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Archive for category Privatisation

The Big Story that went unreported from Washington:Red Alert for Corrupt Leaders by Shaheen Sehbai

 

The Big Story that went unreported from Washington:Red Alert for Corrupt Leaders

by Shaheen Sehbai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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INTERNATIONAL LAYER OF INSTABILITY By Samson Simon Sharaf

My Opinion in Nation.
 While reading do not miss moles planted within the most vociferous opposition party and the moles within us. 

 

INTERNATIONAL LAYER OF INSTABILITY

Samson Simon Sharaf

 
Like the simile of an onion I have used to frame my hypothesis, the most crucial and damaging is Pakistan’s susceptibility to US interests in chagrin to its short and long-term interests. Whenever a Pakistani leader has shown a flair for independence, he/she has been eliminated. Add to the list Pakistan’s tax evaders, money launderers, political business cartels, offshore businessmen, bad fiscal policies, impotency of regulators, opaqueness in transparency and economic hit-men to make a lethal brew of anti non-state actors. All these layers compliment each other but for the interests of Pakistan. They also coalesce when needed to subdue the winds of change. They exist in every sinew of Pakistan’s politic body. 
 
Pakistan has never had a cohesive, self-serving and permanent national policy; a sad but true reflection of a state that spent half its existence under military dictatorships or tailored democracies under the watchful eye. The first decade was lost to political conspiracies hatched by a group of bureaucrats and politicians, who had the advantage but not the conscience of serving with Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. They chose to wade through a muddied perspective on an elusive and unending journey of inventive nationalism that caused disfigurement. To complicate the national construct, foreign policy resulting in subservience to USA set in motion a diplomacy of invisible interventions that often became violent.
 
How intense were US interests in Pakistan that Prime Minster Liaqat Ali Khan had to be assassinated by CIA through the Afghan Government because he refused to destabilize Mossadeq’s regime in Iran begs no answer. Subsequently USA not only changed the regime but also reached a long-term alliance with Saudi Arabia that was to later forge the Oil-Dollar Equation. Pakistan’s close relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab Kingdoms are imbedded in working within US interests and in the bargain provide a security balance to Middle East. Now that USA is easing its policy on Iran after many decades, Pakistan will be dissuaded across the entire spectrum of policy from placation to violence to keep its relations with Iran in concert with US-Saudi objectives. 
 
This shift in Pakistan’s policy was the result of Bhutto’s policy of a greater Muslim alliance through the Islamic Summit. Ultimately it distanced Iran. But Iran too had its hegemonic designs that became aggressive after the Iranian Revolution creating frictions on international border, inside Afghanistan and sectarian lines. Ever since, both neighbors have played a game of brinkmanship with mutual suspicion under the watchful eye of USA and KSA. 
 
On his part Bhutto suffered a fate no different from Liaqat Ali through a military dictator groomed to work for US-Saudi Interests. His judicial murder was actually a correction course for Pakistan lest it became too independent and powerful.What did Bhutto do to merit such a cold-blooded end? The answers lie below.
 
First, he rebooted Pakistan’s nuclear program towards weapons. Bhutto envisioned a nuclear Islamic block strengthened by the oil wealth and Pakistan’s skilled manpower. However, his left leaning policies were viewed with suspicion by his Arab allies. Bhutto had a long-term vision for his country but his economic plan backfired. To put Afghanistan under pressure he supported the Afghan Student résistance against Sardar Daoud. The pressure worked and Daoud was ready to sign a permanent deal on Durand line. Days before the two heads of states were to formalize the agreement; Bhutto was overthrown by a military coup. The military regime never pursued this agreement. Bhutto proving too big for his boots was made an example. 
 
Bhutto’s erstwhile military chief and his executioner fared no better. The military takeover in 1977 served US interests and infused permanent seeds of internal instability in the form of weaponisation of society, drugs, militant organizations, intolerance, sectarianism and religiously inspired violence. The mock Afghan jihad lasted as long as it served US interests and was conveniently relabeled as the invisible floating threat of Islamic terrorists. USA was suspicious of Zia’s growing nuclear cooperation with China. He had to go and so did that fatal flight on C-130. 
The daughter of the East returned to Pakistan with a thumping popular applause. But also attached to her Bhutto symbolism was an ill matched spouse willing to cut her to size whenever she over grew. Her spouse through his corruption twice got her governments removed. 
Yet within her limitations of working with many uncles, new entrants and a dubious husband, she never gave up her father’s vision. The nuclear program progressed to perfection including the weapon testing sites in Chagai. Then began the pursuit of delivery systems and their indigenous production. She continued to pursue the Afghan policy of her father. By 1996, Mullah Omar had agreed to the international demand of a broad based government and also signing the Durand Agreement. A day before she was poised to sign this historic accord with the new Afghan broad based government, President Laghari mysteriously sacked her government. Neither the interim not the subsequent PMLN government pursued this historic opportunity.
 
