I do esteem individual liberty above everything. What is a nation for, but to secure the maximum liberty to every individual?
-D. H. Lawrence [1885-1930]
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CONTENTS:
0 Economic Freedom of the World: 2004 Report
0 The Menace of Vice Squads—Local and National
By Tibor R. Machan
0 Free the Weed
By Iftikhar Haider
0 Letters from the Press
0 FreePakistan News Briefs
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DISCOVER YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS! World's Smallest Political Quiz
Take the Quiz now and find out where you fit on the political map!
http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html
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What is Philosophy of Liberty? A screensaver by Lux Lucre and Ken Schoolland explains it.
Download and install it. http://www.free-market.net/rd/321907219.html ; http://www.jonathangullible.com
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ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS INSTITUTE PUBLISHES ITS FIRST BOOK OF TRANSLATION
Alternate Solutions Institute, Lahore, Pakistan, has published its first book of translation, Ken Schoolland's "The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible: A Free Market Odyssey," in Urdu which is understood not only in Pakistan but throughout South Asia. Ken's modern fable has so far been published in 29 languages of the world Urdu being the 30th. This book explains the principles of market economy in a simple manner and helps promote the concepts of open market and property rights. The book has been translated into Urdu by Khalil Ahmad. A. S. Institute is indebted to Irshad Ameen for his tireless efforts in getting the book out of the press.
It is hoped that the book will give a new direction to the discussion of welfare state in Pakistan.
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HOW TO END ALL WARS FOREVER
Aslam Effendi, an old and unsung Libertarian of Pakistan, has written three books on free market philosophy: HOW TO END ALL WARS FOREVER, HARD FACTS OF HISTORY, and, ECONOMICS FOR THE CONFUSED. When no publisher agreed to invest in the project, he spent out of his own pocket to get HOW TO END ALL WARS FOREVER printed. But, for want of a distributor, this book which has been praised as a classic remained dumped and could not find its way to the market. For details, read ‘Aslam Effendi: A Free Marketeer in Pakistan’
or visit http://asinstitute.org/articles.php. Alternate Solutions Institute, Lahore, Pakistan, has purchase all the copies of the book from Aslam Effendi to make it available to the right persons and to compensate the author as well.
If you want to purchase the book, contact at asinstitute@hotmail.com ; khalilkf@hotmail.com
A. S. Institute intends to publish all of his books; if you are interested in this project, please contact at the above-given email addresses.
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MEDIA RELEASE:
ECONOMIC FREEDOM FOUND TO BE A POWERFUL MAGNET FOR INVESTMENT ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY
LAHORE, PAKISTAN, 15 JULY 2004— Economically free nations attract nearly $11,000 of investment per worker, 12 times more than the $845 investment per worker in unfree economies, according to new research contained in the Economic Freedom of the World: 2004 Report. Nations with middling levels of freedom attract $3,319 (numbers in constant 1995 US$) of investment per worker. This annual report was released today Alternate Solutions Institute, Lahore, a member of the Economic Freedom Network, Canada.
“Economic freedom is a powerful magnet for investment,” said Dr. Khalil Ahmad. “When people are free to make their own choices, they will invest in the future. So will foreign investors because they understand the opportunities economic freedom creates.”
As well as looking at overall investment, the report specifically examines foreign direct investment (FDI), which has been shown to have a particularly powerful effect in promoting growth and technology transfer. Free economies attract $3,117 of foreign direct investment (FDI) per worker, compared to $444 for the middling group and only $68 for the least free nations.
“Remarkably, the foreign direct investment per worker of the persistently free economies was more than 45 times the figure for the persistently unfree group,” write the report’s authors, James Gwartney, Professor of Economics at Florida State University; Gus A. Stavros, Eminent Scholar at Florida State University, USA; and Robert Lawson, Professor of Economics at Capital University, Ohio, USA.
“Moreover, the productivity of investment is 70 percent greater in economically free nations than in unfree nations,” Gwartney and Lawson add.
Economic Freedom of the World is published by Canada’s Fraser Institute, in conjunction with independent research and educational institutes in over 60 nations.
Economic freedom boosts prosperity through two routes: by unleashing the drive and ingenuity of individuals and by increased investment. The result is consistent with empirical research in the world’s pre-eminent peer reviewed journals -- including The American Economic Review, The European Journal of Political Economy, and The Journal of Private Enterprise -- that shows economic freedom has a powerful and positive effect on growth and prosperity.
