Thursday, March 28, 2024
04:22 PM (GMT +5)

Go Back   CSS Forums > General > News & Articles > The Express Tribune

Reply Share Thread: Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook     Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter     Submit Thread to Google+ Google+    
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread
  #861  
Old Tuesday, June 11, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

11.06.2013
Surveillance state

The idea of a state constantly watching over the shoulder and keeping an eye on what we say and do, had seemed Orwellian. But we learn from a report in the UK’s Guardian newspaper that such a time may be with us now.
According to the report, the US’s giant National Security Agency (NSA), established amidst the hysteria which followed the 9/11 attacks, collected the second highest volume of intelligence data from Pakistan in March this year, compared with countries around the world. In that month alone, 13.5 billion items of data were collected from Pakistan, with Iran topping the list with 14 billion. Jordan and Egypt followed closely behind. In reality, this means, of course, that through the use of technology, every email, Facebook, Skype or other interaction any of us has over the electronic media can be monitored in Washington. This, of course, is a blatant violation of privacy. The legal position is questionable — President Barack Obama has said the collection of data in this fashion is not unlawful but at least one US senator, Republican Rand Paul, has said that he may mount a legal challenge in the Supreme Court on it. Furthermore, Democrat Senator Shaun Udall has publicly said that the Obama Administration needed to be more transparent.

There are other broader questions here. The fact is that there is no clear unanimity on the US government spying on even its own citizens in such a manner, let alone the rest of the world. Furthermore, the fact remains that all the countries barring Iran, on whose computer networks the NSA engaged in this major snooping — Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt and India — happen to be allies of Washington. Of course, even the closest of allies at times spy on each other and that should come as no surprise but the scale of the NSA spying seems to be massive: in the case of Pakistan, the collection seems to be over 5,200 data items per second!
The matter is a serious one; it cannot be ignored and now that the facts are before us, at the very least, one would like an official response from the government.

YouTube ban

A renewed debate on the YouTube ban has been heating up as the Nawaz Sharif government settles in, with hopes raised that the new administration would work to restore the video-sharing website as a matter of priority. Nine months have passed since authorities in Pakistan slapped a ban on YouTube for hosting a blasphemous video. While the previous PPP-led government and the caretakers attempted to remove the ban, they quickly backtracked in the face of a backlash from the right-wing lobby. The ban was even lifted very briefly last December, but then the government back-pedalled. In removing the ban, the government had ignored a policy advice from an inter-ministerial committee calling for continuing with the ban on the website until it agreed to remove the video voluntarily or until the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority found a way to block it — a job it has failed to do till date.
Google, the parent company of YouTube, had rejected requests from the previous government to remove the objectionable material. Still, this should not discourage the new government from pursuing the matter with perseverance and talking to the internet giant for a reversal of its decision. At the same time, the government should consider that a blanket ban on the website is in no one’s interest. It only goes to hurt the users — whether they accessed the website for entertainment, scholastic purposes or research. The example of Bangladesh can be thrown in for good measure, which recently announced lifting of a similar ban.
The new administration must find ways to undo the ban. At any rate, censorship-dodgers would always find ways to skirt regulatory controls. That, indeed, is the case with smart, internet-savvy young people, who are known to be accessing the website anyway. This alone shows that the people consider the ban to be unjustified and, therefore, the government, being the representative of the people, must lift the ban.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #862  
Old Thursday, June 13, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

13.06.2013
Budgeting for fiscal 2013-14: a magic wand perhaps?


Pakistan’s budget for 2013-14 is Rs3.985 trillion, almost a quarter higher than the estimated budget for the previous year. It sets very ambitious resource availability assumptions and tax collection targets, especially since both these goals were not met during 2012-13. In fact, in the latter period, while the resource availability was set at Rs2.719 trillion the actual figure was Rs1.903 trillion, a massive shortfall of over 800 billion rupees.
One wonders what kind of magic wand the new government possesses that allows it to set a resource availability estimate for 2013-14 of Rs3.01 trillion – meaning that it believes that it will be able to make available over a trillion rupees worth of resources. Whether it will actually be able to do this is something that the coming year will show quite clearly, and the new government will be under close watch.

