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Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on March 6th, 2014
RAISE YOUR VOICE TO SAVE PAKISTAN FROM BEING LOOTED
LOOT SALE OF THE COUNTRYAsad Umar
Friday, February 14, 2014Part – I
The regressive fiscal measures taken by the PML-N government in its first nine months in power make it abundantly clear that PM Sharif’s ‘most experienced’ team has no interest in citizen welfare when taking important economic decisions.
While the citizens have been burdened by unprecedented increase in prices of electricity, gas, petrol and burdened further by increase in taxes on essential daily use commodities, the elite has been lavished with tax breaks and amnesty schemes to get richer. However, the party may have just begun. The ‘most experienced’ team’s next target is to deliver what may be the ‘grand sale of the century’ – marketing it as the miracle cure for the ailing economy.
This is the same miracle cure that was administered by the ‘most experienced’ team in the 1990s under the IMF stabilisation programme. The results of the 1990s privatisation programme were dismal. The Asian Development Bank’s 1998 evaluation report found that only 22 percent of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that were privatised were performing better under private-sector management, whereas 34 percent of the unit’s performance worsened significantly.
Out of the 83 manufacturing units privatised, 20 were closed down permanently, leading to significant loss of employment. We risk making the same mistakes if we are not more thoughtful in our approach. The government has prepared a list of 31 state-run enterprises to be privatised within the next three years. There is little to suggest that the results will be any different this time around.
The PTI supports a formal restructuring of state-owned enterprises under an independent board of directors (BoD) and through a transparent process as prescribed by the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance. The best example of a developing country successfully turning large inefficient state enterprises into engines of growth is Malaysia. The Malaysian government setup an autonomous strategic investment company ‘Khazana Nasional’, run by an independent BoD with powers to appoint CEOs and hold them accountable on clearly defined performance benchmarks. The landmark Government-Linked Companies (GLC) Transformation Programme of Khazana Nasional has been a huge success and has rapidly transformed inefficient SOEs into high performing corporate giants.
SOEs with strategic importance were kept under government ownership but made competitive through eliminating influence of politicians/bureaucrats. Strategic importance can be for financial reasons (the income generated for government), energy security, employment generation capacity and public service delivery (water, health, education and public transportation).
A few select SOEs with little strategic importance were also privatised. However, privatisation was pursued only after the SOEs had been restructured and made profitable to achieve maximum value for shareholders (government and public). Importance was given to strengthening the regulatory agencies to achieve the privatisation objectives of enhancing competition and raising competitiveness of industry.
The Khazana National model was also a key recommendation put forward in the National Economic Agenda that was presented to the government in 2012 by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC). This is also what the PML-N promised in their 2013 election manifesto. Specifically, the PML-N manifesto stated that “the immediate task of the CEOs – appointed by independent and professional boards, will be to manage these corporations effectively and to plug the losses”. Instead we see indecent haste in outlining over 31 SOEs for privatisation.
Like all other pre-election promises, the PML-N government has abandoned its promise of a transparent privatisation process managed by an independent board, free of nepotism. Instead the Privatisation Commission BoD nominated by PM Sharif are all members affiliated with the ruling party and hence not independent. The professional expertise of some of the members is also highly questionable.
Despite the passage of over nine months in power, the PML-N government has failed to appoint CEOs of over 28 of the SOEs/institutions. The SOEs being run with acting CEOs include PSM, PSO, OGDCL, SNGPL, SSGC and Pepco etc.
For example the acting CEO of the PSM is the same man accused by the PML-N to have systematically destroyed Pakistan Steel under the PPP government. This raises serious questions marks on the intent of the government. Questions are propping up over the government preparing to hand over these SOEs at throw-away prices to friends and family.
Similarly, the PML-N government has systematically moved to weaken the regulatory authorities ahead of the planned privatisation programme. Ogra, Nepra, SECP and now even the SBP are without appointed CEOs and are being run on an ad hoc basis. The scant regard this government has for laws pertaining to regulators can be evidenced from the multiple violations of the State Bank Act being committed by the government in the last few months. This again raises serious question marks over transparency of the privatisation process – with the government deliberately and systematically weakening regulatory authorities ahead of initiating privatisation.