Economically free nations experienced 3.4 percent growth a year from 1980 to 2000, compared to 1.7 percent for countries with middling economic freedom and just 0.4 percent for unfree nations. The results are even more startling for poor nations. Economically free poor nations had a growth rate of 5.2 percent compared to 1.7 for the middle group and 0.6 percent for the least free group.
PAKISTAN’S ECONOMIC FREEDOM RANKING
Pakistan has been ranked at 90 with an overall score of 5.7. A glance at the previous years’ rankings shows that economic freedom in Pakistan is on the decline. Pakistan was ranked 69 in 1975, 78 in 1980, 66 in 1985, 75 in 1990 and 1995, 101 in 2000 and 2001. Though the score for the year 2002 is a bit improved, however, overall ranking indicates that Pakistan needs to concentrate on a policy of more and more economic freedom.
GLOBAL ECONOMIC FREEDOM RANKINGS
Hong Kong retains the highest rating for economic freedom (8.7 of 10) closely followed by Singapore at 8.6. New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States tied for third with ratings of 8.2 out of 10. The other top 10 nations are Australia, Canada, Ireland, and Luxembourg. The rankings of other large economies are Germany, 22; Japan and Italy, 36; France, 44; Mexico, 58; India, 68; Brazil, 74; China, 90; and Russia, 114.
Most of the lowest-ranking nations are African, Latin American or former communist states. The bottom five nations were Venezuela, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Myanmar. However, a number of other nations for which data are not available, such as North Korea and Cuba, may have even less economic freedom. Botswana’s ranking of 18 is by far the best among continental sub-Saharan African nations. Chile, with the best record in Latin America, was tied with four other nations at 22.
Nations in the top fifth of economic freedom have an average per capita income of $26,100 compared to $2,800 in nations in the bottom fifth of economic freedom. Economic freedom benefits the lives of all people including the poor. In nations in the top fifth of economic freedom, the average income of the poorest 10 percent of the population was $6,877 compared to just $823 in the least free nations.
“Freedom in all its forms -- whether political, civil or economic -- enhances the lives of all people. This report is yet more proof of that,” says Dr. Khalil Ahmad, Alternate Solutions Institute’s President.
ABOUT THE ECONOMIC FREEDOM INDEX
The first Economic Freedom of the World Report published in 1996, was the result of a decade of research by a team, which included several Nobel Laureates and over 60 other leading scholars, in a broad range of fields, from economics to political science and from law to philosophy.
This, the 8th edition of Economic Freedom of the World, rates and ranks 123 nations for 2002, the most recent year for which data are available. The report also updates data in earlier reports in instances where data have been revised. The index contains 38 variables, including 18 survey-based variables obtained from survey data published in the International Country Risk Guide and the Global Competitiveness Report. While survey data have weaknesses, they provide insight into the important areas of legal structure and regulation and, to a lesser extent, of international trade.
In addition, Global Economic Software has developed a new commercial software package for analysis of Economic Freedom of the World data that can be used in conjunction with other important socio-economic indicators.
CONTACT: asinstitute@hotmail.com
For more information on the Economic Freedom Network, data sets and previous Economic Freedom of the World reports, go to www.freetheworld.com.
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THE MENACE OF VICE SQUADS—LOCAL AND NATIONAL
By Tibor R. Machan
[Tibor Machan is a professor of business ethics and Western Civilization at Chapman University in Orange, California, USA, and author of "Putting Humans First" (Rowman & Littlefield). He advises Freedom Communications, parent company of Freedom News Service. We are grateful to him for allowing us to reproduce this article here.]
Now and then I will find someone writing in response to my defense of individual liberty who quite elegantly expresses just how vicious is the suppression of such liberty. In such letters the writer usually identifies himself or herself as a former or current member of some branch of a local or federal vice squad, and makes numerous allegations about how noble the job is of restraining people from their bad habits. Yet this alleged nobility is quite the opposite, a species of tyranny, in fact.
Just imagine if you learned that your next door neighbor is a real lazy bum. Or overeats or does something else that is pretty clearly unwise, even self-destructive. Now imagine your breaking into this neighbor’s home and taking over the governance of his or her life so as to achieve the noble purpose of rescuing the person from such self-destructiveness. I am not talking about some neighbor who is attacking a child or some other vulnerable person inside his or her home. I have in mind someone who simply lives badly.
Do you believe you are authorized to make the move of overtaking this person’s life because it is lived badly? If so, you have no conception of what it means for people to have basic rights, to their lives, liberties and pursuit of happiness, none. The meaning of having such rights is precisely that no one is authorized to take over the running of one’s life, no matter how important this might be for the person’s well being.
