How can those who can’t manage a province run the country, asks PM

 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that this was the time to take practical steps to resolve the problems of the people and not to stage sit-ins, adding how could those who could not manage the affairs of one province, run the country.He said those who couldn’t get votes in the 2013 elections should wait for the 2018 general elections instead of hatching conspiracies.
Addressing the second computer balloting for the grant of loans under the Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loans at the Convention Centre here, the prime minister said that in the first phase 38,000 applications for loans were received under the PM Youth Business Loan Scheme including 31,000 men and 7,000 women. “Of them, 6,000 were selected for grant of loans through computer ballot in the first draw and 6,000 more are being selected through the second draw,” he added.He expressed the confidence that youth borrowing loans for businesses would prove to be a harbinger of a social and economic revolution in the country.

He said the government had launched a number of development projects and was completing them in record time. He said that $35 billion would be invested in the power, road and railway sectors during the next ten years.

He said 21,000MW of electricity would be added to the national grid in eight to 10 years.“I see great potential in the youth of Pakistan who can bring about an economic revolution and development in the country through their energy and dynamism”, he added. He said that the middle and lower-middle classes had contributed to the development of nations like Germany and Japan, and therefore, he had great expectations from the youth of these classes in Pakistan.

He further said that the Business Loan Scheme would enable thousands of Pakistani youths to gain financial independence and also prove to be a source of major economic activity. “The scheme is totally transparent and based on merit, and I’m emphasising the role of women in the development of Pakistan,” he added. He said that his government was providing equal opportunities to women in all sectors and therefore all the schemes of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program contained a 50 percent quota for females.

He directed the governor State Bank to engage other Pakistani private banks to participate in these schemes. “Previously, banks only entertained the affluent class as the poor were not even allowed to enter the banks. But our government provided opportunities to the marginalised population for gaining economic independence,” he maintained.

“The money accumulated in the treasury belongs to the people of Pakistan and they have every right to utilise it for their benefit. It is our obligation to provide services and initiate welfare projects”, he noted.

The premier also appreciated the efforts put in by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for presenting a development-oriented and pro-poor budget for 2014-15. As he elaborated the salient features of the budget, he said that they expected to control inflation, and attract significant investment and launch development projects. He said that by the grace of the Almighty and the hard work of the team, the government had been able to achieve 16.4 percent revenues against a target of 21 percent which is almost a 90 percent success.

He informed that the livestock insurance scheme had been included in the budget for 2014-15 that would provide security to small-scale and poor farmers in protection of investment.The premier emphasised that the government’s top priority was to get rid of the power loadshedding and for this purpose, 21,000MW of power projects for the next eight to 10 years had been planned.

He stated that unfortunately, previous governments did not pay attention to the energy crisis and the machinery for the Nandipur power project was abandoned, rusting at the Karachi port while people were suffering long hours of loadshedding. “Our government, in a short period of only eight months reactivated and completed this project which shows our commitment to solve the energy crisis,” he remarked.

He further said that the multi-purpose mega project of Diamer–Bhasha Dam with a cost of $12 billion and with a capacity of 4,500MW was being undertaken which would not only generate electricity but also help in managing our water resources that were being wasted.

He also referred to the $35 billion Pak-China Economic Corridor that would change the fate of the country. He further said that work on the Karachi-Lahore Motorway would be initiated soon as Rs55 billion had been allocated for land acquisition to be completed in three months.

The prime minister said that they should not indulge in the politics of leg-pulling and unnecessary criticism. The people of Pakistan have shown their confidence in us in the last elections and it was they who would again decide in the 2018 elections based on our performance.

Later, he performed the 2nd computerised balloting of the Youth Business Loan Scheme in which 5,169 loans were awarded to the applicants whose applications were approved by the National Bank. It may be noted here that a 50 percent quota was reserved for women with a quota for martyrs and special persons.

He also distributed cheques to some of the successful candidates of the first balloting. He also directed the president of the National Bank to forward all the cheques by June 15, 2014.Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar said the present government was focusing on the welfare of the downtrodden sections of society and the launch of six youth-related schemes were part of that strategy of the PML-N government.

