- Pakistan’s rent-seeking missiles By Mosharraf Zaidi
- Letters to FreePakistan
- HumorWise
- Issue of the month: Media marching
- Basic social services to all
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Quote of the Month:
If citizens do not demand a serious retrenchment in government spending, foreign creditors will eventually make the tough choices for us, and on much harsher terms.
[Robert Murphy, “What's Wrong With Government Debt?” (March 14, 2011)]
The net result of thirty or forty centuries of intellectual and physical effort has been to deliver three hundred million people all round the globe into the hands of some thirty or so despots, mainly ignorant idiots, each controlled by three or four stupid scoundrels. So what can we think of mankind? And what can we expect to see in the future?
[Chamfort, Reflections and Anecdotes]
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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PAKISTAN’S RENT-SEEKING MISSILES
By Mosharraf Zaidi
[The writer advises governments, donors and NGOs on public policy. This article first appeared in The News on March 02, 2011.]
How can Pakistan become a consistently growing economy? At the white-hot core of the answer to that question burns the midnight oil of the entrepreneur. In a culture that has often celebrated the most dubious of distinctions, it is consistently amazing that Pakistan has little or no time to celebrate and recognise the people who contribute to every aspect of national life from the taxes that keep the state machinery running, to the philanthropy that keeps religious charities alive, to the grants and off-shoot ventures that help finance art and culture.
Of course, the political discourse has little space or time for the entrepreneur. The feudal culture of Pakistani politics, where even urban middle class parties like the MQM eventually behave like feudal overlords is one possible reason for why there is such little discussion about how to promote and enable dhanda. There is, of course, a much more insidious reason why this could be true.
It could be that the emergence of an entrepreneurial class in Pakistan would serve to erode, perhaps even marginalise the feudal, ethnic, linguistic and religious basis for the politics of a large percentage of the country’s politicians. Still, it’s not entirely clear that entrepreneurs are not easily co-opted by the elite. The critical mass required for an entrepreneurial class to develop a political voice is not imminent. (Attributing to Nawaz Sharif, the voice of this entrepreneurial class is probably more than a rounding error).
There is hope however. The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) a high-power alliance of big Pakistani businesses, has been on an all-out policy offensive, chiming into the national discontent, and importantly, owning this growing sense of discontent, by announcing an agenda for economic reform. The agenda itself is not extraordinary, except for the fact that it represents the priorities of Pakistan’s most successful entrepreneurs.
The PBC wants four things. An immediate redressal of the energy crisis, a solution to the government’s constant fiscal crisis, an increased set of investments in social protection and social services such as education and health, and improved trade within the South Asia region.
One thing that comes across clearly is that big business in Pakistan is surprisingly well-aligned with the rest of the country. It hardly matters whether you are rich or poor, jiyala or jamaati, liberal or conservative, the energy crisis matters to all. The fiscal crisis and government’s constant printing of money, and the resulting inflation matter to all. Having a society in which there is inequality of access to social services, matters to all. And, the ability to have free and open trade with India, as a matter of the impact on the economy, matters to all.
The PBCs demands represent a reasonably robust statement of intent, above and beyond the slim population of successful entrepreneurs. A much more worrisome truth is buried beneath the substance of the PBC’s demands. Can you see the common thread in what the PBC is asking for? Now, the captains of Pakistan’s industry will not come out and say it openly (perhaps quite rightly), but every single one of its demands is linked directly to government.
Government is an obstacle and an impediment to the solution of each one of the crises that the PBC identifies the energy crisis, the fiscal crisis, the social service delivery crisis and the trade crisis. All four of these crises are rooted in the action and/or inaction of government. Much of the status quo is not simply a product of stasis. It is a product of the deliberate and concerted gains available to individual and group actors within the state infrastructure. In plain English, things are the way they are, because there are people who profit from things being this way.
Corruption, impossibly difficult to prove at the micro-level of the individual is widely known to exist in the exchange, reward and allocation of rights to explore for, produce and distribute energy. Corruption is petty and hard to identify at the individual project level, but we know it exists at the overarching public sector development level, at the overarching military procurement level, and at the level of government employees not showing up to work. This has the dual impact of constantly rising fiscal needs, and a constantly declining set of social services that the state offers to its citizens.
This is why every day, more and more people opt for privately bottled water, privately delivered education, privately packaged healthcare, and as and when possible, private residential enclaves, private electric generators and private security guards. Corruption is what allows some companies some kinds of special privileges, and other companies, none at all. It is what produces deeply skewed trade patterns and manufacturing profiles. Again, we don’t know for sure, who is doing it, and where, and how. But we know it is out there.
The reason that government exists at every level, in every way, every single step of the way is to create channels to allow for rents to be earned. The corruption is there because government is there. And government is there, structured in a manner, to enable that corruption. This is harsh, and will be seen as a betrayal of my record of supporting state effectiveness. But to have an honest discussion about making the state more effective, we have to have an honest discussion about the state. The state is structurally geared to extract non-productive rents, in a manner that minimises accountability.