Only children and the crucially incapacitated may be treated that way, not adult citizens who simply make bad choices.
The concept of the vice squad—be it your local cop who busts people because they are engaged in some unsavory activities or some federal agent who busts them because they are, say, trafficking in harmful drugs—comes to nothing more than what such a meddling, intrusive, paternalistic neighbor would be undertaking. And just as with that neighbor, any system that sanctions such an official agency simply denies that humanity of those whose lives are being taken over.
Sometimes I am told that those who merely engage in self-destructive conduct, such as drug-abuse, are not really the target of such intrusive, paternalistic public policies. No, it is the dealers who are the real targets, people who traffic in harmful substances. And these days, when zealots across the land are urging government to meddle in the eating and smoking habits of adult citizens, such public policies are admittedly being widely tolerated, even eagerly accepted. But there is no excuse for the intrusiveness, the paternalism, even when the targets are dealers. Such people may very well be fostering self-destructive activities on the part of their clients, of course, but in a free society that is exactly what we have to accept, fully, unequivocally. No one may coerce the dealer not to deal, or the client not to purchase.
Take my example further and imagine your neighbor is hosting some friends who encourage their laziness, obesity, or some other form of self-destruction. Would it be fine for you to break into the house and beat up all these folks? Not in a free society it wouldn’t. The only avenue of recourse against such practices among free men and women must be persuasion, boycotts, ostracism, dissuasion and the like. That is what a civilized society embraces when it comes to dealing with people who misbehave without violating anyone’s rights. The whole point of civilization is to exclude, once and for all, dealing with people’s peaceful actions in violent ways. Vice squads, indeed, are the height of official offense against civilization.
Sadly, even in America, where the politics of liberty had its rhetorical beginnings—for by no means did America widely enough implement such rhetoric—millions of citizens have only a minimum of understanding now that what the country is about is individual liberty, for better or for worse. It is especially lamentable that some folks who have worked for government in the capacity of vice squad officers aren’t roundly denounced when they offer their vicious rationalizations.
These rationalizations are, in fact, but a few steps from the rationalizations of those who worked for the Nazi and Soviet regimes, morally warped people who thought they were involved in something worthwhile, even noble.
FREE THE WEED
By Iftikhar Haider
[The International Day Against Drugs was commemorated on June 26th.]
Pakistan should follow Europe's lead and work to de-criminalize the use of so called 'soft drugs'
The idea that it is impossible for the entire people across the globe to follow the prohibitionist "international" approach on use of recreational drugs, was best translated into action when Portugal, the co-host for Euro 2004, had informed the visiting European football fans that "it's ok to smoke dope."
Of course, the move in part was directed to appease the notoriously riotous 50,000 English supporters there, because the Dutch authorities responsible for policing the English crowd in Euro 2000 had suggested to the Portuguese police that "a stoned crowd is easier to control than a drunk one." Space this out--the move prefigures something more: Europe is coming of age.
Of late, several European countries have "de-criminalized" many soft drugs like cannabis (charas) in their societies. They might have thought to "legalize" them, but because of US-backed international laws that prohibit them from doing so, they stand crippled in this regard.
Switzerland, Belgium, and Portugal were already following The Netherlands, where marijuana was first de-criminalized in 1976. Yet, amazingly and quite recently, Britain too has revised its drug policy: the use of cannabis for recreational purposes will be tolerated; users will now be booked only if they smoke publicly or around children.
And if Britons come, can Aussies be left behind? Arguably not, as their new law about drugs says that people caught with a small amount of cannabis or with no more than two "plants" will either be fined or will have to complete a counseling session rather than incur a criminal record.
Of course, the old Europe is all set to resort to its 19th Century policy when all the recreational drugs were legal there (as in anywhere else in world--in Pakistan until the Probation Order or enforcement of Hadd in 1979 the opium consumption was at least tolerated by the government). For the recent changes that led Europe to change its approach towards the drugs, the credit, however, goes to The Netherlands.
Being the first in Europe to carry out in-depth analyses of the nature of its drug problems, The Netherlands now makes the legitimate claim that over the years the number of drug users is slightly decreasing--all this is going on despite the fact that numerous soft drugs are easily available in its youth center and "coffee shops."