One should take a closer look at how the economy was run during the outgoing year 2012-13 since it will have to be run in an entirely different manner for 2013-14 if the government is to achieve its revenue collection target.
For instance, the previous government set a bank borrowing target of Rs483.8 billion for 2012-13 – but the actual amount that it ended up borrowing was a staggering Rs1.575 trillion (overshooting its own bank borrowing target by over 200 per cent). Here too the target set for 2013-14, of Rs975 billion, seems unrealistic given that it is over 600 billion rupees lower than the figure for the outgoing fiscal year.
Similarly, in 2012-13 tax collected was Rs379 billion less than the target set by the government, which means that for 2013-14, with an ambitious tax revenue goal set by the new government it will have to exhibit considerable perseverance and political will to achieve it.
This will mean a thorough revamp of the Federal Board of Revenue so that existing and new taxes can be collected, and that the abysmally small tax net is widened to include all tax evaders. Unfortunately, the government has chosen to take the easy way out by deciding to increase the sales tax by one percentage point.
This may be a relatively easier option since indirect taxes are much harder to evade, but the fact is that they are regressive in nature, and affect those with lesser incomes disproportionately. The reason being that the amount they pay in tax is the same that someone with a much higher income pays and hence the tax burden on the poor is far higher.
A more equitable approach would have been to widen the tax net to include the millions of affluent Pakistanis who evade paying even a single rupee in tax every year. Furthermore, there was no attempt whatsoever to bring agricultural income under the tax net. Given that this sector makes up over 21 per cent of GDP, the continuing inability of governments to tax it is both inexplicable and foolish.
As for defence spending, it has been set at Rs627.226 billion (which rises to Rs759.954 billion if military pensions are included) for 2013-14. Compare this with the measly Rs1.806 billion set aside for social protection, and the meagre Rs924 million for environment protection. This shows the complete lack of priorities that successive governments have placed on issues that affect ordinary people. It also reflects the control that the establishment has over spending allocations in what is decidedly still a Third World country and whose inhabitants desperately need social sector development spending. Of course, there is a particular lobby which will criticise any attempt to pare down, or even keep defence expenditures at current levels, saying that Pakistan can ill-afford to do so given that it has India to its east and Afghanistan to its west and Americans always present in the region. This argument is not entirely without its merits but the issue is of nuance – and it could be argued, one believes cogently, that how much defence spending, say how many nuclear-capable missiles are really necessary to achieve a minimum credible deterrence. After all, having 50 warheads may mean the same kind of deterrence as having a hundred or more.

Child labour concerns

June 12 marked World Day Against Child Labour. Pakistan is one of the several countries that urgently need to take notice of this day. Protection against child labour is difficult to attain due to weak enforcement of laws. In addition, there also seems to be an utter lack of concern by the authorities whose responsibility it is to ensure that child rights are protected. This lack of concern is highlighted by the mysterious murder of Iqbal Masih, as reported in 1995, after he became an international symbol of abusive child labour, breaking away from the carpet industry at the burgeoning age of just 10. At an age when children should be learning basic math in school, they are instead learning how to be clever in convincing customers to buy their products and learning how to negotiate prices.
It is not that Pakistan does not have laws against child labour. It is, again, a problem of implementation and enforcement. We have several laws in place such as the Factories Act of 1934, which prohibits any child younger than 14 to work in a factory. Even if a child does take up employment after meeting the age requirement, he or she first has to be deemed physically fit for work: “A certifying surgeon shall, on the application of any child or adolescent who wishes to work in a factory, examine such person and ascertain his fitness for such work.” Furthermore, the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act says no children shall work between 7pm and 8am, yet we frequently see children chasing after cars urging people sitting inside to purchase flower bracelets and garlands, at all hours of the day.
The abuse of these laws is committed by people in several industries but also by those who are aware of the child labour factor in society. Frequently, pubescent or prepubescent girls are hired by adults as nannies to watch after infants and toddlers. Unless there is a major crackdown by the government, the courts and NGOs against child labour on those violating child rights, it will be an extremely tricky task to eliminate child labour in Pakistan. This countrywide crackdown needs to occur in the retail, wholesale, manufacturing and service industries where child labour is prevalent. Maybe then we can claim that World Day Against Child Labour is being paid heed to in Pakistan.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #863  
Old Friday, June 14, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

14.06.2013
Promising pipeline


The new government’s official announcement on June 12, as part of the Economic Plan for the coming fiscal year, that the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline will not be scrapped, is welcome. In recent days, following the change in government, there had been much doubt over the future of a project which promises to deliver much needed energy to Pakistan. Reports that PML-N energy experts had found flaws in the project and, of course, the looming issue of the US and Saudi Arabia, disapproval meant that this venture was in some doubt.

