- NRO, power tracheotomy, state and individual By Rizwan Ghani
- HumorWise
- Issue of the Month: Saving the burning Karachi
- CSR Views & News
- Private Initiative
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May 16-18, 2010 Chicago, Illinois, USA
Reconsidering the Science and Economics
The Fourth International Conference on Climate Change will be held in Chicago, Illinois on May 16-18, 2010 at the Chicago Marriott Magnificent Mile Hotel, 540 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago. It will call attention to new scientific research on the causes and consequences of climate change, and to economic analysis of the cost and effectiveness of proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Quotes of the Month:
I think, then, that the species of oppression by which democratic nations are menaced is unlike anything which ever before existed in the world: our contemporaries will find no prototype of it in their memories. I seek in vain for an expression which will accurately convey the whole of the idea I have formed of it; the old words despotism and tyranny are inappropriate: the thing itself is new, and since I cannot name, I must define it.
[Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (1835)]
Instead of a bumbling and inefficient toll of society, the radical [libertarian] sees the State itself, in its very nature, as coercive, exploitative, parasitic, and hence profoundly antisocial. The State is, and always has been, the great single enemy of the human race, its liberty, happiness, and progress.
[Murray N. Rothbard]
When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.
[Thomas Paine, Reflections on Titles (May 1775)]
Free Pakistan, a monthly newsletter, exists for the promotion of limited government, rule of law, protection of property rights, market economy, individual freedom, and private initiative. Its vision is a free and prosperous Pakistan; for only such a Pakistan can contribute positively to the creation of a free and prosperous world.
The Newsletter is an affiliate of Alternate Solutions Institute, Lahore, Pakistan, http://asinstitute.org, the first free market think tank of Pakistan. Urdu website: http://Hum-Azad.org
The Alternate Solutions Institute is a registered, non-profit, non-political, non-governmental, educational and research organization. Its mission is to promote a limited responsible government in Pakistan under the rule of law protecting life, liberty, and property of all of its individual citizens without any discrimination.
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PHILOSOPHY OF LIBERTY
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
By Rizwan Ghani
In this article I am going to discuss NRO vis-à-vis power tracheotomy, constitution in the country and constitution in the globalized world so as to facilitate decision making process concerning economy, foreign policy and relationship between state and the individual. If I were to decide on most important comment given on detailed NRO judgment following after the Supreme Court’s (SC) landmark December short NRO order I think it is Atherminallah’s statement in which he said parliament should act. SC’s detailed NRO order has once again allowed the parliament to address the issue in accordance to rule of law. Now it is up to the parliament how it deals with tainted president and the ministers. SC by law and oath is mandated to uphold the constitution and will continue to do so. Therefore, parliament by upholding NRO ruling can end speculations about SC’s use of article 190, bureaucracy and or avert issuance of contempt of court notice to the PM. The ball of saving democracy is once again in lawmakers’ court. Ironically, Gillani has put at stake the very democracy that he promises to protect to save Zardari.
In a functional democracy- under the trichotomy of power principle- the power is shared between executive, legislature and the judiciary. And accordingly share of power of the executive and the legislative is no more or less than a judiciary. However, PPP government is of the idea that: a) lawmakers set limits of powers of judiciary (or for that matter parliament and the media). b) Judiciary cannot exercise powers of judicial review (JR) because it doesn’t have powers of JR. Courts’ powers of JR allow them to interpret law and determine whether acts of parliament are legitimate under the constitution of the country. US SC exercised its power of JR in Marbury v. Madison Case in 1803. PPP’s idea that who get how much power is fundamentally flawed and tantamount to usurping powers of the judiciary. PPP government visualizes judiciary everything but as equal, which is echoed in ANP’s Asfandyar (and) Malik’s statement that institutions should work within their limits. PM’s dilly dallying over implementation of SC’s short NRO judgment since December is not only a contempt of court but collusion against democracy. PM’s latest statement that NRO will be implemented under law, constitution is self-defeating because along with it he also added “Govt. is consulting legal experts on the issue.”
Keeping in view the careful handling of NRO case by the SC, I am of the opinion that PPP government will be given adequate but not unlimited time to defend itself. However, PPP is erroneously focused on protecting individuals and presidential form of government instead of restoring parliamentary form of government which America, UK and NATO are using to their advantage at the cost of democracy in Pakistan. It would be interesting to see if Aitzaz Ashan decides to protect democracy or defend a mindset that has robbed the poor of the country for last 62 years including Rs.1065 bln. I think there is a silver lining in the NRO because it will help the nation settle the office holders’ immunity issue under article 248 and shine enough light on articles 62 and 63. The detailed NRO judgment by denying parliament to make “escape” laws has fortified judiciary’s anti-corruption drive on lines of advance democracies. Reportedly Berlusconi reneged Monday on a vow to attend his own fraud trial in Milan. Allegedly he along with 11 co-defenders are facing charges for tax frauds, and siphoning off a total of 280 million Euros’ (Arab News January 19).
PPP government by linking NRO to Zardari has undermined SC’s struggle as one of the democratic institution to uphold aspiration of public seeking respite from corrupt ruling elite, abusive police and mafia culture. In this regard NRO is going to be a classic landmark case in which democracy will be delivered by “ordinary man” in whose name corrupt leaders have been ripping the state apart for individual gains. A day is not far when a man from the street is going to challenge rulers immunities under article 248. As and when it is going happen it is going to a shining example of “Democracy is the best revenge”.
SC’s NRO has global implications which I talked about in my article “Judiciary and Transnational Implications” published in the same space on March 17, 2008. The scrapping of 270 A/AA/AAA has undone the protection for LFO and thereby removing hurdles for initiating legal action against Musharraf and his western allies. It explains why so called pro-democracy w America, UK and its allies allegedly did their best to block restoration of judiciary in Pakistan so that they could continue with undermining of country’s sovereignty. It puts in perspective sudden push for a federal court despite SC’s ban to avert division of country’s judiciary in two parts. The idea is constitutionally ultra vires. West wants to protect its interests and those who protect it at the cost of Pakistan’s sovereignty, economic and strategic interests. Reportedly, an American Attorney has urged ICC to issue arrest warrants for Bush and his team including US AG Alberto Gonzales for alleged war crimes. SC NRO ruling has also asked for registration of case against Musharraf’s AG Qayum. A survey in UK has shown that every fourth British supports initiation of war crime investigation against war criminal Blair. It is opined that days of war criminals and abusers of human rights in America, Europe and Pakistan are numbered with growing EU-China relations and deep concerns over war crimes and human rights concerns in UK seen during Jack Straw’s Chilcot Inquiry testimony.