Actually, in the late sixties of the last century when the obvious and preconceived social reaction to drug use, law enforcement, ran out of control, The Netherlands placed an integrated drug policy by recognizing that society could not (and cannot) afford to lose contact with its future executives and intellectuals. Marginalization and criminalization was, and still is, too high a price to pay when they are balanced with the damage caused by experimental and recreational marijuana use to both individual health and legal order.
The public debate further compelled the government to "separate the markets"--which means that the possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana for personal use has been de-criminalized in order to prevent young people from becoming involved with more dangerous or addictive drugs. The conditions for this trade are: no sale of any other drugs (apart from caffeine!), no advertising, no public nuisance, and no sales to people under 16.
Also, a chain of caring centers was established throughout the country. As a result, it is estimated that 70-80% of the dependent drug users are known to the Dutch caring agencies. Compare this to Pakistan where 80% of drugs users are known to police--what parity!
In this backdrop, it is obvious that our current drug policy is a crash; drug use is on the rise with 50,000 users of heroin alone. Further, those associated with hashish and opium are uncountable.
It is because our drug policy takes consumption and trafficking of illegal drugs as a "problem" that needs to be "combated" on equal grounds. The thrust of this policy has always been on the law enforcement--to seize the drugs and imprison the drug users/sellers at the grassroots level. However, the big drug lords are seldom arrested.
The detrimental effect that this policy has on our society can be gauged by the fact that when the police book a daily wager for smoking hashish, the sentence that he gets is two years. Now think of his seven to eight dependent family members and try to balance their loss with the gains of this righteous course.
In fact, we have heard too many times of people being arrested for smoking hashish, taking opium or even for drinking bhung. With jails over-crowded already and no access to justice available, the social fabric is frayed further with every such arrest. Hence, it is time to reconsider our drug policy--to shift its focus from law enforcement to public health approaches.
That shift can occur if the powers to be admit that extensive drug use has gripped our society. Admitting this would mean breaking the "drug problem" into "manageable bits"--to recognize different types of drugs users--experimental, recreational and compulsive. This would, in turn, pave the way towards the de-criminalization of soft drugs like opium and hashish and also decrease the use of heroin. In addition, it would mean establishing an extended chain of drug care centers all through the Republic, diverting the flow of money from arrest and seizure alone to public health also. It would help solve the jails over-crowdedness and then give the lawyer community a bit of rest.
In the end, a wishful thinking of higher degree: if all the above is followed, the need arises to trust the people. It is required to cultivate the habit of social responsibility in society. Up until now, it has been taken for granted that all our intentions are evil; that we are stupid and lack common sense and that there is no need to treat the nation like mature adults.
So the reminders are more or less of the following sort: there is no gatekeeper on this gate, so beware of trains. Look, they think we are roller blind to miss the trains passing along the line at hundred plus a few miles per hour. [Courtesy The News]
Letters from the Press
BUDGET 2004-2005
[Rassam Ali Khan, Peshawar]
The much ado nothing on both sides of divide in National Assembly, Senate and the provincial assemblies on the current budgetary proposals in not new. The government benches praise it to the skies; the opposition decry it to the ground. This yearly exercise continues unabated. The real issues, its impact on ordinary people, funds or social sector development, non-productive expenditure, new tax measures, focus of the budget and above all the welfare orientation are never seriously discussed and addressed. This is because our representatives are far removed from reality on one hand and on the other; they are hardly affected by the incidents of non-welfare measures.
For most, the concern is the benefits for their class or lobbies, i.e. agriculturists, traders industrialists etc. With the kind of skewed, divided society and with severe resource constraint due to poor tax collection and heavy dependence on donors, expecting a welfare budget is a tall order and optimistic thinking. Suffice to say that so long as we continue with this resource distributive arrangements nothing worthwhile for the people can be expected. Budget will remain a routine exercise only to meet a parliamentary norm and nothing more. The people can fend for themselves by promoting the informal sector, which is their only refuge. [The News]
‘FREE RIDE’ AND CVT
[Shaukat Ali, Karachi]
A few days back some person at the CBR gleefully announced that the "free ride" at the Stock Exchange was over. For the information of that person’ there is no such thing as a "free ride" at the stock exchange. I know of a friend who, because of falling profit rates in the National Savings Schemes encased his certificates and purchased shares of a certain company at Rs35 a share. After a few days this very share is now trading at Rs22 i.e. a loss of Rs13 per share. He had purchased at least 50,000 shares. His losses now amount to Rs6.5 lakhs, plus the broker’s commission and CDC tax. After the finance minister imposed CVT recently on purchase of shares, the share market fell drastically (at one stage minus 210 points). People with small investments got nervous and sold off their holdings. Hundreds of thousands, including myself, literally lost their life savings. So much for the "free ride" at the stock exchanges.
