8% of education budget spent on higher studies: Atta

Source: The News

Date: July 01, 2010

The government spends only eight per cent of total education budget, equalling 1.4 per cent of GDP, on higher studies, due to which the country has lagged behind in socio-economic development.

In his lecture on `Education of Science and Technology for Socio-Economic Development,’ organised by Planning Commission for the eminent scientists and scholars, former federal minister and Chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Atta-ur-Rehman said the country could not afford any further cuts in budgetary allocations for science and technology.

He suggested the government to incentives the private sector to invest in technology sector following the foreign models.
He said it was unfortunate that the collective GDP of all OIC states was lesser than that of Japan, just because “we lag behind in science education as we could not set priorities”.

“First of all, we will have to recognise that youth is the real asset of our country. Pakistan is rich of 85 million youths of below 19. So if we do not exploit talent, the country may suffer a lot,” said Atta-ur-Rehman.

He said it was unfortunate that Pakistan was spending only 1.4 per cent of GDP on education out of which eight percent was allocated for higher education. He advised the government not to follow Sri Lankan syndrome where lower education was given priority.

“The students should be developed as job givers, not job seekers because youths should be encouraged to establish small companies. MIT has created 4,000 companies with annual sale of $232 million,” he said.

Dr Atta-ur-Rehman said Pakistan has been ranked 104th in Global Competitiveness and 83rd in availability of engineers and scientists, 80th in spending on research and development against 46 at India.

For more information: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=248170

 

 

Bureaucracy: 'fair sex' doing well alongside male colleagues in KP

Source: The News

Dated: June 28, 2010

PESHAWAR: Dr Sadia Sarwat Javed is among a handful of women officers serving alongside their male colleagues against senior administrative positions in key departments of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

 As many as 73 females are heading different courts across the province, dispelling the impression that women are restricted only to the education and health sectors.

 The senior most among the judges is Justice Khalida Rachid, a high court judge from the province presently serving as judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at Hague, Netherlands.

Another lady from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahida Badshah, has the honour of being the second female of the country to attain the rank of major general in the Pak Army. She is presently heading the Army Medical College as its first-ever female principal.

Among the academicians, Dr Lal Baha was the first woman PhD scholar from the province who once served as acting vice-chancellor of the University of Peshawar and also member of the Public Service Commission.

The senior most among female bureaucrats was Ali Begum, who retired as managing director of Elementary Education Foundation in grade-22. Ms Abida Ali, a grade-21 officer, was among the many senior women officials serving in Customs and Income Tax Departments.

Hundreds of women are contributing to the province as doctors, professors and lecturers as well as senior administrators in the Education Department. “People’s mentality can be changed, not because of quota or taking refuge behind gender, but by working hard and displaying your talent. This was why those who had protested against my posting later became my supporters,” recalls Dr Sadia Javed, who was the senior most officer in the province before the arrival of Farah Hamid in the province. Farah Hamid has been posted in the Fata Development Authority against a senior position.

For more details: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=247706

 

18.5% of forestland converted into non-forest uses

Source: The News

Dated: June 26, 2010

The federal government should not only block any future land transfers from forest department to any department but also take back the previously transferred land back into a protected forest, said a report launched by the WWF-Pakistan here on Friday.

The study has been commissioned by the scientific committee of WWF-Pakistan to identify all forest areas in the country that were transferred from the various provincial forest departments for other land uses.

“It is shocking that an over 61,000 hectares (151548 acres), which is 18.5% of the forestland, has been converted to non-forest uses,” revealed Dr Kauser Abdullah Malik, chairman of the scientific committee of the WWF-Pakistan at National Press Club.

Dr Bashir Ahmed Wani, ex-IG forest in his presentation also shared that the last largest conversion of forestland has taken in Punjab, which is 66% of the total deforestation while Sindh is second and termed it distressing as government continues to convert more forestland.

In their recommendations, the WWF-Pakistan proposed the Ministry of Environment to move a summary to the prime minister for imposing restrictions on the transfer of forestlands for non-forestry uses as done in the case of ban on commercial harvesting of forests.

It also recommends the withdrawal of powers of de-notification under Forest Act 1927 and any other provincial law under existing legislation is amended and issue direction to the provincial governments for restricting provincial board of revenue to transfer land to any agency.

An advisory board will be constituted at the federal level with representation from the provinces and Board of Revenue (BoR) to lay down procedure for the award of forestlands for non-forestry uses in case such transfers are unavoidable and alternate land is not available, it added.