However, the clear-cut assurance that the controversial pipeline would be proceeded with marks both maturity and wisdom by the PML-N government. The previous policies of doing away with major projects begun by preceding governments have, over the decades, inflicted a great deal of harm on the country and are, in many ways, responsible for the quandaries we face today in various sectors. The PML-N then needs to be lauded for its good sense. It has also stated that it hopes gas will start flowing into the country by December this year and that the project would move ahead during this fiscal year. This would, of course, be good news for all of us. The PML-N has brought down the cost of the project to $1.25 billion from the previously agreed amount of $1.5 billion. This, too, shows good thinking.
It is assumed that Mian Nawaz Sharif and his team are prepared to deal with the US pressure that will come their way. In a welcome move, they have obviously opted to make the country’s urgent energy needs their priority rather than succumbing to the wishes of foreign forces. Indeed, keeping in mind the energy shortfall, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project is also being seriously considered. The attention given to the energy sector and the ardent efforts to boost it are to be appreciated. It is good that this need has been put ahead of all other concerns, while devising policies for the future and moving on with initiatives set up for this purpose. We must hope the process continues in the future.

Another first

As far as records and victories go, our politicians seem to be faring better than our cricketers. In yet another “first”, President Asif Ali Zardari became the first Head of State to address parliament for the sixth time. Finally, democratic traditions seem to be flourishing in our land and this is certainly something to cheer about given our history of frequent interruptions to the democratic process, and rule for long years by military dictators.
This issue was one Mr Zardari referred to clearly in his mature, poised speech, during which he also wished the incoming government well. The President, who has, of course, seen at close range the ravages inflicted by autocratic rule, stressed that in the Pakistan of the future, there could be no rule for dictators. This is being interpreted as a possible reference to General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, whose fate currently hangs in the balance. President Zardari also called for tough decisions on drones — an issue the previous government had also struggled with. He also stressed that Pakistan must not allow its soil to be used for militancy and it is yet to be seen how the new prime minister and his team handle this matter. The President spoke about the need to address matters such as the misuse of blasphemy laws and to protect vulnerable groups such as women and minorities. Certainly, this is badly needed and is an issue any government needs to be reminded of.
The presidential speech, its tone and tenor, raises hopes that the incoming PML-N government and the presidency can work smoothly together. Certainly, both have stated they intend to aim for precisely this relationship. The removal of powers allotted to the President by the PPP government should help greatly in this matter — and help us walk out onto the open field of democracy. If this pattern continues, we can be confident we may finally succeed in establishing democratic norms in our nation, thus setting for ourselves a brighter future to look towards over the coming few years.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #864  
Old Sunday, June 16, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

16.06.2013
Bombing our history


The rocket attack, which killed one policeman and destroyed the structure of the Jinnah residency, as a fire broke out quickly engulfing the wooden building, marks a tragedy. The residency, located in the hill town of Ziarat, was a national heritage site, as the place where the founder of the country, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had spent his last days, nursing serious sickness, before his demise in September 1948. The image of the residency also represented the province of Balochistan, on postcards, in textbooks, on stamps and in other places. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
It can be assumed that the attack was a carefully planned one, intended to send out a clear message by the insurgents who have wrecked peace in the province and have for years been locked in a struggle against the state. According to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, the residency was attacked by five militants, who had removed the Pakistan flag and raised the BLA flag in its place. The rocket, which hit the building on the morning of June 15, also resulted in damage to nearby houses as a fierce blaze broke out. This is the first action by insurgents in the province since the new government led by Dr Abdul Malik Baloch took charge. Chief Minister Baloch, a highly respected politician, has said he will do all that he can to resolve the conflict in Balochistan. It is now clear his task will not be an easy one. Quite obviously, militants have no intention of ending their campaign or changing their tactics.
Together with the central government, the provincial set-up will need to think through all the dimensions of the Balochistan issue. We all know it is a complex one, with many issues tied into it. The strategy required to sort it out will not be easy to devise. But this is something we will simply have to do if we are to solve a problem that, in so many ways, threatens the very foundations of the state. If these are to be saved from further damage, decisive action is needed quickly — so that we can restore peace in Balochistan, a province that currently stands poised at the very edge of a steep precipice, from which it could tumble at any time.

Citizen responsibility

Edward Snowden was an officer in the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. He left that job and then worked for one of the largest, most prestigious consulting firms in the world. This month, he leaked information about what is possibly the largest surveillance operation in the world, because as a citizen of a democracy, he felt that his government — one that he served in as a spy himself — should not be spying on its own people. He has yet to turn 30 years old.
In last month’s election, much was made about Pakistan’s young voters turning out to vote in large numbers. The belief of young Pakistani voters in our democracy is a welcome development, one that will only strengthen us in years to come. But what Snowden did is something that reflects more than just a sense of pride in his country’s democracy: it is a sense of responsibility to protect it against presidential overreach.
What makes Snowden’s actions more admirable was the fact that he was formerly a CIA officer, and until his leaking, was employed by Booz Allen Hamilton, a firm that pays its employees to serve as consultants largely to one client: the US government. Snowden went against not just the desires of his former employers, he went against his own personal economic interests.
It is this sense of obligation, of loyalty to a higher ideal,that Pakistan sorely needs. Will we ever get a young officer in our government leaking information that may be damaging to his or her personal careers, but helps fortify our democracy? We certainly hope so, because there are many government institutions in Pakistan that have a habit of overreaching their authority and not having their decisions questioned.
We are not in favour of leaking national secrets indiscriminately, but not everything the government wants to hide qualifies to be called a national secret. Sometimes, it is helpful to discuss matters of security policy openly. It shows a nation secure in its own sense of self and identity.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #865  
Old Monday, June 17, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