Nawaz Sharif ‘froze’ foreign currency dollar accounts amounting to 11 billion US dollars despite government guarantees-assurances to depositors of foreign currency accounts.
The same person at the CBR announced that investments in the national savings schemes would be subject to income tax, despite previous assurances to the contrary. Probably the same person feels that people deriving Rs10,000 income from savings accounts per year should be taxed. What are 10,000 rupees income per year?
CBR knows that. Shares at the stock exchange are taxed twice. First, companies that pay yearly dividends to shareholders do so after deducting or setting aside amount from profit-loss of the company for income tax. Secondly, a shareholder pays 10 per cent withholding tax on his dividend. Thus a shareholder pays tax twice on his investments. What then is the rationale for CVT tax?
The finance minister is requested to get rid of this person fast before he damages the national economy any further. [The News]
THE RUPEE DECLINE
[Pro Bono Publico, Karachi]
Statements by the finance minister, the Sate Bank governor and other high officials show that the country's economy is improving, exports are increasing and the industrial sector is getting into high gear.
The construction of an international airport in Sialkot, the upcoming motorways, the new seaport at Gwadar appear to support what is conveyed through the media. However, almost every day the man on the street wakes up to a higher cost of living than the day before.
The rupee value is going down and down. Some relief has been given to the public through an increase in pays and pensions and a reduction in the telephone tariff, but all this stands already cancelled by the cost of fuel and oil products and a constant increase in the price of wheat, meat, fruit and vegetables.
The public is being informed through the media that 0.5 million tons of wheat is to be imported to meet possible shortfalls. On the other hand the price of wheat flour is constantly on the rise. In some areas short supply of wheat has also been causing trouble.
One wonders how a labourer or a clerk can make ends meet. The low rates of return on the national savings schemes have made senior citizens tighten their belts as the days go by. The dollar value that appeared to have stabilized is again showing signs of moving upward.
Is it not time the people at the helm of affairs appreciated the predicament of the common citizens? The improving of relations with India is surely heartening, but it does not help the common people live better lives. It is food that must be made cheap; all other things come later. [Dawn]
POLICE DUTY
[Inam Ahmad Khan, Karachi]
Almost half of Karachi's police strength is now working to protect VIPs. These policemen travel as escorts to senior and middle-level government officials, diplomats and other personalities as deemed by the provincial government. They also stand guard at houses, buildings and routes that are used by VIPs.
Sadly, the best vehicles in the police department are either used by senior police officials or for VIP escort duty. More funds for law and order will therefore mean more men and vehicles for VIP duty. It is time we thought about good governance. [Dawn]
ROAD BLOCKS
[Sohail Muzaffar, Karachi]
It has become a daily routine in Karachi for roads to be closed without any prior public announcement by the police either for security checking or for some VIP movement. This adds to the hardship of the citizens, who are already affected by the law and order situation, electricity failures, traffic congestions, water shortage, etc.
By making people suffer all this, the so-called public representatives show that they have no regard for the common people. The government should not do this merely to please the so-called VIPs and VVIPs. [Dawn]
PERFORMANCE OF WAPDA
[Himayatullah, Lahore]
The government appointed a person from the corporate sector as Wapda chairman almost eight months ago. The chairman was given specific tasks: reduce line losses, improve customer service, reduce tariff, timely completion of all development projects initiated by Wapda and expedite power sector reforms' implementation for its speedy privatization.
But line losses are hovering around 27 per cent, slightly higher than previous years. Receivables have reached an alarming Rs74 billion, Fata remains a bleeding ulcer as Wapda does not have the clout to take on the local administration there.
Illegal agriculture tubewells in Balochistan are mushrooming, bogus billing is rampant and parking of units is being carried on systematically to keep line losses artificially low.
Projects are late by one to two years at least. Favourites have been posted as project directors of mega projects on the recommendation of political bosses. In Pesco alone, 28 positions of XEN are held by nominees of a federal minister. Not a dot has moved ahead in power sector reforms.
Resultantly, the privatization commission is focusing on Kapco shares sale instead of Fesco and the Jamshoro Power Plant. International financial institutions were upbeat on the appointment of the new Wapda chairman and promised billions of dollars in fresh loans to augment and develop infrastructure.
