‘Unislamic’ Muslims
Sir,
Over 1.6 millions human beings believe in the Islamic faith, a lot of them offer rituals of prayers, observe fasting, listen to sermons and perform Umrah or Hajj, but very few of them, in essence, follow the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in their daily lives when interacting with others, showing compassion, tolerance and respect for others. Emphasis is on delivering lectures and sermons, but there is no effort to implement Islam teaches us.
Rulers of Islamic majority states lead lives of luxury, often at state expense, totally oblivious to the suffering, poverty and curse of illiteracy that afflicts a vast majority who live below the poverty line. Laws and loopholes are intentionally tailor-made to facilitate the affluent in tax evasion and organised flight of capital from their countries driving them to a state of perpetual economic crisis, with no funds for education, health and security of life or private property. Yet billions are available to buy luxurious jets, limousines and build palaces spread over acres for tax evading ruling elite. State welfare is denied to the most deprived sections of society, while it displays magnanimity in providing tax amnesties to the rich and giving multiple plots and agriculture land at subsidised rates to paid members of civil or uniformed bureaucracy, cronies and political loyalists.
Most of Islamic states have vast natural and mineral resources, with no dearth of population, but invest least on human resource development. There is negligible investment in education, research or health, with the net result that all Islamic states are at the bottom of list of nations rated according to socioeconomic development indicators.
Although the Holy Quran explicitly mandates inheritance rights of females, giving them the right to marry of their choice, these basic rights are denied to them.
Countries like Pakistan over the years have witnessed a rise in illiteracy because the state has outsourced this vital constitutional obligation to private sector, some funded by foreign NGOs and governments, which has led to a rise in militancy, intolerance and a convoluted interpretation of Islam, which has nothing in common with what the Holy Prophet (PBUH) preached. Islam a religion of peace, love, compassion and tolerance for other faiths has been exploited by ruling elite to perpetuate their injustices and indulge in massive conflicts of interest, which are forbidden.
Malik Tariq Ali,
Lahore.
Goodbye IMF
Sir,
According to an interview on a private TV channel, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has revealed the present government of PML-N would say goodbye to the International Monetary Fund very soon. This is very happy news for all of Pakistan.
Today the nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP of Pakistan is USD 270.96, which is better than its last decade’s performance due to high growth rate. Ongoing collections of projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a cost of USD 46 billion will expand and upgrade Pakistani infrastructure. Fraternity and peace is being brought back after combating with the menace of terrorism for many years now. Foreign investors are now willing to invest in Pakistan. Focus on growth in agriculture in the recent budget is also a good initiative to boost the primary sector that is the economy. We hope the honorable minister concerned and federal government will surely fulfill their promise with enthusiasm, commitment and great dedication by doing hard work day and night.
As per estimations, approximately USD 100 million wealth of Pakistani people is in Swiss bank accounts. I request the finance minister to make immediate arrangements for the recovery of this huge amount, if he and the federal government really want to say goodbye to IMF for good.
Mansoor Ahmed,
Faisalabad.
Boom to bust
Sir,
Reference to the ongoing issue of taxing profits from over Rs7 trillion real estate business and its contribution to the criminal black economy with devastating consequences in terms of hampering investment in the industry. Just like the wheel that has been invented, so has the system of governance evolved for developing countries, where state revenues generated from taxes levied on earnings of citizens, irrespective of source of livelihood, fund human resource, research and development projects. Those countries that follow a universally adopted system constitute the first world, while those who deviate from it comprise the third world. Nowhere in the developed world is there such a defiant nexus between public officeholders and land mafia in illegal occupation of state land as in Pakistan. The infrastructure of roads, energy generation, public transport, health, education, airports, policing, judiciary, emergency services and regulating industries can only be maintained and built if taxes are collected in proportion to earnings by citizens, without any exception.
The real estate and housing industry can thrive only if infrastructure, like roads, bridges, electricity and other utilities, including provision of security through law enforcement, can be sustained from tax revenues generated by this sector and not diverted from other sectors. You cannot having housing, education and facilities in posh residential areas comparable to those existing in developing countries, but have tax free amnesties and schemes that are typical of the third world. These disparities breed discontent and promote terrorism.
It is not the destiny of this country to be categorised forever as a third world country, nor was this vision of the Quaid that the affluent elite get all amenities, benefit from welfare allotment through state subsidised housing schemes, yet pay the least amount of taxes. Investors earning crores from real estate sales would like to buy Mercedes, BMW, Audi, have their children educated abroad, and maybe even seek foreign nationalities but are not willing to part with 10% of actual profits in Pakistan, yet willing to pay over 40% in Canada, UK etc.
Black money is being parked in real estate and will continue to do so as long as profits are not taxed. This investment solely beneficial to individuals does not generate employment in proportion to the enormity of money invested in it. In any case, the existing waiver of tax exemption on profits earned from real estate retained by an investor for over five years is discriminatory since no such benefit is given to professionals, traders, scientists, economists etc.
Aneela Chandio,
Sukkur.
Hepatitis Day
Sir,
Hepatitis Day is observed on 28 July to create awareness among the masses about the chronic disease and it is destroying the lives of many people on a daily basis.
According to a report, viral hepatitis causes acute and chronic liver diseases and kills close to 1.4 million people every year in Pakistan. Let us note that there are five types of hepatitis, categorized from hepatitis A to E. Hepatitis C is the most dangerous, causing one million deaths around the world, and is the ninth leading cause of death.
The purpose of observing the day is to bring awareness among those people who actually do not have any idea about this serious death causing disease.
Bakhtiyar Phullan,
Kech.
Budgetary somersaults
Sir,
It has become almost a routine for the present government, just like those of Musharraf and Zardari, to announce new taxation measures, get them approved by NA and then subject these legislated taxes to ridicule, withdrawing or diluting their impact through negotiations with so called stakeholders. When tax evaders, instead of being penalized, become stakeholders, then such a country is reduced to a Banana Republic, where the black economy is almost triple the documented economy and has state protection.
There has to be a method to this madness, because the repetitive nature of such exercises in post-budget approval suggests a planned scheme. It is no coincidence that the state exchequer is the sole loser of such exercises and only individuals stand to benefit. The artificial boom in real estate prices has made it beyond the reach of honest Pakistanis, who pay all taxes and have no black money. As the usual bogey of foreign investment by expatriate dual nationality holders is drummed up, the reality is that almost double or triple the money is repatriated from huge profits generated by speculative real estate businesses.
The fact is that every major real estate don of this country acquiring assets abroad, where their families live, should have raised alarm bells, but sadly there is no such concern, because the ruling elite have vested interests. Crime will continue to flourish as long as the black economy is not curtailed and those who have chosen to live and die in Pakistan will continue to be sacrificed at the altar of the insatiable greed of a few.
Zaman,
Peshawar.
All around
Sir,
Every day we see politicians being accused of chicanery, and rightly so. This duplicity on the part of politicians has become much more prominent due to electronic and social media. They seem to have a face for every political occasion. There is a pre-election face and post-election face; a treachery-bench face and opposition-bench face; a public face and a private face, and so on.
Is this mendacity present only in our political creed? Have not every aspect of our lives submerged in hypocrisy? Are not we as a society, a society of many faces? It is not my purpose to give any kind of justification for the behavior of politicians. But it is really surprising to see the shock and detestation of a society – whose every act of the day to day dealing is deluged in mendacity and pretense – over the duplicity of politicians. Surely every one of us has a long list with him, of people who use a different face on every different occasion. So, if we ‘the denizens of the land of the pure’ have no higher ideals or uncompromising principles, and if our every act is driven by exigencies; why such tantrum on the duplicity of politicians? What else should we expect from the political creed that has emerged from ‘a society of many faces’ if not deceit and duplicity? These words are by no means an apology for politicians, but are an effort to induce self reflection. We ought to stop the people exhibiting hypocritical behavior around us – people we know, people we care about. After all, charity begins at home.
Syed Usman Shah,
Lahore.