The developments on missing persons’ case in Pakistan SC are just the start of the accountability process which under the doctrine of international jurisprudence will soon expand to west and ultimately converge on ICC. It explains why US Defense Secretary is scaring Pakistan about terrorist related war. It is interesting to see that now Gates has taken over Delhi also, because he is giving policy statements on Pakistan from Delhi on behalf of his Indian counterpart. This emerging “Halloween” Indo-US coalition to scare Pakistan with another war is bonavita for those already stoking anti-Americanism in Pakistan. Delhi instead of playing from Washington’s mischief playbook in return for UNSC membership should not forget Beijing’s veto power. Reports of Pakistan’s “balkanization” are west’s wish list against every challenge. Look at “Is Europe headed for a breakup?” (WSJ dated January 17). Like PPP, Washington blames other for their problems which in fact are their own doings.
Finally, it would be unfair to associate SC’s landmark NRO judgment to individuals. It is about judicial renaissance in a developing country heading towards recognizing role of trichotomy of power in a democracy. The politicians will have to respect judiciary if they want to have corruption free accountable government. In terms of west, if judiciary is allowed to uphold the constitution it is only matter of time their war criminal leadership and allies will face the book as it is said what goes around comes around. Lastly, our caliphs are remembered for their generosity towards public in the name of God not for their loot and plunder. Of course kings pronate and beggars supinate. In it lies the lesson of strength and pride for the state and individuals, if only it is realized.
[Courtesy Pakistan Observer]
‘MISSING’ PERSONS
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
The Supreme Court has directed the government to furnish details of Pakistanis handed over to the US. The court has been informed that 1,600 persons were missing in 2008 — of whom, 1,300 had been missing since 2006-07. Through the columns of this newspaper, I would request the honourable chief justice of Pakistan to trace two ‘missing’ persons who are very close and dear to the people of this country. Our beloved ex-president Pervez Musharraf and the ex-banker-cum-prime minister Shaukat Aziz have been missing since long. Last time the ex-president was seen singing the song “Lage re tou say lage, sajan sayan lage” (the clip can be watched on YouTube) while the ex-prime minister enjoyed the melody sitting among the audience. [The News International]
SET UP A NATIONAL LAUNDRY
[Asmaar Bilal Shaikh, Lahore]
Over the years, a number of commissions have been set up in the country, their fate known to everyone. It would still be pertinent to set up a Truth Commission in order to set the record straight. There is no harm in following others in good things they have done. If South Africa can make some headway towards creating national consensus on a set of issues, why can’t we? I am confident something positive would ultimately come out of this if we do. Those who think they are innocent of the crimes they are accused of and their hands are clean should appear voluntarily before such a commission and make their submissions. If they are alleged to be loan-defaulters, they should deposit the amount returning to the national kitty what was owed. The suggestion for setting up a Truth Commission is being made now due to the fact that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) has been struck off the law rolls by the apex court for being unconstitutional.
I think the criminals and defaulters who had availed of this ordinance but are now stuck again in the maze of legal proceedings should be given a fair chance to speak the truth, for once at least. Prominent nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and others who have held high offices and been involved in one or the other controversy should also appear before the proposed Truth Commission to make their submissions on the charges of omissions and commissions against them. Let this be an exercise in the ultimate national interest; the accused should confess their crimes, the defaulters should whiten their black money. [The Nation]
GOOD GOVERNANCE
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
China has a population of 1.338 billion and it has 27 ministers. India’s population is 1.166 billion and the number of its federal ministers is 32; the US has 307.21 million people with 15 ministers (or secretaries) while the UK has 61.11 million people with 22 ministers. Pakistan with a population of 176.24 million has 66 federal ministers. In short, good governance doesn’t need an army of ministers. For how long will our people continue to feed these parasites who are good for nothing?
[The News International]
HRH, FARZAND-E-DILPASAND-E-DAULAT-E-AMREEKA ...
[Nusrat Ali Qazilbash, Jhang]
During the Mughal era, whenever the Emperor visited a town, the people used to present him with gifts, usually in the form of jewels, horses and elephants, but sometimes, even havelis and palaces.
While graciously accepting these gifts, the Emperor used to reward his subjects with khil'ats (attires embroidered in gold threads), stretches of land, gardens and things like that. The history is repeating itself and we are going through a Mughal rule of a kind. So here is a suggestion on how our present-day Emperor, a new kind of Mughal, should reward his subjects. On President's current visit to Lahore, every Tom, Dick, Harry of the PPP posted big and small banners in front of the Governor's House with their names and pictures. I suggest the President should roll up these banners and take them along with him to Islamabad.
There he should unfold them all to see the names and pictures of his adherents, make a list and reward them all with plots in Islamabad, or give plum jobs in government to their children in police, customs or WAPDA. Some of these nice people should be posted as ambassadors abroad. The rest should be given lucrative assignments in which they could make money. [The Nation]
ZARDARI IN PUNJAB
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
President Zardari's recent speeches in Punjabi remind one of Lollywood actress Meera's English. One wonders why one must speak publicly in a language one is not good at.
[The News International]
‘11 IDIOTS’
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
Bollywood has recently released a blockbuster film by the name of ‘3 Idiots’. Looking at the performance of our national cricket team against Australia, it will not be out of place to request our own Lollywood to release a new film by the name of ‘11 Idiots’ to truly depict our ‘achievement.’ [Daily Times]
SADIQ AND AMEEN
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
The PPP and the ANP have called for the removal of words 'sadiq' and 'ameen' from Clause 62 of the Constitution. The demand was made at a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms. Excellent proposal, for what does a member of parliament have to do with 'sadaqat' and 'amanat'? [The News International]
THROWING EGGS
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
The cost of eggs has increased to Rs 112-120 per dozen in the retail market and the wholesale price has gone up to Rs 106. Ironically, the poor people of this country cannot even afford to throw eggs at the rulers now.