Lately, they are shy of visiting Wapda House even for preliminary discussions. Is there any forum which could look into this state of affairs? After all, poor taxpayers have so far injected Rs130 billion in Wapda as equity (in fact, a debt write-off in the last three years due to the GoP). [Dawn]
WAPDA'S CLARIFICATION
[Muhammad Abid, Deputy Director (Press), Wapda, Lahore]
This refers to the letter "Performance of Wapda" by Mr Himayatullah (July 8). The facts are wrong and misleading. According to statistics, line losses have been reduced from 26 to 25.3 per cent in 2003-04; revenue has increased from Rs216 billion to Rs223 billion in the same period against a budgeted figure of Rs220 billion.
Moreover, 7,156 villages have been electrified, and 634,073 domestic, 69,281 commercial, 5,840 industrial and 7,100 tube-well connections have been provided during 2003-04. The total number of units generated during 2003-04 stands at 69,007 million units as against 64,040 million units generated during 2002-2003.
With efficient management in running private power plants, Wapda has saved Rs23 billion on account of less payment to IPPs while Rs7 billion has been saved on account of running Wapda's own generating plants through gas. The balance sheet of Wapda for the year 2003-04 speaks of the achievements made.
The delayed projects have been put on the fast track and the 500KV Barotha-Rawat transmission line is in an advanced stage of completion while the 220KV Daud Khel-Bannu, 220KV Gatti-Ludewala , 220KV Guddu-Sibi-Shikakrpur transmission lines are also expected to be completed within a few months.
As far as the allegation that international financial institutions are reluctant to give fresh loans to Wapda is concerned, the writer seems to be unaware of authority's financial position.
There have been frequent visits by missions of the World Bank, ADB, IDB and other donor agencies trying to win its favour for providing loans to Wapda for its development projects.
As regards the sequence of privatization, Wapda has nothing to do with it as it is the prerogative of the Privatization Commission (PC). Offloading of shares by the government from the already privatized Kapco has been decided by the PC to share the benefits among the larger number of local investors.
About a debt write-off by the government, it is clarified that no debt has been written off in the last three years; rather a debt equity conversion has been made by the government. [Dawn]
WOES OF POWER CONSUMERS
[Zia-Ul-Haq, Karachi]
The Karachi Electricity Supply Company in its recent drive has once again started shifting electric meters outside residential premises. The meters so replaced are reported inaccurate as claimed by many residents of different localities, and consumers have reported that the new meters are about 30 per cent faster than normal.
For example, a bulb of 1,000 watts when lit for one hour gives reading of 1.28 to 1.3 units on the new meter. Lives of Karachiites are being made miserable, now the KESC has started adding Rs100 per month to its bills to shift meters outside residential premises.
There is no policy announced by the government that consumers will be made to suffer on this account. Will someone come forward to rescue the public? [Dawn]
POWER CONSUMERS' ORDEAL
[Anwar Ehsanullah, Daska]
A transformer went out of order in the Daska area and it took the local Wapda staff many days to replace it. The new transformer is of a far less capacity than the previous one, resulting in many hours of power suspensions daily, causing inconvenience to people and at times destroying electric appliances due to fluctuations.
Life for the residents has become a nightmare in the present hot and humid weather. Patients in hospitals, the old and feeble in houses, and infants, children women, students, etc., have been the worst affected.
Every morning we are given false hopes, but days are passing one after another without any improvement taking place in the situation. People move out of the city to live with their relatives, but for how long can they stay with them? Moreover, all industrial and commercial activities in Daska which happens to be an industrial town have virtually come to a standstill, causing huge financial losses to individuals as well as companies.
In this era of science and technology, can there still be any technical fault which needs weeks to get corrected? Daska is situated just 15 minutes off the GT Road in the vicinity of Sialkot.
One wonders if this is happening in as developed an area as central Punjab under the very nose of the provincial government, how would Wapda be treating consumers in the far-flung areas.
The people of Daska have been protesting and taking out processions against the Gujranwala Electricity Power Company (GEPCO) authorities for last several days but to no avail. The Wapda authorities in Lahore and Islamabad are requested to take notice of the situation and do the needful. [Dawn]
CATTLE THEFT
[Dr Ashiq H Cheema, Islamabad]
Mr Ahmed Khan Gondal has given a historical account of cattle theft in the Punjab (the News, June 6, 2004). I would like to draw the attention of concerned authorities to some new developments in this enterprise. The cattle theft is now being practised on a much larger scale, in a well-organised manner and in many other places besides the riverine areas. Recently, a dozen armed men came in a car and a truck at night to two deras at my village, Kot Khizri, district Gujranwala. They woke up the farmers and forced them to help load their prized buffaloes in the truck. The men were rude and insulting, one farmer received a severe beating for making a remark, and they were not in a hurry. Finally, they tied up the farmers and drove away with the booty. There is no trace of the animals, nor the robbers even after the lapse of more than one month.
