Baithak Desi Apr 22: Adnan's Brightness, Another Six Points, Loan Write-offs, The Other Ashraf
Karachi is the financial heart of Pakistan that generates about 65% of revenue mainly through taxes, customs and surcharges. It's world's twentieth largest metropolitan spread over 3,530 km². It hosts a whopping 12.5 million of humanity consisting of a rainbow of ethnicities. Karachi's racial distribution is: Urdu/Mohajirs 48.52%; Punjabi 13.94%; Sindhi 7.22%; Pashto 11.42%; Balochi 4.34%; Saraiki 2.11%; others: 12.4%. Ideally, ethnic diversity generates ingenuity and creativity that translates into positive progress, like in the case of the United States. However to Karachi's misfortune, racial diversity has only brought it a never ending curse.
Virtually every political pundit and every politician is of the opinion: bring MQM into mainstream politics. Frankly, it's exactly the wrong approach. Why? The answer is quite obvious, but for some reason it eludes the brightest political minds. It is a common knowledge that MQM is more than a political party; rather it's a cult that revolves around Altaf Hussain. If you remove Altaf, and his fellow absconders in London, then MQM is left with only hundreds hooligans also known as the party workers. Unlike other mainstream parties, like PPP and PML-N, the MQM has no middle tier or lower tier leadership. Karachi’s Curse! Adnan Gill
Mr. Gill must be a "bright political mind" - nothing eludes him - except some earthly wisdom - you will know what I mean if you read the rest of his column and his points.
Body language says it all.
By Khalid Kheshgi & Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: The NWFP government freed the supreme leader of the proscribed Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi Maulana Sufi Muhammad at the Frontier House here late Monday after inking a six-point agreement with the group.
After daylong deliberations, the representatives of the government and the TNSM signed the agreement. The provincial government was represented by Awami National Party (ANP) provincial President Afrasyab Khattak, NWFP Senior Ministers Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Rahimdad Khan and provincial Environment Minister Wajid Ali Khan. Maulana Muhammad Alam, Maulana Abdul Haq, Maulana Badshah Zeb, Maulana Samiullah, Maulana Salar Khan, Dr Ismael, Saiful Maluk, Multan Mir and Maulana Samiullah represented the TNSM.
According to a handout issued here, the six points of the agreement are:
1. Peaceful struggle for enforcement of Shariat-e-Muhammadi is the right of every Muslim and the Tehrik renews the pledge to carry out that struggle.
2. The Tehrik renews the pledge to respect the state institutions so that the writ of the government is established and peace restored in NWFP in general and Malakand region in particular.
3. The Tehrik has no links with those elements involved in attacks on the Army, police and other security officials. Soldiers, policemen and other government officials are our brothers and attacks on them are against Islamic teachings.
4. The Tehrik declares that motivation and mutual consultation are the means for the enforcement of Shariah.
5. All segments of the society should extend cooperation to the government for restoration of peace and establishing the government writ so that people lead a peaceful life.
6. The Tehrik will fully cooperate with the NWFP Government, state institutions and local administration for restoration of a lasting peace and security of life and property of the people.
Another Six Points?
During the Shaukat era, an unholy alliance of bankers, businessmen-cum-politicians and bureaucrats managed to plunder the public money through amnesty scheme from SBP, whereas banks had liquid securities to recover the loans. The SBP has submitted before the apex court that amongst the beneficiaries of its Circular No 29/2002 were two sitting chief ministers of PML(Q) regime. It is shocking to see that ruling elite skilfully engineered the amnesty scheme to get the benefit of write-offs and a consequential concession in tax law for no taxation of benefits derived, whereas the personal wealth of them kept on increasing. They still possess assets worth billions of rupees. The accumulative position of the non-performing loans and advances of banks and non-banking financial institutions from 1982 to 2006, compiled from their published annual accounts, is telling. It is as follows: Rs8 billion in 1982; increased to Rs39 billion by 1988; to Rs62 billion by 1993; Rs164 billion by 1999; Rs171 billion by 2000; rising to Rs185 billion by the following year; to Rs218 billion by 2002; Rs229 billion by 2003 and to Rs241 billion by 2004. Who are beneficiaries of loan write-offs?