Lacking capacity
Sir,
According to various apolitical and independent assessments or polls, the performance of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has remained somewhat mixed. They have also made clear the failure of the Pervez Khattak government, especially the fact that no arrangement has been made to build the capacity of a civilian administration that may replace the army in areas where the military has had to conduct operations since 2009. The army has done an exemplary job, but the question is whether civilians are ready to take over? Secondly, has the KP government put in place any de-radicalisation plan to eradicate the roots of terrorism?
Yes, according to the assessment, corruption is far less than the levels set by the ANP, PPP and the holy fathers of the MMA; Peshawar has been cleared of encroachments; the main road leading from Motorway-I toll plaza to Hayatabad has been spruced up; attempts have been made to improve the health and education sectors; the attendance of staff has shown improvement; a good law for local bodies has been legislated; the police has been given good resources and is quite active; protocol does not become a nuisance; cooperation with the armed forces over the National Action Plan has been good; and the waste disposal mechanism has been streamlined.
However, all is not well in KP. The assessment report says mega corruption is controlled, but then there aren’t any mega projects in hand; corruption in police and revenue departments is there, contrary to claims. No university or major hospital for tertiary treatment has been opened. There’s no special cardio-care hospital in the entire province. Roads are in miserable shape; projects move at a snail’s pace compared to Punjab. Public transport in major cities including Peshawar is in very bad condition. There are multiple centres of power and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak is at times defied. Some centres of power are outside the province. The divisions within the PTI are affecting the performance of the provincial government. The Accountability Commission and ACE are practically locked out. MDs of Bank of Khyber and PEDO have spoken out against corruption and nepotism; Shakil Durrani has already resigned. For three years, 40 percent of the development budget has lapsed. The local bodies and accountability acts have been amended, making them ineffective. Corrupt officials of previous governments have not been touched, while investment in infrastructure and public transport has been negligible. Overall, expectations remain unfulfilled.
The 13-point agenda of change and development that Imran Khan, the PTI chairman, spelled out on July 25, has although been given after three years, yet it gives hope for the future prospects of the party’s performance as well as improvement in the lives of people of the province. However, Imran has wasted time on agitation and eroded his popularity.
Has KP been able to address the most challenging threat of terrorism is a question which needs answers. The PTI government seems indifferent to it, probably keeping in mind that the army is handling it independently and effectively. What is the role of the KP government in resettling and rehabilitating IDPs from Waziristan is a big question mark. Above all is the lack of capability and capacity building of the political administration and civilian set up to offer an able replacement to the army in areas where military operations were recently conducted. This has to be taken in mind that the army, for longer periods of time, cannot and should not stay in troubled areas like Swat etc. The internal security dynamics have to be handed over to police and local law enforcement agencies. The 13-point agenda of change and development must have included a comprehensive deradicalisation plan in order to extirpate the roots of terrorism. The PTI government in KP, as well as governments of other provinces, need to realise this fact, sooner rather than later.
Eschmall Sardar,
Peshawar.
Can be done
Sir,
I am writing this letter to appreciate the progress in the fields of media, literature, fashion, education and IT in Pakistan. Pakistani media has come a long way since the early days when PTV was the only channel. There are now numerous channels that cover a wide range of fields, such as current affairs, entertainment and sports.
Innovative projects like Coke Studio provide a platform for both established and emerging musicians. Acclaimed and well received movies like Bol, Khuda Kay Liye and Waar show how the Pakistani film industry is evolving from the ‘gandasa’ culture to something more substantial and thought provoking. Pakistani television plays like Humsafar have gained popularity worldwide.
With regard to literature, there are a lot of young, talented writers like Mohsin Hamid, author of Moth Smoke and The Reluctant Fundamentalist. The IT revolution has made a significant impact on the Pakistani society. Among the numerous benefits of internet are the availability of online education and increasing voter awareness.
The fashion industry is one of Pakistan’s most flourishing sectors. Young and talented designers like Khadija Shah of Elan are taking Pakistani fashion to an international level. Events like fashion weeks provide a platform for the designers and models and make a positive impact on the society, especially the youth.
Finally, conditions are also improving in the field of education. There are now numerous opportunities for women and people from rural areas, who are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of education.
Rabia Basri,
Lahore.