The PML-N privatisation mantra is deeply flawed. The party argues that the private sector can run these SOEs more efficiently and that the government can no longer afford to spend taxpayers’ money on bailing out these SOEs every year. There is little evidence to suggest that private enterprises are always more efficient than state-run enterprises. Take the example of the energy sector; Sinopec of China and Saudi Aramco are just as profitable as BP or Exxon Mobil. Similarly, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, both state owned, are bigger and more profitable than almost any of the private sector airlines.
The corporate banking giants in the US and EU had to be renationalised or recapitalised following the 2008 global financial crisis. The railways sector in the UK and EU had to be renationalised following disastrous results under private-sector management.
The real reason the government is demonstrating undue haste in pushing through privatisation is the need for money to finance its large deficits. The PML-N government borrowed over Rs883bn (June 1 to January 24) from the SBP for deficit financing – a new record beating even the woeful PPP government’s dismal performance.
The IMF has put strict limits on further money printing and so the government is seeking new avenues to finance its unsustainable deficits. Instead of initiating real reforms to raise government income through tax on the large, extremely wealthy untaxed segments of the economy or curtailing unproductive spending, the government has gone for the easier short cut to finance its large deficits. This is, of course, a very short-sighted strategy as it is onetime revenue earned through sale of the SOEs and will leave the structural problem unresolved.
Let’s dig deeper and see how serious a drain the SOEs put on the government finances. The budget documents show that government paid Rs367bn in FY13 to SOEs for subsidies/losses out of which Rs350bn (95 percent) was accounted by only two entities – Wapda and KESC. As we know, KESC (Karachi Electric) is now a privatised entity. If we take out Wapda and KESC the losses of the SOEs paid by the government in the FY13 budget were only Rs18bn.
Interestingly, the government forgets to mention the fact that most of the SOEs put up for privatisation are profitable and earned the government over Rs63 billion in dividends alone in FY13. So the net budget impact for the government (dividends minus subsidies) of the SOEs, excluding the power sector, was a positive contribution of Rs45 billion last year!
To be continued
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on March 5th, 2014
Eyewitness and lawyer Mohammad Bilal describes what he saw
At least 11 people have been killed in an attack at a court in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, officials say.
Gunmen burst into the court complex and opened fire before at least two suicide bombers detonated explosives, at a time of the morning when crowds gather.
A judge and several lawyers are reported to be among those killed and at least 24 people were wounded.
A group called Ahrarul Hind said it carried out the attack – one of the deadliest in the capital for years.
As we walked through the alleyways, pools of blood spilled out of different offices where gunmen had indiscriminately opened fire on lawyers and their clients, according to witnesses.
Commandos and paramilitary troops cleared the area, going from room to room looking for victims and assailants.
Shattered glass from broken windows were strewn along the cobblestone alleys. Forensic officers examined the remains of a suicide bomber outside a court where a judge was killed.
The stench of burnt flesh lingered as drizzle began washing away the blood that had collected under the rubble.
It comes after a weekend in which the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) pledged a month-long ceasefire and the government said it would suspend air strikes against militants.
Both are moves aimed at reviving the stalled peace process.
The TTP have denied having anything to do with this attack, but the BBC’s M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad points out that it sits at the helm of a loose network of territorially independent militant groups who have different agendas. Not all of them will favour peace talks.
However, a spokesman for the little-known Ahrarul Hind group, Asad Mansoor, told BBC Urdu that his group had carried out the attack.
Mansoor said his group was never part of the TTP and hence not part of any ceasefire with the government.
Police officials have described this as a complex attack.
Officials say an unknown number of gunmen, thought to be armed with grenades as well as AK47 assault rifles, stormed the area where judges’ chambers and lawyers’ offices are located, a convoluted maze of corridors and walkways.
The injured were transported to nearby hospitals – at least 24 are thought to have been wounded
Islamabad police chief Sikandar Hayat told reporters that two of the attackers blew themselves up when surrounded by police.
Schools evacuated
Pakistani TV showed footage of the area with windows blown out, walls broken and people carrying the dead and wounded from the buildings.