[Daily Times]
LICENCES FOR ARMS
[Pervez Hasan, Peshawar]
All those parliamentarians who were issued prohibited bore licences should now voluntarily quit the assemblies and join either the police or the Taliban. Pakistan Khappy. [The News International]
DIVORCE CAKE
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
While visiting a confectionary shop the other day I noticed, placed in a corner, a cake with a caption written in icing that said ‘Divorce Cake’. When inquired, the salesman replied that the demand for such cakes to ‘celebrate’ this occasion is much higher these days, hence they have added it to their menu. Certainly we are living in interesting times. [Daily Times]
LICENSED ARMS
[Manzur Qadir, Lahore]
Interesting statistics about the issue of 29,000 arms licences by the interior ministry in the last 10 months have been released. This means 2,900 licences were issued every month. Assuming there are four Sundays in a month, it will mean 111 licenses everyday. Given a seven-hour working day (from 8 to 3 pm) it will lead to 15 licences per hour, which means four licences per minute. This is yet another feather in the cap of the current government. [The News International]
BUDGET 2010
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
The way things are going in our country, in all likelihood the budget in the year 2020 will have the prices of two grains of rice for Rs 1, four grains of lentils for Rs 2, two drops of oil will cost around Rs 10 and one drop of milk for Rs 2 ‘only’. To add to it, whoever will buy all this stuff together, he will be allowed to smell pure ghee or will be shown the sight of a chicken. [Daily Times]
Issue of the Month: Saving the burning Karachi
FINDING HOPE AMID DESPAIR: THE VANDALS WENT LOOTING AND PILLAGING
By Sheema Zain
It's hard to even think straight as one enters the once fire-afflicted area of Boulton Market at M.A. Jinnah Road, formerly known as Bunder Road. Its hard enough to collect your thoughts in the chaos, let alone try and engage someone in an interview/conversation. In the face of the demolition, the acrid smell of burning still in the air, the roar of the still-falling mortar and construction material and the too obvious signs of devastation, asking questions of people of their losses seems a difficult task. The most one can do is to take in the entire unbelievable scenario. Be prepared to walk sleep-walker-like, in a daze, gazing at the burnt out, collapsing structures for at least half an hour, before one can recover one's composure.
The bedlam of the traffic, the trucks, the cranes pulling things down, people watching, carting away debris, goods, material being removed/moved, people going about their business or just watching, working carting out rubble, women sifting through rubble. Everyone seems too preoccupied, too busy to care. A steady stream of people walk on, zigzagging their way through the rubble, the construction work, collapsed structures, yet hearteningly no one seems to have given into despair. Life resurgent seemed to have claimed its right over the dead and the once-devastated area was abuzz like never before.
More vibrant, through the soot, with construction-workers, police officials overseeing the sight, shopowners overseeing their shops construction or themselves clearing the debris of their own shops, the sidewalks littered with various food vendors, tea stalls, juice vendors providing refreshment to the workers. A gathering of traders clustered around collecting some official-looking forms from some officials. The past is forgotten and life moves on. There is no time to stop in these doubly congested crazy footpaths, already crowded by traders / shopkeepers whose shops are still intact. For there is barely space to walk and the pace of the pedestrians churning through these too narrow confines is too feverish to stop.
"Look later, move on, don't stop, don't stop," urges the Pashtun trader behind me, "My hands are full." And he surges past, carrying his wares transferring them. We ask one of the shopkeepers selling coins on the foot path if his shop was burnt. He says Allah was kind and his shop was safe. Seems a bit incongruous in that frenzy to think of stopping and buying something. We move on. Here are many second-hand clothes traders who have spread their wares, clothes over cars or plying them on carts. We wonder how many of them have had their shops burnt. Some Pushtoon plying Kabuli almonds in mounds on the footpaths announce "arson-afflicted stocks on sale." We could ask but it seems like reopening old wounds. Anyhow one has to first find a spot in some nook of an alley to stop so that one is not in people's way.
Unbelievable are the various ethnic communities, milling through the streets, helping each other out, so that like in the Hajj, differences of race seemed to fade out. Men from all walks of life - Bohra, Memon, Pathan, Urdu-speaking, Baloch and Sindhi - were all evident as traders, police, rangers, carters, tea-servers providing the labourers on the streets with endless tiny cups of tea. Towards the end of where the area curves right next to I.I Chundrigar road, the road is lost in an array of camps belonging to different welfare organisations, from those of afflicted traders to Saylani, the City govt., Rangers, police: a profusion of shamiyanas opposite the Plastic market. More reconstruction work and rubble, the tide of Pathan-looking men, rangers makes one think one's entered a war zone or Kabul. "That area wasn't burnt" another trader tells us "the fire was in the medicine market on the other side." Which looks too congested to really venture into.
There does not seem to be much anger, show of tempers, people seem to have resigned to their fate and moved on with dogged determination and are more concerned about getting back into business at the earliest possible. So the reconstruction work does seem to be a unified concerted effort under a central authority but each owner trader seems to be pulling down or putting up his own terrain... One watch-seller whose shop was opposite a badly damaged building said that the haphazard way of arson revealed the haste of the vandals, "they put fire wherever they could in a hurry, Allah saved us" he said sadly. Behind the watch sellers' buildings now burnt down or collapsed are other charred structures, which look like houses. But another Bohri trader corrects me and informs me that they were mostly shops with godowns and offices above, not houses.
The construction work was aided by the government, evident from the trucks, and other aids. "The traders hope that their shops would be ready to function within a week." The watch-seller with the intact shop said as sadly ask for, and there seemed no point in going back over the past of who did what. Despite the mayhem, despite the destruction and rebuilding, the area still maintains a brisk business-like pace. People were as courteous and well-mannered on the crowded footpaths where one often had to wait for a clearing to walk or as one had to pick one's way though the maze-like traffic. There was no shoving, pushing, or even jams or confusion, just an automatic reaction. As we reached the end of the afflicted area, we asked a trader with an intact shop about the fire. He in turn, complained of police inaction, in a dispassionately resigned way. Their shop is next to a chemical godown they pointed out, mercifully God was kind. "There is not much we can do to prevent a similar incident the next time," they answered unemotionally, "it's the police's job to protect public property."
It is said that a person's worth is tested in times of crisis it is then they reveal their mettle. Probably one of the main reason to be proud of our city is that it has always risen up with determination and generosity in times of crisis, which was so evident. [Courtesy Business Recorder]
WHY DOES KARACHI ALWAYS PAY?
By Nadeem Zuberi
Death and destruction engulfed the heart of the metropolis when a bomb blast occurred in the main Ashura procession at M.A. Jinnah Road, killing and injuring hundreds, with the death toll still rising after a week, as many seriously injured fought a battle with death. Some have lost and some may lose their battle in the coming days. The gruesome act of terrorism was followed by violence in Karachi, the country's business hub, when miscreants went on a rampage, torching cars and shops, firing bullets in the air. But later on after about half an hour passed angry mobs, of 40 to 50 people, turned up in the area of Boulton Market, Light House and adjoining areas, where wholesale markets of various commodities are located.
These miscreants set the buildings, shops and godowns of the area on fire, which gutted around 6,000 shops and godowns and flats located in the market buildings, they also looted and damaged some banks and private property of the area people. Initially, it was declared to be a suicide bomb, but afterwards investigators obtained a video of the blast, recorded through the CCTV cameras installed by the city government. It was later found out that it was a bomb blast. The bomb was installed in a box and was triggered by a remote control device. When anything controversial happens in Sindh, why is Karachi targeted to vent anger? For how long will Karachiites pay the price of the wrongdoings of others? Who are the culprits who want to cripple Karachi for one reason or the other? The same took place at the time of the lethal bombing of Benazir Bhutto's convoy. Karachi was set ablaze.
The security agencies were nowhere to be seen, at any of the crime scenes for at least the next four hours after the incident. The owners of the shops kept crying for help to save their shops from the security agencies and fire-fighters, but in vain. In the October 27, 2007 rampage, a 100 billion loss was suffered by the citizens, because at that time a large number of petrol pumps and banks were damaged and looted. The fire at Boulton Market has caused a loss of Rs 40 billion to Karachiites and about 30,000 to 35,000 people became unemployed. People did recover their insurance claims in the October 2007 incident as the vehicles, banks and petrol pumps were insured, but in this recent incident, the owners of the shops and flats have no such option as 80 percent of the shops were not insured for religious beliefs. [Courtesy Business Recorder]
VIOLENCE IN KARACHI
By Huma Yusuf
Interior Minister Rehman Malik stated on Friday that there are no similarities between the situation in Karachi and Swat. This statement of the obvious is in some ways the best response by the authorities to the recent spate of violence in Karachi. Acknowledging that the dynamics of violence are locally defined and steeped in histories and circumstances particular to certain places and events is the first step towards effectively maintaining peace and stability. Karachi has a long history of ethnic conflict, sectarian violence, land mafias and intra- and inter-party tensions. All these have been in play during this past fortnight, making it abundantly clear that a discerning approach to Karachi’s violence is required. Policing and investigations into recent incidents must be informed by knowledge of ‘local’ social, political and economic factors, which in this city of 18 million differ from locality to locality. For that reason, the MQM’s request for the Rangers, the army and intelligence agencies to maintain law and order in the city is akin to slapping a band-aid on a deep, infected wound.
Violent incidents since the last week of December have confirmed that Karachi is facing a hydra-headed threat. Rather than work towards teasing apart the different types of violence and addressing each systematically and comprehensively, the authorities are operating in a muddle. The Ashura blast which had apparently been claimed by the Taliban was denied by the latter. On Friday, Malik linked Jaish-i-Mohammad, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi (LJ) and Jundullah with that attack. Earlier in the week, an FIA report had claimed that a new militant group was responsible for the blast. Even as it became clear that the Taliban may not have been involved in the Ashura attack, US ambassador Anne Patterson announced a grant of Rs1bn for affected traders, all the while decrying the Talibanisation of Pakistan.
A similar confusion prevails regarding the actors and reasons behind the killings of several people in the last few days. Political parties in Karachi have been asking the Sindh government to intervene and prevent targeted political killings, of which there have been over 250 in the past six months. Malik, meanwhile, has accused ‘actors’ not affiliated with political parties of trying to fracture the ruling coalition. With particular reference to violence in Lyari, Malik has dismissed it as a familial dispute surrounding a girl’s ‘illicit relations’ while city government officials have pointed to long-running gang warfare in that area. For their part, the police, in many incidents, claim no knowledge about the perpetrators’ identities, motives or their access to arms.
Complicating this scenario is Friday’s Baldia Town blast, possibly related to a Manawan-like attack on a police academy, which indicates that militants with ties to the TTP may be operating in Karachi (interestingly, LJ and Sipah-i-Sahaba stickers were retrieved from the site). The fact is, since June last year, when one of Baitullah Mehsud’s aides was apprehended, the police have been detaining TTP-linked militants in Karachi with some regularity. However, the criminal investigation department (CID) officials have been careful to reiterate that the situation here is murky, with many militant groups uniting under the Taliban banner and drawing recruits from Urdu-, Pushto-, and Punjabi-speaking communities as well as the Bengali community.
Given this complex situation, the authorities’ responses to violence seem poorly thought out. It was recently proposed that the Rangers be given powers to detain suspects implicated in violent incidents for up to 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act. This measure coupled with the MQM’s invitation to the paramilitary force to control Karachi could lead to arbitrary arrests and prolonged detentions. These would further fuel resentment among the local population rather than address the city’s disparate causes of violence. Similarly, Malik’s warning to illegal immigrants to promptly vacate Karachi seems like an ad hoc, knee-jerk reaction. Most unregistered migrants to this city — including Afghans and Bengalis — have been here for decades and have nowhere to go. Moreover, they cannot be held solely responsible for the recent violence, especially in the light of intra-party disputes and the CID’s evaluation of broad-based militant recruitment.
No doubt, all illegal labour in Karachi should be documented, but that process must be systematic and gradual. Despite an ongoing initiative under the Foreigners Act, only 78,000 of the city’s 250,000 Afghans have been issued ‘proof of residence’ cards. Afghans and Bengalis regularly complain that they are harassed and discriminated against when they apply for registration. And the papers of documented migrants are regularly dismissed as fakes. The government will have to address the flaws in its registration system before issuing ultimatums. If anything, by placing the burden of Karachi’s problems on its two million migrants (who will now find themselves forced out of jobs and persecuted), the authorities are creating a larger community of disaffected, marginalised and jobless Karachiites, all the more prone to violence for a host of separate socio-economic reasons.
Some of these misguided solutions are explained by the city government’s reliance on the federal and provincial governments and federally overseen paramilitary force to solve Karachi’s problems. National bodies cannot address disturbances that are local and particular to Karachi (and, indeed, its unique localities) as effectively as the city government and capital city police. Rather than depend on an interior ministry committee, based at the National Crisis Management Cell, to investigate charges of targeted killings in Karachi — or even continue calls for a Supreme Court commission to investigate the Ashura blast — the city government should prioritise expanding, training and equipping Karachi’s police force and revamping the flawed Police Order 2002.
The very term ‘policing’ implies systematic scrutiny at a minute, street-by-street level. Stationed in particular localities, police officials — far more than army or paramilitary forces — are in a position to develop understandings of hyper-local communities, identify stakeholders, map criminal trends, and thereby launch effective investigations and help inform sophisticated policymaking. As such, better policing is the best, long-term antidote to urban crime and chaos. [Courtesy Dawn]
BOULTON MARKET: THE LOSS
By Nayyar Zuberi
The suicide attack at central procession of Youm-e-Ashur on Monday December 28, 2009 claimed lives of 43 persons. The miscreants' set approximately 3500 shops on fire from Light House to Boulton Market. The arson attacks inflicted billions of rupees losses and left thousands jobless. A visit of the affected area shows that 15 heritage buildings were either completely or partially affected in the fire and the roof structure of almost every affected building has been collapsed. A total of 288 shops were completed gutted in New Boulton Market building, which was reduced to ashes, 400 were damaged and gutted in Quetta Market and 284 shops in plastic market, 40 shops in paper market, beside a number of shops in Kutchi Gali (Medicine Market), Chaati Lane, Light House etc were completely gutted or destroyed. The shops which were gutted, damaged or destroyed were of small size 5x6 to 6x10 ft. Majority of shops were not insured.
The shops which were gutted include imported and local items such as plastic crockery, paper, second hand clothes, blankets and curtains, imported cigarettes, imported and local food items like toffees, biscuits and milk, imported perfumes, imported kitchen items, imported lights, artificial jewellery, two shops of arms and ammunition, eye glasses, imported and local telephone sets, medicines and toys etc. [Courtesy The Business Recorder]
MOUNTING KARACHI VIOLENCE
By Nisar Shaikh
The former capital of Pakistan is a large metropolitan city located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. Many years ago it was a small fishing village, "Kulachi" which evolved into a Megapolis. It has various symbolic identities and the most famous are: Easy to live by any way as, it is very posh for the posh community/upper class of civil society and at the same time a poor can also survive with the means of the lowest poor level. It has Sea like nature to adjust with and absorb all. During the regime of General Zia, a road accident changed its normality towards the riots loving identity when a girl had accidentally been crushed by a public mini bus. The bus and its driver belonged to Pakhtun community and, the girl was an Urdu speaking. The aftermath of that accident had been witnessed and remembered as the terrible situation in the history of the moving life of Karachi. Thereafter, any day, if there was no riot in Karachi, the public had been surprised what had happened to Karachi....!! Slowly but in a very planned way, the MQM had been formed to be utilised as a tool for any of the agenda of the Zia-led establishment.
It had been used to make the other communities and political parties weak rather dependable on this ethnic group, though they changed their name from Muhajir Qaumi Movement to Mutahida Qaumi Movement just for their wider countrywide interests. This ethnic group had been given a status of a political party by surpassing all national/moral/electoral means and norms. With its symbolic identity mentioned above, this group of an ethnic base had been served with all types of regimes in this country on very special and professional financial terms. The Zia and Muharraf regimes were very high profiled and this regime of Zardari more or less can be termed as the same. During the continuous powerful days of General Zia and Musharraf, the level of its financial stability has become very strong and with the establishment of its well equipped Central Secretariat network in London, the world nations has started to use this group to ease their interests. On the pattern of this MQM, the Baachaa Khan-led party, Awami National Party, after changing its base lines has started to mobilize their fleet to achieve other goals.
Therefore, in Karachi, it has become very difficult for the MQM to allow others to get share. On one side, the ANP has strategically have the shelter of Mr. Zardari to attract and get the sympathies of the Pakhtuns in the name of Baachaa Khan and Pakhtunism and, on the other, it has succeeded to get in with the affairs of Sindh Province particularly in Karachi on very special agenda. This situation has annoyed the MQM and, with the passage of time, these two parties even the members of the ruling coalition are at very hard terms. Some of the fightings in the recent past has been witnessed as harsh and resulted in lot of pools of blood on either side. The suburban areas linked with the intercity movements are led with the ANP and Afghan national population who own mostly various markets/estate/transport.
But, with the professional jealousy, it is being seriously viewed by the MQM and, beyond that, in my opinion, the MQM has felt very serious that the ANP fleet settled in Karachi is a tough threat to their tasks. When the Honourable Supreme Court issued its detailed Judgment in which all the NRO beneficiaries including lot of leaders and other famous office-bearers of Mutahida Qaumi Movement have to face the situation prior to NRO accord, in my opinion, the pressure has been increased towards the MQM and, naturally, the clashes are now to start with the new beginning which is not soft but it has to cost lot of lives. For the last few days, some casualties have been reported and tension is at its peak at sensitive areas near the Aerodrome and Cantonment which are named as Gulistan-e-Jauhar and on the western outskirts of Karachi. The police and law enforcement agencies knowing all hideouts of both sides, are helpless for relief of common citizens but have not moved to control the miscreants. Hope the authorities should pay some attention to this very important issue too as this is a national threat. [Courtesy The Frontier Post]
PATHETIC
By Gibran Peshimam
It has already been just under four weeks since the tragic death of over 40 people in a bomb explosion during the Ashura procession in Karachi and the subsequent arson that left the city centre in flames for days. Yet we are no closer to closure than we were on that day. I am not one to moralise about responsibility – or at least I try not to. I am under no illusions about the gulf between how our leaders and authorities are, and should be. But today I will break from this mould. Today I will moralise because there is at least some, minimum, bare minimum, decorum even in the most ethic-starved society. And I saw even that iota disappear in the case of this tragic Ashura. In the initial period after the incidents, a number of probes were launched to quell the shock – as is customary. As expected, nothing has come of these probes, and the investigations have given vague answers at best.
Massive breakdowns of law and order hit Karachi from time to time like the chicly-named tropical storms that hit the southern tip of the US. There is initial shock, but no one accepts responsibility; there are statements and there is politicking for a while. Judicial probes carry on and offer no answers. The day is left to be recalled by a candlelight vigil or two; to become an anniversary for the media to recall every year under headlines of “Questions still remain unanswered.” It pains me but, in my short career, I have come to accept this as a distressing and unfortunate reality. I saw it happen with May 12, with April 9. I saw it happen in those heady days after the murder of Benazir Bhutto – incidentally at which time I was tying the knot. I saw it happen with the xenophobia that gripped the city in late 2008. I saw it with targeted killings – and still do. I see it with the murder of rights activist Nisar Baloch in broad daylight.
Nothing happens in these cases but short-lived hysteria. Just like it probably will for the Ashura explosion and arson. Not a single high authority – not a single one – has taken any sort of responsibility – meaningful or token – in the aftermath of the huge security breakdown, or even in the face of stalled investigations. There has been no rebuke, no questions asked or answered. It is just business as usual. Nothing major happened, as usual. But what did happen was this: On Jan 20, over three weeks after the incident, the Sindh police authorities (more specifically the DIG South) dismissed one SHO (Preedy Station) and an in-charge of a police post (Arambagh Station). In addition to this, seven SHOs have been issued “show cause notices.” Two days later, another SHO (Kharadar) was dismissed.
That’s it.
It is bad enough that none of the high-ups is taking responsibility without targeting lowly actors. Certainly those dismissed deserve it, but to target the underlings in such a big case is an insult to my intelligence. An insult to the intelligence of the people of this city, of this country. There has been no acceptance from the high-ups. No remorse. It is shameful – even for the standards set by our leaders and law-enforcers. But to top it off by targeting a couple of nobodies, who will ultimately probably find their way back into the force, is disgraceful. It sets a new low in terms of skin-saving. The chief minister is reported to by the home minister. The home minister is reported to by the inspector general of police and his additional help, the capital city police officer. The IG and CCPO, the field generals, are reported to by three zonal DIGs. The DIGs are reported to by town-level TPOs. The TPOs are reported to by station house officers. The SHOs are reported to by other lower staff including sub-inspectors, havaldars, et al. Above all of these gentlemen is the country’s security boss, the federal interior minister.
This is the chain of command that controls the law and order as well as the security situation of Sindh – the chain of command found wanting on Dec 28, 2009. Of all these people, they chose to target the lowest tier. Cowardly, that’s what it is. What of Zulfikar Mirza, the security chief of the province, who was not even in the city on the day of the incident? He wasn’t here after, either. He wasn’t even here in the lead-up, even though there were threats of something of this nature happening, given the occasion. He was too busy playing politics to do his job when the people of Karachi needed his leadership most. What of provincial police chief, Salahuddin Babar Khattak, who has been a nonentity for the most part of his tenure, only to actually have his tenure extended days before the Ashura tragedy? Who has been a celebrity cop par excellence? He loves the limelight, but hates the responsibility.
What of city police chief Waseem Ahmed, a man who meticulously oversees arrangements such as shutting down hospitals for patients and their families when the president visits, but apparently left the details of security arrangements for Ashura to the lowest-tier officers? A celebrity cop par-excellence. If you ask me, the IG and CCPO have really fallen to new lows. If they were worth their stripes, they, as police officers, would have resigned before any other action was taken against their lower officers for such a massive security breakdown. But they have chosen to hide behind a few SHOs and a police picket in-charge. And they are supposed to be the protectors. Pathetic!
[Courtesy The News International]
KARACHI VIOLENCE
[Tahir Mehmood Punwar, D. G. Khan]
Targeted killings in Karachi are not a new phenomenon. In fact, it is history of near past which is repeating itself. The short lull in this menace was seen when we were experiencing the worst form of governance as a military dictator was at the helm of the affairs. This calm just prevails for a short time and again violence has engulfed the economic hub of Pakistan. In my point of view, the peace was established due to three main reasons. The first one was the satisfaction of all political stake holders in the system of governance. MQM, a leading party in Sindh, was given due share in the federal and provincial governments after the 2002 election. At that time, PML-Q was ruling in the centre, a party which never faced any challenge from MQM. They cordially completed five years of their mandated term peacefully and no clash was occurred between the two coalition partners. But in the present set-up, the provincial leadership of PPP considers MQM a threat to its vote bank and political future. So, it wants to bow down its rival and few elements are using force to eliminate other’s hold on power. It is all about power politics.
The recent violence is the outcome of political assertion by PPP and MQM to defeat each other in Sindh. This violence will continue unless due accommodation is given to all political stake holders in Sindh. The second one is the presence of gangsters in the provincial capital. They have a strong network of people under their command to carry out the assigned task. Police and rangers have to clamp down on such elements if the peace is desired in the metropolitan. The last but not the least is the presence of the Afghans in the city and they do these violent activities in order to accomplish long-term agenda of their financers like TTP and al Qaeda. Our Pakhtoon community is not inclined to violence but these illegal and unwanted Afghan immigrants are a permanent source of tension for our country.
In order to revive peace, our politicians have to show maturity and demonstrate respect for each others’ mandate. They should face their opposition with political spirit. Both PPP and MQM have to learn a lesson from the situation on the ground. [The post]
ASHURA RIOTS
[Mubashir Mahmood, Karachi]
In the CCTV camera footage of the Ashura riots it is very clear that the police and the rangers were present on the occasion but did not stop the arsonists who destroyed shops, banks and cars. I appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan to form a judicial committee to probe this matter as the judiciary is the only institution of the state that has credibility. [The News International]
ATTACK ON ASHURA PROCESSION
[Junaid Alam, LUMS School of Science and Engineering, Lahore]
In Karachi, an unconscionable act of barbarism in a procession — already grief-stricken with the memory of martyrs of Karbala — has jolted the hearts of the whole nation. The loss of innocent people and children has bruised the very soul of Pakistan. On the other hand, this wave of terrorism doesn’t seem likely to come to an end soon. In such a disturbingly rambunctious situation, the statements given by our senior officials, including the interior minister and President Zardari, seem to have forsaken the reality altogether and sound utterly irresponsible. Two days before the dastardly act, the indication of an “expected” violence in the course of religious activities in Muharram by our interior minister tends to create a wave of concern among prudent civil circles and analysts.
On the other hand, the post-situation statement by our president tries to conceal the truth by tagging the unfortunate event as ‘sectarian violence’, when almost everybody knows who the real elements behind the scene are. What the consequences of such irrational statements can be are completely being overlooked by our politicians. As a disturbed citizen, I would like to request officials to at least speak intelligently if they are unable to act in a responsible way, because a trifling of idiocy in the statements of officials may render us even more vulnerable to the threat of terrorism. [Dawn]
THE KARACHI BOMBING
[Nazim F Haji, Karachi]
Within minutes of the December 28 Ashura blast, a band of hooligans went on the rampage in the presence of the rangers and the police who were deployed to provide safety and security for the procession. Reports say that highly inflammable chemicals were used to set shops on fire. Additionally, the availability of hammers to break-open the shops speaks of the coordination of the arsonists. My question to the DG rangers and the Karachi CCPO is: how did the mayhem (arson, loot and plunder) take place despite heavy presence of LEA personnel? [The News International]
FINALLY, FOUND CULPRITS!
[Jahangir Daulatabadi, Karachi]
Over the years, our commercial and financial hub Karachi has become a flashpoint. It is being said about Karachi that it is sitting atop a mountain of gunpowder. The tragedy of February 12, 2007 is still fresh in minds of the people of Pakistan. In that incident, Benazir was murdered and the city was looted and plundered as if some enemy forces had invaded it. In between, several other incidents of this nature also took place. Recently the Ashura bombing that was followed by loot, plunder and burning of property has become something of a mystery. Neither Sindh government nor federal government has managed to arrest any culprits.
The reason is simple. When President of Pakistan cannot catch the killers of his wife, how can the killers of small fries be caught? Whenever any reference is made to May 12, 2007 disaster in Karachi, many a fingers are pointed at MQM since the city at that time was wholly under their control. One wonders why the entry of one person was blocked. If that was done to protect law and order, did the Interior Minister of the time succeeded in that? MQM puts the blame on other ethnic groups saying that more than 20 MQM worker were also killed. But MQM it was that started the mayhem and their workers were killed in retaliation. The last note to sad story of Karachi is a question I wish to ask from MQM. Tell me why Karachi was absolutely peaceful before Zia-ul-Haq created MQM to counter the PPP? [The Nation]
DE-WEAPONISATION OF KARACHI
[Naeem Sadiq, Karachi]
When six people were gunned down in September 2008 in the Italian town of Castelvolturno, a prime territory for the Camorra Mafia, it was considered the bloodiest and the largest massacre in the recent years. Clearly the Camorra Mafia is a bunch of school kids as compared to our Karachi gangs that have already killed some 30 persons in the last three days with no sign of any letup. We seem to have many advance and unique features to our madness. Our militant criminal gangs seem to enjoy the protection and support of political parties, religious extremists and security agencies. Our weapons make the Sicily Mafia appear like playing with toy pistols. Karachi is rapidly becoming another South Waziristan. With the same level of gun control, the results cannot be any different. With the guns and grenades becoming the new hardware of politics, the possibilities for reason, dialogue and dissent seem to have completely disappeared.
A welcome development is in the air for the past few days. At least three political parties have shown inclination towards making Karachi a weapons-free city. It is too early to conclude if it is a knee-jerk reaction or a sincere desire for peace. But what is obvious is the fact that this task is too complex and too deep-rooted, almost impossible to accomplish without a broad-based political consensus. Isn't it time for all the stakeholders to begin a dialogue for the de-weaponisation of Karachi? The 2003 'Say-no-to-guns' initiative taken, and then suspended, by the CPLC, Shehri and the HRCP could be re-started if the government and the political parties had the slightest respect for peace and the well-being of people. If Karachi was to experience a FATA-like situation in the days to come, we will have no one but ourselves to blame. The ordinary citizens who would always be the real victims need to join hands and push for a single-point agenda: no citizen, regardless of his party or status, will own a weapon -- licensed or otherwise. [The News International]
SADDEST TRAGEDY
[S. A. Khan, Multan]
The saddest tragedy on 10th of Muharram should not be left for the coalition government of PPP-Z and MQM to investigate. It should be held by the highest judicial body that brings facts to nation. Being partners in government and party to the saddest event; they will surely protect each other from any finger pointing towards them. People do not trust them but for their loyalist party men in MQM and PPP-Z. They are mutual protection club and mutual power prolongation and unlimited wealth accumulation club. They have become each other’s weakness and Mr Zardari uses both for his vested ends and they use him. What Zardari spoke on Benzair Sahiba’s second death anniversary: Zulfikar Mirza set fire of rebellion so Rajas and Jehangirs of Punjab had and still have full support of each other being; Altaf Hussain, MQM, MMA, ANP (a fake, mocked up democracy club).
It seems so factual as it is “oppositionless” democracy in all provinces: one man absolutely dictating national affairs with hopeless prime minister). This has been the major cause responsible for the devastated situation on terrorism, economy and poor ruined. It looks MQM, PPP-Z, ANP are responsible for what happened in Karachi. It could well be that land-estate mafia and vested groups could be behind the mayhem, loot and arson. MQM has pointed finger towards some “haqiqi” group which though early to judge must be probed by independent high powered judicial enquiry commission. [The Frontier Post]
KARACHI'S TURF WAR
[T Ali Malik, Lahore]
This is with reference to the spate of violence that has shattered the peace of Karachi since the tragic event of Moharram 10. This is a battle for turf waged by those for whom this city is just a money-making machine. These mafia dons are not bothered about the spilled blood of poor citizens of this city, for they, who stand to gain, live comfortably with their families in foreign capitals, while their paid henchmen kill on their directives. Temporary peace will be made, like in the past, once the price is settled. The poor citizens hope for peace unaware of the reality that those who stand to profit through the politics of intimidation and violence will never allow this peace to last long. It is a gang war, and the stakes are high, because Karachi is the financial hub of Pakistan. It is for the citizens of Pakistan, its main political parties, the establishment and security agencies to understand that things are going out of control because of their own petty politics and mistakes. Terrorism itself is a product of our own follies and idiotic policies of the 1980s onwards.
Arguably there are more weapons in Karachi today than any other settled area of Pakistan. Karachi is second only to FATA in terms of weapon stockpiles. Major political parties are to be blamed for this. The federal government has to understand that these gangs are not just confined to Lyari, as some of the more vocal stakeholders would like to project. These armed gangs are spread all over Karachi. The situation is similar to that of Chicago of the early 1930s. A cleanup operation is the need of the hour. Karachi is too important a city to be given over to this breed of city warlords, who indulge in politics of ethnicity, crime, blackmail and use of brute force. [The News International]
THE ENEMY WITHIN
[Sadia Hussain, Islamabad]
The recent blast in the western neighborhood of Karachi which resulted in six casualties is now being dubbed as a blast by mistake in a militant hideout as initial reports confirm presence of hand-grenades and suicide vests at the scene. The police officials suggest the explosives appeared to have been detonated unintentionally even if the calamity they caused was still quite horrendous nevertheless. Most alarming of all is the prospect of presence of such elements in a densely-populated area and how they managed to conceal their activities from other residents of the neighborhood? In the wake of our military offensive in tribal areas, such elements are on the run and may seek refuge in cosmopolitan cities such as Lahore and Karachi. It is a responsibility of the concerned police officials to be on the mark all the time and thoroughly investigate records of all inhabitants of the area. The local mohallah committees can also assist the law enforcement agencies by promptly reporting any suspected activities. [The Nation]
TARGETED KILLINGS AND THE LAND MAFIA
[Shehri-CBE, Karachi]
The land mafia of Karachi is behind the recent targeted killings. The motive for these assassinations is money. Let us take the case of the land mafia grabbing the Trans-Lyari Park (Gutter Baghicha) land in SITE Town. Illegal construction is continuing on about 50 acres on this park land in spite of a stay order from the Sindh High Court. On September 26, 2009, the Nazir of the SHC along with Nisar Baloch, who headed the Gutter Baghicha Bachao Tehreek, went for a court-ordered inspection. They were forced to turn back because a mob (organised by the land mafia) stood in their path.
On November 7, Nisar Baloch was assassinated while leaving his house in the morning. Nisar Baloch had addressed a press conference just one day ago (November 6) in which he stated that his life was in danger and also named the people who were likely to kill him. No action has been taken so far against his alleged killers because of political considerations. On December 23, the Nazir of the SHC again attempted to inspect the encroached area. He was again forced to turn back because a land mafia-organised mob stood in his way.
On January 7, Nadir Shah Baloch was shot dead in another targeted killing. He was a former assistant of Nisar Baloch. He was now heading the Gutter Baghicha Bachao Tehreek. Now the effort to save this park is left rudderless as both men who were actually organising the local populace have been murdered in targeted killings. The illegal construction on the park land continues and the criminals will be laughing all the way to the bank.
Karachi is a strange city – there is an active land mafia which grabs amenity land to make illegal buildings at will and by doing so also helps change the political demography of the area. The nazims (elected representatives), government bureaucrats and criminal builders have entered into an unholy alliance to take over public/park land for their own profit. Articles and photos of these blatant criminal acts have appeared in the press. The land mafia supported by politicians can murder and commit contempt of court while the police and the political administration stand by as indifferent spectators or active collaborators in this loot of park land and slaughter of innocents. A full set of documents has been sent to Rehman Malik on this issue. Let's see what action he takes now.
[The News International]
WHO WERE THESE GOONS?
[Talaat Khurshid, Rawalpindi]
We all saw the bomb blast on the Ashura procession on December 28 and now we have also seen its aftermath through the video footage provided to the TV channels courtesy the City Nazim Karachi. While the City Nazim lamented the inaction of the law enforcement agencies (despite MQM being at the helm of affairs), it reminded me of other similar incidents. On May 12, 2007, when the CJP was prevented from entering Karachi, the law enforcing agencies were conspicuous by their absence. The MQM, if I may point out, was also in power then and was, in fact, instrumental in blocking roads with containers. The young lads that appeared on the streets carrying arms and went on a spree of killing, burning and looting on camera were also alleged to be their party men.
If those who looted and plundered on December 28 were not the Aazadars as is being claimed, then the obvious conclusion is that these were people in cahoots with the administration, which as we all know, is being headed by the PPP-MQM combine. The MQM chief must refrain from raising the bogey of Talibanisation of Karachi as he does not have a leg to stand on as far as this issue is concerned. The need of the hour is an independent judicial inquiry without any fear or favour but I feel this would not be possible because of the goons of MQM that go in overdrive whenever such a possibility is created. One must not forget the inquiries of May 12, which resulted in the eventual burning alive of the lawyers in Karachi. [The Nation]
SELF-DESTRUCTION
[Khalid Aloowala, Karachi]
The present situation is Karachi is tragic. The city, due to its diverse ethnic population, has always been volatile. But I believe the cause of the present lawlessness in Karachi is to be blamed on military dictatorships, starting from General Zia’s times. People in the city need to realise that bringing a mafia to power in order to legitimise a dictatorship will never have a positive outcome. However, if the present government is not able to control the ethnic cleansing being carried out by the MQM in the city, then all hell will break loose. The MQM carries out atrocities against the people of the city and then magically claims to be the victim, a case in point being the May 12 mayhem. I appeal to the government to take a stronger stance against the MQM for the betterment of the people of this city. [Daily Times]
WORTH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS?
[Mrs. S. Khan, Multan]
The abusive language used by the Nazim of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal (who is projected day and night by MQM as a role model) has exposed his true self to the millions of people who watched him in a live talk show. He has often shown scant respect to his seniors in the past also which reflects the real mindset of MQM. Mustafa Kamal does a lot of horn-tooting for himself and did not let go the chance to do so even when Karachi was burning after the Ashura blast. The ‘achievements’ that he preens off for himself were because of Musharraf who allocated billions of dollars for Karachi to win favours of the MQM. With that money, all the fly-overs, signal-free corridors and fast lanes were made in this city. Had this money been available to his predecessor, Naimat Ullah Khan of Jamaat Islami, he would had done many more projects and done them in much better way.
[The Nation]
BLEEDING KARACHI
[Syed Muzammil Hussain, Rawalpindi]
Again Karachi, the city of lights, is bleeding. Why? Karachi is bleeding because it is the economic capital of Pakistan. It is very tragic that we are unaware of the conspiracies being hatched against our existence. We are our own enemies but we always blame others for our own mistakes. Karachi is bleeding because we have decided to commit suicide. It is another tragic fact that the people at the helm of affairs are unaware of this. Now it is high time for us to reassess our policies. All the cities of Pakistan should be made tension-free as well as corruption-free. This will surely save us from further disasters. Our rulers and leaders should behave with maturity while dealing with this alarming situation. [Daily Times]
RBS DONATES AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL
Karachi: Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has donated a gas-powered ambulance to Maternity and Child Healthcare Centre (MCHC) in Mingora, which started its operations in the city on Monday. The MCHC will not only contribute to the restoration of healthcare infrastructure and help communities to rebuild, but will also provide medical services for some of the most vulnerable groups in the region. The facility covers general, pediatric and maternity care. It offers early screening of childhood diseases by providing vaccination and immunization, and is a one-stop facility for pregnant women for ante and post-natal care. The facility includes living quarters for medical personnel so that it can operate 24 hours a day.
The bank has also extended financial support to the hospital to cover its operating cost for a year. Mercy Relief (a Singapore-based humanitarian NGO) and Islamic Medical Association (PIMA), Pakistan, are jointly managing this project. “We hope that this ambulance will help ease the burden on medical supplies and infrastructure in this stricken region,” said Fiona Gibson, RBS Head of Communications for South East Asia and Pakistan. [The News]
SIEMENS LAUNCHES $100M INITIATIVE FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION
Karachi: An announcement of the organisation on Monday said that this initiative will help boost Siemens’ efforts for more business integrity and fair market conditions globally. It said that the non-profit organisations can immediately apply to Siemens for funding. The funding would be disbursed over 15 years to non-profit organisations worldwide that promote business integrity initiative and fight corruption. “Siemens stands for clean and sustainable business,” remarked Peter Y Solmssen, member general council of Siemens AG. It was also pointed out that this initiative is part of the World Bank-Siemens AG comprehensive settlement that was agreed on July 2, 2009.
“We welcome the company’s initiative in support of fair and equal conditions in a highly competitive global market,” commented Leonard McCarthy, World Bank Integrity Vice President. Meanwhile, those eligible for the funds include non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international organisations, associations and universities. [The News]
Edited and prepared by
Khalil Ahmad
[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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