Category: Letters to Editor

Pakistan is a developing country it ranks on 6th among world’s most populated countries having a total of 207 million populations. Now a days Pakistan is witnessing many problems which have great impact on our economy to get weaker but this continuation have strengthened the political process. Our economic condition is at declining position back from 1947 but the country is working hard to improve it.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the economic performance of a country it includes the sum of market value of all final goods and services. Pakistan has about $ 307 billion GDP and ranks on 147 arround the world by year 2017 and it is estimated that by year 2018 it would be $ 2.9 billion lowest in the last nine years. Our GDP  is less because of the low import and export rate. Pakistan import is about $ 60.89 billion in this fiscal year 2017-2018 which is increased about 15 percent. Pakistan export is about $ 23.3 billion which is high from last few years due to government efforts, in 2016-2017 it was about $ 20.422 billion. Because of less export rate we are facing trade deficit pf $ 37.67 billion during this fiscal year 2017-2018.

Apart from trade deficit we are also facing budget deficit , most of our budget is used in debt servicing which some of it is used for investment in different sectors. This fiscal deficit is increasing from the last few years and public debt of Pakistan have reached to $ 36 trillion in 2018. It was about $ 1.5 trillion in the last three years during the government of PLM-N and it’s double due to rupees devaluation.

The previous government was unable to bring changes in reforms but this government is trying their best to bring changes, they have increased taxes to increase GDP and better countries economic condition. This year according to Aasd Umer our finance minister about 1.49 million have filled their return taxes for which last date was December 17,2018, there is about 34 percent increase from last year which was 1.11 million by the year 2017 which is about half of the population. So, the government of Pakistan by making new policies and changes in reforms change improve our economic condition and by this we can also increase our GDP. Also by utilizing our immense population in useful manner i-e by providing job facilities we can also increase our GDP.

Sumbal Inayat

Peshawar

My dear Mr. Prime Minister. I would like to draw your attention towards the inactivity and mismanagement in the Pakistan Citizens Portal. If it it fails in its initial stages, it will erode the confidence of the public in your promise of a new Pakistan and delivery of justice.

1. I am an expat Pakistani, living and working abroad for more than a decade. In November 2018 my wife was unnecessarily troubled and mistreated by one of the famous bank’s staff. Having no customer protection in our country and nowhere to go to register our humiliation we had no option to surrender to such treatment and stay quiet.

Nevertheless, when the Pakistan Citizen’s portal was launched we were very happy that we will be able to redress our grievance through it. It is heart breaking to say, that despite the complaint registered for more than two months no action has been taken and nobody even bothered to contact us.

2. I invested my life time hard-earned savings in a housing society in Lahore. They defrauded me and despite a long wait and promises they did not start the development work. We the expats live and work abroad to earn for a safe life in our country. At the end of the day these people rob us of our life’s savings. The interesting part in the whole story is my registration of complaint at the Pakistan Citizens Portal.

The next date when I opened the portal it showed the status “Complaint Resolved”. An astonishment indeed. When I tried to submit the feedback, each time I tried the system said server is not responding. Starting a good task is not as difficult as monitoring and maintaining it. I am afraid if such practice continues, it will bring a bad name to the system owners. After my retirement, I am coming back to Pakistan at the end of this month. My contacts are available in my message/with the newspaper.

Mian Amir Hakim

Lahore

Sindh is one of the richest provinces in Pakistan. Its share in the national output is estimated to be 30% when compared to its population share which is 23%. If the share in national output is contemplated relative to population, then Sindh has been losing its lead with the passage of time.

A recently written book (to be published by Oxford University Press), “The Economy of Modern Sindh: Opportunities lost and lessons for the future” weaves together the economic history of Sindh into the status quo, analyses the constraints and issues facing the economy, and uncovers the reasons behind the stagnant economic growth of Sindh.

According to the book,” Sindh’s population grew relatively faster than that of rest of the country. The poverty numbers in rural Sindh are far higher than that in urban Sindh and in the rest of Pakistan”. The book also regards the declining productivity in agriculture, industry, and services as one of the core reasons of the underdevelopment of the province.