17.06.2013
The Quetta rampage


Even as the country was reeling from the attack on the Ziarat residency, which was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, as many as 28 people were massacred in Quetta on June 15, in the first major attack since the new government came into office.
Fourteen girls were killed when a female suicide bomber detonated a bomb in the parking lot of Sardar Bahadur Khan university — the only women’s university in the province — and as the 19 injured were being transferred to the Bolan Medical College teaching hospital for treatment, militants laid siege to the hospital for up to four hours, carrying out other attacks till police commandos stormed the building and freed the hostages. The attacks were claimed by the sectarian terrorist organisation, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. The blatant targeting of the heritage of the country and a symbol of its early days and the rampage that followed serve as a blatant reminder to the incoming government of the extent of the challenge the terrorists pose and the terrible threat to the ideology and the people of this country they are. Condemnations have, of course, since followed the attacks, with the Senate and the National Assembly passing a resolution condemning it.

We have in the past, of course, seen a similar sequence of events. But one hopes that this time round, with a new government in place, we will see some change in the way matters are handled. We need to see a complete elimination of terrorism from the country for there to be any respite for its citizens. Till then, we are all vulnerable, and as the events of June 15 have shown us, nothing and no one is safe. There appears to be absolutely no room for apologists or those having a soft stance on militancy of any sort. How the government deals with the aftermath of these attacks may well be seen as a precursor of things to follow, and to keep the confidence the electorate have invested in it and follow through on its responsibilities, the government should act to ensure that such attacks are brought an end to with their perpetrators duly punished under the law. It is condemnable that the perpetrators brazenly own the attacks and yet they and their leaders roam free.

Human rights outrage

The brutal murder of a couple in Sukkur after they were declared “karo” and “kari” by their families highlights the deplorable human rights situation in Pakistan. According to a news report in The Express Tribune, four armed men gunned down a man and his wife, while they were sleeping in their house on the morning of June 13. The two had registered their marriage in a Sukkur court against the wishes of their families. No FIR was filed and the police handed over the body of the deceased to their families, who were most likely involved in the killings.
The murder of couples declared “karo” and “kari” constitutes one of the worst human rights offences and is shockingly common in Pakistan. Couples who contract a “free will” marriage are often hunted down by their families and killed, or forced to flee the country. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Annual Report, at least 943 women were killed in the name of honour in 2011. Social acceptability for this crime is distressingly high and an Aurat Foundation study shows that most cases highlighted in the media are never actually reported to the police. The crime is often a cover for settling property disputes and it is mainly the victim’s family members who carry it out.
Those who call for the murder of these couples and declare them karo and kari — in this particular case, clans in the Brohi tribe — should be brought to book and held responsible for the killings. Though the 2004 amendment to the PPC and CrPC defines karo kari as murder, it falls short of giving protection to victims and ensuring punishments to the perpetrators. Karo kari needs to be made non-compoundable so that out-of-court settlements are no longer possible and the social acceptability of the crime is reduced. At the same time, it is critical to sensitise and train the police. Most importantly, eradicating illiteracy should be a main concern since the crime is linked to low literacy levels.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #866  
Old Tuesday, June 18, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

18.06.2013
Banking privacy laws and the FBR

The babus at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) are at it again. Rather than trying to fix their broken machinery, they would like the rest of the government to make their lives easier, this time by getting parliament to overturn banking privacy laws and letting the FBR have access to private banking records, without any safeguards being put in place.

