Olympic visa scam
July 25, 2012
British tabloid newspapers have something of a track record when it comes to exposing the failings and frailties of the people of Pakistan. The ‘News of the World’ broke the story of match-fixing and spot betting scams that led to three of our cricketers serving jail sentences in the UK. Today there is an expose by another tabloid, ‘The Sun’ which is alleged to expose a group of corrupt officials and a very corrupt Lahori politician who was the subject of a classic sting operation. ‘The Sun’ in its usual holier-than-thou mode tipped off MI6, the British High Commission in Islamabad, the UK Border Agency and the UK Home Office. The British government thanked The Sun and said it would be handing over the evidence obtained to ‘the Pakistan authorities’ – which probably means that whatever comes our way will be buried underneath a filing cabinet in the empty offices of a long-defunct ministry.
The scam appears to have been centred on a travel agency based in Lahore – Dream Land Travel – which was prosecuted nine years ago for human trafficking. It is said that false passports were available, visas and access to the 2012 Olympics as a member of the support team for our Olympic squad – a possibility hotly denied by the chef de mission of the Pakistan contingent for London Olympics, Syed Aqil Shah who termed the allegations ‘a conspiracy against Pakistan’ which is the standard response when a Pakistani is caught with his or her fingers in the petty-cash tin. From the British perspective, the security operation around the Olympics is of paramount importance, and this is a potential loophole in that operation and therefore a matter of concern. On the plus side it does not appear that the scam has been successfully deployed either singly or in any numbers and was traced before anybody was able to get themselves into the UK illegally. Between 8 and 10 Nadra officers have been suspended and The Sun is today reporting that Abid Chaudhury, the politician caught on camera assuring its undercover reporter that he can assist – for £7,000 – in obtaining a two-month visa as well as smuggle a person into London as part of the Pakistan Olympic backup team; has been placed on the Exit Control List. What is evident from the video posted on The Sun website is that this is not a single corrupt person working the system, but a system of corrupt people that spans government agencies and offices, private business in the form of a travel agency and corrupt politicians – and all operating within ‘the system’. This did not spring into being spontaneously but would have grown over a period of time, months or years perhaps. It seems unlikely that there are going to be any prosecutions at the UK end of this miserable affair, but since strong circumstantial evidence in Pakistan of considerable wrongdoing by many people is available, quick and smooth action has already been launched, with several arrests and suspension of officials. It remains to be seen whether this matter will indeed get to its logical end with appropriate prosecutions and restoration of the confidence in the Pakistani systems that The Sun story may have shaken.
Broken promises
July 25, 2012
The holy month of Ramazan which is supposed to bring spiritual peace to people seems to be lost in the anger against the ever increasing loadshedding that is severely hitting many areas across Punjab. The residents of these areas are in a state of fury once again. The continuous long bouts of loadshedding mean not only that much of the day is spent without power but even during sehr and iftar there is no reprieve from this ordeal. It should be noted that Prime Minister Raja Pervez (Check spelling normally used) Ashraf had made an ardent promise only weeks ago that there would be no loadshedding during sehr and iftar. But by now we should have been used to broken promises from government members, particularly Ashraf, who as minister for water and power had told us, some four years ago, that loadshedding would end permanently within months. As history reveals, loadshedding didn’t end, but the credibility of the present premier took a battering then as now, so it would be advisable that he should not promise anything until he was absolutely sure he could deliver.
The situation in Punjab where loadshedding extends to 14 hours or more notably in smaller towns has driven people out onto the streets demanding that they get power at least during dawn and sunset. The lack of electricity leaves people literally struggling in the dark to manage the rituals of fasting. They direct their rage on property and staff of electricity companies like the attack on the Wapda office in Lahore recently. Power protests and riots appear to be continually spreading in Lahore, Kasur, Nankana Sahib and the virus spreading in parts of Islamabad as well. There is also a feeling of resentment as some argue that Punjab in being discriminated against as far as power goes. The sad part is the apathy of those concerned, which is only adding fuel to the rage of these frustrated and angry people who demand an explanation from the prime minister, asking why promises are constantly made that cannot be kept and whether there is any possibility of an improvement. The sadder part is that these protests are brushed aside as part of opposition politicking.
Threat to schools
July 25, 2012
Despite the so-called victories against the Taliban, their activities remain much the same as before. Schools continue to be bombed, depriving children across the tribal belt and KP of education that could protect them from falling prey to poverty and eventually extremism. Last week alone there were three bombings in which schools were destroyed or damaged. Two schools were targeted in the Safi tehsil of Mohmand Agency where a boys’ primary school was completely destroyed, while the under-construction new wing of another was badly damaged.
In some ways, still more frightening is the fact that militants are able to strike even in the heart of large cities like Peshawar. The last school to be bombed stood in the Mattani area of KP’s capital and was being rebuilt after being destroyed two years ago. It is quite obvious some lasting solution to this serious problem needs to be found quickly, given that we have too few schools and cannot afford to keep reconstructing those that have been deliberately damaged by those who see education as an enemy. In all 100 schools have been destroyed in Mohmand by militants so far. We can only imagine the damage this is inflicting in an area where literacy is already low. It is clear that militancy is not under control and that something needs to be done and fast.