Sugar Crisis and Accountability
Monday, November 16, 2009
Forty years ago, one of the reasons of downfall of Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, then president of Pakistan, was the increase of sugar price from Rs.1.50 per kg to Rs.1.75 per kg. Our country has been passing through the sugar crisis for over two months now. Sugar which was earlier available in the market in plenty at Rs.38.00 to Rs.40.00 per kg is in short supply and the shopkeepers are selling it at the rates of their choice from Rs.50.00 to Rs.80.00 per kg in different parts of the country. And, this is happening despite the ruling of the Supreme Court of Pakistan that sugar be provided to the masses at Rs. 40.00 per kg.
All Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (APSMA) has repeatedly brought out that it had informed the Ministry of Production in early Summers that, in view of less production of Sugar in the country, government should import sugar which was then available in the international market at cheaper rates than now. According to APSMA, Ministry of Production did not follow the advice and this is the main cause of the present sugar crisis. Federal as well as the provincial governments continue to opine that the crisis is prevailing because of the hoarding on part of the sugar mills and the wholesalers. The other opinion is that Supreme Courts ruling has discouraged the market forces to come into play resulting in the crisis. However, the fact is that the ruling came much after the crisis had already begun. Provincial governments continue to boast of administrative measures like raiding of the few of the sugar mills and recover thousands of sugar bags hoarded by them. Provision of sugar to the masses at the rate of Rs.40.00 per kg through government run Utility Stores, too, has been boasted about but once the masses cue up to buy sugar during the announced two hours period, to their total disappointment, they are unable to buy any sugar as either the stores are closed or the sugar is not there to be sold. This is resulting in unrest and agitations in small numbers which is likely to grow with every day passing. Either the government officials are incompetent or they are party to the artificial escalation of prices. Both of these are inexcusable.
Notwithstanding the fact that Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan was a dictator, finding himself being unable to control the agitations, he chose to resign. I doubt if any such option is even under consideration of the worthy president, prime minister, chief ministers or the concerned federal and provincial ministers. We are yet to hear even a single case of proceedings against any of the culprits; government officials, the mill owners or the wholesalers. Not a single head has rolled but for that of poor masses who are in search of sugar from pillar to the post. Initiated by a private TV channel, our political leadership, in the government and opposition alike, could not think of 'Stop using sugar drive' and have not bothered to support it by personal example.
Labels: Corruption, Governance, Government, Leadership, Sugar Crisis
posted @ 2:55 PM,
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Political Leadership and the Military Operations
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Political leadership of government of Pakistan has repeatedly stated that our country is at war, the war against terrorism. Besides, looking for and chasing the terrorists all over the country, we have already had a successful military operation in Swat Malakand areas. And, now, another military operation is in progress in South Waziristan. Barring one odd exception, all parties, both in the government and opposition, continue to support the military operations. Every now and then, we hear lot of statements from leaders of both sides supporting the military operations and appreciating the heroic deeds of our brave soldiers. But, that's all.
Whereas the the senior military leadership including Chief of Army Staff regularly visited the troops in Swat Malakand areas during the military operation and is also visiting the troops in South Waziristan, there has not been a single noteworthy leader of the government or the other political parties who has taken the trouble of going to the operational areas.
It's not understood as to why the political personalities of our country who all claim to be the leaders of our country have not visited the troops. You don't push out your troops in the battlefield and forget about them. American and NATO leadership including heads of the governments has made countless visits to Iraq and Afghanistan to look up their troops and see for themselves as to what progress is being made. Perhaps, our leaders have more important things to attend to than the war! That's why they have left this not so important job to the military leadership. It's only today that Nawaz Sharif is in Northern Areas addressing public rallys in support of the candidates of his party in the oncoming elections due in the next few days. Certainly, to him, this is far more important than visiting the troops in the battlefield! None of the leaders have even taking the trouble of visiting the wounded soldiers in the hospitals or the next of kins of the martyred ones. Deeds speak louder than the words.