Describing the inequality, the books states,” Sindh has historically been one of the most unequal and sharply divergent provinces in Pakistan. Karachi has the highest per capita income with the highest rankings across various social indicators while some of the districts in rural Sindh are among the poorest in the country with bottom rankings in access to basic social services.”

Some of its shocking findings are: “For every 100 boys enrolling in primary school in Sindh, only 86 girls do so in the province.”, “only 60% of children in Sindh make it to secondary school”,” for 21 government primary schools there is only one government secondary school”, “In 1995 Sindh’s poverty headcount ratio was 10% lower than that of the national economy, but 2001 it was 3% higher.”

Faraz Ahmed

Karachi

The Ex-CJ Mian Saqib Nisar was upset on finding out the delaying tactics used by CDA in approving the plan for building a hospital in Islamabad by Bahrain’s government. He was right to point out that the delaying tactics used by CDA was denying the people of Pakistan from medical facilities of a new hospital. And therefore he tried to take swift action to help the Bahrain’s government get the approval from CDA for the construction of new hospital.

Unfortunately this is the situation in all Pakistan. In Peshawar while trying to build a new hospital we have been requesting the relevant authorities to give us the approval to start construction, but for the past year the authorities have been using delaying tactics by sending us for approvals from different departments and asking us to correct small mistakes in the design.

After months of going back and fourth between the different organizations including Irrigation department, Civil aviation, police etc we have been finally told the real reason for delay, which was a direct bribe wanted by the approving authority amounting to 5 million rupees.

I could not feel anything except disgust after hearing this because if in Pakistan and in PTI’s KP, if a Pakistani wants to establish a facility for the people of our nation, they have to suffer at the delaying tactics of bribe taking Government approving authorities. I for one would not want to give out bribes and establish a welfare organization in such a place.

Therefore I would like to request the Government to make it easy for establishing welfare institutions like Hospital, colleges, schools, parks etc in Pakistan, by offering one window facility and fixed time for approval of requests, and right to appeal against delays and denials.

To streamline the pending cases, the KP Government can also request the investors to contact Ministry of Health or CM office to seek their help in getting all approvals in time.

Shahryar Khan Baseer

Peshawar

According to Transparency International (TI) Report. The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has ranked Pakistan as 117th out of 180 countries in 2017. Pakistan achieved a little improvement to crush corruption in 2017 as compared to the previous year CPI rankings. Decrease in ranking is all about NAB Chairman described Bribery and Corruption as poison. Saying we must put down it with an iron hands.

The new Government “Pakistan Tehreek Insaf” also come on their main verdict which is to make Pakistan corruption free. According to the saying of Imran Khan Prime Minister of Pakistan that “My goal is not to become a Prime Minister but Eradicate the roots of Corrupt Mafia. Corruption has become a very common practice in our social and political culture.

All the important figures of the society like Government and private employees are involved in corruption. There are many ill effect of corruption on the life of every common man.

Corruption leads to promote many evils in the society and causing many problems like unemployment, Crime rate, decrease the economic development, increase in illiteracy rate and injustice and many other bad effects on the economy of Pakistan.

Now to eradicate corruption from their roots first we have to finish their roots and causes and spread awareness against corruption and secondly the Government is required to make strong their Judicial system on that level that no one can underestimate the power of Judicial system.

Hard rules and regulations be imposed to avoid all ways of corruption. Strict punishment be framed to uproot corruption in all walks of life in Government functionaries.

Jawad Akbar

Peshawar

The economy of Pakistan has now a day facing different challenges regarding its economy and if these challenges are not solved in time, the country will be then stuck in an abyss critical situation which cannot be handle in the future. The new government is looking towards the solution of this critical situation of the economy of Pakistan. Current government is facing some serious economic problems like increasing external and internal debt, increase in unemployment, decrease in exports, increase in imports, decrease in investment opportunities, low tax collection, worst policy implementation, check and balance on the current projects. To do this the government has to decrease interest rate which will leads towards increase in investment. Collection of taxes should be made in such a way that direct taxes should be increase and the indirect taxes should be decrease as Pakistan main source of revenue is indirect taxes which will lead to increase in the general price level of different commodities. Steps should be taken to decrease unemployment. Use of technology, governance and decentralization.

Interest Rate

Government should decrease the interest rate to the public so that it will become easier for the investors to brought out the money from the banks and invest it in their own businesses. It will also help to increase the aggregate demand of the economy and also helps in controlling the current unemployment situation in the country. In this way the GDP and the living way of people will improve.

Tax collection

For the past four years Pakistan tax revenue has been increased to 81 percent of the tax revenue. The GDP growth rate is reaches to 5.4% which is the highest and the first time over a decade. The government should allow FBR to work transparently, there should be no political interference, and this is will help to increase the direct taxes in the country in a fair manner. Increase in the transparency of FBR will also help to increase the confidence of the tax payers on the government.

Unemployment

Pakistan is among those countries which have young labor force which is unemployed.

Better suggestion is that to provide knowledge and skills to the unemployed young graduates. In 2001 worker allowances were less than a billion dollars. Today our worker allowances reaches to 7 to 8 billion dollars. Currently it can be multiplied by three or five times if we have well educated and skilled labor force.

Technology

Technology has been spreading in the world like a fire. 5 years ago, not every individual had mobile phone but today 105 million Pakistanis have mobile phones today. Technology especially information technology can be use for the betterment of the social and the economics problems of Pakistan.

Misbah Gul

Peshawar

MANY patients pass away across the country on daily basis owing to the incaution/negligence of incompetent and inexperienced doctors. It is quite common in our country that clinics are run by unskilled and even uneducated people those who don’t have any medical background or degree. It is irrefutable fact that Pakistan legs too backward in terms of health facilities while having numerous non qualified doctors and less facilitated hospitals, particularly, in far flung localities.

Additionally, there are incompetent and unskilled doctors either operating their own clinics or working in private hospitals.

Similarly, Hub lacks health facilities despite being one of the largest industrial zones in Balochistan. There is only civil hospital which doesn’t have basic facilities and its emergency ward is good for nothing , serious patients are usually referred to Karachi because of non-availability of required treatment and medication. As a result, critical patients often die on the way due to the distance between two cities.

However, private hospitals charge hefty amount and give unsatisfactory result. They prescribe unnecessary medicines to patients in order to earn some money from both patients and the respective medicine companies as per their agreement. Patients are dealt as customers. It is sheer injustice with downtrodden masses and a shameful act to such a noble profession.

It is to bring to the notice of incumbent government and stakeholders to resolve the matter and devise a mechanism so that the safety of commoners is ensured.

Imran Umer

Hub

On Friday Prime minister IMRAN KHAN inaugurated a newly established shelter home for homeless people in Peshawar.Shelter home is a very good idea and a positive step in right direction .It should be done in a well organized way to make beneficial to society at large. Shelters for homeless people suffer from many problems like internal and external problems and perceptions issues. For internal issues, the system is prone to mismanagement and corruption.

This has been issue even in advanced countries with strict management procedures. In our country, mismanagement and corruption are the most common issues in our official setups especially where alot of public funds and facilities are available. To counter this issue, a very strict watchdog system should be established.  The bigger problem comes up with the external issues that are not under the control of the shelter home management staff. For example, an increased rate of crime on the street around the shelter surroundings or more disturbance for women folks in these areas. They need to be properly looked after and managed to avoid these issues.

Secondly, due to lack of education and the personal social issues of homeless people, they may resort to violence against the staff sometimes. Also, due to lack of hygenic practices, health problems may crop up as well for using the sleeping and eating facilities together under the single roof. Thirdly, the bigger issue in our society is the wide spread poverty and low income capacity of people .People with low income may take advantage of this facility. It would most probably because of their poverty that would push them into using this facility. Therefore, a system should be developed to enable the very needy people to avail this facility

Fourthly, government should provide opportunities to co-ordinate export based industries to provide job opportunities and working facilities to these homeless people .This will also make a positive image. Vocational training could be provided especially to the youth .These facilities could be used to enable them to make a decent living and contribute to the society at large. Overall, it’s a step in right direction and it’s a good thought for greater social benefit and also for economy.

Sarah Asmat Afridi

Peshawar

Fresh wave of suicide bombings (Karachi, Orakzai) under-scores need for understanding mind of a suicide bomber. `Motivation, opportunity and capacity’ are sine qua non of any act good or evil. True, a US-House-of-Representative resolution dated February 18, 2012 and Delhi-based `Free Balochistan Office (working since 23 June 2018) supports Baloch unrest. Yet, motivation for killing oneself and several other innocent persons appears to be politically, rather than religiously, motivated.

Holy Quran and ahadith forbid taking one’s own life or of other innocent people (even if they are slaves).  They Quran says, “And commit not suicide…whoever shall do this maliciously and wrongfully, we will in the end cast him into the fire; for this is easy with God”.

The ahadith provide penalty of life for life, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, so on. Aside from suicides by healthy Muslim, even killing of terminally ill Muslims by themselves or by others (euthanasia) is not unanimously supported by all jurists. Some outfits equate it with jihad.  But, according to ahadith and verses, an individual cannot wage jihad (farzul Ayn), only a country or a government can do so (farzul kifaya).

Professor Robert Pape of University of Chicago based his book, Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism, argues that `the connection between suicide attacks and religion is exaggerated and that suicide terrorism is “mainly a response to foreign occupation” (Is Pakistan under foreign occupation?). in Mohammed M. Hafez under chapter `Explanations of Suicide Terrorism’ in his book Manufacturing Human Bombs  points out `Religious fanaticism is one of the most common explanation of why individuals volunteer to become human bombs (p.9 ibid.). `But despite its intuitive appeal, this explanation is not entirely convincing.  Political environment is a crucial determinant of the credibility of their appeals’ (p.10 ibid.). The author points out that secular persons and groups have been in the forefront of suicide bombers.

They include Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, PKK fighting for independence from Turkey, , Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, besides Japanese kamikaze (hot winds) of World War II.  In recent history, suicide attacks began during 1981-83 in Lebanon.

A group of five secular groups spearheaded the attacks.  Just four months after 58 French troopers and 248 US marines were killed in attack on US Embassy in Beirut, the US troops left Lebanon (S.  Alam, Suicide Bomber: Phenomenon, Strategy and Future, p.51)

Michael Walzer, in his book Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations argues  that those engaged terrorism can be morally justified  when a nation or community faces the extreme threat of complete destruction and the only way it can preserve itself is by intentionally targeting  non-combatants. Is Pakistan under foreign occupation?

We need to unmask `religiosity’ of suicide terrorists. And, balm their political wounds, if any.

Abdul Hameed Malik

Islamabad

 

October is celebrated as breast cancer awareness month across the globe. Unfortunately, in our society there are lots of superstitions about this disease which are aiding in increased death ratio. Since, breast cancer is the only type of cancer which can be easily detected at early stage; there is dire need of increased awareness to save precious lives.

The common misconception about breast cancer, is considering it as an infectious disease which is totally wrong.

This concept adds more difficulties in the lives of breast cancer patients. In some cases it is observed that due to these misconceptions the women left alone by their families in their time if utmost need.

Even sometime patient women are divorced by their husbands.  Another erroneous concept about this disease is considering it a curse of God due to sins of the affected women. This concept force women to hide their illness.

Due to such wrong perceptions about breast cancer in our society, majority of the cases reported on later stages. It is pertinent to mention that, in case of early detection, chances of survival I is more than 90%. To highlight the importance of early detection and to address the wrong concept about this ailment, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) annually does an extensive awareness campaign throughout the country. This year too, the Hospital is doing great job in this regard. It would be great if more public and private institutes come forward and play their effective part in making this campaign more successful.

Dr. Isma Muneer

Lahore