It may surprise most people to learn that the FBR already had quite a lot of powers when it comes to people’s bank accounts. For instance, if it is able to demonstrate probable cause in a court of law, it can request banking records of any individual or business from as far back as it feels the need for. And, if a case of tax evasion is proven, the FBR does not need to politely wait for a person or company to pay what they owe: it can forcibly take the money away from their bank accounts if a person fails to comply with a demand to pay taxes.
One would think those powers would be more than enough for the FBR to begin a serious crackdown on tax evasion, but apparently that is not what the bureaucrats think. They argue, not unreasonably, that the current system requires them to go through a court system that is too slow. So, rather than advocating a fix to the speed of the court system, the FBR would like to bypass all checks and balances and obliterate any sense of financial privacy in Pakistan altogether, by indiscriminately accessing all banking data.
In the past, this newspaper has applauded the government’s attempt to use Big Data to catch tax evaders and we are not opposed to the idea of the FBR having access to banking records either. What we object to is the manner in which this was done: one line surreptitiously slipped into the budget speech by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, with no details provided on exactly how much data the FBR would have access to and what safeguards will be taken to protect the privacy of individuals from unscrupulous officers.
Big Data is a reality and we are happy the government is thinking of ways to use it effectively. We just wish they would also consider ways to do so responsibly.

Rouhani’s win

The victory of Iran’s moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani in the presidential election is good news on many counts. He was able to secure the support of the opposition as well as the reform groups within Iran. Hopefully, a departure will be made from the hard-line worldview of his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who had taken the country towards international isolation. A remarkable feature of the Iranian elections was the high voter participation of 72 per cent. Compared with the 55 per cent in the recent Pakistani elections, this surely sets a benchmark for the region. Rouhani’s election campaign highlighted, not unlike Nawaz Sharif, the economic woes of Iran and on working out a more conciliatory approach towards the West. Iran badly needs relief from the sanctions imposed by the West, especially the United States, for its economy to pick up.
The fundamentals of Iranian polity remain unchanged. The all-powerful “Supreme Leader” and the council of clerics firmly control policy in the country. But this minor shift will work in Iran’s favour as president-elect Rouhani was the lead nuclear negotiator under the reign of Mohammad Khatami and is, therefore, well endowed with diplomatic experience. Iran’s growing young population and the quest of its populace to integrate with the world should be better served with this win.
The real question is whether the new president would be given some space by the powerful Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and endow him with the authority to improve relations with the West. The West must note the message given by the Iranian population. A majority of the country’s population has backed the pragmatic line that Rouhani takes. Thus, it is time for effective engagement with Tehran and giving up on paranoia over Iran’s nuclear programme. Pressured by the pro-Israel groups in the US, the Obama Administration had adopted a coercive approach. Given Iran’s proximity to Pakistan and Afghanistan and the 2014 Nato pullout, it is essential that the US support regional cooperation efforts.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #867  
Old Wednesday, June 19, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

19.06.2013
Provincial budgets — practice in devolution


The benefit of having three provincial governments announce their budgets in one day is that it affords voters the opportunity to compare the governing styles of the three major national political parties in the country. It also highlights in practice what had hitherto been talked about as a theoretical advantage of the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution: that providing more autonomy to the provinces would result in a competition based on governance quality between the biggest political parties, the biggest beneficiary of which would be the people of Pakistan.

In 1932, US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote that American states “may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country”, a quote that later became famous for popularising the idea that truly autonomous sub-national governments can serve as the laboratories of democracy. That phenomenon appears to be taking off with a bang in Pakistan and we could not be happier.
Several good ideas pioneered in one province are being copied by others, with the ruling political party in each of those regions trying to claim credit for who came up with the idea in the first place. The politicians can quibble over who gets the credit, no doubt, but the citizenry is likely to be happy that the idea was implemented in the first place.
For example, take the idea of creating a computerised database of all land records, which have always been a provincial subject. The idea was originally started under a Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz government in Punjab through a World Bank-funded project, but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been quick to claim credit for trying to start a similar scheme in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The argument will no doubt continue over who started it, but the people of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are about to get a system of land records that does not make them beholden to the local patwari or some other provincial revenue department functionary. As measures go towards securing property rights in Pakistan, and helping people unleash the economic potential of the real estate they own, there could hardly be a more effective measure.
Similarly, Sindh and Punjab have both created nearly identical investment boards that are meant to serve as a one-stop shop for investors looking to deploy capital in those respective provinces. While Punjab has a much more effective board than that of Sindh, the fact remains that the provinces appear to be coming up with good ideas for governance, in a spirit of competition that channels previously destructive ethnic rivalries in a far more constructive manner.
And this is proof of the larger point about a truly federalist structure of government: where each province has substantial control over resources and can make allocations according to their specific needs. Punjab and Sindh, for instance, have allocated money towards strengthening their respective advantages in agriculture whereas Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is trying to provide infrastructure in regions where it can lure more tourists or energy companies looking to drill for oil and natural gas.
For all their flaws, the former administration led by the Pakistan Peoples Party does deserve credit for moving the Pakistani political landscape towards a completely new paradigm. Far from being seething hotbeds of resentment against the largest province in the country, the smaller provinces now seek to compete with it for investment and talented entrepreneurs.
The softer approach of devolving control further down from Islamabad to the provinces is so far turning out to be a great idea, though it still needs work. None of the provinces, for instance, have started serious revenue collection efforts, and none of them have devolved power further down to local governments.
Nonetheless, Pakistan’s political governance structure is taking shape in a manner that appears set to serve the country well, a fact for which we are grateful.