I have learnt that the cattle hustlers have re-visited some deras for the second and third time to check if the owners had restocked. The farmers of Gujranwala are so scared now that they have moved their milch animals to the safety of their village confines. This has entailed additional labour for hauling fodder and manure to and from their deras. It is sad to see the abandoned mangers and killas.
Thus, cattle theft in the Punjab has assumed new dimensions. The use of vehicles has greatly enhanced the speed, and now it has become cattle lifting in the real sense. The traditional trackers (khojis) and phalwalas have become almost redundant and the use of Klashnikov has taken away the element of bravado, alluded to by Ahmed Khan Gondal. [The News]
OF CORRUPTION
[Barrister Baachaa, Peshawar]
"Minister for Parliamentary Affairs refused to speak in the Senate about the issue of corruption of his fellow ministers" (The News, July 8).
Corrupt influences have taken away vigour from our arms, wisdom from our councils, and every shadow of authority and credit from our Constitution. [The News]
CPLC ROLE
[Captain M. Shahbaz Khan, Karachi]
It is heartening that the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee, under the leadership of Mr Sharfuddin Memon, has extended its area of operation and is no more confined to cases of car jacking and kidnapping for ransom.
The CPLC is accessible to all who seek its help in the solution/settlement of any problem relating to individuals or groups, be it money matters, payment of rightful dues or petty family disputes. And the problem is solved without incurring any expenses by persuasion and discussions. Here are two cases in point:
The managing committee of residents of an apartment complex had referred two cases to the CPLC. In one case the owner of an apartment was not paying maintenance charges for the last several years. The arrears running into six figures were paid by him when he was told that the managing committee was going to the CPLC for adjudication.
In the second case, another owner withheld payment of her contribution to the upgradation projects of the building. The CPLC intervened and persuaded the owner to pay.
With such help from the CPLC, it can become easier and simpler to maintain standards of hygiene and sanitation and provide all other facilities to residents. [Dawn]
ENSURING BETTER HEALTHCARE
[Prof. Tasnim Ahsan, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi]
This refers to the letter by Professor Hasan Aziz on the above subject (June 26). Private-Public partnership seems to have become the buzzword in many facets of governance. The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi, is undoubtedly a beneficiary of such partnership.
When things became insufferable in this institution due to lack of funds, pilferage, bad management and poor work ethics, some concerned citizens of Karachi came to our rescue.
Much of the JPMC has now been transformed through their donations and skills. While these individuals were able to recognize themselves in the shape of various NGOs, the government sector has been dragging its feet about how exactly this flimsy partnership should function in the long term. This is causing a lot of heartburn to both parties.
It is time all stakeholders were represented at a consultative body to be constituted by the federal ministry of health. This committee could recommend guidelines for making this partnership sustainable and effective.
It could formulate rules of business for planning and executing development projects and could clarify issues of administrative control, definition of ownership, management and maintenance of donor-sponsored projects, financial discipline and audit.
As the JPMC seems to be the pioneer of this kind of development in the health sector, this committee should comprise previous directors who carefully initiated and nurtured this partnership during their respective tenures.
It should also include representatives of major NGOs working in the JPMC, the health ministry and the public. Doing all this we must also not lose sight of our collective objective, i.e., providing quality healthcare to patients who attend government health facilities.
In the garb donor -sponsored development, what we must not do is pave the way for slow privatization of government-run health facilities. Above all, we must all get together to guard the interest of the patients. [Dawn]
UNEMPLOYMENT
[Ali Akhtar, Lahore]
Private sector or our government should try to tackle the issue of unemployment right now or otherwise in the near future it will be the biggest problem in our country.
The government and private institutes should open doors for students studying in college doing their matriculation or FSc etc. Although engineering students can get internships easily with firms but internships are not available for school students .In order to make our employment system efficient we need to launch a daily newspaper related to jobs
It is also a need to focus on e-jobs. Jobs are becoming scarce in our part of the region.We have to look into these steps now or otherwise poverty will take care of us. [The News]
FAITH COLUMN IN PASSPORTS
[Nooman Naqvi, Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA]
I Rrequest President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to remove the 'religion' section from all Pakistani passports. Faith is between a human being and God.
The government should not document people's faith because documenting people's faith only leads to discrimination and harassment which the religious minorities in Pakistan face every day.
I also request the president and the prime minister to abolish the quota system. Allah has created all human beings equal. This is stated so in the Holy Quran. Then, why this discrimination? Every Pakistani should have equal rights to employment. [Dawn]
FreePakistan News-Briefs
WORLD BANK WANTS CHANGE IN AVIATION POLICY
The World Bank wants Pakistan to change the defense ministry policy on the award of licenses to new airlines to attract foreign and domestic flights. The Bank claimed the ministry’s policy was tilted towards PIA and did not provide a ‘level playing field’ to other foreign airlines. It said the ministry’s ‘non-cooperative role’ with foreign airlines was a major cause of massive financial losses to Civil Aviation Authority.
PC TO SPEED UP PRIVATIZATION
The Federal Minister for Privatization and Investment has directed the Privatization Commission officials not only to maintain the momentum of the present pace of privatization of public sector entities but also to speed up the process in an aggressive and transparent manner.
PRIVATIZATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT OPPOSED
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation has opposed privatization of Social Security Department and termed it anti-laborers step being taken by the government.
BUSINESSMEN FOR PROPER USE OF EXPORT SURCHARGES
The Export Promotion Bureau should play its due role for increasing national exports and the Export Development Surcharge and other surcharges being collected by the government should be disbursed in their respective heads strictly with the consultation of the concerned trade associations and chambers.
GOV BANS IMPORT OF INDIAN GOODS
The government has banned the import of certain Indian origin goods thorough an official notification. The notification no. C. 2 (9) /L&p/99 dated June 30, 2004, bans import of old and used machinery part or components by the industrialists for their plants if not imported under the terms of the relevant import trade procedure. Other item banned are: Old and used spar parts and accessories, if imported along with the second hand plant and machinery used in manufacturing of goods.
AN AD: MAKE IT A TRADITION
Thanks for your contribution towards National Prosperity. We are grateful to our valued taxpayers who helped us to achieve HISTORIC tax collection target of Rs.510 Billion. Revenue Division, Central Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan.
MACRO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS MISLEADING
The Civic Action Group on behalf of Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Consortium has said that the macro-economic conditions do not match with facts at micro-economic level where the situation is rather too bleak. It said, “Human Development Index which is a composite measure of per capita income, literary and life expectancy has worsened and ranked Pakistan 144.”
WAPDA, ELECTRIC SUPPLY COS CAUSING HUGE LOSSES
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water and Power has disclosed that officers of WAPDA and electric supply companies were causing loss of Rs.50 billion and to hide their corruption they were putting burden on the national exchequer by showing line losses of the same amount.
PAC DISPLEASED OVER MASSIVE IRREGULARITIES
The Public Accounts Committee of National Assembly has conveyed its displeasure over irregularities worth Rs.500 million including non-surrender of Rs.426 million in respect of six different grants of Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock for the year 2000-01.
BANK ACCOUNTS FOR ALIENS ONLY IN RUPEES
The State Bank of Pakistan has clarified that bank accounts of alien citizens registered with National Aliens Registration Authority could be opened and operated only in Pakistani rupee.
NON-RESIDENTS ALLOWED ATM CARDS
The State Bank of Pakistan has allowed issuance of ATM cards as well as Supplementary ATM cards to individuals having non-resident rupee accounts.
PM WANTS LAW AGAINST RUMOR MONGERS
The Prime Minister of Pakistan has directed the Law Ministry to prepare a draft law to punish those who hurl unfounded charges and tell lies to malign their opponents to score points.
HRCP RAPS RAIDS IN PESHAWAR
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has condemned raids on several houses in Peshawar on the grounds that “immoral activities” were taking place there.
NWFP ORDERS CLOSURE OF TRADE FOR PRAYERS
The government of North-West Frontier Province has announced closure of trade centers and bazaars across the province during prayer timings and directed the administration to ensure implementation of the decision at all cost.
COURTS CAN’T UNDO MATRIMONIAL KNOT
The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court while validating a marriage has observed that courts could not undo the matrimonial knot even if a girl chose to marry a crook.
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Edited and prepared by
Khalil Ahmad
Email: khalil =at= asinstitute.org
khalilkf =at= yahoo.com
[No opinion expressed here should necessarily be taken as reflecting the view of FreePakistan Newsletter.]