To her credit, Benazir never lost heart. After 9/11 she almost engineered the handing over of Osama Bin Laden to Turkey, a NATO country. USA refused. Then she returned infused with an elixir. She had made some of the most critical decisions of her life; amongst them to team up with Musharraf to make a formidable Pakistani team and secondly to shed off her yoke. As per her terms of agreement with USA, Nawaz Sharif was to serve his time of self-exile in KSA. She rejected the NRO. The daughter of East had become too hot to handle. Though her fire is seemingly extinguished, it is in the interests of Pakistan that the pyre must burn. Musharraf’s exit after her death and subsequent humiliation were writings on the wall. Zardari became the heir to the political dynasty through a controversial Will. 
 
So what does this entire ongoing drama in Pakistan mean? If precedence is to be followed, it is all hallow and the birds of feather will flock together.  These agents of instability are well placed in every system, organization and political party to allow a departure towards an independent Pakistan. Even if some amongst them wish contrition, they will be ruthlessly cut to size. 
 
Like a conventional current on a boil, everything must go down for a new to begin. 
 
Samson Simon Sharaf

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Nawaz Sharif : A Family of Pathological Liars & Documents That Prove it

 All Dictators Lie, Nawaz Sharif lies More than other Dictators

Claims he has no properties except the house he lives in Raiwind Palace.

Nawaz Sharif : A Family of Pathological Liars

 
 
 Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is among a few lawmakers who are billionaires, according to statements of assets and liabilities of parliamentarians released by the Election Commission of the country.

The net value of assets of the President of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) party is over US Dollars 8-22 Billion 

 
 

Tweets About Documentary Proofs of Lies

  1.  Asad Kharal Retweeted

    Blatant Lies Exposed When Hassan Nawaz Sharif bought #FlagshipInvestment Ltd in 2001, his res was 17 Park Lane flats

     

     
  2.  Asad Kharal Retweeted

    #Sharifs Blatant Lies Exposed Nawaz Sharif bought anthr flat on 3rd flr 17, Avenfield Hse, Park Lane on 1 June 93

     

     
  3.  Asad Kharal Retweeted

    #Sharifs Blatant Lies Exposed Nawaz Sharif bought flat on 3rd floor 16, Avenfield House, Park Lane on 31 July 95

     

     

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Another Scam in Pakistan, as March Towards Economic Disaster Continues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Scam in Pakistan, as March Towards Economic Disaster Continues

 

 

 

In Pakistan there are certain politicians who have no love for Pakistan

Their only desire in life is to make money by hook or crook.

Amongst the top suckers of the blood of Pakistan are:

  1. Nawaz Sharif
  2. Shahbaz Sharif
  3. Mian Mansha 
  4. Ishaq (Dollar) Dar
  5. Khurshid Shah
  6. Zardari and others

The present government is hell bent to find ways to rob Pakistan.

Ishaq Dar comes up with one mischievous scheme after another:

  • PIA: Trying to privatise and sell to their own nominee. The sale was to be done underhand. Thank goodness that the whole scheme which “stank to high heaven” was thrown out. FAILED
  • LNG DEAL: The secret deal planned with the “unknown” seller of Gas to Pakistan, arranged surreptitiously by SAIF UR REHMAN, sitting in DOHA. This too was foul and many questions had to be answered 
  • WORLD BANK LOANS. There is no necessity. We are gradually being sunk into debt by these uneducated and greedy leaders. From these US Dollars they will siphon off to their own projects.

Now the latest scheme they have out with is :

EUROBONDS; The present market rate is around 2 % for 5 years

PAKISTAN IS GOING TO FLOAT AT 8.5% for 5 years- As one famous Economist said; only a stupid nation will do this. People must have vested interest in getting these US Dollars. Soon they will disappear.

 

What we as Pakistanis must know who is going to pay back on these borrowings. Nawaz and Dar are not Economists. They are simply “Daylight Robbers.”

 

GOD SAVE PAKISTAN from these Machiavellian schemers. 