Labels: Leadership, Military Operation in South Waziristan, War on Terror
posted @ 5:22 PM,
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Fight terrorism actively and not pasively
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The News International, Wednesday, October 21, 2009
All government and private schools, colleges and universities have been closed throughout the country because of fears about militant attacks after twin suicide bombings at a university campus in Islamabad on Tuesday, officials said.
Closing of educational institutions all over Pakistan may be a wise step if it's a temporary move for a few days. These few days should be utilized by the administrations to review the security measures and bring them up to the mark. Having done that, the institutions must open. We, as a nation, should not adopt a passive and reactive approach to deal with the terrorists. We must face them fare and square. There is a need to educate all Pakistanis to keep their eyes and ears open and report any untoward activities to the law enforcing agencies. I don't see any public information publicity campaigns by the government. I would go even a step further. Government should organize public awareness sessions with the masses or their elders at the village/mohallah level to educate the masses. Families, shopkeepers, workers in restaurants, hotels, offices, factories and all other sections of the society need to be educated to observe untoward activities and report. Terrorists are living amongst us. Unless all of us unite to identify them before hand, we will continue to be reactive and passive. We need to follow a proactive approach. But for the media, not a single leader has taken the trouble of mobilizing the masses. Who else is going to do this job?
Labels: Government, Leadership, War on Terror
posted @ 6:04 PM,
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MPA Shumaila Rana asked to resign
Thursday, July 16, 2009
According to The News International, Pakistan, Thursday, July 16, 2009
LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League has demanded resignation from its MPA Shumaila Rana due to her involvement in a theft case. An investigation team of the PML-N has urged Shumaila Rana to tender her resignation, as her scam has raised questions regarding the party’s credibility before the general public.Shumaila Rana has been accused of stealing the credit card of another woman at a function and misusing the same to buy jewelry worth thousands of rupees. GEO TV has shown the footage of the event which leave no doubt about the involvement of the worthy MPA in the case. Resignation of the MPA is not enough. She must be prosecuted like any ordinary citizen would have been and exemplary punishment be given. With PML(N)ruling Punjab, the prosecution of the worthy MPA should not be a big deal. What Shumaila Rana may have done in the past more in her capacity as MPA should also be looked into. Selecting and nominating such like persons as MPAs puts a question mark on the judgement of the PML(N) top leadership and the system, if any, through which party nominations take place. Such is the state of our leadership whom we have elected.
The PML-N investigation team has affirmed that if she was innocent, then she has to face the media to prove her innocence.
Labels: Leadership, Legislators, Parliamentarians, PML(N), Shumaila Rana
posted @ 8:43 AM,
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14 Senators enjoying their previous official positions
Sunday, July 12, 2009
According to The news International, Pakistan, Sunday, July 12, 2009
Fourteen sitting senators are enjoying their previous official positions as chairpersons of standing committees despite dissolution of all such panels with the oath-taking of 50 new members on March 12, 2009.
Mir Mohabat Khan Marri, Gulshan Saeed, Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi, SM Zafar, Tahir Ali Mashhadi, Wali Muhammad Badini, Ahmed Ali, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi, Muhammad Talha Mehmood, Naeem Hussain Chattha, Abdul Razzak Thahim, Abdul Raziq, Engr Rashid Ahmed and Kulsoom Perveen are the 14 beneficiary senators.
A chairperson of a committee, whether of the Senate or the National Assembly, receives Rs 12,700 extra as honoraria. He/she is authorised to receive Rs 3,750 daily (Rs 1,000 a daily allowance, Rs 750 conveyance allowance and Rs 2,000 housing allowance besides Rs 5 per kilometre or Business Class air ticket for travel purpose).
Our worthy legislators are supposed to be leading the nation upfront representing their constituencies or provinces. Their personal examples are supposed to be emulated by others. Whereas, it is surprising as to why the institution of Senate doesn't have a system to check these misappropriations, further surprising is as to why none of these have forfeieted these privileges by themselves. After all, these senators are the men of principles. If these leaders can't forego the privileges which they no longer are entitled to, what should the common masses expect from them in terms of policy decision making!
Labels: Corruption, Governance, Leadership, Legislators, Senators
posted @ 10:23 AM,
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State Gifts and Musharraf
Sunday, July 5, 2009
According to The News International, Pakistan, Sunday, July 05, 2009,
Former president General Parvez Musharraf, following in the footsteps of his hand-picked prime minister Shaukat Aziz, has taken away 168 expensive gifts worth about Rs 40 million (at the pitifully low official price) given by top foreign dignitaries along with him (mostly free of cost) before leaving Pakistan to settle in London. These gifts include dozens of boxes of jewellery, necklaces, pearls, diamonds, four American revolvers, Rolex watches, gold, earrings and rings.
If this was the mindset of the two top rulers of the country for half a decade, if not more, one can well imagine as to how much role this mindset of personal interests must have played in dealing with national affairs and decision making. But, these two rulers are not the only ones to be blamed. I am certain if The News chooses to continue its investigation, it will find all of our rulers not only at federal level but also at the provincial, divisional and district level will be found involved in it. But, more surprising is the fact that none of the few honest people bring it out or as they call it in America blow the whistle.
The lacuna that the gifts can be purchased by the government officials at the market price is the root cause of this ill. The market price is to be determined by the subordinate officials who certainly will not like to displease their departing bosses. It's a matter of give and take. It's common knowledge that in all other public auctions, it is clearly stated that the government officials and even their relatives can not participate in the bidding. Why this exception has been made in case of state gifts is an open question?
The lacuna that the gifts can be purchased by the government officials at the market price is the root cause of this ill. The market price is to be determined by the subordinate officials who certainly will not like to displease their departing bosses. It's a matter of give and take. It's common knowledge that in all other public auctions, it is clearly stated that the government officials and even their relatives can not participate in the bidding. Why this exception has been made in case of state gifts is an open question?
Labels: Corruption, Governance, Leadership, Moral Values
posted @ 9:22 PM,
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Loyalty Vs Misconduct
Friday, July 3, 2009
According to Daily Times dated July 02, 2009, Speaker of Punjab Assembly has suspended the entrance of Ch. Abdul Ghafoor, Provincial Minister of Jails for a period of eight days due to his misconduct, rowdy behaviour and being insolent and disrespectful fellow lady MPA a couple of days earlier.
Whereas the pandemonium which took place in the provincial assembly (and was witnessed by the entire nation on the TV channels) is a matter of shame and concern for our worthy parliamentarians and the entire nation, it is important to note that the worthy minister has not shown any regrets on this happening and has in stead stated that he would not apologize for his misconduct. He maintains that he loves his leadership, Sharif brothers of PML (N), and can't hear anything against them. Loyalty to one's leadership is more important to him even if it has to be displayed through misconduct. There has been no response to this from the worthy Sharif brothers or the top leadership of PML (N) who should have corrected the minister. This shows the mindset of our worthy leaders of the top and second highest echelon. Isn't t a matter of pity?
Whereas the pandemonium which took place in the provincial assembly (and was witnessed by the entire nation on the TV channels) is a matter of shame and concern for our worthy parliamentarians and the entire nation, it is important to note that the worthy minister has not shown any regrets on this happening and has in stead stated that he would not apologize for his misconduct. He maintains that he loves his leadership, Sharif brothers of PML (N), and can't hear anything against them. Loyalty to one's leadership is more important to him even if it has to be displayed through misconduct. There has been no response to this from the worthy Sharif brothers or the top leadership of PML (N) who should have corrected the minister. This shows the mindset of our worthy leaders of the top and second highest echelon. Isn't t a matter of pity?
Labels: Leadership, Legislators, Moral Values, Parliament, PML(N)
posted @ 9:08 PM,
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State Gifts and Shaukat Aziz
According to The News International, Pakistan, Friday, July 03, 2009
Former prime minister and billionaire, Shaukat Aziz, had taken 736 gifts worth with him on his last bye-bye Pakistan flight to London. The state booty included half a dozen more necklaces, 18 kt gold, gold coins, pearls, crowns, diamonds, Rolex watches, bracelets, carpets, Chinese pandas (presumably figurines because the list does not elaborate) etc after getting them massively undervalued by the obliging Cabinet Division evaluators by paying only token money. One sources said, the total value of these 736 gifts, whose total price keeping the importance of those gifts given by the heads of foreign countries in the open market view, would easily be over Rs100 million, but it was priced at Rs25 million so that one of the richest prime ministers of our history with Rs7 billion declared assets with Election Commission of Pakistan could retain them free of cost.
This is the true state of affairs of our worthy rulers. Needless to say that if cases of other rulers are investigated, the story is least likelt to be any different. It's not a question of a few million rupees but that of the mindset and the ethics. Will the present government take measures to prevent the repitition of such like swindling?
Labels: Corruption, Ethics, Governance, Leadership, Moral Values, Shaukat Aziz
posted @ 12:35 PM,
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PM! Deeds Speak Louder than Words
Thursday, July 2, 2009
According to The News International, Pakistan, Thursday, July 02, 2009
The usually soft-spoken Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani minced no words on Wednesday when he promised dire consequences for senior bureaucrats approaching parliamentarians and ministers for seeking favours in service-related matters.
He was speaking at the outset of the first cabinet meeting after the passage of the budget.It was an interesting reversal of priorities considering that only a few days back on June 27, The News had run a story about instances when the prime minister’s office was itself found involved in forwarding such recommendations based on the request of parliamentarians
Our worthy Prime Minister thinks that he can enforce discipline, good governance, honesty and other such like good values upon the bureaucrats without personally following these values.Otherwise, how else can the PM justify the recent appointment of a grade 20 DMG officer as ambassador to Paris. A few months ago, the worthy PM appearing in a TV program had promised that in future he would adhere to merit while making appointments. Where is that promise?
Labels: Governance, Leadership, Merit, Politicisation of Bureaucracy
posted @ 11:08 AM,
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Industrial and Land Reforms
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Our leaders and legislators make a lot of hue and cry about justice, equality and alleviation of poverty. Quite a few of them are feudal lords and industrialists. Can they set a personal example to introduce industrial and land reforms as these will do a lot of good to the poor? It will also do a lot of good to them not only in terms of prolongation of their stay in power but also in terms of their betterment in the life hereafter, if they believe in one.
Labels: Development, Economy, Leadership, Legislators, Poverty, Reforms
posted @ 10:27 AM,
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Electricity Loadshedding - Any Personal Example!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
These days, we are facing the worst of the electricity loadsheddings of our history. Common man, as is always the case, is suffering the most. Almost, everything in the country has come to a stand still, but for the rich and the leaders (who are richer than the rich). If anything is going on as usual is the life style of the rich and the leaders. Our leaders, in the government and the opposition, make tall claims of serving the country and looking after the well being of the masses. We are yet to see anyone setting the personal example. There is no loadshedding in the offices of the higher ups; governors' houses, chief ministers' houses, ministers' offices ad residences, president's house but there is loadshedding in the hospitals and schools. So is the case with the leadership in the opposition. Even if there is loadshedding somewhere, the big generators are there to ensure the continuation of comfortable living anf functioning of them all. We are yet to see a single example of the rich and the leaders commiting to following the schedule of loadshedding and bearing the hardships along with the mases. Has any one of these even vowed not to use the air conditioners and use fans in stead?
Labels: Electricity, Governance, Leadership, Loadshedding
posted @ 12:24 PM,
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