This is not political science, or sociology. It is the economy, stupid.
The failure of Pakistan’s economy to grow consistently and sustainably is deeply enmeshed in the architecture of the Pakistani state and the nature and depth of its involvement in day to day economic and social affairs. The fact that the current structures don’t work is a problem of analysis. The current structures work very well, for the purpose they serve the individual and group enrichment of those who play the system game. These are Pakistan’s rent-seeking missiles. The petty corrupt, commissions, hissas, cuts, fees, bhattas, shares. This is what the system is designed to produce. This design was not commissioned by some dark, hidden conspiracy. The design is what occurs when things take shape while no one is watching.
Do you want to know why no one is watching the system of governance take shape? Because everyone is busy watching the non-stop Raymond Davis circus. This system is what is causing the problem of loadshedding, not solving it. It is what is causing the problem of inflation, not solving it. It is what is causing the problem of absentee teachers, not solving it. The economy is being strangulated by this system. This is not of the people, by the people, or for the people. It is the opposite. [Courtesy The News]
PRELUDE TO THE 1965 INDIA-PAKISTAN WAR
[By Colonel George L. Singleton, USAF, Retired]
You are welcome to publish this article, free, as my gift to your good publication.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE - Feb. 2011 - COLD WAR TIMES ARTICLE ON 1965 INDIA-PAKISTAN WAR
PRELUDE TO THE 1965 INDIA-PAKISTAN WAR
By Colonel George L. Singleton, USAF, Retired
In my previous article you read about how I was wounded in the Rann of Kutch on January 31,1965. Now let me proceed to share little known facts of how we at the US Embassy then in Karachi, West Pakistan coordinated with the US Embassy in India to try to have a semblance of a “wartime” plan to try to deal with stopping the 1965 India-Pakistan War and an evacuation plan for the US intelligence base, the 6937th USAF Security Service Communications Group located just outside Peshawar in northern Pakistan.
The Indians noticed for the first time in January 1965 that Pakistani security forces were patrolling below the Indian claimed border line in the Little Rann of Kutch near the Arabian Sea coast. Pakistan patrolling south of Kanjarkot seemed to have been going on for a while without the Indians being aware. This sudden Pakistani occupation of Kanjarkot upset a long-standing status quo. Thus when Indian patrols discovered that Pakistani posts had been established in the area claimed by India, Pakistan was accused by India in January 1965 of aggression in the Rann of Kutch.
On Sunday January 31, 1965 two Pakistani friends of mine who were cousins to each other, one with the Pakistani Foreign Office and the other with Pakistan International Airways (PIA) were my hosts for a boar hunt in the Little Rann of Kutch. We were traveling in a PIA Land Rover open truck. We drove right into a totally unknown to any of us hot spot where Pakistani security forces should not have been and where Indian forces had decided that day to fire on the Pak interloping forces. We drove into that hot firing area quite innocently...and of course never got to the boar hunt area my hosts had hoped to find.
Indian fire blew another Pakistan truck into our oncoming toward it Land Rover Truck, wounding all of us in our vehicle.
To review further historic background: India had lodged unbeknownst to us a protest during January, 1965 against Pakistan for increased patrolling activity throughout January 1965 within the Indian sector of the Little Rann of Kutch. By mid-February 1965, Pakistani forces had dug themselves in around Kanjarkot which was previously unoccupied although President Ayub Khan of Pakistan “claimed” that Pakistan had “long” occupied it.
India moved large forces into the disputed territory during the months of January–April 1965, established forward military posts therein and carried out full-scale land, sea and air maneuvers in the vicinity, thus forcibly demolishing the status quo. Both sides built up the forces available to them in the area, manned strong points, and shifted defense responsibility from border units to the army.
The Indian response of occupying new posts near the frontier and, reportedly, building a “bare base” airstrip nearby brought the crisis to a head.
As further background President Kennedy’s India policy according to later day Pakistani military historians resulted in disturbing the military balance in the sub-continent to Pakistan’s disadvantage and had consequently strained Pakistan-America relations. In any event, Pakistan sought closer relations with Communist China.
Pakistan’s deteriorating relations with the US and India were very closely watched by both communist powers. As far back as 1960 Soviet Ambassador to Pakistan Mihail Kapitsa reportedly told the Pakistanis: “We support India and Afghanistan against you because they are our friends, even when they are wrong. But your friends do not support you, even when they know you are right.”
Pakistan wanted to reconcile her relations with the Soviet Union so that the USSR encouragement to Afghans for Pashtunistan might be stopped. The Soviet Union conversely wanted to improve relations with Pakistan in order to weaken the SEATO and CENTO alliances constructed by the US on the Soviet Union Southern flank.
Concurrently Pakistan also turned towards China. Pakistani Foreign Minister Z.A. Bhutto (who had become an internal political threat and rival to Pakistan President Ayub Khan) declared that “We will not barter or bargain Chinese friendship away for anything.” During 1963-64, China became the largest importer of Pakistani cotton. Ironically USAID in Pakistan had helped fund and provided technologists to enable Pakistan to develop cotton as a cash crop.