Policemen with weapons raised were seen running into the area. It is unclear if any of the attackers have been captured by police.
The area has been cordoned off and local schools evacuated.
Correspondents say the attack has shocked many in the city, which has not seen violence on this scale since 2008 when an attack on the Marriott hotel left 40 dead.
Islamabad has largely been spared the militancy that has beset other areas of Pakistan in recent years.
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on March 5th, 2014
The curse of Nawaz Sharif family corruption is coming soon to a theatre near you, to show how to rob a nation. Watch modern Nero Nawaz Sharif frozen by fear and incompetence, while Pakistani professionals are slaughtered according to the neocon Zionist-India axis, and their agents taliban who morph into Ahrar-i-Hind to slaughter Pakistan lawyers and judges. They are brutal to the core and mercilessly gunning down a woman law intern Fiza. They belong to the devil-worshipping sect that grows by murdering unarmed Pakistani professionals, because these professionals are the biggest threat to their nihilistic ideologies, which have not been sanctioned by any religion or creed. By killing others and killing themselves they achieve their nirvana of hell. Pakistan is fighting alone this war unleashed by a confluence of known and unknown enemies, each with their single point agenda destroy the most power nuclear Islamic nation. Two lethal enemies of Pakistan and enemies of Muslims have joined hand with Saudi Wahhabis, Takfiris, and Salafis to conduct operation “Crush Pakistan.” they have their plans and 180 million strong Pakistanis have their protector, the almighty Allah, he has his plan. While their plans fail. His plan works, because He is the one Absolute, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent ruler of ours and multiple other universes or multiverses, which he creates every moment. He created Pakistan and Pakistan will outlast and defeat all its enemies. They have tried to destroy it for 65 years but have ignominiously failed. All Pakistan’s enemies are warned; you will fail and die in misery for killing innocent people of Pakistan to achieve your evil agendas. Your economies will be destroyed. Your children will die worst deaths than those you bring upon innocent Pakistanis. Your generations will be afflicted by plagues and diseases you have never know. Learn from the deaths of three people who destroyed united Pakistan. Indira Gandhi=shot to death, Sh.Mujib = shot to death by his own people, and ZA Bhutto hanged by his favorite Army Chief. Clinton humiliated and abused by his own nation as a lecher and a womanizer, living a loveless life with a woman who despises him. All had a part in destroying united Pakistan; Ariel Sharon the last schemer against Pakistan died a slow death living in purgatory for years. Read the poem Ozymandias & learn a lesson. But, you have lead in your ears and steel curtains on your eyes.
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on March 4th, 2014
NEW TURN IN PURCHASE PRICE OF LNG FOR PAKISTAN FROM THEIR OWN COMPANY HEADED BY THE FRONT MAN MR SAIF UR REHMAN EX-MOTASIB E ALA PAKISTAN SITTING IN YEMEN
Heart warming news for the nation, the corrupt government of Pakistan, which came to power through fraudulent means, in the light of hue & cry made by one particular media group (ARY) and public in general has forced these scoundrels to shamelessly reduce previously selected price of 19.5 $ for the purchase of LNG for Pakistan from their own newly established company in Yemen through their front man Ex- Motasib e Ala Mr. Saif ur Rehman, downwards to 16.5 $.
The interesting point worth mentioning, that India buys same product from Yemen in 12 .5 $ (including all Kickbacks, Commissions, Cuts etc, etc) and Japan buys at 12.0 $. Now one can imagine easily as to what is going to happen in days to come, and how this gang of corrupt is going to rob mercilessly 180 million down trodden people of Pakistan in the name of sham democracy.
Knowledgeable people in the subject believe that including all Kickbacks, Commissions & Cuts the purchase price for LNG delivered in Pakistan should be not more than 11.5 $, because Pakistan happens to be located nearest, then all other purchasers of LNG from Yemen.
Thus in a way, still these cruel vultures of Lahore, the so called democrats are planning to rob this poor nation by 4 $ per unit in purchase price only, which as worked out would amount to 400 million dollars per year (depending upon the units agreed to be purchased per year). On top of every thing the tenure of the purchase agreement between the newly established company and Government of Pakistan would be for 15 years, having an inbuilt clause, that if the agreement is terminated before the designated period of time than the Government of Pakistan would have to pay a huge amount in lieu of damages.