The recent FAO report on the state of World Forests 2009 mentions that the annual rate of deforestation in Pakistan is 2.1% — the highest among all the countries in Asia.

It is hoped that this report will help block all future transfers of precious forestland for other uses, and that as much as possible, lands that have been previously transferred are also gradually restored as forestland.

The Government of Pakistan has given a commitment to global community under Millennium Development Goals to increase the forest cover in the country to 6% by the year 2015, but not enough corresponding action has been taken to disaggregate this target down to the provinces, districts and tehsils.

As outlined in this report, the largest conservations of forestland have taken place in Punjab and Sindh corresponding to 99,711 acres and 27,874 acres respectively.

For more details please vist website: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=247297

 

 

The civil society crisis in Pakistan

The following column " The civil society crisis in Pakistan" by Salman Abid , source "The News- June 27 , 2010".

People have a different perception of civil society organisations due to conceptual ambiguities

The civil society in Pakistan has come to a critical stage, facing lots of internal and external challenges along with the democratic forces in the country. The concept of civil society emerged in the early 1980s marked by a strong belief and desire in its potential to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions and focusing on issues such as accountability, credibility of the state institutions, and equal distribution and allocation of resources, etc.

In theory, its institutional forms are distinct from those of the state, family, and market. In practice though, the boundaries between state, civil society, family and market are often blurred. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors, and institutional forms, varying in their degree of autonomy. Civil societies are often populated by organisations such as registered charities, development non-governmental organisations, community groups, faith-based organisations, professional associations, trade unions and advocacy group. In the political context, "civil society" refers to all organised forms apart from the government.

For more details: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2010-weekly/nos-27-06-2010/pol1.htm#7

 

 

 

Domestic debt surges by 19.04pc in 11 months

Source : The News

Friday, June 25, 2010

External financing key reason for sharp rise: SBP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s outstanding stock of domestic debt rose by 19.04 per cent to Rs4.633 trillion by May from Rs3.892 trillion during the corresponding period last year, the central bank said on Thursday.

The rise in domestic debt is attributed to the net external financing due to lower-than-expected disbursement of the pledged foreign financing and increase in the external debt repayment on maturing stocks of the foreign currency bonds, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said.

In a recently released report the SBP had said that a slightly higher than the projected fiscal deficit and the virtual halt with the budgeted external finances put pressure on the domestic source of financing to finance the budget deficit.

“Consequently, the structure of domestic debt changed significantly with increasing share of scheduled banks and non-bank debt in the total domestic debt,” it said.

The outstanding stocks of permanent debt went up by 16.79 per cent to Rs789 billion during July-May 2009/10 against Rs675.6 billion during the corresponding period last year.

Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) retained its dominant share in the outstanding stocks of permanent debt with Rs505.3 billion against Rs441 billion.
The head of floating debt rose by 22.66 per cent during the first 11 months of FY10 to Rs2.397 trillion against 1.954 trillion during the corresponding period last year, the central bank said.

The unfunded debt showed an increase of 14.89 per cent to reach Rs1.44 trillion against Rs1.253 trillion. The outstanding stocks against major National Savings Scheme (NSS) instruments recorded a positive growth except for Defence Savings Certificate, which dipped to Rs223 billion against Rs259.8 billion, it added.

News Views: Civil war in 13 areas feared

Source : The News

Dated: June 25, 2010

Rawalpindi: Sensitive agencies have sent a warning report to President House and Prime Minister House that here is a danger of eruption of civil war in 13 areas of the country because of economic deterioration.

By referring to the increasing incidents of suicides due to poverty, it is said in the report that the situation is turning extremely critical due to poverty in interior areas of Sindh and  Punjab where not planning but practical steps are needed on basis of war footing. According to the sources, the report also referred to an earlier report that pointed out same dangers and was sent to federal government but no practical measures were taken by the government.

 

News Views: Duty-free Afghan oil exports deprive

Source: The News

Date: June 25, 2010

 

Pakistan of Rs1.2bn annually; PSO urges withdrawal of exemptions, says a huge quantity of exported oil smuggled back

 

KARACHI: Duty and tax exemptions provided on oil exports to Afghanistan is depriving the government of more than Rs1.2 billion annually and encouraging several oil marketing companies to dump a huge quantity meant for exports in the local market, industry and government sources said.

 

“The tax- and duty-free oil exports also encourage people to smuggle back exported oil from Afghanistan and sell it here on discounted rates,” a Petroleum Ministry official told The News by telephone from Islamabad requesting anonymity.

 

The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) in a confidential letter to the Petroleum and Natural Resources Ministry and the Commerce Ministry urged for immediate measures to halt this ‘unethical’ practice, he said.