Imran Khan wonders how Nawaz got 8000 votes out of 1500

LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Threek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan on Thursday wondered how the Prime Minister and PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif secured 8000 votes from a Sargodha constituency where, he said, the number of total registered votes stood at only 1500.

Addressing a ceremony held in connection with launching of a book by Brig (retd) Aslam Ghuman, the PTI Chief regretted that the people’s mandate was robbed during the general elections but ‘the judiciary did nothing’.

“If the system is to be reformed, transparent elections will have to be undertaken,” he stressed.

He said when a leader commits an act of corruption he corrupts the entire institution. “It is unfortunate that Pakistan did not even get right kind of dictators,” he added.

Imran Khan noted that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was of no use until and unless it was turned into an independent body. “We are in a process of introducing a new NAB in KPK,” he announced.

How independent are the police in KPK

ISLAMABAD: When a provincial police chief reached to attend an already scheduled meeting, he found political bosses waiting for him. Other than the chief minister, a top leader whose party governs the province was also in attendance.

Asked the reason for his late arrival, the police chief who had taken charge weeks ago said he was on an inspection tour to five districts. ‘How was it,’ a follow-up question was raised by the ruling party leader. Performance of District Police Officers (DPOs) was satisfactory except the one who runs the district of chief minister, he replied. ‘What you have done?’ was another question from the party leader. Reply: ‘I have removed him.’

The CM intervened at this point: ‘You should have at least informed me.’ ‘I am informing you now Sir’, the police chief responded.This is the story of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) province, a testimony of change in the police culture where the top cop is at liberty to call the shots, something still unimaginable in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and also in Islamabad.

Nasir Durrani was serving in Punjab before his appointment as IG KP. Punjab CM preferred a pliant police chief to the likes of Durrani and Zulfiqar Cheema for fear of any tension with them in the event of political interference.

Durrani accepted to lead KP police only on the condition of no political interference in his business. To his good luck, Imran Khan was looking for a man like Durrani and was happy to note about his decision of the removal of DPH Nowshera on performance grounds. CM KP showed the grace by honouring the decision of his police chief instead of nurturing any grudge. Not only the DPO was removed, Durrani sent three names to CM to pick one of them as replacement. It is a legal formality, though not highly appreciated by independent-minded police chiefs, to send a panel of names to CM when a new DPO is to be appointed, no matter which district.

Again, this process is rigged in favour of politicians as the panel is formed through verbal consent and after including the choice names to be named later as DPO. It however did not happen in the case of appointment of DPO in CM KP’s district.

IG KP had to face a gigantic challenge following the transfer of DPO Mansehra, Ghafoor Afridi, a brave and honest police officer. The notification of his appointment as RPO Dera Ismail Khan sparked shutter down strikes in Mansehra and PTI also joined hands with the protesters demanding the reversal of transfer order. However, Durrani refused to budge. He said a valiant officer commanding integrity like Afridi is direly needed in the volatile area of DI Khan bordering with FATA hence the decision would not be reversed.

Earlier, he removed DPO Lakki Marwat Abdul Rasheed on corruption charges, as incidents of extortion were rife in the district under his watch. A corruption inquiry against him is in progress. Durrani has been giving sleepless nights to corrupt elements since he assumed charge. “Around 123 policemen have been dismissed during last five years,” reported Javed Aziz Khan, The News correspondent in Peshawar. Another 46 policemen have been given major punishment, 43 cases are yet to be decided while 32 policemen were exonerated of charges. Those punished included DSPs down to constables whereas four DPOs have been removed, his report said. PTI-led government ‘deserves the credit for improving the situation to some extent in most of the government departments, especially in the police,’ the report said.

How It All Began: A Cold War Battle Heats Up

The Ukraine Divide, Explained

Ukraine is being pulled in different directions: one toward Russia, the other toward Western Europe.

KIEV, Ukraine — Three months of civic unrest in Ukraine spiraled out of control last week with dozens of people dead, the center of this elegant city turned into a burning war zone and the eventual flight from the capital Saturday by the president. Puzzled about the conflict and how it got so bad? Here’s a primer.

There are three core factors that led to the chaos:

First is a broken promise between a leader and his citizens: President Viktor F. Yanukovych had long promised to integrate Ukraine with the European Union by signing sweeping political and trade agreements. In November, he refused to sign.

Second is a lingering Cold War-era fight between Russia and the West for influence over countries in Eastern Europe still suffering from political and economic problems rooted in the Soviet era. While Europe and the United States have made a priority of fostering democracy in the former Soviet republics, the Kremlin sees an ulterior motive: the expansion of Western military and economic power. Perceiving a threat to its big military and economic interests in Ukraine, Russia exerted enormous pressure to scuttle the accords with the European Union.

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Demonstrators rode a military vehicle to Independence Square in central Kiev. Protesters claimed control of the city’s security. Credit Louisa Gouliamaki/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Third is searing public outrage over the government’s sometimes brutal response to the street protests that followed the president’s about-face on ties with the European Union. The crackdowns deeply contradicted Ukraine’s post-Soviet national identity as a peaceful, pluralistic society. Even in the 2004 Orange Revolution, in which there were also huge street demonstrations, the authorities did not assault the protesters.

Now, a quick recap of how recent events unfolded.

In 2009, the European Union initiated an Eastern Partnership program to tighten ties with former Soviet republics, including Ukraine. Russia immediately registered alarm. “Some states view this partnership as a partnership against Russia,” said Dmitri A. Medvedev, then the president and now prime minister.

Russia had serious reasons for unease. Its Black Sea naval fleet is based in Ukraine, and crucial pipelines in Ukraine carry Russian natural gas to customers in Europe. European officials repeatedly dismissed Russia’s concerns in what in hindsight they viewed as a serious miscalculation given Russia’s control over Ukraine’s gas supply, and eastern Ukraine’s heavy dependence on Russia for business and trade.

Ukraine has long been caught between Europe and Russia, and Mr. Yanukovych, elected in 2010, had tried to strike a balance even as his own Eastern Ukrainian, Russian-speaking heritage seemed to place him personally closer to Moscow.

By January 2013, he said that he intended to join Russia’s Customs Union with other former Soviet Republics, as well as sign the political and economic agreements with the European Union.

Many Ukrainians, especially in the Western part of the country, saw the accords with Europe as symbolic of a larger push to improve their lives with much-needed reforms especially to the economy and the justice system. In March 2013, Mr. Yanukovych published a decree directing the government to work toward signing the accords.

Street protests erupted in late November, when it became clear that Mr. Yanukovych would not move forward. At several critical junctures, the rallies seemed about to taper off, especially after Russia gave Mr. Yanukovych $15 billion in loans and natural gas discounts, only to then be reignited by government missteps.

These included the beating by the police of young protesters on Nov. 30, which prompted demonstrators to seize public buildings and occupy Independence Square, as well as the ramming through of new laws severely restricting free speech and assembly.

The protests turned deadly as demonstrators, furious over the legislation, threw firebombs at the police and the authorities responded in some cases with gunfire. Mr. Yanukovych tried to stem the violence by firing the government, but calls for his own resignation grew louder anyway.

Tensions simmered until last week when it seemed Parliament might squelch a deal to reverse constitutional changes that had expanded presidential powers earlier in Mr. Yanukovych’s term. Demonstrators marched toward Parliament, setting off what quickly became the most violent clashes yet.

Terrorism in Pakistan----- How to Eradicate it

Terrorism is the biggest threat to Pakistan’s progress. It roots can be traced back from 1979, when there was an effort to kick out Russia from Afghanistan. But the problem became severe after 9/11. And now in 2011, it’s become a menace for our motherland. I do not want to go into detail history of terrorism in Pakistan. But the million dollar question is: what are the ways to eradicate or to overcome this most dangerous problem. So that as a result our nation can be brought back to the road of progress in all fields of life.

The first and foremost things are the unity and commitment. These are very important to achieve an objective. All stakeholders of the society must need to unite and become committed to this one agenda…….to eradicate terrorism from every nook and corner of the country. But after a very bloody war, we still see some of the stakeholders of the society who are supporting the extremist designs of the terrorist groups. I do not clearly know what their intensions are. But one thing is very clear: that is they are working against country’s betterment. We need to bring back first these people on the right direction using the process of dialogue.

Parliamentarian can play a very constructive role in this regard. They can use their influence in the right direction to convince the people of their constituencies to say “No to all sort of terrorist activities”. They can easily inculcate in the minds of people the vision of free terrorist society and about progressive and emerging Pakistan. But it is also a fact that we still did not see any useful role from these so-called representatives of the people. It is high time they must come forward to save the future of Pakistan.

Religious leaders in any society can play an effective role in times of crises. But the case of Pakistan is different regarding war on terror. These influential leaders were in some respect close to the terrorist organizations and to their self-professed ideology in the past. But it is the requirement of time that these leaders must come forward to use their influence in the society against all type of terrorism. They can play their effective role using mosques, speeches and writings to guide the ignorant masses of the country. There is still a large section of the society in Pakistan who prefers to listen these religious leaders at any cost. So why we are not utilizing the influence and potentials of these leaders in true sense?

Civil society is another major stakeholder. It is not playing their due role against war on terror. The close observation of this modern world demands that in time of crises civil society must come to the forefront to help the state machinery. But in Pakistan it is still a missing area (war on terror) of civil society. A mass movement is required to defeat the ideologies of terrorist organizations. And civil society can lead this mass movement very effectively. But this should be a collaborative effort from all stakeholders of the society. Because working alone against this big threat….terrorism can’t bring the desired results as required.

Education is another very important way to eradicate the root causes of terrorism. The first step should be to provide uniform system of education to the masses. This system of education must be free from prejudices and sectarian violence. It also includes both religious and modern education at equal ratios. This will help create citizens having a balanced approach towards life. Although it is a very lengthy process but it is very important. Because we need to clear the minds of young generation about the extreme designs of terrorist organizations. (A few days ago a renowned professor has given a lecture on topic related to terrorism in a university. In question-answer session when he was asked about who is responsible for terrorism in Pakistan. He refused to give any comments on this question). So this attitude must be stopped right now.

Good governance is another area which needed more attention in this regard. The important work in this regard which has been done so far is only to equip security personnel’s with latest weapons and to increase their salaries, and compensation in case of casualties. But Policy makers of Pakistan (after entering into the dangerous war on terror) did not create a suitable mechanism through which terrorism can effectively be checked. For example, there is no clear data of people residing in the country. There is no check and balance on foreigner’s activities in the country. There is no effective way to check cross border terrorism from Afghanistan and Indian side. There is not sufficient training mechanism for security personnel’s to counter terrorist organizations plots. There is still time our intelligence and law and order agencies can start door to door campaign for checking and registration, and to monitor it effectively. Also institutional working should be done according to rules and regulations. This will give a sense to the citizens of the country that Pakistan’s future largely depends on good governance, and ultimately they will participate in this process.

Also there is an urgent need for the military to come forward and state explicitly the present situation regarding war on terror to all citizens of the country. This strategy will clear the minds of people. Because Pakistan is the most affected country in the world in war against terrorism.

The role of parents and teachers can’t be denied in times of crises. Because they are the main architects of nations. But we see no efforts from any side (nor from them itself) to utilize their full potentials regarding elimination of terrorism. We are not observing any type of collective efforts within homes, schools, Colleges and universities against terrorism. It is time that these builders of nation must come forward to save the country future. After all, terrorism is our common enemy, and we can’t see a prosperous Pakistan without eradicating it.

All these major efforts must be initiated at the same time and must be communicated to all citizens through electronic and print media. This is also one of the most demanding area for the media to work on. As it is also badly required from the media to channelize their work in a constructive manner to inform people how they can beat terrorist designs. After all, united approach and combined efforts for a good cause can only make a nation stronger and prosperous in all respects.