This deal would certainly leave the Sheikhs of Yemen to learn a lot from these Thugs from Pakistan, who also some time back purchased 49% shares in the largest steel mill of New Zealand out of money looted from Pakistan. This is how the thug mafia loot this country, turning it to be bankrupt. So Sad
Posted by admin in Pakistan-A Nation of Hope on March 3rd, 2014
Beware of TTP’S Double Face
Sajjad Shaukat
After the continued aerial strikes by the Pakistani jets and helicopters which have bombed militants’ hideouts including bomb-making factories in some tribal and surrounding areas of North Waziristan, killing several terrorists, on March 1, this year, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced a month-long ceasefire with the government for resumption of peace talks. In response, while welcoming the TTP offer of truce, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan assured Maulana Samiul Haq, Taliban committee member that stalled dialogue would re-start within a few days and the government also decided to stop the ongoing surgical operations. But, on February 20, 2014, Chaudhry Nisar had clarified that Pakistan’s armed forces are undertaking strikes in FATA in ‘self-defense.’ On February 27, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz said that dialogue with the Taliban had derailed, adding that the state’s writ would be established in the troubled regions.
In fact, while the committee of the Pakistan Government was conducting peace talks with that of the TTP, a deadlock occurred when Taliban claimed responsibility for the brutal massacre of the 23 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary in Afghanistan, who were abducted from Mohmand Agency, four years ago. This heinous act which was strongly condemned by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, leaders of various political and religious parties including Jamat-e-Islami Chief Munawar Hassan and Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan who are sympathizers of these Taliban, came as a blow from the sky, giving a greater setback to the peace process.
Earlier, Taliban militants targeted the Rangers, Police bus and anti-polio workers in Karachi in wake of the peace talks for which TTP accepted responsibility. Particularly, the tragic incident of terrorist attack on the Police bus in Karachi, killing 13 and injuring 57 commandos have been condemned by all segment of society.
In the recent past, on the one hand, TTP spokesman has condemned the terror-events which took place in Karachi and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa including assaults on the personnel of the security forces and law-enforcing agencies, on the other; he has claimed responsibility, while stating that the outfit will continue terror-assaults. Similarly, TTP had condemned the terror-attack on the church in Peshawar. But, afterwards, its spokesman had remarked that it was in accordance with Sharia (Islamic Jurisprudence) which indicated that the militant group was behind that ruthless assault. So, contradictory statements of the TTP-led Taliban have endorsed that the militant group sabotaged the peace dialogue by playing double game.
Meanwhile, the militant attack on a polio team in Jamrud on March 1, which left 11 dead—as part of their dual approach, TTP did not claim responsibility. In response, gunship helicopters struck the headquarters of Mullah Tamanche involved in the attack on polio workers, killing five culprits.
However, double face of the TTP could also be judged from some recent statements of its spokesman. Sometimes, he agreed with government, saying that the TTP wanted to advance peace process in accordance with constitution of Pakistan, and sometimes, he rejected the constitution as un-Islamic. Notably, the constitution which was signed by the leaders of all the political and religious parties, declares the country, The Islamic Republic of Pakistan—also mentions that the government will made efforts to implement Islamic system in the country.
Similarly, earlier the TTP rejected government’s condition for unilateral ceasefire; a day after the Federal Cabinet urged its militants to renounce terror activities without pre-conditions. As regards surgical operations, its spokesman had warned, “the government will have to bear more loss than us.” But, it is due to the pressure, built by the successful air strikes that the outfit has announced ceasefire for a month with the government, inviting the latter to revive the peace talks. Despite it, fact remains that the TTP-led insurgents also want to deceive the government through its shrewd techniques, as they seek stoppage of selective military actions in order to strengthen their position for future terror-attacks. They also intend to create a rift between the civil-military relations. In this respect, on February 26, Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif along with DG ISI Lt. Gen. Zaheerul Islam met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other top officials. The military leadership informed the meeting about hideouts of terrorists in North Waziristan, assuring that these could be eliminated in two weeks, as the recent strikes have inflicted heavy damage to the militants. They also ensured that armed forces would eliminate terrorism from the soil of the country.