I well remember a young man named Bennie Dietimier from Prattville, Alabama, then a major cotton textile city. Bennie’s job was to import Pakistani cotton to his employer’s textile mills in Prattville. Since I was born in Montgomery, which is very near the textile town of Prattville in Alabama I became friends with Bennie, who was as a German orphan adopted and taken to Alabama from Germany by a US Air Force Captain and his wife after WW II.
On March 1, 1963 it was announced that Pakistan and Communist China had reached agreement about their common border. According to this treaty about 750 sq. miles of territory under the actual control of China was ceded to Pakistan while Pakistan had to do nothing in return. On May 17, 1963, Chou En-lai declared that China “Would defend Pakistan throughout the world” for “Pakistan defended China in SEATO and CENTO.” This statement by Communist China is baffling to say the least as our 6937th USAF Security Service Communications Group mission was to collect intelligence related to both the Soviet Union and Communist China, our two major Cold War adversaries. Perhaps China’s statement reflected the episodic border clashes which the Soviets were periodically having with Communist China on their common border between Siberia and Mongolia.
What is generally believed to have led to great unhappiness between the US and Pakistan was the move for an air link between China and Pakistan. An agreement was signed in 1964 between China and Pakistan wherein Pakistan was given air traffic rights at Canton and Shanghai in exchange for air traffic rights for China at Karachi in West Pakistan and Dacca in East Pakistan. This was the first air agreement signed by China with any non-Socialist country. Pakistan said this agreement merely was a business proposition. China was happy with this air accord because she then was engaged in a campaign to win over the Afro- Asian countries in her stand against India regarding the China/India border clash dating from 1960.
Pakistani Airline flights provided a quick means of transport between China and many countries in the Middle East and Africa. The United States seemed to be losing patience with Pakistan over this new air accord in 1964 and held up a pending $ 4.3 million loan for Pakistani airport improvements. But, in fact, at the same time the United States intelligence gathering program inside Pakistan was able to get the Government of Pakistan, as owner/operator of Pakistan International Airways, to allow the US to install some wind sampling equipment on the surface of some PIA flights newly going into China. Wind sampling was and still is used today to check fall out from nuclear tests for national security purposes.
Whatever we Americans thought in 1964/65 about Pakistan relations with Communist China, our government was not then prepared to reconcile itself to the new Sino-Pakistan friendship.
Another example of Pakistan’s deteriorating relationship with the US was demonstrated by the Pakistan attitude at the SEATO Council Meeting held in Manila in mid April, 1964. Pakistan due to its obsession and preoccupation with their perceived Kashmir/Indian threat refused to make a military contribution to SEATO. Pakistan President Ayub Khan complained: “Now Americans do not hesitate to let down their friends. Today their policy is based on opportunism and is devoid of moral quality.”
I must note that at this time the US was refusing demands from Pakistani Foreign Minister Z. A. Bhutto to be shown the “inside” of the US intelligence operations at our Peshawar base. And the US was refusing to schedule missions of the RB-57F to over fly Kashmir for Pakistan to gather anti-Indian military intelligence. It seemed to me then that the leadership of Pakistan was the rawest of “opportunists.”
***Looking at how the US and the rest of the world in a post Cold War sense today deal in a free enterprise sense with a less strident China one can of course today view past history differently if you choose to. But at the time, in the 1960s, the Cold War was a hot, hostile process which also included the start up of the then long running Vietnam War.
It is important to note that after CIA Pilot Gary Powers was shot down in a U-2 over the USSR in May 1960, which U-2 flight originated from the Pakistani Air Base in Peshawar, President Eisenhower had subsequently suspended indefinitely use of the U-2 from inside Pakistan. Instead the US and Pakistan began using the B-57 as a replacement intelligence gathering platform. In June, 1964, two specially built and adapted to over 100,000 foot high altitude flight RB-57F aircraft were loaned, at no cost, absolutely free, to the Pakistan Air Force for use in our joint intelligence gathering over the USSR and Communist China. The two RB-57F aircraft were maintained and repaired in Pakistan entirely by the US at this time.
Two Royal Air Force pilots were trained in Texas to fly the RB-57F. These same two RAF pilots in turn helped train Pakistani Air Force pilots to fly the RB-57F. These same two RAF pilots also from time to time flew Pakistan reconnaissance missions for the US in these RB-57Fs. Remember that various versions of the B-57 had long been in the Pakistan Air Force air fleet, starting with the RAF English Electric Canberra B-57. Thus some Pakistan Air Force pilots mainly needed upgrade training to fly the uniquely built and adapted RB-57F. Critical differences the Pakistani pilots had to newly deal with to fly the RB-57F were the state of the art high altitude pressure suit they had to wear and the very large wing span used to gain very high altitude, in excess of 100,000 feet.
