besides other lesser known and relatively minor military actions launched in the province from time to time.
What next in Balochistan?
The situation in Balochistan is going from bad to worse. Every day the newspapers carry reports of rocket attacks by unknown people and shelling and firing by the security forces. The government has now openly declared that it will take recourse to force to restore law and order in the province. This is a dangerous approach because when the army decides to use military means, it inevitably turns a crisis into a do or die issue.


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Balochistan insurgency sets off ripples all over country
A fresh wave of insurgency in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province has set off ripples all over the country with senior federal government officials claiming to have taken over control of mountains which served as hideouts for the insurgents.
Strike observed in Balochistan
Complete wheel jam and shutter-down strike was observed on Tuesday in Quetta and other parts of the province on the call of opposition parties to denounce government policies...
Two camps overrun; gas pipeline blown up
Paramilitary forces on Tuesday seized control of two more camps of Mari tribesmen in Bakar and Peekal on the border of Dera Bugti and Mari tribal agency and recovered a huge cache of weapons....
ARD postpones protest in front of parliament
The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy postponed its protest in front of Parliament House scheduled for of December 29 and also the meeting of party heads till January 2.
Encroaching upon smaller provinces’ autonomy