Besides, the TTP also wants to create fissures between the political and religious parties to fulfill the nefarious designs of their external masters. In this context, Chief of Jamiat Ulema-I-Islam (F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Munawar Hassan have welcomed the Taliban’s declaration of ceasefire. And Imran Khan who has recently favoured military operation against the Taliban also supported TTP’s truce offer, while emphasizing the government to avail this opportunity.
It is of particular attention that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has asserted that peace talks and violent acts of terrorism cannot go side by side. While unveiling the prime minister’s national security policy in the National Assembly on February 26, he said that the attacks from militants would be met with an appropriate military response. But, at the same time, he pointed out that doors of dialogue with the TTP were still opened. On March 1, Nisar stated that no military operation was going on in the tribal regions, and only targeted action was being carried out, as the government had not decided such an operation.
The Leader of the Opposition, Syed Khurshid Shah and those of other political parties have remarked that they support the government over the issue of tackling terrorism, but asked the rulers to announce a clear-cut policy over the matter.
Now, some political and religious entities have been pointing to some external elements which are thwarting the peace process between the TTP and the government. In this connection, without naming US, some are hinting towards the “third power”, and some are saying that Indian secret agency RAW is castigating these peace talks.
While, the TTP new Chief Maulana Fazlullah had dismissed the proposed peace negotiations with the government as a “waste of time”, and vowed to target the prime minister, chief minister, chief of army staff and corpse commanders. During Swat and Malakand military operations, Fazlullah fled Swat and took shelter in Afghanistan.
Well-established in Afghanistan, with the tactical support of the US, in connivance with Indian RAW and Afghan spy service, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Pakistani Taliban, Maulana Fazlullah—and these foreign agencies have been conducting target killings, bomb blasts, suicide attacks, beheadings, assaults on civil and military personnel, installations and forced abductions including ethnic and sectarian violence. By sending heavily-equipped militants in Pakistan, these entities are also assisting Baloch separatists.
Unfortunately, terrorists led by the TTP use Islam as their most effective mask. Their main demands include enforcement of Islamic system of governance by imposing Shariah laws in the country, ending diplomatic relations with US and western world and undertaking Jihad against the non-Muslims. They have become self-proclaimed campaigners of Islam, rejecting all dissenting views. While, the victims of terror-attacks in Pakistan have been innocent men, women, and children including security personnel and prominent religious figures—blowing children schools, the militants also targeted cinemas and the places of worships.
No doubt, Jihad is a sacred obligation, but its real spirit needs to be understood clearly, as murdering innocent women and children is not Jihad. In fact, by implementing the agenda of some foreign powers, these Taliban and their banned affiliated groups are defaming Islam, concept of Jihad, and are weakening Pakistan.
As terrorists have accelerated their anti-social, undemocratic and un-Islamic practices, therefore, people from all the segment of life and majority of politicians want that a handful of terrorist elements must not be allowed to impose their self-perceived ideology on the majority of Pakistanis, while supporting military action against these culprits.
Political leaders must not advance their political agenda on valuable assessments given by top military leadership on the possibility of success of military operation against TTP in Karachi as well. Out of context references not only ridicule the Armed Forces, but also help glorifying the Taliban. 40% success of Army operation stated by ex-chief of army staff, Iman Khan and the prime minister who wrongly referred the statement of DG ISI pointed at creating an impact of the operation in achieving overall objective of resolving the problem for restoring peace. Hence, leaders must exercise prudence in issuing ill-conceived statements to gain political prominence. They must not evade responsibility on terrorism by putting the entire blame on the third force. They have to accept responsibility to take the country out of terrorism. Postings in Sindh Police during Karachi operation must also not be done before the prior consent of DG Rangers Sindh.
Nonetheless, instead of wavering between fact and scepticism by following the policy of appeasement towards all the militant groups, especially the TTP, our rulers need to be aware of their real intentions which display their double face. The government must devise a comprehensive strategy to deal with the terrorists with iron hands, while declaring a full-fledged military operation against them, as any delay will further embolden these militants who will further intensify their subversive activities.
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