 

The letter dated June 17, a copy of which is available with The News, says that there has been an “alarming growth of exports volume” of almost 100 per cent to Afghanistan in the current financial year. The government loses Rs100 million a month because of the duty and tax exemptions on exported oil, it said.

 

Pakistan’s oil exports to Afghanistan jumped to 102,776 tons during the first 10 months of ‘10 (July-April) from 51,759 tons during the corresponding period a year ago.

 

For more details please visit website: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=247132

 

News Views: National Economic Agenda

Source: The News

Dated: June 24, 2010

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Wednesday unveiled National Economic Agenda 2010/30 that has been evolved in consultation with almost all the political parties in the country.

“Economic policies should be independent of political forces,” said the LCCI president Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry explaining the objective of developing the agenda.

Every government comes up with its own economic vision that is rolled back when new government assumes the office, he said. “Inconsistency in policies has hurt economic development.”

All the areas of economy have been discussed in detail in the economic agenda. It is suggested that the agriculture sector must now be upgraded into process and semi-process industry.

“The value addition for our agricultural produce should go beyond the dependence on cotton textile,” he said. Cooked and semi-cooked food should become the main engine of growth.

Providing security to the economic zones should be on top of state’s priorities.

 

For more details: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=246859

 

 

 

News Views: MoU for disposal of hazardous waste signed

Source: The News

Dated: June 23, 2010

 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding installation of hazardous waste disposal facilities was signed on Tuesday between the Ministry of Environment and Malaysian-based company Pollution Engineering Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited.

 

Director General Pak-EPA Asif Shuja Khan signed MoU on behalf of the environment ministry while Pollution Engineering Pakistan (Pvt,) Limited was represented by Group Managing Director Tony Y.C Liew.

 

According to MoU, initially the Malaysian company would invest in two hazardous waste disposal facilities in Pakistan, one each in Karachi and Lahore on “built-Operate-and Own” basis.

 

The environment ministry will coordinate with the Sindh government and Punjab industrial associations to complete the project in a befitting manner. Moreover, Pollution Engineering Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited will carry out study with its own financial resources and workout feasibility of project that would cater to the needs of industries at SITE (Karachi) and Sunder Estate ( Lahore ).

 

Link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=246668

 

News Views : Pakistan ranks 10th among 'failed States'

Source: Dawn

Dated:  June 22, 2010

 

WASHINGTON, June 21: Pakistan was ranked the 10th most failed state in the world, just three places below Afghanistan, in a US survey released on Monday.

 

Somalia tops the 2010 Failed States Index followed by Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Chad.

The index issued by the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace, a Washington-NGO, ranks India 87th in a list of 177 countries.

 

Burma has been placed at 13. Sri Lanka is ranked 22 and Nepal 25. China is at 57th place.

 

Norway is ranked the world’s most stable country and is at the bottom of the list.The Untied States is ranked 158 but is not among the 10 most stable countries.

 

The report notes that Pakistan has more than once been described as the world’s most dangerous country. Its wild northern reaches remain host to various branches of the Pakistani Taliban and Al Qaeda.

 

More than 3 million Pakistani civilians were displaced by “counterinsurgency” operations in 2009 — the larg est single movement of people since the Rwandan genocide.

 

“President Asif Ali Zardari’s democratically elected government looks hapless — unable to gain any measure of civilian control over a nuclear-armed military … or an intelligence service that stands accused of abetting the Afghan Taliban,” observes the Foreign Policy magazine.

 

Social Indicators Pakistan is the world’s seventh-most populous country, with a population density of over 226 people per kilometre. The country has a moderate youth bulge; the average age is 21 and over 37 per cent of Pakistanis are under 15 years of age.

 

Pakistan has historically been home to vicious political battles between rival parties, as well as consistent conflicts within the tribal regions and in Balochistan. Pakistan suffers from a significant brain drain.

 

For more details please visit: http://epaper.dawn.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=22_06_2010_005_007

 

 

Thanks and Regards,

Roohi Bano

 

 

Metamorphosis of the medium

The following column "Metamorphosis of the medium" by Aziz Ali Dad, source "The News-Saturday, June 12, 2010 ".

These days, deterioration appears in every sphere of life, including the human senses. Oral cultures clamour that the written culture is robbing them of their memory, academicians complain of proliferation of information without knowledge, musicians object to the alienation of the ear from the cultural realm and booklovers moan the decline of the written word. We feel as if our senses are falling apart and we cannot control them. Rather, one of our senses determines us by becoming independent from the whole.
Human beings, through different historical stages, have relied on different media to engage meaningful communication. With the emergence of speech they had started conceptualising and storing ideas in memory. Although writing was invented in 3500 BC, it did not dominate the spoken word until the printing press came along.