Now to the heart of the joint meeting of the US Pakistan and Indian Embassy staff held at the US Embassy in Karachi during March, 1964. I attended these meetings over several days together with my commanding officer, Colonel Thomas C. Hyde, USAF, who came down from our intelligence base at Peshawar.
Both US Ambassadors to Pakistan Walter P.McConnaughy, Jr. and Chester Bowls, US Ambassador to India, felt that their staff and related military aid mission teams needed to do some face to face “what if” scenario planning as in early 1965 India and Pakistan hostilities were episodically flaring up from the Rann of Kutch up to the disputed Kashmir northern in common border.
Certainly I was not allowed to take notes so this reminiscence is from memory alone. Among those attending the joint US Pakistan and Indian team meeting in Karachi were US Air Attaché to Pakistan Colonel Williams; US Naval Attaché to Pakistan Captain Miller; and Major General George Ruhlen, Chief of the US Military Advisory Assistance Group to Pakistan; Mr. Jack Schaffer and Commander Howard Amrine, USN, Retired, the CIA Team Chief and Deputy Chief for Pakistan at the US Embassy. I cannot recall the names of the US counterparts from the US Embassy in New Delhi. What I do recall is the senior ranking US Embassy in India official at the Karachi US Embassy meeting was the First Secretary from the US Embassy in New Delhi, India.
The meeting focused on two near term issues:
1. How could the US even handedly dampen the then on going military hostilities between Pakistan and India, which were stopping and starting irregularly at that time? I recall a partial answer was to cut off both nation’s resupply of US military parts and ammunition, which was done in due course.
2. What would be the evacuation plan for the civilian personnel and families as well as US forces stationed at the US Air Base at Badabur, just outside Peshawar, the 6937th USAF Security Service Communications Group. This topic was what brought my commanding officer down from Peshawar with me already permanently stationed at the US Embassy as his base USAF Liaison Officer.
My official identification was as Commander, Detachment 2, 6937th USAF Communications Group based at Karachi. I was promoted while serving in Pakistan from Second to First Lieutenant in February 1963, but for better or worse I was filling a Lt. Colonel’s slot with broad based US duties with Pakistani military and government agencies throughout Karachi as well as with three air fields I did business with: Maripur Pakistan Fighter-Bomber Air Base, where our USAF RB-57F reconnaissance aircraft were based most of the time; with the Karachi Civil Airport, where we had broad relations with Pakistan International Airways; and with Drigg Road Pakistan Air Base, which was the equivalent of our Wright Patterson US Air Base in Ohio. Drigg Road PAFB was a “technology and maintenance/repair” base of in common use and benefit at that time.
After this long historic background introduction and the brief description of our two US Embassies 1965 emergency meeting, I will summarize the 6937th Base evacuation plan/outcome.
The US CIA Country Team Chief, Mr. Jack Schaffer, who attended this emergency series of meetings, together with his CIA in country deputy, retired Navy Commander Howard Amrine, had been working with me to update and rewrite the evacuation plan for the US Air Base in Peshawar. We had planned for an airlift from Peshawar down country and out through Karachi. But, at and during our meetings the US Embassy teams for both Pakistan and India concluded that we all had to admit that things were already greatly “out of control” and unlikely to be tamed soon. Thus the plan was “reshaped” on the spot during these meetings (which lasted a few days within one week) and a different route USAF airlift was agreed upon. The USAF airlift was to come directly to Peshawar from and directly return to Turkey.
Looking at the map of SW Asia as it existed then we had the ability to negotiate quietly with the Pakistan Air Force directly in Peshawar (the PAF HQ was then based in Peshawar, near our 6937th Base) the over flight from within Turkey, a key CENTO ally, through/over Iran, then also a key CENTO ally into Peshawar where American civilians and family members and some military personnel were air evacuated out of country back to Turkey.
My US Embassy in Karachi USAF job ended May 28, 1965 when I rotated after 18 month back to the States. The evacuation airlift occurred in mid-summer 1965, after a particularly ferocious Indian Air Force vs. Pakistani Air Force battle over Peshawar, during which “some” Indian Air Force bombs fell in the vicinity of our US non-flying base at Badabur.
I heard from several friends who were still at the 6937th Base outside Peshawar that they had dug slit trenches for air raid purposes and had to use them on the day of this summer, 1965 heavy air engagement.
Some GI humor to help conclude this article, my fourth of twelve planned articles. The slit trenches on the grounds of the 6937th USAF Security Service Communications Group Base in Peshawar were filled with rain water at the time of the air battle. The air raid siren went off and my friends dashed outside and dove into the trenches...to discover a great deal of mud. My mental picture of these several friends coming up for air from several inches of water covered in mud then and now makes me chuckle. However the circumstances at that time were certainly no laughing matter.
In my future fifth of twelve Cold War Era contributions to THE COLD WAR TIMES I will delve into background events and circumstances which to my knowledge are unlikely to have ever been made of record. “Stay tuned.”