Nasim Ashraf widened his net by setting up a commission (NCHD) under the aegis of the government. While the fund (PHDF) is a public-private partnership and a money reservoir, it diverts resources to the commission. As chairman of both these entities, Nasim Ashraf has kept a tight leash on what, why, when, how the affairs are run. Many of his handpicked staffers are deputed from the government and paid handsomely. Ashraf was on a roll (until recently) and ran both the joints like a Masonic Society, shunning any publicity. "If we failed to show you the wonderful work NCHD has done over the years, then it's our fault," admits the chief financial officer, Zulfiqar Ahmad. "We have a full public relations department that has perhaps not been able to spread the good word around," he says. "Belief is everything and if you don't believe what I am trying to tell you, then there's been a failing at our end." The Other Ashraf - Anjum Niaz
Virtually every political pundit and every politician is of the opinion: bring MQM into mainstream politics. Frankly, it's exactly the wrong approach. Why? The answer is quite obvious, but for some reason it eludes the brightest political minds. It is a common knowledge that MQM is more than a political party; rather it's a cult that revolves around Altaf Hussain. If you remove Altaf, and his fellow absconders in London, then MQM is left with only hundreds hooligans also known as the party workers. Unlike other mainstream parties, like PPP and PML-N, the MQM has no middle tier or lower tier leadership. Karachi’s Curse! Adnan Gill
Mr. Gill must be a "bright political mind" - nothing eludes him - except some earthly wisdom - you will know what I mean if you read the rest of his column and his points.
Body language says it all.
| ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif in a meeting with Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday. |
By Khalid Kheshgi & Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: The NWFP government freed the supreme leader of the proscribed Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi Maulana Sufi Muhammad at the Frontier House here late Monday after inking a six-point agreement with the group.
After daylong deliberations, the representatives of the government and the TNSM signed the agreement. The provincial government was represented by Awami National Party (ANP) provincial President Afrasyab Khattak, NWFP Senior Ministers Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Rahimdad Khan and provincial Environment Minister Wajid Ali Khan. Maulana Muhammad Alam, Maulana Abdul Haq, Maulana Badshah Zeb, Maulana Samiullah, Maulana Salar Khan, Dr Ismael, Saiful Maluk, Multan Mir and Maulana Samiullah represented the TNSM.
According to a handout issued here, the six points of the agreement are:
1. Peaceful struggle for enforcement of Shariat-e-Muhammadi is the right of every Muslim and the Tehrik renews the pledge to carry out that struggle.
2. The Tehrik renews the pledge to respect the state institutions so that the writ of the government is established and peace restored in NWFP in general and Malakand region in particular.
3. The Tehrik has no links with those elements involved in attacks on the Army, police and other security officials. Soldiers, policemen and other government officials are our brothers and attacks on them are against Islamic teachings.
4. The Tehrik declares that motivation and mutual consultation are the means for the enforcement of Shariah.
5. All segments of the society should extend cooperation to the government for restoration of peace and establishing the government writ so that people lead a peaceful life.
6. The Tehrik will fully cooperate with the NWFP Government, state institutions and local administration for restoration of a lasting peace and security of life and property of the people.
Another Six Points?
During the Shaukat era, an unholy alliance of bankers, businessmen-cum-politicians and bureaucrats managed to plunder the public money through amnesty scheme from SBP, whereas banks had liquid securities to recover the loans. The SBP has submitted before the apex court that amongst the beneficiaries of its Circular No 29/2002 were two sitting chief ministers of PML(Q) regime. It is shocking to see that ruling elite skilfully engineered the amnesty scheme to get the benefit of write-offs and a consequential concession in tax law for no taxation of benefits derived, whereas the personal wealth of them kept on increasing. They still possess assets worth billions of rupees. The accumulative position of the non-performing loans and advances of banks and non-banking financial institutions from 1982 to 2006, compiled from their published annual accounts, is telling. It is as follows: Rs8 billion in 1982; increased to Rs39 billion by 1988; to Rs62 billion by 1993; Rs164 billion by 1999; Rs171 billion by 2000; rising to Rs185 billion by the following year; to Rs218 billion by 2002; Rs229 billion by 2003 and to Rs241 billion by 2004. Who are beneficiaries of loan write-offs?
Nasim Ashraf widened his net by setting up a commission (NCHD) under the aegis of the government. While the fund (PHDF) is a public-private partnership and a money reservoir, it diverts resources to the commission. As chairman of both these entities, Nasim Ashraf has kept a tight leash on what, why, when, how the affairs are run. Many of his handpicked staffers are deputed from the government and paid handsomely. Ashraf was on a roll (until recently) and ran both the joints like a Masonic Society, shunning any publicity. "If we failed to show you the wonderful work NCHD has done over the years, then it's our fault," admits the chief financial officer, Zulfiqar Ahmad. "We have a full public relations department that has perhaps not been able to spread the good word around," he says. "Belief is everything and if you don't believe what I am trying to tell you, then there's been a failing at our end." The Other Ashraf - Anjum Niaz
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posted by temporal at 4/23/2008
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