Right to information

Pakistan’s Constitution since 2010 recognises the right to information as a fundamental right. Yet, the legislature has yet to implement this constitutional clause and enact a law that is comprehensive and brings about the much-needed openness and transparency in executive decisions. A sub-committee of the Senate standing committee on information and broadcasting recently circulated a draft that seems to be a step in the right direction
The proposed RTI Bill is a welcome step towards improving access to information for the citizens of the country. The Bill proposes that every ministry, department and attached division of the federal government will appoint a person to provide required information to anyone who requests it. If no official is appointed, the responsibility lies with the secretary of the department or ministry. The appointed person would be bound by law to respond to the request for information within 21 days. In the event that information is denied, a reason must be provided, which can be challenged by the requester in the court of law.
While the Bill aims to make official records part of public records, it is constrained by the long list of documents it declares “off limits”. Most notably, information concerning defence planning, national security, law enforcement, investigative reports and tax records are exceptions. In addition, meeting records of banking companies, the Council of Common Interest, the National Economic Council and cabinet meetings will not be made public. The Bill also prohibits the release of any information, which may lead to hindrance to fair trials, violate intellectual property, endanger the life and property of a citizen, or cause damage to Pakistan’s interests internationally. Much ambiguity and loopholes can be detected in the proposed legislation that may enable the powerful bureaucracy to deny information.
Pakistan should learn from India and Bangladesh where exceptions have been reduced. A federal law will not be enough to improve transparency. Provinces need to enact similar laws and there is a Punjab bill pending for enactment. It is hoped that the PML-N would make a fresh start and enact the bill in its stronghold, thereby setting an example for other provinces to follow.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #868  
Old Friday, June 21, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

21.06.2013
Talking to the TTP


Despite the victory of a pro-peace coalition and its overtures to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), militancy and violence continues unabated in the province. The recent suicide bombing in Mardan, which killed dozens, including MPA Imran Khan Mohmand, is a strong statement by the TTP that their goals are not likely to disappear because of a change in the provincial government. This is the second member of the provincial assembly who has been murdered by a militant attack.

Efforts are underway to hold an All Parties Conference in the wake of this tragedy. Certain political parties have been highlighting the need to initiate talks with the TTP to secure peace in the province and the rest of the country. The efforts of the US to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban are being cited as a reference for holding negotiations with the TTP. Such comparisons are misleading and questionable. The TTP continues to reject the very basis of the Pakistani Constitution and routinely flouts federal and provincial laws. Moreover, with its sustained bombing of girls’ schools, it also undermines the state policy of providing education to all and delivering services to its citizens. Thus far, the TTP has relentlessly attacked Pakistani targets and over 40,000 lives have been lost in this process. Thousands of soldiers and officers of the Pakistan Army have also been killed by the TTP. Acceding to talks with the TTP while they reject the Constitution and the state’s territorial sovereignty would set a terrible precedent and also lead to legal complications with respect to the clearly stated constitutional provisions.
As the PTI and its allies take charge in K-P, it would be worth remembering the significance attached in the party manifesto to achieving peace within the province. Hopefully, the party realises the mammoth task at hand and manages to turn the tables around in a conflict that is becoming increasingly devastating for the province and its citizens. The elections have been over for a while now and it is time to mould rhetoric into policy and achieve results. Most importantly, it needs to review its proposed strategy to deal with the situation in the wake of the attacks on MPAs in the province.