For more details:   http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=244614

 

 

 

 

Flotilla

The following column "Flotilla" by Harris Khalique , source "The News- June 04, 2010".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the act of the deadly attack by his marines on the aid flotilla of six ships heading towards the 1.5 million Palestinians crowded into the Gaza strip. He shamelessly said, "Once again Israel faces hypocrisy and a biased rush to judgment." Unmoved by the deaths of innocent civilians at the hands of his atrocious forces, he was defiant in his speech and pleaded that easing the blockade of Gaza would lead to Iranian missiles falling in the hands of rogue Hamas leaders who rule the Palestinian strip. According to the statement of the Israeli Defence Forces, the relief flotilla organisers had a radical Islamic anti-western orientation, and that Israeli naval forces were attacked with metal clubs and knives, as well as live fire. We haven't heard of a single Israeli death, however.

For more details:  http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=243052

 

 

 

Pakistan Budget 2010-2011

Budget is presented by Dr. Hafeez Sheikh, here are the Salient points of Dr. Hafeez Shaikh’s budget speech:

• Total budget outlay for 2010-11 is Rs 3259 billion, which is 10.7 percent more than the current year.
• 50 percent ad hoc allowance of basic salaries to be granted to government employees.
• GST raised from 16 to 17 percent.
• Salaries of government employees raised by 50 percent.
• Federal Cabinet cut down its salaries by 10 percent.
• Medical Allowance for employees of Grade-1 to 15 increased by 100 percent. While the raise in medical allowance for employees of Grade-16 to 22 is 15 percent of their basic pay.
• Rs 1 CED imposed on manufacturing of each cigarette.
• Tax revenue is targeted at 1.78 trillion rupees out of which the Federal Board of Revenue will collect 1.667 trillion rupees, about 9.8 percent of GDP.
• Non-tax revenue is targeted at 632.2 billion rupees. Revenue from direct taxes is targeted at 657.7 billion rupees and revenue from indirect taxes is targeted at 1.12 trillion rupees. Subsidies will be reduced to 126.68 billion rupees from 228.99 billion rupees.
• Development spending or the public sector development spending is targeted at 663 billion rupees, with 373 billion rupees allocated for provinces, and 280 billion rupees as the federal component.
• Inflation is targeted at 9.5 percent in 2010/11 fiscal year, down from the central bank’s forecast of between 11.5percent and 12.5 percent for the year ending June 30.
• The defence budget is set at 442.2 billion rupees, a 17percent increase from last year.
• The debt to GDP ratio has climbed to 55 percent and ‘we must protect the poor’.
• 30 million energy savors will be provided in a bid to conserve electricity.
• He stressed upon self-reliance and resource mobilization.
• Talking about unemployment, he said jobs are created when the whole economy grows.
• He held flawed policies and influence of some government departments responsible for energy shortage in the country where people are willing to pay for the utility but cannot get it due to unavailability.
• We have to make our policies right and rise above the petty issues.
• He said there is burden of 235 billion on the country’s budget due to losses being incurred by state owned enterprises including PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills and PEPCO.
• Three dams will be built in 2010-11.
• Pepco want subsidy of Rs 180 billion.
• 685 billion budget deficit, which is 4 percent of GDP.
• Reformed GST to be implemented from October 31.
• All non-developmental expenditures frozen.
• 40 billion to be distributed among people from Benazir Income Support Programme.
• Baitul Maal to continue functioning with Rs2 million.
• Minimum wage raised from Rs6000 to Rs7000.
• ADP fixed at 603 billion out of which 52 percent will be given to the provinces.
• GST will be reformed under which instead of 16 to 25 percent GST there should be single 15 percent GST for all. No sales tax on health and food.
• Rs10 FED imposed on 1 mmbtu gas.
• Minimum taxable income for salaried class raised from Rs200,000 to Rs300,000.
• Capital Gains Tax of 10 percent being imposed on gains from stocks held for less than 6 months; 7.5 percent on gains from stocks held for 6 months to 1 year and; no tax on capital gains from stocks held for more than a year.
• Custom duty reduced on 29 items.
• Pension raised by 15 percent for the employees who retired before 2001 and 20 percent for those retired after 2001.
• 200,000 unemployed youth will be provided employment for 100 days under Youth Scheme.
• Rs. 663bn allocated in PSDP-2010-11

Total amount of Rs. 663 billion has been allocated in PSDP-2010-11 for various ongoing and new schemes.