 

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Nawaz Sharif Corruption: The 13 Billion $ dollar scam Effects of LNG

 

 

 

 

Nawaz Sharif Corruption: The 13 Billion $ dollar scam Effects of LNG

 
 

Dr Mubashir Hussain

It appears that the PML-N government is either unwilling or incapable of learning from past errors. The decision to sign a Long Term Sale agreement (LSA) with Qatar is egregious and exposes Pakistan to exactly the same risks that the Benazir government affected when she signed the IPP contracts in 1994 under the advice of USAID, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. It seems that the avarice of our rulers remains unchanged.

At that time, in 1994, the price of oil was $18/barrel and the rupee was at 28/$. The agreed price of furnace oil was fixed at Rs5,000/tonne with any escalation as a pass through item giving an electricity unit rate at Rs1.8/unit. By 2007 the price of oil was $120/barrel and the rupee was 100/$, the price of furnace oil increased fifteen fold to Rs75,000/tonne and price of electricity shot to Rs20/unit. As this was unaffordable to most Pakistanis it led to the government subsidising it – resulting in the infamous circular debt and pernicious loadshedding.

By relying on expensive imported fuel, the new LNG deal falls into exactly the same trap. At the agreed price of 13.3 percent of the price of the current price of Brent of $30/barrel, the gas rate works out to be $6/MMBTU. However, if you include all the fuel, port and tolling charges the power rate would be approximately Rs6/unit. But what will happen in a few years or so when, as expected, the price of Brent oil climbs to $100/barrel once the supply and demand for oil is matched (Saudi King Salman is visiting Russia in mid-March to negotiate just that), and the rupee depreciates to 200/$ as may well happen given our rulers predilection for binge borrowing, simultaneously with declining exports. The LNG rate will then be $15/MMBTU and the price of electricity an unaffordable Rs22/unit. But as the LSA is a take or pay we will still be obliged to purchase this unaffordable fuel, just as Wapda was obligated to purchase unaffordable power for oil fired IPPs.

By all accounts there is a gas price war going on. The price of Russian gas in Europe as per the TTF index has declined to an all-time low of $3.3/MMBTU in France and Holland, while the in the US which has been recently allowed export of LNG, the price of gas based on the Henry Hub index is $2/MMBTU (by comparison Pakistan is paying $6/MMBTU for its imported gas).

Even a sophisticated economy like Japan never entered into a Long Sale Agreement for LNG. Instead, it had short-term agreements while it sorted out a long-term energy solution. The PML-N government should have done the same and entered into a three-year agreement or even bought the cargo on the spot market until it sorted out a long-term solution.

 

LNG can only be an interim solution, because in the long run it can never compete with piped gas. LNG costs almost $2.5/MMBTU to liquefy, transport and re-gassify. At current prices these charges are almost as much as the price of the gas itself. That is why American LNG can never compete with Russian gas in Europe. Besides why is there an obsession to install power stations in Punjab when the most suitable location would be nearer the source of the fuel – in this case, Balochistan? Z A Bhutto’s government built the first thermal power station at Guddu, the location closest to Sui with access to cooling water.

 

The LNG Rogues

 

 

 

If the government was hell-bent on relying on imported fuel, then the most viable alternative was the Iran pipeline. Iran has already offered us this gas at $3/MMBTU (although, for sure we could have negotiated an even better deal). As Iran has already built the pipeline to its border, if a power station were installed in Gwadar or Jiwani where there is access to cooling water, the cost per unit of electricity would not have been more than Rs3.8/unit or almost half of what it costs for imported LNG. Iran can only export gas by pipeline through Turkey or Pakistan, and its exports via Turkey compete with cheap Russian gas. Piped gas is not indexed to Brent and therefore its long-term prices can be better managed. The hurry to sign a $15 billion contract for imported LNG with Qatar just as the sanctions on Iran were lifted is perplexing.

Pakistan has a parliament but its members were either not aware of the facts or chose to stay silent. The entire deal raises serious questions. For example, Qatar only agreed to lower its price after an independent supplier Gunvor quoted a lower price. Further, why was the minimum off take increased from 1.5 million mtpa to 3.75 mtpa, burdening our economy even more? This is normally only done when the deal amount and associated commission is fixed, so if the price decreases the off-take increases proportionately.

The government should stop the false propaganda that LNG will save $1 billion per year. This is as cynical as it is untruthful. In fact for 4,000MW of power as compared with Iranian gas, LNG imported from Qatar will cost the country an extra $800 million per year or $13 billion over a fifteen-year period.

As someone wrote, we seem to exist solely to protect entrenched privileges and continue transference of the country’s resources to the global elite. For our citizens we cannot guarantee social progress, security, decent education, access to healthcare, the opportunity for useful employment or a debt-free life.

The writer is a former federal minister. Email: mh1@ lhr.comsats.net.pk

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