Threat to polio workers

In an unfortunate development, attempts to curb polio continue to be endangered in the country with the paramedical and teachers association in Swabi now refusing to take part in anti-polio drives in the district till they are given adequate security. Their demand is not unreasonable, coming two days after two fieldworkers were shot dead by militants during a vaccination campaign in the district.
According to reports in this newspaper, the police escorts accompanying the workers fled the scene when the militants opened fire on the workers — a schoolteacher and a paramedic — and, according to eyewitnesses, returned once the firing had ended and villagers had surrounded the injured. The shameful fact, according to the World Health Organisation, that Pakistan is one of the only three countries that remain polio-endemic has been reiterated time and again, and cannot be stressed enough. Unfounded propaganda has obviously spiralled out of control, with extremists giving fatwas against vaccinations and indoctrinating local populations against them. As a result, around 67 polio cases have been reported in the country over the past 17 months and thousands of others have not been vaccinated. Polio vaccinators working for NGOs understandably stay away from areas that pose a high threat to them. Last year, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan outright banned polio vaccinations in North Waziristan.
Meanwhile, in Swabi, following the latest attack on polio workers, the DPO of the area has allowed all polio workers to carry weapons. Given the threat they face, this may seem to be a plausible option but it must be noted that polio workers cannot be expected to handle weapons and, therefore, this is not a long-term or responsible solution to the problem. Providing workers with bulletproof vests and improved security would, perhaps, be a better idea. Eradicating militancy, of course, would be the decisive win in this war against polio. The new government must tackle this issue as a priority for the sake of our future generations.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #869  
Old Saturday, June 22, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

22.06.2013
Another bailout?

As the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) begin, the bureaucrats in the finance ministry appear rather comfortable that they will be able to secure a loan from the Washington-based lender on relatively favourable terms. They would do well to revise those estimations. The IMF is supremely annoyed at the incompetence and dishonesty of the previous administration in fulfilling the promises it made with regards to bringing its financial house in order. The IMF’s board of directors is unlikely to be quite so kind this time around — particularly with European nations needing far more assistance than in 2008 — as compared with the last time Pakistan got a bailout.

Negotiations with the IMF often tend to be somewhat uncomfortable moments for the government since it is the only institution to publicly question the pie-in-the-sky assumptions about revenues. For instance, for the past seven years in a row, the federal government has been listing $800 million from Etisalat as revenue expected in the coming year, on account of the $2.6 billion acquisition of its management control in the Pakistan Telecommunications Company. The previous government had been doing so without doing anything to resolve the differences between it and Etisalat that caused that amount to be withheld in the first place.
In addition, for four years, the government has been assuming close to $1 billion in revenue from auctioning 3G mobile telecommunications spectrum in the country, again without having done any homework on actually making that auction a reality. It would have been embarrassing enough had it just been the IMF pointing out these mistakes but, they are so obvious and have been made so often that now, even the Senate finance committee has asked the government to stop deluding itself that this money will ever come in its coffers and come up with a budget that relies on more realistic expectations of revenue.
We would go one step further and argue that the government should stop overtaxing sectors that it finds easiest to tax. Why, for instance, is the telecommunications sector taxed so heavily and the export-oriented textile sector left completely untaxed? It is an unfairness that needs to be addressed.

Dangerous statements

That extremism and a radical mindset, as well as a disregard for the norms of justice, have seeped deeply into our society is something that has been quite apparent for a long time now. But to see its manifestation in the form of an elected parliamentarian demanding the release of a convicted murderer is highly deplorable and shocking. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA from Mardan, Mujahid Ali, has stoked huge controversy after demanding on the floor of the National Assembly, the release of Mumtaz Qadri, who shot dead the former governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, for his apparent opposition to the country’s blasphemy laws. Qadri was later sentenced to death for his gruesome act.
Although the PTI later dissociated itself from Mr Ali’s statement, calling it an individual act and not reflective of the party’s policy, the matter simply cannot be allowed to rest at that as this comes from someone, who is in a position to influence the kind of laws that enter our statute books, and ultimately, the course the country takes. PTI leader, Arif Alvi’s clarification, that “the party’s policy will remain under the country’s law and the Constitution” is kind of meaningless as it clearly had no influence on Mr Ali, who had no trouble in expressing a view that was in contradiction to the PTI’s policy.
One cannot help but refer to the ruckus that was created after Javed Hashmi famously declared at the inauguration of the new parliament that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is and will remain his leader. He was eventually forced to retract his statement. If such a hue and cry can be raised over a harmless statement like that of Mr Hashmi’s, and if a leader of his stature does not have a problem withdrawing it, then the party must demand a similar retraction from Mr Ali, who has ignored all norms of justice in airing such views. If Mr Ali fails to retract his statement, then the PTI should initiate disciplinary action against him. It should not be this easy for our lawmakers to condone, directly or indirectly, the acts of convicted criminals.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
  #870  
Old Sunday, June 23, 2013
HASEEB ANSARI's Avatar
Senior Member
Medal of Appreciation: Awarded to appreciate member's contribution on forum. (Academic and professional achievements do not make you eligible for this medal) - Issue reason:
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Pakistan
Posts: 2,803
Thanks: 93
Thanked 1,321 Times in 834 Posts
HASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of lightHASEEB ANSARI is a glorious beacon of light
Default