Out of total PSDP, the federal share is Rs. 280 billion, provincial share Rs.373 billion where as Rs.10 billion would be spent for Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Earthquake-hit areas.

Following are the main allocations:

— Rs.28423.8 million for Water and Power Division (Water Sector)
— Rs.15227.5 million for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.
— Rs.14565.7 million for Finance Division.
— Rs.13629.6 million for Railways Division.
— Rs.9395.7 million for Planning and Development Division.
— Rs.15762.5 million for Higher Education Commission.
— Rs.16944.5 million for Health Division.
— Rs.10873.7 million for Food and Agriculture Division.
— Rs.3220.1 million for Industries and Proudction division.
— Rs.5140.9 million for Education Division.
— Rs.5584 million for Interior Division.
— Rs.3887.1 million for Defence Division.
— Rs.3618.3 million for Housing and Works Division.
— Rs.3618.7 million for Cabinet Division.
— Rs.4115.5 million for Population Welfare Division.
— Rs.1646.2 million for Science and Technological research Division.
— Rs.885.6 million for Livestock and Dairy Development Division.
— Rs.1000 million for Law and Justice Division.
— Rs.1000 million for Environment Division.
— Rs.1000 million for Special Initiatives Division.
— Rs.1234.7 million for Revenue Division.
— Rs.623.4 million for Petroleum and Natural Resources Division.
— Rs.718.3 million for Information Technology and Telecom Division.
— Rs.1229.7 million for Defence Production Division.
— Rs.474.1 million for Commerce Division.
— Rs.149.1 million for Communication Division (other than NHA).
— Rs.518.6 million for Ports and Shipping Division.
— Rs.246.9 million for Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
— Rs.152.9 million for Women Development Division.
— Rs.107.6 million for Social Welfare and Special Education Division.
— Rs.65.8 million for Labour and Manpower Division.
— Rs.82.3 million for Local government and Rural Development Division.
— Rs.125 million for Tourism Division.
— Rs.140.8 million for ministry of Foreign Affairs.
— Rs.549.8 million for Narcotics Control division.
— Rs.114.4 million for Establishment Division.
— Rs.353.9 million for Culture Division.
— Rs.229.6 million for Sports Division.
— Rs.74.5 for Youth Affairs Division.
— Rs.509.9 million for Information and Broadcasting Division.
— Rs.164.6 million for Textile Industry Division.
— Rs.82.3 million for Statistics Division.
— Rs.81.1 million for Ministry of Postal Services.
— Rs.15 million for Economic Affairs Division.
— Rs.12029.7 million for WAPDA (Water)
— Rs. 44637 million for National Highway Authority
— Rs.10523.5 million for Azad Jammu and Kashmir
— Rs.6584.9 million for Gilgit-Baltistan (Block and other projects)
— Rs.8642.6 million for FATA.
— Rs. 5000 million for People’s Works Programme-I
— Rs.25000 million for People’s Works Programme-II

For more details: http://www.geotauaisay.com/2010/05/pakistan-budget-2010-2011/

 

 

President signs convention on civil, political rights

Friday, 04 Jun, 2010

Source: Dawn

 

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari signed on Thursday two recently ratified international conventions, adding Pakistan to the list of countries which have ratified all international conventions related to good governance, sustainable development and human rights.

 

The two conventions are: The international convention on civil and political rights and the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment..

 

The first convention bars the signatory countries from awarding capital punishment to under-18 convicts.

 
The cabinet in a meeting on March 24 had ratified the conventions with certain reservations.

 
The Instrument of Ratification signed by the President will now be sent to the United Nations.

 
The salient features of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights are: All peoples have the right to self-determination; respect for individuals without distinction of any kind e.g. race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status; equal right of men and women to all civil and political rights; every human being has the inherent right to live.

 
In countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes. Anyone sentenced to death shall have the right to seek pardon or commutation of the sentence. Sentence of death shall not be imposed on under-18 convicts. 

The convention also envisages that no-one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and in particular, no-one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation; no-one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country; no-one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, or correspondence; everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and no-one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice; and everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. 

 

The salient features of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment are: All peoples have the right to self-determination; respect for individuals without distinction of any kind e.g. race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status; no state party shall expel, return, extradite a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture; ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law; and enforceable right to fair and adequate compensation.

 

 The Instrument of Ratification signed by the president also contains reservations protecting national rights relating to (a) Islamic law and ideology (b) issue of self-determination, (c) anything repugnant to the provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan.