CONTENTS:
0 Capitalism can help
0 Simply 'incompatible'
By M. S. Hasan
0 HumorWise
0 Letters to FreePakistan
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CAPITALISM CAN HELP
By Kiran Khan
[This piece of writing published in Pakistan Today on
I’ve been a keen observer of capitalism all over the world. It has certainly paid great dividends for many of the world’s matured democracies. Although a sustained severe slowdown in economic growth and erosion of wealth of the matured democracies is under way, it does not take away from the fact that most of the world’s capital is still concentrated in these places. And so it is my belief that a transition of the economic balance of power to the emerging markets will still take some more time. The question is how? In order to give a good answer, it is imperative to explore the present state of emerging economies which are situated in
The answer is both ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Are we too quick to judge and are we comparing apples and oranges? The answer is ‘yes’ again. Many of the aforementioned geographies are new to the capitalist world. It will take some time for these new capitalist countries to accumulate enough capital, and have high volume capital markets which can pose a real threat to the matured capitalist democracies of the world. Do not be mistaken.
What do we need in order to catch up to the wealthy nations of the world? If
1) Relations between Asian countries such as
2)
3) Don’t repeat the mistakes of the matured democracies. The latest fiscal and economic crises in the world should be an indicator that governments should spend within their means. Also, businesses should not be left alone as ‘laissez-faire’ economics proponents suggest. Some regulation is necessary.
4)
5)
6) Mitigate and minimise corruption with strong and effective judicial systems.
One of the best ways to bring
[Courtesy
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By M. S. Hasan
[This piece of writing first published in Business Recorder on
The
The next two ruling tenures under
The current tenure of the corrupt to the core,
Pakistan Railways, once a most reliable mode of transport for the average and the poor Pakistani, has been turned into a graveyard of rotting locomotive engines and coaches.
Pakistan Steel Mills, which was in the black only 4 years ago, is now a financially collapsed and bankrupt scrap-yard.
Pakistan International Airlines, (PIA), once this nation's pride, is virtually grounded.
Pakistan State Oil (
There are many similar examples in this regard. Rampant corruption in the award of rental power plants, mismanagement of the vital energy sector, have plunged the nation into abject darkness and its industries near complete closure.
Printing of billions of rupees to pay for the financial indiscipline, waywardness, extravagant, incompetent style of (mis)governance, all perpetrated with the collusion of pathetic managers of the national coffers, has not only resulted in over 45 percent devaluation of the rupee, but unbearable inflation and massive price hikes of daily consumables, making the life of the poor a sheer hell on earth.
The writ of the State is nowhere to be found. The country has become a killing ground for the terrorists. There is no security for the life and property of the common citizen. Terrorists, target killers, criminals and gangster, patronised by the ruling and opposition political parties, rule supreme in connivance with their respective masters. Political loyalties and conscience are traded like stocks. Everything is available for sale or rent. Just look at the government and its coalition partners and the mutual transactions they indulge in.
Shame on them. How traumatic, painful and wrenching it is for a helpless nation to watch its country being destroyed right in front of its eyes, yet they cannot do a thing to stop its destruction by a handful of corrupt, incompetent, self-serving, inconsequential dynastical rulers and politicians who know nothing but how to loot, plunder national wealth and fill in their overflowing overseas bank accounts.
All state institutions have been rendered impotent and dysfunctional. The sad part of the sordid story is that the two state institutions that can stop the rot and prevent the nation's total collapse, have become mere spectators to the annihilation of
Under the circumstances, what holds for
[Courtesy Business Recorder]
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CHANGE OF CHAIRS
[Dr Ghayur Ayub,
When President Asif Zardari gives audience at the President House, he let the dignitary take the chair on his left side. This protocol was reversed in one-on-one meeting with Gen Kayani. He let the army chief sit where he usually sits. The picture of Benazir Bhutto on the side-table did not point to the negative of the photograph being reversed by mistake. Was it a benign error, a bad omen or a meaningful message sent to the public? The meeting was about a damaging secret message sent to Mike Mullen. [
MYSTERIOUS MINISTRY
[Dr Wajid Ali Chatha,
Through the pages of your newspaper, I would like to enquire about the whereabouts of a ministry called ministry of national regulations and services. This new ministry has been recently created by Prime Minister Gilani and delegated with the powers of attesting the documents of doctors and paramedics etc who want to go abroad. Previously this was done by the ministry of interprovincial coordination. Now many like myself who want to get their documents attested are running from pillar to post to locate this ministry but to no avail. All those who have been the victim of indefinite delays for no fault of their own will be grateful to anyone who may help us in this regard.
[The News]
MALIK COUNTING THREATS
[Iftikhar Mirza,
According to Dr. Rehman Malik at least 150 parliamentarians have received death threats through text messages, asking them to resign or face death. Interestingly, Cyber Crime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency has arrested two suspect responsible for sending threats from Larkana. The Parliamentarians are extremely lucky as they have Omnipresent doctor at their back so they don’t have to bother about such cowardly threats from feeble minds. If someone has any heinous designs; there is rich crop of hapless public. From drone attacks to targeted killings, and from bomb blasts to suicide attacks a wide variety of poor masses ranging over 180 million can be handpicked for genocide. [
HIJAB SHAMPOO
[Uzma Shahid]
HIDE SNATCHING
[Hassan Bashir,
If mobile snatching, car theft, robberies and target killings were not enough, there is also the practice of hide snatching of animals sacrificed during Eid-ul-Azha. It is not a surprise that the security situation in the metropolis has deteriorated to such an extent that even sacrificial animals during religious festivities are not spared. Although
[
[Laraib Khalid]
A PSEUDO 'SOCIALIST'
[M. S. Hasan,
One does not know whether to laugh, cry or just sympathise with Senator Raza Rabbani for his ludicrously daft utterances. The other day, as a true disciple of Marx and Lenin, while speaking on the floor of the house, lamenting the free market economy, the Senator had the audacity to assert that the global drive to privatise public sector entities and organisations, has been a big failure.
On the contrary, the process of privatisation has been a huge success globally whereby cash-strapped nations confronted with wide-scale corruption within their respective public sector organisations, mounting liabilities and mismanagement, were able to get rid of the huge financial burden, subsidies and massive losses. Pakistan is an exception, due to a huge and uncontrollable circular debt created by these incompetently-run and financially mismanaged public sector organisations, given in the hands of crooked and inept cronies to swindle the national exchequer, bone dry, thanks to individuals such as Senator Rabbani, the disoriented champions of untenable, unsustainable doctrines of socialism, regulated economy, regimentation and state control period.
We, in
Is this the job of a government to run an airline, oil marketing and distribution company, be involved in petroleum exploration and production and make steel billets? Most certainly, not. Sadly, public sector organisations in
Rhetorical verbosity is not an answer to addressing financial woes, matters of insolvency, issues of liquidity, rampant corruption and mismanagement in public sector organisations. The core responsibility and primary job of a government is to govern effectively for the good of the people and this is the area, where Senator Rabbani should contribute, concentrate and focus his attention. [Business Recorder]
‘CHAMAK CHALLO’
[Dr Irfan Zafar,
On a recent visit to a market set up for the sale of sacrificial animals for Eid-ul-Azha, I noticed names like Don, Bodyguard, Ravan, Munni, Sheila and Chamak Challo written on the poor animals to attract customers. It turns out that this year I will be sacrificing Chamak Challo for the Eid ritual. We are certainly living in interesting times! [Daily Times]
THREE CHEER FOR PM
[Asghar Mahmood,
As a nation we are in the habit of critisizing the sagacity of our political leaders. The recent example is the criticism being heaped on the wisdom of our very kind Prime Minister for creating four new ministries. Some people are looking at this decision through the glasses of inflation, unemployment, suicides. ever increasing gas and electricity tarriff, non-payment of pension to retired civil servants, target killing and worsening law and order situation in the country. Nobody is looking at the bigger picture. HE Syed Yusuf Reza Gilani is the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed muslim country in the world, recently elected non-permanent member of the Security Council on Asian seat. It would be very embarrassing for him to preside over a small-sized Cabinet. As a matter of fact It would be a shame for the nation that their Prime Minister has only two dozen colleagues in his Cabinet. It would be proper that the number of ministers is increased to 100, they should be supported by state ministers and Parliamentary secretaries.
After all the ministers are elected members of the Parliament, they will be electing Senators in March 2012. Great responsibility ahead! Looking from the bureaucratic perspective, creation of new ministries would lead to more promotions for civil servants. Many friends have been waiting for a long time for promotion to 22. Every Secretary gets an additional plot. By selling these plots a Secretary gets two crore rupees. This increases the number of crore-patis ( millionaires) in the country. This is good for the health of the economy. So criticism against new ministries is an attempt to sabotage the economy of the country. Three cheers for Prime Minister Gilani, for creating new ministries. [
DRYCLEANERS IN PINDI
[Naghma Ali,
OUR UNIQUE WAYS
[Javed Ahmed,
Years ago somewhere in the West, in a press conference an attending media man said something. The addressing minister questioned the person from where he got that information he was talking about. The media man replied from
According to a report the Chief Justice taking suo motu notice on the complaint of President Overseas Pakistanis Alliance Forum on the problems of overseas Pakistanis specially in getting their Passports from the Pakistan Embassies has directed Ministry of Interior and Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) to submit report on
REEMA’S MARRIAGE
[Dr Irfan Zafar,
Surfing through the media channels these days, it appears that the main issue faced by our nation relates to the marriage of Lollywood actress Reema. May we request the members of parliament to immediately take up this issue of national importance instead of wasting time discussing other ‘useless’ issues? [Daily Times]
MOTHER IN LAW
[Dr Ali A Dhakan,
At last public pointed out that America’s role has been like a popular and famous proverb that mother in law in a house of common people remains always unsatisfactory and taunting with the ladies and women who are married with their sons and live with them in joint family system all over the would. We thank God this time Ms Hilary heard only some words of anguish from a participant in a meeting with her in Islamabad on 21-20-2011 and not in a harsh manner by throwing shoes at her like that happened some years back in Baghdad with Mr. Bush the ex-president of USA. [
PRAISE
[Dr Irfan Zafar,
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has praised Interior Minister Rehman Malik for appearing before the courts, facing charges and being acquitted through legal means. All is not lost, just most of it.
[Daily Times]
OLD WINE
[Tariq,
Imran Khan big claims that PTI will accept only clean politicians. The question is that from where Imran bring clean. Those who are joining PTI have doubtful career. PMLQ dissident are joining the PTI. How Imran will bring change through these politicians. It is hoped that more such politicians will join PTI in future.The need of hour is that Imran should accept only clean politicians. It will be helpful for Imran khan. [
REHMAN BABA
[Dr Irfan Zafar,
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that Interior Minister Rehman Malik is “beyond his control”. This comes a day after the claim of the PM in parliament that he is the most powerful prime minister in the history of
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WINDS OF CHANGE
[Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
Migratory birds migrate during a particular season but the weathercocks change their direction with the changing wind. Something similar is in the offing for the PTI. Many an opportunist, including some heavy weights also, in the garb of the proverbial fasli batera are stoking their feathers to fly towards it. Unfortunately, most of them are tainted in various shades of corruption and thePTI doesn’t have any cleansing device to wash away the grime and dirt of corruption besmearing almost all of them. And, in the wake of their efforts to enter into the folds of the PTI it is certainly causing concern to many like me about the party’s claim of eradicating corruption in
IK might be having some consideration for some of them as the potential vote getters, but let me assure him if he focuses primarily upon the youth and sticks tenaciously and uncompromisingly to his manifesto of eliminating corruption and taking to task the corrupt by confiscating all their undeclared assets within and without Pakistan, he need not have any such worries. Remember, during the rising days of Bhutto the people were said to have voted even for a pole if Bhutto had allotted it the party ticket. Same would happen again if the masses have the similar confidence in Imran Khan too. However, at the same time IK should look for highly dedicated and competent persons (Technocrats, if I may call them) to form his team to deliver all that he has in mind and the people expect from him.
CORRUPTION IN MANDI BAHAUDDIN
[Sher Gondal, Mandi Bahauddin]
[Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd),
There is an un-necessary hullabaloo all over the media about the three cricketers sentenced to various terms of imprisonment by a British Judge. To be honest, they have been let off rather lightly, for, from their very looks – long unkempt hair, unshaven chins, open shirt buttons down to the navel and hands in trousers pockets walking nonchalantly into the court room in a manner bordering disrespect for the court – they deserved more than what they got. What is still more surprising is that Mt. Justice Cook did not adhere to old adage,” When in
CONDEMNING THE MURDER OF HINDUS
[Sher Gondal, Mandi Bahauddin]
Social and political circles here have strongly condemned the brutal murder of 4 Hindu doctors in Shikarpur. They said the incident was intolerable and it was against the teachings of Islam and ideology of
Muniba Gondal District General Secretary Labor Party Pakistan (LPP) said Hindu and Christian are the old natives of this land and it was not fair for Muslims to treat them with discrimination on the basis of religion. She said they were equally patriotic citizens of this land and their services to the nation were commendable. Sheikh Saleem a local leader of new political party Mustaqbil
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Edited and prepared by
Khalil Ahmad
Email: khalilkf@yahoo.com khalil@asinstitute.org
[FreePakistan Newsletter, among other things, is a compilation of views and news taken from the national newspapers’ print and online editions. It is not possible to mention the source of every piece of news or view made use of herein; but as a matter of policy, where possible the source is mentioned with due thanks. However, no opinion expressed here should necessarily be taken as reflecting the view of Free Pakistan Newsletter.]
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