23.06.2013
Death of an MPA — and its aftermath

The murder of Sajid Qureshi, a member of the Sindh provincial assembly, from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, must be condemned in the strongest terms; and the party has seen three of its provincial legislators now gunned down in cold blood in recent years. Mr Qureshi was shot dead along with his son in the North Nazimabad area in Karachi on June 21 by unknown assailants, while driving home from Friday prayers. Immediately after the tragedy, the city was thrown into a state of fear with shutters down and tents draped over businesses in anticipation of the imminent bullet sprays. And indeed, Karachi saw at least 16 deaths by the morning of June 22. A city of around 20 million people, and the powerhouse of Pakistan’s economy, shut down within a matter of minutes simply because of fear and uncertainty. Fuel stations closed and public transport went off the road, leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters stranded. Vehicles were torched, forcing many people to stay at home indoors, further reducing economic and commercial activity. Exams were also postponed, disrupting students’ schedules and progress.
This frequent paralysis of Pakistan’s largest city, which is often shut down for many days in a calendar year, indicates the need for a viable, long-term solution. Every day Karachi is on strike, it costs Pakistan around ten billion rupees — which is certainly not healthy for the country’s economy. Furthermore, daily-wage workers lose out on their earnings, possibly forcing some of them into severe financial difficulty. There needs to be a realisation of this connection and an understanding that the shutdowns are detrimental for everyone.
Victims fall to targeted killings daily and one can read the total body count across the city from the previous night, every morning in the metropolitan sections of newspapers. Gun violence has almost become synonymous with Karachi’s name. Some consider the city a jungle with everyone left to fend for him or herself. The law and order situation must be improved and the political parties need to play their part. We quickly need an end in sight to save our citizens from further bloodshed and violence and to save our economy from further harm.

A welcome ruling by the SC

Judicial interference in administrative affairs is something we ordinarily view with suspicion. In the case of nullifying the government’s decision to overturn the one per cent increase in the general sales tax (GST) rate, we feel that the arguments made by the Supreme Court hold merit. The manner in which the increase was announced was troubling. The statutory rate of sales tax — as it exists in the General Sales Tax Act of 2010 — is 17 per cent for most items that are subject to taxation. However, through an administrative measure known as a statutory regulatory order (SRO), the previous administration had reduced it to 16 per cent in a populist bid to win votes. The current administration argues that, since the decrease was an administrative measure, the increase back to the original rate can also be done through an administrative measure.
The Court, however, disagrees, saying that at a time when parliament is debating the budget, the government is obliged to put this measure before the legislature for discussion. We applaud the Court’s recognition of the supremacy of parliament. However, there is another issue, which we hope the Court will also look into. SROs are an exceedingly corrosive and corruption-inducing feature of our tax system, and one that bypasses legislative authority by placing the power to set tax rates in the hands of senior officials at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). Taxation rates should only be set by parliament. Perhaps, in its ruling on the GST, the Court could also have declared SROs unconstitutional.
In our view, the very notion of democracy depends on the government collecting and distributing services and making decisions about those two acts through the consent of the governed. Only elected representatives should have the power to set tax rates in a transparent manner. In unkinder times, the British executed their king and abolished the monarchy itself for levying taxes on the people without parliament’s consent. Those at the FBR should consider themselves lucky that such a drastic measure is not on the cards.
__________________
"Nay! man is evidence against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses." Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
editorials, express tribune

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
All about Pakistan Muhammad Adnan General Knowledge, Quizzes, IQ Tests 78 Wednesday, May 16, 2012 09:50 PM
Opinion: The Express Tribune Saqib Riaz News & Articles 1 Monday, December 27, 2010 10:59 AM
The Express Tribune: Saving face: K-P reverses dubious land lease Mohsin Mushtaq News & Articles 0 Thursday, December 16, 2010 08:46 PM
A good editorial... Nonchalant Journalism & Mass Communication 2 Sunday, March 23, 2008 07:31 PM
Role/Aim of Editorial Nonchalant Journalism & Mass Communication 0 Tuesday, February 19, 2008 02:10 PM


CSS Forum on Facebook Follow CSS Forum on Twitter

Disclaimer: All messages made available as part of this discussion group (including any bulletin boards and chat rooms) and any opinions, advice, statements or other information contained in any messages posted or transmitted by any third party are the responsibility of the author of that message and not of CSSForum.com.pk (unless CSSForum.com.pk is specifically identified as the author of the message). The fact that a particular message is posted on or transmitted using this web site does not mean that CSSForum has endorsed that message in any way or verified the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message. We encourage visitors to the forum to report any objectionable message in site feedback. This forum is not monitored 24/7.

Sponsors: ArgusVision   vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.