EARLY LIBERALISM
[Tullio Pascoli, Brazil]
Here are a few lines to share, of what quite possibly could be the longest listing on the Web for LIBERAL AUTHORS AND THEIR WORKS. In spite of being designed and written in Italian; inquiring minds will find books of various free thinkers who have displayed some of the most distinguished schools of thought ever recorded. It is very easy to access the files: just click on any of the individual names here below and one will be directed to a related page illustrating most of their works - if not all of them:
The idea is to bring together a new paradigm: as not all intellectuals and thinkers were or are "left" guided. As a matter of fact, before Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher produced the final shove against the wall of shame in Berlin, causing the fatal collapse of the Marxist utopia, the indoctrinated followers of that deleterious “faith” had succeeded to build a myth, according to which only militants of the egalitarian ideology could have entered into the selected Pantheon of their legitimated intellectuality. Thus, our list of liberal authors, pretends to redeem the ambiguous subterfuge and brings together approximately 450 authors and almost 1,500 of their works, who were inspired to share their individual liberties and freedom.
I must recognize that some of the authors mentioned do not achieve unanimous consensus; but it is not easy either to determine any limit on tolerance, so I hope not to be wrong for having and not having excluded some, while I have included others based on suggestions of a few readers. I am aware that this list is not perfect, and I do encourage readers to contribute and suggest more authors and their works. Maybe there are those who share the idea that it is useful to reduce the dominion of a leftist culture, while at the same time, may help to spread these efforts among all lovers of Freedom.
LABORERS AT BRICK KILN
[Gangly Khan, Mandi Bahauddin]
Laborers working at brick kilns held a rally in front of press club Mandi Bahauddin from 4 PM to 5:30 PM under arrangement of Labor Party Pakistan. Female laborers also joined the rally. Muhammad Ashraf District President Pakistan Batha Laborers Union, Mandi Bahauddin conducted the rally. They demanded release of the four arrested labor leaders from Faisalabad. Reinstate suspended and terminated workers leaders of PTCL, increase the minimum wages to Rs. 15000 and increase rate of kiln workers wages to Rs, 1000 per 1000 bricks and issuance of security cards. At this occasion Major Sher Muhammad Gondal District President Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society Mandi Bahauddin expressed solidarity with kiln laborers and urged the government to resolve the problems of the workers and peasants. He said price hike coupled with recent 10% increase in POL prices has increased hardships for the poor in keeping their souls and bodies together.
THE ROARING LOIN
[Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd), Rawalpindi]
What’s that that in this advanced age of modern telecommunications, internet, web cams, image scanning, video conferencing , satellite secure phone systems etc. cannot be discussed, communicated or transmitted from Islam that the presidential trouble shooter Malik Rehman has to make a dash every now and then to London, unless something is physically to be delivered personally through him? He certainly holds some magic mantra that tames the loin every time it roars.
WHAT CHEAPNESS
[Mahabat Khan Bangash, Peshawar]
It was shocking to see a photo on the front page of The News on 1st March, showing a young citizen surrounded by about 12 Rangers and being beaten for his only fault to protest for non availability of fuel for his motor bike in Karachi. Would the rulers feel shame who instead of giving relief to the citizens, have been humiliating them under duress? It was yet another worst example of cheapness, when Musharaf had sold out his country men to the Americans.
JAPAN JOLTED
[Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd), Rawalpindi]
A massive earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale hit Japan on the night of 8/9 March 2011. The quake was so sever that it raised fearful apprehensions for a tsunami deluging the coastal areas of Japan, for which an early warning has been issued to all. Surprisingly, not a roof collapsed nor a person was reported dead. Same is likely to happen even if a tsunami unleashes its horrific forces in the coastal areas. Why? Not because the Japanese are any more of a blessed nation than us, but because they are trained, equipped and prepared to face such natural calamities. They wrestle with the nature and conquer it too. That’s the difference between a technologically superior nation and an ignorant crowd who just resigns to the calamity as inevitable and suffers in silence.
MARTIAL LAW IN BAHRAIN
[Mahabat Khan Bangash, Peshawar]
According to media reports, Bahrain has declared Martial Law in the country. I shall advise the Bahrain rulers to take benefit from the services of Pakistanis who have 50 years experience at their credit in this field. Bahrain rulers must know that King Hussain of Jordan had already saved his kingship by the services of Gen. Ziaul Haq in the past. Fortunately Gen. (R) Musharaf is available in the market whose services could be hired for successful Martial Law.
RE: REFORMING PAKISTAN'S ELITIST ECONOMY [FREEPAKISTAN NEWSLETTER # 123]
[Yousuf Nazar]
We need a revolution, the time for reforms is gone!
EDITOR’S NOTE
Pakistan may not see a revolution! Even if there is one, it will need reform ultimately.
SCAVENGERS
[Mahabat Khan Bangash, Peshawar]
Raymond Davis release took place against payment of Diyat, which according to reports involved more than a billion. The affected families have received only 22 million, while the rest of the amount has been pocketed by the mediators ‘etc.’ This reminded me the scenes from the Animal Planet channel when an animal is hunted by a single lion or Cheetah but the carcass is shared by many other scavengers like hyenas, wolfs, jackals, vultures etc.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
[Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd), Rawalpindi]
The TV channels in the country air the political talk shows with such abundance that they cannot always find quality politicians to participate in them. The second and third rung politicians in their eagerness to outdo each other and prove themselves more loyal than the king not only present a scene out of a fish market – all talking simultaneously without listening to the other - but also expose themselves bare with their hollow and shallow arguments. Imagine, of all persons, even Imran Khan saying that a mission cannot be bound by a time limit! I always thought that a mission had to be selected very carefully for it to be Clear, Precise, Attainable with the resources available and Accomplished in the given Time. Or else, it would be a vague statement, not worth being taken seriously. Oh Lord when will we be blessed with the leaders with clear vision and mission.
PAKISTAN DAY
[Gangly Khan, Mandi Bahauddin]
Our leaders when addressing gatherings on Pakistan day always stress on Jihad for liberating Kashmir. Practically they have done nothing in this direction. Pakistanis have been rendering sacrifices for Kashmir cause but when time came for settlement of the issue leaders on both sides of the divide turn their positions and they did it deliberately for their own interests. As regards Pakistan it was created to protect interests of a special class of people who always supported English rulers. They comprised Pirs, pathans, Waderas, Nawabs and since creation of Pakistan they have been ruling Pakistan with no participation from the poor class of people. To deceive and keep people in dark they always say Pakistan was created in the name of Islam. History of Pakistan has proved that these claims of our leaders are false. Instead of harping over Kashmir and two nation theory they should think of uplifting the lot of the poor and stabilize the country that is now left with us. There are countries that have no rivers and still they enjoy stability and prosperity. Hypocracy and falsehood should be ended. Instead truth should be promoted and followed.
FAZAL SURVIVES OTHERS DIE
[Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd), Rawalpindi]
Fazal ur Rehman of JUI survived two bomb attacks one after the other on two consecutive days at two different places, though many in the rallies died and many others maimed for life. Our leaders seem to be too fond of displaying their political strength by holding rallies, little realizing that in doing so they offer the terrorists with an ideal situation of carrying out bomb and suicidal attacks. Late BB also - against the advice of the agencies - got more than 150 people killed in Karachi when her monumental rally was crawling at snail’s speed at that too at night time to Quaid’s mausoleum. She did it again in another gathering at Liaqat Bagh Rawalpindi where throwing caution to the winds she stood up in the cupola of the bullet proof car only to lose her own life. It is time our leaders realized that fool proof security measures cannot be arranged by anyone for their huge rallies for hours on end and that bomb attacks will take place on such lucrative targets come what may. They should, therefore, not expose their followers to such extreme dangers and instead address them on the TV, which would be seen and heard by many times more audience than their addressing them alive.
EUNUCH REGISTRATION
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed NADRA to immediately complete the process of registration of eunuchs in the country. A much desired step to replace the eunuchs running the country by the genuine ones. [Pakistan Observer]
VEENA MALIK AND MILITANTS
[Dr. Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
Actress Veena Malik has decided to leave the country after receiving death threats from the militants because of her appearance in the Indian Reality Show "Big Boss". Does this suggest that militants have started to wactch reality shows? [Daily Times]
LACK OF QUORUM
[Dr. Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
Every other day we hear about the lack of quorum in the Parliament sessions which is adversely affecting the proceedings of the house. This issue can be very easily tackled by the Government if they start inviting Bollywood/Lollywood actresses as guests, thus ensuring a full house all the time. [Pakistan Observer]
OUR POLITICAL SOAP OPERA
[M S Hasan, Karachi]
Even the Indian soap operas, depicting the eternal hate-love relationship between the ever-feuding saas and bahu - pale in comparison with our own political soap opera on the hate-love relationship between the PPP and the MQM. The soap opera begins with finger-pointing followed by accusations, allegations of wrong-doings and use of foul language by both parties. All this leads to a temporary trial separation. Then comes reconciliation with loads of mukmuka. A reunion finally takes place. Both parties celebrate the happy occasion of reunion with usual hugging and warm handshakes and live happily until the next separation. One wonders if our politicians will ever grow up. They have repeated this performance so many times now that nobody takes either party’s threats of separation seriously. [The News]
EASY SOLUTION
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
Instead of wasting time running from pillar to post to get Raymond Davis released, a simple solution is to get a resolution passed from the United Nations banning the export of liquor to Pakistan by all its member states. Pakistani “Elite” will immediately oblige. [Pakistan Observer]
BEGGAR AND BLACKBERRY
[Dr. Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
If not in any other field, our country has certainly progressed in the field of Telecommunications; the realization dawned when witnessed a Beggar talking on the Blackberry Mobile phone. [The Nation]
PARTY OF MARTYRS
[Dr. Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza has termed the PPP “the party of martyrs”. True, it is the Party of the dead and is certainly ruling the masses the same way. [Pakistan Observer]
THE WORLD SHOULD SALUTE US
[Abdul Rauf, Fateh Jang]
World Earth hour is being observed between 8:30pm to 9:30 pm today by switching off lights to show concern for climate change and global warming. But we in Pakistan are observing World Earth ‘hours’ since last many years as our governments have failed to provide us with adequate basic necessity like electricity. The world should salute us! [The Nation]
REVENUE MEASURES BY FBR
[Dr Irfan Zafar, Islamabad]
We would like to congratulate the Government for imposing a one-time flood surcharge of 15% on income tax payable during tax year 2011. It is requested that a further surcharge of 20% on Raymond Davis release, 15% as development funds for Multan and finally 10% for the slaughtering of black sheep everyday at the President House be imposed with immediate effect. With majority of people living above the poverty line, these nominal taxes will be of least concern considering the noble causes for which they will be utilized. [Pakistan Observer]
Issue of the month: Media marching
MEDIA NEEDS TO CHANGE
[Mehak Ali, London, UK]
No doubt the unrest prevalent in Pakistan is mainly due to extremist elements carrying out terrorist activities here. However, they are not the only ones responsible for all the lives that we have lost. The media is supposed to provide people with information and guidance. However, in recent years the media has become highly irresponsible. It is packed with right-wingers who provoke people towards violence and people who will say anything to meet their vested interests. This was observed in Salmaan Taseer’s case when a lot of TV anchors, in order to get high ratings, found a million ways to condemn his statements. Moreover, the ‘ratings race’ has caused a lot of TV channels to lose their credibility as they always end up delivering false information in an attempt to be the first to provide that particular information. How can the masses understand the difference between right and wrong when they are being pumped with extremist ideas all day long? The need of the hour is to hire progressive and responsible professionals who have ethics. [Daily Times]
MEDIA AND RESPONSIBILITY
[Iqra Zahid Dogar, Lahore]
The media of any country is the reflection of its society. It depicts how people behave and live in their country. The way of news is presented and packaged; the way politicians partake in political debates and discussion on talk shows etc, this is all reflective of the behavior of the people of that country. The mass media often sets the agenda for political campaigns, influencing public attitudes towards desired issues. The media is now easily accessible by all walks of people through various electronic appliances i.e. TV, Radio, Internet, News Papers and now mobile phones are also being used by people to be aware of events occurring around them.
The media affects people's perceptions and priorities their thinking about political content. Media shapes the public's behavior about the issues and plays vital role in highlighting certain attributes of issues. Gatekeepers of the media i.e. (editors, news editors, and other journalists) play a central role in shaping the media agenda which becomes public agenda after sometime. This puts a great burden of responsibility on the media which it should exercise with caution and conscience.
In the current turbulent times of Pakistan, the media can have a very positive affect on the political landscape of Pakistan if it so desires. The media in Pakistan has the power; it is time it shouldered the responsibility of that power too. [Pakistan Today]
IMPORTANCE OF A LITERATE MEDIA
[Saima Ali, Maryland, USA]
The above titled article, ‘Importance of a literate media’ (Daily Times, March 23, 2011) was an excellent piece of writing by Dr Irfan Zafar. The analyst has raised a very pertinent issue regarding the quality of programmes produced on the electronic media and the reasons behind it. Pragmatic analysis of this sort is a rare thing for which your newspaper needs all the praise it can get.
[Daily Times]
MEDIA FREEDOM
[Anwar Perveen, Islamabad]
The media in all forms has become an important aspect in everyday life. It has gradually taken the role of forming and shaping the opinions of people towards issues which later on become trends of society. Freedom and introduction of so many channels is a blessing if utilised properly and to its optimum.To shoulder heavy responsibilities needs a careful planning from objectives to the achievement of mission. It is a team work based on monitoring the pulse of the latest situation and the emerging trends in the society due to outside and inside influences. Education and experience matter a lot in this field. The programmes dealing with the national issues need scrutiny at all levels.
What, when, how and whom to communicate the actual ground realities with what desired outcomes.
Awareness and qualification can give a layout and techniques to handle the issues. Who is communicating and how delivering the message, having a grip on the situation and an eye on the sensitivities is very important. Here comes maturity and experience. Running a show for the sake of getting attention and creating an environment of allegations/counter allegations is not all what people want. The main emphasis should be to make the people aware of the problems the country is going through. Comprehension of issues and finding amicable and positive solutions is must. Making the audience mentally strong is also the responsibility of the media, so that people do not fall prey to negative propaganda. They have a sense and vision to differentiate between right and wrong when it comes to national and sensitive issues. Freedom of media is not only a concept but a revolution which can bring a positive change and overcome the turmoil in society. Media has to keep a balance when it comes to responsibilities and commercialism. [Pakistan Today]
HIGHLY IRRESPONSIBLE MEDIA
[Mohammad Khan Sial, KARACHI]
The first time in the 63-year long history of Pakistan, the "Freedom of Press" is being grossly misused. This time, it is not in danger from the government side, but it is from media men themselves. It is a sad aspect of the issue, because "Freedom of Press" was obtained by the nation, after a long and difficult struggle and sacrifices. The anchors of satellite TV channels are bent upon creating chaos in the country. Surprisingly, some anchors are compelling their guests, through questions, to give such replies that personally suit the anchors and frequently pass objectionable remarks that are not allowed by the ethics of journalism in any case.
Severe criticism in the press from the common man against the misuse of "Freedom of Press" does not bring about any positive change into their attitude. I request civil society members to come forward and save "Freedom of Press" from the irresponsible media, before it is too late.
[Business Recorder]
It is for the people, especially for the think-tanks and NGOs, and no doubt for media also, that the big issue for the next election should be the provision of basic social services (water supply, sanitation, public transport, roads, paved streets, street lights, libraries, parks or playgrounds, and noise and pollution free environment) to all the citizens in Pakistan not only ensured in the constitution but binding on the next government also. If achieved, that will be a great step forward towards the unification of the ordinary and elite Pakistans. Is there any political party ready to take up this at the top of its agenda? [Editor]
LIBRARIES IN BALOCHISTAN
[Aziz Hasil Bolanian, Turbat]
The current existence of libraries in Balochistan is far behind other provinces of Pakistan. The significance of libraries is uncountable and no doubt libraries are the lone source to brighten up the future of nations. Furthermore, by sitting in libraries a student can seek help from different books and most importantly can prepare for competitive examinations. However, it is incredibly sad that the province of Balochistan lags behind in the field of education though Balochistan desires more and more libraries for the betterment of society and the country. So, I would like to draw the attention of the government to this matter. [Daily Times]
ROAD IN A SHAMBLES
[Sajid Ali Soomro, Larkana]
When the PPP came to power, various development projects worth billions of rupees were initiated to improve the infrastructure of the country and roads were given priority. In Sindh, Larkana-Shahdadkot Road is one of them. However, it has been more than two years that the work on that road has been stopped, though the completion period was only one year. The contractor only spread a layer of rocks but no further work has been carried out for the last eight months. As a result, the layer of rocks has been totally damaged by vehicles, which is a loss of millions of rupees. Driving a vehicle on the dilapidated road is a misery; many accidents have also occurred due to the poor condition of the road and several precious lives have been lost. I request the authorities concerned to take notice of the matter and start work on the road on a priority basis. [Dawn]
SUKKUR LIBRARY INACCESSIBLE
[F. Rehman Channa, Sukkur]
Mir Masoom Shah Library is the only one in Sukkur that enables many people to study and increase their skills collectively. However, owing to undue delay in renovation work of the library, a cross-section of people attending it have been deprived of the facility. In fact, the fund of the library has been unfairly used for building homes for individuals within the boundary of the library. Such misuse of public property is indeed a blow to the education sector of the province. In fact it was largely due to the unavailability of the library in Sukkur that no candidate was able to excel in CSS examinations in 2010. Readers and candidates now are deprived of a library and are compelled to study collectively at small hotels. The authorities concerned should take notice of the issue. [Dawn]
NO SAFE WATER FOR US
[Huma Rahim, Lahore]
A worrisome news report has been published by a section of the print media that claims that the drinking water in the metropolitan is, on fact, not safe to drink. It is rather a hub of germs and parasites that can cause some severe medical problems for a large majority of the city. What to talk of the governance problems or financial issues if the government is unable to provide as basic facilities as safe drinking water to the very public it is supposed to serve. This situation needs to be changed and the water filtration plants should be installed at once in all the constituencies of the CDG. [Pakistan Today]
URBAN TRANSPORT MASTER PLAN
[Zubair Khawar, Lahore]
This is apropos of the news report ‘Urban transport master plan’ (Feb 26). The conclusion that ‘widening of crossings or traffic lots is not a solution’ is a sane advice that our ruling class needs to heed before embarking on widening roads such as Canal Road which, in my opinion, is iconic in terms of being a road that has a public park running on either side and really defines Lahore as the ‘city of gardens.’ A proper public transport infrastructure, including buses, trains provided by public and private sectors and a long-term birth control plan are far more long-lasting solutions. A simple example can illustrate how good mass transit systems can eliminate traffic chaos. Let us say a minor traffic jam in the morning consists of 30 cars (I am playing it safe) at a signal and each car has on average two people in it, so there are a total of 60 people travelling on 30 cars.
On the other hand, a large bus can accommodate about 60 people on seats alone and takes up a maximum area of only six cars. This means that the same road which shrinks in the presence of 30 cars can be more than enough even if these 60 people travel on three different buses. The real life application of this example is, of course, complicated but its worth trying, instead of making people suffer endlessly with roads upon roads which fail to fulfil their purpose within a decade. [Dawn]
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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